Black Knight 02 - Back in Black by John G Hartness Read Free Book Online

a better description for a beast that topped out at about nine feet tall and somewhere in the range of four hundred pounds of solid muscle. This thing had greenish skin, arms bigger around than my waist with claws at the end of each finger, and a face that not even a mother could love. Otto was a big dude, and obviously had some hand to hand combat chops, because he was still alive, but I knew if we didn't do something fast, that was about to change.  
     
    "Do you have a gun hidden somewhere in that outfit?" I asked Sabrina as Greg and I started to fan out and try to flank the giant.  
     
    "It's called a handbag, you idiot, and yes." She muttered, knowing she didn't have to speak loudly for me to hear and not wanting to terrify the crowd any more than they already were.  
     
    "Alright, then get George, the bartender, and tell him what you're going to do." I was moving out of her earshot as I got around behind the beastie. I saw it freeze and start to sniff the air, and I knew our cover was about to be blown. Vampires have a unique scent, kind of an old blood smell, and creatures that have enhanced senses can pick us out in a heartbeat. That's one reason we don't hunt in the suburbs – too many dogs. This guy obviously had a good sniffer, so our element of surprise was blown. Because it can't ever be easy.  
     
    "And what exactly am I going to do?" Sabrina asked.  
     
    "Make the crowd ignore this!" I yelled as I leapt for the giant's back. Greg saw my move and went in from the side at the monster's knees. Otto saw that the cavalry had arrived and launched a flurry of roundhouse kicks at the monster's face to give us a chance to land our best shots.  
     
    That didn't go nearly as well as it had in the movie in my mind. The giant took a couple of shots from Otto to the face, but ignored them because apparently it was way tougher than I expected. It was also way faster than I expected because as soon as I landed on its back, it reached over one shoulder and grabbed me by the back of my neck. The thing swept me over its shoulder and right into the path of my flying partner. We went to the ground in a tumble of arms, legs and unfortunate wardrobe choices, and I looked up to see a shoe that had to be a size twenty-seven coming down at my head.  
     
    Greg and I rolled in opposite directions and both managed to avoid being stomped into paste, and we got up on opposite sides of the creature. I kicked the thing in the knee, and it backhanded me off the porch into the parking lot. I skidded for several feet before coming to a halt against a BMW convertible. I checked to make sure I hadn't dented it, and got unsteadily to my feet.
     
    Greg was standing toe-to-toe with the monster, landing huge haymakers on the monster's midsection. I thought I heard a rib crack, and the thing reared back in pain. Then it lashed out with a foot and caught Greg square in the gut. He flew several feet through the air and right behind me in the windshield of the Beamer. I pulled him free of the shattered glass and said, "You okay?"  
     
    "No. You?"  
     
    "Not really. Let's go." With that, we ran back at the monster, Greg going low for its knees while I went for a flying clothesline. The thing just jumped straight up into the air, making Greg miss entirely and swatting me out of the air like a retarded frisbee. Which is how I landed, too. I got to my feet, wiped a little blood out of my face, and circled around to the monster's side. Greg went in the opposite direction, and to my surprise, Otto the bouncer flew in with a dropkick that rocked the thing back on its heels. He landed in front of the monster in a combat stance, albeit a little unsteady.  
     
    "Get out of here." I growled at the bouncer. "You're just gonna get killed."  
     
    "Not tonight, friend. But I do appreciate your assistance." The bouncer replied, and he made an odd gesture with his right hand. Suddenly a gleaming sword with a three-foot blade appeared out of thin air,