#we all know that boy would lure him out with cheese and ensure he’s well fed

[gaymememachine]

NieR Reincarnation x mouse in kitchen

[bulletpunchcut]

Call Me Maybe (With @InMyOwnMhis)

Jagger: -The air had a crisp quality to it, the kind that made you want to fill your lungs because the oxygen content was notable. It made me feel alive. Oh, irony, you satirical bitch. My state of body was robust while I sought out my destination for the night:  The Iron Mask. My reconnaissance over the course of several evenings had pinpointed the goth hang as a likely locale for the source, or at least close to it. I’d tailed one of the enemy with gritted teeth, his scent so strong it singed my nostrils, guy was the Pig Pen of lessers and gave the pungence of bleu cheese a new lease on pleasant. His carelessness was my boon. He’d had a wad in his pocket that could only be bills when he’d disappeared around the backside. When he’d strolled back a short twenty ticks of the minute hand later, the pocket had greatly atrophied. I’d observed the routine for long enough to confirm some sort of connection. My will power was tested beyond normal limits as I watched the enemy disappear. I need not draw any attention by becoming some vigilante for this new enterprising group of lessers. After several toe taps of impatience and two nights, I’d decided it was time to disappear inside the heart of the beast, and I was seeing the place with new eyes. It wasn’t just a vampire friendly club pumping industrial through the speakers, it was a well veiled front for something bigger, something I wanted no part of. Was it possible vampires were in bed with lessers? My moves would have to be calculated. I slinked through the shadows, in and out of dark corners meant to give privacy for sex, drugs or the whatever-the-fuck-the-patrons-pleased. Finally I found someone on the verge of nodding out. Before the drugs took them under, I had a seat right next to the guy. Without a word, I flashed them the symbol I’d removed from the baggie and what do ya know, they pulled out their own to match before consciousness was lost. Right. On to the next one. I’d climb each rung of the ladder until I hit top, or in the least leveled up a few times. It was a game that walked the line between going unnoticed and drawing attention, the latter of which would be necessary, but it still had to be the right kind. Junkies two, three and four were clueless about what I was after. When user number five finally gave me more than a “hi how’re ya” with her bag of snortables, it wasn’t the answer I’d sought, instead she’d dead-ended all my efforts, letting me in on the fact I wasn’t going to find anything with this mark inside the Mask. I hit the bar, perching on an end stool to saturate my disappointment in something overly expensive while I mulled over square one.- Assail: After a long night of pulling details from a barely coherent drug addict, I had a description. No name, no vehicle, not even a direction of flight. The user was so far gone, his brain must have been mush. For those kinds of clients, only the best product would do. Which was why he bought from me, clearly. For a moment I had entertained the idea that maybe he was bait, meant to lure out my dealers while the Brotherhood laid in waiting. But it took barely five minutes in the human’s apartment to know that he was barely surviving, and he lacked sufficient focus to do anything besides get from one hit to the next. The twins and I made our way to the Iron Mask the following night. I wasn’t due to see Evayhne again but they needed to feed, so a trip was necessary. I would stay out of the VIP section this eve, so as not to distract my informant from her duties. Perhaps I’d admire from afar, watch how she handles her clients and acts the host. While mine cousins made their way into the crowd, I hung back, arms crossed over my chest while I waited near the bar. The humans were rowdy as always, bodies and scents mixing as they dabbled unknowingly in the supernatural. My eyes danced across the crowd, thankful the headache that plagued me the eve prior had faded after a hot meal and another round of sleeping like the dead. This felt oddly like the days leading up to my transition many, /many/ years ago. But I knew it was just my body running on fumes, on coke instead of blood. Soon I’d remedy that. For now, I had a killer and some cash to find. I sensed something, my eyes flicking back, something had caught my attention. It was Evale. His gaze had sought mine across the busy club, and hadn’t failed. We were connected in that way, mine cousins and myself. It came from spending so much time together over so many years. We were closer than cousins, closer than brothers. Kin of a different kind. Evale didn’t say anything--not that I could have heard him over the pounding bass, even with vampire senses--just nodded towards the other end of the bar I was leaning against. I turned and looked… and Scribe be. A male slouched at the other end, dark hair, bright eyes, stubbled jaw, and the tell tale jacket with the scuffed elbow. Just how the human described it. He hadn’t remembered much, but he had glanced back and watched the males face off as he ran for his pathetic life. I moved instantly, mentally chastising myself for not thinking that the wannabe-Brother may come here looking for more addicts, more dealers. Little did he know he was barking up the wrong druglord. The dealer had been mine, not Rehv’s. I claimed the stool two down from him, a drunk human male hugging his bottle of beer in between us. As his head fell lower and lower, I sat back, eyeing up the vampire. I’d seen that look before. It was equal parts pain, desperation, and acceptance. “Need a pick-me-up, son?” I tossed a bag his way, one with my signature emblem on it. This was going to be fun. Jagger -I wasn’t sure which offense came first, the unpleasant ring of the word “son” scorching my eardrums as the sound carried across the slick bar, or the insult of the bag of drugs that was flicked my way.  The implication was derogatory at best. The injuries were eased when I caught sight of what had been sent my way, complete with the mark I’d been seeking.  I noted the drunk side-eyeing between us in my periphery before quickly covering the packet that matched the lot back home. I didn’t act in the immediate. First, I scoped out the delivery boy.  He was a polished, sharp male but with somewhat vacant eyes, which almost made him feel kindred. Almost. His pupils were well dilated which could be a result of the sooty light of the club, or maybe he was sampling what was on offer. Didn’t care. Whoever he was he was a bridge, or at least a few squares of the hopscotch closer to the man in charge. This was a twist I didn’t see coming. Right place. Wrong place. Right place. Dosed face. Smug face. Drunk face. Night had the makings of Dr. Seuss all over it. Time to turn the page to the next part of the book. My gut churned, unsure of how any of this was going to go. Clearly there’d been eyes on me, but whose? I did a quick scan, but blurs of grey and black with hints of red lips and fleshtones streaking the moving canvas turned up no audience I could detect. This transaction was not for crowd consumption so without a word, I stood, kicking up my chin just barely at the one in the know. Destination was a fairly unpopulated corner of the place between two thick columns, clearly meant for discretion but not completely out of the fray. The elbow room could only be described as cozy and that made my collar feel more constricting.  