Blood Hunt (26 page)

“We won’t tell anyone that we were attacked by vampires, no. We’d just end up locked up in a psych ward somewhere, anyway.”

Jakob chuckled. “Good. Discretion is always wise. You may be contacted at some point in the future, but so long as you’ve told no one of this matter, you can expect any such contact to be friendly. I would imagine you will want to know, for example, of your friend Two’s activities.”

“Yes, very much so. Have you heard from her?”

“I have. I spoke with her last night, in fact.”

“How is she?”

Jakob paused, and then said, “Less happy than she would have liked, but things went well over all. She is still alive, at any rate.”

Sarah gave an incredulous laugh. “Well, that’s good.”

“Two has been fully exonerated and is preparing to go to Europe.”

“What for?”

“She is … not satisfied with her present life.”

Well, duh,
Sarah thought. Out loud, she said, “Yes … we noticed.”

“She has petitioned to be allowed to join our ranks again.”

“No surprise there.”

“Unfortunately, the council is uncomfortable granting this request. It’s complicated. The European council is more equipped to make a decision.”

“Oh. Well … when will she know?”

Jakob sighed. “I am afraid I do not know. The European council meets infrequently, and I’m not entirely sure when the next meeting will be. It could be a year, perhaps more.”

“A year? Can she at least call us?”

“We’ve asked her not to. It’s … we don’t want to give the Burilgi any excuse to trouble you further.”

“Oh. Fantastic …” Sarah bit her lower lip. “Jakob, are we ever going to see Two again?”

“I’m afraid I have no idea. I apologize. Even if she is granted her wish, you may not
want
to see her. It is often difficult for humans to accept our kind.”

“She’s our friend. We’ll deal with it.”

“I am sure you would try your best. For the time being, all I can do is leave you in peace, and promise to be in touch when I know more.”

“I guess that’s all I can really ask for,” Sarah said. “Thank you for your help, Jakob. Rhes and I know we owe you our lives.”

Jakob laughed. “There is no debt. It was an honor to defend you and an enjoyable battle. I haven’t had the chance to fight to the death in some time.”

I’m never going to understand these people,
Sarah thought.
Blood and death and chopping each other up with machetes? I want this to be over.

And so she decided to end it. “OK, then. Is there anything else?”

“Nothing at all. Goodbye, Sarah. Give my regards to Rhes.”

“I will. Thanks again, and goodbye.”

Sarah hung up the phone and, after a moment of consideration, went to tell Rhes the news.

Chapter 14
Travel Plans

“Two? Two … we’re here.”

The car had stopped but Two, still staring out the window without really paying attention, hadn’t noticed. She felt Naomi’s gentle touch on her shoulder and stirred, nodding.

“OK, Naomi. Thanks.”

“Are you all right?”

“She looks fantastic,” Stephen said, his voice laced with sarcasm. He opened the door and slid out of the car.

“I’m alive,” Two said. She knew it would be hard to tell from her tone if that was a positive or a negative, but wasn’t sure herself which was the case.

“Yes, you are,” Naomi said. She stepped from the cab, handed the driver a bill, and said, “Keep the change.”

“You sure?” the driver asked, surprised.

“Yes. Come on, Two.”

The driver made a low, impressed whistle and said, “Take your time, sweetheart. No rush.”

Two opened the door, got out of the car, and stood next to Naomi and Stephen. The car rolled away, reached the corner, and turned left, disappearing out of sight. Two could hear the thudding of electronic music coming from
L’Obscurité
across the street. The air was cold and damp and spoke of rain.

No one spoke as they waited for the elevator, or as they rode up to Naomi’s apartment. Finally, as the doors were sliding open, Two said, “It’s OK guys. I’m not made of glass.”

Naomi shrugged. “Everyone has moments in their life when they are fragile. It’s been a long night.”

They entered the apartment, and Two went first to the bathroom, a room that her companions had little use for. When she finished, she returned to the living room. Stephen was sitting on one couch, watching highlights from a football game. Naomi was sitting on the other, her head back, eyes closed. Two wandered into the kitchen, tossed a frozen dinner into the microwave, and turned it on. The machine hummed to life, and Two went to sit down.

