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The Harlequin :: Гамильтон Лорел
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«Anita,»Damian said, and his face held—fear, something, as if he knew what was coming.
«You benefit from our evil, Richard. You count on us being willing to do your dirty work. Hell, I'm the Bolverk for your clan. Literally, I am your evildoer. I do what the Ulfric will not. So fine, fine, I will be your Bolverk, but we are not in the lupanar this night. We are not lupa and Ulfric this night. This night is vampire business. This night I am Jean-Claude's human servant. I am Nathaniel and Damian's master. That is the power you are hiding behind right this second. You think we're evil, fine.» I looked at Damian; I gave him a look to let him know I meant what I was about to say. «Damian, let him go.»
«You wouldn't,» Richard said.
«You can't have it both ways, Richard. You're right, the ardeur will have to rise. You don't want to be touching any of us when that happens, do you?»
He just looked at me.
«If you mean what you say, if you truly believe it's wrong, evil, then let go of Damian's arm. Let go, and stand on your moral high ground. If Jean-Claude and I mean nothing to you, then stand by yourself, Richard, stand on your own two feet.»
He stared at me as if I'd said something terrible. He stood there clinging to Damian's arm. «Don't do this, not now.»
«I think now is perfect, Richard. I think now is great. We need to raise the ardeur , so let go.»
«Jean-Claude,» he said, and looked at the vampire.
«It is a strange night, my Ulfric. I should be arguing your case. I should fight to keep you with us, but I don't seem to want to. I, like ma petite , grow tired of being judged by someone I care for. It cuts deeper tonight, and I know that is Columbine. She is laughing at us, even now. She has stopped attacking the congregation. She has put all her power upon us, because she found our weakness. The weakness that has always been there, from the first.»
«You mean me,» Richard said.
«I mean our triumvirate. It is flawed, and I do not know how to fix it. I feel what Anita has forged with her servants. The two of you are more powerful; my triumvirate should be the stronger of the two, but it is not.»
«Because of me,» Richard said.
«No, because of who we all are, mon ami . But whatever the cause, I grow tired of this fight.» He leaned back against Asher, rested his head against the other man's face. «I have rejected those I do love to save your sensibilities, and Anita's.»
«You're all lovers,» Richard said. «Don't tell me otherwise.
«Anita,»Damian said, and his face held—fear, something, as if he knew what was coming.
«You benefit from our evil, Richard. You count on us being willing to do your dirty work. Hell, I'm the Bolverk for your clan. Literally, I am your evildoer. I do what the Ulfric will not. So fine, fine, I will be your Bolverk, but we are not in the lupanar this night. We are not lupa and Ulfric this night. This night is vampire business. This night I am Jean-Claude's human servant. I am Nathaniel and Damian's master. That is the power you are hiding behind right this second. You think we're evil, fine.» I looked at Damian; I gave him a look to let him know I meant what I was about to say. «Damian, let him go.»
«You wouldn't,» Richard said.
«You can't have it both ways, Richard. You're right, the ardeur will have to rise. You don't want to be touching any of us when that happens, do you?»
He just looked at me.
«If you mean what you say, if you truly believe it's wrong, evil, then let go of Damian's arm. Let go, and stand on your moral high ground. If Jean-Claude and I mean nothing to you, then stand by yourself, Richard, stand on your own two feet.»
He stared at me as if I'd said something terrible. He stood there clinging to Damian's arm. «Don't do this, not now.»
«I think now is perfect, Richard. I think now is great. We need to raise the ardeur , so let go.»
«Jean-Claude,» he said, and looked at the vampire.
«It is a strange night, my Ulfric. I should be arguing your case. I should fight to keep you with us, but I don't seem to want to. I, like ma petite , grow tired of being judged by someone I care for. It cuts deeper tonight, and I know that is Columbine. She is laughing at us, even now. She has stopped attacking the congregation. She has put all her power upon us, because she found our weakness. The weakness that has always been there, from the first.»
«You mean me,» Richard said.
«I mean our triumvirate. It is flawed, and I do not know how to fix it. I feel what Anita has forged with her servants. The two of you are more powerful; my triumvirate should be the stronger of the two, but it is not.»
«Because of me,» Richard said.
«No, because of who we all are, mon ami . But whatever the cause, I grow tired of this fight.» He leaned back against Asher, rested his head against the other man's face. «I have rejected those I do love to save your sensibilities, and Anita's.»
«You're all lovers,» Richard said. «Don't tell me otherwise.