Among the Living (Tyler G Book 1) Page 6

  Either way, it was a possible place to move, and a house was almost always going to be better than an apartment. As long as the rent wasn't too high for him to manage. If he had to pay a third, and the place wasn't too huge, it would probably be something like three hundred to four hundred a month. He thought. It wasn't like he'd rented any place before. They'd need things like security deposits and last month's rent too.

  That was going to take a bit to save up, but it wouldn't hurt to look.

  Just inside the yoghurt shop Tyler was able to toss his container and the plastic fork out. His hands were clean, since he'd been fairly civilized about the gobbling of the delectable fruit. The strawberries had actually been nearly perfect. Ripe and red, but sweet enough that they could have been a bit mushy. They weren't though, which was rare. You normally had one thing or the other. Sweet and mushy, or firm and a bit sour.

  Ginger patted him on the back, as Zack moved to let them go first.

  "Back here, where we stored everyone earlier?"

  The space was arranged a slight bit different now. The sofa that had held Tara the Manthori earlier didn't now. It had a small fellow on it, along with a cute but slightly nerdy looking Burgerville manager. He knew that for sure, since her name tag told him. She was Maggie, which he recalled as being the person that had lent them the car earlier. Smiling, he waved at her, since she was pretty clearly awesome, on a level that actually warranted the use of the word. Like Lars from the gym. After all, who just lent you their car to carry bodies around in?

  The bald man didn't have a name yet, but wore a decent looking black suit, and smiled at him, so he got a wave, too. Across the room there were three other people, all of them standing there, looking at him directly. It was kind of embarrassing, actually, but he knew Eve, and even if she was too pretty, he nodded her way.

  "Hey." For some reason he felt like he was at the high school dance. Not that he'd gone to many of those. Just one, which he'd left after half an hour, so it probably didn't count.

  Edom, the very well dressed and very hot guy from earlier smiled at him. He was right next to Eve, and on the other side of him was a woman that seemed to be in her fifties. She looked kind of hard though, for all she was wearing a skirt. As in, if she wanted to, she might be able to kick his ass. Given that she was probably a Vampire, or at least someone special, that was probably a good thing to keep in mind. What had Ginger told him earlier? Be polite to everyone, just in case?

  "Hello. I'm Tyler, um, Gartner. Pleased to meet you." That was about all he knew as far as social graces went, but Zack patted him between the shoulder blades, and saved him then.

  "Tyler, let me introduce you around. This gentleman is Bey. The Bey. It's his name and title, all in one go. Next to him is Maggie Sims, his wife, and maker. Don't be confused, she's the oldest person in the room. Also really good at making hamburgers, if you ever go off the whole raw food vegan thing you have going on?" Then he turned and pointed at the older, hard looking woman. She flinched when he did it, like he had a gun in his hand, rather than just indicating her. "This is Althea Sims. The Chief of Police. You've met Ambassador Freeman. Edom, in case you didn't get the whole name before. Eve Benson, known in some circles as The Snowflake. And of course, let's not forget the Vampire Ginger. That leaves Tara Fields, who you've met in passing I believe?" The last bit sounded a little strange, but the girl nodded, after looking up from the floor.

  Then she pointed at him.

  "I think I remember him. When those... Fiends, tried to kill me, he stopped them. I'd tried to run away, but they followed me. I guess... I should start at the beginning?"

  That got the little man, Bey, to bow, while seated.

  "That would be wonderful, if you can speak about it dear? I know that it might involve difficult matters." He seemed concerned about it, but the woman kind of curtsied, and went on, her bone white flesh nearly gleaming under the florescent lighting.

