by Shook, J. E.
Trying to ignore his growling stomach, he turned towards the back wall that was lined with eight elevators. Each elevator had a friendly greeter standing beside it, nodding and pressing the button as new people walked up. Luckily, there was few people waiting to get on the elevators, making Reginald slightly more comfortable about what he had to do. He stepped over to the last elevator that was marked with an 'authorized personnel' sign beside it.
"Can I help you sir?" the greeter asked, looking Reginald over politely.
"Umm, yes," Reginald muttered. "I need to go down, please." He reached into his wallet and showed the man his ID.
"That's not quite enough sir," the man said, looking at him closely. "You should know what else I need."
Reginald nodded and closely looked around. No one seemed to be watching them. "Alright," he said, and curled his lip up so that the man could see his teeth.
"Something's missing, son," the greeter said, looking annoyed.
"Umm, don't worry, it will happen," he said, wiping sweat from his brow. 'Think of the woods. Think of the grass. Think of fresh prey. Blood. Blood.'
He slowly felt his fangs begin to drop down. "Alright, alright," the greeter said, pressing the button beside the door. "Don't bust a vessel or nothing."
Reginald chuckled and scratched his head. "That usually doesn't happen," he said, walking into the open elevator.
"Sure it doesn't," the greeter muttered as the doors closed.
The elevator was cozy with dim lighting coming from the ceiling. The carpet on the floor was a bright red, which went well with the dark cedar wood that most of the walls were made of. Reginald nodded at the pretty woman who was standing beside the console. She was dressed as hotel staff.
"Which floor do you require?" she asked politely.
Reginald knew there were only two responses to the question. "Requiem, please," he answered, firmly taking hold to one of the handles.
"Yes, sir," she said, smiling and revealing her fangs. She pressed a button at the bottom of the panel. Reginald breathed deep as he felt the elevator begin to descend. "We shall arrive shortly."
Reginald nodded, trying to keep himself steady as the elevator picked up speed.
"Is this your first visit to the Ottowash Requiem?" the woman asked, casually leaning against the wall. "I don't recall seeing you before."
"No," Reginald answered, shaking his and instantly regretting it as the world began to spin around him. "I don't visit often."
"I see," she said, noticing his motion sickness. "Well you should visit more often, sir. We are constantly adding reasons for members of vampire-kind to visit our expanding domain."
Reginald slightly nodded. "Yes, I remember my last visit quite well. I don't believe there is much here that suits me."
The woman shrugged. "I guess you can't please everyone."
A minute later the elevator began to slow until it came to a gentle stop. The doors opened with a pleasant ding. "Have a very pleasant night, sir, if you can," the woman said, her smile not moving.
"Good night," Reginald said, ignoring her attitude as he stepped out of the elevator. He smiled as he looked around. 'Well it never fails to impress, at least,' he thought. The rocky ceiling two hundred feet above him was carefully chiseled out of the stone. Stalactites were scattered in various patterns that rose up and down, forming patterns across the ceiling. Bright torches were placed at the tip of each stalactite, causing the entire chamber to be lit in flickering candlelight. A stone path stretched into the distance from the elevator, leading to a huge building a mile away that stretched from the bottom of the chamber to the top. Buildings were lined along either side of the path which were made of wood or stone, reminding Reginald of times past. Wooden signs were placed above the door to each building, offering various services available inside. Dirt had been placed all along the bottom of the chamber, allowing carefully tended grass to grow and carpet the ground. Several trees and bushes could be found here or there that required little light.
'Well, this does sort of make me feel back at home,' Reginald thought. He took off his sneakers and carefully tied them together in a knot. Slinging them over his shoulders, he stepped off the path into the grass. It was not like the grass he used to run through as a child, but feeling the grass through his toes made him feel at ease anyways.