I hadn’t bothered to check to make sure I’d been followed, pretty sure the contraband in my pocket would ensure the RSVP to the impromptu party. Rotating to face my pursuer, a flat grin my most generous offer along with the packet that I’d snatched off the bar in my open palm.- Forget something? Assail I knew it was ballsy to toss around my product in the Reverend’s home, but as long as the young vampire didn’t go running to Trez and the female bouncer who ran things, I doubted anyone would notice. The real deals went down in the VIP section, where the rich and the King’s warriors spent their time. This side of the club was mostly humans. Desperate, sweaty pigs that they were. The male stood, giving me a quick nod before wandering into the crowd. And I was meant to follow. He must have no idea how things worked in my world. I glanced over, catching Evale’s eye once more. His head tipped and I knew he and Ehric would flank me, abandoning their companions until my safety was ensured. They’d be invisible in the crowd, mere shadows amongst the bodies that writhed to the heavy bass pounding inside the club. Soon my target and I were hidden among the vertical beams that supported the roof of the Iron Mask. I met his gaze with amusement, his eyes dark, and so very angry. His face was tightly held sheet over something much bloodier. His veil was thin… fraying at the edges. Wouldn’t take much to unravel the whole thing. My lips twitched in amusement. I did love a slow destruction. Patience was a virtue, and I had centuries ahead of me still. I lifted a hand and drew the design on the packet with my fingertip, tapping it gently when I was done. I didn’t take the baggie back. “Let me see... Lonely male, sulking at the human bar? Check. Shady corner of the club for a little privacy? Check. Bag of happy drugs? Check. Am I forgetting something? I think not.” Jagger -Eau du Cavalier was coming off this city slicker in thick wafts. By some sleight of hand he both blended in and stood out in the surroundings, but his bold assumptions were off by more than a little. I was momentarily tempted to pin the bag he’d failed to retrieve with a fingertip to his chest, but my war was not with him and I was not looking to incite confrontation. My energy was reserved for the enemy of the race alone, and there was no need for the unessential. Despite the arrogance, the potential to keep the transaction quick and clean seemed to reside between myself and this male, he didn’t seem the type to rough up the baby-soft knuckles. Definitely upper echelon, maybe even glymera and not any kind of scrapper. The glaze of vacancy in his eyes could have been hiding something, however. I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes in a manner that felt shrewd.- If I wanted this, I wouldn’t have needed to make the trip. So how about I help you off the ASS-YOU-ME train and onto my track? -Reaching in my back pocket to pull out the emblem I’d so carefully removed from my unintended bounty-slash-burden, attempting a more direct approach rather than the surface banter. Games weren’t on the agenda.- I need to connect with the top dog. Seeing as you have some of his product at the ready, you’re my new escort, ya dig? Trust, he’ll want to talk to me.  Maybe you’ll even pass go and collect two-hundred dollars before we’re all done. -My lack of social experience put me at a disadvantage. I was hawk-like in my observations, but reading people did not come natural to me. My shining example of a father had left me with nothing but the uncouth to abide by and my resistance to his tendencies were my greatest strength. My mother’s kindness and unfailingly beautiful heart, alternatively, had only given me the other end of the spectrum. I was lost somewhere in the in between. Neither here, nor there. A lost cause. A young, but weary soul. My poker face was the only thing I had going for me, as to not let on to this male that I was completely out of my element.- Assail This was just too precious. The male was playing the same game he accused me of. He assumed I was just a dealer. He assumed I’d take orders from him. He assumed he could just swagger his way into the den of a sleeping bear, bang some pots and pans, and the beast would cower in fear. Now I smiled, all teeth. It wasn’t a friendly gesture. “You want to meet the bossman? I think I can make that happen.” I pulled out my phone and called Evale. He accepted the call without speaking. The only indication he had answered was the sound of the same club music echoing on a short delay in my ear. I spoke to the silence, not waiting for a reply. There wouldn’t be one with Evale. “I need to see the boss. Is he available this eve? Aye… thank you. We’ll be there shortly.” I hung up and pushed my phone into my breast pocket. Then I slid my hand into the ballsy male’s, palming the bag of drugs. I lifted it and crooked my finger. Turning without a word, I headed towards the side door, forcing him to follow me as he had done earlier. Funny how the tables turned. Pushing outside, the twins were waiting by the Tahoe already. Their meals had been postponed indefinitely, but I would make sure they fed before the sun rose next. Mine cousins each opened one of the back doors. I almost giggled like a young. Oh yes, this male was about to meet the boss. Up close and very personal. I gave Ehric a look. He knew where to take us. Jagger -That smile rivaled that of a shark and it was somewhat emasculating that it sent a chill up my spine, one I’d never admit. My eyes narrowed but more in a manner of measuring what Mack the Knife was holding behind that gate of pearly whites. There was zero time for speculation when he took back the wares he had so readily offered me. Instinct was punching at my ribs like a couple of fists going at a speed bag when he went all come hither with his finger. My guts clearly wanted to send the message: You’ve been played, fucker. I was damn confident the whole offer had been a ruse. Or had it? Neither of were showing our cards, and I was only used to having me, myself and I as an opponent at any table that wasn’t a city street. Composure was my best bet even as my feet wanted to play cement block with the floor, so I forced myself to follow. The night air temporarily rolled out the welcome mat with its sobering edge of cool, but it didn’t last, the effect waning when I got an eyeful of SUV. I told myself it would work out despite the organized crime vibe that was rolling so hard. I told myself I wasn’t the over-sexualized female in the horror flick walking into the decrepit barn full of macabre death traps. I told myself it was not my time and that I wasn’t going out like this. But as I stepped up into the awaiting ride, certainty was off the menu and a watery grave was the Blue Plate Special.