Life After Humanity

by Gillian St. Kevern

  “It’s an impressive collection. Godfrey and Hunter have been working on it for a number of centuries.”

  Nate extended his hand as if to touch a leather-bound volume on the shelf and then thought better of it. “And all these books are supernatural?”

  “About the supernatural,” Ben corrected. “Yes. Except for the mystery novels.” He waved a hand toward a solitary bookcase, lined with thin, brightly colored volumes. “Godfrey collects them. He refers to them as his vice.”

  Nate scratched the back of his head. “Do you think Godfrey knows about Aki?”

  Ben frowned. “If he did, he’d not have mentioned the library,” he said slowly. “No matter what books he’d set aside for us, he’d know that a friend came first.”

  “So that means what, exactly?”

  “Hunter’s acting alone. Which makes sense. Godfrey would not approve of kidnapping, and if he knew Hunter was looking for me, I’m almost certain he would have found a way to let me know.” Ben hesitated in front of what had been his favorite armchair as a teen but sat, instead, on the sofa. “Hunter’s acting alone.”

  As he hoped, Nate joined him. “Which means Aki’s not here. We’re wasting our time.”

  “We’re gathering information.” Ben leaned forward to look at the two piles of books on the table. “An Encyclopedia of Plants and Their Use in Spellcraft and Healing—I think this is for you.” He slid the larger pile over to Nate.

  “Huh.” Nate frowned at the book. “I was thinking about learning some witchcraft. I mean, everyone already assumes that I’m a witch, so it makes sense…”

  “I think it’s a really good idea.” As Nate opened the encyclopedia, Ben turned to the books laid out in front of him. There were only three books in this pile, and one was simply a folder. Ben opened it and discovered a faint facsimile of what looked to be a scrap of an illuminated manuscript. A saint stood, bedecked with halo and holy book, radiating the rays of the sun. The sunlight spread outward from him, striking a group of black-clad figures with exaggerated teeth and claws. The group writhed and died, disintegrating under the light, except for one, a figure that turned, oblivious to the light, and shook his fist.

  The door opened, and Godfrey backed into the room, his hands full with a tray upon which rested all the accoutrements of tea. Nate immediately stood up to take the tray and Ben made room for it on the coffee table.

  “Thank you. I didn’t ask if you had time for tea, but I hope you’ll indulge an old man.” Godfrey smiled at Ben. “It has been a long time since we took tea together. And Nathan—Nate, I believe I owe you an apology for the last time.”

  “It’s all right,” Nate said. “No harm done.”

  Godfrey turned the delicate china cups over to sit on their saucers and carefully poured three cups of tea. “Milk?” he asked Nate as he added sugar and a dash of milk to Ben’s cup.

  Ben wasn’t surprised that Godfrey still remembered how he liked his tea, but it gave him a feeling of warmth nonetheless. “Thank you, Godfrey.”

  The old servant didn’t respond until everyone had a cup of tea and a cookie in front of them. “If I had thought of it, I could have made your favorite cookies.”

  “These are great,” Ben said, and Nate, wiping crumbs from his mouth, nodded hasty agreement. “It’s been too long since I’ve eaten any of your cooking.” Ben motioned to the pile of books. “What are these?”

  “You will find that my research has been piecemeal. I have been chiefly occupied redoing the wards on the house, so I have not had as much time to look into our collection as I had hoped.”

  Ben looked down at the folder. “What have you been looking for?”

  “Cases of vampires that have returned to life.”

  “Wait,” Nate said. “There have been others?”

  “A very few,” Godfrey said. “Not much is known about them. Knowledge is limited to rumor only, as there are no firsthand accounts. Any vampire who was able to restore himself to life was regarded as a threat by not only vampires, but his fellow man as well. I imagine that their survival would have rested on disguising what they were. But rumors…” Godfrey rested a hand on the folder. “A note in the margin of an illuminated manuscript. A paragraph in an account of a vampire outbreak in Ratisbon. And of course, the first treatise ever written on vampires, which includes a lot of theory about the origin and nature of vampires, now dismissed as speculation by an ignorant churchman with a naive belief in the ability of faith to heal even vampirism. But if my suspicions are right, and the author was himself a cured vampire or knew a cured vampire—well. The implications are clear.”

