Breathless Ch. 02

Sadie had a different frame of mind. She never thought the best way to get to know people was to stare at them through glass like they were animals at the zoo. You had to get in there and give them a scratch behind the ears sometimes. And she loved barbecue.

Before going in, she took a look around. She wasn't expecting trouble, but that usually meant jack-shit in her line of work. Her eyes penetrated the darkness, seeing a small band of werewolves playing street hoops in a lot across the street. There were a couple of elves hanging out in front of a convenience store. One of them was harassing women that came in or out of the store while the other one just kind of stood there.

'Hunh,' Sadie thought, checking out the elf in the trenchcoat. 'He's kinda fat for an elf.' She shrugged, having seen weirder in her life. There were a few human kids looking at the court, waiting for their turn. Midian was a strange town. While the percentage of darklanders was higher than any other city in North America, they were still outnumbered by humans, who could breed like rabbits. But despite millennium of living together, humans still feared the things that went bump in the night. She was surprised to see humans up this late. She could tell that the werewolves weren't going to give up the court anytime soon. Maybe she'd encourage them to "play nice" after she'd eaten.

The restaurant itself was everything that she'd hoped it would be. It was obviously a mom and pop type operation, probably run by the goblins working the kitchen and register. It was hard to tell if a goblin was male or female, even for Sadie. They were all squat, stout, blue-skinned people to her. There were no tablecloths, the menus were limited to selections that were unhealthy or VERY unhealthy, and everything smelled tangy. Devlin looked like he was going to be ill. Sadie ordered the ribs. The workers and established clientèle seemed edgy about newcomers barging into their routine existences, but Sadie wasn't the type to be put off easily.

She got her food (Devlin had opted not to order anything) and after cleaning the first rib all the way down to the bone, she insisted on hugging the cook for "bringing culinary heaven into a drab world." The locals warmed to her pretty well after that. And she found out why the word "roll" was in the title's marquis after they brought out some hot, buttered dinner rolls the size of cantaloupes. Even Devlin wasn't able to resist the sweet smelling baked goods,

The young human officer was picking fiercly at the roll, enjoying every bite individually, when he hit Sadie with a question out of the blue.

"Hey, I hope this isn't a personal question he started, staring intently at his snack, "but . . . well, there aren't a lot of vampires who do public service."

"S'okay. Most vampires are pretentious eurotrash wannabies. But that's their choice. Spit it out. What did you want to ask?"

"Have . . . how many people have you Turned?"

If Devlin had been very observant, he might have noticed a slight slowing of pace in how Sadie ate and moved. It didn't last long, but her eyes also went blank for a moment.

"I don't Turn people," she said with a certain degree of finality.

"Why? Aren't you entitled to at least one Turn --"

"I just don't. There's plenty of other vamps out there who keep the species going, some of which have no business taking care of house plants much less a new Turn."

Devlin wasn't always the fastest gun in the fight, but he wasn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination. He'd touched a nerve, but he just couldn't help himself. "Is it that you've just never felt anyone worthy or that you --"

"I just don't do it," she said, wanting to change the subject. Then it occurred to her, "You . . . you weren't wanting me to Turn YOU, were you?" It came out sounding arrogant and incredulous, and Devlin blushed in anger. "Sorry," she said. "I'm surprised is all. Why?"

"Why WOULDN'T you want immortality?!" he whispered heatedly. "Both my parents died of cancer, so you know what that makes my risk factor, don't you?" He calmed down a bit, eating his biscuit. "I don't want to go out that way."

Sadie understood that at least. There were two reasons why people were drawn to vampirism, and neither of them were all that good by her way of thinking. Some loved the mysteriousness, others the immortality. Most people didn't understand the price that was paid for these gifts, but Sadie understood it.

"Okay," she said at last. "I think I get it. I'm sorry to hear about your parents. I realize that probably doesn't mean much right now, but I do. But being at high risk doesn't mean you WILL get cancer. So please, before you go asking for membership into the overly-expensive-black-suit-and-fangs club, please promise me that you'll think about this some more. I know you've thought about it already, but now consider this. Ever wonder why vampires tend to hang out with their own starting about ten or so years after being Turned?"

