Page 75 of Tell Me Why
She sighed and shrugged, going to lean against him for something to do. The walls were too dirty.
It didn’t smell like people had beenlivingin here, which was the obvious first concern, but it did smell like smallanimalshad had entire generations go through, and there was a humid, earthy smell to it that might have been pleasant, on a hike in the woods, but in with the tile and the collapsing ceiling foam, it was best described asrot.
Five minutes.
Ten.
“You guys didn’t plan this very well, did you?” Tell asked. “I’m growing skeptical of the organizational capabilities of the whole thing.”
“Tell,” a voice answered. “They told me that your name was Oscar.”
Tell cursed quietly, unfolding from the floor and turning to face the doorway that the bearded man was still leaning against.
“Perceval,” he said.
A man entered, looking over his shoulder as two big-bodied, suited vampires came through the doorway after him and stopped like a de facto door.
“Sorry we’re late,” he said expansively. “Good help is hard to come by in America.”
Perceval didn’t haveauburnhair, or evengingerhair. He hadredhair. Ginger had red hair, but Perceval managed to take it so red that it was almost… magenta? Like a clown’s wig. Or a hairdresser’s attempt at an authentic human color who had only everseenblack hair.
Tina couldn’t stop staring at it.
“Should have known, though,” Perceval went on, taking off his white sports coat and tossing it onto a decrepit counter. “If anyone was going to show up and try to dump the boat, itwouldbe you.”
“I’ve been minding my own business for a long time,” Tell said. “Sometimes it’s time for a change.”
“So you show up to deal withDaryll?” Perceval asked. “How did you end up down here, anyway? I thought you were dead.”
“Not dead,” Tell said. “Justboredof all of the drama the rest of you dig up to keep yourselves from dying of boredom and insignificance.”
Perceval winced his eyes at Tell in a fake approximation of a smile, then turned his attention to Tina.
Stop staring at his hair.
Stop staring at his hair.
Stop staring at his hair.
“And who is this delicious bit of peach fuzz you’re carrying around with you these days?” Perceval asked. “They told me that she’s stuck to you like she’s on a leash, and I can see why. Not like you to take your babies out in public.”
“Why is your hair that color?” Tina asked. Tell turned all the way around, covering his mouth with his fist.
“Oh, darling,” Perceval said. “It’s because I’m better than you.”
Tina blinked.
Hadn’t seen that one coming, either.
“You still running around with Bonnet?” Perceval asked, turning his attention back to Tell.
“Broke with her a century ago,” Tell said.
“How about Lenny?” Perceval asked.
“Don’t think he’s been on this continent before,” Tell said.
“So you’re all on your lonesome, with this… insubordinate raven. How adorable.”
