JК
Guilty Pleasures :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 162 из 205The torchlight flickered in my vision for just a second. I turned away and walked to the steps. We tough-as-nails vampire slayers don't cry. At least, never in public. At least, never when we can help it.
Burchard held the door open for me. I glanced back at Phillip and waved, like an idiot. He watches me go, his eyes too large for his face suddenly, like a child who watches its parent leave the room before all the monsters are gone.
I had to leave him like that-alone, helpless. God help me.
38
Nikolaos sat in her carved wooden chair, tiny feet swinging off the ground. Charming.
Aubrey leaned against the wall, tongue running over his lips, getting the last bit of blood off them. Valentine stood very still beside him, staring at me.
Winter stood beside me. The prison guard.
Burchard went to stand by Nikolaos, one hand on the back of her chair.
“What, animator, no jokes?” Nikolaos asked. Her voice was still the grown-up version. It was like she had two voices and could change them with a push of a button.
I shook my head. I didn't feel very funny.
“Have we broken your spirit? Taken the fight out of you?”
I stared at her. Anger flared through me like a wave of heat. “What do you want, Nikolaos?”
“Oh, that's much better.” Her voice rose and fell, a little-girl giggle at the end of each word. I might never like children again.
“Jean-Claude should be growing weak inside his coffin. Starving, but instead he is strong and well fed. How can this be?”
I didn't have the faintest idea, so I kept quiet. Maybe it was rhetorical?
It wasn't. “Answer me, A-n-i-t-a.” She stretched my name out, biting off each syllable.
“I don't know.”
“Oh, but you do.”
I didn't, but she wasn't going to believe me. “Why are you hurting Phillip?”
“He needed to be taught a lesson, after last night.”
“Because he stood up to you?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said, “because he stood up to me.” She scooted out of the chair and pattered towards me. She did a little turn so the white dress billowed around her. She freaking skipped over to me, smiling. “And because I was angry with you. I torture your lover, and maybe I won't torture you. And perhaps, this demonstration will give you fresh incentive to find the vampire murderer.” Her pretty little face was turned up to me, pale eyes gleaming with humor. She was good.
Burchard held the door open for me. I glanced back at Phillip and waved, like an idiot. He watches me go, his eyes too large for his face suddenly, like a child who watches its parent leave the room before all the monsters are gone.
I had to leave him like that-alone, helpless. God help me.
38
Nikolaos sat in her carved wooden chair, tiny feet swinging off the ground. Charming.
Aubrey leaned against the wall, tongue running over his lips, getting the last bit of blood off them. Valentine stood very still beside him, staring at me.
Winter stood beside me. The prison guard.
Burchard went to stand by Nikolaos, one hand on the back of her chair.
“What, animator, no jokes?” Nikolaos asked. Her voice was still the grown-up version. It was like she had two voices and could change them with a push of a button.
I shook my head. I didn't feel very funny.
“Have we broken your spirit? Taken the fight out of you?”
I stared at her. Anger flared through me like a wave of heat. “What do you want, Nikolaos?”
“Oh, that's much better.” Her voice rose and fell, a little-girl giggle at the end of each word. I might never like children again.
“Jean-Claude should be growing weak inside his coffin. Starving, but instead he is strong and well fed. How can this be?”
I didn't have the faintest idea, so I kept quiet. Maybe it was rhetorical?
It wasn't. “Answer me, A-n-i-t-a.” She stretched my name out, biting off each syllable.
“I don't know.”
“Oh, but you do.”
I didn't, but she wasn't going to believe me. “Why are you hurting Phillip?”
“He needed to be taught a lesson, after last night.”
“Because he stood up to you?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said, “because he stood up to me.” She scooted out of the chair and pattered towards me. She did a little turn so the white dress billowed around her. She freaking skipped over to me, smiling. “And because I was angry with you. I torture your lover, and maybe I won't torture you. And perhaps, this demonstration will give you fresh incentive to find the vampire murderer.” Her pretty little face was turned up to me, pale eyes gleaming with humor. She was good.