Dragon's Eye (Avery Rome Book 2)

by P. S. Power

  Roberta made a face then.

  “Ouch. Well, we’ll help you out, if your mistress allows you that kind of thing. Come this way? The machines are in the back… Avery… Avery Rome?” She looked interested instead of impressed.

  “That’s me. Do you have any sewing that needs to be done here? I have orders to do that from Bente, The Fashion Demon. I need to practice every day now.”

  Roberta got them into the back, then nodded.

  “All right. I think I… Well, no, I don’t understand at all, but if a Greater Demon says to sew, then do it as well as possible. We do have some things we could use done. I’ve been keeping up, but I have to admit, it’s a bit of a distraction from my real job. As ambassadorial staff here. So, should we go to the side room or…”

  Avery understood that part, but knew that wasn’t going to work really. It was inside her head.

  “No, if that’s all right. Here by the machine? I need to work, but also to be there, so that Phillip understands that I’m actually in charge.”

  She got to sit, as Roberta, who was in a nice brown and gold outfit, which looked professional, rather than hot, knelt. Phillip still seemed to think it was a joke for some reason. At least until the attractive lady undid his jeans and started to work on him. Right there, nearly touching Avery as she focused and traded the thread out for white, sewing carefully. Bumping into her on occasion, though she ignored that part of things, other than to note it happening.

  There were slurping noises, some moaning and a few grunts. After about five minutes, Roberta reached out, tapping Avery on the arm. Taking it, she turned, her hand placed on the guy’s back, just as he let go and started to shudder. It was ridiculous looking, but Roberta locked eyes with her. Her gem green eyes connecting with Avery’s brown.

  The Alede licked Phillip for a while to clean him up, then let him get his clothing back around. Avery was still holding his back, touching him.

  She swatted his behind a few times, since that seemed right to her.

  “Remember, you can’t touch yourself. Not unless I tell you it’s all right. For now, you can come here or the book store for that kind of thing. Only using shortcuts, though. So if you want them to help you, and I’m not here, you have to earn it.” That would be hard for him, but she didn't think it would be impossible. He could see the node and had a few rifts memorized already.

  He looked at her and shook his head a bit.

  “This is weird; you know that Avery?”

  “Yes, I do. We’re playing by different rules suddenly. Both of us are. Thanks, Roberta. What do I owe you for this service?” That just made sense, but the woman just waved at the pile of lingerie and in a few cases regular skirts and dresses that needed to be tailored.

  “Do some of that and I’ll be willing to trade. Not that I wouldn’t be anyway. That was fun. Trust me Phillip, men don’t normally have their girlfriends setting things like this up for them. You should keep her, if you can.” The Assistant Ambassador purred at him.

  Avery stood up.

  “I need to get you home.” He had family after all. Parents and siblings.

  The trip itself was easy for her, since she just found where he lived and took him there directly. When he opened the door, there was a boy there, who was a lot like his brother, except shorter, younger and a bit chunky.

  “Hey, Phil. Who’s this? A friend of yours?”

  Avery nodded, since that was correct, after a fashion.

  “His girlfriend. Avery.” She held her hand out, to shake with the boy. It was taken awkwardly. “Avery Rome. Dragon Shifter.”

  The kid looked at her for a bit, then at her chest, under her sweater.

  “Sweet. I’ve seen you naked. Online? That was… Awesome. The Dragon parts, I mean. The rest wasn’t bad either, but, you know, if you’re really dating Phil, I can’t say too much.”

  His older brother nodded then.

  “Not unless you want your behind kicked.”

  Avery leaned in and kissed him on the lips. It wasn’t the first time she’d done that with anyone, but it was the only time that she’d been the person initiating it. It was warm and a bit damp. It also tickled a little. When she pulled back, she stared at him closely.

  “Remember what we talked about. I’ll see you tomorrow? You have second lunch?”

  That got a nod.

  “Yeah.”

