JК
The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 59 из 234I'd never make it. He'd rip my throat out long before I could manage it.
He drew me to my feet using my throat as a handle. His fingers dug in just enough to let me feel the strength in his hands. All he had to do was clench his fist, and the front of my throat would come with it. I kept my hand on the Firestar. I'd be clinging to it when I died.
"Does Alfred fight your battles for you now?" It was Christine of the blousy tie. "Pack leaders must fight all challenges to their dominance personally or forfeit leadership. It's one of your own laws, Marcus."
"Do not quote my laws back to me, woman."
"She challenged your authority over her, not Alfred's. If he kills her, is he the new pack leader?" There was soft derision in her voice.
"Release her, Alfred."
Alfred's eyes flicked to Marcus, then back to me. His fingers tensed, digging in and raising me to my tiptoes.
"I said, let her go!"
He dropped me. I staggered back against the stage and aimed Firestar in one movement. It wasn't pretty, but the gun was out and pointed at Alfred. If he tried me again, I was going to kill him, and I'd enjoy it.
"I thought you checked her for weapons," Marcus said.
"I did." Alfred was backing away, hands held in front of him as if to ward off a blow.
I scooted along the stage so I could keep an eye on Marcus. I caught sight of Raina, still sitting, looking amused.
I backed away from everyone, working to put a wall at my back. If Marcus was faster than Alfred, I needed distance, like a hundred miles, but I'd have to settle for the far wall.
"Have him disarm her," Raina said. She sat there, legs crossed, hands resting on her knee, smiling. "It was Alfred's oversight. Let him correct it."
Marcus nodded. Alfred turned his eyes back to me.
I pressed my back more solidly into the wall, as if I could make a door if I pressed hard enough. Alfred stalked towards me, slow, like a movie maniac. I pointed the gun at his chest. "I will kill him," I said.
"Your little bullets cannot hurt me," Alfred said.
"Silver-plated Glaser safety rounds," I said. "It'll blow a hole in your chest big enough to put a fist through."
He hesitated. "I can heal any wound, even silver."
"Not if it's a killing blow," I said. "I take out your heart and you're dead."
He glanced back at Marcus. Marcus's face was all squeezed down with anger. "You let her bring a gun among us."
"If you're afraid of the gun, Marcus, take it away from her yourself." Christine again.
He drew me to my feet using my throat as a handle. His fingers dug in just enough to let me feel the strength in his hands. All he had to do was clench his fist, and the front of my throat would come with it. I kept my hand on the Firestar. I'd be clinging to it when I died.
"Does Alfred fight your battles for you now?" It was Christine of the blousy tie. "Pack leaders must fight all challenges to their dominance personally or forfeit leadership. It's one of your own laws, Marcus."
"Do not quote my laws back to me, woman."
"She challenged your authority over her, not Alfred's. If he kills her, is he the new pack leader?" There was soft derision in her voice.
"Release her, Alfred."
Alfred's eyes flicked to Marcus, then back to me. His fingers tensed, digging in and raising me to my tiptoes.
"I said, let her go!"
He dropped me. I staggered back against the stage and aimed Firestar in one movement. It wasn't pretty, but the gun was out and pointed at Alfred. If he tried me again, I was going to kill him, and I'd enjoy it.
"I thought you checked her for weapons," Marcus said.
"I did." Alfred was backing away, hands held in front of him as if to ward off a blow.
I scooted along the stage so I could keep an eye on Marcus. I caught sight of Raina, still sitting, looking amused.
I backed away from everyone, working to put a wall at my back. If Marcus was faster than Alfred, I needed distance, like a hundred miles, but I'd have to settle for the far wall.
"Have him disarm her," Raina said. She sat there, legs crossed, hands resting on her knee, smiling. "It was Alfred's oversight. Let him correct it."
Marcus nodded. Alfred turned his eyes back to me.
I pressed my back more solidly into the wall, as if I could make a door if I pressed hard enough. Alfred stalked towards me, slow, like a movie maniac. I pointed the gun at his chest. "I will kill him," I said.
"Your little bullets cannot hurt me," Alfred said.
"Silver-plated Glaser safety rounds," I said. "It'll blow a hole in your chest big enough to put a fist through."
He hesitated. "I can heal any wound, even silver."
"Not if it's a killing blow," I said. "I take out your heart and you're dead."
He glanced back at Marcus. Marcus's face was all squeezed down with anger. "You let her bring a gun among us."
"If you're afraid of the gun, Marcus, take it away from her yourself." Christine again.