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."��"Wait�a�minute,"�I�said,�getting�confused.�"First�you�say�you're�leaving�because�the�vampire�slayers�know�about�you.�Then�you�tell�me�you're�going�on�tour�with�the�band,�appearing�in�public.�What�makes�you�think�the�vampire�slayers�aren't�going�to�be�following�you?�This�doesn't�make�a�lot�of�sense,�Darius,"�I�said�starting�to�feel�angry.�"I�have�a�feeling�you're�leaving�something�out.�Hiding�something.�What�happened�tohonesty�,�Darius?�What�happened�to�making�our�relationship�a�priority?"��"Daphne,�please.�Don't�get�upset.�I�want�you�to�come�with�me."��That�threw�me.�Of�all�the�things�he�could�have�said,�that�wasn't�one�of�them.�Finally�I�said,�"I�don't�know�that�I�can�do�that�Darius.�I�have�responsibilities�here.�To�the�Darkwings.�Let�me�think�about�it."��"You�told�me�to�make�our�relationship�a�priority,�so�resign,�Daphne.�Quit."�His�voice�was�excited�now.�He�reached�across�the�table�and�squeezed�my�hand.�"Listen.�We�can�be�a�team.�I'm�serious�about�the�band,�but�it's�basically�just�a�great�cover�for�my�intelligence�work.�Listen,�Daphne,�I'm�not�asking�you�to�give�up�spying.�My�agency�would�take�you�on.�I�already�talked�to�my�handler.�They�figure�if�J�can�run�vampires,�they�can�too.�Come�with�me,�Daphne.�I'm�tracking�down�an�al�Qaeda�terrorist�cell�in�Germany.�Some�of�its�members�may�be�operating�in�Italy.�We�could�go�back�to�your�villa,�Daphne.�Come�with� me.�We�can�do�it�all."��I�should�be�happy,�I�told�myself.�Wasn't�it�what�I�had�dreamed�about?�Part�of�me�wanted�to�grab�the�gold�ring�he�was�offering.�But�a�small�dark�part�of�me�whispered�that�I�was�being�manipulated.�And�a�little�voice�in�my�head�added�that�maybe�Darius�still�wanted�to�get�back�at�J.�Destroying�the�Darkwings,�or�even�just�stealing�me�away,�would�be�a�huge�win�for�Darius�and�a�big�loss�for�J.�I�could�be�replaced�on�the�team�eventually,�I�guessed,�but�meanwhile�it�would�be�crippled.�"I�don't�know,"�I�said.�"I�do�want�to�be�with�you,�but�you've�just�sprung�this�on�me�with�no�advance�notice.�I�need�to�think�out�how�this�could�work.�When�do�I�have�to�let�you�know?"��"In�forty eight�hours.�This�whole�operation�is�moving�quickly.�I'm�going�to�get�my�gear�together�and�meet�with�my�handler�tomorrow.�I'll�be�able�to�nail�down�some�of�the�details.�I�think�we're�flying�out�of�the�States�on�Sunday�night,�probably�heading�to�Hamburg.�And�Daphne,�you�can't�tell�anybody�about�this.�You�understand�that,�don't�you?"��"You�mean�if�I�quit�the�Darkwings�I�can't�tell�them�why?"��"Pretty�much.�Tell�them�part�of�the�truth.�You're�coming�with�me.�On�tour,�because�we�want�to�be�together.�If�J�hears�you're�switching�to�a�different�agency,�there's�going�to�be�hell�to�pay.�And�he�doesn't�need�to�know,�Daphne.�At�least�not�yet.�And�neither�does�your�mother,"�he�added,�giving�me�a�meaningful�look.�He�got�up�then�and�came�over�to�my�side�of�the�booth.�He�slid�in�beside�me�and�turned�my�head�with�his�hand.�He�kissed�me�there�in�that�dingy�light�in�that�crummy�old�bar.�My�body�responded�as�it�always�did�to�his�touch.�But�even�his�kiss�couldn't�stop�the�doubts�racing�through�my�brain.��I�wanted�to�think.�I�needed�to�think.�I�needed�time�to�think.�Darius�said�he�had�to�get�going.�He�had�a�lot�to�do�yet�that�night.�He�finished�up�his�beer�and�paid�the�bill.�We�left�the�bar�and�stood�outside�on�the�dark�sidewalk.�We�were�only�a�couple�of�blocks�from�my�apartment.��"I'll�walk�you�back,"�he�said.��"No,�don't�bother,�really."�I�wanted�time�to�myself.�The�walk�might�clear�my�head.�"It's�early."