Cheating Death (Wraith's Rebellion Book 2)

by Aya DeAniege

  “Oh, okay, try to wear the shoes. Try to think like a mortal and keep the shoes if you take them off. At least for now.”

  “In case Lu finds me,” I said.

  He nodded. “Then throw the shoes at him. He’ll probably snap your neck, what with thinking you’re mortal and all, but you’ll wake up again. The tool drains him. He’ll only use it if he knows you’ve been turned. Hence the no communication with the outside world.”

  “They were fine with it,” I protested.

  “Don’t do it again,” he said sternly. “This is not some mob boss we’re dealing with who’ll string you up and show you a good time. He could kill you. For good.”

  “Only you would think that being strung up and tortured was a good time,” I muttered with a shake of my head.

  “Wait here,” he muttered in response.

  He left the bathroom. After he had left, I sat on the toilet cover. I just couldn’t look in the mirror and see myself.

  Attacking a vampire, I could handle, but what if I attacked and killed a human? They couldn’t just heal themselves up and brush it off. Not to mention the clean up of such a mess, hiding a body, cleaning the crime scene, erasing all the evidence.

  Quin returned several minutes later to me holding my head in my hands.

  “I don’t cry blood, right?” I asked, looking up.

  He had a juice box in one hand and a dress on a hanger, inside a garment bag, in the other. The dress was hung on a little knob on the back of the door.

  “No,” he said with a shake of his head, setting the juice box on the counter by the toilet. “Our bodies derive a lot of moisture from the blood. Salt wasn’t as common before, so blood was less salty. For the first four days, you can have nothing but blood. After that, you can drink water. You may end up puking, what with the additives. We were turned on bad water or unclean water sometimes, so maybe it makes no difference. Cleaner tends to result in less stomach upset.”

  “I’m going to get thirsty, obviously, or you all would never have kept drinking water.”

  “Our bodies are like a mortal’s, something like eighty percent water. So yes, we need water. It gets absorbed the same way the blood does. You’ll have at least one more bowel movement, to clear that out, then you will mostly only urinate until you’ve been weaned and begin eating solid food again. Ask Margaret if you want the details on the how.”

  I grabbed the juice box and broke off the plastic straw.

  “You put a lot of thought into this.”

  “It was Sasha’s idea. She saw a drunk drinking out of a paper bag and was a little disgusted by it. Then she saw a drunk drinking straight vodka out of a pop bottle and claiming it was water. Suddenly baby vampire juice box was born.”

  I stabbed the juice box with the plastic straw, then sucked on it. The blood was noticeably bloody. I grimaced and looked at Quin.

  “You’re almost full. It will only last an hour or so. We’ll bring a couple with us for the trip. Don’t need you trying to eat the Oracle, she doesn’t know you’ve been turned yet. I’d like to keep it that way.”

  “Who’s the Oracle?” I asked.

  “We can discuss that on the way. Despite what the Council probably thinks, I didn’t go to Morris to kill him. He doesn’t like my visits because normally that means he has to deal with werewolves.”

  Tooth, claw, a wolf howling at the moon in a field of white flowers.

  I gave myself a shake, wondering why I’d go to something so clichéd when I thought about werewolves. Yet I added the flowers. I had just enough time to identify the flowers as daisies before it all seemed to slip away into nothingness.

  There was a flash of pain across my back, then a blessed relief. As I reached for the pain, I stopped and looked at Quin.

  “Power just flashes on and off?” I squeaked out.

  He nodded, then frowned. “Why?”

  “How often do you go to Morris to be used as a squeaky toy for a werewolf?” I countered.

  Quin pulled out his phone, frowning at it. After a moment, a sound played. A squeak from a dog chewing on a toy. The sound immediately stopped, and he slipped the phone back into his pocket.

  “That’s actually rather accurate.”

  “I can read minds. Whoop-dee-fuckin-doo.”

  “Seems something like what Amma can do, see a memory another person is thinking of.”

