“No,” said Poe, ashamed of her back and her state of undress. “I don’t want to see anyone, Passionada. Especially Sainvire and Maclemar.”
Her request was honored. No one, not even Maclemar, tried to see her. He’d been dying of grief in the belief that Poe had been lost, and now her insistence on being alone drew him evermore inward.
He preferred to spend most of his time on a boat fishing to keep his mind off of the woman he loved.
Sainvire likewise waited and drilled his crew on what to do in the event of an attack.
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The only male allowed to see her was T-Doc who took his job as temporary doctor seriously.
Morales opted not to put salves on her wounds to hasten the drying process. “You can sit up and walk around now, you know. It’s been seven days. Scabs are already forming. By next week you’ll have nothing on your skin but pink scars.”
“Morales, I want you to know how much I appreciate you coming down to help me,” said Poe, sincere and a little embarrassed for thanking her friend. She’d resolved to thank each and every friend who had helped bust her out of Trench’s lair. She started with Michelle who had nearly wept at Poe’s earnestness.
“Oh you know me. I blow with the wind,”
Morales said, shrugging her thanks. He was uncomfortable at the new, more somber Poe.
“Besides, I got to learn a new skill.”
“What’s that?”
“I learned to fly a helicopter,” he said with a smile. “Michelle learned, too. She was the one who flew the chopper that bore you here a week ago.”
“Geez,” said Poe, scratching her ponytailed head.
“You’re a realtor, a cattle rustler, a bomb maker, temporary doctor, a sperm donor, and now a chopper pilot. You’re a Renaissance Man.”
“I know, I know. It’s embarrassing,” he said, visibly happy with the compliments. “But seriously, Sainvire and Maclemar ask to see you all the time.
They’re getting on my nerves.”
“I’m not ready for them, Morales,” said Poe with a fearful glint in her eye. Morales sat down on the bed next to her. He wore his realtor attire and Italian shoes and adjusted her hospital gown that was open 297
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at the back. He took her pale hands in his tanned ones. “Poe. They both love you,” he said quietly.
“We all love you. There’s no need to hide.”
Poe looked up at Morales’ light brown eyes and teared up. “I can’t see them now, Sam. Just give me some more time, please.”
Morales touched her shoulder gently and pulled her to him. He kissed her forehead and said, “Honey, after what you’ve been through you deserve to get what you want.”
“Thank you,” she sniffed.
Morales massaged her neck in a pleasant, unimposing way, which was a departure for the ladies man. “I gotta ask you, though. Would you see Joseph and your godchild?”
Poe sat up straight. “They came down here? To get me?”
Morales nodded. “Habib, the chef and babysitter, came along, too.” He looked at Poe’s face and noticed for the first time the change in her appearance. Her baby face had been replaced by fine lines on her cheekbones that gave her a more classic look. A woman’s face. Because of Poe’s different ethnic make-up, her visage had always been obscure, something he couldn’t pinpoint. Whatever had happened in the last three months, no matter how horrible, Poe had never looked more beautiful and sensuous in his humble opinion.
“Joseph wants to see me?”
“Yes,” he answered quickly. “You should let him. He’s not over his grief from losing Megan. He still can’t square Megan’s final request and burning her body before Nesbitt’s men came. I think you should do this for him.”
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“I’ll see him, Morales,” she said, laying her hand on his arm. “How about you? Megan was your friend, too. And you’re Piper’s biological father.”
Morales rose, his chipper smile in place. “I’m fine, Poe. I miss her, but I got Piper, Joseph, and Habib to help me through this. Of course it’s not a gay thing,” he said. He winked and left the room.
Her room looked like something out of Little House on the Prairie. The wallpaper was floral and pink and her double-size bed draped in a colorful quilt even the Amish would have been envious of.
Teddy bears festooned every single nook. Poe shifted on the bed and arranged her hospital gown. She was thankful to be wearing underwear at last. Trench’s manipulation of her modesty angered Poe. In the future if I have to run away naked, I’ll do it! The hell with modesty!