��"I�don't�like�you�out�here�alone,"�he�said�stubbornly.��"Look,�it's�not�even�ten�o'clock.�There�are�lots�of�people�on�the�streets.�I'll�be�fine,"�I�said�firmly.��He�saw�I�wasn't�going�to�change�my�mind.�"All�right.�I'll�get�a�cab�and�head�downtown.�How�about�if�I�come�back�to�your�place�before�dawn?�Is�that�cool?"� �"Sure,"�I�said�without�much�enthusiasm.�"Sure.�We'll�talk�more�then."��He�came�close�to�me�and�put�his�arms�around�me,�pulling�me�to�him.�"Daphne?�I�thought�this�would�be�what�you�wanted.�It's�a�chance�for�us.�Maybe�our�only�chance."��"I�know,�Darius.�It's�just�happening�so�fast."��Then�he�put�his�lips�close�to�my�ear�and�told�me�when�he�came�back�to�my�apartment�before�dawn�we'd�make�love,�and�he�told�me�what�he�wanted�to�do�when�he�did.�He�said�all�that�in�a�hoarse�whisper,�kissing�my�eyes,�my�hair,�my�lips�as�he�said�it.�My�knees�turned�to�water.�I�groaned�and�sank�into�him.�"That's�not�helping,"�I�said�breathlessly.��"I�wasn't�trying�to�help,"�he�whispered.�"I�was�trying�to�convince�you."�He�took�his�hands�away�then�and�I�felt�cold�when�they�were�gone.�He�kissed�me�once�more,�walked�over�to�the�curb,�and�hailed�a�cab.�He�waved�at�me�through�the�window�when�it�pulled�into�traffic,�and�I�had�an�irrational�feeling�that�things�might�never�be�the�same�between�us�again.��I�walked�slowly�in�the�direction�of�my�building,�arguing�with�myself.�I�was�bitterly�aware�of�the�irony�of�my�indecision.�I�was�the�one�who�had�lectured�Darius�on�making�our�relationship�important�and�our�commitment�to�each�other�a�priority.�But�when�I�had�to�make�the�hard�choices,�I�hesitated.�Maybe�I�was�just�too�old�to�give�up�everything�and�go�running�off�with�a�man.�Darius�was�only�in�his�early�thirties.�I�was�over�five�hundred�years�old.�I�had�seen�many�relationships�between�all�sorts�of�men�and�women�in�those�centuries,�and�few�of�them�had�lasted.�Many�of�them�had�ended�in�betrayal.�True�love�was�a�rarity.�Yet�I�would�be�miserable�without�Darius,�and�I�couldn't�discount�our�passion.�The�level�of�our�physical�intensity�was�also�rare,�and�the�vampire�in�me,�the�dark�side�of�my�being,�was�drawn�to�the�sybaritic,�the�sensational,�the�forbidden.�It�was�drawn�to�Darius.��But�the�human�cost�of�being�with�him�would�be�high.�I�would�have�to�abandon�my�friends.�I�couldn't�take�my�dog�with�me.�And�if�my�mother�believed�I�was�quitting�the�Darkwings�for�love,�she�would�be�sure�to�let�me�know�how�disappointed�she�was�in�meagain�.�Yet�the�idea�of�losing�Darius�and�relinquishing�all�my�dreams�of�our�being�together�brought�with�it�a�blinding�pain.�I�would�be�alone�again.��Suddenly�resentment�at�my�fate�welled�up�with�me.�As�a�vampire,�I�had�given�up�any�man�I�cared�about�because�I�feared�destroying�him.�The�one�time�I�didn't with�Byron I�had�ultimately�caused�his�death.�For�centuries�I�had�wandered�with�no�permanent�home,�always�alone.�What�vampire�ever�had�a�lasting�relationship?�It�was�nearly�impossible.�This�was�a�once in a lifetime�opportunity.�Darius�was�right,�it�might�be�our�only�chance.�Why�shouldn't�I�take�it?�Didn't�I�deserve�to�be�happy?�My�heart�wanted�me�to�choose�Darius.� �But�that�little�voice�in�my�head�kept�whispering�doubts.�It�reminded�me�that�Darius�was�still�secretive.�Would�that�change?�I�didn't�know�that�it�would.�Look�how�different�he�was�from�Fitz.�On�my�second�date�with�Fitz,�I�had�met�his�family.�He�had�willingly�told�me�about�his�past,�and�I�believed�he�had�told�me�the�truth.�I�knew�nothing�about�Darius's�background [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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