  “Gee, thanks for that warning,” I grumbled, then sipped from my juice box.

  “It’s adorable when you pout,” he said with a small smile. “If anything else pops up, let me know. Amma didn’t start off like that. She just thought she was seeing things. And this was back when that kind of thing was usually viewed as a visit from the gods.”

  I grumbled as I sipped the juice box. After a moment of consideration, I frowned and looked up at him.

  “Are you really telling me right now that we need to go to an Oracle to get her to tell us where Lu is so that you can kill him?”

  “It’s worse than that,” he said with a half smile, half grimace.

  “Oh God, come on, give me a break. If we’re going to get a ring, so help me, I’ll throw you in a volcano.”

  “It’s not a ring. I need my mask.”

  “Why didn’t you burn it?” I demanded.

  “I did. Then I had a replica made by the witches. I promised the Council that Wraith would be seen about. It’s spelled to keep mortals from seeing me as a vampire. Only active stock and vampires. Oh, and high people apparently are unaffected by witch magic. It’s kind of fun to watch.”

  “Says the one chasing others to attack them. Can’t we just skip that part? Why not send it over here?”

  “She wants to meet you. She doesn’t know I’ve turned you, only that you are an interviewer caught up in this whole mess and a descendant of Death stock.”

  “You compared his stock to witches tonight.”

  “I did, trust me, you have nothing on what they can do. They’ve also manipulated society. Mortals now think they need to weave spells, sell their soul to the devil, such on and so forth. Anyhow, that’s no longer the case.”

  No longer the case being the keyword.

  I bit my tongue to stop from making a comment on the whole selling one’s soul to the devil for magic bit. Instead I sucked in a breath and decided to try another approach.

  “We’re going to go there, and she’s going to utter something vague and spooky, and we’re not going to understand it until Lu is dead. Or she’ll look at me and be all shocked and scared and foretell your death.”

  “She always does that with other mortals,” Quin said. “She thinks it’s hilariously funny. My stock, on the other hand, do not.”

  “You introduce a lot of stock to the Oracles? They are mortal, right, being witches and all?”

  “They are, they all pretty well have the same sense of humour. As a witch, she’s probably not going to be hung up on things like vampires are. She was raised in the modern era. She’s about your age, I think. New Oracle.”

  “Is that like a discount Oracle? Is a new Oracle like going to the hospital after all the new doctors graduate? Are we sure she can do her job?”

  “We aren’t going to have our futures told. We’re going to pick up my mask. And before you ask, no, the witches don’t know that I’m Wraith. I think. They just think Wraith is sending me to pick it up due to the Council calling him. It’s fine.”

  “You’ve met with Oracles of the past, and they didn’t know that you were Wraith? Man, you should get your money back.”

  “That’s not really how an Oracle works. You’re thinking psychic. I eat mortals who are psychic. It’s just easier than them being free to tell who they please,” he muttered.

  I sucked the last of the blood from the box and listened to that oh so familiar sound. Swallowing the last of it, I had a bad thought and giggled.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Blowing bubbles in my drink,” I said with a little snort.

  “There’s
the murderous predator,” he murmured.

  Quin turned to the door and opened the garment bag before pulling out a little black dress. The dress had no sleeves and ended just above the knees. The skirt flared just slightly as he lifted it.

  “Black?” I asked in disgust.

  “It’ll hide things,” he said, holding the dress out to me. “Lucrecia pointed out that a common cliché, therefore one we’d probably end up following, is my telling you not to eat someone and you doing it anyway. Black, especially in dim light, will help cover that.”

  “Characters always do that,” I muttered. “Kind of buddy cop movie, I think.”

  “Yes, but when I do things you wait outside,” he said. “Though after the Oracle, I need to make an appearance and having you tag along is a giveaway. So, I’m going to drop you off with Sasha.”

  “Thought she was in hiding,” I said.

  “Oh, she is,” he said with a nod. “We share hiding places.”

