Mr. Hartley (Alternate Places Book 1)

by P. S. Power

  “Oh, I like food, but I haven't had a lot of money for a long time. Even when I had my last job things were tight. Troy would buy food, but I started trying not to eat much so I wouldn't strain the budget, since he was doing all the work. I think my stomach shrunk a bit. A lot really. I used to be about twenty pounds heavier.”

  She hit him on the arm from across the table, nearly hard enough to send him flying out of his chair. “Well, you can eat up now! We will get you fed correctly, and get you exercise enough that it turns to muscle and not fat, don't you worry about that.” She beamed at him. “I think your lean times are over now.”

  He ate about half the salad, his two slices of garlic bread and the surprisingly good pasta and eggplant on his plate. Normally Italian food didn't strike him as all that great, but once again the humble mall's food court surpassed expectations.

  He didn't finish all of his food and Hilda raised an eyebrow at him. He explained that if he ate much more he'd be sick. To change the topic he went around the counter and asked her what she wanted for dessert.

  “I obviously can't do as good of a job as Claire would, but I may be able to come up with something passable.”

  When she asked if it would be all right with Claire, he explained that he actually had orders from her to give away free samples to his friends if they came by. Hilda blushed again. Her giant form batted eyelashes at him coyly, copying what Libby had done the other day, he knew that for a fact, as this came across too, though not in words.

  Hilda indicated that she'd have to take it with her, since her break had about finished. Remembering what he read he used the heavy cream to make the topping and measured the amount of finely powdered sugar in a special container marked 'For Whipped Cream' on the top and put it in the plastic tube to spray out on the pile of frozen yogurt. He dried the cherries on paper towel as the book said to and put the almost powdered peanuts on before them.

  He handed her this in a cardboard carry tray with a spoon and several napkins.

  “This looks great! If you decide to leave the candle business you can possibly fall back on doing this maybe!” The sentence came out a little awkwardly, sounding cute and very much like what an excited child would say. For all her size, she had an air of innocence about her that Zack liked.

  She took a bite as she walked away, her Shadow popping back up in front of him, even as she walked out of view. This is great! Thank you, friend. I have a new friend. You said so. We're friends, now.

  Then he found himself alone again. He cleaned the table they had used, perfectly clean already where the large woman had eaten, a few stray bits of food left on the table where he'd been. It never ceased to amaze him how delicate and precise she managed to be with everything.

  He decided to work on his own table manners from then on. If he noticed they needed to improve, other people probably would eventually as well.

  Just after five, two men came in.

  Both had good looks in their own way, one, a Vampire, had a cool and angry sense about him, the other man, Human, looked almost like he belonged in an old cigarette ad as a cowboy, his Shadow self actually wearing boots and the appropriate hat for that job. This image made up a part of his personal identity then, Zack knew, from past experience.

  The angry Vampire didn't even say hello, he looked at Zack with momentary surprise and said “You're just a servant? Fine, you will find in my favor and aid me in this!” At the same time his Shadow beast grew out of his body, and yelled, Do it now!

  The Human instantly flagged and turned away in defeat.

  Zack just looked at the Vampire. Letting his own Shadow out and making it grow to a size considerably larger than the Vampire's beast self he looked down at the man.

  Relax and put your fangs away. You aren't here to fight, but rather to resolve some issue, right? Relaxed focus will aid you more than anger now.... Do that instead?

  The Vampires eyes turned from their blood red color to green in a matter of seconds, his fangs receded and he visibly relaxed.

  “Look, I'm not here to fight anyone, I just need someone to explain to Samuel here that there are procedures and clearances needed to turn a person into a Vampire. You understand this right?”

  The other man, Samuel, shook his head, “I was told that if I stayed on as a servant and food for ten years I'd be made one of you. I served and it's time, but now I'm being given the run around. If I'm not worth turning, then why not just kill me and finish it?”

  Keane had come in from the back during this exchange, Zack realized. Samuel looked from his Vampire to Keane and back, ignoring Zack almost completely.

