Part 21 (1/2)
She grinned. She would have loved to have given him a taste. ”Have fun, and don't forget what I said. If I'm going to give you an honourable discharge, you need those citizens.h.i.+p papers.”
He issued her a polite smile. He didn't want anything from Tyler Rose, anything at all.
Sam was very surprised to see Tyler Rose walk into her office less than an hour later at the Sky Patrol Station.
His three bodyguards hovered outside the door.
”Mr Rose?” she said, looking up.
”Tyler,” he said. ”Please, I'll be my grandfather soon enough.”
”Tyler,” she nodded, noting his grey pinstriped pants and orange cable knit sweater. She'd heard talk of Tyler Rose's seductive, almost indecent attire. Seems he'd really toned it down.
Tyler handed her a miniature disk. ”I know you said you weren't worried about vampires anymore given the fact that...” he paused, clearing his throat, ”well...given what Commander Donovan told you; but I thought you should have this information on file anyway.”
”Well thank you, Tyler,” she said, taking the disk. ”But you didn't have to make a special trip down here just for that.”
He nodded. ”It was no trouble. May I ask you something about Commander Donovan?”
She c.o.c.ked her head to one side. ”I think first of all you are going to have to stop calling him Commander Donovan.”
Tyler narrowed his eyes. ”Why?”
”Unfortunately, he wants out.”
Tyler wasn't surprised. He opened his mouth to speak but she continued, ruffling through some papers.
”Which reminds me, did you run across citizens.h.i.+p papers for Donovan in your grandfather's files? I need them to complete the paperwork, in order to get him an honourable discharge. It's the loophole, you understand. If he is still considered to be a citizen of Sentra, discharge is impossible before the age of one hundred.”
Tyler nodded blankly. ”I don't remember seeing anything, but I'll look around.”
”Tyler,” Sam Carter met his gaze, ”given Bryce's military record, given the fact that he risked his neck repeatedly to keep this planet safe; I would think he is owed that.”
”Of course,” Tyler agreed.
”Those bureaucrats on Sentra are not going to let him go easily. He's going to need you behind him.”
”I'll make sure you get the necessary doc.u.ments,” Tyler told her.
”Good,” she laughed, ”because he's really starting to shed that military image of his. When I saw him earlier, he said he was going out to taste the nightlife.”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. He might not be Bryce anymore but he certainly had retained his sense of ironic humour. ”Where did he go?” Tyler asked her.
”Who knows?” She shrugged. ”He's doing the town, that's all I know.”
”I should find him, discuss...ah...the citizens.h.i.+p issue.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. ”He might not like that. Tyler, to be honest with you, he doesn't seem to be your biggest fan.”
Tyler pursed his lips. He was making it that obvious? ”I see. That's okay. Look, can you do me a favour?”
He cast a look over his shoulder at the three men outside.
”If I can,” she replied.
”Is there a way I can get out of here without those clowns knowing about it?”
”I suppose but...”
”I won't hold you responsible if something happens,” Tyler put up his hand. ”I want you to tell them I have to stay here for a few hours. I'll come back as soon as I can.”
He waited until she stood up. Then she pointed to a door at the side of the room. ”Go in there. It's a bathroom with an escape route out the other side. Don't be gone too long, Tyler.”
He smiled at her. ”One more thing, I need a vehicle. Can I borrow yours?”
She clicked her tongue. ”I have only the police vehicle here.”
”Are there any spare ones?”
She sighed, then nodded. ”It's against my better judgement, Tyler, and if you weren't...”
”I know, I know. I promise I won't play any games with it.”
She eyed him, then reached in the drawer and handed him over the computer access code. ”It's in the parking on the roof, Alma twenty three.”
”Thanks,” he said before ducking into the bathroom. True enough, there was another door. It opened into a long corridor. He ran down the hallway and took the nearest exit.
Once off the roof, Tyler felt a certain sense of freedom he hadn't felt for a long time. He needed to see Bryce.
He didn't care what the transformation had done to him. He loved him. He needed him. And if finding him meant his life, then so be it. There was no living without him.
CARNAL DELIGHTS
There was eye candy everywhere. He was surrounded by it. And anything went. He walked into the backroom of the Manbar where s.e.xual debas.e.m.e.nt was taken to its lowest common denominator. Some of it was a definite turn off, and he would have considered himself far from a prude.
Back on the dance floor, men rubbed their half naked bodies together. A naked man got up on the stage in the front and began to take off his clothes. Dino watched him with amus.e.m.e.nt. It was amateur night. Anyone could jump up there and strip. Some of them should have left their clothes on.
Several men came and brushed themselves up against him. He felt someone touch his hair. He gave the men a guarded glance. There were two of them that definitely piqued his interest, one a blond with incredible blue eyes and another with short dark curly hair.