Page 1 of I Dated a Golden Vampire
Chapter One
Cabree sat and stirredher coffee at Klauz’s with Zera across from her.“I don’t think there’s a good way to say this.”
Zera sighed.“Just say it.How much of a raise do you want?”
“What?No.I want to resign.”
Zera sat up, and her hazel eyes were wide with shock.“What?”
“I want to resign, but I wanted you to flip out away from work.Besides, we got started over coffee, and I thought we should finish that way.”
Cabree watched her friend genteelly panicking.“I will still consult, but I can’t go in day after day anymore.”
“If you want to work from home, that is absolutely fine.”
Cabree chuckled.“We can go that way until you find a replacement for me.I am sure there are other security programmers.”
Zera sat, stunned.
Cabree sipped her coffee.“I came here in person because Z-Tech and Z-Corp have meant a lot to me.I just don’t fit in anymore.”
“What about your registry with the BDC?”
“What about it?”
“You are bound by contract.”
“Only if I ever had my orientation date.That never happened.”
Zera blinked.“What?”
“Nope.Never happened.It was supposed to be with Tycho, considering my activation, but I overheard him telling Arcady and Kritz that he was afraid I would give him high cholesterol, so I cancelled it, and it never happened.”
“I can’t believe he would say that.”Zera was stunned.
“They didn’t know I was in the lab and listening.He was going on my blank silhouette, and we didn’t settle on my actual figure, so it was me in my warming gear.I just realized that the guys would badmouth you behind your back, and it killed my enthusiasm for this project entirely.”
“I can fix it.”
“What?”
“We can get you that starter date.Torun likes you.He would be a good start for you.”
“That’s like strapping a rocket to training wheels.”
Zera was scrambling.“We can find you another drinker.I promise.”
“No.I am going to take a cruise with my sister and her bridal party.This season has infected her with the urge to do a really big wedding, and thanks to my time working for you, I can help her do it while simply staying warm in the sun.”
Zera sighed.“Take a vacation.Relax.I need to fix this.”
“Well, the capitol is cracking down on activations, and they are tightening their registries.I can’t live in Aksalla.I have tried to get a work visa twice.This meeting was all I could manage.”
“I am getting the urge to put my fist through a wall.”
“Save it.According to the capitol, I can’t work for a foreign organization—which Z-Corp is—and I can’t just be a circulatory active.I can’t even be a power booster because no one wants it.”She set her coffee down.“So, I am going to take my income and go looking for a home where I can relax and just work.”
Zera frowned.“But you will still work from home until I can find a suitable replacement.”
