"My lord you called for me?" The underling said as he walked into his master's chambers. The room held a presence so dark even the underling didn't want to walk into it. A four poster bed was in the middle of the room, a few candelabras were lit on the dresser to the right of the bed and on the wall by the door, this was the only light in the room. There was only one window in the room, it had maroon colored curtains hanging from it. They were open slightly to allow the moon to shine in and revel the master sitting in his chair. The master didn't hear his underling come in as he was to focused reading his book. The underling took a deep breath and took caution when walking forward to his master. "Master?" He said again. The master didn't turn around again, to get his attention the underling touched his master's shoulder.
"I heard you open the door underling. It would be best if you stated why you dared to enter my room without my permission and why you dare touch me." The master stated in a stone cold voice.
"Sir you had asked for me." The underling replied with a tremble in his voice as he removed his hand from his masters shoulder fearing the repercussions.
The master closed his book and got up from his chair to walk toward the window. "I need a new pet." the master said.
"Sir?" the underling said.
"Did I stutter?! I said I need a new pet." he said but this time with a hint of a warning to it. "If you need to know why, it is because I grow tired of her, her blood tastes like that of someone who is dead. It has no flavor anymore." he said as if he was getting rid of a toy that didn't entertain him anymore.
"May I ask what kind of pet you desire this time?" the underling asked.
"I would prefer someone blonde this time. Make it quick....or else you would end up like your brothers and sisters before you." the master threatened the underling.
The underling got down on one knee and put his right hand over his heart. "It shall be done. My Lord." the underling said.
"Make sure it is. Now go." the master said as he sat back down in his chair and opened his book. The underling got up and turned to walk out the door. He signaled to the other two underlings that were keeping guard outside of the door, "Get rid of the girl." he said to them as he walked down the hallway and made his
~~Somewhere in the French Quarter~~
"Hey Rose!" an older gentlemen and some of his buddies said as they came into one of the best bars in the French Quarter.
"Hey guys, the usual for y'all?" I asked the gentlemen that had just entered the bar and sat down.
"You know us too well." he laughed.
I poured a few shots for the customers at the other end of the bar then turned to the regulars. It had been a two or three years since I moved to New Orleans. I had grown accustom to the party atmosphere of the city, I found a job quickly as a bartender in this little bar and grill, but at nights it attracts the 40+ crowd, usually men that want to get away from their naggy wives and have a good time with their buddies for the night. I only work night shifts since I take classes online during the day. I didn't mind my workplace, I mean I did get the occasional drunk hit on me now and then but other than that it was great place to work.
"Rose!" My boss, Michael, called out to me.
"Yes sir." I said as I turned to face him giving him a mock salute.
"Stand down soldier." he said as patted me on the back. Michael was like a dad to me, he always was nice to his employees that worked in the bar. "These boys giving you trouble?" he said as he leaned on the bar and turned to face the men.
"You know that isn't true. I mean Roger keeps asking her out but she keeps turning him down." Roger's friend says as he slams his beer down on the bar and laughs.
"I don't think your wife would appreciate that Roger." I said as I started to clean out some of the shot and beer glasses that were left by some of the patrons that had left a few minutes ago. After about ten minutes of talking with the regulars I heard the bell above the door sound. I looked up and saw a young man about 19 years of age, just standing there and surveying the room. When his eyes reached the bar he made eye contact with me. Something about the boy made me shiver, the emptiness in his eyes, he and I stared at each other for what felt like five minutes but it was only about a second and then he just turned and walked out he door.
"Rose." Michael touched my shoulder. "You want to go and do inventory in the back? It has gotten pretty slow in here, I think I can take over for a while." he said as he took the towel from my hands and the glass and set it down under the bar.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yeah I'm sure." he said as I started to walk towards the back for the rest of the night.
~~1:30 in the morning~~
"I am going to go ahead and go Michael." I said as I took the bun out of my hair and let my hair fall.
"Sure see you tomorrow then. Be careful getting home okay." he said as he came to lock the door behind me.
I turned around and gave him a smirk, "You know I will, I always am." I said as I walked toward the bus stop across the street. It took about ten minutes for the bus to reach the bus stop, when I got on I saw that I wasn't the only one on the bus. I noticed it was the boy from the bar. Weary of the feeling I got to him I decided to take a seat next to the driver. It takes about ten or fifteen minutes to get home from work. As the bus pulled up across the street from my apartment I quickly picked up my purse and walked off the bus and ran to my apartment across the street. As I was walking up the stairs I looked behind me and saw that the boy was following me unusually fast. I ran up the stairs to my door and before I could get the keys in I felt a presence behind me. I froze in my spot and I couldn't turn around or put my key in the door. I felt like my whole body was frozen.
