- 6 -

  Good Luck, Bad Luck

  As Terrant travelled further and further into his part of the city, he blended into the surrounding darkness. Lights, like sound, were almost non-existent in this part of the city. By the time he arrived at another pub, the darkness had completely enveloped him. His eyes turned their inhuman blue to allow less light to reflect out.

  He questioned where he could get the blood he needed. There were pces where he could be with his people, pces where he would be safer, but he needed good blood. The only pces that served high-end fare catered to the richest of both vampires and humans. They lingered on the edge, between the dimly lit streets and total darkness. It would be costly, but at this point, he would pay anything for relief.

  Those pces that provided what he was looking for were also selling their merchandise for five times the price of vendors only a couple of streets away. This served to keep the less affluent away. In fact, it was doing an excellent job of keeping most anyone away.

  He looked up at a wooden sign above the door. It showed two people shaking hands with the bridged entrance to the city in the background. White lettering spelt out “The Accord” underneath. He pushed the door open and feigned confidence as he moved towards the bar.

  Terrant scratched his left shoulder before discreetly fshing a “V” sign with his index and middle fingers on his right hand. After a quick exchange of gnces, a man sitting at the front returned the salute and then resumed nursing his drink. The pce was empty of patrons, except for this single man propping up the bar.

  “What brings you here?” the man asked.

  “I need blood.” Terrant replied unceremoniously.

  “Smells like you’ve had some recently. The bad stuff?”

  Terrant nodded as the barman turned away, giving him a look of exaggerated pity.

  “Lenora! Show him the good stuff.”

  The barmaid opened a cupboard, revealing a plethora of blood in crystal vials.

  “What would you recommend?”

  “The best we have is bear!” The barmaid excimed proudly.

  Terrant was taken aback by this. There was an active market for animal blood in the city, but even here, he had never heard of anyone procuring bear’s blood. He was skeptical that this is indeed what it was.

  “But it costs an arm and a leg.” The barmaid continued rather matter-of-factly.

  The barman fshed a look of annoyance at her ck of professionalism. “You get what you pay for.”

  “I’ll take something cheaper.”

  Lenora grabbed a gss from the racks above and set it on the bar. “Deer. Not quite as extravagant as bear, but it’s better than cat…certainly better than rat. It’ll take the edge off.” She gave him a sympathetic smile.

  He paid for the blood with the few coins he had and made for a table towards the back. As soon as he pulled out a seat, the peace was instantly shattered. A group of rowdy young men burst through the doors and swaggered inside. He shared an eye roll with Lenora, who he could tell was already anticipating trouble.

  Terrant made to leave, but as he turned, he realised the group already had him in their sights.

  The group approached him; he didn’t have time to hide his drink. One of the men dipped two fingers in it. He stared back at the man, who was sniffing his fingers.

  “What’s this?” yelled the drunk. “It’s not drink.” The man theatrically sniffed his fingers again.

  Terrant was in no mood for a performance. “You know where you are. You know what that is.”

  “Oi!” Lenora called over to the group. “You don’t want to be making trouble in here.”

  “Shut up, bitch.” The drunk man yelled back, dismissing her with a hand wave. There wasn't going to be any preamble.

  Terrant took one look at Lenora and knew instantly that the man had made a mistake. While the group's attention switched to Lenora, hurling insults at her that Terrant wouldn’t dare repeat, he slipped away, heading for the exit. As he pced one hand on the door, he heard commotion behind him.

  Terrant paused, gncing back to see Lenora grabbing two of the men by the neck. He almost let out a smile as she banged their foreheads on the bar. He was about to step in to help with another member of the group, but this particur idiot's attention was on another server. He watched in horror as the man id his hands on her, obviously mistaking her for a regur woman.

  The server grabbed the drunk man’s arm and twisted it. She smmed him into a table before stepping on his chest. Terrant was amazed by her power. It was a strength he had never mustered before, and he knew the reason for her having it. They’d had better than bear’s blood.

  Still next to the exit, he was nearly trampled as the two men from the group who had been introduced headfirst to the bar sprinted past him and out the door.

  Terrant observed as the server met with Lenora behind the counter. He couldn’t make out what they were whispering about, but he seemed to be somehow involved.

