by R. J. Blain
They saw exactly what they expected to see.
“Do you remember how to get to the elite’s mansion?”
I thought about it. With the right tools and relying on old memory, I could get us in, although it might take some time. “I do. It’s a bit of a drive, though.”
“I have a car, and I can even drive it.”
I narrowed my eyes, wondering what Rob could possibly want at the elite’s mansion. “I don’t know the elite’s name, I don’t know if he still owns the property, and I have no idea if the government has discovered his stash. Going in blind is pretty dumb, Rob.”
“Live a little,” Rob replied, lifting his hand to flick my nose with his finger. “Admit it, Alexa. You know you want to go on a long ride in the middle of the night with me. We’ll take our time. See the sights. Have some fun while we’re at it.”
I knew exactly what sort of ride he wanted, and I couldn’t help myself. I laughed. “You’re crazy, Rob. There’s a lot of places we could go if you want to go on a drive, and they don’t involve robbing someone’s house.”
“But I want a laptop like yours. It’s so exotic, just like you.”
While my macaroni and cheese roommate didn’t say a word, it made a sound suspiciously like a laugh.
“Not you, too,” I complained, throwing my hands in the air. “Fine. We’ll go on a ride. It’s a pointless trip, but if you want to get out of the apartment for a while, it’s your gas you’re burning away, not mine. I’d like to stop over at Kelsie’s place first to give her some of the excess from my refrigerator.”
She’d been sick enough for long enough I worried she might never fully recover from the illness that had ravaged her. Whatever hell cold she’d acquired, I’d dodged getting it—or I’d fought it off thanks to Rob’s insistence I take medications as prescribed.
Rob hopped to his feet. “What should I wear?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, wondering what I was getting myself into. “Clothes, please.”
It was going to be a long night.
Ever since the Dawn of Dae, my refrigerator remained stocked full of food. Once my ribs had healed enough for me to move around without wanting to scream, I spent a lot of time in my kitchen cooking, enjoying the access to fresh and interesting ingredients.
Instead of indulging in cooking, I packed the best foods in the refrigerator into an insulated bag to take to Kelsie. By morning, some dae coming or going from my apartment would replace it, and my efforts had kept Kelsie from having to go out. While she recovered, I doubted she’d be able to fight another illness if one hit her.
Death came even to dae, and while Kelsie had some sort of dae, she remained somewhat human.
I couldn’t save a lot of people, but I could help her.
Rob drove me to her place, parked his car half a block away, and waited for me to make my delivery. Colby came with me, and its presence did a good job of deterring the dae out hunting at night. It amused me how fear worked among the dae.
When the weird got weirder, the weird wisely paid heed—and when the weird looked normal, they stepped with care.
“Stay on guard, Colby,” I whispered to the casserole. The last thing Kelsie needed was unwanted guests knocking out her wall and making a mess of her flop.
If Colby couldn’t stop the trouble from starting, I doubted anyone—or anything—could.
“Mommy,” it confirmed, and it oozed under the dumpster that helped shield the opening into Kelsie’s flop along with some flimsy cardboard and other trash.
As I always did, I tapped a pattern on the brick with the first brick I removed to warn Kelsie I was coming in, and I wasted no time making an opening large enough for me and my bag. I shoved the bag in first, scrambled inside, and waved to the woman, who worked at reading a children’s book.
I smiled at that; Rob and Colby had found the stash of children’s books in an abandoned library, and they’d brought their plunder to me, and I’d shared it with the woman, hoping she’d benefit. Having the ability to read wouldn’t help her much—not unless she emerged from her flop—but it would fill the hours.
“How are you doing?”
“Pretty good. I was able to exercise today without wheezing. I walked around the block twice during the day. How about you?” She set her book aside and smiled. “I appreciate your help. I don’t know how you’ve pulled this off, but I appreciate you sharing. I have nothing to repay you with.”
“No repayment is needed, Kelsie. I have extra, and you could use it.”
