Agreeing was the easy part. Planning was the headache. Didn't realize going out to a convention had so many conventional steps to it.

Pretty far out of town, sort out the transportation. Will be out the whole day, book a hotel room. Outfit required for participation, need a cosplay.

"Though I suppose you only have yourself to worry about on that one," Amanda said, side-glancing Ash. "Hers is as genuine as you're gonna get. Get her in the armor, and she's a first-place winner."

So on top of my already existing prior engagements, there's now also this to sort out at my own nonexistent leisure.

For some reason or another, my agreeing had lit an unquenchable fire inside Amanda. There was a significant amount more robustness to her voice, fast and peppy the words leaving her lips. Movement's also got whole 'nother layer of liveliness, more sways, more flourish...

In a way, she was, as the fellow kids would say, super stoke bruh.

Silver lining was that it made the rest of the journey drastically less dull - hearing her talk about her time in the convention, just from the way it sounded, it really did seem like a fun time.

Probably would have continued her storytime forevermore had we not a destination to travel to, and eventually, soon, we did finally reach the end of it.

Timing well with the climax of her tale of the Creepy Bard Man serenading her with his song and lute wherever she went.

Alas, though we reached the climax, I never got the chance to hear the conclusion.

Interrupted, both me and her... as she steered onto the driveway of the house... slowing, stopping, then the both of us, staring.

"Umm," Amanda turned to look at me, her brow just as furrowed as my own. "Did... something happen?"

I shook my head, just as clueless as she was, perhaps even more so. "I've no idea."

Visitors. I don't get no visitors, and I don't really appreciate solicitors either. Getting one was like finding a unicorn in a forest.

Well, right then, I got a unicorn, pulled up at porch side. Not just any unicorn either, this one blinked the lights red and blue.

Police. At my home.

Why would there be...? Oh.

Oh shit.

"Tyler..." I reached down, fiddled with the seat-buckle, and flung the door wide open. "Wake up Ash for me."

My little speedwalk to the doorstep had my thoughts packing with countless scenarios all playing simultaneously.

It's early morning, so early the fucking birds didn't even get to catch the worm yet! Why would he call the cops at this time?

More importantly, why would he NEED to call the cops at this time?

Did he find something? Did someone find him? Jay! Was it Jay?! Did he finally showed up again after all this -

"Irene!"

From speedwalk to full-blown sprint, wobbling and achings be damned, the sight of that raven-haired bun on top of that scary, scowling pale complexion was enough of a reason to set my physical therapy back a couple hours.

The succubus policewoman. Yet somehow my dumbass keeps forgetting the policewoman part of the equation. Thank God it was her that showed up here instead of some other random cop.

But I get the feeling I'll regret being thankful... cause I really do not like that look she's staring at me with on the porch.

Notebook in hand, slow blinking hazel eyes the epitome of disgruntlement. I don't think she's as glad to see me as I washer...

"Hey..." I gave a faint smile upon reaching, hoping I'd get one back. "Funny meeting you here."

I didn't.

"Tyler Leaden," She said, fluttering open her book, stamping at a page with a pen from her coat pocket. "Age twenty-four, caucasian male, social media influencer. Do you know him?"

Knew this had something to do with him...

"See you've met him," I said, finally able to match that look with its cause. "Pretty interesting guy, don't you think?"

"Answer the damn question."

"Yes, I know him," replied I with utmost haste. "I invited him to stay with me for a while."

"Good," She said, never once looking up from her book. "Then you're the one liable. I'll be pissed off at you instead of him."

"Why? What did he - ?"

"Well you let him in, clearly you've already considered the risks that choice carries. How about taking a guess?"

I just stood and stared there thinking but coming up with nothing.

Doubt he's figured out anybody's secret, he's been staying here for so long, staring out at the truth right under his nose. If he didn't at all realize it then, he was never going to realize it at all.

"Umm... uhh..."

Luckily I was spared from giving my deductions. From behind, very wary, a Knight at the ready spoke in a hushed hurried whisper.

"I was told only briefly by Lady Amanda - has... has something terrible happened while we were away?"

