Dead Surround - The Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles (18 page)

Only Percy, Danby, the judo team, and Maclemar remained to learn some basic street fighting skills from Poe.

One other watched from the roof. His silver eyes followed every move Poe made with fierce pride. He didn’t know right below him Jenna scrutinized his face.



Only tolerated and ignored before, Poe moved among the camp and received tepid nods at best.

Better than nothing
.

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Devoting two hours a day to training the judo and boxing club reduced her listlessness. Megan, as big as a house, had yet to birth her child. According to Miriam, the octogenarian midwife who had hands and limbs as brittle as a bird’s, childbirth would have to be induced soon.

“Four days overdue in this heat,” Poe muttered as she left Maple’s Winnebago. She dropped off a basket of apples for Perla that she’d picked from a neighboring farm. The past few days had seen an exodus of buses full of vampires and humans leaving for their new homestead. Those left behind sweaty in the heat looked listless and fearful.

You’d do anything to avoid going inside,
wouldn’t you?
the voice in her head mocked.

The camp had begun to disassemble, and a pall had fallen among those left behind. It was a breezeless, hellion of a day. The dregs who hadn’t left with the respective shuttle buses to their new destination escaped to the coolness of the barn or the water hole half a mile south of the farm. Like garlic broiled in an oven, the smell assailed the nostrils and left an indelible stench on everyone’s sweaty clothing and skin. The cracked highways produced a winding mirage of gasoline-infused images that played with the mind’s eye.

“It’s so hot, hell’s knocking on the soles of my feet,” complained Maclemar. He was half-hidden as he read a paperback copy of
Fahrenheit 451
under the droopy arms of a willow tree that stood in the middle of the farm
.
“How’s your friend, luv?”

The sight of the Welshman put a smile on Poe’s lips.

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“Good. They’re both fine,” she said and tossed an apple his way. “Picked some apples for Perla in the orchard next door for their trip. Haven’t climbed a tree since I was a kid.” She was shadowed by Penny and Chops who rested their rumps under the tree. “Trying to squirm out of working?”

“No, Sharren. This little quiet moment is reward for completing the look-over of the vehicles, including your friend’s Winnebago. They might leave tonight. Hence the black nails.” He held up his sooty fingers for Poe’s inspection.

“Eesh! That’s nasty stuff there, Maclemar.”

“Next to Habib, I believe I was the only one who did not shirk from duty this day,” he said, patting the cool spot on the ground next to him.

“Who can work in this heat but crazy people?

And what the heck does Sharren mean?”

Maclemar smiled, and slightly crooked teeth showed. Her mom did say that perfect teeth were a complete turnoff. Porcelain smiles of beauty pageant contestants irked her like nothing else. The Welshman’s teeth were pleasant enough. The chance unevenness added character to his smile.

“Sharren means a woman who thinks she’s tough,” he answered with a roguish glint in his eyes then quickly took a bite of his apple. He’d no intention of offending the girl and curtailing the pleasant moment.

“Huh. That’s interesting,” Poe said and squinted with distrust. Since she didn’t want to spoil the nice day by being catty, she took a huge bite of her apple.

“What’s the male equivalent then?” she asked after she’d swallowed the mush in her mouth.

“Darren, if you must know.”

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“Well I don’t know how that word translates in Japanese, Tagalog, or Spanish, but I can teach you the word, ‘gago.’”

“Gago. What’s that?”

“It means stupid man in Tagalog. Gaga is the female equivalent.”

“Nice one.”

“I think so. One of my all time favorite words.”

They finished off their apples in silent companionship. Poe couldn’t help notice how long his legs were in comparison with hers.

Maclemar could really pound somebody if he
wanted to with those big fists and that intimidating
torso. At least what I saw of his half-naked body on
the boat. If we live through this, I’d like to train him.

If he’d let me.

“Watch me litter,” Poe said. She threw the core a few feet from where they sat. She didn’t feel so bad because most had gone indoors to avoid the heavy pelting of the sun.

“The pod people will boil you alive for that.”

“My meat’s tough and wiry. It’s only good for soup stock,” she said, studying his dark face sprouting new bristles. His skin was almost completely the same shade now. “I’ve been thinking, Maclemar. You could’ve just dropped me off at the cove. You didn’t have to come here.”

