Dead to the World

that, she looks like a young suburban housewife who has a part-time job at a preschool.
    Though I don’t think you’d really ever want Pam to take care of your toddlers, I’ve never seen her do anything extraordinarily cruel or vicious. But she’s definitely convinced that vampires are better than humans, and she’s very direct and doesn’t mince words. I’m sure if Pam saw that some dire action was necessary for her well-being, she’d do it without missing any sleep. She seems to be an excellent second-in-command, and not overly ambitious. If she wants to have her own bailiwick, she keeps that desire very well concealed.
    Chow is a whole different kettle of fish. I don’t want to know Chow any better than I already do. I don’t trust him, and I’ve never felt comfortable around him. Chow is Asian, a small-built but powerful vampire with longish black hair. He is no more than five foot seven, but every inch of visible skin (except his face) is covered with those intricate tattoos that are true art dyed into human skin. Pam says they are yakuza tattoos. Chow acts as Fangtasia’s bartender some evenings, and on other nights he just sits around to let patrons approach him. (That’s the whole purpose of vampire bars, to let regular humans feel they’re walking on the wild side by being in the same room with the in-the-flesh undead. It’s very lucrative, Bill told me.)
    Pam was wearing a fluffy cream sweater and golden-brown knit pants, and Chow was in his usual vest and slacks. He seldom wore a shirt, so the Fangtasia patrons could get the full benefit of his body art.
    I called Eric, and he came into the room slowly. He was visibly wary.
    “Eric,” Pam said, when she saw him. Her voice was full of relief. “You’re well?” Her eyes were fixed on Eric anxiously. She didn’t bow, but she sort of gave a deep nod.
    “Master,” Chow said, and bowed.
    I tried not to overinterpret what I was seeing and hearing, but I assumed that the different greetings signified the relationships among the three.
    Eric looked uncertain. “I know you,” he said, trying to make it sound more statement than question.
    The two other vampires exchanged a glance. “We work for you,” Pam said. “We owe you fealty.”
    I began to ease out of the room, because they’d want to talk about secret vampire stuff, I was sure. And if there was anything I didn’t want to know, it was more secrets.
    “Please don’t go,” Eric said to me. His voice was frightened. I froze and looked behind me. Pam and Chow were staring over Eric’s shoulders at me, and they had quite different expressions. Pam looked almost amused. Chow looked openly disapproving.
    I tried not to look in Eric’s eyes, so I could leave him with a clear conscience, but it just didn’t work. He didn’t want to be left alone with his two sidekicks. I blew lots of air out, puffing up my cheeks. Well, dammit . I trudged back to Eric’s side, glaring at Pam the whole way.
    There was another knock at the door, and Pam and Chow reacted in a dramatic way. They were both ready to fight in an instant, and vampires in that readiness are very, very scary. Their fangs run out, their hands arch like claws, and their bodies are on full alert. The air seems to crackle around them.
    “Yes?” I said from right inside the door. I had to get a peephole installed.
    “It’s your brother,” Jason said brusquely. He didn’t know how lucky he was that he hadn’t just walked in.
    Something had put Jason into a foul mood, and I wondered if there was anyone with him. I almost opened the door. But I hesitated. Finally, feeling like a traitor, I turned to Pam. I silently pointed down the hall to the back door, making an opening-and-closing gesture so she could not mistake what I meant. I made a circle in the air with my finger— Come around the house, Pam —and pointed at the front door.
    Pam nodded and ran down the hall to the back of the house. I couldn’t hear her feet on the floor. Amazing.
    Eric moved away from the door. Chow got in front of him. I approved. This was exactly what an underling was supposed to do.
    In less than a minute, I heard Jason bellow from maybe six inches away. I jumped away from the door, startled.
    Pam said, “Open up!”
    I swung the door wide to see Jason locked in Pam’s arms. She was holding him off the ground with no effort, though he was flailing wildly and making it as hard as he could, God bless him.
    “You’re by yourself,” I said,