Scales (Avery Rome Book 1)

by P. S. Power

  Calley looked away, her red hair a few shades darker than the longer hair Steve had going on. She seemed upset still, though something had shifted on her face.

  “I don’t think…”

  Avery had started speaking at the same time, glancing at the man in question. He was Human, of course, but even if he was unclean, that didn’t mean he wasn’t cute. Less tainted than she was at the same time. If that was even a real thing. She nodded though, trying not to be herself at the moment.

  “He’s very nice looking. Dragons don’t really date though, I don’t think.” She didn’t know that for certain, but Calley relaxed a lot, nodding. She literally sagged in relief as her face lit up.

  “I pinned Ang down on that score a few times, back in the day. He said about the same thing. They can have sex, at certain times, but don’t really want to, other than to have kids. Even then they don’t really have relationships. Not outside of friendship. They tend to be loners that way. Still, you’re a girl. That can make a difference. The one I know doesn’t really date either, but it doesn’t seem to bother her when men ask her out. She even goes on occasion.”

  Rebekah, for all she was clearly playing, also didn’t seem to want to give up all that easily on the promise of free node travel. Instead of being defeated by how difficult dealing with her was probably going to be, she just winked, then smiled, with her mouth closed.

  “So… Girls night next week? We can do each other’s hair and watch old movies. It’s been forever since I’ve done that…”

  Calley rolled her eyes, seeming ready to say something, but Avery thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. It was plain to see that the woman only wanted her for her skills, but there were worse things in the world. It would be rude to constantly rebuff her anyway.

  “We can invite Eve Benson along? I don’t know if you’ve met. She’s probably my best friend.”

  The all white woman nodded then, happily.

  “I do know her! She’s a friend of mine, even. Getting line travel out of her is harder for me though. She’s the Bey’s apprentice. That’s…” She stopped then, her face going hard. “It’s a bit like she’s the second to the boogey man. The dark thing under the bed? So asking her for things is hard for me. You seem far less scary that way.”

  The food was being passed out by Mr. Gartner. It was all she could do not to jump up and help him with it, but this was his place, not hers. Besides, he was efficient and quick in his motions. Enough so that she would have been in the way, trying to help him do anything. There was a constant flow to his actions that didn’t hold normal pauses in it, somehow.

  So she answered Rebekah, who wasn’t having any food herself. Neither was Steve for some reason. He noticed her looking at his lack of a plate and explained.

  “Don’t worry, they aren’t starving me. That’s actually Eve. It’s part of her insane training program for baby Vampires. It works, I hear. Of the five people that have gone through it, four of them are already master Vampires. The other one is having some issues, but she’s still way nicer than the other young Vamps I’ve met. I mean, I’ve been in the same room with Nancy half a dozen times and not even had my throat ripped out or anything.” His green eyes lit up then, seeming happy. “So I have to fast several days a week. Meditate and some other things as well. It’s more intense than it sounds like, since I also have to do things like this. Not eat and sit around while other people do…”

  Avery didn’t know how that would work, or why anyone would bother. From the sound of it the experience was worth it, for Vampires. Rebekah smiled again, glancing at the boy, her head shaking side to side a bit. The pink energy inside of her making that happen, much like the black inside Tyler was doing with him. There was less of it however, by far. The pink that was.

  Tyler, whatever he had going on, tried to drink the world in its passing.

  Interestingly, bits of black fog moved from Steve to him as she watched. She didn’t comment on it, but from the sense of things, it was leaving the Human more alive, rather than less. Given his work with the Mages, that was probably a good idea. They might object to losing their store clerk, or having him be damaged.

  She nodded then, considering things.

  “I need to get in touch with Eric Weise. He’s one of your people right, Mr. York? You work with Lisa? I mean, you aren’t a Mage, but connected to them?”

  Steve didn’t deny any of it, watching her take a bite of buttered pancake.

  “That’s kind of right. I pretty much just work at the store, but I know a few people. I’ve met Mr. Weise. Why?”

  She ate for a bit, until it became clear that everyone had figured she wasn’t going to go on. When she did people seemed surprised.

  “We need someone to take his place on the investigation. I don’t know a lot of Mages, but you work for them, so that might be all right? You can get magic done, even if you can’t do it yourself. We need someone to take Lars’ place, if he can’t help us. I don’t know what’s going on there. I need to call people. It could be that Eric is still available. It didn’t seem like it the other day.”

  No one called her on the idea of a mere Human being involved, though she half expected them to. He was clearly well connected, but that wasn’t her point. When Steve made a face at her, she smiled back, waiting for his objections.

  They came almost immediately.

  “You want to replace a high Mage with me? I can’t really fill his shoes, can I? Trust me I can’t secretly shoot lightning from my fingers or anything.” He wiggled them, suddenly pointing them at Scotty, who pretended to jump, as if struck. The Vampire looked a bit shocked after it happened, but smiled at the other man. They laughed at the whole scene, if only a little.

  It was playing, but also incredible to see someone do that rapidly. No research being needed, or old stories being copied. Just something brand new, in an instant.

  “That’s the Human super power, isn’t it?” She waved at his empty hands, but it was Calley who nodded, picking up the idea.

