Dead and Everything (Eve Benson: Vampire Book 2)

by P. S. Power

  The rest of the evening was, when she thought about it, a lot less tense than she might have figured. For one thing she had been nearly certain there would be an attack of some sort on them, as they sat there eating. She’d stayed ready for it in fact, just in case it was up to her to lay down the law. She’d named herself a sort of law-keeper, hadn’t she?

  The Vampires didn’t have a specific term for it. Not outside of “you messed with the Council and will now die”. Bey was kind of that guy for them, too, but she was getting to be his temporary junior, super secret apprentice, or whatever she was doing, and that was kind of special, wasn’t it? Especially since the guy had never even tried to get her into bed, or used her for anything in particular.

  Still, she tried to stay alert and focused, in case there were any problems.

  No one even got drunk, so, other than walking some of the girls to their cars, and one of the guys, who was afraid that he might be cursed for hitting on a girl that turned out to be one of the Mages, she just had clean-up to focus on. That didn’t take nearly as long as putting things together had in the first place. When she was finished, and just about to leave, Maggie came up to her, and put a cool hand on her arm.

  “That, was incredible, Eve! Here I’d thought we might get some cookies and punch… Do you think… I know it’s not really your job, but we occasionally have functions like this and there will be more of them as time goes on, and we have to entertain Humans and others. Do you think you could help us out with that? I’ll try not to dump it all on you, or let the others do that, especially since you have other things to see to, but if it fits into your schedule?” She seemed a bit strange when she said it.

  Like she was actually asking.

  “Um, sure? I’ll need to know ahead of time, and a budget would be nice. All of this came out of pocket, but if it was for, you know, less, um, me-centric, things?”

  She got a funny look, but the woman nodded after half a second, seeming almost like a real Human being, lacking only the right energy signature.

  “We can do that. Thank you, for all your hard work. You know, if…” She stopped, and then charged ahead. “I was wondering, do you think you could actually mentor Krista Hall for me? I told her that I knew of someone that was a bit younger than I was, but very stable. Her character, well, essentially, she’s playing you, so that might work? The story is loosely based on you protecting those protestors outside the club in town here. I understand the battle will be a lot bloodier and more heroic? With her going up against nearly a hundred hardened and ancient warriors, but the idea is much the same. Then, instead of being locked up by Council decree, which was stolen from them masterfully by the way, she goes on the run with the poor Human man that’s the target of the others. Something a bit ridiculous sounding, about magically delicious blood? I did try to tell them that it wouldn’t happen that way, but the Director seems pretty set on the script they have, and according to Krista, probably will be, right until she’s memorized all her lines, at which point the whole thing will be rewritten.” That was, it seemed, some kind of acting joke.

  Eve made a face, but then tried to play the whole thing off.

  “That sounds about right though, doesn’t it? Well, as long as there are plenty of sex scenes, and titties, I’m sure it will do pretty well. People do seem to like that kind of thing. Maybe we can get them to add in some full frontal guy stuff for once? That would be worth the price of admission.” It might be, if the actor playing that roll was good looking enough.

  Not that she was being picky as to her eye candy for the moment.

  Maggie smiled and hugged her, holding her closer than she had before on previous occasions. It was pretty clear that she really just didn’t want to bother with an actress. Eve could see that.

  “Still, let her know that if she wants to hang with the big dogs, she’d better be ready for some work, or at least watching me do it. We can memorize exciting forms together. Or, I guess, run lines for her script? That’s a thing too, and it’s not like I really work all the time. Just most of it. I’m probably the most boring person in the world for this, aren’t I? Poor her.”

  The ancient Vampire shook her head, but spoke gently.

  “Not really. You do have some small measure of cachet with our kind, and can introduce her to many others, so she has multiple points of feedback. Not everyone can get that done as well as you might. So, I can have her come around tomorrow? She gets into town tonight, but my understanding is that she sleeps, for some strange reason.”