“Most would sell the extra for a quick buck,” she reminded me, something she did every time I visited.
“I seem to have forgotten how to act like most. And anyway, even if I sold it, would most even know what to do with this stuff?” I grinned at her and dragged the food to her refrigerator, grabbing the empty bag I’d brought the last time, as I’d learned Kelsie liked having some independence.
Putting away her food made her feel like she had some control over her life.
“So true. Anything new I need to figure out this time?”
“There’s a pair of dragonfruit. I kept a pair for myself, so don’t you worry about that.” I’d share mine with Rob and Colby after our infiltration of the vault. “There’s also a pineapple and a coconut, and the coconut has already been cracked open for you. The pineapple is already cut, too.”
Kelsie’s eyes widened. “Where did you get those?”
Once upon a time, I’d dreamed of fruit, something we rarely got as the city’s living trash. “I did someone from the upper castes a favor.” Technically, I spoke the truth; the dae counted as upper caste, and they repaid me for not caring who or what came out of my refrigerator as long as they left me alone. “They always bring too much, so I share it with you.”
“That’s a really clever way to get paid. They only track the cash. I wish I’d thought of that. Still, if you need anything, ask.”
I grinned. “I will. I’ve got to run, so take care, get rest, and don’t push too hard. If you need any meds, let me know, and I’ll get you what you need.”
“The last antibiotics did the trick. I can breathe again.”
Thank goodness for that. “Still, let me know if you need anything, and I’ll do what I can.”
“Tell Rob and Colby I said hi.”
“Will do.” Before we embarrassed ourselves, I fled out of her place with the empty bag, and I took care replacing the bricks and stuffing the mortar back into the cracks to disguise the entry. Colby stood guard, but nobody paid me any notice. Within five minutes, I returned to the car, tossed the empty bag in the back, and smiled over my accomplishment.
“How is she doing?” Rob didn’t start his car, regarding me with interest.
“The last antibiotic worked. Her breathing problems cleared up.”
“I’m making a note of that. Do you mind me spreading around what we treated that cold of hers with? I’m concerned after how long she was ill.”
“Sure. I don’t mind. I’ve seen some dae with the sniffles, but nothing like she had. But she can’t go to a doctor.”
Rob grunted. “I know, I know. I’m looking for a good doctor who won’t mind breaking the rules, but it’s a difficult game to play. It’s easy enough to get those medications, though. A lot of elite have people out of the system they want to care for nowadays, and the government tends to look the other way, because they don’t want anybody sick.”
Damned government assholes. “Sick workers can’t work.”
“Right.”
I sighed. “I just wish I could do more.
“Alexa, maybe you can’t change the world, but you changed her world. And even if the other dae stop filling your fridge, I’ll make sure she gets good food and medication. So will Colby. She’s your friend, and that’s all the reason I need. And I’ve learned you don’t make friends with many.”
No, I didn’t, and it startled me to realize Kelsie did count as a friend. “Think we can get her a tablet or anything lik
e that?”
Rob thought about it. “Actually, yes. There are some tablets meant just for books, and those don’t have the spying software on them because you can only load approved books into them in the first place. I’ll get her one, and I’ll get her books, too. That’s easy. Is she reading?”
“She was working through the children’s books when I went in.”
“Good. I’ll take a tablet to her, and I’ll help her with her English as time allows. And yes, I’ll deliver more things for her when I go. Now, we have a schedule to keep, so buckle in.”
I grinned and obeyed, wondering what had gotten into him. “So bossy.”
“You will see why soon enough.”
Ten minutes later, he parked his car on the street outside one of the local dives, humming a jaunty tune as he got out. “Dinner first.”
Colby bounced out of the vehicle, flopping around at Rob’s feet. “Mommy. Food.”
I gawked at my roommate. “You learned a new word!”
“Food.”
I slapped my forehead. “You both just wanted an excuse for crap food, didn’t you?”
