Death Screams by Tamara Rose Blodgett

such sucking gasps that the bugs went in his mouth like a vacuum.
    He began gagging even as the bugs began to escape again from his will alone.
    Clyde shook off the trance-like state with an effort. "He wished for me to restrain you, Master."
    Parker was writhing around on the road, hacking and spewing bugs in a flood of vomit.
    I nodded. "I know. Couldn't have that, Clyde."
    " Very unseemly," he agreed and I smiled.
    Jonesy said, "Alex, deck that dick that's workin' Terran over."
    " Your wish is my command, Jones," Alex said as he walked over and cold-cocked the Null.
    " Master, I have summoned the policewoman."
    " What? You mean Gale?"
    He nodded.
    " How?" I asked, thinking that this was going to be a PRIMAL cluster in about three seconds. That's all I needed, the cops again.
    " She is connected to you as this one is," he gestured toward Tiff. "She does not come in the capacity of policewoman but as..." he trailed off thoughtfully.
    John came over and said, "Back-up?"
    Clyde nodded. "I believe so."
    " So, Gale's got the Undead Radar thing now, Clyde?" Jonesy asked and Clyde frowned just as she showed up.
    It was just like seeing your teacher in public outside of school.
    Weird.
    Here Gale was, without Garcia, in beat-up jeans and a T-shirt, pulsing off her car and leaping out. No make-up, her hair still wet from the shower. She jogged over to us, her busy eyes missing nothing.
    " What-the-hell is going on?" Gale yelled.
    Parker wouldn't stay down, getting his second wind, he reined in his zombies. I didn't think he was going to be able to do much with scuttlebutt. Alex had put a hurt on him pretty good.
    Clyde took in her appearance. Both her showing up and her unsightly outfit. He wore a disconcertingly natural grin as he looked at her. He was glad to see her.
    Too glad, I thought uneasily.
    All the Graysheets were out for the count and the bugs came to me, their quarry unconscious, their job done.
    With a deep breath I released them. They swirled in a loose circle in the sky, like tiny, inky stars, colluding into a tight bundle, dropping into the forest like an opaque bomb of death.
    Parker excavated his gun from underneath his jacket and pointed it at Gale.
    Clyde's expression went from one of neutrality to rage in an instant, like water rinsing off soap suds from a dirty dish. It was that fast.
    " I will tear your spine through your entrails if you discharge that weapon," Clyde said casually.
    His eyes were not casual.
    Parker's eyes flicked to Clyde's. "You're not fast enough, carcass."
    " Do you wish to test me, necromancer?" Clyde's eyes glittered back at him like obsidian marbles, his intent clear.
    " I can nail her and you wouldn't get to me."
    " Mayhap or no. You would breathe your last but a moment later, Death Master."
    Parker deliberated. Finally, his zombies behind him, gun still trained on Gale he said, "I only came to warn you. All this," he spread his hands at the fallen Graysheets, "was unnecessary."
    " Use the pulse, dumbass," Jonesy said, making a rude noise with his mouth.
    Parker looked at him, "Don't disparage me, Mark Jones."
    Jonesy didn't say anything.
    He shifted his attention back to me. "Stay out of this AP issue, Caleb. It doesn't concern you. As a matter of fact, neither does the clairvoyance sample that has so conveniently disappeared. He holstered his gun and looked at me for a long moment. "It's in your best interest to stay away."
    I shrugged, dismissing his message. "Duly noted, Parker. But think about this, you're the one that brought it like ya did. We just responded like we had to. You always put me on the defensive."
    Jade walked away from Bry's car and stood beside me.
    " Why don't you try explaining things instead of manipulating us all the time. Obviously, unless you kill us, there is no negotiation. And, for the record, if someone means to hurt one of us, especially one of our girls," Tiff huffed in the background and I ignored it, "we're not going to stand around and watch."
    I