The Beast Inside

by David Horrocks

  It wasn't too long before the last few people had cleared off, growing bored of the situation and having already taken all the pictures they wanted. Once they had gone, the man, who looked a lot like a college professor of some sort, pushed his small, round glasses up his nose and folded his arms in a huff. Alice thought about heading over to talk to him to see if he was alright, but she thought better of it as he didn't seem like he wanted to be bothered.

  Growing bored of the conference room and its groupings of art critics and sycophants, Alice decided to head back to the lobby, with the intention of investigating the theatre itself. She had been told that there would be live music performances all night and was interested in checking it out. Katherine appeared to still be engrossed in conversation and so Alice left her to it and made her way back over to the door from which they had entered.

  Taking one last look around the room, Alice realised that it was nearly impossible to determine who was actually a vampire and who wasn't. They all blended in so well, except for those who were quite obviously from another time period altogether. Some like Nadia, Hank and even Katherine had adapted with their surroundings, and so you really had to know what you were looking for to pick them out of the crowd. Some of the other vampires in the room appeared to be able to mimic breathing and the blush of health, despite not actually needing to.

  From practicing it herself, Alice knew that mimicking life put a strain on vampires and left them feeling drained if maintained for long periods of time. For that reason, most of them didn't go through the effort that was required and were a little easier to spot. However, they were also usually the first to die if a group of vampire hunters came to town, as had happened years before when a similar situation arose.

  Survival was a balancing act and you had to actively choose how much energy you should expend at any given moment. It was a decision that could sometimes mean the difference between everlasting life or a quick and likely painful death.

  **********

  Stepping foot into the theatre, it was easy for Alice to see how it could seat so many people. The room was ginormous, with three floors of balconies, box seats and a stage much larger than any she had seen before. The soundproofed walls were lined with wooden panels and alcoves, with beige carpeting that matched the fabric of the chairs. Brass railings bordered the stairs on both sides of the room, which widened half way up to include their own seating areas.

  The entire place was in darkness other than the spotlights and purple lighting that flooded the stage. The current act in progress was an electronic rock band that went by the name ‘Entropy of the Heart’ and they were ruling the stage like it was their own.

  The band consisted of five musicians, including a lead guitarist, bassist, keyboard player and drummer. However, none of them stole the stage like the singer. She was a twenty something year old, pink haired rockstar from Florida, who belted out a range of notes that would be impossible for most to achieve.

  Alice approached the stage, making her way around the back of the theatre and down the steps to take a seat just a few rows back from the front. The audience itself was surprisingly few in number with only a couple of people dotted around, listening to the music.

  Everyone who had stayed outside was missing out on an entertaining performance of a lifetime that surpassed everything else that Alice had seen at the party so far. It felt like they were performing just for her as she quickly forgot that anyone else was in the room.

  They weren't a well known or famous band, dressed in their skinny jeans and custom vests, with more piercings and tattoos than Alice had ever seen in one place. But they belted out each song with such tight knit perfection that they could have faked being a chart topper and no one would have been any wiser.

  The guitar riffs blended seamlessly with tunes hammered out of the electronic keyboard and the drum beats only served to accentuate the music, raising it to a level of excellence that permeated Alice's soul and left her wanting more.

  Even the lyrics spoke to her with choruses that reminded Alice of the hardships that she had experienced throughout her life. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn that each verse had been written about her. It was a haunting feeling that possessed her mind with thoughts of times gone by. They swept her up in a wave of conflicting emotions that were almost overpowering. Nothing had ever touched her like that before, leaving behind a feeling of reverence for the band's musical ability.

  Once the final line had be sung and the last note played, Alice found herself hypnotised by what she had seen and heard. She remained in her seat as the band left the stage and were replaced by a crew of workers clearing up as they prepared for the next performance. There was no telling how much time had passed since she entered the theatre, but it had flown by way too fast and left her wanting more. It had been a while since she took the time to enjoy music, but she was sure that she had found her new favourite band.

  Looking around the room, Alice saw the last members of the limited audience filtering back out the door and into the lobby. She peered back at the stage thoughtfully, wishing for the band to run back from behind the scenes to play an encore, but nobody came. She wished that she had someone else to cherish the moment with, but found herself sitting there alone as even the crew that had been tidying up left through the back.

  Forcing a sigh, Alice pushed herself up onto her feet and began the slow walk up the stairs to where she had entered from. Now the music had stopped, she felt strangely empty as if a void had opened up in her chest where her heart used to be. Katherine may have been her mentor and friend, but she wasn't the best choice for companionship. It was a space that was still waiting to be filled.

  **********

  Wandering aimlessly down a long corridor, Alice was in no hurry to return to the celebrations. She didn't want to be alone, but the crowds in the other rooms did nothing to make her feel any less lonely. This was the reason that she decided to bide her time, not wanting to rush back into a situation where she felt outnumbered and out of place.