  “Yeah. They all do things like that all the time. Better, Steve is a musician. A creative type even for his own people. Tyler is better at it, but York isn’t bad that way. He’s also trustworthy, if it turns out to be his own people behind things. Most Humans hate murderers. They don’t even care if the person killed is Human or not, mainly. Some might, but I’ve rarely met that kind of person.”

  It was clear that several of the others were confused. Mainly Steve and Tyler. They were both staring at Calley anyway.

  Steve finally grinned. It was a charming and disarming thing.

  “I have powers now? Other than my good looks, I mean?” He dimpled at Avery then, tilting his head and winking.

  Calley nodded. Her face was very serious, suddenly.

  “Yeah. We don’t mention it much, since it’s a strange one, but… Humans are incredibly creative. That sounds like a little thing, but think about it for a minute. The rest of us largely react to the world, coming up with new things slowly, or copying what Humans do. Even us Shifters are like that. We adapt well enough to new things, but we have to learn them first, from the outside. A few months ago Avery was set to running one of the first modern Shifter field kitchens ever tried. We all eat, so it isn’t like we shouldn’t have the idea, but setting that up took a person that had similar skills already for us. You’d be able to work out what was needed in days, all on your own. It’s not a small thing.”

  Avery nodded. It had been around her several times now. Almost each time she’d been near a Human over the last months. They poured new concepts and ideas off of themselves like it wasn’t even a thing.

  There was a glance over at Scotty and Rebekah, with a skeptical expression involved by the lightly freckled man.

  “You two manage well enough that way, don’t you?”

  That got an interesting response, since the woman looked away, smiling. Scotty was the one who answered for them, his face nearly blank.

  “I don’t. Haven�
��t you ever noticed that I pretty much just sit there while you and Tyler make up the new songs? I can drum, but even at that Tyler normally tells me what he wants first. Rebekah, well, she does come up with new things, but it’s slower than with you or Ty. She used to be Human though. I never was. Some small spark of that power lies within her. With most of the Vampires. Haven’t you ever wondered why they recruit from humanity for the most part? They could and sometimes do, bring over other types of beings. The ability to change rapidly is a major power for Vampire kind to keep a hold on. More valuable than changing shape, or even adding greater strength might be.”

  The room went a bit silent, but Steve nodded after about half the food on Avery’s heaping plate was gone.

  “I guess I can try to help then? It still isn’t magical tracking. They do some really interesting things with scrying. If we can find something that belongs to the killer, that will work pretty well. Lisa isn’t bad with that, if we can get the right materials for her. Some of the other people might help that way.”

  Which was part of why Avery wanted Steve on the team. He knew that kind of thing. She just didn’t. An actual Mage would work too, but other than Lisa, who hadn’t even recognized her the night before, she didn’t know any, other than Eric. He was important to his people, which meant busy at the moment, most likely.

  Lars was a different matter. He’d won the right to be in on the investigation, which might mean he wouldn’t be instantly replaced. It was tempting to jump up and go put a call in right then, but it was very early still. Besides, there was a lot of food left to eat. Tyler did a good job with it, as did Calley, but there was enough made that no one there had to go hungry. Other than Steve.

  Vampires didn’t eat food. Neither of the ones there had blood directly in front of them either. When she was about done for the time being, a third dead person walked into the room. She was younger looking than Avery, by a few years. Pale, having been born white. Made more so by death. Her skin was flawless, of course. Everyone in the room had that going on. Including Steve, for some reason. Her hair was a blonde color, if a bit mousy seeming. For a moment she reminded her of Chris, the line walker. Except a girl and dead.

  “Hey all! I needed to get out of the office for a bit, so figured I’d come and prove that I haven’t actually forgotten you all.” There was a hug for Tyler, who stood up to do that part, as well as one for Calley.

  The others all got waves, as the new person settled into one of the remaining chairs that were arrayed around the table. Finally, she glanced at Avery, smiling just a bit.

  “Hello. I’m Ginger Harris.” It was a simple introduction, which invited one being returned in kind.

  “Avery Rome. Nice to meet you.”

  Tyler smiled then, patting the new dead girl on the leg gently.

  “Avery is the Shifter line walker. Jahn begged her to come and get me to the Colorado node today. Then Calley tried to use her position to get a trip in as well, which started a cascade. Now it seems that Rebekah has proclaimed that she and Avery are BFFs, trying to get free line travel.” His grin faded a bit then, but he went on, seriously. “Calley, Scotty and Steve have all been brought in on a murder investigation? I don’t know much about that. I mean, I know the case, but I just figured it was on the back burner, since the attacks happened.”

  Ginger shook her head, glancing at the others, her eyes fixing on Scotty in particular.

  “Bey called that one in earlier. Harland had told him that the investigation was continuing, regardless of the heavy hitters being busy or not. Bey was…” She stopped, her body freezing in place for a moment, then broke out into a smile that was nearly sunny. “Ecstatic might not be too big of a word to cover how he seems to feel about it all. I was told that Miss Rome was to be given all aid possible in this. Including that she was allowed to kill any Vampires that refused to help her. I take it that you were just all in from the start then, Scotty?”

