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

I leaned into the hug for a moment. "That's right, it's not." Then I pulled
away and got out of the car. My high heels crunched on the gravel of my
driveway. Ronnie had wanted us to dress up, so we had. It was her birthday. It
wasn't until after dinner that I'd realized her diabolical scheme. She'd had
me wear heels and a nice little black skirt outfit. The top was actually,
gasp, a well-fitted halter top. Or would that be backless evening wear?
However pricey it was, it was still a very short skirt and a halter top.
Ronnie had helped me pick the outfit out about a week ago. I should have known
her innocent "oh, let's just both dress up" was a ruse. There had been other
dresses that covered more skin and had longer hemlines, but none that
camouflaged the belly-band holster that cut across my lower waist. I'd
actually taken the holster along with us on the shopping trip, just to be
sure. Ronnie thought I was being paranoid, but I don't go anywhere after dark
unarmed. Period.
The skirt was just roomy enough and black enough to hide the fact that I
wore the belly band and a Firestar 9mm. The top was heavy enough material,
what there was of it, that you really couldn't see the handle of the gun under
the cloth. All I had to do was lift the bottom of the top and the gun was
right there, ready to be drawn. It was the most user-friendly dressy outfit
I'd ever owned. Made me wish they made it in a different color so I could have
two of them.
Ronnie's plan had been to go to a club on her birthday. A dance club. Eek.
I never went to clubs. I did not dance. But I went in with her. Yes, she got
me out on the floor, mainly because her dancing alone was attracting too much
unwanted male attention. At least with both of us dancing together the
would-be Casanovas stayed at a distance. Though saying I danced was
inaccurate. I stood there and sort of swayed. Ronnie danced. She danced like
it was her last night on Earth and she had to put every muscle to good use. It
was spectacular, and a little frightening. There was something almost
desperate to it, as if Ronnie felt the cold hand of time creeping up faster
and faster. Or maybe that was just me projecting my own insecurities. I'd
turned twenty-six early in the year, and, frankly, at the rate I was going, I
probably wouldn't have to worry about hitting thirty. Death cures all ills.
Well, most of them.
There had been one man who had attached himself to me instead of Ronnie. I
didn't understand why. She was a tall leggy blond, dancing like she was having
sex with the music. But he offered me drinks. I don't drink. He tried to slow
dance. I refused. I finally had to be rude. Ronnie told me to dance with him,
at least he was human. I told her that birthday guilt only went so far, and
she'd used hers up.
The last thing on God's green earth that I needed was another man in my
life. I didn't have a clue what to do with the two I had already. The fact
that they were, respectively, a Master Vampire and an Ulfric, werewolf king,
was only part of the problem. That fact alone should let you know just how
deep a hole I was digging. Or would that be, already have dug? Yeah, already
dug. I was about halfway to China and still throwing dirt up in the air.
I'd been celibate for six months. So, as far as I knew, had they. Everyone
was waiting for me to make up my mind. Waiting for me to choose, or decide,
something, anything.
I'd been a rock for half a year, because I'd stayed away from them. I