The woman cleared her throat. “Is
this really necessary? It’s not
really the job I signed on to do.” She
said.
“A pint of blood is not going to kill you.”
The man said as he took a piece of plastic tubing out of the drawer.
“I don’t like needles.” She
said.
“Neither do I.” He said,
continuing to set things up for the procedure.
He looked at her, “Just think of me as the Red Cross and you’re doing
your duty to your fellow man.”
“But, he’s a vampire, right?”
She said.
“Does that make him less deserving of your mercy?”
Victor asked. Taylor looked
at her and nodded.
“Well, no, I guess not. I
just, like to have a choice in these matters, and I don’t really feel like I
got one.” She stated.
“Oh well.” Victor said,
his impatience beginning to show. He pulled a chair over next to the bed and had
her sit, then he grabbed her arm and wiped alcohol on it.
Taylor considered helping her out, but he figured if she was
going to work for them, then she should have to do whatever they asked her to
do. He refused to acknowledge the
man as he picked up his arm and pressed the needle into the vein.
He almost smiled when he noticed The X-Files come on the screen. “Ow!”
He heard the woman as the same thing happened to her.
“Now then,” Victor said. “Just
relax, and I shall return in a few minutes to see how things are progressing.”
“Yeah, I’m gonna relax sitting here next to a vampire as he’s
draining my blood from me.” She
said softly as soon as the door closed.
“Shoulda thought about that before you took the job.”
Taylor said, and he pulled the needle out and tied a knot in the tube,
handing it to her.
“What the hell are you doing?” She
said.
“I don’t want your frickin’ blood.”
He said, turning away from her and moving closer to the TV.
“I thought you were sick and that you needed it.”
She said. She looked back at
the door, “He better not get mad at me over this.
I was doing what he said.”
“Yeah, but you sure were bitching about it.”
Taylor muttered, and he turned the sound up.
“Screw you, asshole.” She
said as she stood up. She went to
the door, but Victor was already coming in.
His voice sounded exasperated as his admiration for Taylor’s good looks
only went so far. “Are you trying
to starve yourself? Because if you
are, that would be fine. At least
then, the Lady wouldn’t blame us for your death.”
He spat. Taylor acted as if
he didn’t hear him. “I suppose
we could tie you down and shove a feeding tube down your throat.
That way, we’d be following Mr. Jones’ wise advice.”
He threatened, but again, Taylor just ignored him.
“Perhaps you’d like Joshua to be your nursemaid?”
Again, no response. Taylor
flinched as the man grabbed his arm roughly, “Come back over here.”
He said to the woman. She
huffed, but did as she was told. “Hold
his arm while I cut this knot out.” He
said, opening the drawer to pull out a pair of scissors.
She placed her hand on his bandaged wrist and he quickly jerked it away
as if she’d hurt him. “I’m
sorry, God!” She snapped.
Victor rolled his eyes, “You are trying my patience young man.”
He said and he placed his hand like a vice around the same place.
“While I’d like to see you waste away right about now, I’m not
going to give you the satisfaction.” He
held up the end of the tube and cut it. Blood
spattered Taylor’s face and he licked his lips, then turned his head back
toward the television. Bending
over, Victor placed Taylor’s hand under his arm so that he could have two
hands to re-insert the needle. As
he worked, he grumbled about the job he was doing.
Once he had it set up again, he watched the red fluid run down the tube
and into the boy’s vein for the second time.
This time, he stood with his hand wrapped tightly around Taylor’s arm.
“Let me know if you feel faint.”
He said to the woman, and he put a disgusted look on his face as he
watched the blood run from her arm into Taylor’s.
~~~~~
Camille plopped down on the couch. “You
don’t think he’s dead, do you?” She
was wearing Taylor’s long sleeve button down shirt over a tiny black mini
skirt.
Beatriz sighed and looked up from her appointment book, “You’d know
it if he was. Besides, Mr. Jones
saw him the night after and he was a little better.
I’m sure he’s probably back to his old self, driving everyone around
him mad.” She smiled, “At
least, I hope he is. I’m
surprised they haven’t brought him back here by now, begging us to take him
back.”
“When they do, can we say ‘no’?”
Melanie asked.
“You’re such a faker—you were practically crying over him last
night.” Camille charged.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.
I just feel like somebody’s stolen my shit from me and it pisses me
off. I’m allowed to fuck him up,
but they’re not, alright?”
Melanie retorted.
Beatriz stood up. “Hush.
You’re giving me a headache.” She
complained.
“I want you two to go find those rotten sisters.
And be quiet about it.” She
said, walking over to the elevator and pushing the down button, “Tell them to
meet me at midnight. They’ll know
where.”
Melanie and Camille exchanged looks, then they got up and stepped into
the waiting elevator. “Good
night!” Beatriz said brightly and
she sat back down and tossed the book on the desk.
~~~~~
Victor came back in the room and sat down with a sigh.
