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

were safe. A little bondage, a little light slap and tickle. You all convinced
me that I couldn't keep Nathaniel away from it indefinitely. You said that
they had ways to monitor the area so no one could possibly get hurt. That's
what you and Zane and Cherry told me. Hell, I've seen it myself. There are
safety monitors everywhere, it's safer than some dates I've had, so what could
have possibly gone wrong?"
"We couldn't have anticipated this," he said.
"Just get to the end of the story, Gregory, the foreplay is getting
tedious."
There was silence for longer than there should have been, just the overly
loud music. "Gregory, are you still there?"
"Gregory is indisposed," a man's voice said.
"Who is this?"
"I am Marco, if that helps you, though I doubt that it does." His voice was
cultured тАУ American, but upper crusty.
"New in town are you?" I asked.
"Something like that," he said.
"Welcome to town. Make sure you go up in the Arch while you're here, it's a
nice view. But what has your recent arrival in St. Louis got to do with me and
mine?"
"We didn't realize it was your pet we had at first. He wasn't the one we
were hunting for, but now that we have him, we're keeping him."
"You can't 'keep' him," I said.
"Come down and take him away from us, if you can." That strangely smooth
voice made the threat all the more effective. There was no anger, nothing
personal. It sounded like business, and I had no clue what it was about.
"Put Gregory back on," I said.
"I don't think so. He's enjoying some personal time with my friends right
now."
"How do I know he's still alive?" My voice was as unemotional as his. I
wasn't feeling anything yet; it was too sudden, too unexpected, like coming in
on the middle of a movie.
"No one's dead, yet," the man said.
"How do I know that?"
He was quiet for a second, then, "What sort of people are you used to
dealing with, that you would ask if we've killed him first thing?"
"It's been a rough year. Now put Gregory on the phone, because until I know
he's alive, and he tells me the others are, this negotiation is stalled."
"How do you know we are negotiating?" Marco asked.
"Call it a hunch."
"My, you are direct."
"You have no idea how direct I can be, Marco. Put Gregory on the phone."
There was the music-filled silence, and more music, but no voices.
"Gregory, Gregory, are you there? Is anyone there?" Shit, I thought.
"I'm afraid that your kitty-cat won't squawl for us. A point of pride, I
think."
"Put the receiver to his ear and let me talk to him."
"As you wish."
More of the loud music. I spoke as if I was sure that Gregory was
listening. "Gregory, I need to know you're alive. I need to know that