Devlin looked confused. "I just figured its because that you bond with your own. They take you in, train you and teach you and --"

"You do it because when you become undead, you become very aware of death." Sadie's eyes darkened and she knew she was scaring him a bit. This was the part of vampires that people didn't like to think about . . . the part about dying. "Then, the people around you that you cared about while alive start to die, and it hits you. Then you don't want to be around mortals much, or at least not get too close. For a while, you want to save them all, but the Greater Council and the mortal races put limits on how many new vampires can be made. You have to choose who you save and watch the others cry that it wasn't them." She sat back, not even talking to Devlin directly . . . she was just talking. "Being mortal is precious Devlin. It means the moments matter. That's why I like being around them, even when it hurts." She met his eyes, "Because they appreciate the time they have so much more." It was odd for her to express her feelings, normally preferring to keep things superficial and light, but she didn't want him to walk into what he was asking for blind. And she certainly wasn't going to accept responsibility for him.

He looked troubled, but looked like he was going to let the conversation drop. "I need to use the bathroom," he said, quickly standing up and walking through the double-doors with the typical male/female caricatures on them. It made her angry that she'd dug that speech out of her soul, and angrier still at him for making her.

She felt a hand on her shoulder about the same time that a bag smelling of confectionery paradise was put on the table. It was the goblin from the register.

"These are for you hun," the goblin said, flashing a smile of jagged teeth.

'Okay, it's a female,' Sadie realized from the voice. "How much do I owe you?" she added, reached for her wallet.

"First one's on us Arbiter," the squat woman said.

"How did you know --"

"Word travels fast, even as a place as big and diverse as the Gravestones. Lady like you tends to make an impression."

Sadie returned the grin. "Okay, but I couldn't possibly take this --"

The woman, whose name tag read the obligatory "Marge" that was required at all diner-type establishments, interrupted again. "First time for dinner, but you can stop by for rolls any time. And if you want to encourage some other cops to come down and support this fine establishment, so much the better."

Sadie laughed. Goblins were good business-folk. Get the local cops interested in your place, and that alone will keep you in business for a long time. "I think I could do that."

Marge touched Sadie's face in an oddly matronly way. "I heard what ya told the boy. Can't be easy looking into someone's eyes and tellin' 'em the truth when they want you to promise 'em the moon. You did what was right, and I admire that." Then the goblin walked (or waddled) away, leaving Sadie with her spirit brightened.

'And people like that is the reason I do what I do,' Sadie thought, standing up and walking outside to wait. She noticed that the werewolves were still hogging the court. 'Time to mix with the locals.'

When Devlin walked out, he saw that Sadie was unhooking her gun belt and securing her pistol in the SUV. "What's going on?"

"Just gonna go play some basketball," she said gleefully.

Devlin was now completely baffled, but this he HAD to see. 'What the hell is she up to?'

Sadie walked over to the humans, who looked like they were still in high school. "So," she purred, you boys wanna play?"

They stared at her blankly.

"Basketball?"

One of the young men finally pulled his eyes off of her cleavage long enough to speak. "Yeah. We're just waiting for them to be done with the court. Which should be any day now."

Sadie looked over her shoulder at the wolves. "Hey, you gonna be much longer?"

"As long as we wanna be," one replied, bringing about that guffawing laughter common amongst young men.

The vampire wandered over and the game stopped. She could tell they'd smelled she was a vampire by the time she got within ten feet.

"What's a tasty lookin' blood sucker doin' this far in our town?" the lead one left. Closer up, Sadie thought these were all guys in their early to late twenties. They smelled of ammonia and bleach and stale garbage . . . these weren't troublesome kids, but just some blue-collar night howlers looking to unwind.

"Just checking out the scene. Hey, you guys mind playin' half-court so we can get in some too?"

"Sorry, but can't get a good sweat up just going half-way," another one said, eying her over. "You understand."

Sadie smiled as sweetly as she could possibly muster. "You must be saving a ton of money on antiperspirant then, because I can't imagine anyone letting you go all the way."

The werewolf's friends got a laugh out of that, covering their mouths as if their comrade wouldn't know they were having fun at his expense by hiding their teeth. Sadie knew she had to be careful. She wasn't worried about them trying to hurt her, but she didn't want to alienate them.

"Tell you what . . . I'll play you for it."