After a few minutes of standing in the grass, Reginald began walking down the path towards the large building.There were only two places he needed to visit, so he decided to do the easy one first. He scanned the signs above the buildings as he walked. Most of them were the same as his previous visits, but there were a few new additions. 'Our kind continues to expand,' he thought. 'It's a wonder the whole world is not vampire.'
A beautiful woman in a revealing blue dress was leaning against the wall outside of one of the larger houses. "Would you fancy a night here at the Blood Moon Inn? We serve the best Blood Ale in the country, along with pleasant company." She crossed her leg, allowing the slit along the side to reveal her pale thigh.
Reginald struggled to keep his composure. "Thanks, ma'am, but I have urgent business. I will remember your inn if the need arises in the future."
"Very, well, sir. Have a pleasant night and I hope to see you soon," she said, licking her lips.
Reginald smiled as he began to walk back along the path. 'Your services will not be required, no matter how tempting they may be.'
A couple buildings down from the inn, he found the Phoenix Pharmacy. It was not the largest building by any means, but it was one of the busiest places along the road. Reginald stood there looking up at the sign for a minute. He nodded as a couple of customers came out. 'What do I say if she's in there?' He nervously scratched his head. 'What am I saying, she's definitely in there? I just hope she isn't too mad.' Finally he overcame his worry and stepped inside.
The Phoenix Pharmacy was one of the best places in the Ottowash Requiem for vampires to get items specially made to meet their unusual needs. There were all sorts of medicines and creams to help them tolerate the sunlight better. It was also a great place to pick up easily digested foods and vitamin supplements to ensure healthy diets among the city's vampires and help keep human victims to a minimum. It was the main reason that Reginald ever visited the Requiem. He liked to stock up for several months at a time to limit his need to visit more often.
Reginald grabbed a straw basket from beside the door and walked along the first aisle. He picked up a bottle from one of the shelves. "Hmm," he muttered. 'V-max sunscreen for those with extra sensitive skin. I wonder who this was designed for,' he thought, smiling slightly. He hesitated before placing it in the basket. He hated having to rely on such items, but it was always best to be careful.
Reginald spent the next several minutes going up and down each aisle picking out various items that he had ran out of. Most were vitamin supplements or medicines that he picked out. He finished his mental list and was about to check out when he noticed several new items on a shelf. "Hmm, what is this?"
Several boxes labeled Extreme were lined up with various types of food on the covers. Each had a simple theme to the food like spicy, fiber, or meat. Reginald picked one up and read the back. "Nice," he muttered, nodding approvingly. "It's about time they were able to target certain foods." He picked up the spicy themed box. "I think I heard Rachel say she likes Mexican food."
Before Reginald could decide on which to buy, a hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder. With a small jump, he turned around and stifled a groan as he saw who was there.
"Hey, Reggie," a man said with a huge smile on his face. "I haven't seen you in fifty years, man. How've you been?"
"Pretty well, Danny," Reginald said, glancing behind him to see if there was anyone between him and the register. "Umm, how about you?"
"About the same, about the same," Danny said, he smile turning smug. "Had to give up the old company, but I've got plans for something huge. It'll be the future, I promise you."
"Hmm, sounds in
teresting," Reginald muttered, trying hard not to look interested.
"Yeah, Smithcom will be huge," Danny said, spreading his hands up and out dramatically.
"Smithcom? You normally name things after your original name. CalvinCo, Calvin Inc or such."
He shrugged. "The VAM suggested I stay away from the name for a few decades. I had to change identities just recently so I went with Smith. It doesn't get more generic than that, right?"
Reginald sighed. "Don't tell me that you are still going through wives like you used to."
"Well, they do keep waking up to find me sucking at their necks, so I had to keep my secret safe," Daniel said, laughing. "It's a major turnoff to most women from my experience. Well when blood is involved."