  It made sense to her. Plus, she was a Hollywood type. It would probably mean she could, and would, be up at all hours. Still, Cormack and Barb pretty much had everything handled, didn’t they? Neither of them would really need her there to hold their hand anymore. Barb was having more trouble than Cormack had, but not that much. Plus he was helping her out, which made it easier.

  Eve had to feel a bit baffled about the whole thing though. If they could just stay up, even if it was in horrible agony the whole time, why did so many of them sleep the day away?

  The question answered itself though, and she let it go. The pain was enough to keep almost anyone from trying it, and Cormack and Barb were both being pushed, more than a little. Edom had managed it on his own, but then, he was much older, and had almost gotten there already.

  She looked into the lovely brown eyes of the woman across from her, who was still touching her arm. It was nearly romantic seeming.

  “Let’s do it? Hopefully she isn’t too much of a bitch? If so… Well, I’m used to dealing with Vampires, so I bet I can handle it. I might have to leave in a few days though. Something in Russia? Bey mentioned it, but not any real specifics.”

  The other Vampire froze, which wasn’t her habit.

  “Really? I… You know, I was going to be shocked and amazed, since that sounds like a real situation shaping up, but I think I can see sending you in. If you have to go, remember to be careful. Things… Aren’t right, and haven’t been for a while now. It all started about sixty years ago, I think. It’s definitely worse now, however.”

  What was worse she didn’t say, as if Eve would be able to see the same thing, without anything more than a vague hint at it?

  Then again, she kind of did, so maybe it was a real enough point?

  Chapter sixteen

  Eve was smart enough to guess that this Krista Hall person wouldn’t be showing up at six in the morning, or anything like that. Movie stars, even ones she’d never heard of, probably kept something closer to regular Vamp hours, if the rumors were right, and they weren’t working that day.

  For that matter, the woman might just have figured out that real Vampires weren’t going to be hanging around at noon. That there was a nest of them there that day, doing exactly that, was just a sign of how cool they all were.

  Bey had come to sit with them, and kept murmuring in Russian from the back room, which she answered quietly, trying not to bother anyone too much. That didn’t keep a rather surly Barb from glaring at her the whole time, but Cormack was pretending to be happy, being that he got the general idea already. Lenore was in her office, on the phone, and Edom was actually watching Barb very closely, a large smile on his face the whole time.

  Bey, from the back, where there was a nice leather sofa, spoke to her gently. In Russian, since that was what they were doing.

  “It seems that young Barbara is about to receive a beating, to aid in improving her mood. I would not undermine my daughter, or her aid, but perhaps it would be best if such did not happen during the middle of the day? There is too great a potential of being seen, with magical eyes of metal and glass, staring as they are constantly in this age.” He was a bit gruffer in Russian, which was a thing that she’d noticed before.

  “I’ll… I don’t know, let me talk to her?” Taking a deep breath, Eve looked over at Barb, who was glaring at her from across the room, having heard her name, even if she didn’t know the language it had been tucked into.

  The
y all wore decent clothing, and aprons, except for Lenore and Bey, who weren’t working the front that day. The things were over the rest of their clothing, and, as was fairly common, Barb was actually the only one that looked like she might really be working there. Well, Eve was pretty close, being that they were both in jeans and t-shirts under the very clean white and green things with the company logo on them.

  It was kind of difficult, really, since she had orders from Bey, in the form of a suggestion, but Barb actually outranked her. If the idea was to prevent a fight in the middle of the shop, then her going and running her mouth at the woman wasn’t really going to help all that much, was it? Which was, she got in a flash that nearly made her feel smart, the ancient Vampire’s point. It wasn’t actually an exercise in saving Barb a beating, or even sharp words from the others. No, it was all about getting her, Eve the Baby Vampire, to do something that was way beyond her pay grade.

