tart?
The cruel moon shone, careless, spilling the dark shadow of my new friends onto my body. They’d kill me. Drink every last slurp of my richcandy blood, and I didn’t have Kane’s stones and he’d drag me wailing to hell. Forever.
Paris leaned in. Tinker grinned, salivating, and dragged his hotslick tongue over my collarbone. Already my greedy moonpulse swelled hot and ready. I wanted to scream. I wanted to lie back and let them take me.
My guts clenched tight, but I didn’t close my eyes. I stared them right in their faces. Watch me die, fuckers. Look into my eyes while you kill me.
Roseglass wings sliced the air apart.
Tinker stumbled, his chain suddenly yanked taut, and his grip tore away. Paris staggered and snarled, a flash of wet teeth and lustdrunk eyes. But a shining pink blur cracked her skull into the wall.
Blood spattered. She choked, her throat gripped tight in a fist that glowed like blood-drenched starlight, and Diamond’s whisper sparkled the air with crystal. “Careful where you play, trashgirl.”
I stared, detached, surprised he’d even bothered. Sweat shone on his bulging translucent muscles, and his glassy wings blazed scarlet as he jammed her against the wall.
One-handed. Three feet off the ground. Strong son of a bitch.
Especially for a guy who’s … well … pink .
Mad giggles bubbled my throat, and I swallowed them.
Tinker whimpered, dribbling, and Diamond gave his chain a savage pull, sprawling him facefirst to the ground. “Hush it, Fido, grown-ups are talkamating. That’s my fairylady, petal. Hands off.”
Paris snarled and kicked, struggling in his grip. “Don’t see no lady. That bitch poisoned our friend.”
“And you can take it up with Angelo. He says, we do-ify. Wanna get shitty with him? Be my guest. But she’s my vampire bait, and you can’t have her.”
Indignation burred my skin, but I crouched small and kept my mouth shut.
Diamond flung Paris aside, and she landed in a snarling crouch, angry blond hair tangling. Tinker rolled over, quick as a snake, and dived for Diamond’s ankles with a hungry howl.
Diamond skittered aside, wings clinking. Tinker grabbed his legs and chewed, sharp teeth slashing at leather, and Diamond hissed and yanked at Tinker’s bluedusted hair. Rotting hanks ripped off in his hands, but the little rat screeched in famished delight and wouldn’t let go.
“Get off, you sick little freak!” I flexed my aching thigh and kicked at Tinker’s face.
My heel connected, a crunch of bone. Tinker howled again and let go, blood spurting from his cute button nose.
I scrambled up, my pulse racing. It felt good to stand up for myself, even if I wasn’t tough enough to escape on my own. But still, my heart stung. Tinker was just a hungry kid on a chain, trying to please his mistress.
I knew how he felt.
I stammered, confusion melting my disgust. I wanted to claw Tinker’s eyes out for threatening me. I wanted to put my arm around him, say, There, there, sweetie, and wipe his little nose clean. I just wasn’t cut out for this gangfighting shit. “Yeah … that’ll learn ya to chase me, weirdo. Take that.”
Paris grabbed sobbing Tinker close and stroked his hair, soothing his whimpers. “Shush, now, pet. Mummy will make you better. Another time, shitfae.” She shot us a hate-filled glare.
Diamond bared shining teeth, glassy claws aglitter. His fury burned rich around him like a raspberry fireball. “Whatever. Go on, piss off.” And he swept me behind a redstained wing and stood there glowering until Paris gathered her bloodsoaked baby under her arm and stumbled away.
And then he swiped Jasper’s dented phone into his pocket and dragged me up the street.
I pulled back, alarmed. “Hey—!”
His golden murmur burned my ear. “Trustify. Freakazoids got friends. You don’t wanna hang here.” He grinned, for our audience’s benefit, and raised his voice a notch. “Come on, darlin’. Get you cleanified.” And he tossed
The cruel moon shone, careless, spilling the dark shadow of my new friends onto my body. They’d kill me. Drink every last slurp of my richcandy blood, and I didn’t have Kane’s stones and he’d drag me wailing to hell. Forever.
Paris leaned in. Tinker grinned, salivating, and dragged his hotslick tongue over my collarbone. Already my greedy moonpulse swelled hot and ready. I wanted to scream. I wanted to lie back and let them take me.
My guts clenched tight, but I didn’t close my eyes. I stared them right in their faces. Watch me die, fuckers. Look into my eyes while you kill me.
Roseglass wings sliced the air apart.
Tinker stumbled, his chain suddenly yanked taut, and his grip tore away. Paris staggered and snarled, a flash of wet teeth and lustdrunk eyes. But a shining pink blur cracked her skull into the wall.
Blood spattered. She choked, her throat gripped tight in a fist that glowed like blood-drenched starlight, and Diamond’s whisper sparkled the air with crystal. “Careful where you play, trashgirl.”
I stared, detached, surprised he’d even bothered. Sweat shone on his bulging translucent muscles, and his glassy wings blazed scarlet as he jammed her against the wall.
One-handed. Three feet off the ground. Strong son of a bitch.
Especially for a guy who’s … well … pink .
Mad giggles bubbled my throat, and I swallowed them.
Tinker whimpered, dribbling, and Diamond gave his chain a savage pull, sprawling him facefirst to the ground. “Hush it, Fido, grown-ups are talkamating. That’s my fairylady, petal. Hands off.”
Paris snarled and kicked, struggling in his grip. “Don’t see no lady. That bitch poisoned our friend.”
“And you can take it up with Angelo. He says, we do-ify. Wanna get shitty with him? Be my guest. But she’s my vampire bait, and you can’t have her.”
Indignation burred my skin, but I crouched small and kept my mouth shut.
Diamond flung Paris aside, and she landed in a snarling crouch, angry blond hair tangling. Tinker rolled over, quick as a snake, and dived for Diamond’s ankles with a hungry howl.
Diamond skittered aside, wings clinking. Tinker grabbed his legs and chewed, sharp teeth slashing at leather, and Diamond hissed and yanked at Tinker’s bluedusted hair. Rotting hanks ripped off in his hands, but the little rat screeched in famished delight and wouldn’t let go.
“Get off, you sick little freak!” I flexed my aching thigh and kicked at Tinker’s face.
My heel connected, a crunch of bone. Tinker howled again and let go, blood spurting from his cute button nose.
I scrambled up, my pulse racing. It felt good to stand up for myself, even if I wasn’t tough enough to escape on my own. But still, my heart stung. Tinker was just a hungry kid on a chain, trying to please his mistress.
I knew how he felt.
I stammered, confusion melting my disgust. I wanted to claw Tinker’s eyes out for threatening me. I wanted to put my arm around him, say, There, there, sweetie, and wipe his little nose clean. I just wasn’t cut out for this gangfighting shit. “Yeah … that’ll learn ya to chase me, weirdo. Take that.”
Paris grabbed sobbing Tinker close and stroked his hair, soothing his whimpers. “Shush, now, pet. Mummy will make you better. Another time, shitfae.” She shot us a hate-filled glare.
Diamond bared shining teeth, glassy claws aglitter. His fury burned rich around him like a raspberry fireball. “Whatever. Go on, piss off.” And he swept me behind a redstained wing and stood there glowering until Paris gathered her bloodsoaked baby under her arm and stumbled away.
And then he swiped Jasper’s dented phone into his pocket and dragged me up the street.
I pulled back, alarmed. “Hey—!”
His golden murmur burned my ear. “Trustify. Freakazoids got friends. You don’t wanna hang here.” He grinned, for our audience’s benefit, and raised his voice a notch. “Come on, darlin’. Get you cleanified.” And he tossed
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