by Jones, L. A.
"Kaiser?"
"Whose there?" the deep voice repeated.
"It's me Kai, it's Aradia."
"Aradia?"
She groaned. "Aradia Preston? You know the girl who helped solve your dad's murder and risked her life to help you?"
The door slowly creaked open, and Aradia smiled. Her smile vanished quickly as she saw that she was now staring down the barrel of a shotgun.
"What do you want?" He snarled.
"First of all, I would like not to have a gun pointed at me," Aradia said with her voice quaking a little. "Second, I would like to have world peace. Third, I would like to apologize my father for hitting him. Fourth, I would like to thank my mother for being such a great mother. Fifth, I would like to tell Melina I am sorry for not helping her. Sixth, I would like to tell Roy that I am also sorry for letting his Uncle/Alpha die..."
"Adrian's dead?" Kaiser said. He finally pulled the gun away from Aradia's face and stared at her.
After breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Aradia nodded.
Kaiser looked out into the hallway and quickly shifted his gaze from left to right.
"Get in!" he ordered.
He didn't even want for Aradia to respond before pushing her into his dingy apartment. He slammed the door and locked all three bolts. When he turned around, Aradia was staring at him inquisitively.
"What?" he said as he put the gun down.
"Does the term 'jumpy' mean anything to you?" Aradia couldn't help but point out much to Kaiser's chagrin.
He just growled as he went to his fridge. Aradia looked at all the filth laying around the floor.
"I guess your mom isn't that good of a housekeeper eh?" Aradia asked. She had meant it as a joke but could tell by Kaiser's face that he didn't take it as one.
"My mom's not here," he growled.
"Well obviously," Aradia began.
"No you don't understand," Kaiser snapped, "this isn't my mom's place. I live here on my own."
"Huh?" Aradia was genuinely shocked. "But the last time we saw each other..."
"Yeah well," Kaiser snarled as he reached into the fridge, "things change Rai!"
He pulled out a milk bottle and drained it dry. After belching and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand was when he looked back at her.
After staring at her for a few minutes is when he started to explain. "Things were going okay with me and my mom for a while but...For Christ's sake I never wanted an education. I never wanted to be a doctor or nothing. I never wanted to have a big shot lifestyle or some shit."
"You dropped out of school?" Aradia asked.
Kaiser snorted. "Kicked out actually."
"What happened?"
He shrugged. "Got caught dealing weed in the bathroom."
Aradia's widened again.
"What?" Kaiser asked again.
She thought about cracking a joke about his stupidity or at least the stupidity of his situation but then remembered that Kaiser had a gun.
The state I am in, Aradia realized, it be most unwise to provoke him into anger.
"Oh nothing," Aradia said, "I was just wondering what happened after that?"
Kaiser laughed a full throated sarcastic laugh. "What do you think? My mom kicked me out and I have been living here ever since."
"You have been dealing as well huh?" Aradia remarked.
"Whatever," Kaiser snapped. He then slammed the fridge door closed and stared at her. After a few tense moments, he snapped once again. "So you going to tell what you are doing here or what?"
Aradia sighed. "I was hoping we could talk..."
"About what?"
Aradia massaged her face with her hand. I might as well be honest. "I was hoping to talk to you about..." She paused to gather strength.
"About what?" Kaiser repeated.
"About drugs!" Aradia cried out. Her eyes completely clenched.
Now it was Kaiser's eyes that went wide. "What?"
Aradia sighed. "It's like this Kaiser, there is this new drug being sold in Salem. It's called Rage and I need to know more about it. Since you are the only drug dealer I know, and you owe me I thought..." She trailed off and hoped to God she hadn't given Kaiser a reason to kill her.
"Owe you?" Kaiser spat, "I don't owe you nothing!"
"Oh yes you do Kaiser!" Aradia shouted, "I helped you solve your dad's murder. If it wasn't for me you never would have found out the truth. You never would have found out that Dereck Caradoc was the one who had killed him. You never would have found out anything without me. You can't deny it. Whether you do or don't it doesn't matter because either way you owe me. And I need your help. No to be more specific I need the help of a drug dealer and unfortunately you are the only one I know!"
Kaiser didn't say anything while Aradia took deep breaths. Five seconds seemed to pass where he just stared at her. Afterwards he groaned and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Alright," he conceded, "we'll talk."
"One thing first though," said Aradia.
Kaiser raised his eyes.
Aradia gulped and said, "would you please put some clothes on?"
Kaiser looked down and that's when he realized that all he was wearing were his very transparent briefs. He laughed but still went to his room and pulled out some pants. After putting them on is when he came back and saw Aradia sitting on his couch.
Kaiser sat next to her and asked, "what do you want to know?"
"About the drug Rage?" Aradia clarified, "Every damn thing!"
Chapter Twenty-Five
"I don't know that much about it," Kaiser stated bluntly. "Except it's a relatively new drug being manufactured by the thousands. It's dirt-cheap and can be used anyway possible. Nobody knows the contents or recipe but judging by the way it makes people high I don't think anyone really cares."
"Do you know whose making it?" Aradia asked.
