Excerpt: KUMIR

"What?" Jason looked disbelieving at her. "Are you crazy? They already wrecked your bike. What do you think they'll do to you? I'm telling you, you want no part of them! They will fuck your shit up!" He sounded angry and desperate, and she could tell he wasn't used to speaking like that, using the profanity to try and get through to her.

"Mmm, yes, that's right, they did mess up my little shliukha, didn't they?" She put on her gloves deliberately, fitting the dark kidskin leather around each finger. "Thanks for reminding me."

"Shloo-khaah?" he asked. "What the hell is that?"

"Shliukha," she corrected his pronunciation. "It's a Russian word meaning 'whoreslut'. One of many that my lover taught me." The woman smiled, tucking her cap and goggles into a pocket. "In return for the many things I taught her." Her hand came out of the pocket, this time holding a coil of braided leather that gleamed like a red and silver snake. She loosened her fingers, and Jason's eyes widened as he saw the whip uncoil to the floor. "Keep the coffee hot, willya?" She smiled mischievously at him and went out the door.