Part One: Night World (1/?)
By Kristofer Armstrong
Copyright 1997.
Disclaimer:
Sliders, and it's characters are property of St. Claire Entertainment/MCA/Universal.
Night World and it's inhabitants belongs to its creator, L.J. Smith.
No permission was given (by them) to use their characters/ideas.
Spoiler Warning: This story takes place during and after the episode entitled "Stoker" and includes references to other episodes including "Dragon Slide".
INTRO:
"C'mon, you can tell me...did your father ever hurt you?" asked Harker, lead singer of the Goth-Rock band, Stoker.
"Yes." whispered the blond haired, teenage groupie.
"Have you ever told anyone about it?"
"Just my mother; But she just called me a liar, and after slapping me across the face, told me never to bring up the subject again."
"Sounds like denial to me. She probably didn't want to believe that something like that could happen right under her own nose. It's pretty common."
"I think...I think that I need help."
"Oh? What sort of help?"
"Help me get away from him."
"Come now, you know that running away isn't an answer-anyway, what about your mother? Maybe you could..."
"That bitch? I could care less if she got hit by a car or something!" She said, cutting him off.
Harker visibly shuddered; He hated the way these valley girls talked. He glanced at his pocket watch; however, it since it was getting late, he'd have to hurry. Growing tired of this charade, he continued to listen to her babble on until she finally got to the point.
"It won't be running away, it'll be like a vacation or something. Me and you can go somewhere and..." snuggling up next to him, she gasped. "You're so cold!" And began to step away from him.
Grasping her wrists with inhuman quickness, he pulled her close and smiled wide, exposing her fangs.
"You were saying, my dear?"
"Please, don't hurt me!" She begged.
"Hurt you? Come now, I would never hurt you; In fact this will probably be the most pleasurable experience in your pathetic, little life." Harker said, as he sank his fangs into her neck and drank deeply.
His hunger sated, he dropped the body to the floor. Motioning for his Renfield to come forward from his place in the shadows. "Dispose of this." Pointing to the dead girl's body.
"Yes, Master."
"When is Wade due?"
"In about an hour and a half, Master."
"Good. When she arrives. bring her to my private chambers."
Renfield gasped. The Master's private chambers? Why that could only mean one thing-he was going to turn her into a vampire! Noticing the look on his master's face, he quickly replied. "As you wish Master. Oh, and Master, will you require my services afterwards?"
"No, Renfield. The evening is yours to do with as you want. However, be back before dawn."
"Thank you Master. You're most generous." said Renfield, as he hurried to do as his master had asked.
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CHAPTER ONE:
(Same world, some time later...)
After twisting the broken stick into Harker's chest, Quinn was amazed at how the vampire's body disintegrated; After staring for several moments, Quinn rushed over to where Wade was huddling against the wall.
"Don't touch me!" snapped Wade.
"Wade?" Quinn said, concern clearly in his voice. "Are you o.k.? Did he..." Quinn gulped. "Did he hurt you?"
"Hurt me?" whispered Wade, as she stood up, her voice rising loudly. "He did a hell of alot more than hurt me!"
Grabbing Quinn his shirt, and pulled him face-to-face, she hissed. "Look at what he did to me!" Letting him see her stereotypical vampiric features-and rage.
"Jesus!" Quinn yelled, then quietly continued. "Oh, Wade. I'm so sorry! Maybe on the next world that we slide to will have...some way to cure you."
"And if there wasn't a cure? Then what? Are you gonna cure me the same you cured Harker?" Wade said as she picked Quinn up a good two feet off of the ground. Hissing acidly, she continued. "Will you hunt me too?"
Tossing Quinn away, she turned to leave, saying "If I'm not back for the slide, leave without me."
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Sundown, several worlds later:
Wade awoke with a gasp, startled by her surroundings. Then remembering where she was, she relaxed, recalling what had happened since her conversion into a vampire.
On her way out of the Dominion Hotel, Wade heard her name being called. Searching, she found that it was just the guys. They seem to taken her condition fairly well. Remmy even had found somewhere that could make a collapseable coffin for her. Wade liked the idea of it. One moment it looked like a attache case, the next it popped open and expanded into a coffin. Also, it's size didn't put much strain on the timer.
To avoid getting caught by the sun rays on the next world(s) that they visited, Quinn had gotten her a monk's robes, similar to those he wore during 'Dragon Slide'', where Quinn was mistaken for a Druid sorcerer.
Hell, Wade had to admit that even Maggie, as bitchy as her superiority complex had made her, was nice to Wade. Wade wondered if she was maybe even a little fearful. Grinning, she caught up with them.
