There were still things out, lurking in the shadows. Everson felt them, but nothing hassled him as he made his way down the street. Sometimes he wondered if the nasties had shifts like the force did and left him alone after sunrise because they were off duty.
He walked through a section of small buildings, two-story brick structures that had once been small businesses—a coffee shop, a convenience store, a flower shop. Everson was a little too relaxed, a little too thoughtful. Mornings were deceiving. When he passed the space between two buildings and saw movement, he stopped dead. His gun came up as a reflex and he stared into the alley, braced for attack.
It was a girl. A naked girl huddled against the wall. The sight was so unexpected it blew his circuits for a moment.
“What the…?” he said. She looked up at him and her eyes went wide. “What the hell are you doing way out—?” Things clicked and he gripped his gun tighter. “You’re one of them.”
The fear backed out of her eyes and what might be pride or defiance filled them instead. She shifted a little, enough for him to be sure she was naked, her long blonde hair the only thing covering her. She looked to be about twenty-something. A very fit twenty-something. “You’re off-duty.”
“Never hurts to make a few more kills.” He hesitated. She wasn’t human, but she sure as hell looked like one. A helpless, naked, attractive human. Everson tried to shut his mind against those thoughts.
“I’m off-duty too.” She stood up very slow, unconsciously—or was it?—putting her body on display. Toned muscles shifted beneath her skin. The sunlight behind her turned bits of her hair into gold. His gaze wandered down from her hair, to her breasts, to the patch of hair between her legs.
His attention snapped back to her face when she asked, “Why don’t we just go our separate ways? There’s no reason to fight once the sun is up.” He noticed she had blue eyes, bright with intelligence.
“It’ll be one less thing to worry about tonight.” And still, he hesitated.
“Not very sporting though, is it? You’ve got that big gun, and all those weapons, and I’ve got nothing.” She held her hands out as if she needed to prove it.
“I don’t know what weapons you might have.”
She shrugged, her breasts rising and falling. “The closest thing I have right now is some extra strength. The rest left at sunrise.”
“But it’ll be back.” He tried to convince himself. Everson hoped she would attack him so he could shoot her and go home.
“Right now, I might as well be human. The day belongs to me.”
He wondered exactly what her comment meant. “Looking human just makes you more dangerous.”
A little smile played at her lips. He reconsidered her initial reaction to him. Maybe she hadn’t been afraid at all, only surprised. “I’m sure we’re both tired from a long night,” she said. “Why don’t we call a truce for now and go home?”
They stood looking at each other for a moment.
“I’m going to back away slowly,” she said. “You can stay here and watch me leave if you like.” The girl lifted her hands, palms out, and took a step back. Everson had to admit she was by far the most beautiful nasty he had ever seen. No, that didn’t do her justice considering what most nasties looked like. She was one of the most attractive women he’d ever seen. If she’d been human…
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