Kaiser shook his head. "Only whoever is making them has got some serious scratch. There's no way to make that amount of drug in so short of time without having some serious cash to spread around."
"So whoever is making Rage is rich?"
Kaiser just shrugged. "I don't know. What I do know is this stuff is being imported from out of the country."
"So it's completely untraceable," Aradia said with a grim expression.
Kaiser exhaled a breath through his nose. "Not necessarily."
"Hmm?" Aradia inquired.
Kaiser stood up and raked his fingers through his hair. It looked like he was deep thought. After a few moments, he turned to face her. "Give me a few days and I might have some more info."
"What are you going to do?" Aradia couldn't help but ask.
He shrugged. "I have some leads to check out. I might be able to find out more info about Rage for you but I will need at least a week."
After agreeing to a future meeting spot and time Aradia left Kaiser's apartment. She didn't realize until after she left the building that night had already fallen. Oh crap, she thought, I am out here alone with no money and with my power practically at zero level.
In other words, she was completely vulnerable and helpless. As she walked out of the building she stuck to the lighted streets as best as she could. Avoiding eye contact as best as she could and with fear coursing through her veins. Homeless people, men smoking, and women wearing too much make-up leered at her and made suggestive comments. It was all she could do from breaking out into a run. Instead she tried to control her fear and kept walking down the street. Never realizing that if she was too busy looking at the ground she couldn't see where she was going.
Therefore, it wasn't really surprising that a swirl of grayish black smoke came out of nowhere and was able to pin her against a wall. Vampire! Aradia realized and extremely frightened.
"You smell so good," he crooned as he licked Aradia's neck, "I wonder if you taste the same."
He giggled before extending his fangs. "Only one way to find out I guess."
Aradia struggled as best as she
could but without her powers she was helpless. Unless...
She quickly brought her leg up and kicked him in the groin. As he doubled up, Aradia used her purse to hit him in the face. She dashed into the building as quick as she could. The vampire tried to follow but since he hadn't been invited in he couldn't budge past the door. Aradia went straight to the elevator and pressed the nearest button. The vampire growled as soon as the doors closed. However, after hearing the ping and seeing the floor buttons above the elevator light up he smirked.
Aradia breathed heavily and pressed herself against the back of the elevator. She glanced at the button she pushed. Her heart sank a little when she realized it was the top floor. May be a blessing in disguise, she realized, once I reach the top floor I can call Saul and ask him to come get me. Although she shuddered to think how angry he would be.
Regardless, the moment the elevator stopped Aradia flipped open her phone. Her heart sank once she realized the top floor was nothing more than an outdoor pool. A creepy one covered with a huge tarp and completely bare with no pool furniture at all.
I guess it wouldn't do for there to be a winter storm and have chairs blown off the building! Aradia mused. She chuckled as she left the elevator. She walked a few feet outside before dialing Saul's number. She spun in a semi-circle as she waited for him to pick up. Her back was to the edge of the building so she didn't see a white hand with long claws grip the edge.
After a while of hearing nothing but busy signals Saul finally answered. "Hello?"
"Saul I...ohhhh!"
Aradia's phone was yanked out of her hand and crushed in front of her face. I am not really having that much luck with phones am I?
The vampire didn't seem to notice her chagrin. He was too busy licking his chops. "How considerate of you to help me to work up an appetite."
Aradia tried to run from him but he reached out and grabbed her arm. He then pulled her into an iron embrace with an arm over her stomach and a hand in her hair.
"Please," Aradia tried to beg, "don't eat me. I don't want to die!"
The vampire just shrugged casually. "Everybody has to die sometime sweetie, you might as well die now."
He extended his fangs one more time and Aradia clenched her eyes. His fangs had barely grazed her neck before he froze. Aradia wondered what was going on. Suddenly some unseen force seized the vampire and hoisted him up into the air. Aradia fell to the ground and turned around to see what it was. Her eyes grew as big as dinner plates and her mouth fell open.
It was a huge creature standing on two legs with grayish stone skin and huge black bat wings protruding from its wings. It had a huge grey lips with fangs sticking out from the bottom and the top. It had a flat bat snout, bat ears, and it's eyes glowed bright yellow as its huge clawed hands seized the vampire in its arms. As the vampire squeaked and squirmed the creature opened its mouth and a long forked tongue emerged. Without any further hesitation the creature sunk its mouth full of teeth onto the neck of the vampire.
Aradia screamed and hastily got to her feet. She kept her eyes on the creature as she backed away but was too frightened to realize she was nearing the edge of the building. She finally did but only when she tripped on the cracked remains of her phone and fell sideways. In a feeble attempt to save herself she reached out to grab the stone wall but her fingers missed by a mere inch.
"Help me!!!" Aradia screeched as she began to plummet towards the ground.
The creature heard her cry and thrust the withering vampire away. He got to the edge and looked down at the falling Aradia. After one moment of hesitation, the creature stood on the wall with it's big clawed feet and dove off. It extended its large wings and sped towards Aradia who was still screaming and clawing at the air. The creature then reached out its long arms and seized Aradia. At this point Aradia had stopped screaming. She just stared wide eyed at the creature as it began to glide along the night wind. It then soared up towards the edge of another building until they finally reached the roof. The moment they did, the creature set Aradia on its feet. Aradia immediately stepped back and saw the creature in full frontal view. It wore a thick brown leather loin cloth around it's waist but that was all it wore. It wore no shoes, no jacket, or anything in spite of it being very windy. The creature had no hair whatsoever not even on its chest. Aradia just stared at the creature towering over her.
