by CD Brown
“Okay, we’ve been avoiding this conversation because I wanted these meeting to be about you. But frankly, I need L.A. vampire 101. Can y’all help me?”
Eager nods showed that Sophia’s status had definitely increased. She called out to Carmen who rolled in the white board she kept in her office.
Over the next half-hour, Sophia got her primer on the power structure of the Los Angeles scene. There were individuals with great influence, including a few super agents and producers, a few leaders with cult-like followings—“Could be you one day,” Jeremiah joked, but the others didn’t find it funny—and the cabals.
“There’s only a handful,” Monroe said, completing a circle of West Hollywood. “But they’re the ones who’re always squabbling.”
“They’ve also been around the longest,” Sandy added. “Though not as long as the Caballero.”
“And how old is he?”
They all grew silent, looking side-eyed to see who would speak up first. Monroe was silently elected spokesperson.
“Nobody knows really. There’s just rumors.”
“Such as?”
Sandy looked fed up with the silence. As Monroe went to answer, she put her arm across his chest like a mother holding back her child while slamming on the brakes. “They say mission days. Like back in the time of Father Junipero Serro.”
“Wow. So he’s like Zorro or something?”
Monroe nodded. “The rumor is he was the inspiration.”
“Oh, bullshit. I’ve known some old ones, like pre-American Revolution. They all make up stories. Hell, David used to stretch the truth just to get a rise.”
“I’m just saying what I heard.” Monroe looked upset to be challenged, so Sophia softened her tone.
“Still, if any of that is true, he’s older than any vamp I’ve known.”
“Here’s the deal.” Sandy’s tone sounded ready to sell Sophia a house. “There’s a balance at work. The city’s open, but not chaotic. The Caballero keeps order. Without him…”
“Yeah?”
Monroe stepped in. “We really don’t want to talk about it.”
The nods confirmed this. Rarely had she seen such fear in a vampire’s eyes.
“He sounded like he was cool with me. With us. We don’t have anything to worry about.” Sophia raised her arms. “Let’s converge, then I’ll show you how to do mist form.”
As the group dispersed, Sophia felt weary. Splitting herself into mist was a last-ditch thing for her, something desperate to do when the times called for it. She knew if she practiced, it’d get easier. But animal form and other parlor tricks weren’t her priority.
She dropped off early, around 3 a.m., and could see the faint blue of dusk glowing at the edges of the curtain as she awoke. She stayed in her room, wanting to flip through her phone for news. But multiple messages from Jeremiah nixed that plan. They were all variations of “call me.”
“What’s up?”
“Nobody else called you?” Jeremiah sounded out of breath. “They all wanted to hang out and practice your new moves and needed someone to keep watch. But after half an hour, their phones started blowing up.”
“Did anybody get hurt in the explosion?” She felt her stomach quaver as Jeremiah laughed in her ear.
“Not literally! Jesus, you do live under a rock. No, they all got tons of messages. Quickly. The phones dinging sounded like a Vegas casino floor.”
“What happened?”
“The Caballero is dead. There’s some video going around. Let me hang up and text the link.”
A few seconds after she hung up, the message pinged her. She tapped the link, the video filling her tiny screen. She could only see the flamboyant outfit she’d seen the night before suspended in mid-air. The vamp inability to reflect in mirrors extended to photography and video. The Caballero was there, bound to an iron rack.
You could hear his voice, however, his lisp even more pronounced as he yelled for them to “Thtop!”
He’s not morphing, Sophia realized. They must have done something to his bonds. I didn’t know that was possible.
Curses and threats continued for another minute, until a gloved hand staked between the folds of the buttonless jacket. The brocaded clothes turned gray with the Caballero’s ashy remains. The video ended without fading out.
Sophia sent out a group text to all of her contacts, telling them to come to the center right away if they could. Jeremiah called, saying most were still in the neighborhood, unable to get back to their lairs because of all the calls, so she opened the front door and they filtered back to the conference room.