“Well, that’s done.” He
said. “I don’t think we need to
bother with it any longer. If he
gets hungry, he’ll feed. Let him
experience a real lack of blood for a few days.
He’ll come around.”
Joshua huffed, “He’s out of his element here.
He’s obviously just given free reign of the city by Beatriz.
He’s spoiled.”
He went towards the front door, “I’m going out tonight,
don’t save anything for me.” And
he was gone.
“There’s some truth to that.”
Nicholai stated. “Daniel,
have him come out here. Let’s see
if we can tempt him.”
“He can walk, can’t he? I’m
not carrying him…” He groused,
standing.
“He can walk. He just
doesn’t want to. He’s being
petulant.” Nicholai answered.
He looked at the door Joshua had gone through, “I believe
Joshua nearly killed our new friend. But,
he is a vampire after all and he seems to be well on the road to a complete
recovery.”
“I certainly hope so.” Daniel
said. “He was stinking for a few
days there like he was going to bite the big one.”
Nicholai narrowed his eyes, “Yes, I’m sure our Joshua knows exactly
what happened and I’d bet everything I own that smell was at the root of the
problem. Even a human could have
picked up that scent.” He spat.
“It was too instantaneous.” Daniel
said, stepping towards Taylor’s room, “One minute he smells like a baby’s
butt and the next, roadkill. Jones
believed he was poisoned, I got that much.”
“Indeed.” Nicholai said
thoughtfully.
~~~~~
“Still not talking to me?” Daniel
joked, sitting down on the edge of Taylor’s bed.
Taylor watched the character on the screen in front of him perform an
autopsy on a particularly slimy looking alien.
Daniel leaned over, “I don’t really blame you.
Joshua can be an ass. But
really, you’d be better off just moving on.
Your life here could be a paradise.”
Taylor didn’t roll his eyes or give a ‘hmph’ or give the man the
finger. He could have been deaf,
dumb and blind for all the reaction he showed.
Daniel sighed.
“Fine. I was
sent in to get you to come out here with everyone else.
I think they’d like you to feed.”
He stood up, “I hear we have an unusually excellent group of ladies
this evening.” He said, smiling.
“Of course, if you prefer boys, we could always send out for some.”
That gained him the tiniest flash of blue eyes.
“You may as well give up on the silent treatment, it’s not going to
get you anywhere. Now, don’t make
me drag you out there by your hair like some Neanderthal woman.”
Taylor sighed, knowing the man would do it.
“We could always get Joshua in here—“
He stopped, grinning. “Oh,
I felt that!”
He chuckled and held his hand out, “If it makes you feel
any better,” He whispered, “I don’t like him either.”
Taylor rolled his eyes and, avoiding Daniel’s hand, he pulled himself
up into a sitting position. His
back hurt, but he knew he’d rather be in pain than accept help from one of
them. He flinched as he stood.
“Look at that bed head…” Daniel
remarked.
~~~~~
Sonya looked on as the moon began to move farther down in the sky.
The wind in the trees was a comforting sound, not drowning out the city,
but at least placing it in the background of her mind.
Her eyes moved to the path in front of her as a figure moved out of the
trees;
Kirk. She
stepped forward and watched as the light caught in his dark eyes.
“Well?”
She asked, silently.
“Done.”
He answered. She smiled,
leaving him with a flash of fangs as she turned and disappeared into the same
woods he’d come through…
~~~~~
As Taylor followed Daniel into a plush looking room, he was greeted by
three other men. He continued to
keep his thoughts moving away from them. He
was afraid that if he didn’t, something bad would happen.
“Well, there you are.” Victor
said. “I shall have to ask Daniel
how he gets you to cooperate.”
“It wasn’t easy.” Daniel
said, sliding onto a velvety couch.
“Well, let’s begin.” Nicholai
said, looking at the boy’s thin face and pale skin.
“We believe it is important that you feed and so we’ve prepared what
we hope is an appetizing array of choices for you this evening.”
He nodded at a man who stood across the room, next to a door.
As it opened, several girls walked in.
They were all different builds and ages, but they all wore dark clothing
and accessories that made them all have that fashionable witchy, spooky look.
An abundance of black eyeliner and skin almost as pale as Taylor’s was
the finishing touch.
“As you can see, “ Nicholai said, pulling Taylor’s face up with a
finger under his chin, “these lovelies are here because they want to be.”
Balthazar stood and pulled the long black sleeve up on the one closest to
Taylor, showing scars marring the creamy skin, “You see?
This one would do it to herself if you didn’t do it for her, so you’d
be doing her a great service.” He
leaned in close to her ear, but Taylor could hear him clearly, “It’s far
better to give it to him—you never know when the blade could cut too
deeply…”
She licked lips dyed red and looked at Taylor, admiring his stark beauty.
Taylor looked at them all; seven girls, their minds all jumbles of
fright, excitement, sadness and any number of other emotions.
One was thinking of the childhood crush she’d had on the littlest
Hanson boy. Taylor smiled and
looked at Nicholai. “So, you want
me to feed.” It was the first
thing he’d said to them in a seven days.