"Hey, court's ours lady," her target said, looking nervous. She was an unknown and, even as an overconfident as werewolf males tended to be, he wasn't willing to risk getting shown up by a woman, even if she was a vampire. He started to turn around and dribble the ball.

Sadie put the finishing touch on the deal. "Are you sure? You can be shirts and I'll be skins."

Nobody moved. The humans behind her had stopped breathing. The only sound penetrating the night was the basketball bouncing slowly across the blacktop, suddenly quite unattended.

"Skins?" one of the werewolves said.

"Well, as much skin as the law allows," she said evilly. "And since I'm the law," she said, flashing her badge, I'd say that's a lot of skin."

"She's that fucking Arbiter that we've been hearing about!"

"Damn, I heard she was hot --"

"Dude, don't! She can arrest you if she loses!"

"I can do no such thing," Sadie says.

"Do it!"

The challenged wolf looked at his friend. "Why?"

"Because if you win, you beat an Arbiter!"

"And if I lose?"

"We get to see her naked!"

And that settled the challenge.

"What are you doing?!" Devlin whispered heatedly as Sadie sat down on the bleachers and took off her boots.

"Just getting to know the locals," she said happily. She loved getting naked. Okay, she wasn't going to sleep with any of these guys, but might as well give 'em a thrill. It was fun! She stripped down to her bra and typically tiny g-string (the only type of underwear she actually owned), then put her boots back on. Devlin was caught somewhere between shock and drooling. "So boys, is this enough skin?"

There was a lot of nodding.

Sadie actually wasn't a particularly experienced basketball player, but she had a great deal of speed. More importantly, she didn't actually care about winning. The wolf she was playing, whose name turned out to be Todd, beat her by the skin of his teeth. And when she took the loss with sweat and a smile, all she got was some good natured ribbing.

"How about some full court?" Todd said, warming up a bit. This girl was the hottest thing he'd ever seen, and he was in no big hurry for her to get covered up and leave.

"Can my friends play?" she aske innocently, her arms at her sides lightly pressing against her breasts to emphasize her already pronounced cleavage? "No, not those friends," she said as the wolves all looked at her tits, "THOSE friends." She was glancing at the humans who, despite their earlier protestations, were having a great time just being spectators. Actually, a number of people had shown up to watch the hottie in lingerie playing basketball.

"Anything you want baby," Todd said.

"Call me baby again and I'll neuter you," she replied with a chuckle. "Okay, let's pick some teams."

Within half an hour, Sadie had worked up a pretty good sweat, which is impressive for a vampire. She somehow always managed to get picked for the "skins" team, but she wasn't complaining. She saw Devlin had gone back to sit in the patrol car, refusing her invitation to participate. She rolled her eyes.

'That boy needs to lighten up.' She was getting ready to take the ball out again when a black convertible pulled up to the lot. There were three well dressed men and one fashionable woman in the car, and all of them were looking on the display with disdain. Sadie knew without even smelling them that anyone who dressed that nice to drive around while looking that snide had to be a vampire.

"Look what the dogs dragged in," one said. He looked to have been in his forties when he had turned.

"They got themselves a little human humping post," the girl chuckled, but Sadie found no mirth in it.

It occurred to Sadie that between the sweat, the tan, the "improper dress" and the general aroma of human and werewolf sweat, these people probably had no idea who or what she was. She also noticed that the werewolves' mood had soured quickly.

"If they need one, it's probably because you're all ready worn out," she replied, looking the female intruder up and down. "It was so nice of your friends to take these nice gentlemens' cast offs." She could actually feel the werewolves' ears pick up and heard some soft laughter.

"See," the driver said, "this is why we have rules about Turning the lesser species. Otherwise, the great cities would be overrun with white-trash."

Sadie casually sank a hook shot. "Who says white chicks can't play?" she muttered, then turned back to the vamps. "Cities are already overrun with trash," she replied, "but we let you stay anyway." Inwardly, she wasn't happy. 'That was a lame comeback,' she thought.

"On your best day," the female vamp said, stepping up to the fence around the court, "you'd be lucky to be a second tier broodling, begging for her master's bite."

Sadie smiled again, this time with fangs bared. "I'm not big on having a 'master,' thank you very much. And I'd rather run with wolves than sip tea with a bunch of poodles."

