Touched by an Alien

you want, isn’t it? Run of the place? Lording your might over everyone else?”
    Yates glared again. I really thought I could see Christopher’s Glare #4 in this one. Eerie how genetics worked. “You think I’ll allow that?
    I shrugged. “You might not like it, but I think Master Fugly wants a tour. Don’t you, Mephistopheles?”
    Yates’ eyes glowed red. “You intrigue me. Lead on, little one.” The words had more resonance, as if they were coming out of a much larger body.
    “Yeah, I have that affect on scary monster-men.”

CHAPTER 61
    WE STROLLED OUT OF THE ROOM , and Yates followed. “Thanks a lot,” Martini said under his breath.
    “Didn’t mean you were a monster. Other than in bed.”
    “Uh-huh. What are we going to do?”
    “Trust me.”
    “I’m beginning to hate it when you say that.”
    “You okay with the elevator?” I asked Yates. “I mean, are you okay with waiting to manifest until we’re all out of it? These suckers are really expensive to fix.”
    Yates’ eyes were still glowing. “Yes,” he said slowly. “You have accepted the transfer?”
    “Um, sure, possibly, maybe. Let’s discuss it somewhere else.”
    Martini’s arm tightened around me. “No.”
    “Not your choice, Jeff.” I tried to send an emotional clue but I wasn’t sure if he got it. From an emotional standpoint, I was vamping like a two-dollar hooker in Old Downtown Caliente, but I wasn’t sure if Martini was getting or understanding it. I just hoped somebody else was. And I hoped I was sending the right signals, because if they didn’t do what I needed, we were all probably dead.
    “It would be preferable to do it now,” Yates said in Mephistopheles’ voice.
    “Oh, come on, big guy. You’re telling me that you want to miss the big reveal? You know, where you manifest in front of all the chosen people and declare yourself their god? And then you choose your next human vessel and go all soul-transference and mysterious? You really want to pass that one up? With a freaking captive audience in attendance?”
    “The one you cling to must be destroyed, you know.”
    I snorted. “Hardly. You’re saying I don’t get to pick who I bang when I’m your vessel? Yates got his pick of the kiddies. I want this one. And his cousin, too. And a few of the others, as well.”
    I really prayed Martini was picking up where I was going with this, because if he wasn’t, it was going to get scary ugly fast.
    “Perhaps. If they do not try to interfere.”
    “Oh, they won’t. Right, Jeff? No interference, you let me go mano-a-mano with Master Fugly?”
    Martini looked at me. “Sure. If that’s what you want.” He looked freaked out but not panicked. Hopefully this was a good sign.
    “I do. Now, be a good boy and get the elevator down here.”
    Martini pushed the button, and we all waited, as if we were in an office building and going up for a meeting. Elevator doors opened, no one inside. Good.
    The three of us got in and Martini looked at me. “What level?”
    “Top.” I hoped. It had the most open space I’d seen.
    He pushed the button, and we went up. Just like every other elevator ride, no one looked at each other. Nice to know the big fugly had that bit of humanity still in him. Yates wasn’t really human, but if they could breed with us, the spark was there. At least, this was what I told myself. Because I was counting on it.
    We reached the top and exited. No one around. This was a really good sign.
    “Where are the masses?” Yates asked in Mephistopheles’ voice.
    “I’m sure they’re coming. It was sort of an off day today.” I moved us into the biggest open area. “We’ll wait here for them.”
    “There is not much more time,” Yates said. “I grow tired of waiting.”
    “Well, while we pass the time until the others get here, why me?”
    He looked at Martini. “Leave us and bring the others. My words are for my next vessel only.”
    Martini clutched me to him. “Jeff, it’ll be okay.”
    He kissed me, not too long, but with a lot of meaning put into it. “Be careful, baby. Please.” He let go of me and moved away. Yates let him go, and I relaxed a tiny bit.
    Now it was just the two of us. Alone at last. Me and the ickiest man in the world. I was actually looking forward to the fugly of my nightmares making a return appearance.
    “So, Yatesey, you have about, what, an hour to live?”
    “Possibly less.” The eyes were still red, so it was Mephistopheles.
    “Okay, we’re