Read Online MA10 Sweet Myth-tery of Life by Robert Asprin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robert Asprin
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investment, just as a gift.”
“But why would you ...?”
“... There are two conditions, though,” I continued, as if she hadn’t spoken. “First, that you use some of the extra money for travel. Go off dimension or to another part of Klah ... I don’t care. Just so long as when you start to run your swindle, it’s not in Possiltum.”
“Okay, but ...”
“And second,” I said, setting the stack of coins on the edge of the desk near her, “I want you to promise that you will never see or speak to me ... ever again ... starting now.”
For a moment, I thought she was going to speak. She opened her mouth, then hesitated, shrugged, and shut it again. In complete silence she gathered up the coins and left, shutting the door behind her.
I poured myself another goblet of wine and moved to the window, staring out at the view without really seeing anything. Dreams die hard, but whatever romantic thoughts I had ever had involving Luanna had just been squashed pretty thoroughly. I couldn’t change that, but I could mourn their passing.
There was a soft knock at the door, and my heart took a sudden leap. Maybe she had changed her mind! Maybe she had thought it over and decided to return the money in favor of a legitimate business loan!
“Come in,” I called, trying not to sound too eager.
The door opened, and a vampire walked in.
“WINE? NO THANKS . Never touch the stuff.”
“Oh. That’s right. Sorry, Vic,” I said, refilling my own goblet.
“You know,” my guest said, settling himself more comfortably in his seat, “It’s women like Luanna that give vampires a bad name. They’re the ones who will mercilessly suck someone dry, and the concept sort of slopped over onto us!”
In case you’re wondering (or have neglected to read the earlier books in this series), Vic is the one who walked into my room at the end of the last chapter, and yes he is a vampire. Actually, he’s a pretty nice guy ... about my age and a fairly successful magician in his own right. He just happens to come from Limbo, a dimension that’s primarily “peopled” by vampires, werewolves, and the like.
Apparently he had stopped by our office on Deva looking to invite me out for lunch. When Tananda, who was currently minding the fort for us, told him where I was, he decided to pop over for a visit. (As an aside, one of his Limbo-born talents is the ability to travel the dimension without mechanical aid ... something I’ve always envied and wanted to learn.)
Truth to tell, I was more than a little glad to see Vic. He was one of the few in my acquaintance who was familiar with the trials and tribulations of being a professional magician, yet wasn’t an actual member of our crew. Not meaning any disrespect or criticism of my colleagues, mind you, but ... well ... they were more like family and my actions and future definitely affected them, whereas Vic was a bit more able to stand apart and view things objectively. This made it a lot easier to express my feelings and problems to him, which I had proceeded to do, starting with Queen Hemlock’s proposal and running it right up through my recent rather disheartening meeting with Luanna.
Until he brought it up, I had forgotten that he had met Luanna. In fact, he had worked with her and Matt, and consequently gone on the lam with them ... which was when I met him in the first place. As such, he knew the lady under discussion far better than I did, and my new analysis of her seemed more in line with his earlier formed opinions than with my own cherished daydreams.
“I can’t say much about what you’re doing with the kingdom’s budgets and stuff,” the vampire said with an easy shrug. “That’s out of my league. It does occur to me, though, that you’re having more than your share of woman problems.”
“You can say that again,” I agreed, toasting him with my goblet.
“I’ll admit I’m a bit surprised,” Vic continued. “I would have thought that someone with
“But why would you ...?”
“... There are two conditions, though,” I continued, as if she hadn’t spoken. “First, that you use some of the extra money for travel. Go off dimension or to another part of Klah ... I don’t care. Just so long as when you start to run your swindle, it’s not in Possiltum.”
“Okay, but ...”
“And second,” I said, setting the stack of coins on the edge of the desk near her, “I want you to promise that you will never see or speak to me ... ever again ... starting now.”
For a moment, I thought she was going to speak. She opened her mouth, then hesitated, shrugged, and shut it again. In complete silence she gathered up the coins and left, shutting the door behind her.
I poured myself another goblet of wine and moved to the window, staring out at the view without really seeing anything. Dreams die hard, but whatever romantic thoughts I had ever had involving Luanna had just been squashed pretty thoroughly. I couldn’t change that, but I could mourn their passing.
There was a soft knock at the door, and my heart took a sudden leap. Maybe she had changed her mind! Maybe she had thought it over and decided to return the money in favor of a legitimate business loan!
“Come in,” I called, trying not to sound too eager.
The door opened, and a vampire walked in.
“WINE? NO THANKS . Never touch the stuff.”
“Oh. That’s right. Sorry, Vic,” I said, refilling my own goblet.
“You know,” my guest said, settling himself more comfortably in his seat, “It’s women like Luanna that give vampires a bad name. They’re the ones who will mercilessly suck someone dry, and the concept sort of slopped over onto us!”
In case you’re wondering (or have neglected to read the earlier books in this series), Vic is the one who walked into my room at the end of the last chapter, and yes he is a vampire. Actually, he’s a pretty nice guy ... about my age and a fairly successful magician in his own right. He just happens to come from Limbo, a dimension that’s primarily “peopled” by vampires, werewolves, and the like.
Apparently he had stopped by our office on Deva looking to invite me out for lunch. When Tananda, who was currently minding the fort for us, told him where I was, he decided to pop over for a visit. (As an aside, one of his Limbo-born talents is the ability to travel the dimension without mechanical aid ... something I’ve always envied and wanted to learn.)
Truth to tell, I was more than a little glad to see Vic. He was one of the few in my acquaintance who was familiar with the trials and tribulations of being a professional magician, yet wasn’t an actual member of our crew. Not meaning any disrespect or criticism of my colleagues, mind you, but ... well ... they were more like family and my actions and future definitely affected them, whereas Vic was a bit more able to stand apart and view things objectively. This made it a lot easier to express my feelings and problems to him, which I had proceeded to do, starting with Queen Hemlock’s proposal and running it right up through my recent rather disheartening meeting with Luanna.
Until he brought it up, I had forgotten that he had met Luanna. In fact, he had worked with her and Matt, and consequently gone on the lam with them ... which was when I met him in the first place. As such, he knew the lady under discussion far better than I did, and my new analysis of her seemed more in line with his earlier formed opinions than with my own cherished daydreams.
“I can’t say much about what you’re doing with the kingdom’s budgets and stuff,” the vampire said with an easy shrug. “That’s out of my league. It does occur to me, though, that you’re having more than your share of woman problems.”
“You can say that again,” I agreed, toasting him with my goblet.
“I’ll admit I’m a bit surprised,” Vic continued. “I would have thought that someone with
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