  As hard as Alice tried, she knew that she didn't belong there with the vampire elite. It was better for her to explore the rest of the building and waste away the hours until the party was over. Katherine seemed to be doing just fine by herself and didn't seem to need any additional support anyway.

  As she walked around the corner at the far end of the hallway, Alice was taken by surprise as her body was violently slammed backwards into the wall behind her with enough bone crunching force to kill a weaker being. Pinned against the solid surface by unbelievably strong hands, she was confronted by the grey skinned woman that she had seen in the lobby, who hissed with such rage that it caused Alice to flinch.

  “Tell me what you know!”

  Spittle flew out the open maw of the woman's mouth, her sunken, red eyes scowling in anger. The pallid flesh of her face was stretched over the bones beneath, giving her face an almost skeletal appearance.

  “I don't know what you mean. What do you want from me?”

  Alice cried out in defense as she struggled to break free, failing miserably. The arms that held her there were misleadingly thin, with a hidden strength that stopped her from slipping out of the vice like grip.

  “What are you plotting against my queen?”

  The woman spoke in a guttural way, with a pronounced overbite that caused a slight lisp.

  Continuing to resist, Alice managed to free a hand which she raised to touch the bare skin of her attackers’ malnourished waist. She focused on the woman's thoughts, boring through defenses and squeezing her way into memories that had remained shielded until now. It took a lot of force, but Alice managed to break through the wall, giving her the chance to ascertain the identity of her assailant.

  A city somewhere within the Rhineland, on the border between Germany and France. Wedding bells and a dead man with the bearing of a lord. Sailing across an endless ocean towards the new world. A future queen, her protector and a lover long dead. Katheri
ne stood by their side as they made a pledge. The familiar sight of Calgary and the body of the former king, hands covered in blood. A network of spies throughout the city.

  Alice realised that withered fiend who had her cornered was Lady Antoinette Dupont. She was the royal spymaster and the unseen hand of the queen.

  It became increasingly difficult to weed out information as Antoinette's ruthless mind fought back, but Alice continued to push on as hard as she dared. She could see the spy’s devotion to her queen and her love for Renita Marquette that was pushed to the point of obsession.

  Cursed with a body that was slowly decaying, Antoinette began to abhor beauty. She was once considered to be beautiful herself, but the changes that her body went through due to the curse of vampirism made her hate what she had become. It took powerful enchantments and spells to help her alter her appearance for short periods of time, but it was never enough. She despised those who were blessed with good looks, even going so far as lashing out to destroy them with passionate brutality. The spymaster was unforgiving and spiteful, with only her beloved sovereign escaping from her scorn.

  The look of shock on Antoinette’s nightmarish face signalled that she had detected someone picking through the thoughts in her head. She released her grasp, causing Alice to slump against the woodwork as she tried to recover.

  “It's you! You're her secret weapon… The ace in the hole!”

  The woman backed away, stepping just out of sight of a doorway that swung open with impeccable timing.

  “There you are! I was starting to believe you'd left.”

  It was Katherine, but she hadn't come to the rescue on purpose. She had just stumbled upon the confrontation in her search for her protege.

  Alice peered over at her, wide eyed with worry before looking back in Antoinette's direction, but the spy had disappeared. There was no sight nor sound of the woman who had been standing there a split second before. She had simply vanished in a similar fashion to her first disappearance back in the lobby.

  Katherine was oblivious to what had just occurred, making her way down the corridor nonchalantly.

  “I've got a special surprise for you.”

  Alice continued to stare at the empty space in front of her, causing Katherine to follow her gaze before looking back at the girl's face.

  “What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost.”

  **********

  Katherine lead the way down narrow hallways and up several sets of stairs towards the back end of the building. It was a private area of the auditorium, where the sounds of partying could no longer be heard.

  Alice spoke of her meeting with Lady Dupont as they went, but Katherine didn't seem one bit surprised by what had happened outside of the theatre.

  “She feels threatened by you. The gift you have been given is extremely rare.”

  Alice pondered for a moment, following close behind as they approached some offices.

  “Did you know that she would come after me?”

  Katherine kept walking, looking straight forward as she spoke.

  “I suspected that she might.”

  Alice wasn't best pleased by the thought of her mentor knowing she had been in danger and leaving her to face it alone. She considered berating her for it, but didn't think it would be worth the repercussions. Yelling at an ancient, immortal being with a lust for blood wouldn't be the wisest of decisions.

  The pair entered a side room just off the side of the main office, moving at a steady rate until they stopped outside of an unmarked door. Turning to face Alice, Katherine let an unnerving smile spread across her face. The sly expression was more than enough to peak Alice's curiosity. She waited in anticipation as her companion reached out to rest her hand on the door handle. Whatever was waiting for them on the other side, it was something that Katherine couldn't wait to share.