"Just who I was looking for." I heard the boy whisper in my ear before he put a rag over my mouth. I puzzled by what he meant, however, before I knew it there was a smell coming from the rag and it was seeping into my nose. I couldn't struggle with my captor as it felt like I was unable to move. I had no choice but to sub come to the smell on the rag and last thing I saw before I blacked out was the door to my place...the door to the place I will probably never see again.
~~Previously that evening~~
The underling vampire had just received orders from his master. He was inches from the front doors when her heard a rasped voice harshly beckon fro him. "Ghoul!" It was the voice of his master's rival.
"Lord Marc." He bowed.
Marc raised a silver eyebrow at his peculiar behavior. "Where do you think your going? It isn't your night to feed yet."
The underling hesitated in telling him. "M-master Patrick wishes for a new pet, I am to fetch one worthy for him."
Marc scarfed. "Very well carry on. but if there are any bodies that turn up on the news tomorrow evening your head will be on the stake"
The ghoul looked frightened by his words for a moment, but only a moment. If he didn't return quickly his head would be separated from his body by a man far more terrifying to him, his master.
Lord Marc waited until the underling was well off the property before calling one of his own. He appeared quickly, slinking out of the shadows. "You called master?" he hissed scrunched over his own shoulders.
"Our dear friend Patrick is getting a new bag of blood. I feel it's time to show him how Vampires are to play with there toys." he glared over his shoulder at the servant. "Bring me one as well. Feel free to make a gluten of your self as well. You've been useful in these past months to me."
"Yessss M'Lord" He bowed deeply. "Any GIRLIES in mind Master?" he shuffled closer to Marc whispering.
Marc thought it over. "As a matter of fact yes. Bring a pretty one with a mouth that can keep me entertained. I don't want another glass doll that says nothing. I need some 'sunlight' in this... this vermin infested house." The underling knew when he said vermin he was referring to Lord Patrick and his coven. Lord Marc left the vampire with his duties and returned to his chambers in the west wing.
~~French Quarter- 11:50 pm~~
The Vampire Lord's servant wiped his mouth clean as he came out of a thing dark ally from behind the cathedral leaving a dark stain on him already black trench coat. That's when he spotted her. The perfect specimen for him Master. A few hundred yards away on the board walk there was a crowd gathered with several signs surrounding them advertising the grand opening of a new Coyote Ugly on Bourbon St. In the center of the crowd there was a young lady with her back up dance crew. There were all minimally dressed with cowgirl boots and a grin from ear to ear. A performer!
~~Board Walk- Midnight~~
I began packing up the sound equipment in a pyramid. It was never too terribly hard sense all the heavy things were on wheels, however, coiling all of the cords was a bit of a pain in the rear end. I sighed and looked over all the cords the dance girls were messily piling up for me to do.
"Izzy you feeling alright?" I turned around to get a glimpse at the woman talking to me. It was Grace. The prettiest of the dancers and the choreographer. She had been working with us from the time we opened the first location on the East Bank. This would be our first place on the West Bank so she was excited tonight. "You know the bartender should come across as the least stressed, right?"
I smiled holding what I had coiled to my chest like a school girl. "I'm not stressed, just frustrated." I pointed lazily to the pile behind me. "There just tangling them further. I wish they would have left them plugged in"
She took me by the shoulder, warping her arm around my neck in a weird side hug. "There just trying to help hun. Cut them some slack there new." She whispered. I always envied the way she saw things, my life would be so much simpler if I saw thing like she did and let everything run like water down a ducks back. She swept her long back over her shoulder. The black locks simmered blue in the moon light. When she did that in the show it made all the men whistle like wolves in the bar. As flattering as it was Grace had very high standers and chose her dates very carefully. Grace patted my shoulder lovingly and went back to packing the props and sins rounding up the other girls to help her instead. I must remind my self to thank her for that.
As I was packing a box of mics in the van I noted a lanky man talking to Grace. His hair was stringy and greasy and the way his eyes parted made his face look like that of a rodents'. I was surprised she would even be talking to a man as creepy looking as him, all dressed in black and hunched over himself. I tried calling her away from him with a lame excuse but she didn't hear me. She seamed to be really enjoying his company; perhaps she knew him before hand? The man took her by the hand and started guiding her into the french quarter.