The knock on the door surprised her. She’d forgotten about Joseph while thinking about Trench’s mind games. “Come in.”
A grinning Joseph opened the door, and little Piper squirmed in his arms. In uncustomary black clothing the vampire entered.
“Well lookit, Piper. There’s your godmother, the one who’s going to teach you how to kick butt when you’re older.”
Poe stood up, wincing at her back that was beginning to scab over but still raw. She kissed Joseph on the cheek and peeked at the redhead baby in his arms. “Gosh, she looks way bigger than when I last saw her. Cuter, too.”
“Yup. She looks like her mommy, doesn’t she?”
“Yeah, except she has Morales’ brown eyes.”
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“And my voice box,” he said, grinning. “You look good, Poe. Last week you looked like crap. I’ve always thought Trench to be a real shit, but what he did to you takes the cake.”
Poe unconsciously tugged at her ponytail. “Yeah.
He is. And I’m going to kill him for it,” she said.
“That’s the way,” he said and handed the baby to an alarmed Poe. “You gotta hate him to get rid of any phobias or humiliation he dealt you.”
Poe held the baby awkwardly, and Piper could feel it, too. She wiggled and started kicking away in distress. “I don’t think she likes me.”
“She likes you alright. You’re just not holding her right,” he said and repositioned her arms. “Relax.
Don’t tense up. Imagine holding a teddy bear, and don’t forget to rock her a little.”
Joseph’s instruction worked. The baby took to Poe and spit up a storm. “Listen, Joseph,” she said.
She stalled to glance at his brown eyes. “I really want to thank you for coming back for me, especially with Piper and all. I just want you to know that I’m in your debt.”
Joseph’s grin disappeared. Like Morales, he’d never seen this side of Poe before. Whatever Trench had done to her angered the vampire. “Don’t worry about it, Poe. You’re the closest thing I have to a sister, so don’t sweat it. Just heal up and be a badass again. Sainvire’s planning to hit the music hall one more time. I’m sure he wants to beat Trench to a pulp.”
Poe frowned. She thought of all the disgusting, degrading things Trench had put her through. “Not if I get to Trench first.”
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His silver-gray eyes followed her as she walked the compound thanking every single person, day vamp, and halfdead that had helped free her from imprisonment. She stood out in the backdrop of the blue ocean as she wore a snug black Pavement t-shirt and black jeans that showed off the pleasing curves of her legs. Sainvire turned his head toward Maclemar who stood by a light post awaiting his turn. The vampire could hear the erratic beat of the Welshman’s heart. The man who had taken pains to shave every day in case Poe called for him was nervous.
Sainvire, with his ability to hear from long distances, honed in on Poe’s conversation with the resident head chef. “Thanks so much, Habib. I’m grateful to you for chancing your life over me. You have the baby to worry about and everything.”
“Child. Ever since you feasted on my food two years ago with extreme gluttony, I have considered you a grandchi
ld,” the man with thick black eyebrows and silver hair said. “And no grandchild of mine will be harassed by trash like Trench.”
Poe wiped her eyes and walked to Rufus, the pilot who had learned his flight skills through video games and passed his knowledge onto Michelle and Morales. The tall man with hazel eyes smiled down at her. “How’re ya doin’, Poe?”
“Alright, Rufus. Thanks to you,” she said, clearing her throat. “I just want to thank you for helping me out.”
“No prob. No need to speak of it anymore.”
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“Well,” said Poe anxiously. “I also want to apologize for yanking your ear off. I was crazy back then. I’m better now.”
Rufus reached for his ear that wasn’t there any longer and shrugged. “I ate your earlobe, so that makes us even. Let’s shake on it and promise to forget about it.” They shook hands, and Poe approached and profusely thanked the team assembled by Sainvire. Her humility, though acceptable enough, disturbed him. That the girl had suffered at Trench’s hand was obvious, but it was also clear that the heinous vampire had broken her spirit. When she reached Ed, the five-foot tall El Salvadoran with the strength of Superman, Poe extended her hand.
