Immortal Memory (Iris' Atlantis 1)

10: Family is the Worst

Timothy

I lifted two bags of groceries onto the stone porch and searched my pocket for the keys.

It was nice meeting you, Timothy, please, cover for me again, will you?

The key slipped through my cold fingers and fell down to a bed of perennials underneath. I sighed and crouched on the steps to find them. Some part of me wished just then I would have been a vampire again. I wouldn't have needed the keys.

It was a wish that might become reality sooner than I was prepared for.

I fished the keys among yellow leaves. And got home.

The thing about fine autumn days was that they tended to be cold. So when warm air rushed to meet me, I smiled despite myself.

A few days ago I had left Julia at a metro station near where Lavender lived. The demon who claimed not to be a demon had smiled and waved at me when I had continued on to drop Hellebore his belongings.

"Had an interesting visit to the Witches?" the blind man had asked.

Somehow The Fair Marquise had been empty when I came. Just me, Hellebore himself and the huge white dog, for which the shop had been named.

"It was more eventful than I would have optimally wished. I... I ran into someone I had met before."

"You don't seem overjoyed," Hellebore urged.

"Mmm... I... She is complicated."

"Oh. That she is. But aren't all the interesting people? Tea?"

I hadn't asked Hellebore if it was somehow his doing that I had ended up meeting Julia. Somehow I felt certain of it. I hadn't been sent on an errand to collect some items anyone could have gotten for the alchemist. I had been sent to meet Julia. Maybe even to protect Julia.

I also probably should have asked Hellebore who she was. Even what she was. But I hadn't. The end date of my own human life seemed to have quenched some of my natural human curiosity.

She was who and what she was. Mo wanted her alive. She was under the vampires' protection. And if the witches felt differently, it really was none of my business. Because in this play I was essentially still a vampire... Or at least naturally on their side. I had chosen them once, and I hadn't really chosen any other side since.

And now Mo was reclaiming my life anyway as vampire property.

Like she was claiming the house. Had maybe already signed the contracts.

Suddenly I felt bone weary tired. I left the groceries in the downstairs hall, took the gym bag with me and went upstairs.

Some impulse made me continue down the hallway to Plume's room that had been my parents'.

The vampire rested immoble on the covers. He had lain there like that already for two days. The bed creaked as I sat on the edge and then lay flat onto my back beside him. Plume didn't care. He continued his dead slumber. As long as I didn't think of anything threatening, he wouldn't stir. And if I did, he might strangle me to death without ever waking up. Plume might not actually even become aware of himself tonight at all. His medication had come with side effects.