"Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake 12 - Incubus Dreams" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

you don’t come all the way back. He didn’t want to squeak the mundanes, so he’d
worn the glasses today.
His hand was very warm in mine, and that one small touch was enough, enough to
bring some of the careful shielding down. The shielding that had kept me from
sensing him all through the ceremony like a second heartbeat. He was Nimir-Raj to
my Nimir-Ra. Leopard King and Queen. Though my idea of the arrangement was
closer to queen and consort, partners, but I reserved presidential veto. I’m a control
freak, what can I say?
I was the first human Nimir-Ra in the wereleopards’ long history. Though since I
raise the dead for a living and am a legal vampire executioner, there are people who’ll
argue the human part. They’re just jealous.
I started to pull him in against me for a hug, but he gave a small shake of his head.
He was right. He was right. If just holding his hand sped my pulse like candy on my
tongue, then a hug would be bad. Through a series of metaphysical accidents, I held
something close to the beast that lived in Micah. That beast and Micah’s beast knew
each other, knew each other in the way of old lovers. That part of us that was not
human knew each other better than our human halves. I still knew almost nothing
about him, really. Even though we lived together. On a metaphysical level we were
bound tighter than any ceremony or piece of paper could make us; in real everyday
life, I was wondering what to do with him. He was the perfect partner. My other half,
the missing piece. He complemented me in almost every way. And when he was
standing this close, it all seemed so right. Give me a little distance and I would begin
to wonder when the other shoe would drop and he would stop being wonderful. I’d
never had a man in my life yet that didn’t spoil it somehow. Why should Micah be
different?
He didn’t so much kiss me as lay the feel of his breath against my cheek. He
breathed, “Until later.” That one light touch made me shiver so violently that he had
to steady me with a touch on my arm.
 He smiled at me, that knowing smile that a man gives when he understands just
how much his touch affects a woman. I didn’t like that smile. It made me feel like he
took his time with me for granted. The moment I thought it, I knew it wasn’t true. It
wasn’t even fair. So why had I thought it at all? Because I am a master at screwing
up my own love life. If something works too well, I’ve got to poke at it, prod it, until
it breaks, or bites me. I was trying not to do that anymore, but old habits, especially
bad ones, die hard.
Micah moved off down the line, and Detective Arnet gave me a questioning look
out of her heavily painted but lovely eyes. She opened her mouth as if to ask if I
were alright, but the next person in line distracted her. Nathaniel was distracting, no
doubt about that.
Jessica Arnet was a few inches taller than Nathaniel’s 5’6”, so she had to look
down to meet that lavender gaze. No exaggeration on the color. His eyes weren’t
blue, but truly a pale purple, lavender, spring lilacs. He wore a banded-collar shirt
that was almost the same color as his eyes, so the lavender was even more vibrant;
drowningly beautiful, those eyes.
He offered his hand, but she hugged him. Hugged him, because I think for the
first time she was in a public situation where no one would think it was strange. So
she hugged him, because she could.
There was a fraction of a moment’s hesitation, then he hugged her back, but he
turned his head so he could look at me. His eyes said clearly, Help me.
She hadn’t done that much yet, just a hug where a handshake would have done,