"Alan F. Troop - Dragon Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Troop Alan F)

edge of the dock, leaning over the water, he offers the hose end to the ugly thing. It nuzzles and slurps at
the nozzle like it's nursing. Almost taking it into its mouth as it drinks the fresh water, the manatee
accidentally nuzzles my son's hand too and he giggles loud enough for the sound to reach me.

I grin. Too bad, I think, that Elizabeth never had the opportunity to hear him laugh. I shake my head as I
lament the short time she and I had togetherтАФthe emptiness I feel without her.
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Henri's a beautiful boy, a worthy subject for my devotion. Still, it's been almost four years since I've felt
any female's touch, almost four years since I've ventured to the mainland.

Arturo nags me constantly to leave the island. I've never explained that Henri lacks the necessary
self-control to be around ordinary people or to have anyone but me watch himтАФnor would I. The man's
paid to run my business and to do my bidding, not to offer personal advice.

Still, just the other day, he said again, "I admire your dedication to the boy. But you need to get out
some. You need to have some sort of life.... At least let's arrange to bring you a woman...."

I sighed into the phone. "Let's not. When Henri's four, he should be old enough for me to take from the
island. I can wait till then."

Not that the waiting has been easy. I long to fill the void thatElizabeth's death has left in my life. But, as
Arturo so obviously can't understand, no ordinary woman will do. I want, I need, one of my own kind.

I know whom I plan to pursue. I know where to find her. And as time passes, I think about her more
and more.

At first, I felt twinges of guilt when I allowed such thoughts to intrude on my mourningтАФso soon after my
bride's death. Time has eased that burden. After all,Elizabethwould have understood my need for a new
mate. She certainly would have approved of my quest for one. Whether she would have been pleased
with my choice of her sister, Chloe, is another matter entirely.

Chloe was hardly past thirteen when I last saw her, inJamaica, when I first metElizabeth. I still carry an
image of her in my mindтАФa young thin dark girl with sparkling emerald-green eyes and a mischievous
smile. I know she'll look older now, but she can't be more than seventeen. That gives me plenty of time
yet, I tell myself, to leave my island and to travel to hers. She won't reach her maturity until after her
eighteenth birthday.

True, if I could, I would have traveled toJamaicalong ago. But I've had to wait for Henri to be able to
travel, for him to grow old enough to control his natural impulses.

For almost four years I've bided my time, taken care of my son and made my plans. For almost four
years, I've thought of no women but Elizabeth and Chloe. The boy should be ready soon. As soon as I
see he can behave, I plan to take him with me toJamaica.

I'm sure there will be more waiting then. The moment must be right before I dare approach Chloe. If it
is, I know she can't refuse me. Still, late at night, when I picture the girl in my mind, I worry that maybe,