Dead and Everything (Eve Benson: Vampire Book 2) Read online

  There was a lot more speed in it, she thought, than there had been before. Not enough to shake Bey, of course, and her use of the environment to help propel herself along wasn’t nearly as good. If anything that part was worse than before, since she felt a little clumsy, missing movements that she wouldn’t have before her isolation. She even stumbled, twice.

  The trip didn’t take long however, and at the end she didn’t scream in pain from it. As they stopped, right outside the side door of the mall, Bey gave a bit of a bow, standing instantly.

  “I see that you’ve made good use of your time away. Excellent. I won’t need to travel with you as long then. We will leave in the morning, to travel to Maine. Richard Swerlin has requested that the Council send a representative to dance for the cameras, and impress his people with his power. He has won his election, and so seeks to consolidate his control over the Vampires of North America. It is a foolish move, but I do not think highly of him, so perhaps I am being too harsh?” He moved to walk in, as she took a breath.

  She still ached inside, but it was manageable, even after the run they’d just had.

  “I can see that one. Rich… Well, no one is going to love him for a long time. Not on our side of things. Really, he’s probably trying to make himself into a spokesperson for us. Which, as you kind of hinted at there, is moronic. Vampires are a bunch of spoiled babies, and being made responsible for their actions is a horrible thing to do to anyone…” She grinned, and gently patted Bey on the shoulder. “Which probably means we should hook him up with the job? It kind of seems fair, even if he was mind controlled into parts of it.”

  Bey nodded, the red brick under their feet dry and slightly strange feeling. After all that time of not moving, everything seemed off to her.

  She tilted her head a bit, not really caring who heard her.

  “You got that part, about me, didn’t you? Someone did something to get me to go into that cage. I have some ideas, but I could be wrong. I know that Keeley was voting for it though. She flat out told me that. Also about the other groups being forced into the spotlight. I…” She looked up, and saw that Barb was manning the counter at Yoghurt World. There didn’t seem to be anyone else there, which probably meant it was a Tuesday or Wednesday night. She’d be at the club on the weekends.

  Her eyes lit up when she saw who was there though. Then she sprinted, like a Human being, around the counter, her white apron with its green logo on it flying and getting in the way a bit. Under that she had on a t-shirt and blue jeans. Really, she looked exactly like a young woman that might be working at a shop like that.

  “Eve! Oh my God! I didn’t know you were getting out today!” There was a tackle then, which turned into a hug that was cool to the touch, but filled with strength.

  She hugged her friend back, since anyone that greeted you with that kind of enthusiasm had to be considered a buddy, didn’t they?

  “Yep! So, did anyone get the address of those guys?” She was trying to be cryptic, but Barb snorted, and nodded her head.

  “Oh, we totally did. Zack did it. We didn’t know what you’d want done about them, if anything. Are we going to…” She whispered, as if the Council member that would be sent to stop them from committing crimes wasn’t standing right there. Which meant, no doubt that she was joking. “Take them out?”

  Eve shrugged.

  “I was thinking more of a public shaming thing? No masks this time. Put up a video online maybe? Still, they did stop, and stayed away pretty well, so maybe I don’t need to do anything? I could write some letters and remind them that they have average sized junk, at best. That will teach them.” She made a little go-get-em gesture with her fist, as Barb smothered a laugh and Bey nodded, as if it were a real idea.

  “That is most wise. It will show them that they cannot act with impunity, without taking away their ability to improve in the future. Perhaps we can see to that now? I believe that The Line Walker is in, so that we might gain access to the locations that these miscreants will be at?”

  Eve shook her head.

  “It would be good to see Zack, but I want to wait a few days, or even weeks, before doing anything like that. It might be for the best if I never do. After all, they didn’t hurt anything, and it was as close to a show as I had the entire time.” Then she realized that she was still hugging Barb, who didn’t even seem to be acting like it was out of place yet. “So, tell me, how have things really been going without me?”

  The other Vampire squirmed a bit, but then shook her head.

  “Not… Great. Brian, from the club? The bouncer? He… died. He was murdered. Someone beat him to death. We don’t have any proof who it was, but it almost had to be one of us. He was ripped apart, nearly. That, or he pissed off an insane ape. I, um, asked the Mages for help. They’re looking into it.”

  Eve nodded.

  “I see. We’ll find who did this, and…” She was about to suggest that they’d wind up in a ditch, but shook her head. There had to be at least the appearance of rules, even if it was all fake in the end. “And then we’ll see to punishing them as much as the law allows.”

  Chapter ten

  Eve had kind of thought that she’d be either thrown back into her day to day life or eased back in, slowly. That didn’t seem to be the Bey plan at all.

  No, he was acting like Eve wasn’t going home at all. That wasn’t her idea of a good time though, since she really wanted a shower. It probably sounded like a minor thing, but she felt gross. Like her skin was crawling all the time. It hadn’t been bad in the box, but now that she was moving around it was like her outer being was trying to fall away, and not really making it.

  “Let’s go, and see about finding some new clothes?” She waved at her own body, which looked the same as it always did, she thought. It wasn’t like Vampires changed all that much. Not if they had enough energy.

