”Yeah ...”
”You’re not going to get tooth decay, Kim. I promise.”
I spat a clot of blood on the floor of the tub. “It wasn’t like that before, I swear it. There was spit, not blood.”
Monica was sopping wet, but she ignored her ruined outfit and plastered hair to cradle my face in the palms of her hands. Her calm helped to calm me. “Sweetie, the only explanation I have is that you still had liquid and moisture within your cells, in your intestines, and it’s all gone now.”
I’m all-dead now, even my cells. I stopped breathing, and it meant nothing. I dunked my head under the spray of the water and stayed that way until Monica left and the water grew cold.
When I got out of the shower I looked like a drowned rat. I grabbed a towel and wrapped myself in it. I lit the gas fireplace, sat in the chaise, and stared into the flames. I wanted my mind to stay blank but it wouldn’t.
I touched minds with Monica. “Why does this hurt so badly? It hurts like pain. Am I going through Vampire withdrawal?”
It was a long moment before I felt her answer. “No, honey. Vampires get rid of their donors all the time. It hurts because you love him.”
I stared into the fire. I wasn’t going to think about that. I didn’t think about wanting to go home so badly that I could taste it, and I didn’t think about how tired I was and how fucking sick I was of all this drama. But what I didn’t want to stop thinking about was how badly I wanted out of this.
There was a tentative knocking at my door that took my eyes away from the soothing flicker of the flames. Monica poked her head into the room. She was cleaned up and looking nice in a black pantsuit with no blouse beneath the jacket. Damn, how long had I been sitting here?
”How are you feeling, sweetie? You have a visitor, and I don’t think you’re up for this one.”
I frowned. “Who?”
”Kaniji.”
I ran my hand through my hair, wild because the fire had dried it. “What does she want?”
”She wouldn’t say.”
I placed my hand on my neck where I had replaced my crucifix. She wouldn’t like it, but I wasn’t removing it. Kaniji was only here to play games or to kill me. I closed my eyes briefly at the pain I felt. I wanted my mind blank again so that I wouldn’t have to feel anything.
I shrugged. “Send her in.”
Monica nodded then left. She returned a moment later with Kaniji in tow.
As usual, Kaniji was sheer perfection, her makeup flawless, her black hair perfect. She wore a baby blue dress that hugged her small body showcasing curves that I didn’t think she possessed. The sleeveless dress was long but somehow casual and did nothing to hide her missing hand.
I gestured to an empty chair not far from where I was sitting.
Kaniji ignored my gesture and eyed me, glancing away from the sight of my crucifix. “You do not look like someone who has secured her seat on the Council ... and the affections of an Elder.”
”Kaniji, why are you here?”
“I heard Tony has told you that Tige was found.”
”And?” I said.
She looked around. ”This home is over two hundred years old. I was here when Johan built it. Johan and I shared many moments in this room.”
I was stunned at her confession. “He was your lover?”
”At times.”
”I’m sorry for your loss, then.”
She turned her eyes back to me coolly. “For which loss?” she asked, raising her stump. “This one? Or do you mean Johan’s ... or could you be apologizing for taking Tony?”
”Is that why you’re here? Because you found out that Tony and I are lovers?”
Her lip quivered, but she didn’t move any other muscle in her body. She didn’t even blink an eye. ”I didn’t know you and Tony were lovers until just now. But no, that is not why I’m here.” She looked past me.
I have never been in a room with anyone who hated me as much as she did. It made things intense. Real.
”You know that I made Tony, and Tony made Tige,” Kaniji said. “When Tige made you, you became my liege as well.”
”You mean you’re my great-grandmother?” I couldn’t resist the jibe.
“No. It means that we’re linked.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. ”What do you mean?”
”Do you ever wonder why Tony is so attracted to you?”
”I’m sure you do,” I muttered. “Kaniji, I’m not going to sit here and discuss my relationship with Tony with you. If that’s what you think, you’ve wasted a trip.”
