JК
Guilty Pleasures :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 35 из 205I sat withmy back to the wall. The pain was still there, but it just didn't hurt as much. Jean-Claude got a bucket from near the stairs and washed it over the floor. There was a very modern drain in the middle of the floor.
Theresa stood staring at me, hands on hips. “You certainly are recovering quickly.” Her voice held amusement, and something else I couldn't define.
“The pain, the nausea, it's almost gone. How?”
She smirked, lips curling. “You'll have to ask Jean-Claude that. It's his doing, not mine.”
“Because you could not have done it.” There was a warm edge of anger to his voice.
Her face paled. “I would not have, regardless.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
Jean-Claude looked at me, beautiful face unreadable. His dark eyes stared into mine. They were still just eyes.
“Go on, master vampire, tell her. See how grateful she is.”
Jean-Claude stared at me, watching my face. “You are badly hurt, a concussion. But Nikolaos will not let us take you to a hospital until this … interview is over with. I feared you would die or be unable to … function.” I had never heard his voice so uncertain. “So I shared my life-force with you.”
I started to shake my head. Big mistake. I pressed hands to my forehead. “I don't understand.”
He spread his hands wide. “I do not have the words.”
“Oh, allow me,” Theresa said. “He has taken the first step to making you a human servant.”
“No.” I was still having trouble thinking clearly, but I knew that wasn't right. “He didn't try to trick me with his mind, or eyes. He didn't bite me.”
“I don't mean one of those pathetic half-creatures that have a few bites and do our bidding. I mean a permanent human servant, one that will never be bitten, never be hurt. One that will age almost as slowly as we do.”
I still didn't understand. Perhaps it showed in my face because Jean-Claude said, “I took your pain and gave you some of my … stamina.”
“Are you experiencing my pain, then?”
“No, the pain is gone. I have made you a little harder to hurt.”
I still wasn't taking it all in, or maybe it was just beyond me. “I don't understand.”
“Listen, woman, he has shared with you what we consider a great gift to be given only to people who have proven themselves invaluable.”
I stared at Jean-Claude.
Theresa stood staring at me, hands on hips. “You certainly are recovering quickly.” Her voice held amusement, and something else I couldn't define.
“The pain, the nausea, it's almost gone. How?”
She smirked, lips curling. “You'll have to ask Jean-Claude that. It's his doing, not mine.”
“Because you could not have done it.” There was a warm edge of anger to his voice.
Her face paled. “I would not have, regardless.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
Jean-Claude looked at me, beautiful face unreadable. His dark eyes stared into mine. They were still just eyes.
“Go on, master vampire, tell her. See how grateful she is.”
Jean-Claude stared at me, watching my face. “You are badly hurt, a concussion. But Nikolaos will not let us take you to a hospital until this … interview is over with. I feared you would die or be unable to … function.” I had never heard his voice so uncertain. “So I shared my life-force with you.”
I started to shake my head. Big mistake. I pressed hands to my forehead. “I don't understand.”
He spread his hands wide. “I do not have the words.”
“Oh, allow me,” Theresa said. “He has taken the first step to making you a human servant.”
“No.” I was still having trouble thinking clearly, but I knew that wasn't right. “He didn't try to trick me with his mind, or eyes. He didn't bite me.”
“I don't mean one of those pathetic half-creatures that have a few bites and do our bidding. I mean a permanent human servant, one that will never be bitten, never be hurt. One that will age almost as slowly as we do.”
I still didn't understand. Perhaps it showed in my face because Jean-Claude said, “I took your pain and gave you some of my … stamina.”
“Are you experiencing my pain, then?”
“No, the pain is gone. I have made you a little harder to hurt.”
I still wasn't taking it all in, or maybe it was just beyond me. “I don't understand.”
“Listen, woman, he has shared with you what we consider a great gift to be given only to people who have proven themselves invaluable.”
I stared at Jean-Claude.