“Wow, they really didn’t explain much to you, did they?” she said.
“Hold on,” said Malcolm, lifting a hand. “That doesn’t make any sense. Why wouldn’t the other champions have told me that? They said that sprytes and demons were corrupted from the beginning, from immediately when they got their gift.”
“Yeah, the optics of it is a lot better for the Champion Authority,” said Rose. “That’s not to say that there weren’t sprytes and demons from Day One, after the Phenomenon. A certain percentage of people, particularly ones with uncontrollable powers, turned into ‘monsters’ really quickly.”
“But I’m part of the Champion Authority…” Malcolm frowned, feeling a bit odd, saying it out loud. “It seems strange that they wouldn’t tell me this.”
“You’re asking the wrong person,” said Rose. “But honestly, stop and think of how much fear it would breed among normal people if they knew that the champions fighting against evil in the world were only a few steps away from turning into monsters.”
Malcolm didn’t say anything. He sat down on the bed and let out a slow breath.
Easy. You can’t necessarily trust everything she’s telling you.
“Okay, so if you were a champion before,” said Malcolm. “Then how did you end up becoming a spryte?”
Rose brought a hand up to her head. She looked as though she was carefully considering his question, trying to find an answer.
“From using my powers too much,” she said. “Beyond that… I don’t know, exactly. There’s so much I can’t remember, even when I’m at my best. Most of the details that have stuck with me are the ones critical to my survival. Speaking of which…”
She pointed at him. Malcolm furrowed his brow, confused. She tapped a hand against her wrist.
“That bracelet thing,” she said. “What’s it called, again?”
“The stabilizer?”
“Yeah,” said Rose, nodding. “It has a bomb in it.”
Malcolm felt a chill run down his back. He reached his other hand over to touch the stabilizer and then stopped, as though now even touching it might be enough to get him killed.
“That’s… insane,” he said.
“It also has a homing beacon, along with technology to keep your mood stable when you use your powers,” said Rose. “That’s more commonly known among champions, however. You haven’t been a member of the authority for long, have you?”
“I just got my powers today,” said Malcolm.
Rose burst out laughing. She saw the expression on his face after a second or two and stopped, stepping in closer to him and looking a little guilty.
“Sorry,” she said. “But seriously, wow. Some first day, huh?”
“Yeah,” he said.
The stabilizer is a means of keeping control… If champions really can turn into monsters, it makes sense.
Malcolm felt overwhelmed by the information. He looked up at Rose. Her eyes were sympathetic, but Malcolm felt a sudden stab of suspicion toward her.
“No, hold on,” he said. “You don’t have any proof to back up any of this. What’s to stop you from lying to me outright? It’s life or death, like you said. I’m a champion.”
“Right…” Rose waved a hand through the air lazily, and the shadow tendrils were suddenly holding Malcolm again, with the addition of a thick bond around his neck. It felt a bit like what he imagined being strangled by a boa constrictor would feel, except colder. “Quite the champion you are, mister…?”
“Malcolm,” he said. “Or, uh… Wind Runner is my champion name.”
“I like Malcolm better,” said Rose. She let her hand drop, and the tendrils disappeared.
He wasn’t sure what to say to her, or how to respond. She’d made her point clear enough. If she was lying to him, it wasn’t in an attempt to save her own life. And the fact that she hadn’t killed him, when she clearly could if she wanted to, also counted for something.
“Rose,” he said. “What do you want? I saved you from those men, but… it’s not like I’ve trapped you here, or anything. I thought sprytes and demons were supposed to be violent and out of control?”
“Some of them are,” said Rose. “That’s just how it is with any person, though. I’m not really like that. Killing, causing destruction… it’s not what I want.”
“What do you want?”
Rose sighed. She was smiling, but her eyes were sad.
“To not feel so fucking empty all the time, I guess,” she said. “To not have to run for my life anymore. Even as a spryte, I still sometimes I dream about settling down, getting married, living a normal life. But I think that ship has sailed.”
Malcolm stared at her, completely bewildered by her response. He forced himself to keep a level head as he considered the situation, which still hadn’t changed.
She’s a spryte, and it is possible that she might still be lying. I can’t trust her.
He knew that it was true, but his suspicion didn’t stop him from feeling slightly awed by her presence. She was gorgeous and smart, and he’d just had amazing sex with her. And yet, she was a spryte.
They were generally considered to be a step up from demons, less violent, usually with more benign powers, though still unpredictable and wild. Sprytes generally had skin of an uncommon color, ranging the full color spectrum, but none of the physical differences to the face and head common to demons.
Malcolm wondered if perhaps the differences were more pronounced than he’d originally assumed. The Champion Authority had never made much of a distinction between the two forms of monsters, and up until that moment, neither had he.
“Do you know other sprytes?” asked Malcolm, suddenly curious. “Or other… demons?”
Rose considered for a moment, and then gave a slow nod.
“I’m familiar with a few, yes,” she said. “At least, I think? It’s a little fuzzy, but I get the sense that there are more in the area than just me.”
