Tomorrow's Dead: The Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles (5 page)

Poe’s relief was cut short when she spotted Jenna, one of the most important leaders
of the resistance and Sainvire’s ex.  Her heart dropped to pathetic level, and she
didn’t appreciate it one bit.  The woman waved at her with a smile and Poe did the
same.  Perhaps they could be friends after all.

Sainvire looped the baby’s plump leg behind his neck until she was resting comfortably
on his shoulders.  “Well, Poe.  I’m sure you know most everybody here.  We’re grateful
that you could come.”

Poe hailed her welcome committee to settle down when hooting and clapping invaded
her fragile sensibilities.  She was tired, overwhelmed, and somewhat seasick.  The
crowd was too cheerful for her hermit ways.  “Thanks, guys.  Good to see you all again. 
I’m sure we’ll have a chance to chat soon.  Cute baby, that Piper,” she added.  “Scary,
too.” 

“You’ll get used to her,” said Joseph with his usual laidback grin.  His ponytail
was still ever present.  “She stopped crying when you held her.  That means she likes
her godmother.”

Poe smiled timidly.  “That’s what I’m afraid of.”  Again, people laughed. 
Why are these people so giddy?
  “Well I kinda know why I’m here.  To be a poster girl.  A PR person or an ambassador
of sorts.  I get it.  I’m yours for the next two months.  Then I’m going back home
to my island.”

Poe’s to-the-point speech sobered the mood.  She cleared her throat.  “I already have
an appointment with the tunic-crusader vamps tomorrow, so I have to go to sleep pretty
early.  If someone can show me to my room, I’d appreciate it.”

No one spoke for a few uncomfortable seconds.  Only Piper’s baby gibberish echoed
in the roomy hall.  “I’ll walk you to your room, Julia,” volunteered Sainvire, breaking
the silence.

“What about dinner?” asked Habib, an Iranian American who was the head chef of the
Biltmore.  “I prepared your favorite vegetarian dishes.”  Poe had impressed the man
by gobbling down his concoctions years back, and he forever loved the little warrior. 

Poe reddened.  “Sure, Habib.  Maybe I can come down in an hour.  I’m feeling a little
weird right now.”

“Sure.  Poe.  Sure.”

“Thanks, Habib,” she said, hugging the cook with bushy eyebrows.  She followed up
with a kiss.  Before she could make for the door, Maple asked, “Are you ill, Poe?”

Poe shook her head.  “Nah, just seasick.  Hey, do you have some time to talk tonight,
Maple?”

Maple, who had been turned when she was 50 years old, nodded in her quiet way.

To Poe’s surprise, Maclemar didn’t follow.  Sainvire pressed the button on the gilded
elevator and waited for the door to open.  Piper pulled at Sainvire’s neck-length
hair and screeched, “Kaleb!  Kaleb!  Kaleb!” 

Poe was relieved when the door opened and Sainvire punched the button for the seventh
floor.  “Very classy, this place,” said Poe for having nothing important to say. 

“Yes.  I used it as my offices years ago if you remember.”

“Yup.  That I do.  I contemplated blowing it up with you in it.”

They turned right at the hall and approached Room 702.  Sainvire unlocked the door
and held it open for Poe.  Penny’s throaty whimper and wagging tail greeted her. 
Poe couldn’t help it; she got down on her knees and hugged her loyal friend.  Penny’s
was the only familiar face she cared about at that point.  “Good girl, Penny Pen! 
I love you, doggy!”

Poe was startled when young Piper walked with drunken legs toward her dog.  Penny’s
tail stopped wagging, but she stood her ground.  The girl tapped Penny’s head and
said, “Good dog.”

The weary traveler smiled a genuine smile for the first time since coming Downtown. 
“That kid talks funny.  Must’ve learned it from you.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”  Sainvire nodded in defeat.  “That’s why no one listens to me. 
I think I may have to borrow Piper’s high-pitched screams to get everyone’s attention.”

Poe shrugged.  “That’s what you get for being a saint, mister.”

Sainvire took a step for a better view of Poe’s upturned face.  “I never wanted to
be a saint.  Hell, I’m not even religious.”

“Just like I never wanted to be a superhero.  And I’m no longer one if you haven’t
heard yet.  Lost my cape and can’t shoot straight anymore.  A disgrace, really.” 
She looked around the spacious room that very much resembled a hotel suite.  “Wow. 
It’s like I’m on vacation from my perfect island.”

