by Jason Fuquea
“My name is Victoria, not Vicky and no one else is in the house.”
I can only assume the Werewolf woman is testing me. “OK,” I said, then moved into my natural state. I’m sure I disappeared from their sight. I shadow stepped backward through the closed door into Chester’s room first.
His room is quaint room with lots of old-world charm. I can see Christina inside her violin case sitting in what can only be her home, a special velvet-lined shelf that has a closed glass door.
There is a double post bed, with a patchwork blanket and one pillow in the corner of the room. His shoes are all in a line under the footboard. He has music books in a small bookcase sitting on the nightstand along with his special flask, still oozing vamp blood scent.
I left Chester’s room moving back to the reception room past Marcus, Victoria, and the hired guns still almost frozen. I moved through the right locked door into a hallway, and at the end of the hallway is another locked door. I opened the door and saw my first Vampire.
“Holy Hell what am I seeing?” I gasped. The sexiest man I have ever seen is dressed in only slacks and a belt. He has long blond hair down to his shoulders, and although pale, his chiseled perfection could be a sculpture. He’s over six feet tall, and no one would deny him being a predator. He has pale red eyes, and perfect teeth apart from his two-inch fangs. He’s shackled at an odd angle and seemingly in pain unable to move.
The Vampire is attached to a suspended twelve-foot sheet of iron banded plywood ten-feet high in the air. “Now, this looks promising,” a seductive voice said from behind my eyes. I ignored her and continued to scan the area.
The room is about twenty-five feet wide by twenty-five feet long with a thirty-foot cathedral ceiling. Silver chains secured the hoisted reinforced plywood to the open rafters above.
The Vampire’s wrists, throat, ankles, and thighs are all secured with silver shackles. A large silver chain encircled his waist pulled through holes cut into the plywood. Above his head, a hospital-grade plastic tube slowly dripped blood down into the Vampire’s mouth from a refrigerated reservoir above.
The room has a private set of stairs and landing above the Vampire to safely refill the reservoir when needed. “Silver must prevent movement and sap his strength,” I guessed. Rot spots had formed where the silver touched, destroying the Vampire’s healing ability.
Below the Vampire is a wooden wine barrel with a secured but not banded lid. A silver knife rests on the barrel lid. Around the room, at least 15 other wine barrels are situated with iron bands reinforcing the wood. “There must be hundreds of gallons of Blood Wine at various stages of fermentation in here,” I thought.
I stopped moving now hearing Victoria bitching about where I am and why are the doors open and something about, “How could this shit happen, Chester.” I knew it would only be a few seconds until she and the other four are beside me.
“Victoria,” I yelled. “I’m with the Vampire you don’t have that isn’t chained to a piece of plywood in the room that you’re not making blood wine in.”
“Damn it!” I overheard her say while walking to the blood distillery. She and Chester came in first, followed by the other boys.
“Alice,” Chester said, “Please excuse the mess, I haven’t been able to tidy up in a while. Here is your tea by the way.” He isn’t fazed in the slightest by my being here.
Accepting the tea, I said, “Thank you, Chester.” I took a small sip and it’s as bad as the stuff Jane tried to force down me. Victoria’s face was blood red, matching her hair almost exactly.
“Chester, “Why do you drink Vampire blood mixed with alcohol?” I asked.
“I’d drink it for the taste, smells yummy,” the voice in my head said sweetly.
Chester answered without hesitation, “I became addicted to Vampire blood about ninety years ago in England, my birthplace. The blood significantly slows aging and halts any other ailments one might have. I was sick and the doctors couldn’t help me, so I found a Vampire and started making wine. The only drawback is after starting, breaking the addiction will likely cause death.
“I migrated to America, and it was much harder to acquire the blood I needed. Marcus found me thirty years ago here in New Orleans when I was nearly dead because of that very reason. He and Victoria supplied me with blood alcohol but required I serve them as housekeeper and blood worker from then on. I accepted and have been in their service ever since.”
“Blood worker, does that mean you milk this guy and make blood wine or is there something else to it?” I asked.
“Blood Worker is a term mainly used by Vampires indicating someone that belongs to a master and is given blood for services rendered. The service asked of the worker may be of any kind. Some Werewolves do have blood workers when the situation fits.”
Victoria said, “It is forbidden to show an outsider what you’ve seen. Vampires and Werewolves are mortal enemies, but both sides have agreed that keeping our world beneath a veil is paramount. You have killed us all tonight by being here Alice. When the Vampires find out, they will send Sollicitus.” Victoria exhaled loudly.
“You have seen a Werewolf shift, you know about blood workers, and about Vampire enslavement such as the one you are witnessing now. The Vampire you see here was a peace offering from Dominus Strum, the Vampire Master of New Orleans.
“This Vampire broke vampiric law and was sent to us for punishment. He is fulfilling the fifty years of servitude required by law. We have several Werewolves in servitude on the Vampire side, it’s just part of how our world works.” She finished.
“Let’s start over, what’s a damn Sollicitus Victoria?” I said.
“A nightmare. They are the executioners and assassins that work on behalf of the head Vampire of a city. If proof can be found that a law was broken, he may use them to exact justice.
