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Down to the swareat decadent city of Miami, parody of both heaven and hell

Immediately I locked myself in this little suite of tastefully appointed roos of Piero della Francesca; co from tiny speakers hidden in the papered walls Private stairway to the cellar, where in the steel-lined crypt the coffin waited: black lacquer; brass handles; astitched hite lace

Blood lust; how it hurt; but you don't need it; yet you can't resist it; and it's going to be like this forever; you never get rid of it; you want it even more than before

When I wasn't writing, I lay on the gray brocade divan, watching the pal to their voices below

Louis begging Jesse politely to describe one more time the apparition of Claudia And Jesse's voice, solicitous, confidential: "But Louis, it wasn't real "

Gabrielle one; Jesse and Ga-brielle had walked on the beach for hours It seemed not a word passed between them; but then, how couid I be sure?

Gabrielle was doingher hair brushed free because she knew I loved it; co Now and then she'd look at , anxious

"You want to leave here, don't you?" I'd ask fearfully; or so like it

"No," she said "I like it here It suits ot restless now she went to the islands, which weren't so very far away She rather liked the islands But that wasn't what she wanted to talk about There was always so else on her mind Once she had almost voiced it "But tell me" And then she'd stopped

"Did I love her?" I asked "Is that what you want to know? Yes, I loved her "

And I still couldn't say her name

Mael came and went

Chapter 40

Gone for a week; here again tonight-downstairs-trying to draw Khayman into conversation; Khayman, who fascinated everybody, First Brood All that power And to think, he had walked the streets of Troy

The sight of hi, if that is not a contradiction in terms