Demon Bait (Keeley Thomson) Page 12

  "The place has ten cabins, which will hold up to twelve campers each. We only have about half of that coming in at any given time. Mainly Human, but also Shifters, and a few other kinds of people. There's a lot of integration on the staff too. We do need to keep the kids in the dark about some things, but the councilors and staff all know about who's going to be there. Supernatural beings and situations that might arise that way. They need to, in case the kids have any problems." He smiled at Evan directly, since he looked to be a friendly person, smiling instead of seeming panicked. "As for blood, I have an arrangement for the new kind to be brought in every few days. I don't know if you've gotten to try it yet? I can get some samples..."

  None of the Sparks people had, of course. It was hard to get in most areas still, but it made sense to put in their own set-up for harvesting from the local area, given that they wouldn't need all that much for the city there. They could sell the surplus and bring cash in for the lower income people that had to sell their bodies to make extra cash for the week. She'd have to get in touch with Rebekah on that topic. Not that she could have her back yet. Not even as an employee. The Second Crucible may be over for her, but the fact was, she was still in danger. More than was acceptable, day to day.

  Not that she got a choice about things like that. For all their power, no Greater Demon should ever get to feeling too comfortable that way. It was always risky, being one of them. More at some points than others, but that didn't take away from the basic facts of the matter.

  The rather trendy looking Vampire woman on the far side of Zack seemed to be a bit lost, as did the others. Vaughn hadn't exactly been screaming about how the Line Walker had come to visit them and they'd best pay heed, for one thing. Probably because he knew that these people might just find that a bit too much to handle. They hadn't hidden it either, however, it was a bit unfair of her to expect everyone to have caught on already, but a quick reading of the others at the table told her that only Barbara actually knew everything about the situation.

  Keeley turned to her, still holding her gently, as if she wanted to have sex with her. That was... Not impossible. She hated to admit it, but something that Tarsus had told Zack once seemed like it just might be true. Once she'd actually had sex, knowing that she couldn't get pregnant or catch any diseases, it seemed like a lot more fun to her. Even the idea of doing it with a decently attractive Vampire woman wasn't that hard for her to get past. That was odd, really. It wasn't her trying to fight the idea into being or shutting down her personal disgust at the thought, it honestly just seemed like a good plan. Or, more correctly, it felt like one. Barb the Vampire wasn't one of her people. Still Felecia was, and she was nearly as cute.

  Turning to the girl under her arm, she spoke softly. Even in the noisy club, she'd hear it all. They were physically too close for her not to.

  "You should capitalize on your knowledge, Barb, before everyone else figures it out. I know, you can negotiate with the Line Walker for use of Evan here, at his camp? I'm sure that all present would feel better knowing that you're putting yourself in front of a Greater Demon for them, so that they won't be at risk."

  Felecia looked ready to grab her man and run off, but the other man, Mark, seemed relieved by the idea, and Evan only grimaced a little. It wasn't enough to be insulting even, just show minor displeasure with having to go off and do a relatively boring task like that.

  "Well, I was a Boy Scout, once upon a time. I think I can dust off my old skills. I'm not good at being up much before noon or so."

  Zack tilted his head and nodded at the man.

  "You can work nights though? We have a Lesser Demon coming in to help with security. I think he understands that it's about keeping bad things out and not the kids in, but I really do need to double check that. Still, if you can manage being up between, say five and two in the morning? Lead the night time stuff, tell ghost stories and that kind of thing?"

  It seemed like a ridiculous topic, but the rest of the table was riveted by the idea. Even Keeley, who'd never gotten to go to camp, herself. Her mother had always wanted to keep her too close for that kind of thing. Plus, honestly enough, it had never really been offered and her parents hadn't tried to actively get rid of her that way. It still had always sounded like fun.

  Next to her Barbara, who looked a little less than perfectly happy about being cuddled by her, moved her arm off with a shrug. It wasn't too over done, and sweetly enough she leaned into her a little after it fell from her shoulders, letting everyone know that it wasn't about rejecting her. Or fear. Mainly that last one, no doubt.

  She was scared, but held it in pretty well, her face smiling, at first Evan and then Zack.

  "Negotiations do sound like a good idea then. So, Zack. My client will need at least one good feeding per day. Human blood, like you offered. The good, expensive kind, too. Unless there's an emergency, in which case animal can be substituted for up to three days. If it's going to happen more than once however, we need to discuss further compensation for the lack." She paused and looked at Evan hard, thinking something dark and a bit broody, which Keeley didn't bother to read from her mind. Luckily, she didn't need to, since the lady wasn't finished yet. "As for sex, no rough stuff. No anal rape or ripping his teeth out for oral, that kind of thing. Unless he does something wrong... but that should be saved for a real punishment, not burning a hotdog over the fire. Not that anyone normally uses that kind of thing for punishment anymore, but Greater Demon... So, you get the theory here? I need to make sure that's off the table."

  Evan turned and looked at Zack, still clearly not getting that the Line Walker was a thin slightly Japanese seeming man. A young one, too. He was picking up on the idea that this was about business however, and not a game. Something real, for all that it might not make total sense to him.

