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Bloody Bones :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 243 из 272"
He didn't seem to hear me. He was nearly crying with relief, slobbering all over my Nikes.
"Back away from them, please." The voice was female and honey-thick.
I blinked over the glow of the cross and saw Kissa holding a gun. A revolver that looked like a Magnum; hard to tell in the glow. Whatever it was, it'd make a big hole.
"Move away from them, now."
"I thought Serephina didn't want me dead."
"Kissa will shoot your young friend."
I stopped in mid-breath and let it out. "If you kill him, I won't cooperate with whatever you have in mind for tonight."
"You misunderstand us, Anita," Janos said. "My master does not require your cooperation. Everything she wants from you can be taken by force."
I stared at him over the shining light. He had Jeff cuddled against him; most heartwarming.
"Take off your crosses and throw them far out into the trees," Janos said. He ran a gloved hand along both sides of Jeff's face, planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Now that we know you would give up your safety for both young men, we have one more hostage than is absolutely necessary." He put his hands on either side of Jeff's neck, just holding, not hurting, not yet.
"Take off your crosses and throw them into the woods. I will not ask a third time."
I stared at him. I didn't want to give up my cross. I glanced at Larry. He was still facing off against Xavier, his cross glowing bravely. Shit.
"Kissa, shoot the man."
"No," I said. I undid the chain. "Don't shoot him."
"Don't do it, Anita," Larry said.
"I can't watch them shoot you, not if I can stop it." I let the chain pool in my hand; the cross shone with a blue-white flame like burning magnesium. It was a bad idea to throw it away. A real bad idea. I tossed it into the woods. The cross glittered like a falling star and died out of sight in the dark.
"Now your cross, Larry," Janos said.
Larry shook his head. "You'll have to shoot me."
"We'll shoot the boy," Janos said. "Or perhaps I'll feed upon him while you watch." He pinned Jeff against himself with one arm, while his other hand dug into the boy's hair, holding him immobile, neck exposed.
Larry looked at me. "What do I do, Anita?"
"You have to decide this one for yourself," I said.
"They'll really kill him, won't they?"
"Yeah, they will."
He cursed under his breath and let the cross fall against his chest.
He didn't seem to hear me. He was nearly crying with relief, slobbering all over my Nikes.
"Back away from them, please." The voice was female and honey-thick.
I blinked over the glow of the cross and saw Kissa holding a gun. A revolver that looked like a Magnum; hard to tell in the glow. Whatever it was, it'd make a big hole.
"Move away from them, now."
"I thought Serephina didn't want me dead."
"Kissa will shoot your young friend."
I stopped in mid-breath and let it out. "If you kill him, I won't cooperate with whatever you have in mind for tonight."
"You misunderstand us, Anita," Janos said. "My master does not require your cooperation. Everything she wants from you can be taken by force."
I stared at him over the shining light. He had Jeff cuddled against him; most heartwarming.
"Take off your crosses and throw them far out into the trees," Janos said. He ran a gloved hand along both sides of Jeff's face, planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Now that we know you would give up your safety for both young men, we have one more hostage than is absolutely necessary." He put his hands on either side of Jeff's neck, just holding, not hurting, not yet.
"Take off your crosses and throw them into the woods. I will not ask a third time."
I stared at him. I didn't want to give up my cross. I glanced at Larry. He was still facing off against Xavier, his cross glowing bravely. Shit.
"Kissa, shoot the man."
"No," I said. I undid the chain. "Don't shoot him."
"Don't do it, Anita," Larry said.
"I can't watch them shoot you, not if I can stop it." I let the chain pool in my hand; the cross shone with a blue-white flame like burning magnesium. It was a bad idea to throw it away. A real bad idea. I tossed it into the woods. The cross glittered like a falling star and died out of sight in the dark.
"Now your cross, Larry," Janos said.
Larry shook his head. "You'll have to shoot me."
"We'll shoot the boy," Janos said. "Or perhaps I'll feed upon him while you watch." He pinned Jeff against himself with one arm, while his other hand dug into the boy's hair, holding him immobile, neck exposed.
Larry looked at me. "What do I do, Anita?"
"You have to decide this one for yourself," I said.
"They'll really kill him, won't they?"
"Yeah, they will."
He cursed under his breath and let the cross fall against his chest.