“Sorry for taking you away from Catalina, Poe.  I’m simply desperate right now.” Sainvire’s
gray eyes looked so pained that Poe had to turn away.  “Every faction needs to be
convinced that they’re an important part of the equation, and we all have to come
together if this new society is going to succeed.”

Poe narrowed her eyes.  “Listen.  I’m here, okay?  I don’t need to be convinced how
dire the situation is.  Everything is life and death with you.  That’s why you’re
so damn unhappy.  I’m sorry that getting this city back on its feet is your burden,
but really, Kaleb, you can just walk away.  It’s that easy.”  The words from her mouth
surprised Poe.  The vampire who owned her heart could’ve chosen her instead of political
intrigue.  They could’ve been living the life in a mountain hideaway.  Anywhere away
from conflict.

Sainvire touched her face with the back of his hand, savoring the softness of her
skin, and traced the angled five-inch scar with his index finger.  “All the time I
think about starting over.  But I can’t.  The thought of you on your island would
be the only light in my dark tunnel, Poe.  I think about you to keep hope alive in
my chest.  I love you more than anything, and I feel like a damn heel for choosing
you last all the time.”

“How do you think I feel?” said Poe, laughing bitterly and turning away from his touch. 
“By the time you can pencil me in your daily planner, I’ll be 70 and sagging.  But
you know what?  Doesn’t matter.  After what Trench did to me, the thought of a relationship
makes me retch.  No matter how much I love you, the feel of your cold dead flesh would
probably make my skin crawl.”  She was being nasty, but she didn’t care.

“It’s probably for the best then,” the master vampire coolly said.  “Maclemar will
probably have a better chance of thawing your heart since his flesh isn’t cold or
dead.”

“Maybe,” said Poe, turning catty.  “At least he never forgot me.  He visited me and
comforted me during the hardest moments of my life.  For that he deserves my love
and my loyalty.”

Sainvire gently took Poe’s face in his hands and kissed her lips that seemed to have
parted on their own.  The two kissed deeply with the unmistakable sadness of an opportunity
lost forever.  The lovers had only shared one night of pleasure together and had since
been separated by circumstances beyond their control.  Poe cleared her throat when
the kiss ended.  “Your hair has grown, and you have stubble.  You look like a serial
killer.”

“Thanks, sweet Julia.  You’re looking marvelous yourself,” said the vampire, amused. 
“Straight talker to the last, eh?”

“Learned it from Sister Ann, you know.”  She brushed his dark hair with her fingers. 
“I’ll always love you, Kaleb, but my days of waiting for you are over.”

Sainvire kissed the top of her head.  He and Maclemar were similar in many ways. 
“I know, my love.  I don’t expect you to wait around.  Be happy with Maclemar.  He’s
a good man.”

Poe hugged Sainvire’s waist and fought back tears but failed.  “Why do you have to
be so goddamned good all the time?  I love you so much that I wanted to die from want
of seeing you.  And don’t pass me on to Maclemar again.  You make me feel cheap.”

All the vampire could do was apologize, and all Poe could do was resent him for being
so damn altruistic. 

***

Because Poe had become deliberate in her actions, her youthful clumsiness and filthy
mouth lessened noticeably.  No longer was she easily provoked (unless her dog was
involved), nor was she quick to inflict pain for a slight.  Habib watched the young
woman eating his creation with aplomb in contrast to the engulfing way Poe had dined
years back like there was no tomorrow.  She forked hummus, grilled eggplant, and mushroom
spaghetti in her mouth like a proper lady.  She also didn’t pay heed to the gawking
eyes and whispering mouths in the 24-hour cafeteria.

“Here, Pen,” she whispered to Penny who sat guardedly by her leg.  She placed a plate
of deboned chicken on the floor.  Animals weren’t normally allowed in the cafeteria,
but Habib made an exception for Poe’s companion who refused to leave her side.

“So how did you say you got all this food?” asked Poe to a lively Habib.

“The Christian farmers in the Valley have an agreement with Sainvire.  These vampires
throughout history declined human blood and settled with drinking animal blood.  They
supplied human cattle with food for master vampires, but they were against enslavement
in general.  Toiling the fields to feed humanity was their calling.  With the new
arrangements, these vampires are happy to send over the best meat, fruit, and vegetables
to restore strength to poor humans,” explained Habib.  “Sainvire sends them vats of
Plasmacore, of course.  They also have an agreement allowing rehabilitation of certain
humans at the farms.”

“Good for everyone,” Poe mumbled, popping a slice of papaya in her mouth.  “And what
about the Los Angelenos?  How do they fare with the new government?”