The four vamps glanced amongst themselves. They weren't often surprised by one of their own. "What are you doing frolicking with these . . . things," the woman said, glancing at humans and werewolves alike. "Particularly dressed like a common whore!"

"Hey!" Sadie said, genuinely offended. She pointed from her head and slowly down to her toes, "there is nothing 'common' about this body! If you'd like I might be able to give you some tips . . . help you get rid of that second chin."

"How dare you?! Who do you think you are? When Lord Vallant hears about this --"

"Lord who?" Sadie asked innocently.

"Lord Vallant, Councilman for the Gravestones and our personal creator," she said smugly.

Sadie checked that name away for future investigation. "So he would be close with the mayor then?"

The intruders seemed so sure of themselves again. "Indeed," the driver said.

"Good. I'm attending a fund raiser this weekend and most of the mayor's friends are going to be there, or so I'm told. I just want to know who to seek out to complain about the incredible rudeness of his toadies."

"You? At one of the mayor's functions? Don't make me laugh."

"Pants!" she shouted. Someone tossed her pants over to her and she pulled out her wallet. "Yes, as the new Arbiter in Midian, my presence was requested by the mayor and Lord Frost. Perhaps you've heard of him?" Sadie actually had little interest in being associated with Lord Frost, but she was enjoying making these people squirm. And boy were they ever squirming. "Now, I see that you're actually parked illegally. Just because I feel sympathetic for people who had to ride the short bus to school, I'm going to let you all off with a warning . . . this time. But I would consider moving that piece of shit before I lose my 'white-trash' temper and have it towed." She smiled sweetly. "Understand? Now get out of my sight."

The vampires looked so furious that she was sure someone was going to pop a vein, but they got back in their car and pulled away.

"Fucking vamps," one of the werewolves muttered. When Sadie turned to glower at him, he looked a bit embarrassed. "Sorry ma'am. No offense towards you."

"S'okay. Actually, I should probably get back to work." She waited until the moans of disappointment subsided, kicking off her boots so she could put her pants back on. "What was with that whole 'lesser species' and 'these things' crap?" she asked.

"Dunno," Todd said. "We've been hearing that a lot this year. Normally they just get all mysterious and full of themselves around Halloween, but it's been worse this year. Hell, I used to have some friends who were vamps who'd come and play, but they're sticking with their own these days."

"Really? Hunh." Sadie didn't like the sound of that. It might be nothing, but she'd keep her eyes open.

One of the humans was nodding his head. "Most of 'em have moved to the edge of Gravestones, over by West End. My folks live over in Dodson, and she tells me thery're doing the same kinds of stuff there."

Sadie pulled her vest on and tied it up, getting a cheap thrill of having all the onlookers. "Thanks. Hey, for those of you who didn't hear earlier, my name is Sadie Hewitt, and I'm an Arbiter stationed at the Gravestones precinct. If you guys get harassed by vamps or hear anything else odd like this, let me know okay?"

"You think that something's up?" Todd asked.

"Probably not. Theres' a bunch of reasons vamps act up. I just like to know what's going on." She high-fived all the players and headed back towards the SUV. But before she got there, Todd caught up with her.

"Hey, you said you worked at the Gravestones precinct? Over on Harbor Street and 8th?"

"Yeah."

"You know Vladimir Koloff?"

"Vlad? Yeah, I work with him."

Todd grinned. Sadie liked a friendly werewolf grin. "He hates being called Vlad. Anyway --" Todd looked nervous. "He's my uncle."

"No shit?!"

"Yeah and . . . could you tell him that my mom is sorry and was wondering when he's coming by to visit? He'll know what it means."

"Sure thing," she said, tapping fists with the young wolf. She watched him turn around and start up a new game, wolves and humans mixed together. Again she headed to the car. Devlin seemed to be on the horn complaining to Captain Grom about the Arbiter's "unprofessional behavior." Sadie jumped in the driver's side and grabbed the radio out of Devlin's hand.

"Hey Grommie," she said.

*Arbiter, were you really playing naked basketball with werewolves? (click)*

"You say that like it's a bad thing. I wasn't completely naked . . . technically. Besides, you wanted me to mingle --"

*Mingle! Not do public lap dances! (click)*