“Yes. That would be
wise.” The man answered.
“Why haven’t you let Beatriz or Sonya come and see me?
Are you afraid she’s gonna find out you tried to kill
me?” Taylor said, his eyes
glinting.
“That was not our intention.” Nicholai
stated.
Taylor laughed, “Maybe not.” He
snorted. “But it almost happened,
didn’t it?” He looked again at
the girls, “It might have been nice. Maybe
I woulda gone to heaven.”
“Perhaps so.” Nicholai
said. “More likely hell, but
since you didn’t die, you need to feed.”
“Yeah…” Taylor said,
his eyes moving down the line. He
locked eyes with the cutter, “So, you like it rough?
You want me to attack you and get your blood all over the place?
Or do you like it like in the movies—all sensual and sweet
with an orgasm at the end just as you’re about to faint?”
She looked embarrassed, “I don’t know.”
She said softly, looking at the other girls.
“Well, you must have thought about it.
I mean, you’re here offering yourself up to a roomful of freaks.”
He stepped closer, leaned in and smelled her.
The smell of sweat let him know she was becoming more frightened.
As he felt his fangs grow, his eyesight became crystal clear.
He could see the veins under her skin and the color of her eyes shifting
from blue to gray as her pupils adjusted to her fear.
“How many can I have?” Taylor
asked, turning his head toward the four men.
“As many as you’d like.” Nicholai
said, leaning back in his chair.
Immediately, Taylor clamped down on the girl’s neck, feeling her
stiffen under his hands. In her
mind, he spoke. “Stop
wanting to be dead. It sucks.
I miss my family and my friends and pizza and sunlight.
Go visit some dying people and see how badly they want to live.
Stop being so selfish—it’s not all about you.”
He drank more than usual, feeling some misplaced anger for the girl.
He was shocked by how many humans either worked for, or cooperated in
some way with the elders. He
wasn’t certain, but it didn’t seem
that they were under any sort of trance or were going against their will even.
And it pissed him off. He’d
been told over and over how important it was that humans not know of their
existence.
Beatriz was adamant about it and the elders had made him
think that they were too. But
obviously, it was just another way for them to use their powerful position over
the young. He felt the girl go limp
in his arms and he dropped her to the floor, wiping his mouth with his hand,
“What are you gonna do with’em after we’re done?”
He asked, looking from the girls to the men, then back again.
He noticed the little group of victims had moved closer to
one another now—not looking quite so eager about being a meal for him and his
comrades. They whispered to each
other, but he heard them as if they were screaming.
“Oh my god. Is she
dead?” “It looked like it
hurt.” “He didn’t even kiss
her or anything!”
Nicholai didn’t answer so Taylor walked up to the others, “Who wants
to be next?” He leaned in and
smiled, showing his fangs, “I haven’t had much of an appetite for like, a
week.”
He pointed to the other men, “They tried to kill me.”
He slowly circled a girl whose hair was a blackish purple.
“I think they chickened out though because they’re scared of my
girlfriend.” He stopped and
cocked his head, “Actually, I don’t guess she’s my girlfriend.
It’s more like…she owns me.” He
pulled the pendant out of his shirt, “See?”
He said, showing it to them. “It’s
sort of like a coat of arms or her symbol or something.
Like Prince!” He
said brightly. He smirked then, “Goddamn, I’m glad they don’t brand people
like they do cattle, I guess I’d have a big cross burned into my ass…”
He pulled the girl’s hair away from her neck, “Are you ready?”
He asked, gazing into her eyes, made purple by contact lenses to match
her hair.
She shook her head. “Are
we just going to stand here?” She
asked.
Taylor raised an eyebrow, “Did they tell you we were gonna party or
something?” He smiled and
whispered, “They lie.” And then
he bit her as he had her friend. This
time, he allowed blood to run down her chest.
He felt it when the others saw it—fear coursed through them now.
Though he was full already, he forced himself to drink from her until she
could no longer stand on her own. He
let her fall at his feet alongside the first girl.
Both were still breathing, but they’d probably be off their feet for a
day or two. He didn’t bother to
clear their minds of anything that had happened as he figured the elders would
surely kill them or clear their minds themselves;
they couldn’t possibly just let them walk out of the place like nothing had
happened. He was sure the Elders
really didn’t like humans to know about them but he didn’t feel like going
to the trouble right then to fix things.
He took a deep breath and looked at the men, ignoring the panic going on
beside him. “I think I’m done.
Sometimes, I wish I could throw up.
That way, I could have some of everybody…” He mocked.
He looked back at the girls, “Don’t feel bad if you didn’t get
chosen. I was hoping to take some
from all of you, but I’m just not up to it right now.”
He twisted his mouth around, “Hmmm…maybe I have an ulcer.”