  “Stupid bitch.” The remaining drunk stumbled to his feet. Everyone had forgotten he was still there.

  Lenora smiled at him, making even Terrant’s bck blood run cold. She came back out from behind the bar and faced him down.

  “What you going to do, eh?” the drunken man asked. “Do you know what’s worse than a vampire?” He paused for dramatic effect. “A woman vampire!”

  Terrant winced. It wasn’t the most creative insult, but it would definitely have an effect.

  In the blink of an eye, Lenora punched him square in the nose. Terrant’s eyes followed the drunkard as he flew backwards and crashed into the wall. He noticed blood running down the man's nose and watched as the server passed Lenora an empty gss. She then handed it to the drunk man.

  “For your blood.”

  Terrant wondered if the drunk would acquiesce, but as Lenora and the server towered above him, Terrant was sure even he wouldn’t be so stupid as to refuse. He got confirmation of the man’s compliance as he filled the gss slowly with drops of blood.

  Show over, Terrant was ready to leave, but Lenora stopped him.

  “How about this blood for your trouble?”

  Terrant stared at the gss. An opportunity to commit the most heinous crime imaginable was being dangled right in front of him.

  “No.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Terrant nodded.

  “More for me then.” The vampire, who had remained seated at the bar for the duration of the altercation said, finally coming alive again. He took a stash of money out from his jacket pocket. “I’ll take whatever comes out.”

  Lenora took the money as the vampire continued, “Always an honour to watch you work. Such skill, and yet you’re wasted in here. The City Watch could do with the likes of you.”

  “I prefer it here.” She replied. “There are more humans in the Watch, and their eyes wander in a way that I can't say I appreciate.”

  “Saving them from themselves.” The man ughed.

  Lenora turned back to Terrant. “Since you refused my offer of human blood, please take the bear’s blood.”

  “I couldn’t.” Replied Terrant.

  “It’s about to spoil anyway. Shame for it to go to waste.”

  ***

  Matthew was annoyed with himself. As always, he’d allowed Tom to talk him into the worst decisions, and now he found himself staggering into a pub that he knew would almost certainly be occupied by vampires. There would be some humans here; however, they would be the type that were sympathetic to the vampire’s plight.

  He let Tom order their drinks, although he did protest against their increasing drunkenness. His eyes were blurring, but he could make out two sharply dressed men as the vampires they had witnessed being abused earlier that evening.

  “You decided to come after all!” A familiar voice bellowed.

  Matthew turned to face the group of young men they had seen in the first pub.

  “We couldn’t turn down the experience of a lifetime.” Said Tom. “To see these things in the flesh.”

  Matthew realised they were being watched. Due in no small part to Tom referring to a rge number of the people present as things.

  “It’s a bloody wonder.” Said one of the ds. “We love it here. It’s a welcoming pce. Really makes you forgive them for all the shit they do.”

  Matthew locked eyes with one of the well-dressed vampires. He saw the hatred burning in the man’s face and immediately wanted to escape. “Tom…”

  “Not now, Matty. Don’t you see we’re having the time of our lives?”

  “Tom!” Matthew persisted, noticing that they were garnering far more attention now that the other group had tched onto them.

  “I said shut it!” Tom hit back. “Hey barman, do you know the lyrics to this song?”

  As soon as Tom uttered the word “song,” Matthew knew what was coming next. He prepared himself for danger as Tom began humming the tune.

  “GET OUT!” roared the vampire ndlord.

  “I just want to know the words.” Tom pleaded in drunken ignorance. “Come on, it’s just a song.”

  The group of young men began forming a wall between them as the vampires got to their feet.

  Unperturbed, Tom stood on a barstool, hummed the tune louder, and conducted an imaginary orchestra simultaneously. “Can anyone help me with this song? What’re the words?”

  “Get down!” Matthew pleaded.

  “I’m just getting to the good bit…”

  Just as Matthew prophesised, a fight broke out between the vampires and the group. The ds demonstrated a level of experience in dealing with vampires. Rather than descending into a drunken brawl, they used their numbers to great effect. One man to an arm, the third rained blows at their torsos. All the same, it didn’t seem to be having much of an effect.

