Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Colletion_ Books 11-15 - Laurell K. Hamilton [902]
“Will you be killing more of my kindred tonight?”
I shook my head.
“Then you will raise my other colder brethren. Whose blissful death will you disturb tonight, Anita? Whose zombie will you raise so some human can get their inheritance, or a wife can be consoled?”
“No zombies tonight,” I said. I was too puzzled by his attitude on the zombies to be insulted. I’d never heard a vampire claim any kinship with zombies, or ghouls, or anything but other vamps.
“Then what will keep you from your master’s arms?”
“I’ve got a date, not that it’s any of your business.”
“But not a date with Jean-Claude, or Asher?”
I shook my head.
“Your wolf king then, Richard?”
I shook my head, again.
“For whom would you abandon those three, Anita? Ah, your leopard king, Micah.”
“Wrong again.”
“I am amazed that you are answering my questions.”
“So am I, actually. I think it’s because you keep calling me a whore, and I think I want to rub your face in it.”
“What, the fact that you are a whore?” His face showed nothing when he said it.
“I knew you couldn’t do it,” I said.
“Do what, Ms. Blake?”
“I knew you couldn’t play nice long enough to get my help. I knew if I kept at you, you’d get snotty and mean.”
He gave a small bow, just from the neck. “I told you, Ms. Blake, my sin is pride.”
“And what’s my sin, Malcolm?”
“Do you want me to insult you, Ms. Blake?”
“I just want to hear you say it.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” I said.
“Very well; your sin is lust, Ms. Blake, as it is the sin of your master and all his vampires.”
I shook my head and felt that unpleasant smile curl my lips. The smile that left my eyes cold, and usually meant I was well and truly pissed. “That’s not my sin, Malcolm, not the one nearest and dearest to my heart.”
“And what would your sin be, Ms. Blake?”
“Wrath, Malcolm, it’s wrath.”
“Are you saying I’ve made you angry?”
“I’m always angry, Malcolm; you just gave me a target to focus it on.”
“Do you envy anyone, Ms. Blake?”
I thought about it, then shook my head. “Not really, no.”
“I will not ask about sloth; you work entirely too hard for that to be an issue. You are not greedy, nor a glutton. Are you prideful?”
“Sometimes,” I said.
“Wrath, lust, and pride, then?”
I nodded. “I guess, if we’re keeping score.”
“Oh, someone is keeping score, Ms. Blake, never doubt that.”
“I’m Christian, too, Malcolm.”
“Do you worry about getting into heaven, Ms. Blake?”
It was such an odd question that I answered it. “I did, for a while, but my faith still makes my cross glow. My prayers still have the power to chase the evil things away. God hasn’t forsaken me; it’s just that all the right-wing fundamentalist Christians want to believe he has. I’ve seen evil, Malcolm, real evil, and you aren’t that.”
He smiled, and it was gentle, and almost embarrassed. “Have I come to you for absolution, Ms. Blake?”
“I don’t think I’m the one to give you absolution.”
“I would like a priest to hear my sins before I die, Ms. Blake, but none will come near me. They are holy, and the very trappings of their calling will burst into flames in my presence.”
“Not true. The holy items only go off if the true believer panics, or if you try vampire powers on them.”
He blinked at me, and I realized his eyes held unshed tears, shimmering in the overhead lights. “Is this true, Ms. Blake?”
“I promise it is.” His attitude was beginning to make me afraid for him. I didn’t want to be afraid for Malcolm. I had enough people in my life that I cared for enough to worry about; I did not need to add the undead Billy Graham to my list.
“Do you know any priests that might be willing to hear a very long confession?”
“I might, though I don’t know if they’re allowed to give you absolution, since technically in the eyes of the Church you’re already dead. You have ties to a lot of the religious community, Malcolm; surely one of the other leaders would be willing.”
“I do not want to ask them, Anita. I do not want them to know my sins. I would rather…” He hesitated, then spoke, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t the sentence