- Assail Not a word was spoken as we traveled. I held back the victorious smirk that threatened to push my cheeks up, mine cousins playing their roles perfectly as we headed down to the docks. There was a corner in plain view I used for some of my dealings. It appeared inconspicuous upon arrival, tame, even. But the few lights dotting the area played tricks on the eyes, and it wasn’t until you were mere meters from the spot that you realized just how dark and shadowed it was. Even vampires were caught unaware. It was a short jaunt from the club to my waterfront view, and as we pulled up, I could feel the jitters working through my companion. He played it perfectly calm, which impressed me more than I cared to admit. Normally by now my guests would be shaky, babbling messes. I had heard every form of begging, been offered any and everything as payment, even kin had been presented for barter. As Ehric and Evale climbed out and took post next to our doors, I peered over at my passanger. “What name am I presenting you as? I do prefer to keep things formal. We are gentlemales, after all.” I pressed my jacket into place as my question lingered in the air, the vial of blow burning hot against my chest. I craved a hit. But it would have to wait. Jagger -Suspicions were plugged into an amp when we pulled up to meet the “boss” after an uncomfortably quiet albeit short ride. Comfort zone was a no show allowing heat to lick under my arms. The perspiration didn’t reach my brows which was only a slight victory, because my pulse would not be lost on my escorts.  It was also unpalatable irony that I’d ended up in the exact scenario I’d been aiming to avoid. I internally floated the question on whether the boss was named Titan, considering there was nothing but water for an office at our destination. My composure broke when I snorted a laugh at the term “gentlemales” despite the fine threads that clothed the guy next to me. Sure, I’d encountered males of worth, but overall the scales had been tipped in a direction towards the dirt, the grit and the greed of the male population. Image did not make the man. Dear old dad had stripped all illusion of such from as soon as I could comprehend and reinforced the notion at every damned opportunity.  I’d be more likely to be convinced that unicorns existed and were responsible for shitting rainbows all over the sky while playing in the rain clouds. I momentarily considered my naivety walking into this situation. I was unarmed, outmanned and completely green when it came to this kind of dealing. Still, there was an edge of excitement that buzzed under the surface, maybe the detour from monotony would give me a new lease on life. Nah.- Jagger.  -I left out anything else. The name that branded me. The one I wished to escape, the one I could not. There was no use in that disclosure, especially if I was about to swallow lead.- Assail Jagger. Just, Jagger. No surname. No father’s heritage to dig into. Nothing I could use. I scowled, unhappy with his response. Offended at his snort. Was his accent of preference that of a cock-grabbing, long-legged swaggering, baggy low-belted human who thought himself some sort of gangster? They had no idea what a real mobsters did. Humans were feeble imitators. And this male… Did vampire males no longer announce their family when they introduced themselves? Were manners so hard to come by now? I knew I was a bit old fashioned, but even I had the self-respect to provide my full name when someone asked it. Assail, son of Assail. My name carried quite a legacy, I was as Old Country, as old world, as old money as they came in the vampire world. Mine blood could compete with the Blind King’s when it came to purity. He was the only pureblood left. I guessed mine at about 98% unblended. Enough games. I was itching for a hit, my tolerance for bullshitting was low, and I had two males waiting outside the car that I had promised a feed-and-fuck session at Iron Mask this eve. My arm shot out, grabbing the male by the back of the neck. I slammed his head into the window, hard enough to hear it crack. Or perhaps that was his hard skull. I kept my grip tight, fingers digging into the skin of his neck. “Formalities are for the patient. Of which I am not at the moment. You, Jagger, son-of-whomever, owe me a dealer. And his earnings. The drugs I can replace, but the cash is something I cannot import into Caldwell.” Jagger -It was enlightening how tastes of death could in turn make you feel alive. Clearly my introduction had sat on this male’s last nerve. The dig of his fingertips into my neck threatened the integrity of my spine, and when my face met unyielding glass, the split of my skin above my eye intensified as the knock to the skull radiated a throbbing ache so powerful it numbed my lips. The blood gushed out, blurring my vision in one eye, casting a red filter over my sight. I licked across my bottom lip, tasting my mortality before a genuine smile presented and I met his gaze. Maybe this wouldn’t be a bad way to go out after all. Of course, Mr. Must-Be-The-Boss wouldn’t allow me the departure without his due.- Son of Rhuin if you need more reason to detest me. And might I ask your lineage since it is such an important talking point to you? -I purposely ignored acknowledgement of what I owed him. I wasn’t done with his ire; I wanted to explore it, sick, twisted and masochistic as that made me. Casting my gaze downward in acknowledgement of dear old dad. He’d been the one to invite this punishment. His actions were the ones I could never live down. His legacy was my death wish.- Assail Son of… Rhuin. I couldnae remember if I knew that name or if I’d just heard so many in my long lifetime that they all sounded familiar the now. And the way he spat out his father’s lineage had me wondering what sort of dissonance had driven it’s sharp wedge in between them. The only thing worse than politics and religion was family. Aye, Jagger, son of Rhuin hung his head and I could see now that he didn’t just lack the proper manners in announcing himself. He chose specifically /not/ to tie his name to his father’s. That was quite interesting indeed. My grip on his nape tightened once again, forcing his head to lift in my direction so I could pierce those daddy-didn’t-love-me eyes with my own dark stare. “I shall gladly do you the honor, Jagger, son of Rhuin. I am Assail, son of Assail. And in case your now-bruised head hasn’t figured it out yet, I /am/ the boss. Furthermore, in case those ears of yours aren’t working quite right either the now, I said: You owe me a dealer and his earnings. You took one of mine down the other night and made off with his cash. Now the question is, how do we fix this situation? I’m thinking perhaps if you are desperate enough for money to kill a dealer, then mayhaps you could not only pay back what you stole, but earn a little extra for yourself by playing my little errand boy.” Jagger -Errand boy. The fuck? I’d sooner meet my end. That little delivery of expectation left my mind ringing as much as the knock to my face. I let the fuzzy thoughts come back into focus before attempting my response, and now this male was going to listen to me. It didn’t matter if he had his hand wrapped precariously around my neck. If it was due to be snapped, so be it, still wouldn’t get him what he wanted out of me. There was the briefest moment of envy that flashed between heartbeats when the male so proudly stated his predecessor and namesake. Clearly he was not lineage-challenged like myself. I would use this to buff and shine his ego a bit. There was but one angle for me to take.- Assail, son of Assail. My mistake in taking you for anything other than the man in charge. My ignorance precedes me. Apologies. I was not so well graced as you were with your sire. -My flat tone was not meant in a manner of disrespect but to tamp down on the seething that that happened when I saw his aim from a fuller vantage.