by P. S. Power
“I don't care if it was her father, as much as I don't understand why he'd try to harm her. Of course, my own issues had just come back to the front not minutes before, or else he'd probably have just died instead of dying in agony, like he did. I still would have killed him. He was going to shoot her while she lay chained to a table like an animal. Actually, come to think of it, I'm pretty okay with him having died in agony, now that I say it out loud...”
Zack didn't feel any relief for having talked about it, but he didn't feel any worse about it either. In truth, he realized, some lives simply meant more to him than others. To him, if you hurt a child, you lost your right to live. End of story. No take backs.
“I think you'll be all right, Mr. Hartley. I'm here to talk if you wish, about anything, not just hard things you rather wouldn't. I do think young Hilda is a good girl. Or even Libby who's listening to us from in front of the food court.” She nodded toward the bench about halfway down the hallway where Libby sat with a drink in hand. She looked up when her name was spoken.
Zack looked at her and waved.
Libby waved back and Claire laughed softly at them both.
Returning to work, making sure the store looked clean and tidy, pains were taken not to think too much. He made a note to call the fire extinguisher people, and see about getting one put in as had been suggested by Ghurian. That would have to wait for a week day though. No place like that would be open on a Sunday, he guessed.
Hearing movement, he looked up just in time to see that something vaguely Hilda shaped stood there before he found himself pulled bodily halfway over the counter into a hug.
“Oh, I love them! Thank you! Patty came and brought clothes for me to try on, and didn't touch me at all. She seemed all normal and calm, not like they normally are with all the sex. She said that I could have clothes all the time now, all I had to do is put in a call! She also said it was because you saved Charli from being killed, is that true? Charli's a friend of mine. She always does my nails, when I go, and never mentions my big hands like the others sometimes do when they think I can't hear.” Realizing that she held him off the ground, she carefully put him down and said sorry softly.
He explained to her what had happened, that Master Dan and Nikki the Vampire had really saved her and that Wu-Li had paid for it at the time. To his mind, if anyone deserved a reward it would be those two, Dan and Nikki. He decided that he'd try to work something up for them if he could. Hilda said she'd help. That probably meant it was a good idea.
Libby came in a few minutes after Hilda did. She took a few minutes to actually look at the front display first. As if it were a work of art, not just some fabric and store items put there to look pretty.
“I heard Claire say it was good work earlier, but that's really good. I mean like, you could get a real job doing that kind of thing. Maybe you could give me some pointers for the window display at The Chasm sometime? Right now we just have manikins dressed up in jeans and stuff. It's all right, but a little plain for a store that's trying to claim to be trendy.” She turned to Hilda and looked at her appraisingly, after a moment she made “spin around motions” with her hands.
“You look good! Hot. If I liked girls I'd totally ask you out. Heck, who am I kidding, I'm totally going to ask you out.” Libby smiled up at her as Hilda blushed.
“Zack got them for me. It was part of the payment for his helping Charli the other day.”
Libby nodded.
“That's kind of why I'm here. Nessa thinks we should give you a present for helping her, even though we don't technically have to, since none of us were there. What do you want?” She said this with a cheery air, seeming genuinely happy.
“You know, if they don't mind parting with some clothes, that could make a good gift for Nikki maybe? That way the Weres won't be out much and you could fulfill your plans there.” Hilda shrugged at her own words as if instantly dismissing them.
Turning to Libby, Zack asked if that would work. He could throw in some money if need be, but from what little he had seen of Nikki, she did seem like 'The Chasm' would fit her style.
Libby surprised him by suddenly walking out of the store. She headed directly over to the YoGurt place and popped her head in. After a minute, she turned and ran down the Mall.
Claire smiled at them through the glass.
Libby padded back in about eight minutes later, not at all out of breath from her jog. Being a bat probably provided a lot of exercise, flying sounded like a lot of work to him.
