Read Online Business Makes Strange Bedfellows by E. E. Ottoman - Free Book Online
Authors: E. E. Ottoman
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onto her back as she was dragged painfully along the ground towards the ruined pier. Holding the revolver with both hands, she took aim at the creature's many-eyed globular head and fired.
This time there was no cry or scream; the tentacle around her legs was suddenly gone. She watched as the creature fell back in the water, tentacles still twisted in what was left of the pier. The creature was still, as was she, watching carefully for any movement and listened to herself breathe. Its body slowly sank into the water of the harbor, and she lay on the hard paved walkway and tried to take stock of her injuries. Nothing broken, she was glad to find, although the muscles in her shoulder was painfully sore and would most likely be tender for a few days to come. She would no doubt also have impressive collection of bruises across her entire body. Not that she could tell past the grime from the street, slime and stinking blood that covered her from head to toe. After a moment, she staggered to her feet.
"Vi?" Gert called again, starting towards the edge of where the pier had been "Vi?"
Everything was still, and then a dark shape was pulling itself out of the water onto the cobblestones.
"Oh, thank God." She ran forward, and Vi coughed several times, spitting a large amount of water onto the stones.
"I shouldn't have worn this overcoat." Vi unhooked the heavy, black wool thing from around her neck and threw it away from her. "Looks good, but weighs more than I do when wet." She coughed again and then grimaced. "I hate it when my lungs fill with water. Did we get it?"
Gert found herself smiling. "I got it, yes."
"Good." Vi pulled herself up.
There was a shout from the street over and the sound of multiple feet running towards them.
"Come." Vi's grip on Gert's hand tightened, and she tugged her down the nearest alleyway and around a corner.
There was shouting by the water where they'd just left, and then the sound of a police whistle. Gert found herself pressed against Vi's chest as Vi pressed herself against the nearest alley wall, well in the shadows, and held her tight. Vi's fingers carted through the curls at the back of Gert's head. She must have lost her hat at some point and then stifled a small noise of pleasure as Vi's other hand unwound from her waist to skim down her back. Vi tugged gently at Gert's hair, tipping her face back and nuzzling along her cheek, to the junction of jaw and throat.
"We should leave." Vi's voice was so low that, even as close as they were, she barely heard it. "Before the authorities find us, and I believe I'm due payment for tonight's work."
"Are you?" She kept her voice almost as low. "As I recall it, I was the one who killed the beast, and you were the one who got knocked into the bay and pulled under by your own coat."
She could feel the vibration of Vi's chuckle against her skull. "True enough, but I still want to taste you, my dear, if you're willing?"
She sought for the fear of Vi and her intentions that should have been there, but failed to find any. "Yes, I am."
Vi's arm tightened momentarily, and then Vi was pulling away and moving down the alleyway at some speed. When they were a good few blocks away from the dock, Vi hailed them a cab.
"We can go back to my apartments, if you don't mind it," Vi said when they were both settled in the cab. She gave her a critical once-over before wrinkling her nose. "You smell like the creature's blood, which is not surprising since it's all over you. I'll have a bath drawn for you when we get there."
Gert looked down at herself, and wrinkled her own nose at the stench. "I think a bath would be advisable."
When the cab stopped outside of the falling-down tenement Vi called home, they both climbed out and traipsed through the alleyway to the stairs. At least they didn't draw that much attention to themselves here. If they'd been in her neighborhood, everyone would have been talking about the state of their clothing, not to mention getting in
This time there was no cry or scream; the tentacle around her legs was suddenly gone. She watched as the creature fell back in the water, tentacles still twisted in what was left of the pier. The creature was still, as was she, watching carefully for any movement and listened to herself breathe. Its body slowly sank into the water of the harbor, and she lay on the hard paved walkway and tried to take stock of her injuries. Nothing broken, she was glad to find, although the muscles in her shoulder was painfully sore and would most likely be tender for a few days to come. She would no doubt also have impressive collection of bruises across her entire body. Not that she could tell past the grime from the street, slime and stinking blood that covered her from head to toe. After a moment, she staggered to her feet.
"Vi?" Gert called again, starting towards the edge of where the pier had been "Vi?"
Everything was still, and then a dark shape was pulling itself out of the water onto the cobblestones.
"Oh, thank God." She ran forward, and Vi coughed several times, spitting a large amount of water onto the stones.
"I shouldn't have worn this overcoat." Vi unhooked the heavy, black wool thing from around her neck and threw it away from her. "Looks good, but weighs more than I do when wet." She coughed again and then grimaced. "I hate it when my lungs fill with water. Did we get it?"
Gert found herself smiling. "I got it, yes."
"Good." Vi pulled herself up.
There was a shout from the street over and the sound of multiple feet running towards them.
"Come." Vi's grip on Gert's hand tightened, and she tugged her down the nearest alleyway and around a corner.
There was shouting by the water where they'd just left, and then the sound of a police whistle. Gert found herself pressed against Vi's chest as Vi pressed herself against the nearest alley wall, well in the shadows, and held her tight. Vi's fingers carted through the curls at the back of Gert's head. She must have lost her hat at some point and then stifled a small noise of pleasure as Vi's other hand unwound from her waist to skim down her back. Vi tugged gently at Gert's hair, tipping her face back and nuzzling along her cheek, to the junction of jaw and throat.
"We should leave." Vi's voice was so low that, even as close as they were, she barely heard it. "Before the authorities find us, and I believe I'm due payment for tonight's work."
"Are you?" She kept her voice almost as low. "As I recall it, I was the one who killed the beast, and you were the one who got knocked into the bay and pulled under by your own coat."
She could feel the vibration of Vi's chuckle against her skull. "True enough, but I still want to taste you, my dear, if you're willing?"
She sought for the fear of Vi and her intentions that should have been there, but failed to find any. "Yes, I am."
Vi's arm tightened momentarily, and then Vi was pulling away and moving down the alleyway at some speed. When they were a good few blocks away from the dock, Vi hailed them a cab.
"We can go back to my apartments, if you don't mind it," Vi said when they were both settled in the cab. She gave her a critical once-over before wrinkling her nose. "You smell like the creature's blood, which is not surprising since it's all over you. I'll have a bath drawn for you when we get there."
Gert looked down at herself, and wrinkled her own nose at the stench. "I think a bath would be advisable."
When the cab stopped outside of the falling-down tenement Vi called home, they both climbed out and traipsed through the alleyway to the stairs. At least they didn't draw that much attention to themselves here. If they'd been in her neighborhood, everyone would have been talking about the state of their clothing, not to mention getting in
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