"Christopher Pike - The Last Vampire 02 - Black Blood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pike Christopher)

to intercept me. One is tall and slim, the other squat as an old stump. The third has the face of a dark
angel brought up on the wrong side of the pearly gates. He is clearly the leader. He smiles as he sees me
trying to get away from him and his buddies, flexing his powerful biceps as if they were laws unto
themselves. I see he carries a gun under his dirty green coat. The others are unarmed. The three jog
toward me as I pause to consider what to do. Of course, I could turn and flee. Even if they were in
training for the Olym-pics, they couldn't catch me. But I don't like to run from a fight, and I am suddenly
thirsty. The smile of the leader will fade, I know, as he feels the blood drain from his body into my mouth.
I decide to wait for them. I don't have long to wait.

"Hey, babe," the leader says as they surround me ina fidgety semicircle. "What you doin' here by your
lonesome? Lost?"

I appear at ease. "No. I'm just out for a walk. What are you guys up to?"

They exchange smirks. They are up to no good. "What's your name?" the leader asks.

"Alisa. What's yours?"

He grins like the young god he thinks he is. "Paul. Hey, you's one beautiful woman, Alisa, you know
that? And I appreciate beauty when I see it."

"I bet you do, Paul. Do you appreciate danger when you see it, too?"

They cackle. I am funny, they think. Paul slaps his leg as he laughs. "Are you saying you're dangerous,
Alisa?" he asks. "You look like a party babe to me. Me and my stooges, we're going to a party right
now. You want to come? It's goin' to be hot."

I consider. "Are you three the only ones going to this party?"

Paul likes it that I'm sharp. "Maybe. But maybe that's all you need." He takes a step closer. There is
alcohol on his breath-a Coors beer-Marlboro ciga-rettes in his coat pocket close to his gun. A brave
boy, he puts his right hand on my left shoulder, and his grin is now more of a leer. He adds, "Or maybe
all you need is me, babe. What do you say? Want to party?"

I look him in the eye. "No."

He blinks suddenly. My gaze has been known to burn mortal pupils when I give it free rein. But I have
held something in check for Paul, and so he is intrigued, not scared. He continues to hold on to my
shoulder.

"You don't want to go sayin' no to me, honey. I don't like that word."

"Really."
 He glances back at his friends and then nods gravely in my direction. "You don't look like you's from
around here. But around here, there's two ways to party. You either do it with a smile on your face or
you do it screaming. You know what I mean, Alisa?"

I smile, finally. "Are you going to rape me, Paul?"

He shrugs. "It's up to you, honeysuckle." He draws his piece from his coat, a Smith & Wesson .45