Page 89Unaccustomed waking

Someone woke me by tapping my shoulder. This was very weird, because I was in my home, where no one else was expected. At first I woke slowly, still comfortable. Then I realized where I was and how strange it was that someone was near me. I wondered if it was women's touch I felt.

It was.

Seriph.

I opened my eyes and looked at her. She smiled down as I sat up. I'd forgotten completely about my lack of clothing when I slept. I preferred to sleep nude, and last night had been no exception. But, because of surprise and the sudden nature of this awakening. I was displaying my bare upper body to her.

She just smiled. "You're very pretty, Amy, but please get dressed. We need to talk."

It was once explained to me that some vampires wake a little after sunset, while others wake at the very moment the sun is beyond the horizon. With Seriph's sharp and restless mind, it wasn't very strange that she would wake before me. But she'd planned it well. I wondered how she got in.

"How did you get in?"

She turned around, politely, already feeling my discomfort at her stare. "Key. It is the only spare I have and I've brought it with me to give to you."

Sounded reasonable.

Of course she'd known I was still sleeping. In such a simple house, I would have known as well, just standing outside. For just a moment, I was thinking about asking Seriph to join me. But that wasn't what I wanted. Even if I did need some company, I did not need hers that much.

"Eh... Okay. Please look at the window while I get dressed."

While I wanted a shower as such, I just put on my simplest clean clothes, while Seriph kept a polite look away from me. They were very similar to my burglar clothes and the irony wasn't lost on me. Though now someone else was breaking into my domain. Well, it wasn't exactly breaking in, and she did give me the room. Well, I earned it.

"You can turn back now."

She turned and nodded. "I managed to tie up most of the loose ends from yesterday. As far as the world is concerned, he committed suicide after writing a memo to the board of directors that he'd sold all his shares. They are all in my hand, as are his funds."

I blinked. "Does that mean the company is yours?"

She nodded. "And not just mine."

"What do you mean?"

"You've got rights to half the company as well. I bought out as much of the shares as were available for a good price. With the two of us, we've got over ninety percent."

"But... I don't want it."

She smiled. "I figured that so I translated the assets into money, took the company for me and set up a bank account for you that will stay there indefinitely. Well, very long at least."

"How much."

Still a smile. "Nothing directly. It's tied to your current account and money will flow in a little slower than it makes in interest. So you'll always have more money and will be able to keep up with inflation."

"You mean like an allowance."

She giggled this time. "Well, if you'd like to call a three thousand floryns a week an allowance, than yes. Oh, and you've got about two million on your account, so you have a little starting funds. You could do whatever you want with it. It's all yours."

"Thank you." It was too much to really comprehend initially. "But I don't care that much about money."

She handed me the key she had in her hand. "You don't, but the world does. You will need money if you want to walk around on the streets. You can't just wear the same clothes every night." She smiled. "Of course the extra curricular activities will be shut down neatly, and those involved held responsible. Not the guards of course, but those who had a say or do in it."

"Please don't kill them."

She sighed. "Don't worry. There are much better ways to use them. Like biological research to cure diseases. The equipment is all there and a lot of knowledge as well. I'll also take care of all the children as far as I'll find them."

"You've really thought of everything. Is that what you want to do forever?"

She shook her head. "No, but it will give me a way to feel even for what I've been through before. You've saved my life and it saddens me that I have to break contact with you, for a few years probably. I hope what I've done will be enough as gratitude."

"If I ask why you're going, you won't tell me, will you?"

She shrugged. "I'll tell you that it's to properly gain control of the company and avoid sharks. Being the owner on paper doesn't mean everyone will do as you say."

"Okay."

I had no idea, but I could imagine a little. I walked to the pants I wore last night and grabbed the phone for her. It was uncharacteristically lazy of me to even keep them in there. But I forgive myself for one night. It felt odd to hand it to her. She might as well have asked me to throw it away, but maybe she had a better way to get rid of it.

"Thanks Amy."

She leaned in as if to kiss my cheek, but surprised me when her lips touched my own. I almost giggled at the image of the little girl, standing tip-toed to kiss me. Cute and frail, sweet and gentle. But so very intense.

Then I actually felt it.

Her kiss. Wow.

A kiss can be so many things.