Naomi opened her eyes and rolled her head to glance at Two, who had positioned herself at the opposite end of the couch, legs pulled up underneath her.

“Hungry?” she asked.

“Yeah. Did you … eat?”

“Stephen and I went out earlier, while you were showering.”

“Oh.”

“Two, do you want … is there anything you’d like to discuss?”

Two glanced at Stephen for a moment, and then said, “Not now.”

“I will be gone as soon as this program ends,” Stephen said without looking away from the television. “I wouldn’t want to spoil your personal time, ladies.”

“I’m sorry, Stephen,” Two said. “No offense. It’s just …”

“That my brand of contribution is not what you’re looking for at this time,” Stephen finished for her. “I know. I do many things well, but sensitivity is not one of them. The way I make up for it is by knowing when not to stick around. No offense is taken.”

Two nodded. The microwave beeped, and she stood to retrieve her dinner. She returned with it, sat down again, and began to eat, staring at the television without really watching it.

“This tastes like fucking cardboard,” she remarked after a few bites.

Stephen laughed. “Perhaps you should try a different brand of frozen ‘meal’ … and I use that term in the loosest possible sense.”

“Your advice on food is somewhat suspect, Stephen, considering you’ve had naught but blood for three hundred years,” Naomi told him.

“Yet, somehow, I have a hard time believing that any dinner one can purchase frozen, in a four-compartment plastic dish, is going to qualify as fine cuisine.”

“He’s got a point,” Two said.

“Thank you.”

“But I’m too lazy to bother with anything else.”

“That I cannot help you with,” Stephen said. He used the remote to shut off the television, and then stood. “Ladies, I have acquired tonight’s football scores. My work here is done, and I’ll bid you a good evening.”

“Goodnight, Stephen,” Naomi said. She had her eyes closed again, still leaning back against the couch.

“Later,” Two said.

“Later indeed,” Stephen replied, and made his way out of the apartment.

Two finished her meal, not talking, and Naomi didn’t seem in a hurry to speak. After perhaps ten minutes of silence, the vampire glanced over at her.

“Is it too soon?”

Two shrugged. “Too soon for what, Naomi? To talk about the bullshit that went on tonight? No, now is fine.”

“I’m sorry that the council couldn’t grant you what it is that you want, Two. I argued your case as strongly as I could. Please believe me.”

“I know. I believe you. I’m not angry at you, Naomi. It’s just …” Two sighed, stood, and looked out the window at the city, arms crossed.

“Just?” Naomi prompted.

“I feel like this is never going to end. It’s so frustrating to finally find the place you belong and have it yanked away from you.”

“I understand.”

Two continued. “And now I can’t even manage to get some new version of it. I don’t know what being an Ashayt is going to be like, but it has to be better than this. It has to be better than waiting, and wondering, and getting my hopes up. Christ, what if they say ‘no?’ I almost wish I’d never run into you. At least before, I just didn’t
care
anymore.”

Naomi was quiet for a time, and when she spoke, her voice was subdued. “Do you mean that?”

Naomi’s tone seemed to cut through Two’s frustration. She turned to look at the vampire and, after a moment, made her way back to the couch, shaking her head.

“No, I don’t mean that. I’m sorry, Naomi. I wasn’t being very fair. I’m glad I met you. I’m even glad I met Stephen, believe it or not.”

Naomi smiled. “He grows on you.”

“I miss Theroen. I miss being with him, and seeing him smile, and hearing him talk, and listening to him breathe. I just miss
all
of it. Theroen … what he gave me, it made me warm and happy and comfortable. Being with him made those feelings even stronger. Now it’s all gone and I’m just tired and cold and empty. I hate it.”

Naomi nodded.

“And now I’m going to have to go to London, where I thoroughly do not want to go, in order to petition a bunch of ancient people about being allowed back into their club. I’m sure
that’s
going to go perfectly … it’s not like old, rich, powerful people are usually set in their ways or anything.”

“It may not be like that,” Naomi said. “The European council is … not like the American council.”

“Sorry if I don’t get my hopes up.”

“You’re forgiven.”

“Anyway, what happens when this is done?” Two asked, running a hand through her hair.

“I imagine that depends on the council’s conclusion,” Naomi said.

