by Jason Fuquea
I heard a muffled gulping and two guns smattering across the ground. “Holy F…..” I gasped. When I turned around I saw a shadowy humanoid figure with slanted bright yellow eyes standing at least nine feet tall. He had both men on their knees with his hands around the backs of their throats reaching forward.
His flesh pulsated, chains swinging half-wrapped around his throat and legs. He has a triangle-shaped head and a pointed jaw with bones protruding from his spine and elbows. He also had long two-foot fingers and toes that brought the monstrous form to life.
I walked to him and placed my hand upon his shoulder. “Speak,” I said. He was warm, and my touch was welcome.
In a Demonic language I now understood he said, “None shall threaten the Queen.” I nodded understanding his reason for being here.
“What is your name?” I asked.
“My name is Devin, my Queen.” He answered.
“Disembowel the one who threatened me. Break the hands and feet and every digit of the other one. Leave them both here. Thank you for taking care of me,” I told the minion.
“Yes, my Queen,” Devin responding in a silky snake-like eloquence. Devin bowed down all the way to the alley floor, touching it with his head.
“Silentium” I murmured pointing at the two men on the ground. Preemptively silencing the impending screams as the Demon went to work. I stood in the alley facing the opposite way of the Demon as he started the job.
“So my good friend Marcus is salty.” I thought. I called into the darkness knowing the minions would hear my voice, “Bring Marcus, Victoria, and Chester to lay on the ground beneath your Queen unharmed.”
I waited patiently for several minutes, then the sounds of metal cooling from high heat could be heard around me. The air seemed to go into a heat haze and from the darkest part of the shadows, two winged minions appeared.
The Werewolves were wrapped back to back and gagged with unbreakable Demonic bindings and placed at my feet. Chester was alone and wrapped the same, placed beside them tenderly.
“My heart belongs to you both. I said in my now instinctual Demonic tongue.” The minions bowed to the ground heads touching the asphalt. They vanished into the darkness.
“Release the human,” I commanded of the Demonic bands. Without hesitation, the bands broke apart falling into ashy powder in place of the once unbreakable wraps. “Dolor Mendacious” I spoke aloud before speaking directly to Chester.
“Chester, I hope you understand, but I need to ask you a few questions before I speak with the ones gagged on the floor. But, be warned if you lie, ungodly pain will meet your words.” Chester nodded.
“Chester, did you know about Marcus hiring men to throw me out of the city, and if I didn’t go to kill me?” I asked.
“My lady, I knew of no such thing or I would have told you,” he said truthfully.
“Thank you, Sir Chester. Chester, you no longer live with Victoria or Marcus and are not their blood worker.” I handed Chester the wad of money. “Take Christina, your belongings and a barrel of blood wine and leave, tonight. Stay in a hotel if you must. I expect to see you performing on Decatur Street tomorrow.” Chester nodded and walked down the alley past Devin who is now finished with his task, hiding within the shadows behind me in the direction of the Royal.
“If either of you tries to run, I will break both of your legs an inch at a time,” I said calmly. Devin chuffed from behind me hearing my words to the Werewolves. “Unbind the Werewolves,” I commanded to the Demonic bands. Ashy powder again formed in place of the tethers. The Werewolves stood and faced me.
“What the hell are you two doing? “Why try to make me leave or kill me?”
Victoria spoke up at once. “I did it, it wasn’t Marcus.” she said in a stressed voice. Immediately after her words were spoken Victoria started to scream. She put her hands on her head shaking from the pain. After twenty seconds she dropped to the floor digging her nails into her own skin chanting, “Make it stop, make it stop. Please make it stop.” Her arms are bleeding and nails full of skin from her self-inflicted clawing.
The ordeal lasted about three minutes then the pain left her. Exhausted she lay panting and soiled on the asphalt. It started to rain just as I turned to Marcus. “Why Marcus?” I asked.
“The Vampires will kill us all because of you so I wanted you gone or dead.” he said sternly.
“Devin are you scared of a Vampire?” I asked of my minion. Devin made his self known and walked out of the shadows. Marcus turned pale and vomited at the sight of the unclean minion. Devin snickered and walked back into the shadows.
“What in the hell are you?” Marcus gasped trying to catch his breath.
“I’m just a girl that’s tired of the bullshit and lies. The days of Werewolves and Vampires doing whatever they want is going to stop and this includes you. Chester is no longer yours, and you will not go looking for him. Do you understand me, Marcus?” He stared me directly in the eyes for about five seconds then nodded.
I walked closer to Marcus and whispered in his ear, “Just to make sure you understand me sugar.” I took my fingernail and poked the tip into his shoulder. He grunted. I pushed effortlessly and my finger slipped in completely. He yelled in pain grasping at his shoulder with his free hand. I lifted my arm up raising him off the ground, my pointer finger doing the work. He screamed in pain as I looked at him dangling, my finger under his shoulder joint.
“Marcus this is your only warning, and only because Victoria likes me so much.” I smirked at her. “I will wipe out your wolf pack the next time you lie to me or try and kill me or mine.” I dropped the bleeding Werewolf on the wet ground hard.