Ash's wide green eyes met the detective's, and since her anger wasn't all-encompassing, Irene gave in to her inquiring gaze.

Sighing, she flipped to a page, and read aloud. "Five in the morning, dispatch received a call coming from this address in regards to a possible assault in progress. Domestic violence."

I blinked. "Domestic..."

Ash frowned. "Violence?"

"Caller was a young male in his twenties," Irene continued, deaf and blind to our befuddlement. "Lucky you, I was in the area, and even luckier you... I was the first to answer the call, and since I only know one male in his twenties that lives here, I came as fast as I could."

"You thought I made the call?" I asked.

"Had me running red lights for nothing," She glowered.

Lookie that there, she does care. So why the hell have you been avoiding my messages like the damn plague?

"So who was it that called for your aid, then?" asked Ash. "And whatever for?"

Irene flipped another page.

"The victim described the assailant to be a short, petite young woman with long hair and... in his own words 'pretty nice looking breasts'".

Nice, Tyler... nice. That's some pretty vital information for sure.

"He also added that the assailant seems to be in possession of a row of fangs complete with a set of long sharp claws to match..."

"Wait, wait..." I think I heard enough right there. "You're saying... Adalia...?"

"No."

I blinked a heavy blink, a rousing suspicion unequivocally confirmed. "Amelia..."

This minx seriously picked the worst time of all time to pay her sister a house visit.

All week I've been cooped up - never seen a hair nor fang of her, but the one instance I step out, she waltzes right in like she owns the place.

Can pretty much imagine what the hell transpired. An unsuspecting Tyler, in the darkness of the early hours, mistaken one for the other, and Tyler being Tyler probably thought he'd do a funny and sneak up on her.

Well... going by the state of things as they were now, I say mission fucking accomplished, Tyler.

Ya did it.

"These are the findings I'm supposed to report back to the precinct, you realize?" Irene said, snapping her notebook shut. "Sounds awfully like some victim testimonials we got after the serial abductions from before..."

Oh, okay... now I get why she's upset.

"Sorry," I muttered, blowing away a sigh. "I get where you're coming from."

"Now you do," She said, still staring like a disapproving Mother. "If only you did before."

"I just thought his company would be fun, is all."

"This town is already garnering enough attention as it is. The kidnapping, the Black Sludge - don't really need another report of some mysterious fanged entity to add fuel to the fire. The abnormal can only be overlooked for so long... and certainly don't want the wrong pairs of eyes to start looking."

"Okay, Irene... really I get you," I said, raising my arms up at her. "I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."

"You're very lucky that Matriarch had enough sense in her to leave him unharmed," she crossed her arms, eyes veered to the side in disdain. "After hearing him talk, I certainly wouldn't..."

Yikes.

"If you allow this to happen again - "

"You mean him sneaking up on Amelia?" I paused, giving the prospect a chance to linger in our minds. "Yeah, don't worry... I'll be burying his body with my own two hands."

"So long as we're in understanding, then."

That's when Ash came forth, asking the inquiries that somehow slipped past me.

"More importantly, Lady Irene... I presume no record would be made of this incident?"

"Goes without saying, Elf," She replied. "Public disturbance shall do just fine."

Ash nodded. "I see. I also trust from henceforth that you will be the first to respond to any more... abnormalities surrounding the area?"

"After this incident? I got my ears peeled."

"And what of Master's guest? How is he faring at this moment?"

Irene nudged to the open door behind her. "He's in there, unharmed. Feel free to go interrogating him yourself."

To that, I don't need telling twice. I went in... politely slithering past Irene, well-chosen words teetering the tip of my tongue.

First thing in the morning, and he's somehow got himself into trouble with the police.

He's like an unruly child, and I'm the Dad taking responsibility.

In that case, it's high time some ground rules needed to be set for the rest of the time he's with us.

But before that...

"Irene..."

"I'm going."

I turned around, and she was indeed going, down the steps, into her car... slamming it close before I could blink a second time.

That confirms it, then.

Wasn't 'cause she was busy, not because she didn't want to distract me... this entire time, that wasn't the reason why.

She was avoiding me.