- Good? Good. Now, hear this. I will not be in bed in with the enemy, though they seem to be your current bedmates of choice figuratively speaking, natch. Brotherhood know about this? -I let the question hang for a moment, this was my only leverage in the negotiation, and my sticking point.- Guessing not. -Raising a hand before any protests or defenses can be raised.- It’s not my intent to make any trouble for you with the Brotherhood. Not my business.  I’ll return what I pulled off that lesser along with whatever sum of cash you demand. Errand boy is on you. Fair, no? Assail This male had balls the size of my Tahoe, and it displeased me that even with my long fingers wrapped around his neck, he still saw fit to think he could run this negotiation. As if I was about to negotiate. My other hand grabbed the door handle, popping it open. “Remove him from my vehicle,” I spoke softly to Ehric. Jagger’s door immediately opened, Evale grabbing him by his jacket and pulling his body outside. A second later I was out my side, Ehric and myself rounding the back as Evale held my guest against the vehicle. Once we got close Ehric grabbed him as well. There was no chance of escape. I sneered, fangs out, leaning in close enough to the male that each pore on his nose was visible to mine eyes. The flecks of color in his eyes were burned into my memory as I spoke. “If you think to threaten me with the Brotherhood, you should know… I operate outside their rules. I bend to no one. I serve mine own needs, and no one else’s, not even the Blind King himself. That being said, if you wish to hang a threat of exposure over my head, I’m afraid I’ll have no choice but to simply remove your tongue. No words, no tattling.” I drew my finger across the wrist of his arm as Ehric held him in place. “Fingers might have to go as well, can’t have any notes left in the First Advisor to the King’s mailbox.” I let those ideas sink in for a moment, stepping back and pulling out a cigar. I needed something to calm me, something to focus my senses on since I couldn’t take a hit at the moment. A spark, a flame in the dark of the night, and I was in business, puffing a few times as thoughts moved about inside mine head. Finally I turned and focused on the male again. “Ten thousand. That is what you owe me. And one favor, one you vow to complete the now, but shall be called due at a later date.” I nodded at Evale, who retrieved the male’s cell phone from his pocket. Mine cousin called my cell phone with it, the sliver in mine pocket vibrating twice before he ended the call. “Now I have your number, Jagger, son of Rhuin,” I pulled the cigar from my mouth and pointed at him with it. “Ten thousand. One favor. You’ll only have one errand to run in the end.” I leaned in close, our noses bumping together as I mocked his earlier sentiment. “Fair?” Jagger -Reflexes had my hand going to my neck at the moment I was pinned like the tail on the donkey to the body of the SUV. This invited my first rise of panic, not for the manhandling but instead for the lack of my mother’s cross, enhanced by the accompanying throb at my throat left behind by the insistent rush of blood back to the scene of the former grip of my captor. I somehow managed not to lose my shit over my most sentimental possession, reigning it in as  focus shifted to the male in front of me, his patience seemingly dusted. There was no missing the slick line of his bared fangs or the hit of his breath on my face. He no doubt hadn’t missed my thick swallow within the intimate range he chose. I otherwise didn’t flinch. Not at the idea of losing my tongue. Not when he traced an invisible guide on my wrist to threaten its severing. The chill that climbed my spine was involuntary and somehow triggered by the proximity of a warm body. Strange. I met his bravado with an upturn of my lips, then observed with a keen eye as he stepped back, noting a small tremble in his hand as he raised a cigar to his, plumes of smoke circling his head as if choreographed with their perfect rings. Demands were laid out in a tone that held no give, edged with a deadly undercurrent. Helpless to stop the retrieval of my phone and the silent orders carried about by the mute Ehric and Evale, I let them shake me down without protest, again unflinching when met with Assail’s mocking final word and kiss of our noses that could only be classified as posturing. I shrugged in the hold of the henchmen as much as my restricted position allowed.- As I indicated before rage affected your hearing, I’ve no interest in reporting you to the Brotherhood. You will have your favor and the sum, Assail son of Assail. -There was no point in making counter demands. As soon as I was free from his bulldogs’ sweaty grips, I’d be master of my own ceremonies again. I’d every intention of carrying out the favor and paying my penance, so long as the male did not put me in league with the enemy. I could not allow that, but my new “friend” needn’t know it.- Assail I sensed his agreement to my terms wasn’t the victory he sought this eve, and although it didn’t bring me as much pleasure as I’d hoped, it did put a win in my column. I’d get my cash back, and a favor of my choosing some time in the future. Which would take careful choosing, as this male, this… Jagger, son of Rhuin, I sensed was something other than the usual young males I ran into in my line of business. They were usually half-cocked with their swagger hanging out. Jagger, while stubborn and ballsy, wasnae as foolish as the typical bullheaded male. I could tell he was perceptive, and while he had made a mistake this eve in assuming I was the errand boy, he got wise to what was really going on the instant we stepped out of the Iron Mask. A male like him could mayhaps be useful one day. Look at you, Assail. Recruiting like the Brotherhood. I had a worthy informant, the lovely Evayhne. And now I was scouting a male whose origins I must needs research further. Rhuin. I would find his lineage. I glanced at the twins, nodding once as I puffed on my cigar. “Let him go the now.”  They did so immediately, but stood close by in case Jagger felt the need to retaliate now that his arms and legs were of his own use again. “I will be in touch, Jagger. Give you instructions on where to bring the cash. I assume a fortnight will be enough time. If it’s not, you can bring me what you have and we’ll discuss how to handle the balance.” With that, I turned away, stepping down towards the docks, under the cloak of night away from the low lights of the Tahoe’s interior. The twins would ensure Jagger’s departure. I had other things to ponder the now. Jagger -Although the night had ended up with a few rough edges and a small sacrifice of blood, the outcome wasn’t so far off the mark of what I’d hoped, save for one thing. There was no weight on my shoulders for the tithe Assail had demanded for my inadvertent meddling in his business. He would eventually be pleased to find how true I intended to be with my word. But the night had not been without its loss. My heart sunk like an anchor from my chest to the floor of my guts at the notice of the loss of my most priceless possession.  For surely as it was missing from around my neck, the gravity of my mother’s absent cross bore down like an elephant having a sit in on my pectorals. It was hard to draw air. With my symbolic and physical tie to her gone, the confirmation had been penned in permanent ink; my time was coming.  There was nothing left for Jagger son of Rhuin in this life. With that revelation in mind and no further word, I dematerialized into the night.-    #CallMeMaybe

