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Incubus Dreams :: Гамильтон Лорел
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“No, but you read their minds, took knowledge from them, against their will. That’s illegal.”
“Is that a threat again, Ms. Blake?”
“Negotiation is simple with me, Malcolm. If you use your little clairvoyant powers on me now, it’s our little secret. If you don’t, then it won’t be our little secret. See? Very simple.”
“How can I trust you?”
“Maybe you can’t, but what choice do you have?”
I felt his power then, like water filling the room. Once, I’d worried I’d drown in his power. Now, I knew I could swim in it, or simply ignore it. “Grandstanding won’t win you any points with me.”
“I will do this, but not because you forced me. I want these killings stopped, and if we harbored vipers among us, unbeknownst, then I want to know who they are. I will not have such things done in my church, or by my church members.”
“Fine.” I held my hand out to him. “Talk is cheap.”
He frowned at me, but he gave me his hand, and the moment his fingers touched mine, I felt him riffle through my head. I felt him get a second image of the dead woman. A more complete image. I thrust my power outward like a defending blade. He was prepared this time. He simply drew his hand away and stepped back. “May it give you all the joy it has given me over the centuries.”
It sounded like some kind of blessing turned curse, but I ignored it. Malcolm and I could squabble later. I had to use his gift while I still had it. I turned back to the vampire that was still cuffed to the chair.
He’d heard at least part of what Malcolm and I had said. His face was angry, defiant. “I won’t talk.”
“I won’t ask you to.”
“What’s happening, Anita?” Zerbrowski asked.
“I’m going to find out what we want to know.”
“How?” He looked positively suspicious.
It made me laugh. “God, Zerbrowski, what do you think I’m about to do?”
“I don’t know.”
That made the laughter fade, and the smile went with it. It’s always hard to see your friends look at you like they don’t trust you not to be monstrous. “I’m not going to do anything you haven’t seen me do already tonight.”
He widened eyes at me. “This guy doesn’t like you, the other one did.”
“It won’t matter.”
He made a small gesture as if to say, help yourself, but he looked like he’d believe it when he saw it. I guess I couldn’t blame him. I reached out toward Cooper’s face.
“Don’t touch me.
“No, but you read their minds, took knowledge from them, against their will. That’s illegal.”
“Is that a threat again, Ms. Blake?”
“Negotiation is simple with me, Malcolm. If you use your little clairvoyant powers on me now, it’s our little secret. If you don’t, then it won’t be our little secret. See? Very simple.”
“How can I trust you?”
“Maybe you can’t, but what choice do you have?”
I felt his power then, like water filling the room. Once, I’d worried I’d drown in his power. Now, I knew I could swim in it, or simply ignore it. “Grandstanding won’t win you any points with me.”
“I will do this, but not because you forced me. I want these killings stopped, and if we harbored vipers among us, unbeknownst, then I want to know who they are. I will not have such things done in my church, or by my church members.”
“Fine.” I held my hand out to him. “Talk is cheap.”
He frowned at me, but he gave me his hand, and the moment his fingers touched mine, I felt him riffle through my head. I felt him get a second image of the dead woman. A more complete image. I thrust my power outward like a defending blade. He was prepared this time. He simply drew his hand away and stepped back. “May it give you all the joy it has given me over the centuries.”
It sounded like some kind of blessing turned curse, but I ignored it. Malcolm and I could squabble later. I had to use his gift while I still had it. I turned back to the vampire that was still cuffed to the chair.
He’d heard at least part of what Malcolm and I had said. His face was angry, defiant. “I won’t talk.”
“I won’t ask you to.”
“What’s happening, Anita?” Zerbrowski asked.
“I’m going to find out what we want to know.”
“How?” He looked positively suspicious.
It made me laugh. “God, Zerbrowski, what do you think I’m about to do?”
“I don’t know.”
That made the laughter fade, and the smile went with it. It’s always hard to see your friends look at you like they don’t trust you not to be monstrous. “I’m not going to do anything you haven’t seen me do already tonight.”
He widened eyes at me. “This guy doesn’t like you, the other one did.”
“It won’t matter.”
He made a small gesture as if to say, help yourself, but he looked like he’d believe it when he saw it. I guess I couldn’t blame him. I reached out toward Cooper’s face.
“Don’t touch me.