“This Vampire can attest to you being here now. Vampires can read each other’s minds Alice, we are screwed.” She huffed. “If we kill this Vampire, we will also have broken vampiric law, so either way we are all going to die. It’s just a matter of when.” I nodded when she finished.
“You’re right,” I said, walking over to the Vampire. “Looks like you two Werewolves are screwed. I doubt Chester here will be in any danger or the hired help, no doubt they are part of this Vampire world understanding. You two, on the other hand, are charged with controlling the strength of the veil, and as I’m a newcomer, the worst I’ll get is a slap on the wrist.”
Victoria lost a shade of color at my understanding of the situation. I shrugged. “I think I’ve had about enough of this for tonight, I’m going to look for more Vampires. Do you know where I can find some, in let’s say, a social setting?”
Chester said, “The basement of the French Quarter Mansion may provide something of interest, my lady.”
“Thank you, Sir Chester, always a pleasure.” Chester nodded and gave a half bow. I gave him back his teacup and said. “Chester, please be sure that I find you on Decatur Street tomorrow, If I can’t, I’ll be back here looking for you.”
“Yes, my lady,” he confirmed.
“Good, he’s already a servant, we can never have too many.” My other inside voice thought.
“Victoria and gentleman, it was a pleasure meeting you, just one more thing.”
“Go to hell Alice!” Victoria snarled back.
“Vicky, I need a change of clothes before my night on the town,” I said giving her a pouting face.
Victoria looked like she could have an aneurism and replied, “Whatever it will take to get you out of here.” She went out of the room and came back a few moments later with a red dress and a pair of black flats.
“Thank you,” I said in my best Southern schoolgirl voice. Then I vanished from their sight.
Chapter 7
The French Quarter Mansion
The French Quarter Mansion is
a hotel originally built sometime in the early 1800s and is now restored. It’s an eclectic and wonderful place showing period masonry work, original flooring, and exposed beams in the lobby.
Outside the Mansion the new paint is bright and popping. “The oversized door hardware and modern lighting makes this place officially fancy,” I thought. I had only been past the French Quarter Mansion once and never more than window shopped it. I am poor and this section of town is off limits to people like me.
The hotel is only a few blocks from Madison street and Werewolf garden where tonight got interesting. I arrived at the mansion hotel in literally no time. I really liked my newfound traveling abilities – very handy.
I made my way in and around the hotel finally finding what Chester spoke of. An antique-looking door has a sign on it marked private. The door is at the bottom of three flights of ancient-looking wooden stairs and looks like just the place Vampires would hang out. I can smell vamp scent radiating from the door cracks, so I know I’m at the correct place. A human is on a veranda, just before the last flight of stairs that landed at the club door. He is lounging in a chair and it sounds like wheel of fortune reruns are playing. “I really like that show.”
“Me too,” she said from inside my mind. I slipped past the guard and through the downstairs door unnoticed.
Inside the bar, I can see mostly humans, but also a few Vampires were scattered about, their chiseled bodies dressed in high fashion with perfect features the tell-tell signs of immortality. “Once you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all,” I thought. Their smell is similar to the one at the distillery, but each has a distinct thread of scent unique to the Vampire.
It’s around midnight and this place just got started. The DJ rocked out some new sounding techno beats, while the bartenders tossed bottles back and forth in a show for the patrons. In a few secluded booths, select Vampires have an entourage with them. One booth has a Vampire discretely drinking at a human female’s neck. I thought they were just kissing until I saw a thin red blood line dripping down on her shirt collar.
Spread through the bar are lone Vampires, I guess they are not high enough up the food chain to need a group or could be with the others in a supporting role. Vampires must have certain clans or ranks because the vast majority of these have the same tattoo on their forehead as Marcus did. “Jane must not know how to give a Vampire a mark that stays.”
I’m sporting my newly acquired little red dress with cute black flats and sat at the furthest round table from the bar. It also is the closest one to the exit. The tables have padded leather black tops, and chrome chairs with matching seats. Small metal ring-shaped grommets circle the outer edge of the tables and chairs adding to the seductive vibe that the bar gives off.
Sitting here I slowed down and closed my eyes trying to understand everything. I know nothing about what I am or what I’m becoming now that this veil has been lifted, but something tells me I’m right where I should be. I don’t know why this is happening or why I have this new voice in my head, but I’m thankful, and I want to do something good, whatever good really is.
“Amen to that, what is good after all?” She/I said. Then a philosophical thought came, “What if killing a room full of Vampires is just like helping an old lady across the road?” Both are really good things. “Exactly my thinking,” she giggled with me sweetly.
A slight tapping on my tabletop brought me back to the present. A cute, long-legged girl with purple hair, fishnet stockings, and a super short leather miniskirt showing pretty much everything is standing in front of me holding a drink tray. “O, she’s sexy.” My other side thought.
The waitress spoke quietly, “Just a heads-up sweetie. If John comes up here, don’t drink anything he gives you. John is an asshole and hits on all the new girls and sometimes spikes the drinks. I’m Roxanne if you need anything.”
“I’m Alice, thanks for the warning,” I said.
