Indigo Rain Read Online Free

knocking over one of the perfume bottles. If only these were mace. Yet maybe it would at least loosen his grip before—
    Holding her down with his weight, he slid a hand in front of her, fumbling at her skirt.
    Grabbing the closest bottle, she thrust it back behind her at his face and sprayed repeatedly.
    The reaction was sharp and immediate. He let go of her almost before the spray hit him, bringing his arms up. “No!”
    The scent released was nothing like perfume. Roulette quickly slid away along the dresser, turning around.
    Mr. Blue was rubbing frantically where the spray had hit him, smoke rising in thin, acrid wisps. “Oh living god. You fucking animal bitch. Get me—help—” Blisters were appearing on his cheeks, his arms, his fingers. Drops of blood had formed under his eyes. He fell to his knees, grabbing at the bed and pulling up the sheet to wipe at his face. His skin stuck to the cloth. He started to scream, a noise of pure terror—for only a second. The noise ended in a soft gargling sound.
    Feeling bile rise in her throat faster than her own scream, Roulette grabbed her clothes and ran from the room, slamming the door behind. She pulled both layers back on as she ran down the hall, took a deep steadying breath, and walked down to the lobby and to the exit as fast as she thought she could without drawing attention. She kept her expression studiously neutral; no one gave her curious, accusing looks, so she was sure she was—
    Was that the vixen from the dance this afternoon?
    Don’t look, she told herself fiercely. It isn’t, and if it is, that’s just a coincidence.
    She stepped outside. No guests had looked up in alarm, no staff had hurried upstairs. As awful as Mr. Blue was, she couldn’t just leave him like that. Could she?
    I’ll give you some perfume after we’re finished. I insist.
    Roulette managed to get into a side alley and over a trash can before she started to vomit.

Roulette tried to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes, the images returned. She didn’t want to put a name to it, but she couldn’t stop herself. Melting. She’d left Mr. Blue with his face melting.
    When the sun rose the next morning, she splashed water on her face, dressed simply, and headed downstairs. A coffee shop, open only for breakfast and lunch, sat across the street from the boarding house. She’d made visiting it part of her morning ritual most days.
    Today the shop’s opener was a Melifen named Rissi. He didn’t know Roulette’s name but he knew her usual order; as she sat at the counter, the cat was already pouring a cup of coffee for her, and set it down in front of her with a little ceramic creamer, a plate with a warm raspberry turnover following a few seconds later. “You don’t look dressed for capturing hearts today. No dancing?”
    “I didn’t get much sleep,” she said, forcing a smile as she poured cream into the coffee.
    “You look really tired,” he agreed. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can get you, okay?”
    She gave him a nod and a more sincere smile as she cupped her hands around the mug, lifting it for a sip.
    Dancing. She couldn’t dance here now, could she? She’d have to get out of Achoren. If Mr. Blue had survived, he’d finger her for the attack, and it would be her word against his. While she’d grown up trusting the Ranean Guard in Orinthe, her impression of Achoren had taken a sharp turn for the worse in the last twelve hours.
    And if Mr. Blue hadn’t survived…then what? She might be in the clear. But even if there weren’t any witnesses, she’d been the only non-human at the White Orchid last night. Despite Mr. Blue’s little charade of not going up the stairs together, she might be remembered speaking with him.
    She’d been the first customer through the door this morning. As she nibbled on the turnover, other customers began to trickle in. A wolf she’d seen before sat down a couple stools down and tipped his cap to her; she nodded back,