Dead Certain (Eve Benson: Vampire Book 3)

by P. S. Power

  The Greater Demon rang the lady up first, before speaking to Eve. That would let the lady get out of earshot if nothing else. No innocent person should have to be subjected to their conversations. Just hearing some of the things she had to say anymore could end up being a risk.

  “Eve. Come to see about getting a job with us again? I could use some help on shipping night still. Node business has been picking up, and so have book sales.”

  She could see that. It was a destination spot for several reasons. Even the little café in the back did brisk, and very real, business all the time.

  “Not really, though I might be able to find some help for you? There are some people that want to be Vampires, and might need jobs. I was wondering if I could abuse our close personal relationship. You know, before I take Ben away for the night? We have a date.”

  He didn’t seem shocked to find that out. Not displeased either.

  “Oh? Well, come to my office, and we’ll see?”

  She nodded, since it was about what she wanted.

  Chapter twenty

  Eve took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, as if steeling herself to ask for a big favor.

  “Can we use the space here for the meeting tomorrow?” She waved at the Node room, which was pretty big, and was both open and classier seeming than the break room at the yogurt shop.

  “Possibly. What’s in it for me?”

  She hadn’t really thought of that, but it made some sense, didn’t it? She wanted to kill a Greater Demon there, after all. It could make a mess, even if she was careful. Plus there might be scary screaming or yelling.

  “Ten million? If we have any extra bodies you have to cart them away though.” She waved at the node, or where the stone circle on the floor indicated it was. She still couldn’t see the thing.

  Rather than tell her he wanted something else, Zack suddenly seemed serious about the whole thing.

  “I can work with that. Do you think that will be needed? Carting the body away?”

  “Really? No. Fram fucked up, but I gave my word that he’d leave here alive, or said close enough that I won’t go back on it. Maggie, too. We might end up having to kill her, but I’d rather do Fram, if it’s all the same. He can make himself not feel pain, or fear, right?”

  Zack nodded, “yes. I like that plan, myself. He messed up, and should be the one to pay for it. Was that all, or did you want to ask my secret Ben dating tips? If it’s that one, my suggestion is being cuddly. I know you thought it would be anal, but he gets that when he wants. Then again, you’re a real catch. Rich and good looking, as well as having a sparkling personality. I wouldn’t worry, too much. From what he’s said about you, I think he’s already a fan.”

  He was being playful, and it showed, but it really did leave her feeling better.

  “Cool. Thanks, by the way. Um, really though, do you have Lyn’s number? Finias suggested that I ask her to come too. Actually he said I should ask her to be my mentor? Like for being a Greater Demon, even though I’m not one. I guess I’m just that awesome?”

  Without comment, Zack went to his desk and got the number for her.

  “True, you are. This is probably about setting things up so she can keep an eye on me, you understand, make sure I’m eating enough, and not giving up my Greater Demon ways for the life of a bookseller, or whatever it is she cares about these days. I think she just worries, what with my being both young and insane. So far so good, as far as that goes.”

  “Yep. That was mentioned. The whole spying thing. Can I use your phone? Edom said I could get a cell, but I haven’t yet. I know, lazy of me. I don’t know how I keep managing to get so busy, and still do so many boring things all the time. Oh, come by tonight and get a waffle cone? It’s new, and we need to work out how to make them really special. I want to get hard frozen too, for scooping, but that would take an actual cash outlay. Still they smell pretty good.” Not that she’d risk eating one.

  “To trade for the use of the phone? All right. Go ahead.”

  She held up the slip of yellow paper Lyn’s number was on, and dialed it without planning what to say at all.

  Worse the other phone picked up on the first ring.

  “Lyn Hartley, how are you doing this evening?”

  “Hi Lyn. Eve Benson. From last night?”

  “Eve! Is everything all right? I hadn’t expected to hear from you this soon.” It was slightly leading, and a bit worried, which were both things she needed to learn to fake, she realized.

