Keeley Thomson (Book 3): Mistress of Souls (16 page)

Keeley ate a jar of peanut butter by herself and opened one for her sister. She didn't know what had happened with Fram, but fighting sounded hard and there had been a lot of blood involved. Darla had seemed untouched though. No healing bruises even. Half an hour later she was back, wearing a nice set of clothing that looked dressy, rather than comfortable, her damp hair pulled back out of the way.

"Fram is an ass. But a weak one. Keeps thinking that he should have more power than he does and makes a point of challenging people at big events, trying to take them off guard. It's worked a few times, but Bente and I are old friends. He made a mistake telling her about it this time. It's incredibly bad form to try that by the way. Challenging someone at another person's party. Finias would have killed him if he did it. We used to, um, date though, Fram and I. So I thought I'd save his life by doing this in private. Don't tell anyone, will you? I don't want to seem too nice."

Keeley just took a forkful of cake, which was getting a little stale, being a few days old. Edible though. Chocolate with white frosting.

"I didn't see anything. Literally." She shrugged and ate some more before saying anything else.

"So, am... Do you think I'm evil?" It was something that had to be addressed and waiting to stew in her own juices on the topic for a week first wouldn't help, would it?

Darla didn't say anything for a while, eating spoonful after spoonful of brown peanut paste. She liked smooth, but had chunky too, since that was Keeley's favorite.

"Yes." She didn't qualify it with anything, she just answered bluntly. After a few more bites the blonde relented, her face slightly blank.

"By every human standard and by a lot of other creatures, you
are
evil. There's no way to get around that one. For a Greater Demon you're incredibly sweet and kind, caring for your slaves and human friends instead of using fear and raw power to control them, even though you could, but that doesn't mean they don't think you're a monster. You've killed, had people raped and tortured. You had reasons each time, but claiming that the act isn't what counts is a cop out. Perfect for who you are though. Don't forget that." She ate more then, watching her sister closely, as if expecting some kind of meltdown.

Like Keeley had the emotions for that active at the moment?

"OK. Just checking. I keep thinking of myself as the good guy, trying to help people, because that's what a sixteen year old girl should do, but then I keep making myself act and when I do... the
real
me comes out." She didn't have to explain it to Darla, she was being careful not to look out of character, which had so many layers to it that a lot of people would have found it confusing. To her it was simple and at the same time, just the truth.

She was evil?

Well, there was the whole Demon thing, wasn't there? She probably couldn't really help it. Not in the long run. Being seen as too good right now wouldn't work either. At least outside of her circle of friends. She could get away with treating her people however she wanted and was required to try and treat Darla's the way her sister would at least. When in doubt be nice to another Demon's property.

Keeley looked at the clock on the wall and realized it was about seven-thirty already.

"Um, hey... Why don't we go and get something for the girls to eat, then pick up some donuts and take Maria to church? We'll need something that will fit Becky, but I think we can manage the rest from my stuff." She still had her old clothes and while some of it was a little plain, it was perfect for church going. Maria was Catholic, but they could sit in the back.

Darla rolled her eyes but didn't say no.

"Fine. I've got something that should work for Becky. Take my car and meet us as soon as you're ready? We should call Barb and let her know that Hally wasn't speaking for all of us. I've got that." She tossed the keys and then kept eating. She was already dressed for it after all, Keeley realized.

It had probably been her plan the whole time.

She'd need to change, but got to the bakery in time to pretty much beat the morning rush, clearing them out. It filled the little car, but she didn't know how many they'd need. If they had too many at the end they could take the rest over to the police station.

It took a while to manage everything, but they had the van loaded and everyone dressed properly enough, including Sherry who seemed pleased that they'd thought of church instead of streetwalking as a Sunday activity. She grinned as she said it though.

"Ridiculous. It was going to be grand theft auto. I don't mean the video game either!" Eve pumped a fist and then busted up.

They took two vehicles, since the donuts needed a little space too and got to the service early, meaning they could grab some rather nicely dressed people to help them carry things in. The priest was nowhere around, but another man walked over and gave them a hand.

"Darla! Miss Thomson, so good to see you both. Maria, how have you been?" It was Roy, the police chief, who had some position with the church too it seemed. That made sense, but apparently Eve hadn't realized that was the case. They weren't close. Or hadn't been.

He did manage to give his daughter a hug though.

"Karen's inside helping with set up. Will you sit with us during the mass?" That took some negotiation, since part of them weren't willing to take communion. Eve oddly was a baptized Catholic, and Maria had her own family there, it being her regular church. Becky wasn't that religious and Hally actually looked uneasy.

"I don't want to lie to anyone..."

They fixed it by hiding away in the back, listening to the whole thing passively, trying to follow along with all the standing and such. It was boring, but no one seemed to mind overly.

After it was done they went to a room that had some drinks in paper cups and the donuts that had been brought, as well as some nice lemon bars an older woman had made. They were a little sticky, but pretty good. Keeley had two of them, cut in irregular shapes while most people pored through the donuts or skipped out on both, like Karen, the Chief's wife. She was about forty, but was thin and had a good figure. Donuts didn't pass her lips at all. She lived on a diet.

It worked for her though.

A voice came from Keeley's right. It sounded slightly bemused.

"Well, at least one person here appreciates my efforts. I didn't know someone was going to do all this or I wouldn't have bothered." The lady was gray and slightly shaky, but had clear eyes and didn't smell like an old person.

"Did you make these?" She gestured with the treat in her hand. "They're very good. I brought the donuts, along with my friends. We should have made things too, but it was a last minute idea. Here, let me get you one of my cards. In the future we can coordinate that way. Um," She had some on her, since Darla had insisted and passed it over without getting it sticky.