  “Morcock. What is this? Did you think to run this through before I got here?” Keane glared at the man. “If so, that was a mistake. Mr. Hartley's in charge here until I take my shift, and after the way he just schooled you, I'm of a mind to let him continue. I suggest you talk quickly. I don't take the breaking of a contract easily, as you may know.”

  “Schooled? I don't take your meaning, Keane. I'm just trying to get someone to explain things to my friend here. That's all.” The Vampire looked at Keane, who shook his head and looked pointedly at Zack.

  “Address this to Mr. Hartley. I hear he's fair and honest.” Keane waved at them in dismissal and floated back smoothly to sit lightly on the edge of one of the small tables.

  Not wasting time, Zack turned to the Vampire, Morcock, and asked his Shadow self, less beast now, to explain the situation clearly.

  I made those promises and mean them. I haven't turned anyone before and sometimes new Vampires lose the first ones they try to turn. My mentor died in war just after making me as I am. I fear killing my friend Samuel, if I fail. I'll be ridiculed if others find out about my fear! I can't win. I thought I'd be ready, but I'm not yet. Not alone.

  The inner Samuel shifted to look at the Vampire and spoke. I know this. There's always, was always, risk. I trust you not to fail, my love.

  “I see,” Zack spoke aloud now. “Keane, Morcock lost his mentor a long time ago, yes?”

  “Yes, I believe I heard something like that. I believe he was lost in the campaign of eighty-three. I fail to see how this relates however...”

  “That being the case, I think that Morcock should, under supervision of an experience individual transform Samuel within one month, or longer if his supervisor deems it needful. We'll make sure it isn't attempted until it's as likely as possible to succeed. Does that sound fair to everyone?”

  The whole group relaxed. Samuel smiled, feeling that he'd won. Morcock pretended to glower at Zack, but his Shadow told him that this would work well, and thanked him.

  For his part, Keane seemed to have stepped down in tension, having expected trouble to come from one of the two over this for some reason. He collected their information and logged things into various notebooks pulled from the back. Then took a fee from the Vampire in the form of a small bag of gold coins and logged that too. Then he signed it, had both Morcock and Samuel sign as well and finally gave the paper to Zack to do the same. Each page got its own stamp, in red, and a copy was given to both parties.

  They left together. If not holding hands, at least close enough that their inner selves could and did.

  “That was... well played. Morcock can be a pain in the ass as often as not. When you shoved his attempt to dominate you down his throat I thought he'd burst! Instead he acted like it was nothing. Heh! Then your ruling... How did you know about his mentor? Anyway, shrewd of you to figure out he worried about his lover like that, and a kindness to make certain the Human would be all right. Most of us would have just ordered him to do it or kill the man. I probably would have. He got lucky getting you, I guess.” Shifting a bit, he took a good look at Zack and nodded. His inner self did the same, Zack tried to ignore what else went on inside the Vampire though. “Now, if you don't mind waiting just a few minutes more, I have some things to do in the back, before I take over for the evening.”

  Shrugging in a friendly way, he turned to ma
ke sure he left the place clean. Everything looked tidy to him, but he tried to look at it like a Vampire would. He could faintly smell the Italian food from hours earlier, a faint hint of garlic hovered in the air. He hoped the garlic wouldn't be a problem for Keane.

  A few minutes later Keane came back smiling, an envelope in hand with a wax seal on the back.

  “Here's your pay for the day. Claire asked me to send her thanks and I'd like to add my own, my lack of tolerance to daylight means that she's forced to work day after day. She never complains about it, but it will do her good to not have to work every now and again.”

  The envelope felt heavy to Zack's hand.

  “You'll be wanting to open that now I think...” said the Vampire with a smirk.

  Inside he found three crisp hundred dollar bills, inside was a note, written in a very clear hand, the same one from the notebook, it thanked him and invited him to join 'them' for a night of dancing at club Tarantula.

