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.If that hell hound is going after Anaxantis, I ll exterminatehis whole family unto the seventh degree to keep him from doing soif I must, be they two or a hundred years old.And I ll see to it that thehowling screams of his very slowly dying grandsons will ring in hisears until his last hour.164 Andrew Ashling So, this is where you have been disappearing to lately. Ambrickof Keyld smiled, flaunting his crooked teeth.Lorcko looked up and smiled back. Found it all right, I see. It wasn t too difficult, given your very clear directions, but whatattracts you in this place is a mystery to me.It s cold, for one thing,with this infernal wind blowing almost through you.Though I admitthat the sea is a majestic sight. Sit down, Lorcko said, patting a knoll of dune grass beside him. You ll be protected from the wind by the dunes.Ambrick followed his suggestion. Well, what do you know? It s almost wind free, down here.Notexactly warm, but better at least. I have something to keep your blood from freezing, Lorcko saidwhile he retrieved a flask and two little beakers out of a bag thatstood beside him.He handed one beaker to Ambrick and filled it with a goldenliquid. Easy now, that s heady stuff, Lorcko admonished him.Ambrick looked at him with an amused twinkle in his eyes. You re not trying to get me drunk, are you?Bonds of Fear 165 To have my wicked ways with you?His perfect teeth flickered in the bleak winter sun. I know they say a lot of things about me, he continued, moreseriously. None of them are very flattering, but forcing myself uponsomeone shouldn t be one of them.If it is, it s a lie. I suppose you never saw the need, Ambrick replied, also in amore thoughtful vein.Lorcko looked at him with hurt in his eyes. Meaning, that I would resort to it the very instant I met someresistance? No.No, of course not, Ambrick said. Although, well, you can tbe very used to hearing the word no, he added after some thought.Lorcko sighed and sipped from his beaker. There s no way I can win this one, is there?Ambrick followed his example and took a careful, exploring swig.It made him tingle all over. Strong stuff this, he said. Listen, Lorcko, I didn t mean to makeyou uneasy. It s all right, Lorcko answered despondently. I suppose I dbetter get used to it. Oh, come on, you almost make me feel sorry for you.He nudged Lorcko in a jocular way. If I didn t know any better, I d think he is tearing up.Nah.Heprobably has this don t-hate-me-because-I m-beautiful-routinepat down.Impressive performance, though.And, Gods, he really ishandsome.Nobody has a right to be that handsome. I mightn t have read the signals correctly, but I was under the166 Andrew Ashlingimpression that& that you wanted something from me, Ambricksaid softly. If so, I must warn you that I am fairly new at this.If not,just forget it.Lorcko had been staring between his knees at the ground.Helooked up. Do you mean that you are a virgin? he asked innocently.Thenhis face became red. Oh, I m sorry, I didn t mean to embarrass you.Ambrick laughed out loud.Lorcko thought there ought to be aspecial word to describe something not quite beautiful, but very,very pleasing nevertheless. A virgin? Gods, no, I haven t been one for a long, long time.He saw Lorcko looking at him dreamily, with his lips ever soslightly parted. Look at us.Me not meaning to make you uneasy, you not meaningto embarrass me.Maybe we should tell each other a little bit moreabout ourselves.Just enough to chase the awkwardness away. I would like that very much, Lorcko whispered. All right.I ll go first then.What made you think I was a virgin?Lorcko became red all over again and began sweating as he triedto find an non-offensive way of explaining what he had been thinking. Let me guess, Ambrick said, trying to save him from hispredicament. It s because the way I look, isn t it? Well, looks aren teverything, you know.There s also status.After all I m the count sson, and one day I ll be a count myself.Then there s money. Money? Yes, money. Ambrick laughed. Don t look so shocked.I paythem.Handsomely, too.Bonds of Fear 167Lorcko really didn t know how to react to that unexpecteddivulgement.He couldn t help staring at his companion. Oh, don t look so startled.It s perfectly reasonable.I realizedfrom an early age that nature hadn t particularly favored me in thelooks department [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]