Deadwire

by A K Blake

  Everything about the other vampire was pale. His hair was thin, a transparent shade of blond that gleamed like a halo in the dim light. The rings of his irises were a washed out blue-gray, and his skin looked like it has not seen the sunlight in a hundred years. Maybe it hadn’t. Even his clothes were devoid of color, a strange sort of white robe. He nodded to his companion.

  “That will be all, Kaius. You may wait outside.”

  The door slid shut, and the pale one remained standing near it, very still, as if avoiding sudden movement. She noticed strange markings on the backs of his hands, like a target or a ripple.

  “You are Iona, I understand.”

  “And you are?”

  “Cleric Annan Ascara. May I sit?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “As we do in all things. But I believe I have something to say that you will be interested to hear.”

  After a moment’s consideration, she slid to the far side of the bunk. He settled onto the side nearest the door, hands clasped loosely in front of him.

  “I’m told you were shouting in your sleep. My apologies for the intrusion, but we have a vested interest in your safety.” His voice was quiet, and he clipped the ends of his words, making everything seem very precise and previously thought out. “It must not be a particularly happy place, this settlement you come from.”

  “Maybe not. But considering I’ve just been drugged, kidnapped, and locked in this room, it’s hard to think who would consider this a step up.”

  “Ah yes, I do apologize for the...theatrics. However, we have had certain difficulties parlaying with your so-called ‘free human’ establishments. Not wanting to attack peaceful settlements, we have nonetheless been forced to take more aggressive measures.”

  “More aggressive measures for what?”

  “We seek to employ a human meeting specific criteria. We are now quite short on time, so I’m afraid we’ve been less welcoming than we might have wished.”

  “Clearly.”

  “Still, one would have thought someone with your unique qualifications might be a bit more...entrepreneurial.”

  She frowned. Everyone in Aequus knew about her programming skills. She was the best in the woods. Still, she wouldn’t have thought that would interest the vampires. “My qualifications? Surely you have more experienced tech people.”

  His eyebrows twitched. “Oh no, I’m sure you are quite...adequate with technology. However, that is not what I was referencing. Have you never had your blood tested?”

  “No.”

  “How interesting. I supposed there would be little need for that in your camps. Well, we have tested your blood, as we do all our applicants here, and we’ve found that you have a very rare blood type. The rarest, in fact, effusus praedulcis. It is in high demand among the more elite circles of the vampire population. You would command a high salary as a blood giver.”

  “As a—” Iona stopped, the full weight of what he had said sinking in. When she spoke again, her words came out as a hiss. “You want me to be your blood whore?”

  The vampire’s eyes narrowed. “Blood giver. Blood whore is a derogatory term, used by humans and backward fools. You will do well not to use it in polite company. And you would not be a typical giver, but a companion blood giver, a personal servant of Queen Basilla. I assure you it is a highly respectable and coveted position.”

  Iona struggled to process this. Her, a personal servant of the Queen? When the vampire queen appeared in village stories, it was often in the shape of a wolf or a giant bat. She massacred whole towns, starting with the children. Yet, this already seemed ridiculous. The vampires here were much different from what she’d been told. They were frightening, yes, fast and powerful, but they were hardly crazed animals. Some of them seemed reasonable, even polite, in many ways less monstrous than humans she’d known. Still, something held her back.

  “Even if all of that were true, why would you go to such trouble to find a human with this praely blood type way out here? Surely there are others who are more suitable in the cities.”

  “Effusus praedulcis is less common than you may think, and a more rustic individual, such as yourself, is preferable in large part for the novelty. The more exotic, the better the gift. With your skin color and your origins, you would make for a fascinating offering.”

  He spoke matter of factly, her life boiled down into a few sentences, a quippy blurb for a card presented to the Queen. Iona snorted, a strangled noise that died quickly in the small space. The vampire pressed on as if he had not heard.

  “We would be your benefactors, paying your wages and presenting you to the Queen for her quincentennial jubilee celebration in a few weeks’ time.”