  I took the dress from him and frowned. With a shake of my head, I turned and set it on the toilet before I began stripping my soiled clothing off. In little more than my bra, I pulled the dress on over my head and zipped it up as far as I could.

  The dress was a simple black dress with a little bit of movement to the skirt. It didn’t hug right to my legs. There were no sleeves and the swoop of the neckline nearly showed off the bra. At least with the looser skirt, no one would be able to tell that I wasn’t wearing underwear.

  Because I couldn’t find them when we were done in the bedroom. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear Quin had taken them as a trophy.

  “Allow me,” Quin said as he stepped up behind me.

  He pulled the zipper up to the top and slipped the little clasp at the top closed to hide the zipper itself. Then he slipped an arm around my midsection and pulled me close, his nose pressed against my throat.

  “I admit, I’ve wanted to see you in a dress since meeting you. There’s something about a woman in a skirt,” his hand ran up my leg, under the skirt just slightly, then he chuckled as he slipped away. “Suppose I’ll have to wait another night, at least, for complete freedom.”

  “Suppose you will,” I said. “Are you going to insist that I wear skirts all the time?”

  “Tempting,” he said. “At least around me. There’s an idea.”

  “I can still kick ass while wearing a skirt,” I snapped.

  “I should hope so. Though I’ll be teaching you to do a lot more than that in a skirt.”

  “And I can keep my shoes?” I asked. “They don’t need to be burned?”

  “There are new shoes waiting by the door for you. Just try to keep them on.”

  “Yes, I prefer sneakers or barefoot. But outside, you know. I don’t own dress shoes.”

  “Given the mess in your apartment, you don’t exactly own anything. But the Council may see about replacing those items, considering all in all.”

  “Yay, more handouts, I don’t feel awkward at all.”

  “You should watch who gives you what. Some of the older ones believe that giving a gift is tantamount to a promise of activities. And I’m not talking a little light petting. So, say no, or better yet bite them.”

  “Not sure I’d be comfortable doing that, but okay.”

  “And don’t bite the Oracle. We respect the Oracle and like her.”

  “You still haven’t explained why I should care,” I said sternly.

  “I’ll explain on the way.”

  Vampires have always interacted with other supernatural races.

  If this is another information dump, I’m going to bite you.

  I’d like to see you try.

  The Oracle is a witch title that’s passed from one witch to another. Witches are always female in body and spirit. They can give birth to mortal human males, and, every once in a while, do give birth to normal female children.

  You may be familiar with part of their history. The Oracle at Delphi was an attempt by the witches to come forward and live in the open. Then some men kidnapped and raped the Oracle because she was young and beautiful.

  So, the witches withdrew, leaving the traditions in place.

  Oracles serve for life and will interact with other races for the right price, or because they’re curious. As a vampire, you listen to the Oracle and heed her words. If she calls you, you come.

  If she tells you to bring your new Progeny, you do.

  She doesn’t know you’re a vampire, and we are not required to make those statements ahead of time.

  The Oracle is neutral. She doesn’t get involved in pretty well anything, and all the races shut up about it. Vampires and witches protect her, werewolves try to mate with her. I don’t know why on that point. Just, it’s not even because they take on some canine qualities.

  I’ll just ask the first werewolf I’m introduced to.

  You do that.

  Lu took me to the Oracle after about my third visit back. It was my first introduction to other supernatural races, but I had been aware that there were others. Although that’s all Lucrecia said on the matter.

  I think she was afraid I might become a squeak toy for the werewolves.

  Now, Lu didn’t tell me to behave. He didn’t give me any orders at all. I already knew to keep my mouth shut and be respectful.

  Upon entering the building, we were greeted by her sisters. All giggling maidens, several of whom were not of a proper age.

  All were naked.

  There were boobs everywhere. You must understand, this was before the internet and in my more prudish years. I had never seen so many boobs and vaginas in one place.

  You mean pubic hair?

  No, I mean slits of the vaginas. Some of them were lounging in very suggestive manners, about six were not of age at all, far too young to just be out there, like that, in front of men. I should be shot for even remembering it. I feel like I should be struck down over this imagery.

