"Hi, Moon, how goes it?" asked Ragger, treating their company to a cheeky grin. He noticed Ellie. "Hey! A new face, aren't you going to introduce us?"
"Hi Ragger, this is Ellie, she's a friend of Sonia's; Ellie, meet Suzy and Ragger, two stalwarts of the Hangman's Rest."
"Oh, I'm a bit too short to be a stalwart," said Ragger, self-effacingly, "although some people might agree to the 'wart' part." He grinned again and stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Ellie, and welcome to the Rest."
"Pleased to meet you," replied Ellie, shaking his hand with obvious amusement. "And you too, Suzy." She smiled up nervously at the tattooed and pierced Amazon who towered over her.
Suzy smiled shyly and muttered a muted, "Nice to meet you."
"The great buff and beautiful one told me to put aside some tickets for you," said Ragger, whose impression of Uri hadn't improved over the last few months. Grabbing a rubber stamp from the table, he pressed it onto the back of Moon's hand, leaving the black outline of a grinning skull with a rose in its teeth imprinted on his skin. As he did this Ragger caught Moon's eye, looked over at Ellie and whispered conspiratorially, "Wow! Legs!" then rolled his eyes and whistled softly.
"Yeah," Moon whispered and nodded. "Quite phenomenal, aren't they?"
"Are you two through with ogling my friend?" vibed Sonia testily. "Or do you want me to ask her to let you have a closer look… If she can avoid treading on your tongues, that is?"
Moon was beginning to wonder if being able to communicate with Sonia by vibing was a good thing. "Sorry, love, but you have to admit they are very nice legs, and you and Avril have displayed them to wonderful effect. Blokes just can't help being appreciative of that sort of thing."
"Okay, but just remember that I'm wearing a miniskirt too. A few more appreciative glances in my direction wouldn't go amiss!"
Moon checked out Sonia's short but shapely legs. They looked very nice under a pair of fine, slightly sparkly, black tights with a border of stylised batwings running down the outside seam. "Your legs are lovely," he replied truthfully. "It's just, well, stockings... You know, that little gap at the top does strange things to the male libido."
"You never told me that you had a lingerie fetish." They entered the function room and were greeted by a wall of sound and heaving bodies.
"I don't," replied Moon petulantly. "No more than any other guy, anyway. I think it's just plumbed into our genes. You know, like poor personal hygiene and an aversion to weepy movies."
"What does everyone want, it's my shout?" asked Moon as loud as he could over the sound of the band. Blood Velvet were playing one of their livelier numbers. It was called 'Violet Moonshine', and combined a traditional gypsy violin dance tune with Roanne's heavy bass guitar and ethereal vocals, all supported by a strong, pulsing rhythm from Charli on drums. Uri leapt around the small stage like an electrified demon and sawed at his violin with his bow, so passionately that Moon would not have been surprised to see smoke rising from the strings. Down at the front of the audience several Uri look-alikes of assorted shapes and sizes attempted poor impersonations of his style. "God, he’s got his own fan-club," Moon muttered under his breath.
"Sad, isn't it?" yelled Avril, nodding to indicate a particularly chubby Uri clone. "They don't seem to be able to understand that they look utterly absurd!"
Moon glanced surreptitiously at Avril's generous figure, trussed up in an artful combination of black lace, purple velvet and corsetry – all combined with well applied make-up to give her the required blood-starved undead look. Thoughts of pots and kettles filled his head. "Aw, give the guys a break," he yelled. "They're enjoying themselves. Where's the harm in it?"
Despite the crowd at the bar, it didn't take long for Moon to get attention because Kate was serving and she was still pleased with him for the free publicity his article had given the Hangman's Rest. Leaving the bar with their drinks on a tray, Moon found his way blocked by a mass of gyrating bodies. "Where are you?" he vibed at the top of his ghost-voice. "Over here!" The replies came from several different directions, but Moon recognised Sonia's vibe and studiously ignored the beckoning arms of an assortment of spirits situated around the room. He made his way carefully to a small table in an alcove, where the girls had established themselves out of the main blare of the music.
