Tomorrow's Dead: The Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles, page 10
She smiled at an SD runaway vamp dressed like a mannequin. “My. You must be awfully strong to carry these three mountain men on your own.” The eyes of the human on the first bunk flickered. “Forget this guy, Morales. He’s pretty out of it.” Once Morales stepped out of the way, Poe dug the needle into the human’s toe nail. Immediately the supposedly comatose man sat up and cursed up a storm, mostly directed at Poe. His bunk mates sat up as well, fear burning in their eyes.
The well dressed vampire hissed, and his fangs elongated into a pretty two inches. “Get up, you leeches!” he ordered and brought out a Glock 22. Before he could point the weapon at anyone, Stanza took hold of the vampire’s hand and crushed it with the gun still in his clutches. The vampire squealed like a murdered animal and fellto his knees.
Kilbur lifted all three leeches by the cuff of their gowns. He was fast for an Ancient. Plasmacore is a hell of a drink, thought Poe.
The rest was smooth sailing after the initial bust with three more double-agents and their leeches coming forward on their own.
“To those who passed with flying colors, we commend you. And we apologize for putting you through this ordeal. We’re proud to have you with us,” said Maple, who’d been quiet but alert.
Sainvire, Maple, Joseph, Rufus, Michelle, and Poe met up at the cafeteria an hour later.
“Let’s have the three SD vamps chomp down on this for a while. Their every word is being monitored and recorded. Forget about them trying to escape, either. When we told them their guards are the two Ancients that crushed GQ’s hand, they were shitting masonry,” said Michelle. “We’ll find out more in the morning. In the meantime, got any more ideas?”
Poe slurped her pasta, chewed quickly, and swallowed with satisfaction. “As we speak, Maclemar, Morales, and a couple guys are stripping the cars these SD vamps brought.”
“Huh?” said Michelle, confused.
“Well I figure that’s the best way to destroy our sense of safety – terrorist bullshit. And looking back at past warfare, I think of bombs placed strategically in cars. Could be nothing, so I haven’t made a big deal out of it.” Poe forked more pasta shells in her mouth. Sainvire grinned.
“Joseph. Mind checking on those guys?”
“Nope. I’m getting tortured myself watching Poe devour my favorite food of all time.” He looked at his half-filled glass of Plasmacore and grimaced. He downed the lab-produced blood, winced, and said his adieu.
“I’ll join him,” said Rufus. “I’m bored.”
“Michelle, I need to talk to you about something,” said Sainvire.
“Can you wait? I want to know more about this bomb thing and why I wasn’t told about it.”
“I told Poe to keep it under wraps. Even from you. Now come on.” Sainvire not so subtly pointed his jaw at Maple, swirling Plasmacore in her glass. Michelle’s eyes widened, finally understanding what Sainvire was getting at. Maple and Poe hadn’t spoken since the girl killed Perla’s hostages.
Poe wiped her mouth with a napkin and realized the setup. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of what to say. The usually taciturn vampire broke the silence. Thank goodness, thought Poe.
“You did well tonight,” said Maple. We’re glad you’re here looking out for us. You’ve grown into a very intelligent, confident woman. I’m very proud of you.”
Poe’s eyes misted. “I have a lot of faults, too, Maple. I do inhuman things.”
“You do things that must be done but the rest of us are too cowardly to do. You and Sainvire have been handling the dirty jobs for us. So I thank you.”
“I wasn’t going to harm Perla, you know.”
“I know that. But I love her so much that I had to protect her as a precaution.”
“Have you talked to her?”
“No. She won’t leave the Alexandria. People say she’s creating an army of bedridden vampires.”
“I’m sorry, Maple.”
“I’m sorry, too, Poe.” The vampire rose and sat next to Poe. She kissed Poe’s cheek and the two embraced.
“You guys are my family, Maple. We’ll get Perla back somehow.”
Maple hugged her even closer but did not say a word.
CHAPTER 7
THE SAN DIEGO LEECHES spilled the beans. The vampires sent by the House of Runer were to observe, and once a month one of the three would drive back to San Diego and report. The leeches’ role was to roam during the day, take notes of the humans living in the city, and gauge their health. If they could provide food for another 10 years, then they would be worth retaking.
