Bloody Bones Read Online Free PDF Page B

jacket, which left the gun in plain sight.
    â€œMs. Blake,” Stirling said. “Why are you armed?”
    I sighed. I was tired of Raymond. I hadn’t even gone up the hill and I didn’t want to go. The last thing I wanted to do was stand here and debate whether I needed a gun. The red blouse was short-sleeved. Visual aids are always better than lectures.
    I walked over to him with my arms bent outward, exposing the inside of both forearms. There’s a rather neat knife scar on my right arm, nothing too dramatic. My left arm is a mess. It had only been a little over a month since a shapeshifting leopard had opened my arm. A nice doctor had stitched it back together, but there is only so much you cando with claw marks. The cross-shaped burn scar that some inventive vampire servants had put on me was now a little crooked because of the claws. The mound of scar tissue at the bend of my arm where a vampire had bitten through the flesh and gnawed the bone dribbled white scars like water.
    â€œJesus,” Beau said.
    Stirling looked a touch pale but he held up well, like he’d seen worse. Bayard looked green. Ms. Harrison paled so that the makeup floated on her suddenly pale skin like impressionist water lilies.
    â€œI don’t go anywhere unarmed, Mr. Stirling. Live with it, because I have to.”
    He nodded, eyes very serious. “Fine, Ms. Blake. Is your assistant armed as well?”
    â€œNo,” I said.
    He nodded again. “Fine. Change, and when you’re ready we’ll go up.”
    Larry was zipping up his coverall when I walked back. “I could have been armed, you know,” he said.
    â€œYou brought your gun?” I asked.
    He nodded.
    â€œUnloaded in your suitcase?”
    â€œJust like you told me.”
    â€œGood.” I let it go. Larry wanted to be a vampire executioner as well as an animator, which meant he needed to know how to use a gun. A gun with silver-plated bullets that could slow a vampire down. We’d work up to shotguns, which could take out a head and heart from a relatively safe distance. Beat the hell out of staking.
    I’d gotten him a carry permit on the condition he didn’t carry it concealed until I thought he was a good enough shot not to blow a hole in himself or me. I’d gotten him the permit mainly so we could carry it around in the car and go to the range in any spare moments.
    The coverall went over the skirt like magic. I took off the heels and put the Nikes on. I left the coverall unzipped enough that I could go for the gun if needed, and I was set to go.
    â€œAre you going up with us, Mr. Stirling?”
    â€œYes,” he said.
    â€œThen lead the way,” I said.
    He walked past me, glancing at the coveralls. Or maybe visualizing the gun under it. Beau started to follow but Stirling said, “No, I’ll take her up alone.”
    Silence among the three flunkies. I’d expected Ms. Harrison to stay behind in her high-heeled pumps, but I’d been sure the two men would come along. So, from the looks on their faces, had they.
    â€œWait a minute. You said ‘her.’ You want Larry to wait down here, too?”
    â€œYes.”
    I shook my head. “He’s in training. You can’t learn if you don’t see it done.”
    â€œWill you be doing anything that he needs to see today?”
    I thought about that for a minute. “I guess not.”
    â€œI do get to come up after dark?” Larry asked.
    â€œYou’ll get to see the down and dirty, Larry. Don’t worry.”
    â€œOf course,” Stirling said. “I have no problem with your associate doing his job.”
    â€œWhy can’t he come along now?” I asked.
    â€œAt the price we’re paying, humor me, Ms. Blake.”
    He was being strangely polite, so I nodded. “Okay.”
    â€œMr. Stirling,” Bayard said, “are you sure you should go up alone?”
    â€œWhy ever not,