"Robert E. Vardeman & Geo W. Proctor - The Swords of Raemllyn 1 - To Demons Bound" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vardeman Robert E)

that night, Davin An-ane'sтАФand his own.
"Ha-hiya!" Goran's bellowed laugh rolled resonant and rich from the hidden depths of his barrel
chest. "This will be a good evening. Can you watch after yourself, friend Davin? Or would you like me to
hold it for you while you're seducing lovely blonde Belatha?"
Davin ignored the Challing's coarse attempt at humor. His thoughts preceded him to the side of a
busty woman with emerald eyes that smoldered and burned with ill-suppressed passion.
"Let us not waste another moment in this Qar-damned alleyway!" Without so much as a backward
glance, Goran One-Eye lumbered off, his mighty battle-ax swinging at his hip.
Davin watched the Challing's retreat with a shake of his head. Goran was incongruously out of place
with the gold-threaded finery of his satin breeches and the tight-ly stretched expanse of orange and burnt
umber tunic held at his waist by green pletha-snake hide.
Davin's attention returned to the two braziers ablaze before him that marked the entrance to the Inn
of the Winged Ram. He edged aside the erotic image of cur-vaceous Belatha that tauntingly wove into his
mind.
That same alluring vision had almost cost him his life but moments ago. Bistonia was a dangerous
city for the unsuspecting or the unwaryтАФor the foolhardy! He had been too intent on the unspoken
promises he had seen in Belatha's lingering gaze that afternoon to even notice the purse-snatch tucked
away in the alley's shadows. Any street waif displayed more caution than thatтАФespecially at night!
If he intended to collect those emerald-eyed promises, and he did desire Belatha with all his heart,
soul, and bodyтАФat least for this nightтАФbest that he pay less at-tention to his lust and more to his environs.


2
Chapter
davin anane's gaze moved along the prosperous Street of Lungs. Nigh deserted now, it gave no hint
of the bustling throngs that crowded it during the security of daylight. Nestled deep in the heartlands of
Upper Raem-llyn, Bistonia was hardly the commercial hub of the realm, or even a major kingdom. It did
readily offer a variety of diversions to lighten Davin's purse. And there were ample avenues of fortune for
one of enterprising wit and little regard for local laws of property.
Davin smiled as he hastened to a tiny courtyard a few paces distant and entered an elaborately
contrived wrought-iron gate, depicting in its intricately worked pat-tern the epic of the ancient hero Kaga
stealing the winged rams of the God Brykheedah. None had ever accused Davin Anane of a shortage of
cunning or a respect for the law. Before Goran and he quit fair Bistonia, at least one opal merchant on the
Street of Lungs would awake one morn to find his cache of gems deftly purloined in the silence of the night.
A quick glance about the courtyard revealed three tables occupied by wealthy merchants lost in
discussion of profit. Two other small oil-lamp-lit tables were taken by four soldiers wearing the crest of
Lerel, ruler of Bis-tonia. The guards paid Davin no heed. Their leering gazes were reserved for the serving
wenches and the shapely turn of a calf or half-exposed bosom flirtingly revealed for their benefit.
The few tables secluded in cozy alcoves around the courtyard were cloaked in shadow. Davin could
not tell if they were occupied or notтАФnot that he had any in-tention of claiming one of the darkness-veiled
tables. He didn't want his personal affairs openly aired. For too long he had lived by his wits. It never
proved wise to allow strangers the merest hint of one's intentions, even when they were, on rare occasion,
honorable.
Who he didn't see was Belatha!
Has she found another this night? Davin's brow fur-rowed.
She had mentioned the moneylenders who flocked to the inn every night. Had those emerald eyes
sold their lusty promised to one with more weight to his purse?
His doubts evaporated as two very feminine arms en-circled his waist from behind. There was one
definite squeeze before enthusiastic hands spun him about. Before he could so much as utter a syllable of
greeting, his arms filled with a squirming, warm, sensuous female intent on smothering him with kisses.