Sunset Strip: from the Tome of Bill Series

by Rick Gualtieri

  “Now now, let’s not forget we’re civilized beings.” He strolled over to me with a casual gait, as if he had all the time in the world. He stopped short and looked down upon me, his expression unreadable.

  Feeling tears well up in my eyes, I opened my arms and reached out to him, seeking what little comfort I could. Neither of us were going to get out of this alive, but knowing that someone I trusted was here made it seem...

  He stepped back before I could touch him, leaving me grasping nothing but air. I looked up at him confused as a short bark of laughter echoed from Jeff.

  “Now now, none of that, Lucinda,” Uncle Colin said. “This is an imported shirt. Italian silk. Blood simply won’t come out of it. I’m sure you can understand.”

  “I don’t understand any of this!”

  “That’s regrettable,” he replied. “You had such potential once upon a time. Now...well, look how far you’ve fallen.” He quickly inclined his head back toward Marlene. “No offense intended to your business, oh gracious host.”

  She opened her mouth as if to respond, but Uncle Colin turned to face me again before she could say anything. “I suppose it’s not entirely your fault. For all of his technical foresight, your father was always mired in the past as far as his wife and daughters were concerned. I should have supposed he’d have this effect on you. If he hadn’t been useful otherwise, I’d have thought to have killed him rather than let him spoil you with his petty ideals.” He smiled, revealing his fangs.

  Something inside of me died at the sight. I finally understood that the nightmare was real and I wouldn’t wake up from it ever again.

  “How long?” I whimpered. “Did he...” I raised a hand and pointed it toward Jeff, who continued to stand there, smirking as if he found the whole thing uproariously funny.

  Uncle Colin laughed as if he sensed the same humor Jeff was feeling. “Oh no, you misunderstand, my darling. I’ve walked in darkness since long before you met me...far longer, in fact.”

  His words hit my gut like a pair of brass knuckles. “So all this time...”

  “Doing business with humans is a necessity of my post, I’m afraid. As for you, well, I’d be doing my kind a disservice if I didn’t keep my eyes out for those with promise. I had hoped that one day I might recruit you for my team. I see now that was mere folly. Still, you have proven to be of amusement to my associate here. At the very least, I dare say you’ve filled out nicely. I suppose that counts for something. That could...”

  “You fuck!” I screamed. “You motherfucking son of a bitch! I trusted you.” I stood and took a step forward. “All this time, I trusted you!” With that, I lost it. My own teeth extended and the red rage from earlier descended upon me. I lunged at Colin, intent on rending the asshole to shreds.

  Again, nothing but air met my advance. He sidestepped me neatly, as if I’d been moving in slow motion. I turned, ready to try again, but the opportunity had been squandered.

  “Enough of this,” Marlene spat. “SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET!!”

  Her words echoed in my mind and blotted out all other thought. Unable to resist, I walked back over to my stool and sat. I tried to open my mouth to cry out in protest, but found even that was denied me. I sat there, mute, unable to do anything but watch and listen.

  “Much better. I’m sure that was all touching to you, Lucinda, but your superiors have matters to discuss now. More importantly,” she said, addressing Colin, “the grievances I have against your little pissant here for turning one of my girls without permission.”

  “Sorry about that, Marl.” Jeff sauntered up to her. “It’s all cool, though. What’s one whore? She’s noth...URK!”

  Like a flash, Marlene’s hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. I watched, amazed, as she lifted him from the floor. He was twice her size, but she treated him as if he was no better than a ragdoll.

  “You listen to me, you spoiled little brat. She wasn’t yours. Not only did you steal from me, but you’ve caused considerable collateral damage as well. I have two other girls dead and a third who’s probably turning as we speak.”

  “They...can...be...”

  “That isn’t the point! I’m going to have to close my club tonight because of your greedy stupidity. I haven’t had to do so in nearly fifty years because others have been smart enough to play by the rules. You’ve broken those rules. Now I’m going to...”

