"Banks, L A - Vampire Huntress 2 - 2004 - Awakening" - читать интересную книгу автора (Banks L. A)

words.
Carlos drew a hard breath just thinking about her. This woman could shift the
balance of world power, realign the energies in the universe. She had every gift
to go along with her force of natureЧnot all of them realized, but definitely
there, waitingЧand a team of seasoned hunters at her side to give guidance, then
ultimately follow her lead. From her womb great empires could be birthed, on the
side of light or dark, and she held the key: her choice in the matterЧthe
ultimate power of free will. The sister had divine authority. Even the old boys
were awed, nervous, and craved what she had come by as a birthright.
And she is mineЕ
But he couldn't worry about all that right now.
Above ground, he had the Asian, Russian, Dominican, and Jamaican drug mobs, plus
the federal authorities and another master vampire, looking for his head on a
silver platter. Beneath the earth's surface, he had the entire Vampire Council
on his ass. And now he was about to receive a tour of Hell itself.
This was beyond fucked up.



CHAPTER ONE



The dense black smoke that swirled in the abyss-like ceiling high above the
Vampire Council table formed a moaning funnel. A long strand of it touched down
as though a violent twister, depositing a hooded messenger before sucking back
into itself like a giant vacuum to resume its previous whirling mass. Now Carlos
understood what was in the screeching cloudЧthings that went for food, bodies,
and anything else the Vampire Council requested.
The messenger used his scythe to motion for Carlos to follow him. "The Vampire
Council occupies the sixth realm, with which you have been made familiar. What
you have not seen here is for the knowledge of the council members only. As we
go, we will stop on each of the five demon realms with brevity. I am told you
are valuable cargo, and the upper realms have formed a resistance."
Carlos nodded. The council chairman waved his hand. Just as quickly as he'd
consented without words, the funnel reappeared, creating a whining turbine
sound. A putrid wind rushed against Carlos's face. This time no terror entered
Carlos as the bony messenger's hand clutched him and the tornado-like cloud
enveloped them. He was on a mission. He'd been granted temporary immunity. He'd
cut the deal of life. The powerful strength of master vampire status surged
through his veins. Curiosity about this strange new life replaced fear.

Soon the jettison slowed. Carlos landed hard on his feet and heard a crunching
noise under them like twigs snapping. Screams of agony met him as they echoed
through the distance. The messenger's eyes narrowed as he pointed ahead of them
with his scythe. They were standing in a clearing at the edge of dense black
woods. Tall, disfigured trees with no leaves rose and twisted amid a climbing
bramble of thorns that seemed alive with motion. It was so dim that even with
his heightened ability to see in the dark, he had to strain to differentiate the
shapes of objects before him. Slowly but surely, he could begin to make out the