"Banks, L A - Vampire Huntress - Between The books 1-14" - читать интересную книгу автора (Banks L. A)

Between Books: Volume One
After The Hunted, Before The Bitten
September 2004

Carlos followed the curve of DamaliТs nude hip with his hand, and stared down at her as she dozed. Ten fantastic nights, and in twenty more, heТd have to leave her to go handle his business down at Council. Dawn approached, and were it in his power, heТd stop time. He allowed his fingers to play along the caramel softness of her flesh and finally sighed. He had to let her go this morning like all the others before. It had become their routine. She needed fresh air, sunshine, and real foodЕ peopleЕ all the things that sheТd be denied if she stayed locked within his lair all day.

He kissed her gently to rouse her. She had to go now, if she wanted to spend the day in the sunlight.

УThe beach is calling your name,Ф he said softly. УIn a half hour, the lair will seal, but IТll come get you later on tonight.Ф

She yawned and stretched. УI donТt feel like sunlight today,Ф she murmured, leaning in to kiss him. УIТm so beat, I could sleep until you get up.Ф

While it was a pleasant thought, her comment slightly disturbed him. He didnТt necessarily want her to see him regenerate. What if she panicked when his breathing stopped and he became ice cold, and turned into what he was during the day, a corpse? ThereТd be no way to open the lair for her to escape. HeТd torch.

Carlos smiled and played off her request with a casual shrug. УAfter about two hours, once your batteries recharge, youТll be in here fussing and stomping your feet and complaining, girl. Go on, now, and put on some clothes and IТll send you down to the beach.Ф

УAfter messing with you all night, all I want is some sleep, brother.Ф She offered him a mischievous smile. УAnd youТd better keep your hands off me, too. IТm starting to get friction burns.Ф

УThen sleep in a lounge chair, sip some daiquiris, get something to eat, go shopping or sightseeing, and then IТll see you tonight. Cool?Ф He would not be moved. She had to go.

She made a face and sat up slowly. УThe sun hurts my eyes and is too hot. All the noise and confusion on the beach with tourists and whatnot gets on my nerves, and IТm dead tired, Carlos. CТmon, baby, just let me sleepЕ especially after last night, IТm beat. For real.Ф

She flopped back on the pillows and stretched out. It was so hard to argue with her when she just sprawled out in his bed like that. He watched her breathing become so shallow that it suddenly made him come near her to check it.

УYou hungry?Ф he asked, feeling her forehead and unmasking her throat wounds to study them. She was cool to the touch. Mild panic coursed through him as he felt her body temperature and studied her complexion. HeТd scored her throat so badly on one side that he immediately resealed it, ashamed at the deep punctures that had black and blue swollen tissue around it. УYou definitely need to eat. YouТre blood sugar is low.Ф

УIТm starved,Ф she said in a lazy, sated tone.

УIТll put some fruit on theЧФ

УHow about a steak?Ф

Again, he just stared at her for a moment. УYouТre vegetarian.Ф

УYeah, yeah, yeah, but thatТs what I have a taste for.Ф

УHow about if I put out a fruit platter, some wine, some bottled water, juice, some stuff to make a salad, since youТre being obstinate and wonТt go before the grates come down?Ф Truthfully, he didnТt want her to leave, but this was a bad idea.

She sighed. УLeave the water running and the bathroom working,Ф she said, drifting off. УIn case I have to get up, later. Maybe leave the fireplace lit so I can reheat the steak. Oh yeah, and a pan and some flatware wouldnТt hurt.Ф

УAny more requests, Princess Richards. YouТre seriously high-maintenance, D. Did I ever tell you that? Leos!Ф He laughed and shook his head.

УCan a sister get some TV up in the joint, too, since youТre gonna be knocked out forЧФ

УSee, girl, this is what IТm saying. It takes energy to keep all the amenities going while IТmЕФ

УIn state?Ф She smiled with her eyes closed. УI hear you. Chances are I wonТt get up during the day.Ф

He didnТt like the sound of that at all. Besides, she couldnТt fathom what he had to do while inside a lair by day. All the silk sheets and plush room appointments and torches, all of it, drained his energy. That was the sole reason heТd purchased real clothes for her when theyТd gone out at night, so that he didnТt have to maintain multiple illusions through daylight hours. She simply didnТt understand, even after all theyТd been through that, the reason Master vampire lairs only had plain marble slabs and rocky granite interiors when opened by vampire hunters during the day was, the Master in repose was saving precious energy for the night. Last night, whatever heТd had left in him, was reduced to fumes.