“Love your contacts.” She smiled not wasting time heading back toward the bar.
“let’s take that one home,” my alter ego purred. I giggled at her thought.
Two songs later a vampire walks up saying, “Can I buy you a drink?” A tall, dark, and gorgeous Vampire is standing in front of me holding two drinks in his hands. Immediately, I could smell his scent, it has the normal vamp sent, but is mixed with something else – human blood or something like it.
I guessed he had just finished eating or having sex. Six-Six at about 225 pounds and a hulk of a man. Great smile, short military haircut with a chiseled jaw and he had that funny upside-down A on his forehead. He’s wearing a white shirt unbuttoned to show a pale white hairless chest. He sported a matching black suit set, black jacket with larger than needed belt buckle and slacks. Buffed black dress shoes with gold metal toe accents finished his wardrobe.
“I don’t take candy from strangers,” I said with a smirk batting my eyelashes.
He shifted a little, “John Maddox, I’m one of the bouncers here. I normally don’t talk to the ladies that come in, but when I saw your eyes, I just had to meet you,” he said with a toothy grin on his face. Lying for sure, ever hear of a bouncer that didn’t check out the ladies? What a joke.
“It’s nice to meet you, John, I’m Alice, but the answer is still no. I’m sure you can find someone else to share those drinks with.” Breaking eye contact, I looked down to the dance floor.
“So, “It’s like that, not even going to give a guy a chance at getting to know ya?
“You don’t have a chance in hell at anything with me, John,” I said looking at him, then grinning with my sinister smile. My guess is that Vampires normally get what they want. Since there are no female Vampires, he thinks I’m human with some crazy contacts or teeth implants or maybe even a female Werewolf, or some other kind of creature I don’t know about.
In a scornful tone, he said, “Bitch.” Then he threw both drinks on me. I stayed seated, I didn’t move, and I never ran. The dark liquid poured over my head and face soaking my beautiful hair, neck, and down Victoria’s dress, she’s going to be pissed.
The sticky liquid went under my bra and across my silver chain and cross that I stuck inside my bra for safekeeping. It soaked through to my stomach and leaked down, over, and between my thighs. I sat motionlessly then raised my chin, looking him directly in the eyes.
“Is that all you got?” I said while wiping what was left of the Tequila Sunsets out of my eyes and tasting it. The taste is better than water, but still like piss, but I didn’t let John know that.
“I think it’s time for you to go,” John said. I didn’t move, just continued to stare into his dull red eyes.
John grabbed me by the wrist as if I were someone he was about to throw out. “Why the hell are you so cold?” he said.
“John, hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s not nice to touch a lady without her permission? Please remove your hand or I’ll be forced to remove it,” I warned.
John I’m sure is trying to break my arm with his grip or do something manly, but to be honest I didn’t feel a thing. If I didn’t see his hand, I wouldn’t know he was pulling on me.
John began to get angry and change. His eyes turned bright red and his fangs protracted, they’re now about two inches long. He’s losing control, bending down near my face and whispering, “On second thought, I’m not going to throw you out. I’m going to drain every drop of your blood then make you my pretty eyed blood whore.” He opened his mouth and lunged vamp fast at my throat.
As he lunged, I shadow stepped out of his bite. The movement felt different this time, less of a focused use of energy, more of an extension of myself. I simply didn’t think about moving, I willed it. He knocked the table and three of the four chairs over as he missed me. “Vampires are faster than Werewolves it seems, but I am something else completely.”
“Yes, you are, my dear,” she thought to me. After about five seconds
of chairs and the table clanging around, two other bouncers started their way over to us. The other patrons didn’t seem to mind at all. John steadied his balance and faced me again getting ready to strike.
Before he could move, or think, or even react, I appeared inside his personal space. With a surgically precise movement, I lifted open his jaws and pulled both fangs from his mouth in a fluid and satisfying motion. Both fangs pulled lose effortlessly, with a slight high pitch tinking sound. Then I stepped back to my original place.
It all happened within the slightest blink of time and I doubt anyone watching me would have noticed any movement. John immediately placed his hand over his mouth. Blood pouring between his fingers, across his chin and onto his white button-up shirt.
He screamed, enraged with what I could only imagine being a very painful and awkward feeling mouth. I lifted my hand that held his two fangs, looked at him and said, “Oops, looks like you dropped these, Johnny. You know, when you spilled your drinks sugar?” I dropped them on the floor turning to the arriving bouncers.
“What in the hell is going on.” One of the bouncers asked.
John replied instantly in his now slurp sounding voice, “She ripped my teeth out, man. All I did was ask her if she wanted a damn drink.”
The bouncer looked at me then back to John and said, “John, you’re saying she assaulted you. Did she have a weapon or something?” The bouncer asked tentatively.
“I don’t know what she is but look at her eyes, and she’s too fast.” John replied.
I said, “I have contacts in to make my eyes look like this, and I’m not fast, you’re just a slow drunk, and your teeth were knocked out by the table you tripped over.” Rolling my eyes I continued, “Will one of you please take him somewhere else, and point me to the lady’s room? He spilled his drinks on me while he stumbled across the floor.” I finished and winked at John.