  “Marlene,” Colin said with a bored tone, “I’m sure more violence is unnecessary. Jeffrey here was simply a tad over-enthusiastic, that’s all. He’s just won over leadership of his own coven. In New York City, no less. I’m sure James would be less than pleased if his newest coven master’s reign ended before it even began.”

  “Do you think that means anything to me?” she replied. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not under Boston’s jurisdiction. The fact that you’re his toady means less than nothing here.”

  “Of course not. I never meant to imply such. However, my position does offer a few perks that may be applicable. I am authorized to offer reparations in regrettable times such as these.”

  Marlene released her grip on Jeff. He dropped to the floor, clutching his throat. I wasn’t sure what it told me, other than he wasn’t invincible. If that were the case, did that mean none of them were? At the very least, it was something to remember.

  “Fine, let’s talk.”

  “Very well. What would you consider fair trade for two of your girls?”

  “Two? I counted four.”

  “Two dead...”

  “And two turned, one of whom was my best earner.”

  I bristled at the comment. No doubt she was referring to Betty, for whom there was no such thing as a line in the sand that enough dollars couldn’t erase.

  “Well surely you have...”

  “No, I don’t. All my girls are human. I’m the only queen in this hive and I like it that way. Besides, little Lucinda here has already shown she can’t control herself. I don’t need her losing her shit when this place is open. It’s bad for business.”

  “As I can surely understand. I suppose, then, that you are planning on disposing of her and the one she sired.”

  Marlene’s gaze turned momentarily toward me, her eyes taking me in from head to toe. Once more, the look on her face read disappointment, although for what, I wasn’t sure. “You suppose correctly.”

  Chapter 24

  “Fucked you all? I mean sure, maybe Mark once upon a time, but I’m fairly certain you and I never...”

  “ZIP IT!!”

  Marlene sure did like throwing the compulsions around. She’d once referred to herself as the queen bee and it was clearly a role she lived up to. No dissension allowed in the ranks whatsoever. I could dig that. Considering the bullshit I had been dealing with at home, perhaps it was a policy I needed to adopt.

  “You have no idea what you’ve done - how you’ve destroyed me and everything I’ve built. You’re the same stupid girl I used to know. No amount of fashion or attitude will ever change that.”

  I tilted my head confusedly, my eyes looking around. My meaning was hopefully obvious: this place looked fine to me.

  She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “YOU MAY SPEAK!! But be warned, girl, any more sass and I’ll compel you to bite off your own tongue and swallow it.”

  Well, that was a novel idea. I’d have to remember it. “Thank you. In case my meaning wasn’t clear, I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about.”

  “This place used to be a Mecca of vampire hedonism. Covens from all over the world would come here to indulge themselves in all I had to offer.”

  I figuratively bit my tongue at that. All she had to offer? That was a good one. Who knew how many girls had nights they could no longer remember because of her? Hell, who knew how many girls never had another night at all thanks to some over-enthusiastic guests?

  “Did you know that no less than three of the First Coven have visited my lair?” she asked, continuing onward toward wha
t I hoped was a point.

  “Can’t say that I do.”

  “But that’s all over now. You’re the first tourist I’ve seen in two months, but that’s not the worst of it. We’re being boxed in from all sides, slowly being squeezed, and nobody is doing a goddamned thing to help us. I have faithfully served the First for over two hundred years, yet my pleas for help fall upon deaf ears. Mark and his security team are the only thing standing...”

  “Wait, Mark’s team? I thought Colt ran security.”

  “Colt’s dead,” Mark said. “They got him in the tunnels a month and a half ago, right before we sealed them up.”

  “Congrats on the promotion.” Wait, tunnels? They? Realization hit. The creatures I’d seen in the casino weren’t preparing an attack. One was already well underway.

  “You’ve seen them, haven’t you?” Marlene asked. “I can tell by the look on your face.”

  I glanced over at Christy. She was still out cold. There was probably no point in playing dumb - that would, no doubt, lead to horrific torture and other such fun stuff. Most vamps were nothing if not predicable. “What are they?”

  “I don’t know,” she replied. “There are legends, of course. Skinwalkers. Wendigos. The Shoshone seem to have it the closest. Their legends tell of devils that were driven deep into the Earth eons ago. That makes the most sense. That’s where it started, the tunnels.”

