Page 7 of Newly Undead in Dark River

“Ladies, please. What the town doesn't need is idle gossip pointing the finger at innocent people. I will do a thorough investigation, and only when I have found hard evidence, will anyone be charged. This isn't the Wild West, where you string up the new guy first and ask questions later.” He gave them a stern look. “Now, if you'll excuse us, I think Mika would like to eat in peace. There's no need to overwhelm her on her first day.”

Everyone left us alone for the time being, though I could still feel their collective gaze like a weight on my skin. Beatrice finally made her way over to take our orders.

“Don't worry about it, Lass. By next week, you'll be old news. Now, what can I get you two?” I hadn't even had time to look at the menu in all the hubbub, so when Walker ordered a burger and fries, and a type-O float, I ordered that too.

I was glad I could still eat food. The idea of sustaining myself entirely on blood gave me the heebie-jeebies. I'd always loved food, and you could tell by the snug way I fit into my size twelve jeans. My motto had always been, why deny yourself dessert, when there was a chance you'd be hit by a bus the following day? Luckily, I loved to go running nearly as much as I loved chocolate, so I was still more fit than flab.

“So if I'm immortal, can I still get fat?” It was a shallow question, but there had to be a silver lining to the dead thing, right? If I couldn't grow older, or get sick, surely I couldn't put on weight?

“You remain exactly the way you are when you are turned. Your body ceases all growth. Alice would be better explaining all the medical mumbo-jumbo though.”

I resisted the urge to do a little happy dance. Instead, I waved my hand at Beatrice. “Could I get an extra serving of cheese fries and a piece of lemon meringue pie as well please?” Beatrice nodded and scribbled it on her notepad.

I grinned from ear to ear, and Walker shook his head. “You can still get stomach aches, you know.”

I didn't care. I felt free for the first time since I hit puberty. No longer did I have to worry about the cheerleaders at school mocking my puppy fat, or being unattractive to the freshman class boys. I didn't have to worry about diabetes, heart disease, obesity. All my food guilt was gone.

When Beatrice placed the bowl of cheese fries on the table in front of me, I fell on it like a demon unchained. It was the most glorious meal I'd ever had, partly because calories didn't matter anymore, and partly because my sense of taste had heightened. It was like a mouth orgasm.

The tall milkshake glass had a deep ruby red liquid in it, and a hard ball of ice cream floating on top.

It was simultaneously the funniest and most disturbing beverage I'd ever seen. Considering I'd recently seen a hipster with a lumberjack beard have a flaming sambuca shot mishap, well, let's just say, that my Type-O float was really something.

I tried a sip, and then another. I wish I could explain the taste of blood to someone who wasn’t a vamp. It was like the very best wine, coffee, and chocolate fondue all rolled into one. I let out a little moan, and Walker's eyes widened. Whoops.

“That's really, really good.”

“That's 'cause Beatrice does the best Type-O floats in North America.” A deep voice said from over my shoulder. His voice was gravelly, somewhere between a rumble and a growl, and he had a thick southern accent. I turned and looked into the darkest blue eyes I'd ever seen. They were like the night sky right on dusk. My mouth seemed to unhinge, and a little Type-O float dribbled over my lip. The night blue eyes dropped to my lips, and then back to my eyes.

Walker cleared his throat. “Judge. What can I help you with?”

Once my eyes got passed his, I realized he was the man the townspeople called The Drifter. His shaggy black hair hung in waves to his shoulders and looked as if it had been hacked in a restroom mirror. His chest was broad, and the knit sweater wrapped around his shoulders like a present on Christmas morning. He made me salivate.

I gaped. “You’re a judge?” That was almost harder to comprehend than the existence of Vampires.

“Just in name, Sugar. I just wanted to set the record straight. I've never seen this girl in my life. Though, I wouldn't mind seein' more of her now.” He smirked at me, his pearly white teeth glistening in the fluorescent lights. The smile made something tingle.

“I have no suspects in this matter yet. I am following up all the evidence I've gathered and then I'll interview people.”

Uh-huh. What evidence?

Judge nodded. “Well, if the little lady needs a hand with anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask. I am more than willin' to show Mika the perks of being a vampire, and help meet any needs she may have.” His eyes twinkled with mischief, and I could understand why everyone automatically went to him as the primary suspect in my murder/rebirth. He just oozed bad-boy troublemaker out of his pores.

If only that didn't make me so damn hot.

“She'll be fine.” Walker gave him a hard look, and my back arched up a little. Did I suddenly become unable to make my own decisions? Sure, I'd obviously made some bad ones because, hey, I was dead. But generally speaking, I was a good judge of character. I knew that Judge was trouble, but I didn't like being treated like a child.

“Luckily for everyone here, I have a voice of my own. Thanks for the offer Judge, I'll keep it in mind.”

Judge grinned and touched two fingers to his forehead as he left. It was an old-world gesture, and it made me wonder what age Judge actually was. He didn't look more than twenty-five, but if we stopped aging, he could be centuries old, millennia even. I watched his ass as he left, and if there was ever a finer butt in the world, I had yet to see it. He must have been some kind of laborer when he was turned because his body was that lean musculature you could only get through hard, physical work. I sighed as he melted into the darkness beyond the streetlights

“If you are quite done, we are late to meet Alice, and I still want to take you out to where you woke up, see if you can remember anything.”

Walker sounded pissed, but he could just eat me. I made my own damn decisions. I raised one eyebrow challengingly, as I slurped down the rest of my float. When Walker threw down a twenty, I again felt bad.

“Is there a way I can get at my money? I can't keep letting you pay for stuff.”

“We’ll figure it out late. It’s no big deal.” Walker held the door open for me, and we stepped out onto the brightly lit pavement. The light posts were the town’s originals, ornate gas lamp style, and they emitted a warm golden glow. The night sky was so beautiful this far into the wilderness.

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