Scarlet Night (Limited Edition) Read Online Free Page A

now noticing the mass that's looming over me. I don't linger on the momentary curiosity pertaining to how long the asshole's been standing there, but the fact that he's not moving. Unable to drag my eyes away from the stein—my makeshift Gregori and current recipient of my lingering qualms—I simply nod.
    “ Only 'cuz it still stinks of your mother, jerkoff! Now keep walking!”
    There's a deep, hollow growl and I watch the shadowy figure solidify his stance over me, “The fuck did y'just say to me?”
    I sigh and shake my head, “Which part? Me telling you to move along”—I can't help but smirk to myself—”or me telling you that your first apartment smells like a hooker's asshole exploded in a landfill?” I hold up my beer stein and shake it for effect, “Now either feed the need or piss-the-fuck-off 'for something bad happens to you!”
    The sound of the stranger's growing rage intensifies and starts to turn inhuman and I feel my forehead crease as my brow quirks.
    This might actually be interesting!
    Forgetting all about my precious mock-Gregori, I glance up for the first time to take in my visitor. At first it's hard to make out any details, but as I focus my superhuman gaze the features begin to come in. The first thing I notice is that a great deal of the darkness I was struggling to see past isn't just shadow, and with the details coming in clearer I find myself staring up at a very irate and very large black man. Judging from the surrounding landmarks, I guess that my new friend is no less than six and a half feet and has enough truck-flipping muscle stuffed inside an overworked wife-beater to weigh as much as three of me. Then I caught a whiff of him…
    Make that three of me riding atop a sick, wet dog.
    The fucker reeks like the piss-corner of a kennel!
    Fuck me sideways! Not one of these guys!
    I stifle my impulse to gag and cup my right arm around my nose and mouth as I hold out the stein to him. “Look! There's about a hundred—maybe a hundred-fifty—in here! Take it and get out of here!” He growls again and starts to flex and takes a few steps towards me. Jesus-fuck-me-in-the-ass-Christ! I so do not need this! Fucking therions! “Hey, dog face, you hear me? See the money? Take it! It's yours if you go away! Maybe you can nuzzle it while pissing on a hydrant!”
    The mutt's lips part to expose a set of still-human teeth and advances another step, “Yer not getting' off that easy!”
    “Yea, I know! 'Cuz I'm giving you my hooker fund! Now take the glass or I'll change my mind and go play Madame Nut-Stomper!” I offer an agitated growl of my own, “I've got enough shit on my plate already! I don't need some mongrel squatting a fresh steamer on top of it!” I shake it again, harder than before to get his attention as another step is taken, lining the crotch of his ratty-ass jeans with my face and providing me with enough of a view to pray he's not looking for love from me. I make with another shake, “Now take it ! I know you need it more than me! You can buy yourself a new chew toy! All for you if you just get lost and get cock-zilla out of my fucking face!”
    “Tha 's a funny one”—he condescends with a chuckle—” 'specially since ya ain't seen me in all my glory yet!”
    I roll my eyes and scoff as my tattoos start to spark to life. “You know what's really funny?” I sigh with the realization that I'm going to have to stand up and pinch the bridge of my nose, “I was going to say the same goddam thing!”
    The smug and confident eyes of the therion begin to melt into something closer to concern as he sees my tattoos beginning to glow. Though he tries to keep his composure, I can already see a glimmer of doubt blossoming inside him.
    And the tattoos only grow brighter as I pull myself to my feet, the puddle of broken glass that was my shattered halo a moment ago crunching beneath my boots. I take in a deep breath, drawing in more oxygen to stoke the once-dormant embers of my