[inmyownmhis]

Call Me Maybe (with @BulletPunchCut)

Jagger:

-The air had a crisp quality to it, the kind that made you want to fill your lungs because the oxygen content was notable. It made me feel alive.

Oh, irony, you satirical bitch.

My state of body was robust while I sought out my destination for the night:  The Iron Mask.

My reconnaissance over the course of several evenings had pinpointed the goth hang as a likely locale for the source, or at least close to it. I’d tailed one of the enemy with gritted teeth, his scent so strong it singed my nostrils, guy was the Pig Pen of lessers and gave the pungent aroma of bleu cheese a new lease on pleasant. His carelessness was my boon. He’d had a wad in his pocket that could only be bills when he’d disappeared around the backside. When he’d strolled back a short twenty ticks of the minute hand later, the pocket had greatly atrophied.

I’d observed the routine for long enough to confirm some sort of connection. My will power was tested beyond normal limits as I watched the enemy disappear. I need not draw any attention by becoming some vigilante for this new enterprising group of lessers.

After several toe taps of impatience and two nights, I’d decided it was time to disappear inside the heart of the beast, and I was seeing the place with new eyes. It wasn’t just a vampire friendly club pumping industrial through the speakers, it was a well veiled front for something bigger, something I wanted no part of.

Was it possible vampires were in bed with lessers?

My moves would have to be calculated. I slinked through the shadows, in and out of dark corners meant to give privacy for sex, drugs or the whatever-the-fuck-the-patrons-pleased. Finally I found someone on the verge of nodding out. Before the drugs took them under, I had a seat right next to the guy. Without a word, I flashed them the symbol I’d removed from the baggie and what do ya know, they pulled out their own to match before consciousness was lost.

Right. On to the next one.

I’d climb each rung of the ladder until I hit top, or in the least leveled up a few times. It was a game that walked the line between going unnoticed and drawing attention, the latter of which would be necessary, but it still had to be the right kind. Junkies two, three and four were clueless about what I was after. When user number five finally gave me more than a “hi how’re ya” with her bag of snortables, it wasn’t the answer I’d sought, instead she’d dead-ended all my efforts, letting me in on the fact I wasn’t going to find anything with this mark inside the Mask. I hit the bar, perching on an end stool to saturate my disappointment in something overly expensive while I mulled over square one.-

Assail:

After a long night of pulling details from a barely coherent drug addict, I had a description. No name, no vehicle, not even a direction of flight. The user was so far gone, his brain must have been mush. For those kinds of clients, only the best product would do. Which was why he bought from me, clearly. For a moment I had entertained the idea that maybe he was bait, meant to lure out my dealers while the Brotherhood laid in waiting. But it took barely five minutes in the human’s apartment to know that he was barely surviving, and he lacked sufficient focus to do anything besides get from one hit to the next.

The twins and I made our way to the Iron Mask the following night. I wasn’t due to see Evayhne again but they needed to feed, so a trip was necessary. I would stay out of the VIP section this eve, so as not to distract my informant from her duties. Perhaps I’d admire from afar, watch how she handles her clients and acts the host. While mine cousins made their way into the crowd, I hung back, arms crossed over my chest while I waited near the bar. The humans were rowdy as always, bodies and scents mixing as they dabbled unknowingly in the supernatural. My eyes danced across the crowd, thankful the headache that plagued me the eve prior had faded after a hot meal and another round of sleeping like the dead. This felt oddly like the days leading up to my transition many, /many/ years ago. But I knew it was just my body running on fumes, on coke instead of blood. Soon I’d remedy that. For now, I had a killer and some cash to find.

I sensed something, my eyes flicking back, something had caught my attention. It was Evale. His gaze had sought mine across the busy club, and hadn’t failed. We were connected in that way, mine cousins and myself. It came from spending so much time together over so many years. We were closer than cousins, closer than brothers. Kin of a different kind. Evale didn’t say anything--not that I could have heard him over the pounding bass, even with vampire senses--just nodded towards the other end of the bar I was leaning against. I turned and looked… and Scribe be. A male slouched at the other end, dark hair, bright eyes, stubbled jaw, and the tell tale jacket with the scuffed elbow. Just how the human described it. He hadn’t remembered much, but he had glanced back and watched the males face off as he ran for his pathetic life.

I moved instantly, mentally chastising myself for not thinking that the wannabe-Brother may come here looking for more addicts, more dealers. Little did he know he was barking up the wrong druglord. The dealer had been mine, not Rehv’s. I claimed the stool two down from him, a drunk human male hugging his bottle of beer in between us. As his head fell lower and lower, I sat back, eyeing up the vampire. I’d seen that look before. It was equal parts pain, desperation, and acceptance.

“Need a pick-me-up, son?” I tossed a bag his way, one with my signature emblem on it. This was going to be fun.

Jagger

-I wasn’t sure which offense came first, the unpleasant ring of the word “son” scorching my eardrums as the sound carried across the slick bar, or the insult of the bag of drugs that was flicked my way.  The implication was derogatory at best.

The injuries were eased when I caught sight of what had been sent my way, complete with the mark I’d been seeking.  I noted the drunk side-eyeing between us in my periphery before quickly covering the packet that matched the lot back home. I didn’t act in the immediate. First, I scoped out the delivery boy.  He was a polished, sharp male but with somewhat vacant eyes, which almost made him feel kindred. Almost. His pupils were well dilated which could be a result of the sooty light of the club, or maybe he was sampling what was on offer. Didn’t care. Whoever he was he was a bridge, or at least a few squares of the hopscotch closer to the man in charge.

This was a twist I didn’t see coming.

Right place. Wrong place. Right place.

Dosed face. Smug face. Drunk face.

Night had the makings of Dr. Seuss all over it. Time to turn the page to the next part of the book.

My gut churned, unsure of how any of this was going to go. Clearly there’d been eyes on me, but whose? I did a quick scan, but blurs of grey and black with hints of red lips and fleshtones streaking the moving canvas turned up no audience I could detect. This transaction was not for crowd consumption so without a word, I stood, kicking up my chin just barely at the one in the know.

Destination was a fairly unpopulated corner of the place between two thick columns, clearly meant for discretion but not completely out of the fray. The elbow room could only be described as cozy and that made my collar feel more constricting.  I hadn’t bothered to check to make sure I’d been followed, pretty sure the contraband in my pocket would ensure the RSVP to the impromptu party.

