1/8/2021 0 Comments Chapter ThreeTuesday June 20, 2017 Walking around in a dark, eerie forest in Germany at 12:36 at night was the last thing Gabriella Cross wanted to be doing, but her mother had insisted she come along. “Why couldn’t I just stay at the house?” she complained, ducking her head to avoid a low-hanging tree branch. “Mother wanted everyone here,” her mom explained as she held Gabby’s hand. “And I do mean everyone.” Even in the dim light of the forest, she could see the gentle smile on her mom’s face and the kindness in her blue eyes. Tufts of her blonde hair, cut short in a spiky pixie cut, went in nearly every direction as though they all had minds of their own. “Indeed,” Amon added from ahead. Gabby could barely make out the black hair covering the back of his head, but she was certain he was expressionless and serious per usual. He had moved past them to push through the foliage and clear a path. “I took the liberty of calling all living members of the coven as well as the loyal families of vampire killers. There are a few who couldn’t make it, however. Maddox is on tour, Tony is very busy running the candy business, and you know Mr. Bean and Minos aren’t able to show up…” “Awww,” Eve hissed from behind Gabby, sending chills up her spine, “what a shame. You’d think they’d be excited to see their mother back at the peak of her power… or as close to the peak as I can get.” The rotten snake slithered past Gabby and her mother to slither beside Amon. “Amon, why won’t you carry me? I’m so tired. Won’t you please carry me?” “I’m sorry, Eve,” he stated simply. “I need my hands free.” “Gabby!” her mother exclaimed excitedly. “If everyone is here, that means you’ll get to see Nestor, Michelle, Dallas…” “They are indeed there,” Amon said. “They always heed my call.” “Such respect you command,” Eve hissed, the purple glow emanating from her wounds intensifying for a moment. “Do you think these youngsters might love me as they do you, Amon? Might they have such reverence when they see my true self?” “I am certain they will,” the man replied. Gabby walked closer to her mother. As much as Eve made her uncomfortable, she was family. So was Amon. They were a packaged deal along with her mother, something that had been made very clear to her since the day her mom adopted and turned her in 1972. Her mother had found Gabby walking on the sidewalk one afternoon on her way to the homeless shelter where she took residence in. She had spent her entire life in foster care after her birth mother left her on the doorstep of a church in 1953. The priest who had found her took her to a hospital, who eventually passed her over to social services. When she was young, she had dreamed of being adopted by a family who would love her and take care of her, but she had learned quickly that she was just a source of extra income for the foster families she was placed with. Over time, she had grown bitter and focused only on survival. It was likely this mentality that had kept her going when she turned eighteen and was released onto the streets; because she was of legal age, the government was no longer required to continue to care for her. Gabby had tried desperately to find employment so she could start providing for herself and, hopefully, get out of the homeless shelter, but no one was interested in a young woman (especially not one who was homeless and only owned worn, ratty clothing). Whether it was luck or fate that she'd met Marianna Cross, she wasn’t sure. The woman had sympathized with her plight and had offered to give her a home. It was that day Gabriella Heindrichs had left her old life behind and became Gabriella Cross. Gabby truly loved her mother, and she knew her mom loved her too, but their relationship was troubled and strained. It was all thanks to Eve, who seemed to have a hold on her mom. Gabby couldn’t understand why she followed the commands of someone so creepy and disturbing, but what could she do? They were a part of the snake’s coven, and they had to do as she said (or that’s what her mother often told her). This was one of those times, it seemed. As much as Gabby wanted to stay back at the house they were temporarily living in and watch movies until she was too tired to keep her eyes open anymore, her mother had insisted she accompany them. And that was why she was trudging through the Black Forest in the dead of the night in an unfamiliar country for a secret meeting with nearly every member of Eve’s coven. Soon enough, she could hear the sounds of voices in the distance. They were getting close to their destination. “Ah! Have we finally come upon the Crooked Tree?” Eve hissed, excitement in her voice. “So it would seem,” Amon muttered as he led them into a large open area. Standing tall in the clearing, partially illuminated by the light of the crescent moon above, was a large, black, crooked tree with branches that were gnarled and twisted. They looked like massive hands reaching out into the darkness. Gathered around the tree in a half-circle were various members of the coven (some she knew, some she did not know) as well as a group of mortals she had never seen before. Eve stretched upwards, raising her head high. “Amon. Marianna. I am going to need you up at the base of the tree so that we can begin my metamorphosis. You will address the coven, my sweet little Marianna, hm? And Amon, be ready with my cloak, please.” “Of course,” Amon nodded. “As you wish, Mother.” Her mom turned to Gabby, squeezing her hand, and gave her a gentle smile. “Why don’t you find someone to stand with, Gabby? Just…” She glanced at someone off to the side. Gabby followed her eyes and saw a handsome young man dressed in a dark coat and top hat. “Stay away from Jack, alright?” “I will, Mom,” she promised. She’d only seen Jack very briefly a few years after she was turned. Her mother had done everything she could to keep the man away from her; she’d made it very clear he was dangerous and she was not to go near him. She’d never quite understood why, though. He seemed nice enough, but she had no intentions of disobeying her mom. “Good!” Her mother gave her a kiss on the head before walking with Amon to the base of the tree. A whistle called Gabby’s attention. “Howdy, Princess! Get on over here!” A smile broke out on her face. Gabby had met very few coven members in the forty years she’d been a vampire, but Dallas Ryder was one of them. She excitedly skipped towards him and discovered he wasn’t alone. With him were several others: Kane, a huge, intimidating viking she had never heard speak a single word (though she hadn’t been around him all that often); Michelle Kitt, a woman whose face was covered with scars and her right eye was covered in an eyepatch; and Pierre Labeau, a bald, muscular man with two pupils and two irises in each of his eyes and very sharp teeth. “So how’s our favorite little master of puppets?” Michelle smiled. “Been too dang long since I’ve seen you, sweetheart!” Dallas exclaimed. “You missed it, I heard Kane say his ninth word! Real excitin’ stuff!” Kane raised an amused eyebrow in response. Gabby bounced on her tiptoes excitedly. “What did he say?” She was jealous. Despite her best efforts, Kane hadn’t even said so much as a hello to her. “He said ‘Quiet.’ Y’see, I was firin’ my gun off real loud while he was tryin’ to sleep, and he came out, grabbed me by the neck, and… well, you get the idea.” “Speaking of people who ain’t speaking, the lonely spaceman over there ain’t said a dang thing all night,” Pierre grumbled in his thick Cajun accent. Gabby glanced over at Nestor Sokolov and smiled softly. He was a solitary man who always wore a pitch-black spacesuit. As far as she knew, no one had ever seen his face (well, except Eve and Amon since they were the ones who turned him). He was standing a little way’s off with his arms folded. Though he usually kept to himself, Gabby adored him. He had seemed so lonely the first time she’d met him, so she’d kept him company, chatting his ears off about her favorite movies. Though she hadn’t seen him very often (as Eve usually only called the members for their service and assistance on a case-by-case basis), she liked spending time with him. “I think I’m going to stand by him, if that’s okay with you guys.” Dallas tipped his hat. “If anyone can get that man to warm up, it’s you.” She waved to her friends before quietly making her way towards Nestor. She tucked her shoulder-length light auburn hair behind her ear and politely said, “Hi, Nestor! Is it okay if I stand with you? Mom’s with Amon and, um, Grandma.” It probably was okay to say Eve’s name considering she was in the area, but the less of the snake’s attention drawn to herself, the better as far as Gabby was concerned. Nestor turned, uncrossing his arms and holding up a hand in greeting. “Privet, solnyshko. It is good to see you.” She grinned happily. “It’s really good to see you, too.” She sat down in the grass next to him. She didn’t know how long they would be there, and she didn’t want her feet to hurt, especially since she, along with her mom and Amon, would have to walk back through the forest to where the car was parked. “I do not understand why you say so, but thank you,” he sighed. “Why not spend time with Juno or Mabel? Do you really want to sit with a failure of a cosmonaut?” She lifted her head so she could look up at him. “I don’t think you’re a failure, Nestor. Besides, you’re my friend. Why wouldn’t I want to sit with you?” “I just feel as though you would do better with less miserable friends. Like the cowboy. He has tried being nice and chatted with me, but I do not know…” Gabby didn’t know anything about Nestor’s past, so she didn’t understand why he was so hard on himself, but that didn’t stop her from being a friend to him. “I don’t mind. But…” She frowned. “If you’d rather be alone, I understand. I don’t want to bother you.” “Net. Please, stay.” He pointed at a man clad in a black coat with a red armband adorned with a Swastika off in the distance chatting with another man in a blue-gray army uniform. “Kristoph, the Nazi. Can you do your tricks on him?” She nodded enthusiastically. “Mmhm!” She didn’t know much about World War II since, as a mortal, she hadn’t taken her education as seriously as she should have (it was hard to care when she was constantly so miserable and didn’t have an authority figure who cared enough to push her to succeed), but she remembered enough to know that Nazis were not good people. She stared at Kristoph, focusing very hard on him until she heard a soft buzzing in her ears. It was the signal that told her she had temporary control over all of his movements. This was her power: puppetry. Whatever she did, whether she moved her whole body or just a part of it to mimic movement (using her fingers as legs, for example), she could make her target do whatever she wished. It wasn’t permanent, however. She only held control over her target for ten minutes. After that, she would have to regain control over them. Oh, the possibilities were endless! “What should I do?” she asked Nestor. Her power required concentration, so she had to keep her conversation with him brief in order to keep her hold on Kristoph. “Make him knee Cyrus in the crotch,” Nestor said with amusement. She nodded and lifted a hand. With a sly grin, she held out her index and middle fingers to serve as his legs and jerked one outwards. At the same time, Kristoph’s left leg shot out and kicked Cyrus’s groin. “Oops,” she giggled, watching the man fall over backwards in pain. Kristoph began to apologize profusely, but Cyrus got back up, pulled out his pistol, and shot the Nazi repeatedly in the chest. The two men began to fight, loudly punching and shooting at each other, though no one nearby paid them any attention. Nestor’s crackling laughter played from his suit’s speaker. “Ah, solnyshko, you always know how to brighten my mood.” Gabby released control of Kristoph before she got in trouble and beamed brightly. Dallas might have been able to make Kane talk, but she was able to make Nestor laugh, and that was enough for her. Another laugh, this one much louder, echoed through the gathering. Across the clearing, a few feet from where Kristoph and Cyrus were fighting, was a man in a red leather jacket with slick black hair who she