Tomorrow's Dead: The Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles, page 26
“Let’s take him up to the hospital,” suggested Danby. “We wouldn’t want him to wake up in the mausoleum.”
“John’s right,” seconded Maple. “Let me carry him to the hospital.
Joseph nodded and watched Maple carry Sainvire’s body like it was a pillow. Joseph picked up the stethoscope from the ground and walked over to Poe. With one knee he knelt in front of her. His brown eyes were shining. If vampires could weep, Joseph would have bawled his eyes out.
“Sis, you were right. I’m sorry. I didn’t have your faith. Even I thought you lost it, so I ask your forgiveness.”
Morales let go of Poe and sat farther away on the lawn chair. A Bukowski book lay by the chair.
Poe shook her head. “Nothing to forgive. Nothing at all. I have lost it. I stole Morales’ stethoscope.” Everyone stared at the device, and their tenseness lifted at the absurdity.
***
World spread about Kaleb Sainvire like butter on hot bread. A second wave of Christmas joy put a smile on those who’d known or been rescued by the selfless vampire.
Poe visited her slumbering love after showering. She wore her freshest clothes that added femininity to her usual dry outfit of black t-shirt and olive pants. The third day she chose a bright red blouse with gray slacks and red Adidas shoes, the brand Sainvire preferred. She stared at the bathroom mirror as a touch of red lipstick brightened her lips. Out of embarrassment for being so girly, Poe stopped at that. She combed her obsidian hair and debated with herself whether or not to hide her scar with a concealer. She decided against it, rationalizing that Kaleb might not recognize her without the centipede scar.
An excited Joseph knocked on the door of her loft. “Poe, Kaleb’s alive! And you look good,” he threw in. “Wanna hop on? I’ll zip us over there.”
“He’s awake?” Her nerves were buzzing in every fingertip. Without protestation, she jumped on Joseph’s back as he ran like a cheetah to the hospital. Poe was thinking of her hair when they reached Sainvire’s room.
He was sitting up and sipping a glass of Plasmacore in his hospital bed. Laughing with him was a giddy crowd of 12 of his closest friends, including the pixie-haired Jenna who refilled his glass with a gleeful smile on her face.
“Remember when you pulled me out of the burning building outside of Santa Cruz? I owe you big for that one, Kaleb,” said the jaunty voice of Jenna.
“Yeah, I remember. How can I forget? You were screaming like a banshee,” said Sainvire in a voice a touch rough from disuse.
Jenna bending over Sainvire made Poe lose her composure. The tornado that was Joseph blowdried her hair, and she tried to straighten it. Everyone kept quiet as Sainvire looked at Poe with curiosity. He smiled kindly at her but turned toward Jenna again. Poe was crushed.
Joseph and the buddies in the cramped hospital room shared confused looks. Joseph put his arm around Poe’s shoulder and brought her closer to Sainvire’s bed. “Hey, Kaleb, here’s Poe. She insisted you were still alive.”
“Oh my. Forgive me, Poe. I thank you for rescuing me.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I’m Kaleb. Nice to meet you.”
Poe’s limp hand fell on the mattress. He didn’t recognize her, yet he recognized everyone else in the room. Her stomach hurt. The bullets had erased her from his memory.
Joseph was as shocked as Poe. “No. You don’t realize, Kaleb. Poe is—”
Poe slapped Joseph’s back to shut him up. “I’m a big fan of yours. I’m glad you’re alive and well. Nice to meet you, too.” She flashed white teeth at the vampire she’d loved her entire adult life and turned to leave.
“Thanks again, Poe. Say, is that your first or last name?”
Poe swallowed hard and willed herself not to cry. “Julia’s my first name. I’ll see you around.”
Morales intercepted her in the hallway. She shrugged. “That’s just how it is, Morales. Besides living through torture, Revenents, and gunshot wounds, I’m really an unlucky girl. Don’t feel sorry for me. At least I can move on with my life. Sorry about filching your stethoscope.”
T-Doc stared at the back of Julia Poe. Her small body ramrod straight, she took the blow with great aplomb. His eyes turned misty for his friend. Fate had a way of knifing the already downed. If Poe wouldn’t grieve for her ill fortune, then Morales would.
