by Amos Cassidy
Both men stopped and stared at her.
She arched an eyebrow.
Mick just looked confused. “What are you?”
They had retired to the back office, which proved to be nothing more than a dusty walk-in closet, housing a small desk, a couple of chairs and a filing cabinet.
“Nice.” Rose didn’t even try to disguise the sarcasm in her tone. Maxwell shot her a look, which she took to mean shut up. She shrugged. “If you two don’t start talking, I’m walking. This is getting really annoying, not to mention weird. And I think I’ve about reached my quota on both those emotions for the day.” She turned to Mick. “And what’s with the old man façade anyway? If I could change the way I looked, looking older wouldn’t even make my list.”
“It’s one of the conditions of Mick’s retirement and the running of this place.” Maxwell perched his bottom on the edge of the desk.
“Go on,” Rose said.
It was Mick that spoke next. “When you’re as powerful as me you can unwittingly make enemies…”
“Someone loves himself,” Rose drawled.
Maxwell exhaled in exasperation. “For God’s sake, Rose. Let the man finish!”
She shrugged.
“Anyway, as I was saying.” Mick stared pointedly at Rose. “Sometimes the only thing to do is hide, and what better place to hide than in plain sight?”
“Except when your glamour spell goes tits up,” Rose added.
“Well it shouldn’t have, it couldn’t have-”
“It did.”
“It wouldn’t have if you hadn’t broken it.”
“Oh please, don’t try and pin this on me. It’s obvious that you didn’t do it right in the first place.” She knew she was goading him but anything was better than accepting the possibility that she had been responsible for breaking such a spell.
“What? How dare you…you …” Mick took a step toward her, his hands clenched at his sides then stopped abruptly. His gaze went to her hands then back up to meet her eyes. Just as quickly as he had advanced, he retreated. He looked…scared.
“Rose…your hands.” Maxwell was breathing hard, his gaze too fixated on her hands.
She glanced down and froze. Her hands were glowing softly, pulsating as if in time with her heartbeat. “Shit.” She shook them. “Stop it. Go away.” She commanded. And just like that the glow was gone.
“Do you still believe you didn’t break my spell?” Mick asked.
Rose was staring at her now normal hands. She quickly clasped them together as if this would prevent an action replay, and composed herself. She wasn’t going to let them see how shaken she was. “What am I?” She met Mick’s gaze, trying for the cool, calm and collected thing, but was unable to completely mask the desperation in her eyes.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. But whatever you are, you’re powerful. You broke my glamour without an incantation and believe me that should not have happened. Did I mention I’m the most powerful warlock in Europe?”
Maxwell stepped in. “Mick used to be the head of the warlock community in Europe, the warlock representative on the now defunct European Council. He decided to step down and the Council was completely reorganised. Now there is a head of each community in every major city in Europe – Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome etc. London is the head council, like the base to all the other councils throughout the world, the highest, biggest and most important of them all…” he paused before continuing. “Bob is head warlock on the London Council, and originally on the old European Council. Bob was originally residing in Amsterdam, but moved to England to take over as head warlock when it was all reorganised.”
Rose took this all in then addressed Mick. “That’s all very well, but why did you step down.”
“My power increased, people noticed, said people got scared. I guess there was some rivalry, some jealousy and some concern that I was becoming a threat to order.”
“Were you?”
“No! My power has always been somewhat of a curse to me. If I could give it up and lead a normal life I would do so in heart beat.”
Rose could relate to that. “So you quit.”
“I petitioned the London Council to allow me to resign into a semblance of anonymity. They agreed on the condition that I remain under a permanent glamour spell. No one is to gauge my true identity, and in return I get to run the London Registration Office.”
Rose absorbed all this. “Okay, I get all that. But why the old man disguise? You could have made yourself younger, handsomer, a woman…why ancient?”
Mick chuckled. “It is only the truly old that have complete anonymity. The world seems to pass them by without a second thought, their faces a blur.”
Rose nodded, conceding his point. It was true, how many elderly people had she passed today and not given a second glance? Could she even recall one face? The answer was none and no.
There was silence as they all pondered this thought. Maxwell was the first to break it. “Well, I guess I’ll need to contact Bob to arrange someone to look after the shop. Can you take Rose’s details and blood sample while I do that? And while you’re off, you can do a little research, find out just what our friend over here is.”
Mick’s face broke into a wide smile, his eyes twinkling. “With pleasure, it’s been a while since I’ve had a challenge.”
28.
A LOVE LIKE THEIRS’ (PART ONE)
It was early Friday afternoon, the second Friday of October, and Thistle awoke from her daily slumber with a start as a loud crash from the flat above shook the ceiling, causing the dangly crystals on her bedroom light to clang together. Someone must have dropped a safe or something to cause such an unwelcome ruckus.
“Argh!” Thistle threw off her pink silk sheets. “This is a vampire colony, and it’s the middle of the day!” She cursed as she hastily covered her naked body with a purple silk dressing gown.
She made her way along the corridor outside her flat and headed for the stairway leading to the floor above, intent on giving the perpetrator a piece of her mind. All of the black-out blinds were drawn across the hallway windows, a very dim light illuminated her surroundings allowing her to see what she needed to, her vampire vision doing the rest.
