by Erin R Flynn
“Yeah, thanks, at least for now,” I sighed, glad they understood that. I knew it was probably the cooler hotels and all the party everything of Bourbon Street, but I just didn’t have it in me.
I nodded along as they explained the plan to ship it out with the semis and trailers they would need. Eventually, they were hoping the high speed trains we were talking of would come from the coven, through Albuquerque to Oklahoma City—which apparently people were scouting for another outpost—and then down to New Orleans to them.
It made sense and it would take care of transport faster. The trains only had about ten cars, but there weren’t billions of people in the world anymore, and New Orleans wouldn’t be a huge player in a global economy. From what I had read, the export that went out of there in produce to other countries had been staggering on its own.
And now it was crawling with corrupted. The world was a different place.
“So, we heard you might be thinking of letting humans into the coven?” Adam asked cautiously.
I nodded. “There’s a situation and if they’re accepting of us, fine, they can join the team, but if not, we’ve got someone who can wipe the memories and stick them back at that settlement. If they are cult dicks or other assholes, they can kill each other for their corner over there while we sneak the good ones out the back door or whatever.”
“Cool, yeah, we’re good with humans, but the idea of going back to hiding is just too much,” Lorenzo muttered. “Everything’s so different, and I’m not going to risk my clan because they had to play human.”
“On that we agree, I promise. I just know from having to go through some of those types of settlements there were normal people there that wouldn’t have cared if we were purple aliens if it meant a safe place from the crazy in those cults. Those are the people we’ll help. The others, screw them. I’m not helping them live longer or better so they spawn the next generation of cult crazy.”
“So what’s the plan overall?” Jaxon asked as more and more was unloaded.
“If Vitor can start with all the vehicles on the expressways all over here, I’ll turn them into what we need and—”
“No, I meant long term,” Jaxon clarified. “Seattle isn’t fishing every day as we don’t need that much. I mean, we’re adding people, but they’re only fishing a few days a week.”
“Basically, what we were helping with in other areas,” Adam answered. “We map out the whole city, see what’s here and what could be useful if we’re back online and raiding. Start on the outskirts and that way stuff can be returned to nature. We don’t have a direct rail line to you guys, but energy beads don’t expire, right? So, we’ll report what we find and make sure we keep communicating.”
“Was there something you were specifically thinking of?” I asked Jaxon, wondering what he had been getting at as well.
“No, just wanted to make sure they understood that would still be the plan here. I was hoping they might be up for the idea of sending some of the probationary coven members here. There’s a group that doesn’t want to be out on their own in the cold to figure it all out, but the idea of being close to court after all the crazy they suffered under Safie terrifies them.”
I nodded, glad when they did too. “Fine, we’ll get a group for you that you’re in charge of just like your clans and tell us any you think need to go. We’ve not kicked any out yet, and they don’t seem to think we will, but we’ve also not had time to get into it as much.”
“I would say another two months here as long as the group isn’t too big, and we can give you some definitive answers who should go,” Lorenzo offered.
“Works for me.” I glanced around and realized Vitor was already starting with my plan since everything had to be loaded up. “You guys are taking fuel from boats, right?”
“Yes, and we’re going to tow ones in that we find that aren’t needed as the ocean and waters don’t need any more shipwrecked,” Lorenzo answered. “We’ll do what they did in Seattle and try to pull up abandoned traps. Hopefully, the older vamps can help with that, but we’ll make sure we’re doing things better than we used to as a whole.”
“Good. Eventually, we might have some humans for you too, and they can take the jobs we can’t do faster,” Jaxon added.
I frowned. “Don’t give them the shitty jobs just because they can’t move as fast. I mean, that’s not a good idea long-term unless we want a coup. They wouldn’t win, but that would make them want to if they’re treated like second-class citizens.”
“We’ll find a good balance,” Adam promised.
Good enough for me. I went with Kristoff to start putting together what they needed, Chris seeing it for the first time. His reaction was funny, but the betting pool on whether he would faint or not was even funnier.
For the record, he didn’t and people weren’t acting like humans were weak and would faint. No, everyone had a limit though, and once wondering if your lover was a werewolf was way different to the rabbit hole he’d jumped into.
The ghosts started, and I was whisked off to one of the radiation rooms that helped. When it was time to let out the energy, I fixed some of those motels in Albuquerque. Next round, I went to the port in St. Louis and checked out the electric buses, first fixing them before breaking one down so I knew what to do. Then it was to Texas as close to the settlement as we had energy beads ready from Vitor.
That was about the end of it as there hadn’t been that many ghosts given the levels I was used to. I was really, really thirsty though, which worried me.
“Your power grows. It’s nothing we can’t handle,” Jaxon promised. “You might need more hydration too, than a normal woman menstruating, and not just because of what you have planned.”
That made sense, and they certainly didn’t object to giving me blood.
And Darius didn’t leave like he had been. Well, he hadn’t been showing up, but he didn’t hide this time as I had fun with Jaxon and Cerdic. I met his gaze a few times, but looked away, unable to process the emotional roller coaster that was everything to do with him.