  “There's someone special that I'd like you to meet.”

  As Katherine's fingers twisted the handle and the door began to open, Alice found that she actively held her breath, even though she hadn't been breathing in the first place. It was an automatic reaction that was a remnant of her mortal days.

  Alice stepped into the room just behind Katherine where she was faced with a tall and lanky specimen of a man who stood there waiting patiently. He was dressed in practical military styled clothing, with a green jacket, combat pants and sturdy boots that made him look like the mercenary type.

  The unidentified man was strong and able bodied. Muscular, yet still thin and athletic. He was the type of man who could handle himself in a fight. His buzzcut, five o’clock shadow and rough, pale skin made him appear rugged, but he was still average enough to blend into a crowd if he wanted. A long, faded scar marked the top of his forehead, as if it was old but never had the chance to fully heal. His dark and calculating eyes examined Alice carefully as she stopped in her tracks.

  Alice felt intimidated by the man as he stepped forward, his body language displaying his self confidence and physical strength. He took each stride with purpose, looking as though he was ready for trouble. She could sense the power coiled up inside him, with a grip that could tear an arm right out of its socket if he so wished it.

  It took Alice a moment or two, but she recognised the man standing before her. He too was a descendant of Katherine Louviere and they shared the same blood. It was Matthew Walker, a vampire who like her was the spawn of Renée Girard. He had accepted the invitation and had made the long trip north from Baltimore, heading west once he had crossed the Canadian border.

  The look on Matthew's face didn't match the menacing stance that he had adopted when they entered the room. A warm smile broke the illusion, making him appear friendlier than he had originally seemed as he spoke in a slow, yet deliberate tone.

  “I'm Matty. I hear we’re related.”

  Katherine stepped in to stand between them as she addressed Alice.

  “Nathalie refused the call as she said she had her own problems to deal with. Matthew on the other hand decided to come as soon as he got word.”

  She moved to stand next to him, facing towards Alice as she rested her hand on the man's back.

  “Together we can achieve anything. The three of us. Our own little family.”

  The two of them held out their hands, welcoming Alice into their circle. She knew that the messages had been sent to Katherine's remaining heirs, but for some reason she had never expected to meet either of them.

  Pausing for a moment as she looked upon them, Alice wondered if this was what she truly wanted. She didn't like the feeling of being alone, but was this the family that she had been seeking all along? Could they fill the hole inside her where the beast lurked? She had to take the chance.

  Stepping forward, Alice was accepted into their cold embrace. She found it to be comforting in a way. Katherine wasn't perfect, but she had given her every bit of help that she could have possibly wanted and now there was Matty too. Her blood brother. He may have been big and scary, but he didn't seem all that bad. She wasn't usually one to judge a book by its cover and still had to find out more about who he was as a person. However, for now she was content with the possibility of having a family of her own once again. Hopefully this time they wouldn't try to sacrifice her, or worse.

  Chapter Twelve: A shift in the balance.

  Matty and Alice had bonded almost instantly. There was a gentle simplicity about him that reminded her a little of both Jolee and Sam. He may have been a weapon of war and a tool that was often used for violence but it wasn't what defined him as a person. From the sound of it, he had always been exploited by one person or another, who used him to strong-arm their enemies and instill fear. For someone so physically strong and near indestructible, he had a soft spot for people who treated him with kindness and was vulnerable in so many ways.

  But Matthew Walker tended only to respect those who earned it and, in his opinion, most vampires who currently had power in the city didn't deserve any respect at all. He wanted
a strong leader to follow, but had always struggled to find someone worthy enough. It's for that reason that he gave Katherine a chance to prove herself, but she would have to work hard to earn his trust.

  It was difficult for Matty to cope with his past in Baltimore and the things that he had done to preserve order there, but Alice tried her best to help him as she took the time to simply listen to his tale. He admitted that he had taken innocent lives to hide the existence of vampire kind, as others had slipped up and revealed themselves to the public. Something had changed inside him the day he snuffed them out. The merciless act broke his spirit, as he took one step closer to becoming the beast inside and lost yet another piece of his humanity.

  For the most part, Matty was still the same person that he was in life, but there was now a darker edge to him. He didn't enjoy killing, but would still kill someone if his existence or that of those he cared for were threatened. He refused to fight for the sake of fighting, but continued survival was always the main priority.

  Even though he seemed to be mentally slow, Alice soon discovered that her blood brother was actually extremely intelligent and could just hide it well. It sometimes took him a little longer than most to think about things, but the majority of the time he just overplayed it as he preferred people to misjudge him. It was better to be underestimated than to be seen as a threat, as it meant that he could surprise his enemies whenever he decided to take action. There were limits to his patience however, as he wasn't a doormat and didn't appreciate being stepped on.