Malcolm felt a small surge of hope, tinted by the anger he’d been holding onto for so long.
“Can you try to remember?” he asked. “Do you know anything about one with fire based powers? Or possibly explosion abilities? Something that could completely level a house, and just leave a… smoking crater.”
Rose tapped a finger against her lips, and then shook her head.
“I could help you, Malcolm,” she said. “But I also need your help.”
“My help?”
“I can’t travel effectively during the day,” said Rose. “When I lost myself to my powers and became a spryte, well, you can see what happened to my skin, and my eyes. It’s very hard to cover myself up enough to pass as a normal human, and I can’t use my powers very well when exposed to strong light sources.”
“Is that what happened tonight?” asked Malcolm.
“It’s… hard to remember,” she said. “When it’s been a while since I’ve engaged in my focus activity, I start to lose track of who I am. My point is… I could really use a place to stay. Just for a few days, while I regain my strength.”
She wants me to hide her here. That’s just about the worst idea I’ve ever heard.
“Rose…” Malcolm chewed his lip and started to shake his head. “It wouldn’t be safe for you here. I might have to bring other champions over, or they might stop by. I just can’t do it.”
“This demon that you’re after,” said Rose. “How do you expect to find them without help?”
“I’m a member of the Champion Authority,” said Malcolm. “I’m sure they could give me some information.”
“Maybe,” said Rose. “But maybe not.”
She looked at him. Malcolm could see the hope dying in her eyes, and suddenly knew that she wasn’t lying to him about at least one thing. She was just as desperate as she claimed to be. He felt a sudden surge of empathy, and knew that he couldn’t just force her out into the cold.
“…Alright,” he said. “I guess you can stay with me. But just for a few days, like you said
.”
Rose smiled at him and walked in closer. She leaned in, and for a moment, he thought she was going to kiss him again.
“Thanks,” she said. “I was worried that you were going to make me do the walk of shame.”
Malcolm chuckled. He looked at her, surprised at how much more relaxed she seemed now that he’d agreed to let her stay.
“So how will you help me find the demon that I’m looking for?” he asked. “Can we start tonight?”
Rose frowned and shook her head.
“I’m too weak to start tonight,” she said. Malcolm raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t… seem weak,” he said.
“Up against you?” She smiled. “No. But up against another spryte or demon? I don’t think I’d stand a chance at some of the more dangerous ones that could be lurking out there, not right now. I’ll need some time to rest and recuperate.”
She gave him an odd look, a little embarrassed, perhaps a little eager.
“Alright…” he said. “So, I guess it’s probably better if you take my bed tonight. It would be hard for me to block the light from the windows in the living room.”
“Why don’t we both take the bed?” asked Rose. She sat down on it, patted the spot next to her, and crossed her legs.
“I… don’t think that would be a good idea,” said Malcolm.
Rose stretched out on the bed, rolling onto her stomach and pushing her butt up into the air slightly.
“Think about how much fun it would be,” she whispered. “I sleep naked, you know.”
Malcolm felt himself immediately start to get excited, even though it had only been a few minutes since their last round. He tried to ignore it.
“That was a onetime thing,” he said, forcing the words out. “We can’t be involved like that. It’s just not good for either of us.”
Rose rolled over onto her back and slowly slid her hands across the fabric of her pants, and then her shirt. She clasped her hands and pulled her arms together, framing her breasts and making them look even bigger than they already were.
“As you wish,” she said. “Malcolm.”
She said his name as though it was an erotic promise, slowly rolling it off her tongue and past her lips. She stared at him, her eyes hungry and full of sexual power. Malcolm felt himself being drawn in and knew that he needed to get out of the room if he wanted to keep any semblance up of having control over himself.
“Well then… good night.” He cleared his throat and stepped back through the door, holding the door knob and getting one last good look at her.
“Sweet dreams,” whispered Rose.
He closed the door behind him and leaned against it.
I’ve just made possibly the biggest mistake of my life.
CHAPTER 12
Malcolm was awake for most of the night. He kept expecting something to happen, be it Rose bursting out of his bedroom and attacking him after all, or sliding out naked, and pushing through his resistance for another hot, steamy encounter.
Nothing happened. Malcolm paced his living room. He had a midnight snack. He played video games for a little while, keeping the sound mostly muted.
He finally got to sleep sometime in the grey area between late night and early morning. It felt like he’d only had his eyes closed for a couple of minutes when a loud knock drew him back awake.
“Wake up.” His front door opened, and Tapestry stepped into his apartment. “Your training starts early. We’ve got a lot to cover.”
She was wearing a grey tunic style sweater over a tight pair of jeans, her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. She frowned when she saw him lying on the couch, and Malcolm had to think through the haze of early morning grogginess to realize why.
“You’re sleeping on the couch,” she said, flatly. “Is there any particular reason why that is?”
Malcolm groaned. One of the video game controllers was still out on the floor, and he gestured to it.
“Late night session,” he said. “Gotta keep my gaming skills up.”
“Your… gaming skills?” The look Tapestry gave him was one of amused disbelief. Malcolm grimaced, feeling like a man child.
