Scion's Freedom (Siren Publishing Classic) (2 page)

Specialty businesses started cropping up before the ink on all the legislation had had time to dry. The Pampered Moon catered to werewolves and shape-shifters. Devine Fields looked like an enormous greenhouse but was really an indoor complex for brownies, sprites, fairies, and gnomes. The staff was almost exclusively elves. Restaurants and bars opened all over town to help one group or another meet their needs. The latest to offer up its services to the vampiric crowd was Bloody Mary’s.

Cassy lifted the lid on the container of black soup and poured it into two bowls. She topped it with blood sausage and a packet of hot sauce. Erica dropped in the spoons with a heavy plop. The two friends stood by the counter, bowls in hand, and ate.

“So, how was your day? Ruin anyone we know?” Cassy sipped her soup.

“I don’t know. This disk showed up in the mail with a thumb drive and a sticky note with just an address on it. I went to the address with my camera guy. It was one of the burned-out shells from The Fall. In the doorway was the box I brought home. I haven’t even had time to open it,” Erica said. For years, any building unlucky enough to catch fire went up. Sometimes whole blocks were taken out. The Fall had left scars like this in every city and town in the country.

“Did you get to look at the disk and the thumb drive?”

“Disk, yes. Thumb drive, no. It was a bunch of documents and some photos. I didn’t have time for the IT guys to put both through the virus scanner. I’ll check out the disk better this weekend. There’s a lot to go through. It’ll take a while to make sense of it all. Enough of my day, what did you do?”

“I turned away more people than I care to count. I only had nine orders to fill this evening,” Cassy said, frowning.

“Ouch. How long can you keep this up?” Sip, slurp.

“I don’t know. Even the regular clients aren’t regulars anymore. It’s like the precursor of The Fall all over again,” Cassy despaired.

“Well, let’s not dwell on that for now. I know! Let’s decide on where to go tomorrow night and what you are going to wear,” Erica trilled. She loved any excuse to go out. She was like a toddler playing in its dress-up box. It was not unusual for her to have every outfit she owned scattered all over the room in search of the perfect one.

“I still haven’t said yes,” Cassy reminded her.

“Oh, for the love of night, Cassy! We both know you’ll go. Fine. I’ll pick a place and a costume. You’re going to love it!”

Cassy sat down her bowl and tossed her spoon into the sink. The sun was pressing against the horizon. The UV-blocking windows in the little apartment prevented its harmful rays from entering, but Cassy still wanted to be in bed before it lit up the place.

“Right now the only thing I’m going to love is my bed.” She yawned. She made her way to her bedroom door.

“Oh, okay. Happy dreams,” Erica called to her.

“You, too.” Cassy yawned back. She crawled into bed, flopped down on the pillow, and fell into a deep sleep.

She awoke just before full sunset the next night. The foil-lined shade was still down. The last light of dusk filtered in around a tiny crack along one side of the shade. She pulled in a deep breath and listened to the quiet. Erica was not up yet. Dark shapes made outlines against the walls and in her open closet. She reached over to flick on the lamp. The dim light flooded the room. Laid out across the foot of her bed were a hot pink skirt, a white halter top, and a matching hot pink, long, curly wig. A glance off the edge of the bed told Cassy a pair of white knee-length go-go boots with a side zipper sat on the floor. On her nightstand lay a faux-silver dangling belly ring with clear and pink crystals. She could wear it for the evening and then remove it. Her skin would be healed in only a few minutes.

A frown ticked across her face. Erica could have given her any costume in the world. Why did it have to be this one? More skin would show than would be covered! It was clear Erica planned to party and feed.

It wasn’t against the law, provided the human in question was of legal age, a willing participant, and received something in exchange. Nothing in life was free, not even blood. Every vampire had a right to eat. Most chose blood-based products, donated blood, or restaurants, but fresh human blood was a nice change on occasion.

Cassy got up and shuffled to the kitchen. In the next room, she could hear Erica stirring. A peek into the refrigerator revealed no leftovers. Breakfast was going to consist of a canned soda. She swiped the gold and red can with an unenthusiastic pawing motion and closed the door.

