Read Online Tome of Bill (Companion): Shining Fury by Rick Gualtieri - Free Book Online

truthful – to New York in the hope of losing myself in the bustle of the big city, it hadn’t been a bad life. I’d gotten a good job, found a decent apartment, and had actually enjoyed the routine of it all. Just a year ago, I’d have been rolling over in my bed right about now, taking a look at the clock and debating whether I could sleep for five more minutes. More often than not, I didn’t, but there’d been a comforting normalcy to it all.
    I missed that.
    For a time, that simple life had been enough. I’d been content if not entirely happy. But then, one day, I wasn’t.
    “I believe in you. I believe you can do better.”
    Those words, I’d needed to hear them at the time. I’d needed someone to tell me that there was more to life than the little shell of an existence I’d built up. How was I to know that he’d also damned me?
    There was a mix of both love and hate in that memory. At times, I wasn’t sure which was stronger.
    * * *
    “Are you okay?”
    “Huh?”
    “I asked if you were okay,” Kelly repeated as Vincent scouted the block ahead.
    My pulse quickened, but I kept my voice neutral. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
    “Back there,” she said. “When those pigs opened fire on us. At first you were like a fucking spotlight. I half expected the Bat-Signal to appear above you. Then all of a sudden, it was like your batteries ran dry. I thought for sure they were gonna plug you.”
    Now was not the time for longwinded explanations. Also, I wasn’t quite sure I was ready to spill my guts to anyone, much less a girl I’d only met the day before. “Thank you,” I said, evading her question. “There’s not many who would do something like that.”
    “You mean not many in the supernatural community who would put their ass on the line for the Icon?”
    I let out a quiet chuckle. “No. There’s not many people period who would step in front of a firing squad for another person, especially a veritable stranger. That took guts.”
    “And a complete lack of forethought.”
    We both laughed, the sound of it quite loud now that things had quieted down again. Regardless, I think we both needed it.
    “I hope that wasn’t at my expense,” Vincent said, returning to us.
    “Don’t worry, there’s bound to be plenty of opportunities,” Kelly replied.
    He looked for a moment as if he were unsure as to how to answer. Finally, he allowed the ghost of a smile to cross his face and nodded. Thank goodness for small miracles. Now was really not the time to toe the party line.
    “How’s it look?” I asked.
    “Clear for the moment. I suggest we put some distance between us and them for now.”
    “What about the others?”
    “My brothers can take care of themselves.” He turned to Kelly. “I trust the same can be said of ... your sisters.”
    “It’ll take more than some trigger-happy baboons in uniform to stop Meg.” Though her voice was steady, I could see the worry in her eyes.
    “They’ll be okay,” I said.
    “Have faith,” he added. “We were bound to face tribulations. This is but one. Ours is a righteous mission and we will prevail.”
    I quickly changed the subject before we got mired down in dogma again. “Aside from not being riddled with bullet holes, how are we looking? Supplies, I mean.”
    “Not great,” Kelly said, sounding annoyed. “I dropped Skull Smasher back when you told us to dump our weapons.”
    “Skull Smasher?”
    “My mace,” she explained. “All good weapons have a name. That’s just the way it works. Don’t judge me.”
    I considered that. I had only ever referred to my sword as just that. Maybe it was for the best, though. I was missing its comforting feel. I was certain that would only be made worse if I started naming it like a pet.
    “Oh yeah,” she continued, “I still have a couple of chocolate bars in my jacket pocket.”
    “Beats me,” I replied. “Right now I have pants, shoes, and a sweater to my name.”
    “No underwear?” she asked.