“Nessa's down with it, and so is Claire. We can surprise her with it tonight. Claire said she'd come back in at nine so we could take her down to the store. Nessa would like you to make an initial showing, Zack, but doesn't expect you to stay. Hilda can act as your representative, if that's all right?”
Hilda smiled and nodded. Zack nodded gently, glad he wouldn't have to stay for the whole thing.
“I'll meet you all back here at a little before nine then?” Libby grinned at them both.
Chapter thirteen
Hilda walked through the door first, wearing a stunning red dress that made her natural curves stand out and displayed far more of her cleavage than Zack had seen before, but then he'd really only seen her in sweats until now. Her hair still hung in the normal single braid down her back, although she, or someone else, had gone to the trouble of applying make-up that further smoothed out her already pristine complexion, making her lips a dark pink in color. The only thing that detracted a little from her ensemble were the large and clunky, military style combat boots on her feet.
She didn't bother trying to hide since Keane was working in the YoGurt shop, which meant Nikki hadn't come on shift yet. He winked at her and said something Zack couldn't hear.
Libby walked in the door a few moments later, also made up nicely, though her naturally plainer looks made her look a little dowdy compared to Hilda. Still cute somehow, her big smile lighting up her face, turning average into, if not stunning then at least very pleasant.
“They're coming in the back now. Keane called Nessa. He already ate, so he can keep working while Nikki gets her surprise. Claire told her that this was a gift from the Weres to you, for aiding Charli. They have a big reveal planned for her at the store, so don't say anything!” Zack could literally feel the excitement coming off of the small Bat girl. Her innate goodness made a special treat for anyone else a treat for her as well. Her inner bat flapped and danced, sharing a lot of what she expected to happen with him.
Claire walked Nikki through their shop, Keane waving a little salute to them as they passed. Zack turned the lights off and locked the front door as he left.
“Ah, there's the man of the hour now! Shall we go then?” Claire didn't wait for a reply, instead she simply started walking as if trying to make sure he didn't have time to give everything away.
They reached the store after half a minute or so, since everyone else walked so quickly by nature. Zack pushed himself to keep up, but didn't complain. Even if it did feel like they were hurrying to a fire.
The lights were all on at 'The Chasm'. Nessa, stood in the center of a group of powerful looking men. One, a large man, looked rather uncomfortable, and out of place. The bear Shadow inside him shifting uneasily as all the girls walked into the shop. He didn't seem angry, just really shy, and maybe a little bashful. Next to him a giant dragon Shadow sat within a fairly small Asian man, who'd dressed in clothing that they probably carried at the store. The third man had a wolf-man form, standing as counterpoint to Nessa's cat.
“Welcome! We of the United Communities stand proud today to honor one, who went far beyond what could be expected of them, in accord with the treaty that binds us all. In helping one girl, possibly aiding the saving of her life, this individual has shown the honor and selflessness that brings us together and allows this Nexus to operate. Nicole Bartlett, would you please step forward?” Nessa held her hand out to the Vampire girl.
“We honor Nicole today for her part, a particularl
y difficult and taxing action, in the rescue of Charli Walsh. Thank you, Nicole!”
Everyone rushed forward and shook her hand, or patted her on the back. As Zack moved in to take his own turn he noticed that Devon and the female Demon, Beatrice, had walked into the store as well. No one else seemed to notice them yet. But then no one else around here seemed to have a proper respect for just how evil these beings really were.
He dreaded doing it, but moved to stand between the crowd and the two Demons that approached their backs. He wasn't a child any more. If they wanted to harm him, his new friends or even people Zack didn't know, he'd try his best to stop them. Even if it meant his death.
“Mr. Hartley. So good to see you. I trust you're well? We've come to help young Nicole celebrate. I assure you, we have invitations...” Devon spoke smoothly, so smoothly it grated on Zack's nerves more than a bit.
Claire came over and took Zack by the arm. “Why, Devon, so good of you to come. And bearing gifts I see? How kind. I'm certain that Nikki will love it. Please, come in.” She turned slightly with a sweeping gesture. Her Shadow self came around to face him.
