JК
Burnt Offerings :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 229 из 286Itisn't even close to enough."
He sighed. "Promise me only that you will not bargain with them. Make your request but do not offer them anything for their aid. You must swear this to me, ma petite . Please."
It was the «please» that did it, and the fear in his voice. "I promise. It's their job to do this. You don't bargain to get someone to do what they're supposed to do in the first place."
"You are a wondrous combination of cynicism and naivetй, ma petite ."
"You think it's naive to expect the council to help the vampires of this city?"
"They will ask what is in it for them, ma petite . What will you say?"
"I'll tell them it's their duty, and call them honorless bastards if they don't do it."
He did laugh then. "I would pay to hear this conversation."
"Would it help for you to listen in?"
"No. If they suspect it is my idea, they will demand a price. Only you, ma petite , could be this naive before them and hope to be believed."
I didn't think of myself as naive, and it bugged me that he did. Of course, he was nearly three centuries older than I was. Madonna probably seemed naive to him. "I'll let you know how it goes."
"Oh, the Traveler will make very certain that I know the outcome."
"Am I about to get you in trouble?"
"We are already in trouble, ma petite . It cannot get much deeper."
"Was that meant to be comforting?" I asked.
" Un peu ," he said.
"That meant 'a little, right?"
" Oui, ma petite. Vous dispose a apprendre ."
"Stop it," I said.
"As you like." He lowered his voice to a seductive whisper, as if it wasn't already the voice of wet dreams. "What were you doing when I awoke today?"
I'd almost forgotten about my little hospital adventure. Now it came rushing back hard enough to bring heat to my face. "Nothing."
"No, no, ma petite , that is not correct. You were most certainly doing something."
"Did Stephen and Nathaniel arrive at the house?"
"They did."
"Great. I'll talk to you later."
"You refuse to answer my question?"
"No, I just don't know a short version that doesn't make me feel like a slut. I don't have time for a longer version right now. So, can you wait?"
"I will wait for all eternity, if my lady asks it."
"Can the crap, Jean-Claude."
"If I wish you luck with the council, would that please you more?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"It is all right to be a lady, Anita. It is not a bad thing being a woman.
He sighed. "Promise me only that you will not bargain with them. Make your request but do not offer them anything for their aid. You must swear this to me, ma petite . Please."
It was the «please» that did it, and the fear in his voice. "I promise. It's their job to do this. You don't bargain to get someone to do what they're supposed to do in the first place."
"You are a wondrous combination of cynicism and naivetй, ma petite ."
"You think it's naive to expect the council to help the vampires of this city?"
"They will ask what is in it for them, ma petite . What will you say?"
"I'll tell them it's their duty, and call them honorless bastards if they don't do it."
He did laugh then. "I would pay to hear this conversation."
"Would it help for you to listen in?"
"No. If they suspect it is my idea, they will demand a price. Only you, ma petite , could be this naive before them and hope to be believed."
I didn't think of myself as naive, and it bugged me that he did. Of course, he was nearly three centuries older than I was. Madonna probably seemed naive to him. "I'll let you know how it goes."
"Oh, the Traveler will make very certain that I know the outcome."
"Am I about to get you in trouble?"
"We are already in trouble, ma petite . It cannot get much deeper."
"Was that meant to be comforting?" I asked.
" Un peu ," he said.
"That meant 'a little, right?"
" Oui, ma petite. Vous dispose a apprendre ."
"Stop it," I said.
"As you like." He lowered his voice to a seductive whisper, as if it wasn't already the voice of wet dreams. "What were you doing when I awoke today?"
I'd almost forgotten about my little hospital adventure. Now it came rushing back hard enough to bring heat to my face. "Nothing."
"No, no, ma petite , that is not correct. You were most certainly doing something."
"Did Stephen and Nathaniel arrive at the house?"
"They did."
"Great. I'll talk to you later."
"You refuse to answer my question?"
"No, I just don't know a short version that doesn't make me feel like a slut. I don't have time for a longer version right now. So, can you wait?"
"I will wait for all eternity, if my lady asks it."
"Can the crap, Jean-Claude."
"If I wish you luck with the council, would that please you more?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"It is all right to be a lady, Anita. It is not a bad thing being a woman.