Rotating to face my pursuer, a flat grin my most generous offer along with the packet that I’d snatched off the bar in my open palm.- Forget something?

Assail

I knew it was ballsy to toss around my product in the Reverend’s home, but as long as the young vampire didn’t go running to Trez and the female bouncer who ran things, I doubted anyone would notice. The real deals went down in the VIP section, where the rich and the King’s warriors spent their time. This side of the club was mostly humans. Desperate, sweaty pigs that they were. The male stood, giving me a quick nod before wandering into the crowd. And I was meant to follow.

He must have no idea how things worked in my world. I glanced over, catching Evale’s eye once more. His head tipped and I knew he and Ehric would flank me, abandoning their companions until my safety was ensured. They’d be invisible in the crowd, mere shadows amongst the bodies that writhed to the heavy bass pounding inside the club.

Soon my target and I were hidden among the vertical beams that supported the roof of the Iron Mask. I met his gaze with amusement, his eyes dark, and so very angry. His face was tightly held sheet over something much bloodier. His veil was thin… fraying at the edges. Wouldn’t take much to unravel the whole thing. My lips twitched in amusement. I did love a slow destruction. Patience was a virtue, and I had centuries ahead of me still. I lifted a hand and drew the design on the packet with my fingertip, tapping it gently when I was done. I didn’t take the baggie back.

“Let me see... Lonely male, sulking at the human bar? Check. Shady corner of the club for a little privacy? Check. Bag of happy drugs? Check. Am I forgetting something? I think not.”

Jagger

-Eau du Cavalier was coming off this city slicker in thick wafts. By some sleight of hand he both blended in and stood out in the surroundings, but his bold assumptions were off by more than a little.

I was momentarily tempted to pin the bag he’d failed to retrieve with a fingertip to his chest, but my war was not with him and I was not looking to incite confrontation. My energy was reserved for the enemy of the race alone, and there was no need for the unessential. Despite the arrogance, the potential to keep the transaction quick and clean seemed to reside between myself and this male, he didn’t seem the type to rough up the baby-soft knuckles. Definitely upper echelon, maybe even glymera and not any kind of scrapper. The glaze of vacancy in his eyes could have been hiding something, however. I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes in a manner that felt shrewd.-

If I wanted this, I wouldn’t have needed to make the trip. So how about I help you off the ASS-YOU-ME train and onto my track?

-Reaching in my back pocket to pull out the emblem I’d so carefully removed from my unintended bounty-slash-burden, attempting a more direct approach rather than the surface banter. Games weren’t on the agenda.-

I need to connect with the top dog. Seeing as you have some of his product at the ready, you’re my new escort, ya dig? Trust, he’ll want to talk to me.  Maybe you’ll even pass go and collect two-hundred dollars before we’re all done.

-My lack of social experience put me at a disadvantage. I was hawk-like in my observations, but reading people did not come natural to me. My shining example of a father had left me with nothing but the uncouth to abide by and my resistance to his tendencies were my greatest strength. My mother’s kindness and unfailingly beautiful heart, alternatively, had only given me the other end of the spectrum. I was lost somewhere in the in between. Neither here, nor there. A lost cause. A young, but weary soul. My poker face was the only thing I had going for me, as to not let on to this male that I was completely out of my element.-

Assail

This was just too precious. The male was playing the same game he accused me of. He assumed I was just a dealer. He assumed I’d take orders from him. He assumed he could just swagger his way into the den of a sleeping bear, bang some pots and pans, and the beast would cower in fear. Now I smiled, all teeth. It wasn’t a friendly gesture.

“You want to meet the bossman? I think I can make that happen.”

I pulled out my phone and called Evale. He accepted the call without speaking. The only indication he had answered was the sound of the same club music echoing on a short delay in my ear. I spoke to the silence, not waiting for a reply. There wouldn’t be one with Evale.

“I need to see the boss. Is he available this eve? Aye… thank you. We’ll be there shortly.”

I hung up and pushed my phone into my breast pocket. Then I slid my hand into the ballsy male’s, palming the bag of drugs. I lifted it and crooked my finger. Turning without a word, I headed towards the side door, forcing him to follow me as he had done earlier. Funny how the tables turned. Pushing outside, the twins were waiting by the Tahoe already. Their meals had been postponed indefinitely, but I would make sure they fed before the sun rose next. Mine cousins each opened one of the back doors. I almost giggled like a young. Oh yes, this male was about to meet the boss. Up close and very personal. I gave Ehric a look. He knew where to take us.

Jagger

-That smile rivaled that of a shark and it was somewhat emasculating that it sent a chill up my spine, one I’d never admit. My eyes narrowed but more in a manner of measuring what Mack the Knife was holding behind that gate of pearly whites. There was zero time for speculation when he took back the wares he had so readily offered me. Instinct was punching at my ribs like a couple of fists going at a speed bag when he went all come hither with his finger. My guts clearly wanted to send the message: You’ve been played, fucker. I was damn confident the whole offer had been a ruse. Or had it? Neither of us were showing our cards, and I was only used to having me, myself and I as an opponent at any table that wasn’t a city street.

Composure was my best bet even as my feet wanted to play cement block with the floor, so I forced myself to follow.

The night air temporarily rolled out the welcome mat with its sobering edge of cool, but it didn’t last, the effect waning when I got an eyeful of SUV.

I told myself it would work out despite the organized crime vibe that was rolling so hard.

I told myself I wasn’t the over-sexualized female in the horror flick walking into the decrepit barn full of macabre death traps.

I told myself it was not my time and that I wasn’t going out like this.

But as I stepped up into the awaiting ride, certainty was off the menu and a watery grave was the Blue Plate Special.-

Assail

Not a word was spoken as we traveled. I held back the victorious smirk that threatened to push my cheeks up, mine cousins playing their roles perfectly as we headed down to the docks. There was a corner in plain view I used for some of my dealings. It appeared inconspicuous upon arrival, tame, even. But the few lights dotting the area played tricks on the eyes, and it wasn’t until you were mere meters from the spot that you realized just how dark and shadowed it was. Even vampires were caught unaware. It was a short jaunt from the club to my waterfront view, and as we pulled up, I could feel the jitters working through my companion. He played it perfectly calm, which impressed me more than I cared to admit. Normally by now my guests would be shaky, babbling messes. I had heard every form of begging, been offered any and everything as payment, even kin had been presented for barter.