Reginald felt an uneasy feeling pass over him. Daniel Calvin had been a vampire that had always disgusted Reginald. He did not try to control his vampiric urges, and constantly killed his wives within a year or two of marriage. He had a strange control over women that most vampires couldn't match. There were few who could control themselves whenever he exerted his presence, making it always easy to find a new wife to replace his dead ones. From his bragging, he had been involved with over two hundred women in his lifetime, with most of them sharing the same morbid fates. Reginald and Daniel had conversed once and from that he counted Reginald as a close friend. Reginald always desperately tried to avoid him like the plague.
"You might just want to stay away from women for a while," Reginald suggested. "It would give you a break from constantly moving and changing, and you might accomplish something without interruptions."
"Yes, I might just try that," Daniel said, looking thoughtful. "I might do just that. And I might quit drinking blood altogether and just drink water. Maybe I'll start eating vegetables while I'm at it." He laughed and slugged Reginald on the arm. "I see you still have that twisted sense of humor, Reggie. Quit trying to hog all the women to yourself. We're going to be neighbors now, so we've gotta share."
"Oh, shit," Reginald said, realizing the meaning. Catching himself, he glanced down at his watch. "Shit, I'm late. I've got to be someplace soon, so I got to go." He started walking away as he saw Daniel's mouth open. "Nice talking, bye, have a nice day, man," he kept saying as he walked towards the counter. Luckily the customers had thinned and no one was in line. He turned around and thrust his basket at the woman behind the counter.
"Hey, Dad," the woman said, smiling. "It's been a while, now hasn't it."
Reginald forced himself to keep calm. "Yes, it has, Maya. Sorry."
"It's alright," Maya said. She had long black hair that had white streaks that scattered throughout, causing her to look more mature than she had been when Reginald had turned her. Innocent blue eyes stared at him, making him feel guilty about every bad thing he had ever done. She was dressed simply in a T-shirt and jeans, making her look mostly like a modern teenager. "What'd you do? Lose your phone or something."
"I typed in the number wrong, I guess," Reginald said. "Sorry."
"Quit apologizing, Dad," she said, reaching out her hand. "Well, let me see it."
He handed his phone to her. "Quit calling me that."
Maya took it and sorted through his numbers. "Sheesh, you put in a five instead of a six. No wonder you haven't called. Oooh, who's this Rachel?"
"No one," Reginald said, snatching his phone back. "Just a coworker."
"Come on," Maya said, smiling. "It's about time you settled down. I need a mother, you know."
Reginald laughed. "Yeah, I guess you do."
"I've got a friend named Cindy. You want me to introduce her sometime?"
"No, no," Reginald said. "I'll meet someone eventually, don't worry."
Maya shrugged as she began adding up the total on a calculator. "Alright, let me know if you change your mind."
A silence hung between them for a minute. Eventually Reginald asked, "So have you been well, lately?"
"I have," she said. "How about you?"
"I can't complain."
"Or you won't complain," she said, shaking her head. "You wouldn't complain about anything."
Reginald just shrugged.
"Are you still working at that burger place near you?"
Reginald nodded.
"If I ever get a night off, I might stop by and see you," Maya said, placing his items into a bag. "I used to love me some burgers before I was turned. I still can imagine the taste. I might would give in and eat one." She excitedly groaned at the thought
"Don't do that, Maya. That would be a rough couple days for a few minutes of pleasure."
"Yeah, I know, but it's still so tempting," she said, finishing up the bagging. "Your total is eighty."
Reginald looked at her closely. "Now Maya, I know that this is supposed to cost more than that. You should treat me equally."
"I am, but I'm also doing this for the past three Christmases. It's nowhere enough for a real gift."
He frowned as he took out his wallet. "If anyone owes anyone for Christmases, it me. I have hardly been any sort of role model for you. Hardly been there."
She smiled. "You're right, but it makes no difference. You're a part of my family, Reginald."
He smiled and lightly chuckled. "I suppose that's right." He handed her the money and took the bag. "That is right. I shouldn't ignore you like I have been. Let me know when you want to hang out and we'll do it. You pick what we do."
