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

Guess not, again.

Samson looked momentarily confused, torn between diving for his fallen weapon and retreating so he
could prepare a new assault with his tachi alone.

тАЬDonтАЩt pick up the tanto. IтАЩll give you a penalty,тАЭ Alek warned him.

Samson backed up, transferring the tachi into a two-handed grip.

тАЬItтАЩs not a broadsword,тАЭ Alek said. тАЬYou use one hand.тАЭ

тАЬWhatta you? The fucking expert?тАЭ Samson spat and dove at him with the sword.

Alek winged the weapon aside, metal ringing on metal, and let the motion take him clockwise around
Samson and into his enemyтАЩs second assault. Metal skreeked. Alek shoved at the other slayer. Samson
fell back, almost dropping his sword.

Samson recovered at the last moment and made a blurring series of butterfly cuts that send Alek
stumbling back a half dozen steps. Samson grinned. When Alek sensed the nearness of the carousel at
his back, he dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way. Samson followed through with the move,
trying to stab Alek through the heart with the tachi.

Alek rolled over and used his coat to deflect SamsonтАЩs blade, giving him an opportunity to leap to the
top of the stage. тАЬYes,тАЭ Alek answered as he sat down on the edge of the carousel, his hair settling
against his cheeks, his coat closing about the rest of him like a pair of settling wings. He drew the sword
back into its ready position. тАЬI am.тАЭ

Samson stared angrily at AlekтАЩs show of casual disregard for his skill. Angry and confused. He was a
fear-eater, as Alek had suspected. A bully. If his victim was not intimidated by his outward appearance
then he had no advantage in the fight. Samson showed his teeth and cut the air menacingly in front of him
as he reassured his grip on the tachi. Pretty Kung Fu movie display there.

Alek rested the hilt of the katana on his thigh.

тАЬYou think youтАЩre so tough,тАЭ Samson growled.

тАЬTough enough. Go home, whelp, and learn your craft first.тАЭ

YouтАЩre so clever, Debra said.

He smirked. She knew what affect it would have on Samson as much as he did.

Samson roared and sprang at Alek, his tachi fully extended and ready to take AlekтАЩs head.
 Alek rolled up onto the stage again, his sentient coat snagging SamsonтАЩs legs and jerking them out from
under him so the bigger man tripped to the muddy ground in a rolling, clattering bundle of leather and
steel. Samson slammed into the side of the carousel, his bulk rattling the structure to its foundations. He
was raging when he realized how he had been tricked but recovered faster than Alek anticipated.

By the time Alek had found his footing on the carousel, Samson was up and leaping to the top of the