  "That would be good, if it can be arranged? Maybe for... everyone?" He glanced at Vaughn, who frowned back at him, not wanting to tick Zack off, but the man himself nodded.

  "I don't do anything like that anyway, so I can get behind it without any problem. Is three hundred a week enough? I don't want anyone to lose their home or apartment because I'm taking them away from their normal work. It's what I'm offering the kids, but an adult has more responsibilities."

  They went back and forth on that one, with Barbara finally working him to five hundred per week, daily feeding and, if it was needed, only beatings or being locked in a coffin as punishment. She didn't take that off the table, Keeley noticed, which was interesting. It was for Evan and the others that would be going however, not Zack. She knew that he wouldn't harm anyone. Possibly to his own detriment, if he had young Vampires around all the tasty kids. They needed to know that he not only could, but would, make sure his charges were protected.

  Since harming one of them would have whoever did it killed instantly, that was a good thing to remind everyone of.

  When it got to the end of the negotiation, which were pretty in-depth for what was essentially a camp councilors position, Keeley leaned into Barb again, which got her to go silent.

  "Remember to pad things, so that you can take your twenty percent fee for this."

  That got the Vampire to look at her as if she were insane, which was followed by the rest of them, except Vaughn, who merely chuckled at the idea. Right until Zack waved at her.

  "Fifteen percent, but I'll cover it. For each of your people that are coming? A similar deal, but you can renegotiate for any special needs?" They didn't shake on it, but it had that sort of feel to the whole thing.

  Everyone went silent as the waitress came, to give Keels her Seven-Up. It had too much ice in it, but she wasn't paying for it, as far as she knew. Not that it would be a problem if she were, or anything. When she walked away, Felecia reached over and touched Zack on the arm, which was just to get his attention. She spoke to him directly, so that he could read her lips, over the loud music.

  "Will The Line Walker hold to an agreement you negotiated like this?" She yelled a little,
as if he couldn't hear her. Which would be true if he were simply a Human.

  He nodded back, smiling.

  "Yes. Um, I am the Line Walker? I know you haven't been getting that, but... Hello! That's why it was such a big deal that Barbara here was doing that for you, since I know her from work. We've even dated a few times, so she has an in." It seemed pretty sensible sounding to her, but Felecia acted like it wasn't real, and laughed a bit. Evan didn't, just going wide eyed. Then, after a moment he relaxed and smiled himself.

  "So, no beatings unless I really screw up, eating a child for dinner, or that kind of thing?"

  That got Barb to wink at him.

  "Yep. I'm pretty good, don't you think? Since we worked this part out, we should get on to the next one. Evan, why don't you come with us? Zack can get us to your house, so you can pack?" It was a question and seemed a lot more deferential than her last words had, but Vaughn stood and that got them all to do the same thing.

  Even Keeley, since it never paid to be the surly one that refused to go along with the group. Even if you really were that person, you didn't want everyone else to know it, since that would damage your ability to influence them later.

  They all traipsed along to the front of the club, where the line was still really long, as people waited for a chance to come in themselves. It didn't seem like a fun way to spend a Friday night, but it did show that the place was popular. That was good to know, since it was in her territory. The more business they had, the better off she'd be.

  Zack waved to her, not explaining either how or why he'd come to her new town for a Vampire, and got the others to follow him around the edge of the building. The ones going with him, which left her with Mark and Felecia, who started breathing hard as soon as they left.

  "Can you believe that? A Greater Demon at my club? It's bad enough that Vaughn came. I nearly passed out when I heard that. The Line Walker... Here? If I were a few hundred years older I'd write a dirty letter to the council in protest! They know better than to bring this kind of shit down on me."

  Then, taking Keeley's hand, she walked back into her place of business. Still not aware of what she really was.

  It was very nearly funny.

  Chapter nine

  On the good side it wasn't that Felecia was a moron or anything. She'd gotten that Keeley knew both Barb and Zack, and had dealt with them awfully comfortably. In fact, she'd even figured out a reason for that. It was wrong, but fit what made sense to her, so she ran with it, even as they moved back into the club, for questioning.

  That was the real plan too. A full on grilling. It was cute. At least to her, since the woman didn't have any real way to do that. She wasn't going to beat Keeley or lock her up, for instance. Instead she was planning to try intimidation.

  They moved, alone, since Mark was asked to guard the door, into the back office, which had a solid wooden door on it, making it seem like the kind of place that something illegal might well be going on in.

  Then the woman with the strange almost orange brown eyes and bottle red hair turned on her, frowning and showing fang. Her eyes did turn red then, without any whites showing, which worked pretty well, Keels had to give her.

  "You're what, one of the New Breed? I had word of you going out today, so you're either ancient, or one of them. You move wrong for that. Unless..." She glared, but the timing was a bit off, and she ended the line by going very still, thinking hard. "How old are you?"

  "Sixteen." It was true, so she just smiled at the other woman, and waited for her to process that.

  She seemed not to believe it.

  "Right, you're sixteen. I suppose you know Barbara from school? Or The Line Walker? Who sent you?" She moved in a bit, trying to be menacing. It didn't work too well. She smelled of cloves and a bit of cinnamon, which was a trick some of her kind used to remind people of comfortable times. Vanilla was also popular for that one.