  "I was approached, about six months ago, just after I broke up with my old boyfriend, by their leader, Robs. At first I figured that he simply wanted to add someone with mental abilities to his crew. I'm not a great fighter, but I do pretty well that way. High compulsion, and hydrokinesis. That's rare, so it happens every now and then. People want me to join up with their gang or crew. Then, after a while I realized that he just wanted to date me." She glanced at Ty, and shook her head a little. "It was stupid. I realized after a while that he wasn't a good person. I don't mean just a little broken or bent either. He was... Wrong. Inside. Insane, but able to pass for normal, most of the time. Well, after a while I had to let him know that I just wasn't interested. That didn't go well, and he tried to have his goons kill me. I fled into the night and was chased for hours. Finally I tried to call for help, after I realized I wasn't going to get away before I went down for the day."

  She glanced over and smiled at him, her mouth pushing out, even with her lips held tight. Her deep red eyes were compelling, so he looked away not wanting to be spelled or compelled, at the moment. Still, he could see how a person might get lost in those eyes. They were deeper than most.

  Bey didn't so much as nod, just turning to look at him. Ty got the plan then. It was kind of like a police report.

  "Um... I heard her ask for help, so told the Vampires there, there were five of them, two women and three men, to leave her alone. Then I realized they were Vampires, and that I was going to die, so I called out where we were, just in case anyone could hear me. You know, so they could collect the bodies later. Then..." He shrugged, "We fought. The men all had weapons, so it wasn't easy."

  That wasn't good enough, it seemed, so he had to go over the whole thing, blow by blow, explaining what he was thinking the whole time, and then describing Eve's call to the Chief, the shooting of Ginger, and the borrowing of Maggie's car.

  "Thanks by the way. You got that back, right?" He felt worried, but the Vampire woman gave him a very polite nod.

  "I did, thank you. Eve brought it back almost instantly." She seemed familiar to him, and it probably wasn't from her work place. Really, she looked a lot like the woman that used to be one of the spokes people for the Vampires.

  That didn't mesh with also being a fast food worker. After all, who'd work that kind of job if they didn't need to?

  That got Eve to go next, since it had been her on the phone. It was interesting, hearing her double back a bit.

  "We got a call here, at the front desk, at about four-twenty. I couldn't make out who it was, but we were informed of an attack, and aid was requested. Barb was here at the time, to cover the embassy, so Ginger and I ran over to give aid. It took about two minutes. When we got there, we saw Tyler handing the Vamps their asses. One of them asked who he was, and he answered that he was Batman. It was... Incredible. He nailed the voice, you know, the deep gravelly thing from the movies? I swear I fell in love a little. They tried to run then, but it was too late, and he was able to hold them all until they failed at first light. It wasn't late, so they were probably decently young. Ty had been stabbed, so I got a bandage on him. A minor wound that didn't seem to bother him much. Then, he's clearly not a wimp, so it was hard to tell."

  It turned out that Maggie wasn't that hard to convince as far as vehicle lending, and the rest of the story was about the same. When Ginger went she just clarified a few points, mentioned borrowing a truck from Lars, and the death of the Vampires. Then the cleaning and gassing up of the vehicle.

  That was pretty much it, as far as he could tell. Ginger even went over telling him it was legal, which had everyone in the space nodding, as if that was really just a thing.

  The Bey clapped his hands together, one time.

  "Ah! Very well done then, all of you. Ginger, do you feel a need to harm the officers that shot you?"

  That got the Chief to look away, her face stern, but slightly defeated. It was the set of her mouth that did it. Like she didn't want her people harmed, but knew that she might not get a choice in the matter.

  "No
. No need for that. They could be a little less jumpy, at least that time of day, but it was just a startle reflex. It could happen to anyone really." There was no particular weight to the words, but now the older lady smiled.

  "Thank you for their lives, Miss Harris."

  Ginger gave a nod back, and didn't even suggest they buy her new clothing. They had kind of ruined her outfit earlier, so it seemed fair to him.

  The bald man looked at him, smiled, and then regarded Tara closely.

  "Now, we still have the issue of this Robs. He was not one of those executed for their crimes?"

  Tara shook her head, and then spoke in a very low voice. The Vampires probably heard her just fine, but Ty had to struggle to make it happen. It kind of worked.

  "No, sir. He and better than half his minions still live. They're one of the most powerful groups in the area."

