JК
The Harlequin :: Гамильтон Лорел
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«And that justifies slaughtering us?»
I shrugged again. I was going to leave this argument alone because I'd begun to not like that part of my job. I didn't think vampires were monsters anymore; it made killing them harder. It made executing them when they couldn't fight back monstrous, with me as the monster.
«What do you want me to do, Malcolm? I have a warrant with Sally Hunter's name on it. Witnesses saw her leave Bev Leveto's apartment. Ms. Leveto died by vampire attack. I know it wasn't any of Jean-Claude's vampires. That leaves yours.» Hell, I had her driver's license picture in the file with the warrant. I have to admit that having a picture to go with it made me feel more like an assassin. A picture so I'd get the right one.
«Are you so certain of that?»
I blinked at him, the slow blink that gave me time to think but didn't look like I was thinking furiously. «What are you trying to say, Malcolm? I'm not good at subtle; just tell me what you came to say.»
«Something powerful, someone powerful, came to my church last week. They hid themselves. I could not find them in the new faces of my congregation, but I know that someone immensely powerful was there.» He leaned forward, his calm exterior cracking around the edges. «Do you understand how powerful they would have to be for me to sense them, use all my powers to search the room for them, yet not be able to find them?»
I thought about it. Malcolm was no Master of the City, but he was probably one of the top five most powerful vampires in town. He'd be higher, if he weren't so terribly moral. It limited him in some ways.
I licked my lips, careful of the lipstick, and nodded. «Did they want you to know they were there, or was that part an accident?»
He actually showed surprise for a moment before he got control of his face. He played human too much for the media; he was beginning to lose that stillness of features that the old ones have. «I don't know.» Even his voice was no longer smooth.
«Did the vamp do it to taunt you, or was it arrogance?»
He shook his head. «I do not know.»
I had a moment of revelation. «You came here because you think Jean-Claude should know, but you can't let your congregation see you going to the Master of the City. It would undermine your whole freewill thing.»
He settled back into his chair, fighting to keep the anger off his face, and failing. He was even more scared than I thought, to be losing it this badly in front of someone he disliked. Hell, he'd come to me for help. He was desperate.
«And that justifies slaughtering us?»
I shrugged again. I was going to leave this argument alone because I'd begun to not like that part of my job. I didn't think vampires were monsters anymore; it made killing them harder. It made executing them when they couldn't fight back monstrous, with me as the monster.
«What do you want me to do, Malcolm? I have a warrant with Sally Hunter's name on it. Witnesses saw her leave Bev Leveto's apartment. Ms. Leveto died by vampire attack. I know it wasn't any of Jean-Claude's vampires. That leaves yours.» Hell, I had her driver's license picture in the file with the warrant. I have to admit that having a picture to go with it made me feel more like an assassin. A picture so I'd get the right one.
«Are you so certain of that?»
I blinked at him, the slow blink that gave me time to think but didn't look like I was thinking furiously. «What are you trying to say, Malcolm? I'm not good at subtle; just tell me what you came to say.»
«Something powerful, someone powerful, came to my church last week. They hid themselves. I could not find them in the new faces of my congregation, but I know that someone immensely powerful was there.» He leaned forward, his calm exterior cracking around the edges. «Do you understand how powerful they would have to be for me to sense them, use all my powers to search the room for them, yet not be able to find them?»
I thought about it. Malcolm was no Master of the City, but he was probably one of the top five most powerful vampires in town. He'd be higher, if he weren't so terribly moral. It limited him in some ways.
I licked my lips, careful of the lipstick, and nodded. «Did they want you to know they were there, or was that part an accident?»
He actually showed surprise for a moment before he got control of his face. He played human too much for the media; he was beginning to lose that stillness of features that the old ones have. «I don't know.» Even his voice was no longer smooth.
«Did the vamp do it to taunt you, or was it arrogance?»
He shook his head. «I do not know.»
I had a moment of revelation. «You came here because you think Jean-Claude should know, but you can't let your congregation see you going to the Master of the City. It would undermine your whole freewill thing.»
He settled back into his chair, fighting to keep the anger off his face, and failing. He was even more scared than I thought, to be losing it this badly in front of someone he disliked. Hell, he'd come to me for help. He was desperate.