Other Places 3: Detours Read Online Free PDF Page A

last time
he'd seen it was when Bey had come for an investigation. Hopefully the Vampire
on his arm didn't have that kind of reputation. The reason they'd closed before
had been due to the entire local Vampire community going into hiding.
    Lenore,
Zack's very cute girlfriend, who looked about ready to work at a country fair
in her light blue dress and white apron, actually managed not to look shocked
when he walked up at least.
    Then,
even with the Vampire on his arm, she didn't seem to get who it was,
until they were almost in front of her. On the good side that meant she really
wasn't the jealous type, since he could get away with walking around with other
girls. She'd always said that was the case, and he knew it was true, but it
still felt funny to him. Of course that went two ways, so when she took other
people to bed he couldn't say much.
    "Marissa
Constantine?" There was a baffled look and then a small bow to go with it.
"To what do I owe the pleasure? Is it time for an accounting? I assure you
that our books are in good order. Let me run and get those for you..." She
did that very quickly, before either of them could say a word, and was back
with a large black ledger not five seconds later. "Here, please, have a
seat, or would you use my office?"
    Zack
had to search a bit, using the woman's own memories, but it was right there.
She wasn't Bey Transmorguir, the killer of rogue Vampires. That was
simply a fact. No, she was, more or less, their version of the IRS. When she
came to town, people got audited .
    Those
that failed their audits, died.
    The
Vampire Council member bowed a bit, and let herself settle into one of the
brightly colored yellow and orange booths. The vinyl barely made a sound at
all, under her light frame.
    "I'm
not here for that yet, though I do have a date later this year for it? If you
don't mind me looking now, that will save time. I'm sure they're in order. It's
always so nice looking at your work, dear." The book was handed over,
somberly, and the older woman didn't mention having just been in captivity.
Apparently, work came first.
    Even
before eating.
    "Do
we have any blood left? Perhaps we could free a bottle up for Marissa? I'll pay
for it." That seemed important for some reason, though it didn't leap to
mind. It was correct anyway, he could tell, since his girlfriend didn't do what
she normally might and try to give it to him for free. She normally would have
tried to give him anything she could, after all.
    She
also didn't try to explain why that was, and took his card when it was handed
over for the purchase.
    "Would
you like anything? I'm working on a new hazelnut and banana treat."
    He
nodded, since he really could use the extra calories. Really he'd need a bit
more than that too, but he could wait a bit and not make a pig of himself.
    Publically.
He was totally going to do that the second he got alone, he decided. One thing
that starvation for months had taught him, was that food was too important to
miss out on. It seemed a pretty intuitive lesson, like most people would simply
understand it, but until you nearly died from lack of it, he doubted most
really could.
    He
shrugged.
    "Could
I get, oh, six of them? Just to try out, of course."
    There
was a thump, which was a single cool finger on the open ledger.
    "Ah,
yes, you have an open account here? Unlimited food for yourself and all mall
employees? Does that count for the blood?" She addressed the last bit to
Lenore, who actually gave her a small smile back and shrugged, which was
probably very rude, normally, since it would be like her doing that to the
Secretary of the Treasury. "It hasn't before and he paid today. That...
would be a good idea. It's all in an effort to pay the debt we owe as an
organization. I've been tempted to make twice daily deliveries down to the
Trolleinkein embassy, to try and catch up." She clearly thought it was
funny, but Zack knew that a lot of them really did need to eat more than they
had