  That got Bey to look annoyed.

  “Is that needed? You look fine. At least for traveling. We should find you some other clothing for meetings. I’d suggest a dress, but that isn’t conducive to the work that might be required from you now. Perhaps something more intimidating? Leather, or an outfit that seems more military?”

  He looked at her like those were options that she’d find in her own closet. It wasn’t though. She used to have a really neat leather jacket that had made her seem totally badass, but it had gotten burned. By Lars the Manthori, actually. He’d been mind controlled into it, but the coat was still gone, or at least made so ugly that she wasn’t going to put it on anymore.

  Thinking of mind control, she felt a slight flare of anger, then shook her head.

  “I need to chat with Keels. Really, I kind of want a shower. I know, I shouldn’t reek or anything, but that isn’t the point. I feel gross. I know that we need to leave soon, if we’re going to make it across the country before it gets too bright out, but…” She shook her head. Going east it would get bright sooner, rather than later. They’d be running into the sun.

  That sounded like great fun. She sighed and then shook her head.

  “Can we go do that now? If we run… Let me shower and change, then leave immediately…”

  Bey changed from seeming a bit annoyed with her to happy suddenly, and clapped his hands.

  “Yes. We shall go and see to that instantly. Barbara, can we trust you to investigate the death of your man? We will come and aid you in seeking justice for it, if that is needed. I doubt it will be, since you are a most capable being, but if this turns out to be larger than it seems, we stand ready. I shall speak with Lenore, so that she knows this project is to be yours?” It was a weird way of setting things up, but Barb seemed shocked by it, as if that just didn’t make sense.

  That was off though, since she was smart enough and had been around for something like fifty years. She looked young, but then again, they all did. Most people that bothered with eternal life wanted to do it when they were young enough for it to leave them being good looking. Bey was a bit goofy in app
earance, she guessed, but there had probably been different standards of beauty back in the day.

  Barb nodded, but didn’t really seem all that chatty suddenly. Dumbfounded, came to mind, as a name for the response.

  Bey didn’t wait long, just smiling, moving forward to pat the other Vampire gently, and waved to Eve, silently. Then, without warning he started to move at great speeds. She followed, and it hurt again, even as she tried to hold the pain away from her thoughts. It was all she could do to keep up, to be honest.

  When they got to Edom’s house, the man winked at her, let her shower and dress, urging her to do it quickly, without ever speaking, and then had them out on the road, heading toward Maine. She thought that was the destination at any rate.

  Her… she didn’t know what to call him really. Was Bey her boss now? Her friend? Mentor maybe? It didn’t really matter, except that she would have liked to have an understanding of where she stood in things. Regardless, the bald man, wearing a rather worn black suit, having changed clothing himself, spoke to her as they traveled through the dark. How he could speak, through the pain, she didn’t know.

  “No. Do not simply stomp along! You have great power, but you need skill as well. We shall strive to make our way without noise, other than such instruction as I need to give you. Place your feet below you, don’t dash them down. Use the whole foot, not the heel!” there was demonstration to go with it, and she focused her thoughts trying to match what he was doing.

  She would have thought that it was boring, but she knew the real meaning of the word now, so it seemed a lot less so, than it might have even half a year before. She’d grown harder it seemed, in her little glass coffin.

  So she was able to mainly keep up, with Bey urging her not to slow down, as well as moving without making a racket. The trip seemed to take forever, since they traveled through the world without stopping. Nothing seemed to move or shift around them in particular. Some of the cars on the freeway, which they passed and pushed off of, did move a tiny bit, but it was pretty much like the world was just hanging still. A picture, painted in three dimensions, but not dynamic.

  It was pretty awesome, when she thought about it. Of course that meant getting lazy, and making noise, which had Bey glaring at her. The tiny being smiled when she got it right though, as a reward.

  It seemed to take forever, but when they got into the city, which was Washington D.C. not Maine at all, it was still dark out. There were cars on the roads, but not enough to really indicate that it was approaching dawn. She could feel it coming though.

  The burning orb was just over the edge of the Earth, ready to burn them, as it poked its head up. It probably meant it was…

  She nearly thought that it would be about seven in the morning, but that wasn’t right. It would be closer to six, or less than that, since it had to be April now. They kept moving at speed down the dingy streets, which seemed to have a covering of grit for some reason. It was all over the entire area, which surprised her a little. If asked about it, Eve would have thought that the national capital would have been pristine all the time. There were buildings off in the distance that were familiar, being white and big.

  They didn’t go there, heading to a set of buildings off to the side by a good way. It was a nice enough area, compared to the surroundings. Bey went directly in, past a guard that stood outside the door. Then through the metal detectors and other guards inside.

  Finally they ended up outside a locked door, which had the words, Rep. Swerlin, on it. Her Vampire buddy, since she wasn’t certain what else to call him, narrowed his eyes and stopped suddenly, trying the door in normal time.

  “Locked, which is most rude, don’t you think? He knows we are coming, and should have made arrangements for our arrival. I do not, perhaps, expect parades and dancing ladies, but an unlocked door would be nice.”

