Page 35 of By the Pint

If an unregistered telepath couldn’t protect their thoughts from hackers, and refused to join their ranks, the Assembly would not permit them to have any thoughts at all.

Termination.

Casey assessed me for a long moment. His own thoughts detonated inside his brain like fireworks, all vying for attention. His gaze absently drifted down over my stomach.

It didn’t look like he was capable of speech in this state, so I added, “I want to teach you to barricade your mind. Over the next fortnight, or month, or however long it takes. I won’t let you walk into immortality without at least knowing the basics of deflecting hackers.”

He said nothing for the longest time. I forced myself not to pierce his mind. Not to listen to his internal debates. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“I get access to your mind, and you teach me to barricade my own?”

“Yep.”

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch other than I get to spend some time with you. And you promise me that whatever you discover in my mind won’t affect your five-year plan,” I said. Because I was already being selfish enough stealing his time, I didn’t want to take anything else from him.

He flinched. “Why would it affect my plan?”This is what I’ve wanted since I was a boy. I get what I want. Always.

Good. Glad to hear it. So, we’re in agreement then?

He held out his hand for me to shake. I took it. His warmth blossomed up my arm like a time-lapse video of flower petals opening to the sun. “Deal.”

“We’ll start your training tomorrow evening. Meet me at Jungle Frenzy at eight.”

“The mini golf course?” he said, narrowing his eyes at me, and curling his lip.

By way of answer, I let my burgeoning grin burst through.

Casey rolled his eyes up to the moons, gave me a curt nod, and pushed to his feet. His knees to his ankles were soaked in hot tub water.

And are we just not going to talk anymore about the sex?I asked, because neither of us had stopped thinking about it since I crept out of his hotel room over a fortnight ago.

I guess not,Casey said, but I felt the heavy disappointment in his thoughts.Best to keep things transactional.

I wasn’t sure if the last thought was for my benefit, or his.

11.

Casey

The Constellations Manor Hotel and Spa was a nice hotel. Four stars, too family-orientated to be five, but the lobby smelled like luxury — lavender and eucalyptus and peppermint — and everything was slick, and polished, and clean.

I’d arrived with only the ‘ticket’ Dima slipped into my copy ofQuilting Patterns for the Undead, not knowing whether there would be any rooms available to me, or how things would work regarding the bookings or payment. But the receptionist, an older human woman with a pink pixie cut, simply smiled and handed me a keycard to a fifth-floor room. The top floor. I’d had my bags taken up while I went to the outdoor spa area to confront the infuriating vampire, and then came straight up to wash the gross hot tub water from my legs.

Turned out, it was a suite. In all probability, the honeymoon suite.

It had an enormous bed, a living room area, a kitchenette with a breakfast bar, a study area with a mahogany desk and chair, a dining space with a table to seat six, and the most incredible view looking out over the rose gardens.

So, Dima had paid for my room? I couldn’t work it out. It had to be one of the nicest hotel suites I’d ever stayed in. Nicer, even than any from my Inter-Realm wingball days, and I was on big money back then. Tucked away in a private corridor in the left wing of the building, there was only my suite, and another metal door, no markings, a cleaning closet, no doubt. Was he expecting recompensation? I guessed I’d find out soon.

After I’d showered, I unpacked my case, ordered room service from the three Demeter starred on-site restaurant, and opened the minibar, expecting to find it filled with fancy wine and ten-silver bottles of water. Instead, the little fridge had been stuffed to the brim with AlaeMart Mai Tais. I didn’t know whether to feel annoyed Dima had uncovered this titbit about me, or flattered that he’d gone to the trouble.

I took one out, cracked the cap off, and when I was satisfied the glass on the desk did not have dishwasher residue caked on or in it, I filled it with Mai Tai. And I sat on the balcony, drinking in the smells of the winter night. Pines, and mahonia, and a baseline tang of pool chemicals.

Since Dima was a vampire, and I was already used to living on vampire-time, I went to bed as the sun rose, and got up at four in the afternoon. I hit the gym. It was unsurprisingly well equipped, and clean. Had a quick shower at the gym, then headed back to my suite to shower properly. And had taken myself right back to the balcony to sit, and wait, and sip Mai Tais, and think. So much thinking.

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