The Bloody City Read Online Free

give this to you. You can have your scientists look at it.” She pulled out a glass tube with a stopper in the top. The tube was full of blood. She held it out to him.
    He sat forward and took it.
    “It’s not quite his head,” she said, “but will it do?”
    “Is this a party favor?” He brought the tube to his nose and waved it under his nostrils. He then laid it aside on the arm of the chair, as if it didn’t contain the most valuable and damning ounce of liquid in the entire city.
    “Do you understand why they sent you to present me this deal, June Coffin?”
    “Because I’m a victim and you’ll take pity on me?”
    Occam snorted. “Do you believe that? Do you believe I have tremendous amounts of pity for all the Institute’s lab rats?” He rested his elbows on his knees. “Do you trust Aaron Jenkins and Sam Haain that much?”
    “I don’t trust anyone in this city, but they’ve helped me a lot. They got my ass out of a sling more than once.”
    He chuckled. “They didn’t send you because I’d take pity on you, and you don’t really believe you’re a victim. Oh, you’re a victim. But you’re not victimized.”
    She narrowed her eyes.
    “They sent you because you’d make a wonderful vampire.”
    She blinked at him.
    “You’re an insurance policy, Little Red. They’re taking a shot in the dark. If I was offended, I’d at least have a nice peace offering, because God knows they have enough problems right now without me on their backs.”
    A chill rushed through her. Her brain protested “that’s not true!” but her instinct, her gut, doubted.
    Before she could answer, or contemplate betrayal or her fate, a commotion rose in the outer room.
    Zack reappeared. He wasn’t alone, but was dragging someone by the arm, someone who was fighting him.
    The girl from the diner.
    “What the hell?” June gasped.
    The girl looked around wildly, eyes bulging. Zack held her firmly, despite her struggle.
    “Good work, Zack.” A smile quirked Occam’s cracked lips.
    “What are you doing?” June demanded. “Why did you bring her here? Let her go. She has nothing to do with this.”
    The girl shrieked and tried to yank out of Zack’s grasp again, her hair flying around her face.
    “Oh, stop it,” Occam said. “I’m not as stupid as you think I am, Sam.”
    The girl stopped struggling. Suddenly, she wasn’t there. No fade or a shimmer, the transformation didn’t seem to happen in time, more like an imperceptible blink. One moment she stood there, and the next she was Sam Haain, seething and glowering, his dark, straight hair brushing his shoulders.
    “Occam,” Sam said. “You’re such a fuck.”
    June slumped and rubbed her forehead.
    “We’re not idiots.” Zack released Sam’s arm. “I was watching you two from the second you came into the District. You weren’t disguising June.”
    “Of course I wasn’t,” Sam said. “She needed to find Occam. He needed to know it was her.”
    “Sam Haain.” Occam hauled himself to his feet. “What are you doing in my territory, exactly?”
    Sam huffed. “Your territory? This is an open area. Anyone is allowed here, even normals.”
    “I thought we had some unspoken rules.” Occam strolled over to him. “You wouldn’t react too kindly if my entourage went traipsing about on your turf.”
    “I wasn’t going to let June wander into your ‘turf’ without backup. I’m just watching over her in case any of you try to open a vein.”
    “As if you could stop us if we wanted to do that. If you tried, you’d have two wars on your hands.”
    Sam gritted his teeth. “Your threats hold no weight with me.” He sneered at Zack. “Hilarious joke with the panties, by the way.”
    “You’re not as strong as you used to be, Sam,” Occam said. “I’d watch your tongue. You’re out of favor. Your group is becoming more fractured by the day, without you there to herd them into place.”
    “I’m not out of any favor. My true followers are