A halfdead of few words, Ed shook her hand awkwardly and smiled at Poe. He said, “Anytime.
We’re here for you.”
Ed was Kawana’s link to Sainvire. He was the one who had traveled up and down the California Central Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains for weeks to find Sainvire and Joseph. Once the master vampire assembled his volunteers, he headed straight for L.A., stopping only to refuel three choppers. He reached Passionada’s compound and began planning for an ambush at Trench’s former orchestra hall.
Morales took care of the incendiaries while Joseph, with his blurringly fast speed, planted the explosives in the nooks of the Disney Hall.
Trench’s people didn’t know what hit them when the homemade bombs exploded. That was when the rest of the team stormed in wearing Kevlar vests and brandishing high-powered semi-automatics.
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Michelle, waiting her turn, smiled at Poe who kissed her on the cheek. The ex-cattle sniffed. “Glad you’re here with us, Poe. There aren’t too many kick-ass women left in this outfit.”
Poe nodded. “You said it. I’m glad I met you, Michelle. We’re as good as sisters now.” Michelle nodded to the man patiently awaiting Poe.
“Better go see the Welshman, girl.” He looks like he’s about to have a heart attack.”
Poe squared her shoulders and approached Maclemar. Sainvire could feel her heart beating faster, and a twinge of jealousy seared through his body. She had been intimate with the man until Sainvire purposely interrupted their lovemaking. It was a childish thing to do, but the thought of another man touching Poe made him furious at the time. God only knew what Poe endured in the hands of Quillon Trench.
Before Poe could speak Maclemar encircled her into his arms, making sure he didn’t touch her back.
He hadn’t seen Poe in over two weeks and was surprised to find her outside, looking pale and saying her thanks to day vamps. His heart constricted as he waited his turn.
“No need to thank me, Sharren,” he whispered in her ear before she could speak. “I’d do anything for you. And I’m sorry that dung heap Trench treated you so ill.”
Poe stilled and stiffened. For some reason other people’s touch, especially that of men, bothered her so. “So you all know what happened to me?”
“Yes, Poe. I’m sorry. Kawana told us,” he said gravely, touching her shoulder which she shrugged away.
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She wanted to cry right then and there. Her dirty secrets had been revealed, and they embarrassed her.
Torture, sex, feasting, wearing make-up, heels, and dresses. The humiliation was just too much. She was glad they didn’t know she enjoyed Trench’s tender lovemaking even after nights of mistreatment by his vampire cronies. They would have thought she was sick.
“Poe, I’ve been feasted on. I know a little about what you’re going through,” he said. Poe remembered all the bite marks and the chunks missing from his skin. She shuddered. “If you ever need to talk—”
She shook her head.
“If I could kill him right now, I would,” he said angrily.
“He’ll get his moment in the sun.” She looked up at Maclemar’s jewel green eyes and felt love for the man. “And I want to thank you anyway. You hardly know me, and you’ve tried to save my life three times now.”
“Three times?” he asked, cocking his head.
Poe smiled. “You could’ve returned to your boat instead of following me inland. You ran after me in a dark road full of Revenents. And you came with Sainvire to bust me out of Trench’s lair.”
“So that’d be two times that I followed you and once rescuing you. You’ve gotta get it straight,” he said. He reached behind her head and took out her hair band. Her long black hair spilled out mid-back.
Poe tensed. She remembered Trench’s insistence that she wear her hair down. Maclemar sensed her distress and handed back her hair tie.
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Poe took a deep breath. Don’t let Trench give you anymore phobias. She smoothed down her hair and clapped the fisherman on the shoulder. “Thank you, James. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me.”
Sainvire watched the interplay between Poe and Maclemar and was hit with another pang of jealousy.
He noticed Poe’s reticence to be handled quite yet.
