Keeley Thomson (Book 3): Mistress of Souls (7 page)

"It would be wonderful, if you aren't too busy? I don't want to take you away from paying work though." Especially since out of all her slaves Clara and her son had proven the most useful so far. Balthias was handy if she needed someone killed, but everybody needed food at some point, didn't they?

They all decided to go along, which made having Barb and her little two-door along handy, since Clara made one too many people to put in Freida comfortably if they had to drive Ginger York around too. Barb was really nice about it though, and like Eve, the Hsreth didn't seem to mind the girl at all. Maybe it wasn't pheromones then? She'd have to run it all past Darla. After all, Keeley knew she could be wrong, especially about things like that. Strange things or ones so new that they didn't come up in normal human experience.

It took half an hour to get Ginger from work and it turned out she had her own car with her, which meant taking it back to the York house, then going on to the first place of the three the real estate agent had for them to look at. It was big, had a dead tree in the front yard and looked like it was almost ready for Halloween without any decorations. It also had boards on the windows in places and the gate was made of bent metal with chain link that looked ready to fall off.

"It isn't the nicest of them, but you did say that you were willing to entertain the idea of a fixer upper and that haunted wasn't a problem?" Ginger looked half worried but it really was what had been said.

"Let's go inside?"

It didn't get better. On the good side though it had three things she really liked. The water worked, there was power to the whole house and it was huge inside. Ten rooms and three stories. A little isolated, being set back from the road, nearly out of town, but technically in the Raintree district, which meant she wouldn't have to switch schools. So four things.

It did have a ghost, but it was a weak specter that wouldn't harm anyone at all. It saw her and drifted from the room almost instantly, avoiding her automatically. No one else noticed it, except Clara who just nodded toward where it went. Then she commented on something else.

"The kitchen needs to be rebuilt, but the rest is serviceable with enough work. Glen and I could do most of it, with a few basic supplies. Perhaps the others could aid us as well, since they'll be living here?"

That would be a good plan, since Elis needed to be kept busy and Balthias was probably itching for things to do by now.

"I'll help too, of course. I'm sure we can manage the manpower that way and if not we'll hire it done." Keeley tried to remember to sound younger, realizing she'd taken just a bit too much control of the situation.

"What do you think mom?"

"Well... It is big. We should look at the others first though. Make an informed decision." The general grime was clearly getting to her. Laughing Keeley pulled them all away to the next one, before she started to clean. That should at least wait until they paid for the place.

The next one was too small and they didn't even bother to go in. It was nice enough, and if she didn't have as large of a group to house she might have picked it up. It had a really great porch that wrapped all the way around the whole house. It needed work, but not nearly as much as the first place.

On the third stop Keeley made a decision before going in. She wouldn't live in this place, though it was big enough. No, it was filled with too many things that were dangerous. She also couldn't let it just go out on the market.

"Is this... The house of Edith Givens by any chance?" She leaned in so that only Ginger would hear her. She had to check the paperwork with her but after a few seconds pointed at the page in front of her using the dome light on the ceiling.

"That looks right. It's part of an estate sale. E. Givens. You get everything inside it with the purchase. Just listed today. It's a bit strange, but people do that sometimes, so they don't have to clean out the place first."

Keeley asked how much and then thought for a second.

"Fine, I'll take this one and the first house we looked at. I can have the funds for you tomorrow, is that alright?"

Chapter four

 The evening ended at about ten, after they had a nice meal at a mid-priced restaurant with a buffet. Keeley ate a normal amount, like a regular person would have, but both Hally and Barb stinted themselves a lot. Eve ate more, but, she assured them, she hadn't really had anything all day. It was a bit crazy, but the girls were all struggling to keep their figures, if in their own ways. It just so happened that Keeley needed to eat more, rather than less. Ginger and Sherry ate similarly small amounts, but way more than any of the other girls, leaving only Clara with a plate like Keeley's.

