Tomorrow's Dead: The Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles (35 page)

“Couldn’t we at least try to get to know each other?  They’ve been trying to get me
to strategize how to safeguard our city and other cities.  But really I have no mind
for it anymore.  Maybe the two of us can concoct something for problems like building
cisterns to catch rainwater next winter.”

Poe raised her hands and slapped them clean in the air.  “Not my problem, Sainvire. 
I’m retired.  In fact I’m going on the food train to the Valley tomorrow.  I’ll try
my hand at farming.  If you have no idea what to do, then you should retire too.”

She was distracted by the sly smile on his lips.  His dark lashed eyes bore into hers
as if hypnotizing her.  “Joseph said if I kissed you I’d get my memory back.”

“Joseph has a low I.Q., and so do you if you think I’m going to kiss you.”

“But I insist.  I want all my memories back.  You’ve made an impression on me, so
may I kiss you?”

“I don’t believe this,” Poe muttered angrily as she walked away from the vampire. 
“I have Steve McQueen waiting for me.”  Suddenly Poe was lifted off her feet and was
in the air.  She could barely see for the darkness except the lights from certain
buildings.  Despite the spring season the night was chilly, and she shivered.  Sainvire
captured her mouth with his cold lips and kissed her deeply, startling the vampire
hunter.  Without knowing what she was doing, Poe kissed him back as she remembered
the taste of him.

“Take me down,” she said when their lips parted.  She was mortified at her reaction
and the nightmare that she was being used as an experiment.  A memory charm.

“I believe I felt something,” said Sainvire with lust in his voice.

“I said take me down, you son of a bitch!”

Sainvire sighed and flew her down in front of her loft apartment building.  Poe narrowed
her eyes for he knew where she lived.  She shook her head as she recognized that Joseph
told him.

“You don’t know me anymore, and I don’t want you messing with my head, Kaleb Sainvire. 
From now on don’t even speak to me.”

“I could easily love you,” he said quietly.  “But you’re making it so hard.”

“Life is an infernal bitch, and I’m tired of being its plaything.  Good luck with
the city.  Everything will come back to you.”  She walked toward her building.

She didn’t see his face, but Sainvire smiled as if he’d just understood an inside
joke.  He flew away only when Poe pulled the door closed behind her. 

T
HE
FARMERS
DIVERTED
SOME
of the Universal City land for agriculture.  The once famous amusement park was surrounded
by verdant farmland as far as the eye could see.  Cattle grazed in the hills and pigs,
chickens, turkey, and rabbit were fenced in clean and humane pens.

Poe didn’t really know much about the farmers except that they were traditionally
Christians and they had worked with the old master vampires to feed the human cattle. 
They hadn’t approved of the treatment of humans, but they had no choice but feed them. 
When Sainvire, who supplied had them with Plasmacore, took back the city, the farmers
rejoiced and eagerly helped in the restoration of Downtown.  They were peaceful and
did not want blood on their hands, but in the matter of the resistance the leadership
lent Sainvire their support.

The farmers consisted of undead pastors, priests, nuns, monks, and their respective
followers from a range of religious denominations that balked at violence.  They reached
out to each other to avoid killing after the Gray Armageddon.  They chose to drink
animal blood and later Plasmacore instead of milking humans.

Menial work suited her.  Scrubbing soot from walls, restoring books, feeding chickens
and pigs, and planting seedlings soothed her soul.  Poe experienced peace at the quiet,
repetitive work.  When the sun-worthy farmers did speak to her, they were encouraging. 
They never offered their names unless she asked but were warm for short talks and
giving direction.  Many ex-cattle who worked at the farm restored their health and
started families.  At the farm she wasn’t Julia Poe but a fellow farmer.  Penny seemed
at home sunning herself wherever Poe went, especially laying on freshly tilled soil. 
Her porcupine fur was shinier than ever. 

Leaving Percy behind was a hard decision that haunted her nightly.  Poe needed time
alone, and her adopted sister meekly shook her head at the prospect.  “Do whatever
you need to do, Poe.  Life has been awful to you.”  Life had been outrageous to all
of the Gray Armageddon survivors. 

