"Esther M. Friesner - Elf Defense" - читать интересную книгу автора (Friesner Esther M)

Esther M. Friesner
Elf Defense

I




2 Esther M. Friesner

Aloud he said, "Come on, Cass, trade places and take a
turn at the wheel. You heard Amanda: she wants me."

"She doesn't know what she wants. I have to stay back
here with her! You don't know all that must be done if we're
going to be safe. You might get careless. ..."

"I might drive this stinking car into a ditch if the rain
gets any worse! I can be just as careful as you, if you tell me
what to watch, but I can't see to drive as well as you can in
this storm." Another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky-
bowl, thunder answered, and the rain gusted harder against the
windows, as if to back up his words. "Please, Cass. You can
get us there faster. And we've got a long way yet to go."

A loud snort of disgust came from the backseat. "All
right, all right, I'll take the wheel. You've made your point."
Two doors opened almost simultaneously, though only Cass
slammed his shut once he was outside. He and Jeff circled the
car, exchanging places, while the windshield wipers continued
their hopeless task and Amanda pressed her knuckles against
her teeth until Jeff was beside her. She welcomed him joyfully.
Cass heard, and winced a little, in spite of all his good inten-
tions to leam self-control.

Jeff shifted noisily, sitting down on the thick sheet of
clear plastic covering the entire backseat and furled over most
of the floor. It was a painter's dropcloth, the biggest and most
durable they cound find. Amanda grabbed his hand and
squeezed it tight. Her grasp stemmed a stream of mild profan-
ity as he struggled to get comfortable on the clinging stuff,
made him forget all about his own minor discomfort.

"How are you, babe?" he asked. Nothing mattered but
easing her pain.

Amanda smiled a little and bent her head to rest on his
shoulder. His arm around her was all the shelter her soul needed.
"A little hotтАФall this plasticтАФbut what can we do? It's necessary.
I'll be fine. We'll all be fine." She kissed him, then met Cass's