So You Used to Be Human - Book 3 (Original Version)

Chapter 21: Hail to the King, Baby

-4-

Jaime had been in the shower for at least thirty minutes and I was beginning to think that she had no intention of ever coming out.

Sammy had met us at the elevator and quickly escorted us inside of the King's apartment before anyone had a chance to get a proper look at us. Even with the aid of the baby-wipes, there were still clotted clumps of blood hanging off Jaime, on her neck and in her hair; she was being a little paranoid that people would notice and all of a sudden know what she had done. Seeing Sammy waiting for us had done a remarkable job of calming her down, a friendly face in the chaos of the night.

Sammy hadn't said anything at all. She's just squeezed Jaime's hand reassuringly, leaving me completely out of the loop and wondering just when they'd become such good friends. Apparently killing me many times brought people together.

The tv mounted high in the elevator was showing the news and once again there was Jaime's "missing person" story over the shoulder of the news anchor. They had somehow tracked down Jaime's date from that night (I was right about his name being Chadl) and were interviewing him, but the volume was on mute and my lip reading skills suck. When they cut away to a live shot of a very familiar beat of a towncar surrounded by lots of cops and with the subtitle of "Gang Violence on Highway 7", I glanced over at Jaime to see if she was seeing it.

Sammy must have heard me inhale or something.

"Not a word from you Bob. Not a word."

The elevator had deposited us directly into the foyer of the huge penthouse apartment that the King had designed specifically to look like a mansion. I had been there once before but that had been a year before with a whole group of musicians and the crew of the reality-tv show who had been following the King around at that point. I just hadn't remembered it being this big before...

"You. Stay. Right there," Sammy had commanded me, and had escorted Jaime off down the corridor.

I stood uncomfortably in the foyer and considered just ducking out, if only to avoid the wrath of Sammy, but I was determined not to let her push me around. Plus I was hungry and the King always had good food on hand. The last time he's gotten one of his buddies Chef Paul to cook for us and I still drool every time I think of what that man did with a bottle of rum, some fresh herbs and some great cuts of meat. Unfortunately the Rum Chef didn't seem to be around tonight, just Sammy and her temper, coming back for me.

I think she might have been a little bit pissed off at me.

You know how I know how pissed off she was?

Sammy didn't say a word. She came back and planted herself in front of me and just looked at me, her eyes merely slits in her face. I said nothing back, merely shifting uncomfortably, waiting for her to break, for her to say something, anything. I broke first. Of course.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"I'm trying to set you on fire. With my mind."

"It's not working. I don't even feel warm."

"In my imagination you're on fire. There's a lot of screaming going on."

"Oh."

"I should have brought marshmallows. By the way, you scream like a little bitch."

"It wasn't my fault--"

Sammy laughed humourlessly. "Of course it wasn't your fault Bob. It never is! I don't even know what happened, and I really don't want to know, but without even asking, I already know it wasn't your fault, and I know who got fucked over by it. Oh, heres a hint: not you."