Maya's smile grew. "Alright. I should be able to next week. Be expecting me."
Reginald waved and walked past the several customers who were standing in line. He made sure to avoid the aisle that he noticed Daniel was on as he made his way to the door. Stepping outside, he glanced at his watch. "It really is later than I thought. If I don't wrap it up soon, I'll need to find a place to sleep here." He looked towards the distant entrance. "I could just leave. I don't have to seek his counsel." Reginald sighed and started walking deeper into Requiem. "I won't feel better until I've spoken with someone else about this."
As Reginald neared the central building several minutes later, he noticed a large crowd gathered around the platform just outside the entrance. He barely visited, but he knew that mostly officials used the platform to make announcements to the people of Requiem. The man standing before the crowd was clearly no official. He stood in nothing but his loincloth, revealing his muscular body covered in scars. His head was shaved, with a long forehead above angry gray eyes. 'If he is a vampire, why does his scars not heal?" Reginald wondered to himself as he stepped up to the back of the crowd.
"The emperors themselves feared me, and some sought to take my head, but I have lived on," he continued shouting. "Through bloody wars and blood soaked battles, I was forged into a magnificent weapon. There is no other soul on this earth designed to kill as efficiently and quickly as I. I was feared and worshiped by all. I killed my fill in battles, and then honed my craft further in the Colosseum. Even when Rome fell, I continued to fight, for I was still thirsty for blood. Eventually I found a man able to kill me, but instead he turned me into the true symbol of power. I died and became even stronger. In the crusades I killed ten thousand men alone. There has never been a warrior like me before, and there never will be one again. If there are any who wish to disprove that, return here in three weeks time and face me. We will battle in front of all, and prove me correct. So who is this city's champion who might give me a challenge? Will there be anyone to step up and fight? I am tired of killing weaklings from such a proud race of beings. I hope to break a sweat here before moving on to the next city."
Most of the observers appeared disgusted at the man's attitude, but no one stepped forward to offer a fight. Even as an immortal, there were still ways to kill vampires. The thought of fighting the man filled Reginald with dread. He knew of many vampires who used words to intimidate and cause fear in others, but this man seemed different. His face, body, and words displayed the intense battles that he had lived through. His every movement made him seem ready to leap into
battle at any moment. There were likely some who could match his prowess, but those numbers were few. Reginald knew he would not be volunteering for that fight.
After a couple minutes of silence, the man spit on the ground. "Weaklings! If no one will fight for this city, I might just have to make my own fun here!" He slammed his hand backwards into the side of the building, causing a hole about the size of a head. As he shook the dust loose from his hand, he bellowed laughter. "Bring me someone who can fight, and I will move on. Otherwise, there will be fun to be had by all. Three weeks!" With that he leaped down from the podium and quickly made his way through the crowd, leering at them as they quickly parted for him.
As the man came close, Reginald made sure to keep his head pointed down somewhat. He nodded slightly as the man passed by, trying to keep his breathing under control. Up close, he seemed even larger and intimidating. He watched as the crowd broke into groups and began to gossip about the strange man. He saw a pair of officials looking over the damage to the building. They were gesturing angrily as they talked. 'I guess they were too afraid to approach him earlier,' Reginald thought. 'Can't say I blame them.' He glanced back and saw the man walking up the path that Reginald had come. Shaking his head, he meandered through the vampires and began to walk down a more rugged path.
The rugged path lead down towards the cheaper residences of Requiem. The trees were not as maintained with many basically sticks poking up from the ground waiting to fall over. Several of the yards had large patches of dead grass. The houses were much less elaborate here, though most were well sustained. He saw a couple of men sitting in one yard playing chess. They looked up and nodded as Reginald passed by.
Reginald walked along for several minutes, getting further out into the Requiem. He glanced at the numbers on the wooden signs along the path. "I should be getting close," he muttered. "I'm sure I remember the number right."
