After the Fall (30 page)

“Has she gone missing?” I asked Lucretius.

“No. You don’t expect her to sit there all day and all night, do you?”

“I suppose not.” Actually, in my mind, she seemed as fixed in that spot as the throne itself. When I saw the empty seat, the first thought in my mind was,
Who has stolen her?

“The Queen does actually do other things to occupy her time. Come.”

He led me through a hallway and into another chamber. This one was also shaped like a dome. The first thing that struck me was the shimmering blue light on the ceiling. It was coming from the Olympic-sized pool that dominated the room. I walked closer to the edge and saw the figure under the surface. She moved around with a speed sharks would envy.

The surface waves distorted her image, but what little I was able to see revealed a healthy, shapely body. The ravages of aging did not affect her after all.

She got out of the pool on the far side and donned a face veil that reminded me of Arabian Nights. It was the only part of her body that she showed any interest in covering. Her two-piece bikini left only a small part of the body to the imagination, not that I was imagining her naked or anything.

“Lucretius, how are you, my dear?” she said. Her voice was cordial, like a wife speaking to her longtime husband. In the case of Vampires, that would span centuries, perhaps millennia.

“I’m just fine, thank you. I have brought your guest.”

She turned to me. “So I see. Thank you, Lucretius. Would you care to give us a moment?”

He seemed reluctant but did not disagree. “Of course, my Queen. Please call me if there is anything I can do.”

Lucretius left the room in a hurry. I could almost see the black smoke coming from the top of his head. He was not used to being treated this way, and I wasn’t comfortable with being the cause of it.

The Queen walked up to me. I could see the glistening drops rolling down her body. I tried not to look, but I couldn’t avert my eyes from the valley between her breasts. She smiled under the veil.

I waited a while for her to speak, but she remained silent.

“If I may ask, what is the reason you brought me down here?”

“My commands require no justification. If I give the word, it is so.”

“Of course, my Queen.”

Part of me was hoping that she would command me to do something objectionable. Maybe then I would get to see her face. She walked over to the wall and put on a bathrobe instead. When she came back, I could just barely see the amused smile on her face.

“Come,” she said. We walked over to another room that looked like a den. She took the heavy plush armchair and pointed to the couch. “Sit.”

I dropped down on the seat. Something about her voice commanded obedience. Perhaps this was one of those hidden Elder powers.

She continued to stare at me. Her eyes narrowed, like she was trying to examine me. I imagined that one of her powers was X-ray vision and she was looking through me. Perhaps she liked what she saw.

“You were recently involved in an incident involving some undead. Tell me more about it.”

I explained the story to her, at least the short version. It ended with us getting back in the truck and returning to the city.

“So that is all that happened?”

“That’s basically it.”

“There is no more you wish to tell me. A part of the story you may have forgotten?”

I bit my lip and told her about the reanimators, about finding one on the heap and putting him in the truck, only to have him attack us on the way back.

“Wise of you to tell me,” she said. “It is good to be completely honest with me.”

I nodded. Honesty was always the best policy, especially when dealing with a Great Elder who might be able to read your mind, or even lay waste to you with a thought.

“Would you like a drink?” she asked. “I would like a drink.”

“Yes, I wouldn’t mind.”

“Then go to the behind the bar over there. Inside the refrigerator is a tall bottle. Bring that, and two glasses.”

I did as instructed and poured both of us a cupful of the dark red liquid. She swirled the blood like it was a glass of wine and took small sips, giving me a small glance at the lower half of her face. I held up my glass to her and took a healthy swig. The flavor assaulted my palate. It was strong, yet it contained no alcohol.

“What is this?” I asked.

“Vampire blood,” she said.

I nearly spilled the rest of my drink. “I drank what?”

“Exactly what I told you.”

“That’s not right. We’re not supposed to drink from our own kind.”

“When you drink the blood of a human, does it make you strong?”

“Of course it does.”

“And when you drink the blood of a Vampire, it makes you even stronger.”

“And you see nothing wrong with this?”

“I am their Queen. There is not one Vampire in this city that would object to my demands. In the end, no one objects.” She pointed to the bottle. “Finish your drink.”

“Bottoms up.” I tipped the glass upward and drank the rest of the contents. The blood was rich. There was a good chance that I could become addicted to it.

“This is our secret to staying young and strong,” she said. “The old are sometimes overcome by the young, but by ingesting their blood, we multiply our strength.”

“Fascinating,” I said, trying to feign interest. All I cared about was about the red liquid in the bottle.

“Tell me more about these friends of yours.”

“Who, Rayna and Jeb? They’re not friends, more like…associates.” I’m sure they couldn’t care less if I live or die, but I think I know which one Rayna would prefer.

“I’ve heard some disturbing things about your
associates
.”

“What kind of things?”

“As I’ve said, disturbing things. I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything that might sound like discontent.”

“Discontented? Those two?”
Well, maybe from my presence
. “Aside from their teasing, I don’t hear much from them. Sometimes they grumble when they have to dispose of a lot of bodies, but that’s it.”

“You would tell me if they start to voice discontent or subversive ideas?”

“You’ll be the first to know, my Queen.”

“Or you may tell Lucretius. Either way, I know the issue will be addressed.”

“How will the issue be handled?”

“At my discretion.” 

Some days, I wish my mouth filter was screwed on a little tighter. I could tell this was a woman I did not want to cross.