  “You should come if you don't have other plans. Blake is coming to take over from me in a few hours. I'll be there and Claire, so you'll be with friends. Please consider it. About ten-thirty?”

  Zack promised he'd try to make it if he could, even though he didn't really like the club scene. The mix of truth and lies, hopes and people crowding together set his nerves on edge. Plus, dancing was something he'd never really learned to do, not well at least, which played at least a small part in his reluctance to go.

  Thanks to the shortcut from the parking lot he got home a few minutes later.

  Troy got up around six to get ready for work himself.

  “Hey, you coming to the club tonight? I picked out some clothes for you that don't suck too bad. You won't look as good as me, but then, who does?” He mock preened for a moment. “Seriously though, you promised... I'll comp your drinks. It won't even cost you anything. Just come and sit or something. It's not healthy to stay at home all the time. We don't even have cable... It's Friday, you're young, live a little?”

  Reminded of money he pulled out the envelope with his pay in it and handed half of it to Troy. He counted it, whistled and said, “Dude!”

  “Do they have you selling drugs or something? This is big money for a Candle store... That Lisa must really like you! You two hooking up or something? Got herself a little Zack sized boy toy maybe, huh?” He didn't sound mean about it, as if that was a good occupation to have, if you could get it. The sex toy part. Troy didn't do drugs. The money disappeared into his room all the same, and no more questions were asked about it.

  He agreed to go to the club, knowing that he'd probably regret it later.

  Chapter ten

  Committed to a night out, he moved quickly to get ready. First stop, Krogers. It was the only place he could get to quickly enough, using a shortcut. There he got everything he'd missed for the last weeks and months. Deodorant, toothpaste, dental floss, and a new toothbrush. For the first time in his life he actually purchased mouthwash, and stocked up with a ten pack of bar soap. He wanted to be ready in case things got tough again.

  He also got a ten pack of cheap disposable razors and some shaving cream. The one razor he had left he'd been using for over a month, with bar soap he frothed up in his hand for shaving cream. It worked, but it didn't feel as good on his face as the real stuff would.

  They didn't carry clothing really, but he could pick up some new black socks that would be good for both the club that night and for work after that.

  His next stop took him to the eight dollar hair cut place. That ate up about an hour all told. He left the barber a five dollar tip, since the hair cut worked out pretty well, being much shorter, with no particular part, so he could just run a comb through it and go. Functional.

  Back home, after a quick shave, with teeth taken care of, mouth washed and body showered, he finally got to put on deodorant. It had been months and to tell the truth he'd been more than a little self conscious the whole time. Trying to not stand too close to people, for instance, in case he didn't smell very nice.

  He dressed and then waited. It neared nine, but he really didn't want to show up early and sit there alone. Maybe he could make an appearance for an hour or so and then beg off? Would “they” understand? If they were all Vampires they might not, he reasoned, since they'd be up all night anyway.

  The clock moved slowly as he waited. He practiced not thinking about anything while the time passed. There always seemed to be so much to not think about in his life. Some would call it a meditative trance. Instead of worrying about things like that, he just didn't think.

  At ten-twenty, he walked out the front door, turned right as he left the porch and stepped directly into the alley behind the Club Tarantula, some three miles away. Walking around to the front he found himself standing in a line with about a hundred other people. The line didn't seem to move at all, so he finally walked up to the doorman.

  “Excuse me, I'm supposed to meet someone here...” He didn't get the next sentence out before the doorman, who he didn't recognize from his previous trips to the club said “If you aren't on the list, you don't get in. Name?”

  Knowing that Troy wouldn't have thought to put his name on the list, he shrugged and gave it anyway. The doorman's Shadow self told him that he was only pretending to read the list, thinking Zack a poser and not important, then stopped suddenly when a girl came out of the club. She had nice black hair, a tight black dress and heels that could have doubled as stilts. Leaning in she whispered to the man, pointed at a spot on the list and smiled at Zack.

  “Mr. Hartley! Sorry about that, you are on the list. Come through please!” He moved aside quickly and smiled apologetically. “Lots of people claim to be on the list...”