She spent two months at the farm learning about wind turbines, irrigation, and seasonal
crops.  Except for watching bison on Catalina Island, Poe had never been calmer. 
No boogeyman appeared, and she was just one of the farmers and not a psychotic vampire
killer.  Being around living things and inhaling the scent of newly picked crops healed
her.  The ducklings and chicks especially gave her a kick, and she was quite proud
of Penny for not gorging on them.

The quiet meditation of planting into fertile soil gave her the courage to forget
about what she couldn’t have in life.  Sainvire was alive, and she was glad.  They
could never recapture their past again, so in her heart she let him go.

A letter arrived in mid-July from Joseph.  Piper was to turn three, and as the godmother,
neglectful at that, Joseph and Morales expected her to show up.  She’d done wrong
by Piper.  She had promised Megan to help raise her daughter, but she let tragedy
and self-interest hinder their bond. 

The leader of the farmers was named Seth.  He and his wife Beth also received invitations. 
They were clearly instructed to bring Poe with them.  Beth, a beautiful woman who
resembled Bette Davis before she became a hag, gently insisted that she attend the
party.

“I’ve nothing to wear,” said Poe.  She really didn’t.  She had a uniform in life,
and it was fit for gas station attendants.

“Don’t worry about that,” said the vampire who led her to their farmhouse.  Poe instructed
Penny to stay on the porch.

“I know I should’ve thrown these garments away, but I still suffer from vanity,” Beth
said as she opened her closet.  Stylish dresses and suits from the ’30s and ’40s lined
her closet. 

“Wow,” said Poe in awe.  “They’re beautiful.” 

“I think you’re a shy one.  Would you like to wear a suit, or can you handle a dress?”

“No slacks?”

“No.  I was a very feminine woman.  Well what do you think?  We’re about the same
size.”

Poe examined the beautifully preserved clothes, and her eyes were drawn to a knee-length
cranberry-red dress that was accessorized by a slim black belt and a black flower
on the left shoulder.  The dress had short, slightly puffed sleeves.

“Maybe this?” 

“Good choice, my girl,” the woman said.  She removed the dress and placed it on Poe’s
arm.  She reached to her collection of shoes and chose a black pair with straps. 
“These might be a little big, but that’s better than pinching your feet.” 

The kind vampire handed her some hosiery with old-fashioned seams on the back. 

“Thanks, Beth.  I’ll take good care of them,” promised Poe. 

“Honey, they’re yours.  I would be happy to see someone as pretty as you wear them.

Poe hung the dress on a wall hook in her cabin.  She had a phobia of dresses and a
fear of appearing half-decent.  She hardly ever wore make-up or colorful clothing. 
But the red dress Beth had given her called out to her femininity.  The vintage dress
wasn’t exactly sexy, but it was unique. 

She imagined Sainvire falling in love with her when she appeared at the party but
chided herself for her pathetic thoughts.  Sainvire was probably back with Jenna. 
And really, she was tired of wanting someone who didn’t even remember their past together.

“I’m crazy, Penny.  Keep me sane,” she said to her dog.  Penny stared up at her with
love in her eyes.  “I love you, Penny Pen.  You love me more than anyone.”

A week later Poe donned the cranberry shade dress and cinched the black belt that
showed off her trim figure.  She slid the nude hose on her toned legs and put on the
two-inch leather shoes with straps.  She studied her face in the mirror but was disappointed. 
Her hair was ordinary, and she had no make-up on.  That was when Beth entered her
cabin without knocking.  She brought a curling iron and a make-up kit with her. 

“Not too much make-up, please,” requested Poe.

Betty raised an eyebrow at the girl.  “With your nice skin, you don’t need a lot of
make-up.  You need to be more confident.  There’s nothing wrong with looking beautiful.”

Poe nodded in silence.  Within 20 minutes she had the hairdo of Gilda and light make-up
accentuated by bright lipstick to match.

“You look beautiful, Julia,” assured Beth when Poe fidgeted awkwardly.  “You have
nothing to be ashamed of.  You’re a hero, and you deserve to look like a goddess.”

 Poe nodded. 
Yeah.  I deserve to be a goddess.  I killed enough for Downtown folks to fill up a
train.  And Sainvire, you fuck, eat your heart out!

***

North
Hollywood is one big meditation center for the broken
, thought Poe.  No wonder the farmers had very little need for speech.  Each seed
planted in the ground was prayer enough.  Poe sat with Seth and Beth on the train
loaded with chickens and vegetables.  Penny curled down by Poe’s feet and enjoyed
the bumpy ride.  Poe reached down to stroke the dog’s soft ear.  Her hand didn’t shake. 
She was as calm as the Dalai Lama.
  I’m never going to be frazzled again.  I deserve respect.