identified as Rex. He was doubled over, presumably entertained by the bickering. Gabby rolled her eyes. Of course he was amused by this. Rex was another vampire she hadn’t much interacted with in the past, not that she was particularly bothered by that. He was loud, crass, and had absolutely no filter. Anytime he was around, he got on her nerves, causing her to avoid him whenever possible. Standing near him, however, was someone she had never seen before. He was a thin, fit young man with strawberry blonde hair. He was dressed in a red tank top and royal blue athletic shorts. He was smiling at Rex’s laughing fit, though his body language made him appear sad and distant. As soon as Gabby saw him, everything around her faded away. Who was that? Why did he look so sad? Was he new? Why was he with Rex? Was he on the list of people she was allowed to talk to, or was he dangerous? He didn’t look dangerous, but then again, neither did Jack. “Solnyshko? What’s wrong?” Nestor asked. His voice brought her attention back to reality, though she didn’t take her eyes off of the man. “Who is that?” she whispered. “I do not know,” Nestor admitted. “I only know he is older than me. And he is German, a decent one though. Not like Kristoph.” She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to know his name. She wanted to know why he looked so miserable. But was she allowed to? Would her mom get mad? What if he didn’t want to be bothered? Plus, he was with Rex. Talking to him probably meant talking to Rex, too. She continued to watch him curiously. The man started slowly looking at the large crowd (which had seemed to only get bigger in the past few minutes). Eventually, his eyes met hers, and he seemed to freeze. Her cheeks burned as he eyed her curiously from across the clearing. Rex glanced at him, then towards her, then patted the man’s shoulder enthusiastically. Embarrassed, she reluctantly tore her gaze away and stared at the grass below her. Were they friends? If they were, she wasn’t sure if she really wanted to deal with Rex just to talk to him. How badly did she want to talk to him? Would her mom scold her for not staying in one spot? What if someone, Jack specifically, tried to talk to her while she walked over there? She wanted more than anything to go over to talk to the man, but she was too afraid to. She didn’t want to get in trouble or attract unwanted attention. A few moments later, Nestor reached down to gently nudge her shoulder. “Solnyshko. Look.” She lifted her head again and sharply inhaled in shock. The mystery man was walking across the clearing towards her and was only a few feet away. He’s coming this way?! She immediately stood up. “What do I do?” she whimpered nervously. “Warm his heart as you do with me,” Nestor said simply and matter-of-factly. The mystery man approached her, looking to be as anxious as she felt. Now that he was up close, she could see his eyes, mysterious like the sea, were a dark, pretty blue. “H-Hallo,” he whispered, his German accent confirming what Nestor had told her already about his nationality. “Hi,” she replied quietly. The mystery man rubbed the back of his head timidly. “Um. I—” “Greetings, gathered coven!” Gabby’s mother called out, cutting him off. “Tonight, we have all gathered here for a very special and very momentous occasion…” She gestured to the withered, decrepit snake behind her. “Eve, our benefactor, our Mother, has long awaited the day when she could finally return to her true form, the form she held long ago as an angel and was able to change to every night thanks to the work of Amon! For many, this will be your first time seeing her in all her glory! With the seven amulets of her last Order, she will finally be able to achieve her full power!” Gabby, quite frankly, didn’t care whatsoever about this “momentous occasion” before, and she cared even less about it now. However, since it had officially started, she feared her time with the man was limited. She turned her attention away from her mom and smiled shyly at him. “Would you like to sit with me?” she whispered. He nodded, slowly yet eagerly. “I… would like that very much, actually.” Gabby was over-the-moon. They slowly sat down together on the grass. She smiled at him. He was sitting so close to her. “I’m Gabby.” “Jojo,” he smiled back. Jojo… She liked it. Somehow, it suited him quite well. “How come I’ve never met you before?” He looked downwards, his smile quickly fading. “Because… Well... I…” “Gabby, German boy, look,” Nestor commanded. They both turned their attention back towards her mother. The snake was writhing around on the ground. Amon stood over her and muttered something (likely a spell). “The Crooked Tree…” her mother spoke out into the night. “As legends say, the Unseelie King Yorick was sealed inside it long ago! Well, if the legends are true, let his power seep forth from his prison and grant Samael her true form once more!” Eve began to shine with purple light, which filled the entire clearing. Light was pouring out of her mouth, her eye, and every hole and wound in her body. A brilliant purple flash obscured Gabby’s vision for a long moment. She blinked her eyes rapidly to clear the temporary blindness to no avail. Thankfully, her vision slowly came back, though she immediately wished it hadn’t as she was greeted with an unpleasant sight. A woman was standing where the snake had been. She was tall with long black hair, pale marble-like skin, and a smile that was both disconcerting and terrifying. Worst of all, though, was the fact that she was completely and utterly naked. Gabby, unfortunately, got an eyeful before Amon threw a black cloak around her. “Why, hello there!” the woman, who was most certainly Eve, exclaimed. Her mother glanced over to where Gabby was sitting with a smile, though her expression quickly devolved into a mix of emotions. Gabby couldn’t quite decipher them, though she was certain concern and curiosity were chief among them. Was Jojo on the “Do Not Interact With” list? Was she not supposed to talk to him? “Well, my lovely little vampires, it is so good to finally see you all with two eyes!” She paused to laugh, and a few members of the coven joined in nervously. “And I certainly am happy to be seen myself!” Eve laughed again. “Now, I suppose it is on to business, then, because I have a very special plan! Mr. Carter?” A man in a black jacket with a red scorpion emblazoned on the back stepped forward from the group of mortals. “U-Uh, y-y-yeah?” “You did tail Rose Milliner, yes? And you made sure that she heard you say I’m on the way back?” “O-Of course!” the man sputtered. Eve’s grin widened. “Excellent! So the dregs of Dracula’s coven not only know that I am on the way, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Carter I know where they are now! A miserable little place known as Rhine, a cursed, violent city in New England. And so, to celebrate the return to my body, I’ve decided to crush the miserable little coven Victoria is clinging to once and for all!” Confused and concerned murmurs, some enthusiastic and some skeptical, broke out among the gathered vampires. “Bah. Vengeance is a fool’s path that leads only to pain,” Nestor grumbled. Gabby curiously glanced at Jojo. “Are you coming with us to, um, Rhine City?” Jojo shook his head sadly. “I doubt it. Which means… I likely will not see you again.” “Oh…” Gabby stared down at the grass. She bit the inside of her cheek to try to stop tears from welling up in her eyes. She wasn’t sure why she was so upset. She’d only just met him. It was really no different from anyone else, like Nestor or Dallas. She only saw them once a decade if she was lucky. So why was she so upset she wouldn’t see Jojo again? “Of course,” Eve continued, “this is a mission that hardly requires an expenditure of effort. So, I am leaving this mostly in the hands of mortals! Step forward, my vampire killers!” As commanded, the group of mortals that Gabby now knew were the vampire killers made their way to the base of the tree. Gabby recognized Mina Lovett, but the others were new to her. Eve introduced them one-by-one to everyone. There was a bald, bearded man named Anthony Moore; the man wearing the scorpion jacket, Jerrod Carter; a redheaded girl in long purple mage robes named Hannah Starr; a tired and bored looking man named Vincent Quincey and his younger brother, Randall, who wore glasses and looked nervous and fidgety; and finally, a young man with long red hair and a jagged scar across his face, from his right temple all the way down to the bottom left side of his chin, named Flynn Dangerfield. “These are the descendants of those who helped kill Dracula, and now, they’ll finish the job! Ah, but we do need some vampires in the city… Amon, Marianna, Gabriella. You have all been so dear to me over the years, a true family. Why not pick a companion to join us, one for each so we do not attract too much unwanted attention?” Gabby’s face lit up, and she immediately grabbed Jojo’s hand. A beat later, she realized she was touching him, which made her cheeks burn with embarrassment. She let his hand go, returning her own to her lap, but she smiled at him sheepishly. “Um, do you want to come with us?” “Yes,” he replied, perhaps a bit too loudly as a few other members of the coven turned and stared at him curiously. “I see you’ve found your friend,” Eve smiled. “Excellent choice, Gabby.” Gabby beamed at Jojo. He was going to go with them after all! She hoped Nestor wouldn’t be offended that she didn’t choose him. Maybe her mom would ask him to come with. Eve had turned to her mother and Amon now. “Marianna?” Amon leaned over and whispered something in her mom’s ear, to which she gave a polite nod before clearing her throat. “I would like to bring Rhapsody von Braun.” Gabby couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Rhapsody was, simply put, rather boring. She was usually lounging around sleeping, which didn’t give Gabby many opportunities to talk to her. Of all the members of the coven, why her? “Interesting,” Eve hissed in a tone that implied she thought it was anything but. “Now, Amon, I imagine you will make a fascinating choice. Jojo and Rose are in the city now… Perhaps Jack?” Glancing at Jack again, she noticed he was twitching with excitement, looking like he was ready to jump forward to go with them. Jojo, meanwhile, seemed to tense up beside her. “Please, no,” he whimpered. Amon chuckled. “I’m sure he’d love to come, but he is not the man for a low profile mission like this. I’m sure you understand.” Eve nodded. “Ah, too true. Your wisdom knows no bounds, my friend. Although I insist he wait a town or two over, just in case I have need of his skills.” Amon nodded. “That is acceptable, I suppose. As for my choice… Rex Hart.” “Why Rex?” Gabby whined, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Jojo, on the other hand, perked right up. “Oh, thank god,” he sighed with relief. “Are you and Rex friends?” She didn’t particularly want him around, but she supposed she could tolerate him if it meant being able to get to know Jojo better. Jojo nodded. “He has always been very kind to me.” Gabby frowned. “I’m… I’m sorry I was rude. I, um, just haven’t really… gotten to know him well.” That sounded believable, right? He gave her a warm smile, his sadness vanishing for a moment. “Well, this is your chance to, ja?” She nodded. If it meant she could spend more time with Jojo, then she would play nice and be friendly with Rex. “Well dang,” Dallas said as he approached with the others from earlier, “Looks like you’re rollin’ with one hell of a squad, Princess!” “I wish you all could come too,” she sighed. With a hesitant glance towards Nestor, she asked, “You’re not mad I didn’t pick you, are you?” “Of course not,” Nestor reassured. “The city is no place for me.” “I hear ya, partner,” agreed Dallas. “Say, why don’t you roll with my buddies for a bit? No need to be so lonesome! You’re a friend of Gabby’s and Amon’s, so that’s double fine in my book!” Nestor sighed. “What do you think, solnyshko?” She nodded in agreement. “They’re nice, I promise.” “Very well.” He lowered his head towards her. “When next you see me, I hope I will have these folk as friends still, and I hope I will be more joyful.” “I promise, we’re mostly fun,” Michelle smirked. “If you’re