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d learn none of my secrets。〃
Ghost licked his lips nervously。 His tongue was as dry as Arkady's must have been all through that long winter in Paris。 〃What happened to Ashley？〃 he asked。
Arkady knelt and flipped up the velvet dropcloth。 His hands disappeared into the blackness beneath the altar。 Shadows lapped at his knuckles； his wrists。 Then he withdrew his hands。
Steve cursed and took a step backward； Ghost's eyes widened。 Arkady was holding a perfect human skull； smooth and narrow； bleached to the golden…white of old ivory。
〃Ghost and Steven；〃 Arkady said； 〃meet my brother Ashley。〃
Later； Steve thought that if he hadn't known Ghost so well； he would have suspected Ghost of trying to win Arkady Raventon's heart at that moment。 But of course Ghost was Ghost； the most uncalculating of all people； and what he did next was just his nature…the pure crazy chemistry that flowed between his brain and his heart and his soul。 Never mind how Arkady Raventon's eyes melted when Ghost reached out his hands and said； 〃Can I hold him？〃
Arkady put the skull into Ghost's hands。 Ghost cradled it carefully。 Its surface was somehow devoid of temperature； neither warm nor cold。 He looked into the sockets of its eyes。 It was the only skull he had ever seen that didn't look as if it were grinning。 It just stared； and the arch of its teeth was impassive； perhaps sad。 He hoped Steve wouldn't make a joke （Why can't Ashley Raventon go to parties anymore？ Because he doesn't have any body to go with）。
Ghost was very aware that here had once rested a brain； a mind； an identity。 A soul？ Here had once been the cradle of a life。 He felt as if he were holding something alive and vulnerable。 Something that depended on him not to drop it。 If he dropped it； it would surely crack。 It might shatter。 So Ghost held the skull carefully； and then the feelings began to e； as he had known they would。 The essence of Ashley washed over Ghost； and he lost himself in the depths of the skull's empty eyes and let the impressions e。
A great loneliness。 That was the first thing。 Loneliness for Arkady； wanting him； wanting his arrogance； his self…assurance。 Misgivings in spite of the desire to trust； and then the conviction that Arkady was never ing back from Paris。 A void。 A slew of things to fill the void…alcohol and opium； lovers and new leather boots…but still the late nights crept in； and Arkady was never ing back； never could； never 。 。 。
Then two familiar faces rose up before him； two pairs of silvery eyes； a tangle of scarlet and yellow hair。 They were stuffing at Ghost as they had the last time he'd seen them； sitting astride the branch of the old oak in the clearing； on that first night of strangeness。 But this time their ripe mouths were smeared with blood and other juices； with shreds of tissue。
Ghost felt sick。 A stupid panic welled up in his throat。 But he put the skull back in Arkady's hands and said only； 〃Your brother was very handsome； wasn't he？〃
〃Not handsome。 Beautiful。 Did I mention that Ashley was the beauty of the Raventons？〃 Arkady pressed his lips to the top of the ivory cranium before continuing。 〃His hair was the color of burgundy； and he wore it long down his back； and it sparkled when he walked in the rain。 His cheekbones were like razors…I always thought that I might cut my finger on one of them； but I never did。〃 With the tip of one forefinger； Arkady touched the skull gently。 〃And those eyes…I used to say to him； 'O Ashley； those eyes； those eyes'…so dark and lost when they tilted up to me…like holes through time。〃 He ran his finger around the edge of one of the empty eye sockets。 〃Those eyes…how they could slay me。
〃But he died。 Yes； I came back home and he had died。 My Ashley。 My brother。 And now I am alone。〃
〃Wait a second。〃 Ghost's voice was halting； there was no doubt in it； only wonder。 〃You came home。 You were there。 Why didn't you bring Ashley back from the dead； too？〃
Arkady held the skull a moment longer。 Then he knelt and slid it back under the altar。 He spent some time rearranging the velvet； brushing away dust； picking up some black feathers that had fallen from the altartop to the floor。 When he stood； the joints of his knees cracked as loudly as shots in the silent room。
He met Ghost's eyes； and when he spoke； his voice was soft and even。
〃Ashley didn't want to e back；〃 he said。
〃So was it vampires that killed your brother？〃 Ghost asked Arkady a little later。 He figured it couldn't hurt to find out just what the twins were。 Allowing for the existence of one kind of vampire； it seemed to follow that there might be other kinds； feeding on things other than blood。 The existence of the first type scared him but didn't really surprise him。 All his life he had been accepting as normal things that most people didn't even believe in。
They were sitting in the front room； talking over a decanter of sherry that Arkady had brought out from some recess of the shop。 At least Ghost hoped it was sherry。 It tasted funny； musty and a little sour； but Steve was putting it away with no problem。 Ghost sipped from his first glass as Arkady poured Steve's third。
〃Vampires？〃 Arkady's hand twitched； he almost dropped the bottle of sherry。 He crossed himself twice； first upside down； then right side up。 〃Lord； child。 Why do you want to know about vampires？〃
〃Jesus； Ghost；〃 Steve muttered。 Ghost glanced at him； but Steve was bent over the counter examining things in the glass case。 Ball canning jars full of pale rubbery orbs； the lids labelled CATS' EYES and TOADS' HEARTS in a faded flowing script that must be Arkady's。 Jewelry in the shape of silver pentagrams； ankhs； razor blades。 A bowl of tiny； carefully molded clay skulls marked 50 CENTS APIECE。
〃I just wondered；〃 Ghost said lamely。
Arkady looked hard at him。 〃Ghost。 My child。 It is difficult to imagine you 'just wondering' about anything。〃 He clasped Ghost's hand between both of his。 Ghost resisted the urge to pull his hand from the confines of that cool parched skin； all those tiny crackling bones。 〃You are a far more powerful sensitive than I could ever be。 I pick up bits and pieces。 I can hear thoughts when they are as pure and lucid as yours。 And I can do little more than that。 But you…you have an eye in your heart； Ghost。 An eye that shines。 An eye that feels。〃
〃What the fuck is he babbling about？〃 Steve asked thickly。
I'm the only person in this room who isn't at least half…drunk； Ghost thought。 He made himself drink more of his sherry； though the rancid taste lay upon his tongue like a sour old blanket。 Sherry got worse with every sip； it seemed。
〃I should never； never like to lose your favor；〃 Arkady slurred。 His hand was on Ghost's knee now。 His fingers brushed skin through a hole in Ghost's sweatpants； and Ghost shivered at that dry touch。 〃But vampires； Ghost 。 。 。 vampires！ They are not to be mentioned lightly。 Not as in the cheap novels； the Hollywood legends。 You think vampires are the Undead； the children of the night。 You believe they rise from their graves when the moon hangs high； sucking the blood of virgins； melting into misty wraiths at sunrise； turning i