  The trick there was figuring out how to get that done without setting the other girl off. It was, most likely, not possible. In which case she’d probably be able to take Barb out. Without killing her, since she was faster, if nothing else. She thought she might be a better fighter, too, having actually taken lessons and practiced, but that wasn’t a thing she could count on.

  It wasn’t the exercise at hand either.

  “Um, Barb? Could you take a walk with me?” She tried to sound cheery, and got a soft growl for her trouble.

  Eve got it. It was high noon, and the burning pain from overhead was a lot less than fun. There was a narrowing of eyes in her direction, as Ed turned away a bit and hid his expression, which was a smile. Cormack had to do the same thing, which Barb understood, her breath, a thing that didn’t need to happen at all, came out in sharp, rapid and hissing panting sounds.

  Like a person enraged.

  After a bit, she managed to growl a few words though.

  “Fine. We can… Go for a walk, Snowflake.”

  That was what Barb had taken to calling her, over the last few days. It was short for “special snowflake”, which, if Eve had the idea right, was all about how awesome she was, but also kind of claiming that everything had been handed to her. She was unique, but Barb thought that she was getting too many privileges over it, or something like that.

  She smiled, and didn’t let herself sigh, just taking her apron off. If there was a fight, she wasn’t going to let the thing get torn up. How she was going to really avoid that outcome, she didn’t know. Then, Bey had mentioned not having it happen in the store, with cameras watching. Maybe it would be enough if she got Barb someplace where no one would be watching? That gave her an idea, and she headed down toward Zack’s book store.

  Without more than a wave to Kaitlyn, who was looking a bit nerdy that day, wearing glasses, and a pullover sweater, which barely turned her from a twelve into a nine as far as looks went, Eve got them through the door with the owl carvings. The space inside was empty enough, and, more to the point, there was no one watching.

  Except Zack, in the back of the room. He was just sitting there, at his desk in the little closed off area near the back, watching them calmly.

  She turned back that way and waved, even as Barb winced.

  “Zack? Can I borrow the room for a few minutes?” She didn’t say why, but he nodded, and didn’t pretend that it was going to be about sex. After all, neither of the girls there would want that kind of thing, and if they were going to bother, they would have at least let him watch.

  “I guess. I have an appointment in half an hour, for a transfer, so try not to leave the room too big of a mess? Also, you know the rules; you break it, you bought it.” Then, almost cutely, with a bit of a spring in his step he scampered out of the space, leaving them both alone.

  Hopefully they wouldn’t end up trashing the nice stone floor. It was flat, and free of cracks. Black marble that was polished nearly perfectly.

  Neither of them spoke for a few minutes.

  Barb fumed though, and gave her angry and upset glances.

  Finally, Eve shrugged and shook her head just a fraction of an inch. She was standing there, relaxed, and ready, but Barb was tense and had blood red eyes already, with her fangs out. That wasn’t a great sign, was it?

  “Bey asked me to get you out of there before the others started to beat you for being a pain in the ass. You’re welcome, by the way. What’s the deal? Everyone else is standing under the sun too… Fuck… You’re better at faking emotions than I am. This is no different. Also, while I’m calling you on silly bullshit, what’s with the special snowflake crap? It’s like you want to start a fight. That can’t be right though, since your job is all about keeping things calm and collected when you can.” Not that it worked all the time, but the woman kept glaring at her, so it was kind of clear that her motivational speech wasn’t having the desired effect yet.

  “I hate you! You come in here and make it seem like everything that I’ve fought for, for decades, is just some easy thing that anyone can master without thinking about it! You raised the freaking bar on me, without warning, and I look like a piece of shit now, because you never do anything wrong! Oh, I’m Eve and not only doesn’t my shit not stink, we’re bottling it and selling it as perfume…Everyone else hates you too, you know that? David and Ginger. They’re both older than either of us, and have been left locked in the house for weeks, because they aren’t needed here anymore. No, that isn’t a thing now, because super-Vamp is in town. Up all day and night, working all the time. Now you’re having Cormack and me tortured, so you can prove what? That it’s harder to stay up all day than we thought? I should have killed you when you were still Human. Bitch.”

