"Karen Koehler - Slayer 02 - Dragon Blood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Koehler Karen)

The building was your usual run-of-the-mill firetrap. The halls were trash-littered, the walls septic, the
doors lining the halls up and down covered in layers of graffiti that passed in some slum lordтАЩs opinion for
paint. A typical Lower East Side dream palace. Ever since Alek had bought the Covenhouse and made it
his home he had forgotten what some of the really wonderful places in New York looked like.

Like where we grew up, Debra said.

тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬWhatтАЩs that?тАЭ Robin asked as she turned the last bolt.

тАЬSorry,тАЭ Alek said. тАЬJust thinking aloud.тАЭ

Robin smiled. A pretty smile. тАЬI do that too. Ever notice how people look at you odd when you do that,
even though they do it themselves?тАЭ

тАЬHuman beings are odd,тАЭ he whispered.

тАЬYeah. We are.тАЭ

He wondered what they meant, but he hadnтАЩt the courage to ask.

So this was home. A three room flat in a nearly derelict project. Exposed copper pipes a hundred years
old. Brick interior walls. Naked light bulbs. Threadbare carpet. More threadbare sofa--it didnтАЩt look
safe, but he was about to ask Robin to sit down on it anyway so he could take a look at her ankle when
he was distracted by the shuffle of a sneakered foot from the opposite side of the bedroom door.

He drew his katana--there was no point in hiding it from Robin; sheтАЩd been privy to it in the alley
earlier--and moved on silent feet to the door.

Robin said, тАЬWaitтАжno...тАЭ

He ignored her. All he cared about right now was who was lurking in the bedroom.

The light peeking out from under the badly hung door was obliterated momentarily as the person moved
back a step. Oh no you donтАЩt, he thought. You arenтАЩt getting away that easily. Taking the doorknob in
one hand, he pulled open the door while moving deftly to one side. He expected someone at any moment
to come barreling out--and he wasnтАЩt disappointed.

But what came outdid surprise him.

тАЬMom!тАЭ cried the boy as he charged out of the bedroom and threw himself into RobinтАЩs arms, almost
toppling her over where she stood. She caught her balance at the last moment and then returned the
childтАЩs strangle-like hug. Robin was so small she didnтАЩt seem capable of lifting the childтАЩs full weight into
her arms, but lift him she did--and, in fact, swung him around once before setting him down on his feet.

тАЬHey...howтАЩs my big tiger today?

тАЬMade this for you,тАЭ the boy said emphatically, holding up a crumpled piece of construction paper with a
splattering of watercolors on it.