by Luke Metcalf
*
Mitchell had taken a night flight on his private jet to get to America and when he stepped off the plane his eyes were sparkling with exhilaration. Over the previous months he had fully returned to the world and was now ready to play a part in the story of a new age. He checked into the Royal Suite of the best hotel in Portland and slept through the day. At sunset he rose and went out into the back streets, scouring the thoughts of all the seedy nighttime characters skulking around in the bars and alleys until he found a young man sitting with a drink, thinking about a robbery he had just committed, where he had left the victim bleeding to death from a savage beating. He showed no remorse for what he had done, so Mitchell engaged him in conversation, suggesting that he might have a job for him.
As they talked he read the young man’s thoughts and knew that he was planning to beat him and rob him as soon as there was an opportunity. When Mitchell suggested they should go somewhere quieter to talk the young man saw his opportunity and readily agreed. Amongst the trashcans behind the bar Mitchell drained him of every last drop of his blood. Once he had fed he hailed a cab and gave the driver the address he had found for The Sanctuary.
As he walked through the front doors his senses were bombarded by the thundering rock music he had grown to love in London. He smiled to himself. It was as though the raw, vibrant energy of the music, the lights and the gyrating bodies of the young dancers filled him with a sense of belonging. He chose an inconspicuous spot along one of the walls to stand and survey his surroundings.
He scanned the room again and froze as his eyes fell on Mephris, with three younger vampires sitting at a table on the other side of the dance floor. Mitchell tried to read the minds of the younger, weaker vampires before making a move. With some intense concentration he was able to isolate their thoughts from the other three hundred clubbers and follow their conversation.
“Well, you’re going to get a chance to prove yourselves very soon,” Mephris was saying. “Tomorrow night the transaction will take place at the warehouse. We can eliminate a large portion of their gang. Then we will be able to take total control of the ports.”
*
Emily was walking toward the doors of the club, looking for a spot where she would be able to speak privately with Mercurios, when Cindy came shimmying over. She grabbed Emily’s hand, dragging her onto the dance floor.
“Come on!”
“Uh, Cindy, I don’t really want to.”
Cindy ignored her, dragging her through the crowd, dancing as she went. Emily broke away from her friend, laughing. “Listen, I’m going to grab a soda – you want one?”
“No. Make sure you come back though.”
Emily headed back toward the exit. As she walked she turned her head to her right and it was as though the whole world went into slow motion. That was when she saw him…
Emily staggered, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. Steadying herself, she looked again and saw the boy from her dreams standing on the opposite side of the club. He was leaning casually against a wall, scanning the scene just as she had been doing. For a moment time and reality seemed suspended. It felt as though her heart had stopped beating, everything had frozen and the wall between dreams and reality had collapsed. She sucked in a deep breath and felt her heart begin to pound in her chest once more, hot blood pumping through her veins, bringing a flush to her cheeks, hidden beneath her makeup.
She knew without a doubt that this was not a dream and that it was the most monumental moment of her life. She was frozen to the spot, her eyes locked on him, her feet rooted to the floor. He had the same commanding presence as the man who’d been intimidating Cady Sunner, but he was far more powerful and attractive. There was an otherworldly quality about him. He seemed so magnetic, even just standing there doing nothing. Emily was absolutely dazzled. She felt that he was even more gorgeous in real life than in her dream, if that was possible. She couldn’t have torn her eyes away even if she had wanted to. To see the mysterious young man of her dreams, who had been haunting her thoughts, and had filled her with such a powerful longing and desire, standing across the room in the flesh, was overwhelming. A force more powerful than any she had experienced before drew Emily to him. She was certain to the core of her soul that this was destiny.
She noticed he was alone, but he didn’t look self-conscious about it. For some reason she couldn’t decipher, he seemed out of place. Then she realized he wasn’t wearing a costume. He was stylishly dressed and it all fitted him perfectly, even though it seemed he had thrown it together without any effort. She wondered how he had managed to get into the club without a costume.
He looked to be about a year older than her, but he definitely seemed mature far beyond his years. His skin was pale like the others, and there were shadows of darkness under his eyes. Then there were those sparkling emerald eyes that had transfixed her so often in her dreams. She could see them glittering even from across the room. When he made even the smallest of movements he had a lithe, animal grace, effortless and powerful. Emily found it indescribably attractive. There was something else about him, about the way he carried himself, about his presence even as he just leaned against the wall… She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Then she had it. Never had she seen a person in possession of such total self-confidence.
She had seen confident men and reckless men and arrogant men, but this was something else. He had a sense of self that needed no explanation, made no excuses, and didn’t try to impress. His confidence was so strong it created an aura around him. It was silent, total and unshakable. He seemed a wolf among sheep. Emily was so mesmerized by him that she completely forgot why she had come to the club in the first place.
