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My eyes struggled； grew wide。 The sunlight filled them； and then contracted。 It contracted； and my sighs seemed to grow immense； and the beating of my heart to echo； as though we were not in a wild meadow； and the sounds that came from my empowered body； my transformed body； my body so full of her blood； echoed off stone walls！
The meadow was gone or never was。 The twilight was a rectangle high above。 I lay in the crypt。
I rose up； throwing her off； back away from me as she screamed in pain。 I sprang to my feet and stared at my white hands outstretched before me。
A horrid hunger reared up in me； a fierce strength； a howl！
I stared up at the dark…purple light above and screamed。
〃You've done it to me！ You've made me one of you！〃
She sobbed。 I turned on her。 She backed up； bent over； her hand over her mouth； crying and fleeing from me。 I ran after her。 Like a rat she ran； round and round the crypt； screaming。
〃Vittorio； no； Vittorio； no； Vittorio； no； don't hurt me。 Vittorio； I did this for us； Vittorio； we are free。 Ah； God help me！〃
And then upwards she flew； just missing my outstretched arms。 She had fled to the chapel above。
〃Witchlet； monster； larva； you tricked me with your illusions； with your visions； you made me one of you； you did it to me！〃 My roars echoed one upon the other as I scrambled about in the dark till I found my sword； and then dancing back to gain my momentum； I too made the leap and cleared the spears and found myself high up on the floor of the church； and she hovering with glittering tears before the altar。
She backed up into the bank of red flowers that barely showed in the starlight that passed through the darkened windows。
〃No； Vittorio； don't kill me； don't do it。 Don't；〃 she sobbed and wailed。 〃I am a child； like you； please； don't。〃
I tore at her； and she scrambled to the end of the sanctuary。 In a rage； I swung at the statue of Lucifer with my sword。 It tottered and then crashed down； breaking on the marble floor of the cursed sanctuary。
She hovered at the far end。 She dropped down on her knees and threw out her hands。 She shook her head； her hair flying wildly from side to side。
〃Don't kill me； don't kill me； don't kill me。 You send me to Hell if you do； don't do it。〃
〃Wretch！〃 I moaned。 〃Wretch！〃 My tears fell as freely as hers。 〃I thirst； you wretch。 I thirst； and I can smell them； the slaves in the coop。 I can smell them； their blood； damn you！〃
I too had gone down on my knees。 I lay down on the marble； and kicked aside the broken fragments of the hideous statue。 With my sword I snagged the lace of the altar cloth and brought it down with all its many red flowers tumbling on me； so that I could roll over into them and crush my face into their softness。
A silence fell； a terrible silence full of my own wailing。 I could feel my strength； feel it even in the timbre of my voice； and the arm that held the sword without exhaustion or restraint； and feel it in the painless calm with which I lay on what should have been cold and was not cold； or only goodly cold。 Oh； she had made me mighty。
A scent overcame me。 I looked up。 She stood just above me； tender； loving thing that she was； with her eyes so full of the starlight now； so glinting and quiet and unjudging。 In her arms she held a young human； a feeble…minded one； who did not know his danger。
How pink and succulent he was； how like the roasted pig ready for my lips； how full of naturally cooking and bubbling mortal blood and ready for me。 She set him down before me。
He was naked； thin buttocks on his heels； his trembling chest very pink and his hair black and long and soft around his guileless face。 He appeared to be dreaming or searching the darkness； perhaps for angels？
〃Drink； my darling； drink from him；〃 she said； 〃and then you'll have the strength to take us both to the Good Father for Confession。〃
I smiled。 The desire for the feeble…minded boy before me was almost more than I could endure。 But it was a whole new book now； was it not； what I might endure； and I took my time； rising up on my elbow as I looked at her。
〃To the Good Father？ You think that's where we'll go？ Right away； just like that； the two of us？〃
She began to cry again。 〃Not right away； no； not right away；〃 she cried。 She shook her head。 Beaten。
I took him。 I broke his neck when I drained him dry。 He made not a sound。 There was no time for fear or pain or crying。 Do we ever forget the first kill？ Do we ever？
Through the coop I went all that night； devouring； feasting； gorging on their throats； taking what I wanted from each； sending each to God or to Hell； how could I ever know； bound now to this earth with her； and she feasting with me in her dainty way； ever watching for my howls and wails； and ever catching hold of me to kiss me and ply me with her sobs when I shook with rage。
〃e out of here；〃 I said。
It was just before sunrise。 I told her I would spend no day beneath these pointed towers； in this house of horrors； in this place of evil and filthy birth。
〃I know of a cave；〃 she said。 〃Far down the mountains； past the farmlands。〃
〃Yes； somewhere on the edge of a true meadow？〃
〃There are meadows in this fair land without count； my love；〃 she said。 〃And under the moon their flowers shine as prettily for our magical eyes as ever they do for humans by the light of God's sun。 Remember His moon is ours。
〃And tomorrow night。。。 before you think of the priest。。。 you must take your time to think of the priest … 〃
〃Don't make me laugh again。 Show me how to fly。 Wrap your arm around my waist and show me how to drop from the high walls to safety in a descent that would shatter a man's limbs。 Don't talk of priests anymore。 Don't mock me！〃
〃。。。 before you think of the priest； of Confession；〃 she went on； undeterred in her dainty sweet small voice； her eyes brimming with tears of love； 〃we'll go back to the town of Santa Maddalana while it's fast asleep； and we'll burn it all down around them。〃
13
CHILD BRIDE
WE didn't put the torch to Santa Maddalana。 It was too much of a pleasure to hunt the town。
By the third night； I had stopped weeping at sunrise； when we retired together； locked in each other's arms inside our concealed and unreachable cave。
And by the third night； the townspeople knew what had befallen them … how their clever bargain with the Devil had rebounded upon them … and they were in a panic； and it was a great game to outsmart them； to hide in the multitude of shadows that made up their twisted streets； and to tear open their most extravagant and clever locks。
In the early hours； when no one dared to stir； and the good Franciscan priest knelt awake in his cell； saying his rosary； and begging God for understanding of what was happening … this priest； you remember； who had befriended me at the inn； who had dined with me and warned me； not in anger like his Dominican brother； but in kindness … while this priest prayed； I crept into the Franciscan church and I too prayed。
But each night I told myself what a man says to himself under his breath when he couches with his adulterous whore： 〃One more night； God； and then I'll go to Confession。 One more