“Hey! Did you find your costume?” Erica came in stretching and scratching her head. The curly locks tussled around in a messy mass. She pulled out a can and popped the top. Sipping, she waited for the right response.

“If that was mine, what must yours look like?” Cassy downed the sticky red liquid in two large gulps. She hated sugary carbonated blood drinks. It couldn’t be heated without making a mess of the sugar, and the bubbles disappeared.

“I am going as Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. I found an outfit with slits up each side nearly to my waist! It will be really sexy. I can’t wait to see what it reels in!”

“So, where are we going to land these fish? Please tell me it isn’t going to be some company party,” Cassy sighed. Time had proven more than once mixing business and pleasure was a bad idea. Feeding at a party where most of the guest worked together fell neatly into the mixing category.

“No. I thought we would go to Trysts. You know the vampire nightclub in the Underground? Any humans who enter are automatic legal feeds. It’s posted on all the doors,” Erica said. She downed her soda and tossed the can at the recycling bin. “Now let’s hurry up and get ready before all the good ones are taken!”

An hour and a half later, they were pulling into the parking deck across the street from Trysts. The deck replaced an old burned-out museum. Since the building wasn’t worth saving, it became parking for the old Atlanta Underground, a haven of clubs and restaurants. There were a few shops at ground level, but they would be closed. Erica hung the parking permit on the rearview mirror.

“I’ll meet you back here before sunup, okay?” Erica gave Cassy a wink. The black straight wig gave her eyes a charcoal look. “Come on. Let’s go have a little fun.”

Cassy did her best pout face. “Oh, all right. If I must, I must.” Together they headed for the club door.

Cassy sat staring at the crowd. The only thing keeping this evening from being a total waste was the people watching. Ordinarily, watching a group of people getting drunk and dancing would not have appealed to her, but tonight was different. It was Samhain Night, Halloween.

From her perch at the bar, Cassy could see a variety of costume-clad patrons doing things she was sure they would not do any other day. It was as if the costume and occasion freed some part of them they kept locked away the rest of the year. A couple dressed as Jack and Jill were making out in the corner. Little Bo Peep was wearing a very short skirt with a number of frilly petticoats and ruffled boy briefs. Bo was grinding to the beat on her dance partner, Robin Hood. Cassy smiled to herself. His tunic was way too short to hide the erection Bo Peep was giving him. All around her, storybook characters and fairytales were downing booze and behaving badly.

An icy drop of water landed on Cassy’s thigh and trickled down toward the top of her white go-go boot. She had sat observing so long her glass was dripping condensation. She swirled her straw, clinking the ice against the side, before taking another sip. The Long Island iced tea was not her drink of choice, but, as it was free, she didn’t complain. Since Erica had insisted on coming out tonight, she offered to pay the two-drink minimum and cover charge. Cassy knew the real reason Erica wanted her there was to get her out of the house. She always used the excuse of not wanting to party alone. Now, Erica was very not alone. She had left with Frankenstein’s Monster and Little Boy Blue at the same time. Cassy’s cheeks felt hot at the thought of Erica as Cleopatra sandwiched between the two.

“You look bored. So, Go-Go Girl, can I buy you another drink?”

Cassy gave a startled jump. Lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed anyone coming up to sit beside her. The low strobe lighting threw some of his features into shadow. She could make out a dark velvet frock coat, a damask-patterned long vest, and a ruffled shirt. The powdered wig had a distinctive glow under the alternating colored and black strobe lights. Allowing her eyes to slip down to take in the rest of his costume, she noticed he wore a pair of knee-breeches in a light tan or beige, white opaque stockings, and buckled shoes with a raised heel. He could have worn the same outfit for the Fourth of July.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?” She yelled. The music was thumping. She wanted to make sure of his offer before committing to anything.

He spoke up, “I asked if I could buy you another drink. You don’t seem to be enjoying the one you have.” He flashed a wide smile. She couldn’t place her finger on it, but she was sure there was something off about how he held his bottom lip. He could have been trying to hide something, or maybe it was just a quirk.