“Go, tell your wolfpack, and don’t move out of that lovely house and garden of yours. I’ll be around soon.” Victoria went over at once to aid Marcus putting her hand over his wound. They both turned and I watched them scamper off down the alley in the rain.
I nodded at Devin and started walking toward the French Quarter Mansion slowly. The sound of the rain falling around me, sliding down the bricks and splashing in the now forming puddles is delightful. I looked down at one of the puddles and realized how smooth and beautiful I really am now.
In my reflection, I can also see something else. I’m wearing the black tiara Lilith had on slightly raised off my head. I took my hands and felt my hair, nothing was there, but in the mirrored water it glistened in the rain helped by the full moon. “A tiara, that’s pretty awesome,” I thought.
I’m changing so much, I’m a little scared of what’s coming. I’m the Demonic Queen, whatever that is and have this wild magic running through my veins so strongly. I know there is always an adjustment, a balancing act the universe plays with power, but for now, I’m growing strong enough to face whatever it is I am to do.
For now, I need to make myself known to the Vampires and look for the lead suck head. I want to know where they sleep, where they feed, and what they do at night. I know practically nothing about them other than they kill Witches for amusement. The one thing I do know for sure is that John Maddox will not have a good night tonight.
I took the long way around the city in the rain. I’m not afraid of anything, for the first time in my life. I see why so many people love this place. It’s different and has a magic of its own.
“I really need to think about getting Buddy and me a different address,” I thought. No idea what Allen is doing now after I showed him my eyes. He’s probably putting my stuff in a box. I chuckled at the thought.
Chapter 12
Vampire?
The rain poured as I walked up to the French Quarter Mansion. I didn’t want to make a scene just wanted to get to the lower level bar room. I continued through the doors and past the reception desk without making eye contact, back through the familiar path I took just the other day.
Walking outside of my normal rhythm makes this place huge and took e
very bit of ten minutes to make my way down to the first of three sets of stairs. The final set of stairs has a doorman. He’s human and last time was watching wheel of fortune, “I really like that show,” I thought. He sat reclined watching TV propping the chair back against the wall, with the front two chair feet off the ground, but once he noticed me stood up quickly.
Holding up his hand he said, “This is a Vampire only bar.” No humans allowed.
“How do you know I’m not a Vampire?” I replied.
“Everyone knows females are not Vampires and you’re sure as shit female,” he answered.
“But what if I had fangs? Wouldn’t that make me the first female Vampire?” I blinked at him seductively with my long eyelashes.
“Just get to moving, you’re pretty and all, but I have a job to do, he said in his Southern Louisiana accent. I smiled widely at him showing my Kris like twisted fangs and pointed at them with my finger. “What the hell, are those real? Why would you have a dentist make you those? Are you some kind of Vampire fanatic?” he asked, agitated with my game.
“No sweetie, all real, but you’re kinda right about the whole Vampire fanatic thing. Surely you can let me in, I won’t tell anyone. After all, I’m new to the vamp scene and lonely. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” I finished in my most seductive rasp.
“Damn you are beautiful. You can go in and check out the bar then come right back out, and if someone asks who let you in say no one was here. When you come out give me your number, ok?”
“Thank you so much, sweetheart. What’s your name?” I asked.
“Timothy Turner, but you can just call me Timmy.”
“What a great name Timmy. I’m Alice Masters. I’ll come looking for you right when I’m done, sugar, and I’ll give you my contact info, OK?” His face was already turning red, I am way out of his league.
I walked past him and down the stairs opening the door and walking in. I was immediately overwhelmed by the vamp and human scents mixing. The fragrances in the air are a combined mix of both lusty smells from sex, and alcohol to the women who wore too much perfume.
The bar is much darker than last time, although it made little difference to me if the lights were on or off. I made my way to the main bar and sat. The bar has all the normal drinks and mixes but also has most vampiric counterparts. My guess is that the blood alcohol versions are used to hook humans without them knowing, but I guess to those addicted, it may taste better than the human variety.
“Hey sweetie,” Roxanne said to me. “What brings you back to us so soon?”
“You know I just love John and must see him again,” I smirked.
She grinned at me and said, “I laughed when I saw his fangless ass. He would not stop bitching about this woman who tripped him. I knew it was you.
“Something is different about you today, you looked great before, but you’re almost glowing today. Hell, I’m human and can smell some kind of fantastic scent around you. I know you’re not human, but sure as hell not a Vampire.”
“Really?” I said. “Must be my perfume.” She frowned at my comment, knowing better.
“Roxanne,” I said. “How do the Vampires get in here, it’s not through the front door is it?”
“No sweetie, they have their own special service entrance in the back. It’s actually a freight elevator, no idea where it goes.” Why would Vampires need a freight elevator?
“Roxanne, why do you work here, you seem too nice to hang with these fanged losers.”
“You’re right, I am far to cool, but the problem is I’ve been a blood worker for years,” she said.
“Shit,” I exclaimed. “What happened?”
Roxanne answered, “Well we all have a blood story and about twenty years ago mine started, I was raped badly and lost a lot of blood. I needed help and was offered a drink to save my life for service. So here I am.” She concluded with a sigh and a puffing sound.
