United Service

by Regina Morris

  Kate fidgeted through her backpack as Sterling busied himself with his phone. “Sterling, I can’t pay for the flight right now. I’ll have to pay you back. Okay?”

  Sterling shifted in the seat so he now faced Kate. She was so lovely, but he had a job to do. A job which would be easier to do without a civilian in tow. “If you share what the suspect told you, you won’t need a ticket.” He studied her and cocked an eyebrow. “What do you say?”

  Kate rolled her eyes. “I say I’ll pay you back later. Tiffany is important to me and the police questioned me like I was a criminal because they thought I would hurt her. I’m coming along to help find her.”

  Sterling listened to her defiant tone and watched as her jaw tightened and her chest puffed out. She was here for the long haul, and there was nothing he could do about the additional company.

  After a few minutes, Sterling pocketed the phone and announced, “Tickets are purchased. Go to the American Airline terminal.”

  Sterling noticed that Kate never stopped chewing her gum loudly and blowing bubbles. Did she not know how loud the gum smacking was? The noise sounded like a cow chewing its cud in the backseat. Maybe the sound just seemed louder since Kate sat directly behind him in the car. The bubble blowing noise was interrupted by another annoying sound — her phone. It was the third time the phone rang since she had been in the car. Sterling planned to scream if Kate’s father was calling her again.

  Kate answered her phone, “Hi, Mom. I was going to call you. … I did. I went to the FBI headquarters and I got the information I needed.” Bubbles burst from her gum while she talked. Sterling wondered how she could talk and blow bubbles at the same time. Wouldn’t her jaw eventually get tired and give out? Perhaps the gum blowing was a ploy to appear younger than her actual age?

  “I’m on my way to Tennessee. … The suspect told me I’d find Tiffany there. … I’m with two federal agents. … Don’t worry. I’ll compel them if needed. I’ll talk to you later.” Kate pressed ‘end’ on her phone and gave out a frustrated growl.

  “Problems with Mommy?” Ben asked.

  “It’s like living with Gladys Kravitz – her nose is always into my business and she needs to butt out.” Kate stared out the window.

  Sterling tried not to listen to Kate’s phone conversation, but it is hard to ignore when the conversation is taking place two feet from your ear. He turned towards her. “Did you tell your mother you were with two human agents and you would compel us if we gave you any trouble? Did you just lie to your mother?”

  Kate made eye contact with Sterling. “Believe me, it’s best to appease the woman so she can get off my back. Otherwise, she worries over nothing.”

  Ben shook his head. “You went with me and Sterling to his apartment within an hour of meeting us. No one knew where you were and you had no idea what we would do to you. I think your mother needs to worry, Kate.”

  Sterling agreed. “You shouldn’t lie to your mother, Kate. You should respect her more than that.”

  Kate shook her head. “God, when did I step into this after school special. I’m well out of diapers, so chillax!”

  The only response was raised eyebrows from the two older vampires.

  “Chill and relax.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m a lot older than you think. I just don’t show it that much, that’s all. I’ll be graduating this fall with a degree in psychology.” She continued to look out the window and smack her gum.

  The bursting bubbles sounded like a ticking time bomb to Sterling. He dreaded the idea of a pressurized airplane cabin and what it would do to his soon–to–be migraine.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  They arrived at the airport two hours before their flight took off. Sterling shifted in place as they stood in line at the security desk. “Good Lord. How much longer is this going to take?” He glanced to the head of the line. “They’re taking off their shoes? What is this?”

  “Kate, please excuse Sterling. He hasn’t flown commercially in a long time,” Ben said.

  Sterling glared at Ben. “Whatever.” Sterling preferred military transport, but a civilian flight was taking off sooner than the military one.

  “Oh, are you scared to fly, Sterling?” She smiled up at him. “Does the big airplane scare you?” She now talked in baby talk and touched his arm as if he were a small child.

  “Stop,” Sterling growled. She touched his shirtsleeve and physically stood next to him. The scent of sweet peaches hung in the air and he realized it emanated from Kate. It was her shampoo or a perfume; which smelled fantastic, but he didn’t want to be treated like a scared child.