  There was no one inside, so Eve could see that, but she smiled when Bey was about to simply force the door open, breaking it. The thing was almost certainly government property, and that would mean their tax dollars would have to go toward fixing it. If, of course, she paid taxes. She used to, so there was that, right?

  “Wait? I think I can do this one.” Not that she was certain, but it was a single deadbolt and a regular lock. They were meant to keep people out, but not Vampires, or even real thieves. The building had security after all. Congressional office or not though, it wasn’t made to keep them out. Walking through security, without being noticed, kind of showed that.

  Bey stood back, as if curious as to what she had planned. It was, well, easy wasn’t the right word, but she could move small objects. It was hard and she needed to move close to the door, actually touching it with her right hand. That made turning the locks a lot easier though. They clicked after a moment, which got Bey to nod at her, seriously.

  They didn’t speak until they got in and closed the plain looking wooden door behind them.

  “That is an interesting skill. Not one I possess. You discovered it while entombed?”

  She nodded.

  “It isn’t very useful, but I can do things like this, or move little things. Pebbles and small stones. Call it a pound or two? The closer it is to my body the easier it is, but for most things it’s just going to be easier to use my hands.”

  That got a nod, but also a pat on the shoulder.

  “Very well. Now we shall wait?”

  He went totally still, and didn’t even look at her. Eve didn’t particularly want to do that, having had her fill for the time being, but she could do it. She made sure her links were tight, then made all sense of anger and hunger go away. It still felt like it took forever, before the door opened, after a lot of scrambling with keys. She’d left the door unlocked, meaning the Vampire that worked it locked himself out first, then had to try again.

  It was Richard Swerlin, and he was old enough to be worried when he came in, which got worse when he saw who was standing there.

  “Bey! I… Hadn’t thought that you’d be in so early. I would have come, I assure you, if I’d known. Did The Line Walker bring you?”

  Eve wondered why he’d think that, but Bey shook his head.

  “No, young Eve and I traveled from the other Washington, on foot, this very night. You requested her presence, so she has come, directly from her incarceration, just to serve your will. I trust that time won’t be wasted?”

  It was a bit attacking, if in a polite way, but it put Swerlin on the defensive. It occurred to her that Bey really didn’t care for the man, for some reason. He was generally very nice, to everyone. This was the way he acted toward people he was about to kill.

  Well, if that was the case, Eve was up for it. She normally would have worried about what Keels would think about it, since Rich was her boy, but at the moment she kind of suspected that her friend had sort of screwed her over. True, possibly into greater powers, but it hadn’t been fun. Not that she was going to waste her time on grudges. Life was too short for that bullshit.

  The politician hemmed a bit, and then looked embarrassed.

  “I really don’t have anything specifically planned out for today. Press wise, I mean. I thought that it would be some months before Miss Benson could join us, to be honest. I… How did you survive?” The question was nearly blurted out, and the Vampire went very still, a panic response, if not one that showed great anger.

  There was probably no reason to assume that however. The man was decent looking, in a slightly broad faced way, and not normally an a-hole. Outing all Vampire kind aside.

  Eve shrugged.

  “It took some focus, and I can’t recommend it as a relaxing vacation, but it was doable. Now, can we set something up for the day? Otherwise… I guess that Bey and I can just sit here. Watching you. Always.”

  That got the other man to seem a lot more worried for some reason, which finally got her mentor to smile. That was good to see, but she hadn’t meant it as a threat.

  “Ah… Let me see if anything can be set up? I’m sur
e that a lot of media will want to speak with you. I… Here.” He hurried into the other room, which was his real office, no doubt.

  Without waiting for even a moment, or considering that running away from them might be a bit rude, she heard a phone pick up. Then, moments later, Swerlin was being yelled at for calling that early. It was before six, so who could blame the poor Human on the other side?

  Eve didn’t listen though, since she wasn’t the sort of person to do that without a good reason. She did notice when her name was spoken, and heard then the low growl of a woman on the phone.

  “Who gives a fuck? Some killer gets out of prison after six months? Even better, a killer cop, or whatever the story is this week? Why call and bother me with this? If you want me to play ball, you need to do better than that. Now, I’m going back to sleep. If you want my help on anything, I suggest you don’t bother me this early, ever again!” The phone was slammed down on the cradle, making a slap that had to show the lady was more than a little pissed off.

  Eve listened then, as six other calls went about the same way. Oh, most of them were more polite, but no one was really all that interested in her. That was both a bit insulting, and she realized, after a bit, a good thing. She wasn’t supposed to be a big media personality anyway. After a while she shrugged, having heard herself called a bitch, a cunt, and a killer, at least four times in about twenty minutes.

  “And here I thought I was popular or something.”

  Bey nodded.

  “Indeed, you do tend to play well in the press. More often on the talking radio? We should have called ahead, perhaps, rather than run all this way.” He looked ready to be upset, but his attention went to her, rather than being focused on the other room. For her part, Eve just shook her head, making him tense a bit.