We had lunch, and by then, it was time to head back to Texas. We played the roles and brought the chopper there even if we’d just hopped from not far away. Two buses pulled up right after us and already a group was gathered.
“So you came back,” some guy greeted Chris with a snide look.
“I said I would,” Chris replied easily. “Six years of keeping my word and you thought this time I just wouldn’t? I haven’t done anything to deserve that doubt after running this settlement like others couldn’t.”
Namely this guy. Nice.
He didn’t wait for the guy to reply. “We struck a deal that they will help our elderly and those willing to take care of them as they have here. They have a few motels they got back online that will be quarantine as they’re as smart as we are and aren’t taking any risks.”
“That’s it?” the guy pushed. “That’s a crap deal if they have resources.”
“Well, we don’t owe you our resources,” I drawled.
“How very Christian of you,” he sneered.
“Well, I’m not Christian, so you just sound stupid now,” I threw right back. “And how very Christian of you to be so selfish. We have lots of people too, and my job is to keep them safe.”
“I’m sure you did the best you could, but I’m certain that will change,” he replied.
I sighed. “For the love of fuck. I’m not in charge because I was all they could come up with, you fuckhead. I’m the one who started it all and got the power on. I’m the reason we have what you don’t.” I glanced around. “Can a penis talk to him? He’s so stupid, boobs distract him from reality.”
Several people snorted and more than half behind the fences, which he didn’t like.
But he rallied. “The lord will show you the light and—”
“Yeah, so that’s the first of the rules of coming with us,” I purred. “No preaching. Your beliefs are your own, and as long as they don�
��t involve murder or bad stuff, we don’t care, so keep them to yourselves. We’re not putting up with that shit as a lot of us had to run from cults and all of that.”
“Oh? What’s bad stuff? Being gay?” he pushed, focused on Chris.
Dick.
“Um, no, you bigot,” I sighed. “Look, you want to turn this place into your Mecca or church of whatever, I don’t care. You do you, man. You and your followers can do whatever you want, but not everyone in there are your followers.”
“We don’t force anyone, and we’ve upheld the laws of the country we loved, even if it’s gone,” Chris added. “That doesn’t change. What has changed is we have a chance to do better by the people who survived.” He narrowed his eyes at the guy. “If we don’t blow it. This is a test to see if we’ll keep our end and not try and take it all over.”
“We’re with you, Chris,” someone else promised, giving that first guy a pissed look. “What do you need?”
“Each bus holds thirty,” he answered. “They’ve got charging trucks headed to meet up with them to get them all the way to Albuquerque and a safe path. We need fifteen elderly and fifteen to help them travel that far in each bus. Some can stay and take care of them or get things set up, but half will come back and pick up more. This is the shuttle so it will be slow.”
“So the most able-bodied first and we can prep the others for later,” he surmised. “Got it. What else?”
“Any assholes, we’re sending right back,” I warned. “We don’t do bigots, zealots, or assholes. The rest are welcome; we don’t have the people to help them, but we can make sure they have what they need.”
“Fair enough,” he agreed.
Things went surprisingly fast, which told us they really were in trouble or just ready to get out before there was more trouble.
I waited until the sixty people were assembled. “We have a hotel for you to start. We fixed it so it’s got utilities, but they’re not fully fixed in Albuquerque. We’re going to be working on that, but don’t waste the power or water. I said it to the others, but let me be clear that if you’re zealots, bigots, or assholes, we’ll show you the door and you’re on the bus right back.
“This isn’t something owed you. This is our settlement and we’re giving you a chance. That’s it. Split between the two buses and your driver will get on after in the hazmat suit. Do not touch them. We’re going to use this place as quarantine just to make sure my people are safe. We’ll work out food deliveries and supply lists later. Behave and help and we’ll keep you safe, or stay here. That’s the deal.”
They nodded and headed to the buses while I moved closer to the guy who had been on Chris’s side.
“How many sick do you have? We can get the hospital back online for basics, but we don’t have the people to handle that and keep clearing and get more power going, plus food.”
“And how to transport them,” he sighed.
“We can figure something out,” I promised, glancing over at Chris. “We have a small cargo plane. Could we rig it so we can use those medivac gurneys or something?”
“That could work but—”
“I think we need to see a bit more of this ‘settlement’ before we entrust you with our sick and needy,” that guy cut in.
I blinked at him. “And I think you need to shut up and realize I don’t answer to you. You don’t matter here. Chris is boss of this settlement. I’m boss of mine. I’ll work with Chris because I have people who vouch for him. It’s an easy equation there, man. You know what’s not there? You. You’re insignificant, so stop wasting my time.”
Jaxon looked about ready to die as I pushed every single button on that guy and hard, repeatedly. Fuck him.
“Enough, Donny,” Chris snapped. “You want to give a sermon, or gather people who want to pray this goes well and we maybe survived the worst, go right ahead. That’s your area. Mine is running this settlement, and looking down at our best chance of all surviving is pissing me off. I get that your doctrine teaches women serve their husbands, but we don’t allow that here, so don’t act like that’s the new world order.”