"I'm Keeley." She didn't offer to shake but the older lady smiled.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Gladys." Put out by the competition or not she let Keeley introduce the others, then stood by the Chief and his wife as they tried to explain that Eve was their daughter. The priest came over for that one.

"I'm so glad to see so many new faces!" He offered to shake hands, which Keeley did when it was her turn, worried about what she'd pick up, but the man's worst flaw was overeating and he really did try to keep it reined in. He even felt bad about it when it happened, since gluttony was a sin.

He suggested they get together to talk about their spiritual health, which was his way of trying to recruit them. She was about to beg off when Sherry made a promise to call.

"My husband... he left us recently. He wasn't very religious, but I've been looking for a community for a long time."

That got a lot of people around them to smile and introduce themselves. Keeley stored the information and handed out cards, even as Darla stood back a bit, smiling, but not making eye contact with very many people. On the way out she leaned over and growled into Keeley's ear.

"Do you have to drag me into your political maneuvering?"

"Yep. Gladys had the right idea, we should have made all this stuff. Buying it is too impersonal. I don't know how to cook well enough, so, you know, tag. You're it."

That got a sputtering reply, which Keeley ignored. Darla was a bit of an anti-Christian bigot. More than a little. She claimed to know the guy, a Greater Demon, that had started the whole thing. Gregor. That it was all a social control mechanism was clear, but that didn't mean it couldn't be useful. For instance Roy and Karen probably weren't there to get their holy on either, being swingers that knew Darla for what she really was, as well as her thoughts on the matter. They were there to make contacts and so they'd look good. The same was probably a good idea for her and her mom.

Maria came to say goodbye, leaving with her family, and Becky decided it would be a good time to get back to her own life as well. Hally and Eve were being kidnapped by the Bensons and taken out to a nice lunch.

"I'll be back by..." Eve looked at her father who held up two fingers. "By then. To help with the flowers. Unless you need me now? I can skip this..."

Sherry waved that away.

"Nope, family first. I'll be fine. I got most of it done last night. What I could do at least. We probably won't have the flowers until five. Then the trick is just assembling them all in time. That's the simple part."

It wasn't really, but the timeline sounded about right. Just as they got to Freida, everyone else having taken off, Darla punched her in the arm. Not hard though.

"We haven't talked costumes for Halloween. I'm going as a sexy witch. If you go as a sexy cat you can be my familiar. This is for the town's party. We'll wear nice clothes to dad's. Dressing in costume is kind of a no-no. Don't want to be seen mocking anyone. Besides it's the one night a year we can be ourselves."

Keeley thought for a few seconds and then shook her head.

"Hally is going as a sexy cat. I don't know, what's trendy right now? Pirates?" She started Freida but didn't let her move until Darla had a seat belt on. "No, that's probably dated by now... Um..." She had nothing in mind at all.

In all of the planning she'd totally forgotten that part. She hadn't had a costume in years either, so she couldn't just pull something out of the closet.

"A clown?"

Darla chuckled.

"Fine, but I get to do your make-up and pick the outfit. I think I know exactly the right look for you. Get used to the idea of giant floppy shoes!"

"OK. As long as it's legal and won't make my mother blush, I'm in. We might need one for her too. I don't know if she's planning on coming along or not. She said she'd help, but that was kind of before the thing with dad."

She drove carefully, watching traffic, keeping her distance from the other cars and stopping for all the yellow lights. There wasn't a lot of traffic, but good habits didn't hurt. She'd rather take a few extra minutes getting someplace than get in a wreck and have to deal with insurance and the police.

When they pulled into the driveway there was already a car there.

Barb's. She sat in the front seat, hands on the wheel, knuckles white and body tense. Keeley hopped out and ran over to her, opening the door and grabbing her up into a warm hug that got traded to Darla after about ten seconds.

"You came!" Darla held on tightly for a while, until Barb started to relax.

"Good. Hally didn't mean it the way it came out. Everyone was really upset that you left and wants to make sure you still like all of us. You missed manicures and dishing about boys too. We have so much to catch up on." She started to lead her into the house, but Keeley's mother showed up, blocked out of the garage by her car. Keeley took the keys and re-parked on the street in a legal zone, then ran over to her, giving her another brief hug. This one got returned a little more warmly. Barb clung to her a little actually.

Then grabbed her butt.

She didn't let herself stiffen, but it was a slightly odd thing. One that Darla noticed, but didn't comment on. Sherry noticed too, having come out to see what was going on.

"What's the plan for the day?" It was said brightly, Sherry smiling the whole time, looking nice enough in her church outfit.

What they turned out to be doing was different than any of them had thought. Rebekah came walking down the street quickly, a hood pulled up to over her head, big black sunglasses and almost all her flesh well covered. It was a sunny day and not that cold, but cool enough to warrant more than shirt sleeves. No one would think anything of it overly.

Waving, Keeley called her over, the Vampire looking scared the whole time, body tense and tight.

"Rebekah? How are you doing?" It had to be an emergency, if she left the house, instead of just calling.

She stood on the street, frozen in place, face set and teeth showing just slightly. No one looked at her too funny though. It was nearly Halloween.

"Mis... Keeley? Bal... Our friend Bal is missing. He left and didn't come back after we saw you last."

Keeley nodded, "right, he's visiting with another friend. It's a good thing. Would you like to come in? This is my mother, Sherry. She's a florist and has her own home business. I've been wanting you two to meet anyway. This is our friend Barb. She's a cheerleader at Raintree with Eve and Hally."

She kind of wondered what would happen if she just didn't mention the obvious differences in Rebekah, but it was always better to give people a direction to go in if you didn't want them to end up all over the map.

"Rebekah is a Vampire. She looks like this all the time. Shall we go in, out of the sun?"

Everyone but Darla looked at her funny, but followed along readily enough.

Like they met Vampires every day.

Chapter nine