Balthazar was smiling. Victor
had narrowed his eyes at the boy as Daniel just shook his head and sat down on
the brown suede couch. Nicholai
stood, locking eyes with Taylor. “Well,
at least you’ve fed. Now perhaps
we’ll see some of those marvelous powers of yours we keep hearing about.”
Taylor rubbed his wrist, wanting to take the bandage off.
He could feel the blood doing its work already.
He sighed, “You’ve seen my powers.
Do you need me to open some doors, or do a back flip?”
Nicholai stepped closer, “I saw what you did to Joshua.
I know he’s now frightened of you.
I want to know how you did it.”
“I don’t know.” Taylor
said, his voice sounding tired. “I
just did it. I didn’t think about
it. If I think about it, I mess it
up.”
Nicholai cocked his head, trying to decide if Taylor was lying.
“Beatriz has trained you well, at least for her purposes.
I’m certain that she doesn’t want you to show us everything.
I can’t blame her for wanting to keep you to herself, but it doesn’t
mean I like it.” He reached up
and yanked the pendant off Taylor’s neck, taking a bit of joy in the wince it
elicited. “You have no need of
this any longer. I shall send it
back to her so that she can find another apprentice to take your place.
I’d bet there are lots of lucky young fellows hanging at that little
hole of hers, just waiting to be chosen.”
“You can‘t just keep me here.”
Taylor said back.
“And why can’t I?” Nicholai
asked. “Is someone going to
rescue you? Are you going to
escape?” He smiled, “I don’t
think so.” He stepped over and
took one of the girls by the arm, “Go get in your kennel and I’ll call you
when I need my slippers brought to me.”
Taylor looked at him for a moment, then he spoke, “The whole “pet”
thing is getting old. Why don’t
you come up with something original? Like, tell me I look like a girl or
something. I haven’t heard that
one.” He looked at the girls,
“Have fun you fucking idiots—and I hope your Mothers plan nice funerals for
ya.”
~~~~~
“This has to be done quickly and quietly.
I trust you to do whatever has to be done.”
Beatriz eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she spoke.
“I know you don’t care for me. We’ve
had our differences in the past, but it has to be put in the past now.
Our lives depend on this. I’ll
pay you handsomely if I need to, whether it’s cash, status—whatever it is
you want.
It’s time for all of us to come together and play their
game against them. They’ve made
their first move. I don’t know
what they think they know, but we can’t allow them to have the time to
organize. I hate that they’ve
taken Taylor, but at least it buys us time.”
She felt her phone ring against her hip and she pulled it from the pocket
of her jeans, flipping it open, “Yes?”
The three watched her, noticing golden flecks appear in her eyes as she
listened. She sighed and shut her
eyes for a moment. “I’m on my
way.” She said, and she shut the
phone and shoved it back in her pocket.
“What’s wrong?” The
tallest girl asked.
“I don’t know yet.” She
answered. “Sam just said a
package was dropped off for me at the Living End from the Elders.”
“A package?” A second
girl queried, one arched eyebrow raised.
“How big?” A third girl
asked.
“He said ‘small’.” Beatriz
said thoughtfully.
“What are you going to do if that package contains the head of your
lover?” The first asked.
Again Beatriz shut her eyes, then she straightened, “Then I would
consider it an act of war and this thing would be played out tonight.
I would kill them, or die trying.”
She stated.
“If you die, what are we to do?”
One asked.
Beatriz looked at her, “Then you would go to Sonya.
Or if you prefer, save yourself and leave the city.
It is your choice.”
“We like Taylor.” Another
voiced. “He is a fair and good
person.”
“His death would need avenging.”
Said the third.
Beatriz smiled, “And mine would not.”
She said with a chuckle. She
shook her head. “And I understand
that.” She then crossed her arms
over her chest as the wind blew her hair away from her face.
“As with everything, the young are the real power.
I know that once this is done, Taylor will either be dead, or the king of
your realm. I respect you in many
ways. You’ve stood your ground
and learned to use your powers well. But,
the young do not have wisdom, as you know.
They will need people like us, whether they know it or not.
And some things can never change and you shall need to make them
understand. We are still at the
mercy of the humans around us. The
ability to snap the neck of a person or manipulate their mind means nothing when
one is in the darkness of day and a sword is pressed to the chest.
The Elders have forgotten these things, and they have forgotten where
they came from. You said Taylor was
fair, and he is. But at times,
someone must make the hard decisions, and I assure you, I’ve never made them
out of spite or meanness. Anyone
I’ve dealt with deserved it. And
when the Elders have made me do things, it is because they left me no choice.”
“One always has a choice.”
“Do you really believe that?” Beatriz
asked. “I have felt that the good
I have done has outweighed the bad. If
I don’t do what the Elders demand of me—what is to happen to me?
When I am gone, who stands between you and them?
I’ve kept them under control more than you know.”
She said, turning away.
“But at what cost?”
She turned back, “The cost of myself.”
She said sternly. She
softened. “We can argue these
points all night, but we do not have the time.
Once this is done, we will hold council and we shall decide what changes
should come about. And do not look
to Taylor for the answers—he won’t have them, anymore than you or I.”