”I don’t need to wonder about anything,” Kaniji said. “You are gold. You have noticed that not all Neratomay are, haven’t you?”
”Don’t be snide.“
”Tony’s gold, too. That’s why I wanted him as my companion.”
”And the significance of being gold?” I asked.
”Power.”
She had my interest now.
”I’m old, almost a thousand years. What you call ‘Vampires’ know next to nothing about what it really means to be Neratomay. Gold will seek out gold without even knowing it. That’s why Tige couldn’t allow you to die. And that’s why as long as you’re around Tony will always want you. Therefore, I’m going to help you so I can help myself.”
I looked at her warily. “You’re going to help me in what way?”
”You wanted to know how to save Tige.”
”Kaniji, if you’re trying to set me up—“
She waved my words away with her only hand. “When I have said what I’ve come to say, you will know that I am speaking the truth.”
”I’m listening.”
”You asked Tony how Tige could be saved.”
”You know I did or you wouldn’t be here.”
”What was Tony’s response?”
”That he couldn’t be saved.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Kaniji clucked her tongue.
”If you don’t get on with this story, I’m going to kick you out of here because I’m planning to visit Alexis, and he will tell me the truth!”
Kaniji nodded. “When you visit Alexis, you tell him that you want to exchange your life for Tige’s. That’s how you can save him. Even though Tige broke a law, he did it for you. And because of that, you can take his punishment and he can go free. Tony knows that and so does Tige. If you ask Alexis, he will tell you the truth.”
I stared at her.
“You know that I do not lie about this matter,” Kaniji said.
I nodded slightly. I felt hollow inside.
Kaniji smiled. “Well, you have a good evening.” She turned around and disappeared in a slight rustle of air.
I didn’t budge for a long time.
I had a lot to think about.
~***~
As I sat at the vanity within my oversized bathroom, Monica brushed and tried to tame my Afro. I asked her to pull it back into a ponytail. Then she brought me a black dress that ran long to the floor, but I didn’t want it. I told her what I wanted, and she about flipped. I wanted my black jeans, the ones I had brought from home.
”You can’t be serious,” Monica said. “You’re going to have your first appointment shortly and you don’t look very intimidating.”
I nodded, but I wasn’t going to change my mind.
She sighed.
I wouldn’t wear any of the blouses from my closet so she had to bring me one of her own tops. It was a black sleeveless tank top that she only wore during the day when Johan slept.
”Monica,” I said. “I need a silver chain, a long thin one, as long as the chain you’re wearing around your belly. I need five crucifixes on silver chains for you five to wear around your necks and some black duct tape.”
”Kim, what are you going to do?” Monica asked.
”Hurry, Monica! Before the first appointments arrive.”
She hurried and made some phone calls. I fingered the crucifix. It nestled between my breasts in plain sight. I had to m
ake sure I survived tonight. I had to protect the ladies. At any cost, my life had to be preserved to be a bargaining tool for Tige. After that ...
Kat, Mara, Karen, and Tyler arrived together in a limo. I was happy to see them, but I was especially glad to see that Mara was healthy. The ladies were all dressed as if they were going out clubbing, while again I looked quite grunge.
I don’t know how she did it, but Monica worked some mojo and came up with everything I had requested.
”Where’s Paul?” Karen asked. “He’s only bugged us all day about getting here on time, and he’s not even here!”
I looked at Karen. “Paul left. He won’t be back.”
Karen looked at Monica and wanted to ask questions. Monica shook her head to stop any further questions.
”Karen,” I thought to her.
”Yes?” Karen responded.
”Tyler?”
”Yes?” Tyler responded.
I tested each of them to see if they could hear my thoughts, and each could.
”Each of you take a necklace and crucifix. I want you to wear it each time we have a meeting with Vampires from the outside.”
“It’s forbidden,” Tyler said.
”I don’t care.” I said softly. “Your safety is more important than rules that serve only to protect Vampire interests.” I chewed my lip. “Today is the first day of the rest of your lives, ladies. I’m going to make sure that anyone who means us harm remembers that.”