  “So do I. You should come and sit with me and my friends. If you want.”

  Then she walked away. There was a shortcut just down the street, so it only took her about five minutes to get back to the mall. She had sewing to do after all. At the same time she needed to focus on her lines, as far as stitching went. That really slowed her down a lot. Most of the time she did fine enough work, but by actually paying attention to it she couldn’t help but notice that it could be better. Straighter, the stitches being more even and the ends matching correctly, as things were sewn down. She ended up halfway through the pile of clothing by nine, when Kaitlyn came in, holding a tray filled with hamburgers. They had shiny silver wrappers on them, which proclaimed they were from the Burger Joint.

  “Kent sent these over for you. He’s one of the hidden folk, so you know, don’t thank him for it directly. I think he likes you, so you might consider going out with him. He’s hot.”

  Avery made a face then, realizing that her narrow world view was going to get in her way, if she wasn’t careful.

  “I just got a boyfriend today. Phillip. Um, you can have sex with him, if you want? Vampire rules for that. Eve can do that too, but… I haven’t asked her if she wants to yet. Possibly not, since she’s the one doing his training. I don’t know.”

  Kait didn’t even have to ask what all that meant, just nodding. Understanding it instantly. The woman was around Eve a lot after all. Ben had been with both of them, before becoming a Vampire. That probably meant the Alede was up on the whole thing.

  “Nifty! I was worried about you. That’s an interesting way of handling things, farming it out to me. Just know, I’m here for you.” She was kind of playing about it, but that really was the plan for the time being.

  “The other Alede as well, I hope. I have to try and get him to associate that kind of thing with me, but, you know, I’m me. It’s a long term project. Anyway, what do I do with this Kent? I don’t think I’ve met him.”

  “You have. In fact, you gave him a free trip to his lands and back about a week ago? Needless to say, that means he’s in love. Possibly in a marriage fashion, given his people. You should at least meet with him and see if you like each other. As for your new friend, well, Vampire rules. You’re the powerful one, so you get to do whatever you want. He gets to do what you let him. That’s how it works.”

  That was really true, she knew. Eve had mentioned it to her before.

  “Right. Well, I’ll eat these and then… Then, I have things to finish, if I can. This is almost enough food, too. I have to say, not needing to sleep half the day away is nice.”

  Kaitlyn smiled at her, then moved in, putting an arm over her shoulder.

  “We should get together and do some things. Go to a movie or something fun like that?”

  It was a real plan, and seemed like a wonderful idea, if she ever got a chance to do anything like that again.

  “I think I have some time on Friday. Unless you want to try for a part in Red Rain? Krista Hall is seeing if I’ll work out for that. I don’t know who else is in it. I don’t think she’s going to be that much, but she’s in charge of the whole thing.”

  That got a smile to curl the very pretty, fake glasses wearing, woman’s lips.

  “That could be fun, I bet. Even if it’s a work thing. Check on that?”

  Avery nodded, planning to do it right then, but Kait wrinkled her nose when she pulled the cell phone out.

  “Nah. Eat first. I bet I can get in on my own anyway. I have contacts in that world. Not a lot of them, but this one time it might just work.”

  She left then, while A
very ate the very nicely prepared food. It was still warm, and had condiments placed on it already. Heavy on the mustard, which was how she liked it.

  After cleaning up, she lost herself in her sewing again, striving for perfection. The issue there was that the bar kept changing on her. The harder she focused, the more she had to, in order to hold the line perfectly in place. When she finally looked up, everyone else was gone, the front of the shop was locked up and Avery noticed that it was two in the morning.

  Not that she was trapped. The iron gate on the front could be rolled up, with a key. She could tear it down as well, at need. The walls literally couldn’t hold her either, unless they were reinforced more than was reasonable for a mall location. Plus, she was a line walker, if one who was still in a trance. There was a handy node right there to the side.

  As she started toward it, her phone rang, which was very strange. It was really late at night, after all. Sure, she was still awake, but sleep would be needed in an hour or two.

