A New Life - Page 8

Tyler jerked back, reasserting control of her hair tendrils and moving them away from Alex. The sudden motion puzzled Alex, but Tyler waved her hand, saying there was just a bug, and perhaps they should move back in.

In her mind, Tyler beat herself up (and Tylix) for letting it try to attack Alex. Tylix had been well-behaved up till now, but it seemed that the combination of booze and a willing “target” was too much for it to resist.

Pushing Tylix’s influence out from her mind, Tyler thought of confessing to Alex then about the symbiote, but a sudden fear gripped her heart. What if Alex wouldn’t accept her? Tyler had an identity crisis on her humanity before, and felt the old wounds coming back. No! I am human, she reassures herself, and I’ll love Alex as a human.

Resolving to have a stricter control over Tylix, Tyler decided to put aside the thoughts on symbiote confession for now. The silence between the couple was getting awkward, and Tyler would rather spend the remaining night repaying the kindness Alex had given her.

Their drunkenness giving way to tiredness, Tyler led them both into her bedroom. Alex flopped onto the bed, wiggling around and out of her clothes to make herself comfortable, then held her arms out for Tyler.

Undressing herself, Tyler crawled onto Alex on the small single bed, resuming their kiss from the balcony. Once more their hands explored each other intimately, though now with less urgency. Tyler checked herself to see that Tylix remained in the deep corners of her mind, but also noticed that Alex is becoming sleepier by the minute.

Snuggling together on their small bed, Tyler was content to watch Alex slowly drift off into sleep in her arms, and soon joined her in slumber.

* * *

Outside the apartment, Rick & co were walking down the night-time street, each going back towards their home. Rick was telling the others what he just saw, to which Amelia blushed furiously, refusing to believe him.

Their banter carried far in the cold night, unaware that someone have been following them. In a car half a block behind them, Frank took some notes, noting the time when the off-duty police officers left. There were still dozens of suspects on his list, but those were growing smaller each week. In the end, he’ll surely catch the Black Devil.

Artist’s Note:

And with that it’s the end of this chapter! Just to show how Tyler lives with her new powers, and setting up the villains for the next chapter.

We’ll take a break for one weekend (the 19th) and resume the next chapter on the following Sunday.