“There’s no government yet,” said Habib, scratching his balding head.  “That’s the
problem.  City vampires are hated by both humans and revolutionary vampires.  Everyone
hates human leeches who stooged for vampires in the olden days.  Many admire Sainvire,
but more than a few prefer he gives up his ad hoc power.  What will happen when Sainvire
steps down without a replacement?  Chaos, my friend.  In any case, some things are
in decay and some are up and up.”

“I haven’t been outside.  I don’t know how things are.”

“We usually have quiet all around except when ODs are murdered.”

Poe put her fork down.  “What’s an OD again?”

Habib pushed a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice to her.  “That’s what we call
Old Dead who participated in the enslavement of humans.”

Poe thought about the vampires wearing tunics with crosses and narrowed her eyes. 
They must be the new dead behind the murders.  Before she could ask any more questions,
a scream ricocheted in the 600-strong cafeteria.  From habit, Poe unsheathed her gun
and stood up quickly.  The metal folding chair she had been sitting on clanged to
the floor. 

A woman with wild, curly hair ran toward her, belting out the squeakiest of screams. 
Poe hardly recognized her friend wearing a tight-fitting pink tank top and low-rise
mini-skirt.  A wide-eyed girl behind the hysterical woman was carrying her coat.

“Poe!  I can’t believe it!  Finally you’re here,” Michelle cried.  “I missed you so
much!”  The pretty hazel-eyed woman with a belly button piercing hugged Poe after
she resheathed her gun. 

Poe grinned and clapped Michelle’s powerful back.  It was apparent that Michelle had
been working out.  “I missed you, too, Michelle!  Good to see you.”

“I can’t wait to tell you all the shit that’s been happening in DT.  Everything’s
so fucked!” 

Poe nodded.  “Yes.  Habib and Maclemar have been telling me a little.”

Michelle slapped Habib’s back.  He didn’t seem to appreciate the abrasive gesture. 
Before Michelle could say more, Poe walked over to the little girl of about 10 holding
Michelle’s large coat like a tiny servant.  “Is that you, Percy?”

“Hi, Poe,” said the girl with brown hair and solemn eyes.  “You remember me?”

Poe took Michelle’s coat from the girl’s arm and draped it over a seat.  She pinched
the girl lightly on the cheek.  Percy smiled, transforming her naturally mournful
eyes, and embraced Poe tightly.  “I knew you’d come back.  We missed you so much!”

“I missed you, too.”  Poe had rescued the girl from the clutches of baby vamps inside
the Metro tunnels, and Percy had suffered from hero worship ever since.  “You’re still
looking out for Chops?”

“Yes.  She’s waiting outside the cafeteria.  Habib won’t let her in here,” Percy said,
whispering the last bit in case the chef could hear her.

“Thanks for dinner, Habib!  C’mon, Michelle.  I want to see old Chops.”

When Poe last saw Chops, she was a pint-size piglet.  Now the animal was near four
feet long and weighed about as much as she.  “Holy shit!  What in the world have you
been feeding her?”

“Habib’s cafeteria scraps,” answered Percy.  “She’s pretty cute, isn’t she?”

“Sure is.  I think Penny recognizes her.”  They watched Penny sniff the rotund animal
with interest. 

“They’re pals again,” said Michelle.  The two animals did indeed seem like old friends
after a couple of smell tests. 

“Where do you keep her?”

“In my room.  She’s my friend just like Penny is yours.”

Poe kissed the girl fondly on the cheek.  “You’re a good kid, Percy.  And I’m glad
I’m back.”  For the first time since returning Downtown, Poe felt a glimmer of hope. 
She didn’t know what it was about Percy, but she was drawn to the girl.  Perhaps her
youth and having to deal with bullshit vampire politics at age 10 made the difference. 
Percy reminded Poe of herself, and she vowed to clear up the wrongs and teach Percy
the skills she knew before leaving for Catalina.

***

Michelle walked Poe and her dog to the fifteenth floor to Maple’s suite.  “She’s been
working like a mad hatter to clean Downtown, keep the peace, and teach useful skills
to lost souls.  You know she used to be a mechanic, right?”  Poe nodded.  “But you
know she’s bummed about Perla.  She doesn’t show it, of course.  You know how she
is.”

Poe frowned at the athletic girl she’d trained in Muay Thai at the farm in Gilroy
and asked, “What the hell happened?  They were so in love.  I mean, Perla had Sainvire
turn Maple into a vampire after the Gray Armageddon.”