"Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake 15 - The Harlequin" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

"I was surprised to see your name in my appointment book, Malcolm," I said, finally.

"I understand that, Ms. Blake. I am almost equally surprised to be here."

"Fine, we're both surprised. Why are you here?"

"I suspect you have, or will soon have, a warrant of execution for a member of my church."

I managed to keep my face blank, but felt the stiffness in my shoulders. He'd see the reaction, and he'd
know what it meant. Master vampires don't miss much. "You have a lot of members, Malcolm; could you
narrow it down a little? Who exactly are we talking about?"

"Don't be coy, Ms. Blake."

"I'm not being coy."

"You're trying to imply that you have a warrant for more than one of my vampires. I do not believe it, and
neither do you."

I should have felt insulted, because I wasn't lying. Two of his upstanding vamps had been very naughty.
"If your vampires were fully blood-oathed to you, you'd know I was telling the truth, because you'd be
able to enforce your moral code in entirely new ways."

"A blood oath is not a guarantee of absolute control, Ms. Blake."

"No, but it's a start."

A blood oath was what a vamp took when he joined a new vampire group, a new kiss. He literally took
blood from the Master of the City. It meant the master had a lot more control over him, and the lesser
vamps gained in power, too. If their master was powerful enough. A weak master wasn't much help, but
Jean-Claude, St. Louis's Master of the City and my sweetie, wasn't weak. Of course, the master gained
power from the oath, as well. The more powerful a vamp they could oath, the more they gained. Like so
many vampire powers, it was a two-way street.

"I do not want to enforce my moral code. I want my people to choose to be good people," Malcolm
said.

"Until your congregation is blood-oathed to some master vampire, they are loose cannons, Malcolm.
You control them by force of personality and morality. Vampires only understand fear, and power."

"You are the lover of at least two vampires, Ms. Blake. How can you say that?"

I shrugged. "Maybe because I am dating two vampires."

"If that is what being Jean-Claude's human servant has taught you, Ms. Blake, then it is sad things he is
teaching you."

"He is the Master of the City of St. Louis, Malcolm, not you. You, and your church, go unmolested by
his tolerance."