She took her keys from her pocket, “Make certain that the Elders do not
suspect Roberto of anything. We
need his help, but more than that, we need the Elders to believe that he is on
their side.
I know they have asked him things.
He needs to be very careful.
Make sure he knows this. I
shall be listening, you let me know when these things I’ve asked of you are
done.”
The tallest bowed her head, “You will know.”
She said.
~~~~~
Taylor sat on his bed, staring at the screen of a large television where
images of his family flickered as they sat around a Christmas tree.
He and his brothers and sisters were singing “Away in a
Manger” as their father taped them.
“You’ll need to get rid of those things.”
Nicholai said as he walked into the room.
“They only serve to remind you of something which no longer
exists.”
“They exist.” Taylor
said, his eyes narrowed at the man.
Victor stepped into the room as well, but stood near the door, allowing
Nicholai to do all the talking. “But
you do not.” He said, ejecting
the tape. “You are dead.
No more trips to Oklahoma.
No more visits from your famous brothers--”
“What the motherfuck do you want
from me?!” Taylor cried.
“You made me.
I didn’t ask for any of it.” Tears
of frustration were trying to form but he refused to let them.
Nicholai smirked, “I didn’t make you.
We are not so careless as to take someone of notoriety and turn them,
particularly one so young and inexperienced in the ways of the world.
As for what I want from you—I want your respect and your
loyalty. Every vampire in this city
is expected to do what is best for all
and that includes you and your uppity females.
Your Camille should have lost her head when she made you.
Instead, Beatriz takes her in to live in her palace in the sky and
decides to keep her little treasure. I’m
not stupid or blind and if that’s what she’s told you, you’ll need to
change your thinking.
Beatriz wants to use you
against us and I want to know why.”
He said, moving even closer and looking at the boy as if he’d never
seen him before. “She sees
something in you or she wouldn’t give you water if you were burning.
Now, if you’d like to show me your powers and tell me exactly
how you got them and how you use them, then perhaps we can come to some sort of
arrangement. I get answers, you get
your freedom—not only from us, but from Beatriz.”
“All I know is Beatriz said I got turned ‘the old way’.
Whatever that means. Sonya
attacked me after Camille—she was trying to kill me, not turn me.
She ripped my throat apart in front of my brother and my sister and she
left me to die on a bus. And I did.
And that’s all I know.”
“That’s all you know.” Nicholai
repeated.
“Yes.” Taylor answered.
“And yet, you mask your thoughts constantly.”
The man stated, stepping even closer to him.
“Either you or Beatriz is hiding something.”
Immediately, visions of two babies he’d held in his arms popped into
his head. He shut his eyes for a moment and began to sing the Christmas song
from the video.
Nicholai looked at Victor, “I can’t imagine anything being of such
importance. They must be planning
something spectacular for us.”
~~~~~
Zac handed Elijah to Isaac as he laughed, “He gotcha again, didn’t
he?”
Zac shook his head, “I’m tellin’ ya, he’s good.”
He answered, looking down at the wet spots on his shirt, “That’s
twice this week. At least he
didn’t get my face this time.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t for a lack of trying.”
Isaac joked.
Zac pulled his shirt off over his head and tossed it down the basement
steps. “Can you believe Mom and
Dad would even think about moving again?”
He asked disgustedly.
Isaac shifted the baby to his hip and followed his brother into the
kitchen. “Actually, yeah, I
can.” He answered.
They both sat down at the table and Isaac picked up a stuffed
ball from the table and handed it to the child.
“I mean, Taylor’s not exactly the same guy anymore,
Zac.”
“So what? Neither are you.
But that doesn’t mean we should up and move away so that you couldn’t
find us.” Zac reasoned.
“It’s more than that. What
about these guys?” Isaac looked
down at Elijah as he tried to stuff the cushy toy in his mouth.
“I mean, what if he tries to take them?”
Zac shook his head and sprinkled salt onto the table absently, “Ike,
they’re his.
Why shouldn’t he have them if it’s what he wants?”
Isaac cocked his head and touched his lips thoughtfully.
“Hmmm…let me think.
Uh, because he’s a vampire?!”
He hissed.
Zac’s eyes widened, “Oh, I forgot!
Thanks for reminding me.” He
said sarcastically. “How do you
know they’re not vampires too?”
Zac asked. “I mean, if my
calculations were correct, he was already changed when she got pregnant.
And if you doubt for one second they’re his, just look down.”
He said, gazing at the blond, blue eyed child in his brother’s arms.
Isaac furrowed his brow, “They’re not vampires.
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard come out of your mouth in
years.”
“Michelle is a human, Ike. And
yeah, so far, they’re doing just fine on their liquid diet.
But you don’t know what might happen down the road.”
“Neither do you.” Isaac
said, getting irritated.
Zac sighed, “We got off the subject, man.
All I was saying was that it’s not right for us to go off into hiding
so he can’t find us.”