As Ehric and Evale climbed out and took post next to our doors, I peered over at my passanger.

“What name am I presenting you as? I do prefer to keep things formal. We are gentlemales, after all.”

I pressed my jacket into place as my question lingered in the air, the vial of blow burning hot against my chest. I craved a hit. But it would have to wait.

Jagger

-Suspicions were plugged into an amp when we pulled up to meet the “boss” after an uncomfortably quiet albeit short ride. Comfort zone was a no show allowing heat to lick under my arms. The perspiration didn’t reach my brows which was only a slight victory, because my pulse would not be lost on my escorts.  It was also unpalatable irony that I’d ended up in the exact scenario I’d been aiming to avoid. I internally floated the question on whether the boss was named Titan, considering there was nothing but water for an office at our destination.

My composure broke when I snorted a laugh at the term “gentlemales” despite the fine threads that clothed the guy next to me. Sure, I’d encountered males of worth, but overall the scales had been tipped in a direction towards the dirt, the grit and the greed of the male population. Image did not make the man. Dear old dad had stripped all illusion of such from me as soon as I could comprehend and reinforced the notion at every damned opportunity.  I’d be more likely to be convinced that unicorns existed and were responsible for shitting rainbows all over the sky while playing in the rain clouds.

I momentarily considered my naivety walking into this situation. I was unarmed, out manned and completely green when it came to this kind of dealing. Still, there was an edge of excitement that buzzed under the surface, maybe the detour from monotony would give me a new lease on life.

Nah.-

Jagger.  -I left out anything else. The name that branded me. The one I wished to escape, the one I could not. There was no use in that disclosure, especially if I was about to swallow lead.-

Assail

Jagger. Just, Jagger. No surname. No father’s heritage to dig into. Nothing I could use. I scowled, unhappy with his response. Offended at his snort. Was his accent of preference that of a cock-grabbing, long-legged swaggering, baggy low-belted human who thought himself some sort of gangster? They had no idea what a real mobsters did. Humans were feeble imitators. And this male… Did vampire males no longer announce their family when they introduced themselves? Were manners so hard to come by now? I knew I was a bit old fashioned, but even I had the self-respect to provide my full name when someone asked it. Assail, son of Assail. My name carried quite a legacy, I was as Old Country, as old world, as old money as they came in the vampire world. Mine blood could compete with the Blind King’s when it came to purity. He was the only pureblood left. I guessed mine at about 98% unblended. Enough games. I was itching for a hit, my tolerance for bullshitting was low, and I had two males waiting outside the car that I had promised a feed-and-fuck session at Iron Mask this eve. My arm shot out, grabbing the male by the back of the neck. I slammed his head into the window, hard enough to hear it crack. Or perhaps that was his hard skull. I kept my grip tight, fingers digging into the skin of his neck.

“Formalities are for the patient. Of which I am not at the moment. You, Jagger, son-of-whomever, owe me a dealer. And his earnings. The drugs I can replace, but the cash is something I cannot import into Caldwell.”

Jagger

-It was enlightening how tastes of death could in turn make you feel alive. Clearly my introduction had sat on this male’s last nerve. The dig of his fingertips into my neck threatened the integrity of my spine, and when my face met unyielding glass, the split of my skin above my eye intensified as the knock to the skull radiated a throbbing ache so powerful it numbed my lips. The blood gushed out, blurring my vision in one eye, casting a red filter over my sight. I licked across my bottom lip, tasting my mortality before a genuine smile presented and I met his gaze.

Maybe this wouldn’t be a bad way to go out after all. Of course, Mr. Must-Be-The-Boss wouldn’t allow me the departure without his due.-

Son of Rhuin if you need more reason to detest me. And might I ask your lineage since it is such an important talking point to you?

-I purposely ignored acknowledgement of what I owed him. I wasn’t done with his ire; I wanted to explore it, sick, twisted and masochistic as that made me. Casting my gaze downward in tribute to dear old dad. He’d been the one to invite this punishment. His actions were the ones I could never live down. His legacy was my death wish.-

Assail

Son of… Rhuin. I couldnae remember if I knew that name or if I’d just heard so many in my long lifetime that they all sounded familiar the now. And the way he spat out his father’s lineage had me wondering what sort of dissonance had driven it’s sharp wedge in between them. The only thing worse than politics and religion was family. Aye, Jagger, son of Rhuin hung his head and I could see now that he didn’t just lack the proper manners in announcing himself. He chose specifically /not/ to tie his name to his father’s. That was quite interesting indeed. My grip on his nape tightened once again, forcing his head to lift in my direction so I could pierce those daddy-didn’t-love-me eyes with my own dark stare.

“I shall gladly do you the honor, Jagger, son of Rhuin. I am Assail, son of Assail. And in case your now-bruised head hasn’t figured it out yet, I /am/ the boss. Furthermore, in case those ears of yours aren’t working quite right either the now, I said: You owe me a dealer and his earnings. You took one of mine down the other night and made off with his cash. Now the question is, how do we fix this situation? I’m thinking perhaps if you are desperate enough for money to kill a dealer, then mayhaps you could not only pay back what you stole, but earn a little extra for yourself by playing my little errand boy.”

Jagger

-Errand boy. The fuck? I’d sooner meet my end. That little delivery of expectation left my mind ringing as much as the knock to my face. I let the fuzzy thoughts come back into focus before attempting my response, and now this male was going to listen to me. It didn’t matter if he had his hand wrapped precariously around my neck. If it was due to be snapped, so be it, still wouldn’t get him what he wanted out of me.

There was the briefest moment of envy that flashed between heartbeats when the male so proudly stated his predecessor and namesake. Clearly he was not lineage-challenged like myself. I would use this to buff and shine his ego a bit. There was but one angle for me to take.-

Assail, son of Assail. My mistake in taking you for anything other than the man in charge. My ignorance precedes me. Apologies. I was not so well graced as you were with your sire.

-My flat tone was not meant in a manner of disrespect but to tamp down on the seething that that happened when I saw his aim from a fuller vantage.-

Good? Good. Now, hear this. I will not be in bed in with the enemy, though they seem to be your current bedmates of choice figuratively speaking, natch. Brotherhood know about this? -I let the question hang for a moment, this was my only leverage in the negotiation, and my sticking point.-

Guessing not. -Raising a hand before any protests or defenses can be raised.-

It’s not my intent to make any trouble for you with the Brotherhood. Not my business.  I’ll return what I pulled off that lesser along with whatever sum of cash you demand. Errand boy is on you.

