Read Online Dead Surround - The Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles by Celis T. Rono - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Celis T. Rono
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in the knee with enough force to break a cement block in half. By the third pounce Poe heard the sweet sound of cracking.
“That’s how I like it,” Poe said happily, her smile dwindling.
She gave it all she had, succeeding in pulping faces and breaking limbs. But since she had no holy water handy, Trampoline Man and Manitoba, the piglet-eating duo, were far from dying permanently.
Her blows became stunted as her anger and adrenaline dissipated and the new batch of Revenents assembled themselves. Every bruise, cut, and sunburn screamed “time out.”
Such was just the moment Trampoline Man was waiting for: A chink in the glass. As Poe prepared to deliver a blow to his good leg, Trampoline Man squatted low, launched into the air, and disappeared.
“Oh shit,” she said testily, looking up into the dark evening sky. The boat flanking hers seemed to be empty.
A haze of movement teased her peripherals. A great hand grabbed a fistful of hair from behind and lifted her the few feet in the air the slack of her shackles allowed. It was a rocky ride as Trampoline Man balanced on one leg.
“Bad move, girl,” he said, his face contorted in antagonism. “Now I’m going to have to hurt you.”
He threw her against the anchor and enjoyed watching her squirm from the pain of hitting solid metal. “Manitoba, you alright there, man?”
Manitoba’s face oozed with tar blood where Poe had targeted his veins especially well. He had trouble getting back on his feet.
63
Rono/DEAD SURROUND
“Fuck this, man,” he said. “Trench ain’t getting her. I’m going to personally drain the little bitch.”
“You’re willing to give up a life as a master vampire? Cattle of your own?” Trampoline Man asked his hot-tempered friend.
“Yup, easy. Politics is so fucked up on the mainland anyway. Don’t wanna be no part of it.
’Sides, I’m a quarter black, and you know how shitty we get it in the new realm. Janitor, incinerator, ass wiper,” Manitoba said with a wince. He wiped his eyes clear. “Guess you can say I’ve taken a liking to swine blood. There’s nothing like vampires that don’t burn in the sun and the open sea. We’ve got more choices than some.” He shoved the Revenents out of the way.
“Let’s do it then. Heads or tails?”
“Heads.”
Trampoline Man took a shiny half dollar from his pants pockets. Poe didn’t know if there was any fight left in her. She was so tired and bruised that all she could do was watch with detachment as the two vampires flipped for the first suck. She licked ocean, rain, and blood from her lips.
I’ll fight them when they get near me. Maybe by then I’ll get my grit back to beat the shit out of them.
The tall jumping frog tossed the coin and caught it in his palm. Poe’s full lips trembled as Trampoline Man slapped the coin onto his left hand, palm down.
“Shit. It’s heads,” he announced not so happily.
“Better make sure to leave enough for me.”
“You know me, buddy,” Manitoba laughed. “I’m accommodating and generous to a fault.” He met Poe’s eyes as she crouched tiredly on the floor. “I’m talking about my buddy here, not you, gel. You. I’m 64
Rono/DEAD SURROUND
gonna need you to strip to your skivvies now. That G.I. Joe dyke look isn’t to my taste.”
Herbie’s words wound her mettle into gear.
With as much dignity as she could, Poe rose to her feet, her nostrils flaring.
“The only one stripping around here is you, Stay Puft man.”
“Timid words. Too bad I can’t take them seriously, pink pants.”
Poe, shaking from the horrendous evening, made fists. “Get ready to die, worm. And you, too.”
Both men cackled at her threat.
“And how exactly are you going to do that?”
Trampoline Man asked with a snort.
Poe had no idea how to answer, but a solid object thrown between her shoulder blades caused her to curse uninhibitedly.
“She loves me, this gel,” said Manitoba. “Wants me to give her a lap dance or
“That’s how I like it,” Poe said happily, her smile dwindling.
She gave it all she had, succeeding in pulping faces and breaking limbs. But since she had no holy water handy, Trampoline Man and Manitoba, the piglet-eating duo, were far from dying permanently.
Her blows became stunted as her anger and adrenaline dissipated and the new batch of Revenents assembled themselves. Every bruise, cut, and sunburn screamed “time out.”
Such was just the moment Trampoline Man was waiting for: A chink in the glass. As Poe prepared to deliver a blow to his good leg, Trampoline Man squatted low, launched into the air, and disappeared.
“Oh shit,” she said testily, looking up into the dark evening sky. The boat flanking hers seemed to be empty.
A haze of movement teased her peripherals. A great hand grabbed a fistful of hair from behind and lifted her the few feet in the air the slack of her shackles allowed. It was a rocky ride as Trampoline Man balanced on one leg.
“Bad move, girl,” he said, his face contorted in antagonism. “Now I’m going to have to hurt you.”
He threw her against the anchor and enjoyed watching her squirm from the pain of hitting solid metal. “Manitoba, you alright there, man?”
Manitoba’s face oozed with tar blood where Poe had targeted his veins especially well. He had trouble getting back on his feet.
63
Rono/DEAD SURROUND
“Fuck this, man,” he said. “Trench ain’t getting her. I’m going to personally drain the little bitch.”
“You’re willing to give up a life as a master vampire? Cattle of your own?” Trampoline Man asked his hot-tempered friend.
“Yup, easy. Politics is so fucked up on the mainland anyway. Don’t wanna be no part of it.
’Sides, I’m a quarter black, and you know how shitty we get it in the new realm. Janitor, incinerator, ass wiper,” Manitoba said with a wince. He wiped his eyes clear. “Guess you can say I’ve taken a liking to swine blood. There’s nothing like vampires that don’t burn in the sun and the open sea. We’ve got more choices than some.” He shoved the Revenents out of the way.
“Let’s do it then. Heads or tails?”
“Heads.”
Trampoline Man took a shiny half dollar from his pants pockets. Poe didn’t know if there was any fight left in her. She was so tired and bruised that all she could do was watch with detachment as the two vampires flipped for the first suck. She licked ocean, rain, and blood from her lips.
I’ll fight them when they get near me. Maybe by then I’ll get my grit back to beat the shit out of them.
The tall jumping frog tossed the coin and caught it in his palm. Poe’s full lips trembled as Trampoline Man slapped the coin onto his left hand, palm down.
“Shit. It’s heads,” he announced not so happily.
“Better make sure to leave enough for me.”
“You know me, buddy,” Manitoba laughed. “I’m accommodating and generous to a fault.” He met Poe’s eyes as she crouched tiredly on the floor. “I’m talking about my buddy here, not you, gel. You. I’m 64
Rono/DEAD SURROUND
gonna need you to strip to your skivvies now. That G.I. Joe dyke look isn’t to my taste.”
Herbie’s words wound her mettle into gear.
With as much dignity as she could, Poe rose to her feet, her nostrils flaring.
“The only one stripping around here is you, Stay Puft man.”
“Timid words. Too bad I can’t take them seriously, pink pants.”
Poe, shaking from the horrendous evening, made fists. “Get ready to die, worm. And you, too.”
Both men cackled at her threat.
“And how exactly are you going to do that?”
Trampoline Man asked with a snort.
Poe had no idea how to answer, but a solid object thrown between her shoulder blades caused her to curse uninhibitedly.
“She loves me, this gel,” said Manitoba. “Wants me to give her a lap dance or
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