***
Kaleb Sainvire back again was good enough for Poe, so she told herself. She didn’t weep that he no longer loved her. She was a stranger to him, and she was too tired. An asterisk in an outdated history book.
For the past month she avoided people she knew. With enthusiasm she worked with scholarly humans and vamps to restore the Central Library. She voluntarily scrubbed soot from the walls and restore books that survived the fire from Quillon Trench’s bombardment of the sacred place of learning. Hardly anyone chit-chatted in the tradition of quiet in the library and fear that the librarian would shush their voices. She preferred it that way.
Downtown was small despite its dense development pattern, and she was bound to run into him. Passionada’s well intended love match angered Poe so much that she didn’t talk to the woman for weeks. She invited Poe for their usual Friday dinners where the voluptuous woman cooked gourmet food for the two of them and watched a movie or two. The shock she received when she found Sainvire on the couch sipping Plasmacore from a pink mug overwhelmed her. She had no idea the vampire was going to stop by, and the experience proved awkward.
Passionada left them as often as she could with the usual excuses of putting a proper dinner together. Poe swore to give Passionada a piece of her mind as soon as the sham of a dinner was over. Kaleb didn’t even eat human food, she thought angrily.
The master vampire was dressed in dark slacks, a white long-sleeved work shirt, and tie. Something he never would have worn. “I’ve been meaning to see you sooner, Julia, but you’re a hard woman to find.”
“Been working at the library,” said Poe curtly. She felt uncomfortable wearing black Adidas running pants and an “Am I Chopped Liver?” t-shirt.
“Ah yes. That’s what Passionada was saying,” he said. His startling gray eyes twinkled. “How do you like it?”
“Pretty fun.” She looked at the kitchen door and grunted. Passionada was being too obvious. “Listen. I’m not hungry, so I’ll leave you to have supper with Passionada.”
Sainvire’s face darkened. “But everyone’s been saying that we need to talk.”
“Well that’s their problem. I see no need to talk about the past, especially since you don’t know anything about me. You’re not the Kaleb I used to know.”
“We were lovers? I loved you?”
Poe’s throat constricted. “Was is the operative word. We’re nothing to each other now. I’m completely over you,” she lied. “Feel free to live your life. You and I don’t owe each other anything.”
“But they said you listened to my crypt—”
“Fuck this shit,” mumbled Poe while rising. “Tell Passionada to stuff her Tofurky where the sun don’t shine, alright? And stay away from me, Kaleb Sainvire. I’m extremely allergic to you and your downsized personality.”
She bolted out of the room and ran down the emergency stairs. By the time she reached the bottom level, Sainvire was waiting for her with a raised eyebrow. “You’re the little hero that saved Downtown and the love of my life they say.”
“Well they’re exaggerating,” said Poe, pushing him out of the way. She stepped out into the moonless night and inhaled the fresh air. There was no need to carry flashlights any longer since the streetlights had been restored. “They just want a soap opera. If I were you I’d shack up with Jenna and have vampire babies. The men of my life both died last year.”
“So bitter,” he said in a deep voice. “For a hero.”
Poe turned to face the tall vampire with an imperfect face and said, “I’m no hero. I was a butcher that just happened to save a few people along the way. I don’t love you, and I don’t expect you to love me. You don’t know me, and I sure as hell don’t know you.”
“Couldn’t we at least try to get to know each other? They’ve been trying to get me to strategize how to safeguard our city and other cities. But really I have no mind for it anymore. Maybe the two of us can concoct something for problems like building cisterns to catch rainwater next winter.”
Poe raised her hands and slapped them clean in the air. “Not my problem, Sainvire. I’m retired. In fact I’m going on the food train to the Valley tomorrow. I’ll try my hand at farming. If you have no idea what to do, then you should retire too.”
She was distracted by the sly smile on his lips. His dark lashed eyes bore into hers as if hypnotizing her. “Joseph said if I kissed you I’d get my memory back.”
“Joseph has a low I.Q., and so do you if you think I’m going to kiss you.”
“But I insist. I want all my memories back. You’ve made an impression on me, so may I kiss you?”