  That got Edom to agree, his voice much louder. Probably so that Tyler wouldn't feel left out.

  "That's true. If I have it right, the group removed already represents about a third of their power however. The bottom third, but they weren't babes, fresh to death. The youngest he had with him, at last check, would have been over fifty years old. The rest are closer to a hundred to one-fifty. None of them walk the day though, so we can take them out easily enough, if that's what you decide to do."

  Rather than leap up to rush out, or command the others to do it, the smaller fellow sat for a bit, thinking. That, or he really just thought the sofa was comfy. Tyler could get behind that one, since he was ready to put his own behind in a chair for a while. Better, a bed.

  It was kind of clear that he wasn't needed for the rest of this now. Well, not as long as the other Vampires weren't going to come for him personally. That might happen given how he'd executed their friends, so he waited, trying not to shift around too much. After what seemed like a long time, the little guy in his dark suit smiled gently.

  "I believe it would be best if I paid them a visit this night? Miss Benson, you could go along as well. Miss Harris, too. I think perhaps it's time for some of our people to realize what exactly angering the council means." The guy stood, and then bowed to Tara. "Would it be suiting your needs and desires for us to do this? We will of course stand to the side, if you feel you need to extract revenge on your own, or with your champion?"

  The words got the very light colored lady to smile, which seemed real enough, but The Bey didn't. No one else did.

  "Well, I suppose I could call on the Line Walker, or The Associate, Tyler, but I don't know either of them that well, and am already in debt for earlier. If it isn't any trouble, perhaps going with your plan would be best, sir?"

  Maggie spoke up, her words chipper enough that she got his attention.

  "I'm with you, if you need, Tara. You have friends. A lot of people will help you."

  "True." Eve glanced at the others and then smiled, letting her fangs pop out. It was wickedly cool. "Still, if they haven't run for it, it might be a good idea to go for them now. Perhaps they'll listen to reason? After this Robs man dies, I mean."

  That got everyone to roughly agree, but before they left, the tiny man, who really only came to about his shoulder and was even thinner than Tyler, reached out to touch his arm gently.

  "Please, do not think we are ungrateful for your earlier aid. That is not truth, indeed. We wish merely to not stress your good will in this, if it is not needed. Few would doubt that you are among the best of heart. Certainly not those in this space."

  The others seemed to agree, which got him to want to look away, but he tried to do the whole being polite thing.

  "I know that I'd just be in the way. If you need anything that I can help with, you know, without dying, let me know? I have a job now, but I won't be working all the time."

  Maggie stood, and stretched a bit, like a Human might, her hands going up over her head.

  "Well, would you consider guarding Tara tonight? It should be okay, but if you travel carefully, it would be really hard to pick up her scent."

  Zack tilted his head, and nodded.

  "I can move you both there directly. How does your mother feel about visitors?"

  That was a good question. Supposedly, he was allowed to have guests, and she'd even hinted that having a girl, or a guy, over for things more advanced than movies and popcorn wouldn't be an issue. That probably meant that Tara would be welcome.

  "Should be fine? If it's not she still won't kick us out until morning."

  "I wouldn't want to be any trouble." The words were low sounding again, and soft. Like she really meant it, but also didn't have a better place to go.

  "It will be good. Don't worry." If not, well, then his plans for a new place had better hold up. Not that his mother had ever threatened to toss him out. If anything she was too understanding and willing to cut him slack.

  Zack moved a little and the air in the center of the room started to glow. It was a nice purple color, but you had to look at it just right to keep seeing it.

  "Walk that way. Just through the light. Go on. It won't hurt." He seemed ready to go on, but Tyler could see that this was one of those nodes that he'd mentioned earlier. That was like teleportation, more or less. So without making a big deal of it, he stepped into the light, and got a tiny push just as he hit the edge of it.

  Zack sounded normal.

  "Hop. It's slightly safer, and you need to develop good habits."

