JК
The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 21 из 234She heard the words, but the meaning didn't sink in. Reminded me of Jean-Claude.
"Look, he chases me. I'll stay away from him if he'll let me. But don't threaten me."
"He's mine, Anita Blake. Come against me at your peril."
It was my turn to shake my head. Maybe she didn't know I had a gun pointed at her. Maybe she didn't know it had silver-plated bullets in it. Maybe she had lived for a couple of centuries and had grown arrogant. Yeah, that was probably it.
"Look, I don't have time for this right now. Jean-Claude is yours, great, fine. I'm thrilled to hear it. Keep him away from me, and I will be the happiest woman alive or dead." I didn't want to turn my back on her, but I had to go. If she wasn't going to jump me here and now, Dolph was waiting at a murder scene. I had to go.
"Gretchen, what are you and Anita talking about?" Jean-Claude stalked towards us. He was wearing, I kid you not, a black cape. It was a Victorian style with a collar. A top hat with a white silk band completed the look.
Gretchen gazed at him. It was the only word for it. The naked adoration in her face was sickening, and very human. "I wanted to meet my rival."
I wasn't her rival, but I didn't think she'd believe that.
"I told you to wait outside so you would not meet her. You knew that." The last three words were spat out, thrown at her like rocks.
She flinched. "I meant no harm this night."
That was almost a lie, but I didn't say anything. I could have told him that she'd threatened me, but somehow it seemed like tattling. She'd gone to a lot of trouble to get me alone. To warn me off. Her love for him was so naked. I could not enlist his help against her. Foolish, but true. Besides, I didn't like owing Jean-Claude favors.
"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."
"What lies did you tell her about us?" His words scalded the air. I could feel myself choking on his rage. Jesus.
She fell to her knees, hands held upward, not to avoid a blow, but beseeching, reaching for him. "Please, I only wanted to meet her. To see the mortal that would steal you from me."
I did not want to see this, but it was like a car crash. I couldn't quite bring myself to leave.
"She steals nothing. I have never loved you."
The pain was raw on her face, and even under the makeup she looked less human. Her face was thinning out, bones growing more apparent, as if her skin were shrinking.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly to her feet. His white-gloved fingers dug into her arm.
"Look, he chases me. I'll stay away from him if he'll let me. But don't threaten me."
"He's mine, Anita Blake. Come against me at your peril."
It was my turn to shake my head. Maybe she didn't know I had a gun pointed at her. Maybe she didn't know it had silver-plated bullets in it. Maybe she had lived for a couple of centuries and had grown arrogant. Yeah, that was probably it.
"Look, I don't have time for this right now. Jean-Claude is yours, great, fine. I'm thrilled to hear it. Keep him away from me, and I will be the happiest woman alive or dead." I didn't want to turn my back on her, but I had to go. If she wasn't going to jump me here and now, Dolph was waiting at a murder scene. I had to go.
"Gretchen, what are you and Anita talking about?" Jean-Claude stalked towards us. He was wearing, I kid you not, a black cape. It was a Victorian style with a collar. A top hat with a white silk band completed the look.
Gretchen gazed at him. It was the only word for it. The naked adoration in her face was sickening, and very human. "I wanted to meet my rival."
I wasn't her rival, but I didn't think she'd believe that.
"I told you to wait outside so you would not meet her. You knew that." The last three words were spat out, thrown at her like rocks.
She flinched. "I meant no harm this night."
That was almost a lie, but I didn't say anything. I could have told him that she'd threatened me, but somehow it seemed like tattling. She'd gone to a lot of trouble to get me alone. To warn me off. Her love for him was so naked. I could not enlist his help against her. Foolish, but true. Besides, I didn't like owing Jean-Claude favors.
"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."
"What lies did you tell her about us?" His words scalded the air. I could feel myself choking on his rage. Jesus.
She fell to her knees, hands held upward, not to avoid a blow, but beseeching, reaching for him. "Please, I only wanted to meet her. To see the mortal that would steal you from me."
I did not want to see this, but it was like a car crash. I couldn't quite bring myself to leave.
"She steals nothing. I have never loved you."
The pain was raw on her face, and even under the makeup she looked less human. Her face was thinning out, bones growing more apparent, as if her skin were shrinking.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly to her feet. His white-gloved fingers dug into her arm.