Whisper

by P. S. Power

  The woman brushed at her curly red hair, then waved for Liam to follow. Her feet, being normal sized for a human, made no more noise on the ground than his own did. She was wearing shoes, which was different than his bare yellow feet. Still, he was careful not to stomp around, since no one had done much of that. Only the bad men and even most of them had been flowing and silent.

  The room with the shelves was under the stairs to the second level. It wasn’t a huge space, though once the door was opened he could see that there were indeed many books inside. Three whole shelves filled with them. At a glance it seemed to be nearly sixty books. More than he’d ever seen in his entire life. It was tempting to goggle at them and let his mouth hang open in shock, given that factor. The small space was oddly scented, seeming old in some ineffable fashion. It reminded him a bit of how clean skin hit his nose, as well as paper and the chemicals that ink was made from.

  Tiffany reached into the middle of the space and took a thin string that was hanging down, pulling on it gently. That caused light to suddenly appear, illuminating the spines of the books, many covered in things other than paper, possibly leather. Some had titles that he could make out. A few were too faded for that, seeming to be very old. Others, a whole shelf of things, looked different than the others on the top.

  Seeing where he was looking the Agent nodded.

  “Right. The bottom shelf is made up of personal accounts of various people. Most of them aren’t strictly human. Half of them are barely legible, though worth the effort if you have the time. Even the accounts of common things in their lives is instructive.” She moved in and tapped the lip of the middle of the three shelves. The wood made a soft sound as she did that. A tap or even click that was muted by the soft flesh of her fingertips as they impacted the unyielding substance.

  “This holds the largest three groups. Some of them are scholarly, though a few are fictional pieces that I was told have things more or less correct. The top shelf holds one or two books on a group. The same rule applies though. Some of them are fictional, though the ideas are right. Do you know the difference between fiction and non-fiction?” The question was bland sounding, as if she actually didn’t care about the answer.

  Liam had to blink though, shocked by the very idea.

  “Yes. Fiction is stories. Non-fiction means true.” At least that had been what he’d always been told on the subject matter.

  For some reason Tiff reached back and touched his left arm. Her hand was warm where it contacted with his thin green top.

  “Right. I pretty much meant if you understand that stories aren’t always real. That people make them up. It can take a while for a young person to understand that kind of thing, sometimes. Up to age ten, for some. That’s years, not months.” She grinned suddenly, as if saying things that way was funny to her.

  This time he didn’t understand the joke at all, if it were supposed to be one.

  The rest made sense, so he nodded.

  “I even know that some stories that are fiction have bits of the truth in them. Things woven in to instruct, even if they are presented as make believe to most people. Mary told me that. Frankenstein, the novel, it’s like that. I mean, the formulae was real, even if the man himself never existed.” There was a shrug then, the thin shoulders lifting. A contrived thing, copied from what Liam had seen others doing to convey that they weren’t certain on certain things.

  That he simply didn’t know enough to say more.

  The answer, even if not the one he felt should be given, got a slow nod.

  “Right. A lot of these are like that. You can tell which is which by how they’re written. Non-fiction tends to be kind of dry and a little boring, while packed with information. So, basically, if you learn a lot about a specific person, especially how they feel, it’s probably fiction. That isn’t a perfect guide, so if you need help telling the difference, remember to ask.” She glanced at her wrist, which was bare, then turned the light off. “You can read any of these, when you want. I also have a spare key for you, in case you want to go outside.”

  Those words got her to pull back, out of the room, nearly stepping on his left foot. Scrambling out of the way, she closed the door to the tiny book room and then turned to regard him for a bit. Her face was readable, he supposed. It just didn't hold anything he understood so far.

  “I won’t tell you not to leave, since if I’m not here it’s going to be clear that you can do that. For the time being you need to stay close to the house, however. If anyone comes during the day, call me. I’ll make sure you have a list of numbers for that, in case I can’t be reached.” She spoke the words as if that was all the instruction that he needed on the topic.