Then, the amount of food they had didn't make a lot of difference to how a Hsreth looked. If they were starving they'd look about ten pounds thinner and if they ate prodigious amounts they'd gain about five. Really there was no reason for them to eat or not, except availability and comfort. Until they died from it. They'd just keep going until they fell down one day if they didn't eat at least occasionally.

The meal time chatter was pleasant and covered nothing of real consequence, though Barb did mention that she was afraid her being there with them might anger Darla. She did it more than once, which got Eve to roll her eyes finally.

"Not happening. She's your bud. Besides, why shouldn't you be here? You're one of us." It was nicely inclusive, but Hally had to force herself to agree and sounded like it took way more work than it should.

"Yeah. You're one of us Barb. She won't be mad." It wasn't until the last word that she sounded sincere though. It was a subtle thing, thank goodness, but Barb seemed to notice it anyway.

They made the rounds of returning everyone first, Clara to her shop and Eve to her trailer park. That always made the pretty, dark haired girl uneasy, as if people would judge her based on where she lived, but no one even looked at it funny. Barb had already taken off, after making sure Clara was taken care of, since she had her car. Hally and Ginger went next, but Sherry didn't really say anything as they finished the drive, not until they were most of the way home.

"Why buy two houses? I mean the second one looked nicer, but you didn't even go in. I'm not sure I get it." She played with the door handle absently, as if readying herself to leap out if the answer wasn't good enough. It was a subconscious thing and her seat belt was still on, so it didn't really mean much, but it showed unease.

"Do you remember Edith Givens?"

"Who?" The answer was clear enough.

"Um... OK. So, she was the person that tried to run you off the road and who also accidently ordered her minions to kill my friend Rob. She's dead. Blew herself up, more or less, trying to fight with Darla. Anyway, that's her house. Only... she was a Gatherer. Kind of like a cut rate mage that substitutes collecting things other people have made for doing the work themselves. She has a lot of gadgets and doodads in that house, some of which are really dangerous. I got the house to get at the things inside. Not that someone couldn't go in tonight and just take them, but I don't want some innocent homebuyer accidently taking out half the city because they put on the wrong necklace or something. The first place is the one I want for the others." She knew the next question that would be asked, so she just answered, saving time.

"The two Vampires and the Lesser Demon. We can't exactly keep them here. I mean, we
could
, but the neighbors might eventually notice. Plus it will give us a second place to go, once it's fixed up. Someplace for the others to stay too, if they need it. The Yorks."

"Ginger and her family? They're... your people?"

It was a polite enough way to say slave, so Keeley nodded.

"All but Hally. She's been claimed by Darla, though they don't have a bargain in place. It's the better way to go, if you have the time. The ones with deals have to do what you say, without question, but you have to be really careful to make sure they also have a good life. A lot of Demons don't bother with that part, but there's no reason not to, most of the time." That didn't sound too bad, did it? It was better than proclaiming she just didn't care about anyone else at any rate.

"Oh. I didn't realize. What do you... plan to do with them. The Yorks and the others?"

It was a good question. One that she'd actually been trying to think about when she got a chance.

"Well, Ginger should be running her own business. I'm thinking of setting that up. She and her husband, Devon, they used to be professional con artists, before they had to go into hiding. They settled down here and made a life for themselves, so I don't see a reason to ruin that. I'm not sure what to do with him though honestly. He sells insurance, but his skills seem to be underutilized there. I mean, doesn't it seem like an ex-conman should be able to do some impressive things if given the chance? I'll come up with something though.

Clara and Glen-"

"Wait. Them too? Who isn't your slave already?" She seemed more shocked than worried about propriety.

"That's about it. Just the ones I mentioned, well and Steve York. He's thirteen. Cute kid. I'm thinking a music career for him." Keeley shrugged and kept her eyes on the road.

"Anyway, Clara and Glen have their catering business and it's already successful. Really high end. Kind of a win on your part getting in with them for flowers and decorations. That seems to be all Eve though. So, you know, it's real. I didn't tell them to do it or even suggest it. Good plan though, don't you think?"

