JК
Bloody Bones :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 133 из 272"
"That's why I'm not as afraid of Anita as I am of Jean-Claude," Jason said.
Larry looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"All she'll do is kill me, quick, neat. Jean-Claude wouldn't kill me quick, or easy. He'd make sure it hurt."
The two men stared at each other. Each one's logic was sound as far as it went. I was with Jason. "If you really believe what you're saying, Larry, then you haven't seen enough vampires."
"How am I ever going to see enough vampires if you keep me at arm's length, Anita?"
Had I really kept him out of it that much? Had I overprotected him? Let him see my ruthlessness but not Jean-Claude's?
"And I'm going to the master's tomorrow night. You are not leaving me behind anymore."
"You're right," I said. The answer seemed to surprise both of them.
"If you really believe that I'd kill someone quicker than Jean-Claude would, I have overprotected you. You have to understand how dangerous they are, Larry. How deadly, or someday I won't be around and you'll get killed."
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. My stomach was tight with fear. Fear that Larry would get killed because I'd kept him out of it. It was something I hadn't anticipated.
"Come on, Jason," Larry said.
Jason stood up.
"No. Tomorrow you can be ass-deep in vampires with me watching. Until you understand how dangerous the monsters are, I don't want you alone with them."
His eyes were angry and hurt. I'd undercut his confidence, his self-esteem. But. . what else could I do?
Larry turned abruptly on his heel and left. He didn't argue. He didn't say goodbye. He slammed the door behind him, and I fought an urge to follow him. What could I say? I leaned my forehead against the door, and whispered, "Damn."
"Do I get the couch?" Jason asked.
I turned and leaned against the door. I still had the Browning in my hand, though I wasn't sure why anymore. I was getting tired, sloppy. "No, I get the couch."
"Where do you want me, then?"
"I don't care; just not near me."
He ran his hands down the edge of the blanket, running the cloth between his fingers. "If you're really sleeping out here, I'd just as soon have the bed."
"It's taken," I said.
"How big is the bed?"
"King-size, but what difference does it make?"
"Jean-Claude won't mind if I share with him. He'd prefer it was you, but. ." He shrugged.
I looked at him, at his tranquil, pleasant face. "Is this the first time you've shared a bed with Jean-Claude?"
"No," he said.
"That's why I'm not as afraid of Anita as I am of Jean-Claude," Jason said.
Larry looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"All she'll do is kill me, quick, neat. Jean-Claude wouldn't kill me quick, or easy. He'd make sure it hurt."
The two men stared at each other. Each one's logic was sound as far as it went. I was with Jason. "If you really believe what you're saying, Larry, then you haven't seen enough vampires."
"How am I ever going to see enough vampires if you keep me at arm's length, Anita?"
Had I really kept him out of it that much? Had I overprotected him? Let him see my ruthlessness but not Jean-Claude's?
"And I'm going to the master's tomorrow night. You are not leaving me behind anymore."
"You're right," I said. The answer seemed to surprise both of them.
"If you really believe that I'd kill someone quicker than Jean-Claude would, I have overprotected you. You have to understand how dangerous they are, Larry. How deadly, or someday I won't be around and you'll get killed."
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. My stomach was tight with fear. Fear that Larry would get killed because I'd kept him out of it. It was something I hadn't anticipated.
"Come on, Jason," Larry said.
Jason stood up.
"No. Tomorrow you can be ass-deep in vampires with me watching. Until you understand how dangerous the monsters are, I don't want you alone with them."
His eyes were angry and hurt. I'd undercut his confidence, his self-esteem. But. . what else could I do?
Larry turned abruptly on his heel and left. He didn't argue. He didn't say goodbye. He slammed the door behind him, and I fought an urge to follow him. What could I say? I leaned my forehead against the door, and whispered, "Damn."
"Do I get the couch?" Jason asked.
I turned and leaned against the door. I still had the Browning in my hand, though I wasn't sure why anymore. I was getting tired, sloppy. "No, I get the couch."
"Where do you want me, then?"
"I don't care; just not near me."
He ran his hands down the edge of the blanket, running the cloth between his fingers. "If you're really sleeping out here, I'd just as soon have the bed."
"It's taken," I said.
"How big is the bed?"
"King-size, but what difference does it make?"
"Jean-Claude won't mind if I share with him. He'd prefer it was you, but. ." He shrugged.
I looked at him, at his tranquil, pleasant face. "Is this the first time you've shared a bed with Jean-Claude?"
"No," he said.