Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Necrofiend: Blood Moon ❯ Chapter Eleven ( Chapter 11 )

Blood Moon
-Original Work-
Warning: yaoi, yuri, graphic violence and gore, supernatural creatures, OC POV, etc

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Chapter Eleven

I CALLED MARSHAL Johnson before we left the hotel and informed him of the meeting that would be taking place. We still had a full hour to get there but with a fresh body on the ground and police scurrying from the crime scene to our new hotel room, I doubted that they would allow me to leave unless they were taking me to the station. He told me he’d be in fifteen minutes. I took the time to redress my wound and change into some clothes that Raven was kind enough to lend me. I emerged from the bathroom dressed in a black t-shirt that fit over my torso a little snug for my tastes. The jeans were straight legged and almost just as form fitting. I’d thrown on my black pair of Nikes that I normally kept in my duffle for zombie animating in muddy cemeteries. Overall I looked as if I were going to some sort of Gothic themed club. I bit my tongue on the matter. At least I had clean clothes and if the vampires smelled the blood, they wouldn’t be able to pinpoint it right away thanks to the dark color. I slipped my shoulder holster on and readjusted the straps to fit a little tighter. Without the extra material of a tight shirt, I didn’t have to worry about snagging anything when I went to draw the gun. I’d added a cross, a gun and holster at my left ankle and a knife at my right.

“Do you really think we’ll need all of that?” Raven questioned from the door where he was struggling with his Buddhist pendant. I straightened and went over the small checklist in my head. I snagged two vials of holy water and pushed them into my pockets. They were slender enough that it didn’t make the jeans bulge. I walked over to him then and placed my fingers to his hands gently. He moved them and let me take the chain.

“Better safe than sorry.” I answered him. As I finished securing his chain, I patted his back.

At that time, there was a knock at the door. I went to answer it with one hand on my gun. Marshal Johnson stood on the other side of the door. He looked well rested standing in his faded blue jeans, white button down shirt and brown blazer. “You guys ready?” He asked.

I nodded and went stepped out. Raven followed though I could tell there was a protest. He didn’t want to go without Nigel. Though he didn’t know anything about Nigel; he felt that we’d be safer with him there just because that was who I’d gone out of my way to call. Not Remi, not Nagumi. It was a good assumption to make but we didn’t have the time to wait. “He wants us to meet him at Baiser de Sang.” I informed the Johnson as I began to head down the hallway. We could talk as we went to save time.

“Did he tell you who he’d have present at this meeting?”
“No.” I gave the simple answer because it hadn’t occurred to me to ask. I’d been in too much of a rush to get Adriano off of the phone to preserve what sense of security I had. Your kind always resort to such things when nervous. Adriano’s words were back but it was my own mind doing the told-you-so work not the vampire. I glared ahead. The sooner I got this over with, the sooner I could work on something closer to my comfort zone–dead bodies that didn’t move unless I wanted them to. Johnson took his car, a sleek looking orange-red BMW m1. It was a nice car but not one I would have expected a marshal to drive to an interrogation. I didn’t dwell on it longer than needed. I climbed into the driver seat of the jeep while Raven took up the passenger seat. Johnson pulled out of the parking lot first with me close behind. I could only assume that he knew where this Baiser de Sang was located.

Baiser de Sang looked a lot like your typical lounge with a slight fancy restaurant feel to it. As we pulled up to the front of the building, I could see that the front wall was made of black glass–perhaps one way glass. It made the side of the building look as if it was made of reflective shadows. There were two doors on the side we were on. One led to a small area made up of black round tables. In the center, a black pole lifted a bright red umbrella that would have looked better hovering over a white table. That area was enclosed by a hazardous looking black iron gate. There were all kinds of sharp points at the top and what looked like barbed wire running along and across the posts probably to deter those waiting in line to get in from jumping over it. The actual entrance was a set of elegantly arched double doors that were made of glass. On either side stood a bouncer with muscles almost as big as my head. Above the doors, a neon sign reading Baiser de Sang in bright red cursive lettering. Despite all of the black and red, could see that the building was only as dark as the blackened glass reflecting the night atmosphere allowed. Had it been day time, it would have been the complete opposite, bright with accents of black and red. For the most part it looked like it should have been a club but as I looked over the various people dressed in skin fitting yet elegant wear, I made the mental leap that it was a just a step higher–or lower depending on who you asked–than an actual club.

