Nicole Peeler - [Jane True 01] by Tempest Rising (html) Page B

about the same size,
they looked like brother and sister except for their skin tones. She was very
pale and he was very dark, although they had the same boyish haircuts. Sarah
spiked hers up, as if to match her husband’s afro. They were each about five
foot six and muscular, but in a really attractive way—they looked like acrobats
rather than weight lifters. They’d always gone out of their way to speak to me
in the village and I enjoyed coming into the Sty because of them. That said, I
rarely made an appearance, as Stuart often lurked in the vicinity.
    Sarah and Marcus both looked up sharply as Ryu and I entered. Hmm ,
I thought. I know that look . So I was both surprised and not surprised
when I felt Ryu’s power begin swirling, presumably making us invisible, and
Marcus stalked forward demanding to know if Ryu had checked in with Nell.
    Well,now I know why they were so nice to me .
    Ryu assured Marcus his presence was legitimate, and then Marcus turned
to face me.
    “Welcome, Jane,” he said, wrapping me up in a hug as if I were his long
lost sister. When he let me go, Sarah was right there to replace him. She
hugged me so tight my vertebrae crunched, murmuring, “I’m so glad you finally know ,”
in my ear.
    They both stood there beaming at me for an uncomfortable moment, before
escorting us to the left-hand side of the bar.
    Sitting there were Gus Little, Miss Carol, and a man I didn’t recognize.
Gus worked as a bag boy at McKinley’s grocery store, even though he appeared to
be middle-aged. Rumor had it that Gus was “special,” but in the short bus,
rather than the supernatural, way. He was a small man, and very chubby, with a
huge round face and these funny eyes that swam alarmingly behind enormous,
Coke-bottle glasses. He was also bald as an egg.
    Miss Carol was one of my favorite Rockabill characters, next to Grizzie.
She had to be at least seventy and she’d been living in Rockabill, and had been
old, for as long as anybody could remember. She had a thick Southern accent for
absolutely no discernible reason, and she wore hideous pastel-colored suits,
with matching gloves, shoes, and hat every day of the year. I would never have pictured her hanging out in the Sty.
    The unknown man was very slender and strangely elongated, like he’d been
stretched on a rack. He gave me a watery smile, his slightly bleary eyes rather
unfocused. He had the air of someone elderly, even though he didn’t look to be
more than fifty-five.
    All three were greeting me like an old friend when I heard the pop of a champagne cork, an incongruous sound for the Sty. Marcus and Sarah were
pouring out glasses and handing them around our little group. I wondered what
they were celebrating, when Sarah held up her glass and announced, “To Jane!
Welcome to the family!” They all clinked glasses while I sat stunned. Ryu
clinked his glass to mine and leaned over to whisper, “You should say
something.” His lips brushed my ear and I started.
    “Thank you,” I said, holding up my glass. “I wasn’t expecting this. I,
um, really appreciate it.” I clumsily saluted them with my champagne flute and
raised the bubbly to my lips. It was delicious. I’d never tasted champagne
before.
    They all drank with me, and then Miss Carol gave a little cheer and
hollered, “Does this mean I get a discount?” I laughed so hard I nearly snorted
champagne out of my nose. Miss Carol was one of our best customers, but she
read the filthiest books imaginable. She special ordered them and we had to
keep them wrapped up and behind the counter till she picked them up, they were
so dirty.
    Everyone laughed with me, and Sarah and Marcus went back to work, each
giving me another warm smile before attending to the other customers. None of
whom, I noticed, had paid the slightest bit of attention to our little party in
the corner.
    Ryu refilled my glass and I took the opportunity to whisper, “So, what
is everybody?”
    He refilled his own while he