  She answered it anyway, since it might be an emergency. Visions of her mother being in trouble came to mind then. Or an attack on a node location, needing an evacuation.

  Instead it was Calley Hale.

  “Avery? You’re up? Or, did I wake you?” She sounded concerned about that which wouldn’t have been the case if it was a real emergency. Then there would just be orders and yelling.

  “Still up. Is something going on?”

  There was a pause then, and finally a hiss.

  “Yeeeesssss. Rutha Samson managed to get herself arrested, in Canada. It isn’t that big of an issue really, since it was just for not having the right papers. Except that she’s a stone cold bitch. Greg Samson asked me to see if I could work out a diplomatic way to get her out of trouble, which I actually managed, just making some polite phone calls. So, yay me. Canada doesn’t actually want to keep her, for some reason. The trouble now is that it will take over a day to get someone to her through normal channels. I asked Zack first, but he mentioned a strong desire to shove her head up her own behind. Which I don’t blame him for. I kind of want to… Well, anyway, could you go and get her, do you think?”

  That didn’t sound fun. President Samson, Jahn, was getting ready to leave office in a few months. As soon as he did that, there was a divorce in the offing. Even her own son had suggested the man do that. It wasn’t a great sign.

  “I’ll need directions. Let me… Is Greg there, at Sparks, or…”

  It wasn’t going to be that simple, of course. Greg Samson, being a good and dutiful son, was away at college, where he was supposed to be at the moment. Plus, he didn't know where Rutha was being held, anyway. That wasn’t hard to find, since it was in Toronto, but while she’d been to the node complex there and even in the city, when she was younger, Avery didn’t know where they kept people like that. Evil invaders that didn’t have papers.

  Even though she’d never had papers for there herself.

  Interestingly, she had an idea of how to get things done. It was strange for her, but by getting the number from Calley, she got in touch with Louise, who was the woman that had Rutha at the moment. There was bitter language from the background.

  The poor lady on the phone sounded annoyed and exhausted already.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi! This is Avery Rome. I need your location, so that I can come and retrieve Rutha Samson?”

  There was a pleased sound then.

  “She’s right here. Let me get you the address. How long do you think you’ll be?” There was something hopeful about the words.

  “Not long. I’ll come there directly. Line travel… So, I need a map.” That, plus recalling Rutha Samson was enough for her to lock onto the position, once in the void.

  It meant coming out on the second floor of a government building, where Louise Strong had a desk. The woman didn't even jump when a girl suddenly appeared in front of her. That spoke of something very powerful being at work.

  “Avery Rome? Please be her. If not, lie to me?” The lady was heavy, had on an unattractive blue dress and seemed half ready to cry.

  “That’s me. I take it Rutha is this way?” There was an open door, with plentiful cursing coming from the other side of it. At a nod from the lady behind the large metal desk, she strode over, pasting a falsely pleasant expression on her face.

  “Mrs. Samson? I’m Avery Rome, the Shifter line walker? Here to take you home.” She wasn’t certain if the woman would have ever heard of her.

  There was a glower then, as the tiny Rabbit Shifter stared at her tensely. At first she missed the meaning, since it was so out of place, but when the woman exploded at her, she understood. It was rage. Directed her way.

  Tarsus pushed his way to the front of her mind to explain the idea. This woman, who was important in her own world, was used to having her own way immediately. When dealing with Humans who she thought of as beneath her, she wasn’t treated as kindly, so probably saw it as her being abused, even if they were really working very hard to treat her well.

  “Why did it take you so long? I’ve been stuck here for nearly six hours! This is some kind of slight… I know it. That Greater Demon set this up, to make me look bad. What are you, his whore? The girl that sucks his tool clean after he finishes sodomizing all those men of his?”

  It was strange, since she nearly denied it, being untrue. Instead, there was a ripple in her head, as thousands of voices chimed in with different ways to handle things. Most of them involved slapping the President’s wife around. A few had harsher treatment in mind.