  Without thinking, Matthew pulled Tom off the stool and ran for the door. He pushed through and didn’t stop running with his drunk friend in tow until he was covered by darkness in an alley next to the pub.

  “What were you thinking?” Matthew screamed.

  “Oh aye, as if you can never do no wrong! Mister perfect Matthew who does everything his mummy tells him to. You need to do everyone a favour and grow up!”

  The words stung Matthew. Tom shrank, ready to offer something resembling an apology, but was pushed against the wall by a figure from the darkness. Matthew watched in horror as the outline of a face ripped at Tom’s neck viciously.

  Slowly, he began stepping backwards.

  “Going somewhere?”

  Matthew turned to find the second sharply dressed vampire blocking his escape.

  “What was that performance in aid of?”

  “I wasn’t with him.” Matthew pleaded. “I mean, I was, but I don’t agree with his views.”

  He knew the man wasn’t listening as he felt himself being pushed against the wall where Tom had just been dispatched. Matthew quickly said his goodbyes and thought of his parents back home. He didn’t know if they would even find out what happened to him. Would they bme themselves? His father had pushed his mother into letting him go. His mother didn’t want him to, but she’d allowed it. Was she right? Should he have listened to her?

  He closed his eyes and felt teeth meet his neck. A sharp stinging followed by warmth ran over his neck.

  Then he slumped to the ground as something bore down on him.

  After a few seconds, Matthew opened an eye to see that the vampire was on top of him… But he wasn’t moving.

  “What’s taking you?” A voice from further up the alleyway hissed as it discarded Tom’s body.

  Matthew’s eyes met the second vampire as he reached for his comrade's body.

  “What have you done?” It asked as it lifted its companion's body. “What are you? One of us?”

  Matthew had no idea what he was talking about. He watched as the vampire scrambled out of sight, leaving Matthew amongst the two other lifeless bodies.

  The boy was left alone, confused and unsure of what had just transpired. Suddenly, pain shot through his body. As he groaned, his eyes grew heavy.

  The st thing he remembered was his eyes closing and his breathing slowing.

  ***

  Yaro headed for the abattoir. The beating heart of the vampire district, source of the daily blood that kept the popution satiated. Before he was even close, the smell was more than unpleasant. All sorts of animals were brought here to extract their blood and process the meat. Another of Fenrir’s enterprises, the abattoir hired only vampires.

  One of the few parts of the city where humans couldn’t be found. There was, however, an abundance of scurriers. Heavily tattooed persons in the employ of wealthy vampires. Here to collect fresh blood for their masters.

  Stalls were set out in front of the massive industrial building. Butchers, still wearing blood-soaked aprons, serviced the individuals here to collect their wares. This was only one aspect of the abattoir's function. It also had a direct link to the watch.

  Dead bodies from suspected murders also sometimes found their way here.

  The “butchers” experts in determining time and cause of death. Their elevated senses attuned to try and help solve murders. A retively new venture, brought in at the same time as the Vampire Guard. Together with the Guard and the caravans, Fenrir provided ample economic opportunity for his kind.

  Say what you want about him; he takes care of his people.

  Yaro was massively out of pce here, his uniform even more so. He hung back in the entrance of an alleyway, watching for a scurrier to leave with something other than a jug of blood.

  A particurly rge man caught his eye, well dressed, a sign of the social status of his master. Sure enough, he approached a stall, and instead of receiving a container of blood, he was handed something that he secreted in his inside jacket pocket.

  This is my guy.

  The scurrier headed in his direction at a brisk pace. Allowing him to pass the alley and create a decent distance between them, Yaro slipped out of the darkness and began following tentatively behind.

  Just need a pce to confront him. Can’t wait too long.

  The scurrier disappeared around a corner.

  Time to close the gap and grab him.

  As he picked up the pace, he noticed that the man was onto him.

  A left. A right. Out onto a street, down the very next close. Left again. A right. Another right.

  -BOOMF-

  Knocked off his feet as he rounded the corner, clotheslined by the scurrier who had been waiting for him.

  “Why are you following me?” The scurrier said angrily as he stood over him. “A guard? What are you doing here?” He stepped back to let Yaro get to his feet.

