Gods and Monsters Read Online Free

as well, but not because she thought Ethan was funny. He recognized her cavalier amusement and glared at her.
    “Gypsy, sweetheart, I’m going to give you a local anesthetic in your leg.” The oldest nurse spoke to her as if she was infirmed. She wasn’t sure if it was her visible scars or rumored scars that caused every woman in the prison to treat her with kid gloves. Despite her obvious thick skin she never seemed to convince any of them that she wasn’t a fragile china doll.
    “Why?” Gypsy asked from her supine position on the bed.
    Ethan threw a hand full of tongue depressors at her from the cart he was leaning next to. “For the pain, dipshit.”
    Gypsy guffawed. “I can’t feel anything. It’s too deep.”
    “Well,” the nurse glanced at Ethan as if he might have some influence over her. He shrugged assuming no responsibility for her. “Okay, I’m going to clean the wound, now.” The woman began pouring alcohol into the wound, and Gypsy screeched in pain. “Oh, I’m sorry!” The nurse scrambled for the anesthetic. 
    “I’m kidding.” Gypsy laughed. “I seriously can’t feel anything.”
    The nurse gawked at Gypsy’s ill-mannered humor and stabbed the needle into her leg anyway. Gypsy wasn’t able to contain the yelp from that assault. “Better safe than sorry, dear.” The nurse smiled, but Gypsy got the feeling she might have finally succeeded in pissing her off once and for all.
    The nurse continued to debride her wound with generous pressure. She could still feel some of it, but knew better than to ask for more anesthetic. When Gypsy caught Ethan’s eye over her shoulder, they both had to stifle laughter.
     
    4
    “What the hell are you two doing?” Danato asked as Gypsy and Ethan came into the office in a hospital gown and underwear respectively.
    “Reporting,” Gypsy looked to Ethan for confirmation of the obvious. Ethan matched her mock confusion. “What does it look like we’re doing?”
    Danato opened his mouth to respond, but shook away whatever he intended to say. “What’s the report?”
    “Mother’s alive, but down.” Gypsy proceeded as intended. “Eight babies down, two might not have survived. I got a hunk out of my thigh, but it’s scrubbed and stitched. Oh, and Ethan smells like shit.”
    “Thank you,” Danato glanced at Ethan, “but I didn’t exactly miss that.”
    Ethan threw his hands up. “I’m waiting to be dismissed so I can shower.”
    “Dismissed, please,” Danato waved him out.
    Ethan left just as Belus walked in. Belus didn’t flinch at his nudity, but he did scrunch his nose after the lingering odor hit him. “The guards have collected the Ekeks,” he said glancing at Gypsy. “What was your damage?”
    “Leg.” She whipped back her robe and peeled back the bandage for him to see.
    “Nerve damage?” He asked.
    “Definitely.”
    “Big scar?”
    Gypsy gave him two thumbs up. Belus seemed to understand the pride that came with a good scar. He wasn’t nearly as squeamish about her near death encounters as everyone else. 
    “If you two masochist are finished, can I get my report Belus?” Danato grumbled.
    “Three of the babies are dead, but the mother is safely ensconced in her nest. What do you want me to do with the five remaining?”
    Danato tapped his finger on the desk for a moment. “Execute them.”
    “Excuse me?” Gypsy asked even as Belus turned to leave. She shoved the chair behind her with her foot. It slid into the door, effectively stopping Belus’s exit. He returned to Danato’s desk and stood on the side. He all but waved the flag for the ensuing argument.
    “I’m not letting them live, Gypsy. We don’t need that mother trying to get to them, and I don’t need them forming a horde.”
    “Yeah, I get that, fuck ‘em, I don’t care, but why didn’t you just let me use my pistol instead of a dart gun. I could have knocked off every last one of them with one magazine and some to spare.”
    “Because that’s