One Foot in the Grave: An Almost Zombie story

Chapter Forty: It's Meat, Flavored with...Meat!

"Whose tomb is this?"

"Does it matter?" Andrew asks, stepping out from behind a huge stone candle holder. "It was overgrown and Father Moss said I could use it."

"We should go to Nacelles as soon as possible," Maxx says.

"Wait," Andrew says, "I think Isis needs to know why—"

I hold my index finger up to my lips and he subsides. Maxx twists the air and just like that, we're standing in my parking garage. Thankfully, it's empty. I turn to Andrew.

"Okay, now tell me everything you weren't telling me before" I say. "And I mean everything, Andrew. Including the stuff you haven't said."

"The vampire who turned me wasn't supposed to," he says. "I was food."

There must've been stupid pills mixed in with my brains. "Huh?"

"I was food, Isis. Good enough to drain, but not good enough to be immortal."

Maxx seems to understand my confusion. "It is customary that food is never turned."

Andrew wilts a bit.

"That's pretty harsh," I say, petting Maxx's soft ears.

He sits at my feet and tilts his head up. "You misunderstand. It is an unspoken rule that has been in place since the creation of the first vampire. It was not a judgment against him."

"But it's not Andrew's fault he got turned!" I argue.

"Isis, I am only the messenger. You need to convince Nacelles Caldmer to speak on Andrew's behalf to the Master Vampire. That is the only way to call off the hunt."

I'm tempted to say 'Why me?' but I'm pretty sure it won't help. I just close my eyes for a minute. "Fine. Maxx, can you take us directly to Nacelles?"

"I can," he replies. "But you stated that you have an errand to run."

I nod. "I do. I'd drive us, but you won't fit. My car isn't exactly big."

"I can shrink down further, if it is necessary." He's not pleased at the idea, though. His ears are down and his normally round with curiosity Great Dane eyes are droopy, a sure sign of his unhappiness.

I pet his head. "Trust me, it is."

He shivers and some sort of spaniel is standing in front of me. I'm not expert enough in dogs to know the exact breed, but he's got long droopy ears and a wonderful coat.

"That'll work," I say.

"Where'd all your weight go?" Andrew asks.

"I cannot contract all my mass," Maxx explains. "This body weighs as much as the Great Dane did."

Yikes. That's one heavy spaniel, but at least he doesn't weigh in at eighteen hundred pounds anymore. He'd break the suspension on my car otherwise. "I need to go to the Farmer's Market before the club, Andrew."

My ex raises his eyebrow at me.

"I owe someone there a couple of rib-eyes. It's kind of out of our way, but I wouldn't feel right not bringing them. Besides, he might not let us in otherwise."

Maxx tilts his head.

"I'll leave the window rolled down," I promise. I don't feel like explaining to Andrew about Tucker. Some things need to be experienced to be believed. And yes, I did just say that. Andrew doesn't say a word when we reach my car. He just climbs into the front seat and buckles his seatbelt. Safety first. Maxx clambers across Andrew's lap and into the back, where he sits upright on the seat and stares first at the seatbelt, then at me.