Bliss (The Custos) (16 page)

              "And where is that Cookie?" He asked, not at all prepared for my answer.

              "A place called Cheetahs, it's a strip club." I had to give him credit, he didn’t choke or pass out, and he just looked at me stupefied.

              "What on earth makes you think he wouldn’t go to a strip club?"

              "He may, but I doubt he would figure I would be there and so he won’t be looking for me." It was smart actually; real smart and it would be fun and nice to relax for once.

              "Hide in plain sight, not bad." He playfully punched my shoulder. "By all means, let’s go see some elegant dancers."

              I had to laugh as I placed my arm in his, only Preacher would describe a stripper and elegant dancer.

              The drive to the club didn’t take long; Cash lived right off the strip in a high end neighborhood that shocked me. After four days in an old run down looking van, my only hope for Cash's home was that it had good locks. It was nice knowing he had money and that he wasn’t after mine like every guy from my past had been. Cash was such a surprise and well needed change. Luckily the bank I used was a national bank and before leaving New Mexico I closed my account, my trust my hard earned money for putting up with my Father went into Cash's account so that I wouldn’t be tracked. My life over the last twenty six years, every time he forgot me, every time he slapped me and every time he degraded me, all of it came to the grand total of 22.7 million dollars. Not bad, but I would have traded it all to know he loved me and wanted me.

              Preacher drove around the parking lot before to check the scene before going back to the end of the block and parking against the side of the road. "I thought we were going for a fun night Preacher." I said annoyed by his refusal to have fun.

              "Cookie, how many times must I tell you? Vampires scent is very strong. You being in the car for a single minute, they can track you. Even for a night of fun I won’t risk your scent getting us tagged and followed."

              Preacher had told me, about a thousand times and I knew he was right. Vampires had a crazy sniffer and by parking far from the club my scent would dissolve outside unless I were bleeding, let alone inside where hundreds of human females would be and my scent then becomes untraceable. Only Cash or Preacher would pick up on it and that was because Cash had fed from me, he would always know where I was and because Preacher and I were so close, my scent had become part of him.

              Kind of creepy for how well it kept me safe.

              Over the last few weeks I had come to enjoy these club walks with Preacher. He would tell me stories about Vampires and some from his human life. It depended on his mood, when he was really high or if he were blue he tended to go for his human tales, when he kept his weed in check and was all together good old Preacher, he talked Vamp all the way. Tonight he talked about his wife again.

              He lit his second joint, the first he smoked in the car on the way here. He said that infatuation was powerful in a strip club and without a good high we would be mobbed by strippers all night. Taking a drag he asked. "Did I ever tell you what my wife did before she met me?"

              I watched as the same sadness that night in the van swept over his features, my answer was simple. "No."

              Preacher stopped Next to a fire hydrant and fought with himself, not sure if he trusted me enough to let me in. I had heard once that drug addicts and alcoholics tended to accept their disease easier when they were lead by someone who had been in their shoes. Thinking it couldn’t hurt; I looked at Preacher and spoke.

              "Do you know why I was at the bar that night?" He shook his head no but kept his eyes on his shoes. "I was being angry with him, I had spent so much time angry and hurt that I did things to embarrass him. I’m shallow, I know I am but I took shallow to the Next level when it involved him. That night before I left he slapped me across the face and in that moment I knew I couldn’t do it anymore. I had finally had enough and I was leaving. I was planning on moving to Seattle and making it on my own. I had dreams of meeting friends, real ones who didn’t know who I was and how rich I was. Then I met Cash and even through the infatuation I knew that if he didn’t know who I was that I would maybe have a shot, fool him and I could fool anyone."

              I reached for his joint and met his shocked look as I took a drag and continued, half choking. "I didn’t fool him though, he found me out and followed me, tracked me like prey. The whole time I was in the van I dreamed of this dark angel that was trying to save me and all I wanted was out of his grasp and to find a new life. Then three days later I woke up and you know what I seen?"

              He looked at me then and I knew he was reading me but I had to say it anyways. "It was you Preacher. I was so scared of Cash and I was confused and didn’t know what was real or fake. Do you know that had you not been there when I woke up, I think I would be dead right now, Cash would have killed me before Conlin had a chance." I said laughing. "You were the first friend I ever made in my entire life. You aren’t scared to put me in my place and you never judge me on my clothes, or my vanity, you and Cash saved me. Even if Conlin gets me and kills me, I finally lived my life because you guys loved me." I didn’t say anymore on the subject because I wasn’t a very emotional woman, as most women went anyways. I reached for the joint. "Puff, puff give mother fucker."

              That made him laugh and start walking again, handing me the joint. "Thank you London, I’m glad that you let me be your friend.”

              "I’m Cookie or Princess not London, and you Preacher are my best friend, and best friends share secrets and I want to know yours."

              He walked silently and I handed the joint off, the slight buzz was great but any more and I would be sick.  "She was a prostitute, she came to confessional every week and one day, I don’t know, I had to see her face. I was a goner when I did, she was beautiful. I knew then that my faith could never hold a candle to her." He lifted the sole of his boot and stubbed out his joint before placing it behind his ear. I never really looked at Preacher but tonight I did. He wore a Mariners cap with a white T shirt and faded blue jeans. He was as beautiful as Cash, but he carried such sadness with him, it weighed him down.

