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Blue Moon :: Гамильтон Лорел
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"I'm not part of the pack," I said.
"There are many ways to be part of the pack, Anita. I have found my place among them, and I am not lukoi." She left Zane, Cherry, and me to unload the coffins while she took Nathaniel off to lie down. Cherry and Zane helped stow the coffins in the basement, then went off to take their communal bath.
The entrance to the basement was outside, like an old-fashioned storm cellar. The back door was all screen and wood. It clanged loudly as the wereleopards went inside. Marianne met me at that door, stepped through that door, and blocked my way.
She was smiling and calm and seemed at peace in the center of her universe. Just seeing that content look on her face made me itchy and uncomfortable. Made me want to scream and lash out until her universe was as messy as my own. How dare she be content when I was so confused?
"What is so very wrong, child? I can hear your confusion like bees buzzing in the walls."
There was a stand of pine trees near the back of the house like a line of soldiers. The air smelled like a perpetual Christmas. I usually like the smell of pine, but not today. I just wasn't in a Christmas mood. I leaned against the weathered boards of the house, while she stayed on the small back porch looking down at me.
The Firestar dug into my back. I pulled it out and shoved it down the front of my jeans. Fuck it if somebody saw.
"You saw Verne," I said.
She looked at me, grey eyes calm, unreadable. "I saw what you did to his neck, if that is what you mean."
"Yeah, that's what I mean."
"Your mark on his neck proves two things to all of us. That you consider yourself his equal — no small boast — and that you are not happy with his hospitality to date. Are either of these untrue?"
I thought about that for a moment, then said, "I don't acknowledge anyone as dominant to me. Maybe they can beat the shit out of me or kill me, but they're not better than I am. Stronger doesn't mean better or more dominant."
"There are those who would argue with you, Anita, but I am not one of them."
"And no, I'm not happy with the hospitality to date. I destroyed most of Colin's vampires for you guys. Verne was pleased as punch, but he still didn't let me have my guns last night. If I'd had my guns last night, then the bad guys wouldn't have nearly killed Jamil and Jason and Zane — hell — and me."
"Verne regretted last night or he would not have offered himself to you."
"Great, fine, but I didn't mean to mark him. I didn't mean to do it.
"I'm not part of the pack," I said.
"There are many ways to be part of the pack, Anita. I have found my place among them, and I am not lukoi." She left Zane, Cherry, and me to unload the coffins while she took Nathaniel off to lie down. Cherry and Zane helped stow the coffins in the basement, then went off to take their communal bath.
The entrance to the basement was outside, like an old-fashioned storm cellar. The back door was all screen and wood. It clanged loudly as the wereleopards went inside. Marianne met me at that door, stepped through that door, and blocked my way.
She was smiling and calm and seemed at peace in the center of her universe. Just seeing that content look on her face made me itchy and uncomfortable. Made me want to scream and lash out until her universe was as messy as my own. How dare she be content when I was so confused?
"What is so very wrong, child? I can hear your confusion like bees buzzing in the walls."
There was a stand of pine trees near the back of the house like a line of soldiers. The air smelled like a perpetual Christmas. I usually like the smell of pine, but not today. I just wasn't in a Christmas mood. I leaned against the weathered boards of the house, while she stayed on the small back porch looking down at me.
The Firestar dug into my back. I pulled it out and shoved it down the front of my jeans. Fuck it if somebody saw.
"You saw Verne," I said.
She looked at me, grey eyes calm, unreadable. "I saw what you did to his neck, if that is what you mean."
"Yeah, that's what I mean."
"Your mark on his neck proves two things to all of us. That you consider yourself his equal — no small boast — and that you are not happy with his hospitality to date. Are either of these untrue?"
I thought about that for a moment, then said, "I don't acknowledge anyone as dominant to me. Maybe they can beat the shit out of me or kill me, but they're not better than I am. Stronger doesn't mean better or more dominant."
"There are those who would argue with you, Anita, but I am not one of them."
"And no, I'm not happy with the hospitality to date. I destroyed most of Colin's vampires for you guys. Verne was pleased as punch, but he still didn't let me have my guns last night. If I'd had my guns last night, then the bad guys wouldn't have nearly killed Jamil and Jason and Zane — hell — and me."
"Verne regretted last night or he would not have offered himself to you."
"Great, fine, but I didn't mean to mark him. I didn't mean to do it.