"Wade we're gonna go grab a bite..."
"Me too." Wade interjected, smiling wider to expose her fangs.
Quinn shook himself, and finished his sentence "...To eat before the next slide, in..." checking the timer, he continued. "Approximately two hours. Want to come along?"
"No thanks. I'll be back before the slide, I'll meet you back at the hotel. Agreed?" Wade said, turning to leave.
"Sure. See you later. Bye!" Quinn said, as he and the guys left for dinner.
END CHAPTER ONE.
CHAPTER TWO:
Walking through the slums, Wade noticed that a man was following her. "Good, at least I won't keep the guys waiting for too long." thought Wade. As she rounded a building corner, a pair of rough, calloused hands grabbed her and pulled her inside. Slamming the door shut, a voice said, "Keep your mouth shut, do as your told, and I promise that you won't get hurt...anymore than what's necessary, that is."
The man began to undo his pants, when the door opened and closed. The man called out, "Ray? That you?"
"Yes it's me, John. Where's that fine red-head at?"
"Oh shit. They're using names-most likely their real ones-Which means not only are they going to rape me, they're also gonna kill me!" thought Wade.
"She looks damn fine...I'll go first." said Ray.
"No you will not! I don't want your sloppy seconds!" shouted John.
Suddenly, they stopped talking, shook their heads in unison, and said, "Together."
To Wade, the whole conversation seemed to be a perverted scene from an old cartoon show she used to watch as a child, called 'The Goofy Gophers'; where each gopher would argue about who got to do something first. Swallowing, she said, "C'mon boys, one at a time now...please?"
Sighing, she waited until she felt their hands upon her before she unleashed what little holds she kept on her vampiric hunger and rage. Grabbing Ray's hand and twisting it off, she leapt onto John as he ran for the door. Their screams filled the building, then suddenly stopped; Soon Wade was on her way back to the Dominion Hotel to meet the guys and shower.
END CHAPTER TWO.
CHAPTER THREE:
A wormhole opened in an alleyway, and four dazed people fell out.
One person, dressed in monk's robes, looks at the horizon, and seeing that it was dark, quickly sheds them, and says:
"How long this time?"
"About several weeks. C'mon, let's see what world we've slid onto this time..." A loud crash occurs. "Did you guys here that?"
"Yes" came the answer from the rest of the group.
At the end of the alley, the group came upon two figures; One was dressed in black pajamas-like a ninja, was weilding some type of wooden sword. The other was a man, who was rather ragged and homely looking. Suddenly, the ninja thrust it's wooden sword into the man's chest cavity.
Wade stiffled a cry, for clearly the man was a vampire; The raggedly dressed man fell to his knees and snarled. His eyes blazed silver, then went black. His body stiffened, fell backward and began to mummify. The ninja pulled the wooden sword free and searched for something to wipe it clean on.
The group remained in a shocked state. The ninja reached inside it's outfit and pulled out a small wooden object-a backscratcher. "What in the hell is she doing?" thought Wade.
Putting the backscratcher against the man's forehead, the ninja pulled it down with a jerk. Leaving three little lines on the vampire's head. Putting the backscratcher away, the ninja spoke in a femine whisper, "The kitten has claws."
"Why did you do that?" said Wade, startling the ninja so that she spun around to face the guys.
END CHAPTER THREE.
CHAPTER FOUR:
Squinting at Wade, the ninja said, "You're not Lamia, you're a made-vampire." Ignoring the question and the quizzical look from Wade, the ninja noticed the rest of the group. "Why do you travel humans? You're kind think that they're vermin."
"Vermin? Them? Look whoever the hell you are, those people are my friends, and under my protection."
"Friends?" whispered the ninja. "Are you one of those damned daybreakers?"
"Uh, yes we are." lied Wade.
The ninja looked at them. "You're lying. However, since you claim that they're your friends, I'll believe you." Removing the ninja's facial mask, she spoke. "The name's Jordan. Rashel Jordan. And you are..."
Each of the group stepped forward and introduced themselves. Before Quinn could speak, Rashel's jaw dropped.
"Quinn...? How come you're human? I thought that being a vampire was irreversible?"
Quinn eyed the girl, after finding out that his double was a vampire, he was visibly shaken. "Look, I'm not who you think I am, I am from a parallel dimension. The other Quinn is my double or counterpart."
"Look, whatever you say Quinn. If don't want to tell me about it, fine. Let's get going back to the clubhouse." said Rashel.
