Read Online Cerulean Sins by Laurell K. Hamilton - Free Book Online Page B

than a mouthful, right?”
    â€œYou’re over-sharing,” I said.
    He didn’t smile at me. His face was way too serious. “Normally, I wouldn’t mind a gorgeous vampire sinking fang into me, but Anita, I do not want this chick to touch me.” He looked scared all of a sudden, scared and younger even than his twenty-two years. “I do not want her touching me.” He stared up at me with haunted eyes. “Jean-Claude’s promised me that Musette isn’t one of those vampires who rots all over you. But it doesn’t matter, I’m still so scared of her that it makes my stomach hurt.”
    I reached out my free hand, and Jason came to me. I hugged him andcould feel a fine tremble running through him. He was cold, but not the kind of cold that extra clothes would fix. “We’ll keep her off of you, Jason.”
    He hugged me so tight it was hard to breath, and he spoke with his face against my neck. “Don’t promise things you can’t deliver, Anita.”
    I opened my mouth to promise just that, when Asher interrupted. “No, Anita, do not promise safe passage to any of us, not yet, not until you have met Musette.”
    I drew back from Jason and looked up at Asher. “If I just shoot her dead when I walk in the room what would Belle do?”
    He paled, and that’s a neat trick for a vampire, even one that’s fed. “You cannot, you must not, Anita . . . I beg of you.”
    â€œYou know that if I killed her tonight we’d all be safer.”
    He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it. “Anita, ma cherie , please . . .”
    Jason stepped back from me and made a motion with his hands. Damian was at my back, hands on my shoulders. The moment he touched me, I felt better, not exactly calmer, not even clearer-headed. Because I was right, we should kill Musette tonight. In the short run it would save so much trouble. But in the long run Belle Morte, maybe even the whole council, would come in force and kill us. I knew that. With Damian’s hands kneading gently on the tight muscles of my shoulders I could even agree with it.
    â€œWhy does Damian’s touch make me feel less like killing things?” I asked.
    â€œI have noticed that you seem to gain a measure of calm, an extra layer of thoughtfulness before you pull the trigger when he is touching you.”
    â€œJean-Claude isn’t one bit less ruthless when I’m around him.”
    â€œYou can only gain from your servant what your servant has to offer,” Asher said. “I would say that you have helped make Jean-Claude more ruthless, not less, because that is your nature.” He looked at the vampire standing behind me. “Damian survived for centuries with a mistress that tolerated no anger, no pride. Her will and her will alone was allowed. Damian learned to be less angry, less ruthless, or she-who-made-him would have destroyed him long ago.”
    Damian’s hands had gone very still against my shoulders. I patted one of his hands the way you’d pat a friend that was hearing bad news. “It’s alright, Damian, she can’t touch you now.”
    â€œNo, Jean-Claude bargained for my freedom from her, and I will always owe him a great debt for that. But that has nothing to do with blood oaths or vampiric bonds. I owe him for bringing me out of a terrible bondage.”
    â€œIf you can keep Anita from doing anything unfortunate tonight, then you will have paid part of that debt,” Asher said.
    I felt Damian nod. “Then let us go down to the underground, for I know Musette of old and I do not fear her, as much as I fear she-who-made-me.”
    I turned so I could see Damian’s face. “Are you implying that you fear Musette only a little less than she-who-made-you?”
    He seemed to think about that for a second, or two, then slowly nodded. “I fear my old master more, but yes, I fear