  Calm down, you aren’t Lu and it’s their weird tradition.

  Right, plus, you know, I put my eyes on the floor and kept them there during the greeting ritual. The last time I had eyed a woman, Lu ripped her to bits in front of me, I didn’t want to risk that considering there was a room full of maidens to kill and he seemed agitated as we walked in.

  Several of them were covered in tattoos that seemed to move. Those were the ones I wanted to gawk at, but still, I kept my eyes on the floor.

  They’ve changed that bit now, the maidens are fully clothed and anyone making a move on any of them without permission gets his hands broken. If he’s lucky, it stops there. If he’s not, and the other races learn what he did, he and his family pay the price for his insolence.

  The entrance was sparse. We were cleansed with incense and offered blood, which Lu used to wet his lips. He made me drink.

  I assumed, and rightly so, that the blood was from the women and that entrance would not be permitted without drinking. Witch blood has magic in it, we vampires do not willingly partake unless they are lovers, or if we are visiting the Oracle. Even their Council cannot demand a vampire drink the blood.

  Does it cause enslavement or something?

  Maybe, thankful I have never been that stupid. If you taste witch blood outside of the Oracle, spit it out. Then make yourself vomit if you can.

  After sipping the blood, Lu was made to eat something. I don’t know what it was, though it probably had something to do with his reputation. Each vampire seems to have a different ritual from that point forward. For me, it was just the blood.

  With new vampires it usually is, is my understanding.

  We were permitted entrance to her inner sanctum. This was still a time of pomp and ceremony, so she was introduced with smoke and veils, music which reached a crest and her father introducing her.

  Some males are taught of the witch life. It tends to make it easier when the daughters begin shrinking the balls of men who get on their bad side. Or the exploding clocks and such.

  Wait, you said
Morris is a witch.

  Morris is a witch.

  But Morris is a male name.

  Morris is a male name. Morris also deals with a lot of bad men who expect to be led by another bad man. So, she uses her brother as a front.

  Back to the Oracle.

  Her father announced her, and she appeared in a cloud of smoke. All mysterious and stuff. The entrance was likely the sort that would make you roll your eyes and snort in derision, but this was back before television and I had never seen a mortal do anything quite like it before.

  “What is this?” she asked. “Lu of Sumer visiting us? Why, if we had not seen it with our own eyes, we might think the maidens were telling tall tales.”

  Like the royal we?

  You wanted a story instead of an information dump, so shut up and listen to the story.

  Lu had taught me not even to think unless spoken to. I had to keep up with the conversation, of course, but it wasn’t my place as Progeny to ask so many questions.

  Is that a hint?

  Maybe. Maybe you’d look good in a gag, is what I’m thinking. A gag and a toy between your legs. Yes, that’d be good, wouldn’t it?

  Fine, I’ll stop interrupting, geez.

  “I’ve brought the boy,” Lu responded with a motion to me.

  As he stepped aside, I looked up. This was what I was taught to do, mind you, not just some random action. I once knew Lu’s desires better than he did, and for a time I was even eager to do his bidding. It is a glamour that would not wear off for centuries.

  I was still new in Lucrecia’s house. Though she treated me better, I half-expected Lu around each corner. So, I kept up on all I knew and tried to please when and how I could.

  The Oracle was a young woman. She was tall and skinny. Nothing to her but skin and bone. No big breasts there, or a backside that just wouldn’t quit. Her clothing didn’t hang off her either… She did not appear sickly. She simply was a thin young woman who had a position of power. Her nose was bulbous almost.

  Why are you laughing? I’m not joking.

  The Oracle is not always beautiful. That is not a quality that the witches hold the position to.

  And she had bad breath, though many mortals did at that time. My mouth was free of all but blood at that point, and the flesh absorbs even that, so frankly if anyone wanted to find a vampire, they should have been sniffing around. We were the ones without bad breath.