Read Online Black Dust Mambo by Adrian Phoenix - Free Book Online Page B

martial arts and magic. But knowing that still made it hard to keep from laughing at the Hecatean Alliance symbol stitched in red above the right breast pockets of their suits—a pentagram containing the letters HA in gothic script. All that was missing was a red-stitched exclamation point.
    Kallie rose to her feet as Augustine sauntered to a stop in front of her, the black-suited guards halting behind him. He pointed at the floor with a discreet index finger. Stay. Good HA(!) warriors.
    Augustine tilted his head at Dallas, a lock of nutmeg hair sliding across his eyes. “So what has happened here, and how did you—of all people, Ms. Rivière—manage to stumble across it?”
    “Dallas is a family friend,” Kallie said. “And it looks to me like I’m not the only target. Seems like someone is killing hoodoos.”
    “Trying to, at least,” Augustine said. “Or perhaps someone is trying to make it look that way, yes? So far only a nomad conjurer has died. No hoodoos.”
    Kallie’s hands knotted into fists. “What are you saying?”
    “You’re either a very clever murderer, Ms. Rivière, or an intended victim in need of protection. In either case, I need to take you into custody.”
    “No!” Grabbing the doorjambs, Dallas hauled himself to his feet and fixed his dilated gaze on Augustine. “Who the . . . hell are . . .” His words trailed off as he swayed, his square-toed Durangos scuffing across the carpet like a drunk surfing a flat floor.
    “Uh-oh.” Still kneeling beside the doorway, Bella-donna reached up a steadying hand and grabbed hold of Dallas’s forearm.
    Dallas rallied enough to finish his question in a slurred whisper: “. . . you?” Then his eyes rolled up in his head and his hands slipped from the doorjambs. He fell, collapsing onto Belladonna and riding her down to the floor.
    Kallie dropped to her knees and grabbed two handfuls of Dallas’s shirt. “Bell? You okay?” Despite the unconscious root doctor’s deadweight, this time she heaved him off of her friend without any difficulty.
    No chained-up poppet anchoring him to the goddamned floor this go-round.
    Belladonna blinked at the ceiling. “Caught him,” she gasped.
    “Lucky you, Ms. Brown,” Augustine said, voice dry enough to spark a forest fire. “Congratulations. I shall leave you to tend to your magicked friend while I take Ms. Rivière into custody.”
    Belladonna sat up and darted a glance at Kallie, distress shadowing her face. “I need to go with her.”
    “I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Augustine said, not a single ounce of regret in his polished voice.
    “Am I under arrest?” Kallie rose to her feet and swiveled to face the Hecatean master.
    Augustine lifted his shoulder in an elegant and very European half-shrug. “If you wish to be technical.”
    “I wish to be.”
    “Then yes. You’re under arrest.”
    “She’s not guilty of anything,” Belladonna insisted, climbing to her feet. “And I promised her aunt I wouldn’t leave her alone.”
    “Ms. Rivière won’t be alone; myself or someone else will be with her at all times. And, if it’s any comfort, I’ll be sending someone to debrief you and . . .” Augustine glanced at Dallas and cocked an eyebrow.
    “Amazing. Someone’s name you don’t know.” Bella-donna said, hand on hip. “This is Dallas Brûler, a root doctor outta Chalmette.”
    “I’m fine with going, Bell. I’d like to get this all straightened out,” Kallie said. “I didn’t kill Gage, so I ain’t got nothing to hide.”
    “I promised Gabrielle, dammit.” Belladonna focused a narrow-eyed gaze on Augustine. “You’d better keep her safe.”
    Genuine amusement defrosted the winter-ice expression from Augustine’s face. “I admire your loyalty to your friend, Ms. Brown. She’ll be quite safe.”
    “Mmm-hmm. You’d better hope so.” Belladonna shifted her weight onto one hip, looking unconvinced.
    Kallie bent and bundled up the bike chain and the doll’s evil