“Oh…uh…I’m fine. Thanks,” she replied and began twirling a lock of hot pink curls around her finger. “I’m with someone.” She hoped this would put him off.

“You mean Cleopatra? I thought she left with Frank and Blue.” She tightened her lips into a thin line. He had been more observant than she would have liked. He threw his hands up, palms facing her, and dismounted his stool. “Hey, I don’t mean to intrude. I just thought you looked bored and alone. I just wanted to sit with you. I can take a hint. Sorry to have bothered you.” He started to back away.

“No, it’s not you. I just didn’t want to come out tonight. This was my friend’s idea. I even had to borrow this costume from her. I didn’t expect her to ditch me. That’s all. I promise,” Cassy said. She gave him an appraising eye. Even in the bad lighting, she could tell he had very masculine features and a leftover tan from summer. “Please, have a seat.” She motioned to the stool he had just left.

He took her up on the offer and sat down. “So, Go-Go, do you have a name?”

“Yes. I have a name.” She smirked.

“Are you going to tell me?” He waved over the bartender.

“Maybe. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours first. Or shall I just call you George?” She swirled her straw again, but the ice had all gone.

His pulled a puzzled face. “George?”

“Yeah, you know, as in Washington.”

“Oh! You mean the costume!” He laughed and nodded his head. “Good one. Okay, sure. I’m David. You?”

“Cassandra. Cassy for short.”

The harried bartender arrived, took their order, and put two shots in front of them. More shouts from the end of the bar sent the man scrambling to fill the next order. Arms waved money accompanied by shouts from all sides. David watched as he left.

“Glad I’m not that guy tonight. Well, bottoms up!” He lifted his glass to Cassy and threw back the amber liquor. Cassy watched his neck extend back, exposing his throat. Not being a fan of shots, she sipped a healthy portion and left the rest.

“Tell me, Cassy, are you seeing anyone?” He turned to face her and propped one elbow on the bar. He was not taking the hint. If he would not go away, he might as well make himself very useful.

“No. I’m not looking for Mr. Right. I’m not the marrying kind of girl. You? Anyone waiting at home for you?” She faced him with her hands in her lap and legs crossed. She wanted him to get a look at her long, bare thighs below the Day-Glo pink micro-mini skirt. It worked. She could see him drawing his eyes up her legs to the skirt line. His gazed followed her hips and paused on her dangling belly ring. Next he checked out her cleavage peeking from the white halter top. He was all but salivating. She knew she could hook him, if she wanted.

“Nah. I’m a free agent in search of a good time.”

“Well, well, well. What do you know? After the week I’ve had, I think I could use a good time,” she said and gave him a coy smile. Maybe he could be a very good time and improve her mood. It had been a while since she had allowed herself to be seduced.

“You wanna get out of here?” He hitched his thumb toward the exit.

“Sure! Let’s go.” Hopping down from her stool and grabbing her purse, she took his hand and pulled him toward the door. But where to go? Not knowing where Erica was spending the evening, Cassy didn’t want to take him back to their place. Before she could decide, he gave her an idea.

“My car is parked in the deck across the street.” He jingled his keys.

They left the noisy club’s thumping bass and flailing bodies behind and stepped out onto the deserted street. Cassy knew it was just after midnight. The air had a certain feel to it then. She could sense its approach deep in her bones and always knew the moment it passed. No one would be out. Kids and their parents were safely tucked into bed. Party goers were still downing the swill hoping to get lucky before last call in a couple of hours. They would be alone in the semi-dark parking deck.

Once they reached his car, she put herself between him and the door. “I think this is far enough.”

Staring at his dark-brown eyes, she slowly pulled the keys out of his hands and dropped them on the ground. Her hand slid up his stomach to his chest and then pushed his frock coat off his shoulders. With the coat halfway down his arms, she pulled him to her, kissing him. The tip of her tongue touched his lips and he opened his mouth. She deepened the kiss for a few moments more and pulled away.