  Liam followed her as she moved away, heading for the kitchen. She moved to get a fresh cup of coffee first thing, using a new mug for it, her first one in the front room still. She added something sweet to it, though that was all this time. It smelled different than the first one.

  After drinking most of it, she closed her eyes for a bit.

  “This won’t go wrong. Leaving little kids alone all day is perfectly natural and the best plan ever. Clearly.” She seemed tight and almost annoyed when the words were spoken, though she opened her eyes and smiled suddenly. “Not that it’s your problem. Just that I have to trust you to do the right thing, even if you don’t have enough life experience for it. Everything in this situation is wrong though. Still, if you don’t know something, ask first. Call me if you need to, even at work. That or Sanchez. He won’t steer you wrong.”

  The words were followed by three big gulps of coffee, and then the white ceramic mug being placed in the sink. It would need to be washed, though there was a machine for that. It was a thing that he could operate, since Mary had a very similar device in her kitchen. His old kitchen. Not that this new space was his.

  Without waiting he started into what he needed to know.

  “Where am I allowed to go? I know that the idea is to prevent the neighbors from seeing me. What do I do if they find me anyway? Also, how do I use a phone to call you?” There were other questions, though he could look a lot of it up online. Even how to use a phone, he supposed. That didn't tell him what he was supposed to use toward that end.

  Brenner grinned then.

  “Ah. You can go out into the yard, anywhere around the house. Stay out of the road and for now don’t go and hang out in the woods. Oaks won’t harm you or anything, I just don’t want you picking up bad habits. Trolls aren’t evil but that doesn’t mean they don’t have some different ideas than you should be learning right now. Still, lock up if you are outside. I’ll get that key for you. As far as what to do… Really, if you see anyone, smile and wave. Like this.” The moves were big and went on for about ten seconds.

  After she put her hand down, still seeming happy as far as her pale and freckled face went, Liam tried to copy her. No corrections came as to his technique.

  “Just like that. Most people will at least get that you aren’t planning to kill them if you do that. You look different being more colorful than most. That… Really, that isn’t a big deal. Act like it isn’t a thing and most people won’t care that much. I mean, they’ll look at you. That’s just because of being different. The big issue is distance.”

  That was understandable.

  “Due to the pheromones I put off? Will washing first help, do you think?” She wouldn’t know that, of course. No one would, at a guess.

  Mary hadn’t even mentioned they were a thing. The idea that she wouldn’t know about them wasn’t very likely, however. It was, he assumed, one of those things that she’d planned to teach him about later, when he was older. Then things had changed in a few moments and now he had to learn even faster than before. That or fail to and find himself being chased out of the town they were in by people that hated him for simply being.

  Almost as if reading his mind, Tiff shook her head.

  “That might help. Being clean is a good thing, anyway, so it won’t hurt. We
need to test that though. It could be a psychic effect as well. So far, the people in the other communities seemed more or less fine with you, really. Vern went for you instead of anyone else in the room, when he wanted a hostage… That was probably just happenstance though. He thought you smelled a bit funny and was worked up… It didn't seem to be directed at you though. That might mean that it mainly affects human people. If so, that’s at least a thing. You know, not having werewolves and vampires after you constantly isn’t exactly a horror in life, right?”

  That seemed correct to him.

  Thinking for a moment, he nodded.

  “But… Simpson might have been affected?”

  That got the woman to nod and suddenly walk out of the room. To the living space in the front. She didn't stop to say anything to him about the other man, just heading toward the front door as a knock came. Liam hadn’t heard anything at all, until the first thump on the wood. It wasn’t banging or angry sounding, and much lower physically than where Oaks had hit things.

  There was a pause about four feet away from the solid wooden thing.

  Brenner called out, loudly, though her voice was relaxed enough.

