Page 59 of Medium
“I’m sorry you promised them that, but you didn’t ask me first, and I haven’t even seen the site. I can’t do it. You’ll have to figure something else out.” Shane’s tone was firm, which was also a change from the last phone call I’d heard him have with this Ricky guy.
But I clearly heard his boss’ response. “...or you won’t have a job to come back to!”
Shane dug his fingers into his knee. “Maybe that’s for the best. I’ve got more important things to worry about than youpromising designs to clients in an unrealistic timeframe and then passing my work off as yours.” Sputtering noises came through, loud and clear. “Consider this my resignation notice.” He hung up the phone.
I glanced over at him and patted his thigh, only realizing too late the gesture was probably overly familiar. “Good for you, Shane. Nobody should talk to their employees like that.”
He dropped his phone in the cupholder and rubbed his chest. “Yeah, well, I think I just got used to it over the years. But I’m done. I’ll find something else. And at least I don’t have a mortgage.”
I wanted to offer to help him find a job, but it wasn’t like I knew anyone who was in landscaping. But I could help him with his resume. I had an overpowering urge to fix things for him, which was odd. We weren’t that good of friends yet.
I jumped in my seat when Dimi popped up, sitting on the center console. “It’s about damn time. The idiot needs a job where people won’t take advantage of him.” Ms. Jackson nodded in the back seat.
I cleared my throat. “Any update on Ellis?” Shane and Simon snapped their attention to me.
Dimi crossed her arms and huffed. “Fucking vampires. Sorry that this one—” she indicated Simon. “—has to share a species with those assholes.”
“Agreed, but what’s happening?” I changed lanes to get around a slow-moving Honda.
She scowled. “They’re looking for a rest stop so they can pull over andhave dinner.” She unfolded her arms to make air quotes.
“Shit. Grandfather said they already fed from him earlier. Simon, how often do they need to feed?”
He pressed his lips together in an expression eerily reminiscent of Dimi’s. “They expended a lot of energy today, so it wouldn’t be unusual for them to feed twice, especially if they didn’t take a lot the first time.”
“Shit.”
Shane shifted restlessly in his seat, his foot tapping on the floorboard. I glanced over, and his eyes were glowing.
“Shane? What’s up with your eyes?”
He turned his head to stare out the window, but I could still see the reflection of the glow.
Dimi patted her grandson’s leg, but not nearly as high up as I’d done earlier. “It’s his combat mode. It’s a magic thing. He’s worried about Ellis, and he’s frustrated he can’t do anything.”
“Combat mode? Wait is that how you were able to run so fast earlier?”
Shane nodded but didn’t turn around.
Simon sat forward, leaning between the seats, which put his head between Dimi’s shoulder blades. She made another huffing noise and moved to sit on Shane’s knees. He didn’t notice.
Simon said, “We need a way to stop the van on the highway. We can’t ambush them at a rest stop or a gas station because there’ll be too many people around.”
I glanced over at him. “Even if we had some way to stop the van, wouldn’t the other cars notice us fighting with the vampires?”
“Um, not if Ms. Jackson here doesn’t want them to.” He cocked his head. “How do you think we haven’t been stopped by the highway patrol before now?” He looked overat Ms. Jackson, and I could see the light of flashes from their Ouija board reflected in the passenger-side windows.
“That explains so much,” Shane muttered. His eyes weren’t glowing anymore, and he was slumped dejectedly in his seat.
Simon leaned forward again. “They say they’ll help.”
“Great.” I tapped on the steering wheel. “Now all we need is a way to stop the van without injuring Ellis.”
Dimi reached out and slapped my head. I flinched away. “Stop it!”
“Apparently my grandson’s not the only idiot in this car.”
I rubbed the side of my head. Her hand didn’t hurt, but the cold went right through my body. “What do you mean?”