We went to my personal office where we would hold the interviews. Monica had brought leather chairs to face my desk. My desk had been pushed back, and larger chairs for my personal Council had been set up next to mine. There was a thick file on my desk. When I opened it I saw that it contained each issue that we needed to deliberate over. It also contained comments from both parties.
Paul had done this.
I closed my eyes because it still hurt, and I didn’t want to feel pain.
I opened my eyes. ”Monica, put the silver chain on the table.”
Monica opened a large cardboard jewelry box, and I saw a long, beautiful, silver chain nestled on cotton.
“Kim, what are you going to do?” Tyler gasped.
”Unhook it and spread it out straight.”
Monica didn’t like it, but she did it.
The doorbell rang. The first of our appointees had arrived. Monica wouldn’t leave my side. Karen was the Alpha dog, so she wouldn’t answer the door, and Mara being freshly hospitalized got what she wanted by default. Kat ignored the ringing of the door so it was Tyler who hurried out to greet our subjects.
”Kim, what are you going to do with that?” Karen asked.
”Kim, please be careful,” Mara pleaded. “You might lose a limb, mi querido.”
I studied the chain. I took a deep breath and laid my wrist against it.
The pain was immediate. The ladies screamed and rushed me, but they didn’t need to. The pain threw me back and out of the chair. I howled but could still hear a faint sizzling. My inner wrist was blistered and raw from the brief contact.
”What the hell are you doing?” Monica screamed.
They were all holding my arms as if they could prevent me from doing whatever I wanted.
Tyler opened the door.
”Don’t let anyone in here!” I growled in pain. “I need to finish it before it heals!”
“What?” Monica screamed as Tyler slammed the door shut behind her.
I shook them off me and they went flying. I stood and clenched my teeth. I turned my arm in and laid my right wrist against the silver. Knowing what to expect didn’t make it any less painful since it sizzled against a fresh wound. The pain spun me around, but somehow I kept my balance. I bit back the screams and tried to concentrate on staying blank as I shakily laid the left wrist across the chain. This time the pain blew me against the far wall where I slid down it to collapse on the floor in a fetal position, panting. It hurt so badly! It was still sizzling even though the silver was no longer touching me!
I put my forehead on the hard floor and groaned, clenching and unclenching my fists. The pain ebbed into something more bearable, and I stopped rocking against the floor.
I stood. The ladies were huddled together staring at me. Breathing heavily, I brought up both arms and showed them what I had done.
I had branded a crucifix against both wrists.
”Oh my God,” Monica said. “A wound from a crucifix won’t ever heal. A wound from silver will heal eventually, that wound could be permanent.”
I was shaking so badly I could barely do what I had to do next.
The doorbell rang again. More were coming. I sat and studied the silver once more.
”Kim,” Mara whispered. “What are you going to do now?”
I looked at her with glassy eyes. “I’m making sure we survive tonight.”
I studied the chain again. Bits of my flesh were stuck to the silver, and I sobbed. But I wasn’t going to bleed from my eyes anymore today ... or ever. I ripped off a piece of duct tape and stuck it to the end of the chain. I wrapped the tape around until I had two inches of a handle. I repeated the move on the other end. Now I could safely pick up the chain.
I swung it above my head. I felt like Xena the Warrior Princess!
I also felt like fried bacon.
I wanted my ladies to see that a Vampire who would dare to use a silver chain as a weapon when that same silver chain could kill her was one bad-assed Vampire.
Karen jumped up and down and clapped. “You go, girl!”
I stopped swinging the chain by allowing it to slap against the thick denim of my pants. Then I fed the chain through my belt-loops as if it were an actual belt, which was difficult because I didn’t want to accidentally burn myself in half. I let the ends dangle in front. I probably would burn myself yet again if I had to pull it from the loops like a weapon.
And I planned on doing just that tonight.
”Paul said that he had arranged some protection,” I said. “What is it?”
