by P. S. Power
"Zack? We have been hearing some things, actually. Word is that you're a Greater Demon? Since that can't be true, I gather there's a story behind it that might be interesting?"
"Um... Well, it's a story, all right. Do you two have some time free later today? Or soon at least. I'm trying to get everything taken care of and not forget anyone, but it's actually sort of hard. I need to get a day planner. That or carry an assistant around with me." It was an idea, but he could also just remember stuff, if he applied himself. That would work too.
"I... Think we should both be around for dinner tonight? We could go out? There's a nice looking Thai place that just opened down the street from us?"
Zack tilted his head and then sighed.
"I can get take-out? That might work better. I'm pretty busy, believe it or not. Can we do that at about eight? I know it's late for you guys, but I have to get Judy Swan from Australia."
"Oh? How is she doing?" They'd met, if Xenses faking it counted that way. The thing there was that, for most people, it really did. They couldn't tell the difference and letting them know about it would just mess with their heads.
"Good, I think. Well, I'll be there, at eight. See ya." He didn't hang up first, since his grandfather was the kind of person to always say something, just as he did.
"Are you bringing a friend? I know that your grandmother has been wondering if you were still dating Lenore?"
"We are still dating, but I don't know if she can come tonight. There were those attacks yesterday, and while it wasn't the Vampires, there... Well, I can tell you later? It's part of that same story, more or less."
"Great, see you then."
The next call came moments after he switched to a new set of horrible memory types. Mainly him harming innocent people. There was a sense of guilt that wanted to grow, but he didn't let it. That was the point, after all. If he kept at it, then soon, all of those memories would be there, in his head, but without power over him. When that was done, if he managed it, he'd be integrated, more or less.
It was about one in the afternoon, so he called Keeley, knowing that she'd be at school. Really he was hoping to be dropped to voice message, but he actually got her, personally.
"Zack?" There was a bell, and the sound of a lot of people moving. "I'm just out of school. Do you need me? I can be there in about... Call it five minutes?"
He wasn't ready for that. Not at all. Tarsus had given him instructions, and he was either being a pain in the ass, making problems for him just because it was funny, or had set doing things in a particular way, because he'd been serious. Or it was supposed to help him learn a lesson. Zack really just wasn't ready yet.
"Would you be free at about midnight? I'd like to get together." He left it there, since it was pretty clear that he wasn't hinting at a booty call. Not that far in advance. She sighed, as if put upon.
"I can do that. Have you attempted that job Tarsus wanted?" Attempted. Which meant, unlike him, she'd probably checked the whole thing out, and understood that moving those statues would be a pain in the rear.
"Done. It only took a few minutes. This is about something different. Wear comfortable shoes? I'm thinking moonlit picnic." He was kidding, but too flat affected for it to show in his voice.
"I guess. Midnight, my time?"
That would give him an extra hour, so he nodded.
"Agreed. See you later!"
Then he headed to the Ettarian Summit, mainly to check on people, and make arrangements for transport, doing a few right then, since people wanted to check in back home. It was a lot of work, but it really did seem like no one wanted to go to war, in particular, for all they kept hinting at it, trying to get what they wanted.
That meant he worked right up to six, when he went home, showered quickly and ate a lot more canned food and things from boxes than was probably allowable while he was in special baby Demon training. It meant he was there when Darla came, and started talking without preamble.
"I'd like you to..." Then she just stopped, and watched him, her eyes glazing over solidly. "Okay, so you're dealing with those memories already. That's the plan for tonight. I don't know what everyone was always going on about, this mentoring stuff just isn't that hard." She winked at him, as if trying to be funny.
Zack let himself smile. It wasn't real, but he tried to really sell it.
"I can't stay anyway. I have a pick-up at seven, the real Judy Swan, then a meeting, with my grandparents. After that I have a date with Keeley, later." Then he had time, but he wanted to actually go over his store and possibly just sit and think for a while. Clearly, if he was going to do that, he'd need to make time for it.
That, he realized, was what almost everyone probably did, all the time. They didn't leave themselves open all the time like he'd been trying to do, which meant they got to vacation and rest a few hours a day. Things like that.
Not that it was a real problem for him yet, but he needed to take his girlfriend out soon. Maybe have sex. If he was ready for it again, at least. That reminded him to switch the kind of memories playing in his head, and to hold them, while removing the emotional content again.
Darla snorted.
"A date with Keeley? Sounds fun. Did you realize that what Tarsus asked for was nearly impossible and decide to renegotiate with her? You should have clarified what the task was. That was stupid. Now you could be facing anything."
He rolled his eyes, knowing that they were all right and that he'd messed that one up a good bit.
"It was giant statues. Four of them, moved from the Hireesie lands to one of his houses. I take your meaning though. In fact, he mentioned that to me too, after I'd finished. I..."
Honestly, he had no reason not to share with Darla, did he? Tarsus had suggested that he be a bit mysterious with Keeley and make an event of the information, including trading for the information a lot more intensely than he'd ever done before. That would be hard, since he had no clue what to ask of her. Just that it should be something she wouldn't want to do. Or a thing she wouldn't want to part with.