“Whatever.” Isaac
conceded.
“I think if
Mom and Dad are worried about stuff, they
have a right to protect the family. You
and I can make our own decisions, but the younger kids aren’t really old
enough to understand and they need us to be thinking with our heads as well as
our hearts.”
Zac sighed again and picked at the stem of an apple on the table, “I
know, I’m trying to…”
~~~~~
Beatriz stepped into the Living End and the chatter in the place stopped
as if a switch had been thrown. “Lady—“
Sam said, placing a small box on the bar.
“this is what they left.” She
breathed a sigh of relief; definitely too small to be a head.
“Thank you, Sam.” She
said quietly. She looked at the
box, wrapped in black paper with a red ribbon tied around it.
She put it to her nose as she looked around the room.
She saw no known enemies there. Even
Robert was nowhere to be seen. Carefully,
she tore the ribbon as those in the room craned their necks to see.
She wondered if she should take it home to open it in private, but she
decided they were all involved. They
deserved to see as well as her and it didn’t smell organic.
Tearing the paper away, she opened the lid to find a mass of cottony
fluff. Pulling it up, she saw the
pendant she’d placed around Taylor’s neck.
She was happy not to find some dismembered body part, but still afraid
knowing it could mean many different things.
She picked up the glistening chain and watched the red glint in the tear
shaped ruby that hung from the base of the cross.
“Well, my friends, I do not know what to make of this.
Have they stolen him from me as a priceless possession or is he dead and
in no need of jewelry any longer?” She
looked from face to face in the room. She
sighed and shook her head, “And so it has begun.”
~~~~~
“We’ve brought a friend here for you.”
Nicholai said. Taylor just
looked at him, hoping it was Melanie or Camille.
The door opened and Balthazar stepped in followed by Robert.
“They were rather excited down there to see our little
gift.” Balthazar said, coming in
and laying down on Taylor’s bed, putting his feet up on the pillows.
“Yes, I’m sure they were.” Nicholai
said. He looked at Taylor, “There
are those there that are worried for your safety, and those who’d like to see
you dead.” He then looked at
Robert. “And here we have one
that I’m not quite sure about.”
“We’re fucked.”
Taylor heard as Robert turned toward the man.
“Hmph. Well, I tried to
tell you what was happening, and you ignored me.
What am I to do?
Chop off his head while Beatriz sleeps?”
“You must admit, such a thing is a little hard to believe.”
Nicholai said.
Robert furrowed his brow, “Do I bother you with so many trivial things
that you think I’d alert you to something not worth your attention?”
“I sense some hurt feelings here.”
Nicholai said. “And
perhaps a bit of jealousy. It is no
secret that you were once Beatriz’ lover and now you have been replaced.”
“That was many years ago, and I have been replaced by more than just
this young thing. Beatriz is not an
easy thing to live with, as I’m sure this one will attest to.”
He looked over at Taylor and smiled, “I believe she killed
you?”
“Eat me.” Taylor said.
He went to sit on his bed, but decided he’d not share anything with the
seemingly young man who lay there already.
“There’s plenty of room.” Balthazar
smirked, scooting over a bit. “Victor,
you come too, it’ll be fun!” He
teased.
“What is this about? What
have you done to him?” Robert
folded his arms over his chest, looking Taylor up and down.
He tsk’ed. “Beatriz
would be upset to see how you’ve treated her boy.”
“Just a little dietary mishap.”
Nicholai said. “Nothing to
be concerned with. We’ve served
him this evening with a host of lovelies and I’m sure even as we are standing
here, his strength is returning.”
Robert leaned in towards Taylor, looking closely.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, well, he has a bit
of a smell about him, and I can see that he’s incurred an injury?”
“No.” Taylor’s voice came
back.
“Jones has tended to him, he is fine.”
Nicholai said.
Victor changed the subject, “Let me tell you why we have sent for
you.” . Robert just looked at the
man. “We’d like your insight
into this situation. You’ve
observed him longer than we have. What
are his strengths? His weaknesses?
What has he said or done to make the young ones think he is worthy of
their respect?”
Robert looked at Taylor, then back to Nicholai, “Should we be
discussing this in front of him?”
“He’s not going anywhere.” The
man answered.
Robert raised an eyebrow, “Oh, so he’s joined the team, then?”
“He’d like us to believe there is nothing out of the ordinary about
him. We’re just asking your
opinion.” Balthazar spoke.
“Ah, well, I was going to be surprised if you’d told me he’d
willingly joined you because he’s denied any hunger for power to the
rabble.”
Robert reasoned.
“No one ever lets on that they’d like to rule the world,” Victor
mused, “until it is too late to stop them.”
Robert smiled at Taylor, “It is never too late, is it young Prince?”
Taylor rolled his eyes, “I feel like I should be singing “When Doves
Cry”. He said.
“You gotta help me get out of
here!”
“Of course, we’ll just walk out the front door.”
