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Guilty Pleasures :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 130 из 205” My voice came out as a hoarse whisper, fear squeezing it down. If I coughed to clear it, I'd cough in her face. Not a good idea.
I heard the rush of feet swishing through the grass. I fought the urge to look up and away from the vampire.
Nikolaos spun from me to face the footsteps. I saw her move, but it was still blurring speed. She was just suddenly facing the other way. Phillip was standing in front of her. Willie caught up to him and grabbed an arm, but didn't seem to know what to do with it.
Would it occur to Willie that he could just crush the man's arm? I doubted it.
It had occurred to Nikolaos. “Release him. If he wants to keep coming, let him.” Her voice promised a great deal of pain.
Willie stepped back. Phillip just stood there, staring past her at me. “Are you all right, Anita?”
“Go back inside, Phillip. I appreciate the concern, but I made a bargain. She isn't going to bite me.”
He shook his head. “You promised she wouldn't be harmed.
“You promised.” He was talking to Nikolaos again, carefully not looking directly at her.
“And so she shall not be harmed. I keep my word, Phillip, most of the time.”
“I'm all right, Phillip. Don't get hurt because of me,” I said.
His face crumbled with confusion. He didn't seem to know what to do. His courage seemed to have spilled out on the grass.
But he didn't back off. Big point for him. I would have backed off, maybe. Probably. Oh, hell, Phillip was being brave, and I didn't want to see him die because of it.
“Just go back, Phillip, please!”
“No,” Nikolaos said. “If the little man is feeling brave, let him try.”
Phillip's hands flexed, as if trying to grab on to something.
Nikolaos was suddenly beside him. I hadn't seen her move. Phillip still hadn't. He was staring where she had been. She kicked his legs out from under him. He fell to the grass, blinking up at her like she'd just appeared.
“Don't hurt him!” I said.
A pale little hand shot out, the barest touch. His whole body jerked backwards. He rolled on one side, blood staining his face.
“Nikolaos, please!” I said. I had actually taken two steps towards her. Voluntarily. I could always try for my gun. It wouldn't kill her, but it might give Phillip time to run away. If he would run.
Screams sounded from the direction of the house. A man's voice yelled, “Perverts!”
“What is it?” I asked.
Nikolaos answered, “The Church of Eternal Life has sent its congregation.
I heard the rush of feet swishing through the grass. I fought the urge to look up and away from the vampire.
Nikolaos spun from me to face the footsteps. I saw her move, but it was still blurring speed. She was just suddenly facing the other way. Phillip was standing in front of her. Willie caught up to him and grabbed an arm, but didn't seem to know what to do with it.
Would it occur to Willie that he could just crush the man's arm? I doubted it.
It had occurred to Nikolaos. “Release him. If he wants to keep coming, let him.” Her voice promised a great deal of pain.
Willie stepped back. Phillip just stood there, staring past her at me. “Are you all right, Anita?”
“Go back inside, Phillip. I appreciate the concern, but I made a bargain. She isn't going to bite me.”
He shook his head. “You promised she wouldn't be harmed.
“You promised.” He was talking to Nikolaos again, carefully not looking directly at her.
“And so she shall not be harmed. I keep my word, Phillip, most of the time.”
“I'm all right, Phillip. Don't get hurt because of me,” I said.
His face crumbled with confusion. He didn't seem to know what to do. His courage seemed to have spilled out on the grass.
But he didn't back off. Big point for him. I would have backed off, maybe. Probably. Oh, hell, Phillip was being brave, and I didn't want to see him die because of it.
“Just go back, Phillip, please!”
“No,” Nikolaos said. “If the little man is feeling brave, let him try.”
Phillip's hands flexed, as if trying to grab on to something.
Nikolaos was suddenly beside him. I hadn't seen her move. Phillip still hadn't. He was staring where she had been. She kicked his legs out from under him. He fell to the grass, blinking up at her like she'd just appeared.
“Don't hurt him!” I said.
A pale little hand shot out, the barest touch. His whole body jerked backwards. He rolled on one side, blood staining his face.
“Nikolaos, please!” I said. I had actually taken two steps towards her. Voluntarily. I could always try for my gun. It wouldn't kill her, but it might give Phillip time to run away. If he would run.
Screams sounded from the direction of the house. A man's voice yelled, “Perverts!”
“What is it?” I asked.
Nikolaos answered, “The Church of Eternal Life has sent its congregation.