La Posada --Chapter 13 --PG-13

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librarian_7
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La Posada --Chapter 13 --PG-13

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Disclaimer: I don't own Josef. He thinks he owns freshie Lucky, but I do.

La Posada

Chapter 13

“Los—Los Angeles?” Lucky heard her voice rise, much as she tried to keep it under control. Being friendly with Carmencita here at the Posada was one thing. But she only knew of a few vamps in L. A. who kept exclusives in any style, and as for anyone who would be willing—and able—to lay out the kind of money it would take to support an hereditary, only one. What could she think, but that Josef…she knew she was jumping to conclusions. She didn’t know every major player in Los Angeles, even if the ones at Josef’s private conferences were the pillars of vamp society. She had a sudden vision of Carmencita at Josef’s house, in Josef’s arms, enchanting him with her exotic beauty, charming him with her pretty speeches, making the rest of them miserable with her damned smug assurance that he would require her blood, and that of “her daughters, and her granddaughters, and their granddaughters.”

Lucky’s lunch suddenly felt like a stone in her stomach. “I live in Los Angeles,” she said.

Carmencita brightened. “Oh, then perhaps we can be friends there, yes? I had been thinking, perhaps, since I do not know this vampire, that I should just break my contract and walk away.” She tossed her head, with a trace of the old arrogance. “What is he to me? But if I do that, since there is no legacy from Don Diego, the money is not so good now, and my brothers need education to make their way in the world….it is very hard, to leave what you have always known. Very hard.”

“I can see that.”

“Perhaps,” Carmencita said, “you think I am putting my sorrows behind me too quickly, but if I cannot go to be with my beloved Don Diego, I must mourn in private, and make what I can of my life. It is harsh, but it is what my mother would tell me.”

Lucky looked away, out the window. The afternoon was clouding over. “I think that no one who knows this life, thinks it easy. We give so much more than just blood.”

Carmencita nodded. She stared down at her demurely folded hands, silent for awhile, before she spoke. “We were so protected, my family, but everything has changed. And I have to change as well. I was thinking of myself only, but now I need to be strong for my family. It is a new life. And perhaps, if our vampires are friends, we will see each other frequently.”

“Yes, I—I’m sure we will." Lucky tried to force her expression into a semblance of a smile, but she could tell it was a miserable failure. “Carmencita, I’m sorry, but I’ve had the worst headache come on just now. Can we talk again later?”

“Of course. Forgive me, I’ve wearied you with my troubles. You look pale.” She rose. “Maybe we can find out the name of this so-mysterious new vampire of mine, yes? He will never replace Don Diego, for me, but if I have been taught one thing, it is that we must go on. No matter what happens, we must go on. And Lucky, thank you. The hand of friendship is a valuable thing. I have learned a great deal, today.”

Lucky shook her head. “De nada, Carmencita.” She thought her throbbing temples might explode. “It’s been most interesting.” She kept the smile pasted on until Carmencita was out the door.

**

“Josef, I have a problem.”

The ancient vampire frowned. “Now why is it that whenever someone says that to me, what I hear is ‘Josef, I’d like to make my problem, your problem’?”

His visitor sighed and ran a distracted hand through his dark curls. “This is serious. I need advice.”

Josef echoed the sigh, and indicated that they should take a seat at a small conference table nearby. He could tell it was one of those evenings when he wasn’t going to get any actual work done. “All right, all right. Your problem is my problem, my friend.” He let his hand hover over an intercom to security, and quirked his eyebrows up. “I’m assuming, however, that it’s not the kind of problem that carries the threat of imminent violence with it?”

“No, no, I don’t think so.”

“In that case, tell me your troubles.”

When it came to the point of explanation, the other vampire hesitated. He wanted to phrase it carefully, to make his problem clear. “A few years ago, I did a favor for someone. Took on a debt. He promised to repay me when he could. I wrote it off, you know? He had a lot of debts and not much juice.”

“I’m not a debt collector. Get someone else to repo his freezer.”

“That’s not the problem.”

“Then snap it up. I’m getting bored.” Josef drummed his fingers on his desk to emphasize his point.

He took a deep breath. “It’s Tommaso Rivera.”

“Miami?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, he’s come into some property lately, I hear.”

“Property, yes. Cash, not so much. For someone on a blood diet, the late Don Diego didn’t have a lot of liquid assets.”

“So get him to deed you some real estate. You can afford to wait out the housing slump,” Josef said.

“No, wait. Listen. He paid the debt. He gave me the contract on a hereditary freshie.”

The two vampires stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. It was early, and the twilight gloom was still deepening. At length, Josef found he was unable to suppress his grin.

“You?” he said, “and a hereditary freshie?”

“Yeah.”

“I have to admit it’s an interesting concept. But really, what’s the big problem?”

“Oh, come on, you know me, man. Do you really see me with…with a…?”

Josef sobered. “Most vamps your age would see it as a nice piece of stability and human contact.”

The other vampire rose and began to pace. “I can’t have her hanging around my place, Josef. It’d never work. You know that.”

He shrugged. “Then void the contract.”

“You’d throw a puppy out in the snow, wouldn’t you?”

“In a heartbeat, if I had one. Look, my friend, you know what the choices are. Keep her—and a good portion of her family, no doubt—in the style to which she is unquestionably accustomed, void the contract, or sell it to someone else.”

He shook his head. “I’m not comfortable with selling humans.”

Josef looked vaguely irritated. “I knew you had a soft spot for the mortal ones, but you accepted delivery.”

“That was my first mistake.”

“No, your first mistake was getting mixed up with Tommaso Rivera. This just follows.”

“I don’t suppose you’d be in the market?”

“Heh. No, I don’t think so.” Josef paused. “What’s the matter? Is she—unappealing?”

“No. I mean, I don’t know. I have the impression she was one of Don Diego’s pets, and Tommaso didn’t want to have to watch his back every day. But I haven’t seen her yet. The contract came by courier.”

“So where is she?”

“Do I hear interest?”

“Purely academic, my friend.”

“She’s stashed at some freshie rehab place in Colorado. Tommaso sent one of his lawyers out to give her the word.”

“Gracious of him. And I think now I understand an email I got earlier today.” Josef was smiling, but his expression was enigmatic.

“How’s that?”

“Because every problem in this town turns into my problem. Sooner or later.”

His guest shook his head, lost. “Whatever. So what do we do?”

“Oh, no. What do you do? Up to you. What I do is damage control.”

“You’ve been a great help, Josef. As always.” His soulful eyes were troubled. “Looks like I have some decisions to make.”

“Yes, you do.” Josef paused, and turned away, smiling to himself. “Now that I think about it, this could be fun.”
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Re: La Posada --Chapter 13 --PG-13

Post by maggatha3 »

No! Nonononononono no way!! I am hearing voices in my head!!! :eek2:
-It never ends well...
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Re: La Posada --Chapter 13 --PG-13

Post by darkstarrising »

Really nice twist, Lucky :hug: Of all the people to inherit a hereditary freshie, a curly haired, friend of Josef's is the last person who'd want one. As Josef said, this could be fun!!
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