  “Who is ‘we’?”

  “I represent the Progressives, a political party in Laemia. Through you, as well as other endeavors, we seek favor with Her Majesty.” He leaned forward, placing a pale hand on the bench between them. “We can offer you a way out. No doubt you’ve been fed horror stories about the dangers of the cities, but there are significant advantages there. Better medicine, better food, a way of life that is, for someone like you at least, free from toil and hard labor. You would be living in the palace itself.”

  He looked at her intently, and Iona lifted her chin to meet his eyes, though their alienness unnerved her.

  “I understand you may need to consider, though, as I’ve said, we do not have much time. I will leave you to your thoughts and return shortly for your decision.”

  The vampire stood and moved toward the door, but Iona did not need time to think. The thought of returning to Aequus—Aequus where Jedrick’s house with the yellow door was empty, where his bed was clean and made up as if he had never slept in it, where the only people she knew hated her just for the crime of being different—was unbearable. She knew well what the villagers would think of her serving up her blood willingly to the leeches, but she had long ago given up trying to win their favor. Perhaps she would die alone and afraid in the court of the vampire queen, but at least she would not die without having lived.

  “I accept.”

  He turned back to her in a blur, forgetting his deliberate movements in his surprise, and the inhuman eeriness of it nearly made her question her decision. But there was no turning back. He was right. There was nothing for her in the woods.

  The vampire smiled, his lips as pale as his hair, their thin edges curving up toward his cheeks.

  “Excellent choice.”

  Chapter 2

  Young Master Kaius Amicus was not particularly happy to be awake. He had thought when his mother got him this job, that it would be boring. Security guard for a political group’s base out in the sticks had sounded like the most tedious position imaginable. Yet, he had brought it upon himself by being dull enough to mention, albeit with a sarcasm that had characteristically failed to make an impression on his mother, that he could fix everything wrong with the country if he were to run for Assembly Rep. She had latched onto the idea like a vice grip.

  “I’ve found you a job, one that will leave us with key connections in the Progressive Party,” she’d told him, the intensity of her gaze nearly ruining his appetite for the excellent breakfast laid out in the east wing parlor. “With the Ithscans threatening to make trouble, we need friends we can trust. You start tomorrow night, and do remember that you are representing our family to these people.”

  He had closed his eyes, then opened them to look out the window. The airy room was several floors up, overlooking the central garden of their gated community in New Gamen. Kaius preferred the history and grit of the capital, but his mother liked the sea. She seemed to have noticed she did not have his full attention and wrapped up what had threatened to a be lengthy speech with a few short but pointed words.

  “Try to be an adult.”

  Toward that effort, he had steeled himself for stuffy meetings, unfunny jokes, and a building chock full of idiots. What he had not expected was to be roped into hunting down off-the
-grid humans like they were wild game (highly illegal), to participate in their coerced labor (if possible, more illegal), and now to be woken only a few hours after being up all day and expected to pull another full night’s shift (positively barbaric).

  Accompanying the Cleric did nothing to improve his mood. Ascara gave him the creeps, something about those washed out eyes and the subdermal implants on his hands. Kaius was all too familiar with the ripple symbol of the Seraph Calleda, a particular favorite of the cultish Progressive brand of religion. He would never understand how people could believe that the Seraph of Illumination—dedicated to wisdom, science, and progress—would wish her devotees to mutilate themselves like primitives.

  Sighing, Kaius rubbed hard at his eyes, making himself see spots. Thank Dieda for vis, which he was downing straight, not even bothering with his usual several helpings of choco flavoring. The stimulant was just about the only thing keeping him awake, though even its bitter flavor couldn’t rid him of the sour taste this job left in his mouth.

  He could hear the Cleric now through the wall, putting the hard sell on one of the humans he’d helped bring in earlier. It was the dark-skinned girl, the one with the souped-up taser that had nearly fried him to a crisp when he’d brushed past the pocket of her unconscious body. At least she seemed to be getting a square deal out of this whole mess. Better than him from the sounds of it.

