Slim half started to smile. Then the street entertainer saw the body crumpled next to the toilet. It was the garou leader, his clothes ripped and a large green splotch marring the top of his head. He wasn’t moving.
Slim rushed forward.
The creature straightened, head brushing the ceiling and leaving a green smear. It swelled up menacingly.
Griffen put a hand on Slim’s shoulder and stopped him. “Ease down, Slim,” he said, keeping his eyes locked on the imposing figure.
“Are you nuts? Look how bad that monster beat him. The man might be dead,” Slim said.
“Funny you caring, Slim, but look again. The clothes are ripped only at the seams. I think our friend here is only responsible for the clout to the head. I take it an unconscious shifter reverts back to their natural form?” Griffen said.
“Some yes, some no. The garou and werewolves are said to,” Slim said grudgingly.
“I think he saw… this, and panicked. Started to shift, not thinking about what it might do to his outfit, and the creature reacted, just as it was about to react to your rush.”
Griffen finally released Slim’s shoulder. He hadn’t taken his eyes off the apparition in front of him. It had no eyes, but there were two dark blue flowers on what was passing for its head. Griffen got the distinct impression that they were watching him, appraising him.
Slim’s glance at Griffen was awfully appraising, too. “Damn, I heard dragons was fast thinkers,” Slim said.
Griffen would have responded, but the creature settled down and went back to its more relaxed slump. A deep gurgling built from somewhere inside. After a moment, Griffen realized that in a harsh, bubbling way it was beginning to speak.
“Moderator… good,” it said slowly.
“Think he means you is a good moderator, or that it’s good the moderator is here?” Slim asked.
“Both,” the creature answered.
Slim started, obviously having not expected an answer. Griffen could swear the fronds on the “spirit’s” face were twisting, smiling. It was disturbing and comforting all at once.
“Waited,” it said.
Griffen pulled up all his courage and took a step forward.
“Waited for what? Why?” Griffen said.
“For you… witness. Must be fair.”
It moved slowly, a complicated procedure involving all of its seemingly separate plants. Both Griffen and Slim had to hold themselves back from reacting as it bent over the fallen garou. Griffen watched closely, waiting for any sign of violence. No matter how unknown or dangerous the thing might be, he wasn’t going to let it harm an unconscious man if he could help it.
After a few moments it stood again. In its massive hand, it held the garou’s wallet. Griffen stared as it pulled out several large bills, then dropped the billfold next to the unconscious body. It held the bills to its chest, and they were sucked one by one into the ooze, disappearing into the depths.
Griffen couldn’t hide the shock in his voice as pieces clicked together.
“He owed you money!?” Griffen said.
Massive shoulders shrugged like trees bending together in the wind.
“It’s New Orleans,” it said in its ponderous voice.
Slim choked back a laugh. Griffen felt more like groaning. He rubbed his palm over his eyes and his fingers against his temples. He was really going to have to think about finding some way to improve security. This could have gone much worse.
“Look, as thankful as I am that you aren’t some slaughtering monster, you can’t leave by the front door. Even on Rampart it would get talked about,” Griffen said.
The creature nodded, and again Griffen was almost sure it was smiling. He watched as it leaned over the sink, bent forward, and slowly slid into the drain. Pieces that Griffen were sure would be too large flowed together with slurping, sucking noises. Something about the process strained Griffen’s eyes till he had to look away. By the time he had blinked and looked back, the creature was gone, an industrial-strength ring around the sink and a few marks on floor and ceiling the only thing left to show that it had ever been there.
Those signs, and a shape-shifter on the floor who promptly lifted up his head, apparently not so unconscious after all.
“Is she gone?” he asked.
“She?!” Slim and Griffen exclaimed together.
This time Slim didn’t try to hold back his laughter. Griffen fought down the urge to throw up his hands as he marched out of the room. Before leaving, he instructed the young shifter to find a mop and clean up.
He could just see this bunch leaving things for the hotel’s maid staff.
Thirty-four
Mai had been thinking. Of course, she was always thinking, but a particular train of thought had captivated her attention. She had been thinking about faces.
Faces. She presented so many different ones to different people. Lover and confidante, unnoticed power, old enemy. She was all of these and more, depending on the situation, and the people involved. That was part of the great game that she truly loved. The many different and varied roles one had to play. Some false, some second nature, some true nature.
Some more honest than others.
There was one face, one role, that she had been slacking off on lately, an unexpected role that she had slipped into without realizing, one that she found fitted her better than she would ever have guessed. As soon as she realized how little she had played it lately, she knew it was time to take it up again. Decision made, she made her plans and found herself at Valerie’s apartment door early one afternoon.
It was time to be a friend.
She flung the door open dramatically, standing straight and tall and looking as authoritative as possible. Knowing that if the door was unlocked Valerie was in, and probably doing nothing more than watching TV on her couch. Sure enough, Val looked up from the couch, startled by the entrance.
“Get up. We are going shopping,” Mai declared.
She knew that statement to Val was even more random and surprising than her sudden entrance. Sure enough, the other dragon gave her head a shake and stuck one finger in her ear as if to clear it.
“Say that again slow.”
Mai grinned, letting herself relax.
“I mean it. You are turning into a lump. All you seem to do lately is work, work out, worry about your brother, and pretend nothing is going on in your own life.”
Val smiled a bit, shock wearing off, and ticked Mai’s list off on her own fingers.
“Seems like a full docket to me,” she said.
“Shows what you know. I’m bored and thus declare a day of shopping, bonding, and associated madness. Come along nicely, and no one gets hurt.”
“So, you are bored, and I get dragged along for the ride.” Mai faked a gasp.
“You impugn my intentions? This is all for you. Suck it up, girl, and I’ll bring along Daddy’s credit card to salve your wounds.”
Val smiled more. Mai enjoyed bantering with Val; they both knew it meant both more and less than it seemed to.
“Daddy, huh?” Val said.
“Well… someone’s daddy certainly. You know I must protect my sources.”
“Spy.”
“Lump.”