Robert said back to him. “Hmmm…I’m
sure you’d do a wonderful job of it.” He
looked back at the man, “My opinion is, he is capable of great things, but his
youth and inexperience make him lack the control to be a real power, either for
or against you. At least for the
moment.” He leaned in and
whispered melodramatically, “I would suspect there has been an exchange of
blood between him and some of the girls, but far be it from me to accuse when I
have no proof.” He looked at
Taylor again, “Work with me here…”
“Is that true?” Victor
asked Taylor.
Taylor narrowed his eyes at Robert, not certain what he was up to.
He crossed his arms over his chest, “That’s not allowed.”
He said.
“It certainly isn’t.” Robert
replied as if talking to a naughty child. He
then looked back at the others with a smug look on his face.
“That’s not really an answer to the question.”
Victor said. Taylor said
nothing.
Robert smiled, “He seems to be pleading the fifth.”
He said. “So, what are you
trying to accomplish here, anyway?” He
asked. “If you’re trying to get
him to work for you or something, I think you shall be disappointed.
I’ve gotten nowhere with him. However,
if you’re just looking for some reason to punish him, then perhaps you’ve
found it.”
He raised an eyebrow, “Or maybe, just getting back at
Beatriz a little?”
Nicholai looked from Robert to Taylor, then back again.
“Perhaps.” He said,
thoughtfully. “Follow me.”
He said, then he spoke to Taylor, “Do not leave this room, I’m
locking the door and I’ll know if you unlock it.”
Robert had turned for the door, “That’s a lovely trick, isn’t
it?” He said, walking into the
hallway.
“Yes, it is. I suppose
then that it’s no secret to the young ones that he can manipulate things in
that manner?” Nicholai said,
shutting the door after the others had come out.
Stepping into the large central room, Robert faced him.
“No. The first time he
came to The Living End, he destroyed the lock on the coffin, if you remember.”
“That’s unbelievable.” Victor
said, shaking his head. “He was
too young. The girl had to have
done it.”
Robert threw his hands out, “It’s very
believable! You’ve seen it
yourself, obviously. It’s the
reason I asked you to watch him in the first place!”
He sighed, and continued, “What are you planning?
I mean, of what use is he to you?”
“It’s not our plan we need
to worry about. The street rats are
up to something. I can feel it.
And he is a part of it.
If keeping him here keeps them from achieving their little goals, then it
is worth dealing with him.” Nicholai
said.
“What do you feel they’re up to?”
Robert asked.
Daniel smiled, “We were hoping you knew.”
Robert looked at him, “I have no power.
They call me names and you’ve belittled me in front of them.
They don’t tell me what they’re doing anymore and I don’t ask.
I just keep to myself these days.”
Nicholai cocked his head. “You
were seen going to Beatriz’ home recently.
What was that about?”
“She asked me to show her boy how to fight physically.
He’s good with his mind, but not so good with his hands, it seems.”
Robert replied.
Nicholai narrowed his eyes, “And?”
He said.
Robert shook his head, “Aaaand, what?”
He asked. “The boy is
young, I gave him some pointers, played with him a bit and that was that.”
“And did he hurt you?” Balthazar
asked.
“Eventually, he was able to defend himself better.
He bloodied my shin, if I recall, and he bit me.”
He smiled, “He fights dirty. You’d
better watch yourself.” His smile
faded, “I think the girls are scarier than he is—they’re rather protective
of him.
There seems to be an odd sort of arrangement there.
Not that it should affect anything here…”
“Arrangement?” Victor
asked.
“Well, he is one of the lucky
ones, and he’s living there with those four women and the occasional
visitor.” He smiled lewdly,
“You’ve kidnapped their sex toy. They’ve
got to be pissed about that.”
He laughed.
“It’s ridiculous that they waste their time with such things.”
The man stated.
“They don’t have that much to do.”
Robert said, crossing his arms in front of him.
“Between Beatriz and yourselves, this city is pretty much under
control—it’s not often that Sonya or Kirk are really needed anymore.
Her little troublemakers are right there under her nose.
Better that they make whoopee with a beautiful boy than play games with
humans and leave behind bodies and such. Don’t
you think?”
“In a city this size, there is always work to be done.”
Daniel said. “And fun with
humans need not end up in dead bodies, as you know.”
“I agree. But in the past,
sometimes it has.” Robert
stopped, just looking at them for a moment.
“I’m sure you didn’t bring me here to talk about the sexual
exploits of young Taylor, since that is not something you partake of any longer.
What exactly are you needing from me? ”
“We need you to watch and listen and to tell us what you hear and what
you see. You’re in a very
interesting position. The young are
accustomed to your coming and going and in some ways, they even look up to you.
You are older than all of them, yet, you aren’t one of us.
You can be trusted.” Nicholai
said.
“Find out what they are doing, and tell us.
We shall reward you.” He
smiled and it was odd because it happened so seldom.
“This could be the chance for you to become someone of importance in
this city.
Perhaps, become one of us here.