  Still somewhat winded, Yaro hunched over on his knees. “I need to see what’s in your pocket.” He managed to get out in between huffs and puffs.

  “Sorry. I’m compensated very well to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  “I’m ordering you to show me. Bear in mind that I could arrest you for assaulting a member of the Guard.”

  “You’re in the wrong part of the city to be making those sorts of threats.”

  “How about this one?” Yaro drew his sword ever so slightly.

  “Not nearly as frightening as what will happen to me if I don’t get this to where it’s expected to be.”

  Yaro let out a defeated sigh and grabbed for the scurriers coat pocket. Struggling together, they ended up back on the ground. The scurrier managed to break away from the tussle and start running for the nearest alleyway. Yaro gave chase, doing his best to keep up. “I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING!”

  “BUT NOT HOW I'LL GET THERE.”

  The scurriers' knowledge of the city had already led Yaro to an area he was unfamiliar with. To top it off, he expertly eluded him at the next opportunity. With little breath left to continue the chase, Yaro got on his haunches to recover. As he looked up in the direction the scurrier had escaped towards, he could see an arm emerge around the corner and give him a one-finger salute.

  He was letting me keep up with him to lead me away. I should’ve just headed him off at Fenrir’s.

  Yaro punched a wall in frustration.

  What will I do now?

  ***

  Terrant hesitated before gulping down the bottle of blood he had just obtained. The ecstasy he had felt earlier returned, but much stronger than before. His vision strengthened, as did his sense of smell. He could smell the scent of the cowards who’d run from the fight. Interestingly though, among them, he could make out two much more familiar scents. Where had he come across them before?

  Unconvinced that his senses were that much clearer, he followed the scents. It didn’t take long for him to acknowledge that his sight had vastly improved. He could make out figures in a tight alley a couple of streets away. It appeared to be a fight; as soon as one of the figures locked eyes with him, it fled the scene. He broke into a sprint to investigate and found himself arriving much quicker than he had anticipated.

  He knelt down beside a crumpled body and discovered that it was one of the young boys he had encountered during his journey to the city. His attention then turned to a vampire on the ground beside him. He checked it for a pulse. Nothing.

  “What did you do?” Terrant said under his breath. “You silly boys.”

  Terrant rolled the body over, revealing another familiar face beneath. Matthew stared back at him, eyes opening and closing over and over again. A pungent smell assaulted Terrant; he recoiled as he tried to escape it. His eyes widened as bck blood seeped from Matthew’s injuries.

  Terrant scooped the boy up in his arms and left the alley, abandoning Tom unceremoniously as he tried to think of somewhere to take Matthew.

  “Stay awake.” Terrant said softly. “I’m going to get you help, and then you can tell me what happened. Why would they attack you? You have bck blood; it's poison to us.”

  Matthew whimpered.

  “Do you know me?” Terrant asked. “Do you remember the caravan?” He waited for a response, but none came. Terrant felt heat radiate from Matthew and could tell a fever was taking hold. “There’s only one thing I can do, but it’s risky. If I get caught with a young d with a wound on his neck, it'll be a marble sb for me.”

  He hurried as fast as he could through the streets until he approached a heavily guarded part of the city. As the lights of the strip came into focus in the distance, he held Matthew up to cover his eyes. As he turned his back on the blinding light, he saw another figure in the distance.

  “Just the man.” Terrant couldn't believe his luck. “He can help us. I knew him from my time in the watch.”

  “Knew?” Matthew said weakly. “Didn’t they like guards who y on their back all night staring at the stars?”

  “Someone’s feeling better.”

  Matthew nodded.

  Terrant checked Matthew’s wound and found the bck blood was taking effect as the wound began to clean and heal itself. The fever also disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. With some health restored, Terrant put him down gently and helped him steady himself.

  “Where’s Tom?” Matthew asked groggily.

  Terrant didn’t reply at first. He racked his brain trying to work out how to respond. There was no way to sugarcoat it.

  “Well, I’m sorry to say your friend is no longer with us.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “I wish I was.” There was genuine sympathy in his words. “If you want justice, report what happened to a guard. The man up ahead is called Yaro. He’s part of the City Watch; he can help.”