Colby hopped around Rob’s feet. “Food, Mommy!”
“As much as I enjoy your cooking, Alexa, you have a serious lack of grease in your diet. We are going to indulge in as much greasy, fatty food as we can stomach. Then we’re going to go on a ride. It’ll be fun.” His dark suit didn’t match his eagerness and energy, and I wondered what he’d look like if he decided to wear something more casual.
The Rob taking me out for dinner at a dive was far different from the one I had met during the Dawn of Dae. The years had melted away, leaving him a man in the prime of his life. The wrinkles and stress lines had smoothed out, and his smile transformed him from a good-looking man into a breathtakingly handsome one.
Instead of him annoying me, I relied on him, and I wasn’t supposed to depend on anyone. Somehow, Rob and Colby had both wormed their way under my skin, and for entirely different reasons.
Unable to stop myself, I smiled. “Fine, but you’re paying. If you have taken me to a hellhole without bacon, you will regret it, Rob.”
“Harsh. How can you call such a wonder a hellhole? How could you, Alexa?”
My stomach was going to regret my decision, but I followed Rob into the restaurant without complaint. Neither of the dae asked for much, and I wasn’t going to deny them such a simple thing as greasy food from a restaurant with a questionable reputation.
I learned two things about Rob in the time it took us to eat dinner. First, he had an insatiable appetite for fried onions. Second, he always had ulterior motives for everything he did. As he guided me to a table occupied by a pair of werewolves, I tensed, fearing one of them was a fire breather, but when none of the telltale signs manifested, I relaxed. While Rob made a glutton of himself on fried onions, he spoke to both of the shifters in a fluid language I had never heard before.
It wasn’t Japanese or French; I knew a few common words from both languages. I doubted it was Spanish; very few in America spoke Spanish after the reformation. There were still a few obscure laws forbidding the use of the language, and no one wanted to spend several years in prison for saying the wrong thing in front of the wrong person.
While there were other languages spoken around the world, I didn’t know anything about them.
Rob did most of the talking, pausing only to eat his food like he feared it would leap off his plate and escape. When the dae failed to pay enough attention, Colby stole from his plate, and I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh. I ate enough to take the edge off my hunger, before sliding my plate to my unusual roommate.
Colby devoured my offering within moments, leaving the plate deceptively clean when it was finished. I giggled and amused myself watching my macaroni and cheese casserole toy with the other dae at the table, stealing choice bits of food when no one else was watching.
At the end of the meal, Rob paid for everyone and herded me back to his car, opening the passenger side door for me.
Instead of cooperating with him, I stole the keys out of his hand and circled the car. “I’ll drive.”
Rob’s mouth dropped open. Smirking at his stunned expression, I slid behind the wheel, started the engine, and savored the car’s rumble. “Are you coming?”
“You know how to drive?”
“I’m a woman of many talents, dear sir,” I replied.
“Dear. I like that. Where did you learn to drive?”
“Where else? Kenneth taught me. I couldn’t afford a license even if I wanted it.”
“So you’re going to drive my car and get us both in trouble.”
“Just pretend you’re drunk. Unlicensed drivers of any caste may drive the vehicle of an elite while they’re present if they’re unfit to drive and accept responsibility for any damages done by their temporary driver.”
“And how will I explain you knowing how to drive, Miss Daegberht?” Rob glared at me, his mouth twisting into a scowl.
“Simple. You are instructing me.”
“While drunk.”
“I never said the law made sense, Rob. It’s a relic from when they were transitioning laws during the reformation. Back then, almost everyone knew how to drive, but licenses were no longer being renewed. No one removed the law from the books because the elite found it to be a convenient loophole. So, they teach those who can’t afford licenses to drive when it benefits them—while pretending to be drunk, of course.” I shrugged, shifted the car into gear, and eased it onto the street.