Are you all right? Is there trouble here, other than Demons being Demons that is? We're safe here, the treaty holds. They'll not harm us, nor could they easily, if they chose to, in this company.
Zack could see the sense in that. If the United Communities honored Nicole, then of course everyone else would have gotten an invitation.
The demons moved off, but the woman kept looking at him. After a few moments she simply walked back over to him.
“I think I owe you an apology of sorts. When I came to spy on you the other day I was less than subtle, and this apparently caused you to go away somehow. If I caused you any stress or difficulty, please, forgive me. I intended no harm. I was only trying to see if I could discern what you are. I know that I am a Demon and we're known for making hard bargains and being crafty on the terms of those bargains, but I assure you that I'm not selling, or buying, anything today.” Holding a hand out, as if to shake, she waited.
Zack stood there, knowing he had to respond, not wanting to be rude, but not wanting to let her touch him either. So he bowed as he had seen others do here. After he did it, he wondered if the others had been avoiding contact with him for similar reasons.
Beatrice covered smoothly and bowed in return.
He broke from her, backing away rather than turning his back, her demon core laughing at him, but still not trusting her enough to let her behind him at close range.
Valerie, Norris, and Patty came in about that time. The people in the room subtly closing with them, except for himself and Hilda who held their ground. Even the demons moved toward the sexually powerful beings. Their allure was so strong that the press of bodies in the room just shifted away from Nikki, almost like a school of fish shifting in unison.
Hilda walked over to stand next to him, noticing that he also hadn't moved.
“They're nice enough, I guess, but, I don't know, their signaling is all wrong for my people. If you want sex, you go up to a person that doesn't reek of sex and say 'hey, let's do it' then they say yes or no. If a person smells like they do, you leave them alone until it fades. I don't get you people sometimes. All this mating and dating, but sex means the opposite of what it should...” She shook her head.
Zack asked her about what they did if they didn't date and get married and so on. How did people know who was safe to have sex with and such, so people didn't sleep with the wrong people, relatives and such.
“Oh, well, you can smell who a person's parents are. If you have a child you take care of them for the first twenty years. Man or woman. No one shirks. My kind don't have a lot of little ones, not all at once. I have eight brothers, two of them full brothers even, which is rare, but we're all nearly a hundred years apart in age, the oldest to the youngest.”
Zack tilted his head, pondering this.
“That could be hard for you here then, because Human guys, and I guess other types of people that find you cute, probably won't know if you smell right or not. On the other hand, someone that isn't having sex is at least more likely to not be in a relationship than people that smell like that to you, if I get that right. So that can work. Really, I guess I should teach you how to look for rings. That will only tell you who the married ones are, but that's the most important part. This really could get complicated for you, as good looking as you are.”
Claire walked over then, clearly having been listening, according to her inner self. She held a drink in one hand and put her other arm around Zack's back comfortably.
“More to the point, dear, I think I should go over what to look for rather than Mr. Hartley, who means well, but probably doesn't have the same level of, shall we say... experience, in these matters? It's a good idea and will give us a chance to chat sometime.”
Claire looked at Hilda meaningfully.
Zack just nodded and agreed. Pointing out that most of his experience didn't really deal with people at all. Claire, a Vampire, had to be a master of the Human condition by now, it being part of her lifestyle after all. She'd need to understand her prey if nothing else. That idea made him uneasy, so he let it go and tried to focus on the party for a moment.
Laughing softly, the Vampire took his arm and moved close to him. He could feel the coolness of her body against his arm, even while she took pains to do this carefully, avoiding pressing the side of her chest against him in any way that might be provocative. He understood this from her inner self's dialog with him.
Libby walked up to join their group, letting them know that Nikki's shopping spree had begun and the party would be moving around with her now, as clothing would be presented, then Nikki would try it on and model it for them. This way Nessa, who considered herself a bit of a fashion guru, could steer the Vampire toward things that flattered her form.
