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

тАЬMister...hey...!тАЭ

Alek stopped just as he was about to step off the curb and into the street.

The girl had caught up with him. She was quite a little thing--then again, at his tall, lanky height, everyone
seemed тАЬlittleтАЭ to him. Yet she was more than merely small; she was petite, like a young doe. She had
mussed blonde hair screwed into a semblance of a modern hairdo and rain-smeary mascaraed eyes. She
was trying to look worldly and sophisticated, yet all of it only made her seem more vulnerable somehow.
She had lovely eyes, like aquamarines. Her mouth wasnтАЩt bad either. In fact, none of her was. Well...he
couldnтАЩt help but look her up and down, her flimsy black dress and lacy red shawl left little to the
imagination. Red. God, he loved red...

He shook himself out of it. He was ogling a little girl, for Chrissakes. A na├пve little girl, on top of it. A
professional would not solicit someone like himself, fresh from the steps of the Metro. A professional
would know someone dressed as he was in evening wear would have arranged for an uptown escort in
advance. The little girl was young and new and stupid to the work.

The idea made him sad somehow.

тАЬYou want some company?тАЭ she asked, a classic pickup line. As he watched, her eyes flicked sideways,
then centered on his face again.

тАЬIтАЩm sorry,тАЭ he said.

тАЬMaybe go for some coffee?тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt think so.тАЭ

тАЬI know a little soda shop down the avenue, all old-fashioned like. YouтАЩd like it.тАЭ

тАЬNo,тАЭ he said.

Her childlike eyes frowned as she searched for something else to ply him with. He was tempted to give
her a wad of cash if it got her off the streets for tonight. A girl like this was too sweet and young to
survive on her own. She was something in need of protection from this filthy, voracious city and all the
monsters lurking in it. He continued to watch her face, waiting for her next line. He knew he should have
brushed her off from the start, but still...

Sweet and young...IтАЩll bet she tastes like a candy-apple, Debra whispered.

тАЬStop it,тАЭ he muttered.

The girlsтАЩ eyes snapped back to his face. тАЬWhat?тАЭ
тАЬNothing...IтАЩm sorry...тАЭ

Her eyes clouded over, so he knew he had finally made the point with her. He only wished he didnтАЩt feel
like a bastard for turning her down. He reached into his pocket for his wallet, but by the time he looked
up again she had rejoined the other working girls on the corner.