“No, I didn’t,” he answered after a lengthy pause. His green eyes bore down into her own.

“Why?”

He combed his dirty fingers through his buzz cut and shrugged. “I nearly got you killed by chaining you like a criminal on my boat. The Revs could’ve made Christmas pudding out of you.”

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His answer disappointed her, and she didn’t know why.

“That’s water under the bridge,” Poe said, proud of her idiom. Both her grandpas used to recite them like mad.

“And to be completely truthful at the risk of raising your ire,” he continued. “I wanted to get into your pants.”

The wide grin on his face cooled the blood that rushed to her cheeks. She laughed it off, punching his arm in the spirit of a light and cozy afternoon.

“You’ve been had then, mister,” Poe said. She wiped the perspiration on the tip of her nose.

“There’s nothing special in my pants. You’d get a better deal wooing someone like Michelle who has interesting body piercings.”

“Nah. I think I’ll wait until you come round.”

Poe sighed in admission to herself that she liked Maclemar a lot. She tried to strike the emotion, but he had grown on her.
I can’t see myself stuck in a
camp like
this all my life. But I can see myself on his
boat, possibly happy. Except for the seasickness part.

“Don’t count on me too much, Maclemar. I could break your heart.”

“You already have, Poe,” he said with a grin. “I know I can’t compete with a master vampire with a conscience to rival Mahatma Gandhi’s, but I’ll take what I can.”

Without thinking, she pulled his head down for a kiss, surprising both herself and the fisherman. She had forgotten how tongue could be so moist and delicious. Sainvire’s kiss, though wondrous, had been arctic compared to Maclemar’s.

She tasted apples in his mouth.

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The sinewy feel of his arms made her shiver.

When his hands explored her back, shoulder, and waist, Poe nearly forgot that she was in the middle of the grounds where anyone passing their way could see their frenzied embrace. Without knowing exactly how she ended up on his lap, straddling his arousal, Poe panicked.
Stop! Don’t give him false hope. He’s
too nice a guy for that!

“No more,” she entreated huskily. She pulled away. “I’m sorry, but I must be starved for physical contact. I don’t want to use you.”

“Please do,” he said. His eyelids were heavy.

“Luv, I’m here for you 24/7.”

“I know that,” said Poe. She stood up, and she was visibly shaken. “I’m not sure what’s going on with me. I just can’t see myself staying with them. I don’t belong here. I’m leaving after Megan gives birth and is safely transported out of here. Maybe you can to take me back to Santa Monica to retrieve some of my parents’ things. Then we’ll see where this goes.”

“Beauty, I’ll take you wherever you want to go.

And no, I don’t expect you to forget about him. I’m very patient. One of my best traits.” He pulled her down to the spot next to him. “I won’t take advantage if it’s going to push you away.”

“Um, I think I was the one taking advantage, mister,” said Poe. She pulled on the abbreviated flap of her damaged ear. Sometimes she could swear she felt the missing nub throbbing.

Maclemar sighed and leaned against the tree. His hand rubbed his tummy. “Ah, lassie, what can I say?

Women just can’t take their hands off of me.”

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Poe chuckled. “What can I say? You’re not a bad looking man.”

“Ah, music to my ears,” he said, sitting Poe back on his lap. “I won’t take advantage this time.” She swatted his hand away when he pulled the rubber band holding her ponytail together. Too late. Her black hair cascaded just below her shoulder blades.

“Hey, stop that!” Poe complained. She attempted to retake the band from an exuberant Maclemar. She would never have believed Caveman had evolved into such a charming man.

“Nope. Not yet. Just wanted to see what you look like with your hair down.

Poe looked at him and made a face. “Satisfied now?”

Maclemar laughed deeply and captured Poe’s face in his hands. “May I kiss you again because you’re so damn gorgeous?”

“I don’t know,” Poe grumbled. She scratched her nose. “What do you think?”