The lateness of the hour contained the nervousness of the group, but hands shook and knees bobbed before Sophia began to speak.
“Anybody have a clue who might be behind this?”
Monroe, eyes staring darts at his phone, spoke up first. “Everyone thinks it’s you.”
“Me? I haven’t left the building all night.”
“I’m doing my best to squash this,” Sandy said, her thumbs blurring as she texted. “But you know how people are. They don’t trust you ’til they know you.”
Monroe joined Sandy in the texting, then the others followed suit. Monroe looked up for a second. “Worse comes to worst, we can all stay here during the daylight?”
“Yeah, I’ll let Carmen know so she doesn’t let any light in.” After she sent her own text, she wandered out to the reception area. She looked out the front window: nothing scary, no spies, no scowling fangs. She turned quickly, claws out, to see Jeremiah standing behind her. “Dammit, don’t do that.”
“Sorry, I forget how silent I am.” They both flopped into folding chairs. “I don’t know no other vamps, so I might go home.”
“Can you stay? You’re really the only one I can talk to.”
“All right then.” His smile remained goofy, but Sophia found comfort in it.
“Shit’s about to get deep.” Sophia thought back to when she had to take over for David, when he didn’t come back after his fight with the werewolf. She’d always been the lieutenant, the one who took orders, not who gave them. Now, she had to step up once again as her new city was about to plunge into vampiric chaos. “You don’t have a dog in this fight.”
“Or a possum either.” His grin widened to where he looked like a pale Jack-o’-lantern.
“Shut up. You know what I mean.”
“I know I ain’t one of you guys but come on. Why would I turn my back on you? I can do things during the day that you can’t.”
“Thanks, Jeremiah. But just know it’s gonna be a rough patch.”
“Moon ain’t full for another two weeks. Up until then, I’m all up in it.”
That self-satisfied grin, the boyish look that had kept her at arm’s length for so long, finally took. Her inhibitions melted, she stood up. “Come on. It’s nearly sun up. Let’s go lay down.”
She took his hand, but he pulled her close and kissed her. It wasn’t the best ever, not after Chip and their 80 years together, but was the right thing right now. They stood stiff when someone cleared their throat. Sandy stood there, holding up her phone.
“We think we’ve put that fire out, so we’re gonna seal the conference room.” As Sophia nodded her assent, Sandy swayed her hand back and forth between the two of them. “So, is this finally happening? Because we have to see who won the pool.”
“That better be a joke,” Sophia called after the cackling. But she wasn’t really upset. No, she turned immediately to Jeremiah. “Hurry up, because we have to discuss how this works.”
“You mean the relationship?”
“No, I mean biology. You’re gonna have to lose some blood.”
Jeremiah shrugged. “No relationship is perfect.”
When Sophia heard the knocking, she noticed she was alone. Pulling the covers to her neck to hide her nakedness, she said, “Yeah?”
Carmen’s head peeked in the door. “Sun’s down. The rest want to know what the plan is.”
&
nbsp; “Tell them to give me twenty minutes.”
“Need a shower after all that?” Even Carmen had to tease, her smile trying to stay hidden. “If you’re worried, the boy went out for coffee. He doesn’t…sleep like you do.”
“Yeah, this might get complicated.”
“World is complicated, man. You gotta take what comes. Or come when somebody takes.” She closed the door and laughter erupted from the front room.
Sophia stood and opened the door. “I’m glad you’re all so concerned about when I get laid.” She threw on her robe, heading to the bathroom.
While drying her hair, she heard a knock. Jeremiah called from outside, “I’m back. Sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up.” She opened the door and let him in.
“It’s fine. You’ve still got a heartbeat to follow. I’m a light switch: on and off. No dimmer.”
She could see Jeremiah stare at the mirror, the shower’s fog fading in the center. She looked to see the dryer hovering over her robe.
“It’s just so weird. How do you even brush your hair?”
“You adjust. Look at the way I dress. Jeans, t-shirts. My hair is simple. I just brush it straight back. Chip, my old boyfriend, he was a clothes horse, always trying to look stylish. I do just enough.”