However, he did observe her high regard for Maclemar who got away with an intimate gesture, releasing Poe’s hair. Somehow Sainvire felt he’d lost her. Keeping everyone safe had killed his sense of humor and made him cynical and overprotective of his people. Poe was the only one who warmed his cold, tired heart, and it was hard for him to hear about the pain she’d endured under Trench. He anxiously anticipated the time he could return to the concert hall and disembowel the vampire.
She left Maclemar and headed his way. Her heart beat strong and fast. Sainvire wondered if she blamed him for not searching harder for her. She looked so small and fragile. The vampire rustler and eradicator he’d met two years ago seemed to have been erased and replaced by a woman unsure of her purpose in the world. Her beautiful hair that a ponytail had always hidden cascaded like a waterfall framing her face. Sainvire had never seen her look so striking.
She nervously stopped before him and tipped her head up to take in his eyes. Her eyes caressed his face, memorizing his bright gray eyes, dark lashes, and imperfect nose. The scar on his upper lip, the one that she’d imagined seeing again so many times while a prisoner of Trench, made her smile. Dimples appeared on her light cheeks.
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Poe did not speak. She merely looked at the vampire for a long time. Finally she said, “You have stubbles again. You shouldn’t have them, you know.
You’re a vampire.”
Sainvire smiled despite himself. “They only grow when I’m stressed.”
“Do I stress you out?” she asked.
Sainvire shook his head.
“You’re wrong.” said Poe. “I stress you out the most.”
Again Sainvire smiled, transforming his tired face. “You don’t stress me out. Not seeing you stresses me out.”
Poe pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and stared at the vampire wordlessly once more. She focused on his plump lower lip and exhaled. “I hear you’re blaming yourself.”
Sainvire looked away toward the terribly bright Pacific Ocean. Poe missed the contact with his silver eyes. “Don’t worry. I would’ve left to find Plasmacore no matter what you said. So please don’t blame yourself.”
He kept quiet, turning his head to look at Poe’s brown eyes flanked with long, straight lashes. “The problem is I do blame myself.”
“Kaleb, you always
blame yourself. If not me, it’s for some other stiff that didn’t make it,” she said.
“You should quit worrying, or you’ll get an ulcer.”
She grinned until she elicited a smile from the vampire.
“I think I do have an ulcer,” he laughed. “That’s my problem, I suppose, and you’ve diagnosed it.”
She reached for his hand, cold and large, and squeezed. It was the first time they’d touched since 306
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he had carried her away from Trench’s home. It was an impulsive act, and she quickly snatched her hand back.
“It, it wasn’t so bad,” lied Poe. “They mostly did terrible things to me after I escaped and got caught. I killed a bunch of Trench’s vamps, you see.”
Sainvire caressed her diagonal scar with his eyes.
“He will suffer for what he did to you, Poe. We are invading as soon as we get a go-ahead from Kawana.
If you don’t want to be a part of it, I’d understand.”
Poe swallowed hard and gruffly said, “Of course I’ll go. I want you to watch me kill him.”
“I’ll be there, Poe. But for now you’ve got to get your strength back, your confidence back.”
Poe looked down at her new shoes, black high-top Converse. “Is it that obvious?”
“It’s only obvious to me,” he said. “I’ve known you for two years. You’re fierce, Julia Poe. I watched you thank everyone who rescued you, and I saw a woman saying goodbyes and getting ready to die.
You’ve got to snap out of it and be angry again, or I’m going to lose you.”
She looked away and swallowed the rock behind her throat. She was going to lose it. Her shoulder shook, and despite herself tears began pouring.
Sainvire embraced her while looking at the crowd that quickly averted their gazes. Except for one.
Maclemar glared at him as if he was the cause of Poe’s woes.
“I don’t know what to do,” she cried. Sainvre’s shirt muffled her voice. She pushed him away from her. “I feel like he fucked me over and left me to wear dresses and heels in a gunfight.”
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“I’m here,” he said. “Maclemar’s here, and all your friends are here. Trust us.”
Dead Surround - The Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles Page 26