They Come by Night (40 page)

The afternoon passed in a haze of heat, salt water, and the smell of coconut sunscreen, and I stopped thinking about the man I’d met by the lockers.

Mina loved the water. She dashed into it fearlessly, but she swam so well I didn’t think to worry about her. Somehow, though, whenever I turned around, she always seemed to be near, and she’d growl if anyone on the beach came too close.

She finally relaxed enough to let Jimmy and Trish play fetch with her, and I took the opportunity to get something to eat.

Kenny was manning the grill. I wrapped a towel around my waist and leaned against the picnic table while I waited for the hamburger he’d thrown on for me.

“You ever think of having a dermatologist take a look at that mark on your neck? Maybe have plastic surgery?”

“Nah. I wouldn’t recognize who was looking back at me in the mirror without it.”

He laughed, but then his stare seemed to narrow.

“What?”

“What’s with the necklace, Ty?”

I closed my fingers around my half of the mizpah. “Pendant, you philistine.”

“You never wore that in high school.”

“He never wore what?” Den came up and grabbed a small bag of sea-salt-and-vinegar potato chips.

“A necklace.”

“How many times do I have to tell you? It’s a mizpah.”

“My cousin has one in sterling silver. His fiancée has the other half,” Den said around a mouthful of chips.

“You never wore jewelry before.” Kenny narrowed his gaze at me. “You have something you want to tell us, Small?”

Geez. “I gave the other half to a friend.”

“That guy at your dad’s house?” Jimmy had joined us, and he took a chip from Den’s bag. He bit into it and started chewing, then made a face. “Ewww. Vinegar?”

“No one asked you to pilfer my munchies!”

“Well, excuse the hell out of me.” Jimmy turned to rummage through the rest of the snacks and came up with a small bag of white-cheddar popcorn. “So what was up with that guy on Monday?”

“Ray? He’s my bodyguard.” As I’d hoped, the answer was so ridiculous it made them scoff and change the subject.

“So where’s my bachelor party going to be?” Kenny asked.

“You mean your brother hasn’t told you?”

“No. For once in his life the family blabbermouth is keeping his mouth shut. Who’d have thought?”

We all laughed, and I just hoped what came out of my mouth didn’t sound as hollow to Kenny as it did to me. His mother had sworn us all to secrecy. Not that there was much of a secret to it. Bowling and pizza featured largely in the night.

Mike should have been Kenny’s best man, but Mrs. Gentry, Chrissie’s mother, insisted on Algie, aka the blabbermouth, and Kenny’s mom had thought it was a great idea. Mrs. Gentry wanted the perfect wedding for her only child, and since she and her husband were footing the entire bill—Chrissie’s dress alone ran $10,000—Kenny’s family agreed with pretty much everything they wanted.

As for Mike, both moms knew of his reputation in high school—he was a player, and they were probably afraid of the kind of bachelor party he’d have planned. There’d have been strippers and lap dances for everyone, even though we were all underage.

I was glad Algie wasn’t going that route. Not to be a party pooper, but… yeah.

“Trish is waving to me.” Jimmy tossed the empty bag into a trash container. “I’d better go see what she wants.”

“And I think I’ll go for another dip, maybe dunk Mike.” Den took off, leaving me to face Kenny.

However, all he said was, “You sure you want it this rare? I thought you preferred your hamburgers done a little more.”

I did, but for the past few weeks I’d been eating my beef rare. I figured it would be better for replacing the blood I’d given to Adam and Rául, not to mention needing to stock up for the next time. It had been a little more than six weeks, and I wasn’t sure if I should expect another vampyr to come visit me soon, but I wanted to be ready.

“Well, here you go, then.” He slid it onto a bun. He’d barely had the burger on the grill long enough for it to brown on either side. “Onions, relish, tomatoes, and pickles are right behind you. And the ketchup and mustard and stuff.”

“Thanks.” I sprinkled some salt on my burger, put on onion rings, a slice of tomato, and some pickle chips, then topped it off with ketchup. Maybe I should add some potato chips?

“Want me to grill one for Mina? Or maybe a hot dog?”

“No, thanks. I’ll give her part of mine.” I took a bite and chewed cautiously. It wasn’t as gross as I’d anticipated.

