"Mary Janice Davidson - Betsy 01 - Undead And Unwed" - читать интересную книгу автора (Davidson Mary Janice)

тАЬShut up! I had to bring you to him but I should not have to listen to another word out of your mouth!
Stop it stop itstop it!тАЭ

тАЬOkay, okay. Say it, donтАЩt spray it.тАЭ I waited a few seconds, then asked brightly, тАЬAre we there yet?тАЭ

тАЬMercifully,тАЭ she said through gritted fangs, тАЬwe are.тАЭ

тАЬHey, neat trick, youтАЩre all toothy. Why? Hungry?тАЭ She probably was. She looked ghastly. Too white,
too thin, and sort of haggard. Of course, that could just be the residual effect of being trapped with me in
a closed space for thirty minutes. тАЬDonтАЩt even think about snacking onme .тАЭ

тАЬYou wish.тАЭ The limo came to a smooth stop, the door popped open, and Shanara grabbed my elbow
and practically shoved me out of the car. тАЬCome along.тАЭ

тАЬWhat, no cemetery?тАЭ We were standing outside a gigantic house on Lake Minnetonka. It was three
stories, dark green, with four white pillars. It looked like Tara gone bad. All the lights were out, of
course. тАЬI thought your boss really went for the stereotypes.тАЭ

No answer. She just grabbed my elbow again and jerked me along. I could tell she really, really wanted
to hurt me. A sensible, intelligent person would use this opportunity to keep quiet and look for escape.

тАЬSo, Shanockers, are you this guyтАЩs retriever or what? тАШI want Betsy, bring me BetsyтАжfetch!тАЩ Is it like
that? Or are you just such a loser you donтАЩt have a life of your own, so you hang onto this guyтАЩs
coattails? Hey, watch the suit!тАЭ I was wearing a tan linen Anne Klein pantsuit and last yearтАЩs Helene
Arpel flats. I was glad I wasnтАЩt more dressed up, or wearing my good Arpels. IтАЩd hate for these assholes
to think I was trying to look nice for them.

She was pulling me through the house, which, although dark, seemed well lit to me.

She brought me (well, dragged me) through a set of French doors, which opened to a ballroom. I
looked up warily for the disco ball and was relieved not to see one. The room was full of about twenty
people, all dressed (natch) in black. The women all wore lipsticks in various shades of red, and the men
were all in tuxedos. Ugh! Rented suits! Is there anything more yuck-o?

тАЬAhhhhhh, Elizabeth.тАЭ Nostro stood up from a (groan!) throne. An actual throne at the far side of the
ballroom. Really ugly, too, all gold-plated and shiny and gauche. At least he wasnтАЩt wearing a crown.
тАЬThank you for bringing her, Shanara.тАЭ

тАЬYour slightest wish is my most urgent command, Master.тАЭ

I snorted. Sha-na-na shot me a look of purest venom. Which I pointedly ignored. тАЬListen, why am I
here? WhyтАЩd you set your dog on me?тАЭ

тАЬYou left too quickly last time,тАЭ Nostro said pleasantly. As he got closer I saw he was quite a bit
shorter than I was, and balding. He looked like a mean-spirited monk, the kind who tortured mice when
the other monks were praying. тАЬIтАЩm very glad youтАЩve chosen to return. Now we can complete the
ceremony, and you can join my family.тАЭ He swept his arm around, indicating the others in the room.
тАЬThey are most anxious to greet you.тАЭ

тАЬYeah, they look like theyтАЩd be a laugh a minute. Listen, Nostro, I donтАЩt appreciate any of this. I didnтАЩt