He opened his mouth to throw something back, but most people were clearly on Chris’s side and not about to let their chance for better be ruined. He closed it and smiled, dipping his head to us. “I understand, we have to wave our morals in the apocalypse to survive. Our lord will understand.”
“I don’t give a shit what your lord approves of or thinks. You don’t have a direct line to him, and until then, I’m sure as hell not taking your word for my morals. I was out there killing corrupted and finding survivors while you were in here praying and letting others keep you alive. Now you’ve got the balls to judge us? Go fuck yourself. We’re not giving you shit as our beliefs are you don’t deserve to be saved.”
“I’ll make sure Donny here never gets on one of the buses or is allowed in our territory,” Jaxon promised, smirking at the guy. “And you speak to my wife like you’re looking down on her again and I will answer you with my fist. Doesn’t whatever doctrine have say something in there about not bossing around another man’s wife?”
He gave Jaxon an annoyed look. “Your marriage isn’t valid as she has multiple ‘husbands’ and our lord would never approve. Polygamy is not the righteous path, nor is homosexuality. She is not a wife, but a whore who cannot be allowed to corrupt others.”
I darted in front of Jaxon. “Wait, if I can’t hit him, you can’t either.” I glanced over at Donny. “Hey, idiot, that ‘law’ you’re so sure of and apparently such a judge on? You’re not even right. Polygamy is men having multiple wives. We’re polyandry, which isn’t prohibited in the Bible, nor is polygamy. So you’re an idiot.”
“And it says not to throw stones at glass houses, so stop starting shit with us when we’re here to help and you offer nothing but judgment,” Jaxon bitched, wrapping his arm around me and moving us away.
“Wait, please, forget about Donny,” a woman said as she came closer to us, clearly on Chris’s side and working with that nice guy we’d been talking to. “There’s a list the docs gave me that, if we could get the supplies, could help our sick and stabilize them to be moved.”
“How do I know it won’t end up with the asshole and his people?” I argued.
“Donny, agree,” Chris said firmly. “Or you’ll be booted out. Enough of this. We can’t get supplies and aid to those who need it because you’re calling people whores and trying to take over? Have you lost it?”
Donny cleared his throat as he seemed to realize he was in deep shit. “I apologize. My blood sugar must be too low as the rations are almost gone. I’ll see who’s available to help pray to make sure our elderly make the journey safe.” He stormed off with steam about coming out of his ears.
Can you storm off and claim the higher road? That seemed like one or the other.
I took the list from her and nodded. “I don’t know what we can get, but we’ll send it back with the buses. I think they’re going to try and set up more batteries so they can travel further without needing drivers for the trucks too.”
“We can spare people to drive,” Chris’s right hand offered.
I glanced past him to the gathered people, thinking of Donny too. “I think you’ve got your hands full. It gives people time to have a breath and help clean up before they come right back. That’s a long drive after all.”
Chris gave some more orders I didn’t pay much attention to, already thinking about what else we needed to handle on our end. I almost laughed. I was pretty sure I had the weirdest and most over-the-top list of what to check on before a wedding ever.
8
I did get a chance to look at my other gifts. Matilda did get us that track laying machine and a group of humans who knew about us and didn’t care. That worked for us, and they were excited about the electric semis and awesome camping travelers they’d be using. So far, we didn’t have all that much worked out, but they were starting in Canada as the weather would start turning cold t
here fast.
And we didn’t even have the trains yet.
Nora gifted five beautiful horses of some fancy, fancy linage and breed I didn’t understand but were a big deal from the way everyone reacted. I thanked her and tried to hide I thought it impractical to build stables when people were in trouble. Plus, I didn’t even know how to ride, but it was a meaningful gift, so I did appreciate it.
It did amuse Kristof too, who promised one day soon we’d have less crazy and he’d teach me to ride. He had me on board when he said we could ride them to our grotto we’d have one day, and it would be so romantic I would beg him for daily private dates.
I didn’t think that would really happen, but it sounded nice to make plans like that.
Currently, my plans were my bachelorette party. We were outside Houston so we could watch the fun that would happen later, my blood already down to gather them.
“This is the coolest bachelorette party ever,” I whispered as I took in the rooftop party. There were tables of food and treats… And lots of weapons. Cleary, we didn’t care if we destroyed anything around us from the grenade launchers, miniguns, and more. They had the stands and mounts with a shit ton of ammo ready to go.
There were a few three-story buildings like the one we were on surrounding an area that was cleared out by Vitor. Basically, we had a badass killing zone, and in the middle they’d left a few drops of my blood so we’d get corrupted, but not get overrun. Nice.
What I could have done without was Olivia being there. Even though I liked Nora, Matilda, and Hanna, it seemed weird they were there, but I didn’t even like Olivia. All of my female knights were there, along with another handful of female shifters I knew and liked. And about a dozen of the females of Safie’s coven’s court.
I hadn’t understood that at first as I thought a princess’s court was her and her nobles. It was, but the coven’s court was like in the old monarchies of visiting powerful families or those of influence. So, not noble houses as those were all princess lines, but houses of power and prestige that were good allies. Sort of like how the aristocracy used to work and wealthy landowners were worth being friends with.