按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ellow。 Neither color looked natural。
Over to his right； the closet door creaked and swung halfway open。
Ghost looked at it； his head lifted high； his nostrils flaring a little。 The door was tauntingly still； trying to pretend it had been halfway open all the time。 Trying to pretend a sudden gust from nowhere had swept through the room。 Trying to pretend the floor wasn't level and it had just happened to swing open while Ghost was standing there alone in the middle of the night。
Ghost wasn't fooled。 He moved toward the closet and put his hand on the knob。 When no one twisted it from the other side； he yanked the door wide open。
For one terrible second he thought something was drifting toward him； some bright many…armed wraith。 Then he saw that the closet was haunted only by clothes； strange； beautiful clothes of colored silk。 Were they dresses？ Shirts？ Ghost took a sea…green sleeve between his thumb and his forefinger； rubbing the slippery sensuous cloth； wondering。 Loose hangers kissed softly against each other。
Who wore these rich clothes？ He pulled a swath of rose…colored silk toward him and buried his nose in its cool depths。 The cloth was saturated with the smells of strawberry incense； of clove cigarettes； of wine； of tangy sweat。
The smells drew him in。
And as he breathed the heady melange； a voice whispered to him from the depths of the closet： 〃Ghost。。。 easy。。。
He was never sure how he got out of the room and made a wrong turn down the hall。 Maybe he meant to go racing back to his room； maybe he meant to lock himself in the bathroom and stay there all night。 He never meant to barge into Arkady's bedroom…that much was certain。 But all at once there he was； and there was Arkady burning a candle on his nightstand； playing with several little heaps of colored powder on a white plate； pushing them into intricate convoluted patterns of arrows； curlicues； lines； and crosses。
When Ghost slammed into the room and leaned panting against the door； Arkady looked up and smiled。 All the colored powders fell back in a bright spray across the plate。 〃What a lovely surprise；〃 said Arkady。 〃Well。 Not precisely a surprise； since I heard you ing down the hall。 But I am ever so pleased to see you nonetheless。〃
First； Arkady made Ghost swallow a tranquilizing powder。 Ghost didn't want it； but in the end it was easy to make him swallow it： Arkady just slipped inside Ghost's mind and pushed。 Usually he would not have tried such a thing on a sensitive as powerful as Ghost； but the boy was terrified and exhausted。 It was easy。
Then he made Ghost tell his tale： the whole thing； vampires and all。 It was more convoluted and full of pain than Arkady could have guessed。 Ghost's hands twitched all the way through the telling； he tugged his pale hair over his eyes； and more than once Arkady heard a sob catch in his throat。
At last Ghost fell silent。 He tried to remain sitting； but his head kept drooping and his eyes threatened to slip shut。 Arkady saw Ghost's hands clenching into loose fists： the poor boy was trying to will himself to stay awake。
With a light finger Arkady touched Ghost's lips； those lovely lips so pale； so delicately lined； tucked in at the corners with worry and fear。 Under his touch he felt Ghost's lips tighten。 Ghost was exhausted； nearly asleep； most likely he did not know who touched him。 Nevertheless； Arkady imagined how it would be to slide his finger between those lips； to stroke the pink rag of a tongue； to be surrounded by the wet warmth of Ghost's mouth。 He wondered how it would be to taste Ghost's sweet spit。 Poor boy； he thought again。 Poor lost boys； both of them。 One trying to drown his fear in a bottle； and the other this beautiful child…trying to confront it all alone。
〃Poor boy；〃 murmured Arkady。 〃You are very brave； Ghost。 Dreadfully； achingly brave。〃 He stroked the smooth curve of Ghost's throat； feeling the flesh shudder beneath his touch； then let his fingers stray between the neckband of the voluminous tie…dyed shirt Ghost wore。 When Ghost had e slamming into the room； Arkady's heart melted for the child standing there trembling in that enormous shirt that made him look so terribly young。 He had wanted to hold out his arms to Ghost 。。。。
Why deceive himself？ He had wanted to bewitch Ghost and lure him into bed； to drive him pleasure…mad； to drown him in a sea of silk sheets and feather pillows。 It wasn't as if he meant to seduce the boy…but might they not offer each other a night of creature fort； a night of panionship？ Ghost would not have to lie awake beside his poor drunken friend； pondering fate； bloody births； lost souls。 Arkady would not have to sit up all night tracing useless veves by candlelight； hoping for things he might never attain。 Hoping to look up and see the beautiful proud face of his brother Ashley floating outside the window； begging admission with those eyes。 Hoping to discover a way to hurt Ashley's lovers； those two lovely dangerous creatures who would surely destroy him someday。
Arkady thought of what those creatures had done to Ashley。 Might that story not win Ghost's sympathy at least？ The tranquilizing powder had made Ghost's body somnolent； sapped the strength from his muscles； but his mind would still be alert。 Absently caressing Ghost's rigid shoulder； Arkady began to tell the tale。
〃They gave you a bad scare； Ghost； did they not？ In the guest room。 In the closet。 Ah； but you were snooping。 You should never have looked in there…not with your gift。 Not with that shining eye in your heart。 They are far too strong； far too heady for one who feels things as you do。 They are not even in that room； Ghost。 Not tonight； though they will be back in the morning； or the next morning； or the one after that。 Who knows？ The Lord…〃 Arkady crossed himself with his free hand； upside down then right side up…〃the Lord alone knows where they are tonight。 What strange new substances they have swallowed or sniffed or shot into their perfect ruby veins； or whom they have found to love。
〃Whom they have found to love。
〃They leave their essence everywhere they go。 It must be dreadfully strong in that closet where they throw their dirty clothes； the clothes full of their sweat； their smoke； their sweet clove…scented ectoplasm。 Did that drift out at you； Ghost？ Do they know you； perchance？ Have you met？ Or did they just speak to you as one lost soul to another？ Ah； but you must not be afraid of them。 To you they are as harmless as a forgotten song on an antique record。 To you they are as harmless as a rotting old gravestone。 It is me they can hurt。 It was Ashley they could hurt； and whoever they have found to share their deadly ecstasy tonight。
〃That is what they want； Ghost。 Nay…that is what they need； for they feed upon your pleasure and your terror and your pain。 They must terrify you； as they do the children who are their victims； they must enter your dreams and give you a nightmare so horrible that you never awaken from it。 But their greatest pleasure is not to terrify…it is to bewitch。 They want you to love them； it makes the final moment of betrayal sweeter。 They must e to you in the flesh and make lov