JК
The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 53 из 234I put my back to the wall, keeping Raina in sight,along with everybody else. Irving moved back with me. He stood a little away from all of us, but closer to me than anyone.
I put the trench coat back so the gun showed plainly. "Your intentions better be friendly, Alfred."
"Alfred," the other man said. One word, even the tone sounded the same, but this time Alfie stopped in his tracks. He stood, staring at me. His eyes weren't neutral, they were hostile. People don't usually dislike me on sight. But hey, I wasn't too thrilled with him, either.
"We have not offered you violence, Ms. Blake," Marcus said.
"Yeah, right. Alfie there is contained violence in motion. I want to know what his intentions are before he comes closer."
Marcus looked at me as if I'd done something interesting. "A very apt description, Ms. Blake. You can see our auras, then?"
"If that's what you want to call it," I said.
"Alfred's intentions are not hostile. He will merely search you for weapons. It is standard procedure for nonshifters. It is nothing personal, I assure you."
The very fact that they didn't want me armed made me want to keep my weapons. Stubbornness, or a strong survival instinct.
"Maybe I'd agree to being searched if you explained why I'm here first." Stall, until I could decide what to do.
"We don't discuss business in front of the press, Ms. Blake."
"Well, I'm not talking to you without him."
"I will not jeopardize all of us to satisfy idle curiosity." He was still standing on the platform like a general surveying his troops.
"The only reason I'm here at all is because Irving is a friend. Insulting him isn't going to endear you to me."
"I do not wish to endear myself to you, Ms. Blake. I wish your aid."
"You want my help?" I didn't try to keep the surprise out of my voice.
He gave a brief nod.
"What kind of help?"
"He must leave."
"No," I said.
Raina pushed away from the wall and stalked around us, just out of reach, but circling like a shark. "Irving's punishment could begin now." Her voice was low and puffing around the edges.
"I didn't know wolves purred," I said.
She laughed. "Wolves do a lot of things, as I'm sure you're aware."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Oh, come now, woman to woman." She leaned one shoulder against the wall, arms crossed, face friendly. I was betting she could bite my finger off and smile just like that the entire time.
She bent close as if we were sharing secrets.
I put the trench coat back so the gun showed plainly. "Your intentions better be friendly, Alfred."
"Alfred," the other man said. One word, even the tone sounded the same, but this time Alfie stopped in his tracks. He stood, staring at me. His eyes weren't neutral, they were hostile. People don't usually dislike me on sight. But hey, I wasn't too thrilled with him, either.
"We have not offered you violence, Ms. Blake," Marcus said.
"Yeah, right. Alfie there is contained violence in motion. I want to know what his intentions are before he comes closer."
Marcus looked at me as if I'd done something interesting. "A very apt description, Ms. Blake. You can see our auras, then?"
"If that's what you want to call it," I said.
"Alfred's intentions are not hostile. He will merely search you for weapons. It is standard procedure for nonshifters. It is nothing personal, I assure you."
The very fact that they didn't want me armed made me want to keep my weapons. Stubbornness, or a strong survival instinct.
"Maybe I'd agree to being searched if you explained why I'm here first." Stall, until I could decide what to do.
"We don't discuss business in front of the press, Ms. Blake."
"Well, I'm not talking to you without him."
"I will not jeopardize all of us to satisfy idle curiosity." He was still standing on the platform like a general surveying his troops.
"The only reason I'm here at all is because Irving is a friend. Insulting him isn't going to endear you to me."
"I do not wish to endear myself to you, Ms. Blake. I wish your aid."
"You want my help?" I didn't try to keep the surprise out of my voice.
He gave a brief nod.
"What kind of help?"
"He must leave."
"No," I said.
Raina pushed away from the wall and stalked around us, just out of reach, but circling like a shark. "Irving's punishment could begin now." Her voice was low and puffing around the edges.
"I didn't know wolves purred," I said.
She laughed. "Wolves do a lot of things, as I'm sure you're aware."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Oh, come now, woman to woman." She leaned one shoulder against the wall, arms crossed, face friendly. I was betting she could bite my finger off and smile just like that the entire time.
She bent close as if we were sharing secrets.