Poe’s hunches, sharpened with age, were correct in assuming that the cars owned by the SD vamps were rigged with explosives. Maclemar and Morales needed help from the diminutive halfdead, Ed, who could push an entire locomotive by hand.
“I don’t want to chance it,” said Morales. “If I snip the wrong colored wire, my kid will be left with one daddy.”
“I understand, my friend,” said Maclemar, clapping his friend on the back. “You’re the most valuable man Downtown, Doc. As for me, you’ve been teaching me bombmaking and detonation for over a year now, but my skills are still questionable.”
“You’re better than others, Maclemar. But I’m not going to chance you. The little one will kick my ass if anything happens to you.”
“It’s not what you think. We’re just roommates to scare off each other’s nightmares. She asked me to leave with her in a week.”
“And are you?”
“I love her. I’ll do anything for Poe.”
“And she loves you?” asked Morales with a serene smile on his face.
“She said she does. But I know how she feels about Kaleb. I’ll take what I can.”
Morales nudged Maclemar on the arm. “You both deserve peace and happiness. Our Poe needs to stop killing. It’s gnawing on her soul. After what Trench did to her, Sainvire shouldn’t have asked her to leave her island paradise.”
“If she hadn’t come, this town would still be divided. And don’t forget the spies and these cars with explosives.”
Ed, an unassuming Central American man with a slight accent, lifted a Volkswagen and walked it to an expansive park behind Chinatown. He came back for the other two cars and left them at the outskirts of town.
The two men and the halfdead made their way back to the Biltmore, ready for some shuteye.
Maclemar shut the door quietly to their room. He kneeled on the floor to pat Penny’s head and kissed her on the ear. “You’ll be better soon, my pet. Hang in there.” The poor dog’s middle was bandaged tightly, and he couldn’t help but feel pity.
He undressed in the bathroom and showered. Working with explosives wasn’t at the top of his list of favorite activities. The ever-present danger gave him the shakes. He preferred fixing cars, buses, airplanes, boilers, and plumbing, or figuring out to how to expand and maintain electricity citywide. But bombs? He’d rather make love to Julia Poe 3,000 times. In Gilroy, Poe had asked him to make love to her, and he happily complied. However, before the two could finish with their commingling, Sainvire interrupted to his painful annoyance. Kaleb Sainvire was a friend, but when it came to Poe, he didn’t always know what to do with her. I know what to do with her. She’s my goddess. I’ll love her until my dying breath, he thought dramatically.
He flossed as Poe had insisted despite his pleas that it was against the British code to tend to teeth too often. He brushed his teeth and tongue like Poe had instructed. The little fighter sure had her opinions. Because of the trauma brought on by the Gray Armageddon and fighting vampires, her menses had stopped over a decade ago. Maclemar, if he were honest with himself, would have liked mini-Poes bouncing on his knees, but he would have settled for Julia’s love anytime.
Maclemar put on some boxers and slipped inside the sheets. Half-asleep and settling herself into the hollow of his arm, Poe turned to her roommate. “You smell good,” she said sleepily. “Any bombs in the cars?”
“Yes. All three. You were right,” he said, smelling her fragrant hair. Poe’s eyes opened wide, and she leaned on her elbow.
“Are you okay? How about Morales?”
“We’re both good. We left the heavy lifting to Ed.”
Poe kissed Maclemar’s scratchy chin. The man needed to shave at least twice a day. “If something had happened to you, I wouldn’t have forgiven myself.”
“You talk as if you’re in love with me,” said Maclemar, kissing her forehead.
“I do love you. I think about you all the time.”
“But then there’s Sainvire. He was your first love and—”
“I was 22 when I met Sainvire. I’m 26 now. I’m aware of the different layers of love I feel for people like you, Joseph, Morales, and so forth. Sure, I love Sainvire, but he doesn’t love me enough to give up his work. And it’s important work, mind you. Without him, the city would implode. He’s chosen Downtown over me,” said Poe with resignation. She curled her fingers into his chest hair, her favorite distraction. “But you, James Maclemar, I love because you love me for me, soot and all. You’re willing to die for me and love me until I’m old and wrinkled. And you’re willing to live with me in isolation. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”
Maclemar grunted. “’Course I am,” he said. “Wherever you are is my happiness.”