  Kate took her gloved hand off Sterling’s arm. “Can’t we compel our way through this line?”

  Ben leaned in and whispered in a high pitch sound only vampires and dogs could hear. “We can’t compel the entire line, Kate. We’ll have to wait and compel the ones at the scanners.”

  “And, keep your voice down, Kate.” Sterling whispered in the same pitch. “Don’t ask questions we don’t need the world to hear.”

  Kate rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she said in her normal voice pitch.

  “We have a long wait and we need to stay focused.” Ben nodded toward a traveler in line looking at them. “We have to avoid calling attention to ourselves.”

  Kate chewed her gum and fidgeted with her hands. “This line is taking forever. How much longer is it going to be?” She followed the line in front of her as the people inched forward. She tripped over her own feet; her shoulder pushing against Sterling’s shoulder as she almost fell.

  “Walk much lately?” Sterling asked as he steadied her. Maybe the oversized shoes posed a bigger problem for her than he had originally thought they would be. He held her arm tightly and helped her walk to the sensor, “Stay close to me, Kate. I’ll take care of you.”

  Ben walked to the left security sensor and Sterling and Kate to the one on the right. Digging into his overnight bag, Sterling scanned through the various IDs he had, selecting the air marshal one. He flashed the ID, and the guard let him pass.

  Ben and Sterling each carried a gun, a silver whip chain, and at least one dagger on them. Sterling compelled the human to believe the pat down had already occurred. When he looked up, he saw a third security guard take Kate away. Frustrated, he angrily compelled the nearest officer. “Tell me where they are taking her.”

  With dull eyes, the man answered, “Random security check.”

  “You’re done with me.” He left and followed Kate and the security guard. Once he caught up to them he told the guard, “You’re done with her. You’ll now walk both of us through security.” The compelled woman complied and led them through to the gated area.

  Ben waited for them. “What took so long?”

  “They were taking Kate away to check her. Evidently she looks like a threat.” Sterling said.

  “Compelling is hard to do,” she confessed in a hushed tone. “I can only get it to work a fraction of the time. They thought I may be drunk or on medication.”

  Sterling had at first thought that too. “Yeah, what is your deal, Kate? You can’t even walk straight, even in sneakers.” Sterling knew she was past her Jahrling Year and a full vampire female, so human disease should not affect her. She didn’t reek of liquor, and anyway, it would take a lot to affect a vampire. There was only one other thing he could think of. It was a long shot, but he still decided to ask. “Do you have an inner ear infection or something? Your gait isn’t normal.”

  “My ‘gait’? I’m not a horse, Sterling,” Kate protested.

  “You never heard of the expression ‘graceful as a horse?’” Sterling jokingly asked. Standing this close to Kate, he smelled sweet peaches again and wanted to take a bite. He noticed her full red lips as she smiled at his joke, but he forced himself to look away.

  “You’re inexperienced with compelling. It gets easier with time and practice.” Sterling didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but it was a true statement.

  “Maybe she
’s drunk,” Ben suggested looking at Sterling.

  Sterling looked at Ben and replied. “She’s been with us for a while now. Alcohol would have worn off.” Now looking back at Kate, he asked, “So what’s the deal Kate?”

  “I’m fine. Drop it,” was all Kate offered. “We need to find our gate.” Kate’s phone rang again as she walked toward a flight schedule board to find their terminal.

  Sterling glanced at his watch. “Stupid to get here so damn early.”

  Ben studied Sterling. “Your aura is blue,” he said, using his special ability. “How much agony are you in?”

  “The pain’s not bad. I can manage it.”

  Looking over to Kate, who appeared out of earshot, Ben whispered, “If you were nicer to Kate she may be willing to help you out. But no, you have to be an ass to her every chance you get.”

  “Shut up.”

  “There are plenty of women here. If you don’t take care of yourself before our flight you’ll be an irritable mess before we land. In fact, here comes a pretty brunette our way. … Damn, she’s fine,” Ben noticed.