  “I know, but Finias suggested that I get with you about mentoring me? So that you can spy on Zack, since I work in the same area. Also, I have a Greater Demon to kill tomorrow, if I can pull off the negotiations for it. Do you want to come to that? Again, Finias suggested it.”

  There was silence for a bit, then something that was nearly a subliminal chuckle, Eve thought.

  “That’s a very interesting idea, isn’t it? We could give it a try, if you’re willing to put the work in? I don’t know what will happen in the long run. Certainly. How much does the position pay? Normally we get fifty percent of what our charges earn, under our direction.”

  “Hmm, that sounds like a scam, but we could go with ten percent? Like agents get?”

  “Or twenty-five, like good agents get?”

  “Fifteen, but I’ll set it up so that Zack won’t have a big issue with you being around?”

  “Oh? That would be a good trick. That, plus twenty?”

  Eve giggled.

  “Is this really worth that much?”

  “Having me as your mentor? Yes. A lot more, actually. I’m rather good at such things, I hear tell. Especially in teaching shape shifting. I’ve heard of Vampires that can do that, so I’m willing to bet you can learn, under my direction. It’s a very useful skill.”

  “All right. Twenty, and I’ll chat Zack up on this.”

  “Agreed. What time should I present myself tomorrow?”

  “Seven? Or actually if you can get here at six, our time? That way we can talk and go over what I’m messing up? I have a date right now, so…”

  “Perfect. It’s important to keep things in balance. Six in the evening tomorrow then, at your work place. I’ll be there.” The phone hung up, without warning, sounding like someone else had walked into the room.

  Zack winked.

  “My grandfather knows she’s a Greater Demon, but she kind of keeps that world hidden from him. So, I have to be okay with all this, too?”

  “Yep. It’s that or not being good with it, and I think we both know how that one goes, with the kicking and the crying…”

  He got the idea, and nodded.

  “Fine then. You know, why don’t you and Ben take off now? Go do something fun. Get out of here and don’t come back until one of you can’t stand. At least not very well, since he works tomorrow, and I need someone to actually watch the store with Hiram.”

  The clock on the desk said it was eight-thirty, meaning it had taken her an hour to get it all set up. She shook her head though, since she wasn’t really done yet.

  “I have to call Fram and Maggie first. Run the guest list past them and all that. I said I would.”

  Zack held up two fingers.

  “More cones then?”

  “Sure, get them from Barb. Little Barbie Two Cones? I need a nickname for her, since she’s the one that started that horrible Snowflake thing. If you come up with a good one that will both bug her and stick, let me know?”

  He waved, and walked out, presumably to get his treat. Calling back to her, he waved.

  “Got it.”

  Then she called Fram, since he was the one that could make problems for her.

  “Howdy-doody. This is Brian, what’s up?”

  “Fram, The Bold?”

  There was a hesitation, and she wondered for a moment if she’d misdialed, then the voice changed a bit, becoming less happy and fun sounding.

  “Snowflake?”

  “Tomorrow, in the back of Zack’s books
tore. It looks like The Mistress of Souls will be there, The Technician, The Line Walker, The Mind Taker, and um… Lyn Hartley? I don’t know her special name.”

  “The Changeling. Why would Magda be there? Part of a trick?”

  Eve shrugged, wondering if that showed in the voice like a smile could.

  “Yes. Not one about you though. Finias got her in as my mentor, sort of, so that she can spy on Zack, without it being a creepy Greater Demon thing. He okayed it. Zack did. I told them they couldn’t pull any tricks or anything. Are you good with all of them coming? I know that Keeley might scare you, like a little school girl. Which is fair, considering all the stupid ass plotting you had going on. Like I told The Vile the other day, how you can’t see that dating her is your best option, I don’t get. I say you come in with some roses and stop being a little baby about it all. She didn’t force you to be her slave again, after she died and came back, did she? You knew she could, so… Yeah. Flowers. Oh, um, I’ll invite Bey, to stand for Maggie. He might kill you, if he can, but that’s a personal issue. He probably won’t though, being so cool. Unlike certain nickname giving assholes I know.” She growled the last bit, which was, apparently hilarious.