While I had driven Kenneth’s car several times, it had been years ago. Driving hadn’t been a skill I had worked hard at, learning only enough to keep the car between the lines without crashing into anyone or anything.
I understood how the gas pedal, clutch, and brake worked, I knew how to shift gears, and I even managed to keep the car pointed in the direction I wanted to go. As long as I didn’t have to go backwards, I’d be fine—probably.
“Should I be worried?”
Honesty was the best policy, and having a chance to make Rob squirm filled me with delight. “Probably.”
“Do not crash. Please do not crash.”
“I don’t plan on it.”
“A lot of bad things happen to you that you don’t plan on, Alexa. Please don’t make crashing into something one of them.”
I laughed. “I have reached my quota of crashing into things for the next year.”
Most cars came equipped with a handle above the doors, and I hadn’t understood their use until Rob lifted his hand, grabbed his, and held on with a white-knuckled grip. I wasn’t even doing the speed limit, which annoyed a scowl out of me.
“I’m not that bad of a driver,” I hissed at him. “Stupid dae. You were practically born yesterday. Who are you to judge my driving?”
Rob wisely didn’t say a word.
I didn’t crash into anything, but I managed to stall Rob’s car several times before I got out of the city, which earned me a silent glare from both of the dae. Colby hunkered on Rob’s lap, muttering dark things in its newly expanded two-word vocabulary.
Each time his precious car spluttered and died, Rob sighed.
I tried not to let it bother me too much. Once I reached the outskirts of the city, I pulled over, unbuckled my seat belt, and lifted my chin. “I didn’t crash into a single thing.”
A faint smile smoothed Rob’s features, and he relaxed his grip on the handle. “So it seems.”
“You should reward me for not crashing into anything,” I declared, killing the engine so I could twist around in my seat to watch Rob.
“Many elite drive their cars each and every day without requiring a single reward for their performance.”
“I’m not an elite, so I deserve a reward.”
“Are there rules to this game we’re playing, Alexa? Games are so much more fun when both parties understand the rules.” Rob grinned at me, unbuckled his seatbelt, and dislodged Colby from his lap, who decided the dashboard
was a wiser place to sit.
While the highway was maintained, the landscape surrounding Baltimore was wild, somehow untouched by the Dawn of Dae, or the elite who ruled society. The gleam of eyes in the forests lining the roadway sent shivers racing up and down my spine.
“I’ll consider it if you treat me nicely,” I evaded, sliding out of the car to switch seats with Rob. We met halfway, and he slid his arms around me, tugging me to him so he could drop kisses on my lips. “That does count as treating me nicely,” I murmured.
“You’re insatiable.”
For him I was, and I liked it, not that I was going to admit it. Then again, he could probably sense my emotions. The idea he was feeding on my pleasure didn’t bother me as much as it had before.
I enjoyed Rob’s company, but the fact he was so reliant on my emotions for his survival bothered me. A lifetime of fighting for my freedom and working to escape the rigors of the lowest caste didn’t help me accept someone being truly unable to escape the constraints of their circumstances through hard work and effort.
Rob would always need someone to provide him what should have been a basic right.
“What’s bothering you?”
Sometimes, Rob’s powers were an inconvenient pain in my ass, too. I sighed, and because I knew the only one watching us was Colby, I leaned against him and took a deep breath. I’d never seen him apply cologne, but Rob had a faint scent. It reminded me of the brief but perfect period of time between the spring and summer, when the sky was clear of clouds, the air smelled of flowers, and the temperature was just right.
“I don’t like that you’re so dependent on me.” The words slipped out, and I gasped, heat washing over my face. Before I could pull away, horrified at my carelessness, Rob tightened his hold on me, holding me close.
“You’re so honest.”
Relaxing against him, I sighed and shook my head. “It isn’t fair. You shouldn’t have to rely so much on others just so you don’t starve.”
Rob sighed, let me go, and gave me a gentle push towards his car. “Then we shall talk about it while we go on our drive.”