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“It’s life or death you know?” Roxanne said rationalizing.
“Yea I know, I understand. When you want out, let me know. Just ask Chester the violinist on Decatur Street, he will find me, and I will come.”
“Thanks Alice,” she said. I nodded in reply.
“Hey, where is this vamp elevator, I may want to take a look.”
“That’s really a bad idea, no humans are allowed back there, not even me and I’ve been working here for over ten years. It’s through that door marked private right next to the employee door going back toward the bathrooms,” Roxanne said.
Hmmm, sounds like the Vampires keep their world hidden from all outsiders even some blood workers. I’ll have to do something about that. I guess the elevator goes down to get them farther from the sun, but there must be some stairs that lead down somewhere. “Roxanne, is John here tonight?” I asked.
“Yea, he’s in the bouncer’s lounge with the others. But be careful, he’s going to go ballistic when he sees you.” She laughed.
“I’m a big girl no worries,” I said while standing and looking at the mirror that served as a floor to ceiling wall behind the shelves holding the hundreds of bottles of booze and blood wine.
Focusing in the mirror I can see seemingly past it; in the reflection, my Demons are watching me. I turned and looked, and none are in the room with me, but if I looked in the mirror, I can see them sitting at the tables around the bar. Something about looking into a reflection lets me see more, just like with the tiara in the puddle.
A beautiful female minion with two tiny horns protruding above each eyebrow is looking back at me. She is sculpted and refined, could easily be the Queen of Vampires if she weren’t Demonic. She has jewels on short chains attached to rings hooked as jewelry through the center of her bottom lip. Multiple piercings adorned her ears using skewering bars with jewels balanced on each end.
She’s wearing a choker adorned with tiny metallic blades encircling it. Three cute nose spikes and short red hair that curled down resting on her collar accentuated her loveliness. Wearing smooth black leather with studded silver rivets she had to be a succubus, a pleasure minion.
I mouthed, “Come to me,” at the mirror, she nodded and stood walking silkily forward toward me. Once she was behind me, I could feel her hand on my shoulder. She was incorporeal to everything but me. Once close I could see the four small onyx horn points across her forehead clearly and the pure silver bar going through her right ear.
“What’s your name,” I mouthed.
She replied, “Angel.” Perfect name I thought.
“Can I trust you, Angel?” I asked her telepathically. Just like Vampires, Demons can communicate with their thoughts.
She nodded. Then thought back, “We are not like humans, all minions and Demons are eternally and forever servants of the true Queen. Without payment and will abide without concern for the sacrifice required or task given. We are yours, my Queen. We cannot cross between here and the underworld after the last quarter moon or before the full moon, but within those times we may travel freely to serve.”
“What happens after the last quarter moon,” I asked.
“We must wait until the full moon appears again to cross the void between,” she answered.
I said, “Dolor Mendacious.” Then I stared her directly in the eyes. “Tell me again Angel.” She spoke and told me the same things over, she feels no pain from her words spoken.
“My Queen, a minion nor a Demon may lie or act against the Queen forced or otherwise, our bodies will turn to ash at the mere thought of such a thing. Fear not for we are with you entirely.” I reached over and kissed her cheek.
“Thank you, Angel.” You will stay near me at all times possible. She lowered her face then back to make eye contact.
Roxanne said, “Who in the hell are you talking to?”
I laughed and said, “An Angel.”
Roxanne said, “You better be, here comes John.”
John walked out around the corner from the bathrooms not paying any attention to me at first, then noticed me and said, “I told you to get out the last time you were here, what makes you think you can come back.”
“John, you were drunk, don’t you remember? I couldn’t understand a word you said, something was wrong with your mouth.” I laughed.
John raged on, “I don’t know what happened to my mouth, but you seem to have a good memory. Do you remember what I told you I was going to make of you?”
I laughed and wiggled my finger back and forth saying, “That’s no way to talk to a lady John and speaking of ladies, how’s Amanda?”
“How in the hell do you know about her?” he said flabbergasted.
“I’m the one that killed her,” I said.
John lost control at that moment. He vamped out. His fags apparently did grow back. “This murdering bitch killed Amanda.” He yelled causing a scene that got the attention of a few other Vampires. The other bouncers with him didn’t attempt to restrain him. All of them were coming for me.
My body wanted war, it called to me. “Armis Laminae,” I called from somewhere in my Demonic mind. Around my body, a thin blackish leather and purple scale suit enveloped my thighs, shoulders, and torso. My forearms had no armor, but instead Demonic runes appeared like tattoos covering them with what looked like bible verses. The hairline scar on my face and neck now pulsated with a red glow. My eyes turned a deep purple swirling color with amber specs as if they were black holes engulfing suns.
Boots, that look to have been made with some kind of red runes on bone are now covering my feet and shins with small blades lined up the center.
There are no straps, the armor fit seamlessly into my skin. It came from me, an extension of me.
At once in my hand was a twisted rune-covered ebony hilt with a horned silver guard and what looked like two parallel ethereal blades. The blades are transparent as if they moved between my rhythm and this one, not here and not there.
