Derek Landy – American Monsters (страница 9)
They looked at each other.
“You’re a really nice person, Amber.”
“And you’re pretty cool.”
They hugged, and Clarissa went to her room and Amber strolled back to hers. But, right before she slid the key into the lock, she heard the fluttering of clothes from somewhere above.
AMBER SHIFTED AND CLIMBED on to the
She moved towards him and he turned.
“Stop,” she commanded.
He hesitated, one foot over the edge of the building.
She bit her lip, and reverted. All horned up, she had a tendency to shoot her mouth off, but something like this required a little more empathy. “Why are you doing this?” she asked gently. “You’ve been following us since Cascade Falls. You followed us to Alaska and back. I’ve checked online. I’ve seen the reports in the towns we’ve passed through. I know you’ve been killing people.”
Glen didn’t move. Didn’t turn. Didn’t answer.
“Milo thinks you’re following us because Varga’s dead, and you don’t have a – a vampire family. Is that true? Is that why?”
She moved a little closer. “Glen, you helped me in Desolation Hill. You took care of Kirsty. Thank you for that. But you can’t keep doing this. You can’t keep killing and you can’t keep following us. You helped me, but I can’t trust you. I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re going to do – if you’re going to help me or attack me. Maybe if you’d talk to me, you could make me understand.”
Glen offered no response.
“I don’t know what it’s like to be where you are right now,” Amber said, softening her voice. “Milo says … he says vampires don’t have a soul. Glen, if he’s right, I have no idea what you’re going through.”
A whisper passed on the breeze. She couldn’t be sure where it came from.
“I want to help you,” she said, “but I don’t know how. I don’t know if I’m able. Glen, I don’t even know if this is still you. I want to believe it is, but I’ve got no way of telling if you’re here because you feel you belong with us, or if you’re just obeying some vampire instinct. Help me. Talk to me.”
A moment passed, and Glen stepped off the edge and vanished.
Amber waited to see if he’d return, but after a few minutes she started to feel silly, and she went to her room and locked the door.
She showered, finally washing away the last of the bogle juice, and put on shorts and a T-shirt. She sat with her back against the headboard, iPad on her lap, and logged into the
Anyway, I gotta go to bed. Peace y’all!
Night, Temp!
Bye!
Ima gonna go 2.
Hiya
Don’t go, Hatter, there’s no one else chatting. I’ll be all alone.
Princess! Welcome back! Haven’t seen you in AGES!
Been busy! How you doing?
Hi, Dark Princess.
I’m good! Will I be seeing you at the con? It’s only 2 weeks away!
Don’t think so. I’d love to but might be on the other side of the country by then!
Hi, Sithy.
That SUCKS!
You spoken to BAC? I keep missing her.
Not surprised. Australia’s a day ahead of us or something.
BAC is from Australia? I thought she was from Austria.
Stupid timezones.
I keep talking German to her. No wonder she never replies.
You know German, Sith?
Sort of. Not very well. My uncle works part time as a Hitler impersonator.
Is there much demand for that?
Not really. It’s why he only works part time.
It’s late, guys, so I’m gonna go. Just popped in to say hi! Night now!
Amber powered off the iPad and raised her eyes to the TV. The son of a New York police chief had gone missing. Reporters feared the worst.