  Ben looked down at the slender clothbound volume. He wasn’t sure why his throat suddenly felt so tight, or why there was a sudden heat in his eyes. “It’s really kind of you to look these up at all. I know how busy you are.”

  “Nonsense. I am an old man, and it gives me pleasure—especially since with Hunter not in residence, I have a lot of time on my hands.” Godfrey beamed at them. “Nate, I’m sure your books need no explanation. I thought that given your ability, plants should be our starting point.”

  Nate sat up straight at the mention of Hunter, shooting Ben an urgent look.

  Ben kept his tone casual. “Don’t encourage him. There’s too many plants in his apartment as it is.”

  Godfrey smiled. “I am most grateful for his attention to our little garden. It thrives as it has never thrived before.”

  “While we’re here, do you want to take a quick look at it?” Ben suggested. “I know you’ll want to admire your handiwork.”

  Nate frowned, clearly wondering what Ben was up to. “If you don’t mind,” he said, looking at Godfrey.

  The old man beamed. “By all means! I should be delighted.”

  As Nate pulled the door shut behind him, Godfrey set his cup of tea in his saucer. He rested his long hands on his knees and waited.

  Knows me too well. Ben swallowed. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Do I really need to answer that question?” Godfrey’s voice was kind.

  Ben felt his cheeks heat. “No. Sorry—I mean, thank you. I’ve spent so long second-guessing myself that I’ve lost sight of who my friends are.”

  “We were all very fond of you,” Godfrey said. “It had been so long since we had a child in the house. Watching you grow was a privilege. I felt it. Saltaire felt it, and I know that Hunter could not have been more pleased with his brother.” Godfrey watched Ben. “I have kept my word and respected your desire to make a life of your own. Hunter and Saltaire have no idea that you are alive—”

  “Hunter knows,” Ben said. He gripped his teacup firmly. “He went to Nate’s family farm to look for me. And last night he confronted Nate at Century.”

  “He said nothing to me.” Godfrey frowned. “I have not seen him this past week. Not since—he took leave to travel. Said that he wanted some time to pursue a private inquiry.”

  “Me.” Ben set his cup down. “Do you know where he is now?”

  Godfrey shook his head. “He has an apartment of his own somewhere in the city. I know that much. He uses it to entertain guests privately. He has always kept it secret, and I saw no reason to pry. We all need our privacy on occasion.” Godfrey hesitated. “Does this have something to do with the ‘Aki’ Nate mentioned?”

  “His friend. Aki saw Hunter call on Nate and disappeared soon after. We think they’re together.”

  “Ah.” Godfrey looked at the sofa where Nate had been sitting. “He will be concerned, of course. I understand that Hunter and Nate did not part on good terms.”

  Ben’s mouth twisted. “Strangely enough, he resents that Hunter tried to kill him.”

  “A natural reaction. But you can reassure him that Hunter means no harm to his friend.”

  “I don’t think Nate will be able to relax until we find Aki.”

  “I regret that I cannot be of help to you there. After sundown, I can call Hunter and urge him to reconsider.”

  “No.
His business is with me. I’ll handle it.”

  Godfrey hesitated. “Is Hunter’s wish to see you again really such a bad thing? He regards you as his brother, and he will do much for you. At your request, he will keep your secret from Saltaire.”

  “So long as Saltaire doesn’t order him to do otherwise.” Ben immediately felt guilty. Hunter couldn’t disobey the vampire who had created him, just as Ben was incapable of so much as a disobedient thought in his presence.

  “Saltaire is on sabbatical in Europe,” Godfrey said. “He is making a pilgrimage of the places of his youth. He warned me we need not expect him for several moons.”

  Moons? It was an unusual way to put it— Was Godfrey also thinking of the rogue werewolf?

  But Godfrey was as inscrutable as ever, tidying up the tea things onto their tray. “I imagine that you will wish to be on your way in search of Nate’s friend. As happy as I am to see you, I will not keep you. I will merely add that you are welcome any time, and that if there is anything you would like from your room sent to your apartment, I am happy to oblige.”