  Sterling looked over at the brunette. Brunettes tended to be his favorite. The woman walking toward them had the same body shape as Kate, same hair color too. She wouldn’t be picked out of a lineup for being Kate, but she looked a great deal like the lady vamp they were traveling with. Sterling couldn’t put his finger on the feeling he had, but he didn’t want to soothe his pain with a Kate look alike, especially if they were to be spending the next few days together. He’d have to go after a woman who looked nothing like her if he was going to have a visit with the fairer sex.

  “Nah, I’m good.” Sterling pulled out a small eyedropper bottle and small spray bottle from his bag. Both were filled with rain that he had collected earlier.

  “Well, if you don’t want her, I’ll take her. Excuse me.” He walked off to talk with the lovely woman.

  *******

  Kate had disappeared into a magazine shop, so Sterling went to find her. She carried some magazines in her hand and some gum. Sterling never met a vampire who chewed gum before. Actually, if you wanted to appear human, chewing gum was a good way to do it. She paid for her purchase and walked out of the store with Sterling.

  “Do you want some coffee?” he asked her.

  She leaned into him and whispered, “Vampires can’t drink human food.”

  Most vampires, including half–breeds, drank coffee since it was one of the few human indulgences that didn’t taste like dirt. That and alcohol. “Most of our kind thinks coffee tastes good,” Sterling said, stressing the word ‘our’.

  She shook her head. “Everything tastes like sawdust to me.”

  “Even gum?” He pointed to her recent purchase.

  She held up the small pack of gum. “This stuff loses its flavor in less than 2 minutes.”

  “Then why chew it? Especially with your tongue pierced. The piercing must get in the way.”

  One eyebrow arched, lifting the rod piercing. “I like body art. Plus, I’ve chewed gum since long before I transitioned. I guess old habits die hard.”

  She followed him over as he ordered coffee from a vendor. “How good can coffee be?” she asked.

  “You ever try a cup?”

  “Never.”

  When the vendor gave Sterling the coffee, he handed the hot beverage over to Kate. “Take a sip and tell me if you want one.” She tentatively took a small sip of the brew. Then she took a couple of larger sips and made a yummy noise in the back of her throat. Sterling looked at the vendor. “Make it two.” He paid for the coffees and they walked back over to the gate to find Ben.

  “Ok, you were right about the taste of coffee.” She took another large gulp of the drink.

  Sterling noticed she used both hands to drink from the cup. It almost seemed like a challenge for her to drink and hold her plastic bag from the store. Something wasn’t right. Sterling was trying to figure out Kate’s age. She looked about twenty–five, which was consistent with being a purebred vampire. Of course, vampires could be any age based on the amount of blood they drank, so her age was hard to determine. Her outfit was a bit on the younger side of fashion he guessed, but the real clue was her poor posture and the slang she spoke that tipped him off that she was fairly young. They sat down and she pulled out her magazines. Sterling read the titles, but he didn’t recognize them. They looked like trashy magazines with more glitz than substance. Actually, a few were trashy teenage mags. He may have overestimated her age by a long shot. He now guessed she had been born about twenty years ago.

  They sat down directly across from each other in a quiet area of the airport. Their gate stood easily within eyesight of where they sat. “Where’s Ben?” she asked.

  Sterling pointed over to where Ben was standing.

  She watched Ben as he interacted with the woman. “Of course. There’s time to kill, why not hit on some unsuspecting human woman,” she said in a snarky tone. She watched as Ben walked away with the woman in search of an executive lounge or janitor closet.

  Sterling assumed she probably used her vampire hearing to listen in on the conversation. “Eavesdropping is a bad habit, Kate.”

  One eyebrow rose. “I can’t imagine a quick bathroom experience would be all that fulfilling.” She opened one of the magazines and started flipping through it.

  Last night with the random woman at the bar was a case in point, and Kate’s statement cut Sterling like a knife. “Well, it is what it is.” He took a sip of coffee and studied the people passing the gate they sat at.

  “You sound like someone who has been in a bathroom a time or two.” She trailed off her sentence like she expected him to jump in with personal stories. That wasn’t going to happen.