Poe had the urge to cry but hugged her big bear instead. “I love you, James. Always.”
She sniffed and sought his generous mouth and kissed Maclemar, her unsure tongue saying hello to his eager one. They kissed for what seemed like minutes until both were in danger of shedding their clothing.
“You’re so beautiful, sweetheart,” said Maclemar, cupping her breasts then capturing each full mound in his mouth. Poe moaned and the sound excited Maclemar. His finger entered her and found moistness. He massaged her little nub until Poe was groaning.
“Maclemar,” she said hoarsely. “I love you so. I’ll make you happy. Please.”
The Welshman braced himself on his powerful arms and sought her lips. Poe guided him inside of her. All the faces of her past drifted away including Trench who had violated her and Sainvire who had more important things to do than love an inconsequential girl.
Maclemar’s length and bigness rode Poe slowly as if afraid she would break. “Faster, James. I’m won’t shatter.” The man groaned and made love to Poe harder and more intense than he had intended. He held himself until Poe screamed her pleasure.
“I love you, beauty,” he said, holding Poe tightly in his arms.
“I love you, James.” She truly meant it.
***
Their friends lined up to shake hands with Julia Poe and James Maclemar as Percy stood excitedly next to them. Joseph winked at her while Morales slapped her behind to the dismay of Maclemar. “I’ve always wanted to do that, buddy. Now that she’s yours, I thought I’d better do it now or never.”
Maclemar shook his head, and Poe punched Morales’ stomach not too hard. “You take care of Percy,” said Joseph. “Make sure to make an intellectual out of her, Maclemar. Poe, you train her into a Van Damme splits expert.”
“We’ll take good care of her, mate,” Maclemar said. Poe hugged Percy. When Poe had asked the girl to live on the island with Maclemar and her, Percy cried in her hands. The 10-year-old had been an orphan as long as she remembered.
Sainvire stood on the lowest step in only a black t-shirt and dark slacks and shook the Welshman’s hand. “Take good care of her, James.”
“Will do, Kaleb. I know you’ll keep watch over these parts.”
“I’ll try,” he said. His light gray eyes found Poe’s brown ones. “You take care, Poe. You’ll always be a superhero around here. Whenever you decide that Catalina bores you, you always have a home with us.”
Poe shook his hand. “Thanks, Sainvire. I’ll see you real soon for Christmas.”
“Real soon,” he repeated.
Ed was waiting next to a truck laden with Poe’s DVD and VHS collection from her old bunker. Much of the selection was pornography, and Ed and Maple clamped their mouths shut to keep from laughing. The girl certainly watched everything she got her hands on without prejudice. Penny had a small nook in the back seat where rattling wouldn’t disturb her as much, and Chops, all 110 pounds of her, remained in the back with the clothing, tools, paperbacks, and movies.
Michelle ran to the truck. “Shit, I thought I was going to miss your sendoff!” She kissed Poe and Percy on the cheek while she slammed a wet one on Maclemar’s very attractive mouth.
Instead of feeling angry, Poe laughed. “He’s cute, isn’t he?”
“Sure is. He wouldn’t sleep with me though I tried several times to entice him.”
“He’s an idiot,” said Poe.
“You said it, sister!” She winked at both at them. “See you real soon.”
“Yeah. December,” said Maclemar.
While listening to Poe and Percy make plans for a new home on the island, Maclemar drove on the Santa Monica Freeway that had been cleared by Trench. Poe thought about her burnt cabin and lost some of her pep.
They reached the San Pedro Pier and began loading the boat with Poe’s belongings, Maclemar’s tools, and Percy’s small bag. Once the animals were safely boarded, Maclemar revved up his boat, The Chameleon, and beckoned Percy to the helm.
“See that spot there ahead?”