  The laughing seemed like that anyway.

  “It was totally inside the rules of our personal treaty, Snowflake. Besides, it isn’t that bad of a name, even knowing where it came from. That girl Vampire wanted to take you down a peg, sure enough, but her best shot at you was saying you’re too special? She could have picked anything. Bitchy-Poo, or Anal Wart, but she went with something fairly gentle, so you wouldn’t be too hurt by it. Snowflake. Probably because you scare her. It’s kind of pretty even. I’ve heard worse. For instance, The Bold? That isn’t a compliment, you know that right? The Vile? That wasn’t what Marcus picked for himself. The Mind Taker? Do you really think Finias chose that? It was just better than The Mind Raper, which is what he had for a long time. I wouldn’t let Snowflake get you down too much.”

  “Hey, a pep talk from the douche spreading the horrible name. Great. Not that those others aren’t worse. Granted. Fine, I’ll only kick you in the dick a little then, for it. That’s fair right? Just the tip?”

  “You can be a bit crude, you know that? Fine. To the people at the meeting, as long as you guarantee their behavior. Not the dick kicking. I just got it the way I like. Now, let me get with Mags on this one? I’ll make sure to invite her hubby. It will look better if I do it. Like this is all my idea, and not something that I’m being compelled to do out of fear.”

  “Good plan. I can see it, anyway. See you then. Seven, in the back room. Don’t make a big production out of it? If we do it right we get in, agree to terms and will be out by eight, if not sooner.”

  “Bye. See you then.” He didn’t even zing her with a parting Snowflake, which was nice of him.

  That put her at about ten till, so she waved to Ben on the way out, “meet me down at my shop?”

  “Sounds good. You look incredible, by the way.” He seemed to mean it, looking at her until she got out the door and down a way. He looked like a regulation book store clerk, complete with button up shirt and black slacks.

  It was good enough. Her stomach flipped over a bit, due to nerves. That was both pleasant, and a thing she didn’t think could happen anymore. She had a date. With a real guy, and everything. When she got back to her store she hurried and switched shoes. Hopefully nothing bad would happen, requiring her to run in them. They were three inches high in the back, making her walk almost on her toes.

  When she came out of the back, Zack waved at her with a waffle cone.

  “Perfect.”

  Even Barb agreed, but she didn’t speak, since Ben came in just after that, seeming a little nervous himself. It was nice, since that meant it wasn’t just her.

  “I was thinking we could go to the megaplex? I don’t know what you want to see, but there’s a lot playing right now.” He waved to the others, but didn’t talk to them, and didn’t take his eyes off of her.

  It was nice. Romantic, nearly.

  His car was small, economical, and clean, which was about all that it had going for it. She didn’t care, and settled into the passenger’s seat for the first time in nearly a year. It was dark out, but the street lamps gave them a lot of light for the trip. He drove carefully enough that she didn’t feel like she was going to die at any point, not that she would, from something minor like a car crash.

  They didn’t talk for a while though, which started to get a bit heavy in the air, after ten minutes or so.

  Ben smiled, his lips being licked a few times.

  “It’s been a while, for me. Going out. I shouldn’t say that, but I haven’t been dating a lot. Not since Kait and I… We were kind of going out for a while. Does going to her place three times a week for sex count as a real relationship?”

  Eve had to grin at that, since talking about your ex was a poor move on a date, but going over the ultra hot booty call that would still do it with you without asking questions was even worse.

  “Nope? Not that my dating history was much better than that. Just to be clear here, I’m looking for a real boyfriend, not just sex. Not that you wouldn’t get that, too, or that I’d throw a fit if you wanted to hit the Alede at work. That would be insane, asking anyone to miss out on that, but I’m actually looking, not just, you know, trying to hook up.” It was too blunt, and sounded like she had Aspergers. She winced, but didn’t take any of it back.