  “You sound like someone who has never had a bad sexual experience,” he said.

  “True.” She smiled at Sterling as she sipped her coffee, her tongue stroking across her lips before she took the sip.

  He focused on her tongue and the way her lips moved around the top of the cup. He cleared his throat to tear himself away. “Well, you’re young. Give yourself time. Life is always full of disappointments, Kate.” She didn’t rally back a comment, so he watched her as she tried to hold her coffee and flip pages in her magazine. Her lack of coordination fascinated him. He figured with all the effort she was using it would be impossible for her to chew the gum she bought at the same time. She enjoyed the coffee and he could swear her gray eyes twinkled more while she drank; in fact, they almost looked blue. He watched as she brought the cup up to her lips, but then, as though her wrist stopped working, she spilled the scalding hot liquid on her blouse.

  “Kate! Are you okay?” He jumped up from his seat and sat next to her. He knew her skin would heal, but the pain of the scalding burn would make an uncomfortable flight for her.

  “Yeah. I’m fine.” She had not even flinched when the coffee dumped on her. “Dang. I liked this blouse.” She set her bag of magazines down and reached for her carry–on bag to retrieve a new shirt. “I should go take care of this in the bathroom. Can you keep an eye on my stuff?”

  Before Sterling could answer, Kate added in a seductive voice, “Unless you want to join me in the bathroom, Sterling.”

  His heart skipped a beat, but her grin told him the offer wasn’t genuine. “Don’t offer unless you’re serious, because I will follow you into that bathroom, Kate.” He didn’t mean to blurt that out, but realized once it was said how true it was. Unfortunately, his response had come out more as a threat than anything seductive, and it looked like he may have even scared her. Damn. He was in new territory, without a map or anyone to ask directions when it came to flirting with purebreds. Strike one, he thought.

  Her smile quickly faded as Sterling picked up the magazines and shook them off, allowing the drops of coffee to splatter on the rug. “Sorry. I was only kidding,” she admitted. She then quickly left to wash herself off. Sterling’s eyes followed her every step of the way, his eyes never leaving he
r backside. He shifted in his seat and fought the urge to follow her into the restroom.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Ben had already rejoined them when Sterling saw Kate returning from the bathroom. A few other travelers sat near them as well. Kate had rinsed her blouse in the sink and now carried the shirt back, dripping wet, to where Sterling and Ben waited. She now wore a spaghetti–strapped camisole top. She approached her original seat and stored her wet shirt in the plastic bag from her magazines.

  No one had to announce Kate’s presence to Sterling, he saw her emerge from the bathroom. Her hourglass figure was perfect and, as she walked over, he couldn’t help but notice her outfit. The jeans she was already wearing were taut and tight fitting. He appreciated those jeans very much and loved watching her walk. But the shirt seemed downright indecent to be worn in public. It was white and, judging by her perky nipples poking through it, there was no bra underneath.

  Sterling saw how Ben eyed Kate. He also noticed two other men sitting near them eyeing her as well. They weren’t making eye contact. Their focus was south of her eyes. Sterling stood up and blocked the humans’ view. “Kate. What are you wearing? Where is your shirt?” he asked.

  “I’m wearing my shirt. Why?”

  “Because that’s not a shirt, it’s a brassiere. That garment is supposed to be worn under your clothing.”

  “No. It’s a cami and it’s for outerwear,” she said, sitting down beside Ben.

  “She looks fine to me, Sterling.” Ben’s eyes still were not looking at Kate’s face, and that pissed Sterling off.

  “I like the shirt.” Ben now smiled and actually made eye contact with Kate.

  “Why thank you, Ben,” Kate said.

  Sterling let out a low growl that caused Ben to look away. Sterling inspected Kate’s overall appearance. She couldn’t have been too much older than Alicia. Alicia’s green and black dress held in the evidence room was plain, and Alicia had been attacked. He knew how sick and depraved a human male could think, and wearing a top this skimpy was asking for trouble. He gritted his teeth and said as politely as he could, “Please go back to the bathroom and put on the rest of your outfit.”