  The girl, a Vampire Zack saw, took his arm to lead him through the club. She said something as the wall of sound hit him, he couldn't make out what she said on the surface, so he asked her Shadow, which looked like her with fangs at the moment, to repeat it for him.

  I'm Nikki. Claire and Keane heard you outside and sent me to get you. The door man's new here, so he wouldn't have recognized you.

  Thanks. I can't hear in here. He told her.

  The scent of sweat, perfume and beer permeated the room. Darkness saturated the place, though hundreds of glow sticks and L.E.D.'s in various colors broke it up enough to walk without bumping into anyone. Nikki guided him deftly, people moving out of her way even though she didn't touch or intimidate any of them. A few tried to 'accidentally' touch her he saw, reading their intent clearly, she avoided them all, even though she let him know she normally wouldn't. That was what a place like this was for, after all. Claire had told her to treat Zack as a dignitary, so she wanted to look proper and all, her inner self shared as they walked.

  At the table he saw Claire, Keane and another woman sitting, talking calmly. The new woman didn't have a beast inside her, but a regular Shadow, so a Human as far as he could tell.

  Claire's mouth moved, though he couldn't hear her at all. He requested that everyone share with him on the deep level so he could understand.

  Claire's beast smiled at him, Mr. Hartley! So glad you could join us. You know Keane, of course. The lovely woman at your side is my second lieutenant, Nicole. This sweet girl by my side is my Human servant, Betty.

  Keane turned to him on both levels, Glad to see you made it. I honestly didn't think you'd come.

  “How can you hear in here? You aren't even raising your voices...” This came out loud, so everyone but the Human woman, Betty, could hear him.

  Claire grinned, Selective hearing. We can block out pretty much any sound we don't choose to focus on. If you need to talk to Betty, or want to, just write a note on the pad she has in front of her.

  He took the pad and pen from in front of Betty and wrote “Hi! I'm Zack.” on it and pushed it back in front of her. She said hi in return on both levels at once, like the others were doing.

  “I should go get a drink from the bar. My roommate, Troy, is working tonight and expect
s to see me. Does anyone need anything?” He took the pad and wrote, “Going to bar. Want anything?” so that Betty knew too.

  She looked up at him, gratefully it seemed and said, Water, please? Ice, maybe a lemon wedge?

  Noticing Claire's hair he smiled and let her know that it looked very nice. Her cheeks dimpled a bit in pleasure at the compliment.

  Claire also seemed amused by this for some reason, Perhaps Nikki could go with you? It wouldn't do to have you distracted or stolen away by other women when you just got here, after all.

  He nodded and put his arm out for Nikki. Zack knew that Claire had said something different, if only slightly, because her mouth didn't move long enough to have said all that. That happened on the Shadow level, you got what people really meant or thought, not just what they said out loud.

  Nikki fairly towed him to the bar, and when she found an opening, tucked both herself and Zack into the space, pressing her body against his from her hip to shoulder. She didn't feel warm, but the chill he expected didn't come either. She must have fed recently, that or the warmth of the place was catching.

  Troy did a double, then triple take, literally. Eyes bugging, he held the order pad out for Zack instead of making him shout. Zack wrote down the water with lemon and ice that Betty wanted, then wrote in the Sprite that he wanted. Troy knew him well enough to know he meant something without alcohol that wouldn't stain, not that specific brand name beverage.

  He had the drinks for them in seconds. No matter what he tried to say, Troy worked hard and did a good job at whatever he did.

  Zack waved, and paid for the drinks, since he had money and didn't want Troy to get into trouble for giving away too many freebies and went back to his table. He didn't tip him though. After all, he'd just given the man six hundred dollars earlier. If Troy wanted his money, he knew where Zack lived.

  Back at the table he presented Betty with her water. She smiled and thanked him, smiling hugely as she did.

  Are you a Vampire? Her other self asked him. Even though her lips didn't move he took the pad from in front of her and wrote down, “No, I'm just Human.”