We parked in the first available parking space which turned out to be almost at the very end of the parking lot. The place had to be packed no matter how big it was. We all climbed out and made our way to the front door. Before we got there, my phone went off. It was Nigel. “You’re late.” I told him as soon as I answered.

“I was detained.”
“For what?”
“The usual. Where are you?”
I could have questioned him on what the ‘usual’ was but I thought I already knew. If I knew Nigel well enough, he had bought toys for this little adventure. “We’re walking up to the Baiser de Sang to meet Adriano.”
“I’ll be there.”

I nodded though he couldn’t see it. We hung up and I refocused on the doors we were only feet away from. There were whispering murmurs about why a small group of men thought it was okay to skip the entire line. Some caught sight of my gun and the murmurs became louder. Suddenly I wished I’d grabbed a blazer, not because it was cold but to avoid the hassle and attention carrying a naked gun bought.

“Marshal Percy Johnson. We’re here to see the master vampire Adriano.” There was a flash of a badge but no budging by the bouncers. They were bigger than they looked before. Both had to be pushing six foot eight inches with broad shoulders and large muscular arms that looked like it should have been uncomfortable to bend them over their barrel chests. With all that bulk hidden away under identical red shirts, I’d expected to see the equivalent of muscle building in their legs. That wasn’t the case. Their legs were almost cartoon-ishly disproportionate to their upper half. One tilted his head down to take us in. The movement was slow and almost like a statue moving minus the sound of grinding stone.

“Go in.” Those two words came in a low rumble as if the bouncer’s voice was coming from somewhere in his core rather than the voice box located in his throat. We nodded and went in. The glass hadn’t just been black, it was one way glass. While outside it had looked pitch black, once inside, we could see everyone in line as if we were looking through a window. It added to the dim lighting of the lounge allowing it to be brighter than it would have been without streetlights and moonlight to help. There was an upper layer with banisters made of the same glass. As we moved past the front desk, I noticed that the same banisters formed a medium sized square in the center of the dance floor. I wondered if there was a lower level to be seen over them but didn’t get that far.

A young woman with short strawberry blond hair approached us. She was only five foot three, a cute petite thing. Her skin held a light pink tint that made her hair appear that much more strawberry than blond. She was dressed in a small black dress with no shoulders. The material was tight tapering to the curve of small breast, an even smaller waist and round hips. She looked young. She blinked big baby blue eyes up at us and smiled warmly. “I’m sorry but you can’t bring weapons or holy items into the club.” She said lightly. Her voice sounded like birds chirping, melodic and slightly high pitched. It was then I knew she wasn’t human and did a better job of avoiding her eyes while I had the chance.

Johnson flashed his badge.”We’re here on official business. If you’d point us in the direction of your master, it would be most appreciated.” He stated.

Her smile wilted at the edges suddenly unsure of herself. “Nita…” As she called the name, she twisted to look over to the front desk. Where no one had stood; now stood another woman. She was of African American decent which made her skin brown. There should have been a golden hue to that brown but vampirism had taken that leaving it pale and almost ashen. She stood at five foot five inches and looked every bit of bored as she braced her elbows on the desktop. She was dressed in a simple black tank top with a small red cartoon devil drawn on the front. From where I could see, she was wearing a pair of jeans that matched the red of the devil. I watched her blow strands of dark red hair from her face. Without looking directly at her eyes, I could tell that they were hazel and wondered which was artificial, her hair color or her eyes.

“What, Julia?” She asked. Her tone matched her expression.

“Our guests here wish to speak to Adriano…what should I do?”
There was a long suffering sigh as if Nita didn’t see why she was being bothered for such a thing. “Let them through.” She muttered and as if to comfort the blond, she added, “I’ll escort them.” As she said this, Raven and I carefully tucked away our chains. Compromise was good.

Julia relaxed visibly. Though she was a vampire, she wasn’t old enough to school her expressions just yet. I guessed that she was about five to ten years dead at the most. We waited for her to step out of the way before moving forward again. Nita came around the desk keeping in stride with us easily then eventually passed us. “This way, boys.” She beaconed and turned right. She led us toward a set of stairs that led to the second floor. As soon as we hit the second floor, we were in the center of a dance floor. I felt a touch of wariness watching the compacted group of writhing bodies. I wasn’t skittish of the possibility of being grouped, pinched and ground against. It was my own paranoia eating at me as Nita continued forward. Surprisingly enough, the group of people parted in one fluid motion as she walked through.