“Right, but if they say I can be a vampire again?”

“Then I’ll gladly fulfill that request. Two, I … you are someone that I think I could teach. Someone I could spend decades with. Someone that I …” Naomi’s voice trailed away.

“Someone you could what?” Two asked.

It was Naomi who stood this time, pacing back and forth, looking agitated. “Someone I feel should be a vampire! You are worthy, if you’ll excuse my arrogance. So many people are brought in, especially amongst the Burilgi, who are so very
useless.
You are
Eresh-Chen
! You were chosen by Theroen, and it would be unlike him to make a mistake. I do not believe that he did.”

“Dunno what you all see in me,” Two said. “I’m just a junkie hooker. When Theroen met me, I was nothing. Garbage.”

“I guarantee that you have never been garbage,” Naomi said. “You don’t understand, Two; it is because of where you’ve been and what you’ve done that Theroen chose you. You have remained strong in such terrible conditions. Think, Two, in every situation you’ve been in, what was the end result?”

“That I wind up miserable?” Two asked. She heard a shakiness in her voice, and was angry at it.
You’re not allowed to start crying,
she told herself.

“That you triumph. You moved out of your house as nothing more than a child, and you survived for years. If not for random bad luck, you would be surviving still. You triumphed over Darren, over the heroin …”

“Only because of Theroen.”

“But
you
attracted him in the first place. Do you see?”

Two shrugged. “I guess.”

“You triumphed over Abraham. You triumphed in your goal of bringing Tori home. You triumphed in your search for more vampires. Do you not think you will triumph in this latest quest?”

“I have no idea. Suppose I don’t. Suppose the council says ‘nope, sorry, ain’t gonna happen’ and forces me out the door. What then?”

 Naomi looked out the window. “Then you adapt. You find another way to accomplish your goals. There are other vampires, in other lands. You could go to Australia, or even Asia. If it comes to that, there is nothing to stop you from going to these places.”

“I’d have to leave everyone I know and love behind.”

Naomi turned to look at her, a sad smile on her face. “When you make the change, you will leave those people behind regardless. Your friends will age. They will die. You will not. It is unwise to stay too attached to humans.”

“I don’t generally worry about what’s wise,” Two said.

“I know. It’s … one of the things I like about you,” Naomi conceded. She sat down on the couch again, next to Two, the warm feeling that she sometimes projected rolling off of her in waves. It was stronger now, perhaps, than it had ever been before. It was comforting, lulling.

Two sighed and said, “Are you doing this on purpose? Hypnotizing me? Filling me with happy vibes so I’ll stop being depressed?”

Naomi looked surprised. She shook her head. “No, I … what you’re feeling isn’t under my control. It happens to some Ashayt vampires. Lisette was able to control it, but she never had time to teach me. It is a manifestation of the fact that I care about you.”

“It’s nice. Warm. I’ve felt it before, but never this strong.”

“I … care about you very much.”

Two opened her eyes, glanced over at Naomi. “Do you?”

When Naomi leaned forward and kissed her, it was not exactly unexpected, but Two was unable to prevent herself from going rigid for a moment. Naomi took this as a sign of displeasure and broke quickly away.

“I’m sorry, Two. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK. I’m not angry,” Two said.

“No?”

“No.”

“You’re sure?”

Two leaned her head back against the couch again, closed her eyes, sighed. “Naomi, I have no idea what I want. I know what you want. I already kinda guessed it, and now it’s … well, it’s pretty much on the record. I just don’t know what I want. I don’t know how to feel. I’m numb.”

“Your life has been very cold,” Naomi said.

Two nodded. “Freezing.”

Naomi leaned her head against Two’s shoulder and spoke in a voice that was just above a whisper. “I would very much like to help make you warm.”

Two put her hands over her face. “Oh, God, what’s wrong with me?” she asked, her throat aching.

“There is nothing wrong with you.” Naomi wrapped her arms around Two and pulled gently sideways, sliding into a reclining position against the arm of the couch. Two turned with the vampire girl, nestling against her. Naomi held her, saying nothing. Eventually the urge to weep passed, and Two took a deep and shuddering breath.

“Are you all right?” Naomi asked her.