JК
Bloody Bones :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 239 из 272She stalked forward in a long black dress that covered her fromneck to ankle. She slid her arms around Janos, nuzzling his neck, giving us a glimpse of her pale back. Only a fine webbing of black straps covered her back. The dress moved like it would slide down her body at the least movement, but somehow it stayed in place. Fashion-plate magic. Her dark hair was in a looping braid to one side of her face. She looked good for someone I'd seen ripped to rotting bits of flesh.
I couldn't keep the surprise off my face.
"I thought she was dead," Larry said.
"So did I."
"I would never have risked Pallas if I truly thought your werewolf could kill her," Janos said.
A second figure came out of the dark woods. Long white hair framed a thin, fine-boned face. His eyes glowed blood-red. I'd seen vampires with glowing eyes before, but they always glowed the color of their irises. No one who had ever been human had red irises. He wore a proverbial black tux and tails, complete with a nearly ankle-length cape.
"Xavier," I said softly.
Larry looked at me. "This is the vampire that's been killing everyone?"
I nodded.
"Then what's he doing here?"
"That's how you found Jeff so quickly. You're working with Xavier," I said. "Does Serephina know?"
Janos smiled. "She is master of all, Anita, even him." He said the last like it impressed him.
"You won't get to munch on your fairie for long if the cops trace Xavier to you."
"Xavier was following orders. He was on a recruitment drive." Janos seemed to like saying that last bit like it was an in-joke.
"Why did you want Ellie Quinlan?"
"Xavier likes a bit of young boy now and then. It is his one weakness. He turned the girl's lover, and the boy wanted her with him forever. Tonight she will rise and feed with us."
Not if I could help it. "What do you want, Janos?"
"I was sent to make your life easier," he said.
"Yeah, right."
Pallas uncurled herself from Janos. She glided over to Stirling.
Stirling stared up at her, cradling his broken arm. It had to hurt like hell, but it wasn't pain on his face now, it was fear. He stared up at the vampire; all the arrogance had slipped away. He looked like a kid who'd discovered the thing under the bed was really there.
A third vampire moved out of the trees. It was the blonde half of the pair. She looked fine, like she'd never rotted right before our eyes. I'd never known a vampire that could look so dead, and not be.
"You remember Bettina," he said.
I couldn't keep the surprise off my face.
"I thought she was dead," Larry said.
"So did I."
"I would never have risked Pallas if I truly thought your werewolf could kill her," Janos said.
A second figure came out of the dark woods. Long white hair framed a thin, fine-boned face. His eyes glowed blood-red. I'd seen vampires with glowing eyes before, but they always glowed the color of their irises. No one who had ever been human had red irises. He wore a proverbial black tux and tails, complete with a nearly ankle-length cape.
"Xavier," I said softly.
Larry looked at me. "This is the vampire that's been killing everyone?"
I nodded.
"Then what's he doing here?"
"That's how you found Jeff so quickly. You're working with Xavier," I said. "Does Serephina know?"
Janos smiled. "She is master of all, Anita, even him." He said the last like it impressed him.
"You won't get to munch on your fairie for long if the cops trace Xavier to you."
"Xavier was following orders. He was on a recruitment drive." Janos seemed to like saying that last bit like it was an in-joke.
"Why did you want Ellie Quinlan?"
"Xavier likes a bit of young boy now and then. It is his one weakness. He turned the girl's lover, and the boy wanted her with him forever. Tonight she will rise and feed with us."
Not if I could help it. "What do you want, Janos?"
"I was sent to make your life easier," he said.
"Yeah, right."
Pallas uncurled herself from Janos. She glided over to Stirling.
Stirling stared up at her, cradling his broken arm. It had to hurt like hell, but it wasn't pain on his face now, it was fear. He stared up at the vampire; all the arrogance had slipped away. He looked like a kid who'd discovered the thing under the bed was really there.
A third vampire moved out of the trees. It was the blonde half of the pair. She looked fine, like she'd never rotted right before our eyes. I'd never known a vampire that could look so dead, and not be.
"You remember Bettina," he said.