“Hey, don’t hate the player, hate the game,” he said. “I just have to grab a change of clothes and then we can get…”
He trailed off as he looked up at Tapestry. Rose was standing directly behind her, smiling coyly and wearing only a sheet. She pointed a finger at Tapestry and mouthed the words “Is she a champion?”
Tapestry saw Malcolm’s expression and glanced over her shoulder. Rose was gone in an instant, vanishing completely into the shadows and reappearing across the room, in the darkness of the corner, still wrapped in the sheet.
“What?” asked Tapestry. “What is it?”
Malcolm shook his head slowly.
“Uh… nothing,” he said.
Rose reappeared behind Tapestry again, flaunting her ability to sink into the shadows and give herself practical invisibility. Malcolm felt his tension skyrocket, but he couldn’t even gesture for her to stop without risking giving himself away. Tapestry was looking around the apartment, with Rose silently trailing her, like a mischievous child holding up bunny ears behind someone’s head for a photo.
“Your apartment is so small,” said Tapestry. “You should consider buying a house, instead. It’s a better use of your money.”
“Yeah, uh, totally,” said Malcolm. “That sounds reasonable for a millennial without a college degree.”
Tapestry shot him a look. Malcolm barely even noticed. He hesitated before heading into his room to change, his heart pounding at how close he was to getting caught.
As soon as he had on a new shirt and jeans, he hurried back out into the living room. Tapestry was looking out the window, and Rose was leaning on the couch behind her. The sun peaked out over the clouds on the horizon, and Malcolm saw firsthand just how much it affected her.
Rose’s cloak of shadows went from rendering her nearly invisible to being nonexistent. She blinked, and a flash of annoyance and fear passed across her face. Tapestry started to turn around, and Rose wasn’t close enough to anything she could hide behind.
“At least I get a good view!” said Malcolm, stepping up beside Tapestry and throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Right?”
Tapestry didn’t look amused.
“Malcolm,” she said. “Are you hitting on me?”
“Uh…?”
That’s a good question.
He let his arm drop, and held up his hands innocently.
“Sorry,” he said. “Sometimes I get a little frisky. I think it has something to do with my diet.”
“I’m your mentor,” she said. “Try to keep things professional, Wind Runner.”
Malcolm spotted Rose as she slipped back into the safety of his room and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Speaking of which…” he said. “We should probably get going.”
“Hold on, let me get a look at your bedroom, first,” said Tapestry.
Malcolm cleared his throat.
“Tapestry,” he said. “Are you hitting on me?”
She looked mock offended, and punched him gently in the shoulder.
“You are such a brat,” she said. “Never mind. It’s probably disgusting, anyway.”
She turned to leave his apartment. Malcolm glanced back at the door of his room one last time and then followed her.
Tapestry had parked the BMW on the street outside, but she didn’t head for it. Malcolm fell into step beside her, raising a curious eyebrow.
“No car today?” he asked.
“We’re not going far,” said Tapestry. “We just need a calm place where we can sit and talk.”
She led him into the park across the street from Malcolm’s apartment. It was the same park that had collected a half dozen overdoses in the past year, and regularly had to be raked by someone from the city for discarded needles.
This is her idea of a calm place?
“The
re’s one aspect to being a champion that we didn’t get a chance to explain to you yesterday,” said Tapestry.
“Really?”
“It’s nothing intentional, we just didn’t have time to get to it immediately,” she said. “There are more pressing concerns to be addressed when giving an orientation to someone who has just discovered their gift.”
Tapestry led him toward the pond that filled the center of the park, sitting down on one of the benches around its edge. Malcolm sat down next to her, waiting for her to continue.
She didn’t, at least not immediately. Instead, Tapestry reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a surprisingly large bag of bread crumbs. There was a small family of ducks swimming in the pond, and she began to toss crumbs to them, leading them over to the edge of the water.
“Nice,” said Malcolm. “Fun way to spend a morning.”
She smiled at him.
“An old, guilty pleasure of mine,” she said. “Anyway, what we need to spend to day discovering is what your focus activity is.”
Focus activity. Rose mentioned something about that, too.
“A focus activity,” Tapestry went on, “is a basic element of being gifted. Your powers are not magic. You have to recharge yourself, in a sense, after using them extensively.”
Malcolm frowned.
“I haven’t done anything like that so far,” he said. “And I still feel like I can use mine.”
“Rest and sleep work to recharge your powers as well,” said Tapestry. “But only up to a certain point. To reach peak efficiency, you need to find and partake in your focus activity.”
One of the ducklings walked right over to Tapestry’s foot, staring up at her with wide eyes. She smiled and dropped a small crumb on its beak, which it scrambled to scarf down.
“So how do we go about this?” asked Malcolm. “I can’t even guess at what my focus activity would be.”
“Simple,” she said. “Remember what you were doing at the time when you got your powers. It’s usually related to whatever you were in the middle of in an obvious way.”
“Let me guess…” said Malcolm. “Your focus activity is feeding the ducks.”
Wind Runner: The Complete Collection Page 6