  Ben smiled then, “good? I’ve never had a real girlfriend before, so I’m probably going to suck at it. At first, I mean. What do I do? Also, did I just work that in smoothly enough? I mean, it sounded like it to me. I did just turn a first date into going out, didn’t I?” He tried to give her a look that was suave and debonair, but failed when he realized he was driving and the car had started to go off the road. Then he just looked a bit panicked.

  Eve nodded.

  “Yeah. That was actually decently smooth. Vampire rules however, so, you know, if you want to nail Barb or Ginger you have to ask my permission first. Well, technically you don’t really, since they outrank me, but, you know, you do. Otherwise I’ll have to fight them each time, to protect you. Not that you can’t do them, if you want. I don’t really have a sex drive, so I’m good with the idea of you getting that taken care of where you want. You still have to spend holidays with me. Valentines, and all that crap. Christmas with the parents, and all that.”

  It made sense to her, but he made a face. It was strange enough she nearly took it back, but he explained.

  “Um… I’m Jewish. I don’t really do Christmas.”

  “Cool. I do, and am kind of Catholic, but don’t really believe it. So, Passover with the parents? Is there Kosher blood? That’s a thing, right?”

  That got a laugh, even though she was being the worst kind of girl on a date, ever. Now she just needed to start talking babies and getting married in June and she’d nail the whole thing.

  “I suppose I should be all good with you doing other guys too? Especially if it doesn’t do anything for you. Of course that means all those books I read will go to waste, as far as keeping you, won’t it? A shame really, since I’m great in bed. Ask anyone. I hardly ever fall out anymore, for instance, and I haven’t wet the thing in… Oh, weeks now.”

  She nodded.

  “I don’t sleep. I don’t eat either, but, on the good side, I’m willing to have sex pretty much whenever you want. Not while you drive, since I don’t want to crash, and have you die, but otherwise, I’m good that way.” It was the fourth time she’d turned things back to sex, she thought. Or the third. It made sense to her, since she didn’t know what else she had to offer him.

  It really meant that it wouldn’t work, didn’t it?

  “Um, I like science-fiction?” She did, actually, though she hadn’t seen any in a long time.

  “Me too. Original Trek or Next Gen?”

  “Deep Space Nine, with a soft spot for Voyager? How about you? Ja
r-jar, or Ewoks?”

  There was a soft grumble then, “as what, my favorite movie tie-in toy franchise?”

  “Of course.” What had he thought she meant? They were both blatant cash grabs. Still, if you couldn’t admit to liking at least one of them, you were probably dead inside.

  “Ewoks then, but I could have done without the teddy bears and talking lizard rabbits. That’s what the cartoons are for.”

  “Agreed. Good to know.”

  Then they managed a nice conversation about super-hero movies. There was even one playing, and Ben paid for it, without asking. She offered to get the popcorn, but he looked down at his gut, which was a bit plush, and then glanced over at her.

  “Diet. A sudden one that just came on, about ten minutes ago. I’m sure I’ll shake it, in a few days.”

  She knew that one, from back when she’d been alive, before starting her training to be undead.

  “Come on then? Where do you want to sit? The front is too close and the back is kind of there for making out, and handjobs. Which can be cool, but we aren’t sixteen, and should leave the space for them, since we can actually find a bed, if we want, so…”

  They ended up in the middle of the large rows of seats, and held hands, off and on, while the show played. It was nice. Comfortable.

  After that there wasn’t a real plan for the night, so she got him to park under a railroad bridge, and sucked him off. She formed a link to him, or started to, after swallowing, but didn’t have room for another at the moment, and didn’t want to feed off her boyfriend. The thought set her back a little bit, so she smiled.

  He looked a bit sheepish, and started to get his clothing back in place.

  “So, um, what do we do now?”

  “Normally? Well, I don’t know. In my life you’d say you were going to call me, then not talk to me for three weeks, and then you’d call up for a booty call. Since we’re dating, I think you have to do something a bit more… Um, active? I guess we get together soon, and do something? We could watch television, or go to a concert? That, and sex is about what I have idea wise. Unless we can get Zack to take us someplace for a vacation. That seems a bit fast though, doesn’t it?”