JК
Guilty Pleasures :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 43 из 205Apparently I was being rescued, not that I had need of it. Of course not. “Thank you.”
“I did not come to save you,” he said. “I have forbidden my people to hunt for the vampire. That is why I came.”
“Well, I know where I rate, somewhere above a flea. Thank you anyway. Whatever your motives.”
He nodded. “You are welcome.”
I noticed a burn scar on his left forearm. It was the shape of a crude crown. Someone had branded him. “Wouldn't it be easier just to carry around a crown and scepter?”
He glanced down at his arm, then gave that rat smile, teeth bare. “This leaves my hands free.”
I looked up into his eyes to see if he was teasing me, and I couldn't tell. You try reading rat faces.
“What do the vampires want with you?” he asked.
“They want me to work for them.”
“Do it. They'll hurt you if you don't.”
“Like they'll hurt you if you keep the rats away?”
He shrugged, an awkward motion. “Nikolaos thinks she is queen of the rats because that is her animal to call. We are not merely rats, but men, and we have a choice. I have a choice.”
“Do what she wants, and she won't hurt you,” I said.
Again that smile. “I give good advice. I do not always take it.”
“Me either,” I said.
He stared at me out of one black eye, then turned towards the door. “They are coming.”
I knew who “they” were. The party was over. The vampires were coming. The rat king sprang down the stairs and scooped up the fallen ratman. He tossed him over his shoulder as if it were no effort, then he was gone, running for the tunnel, fast, fast as a mouse surprised by the kitchen light. A dark blur.
I heard heels clicking down the hallway, and I stepped away from the door. It opened, and Theresa stood on the landing. She stared down at me and the empty room, hands on hips, mouth squeezed tight. “Where are they?”
I held up my wounded hand. “They did their part, then they left.”
“They weren't supposed to leave,” she said. Theresa made an exasperated sound low in her throat. “It was that rat king of theirs, wasn't it?”
I shrugged. “They left; I don't know why.”
“So calm, so unafraid. Didn't the rats frighten you?”
I shrugged again. When something works, stay with it.
“They were not supposed to draw blood.” She stared at me. “Are you going to shape shift next full moon?” Her voice held a hint of curiosity. Curiosity killed the vampire. One could always hope.
“I did not come to save you,” he said. “I have forbidden my people to hunt for the vampire. That is why I came.”
“Well, I know where I rate, somewhere above a flea. Thank you anyway. Whatever your motives.”
He nodded. “You are welcome.”
I noticed a burn scar on his left forearm. It was the shape of a crude crown. Someone had branded him. “Wouldn't it be easier just to carry around a crown and scepter?”
He glanced down at his arm, then gave that rat smile, teeth bare. “This leaves my hands free.”
I looked up into his eyes to see if he was teasing me, and I couldn't tell. You try reading rat faces.
“What do the vampires want with you?” he asked.
“They want me to work for them.”
“Do it. They'll hurt you if you don't.”
“Like they'll hurt you if you keep the rats away?”
He shrugged, an awkward motion. “Nikolaos thinks she is queen of the rats because that is her animal to call. We are not merely rats, but men, and we have a choice. I have a choice.”
“Do what she wants, and she won't hurt you,” I said.
Again that smile. “I give good advice. I do not always take it.”
“Me either,” I said.
He stared at me out of one black eye, then turned towards the door. “They are coming.”
I knew who “they” were. The party was over. The vampires were coming. The rat king sprang down the stairs and scooped up the fallen ratman. He tossed him over his shoulder as if it were no effort, then he was gone, running for the tunnel, fast, fast as a mouse surprised by the kitchen light. A dark blur.
I heard heels clicking down the hallway, and I stepped away from the door. It opened, and Theresa stood on the landing. She stared down at me and the empty room, hands on hips, mouth squeezed tight. “Where are they?”
I held up my wounded hand. “They did their part, then they left.”
“They weren't supposed to leave,” she said. Theresa made an exasperated sound low in her throat. “It was that rat king of theirs, wasn't it?”
I shrugged. “They left; I don't know why.”
“So calm, so unafraid. Didn't the rats frighten you?”
I shrugged again. When something works, stay with it.
“They were not supposed to draw blood.” She stared at me. “Are you going to shape shift next full moon?” Her voice held a hint of curiosity. Curiosity killed the vampire. One could always hope.