“You miss him?”
This wasn’t the conversation she wanted to have after sleeping with somebody for the first time. Especially since it had been nearly a century since she’d experienced a new lover. But he was sincere in his neediness, so she buckled up her soul to answer him.
“I do. I will. But he’s gone. New Orleans, for me at least, is gone. I have to live in the now. Does that answer your question?”
Jeremiah nodded. The gloominess still hung on his forehead, but what did he expect? Sophia realized she had forgotten just how weird the relationship thing was. The boy would have to become a man, and quickly, if he wanted to keep up with her.
“Oh, yeah. Cecily called me ‘cause you weren’t picking up. She says somebody wants to book us for a Brentwood dinner.”
“Fuck! I don’t want to, not with all the shit that’s about to go down. But I need the money. Dammit.”
“I’ll do all the legwork on that. All you’ll need to do is hit the butchers up in a few days.”
Sophia wrapped her arms around Jeremiah’s neck, feeling him bend into her. “Perfect.” She kissed him, softly grazing the tips of his lips. “One day at a time. Just like The Boss said.” She released him, turned him around and swatted his ass. “Out. I gotta get ready. Tell them I’m coming in two shakes.”
Running the brush once more through her silver locks and throwing together her uniform of white t-shirt and jeans, she walked to the conference room. All of the vampires looked shabby, Sandy’s helmet of hair poking in many unruly directions. But they all worked their phones, a list of those contacted on the white board. Monroe spoke up first.
“We’ve successfully cleared you of this. There’s some lingering doubt, but nobody’s out to stake you anymore.”
“That’s a relief.” Sophia stared at the names, all unfamiliar to her. “Who’s solidly behind us?”
“Well, nobody,” Sandy said, adding another name. “But the ones who care the least are the Black and Whites. They want to meet with you to make sure there’s no funny business. Their words.”
“Which ones are they again?”
The group laughed, but the tone was sarcastic. Sandy shook her head. “You’ve got to see to believe.” She looked at her watch. “They’re expecting you in two hours.”
Chapter Five
Jeremiah pulled into the driveway of the giant white mansion. The iron gate, easily twelve feet tall, loomed in his headlights.
“Damn,” he said. “This looks like the Beverly Hillbillies or something.”
“Is that a movie or a TV show?”
“What the hell?” Jeremiah slapped the car’s armrest. “These people are all about Hollywood and the movies. They’re gonna eat you up.”
He rolled down the window and pressed the button on the speaker. The gates swung open, presenting them with a circular drive full of automobiles the likes of which Sophia hadn’t seen since the end of World War Two. Nothing later than 1951 waited on the cobbled bricks.
“I don’t care. I’ve seen things.”
“Sandy says you ain’t seen nothing like this.”
“I dealt with a thousand-year-old Croatian. I can handle these young’uns.”
“Whatever.” Jeremiah parked the car next to a Rolls Royce. “I don’t think I’m allowed in.”
“Sorry. It’s not like I want to be here.”
She got out and rang the front doorbell. A butler in full penguin suit opened the door and nodded his head. She sniffed, realizing he was still alive, still human. The telltale gauze stuck out over his cuffs. A thrall forced to work and give blood. These were not caring vampires.
“My name is Sophia. I was summoned here.”
“Yes, madame. They have been awaiting your arrival. You may enter.” His English accent added to the otherworldly vibe, Sophia always more comfortable among the hoi polloi rather than rich folks. But this was Hollywood and she was learning that everything was for show.
The butler led her into a welcoming landing. Before her sat a sprawling staircase reminiscent of plantation homes back in Louisiana, but the steps were much wider, nearly nine feet across. From below, she could see only hallways leading who knows where, but an alcove at the top of the flight held a full-sized statue of Marilyn Monroe, her skirt in full bloom as if taken directly from the famous movie, one even Sophia had seen. She could see a recessed area to her left, as big as the whole ZLVG office building. Gathered there were twenty or so people talking amongst themselves. When the butler announced her name, they all turned to see the new arrival.