real lucky, you might even hear Kane say a whole word!” Dallas added jokingly. “Unlikely,” Kane snorted, causing everyone to turn towards him in astonishment. Dallas was ecstatic. “Forget the snake! This here’s the real cause for celebration!” Gabby gasped excitedly and laughed. This was the first time she’d ever heard Kane speak, even if it was just one word. “Gabby!” her mother called out, cutting through the excited celebrating, “Come here! We need to go meet the vampire killers!” She sighed. That was one of the last things she wanted to do right now. Why couldn’t her mom let her stay with her friends? She only saw them once in a blue moon (if that). Still, she knew it wouldn’t go well for her to disobey her mom, especially because Eve was there. Very reluctantly, she stood up. She started for the tree, where her mom, Amon, and Eve were gathered, but she stopped and turned around. With a nervous smile, she looked at Jojo and asked, “Do you want to come with me? Or, um, if you have to go back with Rex, I understand.” Her smile faltered. “I know you were hanging out with him before.” Jojo chuckled softly. “He’s the one who encouraged me to come over to you. I think he’ll understand.” Gabby glanced across the clearing at Rex in surprise. He had? She supposed it wouldn’t be fair to be so disdainful towards him when he was the reason she was able to talk to Jojo in the first place. Maybe he’s not so bad. She immediately rescinded that thought as soon as she realized he was shamelessly making out with Mina. Rolling her eyes, she started walking towards her mom again with Jojo right behind her. On the way there, she spotted Jack and Mr. Moore a fair distance away from the others. Her curiosity spiked when she realized Jack was whispering something to him. She remembered how uncomfortable Jojo had seemed earlier when his name was mentioned, though, so despite how badly she wanted to “accidentally” eavesdrop, she steered clear of them. As she approached her mother, she inquisitively observed the other vampire killers. Some appeared younger, possibly close to her age, so their parents were present as well. She wondered if, for them, this was their first real mission since they were dressed rather casually and their parents were wearing their armor (which Gabby had once been told was laced with silver, so she was to keep her distance from them in order to avoid being burned). The pressure seemed to be quite high for them if what their parents were saying was any indication. Flynn Dangerfield looked miserable, which was understandable considering how his dad, who had red hair similar to his (though it appeared to be greying), a face full of battle scars, and only one arm (specifically his right) was sternly warning him that if he “fucked the mission up”, then he shouldn’t bother going home afterwards. The young woman in the mage robes, Hannah, was sighing as her parents told her how important it was that she “get with the Dangerfield boy” in order to secure her future. The two brothers seemed to have the least amount of parental stress as the younger one was hugging his mom and dad, though the older one, who looked exhausted, was watching Hannah instead with an unreadable expression. Perhaps the most amusing, however, was that Jerrod was standing with her mom attempting to hit on her. It was a wasted effort, of course, because her mom had eyes for only one person and it certainly wasn’t him. Her mother looked at her with joyful, exasperated relief before briefly turning back to Jerrod. “Well Mr. Carter, as much as I’d love to hear about the time you restrained a werewolf using only tape, I must speak to my daughter!” She strolled over to Gabby and smiled at her. “I see you’ve made a new friend!” Gabby nodded before cautiously asking, “It’s okay, right?” “Yes, of course! Jojo is a very sweet man. I’m… I’m very happy you decided to bring him along, actually.” “You are?” She was surprised by this. Did he have a useful power that would help whatever they would be doing? “Yes, but…” She glanced at Jojo. “It’s not my place to speak of it. Now come, come! I need you to do something!” She waved her along as Eve let out a piercing whistle. All the vampire killers lined up politely in front of her mother. “Alright then! There’s actually one more vampire killer here than we expected thanks to the Quinceys, so to ensure your safety at all times…” Her mom gestured at the killers. “…I’m going to assign one as your bodyguard! I thought it might be fun to let you pick who you think would help keep you safe the best!” Stubbornly crossing her arms over her chest, Gabby huffed with annoyance. “Mom, I don’t need a babysitter!” “Think of it more like a new friend, then,” Eve said as she clamped her hands down on her mother’s shoulders and leaned down to stare Gabby in the eyes. “Go on then, dear. Pick your poison! Or…” She bared her massive fangs which, despite her human appearance, still resembled a snake’s more than a vampire’s. “You could always pick mine!” The last thing she wanted to do was argue with Eve, so she sighed and lowered her arms. She glanced at the killers, quietly watching her in an orderly line. It was weird, like she was picking out a new puppy or something (not that she’d know what that felt like). She slowly looked at each one. Jerrod would probably love it if she picked him so he could hit on her mom more, especially since that was exactly who he was looking at. He wasn’t subtle in the slightest. She had no desire to pick Mr. Moore, especially because he was looking at Jojo hungrily. Vincent didn’t seem to care in the slightest as he was, amazingly, sleeping while standing up (how did he do that??). Next to him, his brother was staring at the ground, nervously wringing his hands. Gabby felt bad for him. He didn’t seem to want to be there at all. Beside him was Hannah, who looked rather proud. If she was supposed to pick someone to be a bodyguard, she was probably the best choice. Plus, it would be nice to have a female friend close to her age to spend time with. Gabby was certain she would pick Hannah, but she felt it was only fair to at least look at Flynn, the last one in line, first. She felt a peculiar sense of curiosity as she observed him. He looked sad, similarly to how Jojo looked earlier when she’d first spotted him. She remembered what his dad had told him earlier, and her heart went out to him; he was in a tough position. As much as she wanted to have another woman to spend time with, something deep down told her she needed to pick Flynn. So, with a soft smile, she crossed the short distance to stand in front of him. “Hello. I’m Gabby.” He looked up at her with surprise. “Flynn,” he replied with a nervous voice. His face quickly turned almost as red as his hair. “Are you really picking me?” “Should I not pick you?” she teased. “Wh--No!” He anxiously ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath before saying, “You should definitely pick me!” Straightening up and giving her a confident, cocky grin, he added, “I promise, I will do anything to make sure you’re safe and happy!” She lifted an eyebrow and grinned right back. “Is that so? I guess it’d be dumb not to pick you, then.” “Woo hoo, go Flynn,” came a tired reply from Vincent, who was apparently not sleeping after all. “Way to take charge.” Randall was looking over at them as well and, after adjusting his glasses, gave an encouraging thumbs up. Hannah, meanwhile, was watching this unfold with a curious, raised eyebrow. The others didn’t seem to even care (like Mina, who was still making out with Rex and hadn’t even bothered to join them). Gabby turned around to face her mom and Eve. “I’d like Flynn to be my, um, bodyguard, please.” “I think that’s a great choice!” Eve exclaimed. “The Dangerfields are a noble family. They put Dracula’s head on a spike and helped Bram Stoker fill in details for his famous novel!” Her smile quickly disappeared, and she hesitantly glanced back at Flynn. She’d been told all of her vampiric life that Dracula was an evil man, so she knew this was a good thing, but did that mean Flynn was dangerous? But that didn’t make sense. He wasn’t the one who had done it, obviously. One of his ancestors had. Still… Flynn’s bravado faltered a bit at this, and his smile turned into a stoic frown. She couldn’t quite decipher his expression, but something about it made her trust him. Hoping to ease the tension, she asked, “Are you coming back with us?” “Oh! Uh, yeah, I guess I should, huh? Gotta get to know you better and all.” Flynn said. “I h-h-h-hope we get to do the same,” mumbled Randall. “Maybe we’ll all be on the same flight,” she chirped happily. “That’s the idea,” her mother said as she approached. “Speaking of, we should be off soon so we can have time to prepare for the flight!” “Why?” she asked. “When are we leaving?” “Early in the morning!” Eve chirped. “We need to be in Rhine as soon as possible so that we can settle into the mansion Amon has acquired!” That meant she wouldn’t get much sleep, if any at all. “Okay,” she nodded compliantly. “Who all is coming with us?” “The vampire killers shall be coming with Eve and I,” Amon stated as he joined the group. With him was Rhapsody, limping along with her cane and wearing a smock and beret, just like the last time Gabby had seen her. “Flynn, Jojo, and Rhapsody will be going with you and Marianna, Gabby.” He gave her a mysterious smile. “Do have fun. And don’t worry about sleeping in a bit; this is a private jet, courtesy of Mr. Sugar. I believe he has a gift basket waiting for you on the plane, Gabby.” Gabby beamed. She was ecstatic! Not only did she get to fly on the same plane as Jojo and Flynn, but she would get to eat delicious candy the whole way to Rhine City. She decided then and there that she didn’t care how tired she was; she would stay up the whole flight and talk to Jojo. She wanted to learn everything she could about him. Maybe this won’t be so bad, she thought to herself. Maybe, for once, she’d actually have fun on one of Eve’s missions. ****** It was another day in paradise for Harlan Silver as he limped through the Silverwing base under the Rhine City Public Library, and he almost meant that without irony. He had been a member of the Silverwings, a supernatural task force that originated in Europe, almost his entire life, and no matter what job he was on, he always did it with excitement and enthusiasm. For the past three decades, that excitement and enthusiasm had been specifically directed at keeping the surviving and newer members of Dracula’s coven safe. This, of course, was supposed to be a punishment for him. He was one of the Five, the head honchos of the Silverwings, chosen because he was one of the best hunters within their ranks. He had dealt with supernatural situations of all stripes over his long and storied career and managed to resolve most of them peacefully, but the fact remained that, to the other four, he was still a Silver. In 1890, the Silvers had failed to do the one thing they were supposed to since founding the Silverwings: protect Dracula. And with Dracula killed because of his ancestors’ failures, the Silverwings had lost a lot of respect and support. Unfortunately, these centuries-old mistakes carried weight into the present day for his family. The Silverwings now viewed Dracula’s coven as a lost cause; they were a pitiful, sad sight that they barely wished to acknowledge. The big guy was dead, so the bare minimum was put into protecting his coven in Rhine City. There were only forty members total, either because they volunteered, were sent for training, or were assigned to this division by the Five. Any effort into protecting anything related to Dracula was reserved for his old school, which was now a Silverwing base where Dracula’s daughter, Nadia Shibani, and the former member of the Order of the Black Orchard, Francis Varney, lived. The sad truth was not because they cared about the history of the location, but rather because of its advantageous position. They couldn’t care less about Varney, Nadia, or the importance the school once held. Harlan, however, had always believed in Victoria and made it known, which was probably why they had assigned him to Rhine. They, quite honestly, just wanted him out of their hair, and what better place for that than the dead-end city? But Harlan didn’t see it that way; he saw it as the most important job the Silverwings could possibly do. In his opinion, keeping Victoria’s hope alive was far more important than some petty werewolf border skirmish like the folks in Europe were dealing with at the moment. A familiar voice called to him from several feet away, a Southern one he recognized all too well. “Hey, boss!” “G’day, Levi!” Harlan called back. Levi Travis was one of the many young Silverwings who got dumped in Rhine City (along with his cousin, Antoinette LeBlanc) as a sort of ‘training.’ Levi had, at first, seemed like he’d want to move on if given the opportunity, but then he had fallen for Harlan’s daughter and, what’s more, had become the most upstanding gentleman he’d ever encountered. Despite his rugged appearance, Levi was kind, selfless, and humble. He was accepting and accommodating of the quirks of Mara’s albinism. He’d taken her bold and brash personality in stride. And, perhaps most importantly, he’d been extremely supportive after she had inadvertently been turned by a rogue vampire four months prior. Harlan would not be unhappy in the slightest if his daughter decided to stick with the man for the long haul. “Got some news, but not sure you’re gonna like it.” He rubbed his hand through his shaggy, messy walnut brown hair nervously when he reached Harlan. “Long as you ain’t breaking up with Mara, I think I can handle it,” Harlan chuckled. He was merely teasing the man. He, quite frankly, doubted whatever it was could be anything too bad. Rhine City was pretty peaceful in terms of supernatural goings-on, which was impressive considering the old legends about the founding of the city. He grinned. “Hell no, sir. I dig Mara too much for that. But, uh…” His smile faded. “Saw somethin’ I never did think I’d see. I don’t think I’d be thinkin’ much of it if it weren’t for that big ol’ snake with ‘em.” “...Snake?” His eye widened. No, that couldn’t be right. Surely, even if they were dealing with the Von Kaiser coven again, the European headquarters would have informed him if Eve was headed for the city. But there’s only one snake he could think of that Levi would tell him about. “You’re pulling my leg. You’re not seriously telling me you saw the Queen of Lies herself, are ya boy?” “Clear as day, sir. And it ain’t lookin’ good. She got a whole crew with her, she does!” Levi looked worried. “Don’t know what this means, but I know it can’t be good.” “No shit.” Harlan’s hand subconsciously reached up to the eyepatch that covered where his left eye had once been. He knew quite well how not good it was to encounter Eve, even in her weakened state. Still, now was not the time to panic. Now was the time to alert Victoria, and see if maybe she could provide a more rational explanation for this. If her archenemy was wandering into the city, she must know, right? “Levi, come with me. We’re calling Victoria, right now. And you’re gonna need to let her know exactly what you saw, got it?” “Yes, sir!” he saluted. With a nod, he led Levi through the halls of the underground base. It was certainly not the best place considering it was significantly further from Hawthorne Manor than he’d have liked, but it was at least safe. The previous hunter group that had been here, the Sons of Salem, had put up pretty heavy enchantments and fortified the base to keep unwanted folk out. It was either this or leave himself exposed, and the rest of the Five would use that as an excuse to kick him out for carelessness and being reckless, so under the library he stayed. When he arrived at his office, he kicked the door open and rushed to his desk, snatching his phone off it. He figured Victoria would answer quickly as she rarely left Hawthorne Manor. He quickly tapped her name in his contacts and put the call on speaker, gesturing for Levi to shut the door behind him, which he did. As expected, the phone answered on the third ring. “Good day, Harlan,” came Victoria’s tired voice. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Harlan sighed. “G’day Victoria. Not sure yet if this is a pleasure or something really bloody awful, but we’ll see in a second. Got a man here who saw something that I’m praying is just a mistake. Levi, tell Victoria exactly what you saw.” With a nod, the man stepped closer to the phone. “Righto, sir. I was on my way in my truck to grab me and Mara some coffee, see, and I pass by this nice house with a big group of folks outside. I didn’t think much of it, none of my business, right? Well, see, that’s when I saw a snake, big as my truck, slitherin’ inside with ‘em, black as night.” The other line was quiet for several long moments before Victoria spoke, sounding even more exhausted than she had upon answering. “Harlan, please reassure me this is not what I think it is.” So if it was Eve, Victoria certainly didn’t know she was here. Damn, why can’t these things ever be easy? he thought. He turned back to Levi and asked, “Did you get a good look at the snake? It look rotten, nasty, missing an eye?” “No, sir. Looked like it just shed its skin. It was smoother than a baby’s bottom.” Harlan sighed, almost relieved. “Well Victoria, maybe this was a false alarm. That old snake can’t possibly look so freshly-shed. She would’ve had to return to her full power to be able to heal like that, and that means she’d have had to find the last amulet, and that would mean finding Rasputin. Finding Rasputin is next to impossible. Even the Silverwing HQ in Europe has no idea where the man is!” He chuckled heartily. You really jumped the gun on this one, you old coot, he thought. “Sorry to bother you with all this, Victoria. I’ll look into this, probably someone smuggling a sea serpent again.” Another moment of silence fell before, in a sad, quiet voice, Victoria admitted, “She has all of the amulets, Harlan.” He froze. “Shit.” He looked Levi dead in the eyes and, as calmly as possible, said, “Go tell Amber and Enrico to start calling in anyone who isn’t already in the base right now. This is an emergency, understand?” “Yes, sir!” With wide eyes, as he probably gathered by now that this was something serious, Levi hurried out of Harlan’s office. “There’s something else,” Victoria said when the door closed. “He can return.” He didn’t even need to ask who “he” was. He’d been waiting to hear this for a long time, though not as long as she had. He knew what she meant. “What do we need to do to get him back?” he asked. “We need blood from each of the vampire killer families who brought his demise. And…” She sighed. “Marianna Cross’s as well.” “Well, you’re in luck cuz if the snake is here, Marianna is. Bitch always travels with Cross, Cross’ daughter, and Amon. As for the killers…” He paused. “I’m gonna have to gather intel, but if she has a crowd with her bigger than those three, there’s a good chance it’s probably them. No way she could sneak by those twats in Europe with the whole of her coven.” Bringing too many vampires with her would attract unwanted attention, but a group consisting mostly of mortals would let her slip through unnoticed pretty easily. And, if she was back to her normal power level, it would be even easier as they likely wouldn’t recognize her in her human disguise. The Silverwings had long sat on the victory Dracula achieved over her. While they kept tabs on her actions, they assumed she was all bark and no bite and would never be able to return. But Harlan knew from his childhood in Australia that you should never underestimate a snake’s capacity to bite. Victoria sighed. “I just… want him back…” “Well I’m gonna do all I can to make that happen, Vicky,” he promised. “Anything else I should know?” “Nadia is on her way here.” He could practically hear her smiling. “We shall be holding a celebration feast when she arrives to rejoice in her return as well as Rose’s. You are most welcome to join us, of course. We would be happy to have you present.” “I’ll be more than present! I’ll drive Nadia to Hawthorne Manor myself! Don’t think she could possibly be any safer that way!” Nadia was someone he’d always wanted to meet, but the few times in the past he’d visited Dracula’s castle, she had been holed up in her room, so this was a great opportunity. But more than that, he wanted Victoria to have one less thing to worry about. “Thank you, Harlan. I truly don’t know what this coven would do without your help.” “Don’t mention it,” he reassured. “Be a hell of a bastard if I didn’t help out my second favorite vampire.” “Second favorite? Why, Harlan, I’m offended!” Even through the phone, he could tell she was teasing. It was probably the most light-hearted she had been in a long time. “Sorry, haven’t quite surpassed Mara in my books yet!” he laughed. “Ah, one more thing before I go and get ready to inform my cohorts! I’ll be sending patrols to keep the manor safe and assigning some folk to keep an eye out on the ones who go out a lot.” “Thank you, Harlan. Any assistance we can get now will ensure our survival.” They said their farewells before ending the phone call. With that done, he got to work.. The first thing he did was try to call the Five. After forty minutes of runaround, he was finally able to reach Drake McAllister, the resident mage of the Five. McAllister had a laughing fit when told the news of Eve’s return and Dracula’s potential one. He informed him the Silverwings couldn’t afford to send members to deal with the fairy tale nonsense of a washed up demon as they were still trying to settle a massive werewolf-vampire territory dispute. Harlan had expected this treatment, but it still grated his nerves to no end. It took a few hours to get everyone together since most of the Silverwings in the city had businesses they owned (which was beneficial to their cause as they could easily keep an eye out for anything suspicious). Eventually though, everyone was gathered in the base’s auditorium, a wide room that had once housed mage conferences for the Sons of Salem. There, Harlan explained the situation: Eve had returned, finally obtaining her long-lost amulet from Grigori Rasputin to regain her human disguise and the full extent of her power. She was now in the city and had a group with her, likely composed of vampire killers. Yet, all hope was not lost as Dracula could potentially return! But they needed intel first. “...And there’s only two people I would send on such a dangerous mission as that! Enrico Luna and Amber Yang, would you be so kind as to scope out the building Levi mentioned? He’ll show you where it is.” Amber Yang, a polite middle-aged Chinese woman, nodded her head. “I would be honored, Harlan.” “And I as well,” said Luna, a dark-skinned Italian man just a bit older than Amber. “You can certainly count on us.” And that he could. Luna was one of the best active Silverwings, and the rest of the Five had practically begged for him to join them so they could give Harlan the boot. The humble man that he was, Luna had refused their offer and instead joined Harlan in his Rhine City exile. There, Luna had met and recruited Amber, who proved to be every bit as crafty and skilled as the best of them. The two were an amazing team and were practically inseparable. Nearly everyone in the group knew they were into each other, but the two were always rather coy about it, keeping their relationship professional. Harlan had a betting pool running among some of the other Silverwings about what year the two would finally give in and make it official. His bet was on 2019. “Excellent!” Harlan exclaimed. “Now, onto the next order of business. I’m going to be assigning a handful of you to watch out for vampires in Victoria’s coven, but I’ll let you pick who you want to deal with. Don’t worry about Victoria since she never leaves the house. Macheath Sharpe is also spoken for, right big guy?” Armstrong, the big guy in question, nodded slightly. He was an incredible asset to the team as he not only possessed muscles that rivaled Harlan’s, but he also was a successful alchemist. “Of course. I won’t let any harm come to any vampire in my bar.” Harlan gave him a thumbs up. “Always can count on you, mate! Right, now, let’s see…” He turned to the projector he had set up prior to the start of the meeting. On the screen was the first of many slides that presented the members