“All I ask is that you keep a close eye on them. Listen closely to their talk, any subtle signs that something is amiss.”

“I will be sure to do that. Is there anything else?”

“We are finished for now,” she said. “You can drink another glass if you like. Send Lucretius back in.”

She stood up and began to undress herself before walking out to the next room. I heard the shower running and took that as my cue to leave.

“You’re up,” I said to Lucretius in passing. I added a pat in the back for good measure. His irritation made it worthwhile. He walked to the back and I walked out of the mansion.

Thinking back to those times, I was probably the worst councilman ever. I avoided meetings, social calls, and made the slightest excuse to go out to check on “the troops,” as I called them.

“Oh, you mean the peons,” said Gustaf, drawing laughter from the rest of the council.

“No, I mean more like foot soldiers,” I argued.

“You really should try to understand,” said Marie-Evangeline. “The structure we’ve set in place is there for a reason. Those of us who are smarter and more capable should be in positions of authority. As such, we are valuable and need to be protected.”

“Yes, not wandering about the perimeter,” said Gustaf.

“I think my presence proves that I am able to take care of myself. I lived on my own most of the time after the Fall.”

“Indeed, we pity you,” said Gustaf with sarcasm.

“You’ve earned our respect,” added Marie-Evangeline. I’m not sure what’s worse, the one who advertises he doesn’t like me, or the one who pretends. As the saying goes, “a true friend stabs you in the front.” I forget where I heard that, but it remains as true now as it did before the Fall.

We spoke enough to fill several volumes of nonsense before I could beg my way out. Talk about your useless banter. They got tired of hearing my excuses and let me go. I would be back the next day, and the one after that. It wasn’t like I was going anywhere. There would be more time to hear nonsense tomorrow.

Lucretius gave me a nod on the way out. The Queen had no doubt told him about our conversation. He might have been the reason it was so easy to get out of these meetings.

I got a ride out to the perimeter and rode with Rayna and Jeb. They were much quieter these days. As funny as it sounds, I missed Rayna’s teasing and her stabs at my manhood. She would occasionally come out with something. I asked her who had made sure they made it back to safety when it was daylight. It went over well, I thought. Rayna gave me the finger and turned around. I’m sure she just wanted to show me the ruby ring she wore on that finger, but we all know better.

There were more signs of disturbed cattle. We had found several damaged spots on the fence. If this was their doing, they were getting stronger, more desperate, or a little of both.

“This is just a damn shame,” said Jeb as we stood in a circle around a dead cow. She had been an old one, just too slow to get away. Her sacrifice probably gave the others a fighting chance. “I heard the herders have been killing their share of them during the day.”

The herders were human, and it was their job to care for the livestock as well as take up arms when necessary. Being a dairy farmer is hard enough without the threat of being attacked at any time.

“Makes you wonder what they’re doing up there,” said Rayna.

“It ain’t work, that’s for sure. I just wish somebody—”

Rayna interrupted him with a punch to the chest. The thump was loud enough that I felt the pain. Jeb took the hint and shut up.

When the work shift was finished, they took me back to the apartments. Just me. That raised an alarm.

“We’ve got some errands to run first. I’ll be back later.”

I got the clear feeling they were hiding something, but I had nothing to go on but a feeling. If I questioned them, they would just shrug it off or make some excuse. I would have to make certain. So I waved them goodbye and went back in the building. They might not be my favorite people in the world, but I was not about to sell them out.

Penance

“Come closer. Closer still.”

I inched forward until I was almost touching her veil with my nose. And still I could not see any more detail.

“Close your eyes.”

What choice did I have but to obey?
Yes, my Queen. I am here to obey.
I heard the sound of cloth moving and knew that she had taken off her veil.

“If you open your eyes, I will put them out.”

She was a master of persuasion. Nothing short of the end of the world would tempt me to open my eyes now. I could feel her warm breath on my neck and face. Her lips touched mine and we began to kiss, slowly at first. I was true to my promise and kept my eyes closed. It was actually exciting, like being blindfolded, only by force instead of cloth. Her hands and mouth started to wander elsewhere. What else could I do but submit to her?

It is a law of life that things must happen at the most inopportune time. Someone was pounding at the door. The chambers amplified the sound.

“Don’t pay any attention. Stay with me.”

I really wanted to listen to her, but the door was a great disruption.

“Mordecai! Open the door!” I recognized the voice as Rayna’s. It was enough to jolt my eyes open. The pounding at the door ceased. I was relieved. All that was left to do was close my eyes and bear whatever the Queen was planning to do to me.

I felt a hand clamp down on my jaw and pull me. The Queen forced me to look upon her. I finally knew the face under the veil. Brown curly hair, caramel skin, and sharp facial features. I was looking at Rayna. She was the Queen.

“Mordecai! Open up this instant!”

The pounding continued, bringing me out of the dream world and back to reality. I wish I could say it was all gone, but my twisted mind had just thrown me a curve ball. The thought clamped down on my mind and buried its claws. Good luck getting it out.

“Don’t make me kick this door down!” shouted the well-bred English voice from the other side of the door.

“I’m coming, Luke. Leave my door where it is.” I opened the door.

“You look like hell,” he said.

“Thank you. You look rather dapper. What’s the occasion? Got a hot date?”

“You could say that. We’ve been summoned to a special meeting. I need you ready as of ten minutes ago.”