"They're really good!" Ellie shrieked over the music, nodding towards the band.
Moon nodded his head vigorously then paused in mid-nod as he glanced towards the stage. Wispy blue tendrils of spirit energy drifted towards the stage, where they coalesced into three distinct streams that seemed to earth themselves in the foreheads of each of the vampires. He vibed Sonia and nodded at the stage, "Do you see?"
Sonia gazed at the band. "Yeah, I think I do. Do you think they’re feeding off the audience, somehow?"
Moon nodded. "Uri told me about this, they feed off the energy and belief generated by their fans. He reckons it's totally benign but it's still weird to watch it happen."
"I think it's actually quite beautiful," replied Sonia. "A true symbiosis, they give the audience music and a really great time and we give them power."
"Plus plenny to spare!" It was one of the ghosts who had answered Moon's hail earlier on. Up close, Moon recognised him as Dick, the card-sharp, who haunted the window corner in the main bar and, to Moon's surprise, he was glowing with bright blue energy.
Moon watched tiny sparks of lightning flickering at the edges of the ghost's translucent frame. "So all that's caused by the energy build up in here?"
"Aye, an' it's wunnerful. All this life energy fillin' the place gives a body a real boost."
"Who's your friend?" asked Sonia.
"Sonia, this is Dick. I don't really know much about him except that he haunts the barroom."
Dick doffed his floppy hat, revealing the thin bald dome of his skull, and said, "Richard Reese M'dear, gen'lman gambler an' frien' t' the ladies."
"And that's a line I bet you've used a million times," replied Sonia. Clearly charmed in spite of herself by Dick’s shabby brand of gallantry.
"Hey everybody!" squealed Ellie excitedly, pointing in the general direction of Dick. "Do you see a kind of glow in the air over there?"
"Best scarper," vibed Dick. He quickly blinked out of sight and appeared an instant later, elsewhere in the crowd.
"Oh, it's gone," said Ellie disappointedly.
"I suppose it was just a trick of the light, love," replied Sonia. "Might have guessed she'd be a borderline psychic with the number of late-night discussions we've had on the subject," she vibed to Moon.
"Yeah," said Moon. "There's a lot of smoke in the air in here, I guess an oddly shaped wisp got caught in one of the stage lights."
"You must be right," Ellie agreed reluctantly. "But just for an instant there it looked like a face. Old places like this, you know, they soak up a lot of psychic energy." Moon nodded in mild agreement, as if it were something to which he hadn't given much thought.
Avril looked sharply at Moon and Sonia. She clearly thought something supernatural and dangerous was going on. "It's okay," Sonia mouthed to her flatmate while Ellie's head was turned towards the stage. “I’ll tell you later.”
They stopped trying to communicate over the music and sat back to enjoy the show. When Uri announced their next number, 'Lilies and Lace', Sonia dragged Moon to his feet announcing, "We're going to dance to this one, see you later guys."
The song was a slow, romantic number with a waltz-like beat. Uri's violin added a clear and soulful counterpoint to the combination of Roanne's soprano and Charli's keyboard accompanied mezzo-soprano. "This is beautiful," commented Moon, as he and Sonia held each other tightly on the dance floor.
"Yes, I've been wanting to dance to this one with you ever since we first met," she replied, reaching up with her mouth and kissing him.
"Mmm!" he replied, returning the kiss and holding her closer, as the wistful melody seemed to become part of their souls, making them feel like they never da
red part again.
After what seemed like an eternity frozen in a crystal of time, the number finally drew to a close. "Wow!" said Moon, wondering what they had just shared. "Was that magic?"
"Perhaps it was just our magic for each other," replied Sonia. "Don't try to analyse it; you'll ruin it."
"I suppose so," replied Moon reluctantly. He hated things that he couldn't explain. "Looks like Ellie's enjoying herself anyway," he commented, nodding over to their table where Avril and Ellie sat chatting with Roger and a tall, rangy Goth with what appeared to be naturally dark hair, as opposed to the hard black dye-jobs a lot of Goths affected.