He brought her face close to his and kissed Poe’s plump sensuous lips. It was a deep and extended kiss that left both panting in the afternoon heat. When their lips parted, Poe’s eyes met Maclemar’s green gaze. “Mac—I mean James, I’d like to—” Before she could finish her thought, a thought that would have made the Welshman immensely happy, she noticed movement in the corner of her eye. She turned in time to see Sainvire and Jenna walking by. The vampire’s gray eyes swept hers then quickly looked away.

Poe squared her shoulders and turned back to look at Maclemar. “As I was saying, would you like to take me to your trailer right now?”

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“Are you asking me because of those two?” he asked and stared at the backs of Sainvire and Jenna who’d just reached the homestead.

Poe twisted Maclemar’s ear in annoyance.

“Listen. I was going to ask you before we saw the lovebirds. If you don’t want to do it then fine!”

Maclemar hooked his arm under her knees and lifted her up in his arms. “Believe me, Julia. I want to do it and more with you.”

He carried her light form to a small four-person trailer parked under a tree and kicked open the door.

The air was cloyingly hot as he set Poe down on a small bed. He turned on the lights and the small fan by the headboard.

“Shouldn’t you turn off the lights?” asked Poe uncertainly. She had suddenly become nervous.

“No ma’am. I want to see you Botticelli-style,”

he said. He removed his shirt followed by his jeans and underwear. He stood there sweaty, tanned, and so like a Greek statue that Poe couldn’t look away. His erection frightened her. “Now it’s your turn.”

With a deep breath for courage, Poe shed her clothing slowly, not to titillate but because she suddenly felt shy. “Do you know how beautiful you are?” he said as he joined her, caressing her hips, raining slow kisses on her neck and myriad bruises.

“You taste so good, and you smell even better.”

“Irish Spring,” Poe offered. “Maybe a hint of garlic.”

“You’re practically bald, you know that?” he said as he drank in her sex and her limbs. She mumbled, “Must be my Asian genes.” His hand spanned her flat abdomen, and his fingers dipped lower. Poe put a stop to that. “James, your hands are 164

Rono/DEAD SURROUND

filthy. There’s no way you’re touching my whatchamacallit.”

“Fair enough,” he said. He captured a nipple with his mouth and filled his hand the opposite breast until the girl was moaning her approval. His tongue licked the valley between her ribs down to her firm stomach. Poe tensed, anticipating his next move. She remembered Sainvire doing the same thing to her.

“James?”

“Um hmm?”

“Could you just skip the foreplay? It’s really hot in here, and I’m ready for you.”

Maclemar looked up from where he had barely begun toying with her clitoris with his tongue and growled. “Woman, one of these days when my nails are clean, you’re going to let me do what I want with you.” He cracked his neck and hovered above her.

His triceps bulged. Poe reached for his throbbing organ, thick with veins, and put her hand around it.

“Ah, Sharren,” he said.

She could smell his sweat and inhale his musk.

Sainvire or no, she wanted Maclemar. She let go of his manhood and explored the hardness of his ass.

“Um, you can put it in my mouth if you want. Hover it over me.”

Shocked, Maclemar asked, “Did you do this for Sainvire?”

“No. I’ve seen it in films,” she said. “And don’t mention Sainvire to me again. This is between you and me.” At that the Welshman groaned and floated his erection above her face until she led his throbbing organ into her mouth. Cautiously he dipped deeper into her lips which closed tightly. The young woman sucked and pulled like it was the only Popsicle left in 165

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the world. He tasted salty. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he pulled out of her mouth and parted her legs. “I’m gonna come if you don’t quit that,” he said breathlessly, kissing her mouth until both could breathe no more. “I, too, want to give you pleasure, my love.” With one swift move he entered her slick opening.

The moans that escaped from Poe’s throat as he thrust into her were music to his ears. “Fuck,” he grunted, startling Poe.

“Am I doing something wrong?” she asked.

“No, beauty, I’m just about to have a heart attack. You’re so tight that I’m dying.”

Poe met his hips, clamping her mouth down because of the racket she was making.

“It’s alright, luv. You can make as much noise as you want. Everyone’s at the watering hole.” He wanted to please her more than he’d pleased any other woman in his life, so when a knock interrupted their lovemaking, he cursed. “Go away,” he said harshly, but the knocking continued.

“It must be important,” said Poe. She pushed the angry Welshman who refused to disengage from her.