  Ben set down his cup of tea. “Actually, speaking of my room—do you mind if I take a look at it?”

  It was a very strange feeling standing in the doorway of the room that had been his since he was ten years old until his untimely death at twenty-one. Ben looked around the room, his eyes moving from the familiar movie posters to the controllers for his gaming unit. On the one hand, everything looked exactly as he’d left it, so familiar that it hurt. On the other hand, he felt curiously disconnected from it, as if he looked at the room of a stranger.

  “You okay?”

  Ben turned to see Nate walking down the hall toward him, carrying the books Godfrey had lent them. He made room for Nate to stand next to him in the doorway. “Just thinking. I didn’t expect that the sight of my room would move me so much. Godfrey’s kept it exactly how it was. It feels—” Ben caught himself. It feels more like mine than my entire apartment.

  Nate looked around. “You want to take anything with you?”

  It was surprisingly tempting. The room’s clutter was evidence that Ben had lived here, really lived, and his interests asserted themselves proudly all over the room. From the framed poster of Bela Lugiosi’s Dracula, to the Monster Hunter figurines on the bookcase, the room said “geek—with very specific interests.” “Maybe later.” With one last look at the room, Ben turned down the hall. “We still have work to do.”

  “We’re sneaking into Hunter’s room?”

  “I’m sneaking in. You’re keeping guard.” Ben stepped through the grand master bedroom and into the adjoining study. Hunter’s desk was a Victorian monster, filled with tiny drawers and secret hiding places. It did not seem to have been used recently. The newest of the letters stacked neatly on the desk was from the month prior, and a thin layer of dust coated the surface. Clearly Godfrey had been very busy with the wards if he hadn’t had time to keep the house up to his usual standards. Ben tried the drawers and wasn’t surprised to find most of them locked. The ones that did open revealed nothing more innocuous that a selection of fountain pens and a spare power cord for Hunter’s laptop.

  “Any luck?”

  “No. But then again, this was a slim chance.” Hunter had been maintaining his secret apartment for years. He would have had plenty of time to perfect his hiding places for any information about it. Ben scanned the room, reluctant to leave. His gaze fell on an open calendar. Godfrey’s mention of moons came back to him. “Nate, when is the full moon?”

  “Tuesday,” Nate said promptly. “Only reason I know that is the rogue werewolf. The papers are counting down. Why?”

  “The fifth day before the Ides.” Ben stared at the calendar. “I’d totally forgotten.”

  “The Ides?”

  “It’s a Roman thing—an Ancient Roman thing. The Ides were observed on the day of the full moon and used to calculate the date. Today is the fifth day before the Ides, a day of meeting.” Ben squeezed past Nate and out the doorway, pulling Nate after him. “It’s also the day of the month when the Vampire Senate gathers.”

  “And you think Hunter’s going to be there?”

  “He has to be there. With Saltaire in Europe, Hunter is the only vampire in ARX. If he doesn’t show up, ARX won’t be represented, and that is as good as dissolving the company.”

  “Even if he’s kidnapping?” Nate hurried down the stairs after Ben.

  “He’ll expect me to remember the date and show up.” Ben knew he was right. Hunter was operating under the assumption that Ben was still very much a vampire, and that he still felt the obligations that went along with his link to Saltaire. “He may bring Aki with him.”

  “So what do we do?”

  Ben smiled. He was not sure why Nate’s assumption that he was going to walk into a meeting of New Camden’s vampire elite beside Ben warmed him—but it did. “We show up.”

  THE STORE WAS sparsely furnished in the way of expensive stores. Ben’s changing room was so wide that it had space for an armchair, and the mirrors covered three of the four walls. Ben took a deep breath, but as he raised his gaze to the glass, he wasn’t met with the usual feelings of panic and revulsion. He still looked strange—Ben ran a hand over his hair, discovered that it was just long enough to have lost the spiky feel—but not in a way that made him jump.

  Ben’s mouth twitched. Did Nate’s cure for mirrors actually have an effect? If so, we need to try that again.

  There was a rustle of cloth in the next changing room. “Are you sure about this?” Nate asked. “I mean, shopping for suits doesn’t seem like it’s going to help us find Aki.”

