"Laymon, Richard - Bite" - читать интересную книгу автора (Laymon Richard)

"I should think so."
She really meant me to _murder_ this guy.
Though the night seemed more out of whack than ever, it also, for some reason, was starting to feel more real.
Maybe because I held the hammer and stake in my hands.
Making a crooked smile, Cat said, "The Van Helsing method."
Tried and true."
"Go for the heart."
I took a deep breath and nodded. And hoped she couldn't see that I was trembling.
"You'll want to nail him while he's on top of me. That's when he'll be most vulnerable. Slam it right into his back."
"What's to stop it from going through him and getting _you_?" I asked.
"Let me see it."
I gave the stake to her.
She took it by the pointed end, and held it in front of her chest.
"It's fourteen inches long," she told me.
The Way her robe hung open, I had a hard time looking at the stake. The gap was now a couple of inches wide between her breasts. It narrowed on its way down. It went down a long way. I glimpsed her navel. Below the loose knot of her sash, the edges of the robe were still slightly parted.
"Elliot's about twelve inches thick through the middle of his chest," she said.
I raised my eyes. She was still gazing down at the stake. "How do you know that?" I asked.
"I measured some guy I met at the Home Depot when I went there to buy the dowel and hammer. He seemed to be about Elliot's size. Came to twelve inches."
"When was that?" I asked.
"Months ago. I've had this stuff hidden away for . . . I don't know, a _long_ time. I knew I'd need it someday." She shrugged. "Anyway, I don't think Elliot's chest size has changed much since then. Unless it's gotten thicker."
"This stake is longer than twelve inches," I said.
"It's fourteen."
"So only two inches will go in you?"
Cat raised her head and smiled up at me. "Don't pound it in all the way, genius." Lowering her head again, she spread the thumb and forefinger of her left hand a couple of inches apart and put them against the wide end of the stake.
About two inches behind the demonstration, her robe draped the curve of her left breast. Her nipple was stiff. The silk took on her shape like a veil of blue water.
"Leave about this much sticking out of his back, and I'll be fine."
I shifted my gaze to the stake. "Okay. I can do that."
"And that should take care of him."
She handed the stake to me.
Our eyes met.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"I've never killed anyone before."
This isn't a person. This is a vampire."
_If you say so._
"I've never killed a vampire, either," I explained.
"But you'll do it?"
I gave her a brave grin. "Hey, kid, for you . . ."
She lifted a hand and caressed my cheek. "You'll be saving my life, Sammy. I can't go on having him . . . come to me like this. It has to end."
"Well, I'll do what I can."
"That's all I can expect," she said. Her hand slid behind my neck, curled and held me while she gazed steadily into my eyes. "The thing is, don't even try if you aren't willing to go all the way. If you hesitate . . . if you aren't quick enough or strong enough . . . it'll turn out very bad. For both of us."
I nodded.
"What I mean is, just stay hidden unless you're ready to kill him."
"Okay."
"Just wait till he leaves, and go on home. All right?"
"Fine. But don't worry. I'll take care of him."
She gave my neck a gentle squeeze, then said, "We'd better finish getting ready. Do you need to use the bathroom?"
"How much time have we got?"
"How long's it gonna take?"
I cracked a smile. "About a minute."
There's time. Right in there." Letting go of my neck, she nodded toward an open door just a few paces to the left of the dresser. "I'll hold these for you."