  “When?”

  “When do you think, child? Right around the time you and your goddamned Freewill were up in Canada, dragging all of us into a war we didn’t ask for.”

  Oh, yeah. That.

  “We didn’t think anything about that first storm...just some weird lightning. I had men down below at the time, hunting for some refreshments. Three of them didn’t come back.”

  “Got lost, maybe?”

  My answer was another slap to the face. I probably deserved that one.

  “Each time one of those storms hit, it gets a little worse...they get bolder. Soon, whatever it is that’s holding them back is going to snap and they’re going to overrun us. You are directly responsible. If anything, I consider it divine retribution that you’re here now just as another storm is forming.”

  “I’ve always had impeccable timing...”

  “You fucked us all up north! But you weren’t finished with just that, were you?”

  “I wasn’t?”

  “While we’ve been suffering losses, you and that asshole friend of yours had to suck up much needed resources to kill the goddamned Icon...resources that were wiped out to the man, and for what? Hell, you couldn’t even do that right. From what I’ve heard, its body went missing.”

  What the fuck?! That wasn’t common knowledge. Hell, it wasn’t even uncommon knowledge. I glanced sideways at Christy, for the first time thankful she was unconscious. As far as she and nearly all of the rest of the supernatural world were concerned, the Icon was dead and planted six feet under. The only other person who knew the truth was thousands of miles away in the deserts of Mongolia, and I had a feeling she wasn’t one to run her mouth off to the likes of Marlene. I mean, it was possible Starlight had figured stuff out...she was my go-to girl these days, but she wouldn’t have known the Pandora Coven from a hole in the wall. She was a New York girl through and through. Who else...

  “Still haven’t figured it out, have you?” Marlene asked. “How is Betty anyway? When you see her, please send my regards.”

  “Her? Firebird?”

  “She’s been my eyes and ears there for years. You didn’t think I’d let two of my girls leave without at least occasionally checking on you. Certainly most of what she had to say was next to useless, but after Jeff died, her information began to get steadily more interesting. She’s a good girl. Never forgot her roots, unlike some.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  1979

  “I’ll take her.”

  “What?”

  “I said I’ll take her,” Jeff repeated, apparently no worse for wear from having Marlene nearly strangle him.

  “Oh?” Colin asked, seemingly intrigued.

  “Sure. I kinda like her.” He walked over to me and ran his hand through my hair. I couldn’t even open my mouth to protest. All I could do was mutely shake with rage. “We had a good time, didn’t we, Lucinda? I think we can have some more...although that name, it's gonna have to go.”

  “Are you sure?” Colin asked, as if I was some puppy waiting to be adopted. “She’s not quite what I’d hoped she’d be.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Look at what she did in the other room. She’s got potential to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Greenwich Coven could use someone like that. Not to mention,” he added, turning his eyes toward the stage, “I wouldn’t mind putting her other skills to my personal use.”

  “Very well,” Colin replied smugly. His eyes regarded me as no more than property to be bartered. “What say you, Marlene?”

  I couldn’t believe it. He’d been like family to me. Hell, I had loved him like a real uncle and it was all a lie. I silently swore not to forget any of this.

  “Fine,” Marlene sniffed. “That’s one, but it still doesn’t solve the problem of...”

  “I’ll take the redhead, too,” Jeff added. “I can make a few openings. Clean out the old regime a bit. I’ll admit I’m dying to sample her wares, too.” Revulsion filled me. What were we to these people - just pieces of meat? “Two for the price of...”

  “Four,” Marlene finished, turning to Colin.

  “Of course,” he replied. “You may name your price. We’ll draw up terms later this night.”

  That seemed to satisfy all the parties in the room, save me, of course. So that was it? Not only was I robbed of my humanity, my normalcy, but now I’d been sold like cattle. Perhaps it was what I deserved. Hadn’t I done enough damage? I’d murdered my lover, as well as two of my friends - making an orphan out of a child in the process. To add to my crimes, I’d damned a fourth person to the same Hell as myself.