"Okay, I don't know if this was the truth, but it's what he told me." Then Zack shared everything, as the blonde girl, who was wearing a slightly fuzzy blue sweater and black slacks, just nodded along. Finally she grinned.
"Damn. That's really impressive. I haven't even been given the Second Crucible yet. It's pretty much the first thing that happens when you're about to be recruited into upper management. I guess I can see it. It's like you said, her powers mean that she'll either end up dead, or in control, one way or the other, eventually. Really, I'm a bit shocked that they didn't just kill her, outright, but that could simply be that Tarsus is worried that if they try, they might eventually fail. Making her an enemy now, and letting her live, would be a mistake." She grinned and touched his arm, leaving her hand there for a while. It was warm, but not sexual, thank goodness.
Zack wasn't ready for that yet. It would be... Hours at least. Then he'd be ready for it.
Smiling he started to say something about that, when she went on.
"The Librarian seems to actually like you, Zack. He's always been a lot less friendly with me, and acts like he hates Keeley, practically. I was just assuming that he thought you were going to die soon, but that isn't it. Not that you can't be killed pretty easily, but that no one seems to really want to."
After thinking for a bit, rather than simply responding he could see that.
"All hail the fast transit point?"
The girl that stood next to him, the Greater Demon that hadn't been a girl for many centuries rather, let one eye close and held the move.
"All hail the fast transit point." Then she nodded once. "That pretty much sums the thing up. Ooooh, I know what you need to ask Keeley for. It's horribly mean, but if Tarsus wasn't just blowing smoke up our collective behinds, it might even help her."
Then, naturally, she didn't say anything at all, since she was his mentor, and expected him to figure things like that out for himself. That me
ant putting himself into her shoes, and trying to work through her day to day life. Keeley's, that was.
There were a few things that she might not want to part with really. Her mother, of course, but trying to demand that would just have her fighting him. Oh, he could probably barter for the right to date the woman, eventually, and might make the effort, since she was friendly and cute, but that would actually create more problems than it solved.
Going after any of her slaves would be... Doable, but they'd still be owned by her. Worse, he'd have Balthias, or possibly Elis, walking around then. She had some others too, a human family and a couple of Hsreth, but he wasn't really interested in slaves. That only left two things that Keeley would value all that much, didn't it?
He nodded, "well, three things, but you're already my mentor, and not hers to give. If I want to steal your affections from her, I'll have to do it the old fashioned way, by plying you with sweets and telling you that you have pretty eyes. Which you do. I have some of that cake left too, which you should help yourself to. You can pay me in sex later? It will help draw us together and reassure you that I'm not a prude." That was bold, but she tilted her head side to side, and then smiled.
"Agreed. Mediocre sex, since they're day old cakes now. Only once per cake too, not unlimited amounts. Otherwise you'd never get any work done, because I'm awesome in bed. Normally at least."
Zack could work with that.
"Agreed, on those terms. I would point out though that Keeley never offers to have sex with you, does she? That should help show how much better being my friend can be. Or am I wrong?"
"Nope, you've connected with reality solidly there. Now, the other two? You were about to tell me your brilliant plan to make poor Keeley suffer?" She looked interested, but did that over her shoulder, as she headed to the kitchen. There was cake in the offing, after all. They really did have to eat a lot, in order to keep going, plus, they had a bargain set up.
"That leaves Hally, her Human girlfriend, and Rebekah, her Vampire employee. Honestly, the emotional impact would be greatest with Hally, but she's too young for me. I'm willing to relax the age thing, if I have to, but I won't hurt an innocent girl just to push Keeley around. That means I should try to get her Vampire woman, right?" He nodded, mainly to himself, thinking slowly. That was due to the fact that he was holding fifteen horrible memories at once though, and not letting himself feel anything about them, which had to be reinforced with magic.
Darla kept moving, getting a fork and one of the large covered trays. The cake had butter cream frosting and was white, all the way through. She moved it to the table and started to eat without comment. After a bit she looked at him, her fork still moving, indicating he could finish his thought, if he wanted.
Zack shrugged.
"It will be hard for her to do that, since Rebekah isn't her slave, just a friend really. It will work, right?" He didn't know, but remembered Keeley once fighting, possibly to the death, against a Greater Demon that had already been kicking her ass, just to save Lenore, who she hardly knew at all. It might create a problem there too.
The cake eating machine that had once been Darla shrugged, and kept feeding herself. It was decently impressive, seeing someone else do things like that. It was a double layer full sheet cake, with large amounts of rich frosting and she was about halfway through it already. It was also nearly seven, so he didn't sit himself. He did grab his new coat though. Lenore had given it to him for Christmas. It was black and soft, with black buttons, and looked like something sailors would have worn in the fifties.
It was just a style thing, since he shouldn't get too cold at all, anywhere he was going.
When he came back into the kitchen, after getting ready, Darla stood up, then moved in and gave him a hug. It was a lot friendlier than she'd bothered with before, really.