“Yes,” answered Percy quietly. “The smudge.”
“Head for it. If you need a break, let me know. Okay?”
Percy turned to Poe for her approval. “Go ahead,” said Poe. She hugged Maclemar’s waist tightly. “He’s going to teach us a lot of useful things. Enjoy.”
Maclemar kissed Poe’s small cold nose and embraced her. “My darling, how much I love you!”
“Mahal kita, mister.”
Their first month on Catalina Island was the happiest the three companions had ever been. Poe was especially thankful for the company. In the uninhabited town of Avalon, Percy chose a lovely six-bedroom yellow house with a private boating dock and beach. The child born of a slave mother walked around the first week as if she was in a dream. She lived with two of her favorite people whose laughter rang with the wind as they put the house in order.
She turned away whenever Poe and Maclemar snuck kisses, sometimes feeling bothersome and like a third wheel. But Percy’s hero Poe and her partner Maclemar genuinely seemed happy to have her on the island. They gave her first dibs to the room of her choice. She picked the upstairs bedroom overlooking the water for two reasons. The bedroom afforded privacy to the couple whom she’d heard discussing the merits of sleeping downstairs as the best defense against unwanted company. The second reason was the beautiful view her three bay windows afforded her which would surely erase nightmares of evil vampires and long-tongued baby vamps that left her sweating and shivering at night.
The three woke up early to hike, watch bison eating for hours, and track foxes in the mud. Maclemar took his girls fishing and cooked three meals a day with a satisfied smirk on his face. Penny had a long ways to go until her ribs healed, and Chops, who was allowed in the house, granted his feet were wiped clean, munched on all things edible on the island.
One day Maclemar learned that Percy only knew of the year of her birth but not much else. He whipped up sticky toffee pudding while Poe took the girl and Chops hiking in the hills. She was to have a special celebration. When the two companions came home, the house smelled of sweets and seafood spaghetti.
Maclemar came out with the pudding decorated with 10 lit candles and broke into the happy birthday song. Poe sang along, too, in her out-of-tune voice.
“You got to make a wish before you blow the candles, love.”
Percy closed her eyes then extinguished the candles in one blow. “I don’t understand. I don’t know when I was born.”
“Well let’s just say that starting today, November 8th will be your official birthday. We’ll celebrate the date every year, okay?” explained Poe.
Percy hugged her new family and dug in her favorite spaghetti recipe. The sticky toffee pudding was so delicious she almost cried.
“Thanks, guys, for taking me in. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
Poe and Maclemar kissed her goodnight. “You’re our family now,” said Maclemar.
“Yeah. You’re ours, and we’re yours,” said Poe.
“I don’t feel right sometimes about how happy I am,” Poe told Maclemar after they’d made love for a second time that evening. “Our friends are going through perilous days Downtown, but I don’t seem to care when I’m here with you. Out of sight, out of mind.”
Maclemar tweaked her sweaty nose. The young woman only seemed to sweat on the tip of her nose. “I think of the kids, but I left behind a mighty good flock of teachers before we left. I just hope that Sainvire will succeed in his vision for Los Angeles of people and vampires co-existing without violence.”
Poe chewed on her full, many-a-kissed lips and thought of Sainvire. She wished him well but was sure that choosing Maclemar was the best decision she’d ever made. “Yeah. I hope things go well over there. We both remember the days of evil councils and selfish master vampires. It’s terrible to think that such archaic rulers are still perpetuating the old ways in other cities.”
Maclemar pulled open the drawer next to his bed. “Very scary,” he said. “Now I was scouting for equipment at the other houses, and I came across this ring. You don’t have to wear it or anything, but I’d like you to have it. I think it’s your size.” He switched on the light.
Poe took the thin titanium ring without any adornments and smiled. “Are you, like, proposing to me?”
Maclemar kissed her brow. “Well I don’t believe in marriage myself, but I’d marry you in a heartbeat.” Poe laughed and slid the ring onto her marriage finger. It fit perfectly. “Did you get one for yourself?”
“Well that would be tacky now, wouldn’t it?” he snickered. “You have to find one for me to wear if anything.”