of the coven. Farrah Highgate, a black woman with a short dark afro, was smiling at everyone from the large screen. “Who wants this one?” For the next thirty minutes, everyone argued about who would be assigned to which vampire. They eventually decided on mini rock-paper-scissor tournaments to determine who the winner for each member would be. Quite a few of the ladies tried to get assigned to Carlos Caballero, a handsome Hispanic man who fancied himself a knight, though Talia Ishtar, an Egyptian martial artist, eventually won. The Korean-American ice mage, Marina Iseul, likewise beat a dozen men and women trying to get assigned to Eric Madden (which was most amusing because she, unlike the others, had a blatant disinterest in sleeping with him). Harlan had anticipated this behavior. Most of these people were new blood fresh out of their basic training. One of the very first things the Silverwing academies in Europe taught was how vampires were better at sex than mortals (though no one knew exactly why). They had increased sex drives and near-unlimited stamina that, among many other features, made them impressive lovers. It was no surprise that these whelps wanted a round in the sack with a vampire. The last vampire on the list was one, however, that no one wanted to deal with: Roarke Higgens. The man was extremely handsome, but the fact he was an unrepentant womanizer turned a lot of enthusiasm for him down. Victoria had left some rather unflattering comments about him, which didn’t help his cause in the slightest. The only Silverwing who knew him well enough to say anything nice about him was Armstrong, and that wasn’t much considering it was a minor observation about how he left generous tips. And, most damning of all, was the fact that his frequent excursions made him a high-risk target. Harlan had never felt Roarke was all that bad; sure, he made a pass at his daughter a few times, but he wasn’t one of those dads. He’d merely told her to be safe and smart if she was actually going to give in to his flirtations, to which Mara had simply laughed and said “I don’t wanna fuck a grandpa, dad.” Overall, his opinion of Roarke was rather neutral, but he also wasn’t trying to have sex with a vampire, so perhaps he was a bit biased in favor of him because of this fact. “Right,” he sighed, “so am I gonna have to make us draw straws, or—“ “I’ll take him, Mr. Silver!” Harlan turned towards the source of the voice: Antoinette LeBlanc. She was well-regarded by the Silverwings for being selfless, caring, and fun, as well as for being one hell of a baker (she owned a little bakery called Whipped Dream that was tucked away downtown). But most of her peers still turned to stare at her incredulously for her willingness to go for Roarke. The woman shrugged. “I ain’t gonna let that poor man get himself in trouble cuz no one else has the guts to help him out,” she declared. “Plus, I don’t believe for a second he’s all that bad. No one in that coven could be.” Harlan smiled at her. Determined, brave, believing in the inherent goodness of the supernatural… She certainly had the true spirit of a Silverwing. His ancestors definitely would have liked her. The smile vanished quickly because, as usual, the haughty Talia had to make a comment. “Are you really so desperate you’d go for this alcoholic manwhore? I know you like your cream filling, but have some standards.” Several of the Silverwings snickered at this. “Well, I never!” Antoinette huffed. “You’re one to talk when you’re going for Sakura Himura’s sloppy seconds!” came his daughter’s snappy reply. He turned to look at Mara, who was dressed in her favorite pink short shorts and matching T-shirt, her heart-shaped sunglasses shielding her bright red eyes from view but which he knew had a devious glint in them. She was, as usual, sitting in Levi’s lap, her arm around his neck and her long white hair hanging over her other shoulder in a braid (a rare sight indeed). Talia looked like she was about to say something, but then realized it probably wasn’t a good idea to start a fight with Mara. Not because Harlan was there, of course, but because Mara always seemed to know where to hit where it hurt the most in any given argument. “Are you sure ‘bout this, Antoinette?” Levi frowned. “I don’t think you got a clue ‘bout what you’re gettin’ into.” Antoinette winked at her cousin. “I think I got this, Levi. I ain’t no chubby little ducklin’ on the farm anymore, I’m a big girl now!” She turned back to the screen. “There’s somethin’ ‘bout that man that makes me think he needs some help, and I’m the one to do it.” He sighed. “This ain’t like one of your books. This is real life.” He kissed Mara’s cheek, completely oblivious to the hypocrisy of what he was saying. Mara definitely wasn’t that oblivious and gave Antoinette a cheerful thumbs up. “You got this, mate!” she chirped. Harlan chuckled. “Well, seems as though the coven’s in good hands!” Snickering ensued yet again. “Not like that! Now go on, get ready, and remember to stay safe and vigilant!” Mara enthusiastically applauded as people started to get up and leave. “Wooooo! Go dad! Fuck yeah!” Harlan walked away from the projector with a big grin on his face and headed over to Luna, Amber, Levi, Armstrong, and his daughter, the only Silverwings who had remained behind. “Well, that went well, judging from the audience’s reaction!” “These kids are letting their libidos control them,” Armstrong grumbled. “They’re acting morally superior to Roarke, but they’re all just as sad and horny as he is.” “I do hope Ms. LeBlanc knows what she’s doing,” Luna sighed. “She’s exceptionally bright and her heart is strong, but… Ah, perhaps this is just the worried musings of an old man.” “You don’t give her enough credit,” Amber gently told him with a mysterious, knowing smile on her face. “She’s a very bright and responsible young woman.” “Ah, as always, you are right, Amber. It seems perhaps I need to have a little more faith.” He gave her a mysterious smile of his own. Harlan clapped his hands together. “Well, we ready to get to work? We got lots to do if we’re gonna stop this reptilian bitch!” “Quite.” Amber stood up and turned to Levi. “Shall we get going, then?” “Yes, ma’am!” Levi kissed Mara’s cheek again, and the two stood up. “Don’t you go out without puttin’ on your sunscreen, little miss. It’s a hot one out there today.” “Well yeah, that’s cuz I’m gonna be out there,” Mara smirked. He shook his head with a grin. “Alright, Miss Yang, Mr. Luna, I can take you there in my truck. I promise she ain’t too rough.” “I call shotgun!” Mara chirped. “I guess we’ll be riding in the back, then,” Luna laughed. “We will scope things out, Harlan. Don’t worry. And Mara and Levi won’t come to any harm under our watch.” “I know they won’t, not with you two,” smiled Harlan. Things were a mix of insanely bleak and insanely positive. He knew the team’s work was cut out for them, but he was determined to show up those pompous assholes back in Europe. But more importantly, he was determined to help his friend get her one true love back. ****** Hitting the bars before 5 P.M. was a little early, but Roarke was too bored to sit around at the manor waiting until a later hour. He wasn’t wearing the best outfit, just a simple blue polo shirt and jean shorts, but his attire rarely failed to impress the ladies. He might as well have fun while he could; Victoria had very sternly told him earlier that he was expected to help prepare for a banquet that was being held in a few days. He was pretty sure the only reason she really wanted him there was to torture him. It was the only thing that made sense to him considering her relentless disdain towards him. He wasn’t an important member of the coven outside of keeping the blood stores full, so why should he be there? He mentally shook his head. This was the last thing he wanted to be thinking about right now. Tonight was about having fun, which is exactly what he intended to do. There were a variety of places he could go—the city was full of bars and nightclubs—but he decided to treat himself and go to The Golden Rose. He didn’t visit the high class bar often since the drinks could get pretty pricey and he didn’t have a steady income (he relied purely on what money he made from side jobs, like mowing lawns or walking dogs). If he was going to be stuck at the manor for several days preparing for a big event, he wanted to have a great night first. As he continued on towards the bar, a beautiful Southern voice rang out behind him. “Hun, you really are absolutely oblivious.” Whirling around in surprised alarm, his eyes widened as he took in the source of the voice, a beautiful woman in a lovely yellow floral print summer dress. She had sparkling blue eyes, luscious pink lips, and blonde hair that was tied neatly into two buns, one on either side of her head. She had a light tan, implying she spent quite a bit of time outside, and she smelled of sugar and baked goods. A coy smile grew on his face. Maybe he didn’t need to go to The Golden Rose after all. “I sure am if I didn’t even notice someone as cute as you.” She winked at him. “You got that right! And if you ain’t noticin’ the loveliest woman that ever walked this Earth, ain’t no way you’d notice if that nasty old snake and her vampire killers were stalkin’ you, so I made it right in time, I think.” He faltered, feeling completely dumbfounded. “The… what?” “Lord, you’ve got no clue, do you?” she gasped. “Well Mister Roarke, you want lil’ ol’ Antoinette to explain to you what’s goin’ on here? Think you can give me your undivided attention?” She batted her eyelashes at him. If she kept doing that? Yeah, probably. But, despite how attractive she was, something struck him as being quite odd. “Hold on,” he frowned. “How do you know my name?” “Well if you hold your horses, I’ll explain!” she giggled. “I’m with the Silverwings, and there’s a demon in town with a bunch of lackeys gunnin’ for the coven, so they let us pick what vampires we wanted to watch out for. And, well, I picked you, Mister Roarke.” She winked at him yet again. “Think I made the right choice there?” This was too much information to take in quickly, but he gave her the most charming grin he could muster despite his confusion. “I’d say so, Miss Antoinette.” She shivered happily. “Ooh, my name sounds real nice when you say it. Anyway, don’t mind me too much, I ain’t gonna get in your way… What were you doin’ out if you don’t mind me askin’? Think I got an idea, but let’s hear it from you!” “Just heading out for a drink.” He lifted one blonde brow and asked, “Would you like to join me?” “I think I would love to,” Antoinette smiled sweetly. God, she was cute. “Ever been to The Golden Rose? It’s a bit fancy, but I’d say you’re worth it.” “Can’t say I have, hun. I’m a simple gal, but how can I pass up a place called The Golden Rose?” “Then I guess that’s where we’re headed.” They started walking side-by-side in the direction of the bar. Being this close to her, he caught a faint whiff of something sugary, like cookies or warm, fresh muffins. If he hadn’t made up his mind before about trying to take her to bed, he definitely had now. There was something about her that was different than the women he was used to meeting. Maybe it was her confidence, or maybe it was the coy smile on her soft, pink lips. “So,” he started, breaking the short silence that had fallen between them, “what do you usually like to drink?” “Whiskey,” Antoinette replied. “Or margaritas. Probably hear that one a lot, huh?” “Whiskey, no. Margaritas, yes.” Way too often, really. It was one of the top five drinks the women he met ordered, along with wine, cosmopolitans, martinis, or mojitos. “Guess I gotta be a stereotypical gal in one way, huh? But I think you’ll find I ain’t much like your usual conquests, hun,” she smirked, giving him another wink. “Oh?” He glanced at her, his interest piqued. “And why’s that?” She gave him the most confident look he’d ever seen. “Cuz there ain’t no other girl in this world quite like Antoinette LeBlanc, that’s why.” “Is that so?” Damn, this was going to be fun. The girls he usually slept with weren’t nearly this bold or confident, which was already making this far more entertaining. She held up three fingers. “There are three things I love most in this