Hotblood by Juliann Whicker Read Free Book Online Page B

streets made noises that should have woken all the inhabitants of dear Sanders, or maybe it only sounded loud to me the way everything did. I could hear Satan’s raspy breathing and Grim’s dry, even. It wasn’t just their breathing. I could hear the sound of distant drums, their two hearts beating out of time, the ticking of Satan’s watch and the bright click of his lighter as he started on another cigar. The smell of it was overwhelming, like mildew, socks, tree bark. I couldn’t pin down that smell, it was too complicated and mixed with the scent of leather seats and the two men’s sweat. Grim smelled like antibacterial soap. His scent was mild compared to Satan’s who filled the space with more than his massive bulk. Everything about him was overwhelming.
    “ Have you driven this way before?” Satan asked Grim. He shrugged, his figure dim, but I could see him, mostly from the reflected light of the dials. Even from the back he looked defeated. “Great,” Satan said, leaning back, pushing his hat down over his face, then sitting up in a sudden movement that made me jump. “So Dariana, I meant to ask why you wandered off this evening. ”
    I shook my head and looked at the back of Grim’s head. “I took a walk. No big deal,” I said trying to sound like I went out for walks all the time in the woods at night.
    “ Sure,” he said easily, grinning at me. “Ordinarily it wouldn’t be. I don’t care what people do, live and let live I say. Even killing folks gets old when you’ve been around it long enough.”
    “ Satan,” Grim warned, but Satan just snorted.
    “ Am I not allowed to tell the simple truth? You can’t tell me that death holds the same novelty for you as it did when you were fresh.” He turned to me and said in a whisper that wasn’t even slightly quieter than his regular voice. “As a doctor, you know, Grim sees more than his fair share of grim events.”
    Satan laughed while Grim sighed. “You never get tired of that old joke. Don’t pay attention to my brother, Dariana. If he were my patient, I’d diagnose him as clinically insane.”
    “ So now you’re a shrink? Oh, Grim, that’s a good idea, you being my head doctor. Think of the things we could learn from each other.” Grim didn’t bother to reply. “So,” Satan said, like we were continuing a fun conversation. “I’m thinking maybe personality theory would help clear things up.” Grim groaned, but Satan ignored him. “I love personality theory. It doesn’t really make any sense, but for some reason that’s never bothered me. Tell me, Dariana, do you know what they call it when people change personalities all of a sudden, without any kind of reason?”
    I stared at him. What was wrong with him? Had Grim meant it when he called him clinically insane? I offered him a smile and shrugged.
    “ It’s called unreasonable. That’s what it is.” Satan’s response was explosive. I hadn’t expected it and realized I was gripping the armrest with more than necessary force.
    “ Go easy,” Grim said. Why would he say that? If Satan was crazy, warning him to go easy wasn’t going to work as well as a straight jacket, and looking at him, it was doubtful if they were made in his size.
    “ Can’t go easy. Four hours and she’ll be at her dad’s house. Not that that isn’t just what she needs, probably the best thing in the world for her to spend some time in deep contemplation with her father, but I’m thinking she could use all the advanced warning she can get. Grim, do you remember that time down in Mexico where we cornered the Hotblood in that small town just outside Sonora?”
    Grim sighed. “That’s right. It was quite memorable.”
    “ You went to Mexico as a doctor to help poor people?” I asked.
    “ No,” Grim said.
    “ Grim’s fine at that sort of doctoring; no one’s better,” Satan said conversationally, “but the best thing he does is…”
    “ Play chauffeur to a big brother who smokes too