Her next door neighbour’s door opened. A bleary-eyed male vampire stepped out, clad in a pair of black silk pyjama bottoms with his chest bare and his long ash-blonde hair in sleep-induced disarray. “What was that noise?”
“I’m going to investigate,” Thistle said grimly. “Don’t you worry, Anthony, I’ll make sure the noise is kept low. Go back to sleep, return to Jared. You have a big night ahead of you.” She moved closer to him and kissed him on the cheek, holding her annoyance with the noisy tenant in check long enough to soothe her friend.
“Thank you, darling Thistle.” Anthony kissed her cheek in return. “Until tonight.”
“Until tonight.” Thistle bowed her head.
Anthony closed his door and Thistle continued on her mission, resisting the urge to thump up the stairs. Lack of sleep always put her in a foul mood.
In the fifth floor hallway, two more vampires were out of their flats– confused and tired, wondering what on Earth had disturbed their daily rest. Thistle reassured them, just as she had done with Anthony, and they returned to their rooms.
Flat 58 was the one she wanted and she knocked gently on the door, only out of respect for the neighbours. If she knew it wouldn’t wake everyone up, Thistle would’ve banged the hell out of the door and possibly kicked it off its hinges.
The door opened almost immediately, artificial light spilling out into the hallway.
The male vampire regarded her with surprise, his expression quickly turning contrite after noting her obvious annoyance. “I woke you didn’t I?” he said in a strong New York accent.
It was Gabriel. She had seen him once since the incident on the roof and she’d had to avoid him. His perfect little smug smile made her hand itch to slap it. Avoidance seemed the best option.
She knew he was soon to be head of the colony and was owed some respect, but she was unable to mask the irritation in her voice. “It’s the middle of the day. What did you expect, a welcome party?”
Gabriel winced. “I’m sorry.”
“Just keep it down okay?” Thistle turned to leave
“While you’re here, I want to talk to you about something.”
Sighing, she turned slowly to face him and enunciated carefully. “It’s the middle of the day.”
Gabriel shuffled uncomfortably before he spoke. “I want us to be friends.”
“Huh?”
“We can be friends. Management is much easier if a level of comradeship is nurtured among the little people.”
Thistle kept her features deliberately blank. “Little people?”
“The vampires not of a senior level like Jeremiah and myself, those not integral to the running of the community.” He explained.
Thistle didn’t much like his patronising tone. She took a step toward the door. “You want to build a sense of comradeship among the vampires in this colony?”
“Of course, it is one of my main objectives.” He smiled smugly.
“Well here’s a tip, stop calling us little people, it’s patronising and derogatory. And it’s the ‘little people’ that are essential to the running of this community. We’re the ones who bring home the bacon that pays for all this.” She waved her arm in an arc to indicate their surroundings.
Gabriel looked momentarily thrown, his smug smile falling completely off his face. But he was quick to regain his composure. “Of course, I will bear that in mind. I meant no offence. I merely wish to get to know my people better, to be a better leader, to keep them safe…”
Thistle rolled her eyes. “You’d get further in this community if you just relaxed a little and spoke to us as equals rather than your minions or something.”
“But-”
“And don’t think I’ve forgotten you tried to have me staked, that’s not exactly a great way to make friends.” She added.
He frowned, looking confused. “It is my duty to mete out punishment by the ancient laws that govern us as a race.”
Thistle yawned. “Gabriel, this is the 21st century. If you want to be useful you could revise some of those ancient laws to bring them up to date. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to bed.” She turned and walked away, leaving him gaping like a fish.
The last thing she heard as she descended the stairs back to her floor was a door being slammed hard.
So he wasn’t as cool and collected as he wanted her to believe.
The sun was setting on what had been a sunny, if not chilly, October day. The sky had been clear and cloudless, nothing but stretches of untainted blue. Not that the vampires of London had seen it. Clear blue skies and sunny days were not their thing. They preferred blue skies of a different kind, the kind that were inky blue, black and blue. And they enjoyed a full moon rather than the sun, finding enrichment bathing in the silver rays the moon goddess, Diana, blessed them with. For the moon gave them their strength, gave them the night in which they could venture out of the compound and into the world. And in the moonlight they were strong, strong like Diana.
Once the sunset had finished casting the pinks and oranges across the sky and daytime hung up its boots and passed the mantle to the night, the vampires would see a full glorious moon.
The moon being at its fullest was cause for celebration. The moon that was coming tonight was cause for an even greater celebration. Tonight was the night of the Harvest Moon.
Thistle was awake again, but this time it was a natural awakening rather than a sudden one. She felt good, refreshed and ready. Soon the announcements would come for the blinds to be lifted. But before the ceremony she would need blood, they all would.
She got out of bed and decided to take a hot bath. Thistle picked out some of her favourite bath oils and poured them in to the running water, inhaling the heady scent of perfume.
She sang under her breath as she selected and poured in further oils, “Pink and purple and gold and red and blue and pearl and green.” When her mixture was complete, and the water was right, she turned off the taps and slipped in.