She ran a hand to the soft flowing dress and was truly glad she was wearing it.  Her
dislike for wearing dresses and high heels had been heightened by Quillon Trench. 
He had forced her to wear revealing gowns and spiky heels she had no skills to pull
off.  Her enemy insisted she bring out the woman in her, and he made her feel like
a whore.  Fear, insecurity, and the feeling of being desecrated snatched all her courage.

Beth’s dress was different.  Poe had chosen it herself and approved of the vintage
design.  She was aware of the flowing material clinging to her body that softened
her usual cavewoman tendencies.  For once she felt pretty, and she was grateful to
Beth and the farmers for their grace.  She wasn’t a joiner, but she was impressed
with the deeds of her hosts, their tenacity not to drink from humans, and their tendency
not to proselytize. 

The three walked from Pershing Square Station to the Biltmore Hotel unhurriedly as
Seth, a handsome Gary Cooper look-alike, lent the two women his elbows to hold.  Poe
took in Pershing Square and grinned.  There were hardly any kids playing.  Most likely
they were attending their first birthday party.  The tall buildings and clean streets
constricted her chest.  Despite living through the nightmare that was her childhood
in the city, Poe was drawn to Downtown Los Angeles.  She knew then that she was going
to live there for the rest of her life.  No more Catalina or the farm.  She was going
to be a sister to Percy and a doting goddaughter to Piper.  She glanced at Penny whose
tail was wagging at being home again.

She no longer had enemies.  The L.A. underground and Kaleb had destroyed most of them. 
Poe exhaled in relief at the realization that she was free. 

“You alright, Julia?” asked Beth.

“More than alright,” said Poe.  She couldn’t wait to see her family.

Silent Seth patted her arms as they ascended the stairs of the Biltmore.  “We’ll be
by your side, my dear.”  How the three of them must have appeared.  They looked like
a time warp back to the days of Bogey and Bacall with a straggly-hair dog that loyally
in tow.

Rufus was carrying a wrapped present under his arm when he spotted Poe and blinked
five times to clear his eyes.  “Poe?”

“Hey, Rufus,” said Poe.  “Listen, could you open the door for us?  We’re kinda linked
at the arms.”

“Sure.”  He pushed the door wide open to the children’s nursery.  By the time they
walked four steps inside, the large crowd quieted and left the squealing of children
to triumph over the still adults.

Sainvire was holding Piper who wore all sorts of flowers in her head like a wood nymph. 
Joseph and Morales had encouraged the children to give flowers and shiny rocks to
Piper instead of toys.  Sainvire’s smile faded when he saw the three farmers.  Joseph
grinned at her, and Morales winked lustily like his old self.  Maple and Perla silently
toasted her with Plasmacore.  With poise she smiled at them and disengaged her arm
from Seth’s elbow.  From behind someone grabbed her waist, nearly ruining her poise. 

“Poe!  You look so good!” cried Michelle.  The top cop wore glittery tank tops that
were cut to expose her belly ring.  Her oh-so-short bleached denim skirt exposed her
muscular legs.  “You make me look like a slut!”

Beth raised an eyebrow and stirred Seth toward their friends.  “We’ll see you, Julia.”

“Yes.  Thanks, Beth.”  Her pillars had left her.  She was alone to reacquaint herself
with old friends. 

The usually reserved John Danby came over and hugged Poe.  Others did the same, even
the vamps, halfdead, and people she hardly knew. 

“Forgive me, Poe,” said Passionada, her slick red lips trembling.  “I drove you to
the Valley!”  Poe laughed.  “You didn’t do such a thing.  I expect Friday dinners
to be on.”  “Of course, my love,” said the thankful six-foot woman. 

Joseph hugged her good and hard.  “You look gorgeous, sis.  I’m very happy you’re
here.”

“Me, too.  I’ve been an awful godmother, and I swear I’m gonna remedy that.”

Joseph grinned and rubbed his belly.  “Thank you, Poe.  Megan would’ve wanted that.”

Morales kissed Poe on the mouth and chuckled when she punched him lightly in the stomach. 
“You coming back to live with us?”