Read Online Gypsy Blood by Steve Vernon - Free Book Online Page A

office chair. He’d told his own future but he sure hadn’t seen it happening quite like this.
    The water rose about him. He felt himself sinking into the churn and muck of the harbor. A thousand soiled condoms and drifting chunks of feces drifted about him. Even now the accountant in his soul tried to process them, to make some sense and find a pattern out of what had happened.
    Was this my fault, a part of him wondered? He’d been a good father, a dutiful husband. He hadn’t cheated on her, except this one time. And he hadn’t even done anything?
    Why had he thought he could?
    It had been a bet, a stupid fucking bet. Billy and that chuckle headed bastard Thomas, they’d bet he wouldn’t have the nerve. Go get some skin, they’d said. Go grab yourself a piece of skin.
    Then, when he’d challenged them to come out with him, to find themselves a woman, they’d chickened out. High on a green stinking cloud of righteous self-indulgent indignation, Olaf had made his way out into the darker side of town. Down to the Fish Hook area where you could count on purchasing a cheap stolen DVD player or maybe getting a tattoo of a high titted mermaid or maybe even getting your palm read - the seedy part of town, where you came to find a woman who would fuck you for money.
    Money for sex.
    The concept made sense to the accountant in his soul. The murder didn’t make sense. Why had they killed him? For his blood? What worth was that?
    By the time he’d come to this part of the town he’d just wanted to get laid. At that point it was way past a bet. It had grown into a need.
    He needed the skin.
    Just do it one more time, he’d thought, just do it one more time and get it out of your system. It won’t kill you.
    At least they hadn’t taken his knife. He could feel it, cool and sharp in his pocket. Not that it helped him any, now. It was too late now. He was dying.
    Or maybe he was already dead. He wasn’t sure.
    Death always came late. The hereafter, like any other form of bureaucracy, turned with slowly creaking wheels.
    He drifted deeper into the harbor. Moving slowly, like a bullet in a John Woo movie. Even after hitting bottom, the thousand layers of archaeological crud slowly sucked him downwards.
    Slowly.
    Slowly.
    A curious mackerel nibbled at his lip.
    He saw the eyes of the mackerel, glinting like reflected glass.
    And then the mackerel began to speak.
    And down in the darkness, the little that was left of Olaf Richardson, nodded slowly in the slumbering current, nodded and listened as something moved the mackerel’s mouth and began to barter for Olaf’s attention.
    The accountant in calculated in the empty vault of Olaf’s soul was as happy as a pig in shit.

Chapter 10
     
    Position is Everything
     
    C arnival reopened the door for Maya and let her back into his home.
    “It’s not much, but it’s cozy.”
    “I’ve slept in tighter confines.”
    I bet she has. Tight and piney.
    Carnival smiled his most charming smile. He mentally ran down his list of options. What was the best way to score with a vampire? He hadn’t seen any articles on that particular problem in any of the latest issues of Maxim.
    “Shall we talk? I have a little wine. You do drink, don’t you? Or was Lugosi telling the truth?”
    “Oh I like a little nip, now and then,” she smiled, showing her teeth. “But I don’t really have the time for it now. It’s late. Dawn’s closer than you might like to think.”
    She leaned over and kissed him. It was a good kiss. Sweet and sharp like a caramel razored apple.
    Oh, sexy. Can I watch? I don’t get the Playboy channel in here.
    “Shut up, Poppa,” the two of them said simultaneously.
    They laughed. Carnival was enjoying this. It was fun, having someone who shared your secrets, especially the nasty ones.
    Maya kissed him again. Carnival appreciated a woman who took the initiative. There are so many rituals that get in the way - the first date, the meeting with the parents, prom night