Page 53 of Night's Reckoning
There was no bed, but there were low, comfortable cushions, numerous bookcases, and bottles of blood-wine in an ornate wine rack in the corner.
She sat on a cushion facing the window and closed her eyes. If she paid close enough attention, she could hear the rush of traffic outside. Smell the brackish water of the river. She opened the window and called the wind to her, bringing the scents of the city and the night fog into her space.
The air in Shanghai stank of humans, car exhaust, and cooking fires.Too many humans.She would be grateful for the emptiness of the ocean.
Tenzin glanced at her black tablet in its thick, vampire-proof case. There was a holder mounted to one wall where she kept the machine, which was equipped with her favorite computer person. She’d met other computer people, but she liked Cara the best. She had a pleasant Irish accent and took orders perfectly.
Ben would sometimes get irritated with Cara, which was completely illogical. Cara did exactly what she was asked, as long as you asked correctly.
“Cara, wake up.”
A pleasant computer voice responded. “Good evening, Tenzin. How can I help you tonight?”
“Show me Benjamin’s location.”
“Which device would you like to track?”
“His American phone.” Ben often changed phones, but he usually carried his American one with him because that was the number Giovanni and Beatrice used.
Did he know she was able to track his whereabouts via their household network? Possibly. Probably not, or he would have turned off the tracking like she’d done with her tablet.
“Benjamin’s device is traveling at forty kilometers per hour, eastbound on the G50 motorway near the G15 connection. Would you like to see a map of his progress?”
“Yes.” Tenzin waited for the small blue dot to appear on the screen, and then she tracked it silently as it steadily made its way eastward toward the Pudong.
Millions of humans died in common road accidents. Thousands every day. Just because he’d never had a road accident didn’t mean he wouldn’t have one. If anything, it made it more likely to happen.
As she watched the blue dot make its way toward her, she thought about Cheng’s irritating question.
Does anyone know you?
Sadly, her sire knew her.
Giovanni knew her. To a point.
Beatrice knew some of her stories.
And Benjamin…
You say you want to know me.
I don’t think you do.
You don’t want to know the things I have seen.
Benjamin saw what he wanted to see.
* * *
Mei’s carpulled into the garage under Cheng’s building, and Ben held out cash to Mei. “You have to take it.”
The girl’s fair skin flushed. “I told you it’s too much.”
“You woke up in the middle of the night to drive me over an hour into the city, and now you have to drive back. Take the cash. Buy gas for the rest of the school year. Go do something fun with your friends. Buy a hundred coffees.”
“Ben—”
“Just…” He kissed the top of her head. “Take the cash please?”
