The Long Day of Revenge by D. P. Adamov Read Free Book Online Page A

ring alongside Gomez and came out just fine.
    “Ha.”
    Piston attacked again. With amazing dexterity, the rider delivered his annoying probe at the charging bull, then halted and held the reigns to keep his horse secure.
    De La Torre took the little animal away, but gave it only the minimal amount of cape passes, as were the rules. The less a bull destined for the arena saw of the capes, the better. He did, however, end his work with an elaborate flash, as he spun the lure from hand to hand, making the cloth billow around his hips.
    “Rebolera,” Manolo mouthed as he watched and identified the move. “Ole.”
    The audience applauded De La Torre as he walked away from the animal, looking into the stands. Above, Eliseo Manzano nodded. This little creature would grow to be used in a real bullring somewhere, and there, be killed. It seemed a tad unjust.
    Manolo wasn’t thinking too much of Piston, but of his own challenger ahead. Ernestina would help make or break him.
    He remembered the training session of the day before and all the things he planned to do. If only Lucinda was more intoned to this world of his that would make things so much better. He was, after all, feeling for her now. He had no idea what had gotten into him with that spanking episode. Such had never occurred to him before, yet it had happened and doorways were opened, just like the bull pen gate.
    In his mind, he pictured himself back in Agua Prieta, swirling the lure while Lucinda charged. Then he remembered that embarrassing blow to his private parts and the even more embarrassing pants down spanking he had administered to his training partner.
    He was unsure what he liked more. Was it the kiss, the sight of her beaver, or that spanking?
    “Lucinda.”
    He mouthed the name in a low voice, coming back to reality.
    The tienta was turning out to be routine, or at least it seemed so when Piston was led from the ring. It was then a cunning demon from the very flames of the underworld emerged that Manolo would come to both deplore and dread.
    “Gaditano. Number 16.”
    When the gate was opened, there was no sign of motion at first. Then he came, a compact package of dynamite with a span of horns unnaturally large for a beast of such a young age. He did not run into the arena, but gave a leap into the air as he came unto the sand, as if glad to be freed, like a devil unchained.
    Manolo’s eyes widened as he saw this creature. He hated it from the onset.
    “God…”
    The mounted man had repositioned himself very close to Manolo, who was able to see as the little bull slammed into the padding with such force the rider went flying along with his pole.
    Since Manolo was the closest to the action, it was his duty to make a rescue.
    Without thinking, he slipped from behind the protective barrier and was out on the sand with cape in hand, ready to lead the bull away from the toppled ranch worker.
    Gaditano was ready for him.
    Though it happened in an instant, everything seemed to move in slow motion.
    Manolo caught the bull’s attention with the lure, but as he did so, he tripped and fell backward. When he did, Gaditano hooked into his pants with his right horn, spinning him by the right leg. The would-be matador felt more surprise than pain or terror, but he was dragged across the little bullring’s hot sand and there, he was gored again. This time it was a real goring and not a puncture.
    A full grown bull would have demolished this target, but as it was, Gaditano used his own horns well. With Manolo flat on the sand, the beast drove the right horn into his abdomen and due to his prone position on the ground, was able to penetrate with just the right amount of force.
    The onlookers screamed, with Lucinda’s raising above all the other cries.
    “Nooooooo…”
    Manolo was pushing to free himself from the horn, as he felt himself dragged in the dirt. Suddenly, he was loose and lying motionless as a strange phenomenon took place.
    Gaditano looked at him.
    It