"Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake 10 - Narcissus Chains" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

when I think I'm in the wrong. I'd been a coward for months, and I was still a
coward. I was afraid to be close to him, afraid of what I'd do. Damn it,
Anita, get ahold of yourself. "Sarcasm is my department," I said.
"And what is my department?"
"I'm about to ask you for a favor," I said.
"Really?" He said it as if he might not grant it.
"Please, Jean-Claude, I'm asking for help. I don't do that often."
"That is certainly true. What would you have of me, ma petite? You know
that you have but to ask, and it will be yours. No matter how angry I may be
with you."
I let that comment go, because I didn't know what to do about it. "Do you
know a club called Narcissus in Chains?"
He was quiet for a second or two. "Oui."
"Can you give me directions and meet me there?"
"Do you know what sort of a club this place is?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure?"
"It's a bondage club, I know."
"Unless the last six months has changed you greatly, ma petite, that is not
one of your preferences."
"Not mine, no."
"Your wereleopards are misbehaving again?"
"Something like that." I told him what had happened.
"I do not know this Marco."
"I didn't figure you did."
"But you did think that I knew where the club was?"
"I was hoping."
"I will meet you there with some of my people. Or will you allow only me to
ride to your rescue?" He sounded amused now, which was better than angry, I
guess.
"Bring who you need."
"You trust my judgment?"
"In this, yeah."
"But not in all things," he said softly.
"I don't trust anyone in all things, Jean-Claude."
He sighed. "So young to be so ... jaded."
"I'm cynical, not jaded."
"And the difference is what, ma petite?"
"You're jaded."
He laughed then, the sound caressing me like the brush of a hand. It made
things low in my body clench. "Ah," he said, "that explains all the
differences."
"Just give me directions, please." I added the "please" to speed things
along.
"They will not harm your wereleopards too greatly, I think. The club is run
by shapeshifters, and they will smell too much blood and take matters into
their own hands. It is one of the reasons Narcissus in Chains is
no-man's-land, a neutral place for the fringe of our groups. Your leopards
were right, it is usually a very safe place."
"Well, Gregory wasn't screaming because he felt safe."