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k。 Through the T…shirt damp with sweat； the boy's skin was hot； alive。 Christian felt the little ridges of the spine through the thin cloth。 The boy looked at Christian for a moment； his eyes darker than before。 Then he smiled and moved so that his hip was touching Christian's。 Their hipbones met and spoke to each other in a secret bone language。 The boy's smile was heartbreakingly sweet。
〃Mind…eraser；〃 the boy shouted when they were at the bar。 Christian paid for the concoction。 It was the drink of a child alcoholic； a sweet fizz with a deadly bite。 〃Share with me；〃 the boy offered； holding up the cup。 There were two straws in it。
〃No；〃 Christian said； remembering the nausea； imagining how Molochai； Twig； and Zillah would howl。 〃You have it。〃
For a moment he thought he heard them laughing raucously behind him； thought he saw them from the corner of his eye： three clumps of hair； three smudged faces。 When he turned； there were only three girls in leather dresses giggling and staring at him。 Christian turned back to the bar； but the boy was sharing his mind…eraser with the girl on his left。 The girl's teased red hair tickled the boy's face； and Christian saw him laugh and brush strands of it away。
But when the drink was gone； the girl went off on the arm of a skinhead； and the boy turned to Christian。 〃Do you want to go somewhere？〃
The air outside was amazingly cool and fresh after the haze of smoke and liquor in the club； and the boy stood still for a few seconds； gazing up at the stars； breathing deeply。 He smiled at Christian。 〃It's nice。 Let's go down to the river。〃
As they wandered down to the river's edge； Christian watched the boy； saw the ripe shine of his eyes and mouth in the dark； the softness of the blond hair that was cut short at the sides and tumbled in a pale cascade down the boy's back； the grace of the boy's drunken hands and the unconcerned； achingly lithe motion of his hips； the soft place under his jaw where his pulse heat。 He smelled the leather and the clean sweat and soap and skin of the boy； and he smelled the French Quarter around them； the spice and the garbage； the grainy golden smell of beer； the deep brown fish smell of the river。
The water shone dark and still tonight。 Near its edge； the boy spread his jacket and pulled Christian down with him。 Their tongues melted together。 The boy's spit was as sour and sweet as wine。 Christian sucked at the boy's mouth； let the spit flow down his throat； warming him； awakening his hunger even more。
The boy twisted and stretched under him； hugging him close to bony childish chest and soft thin skin； and then the boy sat up and pulled his T…shirt over his head。 The moonlight made him a creature of white and silver； striped dark with jutting ribs。 He slipped back into his leather。 〃I like to feel it against my skin；〃 he explained shyly。
Christian held the boy close； cradled him； kissed his throat。 The boy moaned very softly when he felt the first touch of the long needle…sharp teeth that curved over Christian's lips now； drawn out by the night and the smell of the river and the delicious beauty of the boy in his arms。
The boy twisted his head to look at Christian。 His eyes were big in his thin face； and very dark。 〃What are you？〃 he asked。
Christian was silent。 But his teeth had pricked the boy's skin； and the first faint scent of blood reached him。
〃Are you a vampire？〃
Christian stroked the boy's hair back from his forehead； kissed the side of the boy's face tenderly； flicking the tip of his tongue across the smooth skin。
〃Make me into one too；〃 said the boy。 〃Please？ I want to be one。 I want to walk at night with you and fall in love and drink blood。 Kill me。 Make me into a vampire too。 Bite me。 Take me with you。〃
Christian nipped the boy's throat gently； not breaking the skin this time。 He ran his hands along the length of the boy's body under the jacket； caressed his smooth bare chest； slipped one hand beneath the belt of the boy's jeans and found molten trembling heat there。 The boy's back arched； he made a low gasping sound。 Christian's tongue found the tender spot under the jaw； and he sank his teeth in。 The boy whimpered and went rigid in his arms。 The raw yolky taste of life spilled into Christian's mouth； bubbling out of the boy fresh and strong。
Christian eased the boy's body to the ground； held him； and sucked。 The taste was all he remembered； all he dreamed about； all he would ever need。 The boy pressed himself up against Christian。 His hands found the long black hair that spilled down over Christian's shoulders and tore at it in a passion born of pain。
Then suddenly Christian's vision blossomed red； black； red again； great gauzy flowers of light and darkness that blotted out the French Quarter； the river； the boy's face。 He clasped the boy more tightly； and their bodies locked together in a final wash of ecstasy； Christian's belly warming and filling； the boy beginning to die。 The boy's sperm flooded warm over Christian's fingers。 Christian brought his hand up to his lips and sucked at that too。 The two tastes mingling in his mouth； creamy and delicate and bitter and salty； raw as life； were almost too exquisite to bear。
When the boy's veins ran dry and his hair and hands trailed limply on the wet ground； Christian picked him up and held him like a baby； gazing into the face gone paler than before； the rapturous half…closed eyes。 For several minutes he held the boy； and then he turned his cold eyes to the cold moon； and something passed between them； between Christian and the moon； something as ancient and implacable as the tides； as the distances between the stars。
And had the moon been able to look into Christian's eyes； it would have seen that Christian did not love what he had done； but now he was no longer hungry。 He was no longer sick and cold。 The drinking of a life left him a little less alone than he had been before； and if the boy had died thinking he would rise again as one with Christian； that could not be helped。 It was kinder to let the children die believing as they did。 He could not turn the boy into one of his kind any more than the boy could have bitten him and turned him human。 They were of separate races； races that were close enough to mate but still as far away from each other as dusk and dawn。 But the dead slept； and did not know。
Christian kissed the white forehead and eased the empty little body into the river。 The weight of the leather dragged it down； and for a moment Christian saw it hanging beneath the surface； limp and cold as a dream。 Then it was gone。
Chapter 6
Nothing cupped his hands around the candle again。 He felt the heat biting into his palms； the bright point of the flame embedding itself in his eyes。 When he looked away； yellow light burst out of the darkness and melted across his vision。 He knuckled his fists against his eyes and rubbed hard。
The candleholder； an ornate thing of black iron as fluted and curlicued as a balcony in some exotic city； tipped and spilled。 Only when the hot wax touched his foot did he realize that something was wrong。 The flame had begun to lick at the quilt。 Smal