  Rather than seem upset by the news, the Bat Shifter Vampire nodded seriously.

  “Of course. I’m all about the civic duty. It was part of learning to be a day walker from Eve. We have to all be Council stooges, right? Not that I can really replace The Bey. I’ll do my best. I owe Avery already, after all. She went and got Steve for me the other day, because I asked. That’s no small thing.”

  Avery, done with her food, stood up, which got everyone else to do the same thing. Calley still had food on her plate, but seemed excited anyway. Tyler was finished himself, which meant that everyone else kind of followed along. Even Ginger, the new Vampire.

  They just needed to go into the front yard, since there was that nice rift there, which would take them to Vancouver.

  “I need to get with Lars. If he’s still with us.”

  She didn’t explain that part, just passing people through the rift into the back of Yoghurt World. It wasn’t a hard trip, though she had to tug some of the people along with her, so they’d hit the thing right. Everyone that was at the meal came along, for some reason. Not that it was a problem for her. Then, almost instantly, she waved at everyone.

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes? I need to go and see Lars. Or call. I don’t have the number.” The Trollienkeine embassy was in the building someplace, but she didn’t really know where that was. Before she could do anything, Ty pulled out a sleek looking black cell phone and tapped it for a bit.

  He was speaking after less than thirty seconds.

  “Hi, Hilda! This is Ty Gartner? Calling for Lars? His investigation is back on… I’ll make sure everyone knows that here then. At Yoghurt World. We’re leaving in a few minutes…”

  There was a bit of yelling on the other end of the thing, then a roar started on the other end of the mall. A large person dashing toward them, his form a translucent blue that showed through the walls of the place to Avery. It didn’t take him long at all, the giant man, dressed in gray sweats with a Gym logo on the front standing there, smiling. His canine teeth were a bit tusk like, but it wasn’t always obvious.

  The man was still large, but seemed more energetic than he had before.

  “I had thought our tale finished! We had not completed the saga, but battle interrupted. Are we to find our fellows, or carry on alone?” He spoke directly to Avery, though did look at everyone else, his face polite while doing that part.

  It meant she had to be the one to answer him, which was harder to do than it seemed like it should be.

  “Um… Unknown really. We have some others that are joining us, in case they can’t come. Calley Hale. She’s a Bat Shifter. Lang Peterson is her grandmother? She might also be the next President of the Shifters, so it isn’t a minor replacement.” Avery gestured to the woman, who bowed a bit, trying suddenly to seem serious.

  “Lars. Good to see you.”

  “You as well! You are to be the great chief of your people? If you can win the contests for it? That is heady news!”

  That was actually close enough to what was going to be happening for Avery, who moved over to the Vampire in their group.

  “Scotty. He was a Shifter in Life. Also a Bat. Now he’s a master Vampire.” She didn’t know much more about the man other than that he was a giant flirt.

  Tyler went on however, backing what she was saying up nicely.

  “He’s also a celebrity in the Human world, which might allow him access to places that would be difficult to manage otherwise. Steve is, too.” There was a slight hint of defensiveness in those words, as if he didn’t really think that the Trollienkeine would accept a Human as part of the group.

  Lars just smiled, looking down at them all.

  “A band of true heroes! What is our first task?”

  That was getting them all off to Colorado. Technically that wasn’t strictly needed for everyone, but Calley wanted to show her face there in the head office and Ginger decided that having a presence there might not be a bad idea. To that end she nominated Rebekah for the job.

  “After all, you’re famous, as well as co
nnected to a lot of powerful people. Plus, you’re best friends forever with their new line walker. It seems only right that you be the one to help them out.” There was a certain dryness to the words, but the tallish lady just nodded.

  “Thanks. I’ll try to do a good job.”

  That meant everyone except Edom was going to the other location. It took a few minutes to get all the work done, but was a lot faster than driving would have been. When she took Tyler in, the man going first, the node room was empty. By the time she had Steve through, the Human going last, as was proper, several others were in the room with them. Lang, Jahn and Wendell Little.

  The space was large enough not to be crowded, even though they had a lot of people in there with them suddenly. Enough to be uncomfortable for Avery. Tyler smiled and moved forward to shake hands with everyone, clearly being a known individual.

  “These people are here for work purposes. Rebekah is being brought in as a liaison with the Vampires for the duration of the situation. She’ll be reporting directly to Miss Harris. She’s the Assistant Ambassador at Sparks. Vampire, obviously.”

  Jahn shook hands with both of them easily. So did Lang. Wendell wasn’t offered up for that, though he beamed at Calley for some reason. Then, he was the one that wanted to put her forward as their new President. He didn’t speak though, letting her move forward to do her own hand shaking.

  Calley winked at Lang.

  “We heard that some of your working group was being called away from the investigation, so we volunteered to help out, if we can. This is a solid team here. I think the plan is to go to New Mexico after this and pick up where you left off, before the attack. We have York here with us as a native guide. Also an expert on Mages, if it comes to that. Bey and the Council are personally endorsing Scotty here. Bat Shifter and Vampire. So we’re pretty well represented on this one, for once. Us Shifters make up half the team now.”