“Okay.” He sat beside me at the picnic table. “I got a call from Putting on the Ritz. The alterations are done, and we can pick up the tuxes a week from tomorrow.”

“Great.” The bachelor party was scheduled for the following evening, so I’d just drive down a day early. “I’ll let Dad know.”

“I’m glad I’m a guy.”

“Huh?” That was so out of left field I had no idea what he was driving at.

“Chrissie ordered her gown last winter, right after we got engaged, and the bridal salon got really snippy because they said there wasn’t enough time to do it right.”

“Six months isn’t enough time?” I could understand his being glad he was a guy. Two months ago we’d gone to the same shop where we’d ordered our tuxes for prom night, and we’d been told it would take six to eight weeks.

“Nope. They want at least eight months. And more would be better.”

“But she has her dress?” I knew Kenny would have told me if the wedding had to be rescheduled.

“She does.”

“So what happened?”

He grinned. “Mrs. Gentry went to see them.”

“Oh, wow.”

“Yeah.” His grin became evil.

The first time I’d met Chrissie’s mom had been when I’d been invited to Chrissie’s for her Sweet Sixteen party.

There was valet parking, a woman to take our coats, waiters to bring around trays of hors d’oeuvres, and even a bartender, although all he was allowed to pour were Shirley Temples, Virgin Marys, and soft drinks.

The guys had to wear suits and ties, and the girls wore dresses. Jimmy had complained he had to get a new suit, since he’d outgrown the last one, and it was a waste since he’d just have to get another one for when we graduated. I hadn’t needed a new suit; the one Dad had helped me pick out in the boys department of JCPenney for my confirmation still fit. We’d thought it would be good for a long time, and so it would.

There was dancing in the Gentrys’ finished basement, and I was able to join in the fast dances, since no touching was required, and that was fun—I knew how to do them because I watched the videos on YouTube—but I sat out the slow dances. It was lucky I was the odd guy out.

And although Mrs. Gentry refused to allow games like Spin the Bottle, Kenny managed to sneak Chrissie into a closet for a little Seven Minutes in Heaven, and the other guys got the girls into other out-of-the-way places to make out.

Mrs. Gentry must have had a sixth sense about what was going on, though. After about five minutes, she came downstairs. I turned around from the TV I was watching and gulped when I saw her standing there.

“Christina Nicole Gentry!” That was all she said, but Chrissie popped out of the closet immediately. Fortunately, Kenny hadn’t had the time to muss her up too much.

“I was just looking for… uh… Twister!”

“Indeed.” Mrs. Gentry stood there with her hands on her hips.

Chrissie waggled her fingers behind her back, and Kenny shoved the box into her hand. “See? Here it is!”

She walked away from the closet, and with Mrs. Gentry’s attention on her, Kenny was able to slip out and pretend he was coming back from the powder room.

The party went on, but Mrs. Gentry stayed down there the rest of the time.

She was a pretty nice lady, but she’d micromanaged that party to the nth degree, and now it looked like she was doing the same for the wedding.

“Yeah,” Kenny was saying, “I could almost wish I—”

Mina started barking, and I tuned out whatever it was Kenny wished. I’d heard that bark from her before. It wasn’t as full-volumed as it could get, but hearing it here on the beach—it scared me.

“Min!” I tossed aside my hamburger and bolted toward the shore. A half dozen men stalked toward her. There was no other word for it—there was menace in every line of their bodies. “Mina!”

The next thing I knew, she was in my arms.

“What is it, pup? What’s wrong?”

“I tell you what is wrong,” a deep voice snarled. It held a hint of Spain. “That dog is on the beach.”

“What are you talking about? This is the dog beach.” My grip on Mina tightened. The men… no, not men, but I had no idea what they were… were swarthy, a little under average height—which actually made me taller than them—and broad, but I had the feeling if that was fat, it wasn’t going to slow them down.

I felt cold, and I’d have backed away, but the ocean was behind me.

“It does not matter.” The one who must have been the leader laughed, and I didn’t care that people said laughter was the best medicine—this was pure poison. “That mongrel does not belong here. It comes with us!” He flashed some kind of badge.

Yeah, maybe he was a park ranger, but I wouldn’t bet my bungalow on it.

“And so do you.” He reached for me, but then shied back.