  “...much to do to make ready for the presentation ceremony, which is approaching swiftly. May Calleda grant you wisdom and Dieda Herself keep you in the corner of Her thoughts.”

  The door slid open, giving Kaius barely enough time to straighten up before the Cleric swooped down on him like an oversized, albino bat. His washed out eyes narrowed suspiciously, but if he knew Kaius had been eavesdropping, he didn’t mention it.

  “In your messages, you will have an itinerary explaining your tasks for the night. With the jubilee fast approaching, we need our newest giver brought up to speed as quickly as possible. You may message my assistant with any questions.”

  With that, he vanished, leaving Kaius standing open-mouthed in the doorway, face to face with the human he’d shot down with a tranquilizer and loaded into a van only hours before. The girl didn’t look happy, despite so recently moving up in the world. Tendrils of black hair jutted in every direction from her head in a way he found somehow intimidating, like the ruff of an angry lizard, and her amber eyes glared at him as if she somehow knew what he’d done. Kaius attempted a smile that turned into more of a grimace. Well. At least it wasn’t awkward or anything.

  ***

  Iona had scarcely closed her mouth when the pale vampire disappeared in a blur of motion, leaving the younger looking one, Kaius, as her rather dubious guard. Smiling strangely, his lips pulled back too far from his teeth, he leaned one arm against the doorframe and looked around the room.

  “So! Quite some digs they’ve got you holed up in here, huh?”

  “I suppose I have you to thank for it?”

  He had the dignity to look embarrassed. “Yeah, sorry about that. I had orders and...stuff. But it’s all kind of working out for you, right? Companion to the Queen, that could be worse.”

  He trailed off. Lacking a creative response, she said nothing. Kaius was distracted anyway by the vibration of a metal band on his wrist. Sighing, he flicked his arm outward, and a small screen unfurled, instantly becoming rigid. Iona’s eyes went wide. He seemed not to notice as he began scrolling down the screen with his finger in obvious agitation.

  “What is that?”

  “A ridiculous agenda made by people who want me to die from exhaustion. Oh, the device? It’s a spore. Actually, Citra has been kind enough to point out that Spore is a brand name and, therefore, ‘colloquial.’ As if anybody has time for ‘personal computerized module.’ I just go with spore, since it’s shorter, and it seems to really get on Citra’s nerves.”

  Flicking his wrist back the other direction, he collapsed the screen into the band. It was as if it had never existed. Iona looked at it hungrily. They had a very old, clunky model of something she assumed performed similar functions back in Aequus. But those were rigid plastic and metal tablets, nothing like the fluid elegance of this device. What she wouldn’t give for the chance to put something like that through its paces.

  Kaius didn’t seem to notice her kleptomaniacal stare. Sighing again, he said, “Guess we’d better get to it then.”

  He disappeared into the hallway so quickly Iona almost missed it, his body seeming to vibrate and then vanish as he suddenly reappeared just outside the door. Leaning his head to the side, he swept his hand toward the corridor in a mock bow. “After you.”

  Taking a deep breath, she stepped out into the hallway.

  “Right then, let’s see what the powers that be have planned for us today, Oh Special One. Interestingly, vaccinations appear to be top priority. One would’ve thought you’d been exposed to all kinds of extra germs in those hovels of yours, but according to this you're somehow cleaner than the rest of us! Bureaucrats. Idiots. This way.”

  She didn’t bother trying to keep track of the directions this time. They traversed several more dingy halls before emerging into an area full of plush furniture that formed a ring around a white column in the center. It swiveled as they entered, revealing a camera at head height and a pad like the one outside her bunk.

  “Good evening. I am ARGAS, Automated Recognition and General Assistance Software. Please place your right hand on the digipad provided, so I may better assist you.”

  The voice sounded male, smooth and friendly, though it was hard to hear with Kaius talking over it.