  “Who’s there?” Her words held a sing-song quality. It was nearly musical, in a strange fashion. After a moment, there was an answer.

  “It is Nicodemus and Sondra. Are we allowed entrance this night?”

  The words were deep and slow, as if trying not to be abrupt on purpose. Liam had to appreciate that, given the last few days.

  Tiffany laughed a bit.

  “Sure. Let me get the lock. Hold one sec.”

  She moved smoothly, opening the door to reveal a man who was only a few inches taller than Liam himself, and a woman who was taller than the rest of them by a few inches more. The man had black hair and skin that almost glowed, it was so pale. Even more so than Brenner. The other lady, who was presumably Sondra, was pale as well. She had very light-colored hair, which was slightly curled on the sides. Her eyes were a light blue, and unlike most people on their first meeting, as soon as her eyes locked with his, she smiled.

  Then waved, which he did back, since he’d just been practicing doing exactly that. The man there, Nic, saw the interplay and followed along with it as well. Waving toward Liam.

  His voice was still deep, though not as slow this time.

  “Hello! I’m Nicodemus Varlet. This is my consort and love, Sondra. We were unaware that Miss Brenner was entertaining tonight. Perhaps we should leave? It was rude of us to come unannounced like this.” The man didn’t seem to really mean it.

  If he did, that feeling of worry was directed only at Liam and not Tiffany at all. The other woman moved a bit closer to him, still staring a bit. He’d been told that could happen, so didn’t take offense. Instead, as she watched him carefully, scanning him from head to foot, he did the same thing back. She was thin, which everyone in the room was at the moment. The biggest difference was that she had prominent teeth. Things she was hiding with some skill, it seemed. The man there, Nic, was doing the same, not smiling now that he’d spoken.

  Liam ducked his head a bit, then whispered.

  “Hello. I am Liam. Liam Frankenstein. Pleased to meet you.” He looked at the lady first, since she was directing her gaze at him rather intently. Then the man, after a few moments.

  Brenner cleared her throat.

  “Liam is staying with me for a time. He’s younger than he looks.” That was, for some reason, directed at Sondra.

  No one mentioned his whispering. The tall woman seemed interested in his age, rather than upset that it was the topic of conversation.

  “Oh? How old are you, Liam? You look old enough to be interesting.”

  Tiffany coughed then, and Nic frowned. At the blonde woman.

  For his part Liam just smiled again, since that seemed nicer than most of the other facial expressions he knew.

  “Five months. My mother made me then. I’m a promethean. Like Frankenstein’s monster. From the book, not the movies.” That part was probably important, being he was yellow and that hadn’t been what most people had going on so far.

  The man glanced at him then and nodded.

  “Truly? That’s incredible then. I’ve heard of others such as yourself, over the last centuries. Five months… yet you are most well-spoken. Is that, perhaps, like my own kind, do you think? We vampires are born in death, left holding the memories of the life that came before that point. Is it the same with you, Master Liam?”

  He shook his head, slightly.

  “No. I don’t think so. I don’t remember anything from before at all. Mother told me that I wouldn’t, being a new person like I was. Made from the bodies of the dead. All human.” That was important, he thought. The book monster had been part cow and other things. Not that it mattered, except that his hands and feet were very large, compared to anyone else in the room.

  The vampire people both seemed to understand what he meant at least.

  Sondra, the lady, clapped then.

  “Ah? Well, Nic was sent to entertain Miss Brenner this evening, to keep the bonds between our people and her government solid. I was to join them, but perhaps it would be better if I saw to you then, Liam? I may call you that, mightn’t I? It’s a good, strong and manly name. Liam.”

  For some reason Brenner sputtered a bit, which had Sondra smile and wave at her. It was a different thing this time, as if brushing things away.