How particular it was for Grace to behave this way, she was always so aware of stranger danger and I was positive that she would have mentioned such a character to me before. My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to fallow them. I stayed close enough for my poor eyesight and tried to remain as far into the shadows as I could. Snooping was a hobby of mine so soft footed steps were second nature. Not once did he look over his shoulder. Either he was oblivious or over confident. Grace was giggling and staring in to his eyes longingly. Maybe she did know him and it was all in my head.
He stopped there steady paces in front of a Gothic door. They were common in this part of the Quarter, but this one was a unmistakably a bright crimson. It was the main door to an out of service chapel from the 19th century. It did have a care taker but he rarely visited the place, perhaps once a month to dust away the cobwebs and replace any rotting floor boards. Or at least that what everyone thought.
~~Board Walk- Midnight~~
I began packing up the sound equipment in a pyramid. It was never too terribly hard sense all the heavy things were on wheels, however, coiling all of the cords was a bit of a pain in the rear end. I sighed and looked over all the cords the dance girls were messily piling up for me to do.
"Izzy you feeling alright?" I turned around to get a glimpse at the woman talking to me. It was Grace. The prettiest of the dancers and the choreographer. She had been working with us from the time we opened the first location on the East Bank. This would be our first place on the West Bank so she was excited tonight. "You know the bartender should come across as the least stressed, right?"
I smiled holding what I had coiled to my chest like a school girl. "I'm not stressed, just frustrated." I pointed lazily to the pile behind me. "There just tangling them further. I wish they would have left them plugged in"
She took me by the shoulder, warping her arm around my neck in a weird side hug. "There just trying to help hun. Cut them some slack there new." She whispered. I always envied the way she saw things, my life would be so much simpler if I saw thing like she did and let everything run like water down a ducks back. She swept her long back over her shoulder. The black locks simmered blue in the moon light. When she did that in the show it made all the men whistle like wolves in the bar. As flattering as it was Grace had very high standers and chose her dates very carefully. Grace patted my shoulder lovingly and went back to packing the props and sins rounding up the other girls to help her instead. I must remind my self to thank her for that.
As I was packing a box of mics in the van I noted a lanky man talking to Grace. His hair was stringy and greasy and the way his eyes parted made his face look like that of a rodents'. I was surprised she would even be talking to a man as creepy looking as him, all dressed in black and hunched over himself. I tried calling her away from him with a lame excuse but she didn't hear me. She seamed to be really enjoying his company; perhaps she knew him before hand? The man took her by the hand and started guiding her into the french quarter.
How particular it was for Grace to behave this way, she was always so aware of stranger danger and I was positive that she would have mentioned such a character to me before. My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to fallow them. I stayed close enough for my poor eyesight and tried to remain as far into the shadows as I could. Snooping was a hobby of mine so soft footed steps were second nature. Not once did he look over his shoulder. Either he was oblivious or over confident. Grace was giggling and staring in to his eyes longingly. Maybe she did know him and it was all in my head.
He stopped there steady paces in front of a Gothic door. They were common in this part of the Quarter, but this one was a unmistakably a bright crimson. It was the main door to an out of service chapel from the 19th century. It did have a care taker but he rarely visited the place, perhaps once a month to dust away the cobwebs and replace any rotting floor boards. Or at least that what everyone thought.
~~Inside the Chapel Tower~~
"Master?" It was a timid voice that answered to Lord Marc this time. Marc was relaxed over a couch reading a J.K.Rolling novel.
"The human imagination is something priceless, wouldn't you agree lackey?" He mocked the underling.
"Yes of course your Lord-ship" This one was always agreeable with everyone, a spineless chap for a vampire if you were to ask any of the other underlings. "But my Lord?"
"Yes what is it this time Ghoul?!" Marc snapped slamming his book shut. "You have my full attention now."
The vampire cowered closer to the tower door. "I came to inform you master that the Warden of our servant living quarters found several women in master Celious' chambers."
The Vampire lord grunted. "What do I care if he has a few corpses lying around. If if bother Warden that much have him remove it."
"N-No sir"
"What do you mean 'No'?"
"W-well the women are very much alive. You see one actually escaped tonight. Warden sent master Hayden out to find her and put her out of her misery."
