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。 Arkady's dry touch spidered down his chest； under his T…shirt。 He felt that touch in the depths of him； razoring along his backbone； turning his intestines shuddery。 He began to choke。
〃No；〃 said a voice from the dark doorway。 A weary voice； a voice for speaking long after midnight； a voice to be used when all paths are blocked； when castles have fallen to ruin； when morning will not e again。
Ghost's eyes swept the darkness。 〃Steve？〃 For the voice was Steve's； and the smell was Steve's too； the clothes stiff with drinking…sweat。 But the smell of lonely desperation was gone。 There was exhaustion； and fear； and the damp secret scent of sorrow。 But beneath those was something new； something Ghost hadn't caught from Steve for a long time。 A vibration more than a scent。 A tremor that thrummed the air between them； turned it electric； webbed it with white crackling lines of energy。
It was anger。 Good old pissed…off Steve Finn anger。
Arkady hissed air in through his teeth。 〃You。〃
〃Get your hands off him；〃 said Steve。 He gripped either side of the doorjamb； holding himself up。 His hair stood up in crazy dark tufts and wings； shoved messily behind his ears； a week dirty。 〃Let him go； motherfucker；〃 he told Arkady again。 〃I don't care what kind of badass juju guy you are。 Right now I could reach down your throat and tear your foul black heart out。 With pleasure。〃
Arkady let go of Ghost。
〃e on；〃 said Steve。 He jerked a thumb toward the staircase。 〃We're leaving。 We're getting in the goddamn T…bird and going home。 Ann can get torn apart from inside out if that's what has to happen。 If that's what she wants。
You're not gonna make yourself into a whore for her。
〃Or for me。
〃Or for anybody。 You're too good for that； Ghost。 You're too goddamn fine。〃
Steve's eyes shone crystal…bright in the dark。 Two wet lines glistened their way down his cheeks。 Tear…tracks。 But he stood straight； and though his hands still gripped the doorjamb and his clothes hung from him like rags on a scarecrow； he was strong。 Strength vibrated from him。 He had made a decision； and he would abide by it。 But not alone。
Ghost went to him。 After a moment Steve let his arms drop onto Ghost's shoulders； and Steve's tears fell into Ghost's hair and were lost there； palely tangled。 They stood leaning on each other； strength passing between them。
〃Let's go；〃 Steve said at last。
〃Wait！〃 called Arkady when they were halfway down the hall。
Steve stopped but did not turn。 His grip on Ghost's arm tightened。 Ghost looked back over his shoulder； drawing closer to Steve； afraid to meet Arkady's eyes。
〃You are too fine； Ghost；〃 said Arkady； and though his voice was only a moth…whisper in the dusty hallway； they heard him。 〃I did not lie when I said you were brave…dreadfully； achingly brave。 You shared none of my lust； but to save your friends you would have given yourself to me。 And I would have let you。
〃Indeed； you are too fine。 We must band together against the eternal night。 The vampires took my brother； and I will not let them take another beautiful young life。 I will help you。 Lord help me； I will help you。〃
And Arkady Raventon crossed himself twice。 First upside down； then right side up。
〃Fern；〃 said Arkady； holding a packet of dried leaves up to the light。
They had e downstairs and lit the candles in the shop； calling up the spirits of cinnamon； nutmeg； licorice。 Arkady had arranged his materials on the glass countertop： vials and encrusted bottles； a mortar and pestle； a bundle of crumbling envelopes。 Now he picked through them； sifting； pinching； sniffing and muttering。
Steve slouched against the opposite wall； scowling but surreptitiously interested。 Ghost watched with his chin prepped in his hands； horribly rapt。 He did not want to watch the making of the poison that would scour Ann's womb； but he had to。 This was too familiar。 This awakened memories of his grandmother and Miz Catlin； or his grandmother alone； hunched over some candlelit table with an assortment of packets and tiny shining bottles dose at hand。 Ghost would creep out and hide in the shadow of the bookcase or the doorway； and sometimes his grandmother would sense his presence and call him over to watch。 Then she would tell him what fragrant oils and leaves she was mixing。 This will bring luck to someone's door； she would explain； or This will ease a woman's monthly pains。 But sometimes the concoctions did not smell sweet at all。 Sometimes they smelled brown and fetid； and vapors curled up from her mortar。 When his grandmother was mixing that kind of concoction； Ghost always got sent back to bed。
〃Basil；〃 said Arkady。 〃Bay leaf。〃
Steve shifted； slumped further。 〃Shit； we could have gone to the A&P for this。〃
〃Pennyroyal；〃 said Arkady； lowering his eyelids at Steve。 〃Yarrow； brooklime。 And garlic。〃 A small secret smile crooked his lips。 〃It won't like all this garlic。〃 With a flourish he uncorked a small blue bottle and poured a few drops of cloudy liquid into the mortar。 Herbs hissed coldly。 A twist of vapor wafted up。
Steve pushed himself up。 〃What the fuck was that？〃
Arkady smiled。 〃The crucial ingredient。 Without it； this would be a mere salad。〃 Steve scowled； Arkady might as well have said Wouldn't you like to know？
Ghost watched Arkady scrape the paste from the mortar onto a square of waxed paper。 It was a bright organic green； and it seemed to seethe on the paper。 Made from a thousand herbs； made from altars； Ghost thought； this stuff would surely burn Ann's throat when they forced her to swallow it。
At least； he hoped she only had to swallow it。
Arkady folded the square of paper in half and twisted the ends。 〃That；〃 he said； 〃is that。 Now you must find the girl and bring her to me。〃
Steve and Ghost started speaking at once：
〃How the fuck are we supposed to do that？〃 said Steve。
〃I can do that；〃 said Ghost。
Back upstairs； Ghost looked out the window at the landscape of wedding…cake buildings iced with intricate scrolls of wrought iron。 Far to his left； beyond his line of vision； the lights of Bourbon Street glittered； the crowds still staggered； the very stars in the sky swam…bright round stars； great glowing ones； hallucinatory stars。
At the end of the hall Arkady slipped into bed； and Ghost caught one dry lonely thought： He is too pale； too fragile； my love would surely have shattered him。
Above it all； above Ghost and Steve and Arkady and the rest of the gaudy town； a small cold moon hung。 A moon like a sliver of frosted bone； a moon to bring down winter。
Ghost turned away from the window。
Steve was already in bed； his arms wrapped around his pillow。 The moonlight smudged crescents of shadow beneath his eyes。 With his fingers he had bed most of the tangles out of his hair； and now it lay along his cheeks and forehead； limp with the dirt of the French Quarter； with the sweat of a long road trip。 He looked terribly young； younger than the first time Ghost had laid eyes on him； walking through those sun…dappled autumn woods。 Back when things were simple。
〃e on to bed；〃 Steve said。 〃It's almost morning。 Tomo