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The Laughing Corpse :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 208 из 213He hesitated, but Gaynor told him, "Do what she says."
Bruno didn't hesitate after that. Gaynor was his greenback god. Bruno grabbed one of Wanda's arms. With a man on each arm, and her legs useless, she was still moving too much.
"Kneel and hold her head still," I said.
Enzo dropped first, putting a big hand on the back of Wanda's head. He held her steady. She started to cry. Bruno knelt, putting his free hand on her shoulders to help steady her. It was important for the death to be a single blow.
Dominga was smiling now. She handed me a small brown jar of ointment. It was white and smelled heavily of cloves. I used more rosemary in mine, but cloves were fine.
"How did you know what I needed?"
"I asked Manny to tell me what you used."
"He wouldn't tell you shit."
"He would if I threatened his family." Dominga laughed. "Oh, don't look so sad. He didn't betray you, chica. Manuel thought I was merely curious about your powers. I am, you know."
"You'll see soon enough, won't you," I said.
She gave a sort of bow from the neck. "Place the ointment on yourself in the appointed places."
I rubbed ointment on my face. It was cool and waxy. The cloves made it smell like candy. I smeared it on over my heart, under my shirt, both hands. Last the tombstone.
Now all we needed was the sacrifice.
Dominga told me, "Do not move."
I stayed where I was, frozen as if by magic. Was her monster still frozen in the hallway, like I was now?
Dominga laid the machete on the grass near the edge of the circle, then she stepped out of the circle. "Raise the dead, Anita," she said.
"Ask Gaynor one question first, please." That please hurt, but it worked.
She looked at me curiously. "What question?"
"Is this ancestor also a voodoo priest?" I asked.
"What difference does it make?" Gaynor asked.
"You fool," Dominga said. She whirled on him, hands in fists. "That is what went wrong the first time. You made me think it was my powers!"
"What are you babbling about?" he asked.
"When you raise a voodoo priest or an animator, sometimes the magic goes wrong," I said.
"Why?" he asked.
"Your ancestor's magic interfered with my magic," Dominga said. "Are you sure this ancestor had no voodoo?"
"Not to my knowledge," he said.
"Did you know about the first one?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Dominga said. Her power blazed around her like a dark nimbus.
Bruno didn't hesitate after that. Gaynor was his greenback god. Bruno grabbed one of Wanda's arms. With a man on each arm, and her legs useless, she was still moving too much.
"Kneel and hold her head still," I said.
Enzo dropped first, putting a big hand on the back of Wanda's head. He held her steady. She started to cry. Bruno knelt, putting his free hand on her shoulders to help steady her. It was important for the death to be a single blow.
Dominga was smiling now. She handed me a small brown jar of ointment. It was white and smelled heavily of cloves. I used more rosemary in mine, but cloves were fine.
"How did you know what I needed?"
"I asked Manny to tell me what you used."
"He wouldn't tell you shit."
"He would if I threatened his family." Dominga laughed. "Oh, don't look so sad. He didn't betray you, chica. Manuel thought I was merely curious about your powers. I am, you know."
"You'll see soon enough, won't you," I said.
She gave a sort of bow from the neck. "Place the ointment on yourself in the appointed places."
I rubbed ointment on my face. It was cool and waxy. The cloves made it smell like candy. I smeared it on over my heart, under my shirt, both hands. Last the tombstone.
Now all we needed was the sacrifice.
Dominga told me, "Do not move."
I stayed where I was, frozen as if by magic. Was her monster still frozen in the hallway, like I was now?
Dominga laid the machete on the grass near the edge of the circle, then she stepped out of the circle. "Raise the dead, Anita," she said.
"Ask Gaynor one question first, please." That please hurt, but it worked.
She looked at me curiously. "What question?"
"Is this ancestor also a voodoo priest?" I asked.
"What difference does it make?" Gaynor asked.
"You fool," Dominga said. She whirled on him, hands in fists. "That is what went wrong the first time. You made me think it was my powers!"
"What are you babbling about?" he asked.
"When you raise a voodoo priest or an animator, sometimes the magic goes wrong," I said.
"Why?" he asked.
"Your ancestor's magic interfered with my magic," Dominga said. "Are you sure this ancestor had no voodoo?"
"Not to my knowledge," he said.
"Did you know about the first one?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Dominga said. Her power blazed around her like a dark nimbus.