Marc looked stunned. One of his own directly disobeying a vampire law? And one that he held in such high esteem for an underling? "Alive...?" Only pure blooded vampires were allowed to keep human alive as pets or keep sake. That included the Vampire Elders and the few coven lords that remained living after the vampire civil war.
With a bang the tower doors flung open. "Sir, Celious has returned with two women!" A second underling entered his master's chambers.
Marc rose to gaze out the tower window at the street of the front entrance. Sure enough the Ghoul he sent out to find his new pet brought back another for him self as well. "I will deal with him my self." his words were steady with no emotion. "The one with black hair looks like she belongs on a street corner, get rid of her. As for the other, I will take her in as my new pet. At the very least she will be a nice snack before sunrise."
~~Outside the Red Door Continued~~
The man brought her hand up to his mouth. At first I thought he was going to place a gentle kiss upon the tips of her finger but when I was a glisten of pear white as he opened his mouth I realized I was very mistaken. It was a kiss but of a much darker kind. Vampires were the most talked about myth in The Big Easy but it was still a shock to come to know that they were real. To my dismay I gasped in horror.
The Vampire's head shot up in my direction. His eyes scanned for me as a sneer curled upon his lips exposing long fangs. "I know your there precious." He hissed. He began to walk toward the building I was slightly peaking from behind. I spun so my back was pressed to the hard brick and covered my mouth. Had he seen me yet? He was sure to find me. "Come out come out where ever you are" He was teasing me now. He definitely knew where I was. "No need to hide my sweet." I mastered all the courage I had and stepped out in to the open street. His grin grew when I exposed my self to him. I looked to Grace. Why was she not running away now that his attention was on me. Surly she must know what he is. "How brave you are, girly" the cool back of his finger running over my cheek pulled me back to reality. I had not seen him move and he was directly in front of me now. Startled I jumped in my skin letting out another gasp.
"Get your hands off me!" I pushed his chest. Just being so close to him made my skin crawl.
"Oh be a good girl, or i'll have to put you under hypnosis like your friend there" he slightly motioned to Grace.
"Grace in not my friend" I spat.
The slimy man raided an eyebrow. "Oh then why is it you've fallowed us all the way here from the board walk in you were not concerned for her safety?" He made a good point but I had never thought of her safekeeping. He snickered when I didn't answer. "Don't tell me you were curious." I was silent. He laughed "You know that will get you killed."
I felt like jabbing him in the sack with a pencil but i didn't have one on me. "Don't falter your self, I just wanted to know why she would go home with such a sleaze machine."
He garbed my face in anger, digging his nails in my cheeks as I finished my remark. "You will not speak to ME with such a discussing mouth. I could have killed you by now."
"And if you were more aware of your soundings you could have killed me long before I found out where your nest was and text-ed it to my room mate." I bluffed threw pinched lips ignoring the pain of his vice grip.
Grace let out a shriek drawing both our attention. "Apparently your poor excuse for hypnotism doesn't last vary long." I don't know why I was trying to anger him, it wasn't like I had a death wish. I just felt the need to.
"Shut UP!" His words dripped with poison as he withdrew a dagger from the inside of his coat and flung it at the Hispanic woman. It pieced threw the center of her forehead and she collapsed to her knees, and then entirely. I grimaced at the sight of the pool of blood forming around her. The vampire let out a sigh of relief. "Oh well I guess I'm just going to have to let Master know the one I picked was too much trouble an had to be put down. I'll find another one for him tomorrow night." He slowly turned is attention back to me and softened his grip. "As for you..." He looked me over ignoring the droppings of blood slugging down my cheeks. His eyes felt like they were undressing me. "You will make a wonderful addition to my collection of Girlys!" He leaned in to my ear to whisper this.
"Absolutely not!" I slapped his hand away and took several wide steps back. "I refuse to be anyone's dust collector! I'd rather be eaten Alive!"
The vampire held up his hands as if ready to scratch me. The nails grew three times as long and became pointed. "That can be arranged!" He lunged knocking me over on to the cement. His wait crushing my chest. He quickly bent over me and froze. "Celious!" A demanding voice reached my ears finally. "Control your self!" I could feel his fangs scrape my throat as he removed him self from a-top of me.
"Master" he said rising slowly. "I didn't expect you out so close to dawn." I took this opportunity to sit up.
"Well if you hadn't taken so long to get back I wouldn't have to question your bringing back two women."
"What ever do you mean master?"
