Blood Politics (Blood Destiny 4) Read Online Free

 “It’s simply too distracting.  I’m sure you understand.”  She patted him on the shoulder.  “Now, can I get you some tea perhaps?”
    Slim gaped at her, then stared down at himself.  The clash between the yellow of the scarf and his purple skin was really rather extraordinary.    I couldn’t help myself: a tiny snort escaped me, causing the gargoyle to spin round in the air and snarl.
    I tried to look serious, and failed.  “It suits you, Slim, it really does.  I think yellow is definitely your colour.”
    “You can fecking shut your trap,” he hissed.
    “Mr. Slim,” repeated Mrs. Alcoon, “would you like some tea?”
    He muttered an affirmative reply, not looking at her.  
    For her part, she smiled at him benignly.  “Then I’ll be right back.”  She disappeared off into the small kitchenette at the back of the shop.
    As soon as she’d gone, Slim jabbed a stubby finger in my direction.  “If you fecking tell anyone else about this, anyone at all…”
    I grinned.  “My lips are sealed.”
    He stared at me suspiciously, then grunted unhappy acquiescence.  “Well, let’s get to work.  Sooner I get out of this fecking hell hole and away from that crazy woman the better.”
    *
    With Slim’s help, the process of unpacking the books and sorting them out became much faster.  He had a few choice words about our selection, muttering away to himself whenever he came across a particularly New Age endowed human text, but I had to admit that he knew his stuff and was able to arrange the piles much more efficiently and knowledgeably than I could.  It helped, of course, that he didn’t get distracted by every third book like I did, and feel compelled to sit down and read a chapter of it.  When Mrs. Alcoon brought out his tea, he sniffed at it warily before taking a tiny sip.  I stopped what I was doing and watched, waiting for him to spit it back out again, but instead a curious spasm crossed his face and he said nothing else.  He ended up drinking the entire thing, causing me no end of surprise.  For once, however, I wisely kept my mouth shut.
    By the time it was midday, everything was unpacked and in piles around the floor, and I was depositing the flattened cardboard boxes outside, ready to be collected for recycling.  I’d managed to drop the vampire books into my backpack without the others noticing, and planned to read through them carefully at my leisure later on.  I designated myself to go out and pick up some sandwiches for lunch, hoping that it was safe to leave the pair of them behind on their own.  Certainly Slim could hardly go wandering about the streets of London, and I didn’t trust that Mrs. Alcoon would manage to bring back anything edible.  Hungry as I was, there seemed little other choice.
    I turned left out of the shop, thinking that I’d wander down to the small supermarket on the corner and pick up some crusty bread and perhaps a rotisserie chicken if they had any left.  As I did so, a tiny movement caught my eye from across the street.  I paused mid-step, thinking for a moment, then continued, keeping careful watch on the busy road next to me.  I deliberately slowed my steps, making it appear to the entire world as if I were simply out for a relaxed stroll in the daytime sun, and counted down in my head.  
    I’d timed it perfectly.  As soon as I reached the crossroads, the traffic signal changed to green and the stream of cars revved up and continued on their journeys, effectively blocking anyone from crossing over to my side of the street.  As soon as that happened, without turning my head, I turned left down the street and away from my watchers, and began to run.  I pelted down the pavement, dodging passersby.  There was a hairy moment when I almost got entangled with the lead of a small terrier that was tied up to a nearby lamppost and began barking at me, but I managed to leap over it, then twist left again down a small alley that led along the