  “Don’t worry, Tiffany. I won’t corrupt our young friend. Not yet, at any rate. I was thinking only that we might speak and share a few tales from our lives. Or… Is it inappropriate for you to entertain with him in the house? I’m far enough away from human notions on that score that I could have forgotten some of the rules, I fear.” She was speaking only to Liam, her eyes locked with his and face seeming pleasant.

  Brenner made a soft noise then. An exhalation.

  “That… Fine. Just no sex or running off with him. I guess that probing him for information is fair enough. Just, Liam, make sure you do the same and collect information about her as well?” There was weight in the words, as well as a sense of worry to what she was saying.

  As if he might not take the opportunity to learn all he could from the new woman.

  Nic smiled at the words. That was a bit mean seeming, Liam thought.

  Then the dark-haired man, who was in a suit and tie, bowed a bit.

  “We should repair to a different room for our… Bonding? If the boy is being denied sex at least. It seems unfair to make him watch. Unless you seek instruction, Master Frankenstein?”

  Tiffany turned colors then, flushing to a pink color that was slightly mottled.

  The other two laughed, and Nic, despite his words, took Brenner by the hand, leading her up the stairs. Probably to the bedroom there. As soon as the door opened and closed, the blonde vampire turned to look at Liam again. She moved in a step and touched his left arm, lightly. Her fingers trailed down to the hand, which she took.

  Unlike Brenner, her skin was nicely cool. It felt better to him, he realized. That bit of coolness calling to him, where the warmth was slightly unwelcome.

  “Come, if you will, Liam Frankenstein. Sit with me. You can tell me what has transpired this night. I smell a troll. Also, the blood of one of the fae kind. Under that… A being of the wind. Mitchel, no doubt, being that Brenner lives here. Those two are close, in many ways.”

  The words told Liam a lot. She knew Mitchel but probably not Robert or Oaks, directly. He could still smell the troll, if faintly. Also wood smoke and the scent of the pig being cooked in the woods behind the house. Not the blood that had been spilled. There was a soft hint of disinfectant on his hands still.

  So he shared the events of the evening, starting at the beginning and ending when the two vampires arrived. It didn't take long, though Sondra did ask questions about different things.

  They were both sitting for that part, on the sofa. The vampire woman directly next to him, her leg pressing through her long
dress, bumping his as they spoke. She had shoes on her feet, which seemed to be made of leather. He examined those for a moment, then spoke, asking a question of her, since that was important.

  People needed to be examined, if you wanted to know them.

  “What did you do today?”

  The woman laughed a bit.

  “I rose with the sunset, so don’t have as much to share. There was a call shortly after, from Duke Lofton. That’s a title of my people, not a human office. Lofton wanted us to come and see if we could find out anything about the other night, with Brenner, her Sanchez and Vernon Hodler the wolf. Our Queen is most interested in the topic, since it might impact us, so Nicodemus and myself were sent out into the night, to seek such information. There was a small disagreement it seems. His daughter pregnant by a human man?”

  Liam understood that the woman was still asking questions, though she was sharing as well. He committed her words to memory, as well as he could while carrying on a whispered conversation.

  “Ah. Not that. She wasn’t pregnant that I heard. Raped, in the fashion that she was too young, not forced. Vern beat the man that did it and wanted to kill him. Brenner and Sanchez… I think they wanted to do that, too. They couldn’t, since their law requires that such a man be sent to prison for a long time, to be beaten and raped in return.” Only that wasn’t the law itself. Just what would likely happen to the man, in retribution for his crimes.

  Sondra looked at him strangely for a moment, then patted his arm again.

  “The Agents seemed to want the human man dead for his crimes? Tell me more of this, if you will?”

  Liam did, having been there to see the whole thing, including what had been spoken of later.

  Chapter nine

  Sondra, the vampire visitor to Brenner’s house smiled, her lips curling just a bit as Tiff and Nic walked down the stairs, about an hour after having gone up the things. They were both a bit mussed seeming, though some care had, clearly, been put into righting their clothing and hair had been smoothed, if not brushed and cared for.