The drive was empty when they got there, as it should be. The door was closed too. Something was wrong though. There was a strange warping to the field of reality. It wasn't exactly visible, but it pulled at her on a deep level, irritating her just a bit. For a second she started to get ready for a fight, then decided to just not go in, before she got what the feeling meant. Balthias was there.

"Oh. Interesting. We have a visitor. Um..." How did you explain a Lesser Demon?

"He's one of my people, um,
beings
and he can't harm us. He's a little scary looking, but don't let that make you uneasy. He can also project fear, but doesn't seem to be doing that right now. It should be fine. Shall we go in?" It was important to let her mother have the choice.

"Why is he inside our home? We didn't invite him, did we?"

"Nope. Lesser Demon though mom, not a Vampire. For that matter I'm almost certain those rules don't have anything to do with them either." She'd need to research that, just in case it came up. The information was in her head somewhere, since she'd been in physical contact with several of them now.

They entered through the garage slowly, Keeley making herself stay relaxed and ready anyway, since it was just good habit. If Balthias ever broke free he might just decide to try and kill her. Technically that wasn't possible, escaping like that, not for him, but the universe was full of things that couldn't ever happen that did.

"Balthias? I'm here with Sherry Thomson. Come out, but slowly please and try not to be frightening." Grinning she gestured for her mother to walk into the living room where he was standing. Keeley could tell by the flex of the world around them.

"Mistress of Souls. I bring word to you from the Vampire Rebekah. She begs leave to go hunting in the night. Her food is adequate, but she seems to grow restless, as does the lowest one, Elis. He has been confined to our room however and sits, moping. I offered to entertain him, but still he resists. Most vexing." Then he stood, hunched over to about seven foot tall. Bowing.

It was meant to make him look smaller, less looming. It sort of worked. Sherry looked only half freaked instead of in a dead panic. She managed a slow step forward though and tried to smile. It looked more like a person fighting not to throw up, but the effort was there.

"Hello. I'm Sherry. I don't think we've met?" She sounded polite enough, considering everything.

"I am Balthias. I have seen you before. I was without visible form at the time, so I won't hold your not recognizing me against you."

Then the giant with his brownish red skin covered with wooly hair on the chest and shoulders, his tusks and horns all gleaming white and hooves politely not leaving marks in the carpet, did something rather unusual for him. He smiled.

"I hear that you've recently dissolved your old relationship? The Technician mentioned it last night. The one named Charles abandoned you in a cowardly fashion, without even seeking to protect you from the world in his passing?"

Sherry made a face and looked tight, but nodded.

"That's a little meaner than I would have been about it, but something like that. Who's the Technician?"

Keeley waved a hand toward the far wall, towards her sister's place, as if it actually made sense.

"Darla. Balthias is staying at her house, so it's natural for him to pick things like that up." Instead of it having been a matchmaking effort. Keeley hoped so anyway.

The Lesser Demon wasn't exactly dating material.

"Exactly. So, if you're looking for a way to pass the time some night, please do not hesitate to call on me. I don't sleep and can be here in an instant..." The sad thing wasn't that he was dead serious.

It was that Sherry looked intrigued by the idea.

Yeck.

Mom sex was not a topic that Keeley wanted to get into anymore than she already had. She blocked the whole thing out and went back to the topic at hand.

"Tell Rebekah she can hunt, but that she needs to make certain that she isn't caught and doesn't kill anyone if she can help it. Except severe criminals. Murderers and rapists. Child abusers. Those she can destroy if she wants. She needs to hide the bodies well though. I'm sure she knows what to do, but give her backup there if she needs it." Keeley stared up into the yellow eyes, which were slowly turning more brown. The Lesser Demon was shifting slowly to meet the form she desired for him. He was made of thought energy after all, the fears and worries of Christians mainly, but now he was linked to her too, which probably made him a lot stronger, or would over time. He smelled a lot better too. A bit like cedar and hardly like rotten eggs at all anymore.