"One of your butchered victims escaped this evening; bloody and barely breathing. Tell me what have you been doing keeping pets for yourself?" His voice began to show discus for the underling.
"Master I haven't the faintest idea wh-
"Don't LIE to ME!" With one flashing blur the Leader vampire disappeared from my sight. The next thing I knew Celious' severed head was tumbling in to my lap. I stared in to its' cool long soulless eyes. A chill ran up my spine; the cold presence the leader vampire behind me made its' self known. "You would never lie to me would you darling?" his warm breath played with the hairs on the back of my neck. His tone was now softer. He had the kind of voice you wanted to listen to all night. It was smooth, deep and welcoming with just a hint of rasp that made it original.
My attitude was put in check after the vampire's display of aggression. "N-no sir" My voice shook at first, however, I gained control over my self quicker than even I expected. "Not if you would so ask of me. I can not say you would necessarily like the truth thou."
He snickered softly at my statement and took me up from under the armpits to set me on my feet. He did so with little effort as if I was a child's beanie baby. "Yes lets make a promise from here on in to be honest with one another."
"Why?"
He momentary silence seemed odd to me, as if her were stunned by my question. "Well you will be saying here with us for a while, naturally."
"Why?" The man was just confusing me further at this point. Why keep me when keeping me quiet was as simple as killing me. If he wanted to eat me he could do that now too.
"Well I did just saved you life mon chéri; it would be rude not to offer me some of your time after that."
I wasn't buying it. He was being much to charming for a monster that just removed an un-dead man's head from his shoulders like butter. "I have alot to do in the city tomorrow, and I can't be lat for work this coming evening. Were opening a new location." I tried to make the excuse sound more urgent that it was but he only smiled.
"You don't have to worry about that silly job of your anymore." He began to user me to the red door. It spoke to me; screaming to run. Run away and don't look back. None of this existed.
"I wouldn't want to inconvenience you." I was desperately searching for reasons not to go in now.
"You'll be no trouble." One of the others that fallowed him out added. "Lord Marc is very good with women."
Panicking I wiggled my self away from them and began to run. Marc appeared in front of me. "Where do you think your going? I didn't give your the permitting to leave yet." Danger laced it's way back in to that perfect voice of his.
"I hadn't thought of where my feet should take me yet." I answered hoping he wouldn't grab me like the other vampire did.
Marc chuckled. "Cute" he cupped my clean cheek in his hand and leaned down until our faces were parallel. He leaned in and licked the blood off the other side of my face slowly. That's when his intentions for me came to me. It hit me like a truck. I pushed him off of me and stared at him dumb founded. "With blood as sweet at that I can assure you a much longer life that most of the humans that come threw this door." He grabbed my for arms before I could try to run away once more. In a low voice he almost growled "That is if you agree to come threw that door at all. It's your choice."
And a sick choice it was. Death or procrastination and then death... I can't say I expected any nicer offer form a monster thou. I nodded and let him escort me inside. It was dark: the floors were old, but some beauty of its' original state remained; all of the walls were stone, cold and lifeless. The place need some art or something to take away from the feeling of a prison. "What is going to happen to Grace's body?"
Marc raided an eyebrow. "Why do you care, I thought she wasn't your friend."
"You heard that did you?" I groaned remembering my crude comment to another human being's life. "Just curious" It didn't feel so wrong admitting it to him.
"She will be put somewhere the police can discover her easily."
I knew he was lying to me, the blood would lead them strait to there fount door. "I thought we agreed not to lie to one another" I called him out trying not to sound rude when I did so. The last thing I wanted to do at the moment was anger him.
He patted my head. "Yes, well she will be dumped in to the Mississippi." Apparently he had a decent sense of humor. The Vampire lord motioned for one of the servants that were standing in the foyer to come to him. "Ah, Hayden take miss..." he blinked. "Pardon me miss?"
"Issabel" I stated bluntly.
"Ah, take Miss Issabel to her new chambers. I want her fresh and clean for Patrick and I's weekly dinner." Marc shoved me forward in to the other vampires' arms. "Let me know if you have any problems and make sure that poor excuse of a coven does not find out she is here yet." With that Marc stated he was leaving for his chambers. When he was out of sight Hayden asked me to fallow him. Before I did I watched the two other vampires that were outside come back in and shut the heavy door. The sun was just beginning to peak out from the corners of the other buildings.
Sun Aug 23, 2015 12:55 pm