"You're doing pretty well, Zack. Keep going. I know that things have been tough, the last bit, but that only gets worse, over time, so don't puss out now." Then she slapped him on the arm. Hard enough that he stumbled sideways a little. "Now, go and have fun. You take things too seriously. I blame myself for that, but it's my job. You're the one that's supposed to see to that part for yourself. Get to it." There was a tiny laugh with the words, but her eyes were made to look slightly questioning, as if she knew something that he didn't. Since that was just real, he decided to try and pay attention to what she was saying.
"Fun. Right. I'll get to that then." He turned, and ended up making a full circle, facing her again immediately. "Right, I have a question. Finias' sister, what's her name again?"
He was crazy, so could forget things, if he wanted. He thought that was part of the package at least. There was a chance that the Greater Demon just didn't exist at all, he knew.
Darla tilted her head, honestly baffled, it seemed.
"Magda? I haven't even heard of her in years, why?"
Zack waved and then set up a node, linked directly to Australia, seeing a familiar and very cute blond through it. "It's just something Tarsus said, that's all. I need to look into some things."
Then he stepped through, getting a gasp from the room he suddenly entered.
Chapter eighteen
"Oh. My. God. You actually came? The Line Walker?" The attractive, and decently famous actress in front of him bowed. It was very out of place, considering she was in casual tan slacks and hiking boots, with three bags, all of them being green ruck sacks. No back packs.
Then she dropped to her knees.
He'd seen that one before, since it was a response that some Alede had, when they felt scared enough of a person. It was the fastest way to offer themselves. Basically getting ready to service the person without even stripping their clothing off. Zack got it, he was the Greater Demon and she was... Just her, at least in her own mind.
"Hi, Judy. Would you like to go now? I..." Offering his right hand, he helped her get up, which she did lightly. Then, not having anything else, he did what he always had, and fell back on the truth. "That's really tempting, but I have a pretty tight schedule tonight. Plus, I think I'm sort of dating your granddaughter. We aren't having sex, yet, but it's enough that if I did something with you right now, it would create problems for her. Plus some other things, but you don't really need to know about those. So be good, or Kaitlyn will yell at us." After all, getting the idea, he made himself relive a host of things that had involved being made to suck a lot of people off. The choking sensations nearly made him gag, even years later.
It took a lot to move around that one.
"Really? Why aren't you having sex? Kaitlyn is very good looking. Or shouldn't I ask?"
Zack shrugged and took two of the heavy bags from her, leaving her with one. She was in pretty good shape, he was willing to bet. Alede worked out, if they were smart, since a toned body made the sex more fun.
"Timing, mainly. I went from having no luck with women at all for years, to suddenly having more offers than I can actually manage. I don't have your people's needs, or coping skills, so that, along with being busy... You know, with the bombings?"
She went wide eyed then.
"Yeah, those. I nearly didn't come today. I hear that there won't be any more? Those horrible Christians that did it killed themselves. I knew they were bad people, because of what they did, but that..." She shuddered. "All those people dead. It makes no sense."
It did though. They were deluded into thinking they were special. The elect. Better than other people, based on who they were and what they believed. It went against what their own holy works said, but people had a never ending supply of rationalizations that way, it seemed to him. In that way it was kind of clear that Gregor's plan was a bust. He should have scrapped it, a long time before, but it was most likely just too late for that. Now it was just going to have to run its course.
Zack made the node point glow, using just a touch of personal energy, and then focused his own intent, inside her body. Gesturing he waited for her to walk through. She seemed a little nerv
ous, but it wasn't as if it felt like anything. Following along, he kept going when they got into the room, and then walked her out into his store.
"This is my place here. Feel free to browse, Kaitlyn is..." He half expected her to be off having sex, but she really only needed that twice a day or so to be really well fed on sexual energy. She'd taken care of that, and more, by the time she'd been there for two hours. As it was, even with people worried about attacks, they'd had plenty of customers in looking for something other than fresh pastries or magazines.
That meant the girl with her thick rimmed windowpaned glasses ran up and hugged the woman almost instantly.
"Judy! Judy Fargo, how wonderful to see you! Valerie and I have set it up for you to stay with us." Because the seventeen year old with her dark curly hair, running up on the twenty-something looking woman yelling grandma, wasn't going to really work in public, was it?
He had a bit of the same problem, with his grandparents, which reminded him. Moving in, he gave Kaitlyn a hug first, then Judy, since he was familiar with her, after all, if not the other way around. She did it back, but Kait took his hand and didn't let go, rather possessively. Alede marked out their territory pretty firmly that way.
Judy smiled.
"He mentioned that you two were dating? Really seeing each other? That's a catch. We should talk about that?" There was no worried tone to her voice, but Zack understood.
"Yeah, she's a lot more experienced than I am... Plus it isn't like you people do monogamous, right?" Then he winked, borrowing a thing that Keeley did all the time, that made her seem a bit like a joke. "Oh, you mean the Greater Demon thing?" That got whispered, but he chuckled and let go of her hand. "That's probably a point. One you should consider carefully, before doing anything, Kaitlyn. I need to get going, since I'm supposed to get take out."