  Avery opted for laughing. That took a bit of skill, which was similar to acting, but with focus she was able to make it happen in time.

  “Ah… You know, the version of you I met in another reality was sweet, kind and liked by all. She had a similar position to you. A Countess, if I recall correctly? Very nice woman. Now, you were just telling me how much you love me for coming to your aid in the middle of the night, just because Calley Hale mentioned you were in trouble? I’m certain that was where you were going with this. Gentle words, maybe a hug or two? Otherwise there’s nothing in this for me. I’m friends with Jahn and Greg, but not so good of one that I have to take abuse for them.”

  Not this kind, anyway.

  Oddly, the bitter woman snorted at her then and lightened up a lot, once clearly challenged.

  “Of course that’s the plan. I’m just… Not used to dealing with Humans. They always seek to treat me below my station.”

  Avery rolled her eyes.

  “You mean like a normal person? That’s what you are to them. Possibly a well-dressed one, granted, but there’s no reason for them to recognize you, is there? Me either, as far as that goes.”

  That got a head shake and no words. The woman stood up, started for her luggage then made a face.

  “I suppose the bags will cost extra?”

  Avery, coached from within, managed to nod sagely.

  “It will. For each bag, you’ll have to make an effort to be kind to someone later. Shall we go?”

  The woman was a bit annoying, but fell into line after some walking. They needed to take five shortcuts to get to a node. That turned out to be in New Zealand, and was a wild one, sitting out in a field, unattended. From there they got to her place directly, ending up on the front door of her own home.

  She actually smiled then.

  “Well! That beats a day long van ride. Thank you, Ms. Rome. I apologize for my… Temper, earlier. It got the best of me.” Then she set her bags down and gave Avery a close hug, just as the door opened. Jahn went wide eyed, but moved in to hug her, too.

  “Rutha! Ambassador Hale called to tell me you were safe and coming back. Ms. Rome… Won’t you please come in? I can make some tea, and perhaps something to eat?”

  That got a firm nod from the small woman, but a head shake from Avery.

  “Not this time, I’m afraid. I have to get home and see if I can get some sleep before school in the morning.”

 
She waved, then walked off, since the house was about five miles from a node. The thing there was that around nodes, there were always more shortcuts than in other places, so it only took a few minutes to be back in her own house. Edom was there, and waved to her from the sofa when she came in the front door.

  “There you are!” The tone was pleased, rather than upset with her. For some reason.

  “I worked late, sewing at Pretty Plus, then had to go and retrieve Rutha Samson. She’d been arrested in Toronto. I came right back after that.”

  Ed didn’t stand up or anything. He was sitting in a chair, listening to music. It was nice. There was a person singing, which was a thing that she’d heard before, but hadn’t grown up with really. This one was a man, and the song was older. Scratchy, even though it was played on a newer machine. After a moment, she pointed at the thing.

  “That’s you?”

  “It is. I used to be a blues singer, back a few decades. Seven or so. Then I moved on to jazz.” The smile he gave her was nice, so she listened for a while.

  “This is very good. I need to go sleep for a time, if I can. Oh… I met with Bente, The Pristine, today. I also found out that Leslie from school is my mother. Shapeshifted to look different. Enslaved to The Rotted. One of the boys there traded his own enslavement to her for good treatment for them both. If she doesn’t do that, I have to try and kill her, which is my part in things…” She stopped. Then realized that the unmoving Vampire needed everything from her. “I might have a part in a television show. I also have a boyfriend, who Eve is taking on for Vampire training. We’re doing that by Vampire rules.”

  Edom sat for a long while, listening to the sounds coming from the machine to the side of the room.

  “So, busy day?”

  “A bit, now that you mention it. I have a meeting with Krista on Friday, one with Bente on Sunday and I work the next two nights for Zack. I also need to get my homework done somewhere in there. I have Saturday free, if you need me for anything?”