JК
Danse Macabre :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 401 из 427It was a natural ability that had gotten better as my power had grown. Now that ability made my bones thrum with the weight of ages that sat smiling in front of me.
«Using power that way on a Master of the City is a direct challenge to his or her authority. You know that.»
«Not if you don't get caught at it,» Adonis said from the couch.
I glanced at him, avoiding his eyes. That made him laugh. He liked that he could roll me with his gaze. All right, that we both thought he could.
Asher spoke then. «Are you implying that Merlin rolled the minds of all the masters in all the cities that you performed in, and they did not know it?» His voice was empty, pleasant, even happy. It was a lie. He wanted Adonis to chat himself into a corner.
Merlin raised a darkly pale hand. That one gesture stopped Adonis with his mouth parted. «No,» Merlin said, «no. We have answered the question of Jean-Claude's servant. When she speaks it is with his voice. But why are you here, Asher? Why do you sit so close and join these talks?»
«I am Jean-Claude's témoin .»
«How have you earned this place of trust and power, Asher? It is not through strength. There are at least four vampires here, perhaps more, who are more powerful than you. And you were never known for your skill in battle. So why do you sit at his right hand, and now at hers?»
«I can tell you why he's here tonight, sitting beside me,» I said.
Merlin gave me a quizzical look. It was so hard not to look him in the eye when he moved. I'd lost the knack of not making eye contact with vampires. «Do enlighten me, Miss Blake.»
I reached in the drawer and wrapped my hand around the gun. I felt better holding it. The moment the gun flashed to the room, the tension level rose. I felt rather than saw Adonis and Elisabetta begin to move forward on the couch.
Claudia said, «Don't.»
Merlin said, «Do not react. That is what she wants.»
It was probably their master's voice, not Claudia's warning, that kept them on the couch. Or hell, maybe she'd been speaking to me.
I put the gun on the desk with my hand sort of caressing it. Not exactly holding it, but touching it. «I wanted to have the gun naked on the desk when you came through the door. Asher talked me out of it.»
«So he is here to see you do not do anything foolish.»
«He is here because I trust him, and I don't trust you.»
«You are not a fool. I would not expect you to trust me.»
«And what would you do with your little gun?» Adonis asked.
«Shooting you and Merlin here seems like a possibility.
«Using power that way on a Master of the City is a direct challenge to his or her authority. You know that.»
«Not if you don't get caught at it,» Adonis said from the couch.
I glanced at him, avoiding his eyes. That made him laugh. He liked that he could roll me with his gaze. All right, that we both thought he could.
Asher spoke then. «Are you implying that Merlin rolled the minds of all the masters in all the cities that you performed in, and they did not know it?» His voice was empty, pleasant, even happy. It was a lie. He wanted Adonis to chat himself into a corner.
Merlin raised a darkly pale hand. That one gesture stopped Adonis with his mouth parted. «No,» Merlin said, «no. We have answered the question of Jean-Claude's servant. When she speaks it is with his voice. But why are you here, Asher? Why do you sit so close and join these talks?»
«I am Jean-Claude's témoin .»
«How have you earned this place of trust and power, Asher? It is not through strength. There are at least four vampires here, perhaps more, who are more powerful than you. And you were never known for your skill in battle. So why do you sit at his right hand, and now at hers?»
«I can tell you why he's here tonight, sitting beside me,» I said.
Merlin gave me a quizzical look. It was so hard not to look him in the eye when he moved. I'd lost the knack of not making eye contact with vampires. «Do enlighten me, Miss Blake.»
I reached in the drawer and wrapped my hand around the gun. I felt better holding it. The moment the gun flashed to the room, the tension level rose. I felt rather than saw Adonis and Elisabetta begin to move forward on the couch.
Claudia said, «Don't.»
Merlin said, «Do not react. That is what she wants.»
It was probably their master's voice, not Claudia's warning, that kept them on the couch. Or hell, maybe she'd been speaking to me.
I put the gun on the desk with my hand sort of caressing it. Not exactly holding it, but touching it. «I wanted to have the gun naked on the desk when you came through the door. Asher talked me out of it.»
«So he is here to see you do not do anything foolish.»
«He is here because I trust him, and I don't trust you.»
«You are not a fool. I would not expect you to trust me.»
«And what would you do with your little gun?» Adonis asked.
«Shooting you and Merlin here seems like a possibility.