Mina had been quiet, but with that she snapped at him and began to growl, and it was those same growls from the night all hell had broken loose. She felt heavier too, and for a moment I was distracted from the danger in front of us, afraid I was going to drop her.

“What’s going on, Ty?” Jimmy came to stand beside me. Trish, Kenny, Chrissie, Den, Mike—they all flanked me, Chrissie holding the spatula and Kenny with the barbecue fork in his hand. The others hefted cans of soda and bottles of water, ready to use them as weapons.

“Nothing, James.” Oh God, I had to get my friends out of here. This pack would destroy them without batting an eye. “Leave this to me, please.”

“No way. Listen, you leave our friend and his dog alone, or we’ll make you sorry!”

I could have cried. They had no idea what they’d be dealing with.

“You?” the leader mocked. “We make mincemeat out of you.”

“I don’t think so.” Long shadows fell across the sand, reaching toward those others, and I risked a glance to my right.

These were no more normals than the other ones, but they were taller—even the women were at least six feet—and not as bulky, and danger emanated from them even more so than the ones who confronted us.

The leader of the newcomers stepped past me, blocking my view, but I peeked around her to see what was going to happen.

Mina’s growls were getting deeper, and she was getting heavier. In a minute I’d have to put her down

“You’re not welcome here, lackeys of the wicked one!” she spat. “Begone!”

None of my friends laughed at the archaic phrasing, and then I realized she’d spoken Spanish and they hadn’t understood a word, although they’d picked up on the tone.

Short and Ugly and his bunch glowered and snarled and attempted to intimidate us.

“One day I will find you, and these
pedazos de mierda
will not be around to help you. And you will not have that on you!” He gestured toward my neck.

My hand went to it, thinking he was talking about the vial of holy water, but of course that was in my backpack. All that was around my neck was the mizpah.

They slunk away, swearing in Spanish. I was willing to bet Mr. Castile would have been shocked. He’d never have taught us those words!

“What were they?” I asked through dry lips.

“I think you know.”

I was afraid I did—obviously not vampyrs, but more of de Vivar’s minions. “How did they find me?”

“They have their ways. It was good Raymond informed us of your whereabouts.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I am Ekaterina.”

“I’m Ty Small.”

“I know.” She smiled, and then she glanced up at the sky. “It grows late. You should be on your way.”

It wasn’t even five, but I wasn’t going to argue with her. It would take me a couple of hours to drive home, so I should be there in good time—the sun didn’t set until after eight. “My friends—”

“William.” The tallest of the men glanced her way, and she nodded toward where Jimmy and the others stood, staring from our attackers to our rescuers. William indicated he understood what she wanted, and then she turned to me. “My companions will remain until your friends leave. They’ll see they come to no harm.”

“Thank you.” It was ironic I wanted to offer her my hand.

“Ty, who are these people? And what the fuck was that about?” Jimmy was looking a little green. Did he remember what had happened that night at my house?

“Uh… these people?”
Think fast, Small
. “They’re in a couple of my classes.”

“They’re going to be morticians too?” He looked them over carefully. “They’re a tough bunch!”

“Well, we’re going to be the front line of defense when the zombie apocalypse comes.” I could tell Jimmy wanted to poke my shoulder, but he crossed his eyes at me instead. I kept my expression as innocent as I could, then pointed in the direction de Vivar’s henchmen had taken. “And those creeps?” I shrugged. “Just a bunch of assholes flexing their muscle, I guess.” How could I tell them? They were normals.

For some reason that distracted Jimmy. “You mean because you’re gay?” he asked, and I groaned.

“Ty’s gay?” Mike’s voice rose an octave. Great. Now it was going to hit the fan. “How come you never said?”

“Thanks a lot, Black. It never came up, Mike, and I didn’t think it was important. Kenny, Chrissie, do you want me out of your bridal party?”

“What, are you nuts? Of course not!” Chrissie seemed steamed that I’d even suggest that, and I was gratified—I was more Kenny’s friend than hers.

“What about you guys?” I asked Den and Mike. “Are we still friends?”

“You’re kidding, right?” They looked surprised. “Geez, Small, what country are you living in?
We’re
gay!” Mike announced.

“You can’t be gay! You dated all those girls!”

“Yeah, well, he had some issues to work out.” Den gave Mike a whack on the back of his head.