JК
Bloody Bones :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 123 из 272I'd never seen Larry so mad. Hell, I'd never seen him angry.
I glanced at Jean-Claude; he just looked at me. I was on my own. Wasn't I always. "Xavier will have to sleep. He won't be able to harm Jeff once the sun rises."
Larry shook his head. "Will we get him back in time?"
I wanted to say "Sure," but I wouldn't lie. "I don't know. I hope so."
His soft, Howdy-Doody face was set in very stubborn lines. I looked at him and understood why so many people underestimate me. He looked so harmless. Hell, he was sort of harmless, but he was armed now, and learning how to be dangerous. And in his face for the first time I saw a grim purpose building. I'd planned on leaving him behind when I went to talk to the Master of Branson. Looking at him now, I wasn't sure he was going to let me do that. He'd had his first vampire hunt tonight. I'd managed to keep him out of the rough stuff until now. But it wasn't going to last. I'd been hoping he'd give up the idea of hunting vampires. Staring into his glittering eyes, I realized I was the one who was fooling myself. In his own way Larry was as stubborn as I was. Frightening thought, that. But for tonight he was safe.
"You couldn't just comfort me? Tell me we'll find him?" Larry asked.
I smiled. "I try not to lie to you, if I can avoid it."
"For once," Larry said, "I'd have liked to have heard the lie."
"Sorry," I said.
He took in a deep breath and let it out slow. His anger was gone just like that. Larry didn't know what it was to hold onto his rage. He didn't brood over things. One of the main differences between us. I never forgave anyone for anything. A character flaw to be sure, but hell, everyone's got to have at least one.
There was a knock on the door. Larry went for the door.
Jean-Claude was suddenly standing by me. I hadn't seen him move. Hadn't heard his leather boots slither over the carpet. Nothing. Magic. My heart was suddenly thudding in my throat.
"Stomp your feet or something when you do that."
"Do what, Ma petite ?"
I glared up at him. "That wasn't a mind trick, was it?"
"No," he said. That one word slithered across my skin like a low creeping breeze.
"Damn you," I said softly and with feeling.
He smiled. "We've been over that, Ma petite ; you are too late."
Larry had closed the door. "There's a guy out in the hall says he's with Jean-Claude."
"A guy or a vampire?" I asked.
Larry frowned. "Not a vampire, but if you mean human I wouldn't go that far."
"You expecting company?" I asked.
I glanced at Jean-Claude; he just looked at me. I was on my own. Wasn't I always. "Xavier will have to sleep. He won't be able to harm Jeff once the sun rises."
Larry shook his head. "Will we get him back in time?"
I wanted to say "Sure," but I wouldn't lie. "I don't know. I hope so."
His soft, Howdy-Doody face was set in very stubborn lines. I looked at him and understood why so many people underestimate me. He looked so harmless. Hell, he was sort of harmless, but he was armed now, and learning how to be dangerous. And in his face for the first time I saw a grim purpose building. I'd planned on leaving him behind when I went to talk to the Master of Branson. Looking at him now, I wasn't sure he was going to let me do that. He'd had his first vampire hunt tonight. I'd managed to keep him out of the rough stuff until now. But it wasn't going to last. I'd been hoping he'd give up the idea of hunting vampires. Staring into his glittering eyes, I realized I was the one who was fooling myself. In his own way Larry was as stubborn as I was. Frightening thought, that. But for tonight he was safe.
"You couldn't just comfort me? Tell me we'll find him?" Larry asked.
I smiled. "I try not to lie to you, if I can avoid it."
"For once," Larry said, "I'd have liked to have heard the lie."
"Sorry," I said.
He took in a deep breath and let it out slow. His anger was gone just like that. Larry didn't know what it was to hold onto his rage. He didn't brood over things. One of the main differences between us. I never forgave anyone for anything. A character flaw to be sure, but hell, everyone's got to have at least one.
There was a knock on the door. Larry went for the door.
Jean-Claude was suddenly standing by me. I hadn't seen him move. Hadn't heard his leather boots slither over the carpet. Nothing. Magic. My heart was suddenly thudding in my throat.
"Stomp your feet or something when you do that."
"Do what, Ma petite ?"
I glared up at him. "That wasn't a mind trick, was it?"
"No," he said. That one word slithered across my skin like a low creeping breeze.
"Damn you," I said softly and with feeling.
He smiled. "We've been over that, Ma petite ; you are too late."
Larry had closed the door. "There's a guy out in the hall says he's with Jean-Claude."
"A guy or a vampire?" I asked.
Larry frowned. "Not a vampire, but if you mean human I wouldn't go that far."
"You expecting company?" I asked.