"I should say so, that's Rufus, the guitarist from Unquiet Grave, and he looks pretty smitten."
They returned to their table, where Moon and Sonia had to share a chair to make room for the newcomer. "Rufus, this is Moon," said Avril. "And, of course, you know Sonia."
Rufus nodded. "Hi Moon, I read your article in Venue. It was really good stuff."
"Glad you liked it," replied Moon. "They've given me a regular slot for music related items now. My next one's due in next month's issue. It's about the local blues guitar scene."
"No… really? I'll have to keep an eye out for that one." The enthusiasm of Rufus' reply surprised Moon as the Grave's music tended towards the heavier end of the Goth spectrum. "My dad plays blues guitar around the local circuit,” Rufus continued. “He’s called Donny MacRoss, perhaps you've heard of him?"
"Yes, I had a short interview with him a couple of weeks ago. I like his stuff."
"Dad taught me all I know about guitar," yelled Rufus over the start of the next number. "I still try to find time to go to his gigs when I can." Rufus tried to continue but his voice was overwhelmed by a screaming guitar chord.
Uri had hung up his violin and picked up what looked like a genuine vintage Stratocaster. His long fingers danced skilfully up and down the fretboard as the band played the intro to a song that Roanne announced was called 'Baroquetta'. The starting riff sounded like a Bach fugue as Uri's fingers traced an almost mathematical progression up his guitar's neck, mirrored exactly by Roanne's long but dainty digits walking up the strings of her bass. Charli played counterpoint on her keyboards, her long, blue-black hair flicking wildly as she focussed all of her energy into the music. Suddenly, she executed a wild turn, dragged her drumsticks from a quiver on her hip with a flourish, and attacked her electronic drum-pad with equal fervour as the song went into the first verse. Uri and Roanne started singing a West Coast Rock style duet:
"Your face is an echo from long ago, Your beauty is young but you seem so old…" Uri sang in his rich, chocolaty baritone, his dancing fingers switching to chord shapes as he concentrated on the words.
"…And now I'm here to steal your soul... Sad Baroquetta!" Roanne's soprano took on an eerie edge as she played the part of a tragic ghost who stalked the centuries, desperate for love but cursed with a terrible hunger, that drove her to consume the soul of every man who tried to love her. Moon wondered which member of the trio had written the song and whether it could be autobiographical. The song concluded when Baroquetta finally found a lover so passionate that, instead of her curse consuming him, their love consumed them both, transforming them into a single eternal flame. Moon was a bit puzzled by this turn of events - but songs didn't necessarily have to make sense, did they?
This was officially the final song of the set but at the demand of the audience Blood Velvet played another adapted gipsy violin piece for an encore then wound up their act - despite further insistence from their fans that they play on - to make way for the main bands of the evening. Their set over, the band helped the roadies stash away their instruments then walked out into the audience, stopping to acknowledge greetings and congratulations as they made their way towards Moon and the girls' table.
"Well, Moon," said Uri. "Roanne tells me you've been having a few problems."
"Yes," replied Moon. "But I'd rather not talk about them here," he nodded, almost imperceptibly, towards Ellie. "Uri, I'd like you to meet Ellie, she's an old friend of Sonia's."
Uri bowed and kissed Ellie's hand. Somehow, with Uri dressed in his eighteenth century stage costume of black satin and white lace, this didn't seem at all out of place. "Ya ochen ocharovan," he said as he placed a kiss in the palm of her hand. "Vui, ochen krasaveetza - You are very beautiful."
Even masked by her pale make-up, Moon could see a dark blush riding up Ellie's neck as she looked up, tongue-tied, at the blond giant. "Oh don't pay him any notice, love" said Roanne irritably. "He'd like to think that he could charm the birds out of the trees if we'd let him."
"I think he probably could," replied Ellie, raising her hand to her neckline. "Somehow, 'Hi, Uri,' doesn't seem to cut the mustard after that introduction."
"When it comes from one as charming as you it is eloquence itself," replied Uri. "Hi yourself, Ellie."
