Сумерки

           Hestopped,stillseveralfeetaway,andsankgracefullytotheground,crossinghislegs.Hiseyesneverleftmine.Hetooktwodeepbreaths,andthensmiledinapology.

           "Iamsoverysorry."Hehesitated."WouldyouunderstandwhatImeantifIsaidIwasonlyhuman?"

           Inoddedonce,notquiteabletosmileathisjoke.Adrenalinepulsedthroughmyveinsastherealizationofdangerslowlysankin.Hecouldsmellthatfromwherehesat.Hissmileturnedmocking.

           "I’mtheworld’sbestpredator,aren’tI?Everythingaboutmeinvitesyouin-myvoice,myface,evenmysmell.AsifIneedanyofthat!"Unexpectedly,hewasonhisfeet,boundingaway,instantlyoutofsight,onlytoappearbeneaththesametreeasbefore,havingcircledthemeadowinhalfasecond.

           "Asifyoucouldoutrunme,"helaughedbitterly.

           Hereachedupwithonehandand,withadeafeningcrack,effortlesslyrippedatwo-foot-thickbranchfromthetrunkofthespruce.Hebalanceditinthathandforamoment,andthenthrewitwithblindingspeed,shatteringitagainstanotherhugetree,whichshookandtrembledattheblow.

           Andhewasinfrontofmeagain,standingtwofeetaway,stillasastone.

           "Asifyoucouldfightmeoff,"hesaidgently.

           Isatwithoutmoving,morefrightenedofhimthanIhadeverbeen.I’dneverseenhimsocompletelyfreedofthatcarefullycultivatedfacade.He’dneverbeenlesshuman...ormorebeautiful.Faceashen,eyeswide,Isatlikeabirdlockedintheeyesofasnake.

           Hislovelyeyesseemtoglowwithrashexcitement.