Valerie saw them and added herself to the little cluster of people around Zack, her friend from the club, Norris, followed her. Hilda stiffened at first, then almost immediately relaxed.
“Hilda! I'm so sorry. Patty told me what you said about your experiences with us before. We didn't realize we'd caused a negative reaction like that. Does it help at all if we choke it back like this? If not we'll remove ourselves from your presence at once.” Norris looked at her closely, trying to gauge her reaction to them, making it clear that he'd leave at the earliest sign of discomfort.
Hilda smiled and indicated that this did seem much better. For a few minutes they discussed this effect, how choking back their energy like that actually changed their scent to Hilda. Norris wondered out loud if it had something to do with pheromones. Then the conversation turned back to Zack suddenly, in a way that made him feel fairly uncomfortable.
“So, Mr. Hartley, are you seeing any young ladies – or men – at the moment?” Norris asked.
Zack muttered a soft no, turning red. Norris dropped the topic, realizing that he'd hit on something uncomfortable, but Libby picked it up, pointing out single people he could date, including both guys and girls.
Hilda looked confused. “Does dating mean having sex with? I thought it meant something else...”
This started a long conversation, led mainly by the Succubi and Incubi about the possible meanings of dating. Including simply sharing a meal or an event like a movie. Valerie pointed out that her shared meal with Zack didn't count, because that had to do with business, but the meals Hilda shared with him did count, regardless of the fact that they were at work when the events happened, because Hilda didn't have to be there at the time.
Then they carefully diagrammed how sex could, but didn't always, play into such things.
“The Trolleinkein way is so much simpler. For instance, I could walk up to Zack, say, hey you haven't been having sex with anyone else, would you like to with me? And that's that.” The large woman spread her hands. “Simple.”
Libby spoke up then, possibly under the influence of a little too much wine or whatever her glas
s contained, since she seemed a little off balance. “Except Zack isn't having sex right now because going through the line to save the little Mage girl opened up a bunch of bad memories, which he carefully doesn't think about, which means he isn't thinking about sex at all either. Right?” This she addressed directly to Zack.
Claire turned on Libby suddenly, eyes blood red and fangs protruding visibly, looking ready to rip the Bat girl's lungs out, after dismantling her throat to get to them more easily. Her Shadow beast grew huge suddenly in a combat frenzy, or nearly so.
Reaching out with his own Shadow Zack soothed her, almost on instinct. On both levels of being, in that way that indicated pure truth to almost everyone, he said “It's all right. It isn't a secret... After all a few hundred people know about it by now. It's just something I have to deal with. You know.”
Claire came back to her normal self instantly. Not quickly, instantly, which caused a few heads to turn when they noticed it. She apologized to Libby for her lapse in manners then turned to apologize to Zack as well. He shook his head and squeezed her upper arm a little, reassuringly, he hoped. After all, she'd only reacted to what she thought would be something hurtful aimed toward him. Hard to get upset about from his perspective. He smiled at her a bit, letting the corners of his mouth quirk just a little, hoping it didn't look too much like a smirk.
After mingling for a while with the others around him, Claire went back to Nikki, giving her input on styles and clothing choices as well. A dark-skinned man, nearly a purple black color, stepped up to him. A giant and friendly smile on his face.
“You'd be Mr. Hartley?” His hand extended professionally.
Zack took the hand and shook it, the man shook hands well, and for just the right amount of time. Zack tried to follow his lead on it, taking cues from the man's Shadow, much like he'd done when he danced with Claire. He could see that the man's Shadow looked like a rabbit of some kind, except huge, the size of a man or at least nearly. It shifted in and out of being, other shapes taking its place at times. A small dog, a man with a strange head dress, a bird... It rested longest in the shape of a rabbit. This man could probably choose many shapes in both body and mind. For a second Zack wondered if having the mind of a rabbit would give him super-powers somehow, then shrugged the idea off.