  He did it, and was amazed when he found himself in the small, but tidy living room of his home. The carpet was a Kool-Aid friendly mash-up of twenty ugly colors and had been there for a long time. Since he'd been a child. A half second later, Tara came through, and knocked him out of the way, which got him to chuckle.

  "So, that's a thing. Well, um, welcome? I guess you can stay in my room, and I'll sleep on the couch out here?" Which got him to roll his eyes at how stupid he was. "Except that you're up all night. So, television. We have basic cable. It's something. The problem there is that I'm not certain how my mom will react if she comes in and finds a stranger here. Not just a Vampire, though that might not help. I mean anyone. It isn't a thing that's happened before." She might be fine, but Tara just smiled at him, her lumpy lips closed and pale.

  "I can lay next to you? It won't be the first time I've done that kind of thing in life. Probably not the last either. I know you must be tired, or we could do something more fun. Go out or play a board game."

  "Both of which are off the table for the night. First, going out would probably undo whatever Zack did. I mean, if we went point to point, that's got to be a great way to hide your scent. Board games, well, we don't have any, so that's not taking place. I'd hate for you to be bored out of your mind. I guess I could sleep out here, if you want? Then my mom will just think I was trying to get some off of you when she gets in, but I can explain it all."

  That got a laugh, with a hand held over her mouth.

  "I think you underestimate how shocking that might be for her. Better I stay out of sight, until you can explain."

  That decided, he made up the sofa for himself, and tucked the pale woman in his room. It wasn't perfectly clean, but other than smelling a bit like him, it wasn't too bad, he hoped.

  He drifted off pretty quickly, which meant that he jumped when someone came to the door, near midnight. It occurred to him that he should have armed himself. Even a bat or kitchen knife was better than the nothing he had at the moment. Still, he stood up, still fully dressed, as the door opened, and his mother's short brown haired head came in. It was clear that she was tired, since the lines on her face were deeper than normal. She was too young to look like that, but constant double and even the occasional triple shift could do that to a person.

  She glanced at the couch, and smiled at him. It was a warm thing. Kind, and better than he deserved, most likely. She was almost always like that.

  "I didn't think you'd still be up." She closed the door behind her and locked it. Then she waved at the blanket and pillow, and looked a
t the turned off television. "What's wrong?"

  He was silent for a moment, then decided to go with the truth, more or less. The parts that she might believe anyway.

  "Well, right now there's a girl in my room. A Vampire. A Manthori, which, you know, like the woman in that Vampire Band thing? Only shorter. I'm hiding her from other Vampires, while some friends of hers go and make sure they aren't going to try and kill her again." Then he winked. "Oh, I also got a job, a possible roommate or two and maybe a place to move in to? That might fall through, but the job is real. At Hartley and Co. Books?"

  Then, as if the first half of what he'd just said was him being silly, she set her things down, and moved over to him, giving him a big hug.

  "You got a job? Not just something you were dreaming?"

  He threw his hands up.

  "Okay, that's actually a good point. It's been a day. Wait here..." He jogged to his room, and tapped on the door, only to have it open a few moments later. His mother went wide eyed, but he turned and gave her a thumbs up.

  "Yep. I really have a job. Always good to check that kind of thing out."

  It was, after all, kind of unexpected.

  Chapter five

  Tyler realized, after about ten minutes of explanation, which involved Tara walking out and being introduced, that his mother was freaking cool. On a level that he'd never actually noticed about her before. She'd always been there for him, and while there were rules to living with her, they'd never been unreasonable things. Keeping the place clean, so they didn't get typhoid or diphtheria, which wasn't that high of a bar. When he'd been in school she'd asked, politely, that he keep the highest grades that he could manage.

  That kind of thing.

  Now, with a sudden and totally unexpected girl coming out of his bedroom, she acted like it was normal. Even the fact that Tara had solid blood red eyes, and more teeth than was strictly attractive didn't set her back. His mother was just nice about it.

  That meant he was back to sleep about half an hour later, and while he was making plans to get out of the house as soon as he could manage, that wasn't going to have to be the next morning.