"Oh, leave it off!" complained Roanne. "Honestly, he's always like this after a gig. Too much adoration from the fans and it makes him think he's the bee's knees! Isn't that right, Charli?"
"Indeed," replied the quietest member of the trio. "He can be quite exasperating."
"Boszhe moi!" Uri caressed his forehead in mock despair and fixed Moon with a twinkling eye. "Celtic women! Have nothing to do with them, my friend. Once you let them into your life you get no respect; no respect at all!"
Uri seemed more Russian than usual and Moon wondered if all the energy he had absorbed during the performance may have left him a little drunk. In fact all three vampires seemed to be very exuberant, even Charli who was now chatting away with Roanne and the girls. "I'm sure there are compensations, Uri," he replied, casting a meaningful glance at Roanne's near perfect bottom.
Uri smiled mysteriously. "Oh, yes, there are." He checked that the others were deep in conversation then asked, "What's this about one of Rurik's followers trying to kill you?"
"Someone who was a dead ringer for our description for the ring leader of the bunch behind the abductions tried to run me down in his four-by-four this afternoon. I guess Rurik must know we're onto them. We wouldn't have come out but Sonia and Ellie had made previous plans and we thought we'd better make it look like 'business as usual'."
Uri shook his head. "Oh, Moon! I hadn't expected things to escalate this far or I wouldn't have insisted that you get involved."
"It's not your fault, Uri; there are a number of other supernatural parties who have been just as insistent, if not more so. I suppose it's just a job I was meant to do." He grimaced. "Anyway, we finally have a clue to where Rurik's hiding out."
"We have?"
"Yes, one of those 'other parties' I mentioned told me that If I wanted to find Rurik I should look for a 'blighted place'. Now, strangely enough, there was an item on the local news tonight about a strange disease that's been attacking the vegetation on a section of the Downs up between Ladies Mile and the Circular Road. Have you any idea if there are any underground workings in that area?"
"Of course I do! The Severn Beach Line of the Severn Valley Railway runs right under that part of the Downs. I remember them digging the tunnel for it in the eighteen eighties." The vampire stroked his chin. "What else is under there, I wonder? Because of this city's past connections with smuggling there are many secret, hidden away places in Bristol.” Uri raised his bright blue eyes to regard Moon. “You know, the Ministry of Defence moved into several of those during the Second World War and, no doubt, made their own modifications and extensions. There could be a substantial complex down there for all we know."
"Yes, well I think that's worth investigating," Moon looked over at the girls, "but not tonight. Tonight we want to show Ellie a good time. Have you any suggestions?"
Uri nodded enthusiastically. "I know just the place."
Chapter 25
The night outside seemed strangely quiet after the noise of the band when they left the smoky humidity of the pub for the slightly cooler environment of the mid-June evening.
Roger and Rufus were playing later in the evening so they couldn't come along with the rest of them. Rufus had almost begged Ellie to stay and hear their set but this had only succeeded in making Ellie wary that he might be too keen on her. The streets were virtually unpopulated, because most of those who were out for their Saturday night fun were already in the bar or club of their choice, although their small party of Goths did receive a few cat calls from a group of ageing skateboard punks, who were practising their manoeuvres on the footpaths crossing College Green. It was a fifteen minute walk from the Rest to the bottom of Park Street, where Uri led them down a side alley to an arched doorway with a small neon sign over it, which read: 'Encrypted'. "This is the place," he said," opening the door, "We won't have any trouble getting in here dressed in our Goth gear; the manager's a Goth himself."
They walked into a small entrance hall that resembled the chapel of an old-fashioned funeral parlour mated with a 1930's theatre foyer. It was all purple plush velvet and silver cherubs. On closer examination, Moon realised that the latter had bats' wings and tiny fangs protruding from under their chubby baby lips. The girl in the ticket booth, who was dressed like a Hammer Horror version of Alice in Wonderland, broke into a wide grin when she saw Uri. "Hello my luvver!" she cried in what Moon hoped was an exaggerated Bristol accent. "How's my favourite vamp then?"
Under a Ghostly Moon (Jerry Moon Supernatural Thrillers Book 1) Page 28