”Oh.” Monica opened a cabinet revealing an arsenal of guns. I knew nothing about guns, but I thought one of them was an Uzi!
”They’re all loaded with silver bullets except for these.” Monica held up two plastic toy guns.
”What is it?” I asked. “Loaded with holy water?”
”Exactly.”
I hadn’t tested holy water. Religious relics didn’t affect me, so I didn’t see how holy water would. I had reached my pain threshold for the night, however, and I wasn’t interested in doing any more tests.
”Kim!” Tyler projected to me.
I looked up.
“The natives are getting restless.”
”How many appointments do we have tonight?” I asked.
”Thirty,” Monica said.
Damn! This could take all night, and I still had to see Alexis. ”Bring in the first,” I said with a sigh. I turned to the rest of my Council. “Put away the weapons. If you talk to me, I want you to do it telepathically.” I glanced down at my wrist. The crucifixes were perfect. I didn’t just have weapons. I was a weapon.
They sat in their chairs surrounding mine quickly. I worried about Tyler’s ability to handle a crowd of vamps. ”Kat, I want you to take a weapon, and I want you to go out and replace Tyler. I want her in here and for you to control the crowd. If you have any problems, you have my permission to kill. No humans.”
Kat nodded. She hurried to the door, which opened as soon as she reached it. Tyler entered with two people. Kat left, and Tyler took the seat that she had vacated.
”Please have a seat,” Monica said to the two.
They were both vamps.
I opened the folder.
The two vamps stared at the crucifix around my neck and dropped teeth.
I stared at them.
One was a tall thin, slick-dressed man. He reminded me of a pimp. His hair was dark and tied behind him in a long ponytail. The other was small and looked like a weasel. What criteria
did Masters use when turning vamps? These two looked like two-bit thugs.
The tall one growled. “We heard rumors that you were like a human.” He gestured to my crucifix. “That’s fucking low class to do that.”
”When you come into my home you come under my rules.” I touched the crucifix. “If you don’t like it, get out.”
He frowned. “I don’t need this shit.”
”But if you leave,” I continued, “I’ll rule in his favor.”
The tall vamp froze.
Mr. Weasel sat.
The tall one looked at us and smiled. “I heard how you faked your way onto the Council. You’re not fooling anybody, bitch. You ain’t going to make it longer than tonight. As a matter of fact—”
With lightning speed I stood and whipped out my silver belt. I didn’t think dude even saw me do it. I leaped over the desk as soon as it wrapped around his neck. I grabbed the other end and tugged. It went through his flesh like butter, and his head fell backwards and rolled across the floor. He turned to ash seconds later, but we all could hear the searing of his flesh in our ears.
I slapped the chain against my leg and looked at Mr. Weasel, who was cowering in his chair.
”What was your issue?” I asked while swinging the chain lightly back and forth across my leg.
”I ... he ... he was working territory that belongs to me.”
”Working territory?”
”Yes. My humans own those blocks.”
”You’re talking about prostitution?”
”Yeah,” Mr. Weasel said.
I turned my back to him, confident that he would be too afraid to try anything. I sat in my chair and placed the chain on the desk.
”Is this legal?” I thought to my Council.
”Unfortunately, yes,” Mara answered.
”Mostly prostitution is consensual,” Karen thought. “And mutually beneficial. Mostly.”
I opened the folder and scanned the notes Paul had made. It was pretty much what Paul had said.
”Since ... Terrence is no longer with us, you win the case.”
”Kim, we now have a new issue,” Mara thought. “Terrence now leaves property and possessions.”
It sucked that they couldn’t read each other’s minds, so I had to relay everyone’s thoughts. The five of us determined that Mr. Weasel, whose real name was Bobcat (go figure), would get Terrence’s territory while the dead vamp’s second-in-command would have all rights to his other possessions of both real property and assets—not including Terrence’s prostitutes. These they would have to negotiate their own deal for. I was not going to be in the business of assigning prostitutes to pimps!