"Mary Janice Davidson - Wyndham Werewolves 03 - Derik's Bane" - читать интересную книгу автора (Davidson Mary Janice)

"What?" Shock nearly made him stammer. Behind him, nobody moved. It seemed nobody even
breathed. And Derik was standing down, backing off, heading for the door. Michael, in light of these
highly interesting new events, let him go. He employed his best Annoyed Daddy tone. "What did you say,
Lara?"

She didn't flinch. "You heard me. But you won't hear me say it again."
 He was furious, appalled. This wasn'tтАФhe had toтАФshe couldn'tтАФBut pride was rising, blotting out the
fury. Oh, his Lara! Intelligent, gorgeousтАФ and utterly without fear! "Would he have everdared face
down his father?

It occurred to him that the future Pack leader was giving him an order. Now what to do about it?

A long silence passed, much longer in retrospect. This would be a moment his daughter would
remember if she lived to be a thousand. He could break her ... or he could start training a born leader.

He bowed stiffly. He didn't show the back of his neck; it was the polite bow to an equal. "A wiser head
has prevailed. Thank you, Lara." He turned on his heel and walked toward the stairs, catching Jeannie's
hand on the way up, leaving the others behind. Moira had released her grip on his wife, was staring,
openmouthed, at Lara. They were all staring. He didn't think it had ever been so quiet in the main hall.

Michael was intent on reaching his bedroom where he could think about all that had just happened, and
gain his wife's counsel. He didn't quite dare go after Derik just yetтАФbest to take time for their blood to
cool. Christ! It wasn't even eight o'clock in the morning!

"MikeyтАФwhatтАФcripesтАФ"

And Lara. His daughter, who jumped between two werewolves with their blood up. Who faced him
down and demanded he leave off. His daughter, defending her dearest friend. His daughter, who had just
turned four. They had known she was ferociously intelligent, but to have such a strong sense of what was
right and what wasтАФ

Jeannie cut through his thoughts with a typically wry understatement. "Thiscan't be good. But I'm sure
you can explain it to me. Use hand puppets. And me without my So You Married a Werewolf guide ..."

Then he was closing their bedroom door and thinking about his place in the Pack, and his daughter's,
and how he hoped he wouldn't have to kill his best friend before the sun set.




2

Derik heard the footsteps and slowed. He'd made it almost all the way to the beach but, unless he felt
like swimming toLondon , it was time to stop and think with his head instead of his temper.

Whoever was approaching was downwind, so lie didn't know for sure, but he braced himself for
Michael. He'd have to apologize, or there would he real trouble. And hewould apologize. He would. He
owed it to his friend, and worse, he'd behaved badly. So he would apologize. Yes. Absolutely.