As she stood staring at him, a shiver cascaded down her spine. The magnetic force that was drawing her to him was overpowering. She had an irresistible urge to speak to him, to stand face-to-face with him, to touch him. What could this possibly mean? she wondered. The stranger from her dreams was actually real! Had she tapped into some sort of psychic powers through her dreams? And if so what did it mean? She couldn’t just walk up and tell him she had been having dreams about him. He’d think she was a psycho. Then again, who knows, maybe he’d had the same dream. She told herself that none of that mattered. This was destiny and it would not be denied.
As she watched, unable to move, a beautiful brunette wearing a skimpy, sexy cat costume sidled up to him. Emily’s heart sank. The girl had a perfect body and knew exactly how to show it off.
I could never compete with that, she thought, feeling a wave of intense jealousy wash over her. The scar on Emily’s palm burned and itched and she rubbed it with her thumb. The girl was obviously interested in him. She smiled and batted her eyelashes as she talked, trying to get him to crack a smile. He must have said something funny, because she laughed and casually put her hand on his chest, letting her fingers glide suggestively down over his stomach. Emily was impressed by the girl’s nerve and, at the same time, envious.
She remembered what he looked like with his shirt off and thought of her fingers gliding over his perfect abs and her heart pounded even faster and her flesh become hot. She couldn’t hear what the girl was saying, but the boy smiled and laughed a little, flashing perfect white teeth and… fangs.
Ah, so that’s it, thought Emily. He’s dressed as a modern-day vampire! That would go with the long black coat he was wearing. His makeup and teeth looked professionally done. They were even better than hers, subtle but extremely convincing.
Throughout his conversation with the girl, the young man remained leaning away from her, casually against the wall. Sometimes he looked at the girl but more often he let his eyes drift around the room. If Emily wasn’t crazy, he almost seemed bored with the girl and her flirtations. During the few minutes she spoke with him he seemed to remain friendly but detached.
Well, Emily thought, if he’s not interested in her, then he must have some even more perfect girlfriend somewhere. She felt another surge of jeal
ousy and wanted him more than anything in the world. She shook her head, half in a daze, amazed at the power of the emotions he always awakened in her. She felt incredibly nervous about approaching him and desperately tried to regain her composure.
Please don’t look at me, she thought, please don’t look at me… then a moment later… please look at me!
Just then the boy’s eyes slowly turned and looked directly into hers. As he calmly held her gaze, Emily could feel her heart beating so fast she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to breathe. She felt dazed. Seeing his face and looking into the eyes that had so hypnotized her, possessed her, haunted her, this moment in her life hit her so hard, so profoundly, Emily knew that it would be etched in her soul for all eternity.
Overwhelmed, Emily looked away, gasping for air. A second later she looked back as though the gravitational pull of his being was unstoppable. He was still calmly staring at her. Realizing she was being ignored, the other girl shrugged and walked away. He didn’t give her a second glance. Even though her heart was pounding and her mouth was dry, Emily found herself walking toward him, drawn to him by something that she could not resist. The image of Tom flashed through her mind and she felt a twinge of guilt. She bumped into a table, spilling a girl’s drink all over her. The girl let out a cry.
“Hey, watch where you’re going!”
“I am so sorry.”
Emily continued toward him, but didn’t dare look back into his eyes. She did not want to fall over another table like a complete idiot. When she reached him, she leaned against the wall, breathing in the deliciously subtle scent of his cologne and trying to look as casual as him. She felt him lean away from her almost imperceptibly.
Emily’s eyes paused on his designer black leather boots, then on the thick gold, diamond-encrusted watch on his wrist and the big gold ring on his right hand with a massive, glittering emerald in it that matched his eyes.
Well, whoever he is, she thought, this guy is seriously rich. That watch is probably worth more than my mom’s car. She had a feeling like the time when she’d gone cliff-diving into a lake as a child, when, after working up the courage to jump, she’d stepped forward to leap. As soon as his emerald eyes came to rest on her, she knew there was no turning back because she was already halfway down the cliff and still falling.
Fifteen
“So,” Emily said when she felt able to talk, “which one will we have for dinner?”
Mitchell looked puzzled and she smiled, giving him a glimpse of her fangs, so he would get her joke. He returned her smile but remained aloof, going back to scanning the club, taking in the table of four men. He looked liked some kind of fierce angel. She found his confidence, charisma and raw masculinity intoxicating. Her body was tingling all over. Emily could imagine armies blindly following a man like this into war, willing to face certain death for him. She felt a fool for even thinking such a man might be interested in talking to her.
Why would he ever want me? she thought. He’s obviously totally superior to me in every way. You are way out of your league, Emily.
“Hmm,” he said eventually. “That will require a great deal of thought.” His voice was low, sexy and hypnotic and sent a shiver down her spine. He spoke with an English accent, frowning and pretending to contemplate the question seriously. Then he pointed at the kid in the Tweety costume. “How about that one?”
Emily giggled. “I was thinking the whole Mad Hatter’s tea party. Or is that too greedy?”
He looked at her again and unleashed the full magnetic force of his smile. His green eyes glinted and Emily’s confidence skyrocketed.
“Hmm… I would avoid the Hatter,” he said. “I think there is something seriously wrong with that bloke.”