“I don’t believe this,” Poe muttered angrily as she walked away from the vampire. “I have Steve McQueen waiting for me.” Suddenly Poe was lifted off her feet and was in the air. She could barely see for the darkness except the lights from certain buildings. Despite the spring season the night was chilly, and she shivered. Sainvire captured her mouth with his cold lips and kissed her deeply, startling the vampire hunter. Without knowing what she was doing, Poe kissed him back as she remembered the taste of him.
“Take me down,” she said when their lips parted. She was mortified at her reaction and the nightmare that she was being used as an experiment. A memory charm.
“I believe I felt something,” said Sainvire with lust in his voice.
“I said take me down, you son of a bitch!”
Sainvire sighed and flew her down in front of her loft apartment building. Poe narrowed her eyes for he knew where she lived. She shook her head as she recognized that Joseph told him.
“You don’t know me anymore, and I don’t want you messing with my head, Kaleb Sainvire. From now on don’t even speak to me.”
“I could easily love you,” he said quietly. “But you’re making it so hard.”
“Life is an infernal bitch, and I’m tired of being its plaything. Good luck with the city. Everything will come back to you.” She walked toward her building.
She didn’t see his face, but Sainvire smiled as if he’d just understood an inside joke. He flew away only when Poe pulled the door closed behind her.
CHAPTER 19
THE FARMERS DIVERTED SOME of the Universal City land for agriculture. The once famous amusement park was surrounded by verdant farmland as far as the eye could see. Cattle grazed in the hills and pigs, chickens, turkey, and rabbit were fenced in clean and humane pens.
Poe didn’t really know much about the farmers except that they were traditionally Christians and they had worked with the old master vampires to feed the human cattle. They hadn’t approved of the treatment of humans, but they had no choice but feed them. When Sainvire, who supplied had them with Plasmacore, took back the city, the farmers rejoiced and eagerly helped in the restoration of Downtown. They were peaceful and did not want blood on their hands, but in the matter of the resistance the leadership lent Sainvire their support.
The farmers consisted of undead pastors, priests, nuns, monks, and their respective followers from a range of religious denominations that balked at violence. They reached out to each other to avoid killing after the Gray Armageddon. They chose to drink animal blood and later Plasmacore instead of milking humans.
Menial work suited her. Scrubbing soot from walls, restoring books, feeding chickens and pigs, and planting seedlings soothed her soul. Poe experienced peace at the quiet, repetitive work. When the sun-worthy farmers did speak to her, they were encouraging. They never offered their names unless she asked but were warm for short talks and giving direction. Many ex-cattle who worked at the farm restored their health and started families. At the farm she wasn’t Julia Poe but a fellow farmer. Penny seemed at home sunning herself wherever Poe went, especially laying on freshly tilled soil. Her porcupine fur was shinier than ever.
Leaving Percy behind was a hard decision that haunted her nightly. Poe needed time alone, and her adopted sister meekly shook her head at the prospect. “Do whatever you need to do, Poe. Life has been awful to you.” Life had been outrageous to all of the Gray Armageddon survivors.
She spent two months at the farm learning about wind turbines, irrigation, and seasonal crops. Except for watching bison on Catalina Island, Poe had never been calmer. No boogeyman appeared, and she was just one of the farmers and not a psychotic vampire killer. Being around living things and inhaling the scent of newly picked crops healed her. The ducklings and chicks especially gave her a kick, and she was quite proud of Penny for not gorging on them.
The quiet meditation of planting into fertile soil gave her the courage to forget about what she couldn’t have in life. Sainvire was alive, and she was glad. They could never recapture their past again, so in her heart she let him go.
A letter arrived in mid-July from Joseph. Piper was to turn three, and as the godmother, neglectful at that, Joseph and Morales expected her to show up. She’d done wrong by Piper. She had promised Megan to help raise her daughter, but she let tragedy and self-interest hinder their bond.
The leader of the farmers was named Seth. He and his wife Beth also received invitations. They were clearly instructed to bring Poe with them. Beth, a beautiful woman who resembled Bette Davis before she became a hag, gently insisted that she attend the party.