Sophia had to stop herself from laughing. Each of these creatures was dressed in clothing straight out of the 1940s. She even saw a few dresses styled exactly like what she had worn back then, but what really shocked her was all of the clothing was black and white. Their faces, which would have been sallow regardless, were also made up in monochrome. They literally looked like they were in a vintage movie.
“Thank you, Jeeves.” One of the males stepped forward, his coat open to reveal very high-waisted, pleated slacks. His hair was slicked back and dyed a preternatural black, the same color as his quarter-inch thin mustache. He also wore black and white spectator shoes, reminding her of Chip and his pride in his own set of kicks.
Sophia stopped the butler with one hand. “Is your name really Jeeves?” He answered with a weary shake of the head. Another movie cliché.
“Look here, doll face.” Sophia looked over her shoulder. No, he was talking to her with that clipped tone. “Keep your distance until Loretta here can give you the pat down.” He turned and nodded to a woman wearing a long-sleeved dress belted at the waist. Her hair covered one eye, a style Sophia pinned to the time when Veronica Lake was popular, although Sophia herself had never liked the look.
Loretta ascended the few steps, then lifted Sophia’s arms. She didn’t get intimate with the frisk, but Sophia didn’t like this stranger’s hands rubbing her. Loretta stepped back, looking from Sophia’s shoes to her scalp. “You’re way too pretty to be wearing dungarees, kitten.” Loretta said this with a sneer.
“She clean?” The man took a puff on a filterless cigarette.
“No gat, no shiv. Only bad taste.” A collective snicker swelled through the female vamps, all of whom were dressed like it was New Year’s Eve.
“Hey, you called me here to meet.” Sophia did her best to sound as tough as they did. “Didn’t hear about a party.”
“Party?” Loretta huffed. “Darling, this is how we always dress.”
Sophia couldn’t even comprehend how many hours of precious night they wasted getting made up. But what the hell? Everyone had something crazy. “Then let’s confab.”
“Business then pleasure, eh?” The man turned t
o the group who all nodded agreement. “Swell. Take a seat.”
The furniture was also vintage: long couches with rounded armrests, two low wooden coffee tables that looked like flying saucers and an assortment of barrel-backed chairs. Sophia dropped into one of the latter, while a few vamps took seats on the couches. Others milled behind them, obviously the followers. The one who had been giving the orders looked straight at her.
“Name’s Melvin Green. You might remember me from Dark City Wind.” Sophia’s face must have registered no surprise because this guy was waiting for some sort of reaction. “I was also in the famous oater Misery Mountain. That was…in my previous life, obviously.”
“I never got into movies.” The gasping and pearl clutching was all very dramatic. “The technology was all too new for me to get a handle on.”
Loretta leaned forward. “Wait, how old are you?”
“I was born in 1862,” Sophia said.
“Well golly gee, you sure wear it well, babe. I thought you were one of those hippie types.” Loretta took a pull from a foot-long cigarette holder. “You might be all right.”
“Back to business.” Melvin pointed at Sophia, attempting to compel truth from her. His power wasn’t enough to do it, but Sophia knew she had nothing to hide. Let him think it worked. “Did you kill The Caballero?”
“I only met him once.” Sophia saw the group relax, just now realizing how on edge they were. “He appeared to give my work his blessing.”
“Why should we trust you?”
“I came to L.A. because there’s no council. New Orleans has been closed for too long. I needed freedom. Personal freedom. I don’t want to force anybody to do anything. That’s not my mission.”
“Here’s the straight dope, sister.” Melvin leaned forward as he stubbed out his cigarette. “We don’t care much for other vamps. We’ve got a good thing going here, something the others don’t understand. You want to dance, then we’ll tangle. But leave us be and we don’t care.”
“Don’t you at least want to know who did the killing?”
Melvin shrugged. “Curiosity killed the cat, sweetheart. But if we learned the truth to keep us safe? Sure.”