              "She wanted to go back to the streets when the times got hard and I couldn’t let her. I never judged others, but with her I did. I loved her when she was a whore, but I couldn’t let her willingly do it. Deep inside I was ashamed of her past as a prostitute, though she wasn’t. She told me she would never regret it because it brought her to me. I took the job with Angelo because I couldn’t let her do to other men what we did together. She swore it wasn’t the same and said she couldn’t bear to watch me struggle with my soul and faith while working for Angelo. I told her it would be worse if I willingly sent my wife out to be a whore."

              I knew he was hurting so I put my arm through his letting him know I understood, he never meant to hurt her and I knew how badly he hated himself for that remark. "The night she died I had gone to confession and begged for forgiveness for what I was about to do. I was giving in, I would have let her do it, because in the end I loved her regardless of who she was and I knew it would never be with them what it was with us. Mary Magdalene was a whore and Jesus watched as she was stoned on the streets her sins were on display for the world to see, regardless of why she did it, they judged her the same. Jesus walked up to Mary and stood before her protecting her. He picked up a stone and asked the towns people, 'He who hath not sinned, throw the first stone.' How could I judge her? That night, they were dead when I arrived at home and Cacius and Leushus found me, waiting in the snow behind the warehouse where Angelo and his goons were setting the score for the night.

              "They knew my plan, and they watched as I paced waiting for the door to open so I could unleash my pain on them. I would have lost because that was the night I learned that Angelo was a Nex and it explained the bloodbath he created when he took them from me. Cash and Leushus were there with a few other Custos scoping the place waiting for the right time to bust in. Instead Cash offered to
Sire
me, he said he could feel my pain and he knew how badly I hurt. Either way I was making a pact with the devil, die as a human today and burn in hell for the loss of my faith or live forever and avenge them. I chose Cash and in that moment he saved me, just like he saved you." Preacher sighed just because he felt like the moment needed a sigh, he was cool like that. "Jealousy and vengeance, one ruined my life the other saved it."

              I knew he was done talking and the bass from the club was noticeable so I knew we were close. "Thank you for trusting me Preacher, and for being my friend."

              "Thank you Cookie, for letting me." We came around the corner and the Giant neon sign cast a red glow on both of us and I smiled, Vegas rocked, it simply rocked. Only in America would you find a city that was a giant party 24/7.

              "Hey what was the good news by the way?" I asked, completely forgetting that he said there was good news and bad.

              "Cash will be home tonight."

              I didn’t hold back my scream, how could I. I had spent the last three weeks missing him and knowing that in a few short hours I would see him and could touch him was overwhelming. I looked at the bar and now the idea of partying seemed useless, I would only check the time every five minutes, but I was not going to be the friend who dogged out for a guy. I may be new at friendship but even I knew that was harsh.

              "Cookie...." Preacher said and tugged my hand breaking the battle I was raging inside. "Would you rather go home?"

              "No let’s get a drink, I promised you a night out and damit we are gonna have fun."

              "Cookie, I have no desire, nor have I had one at all tonight to go clubbing. What kind of best friend would I be if I kept you from your Vampire?"

              I smiled because Preacher new I liked calling Cash my Vampire, and also because he was being a good friend. "Are you sure Preach, because the nights still early?"

              Tugging my hand he started walking towards the car. "Cookie shut up."

              I smiled, and shut up.

             
Back at Cash's house I paced wondering when he would get here, it was almost two Am and Preacher was driving me crazy trying to keep me busy and occupied. I finally told him the only thing that would occupy my mind was a pint of Ben and Jerrys Chunky Monkey. He was more than happy to go to the store, he said he needed to feed anyway but I was pretty sure I had driven him mad when I asked what time it was every other minute. Now alone I was going crazy, every car that drove past I dashed to the window looking for Cash, but nothing yet. If Preacher were here he would give me a lecture on Patience being a virtue and I would give him a lesson in return about how he should shut the fuck up. He would only laugh at me, and I would try to not slap him.

              Fucking Preacher.

              Hearing a car door slam I knew it had to be Cash, running for the door almost tripping from shear excitement I pulled the door open and halted when a young man maybe twenty was about to knock on the door. Stepping back I asked. "Can I help you?"

              He smiled and seemed a little startled by approach. "Sorry to bother you so late Ma’am but my car died in the intersection and I was able to push it to right there." He pointed down the long driveway and I could see the tail end of a Volkswagen Jetta. "I was hoping it would be ok to leave it there while I walk to a pay phone and call for a tow. These neighborhoods tend to be a little more cautious than others. I won’t be more than an hour or so."

              I really felt for the kid, the plates on the car said Wisconsin and here this kid probably barely 21 and in Vegas for a good time when his car dies. I couldn’t let him walk to a pay phone when I had a phone in the kitchen so I told him he could use the phone and wait inside for the tow truck. At least he would occupy a little of my time.

              "Thanks ma’am." He said and stepped inside. Walking past me I could smell his scent, he had over done it with the Stetson cologne, like showered in it and there wasn’t a Vampire on this earth, not even Leushus who was practically compost he was so old, that could handle being with in fifty feet of anyone that badly drenched in cologne. Their senses were far too sensitive and they would have gotten sick. Feeling better knowing he was a human like me I relaxed and sat down.