world. Bakin’…” She lowered one finger. “Sex…” She lowered another finger. “And dealin’ with the supernatural.” She lowered the third and final finger. “In that order, mind you. And I’m good as heck at all three, so I promise you it is so, Mister Roarke.” “Well, what if I told you I’m very, very good at sex?” he asked with a sly grin. “I know you are. You’re a vampire, after all,” she replied with a sly grin of her own. “You shoulda seen it when Mr. Silver was handin’ out this assignment, the others were trippin’ over themselves to get with the other members of your coven. Supposed to be bodyguardin’ y’all, but they’re just tryin’ to test out if you vampires are better at it than us mortals, like we’re taught.” “We sure are.” He winked at her. “You wanna find out for yourself?” “You know it! But I gotta see somethin’ first, so let’s have some drinks, chat, and all that normal stuff. How’s that sound?” “Sure.” He might as well get to know her if she was going to be his “bodyguard” and all. He wondered what he even needed to be guarded from exactly. He was a nobody, so why would anyone care about him? Upon reaching the bar, which looked to be fairly empty—this was not unusual at an early hour—they ventured inside where Roarke found a private table near the back of the restaurant. After getting a Jack and Coke for each of them, he sat down across from Antoinette. The Golden Rose was much nicer than the average bar with decor that gave it a golden gothic vibe, but if he was going to charm the attractive woman sitting across from him, then the fancier atmosphere was worth it. They sat together at a small black, glossy table, the flame of a red candle flickering wildly and giving Antoinette’s attractive face a mysterious glow. Several feet away, a sharp dressed man played classical music on a grand piano. “So what’s this thing you need to see?” he asked curiously before taking a sip from his glass. She took a sip from her own drink. “Well, that’s a surprise. You’ll just have to wait and see how this all pans out, won’tcha?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” This girl was a mystery and a half, but damn, she was cute. He briefly wondered if this could turn into a “friends with benefits'' arrangement. He couldn’t deny that it would be kind of hot. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” she teased in a sing-songy voice as she waved her finger at him. At least this conquest would be entertaining. “How long do I have to wait for?” he pressed before taking a long sip from his drink. “Hmmm… You’ll know when we’re done with our drinks and ready to go.” With a grin, he asked, “How many drinks do you plan on having?” “Good question…” She tapped her chin. “I’m thinkin’ two or three. Dependin’ on what I get next, three’ll be my limit. Don’t wanna get too drunk, just in case.” At least she wasn’t a lightweight. He’d encountered a few women like that. Sure, it made seducing them easier, but it wasn’t nearly as fun or rewarding. “I’d offer to buy you a margarita, but I’m not sure they have those here.” Her eyes seemed to sparkle at this. “Well, that’s awful sweet of you, Mister Roarke. I’m sure I’ll find somethin’ just as good on here, this place looks fancier than any place I’ve ever been!” “Hold that thought,” he said before briefly getting up to retrieve a cocktail menu from the bar. While they did have plenty of beers on tap, he had a feeling Antoinette wasn’t so much of a beer gal. When he returned to his seat, he handed it to her. “Here, order whatever you’d like. Drinks are on me.” She smiled at him. “You really didn’t have to do all that, you know. I’d be fine sippin’ on this. And you don’t gotta buy me drinks, you know. I’m sure your money would be better spent on somethin’ other than buyin’ your cute new bodyguard alcohol.” His smile faded and he admitted, “Not really.” He could have added that the only thing he really spent his money on was booze (usually for whoever he had his eye on for the night) and the occasional new shirt or pair of jeans, but what good would that do him? If anything, it would probably turn her way off. She frowned at him. “Hey now, I just… Well, I saw your file, clear as day. I know you don’t really got a job or nothin’. I just don’t want you blowin’ money on me if you don’t have to.” “I get by.” Realizing he needed to salvage this immediately, he put on a charming smile and added, “You’d be surprised how much money women are willing to pay a handsome guy like me to walk their five pound chihuahuas around the block.” She snorted. “Well when you put it like that… But hey, hun, you ever want a real job, I got a bakery, and I could sure use a few more hands helpin’ me move stuff. I ain’t no scrawny weaklin’, but you know, get’s real tirin’ doin’ almost everythin’ myself. I’d be happy to hire you so I don’t gotta feel so bad about you buyin’ me drinks.” She gave him yet another wink, this one a bit more flirtatious than the previous ones. “Is this your way of making it easier for you to keep tabs on me? Or are you just looking for an excuse to have some eye candy around?” He smirked and finished off the rest of his drink. She shrugged with a sweet, innocent smile on her face. “Can’t it be both?” It would be less demeaning than walking a bunch of pampered pooches just for some extra cash. Maybe it’d even make Victoria hate him a little less. “Are you sure this is even legal? You know, considering… things.” He really didn’t want to get into why it would be impossible for him to have his name and social security number marked down on any tax forms since it would require him to talk about his past. That was something he was sure as hell not doing considering he actively tried to ignore and forget about it. “Hun, you know the Silverwings take care of all that, right? Some of the people in your coven even have jobs. Do you know Macheath Sharpe? They’re workin’ for a member of the Silverwings too.” “Wait…” He rubbed his forehead. “…Armstrong is a Silverwing?” She nodded. “Yep! His family was always allies to this cause, so when Mr. Silver came to this city, Armstrong decided to join up with them out of shared belief in Dracula’s coven.” “What’s there to believe in?” he asked bitterly. “Nothin’, accordin’ to the big HQ in Europe,” Antoinette sighed. “But the boss here, Harlan Silver, he believes in this coven and he knows they’re worth keepin’ safe, and that’s why he’s here! And that’s why I came to this city with my cousin, cuz I believe you’re worth keepin’ safe too.” “Can’t say I agree with that, sweet thing,” he sighed. Wanting to change the subject desperately, he pointed at the cocktail menu. “You decide what you want yet?” “Oh, of course! Think I’ll be havin’ a whiskey sour. Like I told you, I love me some whiskey!” “One whiskey sour coming up.” He stood up and made his way to the bar to get them another round. Antoinette was unique, that was for sure. Roarke had definitely made up his mind: he wanted to sleep with her. Not that he had any doubts, but he had to know if she tasted as sweet as she looked. Over the next few hours, during which The Golden Rose started to fill up considerably, he and Antoinette talked about nearly anything that came to mind. She told him more about the Silverwings since he knew next-to-nothing about the organization. He told her about his power and things that he liked to do (other than sex and alcohol), but he kept a conscious effort to keep her talking about herself. The less he talked about his life, the better. It was generally a rule of his when it came to women, but for some reason, he was afraid she’d judge him harshly. Finally, after much conversation, Antoinette tapped her hands against the table. “Alright Mister Roarke, I made up my mind.” “About your next drink?” He’d spent over $50 so far, which was way more than he usually spent on women, but she could handle her booze. Still, as far as he was concerned, every cent was worth it. She shook her head. “About my plans for tonight. Y’see, I was gonna bake a big old cake for Victoria because her daughter is finally comin’ back to see her after a hundred years in exile, so it’s a big event. Now, of course, Victoria’d probably want to pay for this cake no matter what Mr. Silver insisted, but if you asked me…” She leaned forward, a suggestive look on her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “...I’d be much rather accept a tip for it, if you follow my meanin’.” A warm shiver ran through Roarke’s body, and he leaned in towards her with a hungry grin. “Is that so?” She gave him a playful smile. “It definitely is so, hun. How about we head on back to my bakery, hm? We’ll see if lil’ ol’ Antoinette can’t whip somethin’ up for you. How does that sound?” This was way too easy, he thought, patting himself on the back. He was more than eager to show Antoinette a good time, so he nodded and, quickly finishing off his final drink, stood up. “Lead the way, sweet thing.” It wasn’t long at all before Antoinette had led Roarke to her little bakery tucked away in a secluded corner of the city. It was a cute little place with decadent desserts sitting on display in the front windows. She brought Roarke around to the rear of the building and pulled out a key. It only took her a few seconds to pop the back door open “I live right on up here, just watch your step! Don’t want you hurtin’ yourself when I’m tryin’ to make sure the opposite happens! Oh, and just so you don’t smack yourself off the doorway: you are officially invited into my house!” She practically skipped up the stairs, giving Roarke a fantastic view of her rear, which was perfectly perky and bounced each time her foot hit a step. He nearly ran up the stairs after her. He couldn’t remember the last time he was so excited to get a girl in bed. The old song and dance got repetitive and dull sometimes; women were just too easy to seduce. Sure, Antoinette had been easy too, but she’d given back as much as she took, and that had caught his attention. Why couldn’t more girls be like her? Then maybe he wouldn’t be bored so often. She walked him into her living room, which was a cozy, homey place decorated with all sorts of cute little knickknacks themed after horses and, unsurprisingly, baking. There were also a great many pictures, several of them featuring a bearded, bespectacled man with smiling eyes and a short, cheerful woman who could have been Antoinette’s twin if not for the fact that she was visibly older than her. Roarke wagered a guess that those were her parents. Some of the other photos featured Antoinette with a rugged young man, Armstrong, an older man with an eyepatch and a silver beard, a middle-aged woman of Asian descent, and a darker-skinned man with a neat white ponytail. As Roarke saw this same collection of people in pictures where Antoinette, among others, were dressed in full Silverwing armor, he guessed these were her superiors and coworkers. “This is cute,” he noted before giving her another trademark smile. “But I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised since it is your place, after all.” “Why, thank you, Mister Roarke. Now come on, let’s get down to business!” She took his hand in hers and pulled him towards her bedroom. She flung open the door to reveal a room that was as cute as the rest of her house. White wallpaper with pink hearts of various sizes and artsy pictures of pastries decorated the walls. A queen-sized bed, which was neatly made with pastel pink sheets, rested comfortably against the wall. Sitting adjacent, flanking her closet, was a pair of bookcases completely filled with a collection of books on the paranormal as well as numerous vampire romance novels. There was also a large trunk placed at the foot of her bed with shiny silver hinges and the Silverwing logo on the lid. Wrapping his arms around Antoinette from behind, he whispered in her ear, “When can I find out if your lips taste as sweet as sugar?” “How about right now?” He gently turned her around and kissed her. It was exactly as he imagined, if not better; her lips indeed tasted sweet as they pressed up against his own. He groaned quietly and kissed her again. Damn, what was she doing to him? Only one kiss and he already wanted more of her. Moments later, he got his wish as she gently pushed him down to the bed and climbed on top of him, sliding