An hour passed, in which she dressed in a stunning pink dress that showed an inviting amount of cleavage and leg. She styled and spiked her hair and lined her eyes in dark kohl, licking her rosy lips to make them shine. Finally, happy with her appearance, she listened for the announcement to lift the blinds. It followed shortly and she welcomed the rays of the moon into her flat.
“What a beautiful night,” she crooned dreamily, opening the window in her living room to let in a cool breeze. She leaned out of it. “Look at you.” She pointed up to the stars decorating the night sky, all vibrant and twinkling with no clouds to blot them out. “So lovely, so lovely,” she sang. “And oh. Oh, oh, oh. Look at you!” She raised her hands to the sky. “Look at your beauty. Oh, Diana, you truly are a wonder to behold.” She retreated from the window and danced, twirled and sang as the moon shone down on the world, a bright beacon in the flawless night sky.
Excitement bubbled within her, anticipation of the night and week ahead. But there was also sadness– Sienna would be singing her song tonight for Anthony and Jared. It still hurt that she couldn’t give the gift of song to her beautiful friends on their special night. Yet at the same time, she wouldn’t allow herself to wallow in self-pity. The song would be sung, her gift delivered, even if not from her own vocal cords, and the night was beautiful, a night for love.
There was a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” she called.
“It’s Anthony.”
Thistle opened the door and greeted him with a kiss. “Have you looked outside?”
“Isn’t it amazing?” Anthony said. He was tall and dressed elegantly in a gorgeous silver suit. His blonde hair sat in perfect waves on his shoulders. His eyes were a vibrant and luscious shade of blue– a symbol of the night and blood bringing him renewed energy. Thistle’s purple irises were also deep, full, and rich.
A voice called from the hallway. “Praise Diana!”
Another male vampire came into the room. His hair was chocolate brown and he also wore a silver suit– a slightly different design to Anthony’s. His eyes were glowing like two pearls in his handsome, chiselled face.
Anthony turned to him, kissing him passionately on the lips. The kiss ended. “Jared, I love you.”
“I love you too,” Jared said.
Anthony and Jared walked to the window hand in hand to look at the sky. “Look at Diana’s splendour.” Anthony’s tone was reverent.’
“She has blessed us this evening.” Jared stepped closer to Anthony.
Anthony pulled him close. “And we will celebrate our love under her loving light.”
Jared looked at him with wide and adoring eyes. “Tonight we will wed under the full moon. Tonight Diana will bless our love and I will be yours forever.”
They kissed again and Thistle busied herself by rummaging in her wardrobe for her wrap. Their love was blinding to behold, and although she was deeply happy for them, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy at what they had found. Would she ever feel the way they did about anyone? It was a thought that had plagued her often, but one she usually buried in the deep recesses of her mind. Tonight would be harder. She would have to be stronger and believe that one day her time would come. She returned to her friends who smiled warmly at her.
“Thank you for writing us a song.” Jared’s eyes were full of gratitude.
She started in surprise. “You know?” She had thought that Sienna may have claimed the credit.
“Yes.” Jared nodded. “We know everything that happened.”
Anthony placed a hand on her shoulder. “And it doesn’t matter that Sienna is singing it. They are your words and we love you for giving them to us.”
Thistle embraced them, burying her face in Anthony’s shoulder to hide the tears that had sprun
g to her eyes.
“I love you both,” she said in a choked whisper.
“We love you.” Jared squeezed her tight.
“Very much,” said Anthony. “Now we must have some more blood before we all set out for Richmond.”
“Are you nervous?” Thistle asked breaking away to regard them with open curiosity. It wasn’t often that vampires married. Many simply lived as lovers. A marriage was a sacred thing.
“A little.” Anthony admitted. “But happy, and it’s an honour to have the ceremony on a Harvest Moon.”
“An honour and a blessing,” Jared said, taking his fiancé’s hand. “Come, let’s get some blood.”
As they walked away Anthony called out, “See you soon, Thistle.”
Emily, a flaxen-haired beauty stepped into the flat. “They’re such a lovely couple.”
Thistle nodded. “One day I’d like to find a love like theirs’.”
“What about the werewolf?”
Thistle sighed. “I love Roman, but it can never be a love like Anthony and Jared’s, or even Phillip and Cassandra’s.”
“I have never seen them.” Emily frowned
“Really?”
Thistle explained that Phillip and Cassandra were an old vampire couple who lived on the top floor of the building. “They are both so close to fade out now. But their love is so strong that they will fade together. Neither one of them would leave one behind. They have been married for 500 years in blissful happiness. You will see them at the ceremony and they will be talking at the wedding too, to add their well wishes to Diana’s blessings. Their love is a symbol of hope to lovers like Anthony and Jared.”
Emily smiled at the sentiment. “And that’s not going to be with the werewolf?”
“I love Roman as a friend. Our relationship is more of sexual gratification and companionship.” Seeing the look of scepticism on Emily’s face she decided to elaborate. “We care about one another and we love each other. But I’m not in love with him and he’s not in love with me.” She smiled wickedly. “And we both have other partners too– it’s a very open arrangement.”