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Bloody Bones :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 49 из 272His skinwas unnaturally soft, like living velvet. Of course, that could have been illusionary, too.
I tried to pull my hand away, but his grip tightened. I kept pulling, and he kept tightening with that certainty of someone who knew that I couldn't get away. He was wrong. It wasn't just a matter of strength, it was a matter of leverage.
I turned my wrist towards his fingers in a quick turning motion, jerking at the same time. His fingers slid over my skin trying to dig in, but it was over. My wrist felt rubbed raw where his finger had scraped along the skin. It wasn't bleeding, but it hurt anyway. It would have felt better if I rubbed it, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I was, after all, a tough-as-nails vampire slayer. Besides, it would have ruined some of the effect, and I liked the surprise on Magnus's face.
"Most women don't pull away once I've touched them."
"You use magic on me one more time, and I'll feed you to the cops."
He stared up at me, a thoughtful look on his face. He nodded. "You win. No more magic on you or your friend."
"Or anyone else," I said. I sat back down carefully, putting a little more distance between me and him. I angled the chair just a little to one side so the grab for my gun would be smoother. I didn't think I'd have to shoot him, but my wrist was aching where he'd squeezed. I had arm wrestled with vampires and shapeshifters. I knew preternatural strength when I felt it. He had it. He could have squeezed until my bones popped out of my skin, but he hadn't squeezed fast enough. He hadn't really wanted to hurt me. His mistake.
"Oh, my customers wouldn't like the magic going away," he said.
"You can't manipulate them like this. It is illegal, and I will turn you in for it."
"But everyone knows that Friday night is lovers' night at Bloody Bones," Magnus said.
"What's lovers' night?" Larry asked.
Magnus smiled, already regaining some of his easy charm, but that flicker of warmth was gone. He was being true to his word, as far as I could tell. Even vampires couldn't work mind control on me without my knowing it. That Magnus could made me nervous.
"I make everyone beautiful or handsome, or sexy, tonight. For a few hours you can be the lover of your own dreams, and someone else's. Though I wouldn't spend the night. The glamor doesn't last that long."
"What are you?" Larry asked.
"What looks like Homo sapiens, can breed with Homo sapiens, but isn't Homo sapiens ?" I asked.
Larry's eyes widened. " Homo arcanus .
I tried to pull my hand away, but his grip tightened. I kept pulling, and he kept tightening with that certainty of someone who knew that I couldn't get away. He was wrong. It wasn't just a matter of strength, it was a matter of leverage.
I turned my wrist towards his fingers in a quick turning motion, jerking at the same time. His fingers slid over my skin trying to dig in, but it was over. My wrist felt rubbed raw where his finger had scraped along the skin. It wasn't bleeding, but it hurt anyway. It would have felt better if I rubbed it, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I was, after all, a tough-as-nails vampire slayer. Besides, it would have ruined some of the effect, and I liked the surprise on Magnus's face.
"Most women don't pull away once I've touched them."
"You use magic on me one more time, and I'll feed you to the cops."
He stared up at me, a thoughtful look on his face. He nodded. "You win. No more magic on you or your friend."
"Or anyone else," I said. I sat back down carefully, putting a little more distance between me and him. I angled the chair just a little to one side so the grab for my gun would be smoother. I didn't think I'd have to shoot him, but my wrist was aching where he'd squeezed. I had arm wrestled with vampires and shapeshifters. I knew preternatural strength when I felt it. He had it. He could have squeezed until my bones popped out of my skin, but he hadn't squeezed fast enough. He hadn't really wanted to hurt me. His mistake.
"Oh, my customers wouldn't like the magic going away," he said.
"You can't manipulate them like this. It is illegal, and I will turn you in for it."
"But everyone knows that Friday night is lovers' night at Bloody Bones," Magnus said.
"What's lovers' night?" Larry asked.
Magnus smiled, already regaining some of his easy charm, but that flicker of warmth was gone. He was being true to his word, as far as I could tell. Even vampires couldn't work mind control on me without my knowing it. That Magnus could made me nervous.
"I make everyone beautiful or handsome, or sexy, tonight. For a few hours you can be the lover of your own dreams, and someone else's. Though I wouldn't spend the night. The glamor doesn't last that long."
"What are you?" Larry asked.
"What looks like Homo sapiens, can breed with Homo sapiens, but isn't Homo sapiens ?" I asked.
Larry's eyes widened. " Homo arcanus .