her hands underneath his shirt. “Bet you’re usually on top, huh? Well, you’re gonna have to wait your turn, Mister Roarke.” Admittedly, he wasn’t used to not being the one in charge, but the way her skin felt against his sent a pleasing shock through his body. He shivered and grinned in response. Her small hands felt gentle and warm. Was he opposed? Hell no. She stared down at him and gave him an eager look. “You ready, hun? Cuz it sure feels like you are.” She wiggled and gently grinded against him as if to prove her point. “God, yes.” He wanted her bad. Roarke wasn’t new to the sex game. He’d slept with probably over a hundred women over the past forty years, but he couldn’t think of a single one that really turned him on like Antoinette did. He couldn’t quite figure out what it was about her that really got him going. Every touch ignited his skin like fire. Every soft gasp or moan she let out only encouraged him to make her do it again. He had completely lost himself in her in a way he never had with any other woman before. When it was over, all he wanted was to do it again. They laid together on her bed, panting as the pleasure slowly faded. “Wow,” he breathed. That’s all he could manage to say. What was it about this girl that made him want her so badly? She gently rubbed his chest and gave him a satisfied, dreamy smile. “Dang,” she finally sighed. “That was better than anythin’ I’ve ever had… Guess vampires really do do it better.” “I told you I was good.” He rolled towards her and kissed her neck. He wondered how much convincing it would take to get a round two. “But, damn, you really know how to get a guy going, don’t you?” She blushed. “I got my ways, hun. But was I really that good, or are you just sayin’ that cuz you’re hopin’ for more?” “I wouldn’t exactly be opposed if you wanted to go again,” he admitted. She cracked her neck. “Well hun, if you’re so insistent, I ain’t gonna argue cuz I don’t think I could get a better lay if I tried.” That was enough for him. He wrapped an arm around her body and pulled her close before kissing her deeply again. He couldn’t get enough of her; she was driving him crazy. Round two was as great as round one, maybe even more so. He knew just how to touch her to make her moan, and he used that to his full advantage. This time, though, he took control, and he gave her everything he had. By the end, he was laying on his back panting and sweating like he’d just walked for three hours in the Sahara Desert. She flopped down next to him. “Dang, Roarke... You know how to make a girl feel special, huh?” She exposed her neck with a teasing look on her face. “You want a taste, hun? Get you up for a third round?” He swallowed hard. Everything that made him a vampire desired to bite her, especially because it was the norm for him whenever he slept with someone. “Are… Are you sure?” He’d never had someone offer to let him feed off of them, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. She nodded. “I’m real curious what it feels like, honestly.” “Do you have any bandaids? And maybe a washcloth?” She gave him an odd look. “What do I need bandaids for, hun? You ain’t gonna just heal the wound up with your venom?” He blinked. “Huh?” She stared at him. “You… You don’t know about that?” “I literally have no idea what you’re talking about.” He felt embarrassed. Was this something he should have already known? “Your venom can heal wounds, every vampire’s can. Some have a bit more potent venom than others for healin’, but all vampires can at least heal the bite wounds they dish out.” “Can you, uh… help me with it? My, er… My sire didn’t tell me about this.” Internally, he glared at the unknown person who had turned him. They’d left him a measly note with a few important tips, but he’d later learned there was much he didn’t know. Hell, he was still learning things, and he’d been a vampire for forty years. “What a jerk!” Antoinette huffed. “What kinda sire doesn’t teach the basics? Here, come on, get over my neck and I’ll walk you through what I know.” He was strangely nervous as he leaned over her. The skin covering her neck was smooth and soft, and he felt thankful that he would be able to heal the bite wounds. The last thing he wanted to do was to leave a mark. “It’s probably going to hurt,” he warned her. “But I don’t remember when I was turned, so I can’t say from experience.” “You gotta tell me that story sometime, hun,” she said. “But alright, just feed as you would normal, then on the way out, drip some venom from the tip of your teeth into the wound and it’ll seal up.” He was honestly afraid of messing up, but she made it sound so simple. As gently as he could, he bit into her neck. She winced and let out a gasp, one that was equal parts pained and pleased as his teeth sunk deeper in. He took it as a good sign and started drinking. There was something about this experience that made it much different than every other time he’d fed from someone, but he wasn’t quite sure what. Something about it made her blood taste so much better than anyone else’s. Was it because excited adrenaline from their two rounds of sex was still rushing through him? Was it because she was conscious and aware of it rather than being intoxicated and asleep? He kept track of how much he was drinking and, when he felt rejuvenated and ready for a round three, he slowly pulled his fangs out. He wasn’t entirely sure how to “drip some venom” and realized much too late that he should have asked first. But, surprisingly, a part of him seemed to know exactly how to do it. Maybe it was vampiric intuition, but he could feel a strange sensation, like something cold leaving through the tip of his teeth. When he pulled away from her neck, he was pleased to see the holes closing up on their own. The only sign something had pierced the skin at all was a miniscule mess of blood left behind. He wiped this away and smiled. “The good news is it worked.” “H-Hah! Good work, hun! I’m awful proud I was able to help you out,” she gasped. “Just like I wanted.” “Are you okay?” he frowned. “Do you need, uh, water or something?” “Ok?” She pumped a fist in the air. “I feel… I feel great! And you’re gonna be making me feel even greater in a minute, isn’t that right?” She gave yet another wink, but she was looking a bit more exhausted than she had a few minutes ago prior to him feeding. “As much as I want to, you look like you’re going to pass out. Maybe you should eat something?” “Maybe,” she sighed, “but dang it, I wanna enjoy this while it lasts. I ain’t gonna pretend like this’ll happen again. I heard what they say you’re like.” She crawled to the foot of her bed and slumped onto the floor, popping open the large chest resting there. After rummaging around in it a bit, she pulled out what looked like an army ration. Tearing it open, she ate it quickly and perked right back up a short moment later. He winced. “What do they say I’m like?” She gave him a sheepish look. “Um, well… An alcoholic, womanizin’, good-for-nothin’ a-hole.” Well, he was bound to face the truth eventually. He felt completely ashamed, which was odd because he hadn’t really cared much about leaving any of the women he’d slept with behind in an empty bed before. Yet, for whatever reason, what Antoinette thought about him mattered, and he was willing to bet she wasn’t going to like what she heard. “They’re not wrong,” he sighed softly. She shook her head. “They are. You think I’d be in here bangin’ some guy I thought was a complete creep? Don’t you go thinkin’ I’m some sort of barroom floozy, Mister Roarke!” She sat on the bed again and moved closer to him, putting a gentle, reassuring hand on his cheek. “You may not know it, but you’re a heck of a lot better than you think you are. The way you talked to me, the way you listened, the way you made love… There was somethin’ there that someone who’s a complete creep could never do.” “That doesn’t change the fact that all I do is drink and sleep around,” he mumbled. He’d never really been bothered by this before, so why was he so upset about it now? “Well, true,” she admitted. “But it don’t change the fact I think you’re a sweetheart and worth keepin’ safe, either. No one else wanted to go after you cuz they thought you were a womanizer and a waste, but I took one look at your picture, and I knew I had to see you for myself. You just looked so… lonesome. And I wanted to see if it was really cuz you were a lone wolf pervert or if there was somethin’ else. And it’s the latter, for sure.” “You’re reading too much into this.” He stared down at his legs, which were covered by her pink sheets. “I’m just a nobody who sleeps around. That’s all there is to it.” “Well I don’t believe that for a single second, Mister Roarke,” she reassured him, her hand slipping down from his face to between his legs. “No one’s so simple, and no one in that coven is a nobody. Maybe if I’m real lucky, I can make you see that someday. Been told my attitude is really infectious, so you’re gonna get one heck of a bug from me!” He was going to reply, but he was immediately distracted by the way she was groping him. “Antoinette…” he groaned. Round three was on the horizon. She leaned in close, her lips inches away from his. “So, hun. You ready for me again?” “Yes,” he whispered before kissing her. How she still had the energy for this, he had no idea, but he certainly had the stamina for it (one benefit of vampirism). By this time, he was noticing he was in the danger zone. He clung to her tightly throughout and kissed every inch of her body. He needed her, and that terrified him. What was she doing to him? No woman in the world before now ever made him feel this way. Sleeping with her is no different than with any other girl, he reminded himself. This was recreational only. It didn’t mean anything. But that wasn’t comforting in the slightest when they finished and he knew his time with her that evening was coming to an end. He didn’t want to leave, which threw up several red flags for him. He didn’t want to get emotionally attached to anyone, and he didn’t want a relationship. He wasn’t ready for something like that. Hell, he didn’t know if he would ever be ready for that again. He had been okay with a friends with benefits situation back at the bar, but now he was rethinking that arrangement (not that he’d exactly proposed this to her, which was probably for the best). Antoinette lay sweating and panting on the bed, looking utterly exhausted. “Think I might… I might just… be completely spent this time. You really got me.” “Was it worth it?” he asked, though he was sure of the answer. “Fuck yes,” she said with a pleased sigh. “Good.” Something deep down begged him not to leave, but he had to. He couldn’t stay there all night. He had to go home eventually. “So, uh, are you walking me home or…?” She pouted. “Aww, you don’t want to spend the night? I was gonna make you breakfast and everythin’.” “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea,” he said even though he knew he’d already made up his mind. Damnit, what was going on with him? “Well, if you really don’t wanna stay, I won’t force you,” she continued to pout, her pretty eyes shooting him a pleading look. How did she have such a hold on him? “Do you really want me to?” “You might be safer here, you know?” she winked, her attitude perking right back up. With a teasing grin, he said, “Victoria would be really torn up if anything happened to me, so I think I probably should stay. You know, for safety.” She beamed at him. “Well, I’m glad you’re takin’ this seriously, hun!” “I guess you’re one hell of a bodyguard, huh?” He shifted on her bed to lay on his side. Facing her now, he asked, “So, are you a pillow talk kind of girl? Or a cuddle kind of girl?” “Depends on the night. Thinkin’ this time I just want to cuddle and sleep. You wore me out somethin’ fierce, Mister Roarke.” “Well, you’re the one who insisted on three times, Miss Antoinette. Worth it if you ask me.” “Definitely worth it,” she agreed. He quickly got out of bed to shut the light off before slipping back under the covers and wrapping his arm around her. He shifted into a comfortable spooning position and kissed her neck softly. As worn out as he was, he couldn’t sleep just yet. There was too much on his mind. Instead, he listened to her gentle breathing while she slept as he sifted through his thoughts. There was something about Antoinette that made him want to be as close to her as possible. It was like a deep, hidden need that had been sleeping until she’d appeared. But why? What was it about her that made her so special? He was, more than anything else, frightened. He’d already lost too much. He couldn’t chance her becoming a part of his life only to disappear from it like everything else did. It was why he abstained from relationships and why he stuck specifically to one night stands. But that did nothing to calm the need to be with her. He wanted to stay like this forever so he wouldn’t have to face the inevitable moment when he would need to part ways with her and return home. This is a fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into, Roarke Higgens, he sighed before, reluctantly, going to sleep. ******