Fair, no?

Assail

This male had balls the size of my Tahoe, and it displeased me that even with my long fingers wrapped around his neck, he still saw fit to think he could run this negotiation. As if I was about to negotiate. My other hand grabbed the door handle, popping it open.

“Remove him from my vehicle,” I spoke softly to Ehric. Jagger’s door immediately opened, Evale grabbing him by his jacket and pulling his body outside. A second later I was out my side, Ehric and myself rounding the back as Evale held my guest against the vehicle. Once we got close Ehric grabbed him as well. There was no chance of escape. I sneered, fangs out, leaning in close enough to the male that each pore on his nose was visible to mine eyes. The flecks of color in his eyes were burned into my memory as I spoke.

“If you think to threaten me with the Brotherhood, you should know… I operate outside their rules. I bend to no one. I serve mine own needs, and no one else’s, not even the Blind King himself. That being said, if you wish to hang a threat of exposure over my head, I’m afraid I’ll have no choice but to simply remove your tongue. No words, no tattling.”

I drew my finger across the wrist of his arm as Ehric held him in place.

“Fingers might have to go as well, can’t have any notes left in the First Advisor to the King’s mailbox.”

I let those ideas sink in for a moment, stepping back and pulling out a cigar. I needed something to calm me, something to focus my senses on since I couldn’t take a hit at the moment. A spark, a flame in the dark of the night, and I was in business, puffing a few times as thoughts moved about inside mine head. Finally I turned and focused on the male again.

“Ten thousand. That is what you owe me. And one favor, one you vow to complete the now, but shall be called due at a later date.”

I nodded at Evale, who retrieved the male’s cell phone from his pocket. Mine cousin called my cell phone with it, the sliver in mine pocket vibrating twice before he ended the call.

“Now I have your number, Jagger, son of Rhuin,” I pulled the cigar from my mouth and pointed at him with it. “Ten thousand. One favor. You’ll only have one errand to run in the end.”

I leaned in close, our noses bumping together as I mocked his earlier sentiment.

“Fair?”

Jagger

-Reflexes had my hand going to my neck at the moment I was pinned like the tail on the donkey to the body of the SUV. This invited my first rise of panic, not for the manhandling but instead for the lack of my mother’s cross, enhanced by the accompanying throb at my throat left behind by the insistent rush of blood back to the scene of the former grip of my captor.

I somehow managed not to lose my shit over my most sentimental possession, reigning it in as  focus shifted to the male in front of me, his patience seemingly dusted. There was no missing the slick line of his bared fangs or the hit of his breath on my face. He no doubt hadn’t missed my thick swallow within the intimate range he chose.

I otherwise didn’t flinch. Not at the idea of losing my tongue. Not when he traced an invisible guide on my wrist to threaten its severing. The chill that climbed my spine was involuntary and somehow triggered by the proximity of a warm body.

Strange.

I met his bravado with an upturn of my lips, then observed with a keen eye as he stepped back, noting a small tremor in his hand as he raised a cigar to his, plumes of smoke circling his head as if choreographed in their perfect rings. Demands were laid out in a tone that held no give, edged with a deadly undercurrent. Helpless to stop the retrieval of my phone and the silent orders carried about by the mute Ehric and Evale, I let them shake me down without protest, again unflinching when met with Assail’s mocking final word and kiss of our noses that could only be classified as posturing. I shrugged in the hold of the henchmen as much as my restricted position allowed.-

As I indicated before rage affected your hearing, I’ve no interest in reporting you to the Brotherhood.

You will have your favor and the sum, Assail son of Assail.

-There was no point in making counter demands. As soon as I was free from his bulldogs’ sweaty grips, I’d be master of my own ceremonies again. I’d every intention of carrying out the favor and paying my penance, so long as the male did not put me in league with the enemy. I could not allow that, but my new “friend” needn’t know it.-

Assail

I sensed his agreement to my terms wasn’t the victory he sought this eve, and although it didn’t bring me as much pleasure as I’d hoped, it did put a win in my column. I’d get my cash back, and a favor of my choosing some time in the future. Which would take careful choosing, as this male, this… Jagger, son of Rhuin, I sensed was something other than the usual young males I ran into in my line of business. They were usually half-cocked with their swagger hanging out. Jagger, while stubborn and ballsy, wasnae as foolish as the typical bullheaded male. I could tell he was perceptive, and while he had made a mistake this eve in assuming I was the errand boy, he got wise to what was really going on the instant we stepped out of the Iron Mask. A male like him could mayhaps be useful one day.

Look at you, Assail. Recruiting like the Brotherhood. I had a worthy informant, the lovely Evayhne. And now I was scouting a male whose origins I must needs research further. Rhuin. I would find his lineage. I glanced at the twins, nodding once as I puffed on my cigar.

“Let him go the now.”  They did so immediately, but stood close by in case Jagger felt the need to retaliate now that his arms and legs were of his own use again. “I will be in touch, Jagger. Give you instructions on where to bring the cash. I assume a fortnight will be enough time. If it’s not, you can bring me what you have and we’ll discuss how to handle the balance.”

With that, I turned away, stepping down towards the docks, under the cloak of night away from the low lights of the Tahoe’s interior. The twins would ensure Jagger’s departure. I had other things to ponder the now.

Jagger

-Although the night had ended up with a few rough edges and a small sacrifice of blood, the outcome wasn’t so far off the mark of what I’d hoped, save for one thing.

There was no weight on my shoulders for the tithe Assail had demanded for my inadvertent meddling in his business. He would eventually be pleased to find how true I intended to be with my word.

But the night had not been without its loss.

My heart sunk like an anchor from my chest to the floor of my guts at the notice of the loss of my most priceless possession.  For surely as it was missing from around my neck, the gravity of my mother’s absent cross bore down like an elephant having a sit in on my pectorals.

It was hard to draw air.

With my symbolic and physical tie to her gone, the confirmation had been penned in permanent ink; my time was coming.  There was nothing left for Jagger son of Rhuin in this life.

With that revelation in mind and no further word, I dematerialized into the night.-