Emily pretended to weigh his words with deep concern. “Yeah, you may have a point there. Well, how about just Alice?”
He glanced at her with mock disapproval. “Alice? You would kill Alice? After everything she’s been through?”
“I guess I’m just a very bad person.” Emily winked at him. She couldn’t believe she did that! She felt the rush of adrenaline course through her. She was flirting with him and he wasn’t turning her away as he’d done with the brunette.
“How about the hippie?” he suggested, pointing at a kid approaching the dance floor.
“Definitely!”
“Or the giant bagel with cream cheese?” He gestured toward a girl struggling to dance in her absurd costume.
Emily pointed at a Grim Reaper leaning against a wall. “How about Death?”
“Killing Death… now that would be interesting.”
His eyes glowed with an inner light that made her gasp. It was as though he was trying to look deep inside her and Emily could feel herself going into the same hypnotic trance she had experienced so many times looking into his eyes in her dreams. She opened her mind and heart to him, wanting his gaze to come all the way inside her and fill her with his enormous presence. She began to salivate. She licked her lips and swallowed. Someone walked up to them wearing a Crimson Ghost costume. Emily snapped out of her trance. It took her a moment to realize who it was.
“Tom? Is that you?”
“Hey, what’s up, Emily?” he spoke casually, but stared at her long and hard.
“Cool costume,” she said, feeling kind of awkward.
“Thanks, and you look amazing. You wear that look well.”
“Oh, thanks.” Emily felt herself blushing a little.
“Who’s your friend?” Tom asked, nodding in the direction of Mitchell. Though he seemed relaxed, Emily sensed tension in his voice. Her heart hurt. It struck her at that moment how much she cared for Tom. Images of their shared moments flashed through her mind and she felt as if two powerful internal forces were pulling her in different directions.
“Just a random partygoer,” Mitchell said, moving to leave. “If you’ll excuse me…”
“No wait…” Emily held up a hand, then glanced at Tom as if to tell him she was busy before he came to say hello. She turned to the boy she’d just met. “I mean, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“Hey.” Tom touched Emily’s elbow gently. “Just come find me when you two are done talking.”
He walked off through the writhing, costumed crowd. Emily stared after him for a moment, impressed. That was pretty mature of him. She then turned back to the boy from her dreams and noticed he was wearing a gold pendant in the shape of a large teardrop, engraved with what looked like runes. It hung from a thick gold chain around his neck.
“That’s a really cool pendant.”
“Thanks,” he said distantly, still surveying the club.
“Was that a gift from your girlfriend?”
He paused to look at her, raising an eyebrow, and then returned to watching the table of pale men. He seemed vaguely amused.
“You’re not very good at that, are you?”
“At what?” she asked, the self-conscious Emily creeping back in.
“Fishing for information. You’re not very subtle.” He glanced at her sideways and gave her a cocky, sexy smirk.
She laughed awkwardly, feeling like she had just fallen off the cloud she’d been floating on. “Oh… uh, yeah, I guess I’m not.”
He laughed gently at her social ineptitude and she was absurdly happy that she was amusing him. Suddenly, he tensed, and his expression grew stern. She followed his gaze toward the four men who had stood up from their table and were heading for the exit. She wondered now if he was somehow connected with them. He gave her a cold, hard look.
“I have to leave. Don’t follow me.”
In shock she watched him turn and glide off through the crowd after the four men.
Oh my god, this is so humiliating, she thought, I totally blew it. And, to think that I believed he might be interested in me. Why did I have to say that and sound like such a fool? He obviously thinks I’m a total loser.
She stared after him, stunned, confused, and deeply disappointed. She could feel
her skin growing hot and prickly with humiliation. Or was it exhilaration? Either way, she was filled with curiosity as to what his connection with those men was. Did he know they were dangerous? Maybe that’s why he left so abruptly. Maybe he was trying to protect her. Part of her was severely disappointed that he might be associated with such lowlifes, but part of her wanted to go after him.
*
Outside the club, Mitchell followed the four vampires behind the building into a parking lot and through an empty construction site. No one else was around.
Mitchell threw back his coat and unsheathed the sword that it had been covering. The cold, cruel blade glinted then burst into flame as he leaped thirty feet through the air and landed directly in front of the startled vampires.
“You!” Mephris whispered in horror.
“I’ve been looking forward to catching up with you for a long, long time, Mephris.”
Mephris nodded to his companions. “Time to prove yourselves,” he snapped, then turned and ran into the night. The three young vampires watched as he disappeared into the darkness, then turned to face Mitchell and sprang into action. The two tall ones drew their swords, which shone the cold, pale, bluish-white of frost. The third tore a metal bar from a nearby fire escape. All three came at him at once.
He stepped smoothly aside as the first lunged forward, thrusting his sword at Mitchell’s throat. With a quick slash of his Draaken, his assailant’s arm was severed, and the vampire fell to the ground with a shriek. A moment later the second one’s head lay beside the first one’s arm. With one final swipe to the throat, Mitchell dispatched the third vampire.