“She’s got to teach me that trick.” Raven commented as he followed her. I had to smile in amusement at his statement because I was thinking the same thing.

Adriano sat at a table that looked more like a round bed covered in a satin red sheet. Why? Because there were two women currently sprawled across it lips locked and dresses hiked up so that they were pressed firmly against each other through their lacey undergarments. He sat comfortably in a bench seat that formed a half circle around the table sipping wine as if it was the most normal thing ever. I could see Johnson shift uncomfortably around the table so he could see the vampire without looking directly over the women. Raven did that same while Nita walked around the table and bench to fold her arms along the back of the bench just over Adriano’s shoulder. Her bored expression had to changed to one of amusement as if she was about to laugh at one of us or herself.

I stayed where I was taking in Adriano from where I stood. The part that wasn’t blocked by the women writhing against each other on the table was what you’d picture in vampiric romance novels. His face was handsome but soft thanks to high cheek bones and full lips. Had there been a few wisps of hair to fall into his face, it would have looked softer but the strands had been pushed back and out of the way. Said hair was midnight black with the faintest of blue sheens to it. His skin was white but not in the Caucasian sense. He was white as if he was made of marble or porcelain. His shoulders were broad but not too broad. Even seated I could tell that he was tall enough to make those shoulders work for him just like he made the stiff looking lacey shirt he wore work. It stretched over the swell of his well muscled chest and down along his sides to disappear into the high waist of what looked to be leather pants. “So good to see that you’ve made it, Executioner.” He greeted us. In that instance I had chosen talking to him over the phone than in person. His voice was once again something alive and solid but at the same time not. It slivered over my skin in ways that made my breath catch and my eyes widen slightly. Off to the side, I could see that Raven and Johnson was experiencing the same thing. The only problem was they hadn’t expected it. Johnson braced a hand on the table while Raven visibly shuddered. “Shall we begin this interrogation?” His amusement danced in his voice and along our skin. “Please, sit.” He motioned to the benches. None of us moved.

I let out a shuddering breath and closed my eyes. Just like before, I threw up shields quickly and slowly began to refine them. As I did, I glared at his eyebrows. Even those were neat. “Where were you two nights ago?” I asked.

“Visiting the master vampire of San Francisco.”
“Do you have anyone that can confirm that?”
“Me.”
My attention shifted to Nita. “Would you have any reason to lie for him?”
She snorted. “He’s not my master. We are not blood-oathed. So in other words…no, no I don’t.”
I returned my attention Adriano. “Anyone else?”
“Nita is the only one to attend this trip. Perhaps you could speak with the San Francisco Master.” His shoulders raised and fell in a way that meant nothing and everything all at the same time. It was graceful enough not to disturb the liquid sitting in the wine glass he held.
“Do you know of anyone that would want to use your property for satanic rituals?” A question from Johnson. I spared him a glance when I heard how hoarse his voice was. He didn’t look happy.
“Non, I cannot say that I do. Most avoid my estate at all costs.” There was the faintest tug at Adriano’s lips. It was probably the closest we would see him frown. I had a moment to wonder if this was an act or if the vampire was actually just as perplexed as we were.
“Are there others at your estate that may have seen someone coming and going on the property?” The question was from Raven.

This time Adriano paused. I watched his face twitch and struggle to stay neutral. Without thinking I began searching his face. I needed to know if he was telling the truth or lying. He was a vampire, a monster, but if he wasn’t guilty I didn’t want his blood on my hand. He looked up a little too quickly and our eyes locked. There was no sharp intake of breath to be taken because at that time I’d forgotten how to breathe and how to blink. His eyes were the deepest blue I’d ever seen, like to endless pools of the clearest water one could find. They were tranquil, so peaceful that panic wouldn’t touch you even as you slowly drowned in them–even as I drowned in them.

“Release him, vampire!” I heard someone yell. Raven and Johnson had been on either side of me but I couldn’t tell which of them had made the demand. It was like the voice and noises around me were being deflected somehow. “Last warning, let him go.”