  Eve nodded. That was all pretty close to true, from a certain perspective. She didn’t even flare into anger over it, which, given what was just said, was probably part of the point. The mistakes she’d made had mainly been pretty small things so far. Except for the one that had her locked up in a box for months, and even then, it had to seem like she was just laughing at the Council, almost. Doing things that no one else would have, and surviving even though it should have been a slow death sentence.

  “I guess I can see your point. It doesn’t really change anything though, does it? I’m not going to work less hard so you can feel good about yourself, and, seriously…” She thought of something and then shrugged, and looked away. She kind of expected to be jumped then, and was ready to move if she had to, but there was just a growl from about six feet away.

  “What?”

  “Oh… Well, Lenore told Cormack that if he could master being up all day that she’d put in for him to move to a new embassy. Like, as an assistant ambassador, if not actually having that position. Ed is probably going to be out soon too, since he’s been up all day for half a year now. So… Isn’t David older than you?”

  That got the other Vampire to make a face at her.

  “Yeah. So?”

  “But, you’re the one that Lenore wanted to learn to be up all day. She thought that you can handle it. She wasn’t wrong either. I mean, yeah, so you hate me right now, but other than seeming like a cranky little kid, you’re doing it, aren’t you? I wonder if she means for you to become her assistant?”

  There was an eye roll then, and the other Vampire huffed at her, as if she were being a moron.

  “Right. Because that makes sense? I’m the second youngest at the house, and… You don’t understand.”

  She really didn’t, and understood that one pretty clearly. She was Edom’s only child, so far. Lenore had more than a few. Ones that Eve had never even met, it seemed. Ginger for instance. In the five years that she’d been there, Eve had never even heard the name.

  “So what? You’re also the one standing here, at noon, ready to go back in with a big old fake smile on your face, and joking with everyone. Even if I’m wrong, for one of us, being up like this is a freaking super power, Barb. Like Lenore keeps saying, part of the reason that the other Vampires respect the ones that can do it, is that i
t hurts so much that it’s kind of bad-ass. So, pep talk over? We can go back and you’ll pretend with the rest of us? Be nice and act all happy?”

  Sullenly, the girl, who was several decades older than Eve, though she looked no more than a few years past that, nodded.

  “I guess, Snowflake. I guess. I should still kick your butt. For making me look bad.”

  Eve shrugged.

  “Later? We have some actress coming in today. Krista Hall? I’m supposed to show her the ropes, but maybe you could help me with that? If you aren’t acting like someone kicked you in the crotch, I mean?”

  The other woman went dead still, showing that something in that had shocked her, and then took a long, very slow, breath.

  “Krista Hall? She’s good. Why would she be coming here though?”

  “Some kind of Vampire movie deal? I don’t really know all of it, since Maggie Sims asked me to do it. I’ll gladly dump part of the work on you, if you don’t mind?” If she could do it without acting ready to drink everyone in the world dry, that was. Eve was willing to settle for not acting like a monster, but Barb smiled then, and managed to tuck her fangs away, getting her eyes to move back to their normal brown color.

  “Sweet deal. Even if she doesn’t show, I guess you’re right. Not about me getting Ed’s job, but about not being a bitch all the time. I’ll try?” She tensed, as if expecting to be yelled at, but Eve nodded at her, and smiled, not feeling like it at all.

  “Cool. That’s all that you really have to do. If nothing else it will keep Ed and Bey from having to spank you. Unless, you know, you’re into that? I totally called dibs on Bey though, so, you know, if you do get with him, remember to share?”

  Barb, who managed a smile that was a lot more credible than her own, Eve was willing to bet, stopped dead after that again for a second.

  “You, are a very weird girl, Eve Benson. Ask anyone.”

  It was probably true, but she managed to get Barb walking and waved to Zack on the way out.