“...And that’s all there was to this week, really. Nothing much to report. Employee morale is high, just how you like it, Minerva.” Minerva Bright nodded politely as she sat in the small private office at the back of the diner that once belonged to her family, a small smile on her face as her dear old friend, Morgan Ravencroft, filled her in on the weekly proceedings at Brightside’s. She knew that perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to come here, no matter how much she missed the place, but she’d be damned before she stopped checking in on her father’s beloved diner. It was bad enough she’d spent the past ten years being forced to avoid it for long stretches of time; she couldn’t just ignore it completely. “Iris is doing well,” added Morgan’s burly husband, Nigel. “She’s been seeing this rather nice young man lately, a fellow named Allen. A bit mopey, but he has that sort of dreary gothic poet thing going for him. I think she might actually be out there with him now.” Minerva wished she could see the waifish young woman she had adored as a child, but it wasn’t safe for either of them if she went into the restaurant itself. Who knew who could be watching? “I am certainly happy to hear that, at least. We found a new place, by the by. This one is likely going to be extremely safe. We’re… not going to tell you where to find us, for obvious reasons. But I promise, we’ll still be here when we can be. Isn’t that right Debra?” The lethargic, shorter woman standing beside her nodded mid-yawn. Debra Nelson had been her closest friend, informant, and muscle for the past ten years. She was a stark contrast to Minerva considering she was a whole foot shorter, standing at only five feet tall, though to underestimate her was a mistake. Debra could rough someone up if needed thanks to the muscles she’d built up when she was a teenager (she’d once shared she was quite athletic in junior and high school, much to Minerva’s surprise considering her current slothful nature). “Well… wherever you’re going, I hope you’re safe,” Morgan sighed. “Ten years of that woman pursuing you can’t be healthy. You need a break.” “Well this may be it. Anyway…” Minerva stood up. “We must be off. Please give Iris my love, alright?” “Of course, Minerva,” Nigel nodded. “Alright Debra, let’s go.” The lilac-grey haired woman rolled her neck and yawned again. “Ready whenever you are.” With a final nod to the Ravencrofts, Minerva and Debra made their way through the back and snuck out into the alley behind the diner. The secrecy and clandestine visits to her own family’s business killed her inside, but that was the price she paid for crossing Jemima Mathers. As she made her way towards where her driver, Akina, was waiting, a cheerful voice called out from behind her and Debra. “Just gonna leave without saying hi, huh?” Minerva fearlessly turned around. Even after ten years, she could recognize that optimistic, sunshiney voice anywhere. “Rita?” she uttered in surprise. Rita Rigby had always been one of her favorite customers while she had still been running the restaurant. The precocious child’s mother had been emotionally distant and rather uncaring, so she had always been accompanied by her uncles (her de facto guardians). Yet, despite her rough upbringing, Rita always had a bright smile on her face, something Minerva had quickly come to learn when she first met the girl at the tender age of six. And it was this smile that let her recognize the girl as she had certainly matured since last she saw her at age ten a decade ago. Her brown, wavy hair was now dyed a lovely shade of magenta, and her skin had a slight tan to it. Thankfully, she looked far less dangerously skinny than she had as a child, appearing well-fed and physically fit. She stood just outside the door they had exited a few seconds prior, dressed in a Brightside’s waitress uniform, beaming at the two women as they tried to discreetly head to their car. “Sure is! So, where we headed, ladies?” Minerva paused, confused by this statement. “...Pardon me?” Rita laughed. “You can’t keep snooping around, Miss B. The Ravencrofts want to make this safer for you, and I gave them a great idea about how to do just that! I asked to be your little messenger to communicate between here and wherever you are so that you don’t compromise your location and get the bad guys after you.” She twisted a strand of her hair nervously. “...Okay, it was less asked and more demanded.” “Hey, that’s cute,” Debra yawned. “You got your own Pony Express now.” Minerva was torn by this news. She certainly did not want Rita to be put in danger, and unfortunately, danger was what they frequently found themselves in as the mercenaries working for Jemima and her unstable friend, Ryo Amano, were constantly trying to drive her out of the city. But on the other hand, she knew Rita had a very personal interest in this beyond simply stopping Jemima. As another benefit, she would be someone for Akina to spend time with since they were about the same age and most of the other members of her crew were in their thirties and forties. She sighed. “Alright. Fine. This will be safer, I think. But you need to listen to what Debra and I say, understand?” Rita pumped her fist in the air. “Heck yeah! That’s fine by me!” “It’s too early in the day for that kind of energy,” Debra grumbled before sliding into the backseat of the car. “You can sit up here with me if you want, Debra! I wouldn’t mind!” Akina Sakwa chirped from the front seat. Though only 20, Akina was an excellent addition to the team. Without the use of her car and her reckless driving, Minerva wouldn’t be able to safely make it to-and-from the diner. Akina was also more than happy to run errands as needed (usually grocery shopping or other various food runs). “Oh, actually Akina, I think Rita should sit up there,” Minerva replied. “She’s going to be your new partner, I think.” “Hi there!” Rita waved politely as she slid into the passenger seat. “You’re pretty young, huh? Probably around my age, I’d guess! That’s so neat! Are there many other young folk in the gang?” “No, not really,” Minerva sighed. “You two are the youngest members” Akina looked noticeably disappointed. She was not sly whatsoever about her crush on Debra. Nearly everyone in Minerva’s crew knew about it (though, thankfully, Akina seemed unaware of this). The young black woman was head-over-heels for the short grumpy coffee addict, much to Minerva’s amusement. Still, she could certainly see why she might feel that way; Minerva herself had long-harbored unspoken feelings for the woman. Rita’s smile faltered. “Well, dang. Didn’t mean to ruin your whole day or anything.” She stared out the window, the expressionless look on her face doing little to hide the fact that she was pretty offended. “Well, Akina,” Minerva said as she entered the car as well, “let’s head to the new hideout, then. You know the route to take.” “Aye aye, Boss,” she saluted before starting up the car. “Buckle up, ladies and… ladies.” When all seat belts were fastened, Akina drove off to their new hideout: The Sleeping Gull, an old sailor’s inn that had been turned into something of a family home for the dockmaster, David Wake. It was undeniably the safest place in the city for two reasons. The first was that Wake was, obviously, the dockmaster, and he had a lot of sway and influence, even among criminals, due to his job. The second was that it was well-known that Wake regularly brought his nieces there, and even the criminals of Rhine City had enough class to avoid putting children in harm’s way, though this was mainly due to superstitions in the city. Schools were off limits, playgrounds were off limits, and the building the dockmaster spent time with his nieces in was off limits. Debra was the first to leave the car. “Coffee time,” she exclaimed as she rushed towards the front door. It was the most energetic she’d been all month. “Well, she’s certainly excited,” Minerva smirked. Akina stepped out of the car with the keys in her hand. “Oh, maybe I should make her some.” Minerva sighed yet again. Akina’s schoolgirl crush and desperation to get Debra’s attention was slowly grating on her nerves. Debra certainly was right: It really was too early for this level of energy. “Perhaps you should show our new member around? I’m certain Debra can brew her own coffee.” She, again, looked visibly disappointed. “Alright, fine…” “Wow, don’t look so excited!” Rita sarcastically huffed. “Behave yourselves,” Minerva warned. “I’m off to speak with Mr. Wake to thank him again for the new headquarters.” “Yes, ma’am,” Akina mumbled. As Minerva went inside, she could hear the young woman begin to apologize to Rita. She entered the inn, taking in once more the old-fashioned maritime decor. A couple members of her crew were milling about in the lobby area and waved cheerfully to her as she came in. She gave a polite wave back before she turned towards the dining area. From there, she headed right for the kitchen where she knew she’d find Debra. Standing there with her was the broad-shouldered, black bearded man, dressed in a stereotypical sea captain getup, who had graciously allowed them to stay at his inn. “You definitely want to try that blend, Debra. In my experience, it provides that extra jolt you need to get through the day.” “Damn. Where has this been all my life?” she smirked, examining a red bag of ground coffee. “There’s a specialty store I go to, I’ll give you the address, hold o—“ He turned to see Minerva standing in the doorway and gave her a big grin. “Ah, Ms. Bright! Your crew is getting all settled in pretty well! I hope you find this old inn accommodating!” “Considering our past bases include a dirty old warehouse and an underground safe house in the sewers, I would certainly say this is a big plus,” Minerva chuckled. “And it’s got a coffee machine!” Debra grinned. “Big plus for you, I imagine,” Minerva laughed. “So, Mr. Wake, is there any news we should be aware of? Have Jemima’s or Ryo’s men been sighted around here?” He shook his head. “Not at all. Not aside from the usual few picking up shipments and whatnot, at least. I’ll keep you updated. Ah, and I hope you won’t mind if my nieces come by tomorrow.” “This is your inn that you are graciously allowing us to use as a base. You don’t need to ask if I’d mind.” Debra winced, looking very much like she minded. “How early exactly will they be here?” “Closer to lunch time. Those girls love beans, so they’re going to want some of my famous bean chili,” Wake chuckled. “Oh, good, I can still sleep in.” The shorter woman shrugged. “Sorry, not a kid kind of woman.” “I’d certainly be happy to entertain them,” Minerva smiled. She absolutely adored children and always had. “It all works out,” Debra mumbled as she started preparing the coffee machine to brew a pot. “You can watch them, and I can sleep.” “It all works out,” Minerva repeated. They now had a base, they now had a courier to safely talk with the Ravencrofts, and Debra now had a coffee machine to keep her going. Things, indeed, seemed to be working out. And now that they were safe and secure for the time being, Minerva could return to moving towards her ultimate goal: saving Jemima from Ryo Amano and, perhaps most importantly, from herself.
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AuthorsMichael & Tierney Ford Archives
July 2023
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