Guilty Pleasures - Laurell K. Hamilton [78]
The top of her head fitted under my chin. She had to rise on tiptoe to breathe on my neck. It should have ruined the menace. It didn’t. Soft lips touched my neck. I jerked. She laughed against my skin, face pressed against me. I shivered and couldn’t stop.
“I promise to be gentle.” She laughed again, and I fought an urge to shove her away. I would have given almost anything to hit her, just once, hard. But I didn’t want to die tonight. Besides, I’d made a deal.
“Poor darling, you’re shaking.” She laid a hand on my shoulder to steady herself. She brushed lips along the hollow of my neck. “Are you cold?”
“Cut the crap. Just do it!”
She stiffened against me. “Don’t you want me to touch you?”
“No,” I said. Was she crazy? Rhetorical question.
Her voice was very still. “Where is the scar on my face?”
I answered without thinking. “Near your mouth.”
“And how,” she hissed, “did you know that?”
My heart leaped into my throat. Oops. I had let her know her mind tricks weren’t working, and they should have been.
Her hand dug into my shoulder. I made a small sound, but I didn’t cry out. “What have you been doing, animator?”
I didn’t have the faintest idea. Somehow, I doubted she’d believe that.
“Leave her alone!” Phillip came half-running through the trees. “You promised me you wouldn’t hurt her tonight.”
Nikolaos didn’t even turn around. “Willie.” Just his name, but like all good servants he knew what was wanted.
He stepped in front of Phillip, one arm straight out from his body. He was going to stiff-arm him. Phillip sidestepped the arm, brushing past.
Willie never had been much of a fighter. Strength wasn’t enough if you had shit for balance.
Nikolaos touched my chin and turned my face back to hers. “Do not force me to hold your attention, animator. You wouldn’t like the methods I would choose.”
I swallowed audibly. She was probably right. “You have my full attention, honest.” My voice came out as a hoarse whisper, fear squeezing it down. If I coughed to clear it, I’d cough in her face. Not a good idea.
I heard the rush of feet swishing through the grass. I fought the urge to look up and away from the vampire.
Nikolaos spun from me to face the footsteps. I saw her move, but it was still blurring speed. She was just suddenly facing the other way. Phillip was standing in front of her. Willie caught up to him and grabbed an arm, but didn’t seem to know what to do with it.
Would it occur to Willie that he could just crush the man’s arm? I doubted it.
It had occurred to Nikolaos. “Release him. If he wants to keep coming, let him.” Her voice promised a great deal of pain.
Willie stepped back. Phillip just stood there, staring past her at me. “Are you all right, Anita?”
“Go back inside, Phillip. I appreciate the concern, but I made a bargain. She isn’t going to bite me.”
He shook his head. “You promised she wouldn’t be harmed. You promised.” He was talking to Nikolaos again, carefully not looking directly at her.
“And so she shall not be harmed. I keep my word, Phillip, most of the time.”
“I’m all right, Phillip. Don’t get hurt because of me,” I said.
His face crumbled with confusion. He didn’t seem to know what to do. His courage seemed to have spilled out on the grass. But he didn’t back off. Big point for him. I would have backed off, maybe. Probably. Oh, hell, Phillip was being brave, and I didn’t want to see him die because of it.
“Just go back, Phillip, please!”
“No,” Nikolaos said. “If the little man is feeling brave, let him try.”
Phillip’s hands flexed, as if trying to grab on to something.
Nikolaos was suddenly beside him. I hadn’t seen her move. Phillip still hadn’t. He was staring where she had been. She kicked his legs out from under him. He fell to the grass, blinking up at her like she’d just appeared.
“Don’t hurt him!” I said.
A pale little hand shot out, the barest touch. His whole body jerked backwards. He rolled on one side, blood staining his face.
“Nikolaos, please!” I said. I had actually taken two steps towards her. Voluntarily. I could always try for my gun.