  "Sent me? You came to my house. I just live there. I'll admit that I did work you around to going out with me, a bit, but nothing too harsh. Just what you saw me do."

  "Um... Sorry?"

  Keeley shrugged, since it was going to come out eventually. It was almost always better to do things like that on the terms that you set.

  "I live here, in Sparks. This is my territory now. Not that it will interfere too much as far as your business goes, or anything like that. I know Barbara through Zach. I know him, because I'm his Aunt." That was enough information, she thought.

  Except that the Vampire was in deep enough denial her eyes moved back to their regular color, ruining the intimidation a lot. Her lips flushed with color too, making them look shining and a bit pink, in the dim fluorescing light. Slightly damp with lip coloring.

  For some reason that reminded her of Hally, just for a bit. They didn't look much alike, however.

  "His Aunt? I..."

  They stood there for a while, and finally furrowing her brow enough that it seemed nearly joking, the woman stepped back, and did her best impression of a person losing their mind. A Vampire doing that, which meant going completely still and not drawing any attention to herself.

  "What... Who, are you, Keeley? I don't think I understand?" There was a bit of a lost little girl behind her eyes, but it didn't speak of violence, so that was fine.

  "I'm The Mistress of Souls. Greater Demon. This is my new territory, not your club specifically, but this city. What that means for you is... Really, not all that much. I might have some things for you from time to time. Money making opportunities, political help and things like that. On the other hand, I'll be available for you and your friends to come to, if you need anything. For a price, naturally. Tonight however, my best guess is that my sister got Zack to come here to check up on me, and it was just a coincidence that Vaughn wanted to come too."

  "Oh." There was an obvious attempt to not lose composure, but no shaking or aggressive movements. "Isn't sixteen a little young to be out on your own?"

  That one took her off guard, and she smiled about it.

  "That's true. This seems like a good enough place for it, however. I don't really get a choice in the matter. So, the situation here is actually pretty good for you, as long as you don't... You know, freak out? In the main, I think you should tell people that you feel sorry for me and are trying to make sure that I don't fall in with the wrong people. That way you can come around and not have to tell everyone in the world that I'm me. That can get people to act funny, when they find out. Not that they shouldn't, but you get the idea, keeping this between us probably isn't a bad idea." She didn't say deal, but got ready to, and actually back it up, if the Vampire went off the rails.

  It was close, she could tell. For one thing, she was starting to breathe heavy, and it didn't seem to be something she was faking up at the moment. Vampires didn't breathe, and had to remind themselves to do it at first. For her to fall that far back into old reflexes probably indicated a fight was about to take place. Except it wasn't. Keeley would take her as a slave first, if she had to.

  She managed to get herself under control, and sank to her knees, looking at the floor.

  "Mistress."

  Keeley put a single palm on the top of the woman's head, resting it there gently, as if she were a pet. It wasn't that far off from the idea she was going for. Except that the parts where she had to feed her and clean up after her were a lot less onerous with a Vampire.

  "You may rise. I have some plans for the area, that might be good for you and your people to get in on. First, I think we should set up a blood collection center locally. That will keep your people happier and give them a chance to profit from the whole thing. I can have Rebekah call you tomorrow? Then, I think we need to go over the city council here and make certain they're our kind of people. Good and law abiding, I mean. Or at least not evil. I don't know about you, but I hate having to deal with that kind of person. It's best to stomp them down early, don't you agree? Can you get the other Vampires in the area to switch to either the new blood or
animal, like your people have? I hear that alpaca is actually decently tasty, if you can't get Human for a few days. I'll get some in, as soon as I hire someone to watch them. I have the room, finally. So I won't have to just have three of them." She could also just take a slave or two for that, but...

  Well, not doing that was stupid, wasn't it? As long as she did it right, they'd be, if not safe, then no worse off than they might be otherwise. She should get a Hsreth in too, to take care of her place. Do the cooking and cleaning. That would take some care, so that she didn't ruin anyone's life. Some good guards... And possibly someone to take care of the building projects for her, since that was going to end up being a lot of beings, and they'd need someplace to stay.

  It was a plan, and not a horrible one, though she also needed to get through the next weeks first. It probably wouldn't be happening. It was hard for her to believe that, but there were things that she, as inexperienced as she knew she had to be, just wasn't ready to face. There were even things that no one was. They didn't show up in her memories, but now that she knew what to look for, she wondered if there was a pattern to things that Tarsus hadn't given her? A shape to The Void, whatever that was. Delusion, another Greater Demon, or something else...

  Could she find out what pattern it had left behind? Was there one? She didn't know if that would be the case, but she had a starting point. Everything had a name. She had more than one, and so did all the Greater Demons. All of them. Except one. That, and the Council was sort of nameless too, for some unknown reason. They weren't even called anything. No one ran organizations that way, which meant it was an issue. A place to start searching.

  Felecia didn't stand up, until Keeley took her hand and pulled gently. Then she kissed the slightly taller woman on the cheek. It was cool, and pale, all hint of freckles being gone, if they'd ever existed. Moving back she touched the other cheek softly.