  “Trust me, it’s necessary.” Ben turned his attention back to the glass. He tugged his suit jacket straight, wriggling his shoulders, and surveyed the results. The suit fit him like a glove. The muted gray the shop assistant had recommended downplayed his pale skin, and the crimson shirt gave him a touch of color. A black vest and tie completed the ensemble. Ben looked down at his sneakers. Next stop would be shoes. “Vampires are only impressed by power. We aren’t getting into the senate meeting unless we look the part.”

  “If you say so.” Nate sounded uncertain. “I don’t know why we don’t just go there now. Aki and an entire room of vampires just says ‘disaster’ to me.”

  “He won’t be there now, and there’s no way we could hide our presence from an entire gathering of vampires while we wait for Hunter to show up.” Ben took one last critical look at himself in the mirror and nodded. “I’m ready. You?”

  “I can’t help but feel like we’re getting ready for a funeral.” Nate threw back the curtain. The shop assistant had given him a darker shade of gray than Ben, and the strong lines of the suit gave definition to Nate’s already well-defined body. He motioned awkwardly to the suit. “What do you think?”

  “You look good. Definitely not funeral material.” Nate’s tie was already straight, but Ben was unable to resist stepping in close to adjust it. He stroked his hands down Nate’s vest, smoothing it before buttoning his jacket. “Aki’s been sending you messages, right? Has he indicated that he feels in danger?”

  Nate shook his head. “He’s not telling me anything useful or answering my questions. He wants to know what I know about Hunter and if he has a type.”

  Ben snorted, looking around for the shop assistant. “Curvy redheads.”

  Nate paused, phone in hand. “Are you sure? I mean—he seemed really into you.”

  “We never had the discussion, but the impression I got is that Hunter is bi with a strong preference for women. It is a very special man who holds his attention longer than one night.”

  Nate winced. “Aki’s not going to like that.”

  “Good. Maybe Aki will tell you where he is, and we can take him home.” Ben caught the shop assistant’s eye, and he immediately came forward. “The suits are perfect. We’ll take them both.” He handed the man his credit card.

  Nate tugged at his necktie. “You didn’t
ask how much they cost.”

  “This sort of store, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” Ben caught Nate’s frown. “What’s the matter?”

  Nate shook his head. “It’s stupid. We’re preparing to walk in on a bunch of vampires on their home turf, and I’m worried about you buying me a suit that I could never afford.”

  “Hey.” Ben took his hand. “That’s not stupid. This is something that bothers you a lot, I know.”

  Nate smiled faintly. “We’ve never had a lot of money. It freaks me out. If anything happens to this suit, I’m going to feel terrible.”

  “Don’t,” Ben said, as the shop assistant returned with his card and receipt. “It’s your suit now. It’s meant for you to wear. And that means it probably will get dirty at some point.”

  “But I can’t repay you.”

  The shop assistant busied himself folding their street clothes up and tucking them into a shopping bag. Ben took advantage of his distraction to lean against Nate. “You give me presents I can’t repay.”

  “What, acorns?” Nate snorted.

  “Like your belief in me. No matter what happens, you’ve always been confident that I had the strength to deal with it. And thanks to your belief, I have.” Ben looked down. “A week ago, there would have been no way I would agree to confront the Vampire Senate—or even return to Hunter’s house. But with you beside me, it doesn’t seem impossible at all.” He squeezed Nate’s hand. “You give me strength, Nate. And that’s worth so much more to me than anything in this entire store.”

  Nate’s hand tightened around Ben. “So. Vampires?”

  Ben nodded. “Vampires.”

  Chapter Ten

  WAS IT A vampire trait never to pay for their own taxi? As soon as they pulled up to the street in downtown New Camden, Ben handed Nate his wallet and climbed out of the cab. It would make sense, I guess. A true vampire would never do something so menial as pay for something. And Ben had been silent all of the drive, probably psyching himself up for what they were about to do.

  As he joined Ben on the pavement, Nate looked around. He was surprised to find their surroundings very familiar. The neon glow and crowded pavement could only be the nightclub district. “We’re only a couple of blocks from Century.”