  “Yes, we know, you don’t have to introduce yourself every time! Damned PoliciBots, lying down on the job. They can make laws about blood taxes, but they don’t have time for a quick software update?”

  He gestured for Iona to place her hand on the scanner. The machine paused, a whirring noise kicking off. She felt nothing, but a light in the bottom corner of the screen turned red.

  “I’m sorry, I am unable to process your request. Error: PerformSync 1024987261. No UPI found for digiscan. Please state your Unique Personal Identifier in alphanumeric values or try again.”

  Kaius cursed. “Dieda take it, of course you don’t have a UPI. Let’s just sign you up for the doctor when you don’t even legally exist! Fine, we’ll say it’s for me. I guess I’ll be doubled down on my shots this year.”

  Stepping forward so quickly she barely had time to move out of the way, Kaius replaced her hand with his. His fingers brushed against her as he did, and she felt a sudden shock at the heat he gave off. The light turned green.

  “Thank you, Kaius Amicus. How may I assist you today? Would you like to make an appointment with the doctor? Dr. Memdi’s hours are—"

  “Yes, make an appointment. The next available.”

  The machine stopped, then spoke again. “You have made an appointment for zero three hundred. Your appointment is in zero nights and nineteen minutes. If you would like to cancel or change the time of your appointment, please say so now. Details of this transaction will be sent to the virtual message receptacle for your Unique Personal Identifier. Your messages may be conveniently accessed at any ARGAS machine. Have a pleasant night.”

  Kaius flashed to a waiting room chair and collapsed into it dramatically. Iona wanted to stop, to spend hours inspecting this new machine and dissecting its parts, but she was suddenly exhausted. There would be time later, she reminded herself. This was just the beginning.

  Moving at a slower pace, she sank into a squishy loveseat. Her muscles were still feeling the toll of the tranquilizers, not to mention the beating her ribs had taken. She began to doze off, not realizing it until she was jolted awakened by a loud whooping noise.

  “Yes! That’s what I’m talking about! Get him Artemon, kill him!” Kaius had his spore propped up above his face as he reclined, the other fist pumping in the air as he yelled. “No don’t—ah yes! Empty fade, classic.”
/>   Iona blinked sleep from her eyes. “What are you watching?”

  “The thraece match, Artemon versus Vleg.”

  “The what match?”

  “Thraece, it’s the one with the shockswords and hoverboards.”

  She could make out two figures in colorful armor on the screen, flying around a bowl-shaped arena. They parried and thrust against the backdrop of a roaring crowd. Kiaus was engrossed, his face mere inches from the screen. The veins in his neck bulged, and his pupils began to expand. Then suddenly he fell silent, the energy draining from him all at once, as his arms fell back to his sides.

  “Did your...sports player lose?”

  “No idea, the connection went down. Dieda take it! Stupid, backwater network.”

  “Wait, that was a live video?”

  He sat up, turning to her with an inquisitive look. Iona found herself strangely uncomfortable under his gaze.

  “Yes? You don’t think I keep holovid discs of gladiator matches and carry them around like a loser, do you? Thanks for that vote of confidence.” He smiled, his cheeks dimpling. “Oh right, but you must not have the FreeNet out in the boonies, huh? Wait, do you even...know how to use a computer?”

  She nearly laughed at the expression of sheer horror on his face. “Yes. Actually, I’ve built several. The FreeNet satellite feeds don’t reach us, but I helped set up a way to connect devices within the village. It requires a hardline, though, and it only works for short messages, nothing so big as video.”

  Kaius raise his eyebrows. “Still, that’s impressive. Here I was thinking you used smoke signals or something, and you’re off building your own tech. How do you do that?”

  “We salvage stuff from scrap heaps. Sometimes new freemen, the ones who were born in the cities, show us how patch it up and modify it to run off our alternative power sources.”

  Kaius smiled ruefully. “You make it sound so simple. Not to brag, but I’ve had one of the finest educations in Laemia, and I couldn’t ever seem to make programming stick.”