  Colin, perhaps sensing my rage and despair, stepped over and placed a hand on my cheek, mocking the loving gesture that I now knew he was incapable of. I wanted to spit in his face and claw his damned eyes out, but was still under whatever spell Marlene had placed over me.

  “Do not fret, my dear. It may seem frightening now, but you have no idea of the world you are about to enter. You’ve already gotten a glimpse, though. Strength, speed, power...it’s all yours now. As Jeffrey said, you are now a wolf amongst sheep, standing above them in every way. The only beings you answer to now are others of your kind - your elders. We are your parents, your new family, and soon you’ll have plenty of brothers and sisters, too. It may be hard to imagine right at this moment, but you may even find your new life to be quite palatable - assuming, of course, you satisfy your new master’s needs. But I think you will. You were once a smart girl, Lucinda. I bet she’s still hiding somewhere inside of you. If you can find her, you may not only survive, you might be able to thrive. Only time will tell.”

  Chapter 25

  I was shocked. I hadn’t thought Firebird to have either the brains to secretly keep Marlene up to date or the stones to do so, especially during Jeff’s reign.

  She’d taken to vampirism well. After the initial shock, she was delighted at the prospect of being young and beautiful forever. It didn’t matter to her that we were effectively Jeff’s property. She was used to doing as she was told, and the perks more than made up for it as far as she was concerned.

  Shock at her betrayal gave way to rage. I couldn’t have cared less that she’d been blabbing to Marlene while Jeff was busy using us all as his personal playthings. What infuriated me, though, was that she continued doing so after Bill and I took over.

  Part of that anger was internal - it meant I had been sloppy, underestimated her. My disdain had blinded me to the fact that she’d been paying attention, probably even rooting through my files when I wasn’t around.

  If I got out of this, she and I were going to have
a long talk that only one of us would be walking out of alive. For now, though, there were other issues to deal with.

  “So all of this...”

  “Don’t get me wrong, doll,” Mark interrupted, “I’ve been wanting for us to have this reunion for years.”

  Marlene smiled. “I have to say, Lucinda, you should be flattered. You left quite the impression on him. I even had to compel him to stay put for the first few years. I have no problems with a little revenge, but business is business and Colin did make good on his promise to repay me. It would have been sour grapes to go back on a fair deal. But that’s all changed now. The scales are once again tipped. I have suffered greatly because of the machinations you and your friend have put into place. Reparations are needed once again.”

  “We’re just cutting out the middleman this time,” Mark added.

  “Indeed.” She took a quick look at the diamond-encrusted watch upon her arm. “Oh my. The time does fly. Mark, be a good lad and start prepping for tonight. Can’t keep our customers waiting.”

  “On it, boss.” He turned to leave.

  “And remember, Mark,” she called after him, “tonight’s going to be a special occasion. I think Lucinda will be returning to the stage for one last encore performance.”

  I rolled my eyes. God, why couldn’t people just take care of business when they were presented with the opportunity? Hadn’t anyone else here ever watched a James Bond movie? I mean sure, I’d only done so because of Sean Connery, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t paid attention to the plot.

  “I’ll look forward to it.” He smirked before leaving the three of us alone, no doubt for some girl talk.

  “I get why you’re mad,” I said. “I don’t doubt half the covens in the country are freaked out right now.”

  “The hell with them! Do I look like I give a damn what any of them think? All this coven is to them is a good time, a place for them to get their rocks off bleeding out a few whores. That was all fine and dandy. I knew my place in life and was okay with it. But do you think anyone has raised a finger to help us now? I’ve sent out entreaties to the nearby covens, to the regional seat of power...hell, even to our stronghold in Europe. I’ve gotten back nothing. They’re tossing us to the side, already written off as casualties of war. I don’t know if it’s some kind of punishment or not. Maybe they’re putting two and two together like I am and somehow tracing the blame for this war back to me. After all, if I’d just staked you like I wanted to, none of this would have happened. Well, it’s time to correct that little oversight. It’s probably too little, too late, but at least when Pandora’s Box closes for good I’ll take a little solace in it.”