Micaela’s Big Bad by Tijan

3

Thank You. Jeez

I was walkingdown the highway when my Uber pulled up.

The front window rolled down, and the driver leaned over. “You can’t bring that in here.” His bald head was shinier than normal, and the cross he was wearing swung toward me. It fell out of his sweatsuit, and not just any sweatsuit. This driver was wearing a red velvet sweatsuit.

Someone had aspirations to be a pimp. I wasn’t stereotyping pimps. He’d actually told me this was his goal in life on another day when I had almost a full bourbon bottle with me.

I looked at my current bottle. There was a third left.

We non-humans could put the booze away and still function quite efficiently. I believe it’s what you all call a high-tolerance level. Ours was epic.

I held it up and leaned down to look at the driver. “Come on, Ralph.”

He shook his head. “Can’t do it. I got my boss breathing down my neck as it is—”

“Take me to Bass,” and I shook the bottle and its contents at him, “and what’s left of it is yours—”

“Why are you still standing out there? Get in, Caley Girl!”

That was easy.

I slid in the back, and groaned when I smelled what I smelled. That stuff was not legal in Minnesota. “Really? You bust my balls over my booze?”

He shrugged, lifting up his joint for a drag. “Don’t tell on me.”

I groaned, leaning back as he took off into traffic.

Normally, this was bad. Very bad. Normally, I’d never allow myself or a driver under the influence to drive, but Ralph was different. I was different (well, I was being responsible. I ordered the Uber.) I knew Ralph toked up daily, so that was like him popping a cough drop. If he didn’t, his throat would start getting scratchy.

“Why you going to Bass?”

“Nik’s working.”

He looked at me in the rearview mirror. “Why you going to Bass tonight?”

“’Cause Nik’s working.”

He was staring at me.

I was staring back.

Good thing we were at a red light.

That’s when I knew.

I leaned forward, folding my arms over my knees and tucking my chin on the shoulder rest of the passenger seat. “You been feeling it too, haven’t you?”

He pffted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The light turned green, and he started forward, breaking our stare-off.

But I knew, and now he knew that I knew that he knew.

“What do you know, Ralph?”

We non-humans liked to use services from other non-humans. Because of this, our circle wasn’t actually that small, but it felt small. Hence why I had called Ralph of all the drivers I knew, and I knew a lot. I mean, I grew up here.

I also knew Ralph knew because Ralph was like me. Except he wasn’t.

It’s confusing, I know.

“I don’t know anything, Micaela.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t use my full name, Ralphianetterson.”

Yes. That was his full name.

He stiffened.

“Tell me.”

He cursed, hitting the turn signal and easing into the exit lane. “You shouldn’t be going to Bass tonight, Caley Girl.”

I relaxed. I really didn’t like when someone used my full name.

I said quietly, “Why, Ralph?”

A small sigh from him as he eased into the right turning lane. “Does there have to be a reason? It’s Hallo-fucking-ween tonight. That shit’s enough.”

“Why you driving?”

“Because I’m being selective tonight.”

Meaning he was only picking up females. He had to pick me up. Cousins.

I tried again, “What do you know? Just tell me.”

“I know what you know.”

“And that’s what? I just sense a Big Bad in town.”

His eyes flicked up to mine. “And yet you’re still going to Bass?”

Enough said.

Ralph and I were both energy sensors. That also meant we were energy magnets. Where we went, whoever’s energy was around us, some of it stuck to us. Good and bad energy. I actively fought against that. I never wanted to take someone’s energy. Too much and that was a drunk level that I never wanted to feel the hangover from. Some energy sensors never came back from it. They got addicted to it…and liked to keep rolling and rolling. Scary shit could take you over if you let it.

The other problem with that is that we were like drugs to other beings.

They liked to snack on us, in whatever way their species called for them to do, and they got a buzz from us. Blood. Sex. Just sniffing. Other ways. So we were like walking cocaine to some. To most not, but it was enough of a problem that we knew how to watch our backs.

This was another reason why I kept as little energy on me as I could. Self-preservation.

And going to where a Big Bad was going to be, not a smart move on my part.

“Nik’s caught up in something.”

“That’s Nik’s problem.”

“Ralph.”

“Caley Girl.”

Have I mentioned that we’re related? No? We are. See our similarities.

I sighed, looking out the window. We were nearing Bass. I didn’t need to see the downtown section. I could feel the guy’s energy. It was filling every alley we passed, covering every sidewalk. Humans were happily walking through it, not a clue what was sweltering around them.

As we drew nearer to Bass, I felt a tickling inside of me.

It started at the base of my spine.

It was light, but there. It was almost grazing against me, softly. Sensually.

I didn’t like that.

The Big Bad felt me coming; he was welcoming me.

“Cale, I really don’t like you going there.”

Ralph wasn’t looking at me anymore. The traffic was almost bumper to bumper and we had slowed to a snail’s pace. Humans in costumes were walking up and down the streets, but he wasn’t looking at them either.

He was seeing the energy. It was like a black mist that blanketed everything. Black with a tint of shiny metallic blue to it, and it was moving just as slowly as we were.

As we inched forward, it went with us.

Then it was moving toward us.

Then circling the car.

Ralph swore. “That’s it. I’m not taking you. Can’t even see to drive.” He leaned forward, his hands clenching the steering wheel. “Move! She can’t come if I can’t see!”

The energy parted, but it moved up and over the car.

There was a whole rolling movement under the energy, and the blue mist’s spark was even shinier beneath.

I swallowed over a lump in my throat. “You ever see something like that?”

Ralph had ten years on me. He was the elder and had seen a helluva lot more weird shit in his years than I had.

I wasn’t sure that meant he was the smarter one...

He replied, just as in awe, but not a good awe, “No. I don’t like that either.”

“Me neither.”

But I was still going to Bass even if I had to walk there.

Best-friend-combat ready, here I am.

Bass’entire building was shrouded over by the black energy mist. It was thick, and strong. Ralph pulled up to the front and leaned over to get a better view of it, and said under his breath, “That’s pretty damn intense.”

It was. Not in a good way.

He glanced back at me. “You sure I can’t drive you away? Drop you off at your mom’s and you can spend the night safe?”

I gave him a grim look, my insides just as grim and locked tight. “I gotta go in, Ralphie—”

“Don’t call me Ralphie.”

“—I gotta do it. For Nik.”

We stared at each other again.

He nodded.

I nodded.

He said, “Don’t do it for Nik.”

“I hear you. I’m going in. For Nik.”

“That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying—”

I was already out of the car.

“Hey!”

Right. I forgot.

I turned back and handed him the leftover whiskey.

“Thank you. Jeez.”

NowI was off.