“Easier said than done....” When Adriano spoke, his voice was a whisper but clearer than the deflected sounds around me. The power that came with that voice was back forming tiny hands that caressed and coaxed. At that point two things happened, my own energy–the one used to raise the dead–surged and reached over the table. Adriano gasped and his eyes widened. The second thing that happened, Nita had lurched over the back of the bench and threw herself at me. The impact knocked me to the ground and the wind out of my lungs. I was vaguely aware of my hand going for my gun as I tried to shove my forearm into her throat. She saw the move coming and instead of going for my throat, she sunk her fangs into the flesh of my arm while one of her hands gripped my upper arm and the other reached for my face. I gritted my teeth so as not to scream. The energy swirling around redirected and focused on her. The hand that was reaching for my face with the intent of shredding my face faltered. I took that opportunity to shove my gun against one of her eye sockets and that energy shrouding us both into her. She jerked. “Let go.” I strained to say and was surprised when she moved obediently to do so. She didn’t stand, just stayed on her hunches above me so I used the arm she’d bitten, my left, to push me up and back.

“What have you done, petit repas.” Adriano’s voice was breathy as he spoke but nothing came with it. He was shielding again.

I looked past Nita to see where Adriano was. He was still by the bench but had stood during the commotion. The table that had been between them was now empty. “I….don’t know what you’re talking about.” I I answered shakily and moved back further. All the while Nita watched me inquisitively. I stood and looked around to regain my bearings. The dancing had stopped and all eyes were on us. I searched for Johnson and Raven and found them both with their guns out pointed at Nita.

“You okay, Tiaz?” Johnson asked. I nodded.

“Yeah…I’m okay.” I answered as I raised my forearm. There were two puncture wounds but it wasn’t bad. I’d bleed for a little bit and would probably need a shot of antibiotics but that was it. I looked to Nita. My blood ran from her lips to her chin in an almost need fashion. “It’s alright guys…really. Nita stand up.” Once again, she stood when I told her to.

“You control her…much like you would control one of your zombies…” Adriano spoke again and I fought not to look at him.

“She’s not a zombie though.”
“Non, she is not.”
“Then how…”
“As much as I would like to contemplate on this…we cannot do it here. Can you release her?”

“I can try.” I muttered. Truth be told I didn’t feel as if there was anything to be released. I‘d heard of people being able to animate vampires during the day when they were truly dead. With a court order that had been the preferred method of killing the younger ones. But this wasn’t normal. Nita had been very much ‘alive’ and now that I ‘controlled’ her, I could feel that she wasn’t one of those young vampires. She was old but not as old as they came. Old enough that the habit to breathe was gone, the expression of boredom and amused were her imitation of neutral. I pegged her as being almost a hundred as I focused on my energy.

Recalling the energy was a lot like unraveling an already fraying cloth. She had already been slowly undoing the control I had on her but what would have taken her hours to do, had taken me less than five seconds. As I took the last of it from her, she staggered. The blank eager expression was gone leaving her features to turn up into a sneer. She took a step forward body slowly coiling to attack and I raised my gun. I wasn’t packing silver bullets but I could shoot her and make it hurt.

“Nita. Leave him be.”
“You’re not my master, Adriano. I don’t answer to you.”
“That may very well be true but the Executioner was kind enough to release you. Will you risk his generosity a second time?”

She seemed to think about it. With narrowed eyes, she spun on her heels and left. Only when I saw the unique red of her hair disappearing down the stairs did I lower my gun but didn’t put it away. “I guess the interrogation is over…”

“We’re no closer to solving this homicide.” Marshal Johnson stated. I could hear the frustration in his face.
“Did you find a witch or mage that can help?”
“Only novices so far.”
“I may be of help.”

Our attention shifted to Adriano. Something in the movement amused him. His lips tilted up slightly to form a pleasant smile. Whether or not it reached his eyes, I wasn’t sure or about to check. He moved–no glided–around the table toward the stairs. With the table out of the way, I could see that his legs were muscular and long and that the pants he wore left nothing to the imagination. I shook my head and averted my attention elsewhere. “Coming, mes amis?” He called.

“Do we follow?” Raven asked.
I holstered my gun. “Yes.”
“What if this is a trap?”
“I have a feeling that it’s not. He wouldn’t risk losing his territory like this.”
“You don’t think he committed those murders, do you?” Johnson this time.
I shook my head. “I have my doubts.”

To Be Continued….

Author’s Notes: So this is where I start reintroducing the chars that I managed to keep.