The boy would need a mentor if we can get him to work with
us instead of against us. We could
know that those in the streets respected us, as they would you.”
Robert bowed to the man, “I shall expect a bedroom as nice as his.”
He said, with a raised eyebrow, his manner joking.
“I knew we could count on you.”
The man replied. “Daniel,
show Robert to the door, make sure he has enough cash to do whatever he may need
to.”
~~~~~
Beatriz stepped into her apartment and slung her shoes off.
For a moment, she listened.
She seemed to be alone in the place.
She sat down in a soft chair and pulled her feet up as her hand wandered
to the collar of her shirt and the pendant that now hung there, its broken chain
tied in a knot. She remembered when
she’d placed it around Taylor’s neck. It
was supposed to protect him, but it hadn’t.
She looked around the room.
There were pieces of artwork from all over the world, spanning more than
four centuries. The earrings in her
ears were gold, given to her by her father before he’d offered her up to the
demon who’d plagued their village, drinking the blood of whoever he chose
until their hearts stopped beating. They’d
hoped that her beauty would save them, and it had.
He’d found her so beautiful, he’d changed her instead of
taking her life, and she’d led him to the big city, away from her people.
That was before the soldiers came and killed so many.
The sound of the elevator tore her from her thoughts and she looked up to
see Melanie walk in. “Good
morning.”
She said to the girl.
“Hey.” Melanie replied,
handing her a note, then sitting down on the couch.
“Julie said this was for you.”
Opening it, Beatriz recognized the swirling penmanship of Roberto.
“I fear for him.
He’s hurt somehow and they seem to be holding him
indefinitely. They didn’t tell me
what they are doing and their reasoning seems to be anywhere from getting back
at you and yours to having Taylor join them to gain respect from the young.
He is obviously ill, but they claim they’ve fed him well and that he is
fine. Be careful what you do,
they’re watching and they want information from me.
I don’t know what you are planning, and I don’t want to know—just
in case. But, whatever it is, it
needs to be soon.”
“Soon” indeed, she thought, walking towards the fireplace.
~~~~~
Nicholai sat in a chair and looked up at the monitor that showed
Taylor’s room. The boy had ripped
the sheets off the bed and now lay face down on the bare mattress.
“He hates you so much, he refuses to lay where you’ve lain.”
He said to Balthazar over his shoulder.
“Good. I’ll have to
visit him more often, then.” He
snorted back.
Nicholai spun the chair around so that he faced them.
“Well, gentlemen, what are we going to do?
I don’t know how far I trust Robert, though he didn’t
seem to be lying. The boy obviously
is not going to do anything we ask of him…”
He turned and looked again; Taylor still hadn’t moved.
“Do we wait and see what they are going to do?
Or do we hope that without their weapon in there, that their little
mutiny has been squelched?”
~~~~~
By the time the clock struck four, Beatriz had all her close group in
front of her, sans Taylor. “Camille?”
She asked.
“Nikki’s list was pretty complete, I think.
Julie only had two to add to it.”
The girl replied, handing her a dog eared piece of notebook paper.
Beatriz handed it to Sonya. “Well?”
Sonya leaned over towards Kirk and they both looked at it.
He held up three fingers and Sonya looked back at Beatriz,
“Seven down. Nine to go.
Did you talk to the sisters?” She
asked.
“I did.” Beatriz
answered.
“This could be done by the next sunrise.”
Sonya said softly.
Beatriz’ dark eyes locked with hers, “You can take two more off the
list.” She said.
Sonya handed the paper back to her, “In one night, we’re more than
halfway there.” She said.
“But tomorrow, they’ll know. We
have to be careful.” She said.
“Very.” Beatriz agreed
and her eyes then went to the fire that had turned to glowing embers.
~~~~~
Joshua stepped into the room to see the others just sitting.
“What did I miss? It
seems awfully quiet, considering we’re babysitting right now.”
Balthazar sighed, “He seems to have clammed up again.
He still doesn’t want to come out and play with us.”
The man looked up at the screen, “And so, he’s been sent to his room
with no supper?”
Daniel laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back on the couch he
sat on, “Oh, he had supper. He
dropped two of our little wannabes.”
“Hmmm…frankly, I’d like to see him starve, but I’m sure I’m the
only one who feels that way.” He
answered.
“It doesn’t matter to me, either way.”
Victor stated. “I do not
think he is worth the trouble. He’s
just a child with some interesting talents—no more or less special than any of
the females. His value lies in our using him against the women.”
“Well,” Joshua began, “I believe I have a way of finding out
exactly what he’s capable of, but I won’t even bother if all of you don’t
feel the need. But I can tell you
from experience, he’s not just another female.
He’s hiding something and so is Beatriz.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, “I felt what he’s capable of.
It took two days for my head to put itself back in order.
I don’t think we should underestimate him.
So, if you’re serious about this thing, let me know, because it’ll
take a couple of days to get things arranged.”
Nicholai looked to the others, then back to Joshua, “What did you have
in mind?”