  Terrant watched as Matthew screwed up his eyes in an attempt to make out who, or what, he was pointing at. “You can’t see in the dark, can you?”

  “Should I?” Matthew asked.

  “Drink this.” Terrant passed him what little remained of the blood.

  Matthew instinctively turned his nose up at the liquid. As he did so, the weight of what had just transpired finally hit him. Tears began rolling down his cheeks.

  Through them he could see Terrant giving him a perplexed look. “Can’t see in the dark. No desire to consume blood and can cry actual tears… Well, you’re definitely not a vampire.”

  “Oh. That's good then.”

  Terrant tried to hide that he took offence to the glib comment.

  Matthew dabbed his eyes with his shirt, noticing that remnants of bck blood from his wound had collected there. He held it up to Terrant as if to disagree with his prior assertion.

  “Not everyone that bleeds bck is a vampire. Only a small number of people are like you; you might have heard people refer to them as ‘marked ones’.”

  Matthew shook his head.

  “We need to get you home before anyone finds out and they come looking for you.”

  “Who are they?”

  “Anyone who can make use of you. Or even worse, the Guard, who will be sure to ‘mark’ you.” Terrant pced a hand on Matthew’s shoulder. “We’ll ask someone from the caravans to take you back.”

  “I’ve hurt myself before. I don’t have bck blood.”

  “Not how it works, kid.”

  ***

  “Terrant?” Yaro asked as he approached. “Is that you?”

  “Well, if it isn’t the captain of the guard.” Terrant replied with a smirk. “This boy has been hurt by a vampire, while his friend has been killed.”

  A very serious allegation that would require investigation. Just not right now. More reports of vampire violence was the st thing he needed.

  He let Terrant stew in his situation. A vampire alone with a young boy in this part of the city was suspicious enough to draw a lot of attention.

  Why is he helping this child?

  “Now I know what you’re thinking… But let’s just get him back to his vilge, and he won’t say a word about what happened to his friend.” Terrant pced his hand over Matthews's mouth as though it would be enough to convince Yaro he could be trusted. “After all… kids go missing in the city all the time. Tyber sees to that.” Terrant forced a wry smile.

  “That's not funny, Terrant.” Yaro had to toe the party line while in uniform.

  “I don’t want to be marked, sir.” Matthew pleaded with him. Yaro fixed his gaze on the bck spots on the boy's shirt.

  Terrant instantly wished he had covered his mouth a little longer. Things suddenly became a lot clearer. The boy's revetion paired with the bck stains made everything fall into pce.

  “You want a finder’s fee!” Yaro yelled as he pointed at Terrant. “You pn to hand deliver a scurrier to Fenrir.”

  Terrant looked like a child with his fingers in the cookie jar. It was unusual to have him on the back foot.

  Yaro pushed his advantage. Serendipity had aligned their goals. “I’ll take you to him.”

  “What? Really?”

  “Yes, really.” I need you more than you need me.

  Terrant eyed him suspiciously. “And just why would you do that?”

  Yaro grabbed a handful of his uniform and stretched it out in front of him. “Because it’s the right thing to do.”

  “We’re going to see the Fenrir?” Matthew asked excitedly. “The vampire that everyone says owns the city, as well as the city watch, and hasn’t been seen in years?”

  “Give or take a few false rumours, yes.” Yaro attempted to temper his excitement.

  When they reached the gatehouse to Fenrir’s vil, the guards yielded to Yaro and let them pass through.

  “They really don’t like you.” Terrant whispered to Yaro, who continued as though he didn’t hear him. “You should see the faces the ones in the dark are making.”

  “Thanks, Terrant.”

  “He’s in there, right?” Matthew asked, pointing to the grand wooden door set in a marble facade at the end of the long cobbled path.

  “Always,”replied Yaro.

  “We’ll need a strategy.” Said Terrant. “We can’t just go barging in.”

  “Don’t worry; I have an idea.” Before Yaro could reveal his pn, three loud bangs echoed around the vil’s entrance. It wasn’t until Terrant searched for the source that he found Matthew had gone ahead of them…and he was kicking the door.