“I’ve nothing to wear,” said Poe. She really didn’t. She had a uniform in life, and it was fit for gas station attendants.
“Don’t worry about that,” said the vampire who led her to their farmhouse. Poe instructed Penny to stay on the porch.
“I know I should’ve thrown these garments away, but I still suffer from vanity,” Beth said as she opened her closet. Stylish dresses and suits from the ’30s and ’40s lined her closet.
“Wow,” said Poe in awe. “They’re beautiful.”
“I think you’re a shy one. Would you like to wear a suit, or can you handle a dress?”
“No slacks?”
“No. I was a very feminine woman. Well what do you think? We’re about the same size.”
Poe examined the beautifully preserved clothes, and her eyes were drawn to a knee-length cranberry-red dress that was accessorized by a slim black belt and a black flower on the left shoulder. The dress had short, slightly puffed sleeves.
“Maybe this?”
“Good choice, my girl,” the woman said. She removed the dress and placed it on Poe’s arm. She reached to her collection of shoes and chose a black pair with straps. “These might be a little big, but that’s better than pinching your feet.”
The kind vampire handed her some hosiery with old-fashioned seams on the back.
“Thanks, Beth. I’ll take good care of them,” promised Poe.
“Honey, they’re yours. I would be happy to see someone as pretty as you wear them.
Poe hung the dress on a wall hook in her cabin. She had a phobia of dresses and a fear of appearing half-decent. She hardly ever wore make-up or colorful clothing. But the red dress Beth had given her called out to her femininity. The vintage dress wasn’t exactly sexy, but it was unique.
She imagined Sainvire falling in love with her when she appeared at the party but chided herself for her pathetic thoughts. Sainvire was probably back with Jenna. And really, she was tired of wanting someone who didn’t even remember their past together.
“I’m crazy, Penny. Keep me sane,” she said to her dog. Penny stared up at her with love in her eyes. “I love you, Penny Pen. You love me more than anyone.”
A week later Poe donned the cranberry shade dress and cinched the black belt that showed off her trim figure. She slid the nude hose on her toned legs and put on the two-inch leather shoes with straps. She studied her face in the mirror but was disappointed. Her hair was ordinary, and she had no make-up on. That was when Beth entered her cabin without knocking. She brought a curling iron and a make-up kit with her.
“Not too much make-up, please,” requested Poe.
Betty raised an eyebrow at the girl. “With your nice skin, you don’t need a lot of make-up. You need to be more confident. There’s nothing wrong with looking beautiful.”
Poe nodded in silence. Within 20 minutes she had the hairdo of Gilda and light make-up accentuated by bright lipstick to match.
“You look beautiful, Julia,” assured Beth when Poe fidgeted awkwardly. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re a hero, and you deserve to look like a goddess.”
Poe nodded. Yeah. I deserve to be a goddess. I killed enough for Downtown folks to fill up a train. And Sainvire, you fuck, eat your heart out!
***
North Hollywood is one big meditation center for the broken, thought Poe. No wonder the farmers had very little need for speech. Each seed planted in the ground was prayer enough. Poe sat with Seth and Beth on the train loaded with chickens and vegetables. Penny curled down by Poe’s feet and enjoyed the bumpy ride. Poe reached down to stroke the dog’s soft ear. Her hand didn’t shake. She was as calm as the Dalai Lama. I’m never going to be frazzled again. I deserve respect.
She ran a hand to the soft flowing dress and was truly glad she was wearing it. Her dislike for wearing dresses and high heels had been heightened by Quillon Trench. He had forced her to wear revealing gowns and spiky heels she had no skills to pull off. Her enemy insisted she bring out the woman in her, and he made her feel like a whore. Fear, insecurity, and the feeling of being desecrated snatched all her courage.
Beth’s dress was different. Poe had chosen it herself and approved of the vintage design. She was aware of the flowing material clinging to her body that softened her usual cavewoman tendencies. For once she felt pretty, and she was grateful to Beth and the farmers for their grace. She wasn’t a joiner, but she was impressed with the deeds of her hosts, their tenacity not to drink from humans, and their tendency not to proselytize.