"Who are you?" the creature finally asked, "What were you doing on that rooftop? And why was that vampire after you?"
Aradia just stared at him. When she finally managed to say something it sounded more like an realization than anything else. "You can talk?!"
The creature rolled its eyes where were no longer glowing. "Yes I can talk. I can also speak five other different languages, do math calculations in my head, and recite all fifty states and capitals in the United States."
Aradia was impressed but she still couldn't stop herself from asking,"what are you?""
The creature's chest rose and fell before he spoke. "I am a gargoyle."
Chapter Twenty-Six
"Wait what?" Aradia said, "you are a what?"
"I am a gargoyle," the creature repeated, "otherwise known as a stone devil or a vampire reject."
"A what?"
The gargoyle sighed. "A vampire reject meaning a creature that was meant to turn into a vampire and yet was not able to complete the transformation."
Aradia was intrigued. "Why were you not able to complete the transformation?"
"It takes three nights to become a vampire. Three nights of draining the blood of your victim until they seem near death. Only one night until after they are buried do they finally become vampires."
"However," he added sounding spiteful, "if the vampire fails to drain the victim in three nights by the second or the first night the mutation starts."
"Mutation?" Aradia repeated.
"Yes the transformation of turning from human into...something else. Vampires are part bat and unless the human and bat DNA properly crosses over to your own body you cannot complete the transformation. The bat DNA takes over completely and mutates your body into a half man half bat form."
"Hence the wings and...stuff," Aradia said as she pointed them out.
The gargoyle simply nodded. "But enough about me why were you on that rooftop and why did that vampire attack you?"
Aradia shrugged. "I think it's kind of obvious why."
The gargoyle just folded his arms and stared at her.
Aradia sighed before stating bluntly, "he was trying to eat me."
"Why?"
"Because he is a vampire," Aradia practically spat, "and that's what vampires do."
The gargoyle seemed satisfied with her explanation. He then turned to leave but Aradia caught him by the arm. "Wait!"
"What?"
"I just wanted..." Aradia began, "I just wanted to thank you for saving my life."
The gargoyle stiffened.
After a few minutes he muttered under his breath, "your welcome."
He stood by the edge of the building and spread his wings.
"Wait!" Aradia cried out again.
"What now?" He almost snapped.
"When can I see you again?"
The gargoyle spun around with his grotesque face twisted into an expression of surprise. "What?"
Aradia shrugged. "When can I see you again?"
The gargoyle still looked confused. "Why would you want to?"
Aradia groped for an acceptable answer. "You saved my life the least I could do is get to know you better."
The gargoyle stood and stared at her in utter confusion. Aradia swallowed hard as she awaited his answer.
Finally he sighed and said, "tomorrow night at this spot you can come see me. I will be here."
"After dark?" Aradia clarified.
The gargoyle nodded.
Once again he turned to leave but Aradia couldn't help but ask one more question. "What's your name?"
The gargoyle didn't turn this time. He just muttered, "A
grippa. My name is Agrippa."
After that he just dived off and soared through the sky and out of Aradia's sight.
"How goes the attempts to win the witch over to our side?" Morgan asked.
Before Saul had left the Sovereign's castle a year ago, Morgan had given him a special mahogany box. If Morgan was to open the box all she would have to do is read the spell engraved on its side, speak the name of the person she wished to contact, and open it. If the person had a similar box then they could speak to one another. This was how Saul had been reporting his progress so far. Before he would have just called them on his cell phone but with Aradia living with him he couldn't take that risk. If she were to look at his phone and press re-dial then everything would be ruined!
Saul shook his head banishing such thoughts. He was sitting in his hotel room, and had been making frantic phone calls since Aradia had disappeared. Of course this would be the time that Morgan would choose to contact him and ask for a progress report.
Saul shuffled his feet and stared at the ground. "Pretty well I would say."
"Oh? Then I guess you wouldn't mind if I talk to her do you?"
Saul stiffened. "Uh...well...you see..."
"You lost her didn't you?"
Saul averted Morgan's scalding gaze.
"The Sovereign will not be pleased," was all she said.
Saul's head shot up as he gripped the edges of the box. "Please! Please Morgan! I beg you do not tell him." In a frantic attempt to save his skin he blurted, "if you don't tell him I will do you a favor. We can work something out I swear."
"That all depends," Morgan said in her uneven and strangely disembodied voice. "Are you making progress with the witch or aren't you?"
"I have succeeded in getting her to trust me, I have isolated her from her friends and family, and Tobias just informed me that Aradia's title and position has been taken away!"
"Does she know of this?" Morgan inquired.
Saul gulped. "Well no..."
He braced himself in case he angered her.
Morgan, however, merely shrugged and said, "she is bound to find out eventually. My visions of her are getting blurry that is what truly concerns me."