Almost Final Curtain Read Online Free PDF

out.
     
     
    The Igors, who blended naturally at school, stood out like the proverbial sore thumb now.
    I’d completely missed the school bus, no surprise. But I always had emergency change to take Metro Transit, otherwise known as the city bus. I guess the transit part included light rail now, but St. Paul didn’t have a train yet. All those were over in Minneapolis.
    The point was, it was me, a concrete bench, and three Igors standing around, looking awkward.
    They kind of hung back, but it was pretty obvious that they fully intended to escort me all the way home in their sinister yet sort of sweetly protective way. So I turned to the nearest one. His complexion was waxy and pale, and blond hair hung limply to his shoulders. He wore a washed-out, stained, pale blue T-shirt that matched his scummy jeans. His eyes darted this way and that, trying to avoid my gaze, but I asked him anyway, “So, uh, can you feel it?”
    I rubbed my arm where the proximity of Nik’s power had scorched me; the Igor stared blankly.
    I pointed to my arm. There was no mark, so I supposed I looked foolish trying to show invisible prickles. “Does the hunters’ magic sting you?”
    “We would be terrible guards if so,” he said, staring at the gravel clumps he kicked with black Converses. “And remember: it is not us he hunts.”
    It was true; Nikolai’s magic was keyed to one thing only—vampires. Unlike me, the Igors were entirely human. His blade wouldn’t harm them.
    “Um, good point,” I said, because I felt I should say something, but truthfully, the thought that Nik’s sole magical purpose was to kill vampires put me in an instant funk.
    I slumped down onto the bench. Spring had come early to Minnesota. Global warming, probably, but as we liked to say, can’t complain, especially when it meant the crocuses were up and the sun warmed the air to nearly sixty degrees at the tail end of March. Part of my Midwestern brain rebelled at the idea of no snow at this time of year, but the other side relished the freedom of having to wear only a light jacket to keep off the slight bite of cold breeze.
    The smell of wet grass and moldering leaves added to the feel of spring. Birds chattered as they darted heedlessly through the traffic in pursuit of mates.
    The weather made it hard to hold on to the blues, but my grim entourage helped. I caught the distinct whiff of sewer from someone’s clothes. I sighed. I always kind of hoped being a princess would come with a better class of hangers-on. My ladies-in-waiting were a bit grimier than I’d prefer.
    I was so caught up in my mope that I didn’t notice the car until I heard the Igors’ angry hiss. Looking up, I saw Nik’s ancient, rust-encrusted Toyota rumbling in the no-parking zone of the bus stop. The door swung open, and he leaned over the passenger seat to shout, “I thought you were avoiding me. Get in.”
    The Igor I’d chatted with put a warning hand on my shoulder. I was kind of surprised by his touch because they usually kept their distance, avoiding drawing attention to themselves as much as possible. It was a major breach of the usual protocol for one of them to actually interfere like this.
    Nikolai saw the Igor’s hand on my shoulder, and his lips instantly curled into a predatory snarl. “Stand down, junkie,” he warned, and I felt it again, that searing spike of energy welling up in him.
    Unconsciously, I flinched. My reaction only made the Igor’s hand tighten.
    Nik looked ready to come out of the car. I was sure there would have been a fight, except the bus blared its horn, protesting the car blocking the bus lane. Nik motioned at me to get in. I stood up to obey.
    But as I got closer, I glimpsed the dark fire in Nikolai’s eyes, and I turned and hurried onto the bus instead.
    I barely found a seat before my cell phone rang. “What is wrong with you?” Nik asked before I could even say hello. “I thought you’d be really pleased to see me today. I only took the