A Caress Of Twilight   ::   Гамильтон Лорел

Doyle touched Kitto's face. "He is warmer."

"Is that you, Darkness?" Kurag asked.

"It is I, Goblin King."

"Is he truly fading? I don't think Merry has ever seen anyone fade."

"He is fading," Doyle said.

"Then why is he warmer? If he is fading, then he should grow colder and colder."

"Merry has been holding him in her arms for a time. I believe that is warming him."

"Maybe it's not too late then. Is he strong enough to fuck?"

"He is barely conscious," Doyle said.

Kurag said a sharp word that I knew meant something that no goblin ever wished on another: impotency. It was their worst insult one to the other. "Can he tear her flesh with his teeth?"

We all stared down at the still form. He was warmer, though he still hadn't moved at all. "I don't think so," I said.

"Blood then, can he take blood?" Kurag asked.

"Maybe," I said.

"If we wiped it upon his mouth, we might get some of it into him," Doyle said. "If it did not choke him."

"He's a goblin, Darkness. He can't choke to death on blood."

"Does it have to be Merry's blood?" This from Rhys.

"I know you of old … Rhys," and that silence held a name that no one used anymore. "You should come visit us again, sidhe. The womenfolk still talk of you. That's high praise from a goblin female."

Rhys had gone very pale and very quiet. He made no answer.

Kurag gave an unpleasant laugh. "Yes, it must be Merry's blood. Later, if some of the rest of you want to share blood and flesh with Kitto, feel free. The sidhe are always good eatin'." He glared at me with those orange eyes. "If the blood revives him, then give him flesh, Merry, real flesh this time." His eyes suddenly grew huge in the blade. He must have nearly pressed his nose to the blade. "You thought you'd get the goblins as allies for six months and not have to bed one of us. You shared flesh, so I can't say you lied about the alliance. But you pixied on the spirit of it. You know it and I know it."

I placed my still-bleeding finger against Kitto's lips, painting them crimson while I talked to his king. "If I take him to my bed, then he has a chance to be king, king of all the Unseelie. That is worth more than a six-month alliance."

Kitto's eyes flickered; his mouth made a small movement. I slid my finger over his lips, between his teeth, and his body jerked, once.

"Oh, no, you won't get me that easy, Merry girl, not that easy. You give him flesh like you should have done all along, and you get only three more months out of us.