Reluctantly, the group followed. Surprisingly, the 'clubhouse' was really a retrofitted Dominion Hotel. Upon entering the executive suite (after Rashel had changed her outfit), she led them down the hall to a conference room.
"Remmy, Wade, Maggie, and Quinn; I present to you the damn daybreaks, or Circle Daybreak as we like to be called. This is Lupe Acevedo..." Indicating a teenage girl with silvery-brown hair, and amber eyes. "She's half werewolf, and half human. That's Poppy and James." Pointing to a couple in the back of the room both with unnatural eyes: Poppy's were hunter green, while James' were silvery-white. "And this is...Oh my God! You guys were telling the truth!"
A man stepped up and introduced himself. "Good evening, I'm Quinn. and you are?" Noticing his counterpart, Quinn said "I'm Quinn too. Just from a parallel universe."
"Oh. I see. You wouldn't be lying to me now, would you?" vampire Quinn asked, his eyes turning silverish.
Wade cut in, "Believe what you want! I..."
"Who made you, child?" interjected vampire Quinn, as his eyes began to turn back to normal.
"I don't want to talk about." snapped Wade.
"Oh." said vampire Quinn, sympathy showing in his voice. "I understand-you were made against you're will. Likewise, so was I."
"Yes." whispered Wade.
"But child, you're different from us! The Lamia and the made-vampires, I mean."
"Lamia?" asked Maggie.
"Come, there will be more than enough time to explain. Relax, you're amongst friends. No one here will harm you. You are all under my protection, since I am the eldest here."
"If you don't mind my asking, just how old are you?" asked Remmy.
"A little over four hundred and fifty years old. My family came over from the old country with a bunch of Puritans." Stopping himself, he sighed. "But that is another story."
END CHAPTER FOUR.
CHAPTER FIUE:
"You asked about the Lamia? I'll tell you the whole story...take a seat first." said vampire Quinn, clearing his throat. "This story takes place back when Homo Sapiens were first starting to appear on the Earth. Living alongside the humans was a tribe of Night World people; Thierry hadn't been the first vampire, he had only been the second. Thierry had grown up in the tribe of Maya Hellewise. The Maya and the Hellewise, the twin daughters of Hecate, the Queen Witch. Maya and Hellewise would go down as two of the greatest figures in Night World history; Hellewise Hearth-Woman as the ancestress of the Harman family, the most famous of the living witches, and Maya as the ancestress of both the Lamia and the made-vampires."
"Maya desired to be immortal, and eventually found the right spell. The problem was that to do it, she had to steal the babies of the tribe-all four of them. She took them into the forest, did the spell, and drank their blood. Thierry and the rest of the tribe found the four bloodless corpses later. A few nights later, Maya came to Thierry, but she was different: she moved the grace and ease of a night-time predator, and her eyes reflected the firelight. 'I want to make you immortal. You're going to be mine, now and forever. I'm going to have child-not by you though. I don't think that you'll be able to.' Grasping and draining him, she used a fire-hardened splinter of wood to open a hole in her arm and forced him to drink."
"How come she used a piece of wood? Why didn't she use a stone knife or flake fragment?" asked Wade.
"Child...You yourself are a vampire. Don't you know that only wood can kill us?" asked vampire Quinn, all the while giving her a look that one would give a child who'd just asked a stupid question.
"My kind of vampires can be killed by exposure to direct sunlight, beheadment, and a wooden stake through the heart. The old adage goes 'The stake, the sword and the fire.'"
"You mean you can die just from the sun? You poor child! How does your kind survive?" asked vampire Quinn, sounding incredulistic.
"With these," indicating her monk's robes and coffin.
"A coffin?" gasped the vampires within earshot.
"Yeah. And what do you use?" retorted Wade.
Shouts of 'Sealy-Posturpedic' and the like answered her.
"A normal bed?" said Wade. "But..."
"Let me guess: Dracula." sighed vampire Quinn.
"Yeah." Wade said softly.
"Child, that story and others like it, were what the Night World had paid to publish and circulate to make people get the wrong ideas about us. After all, where's a better place to hide than right in the open?" said vampire Quinn.
"Umm, I hate to interrupt. But, can we get on with the rest of the story?" asked Rashel.
"Sorry. Thierry awoke to find that he'd been buried in the Traditional way: in the soft dirt at the back of the cave. Clawing himself out of the shallow grave, Thierry came face to face with his brother-Conlan. Before his brother could yell for help, Thierry pounced on him and drained him of his blood."
"Thierry started to run out of the cave, and stopped when he heard his name being called. It was Hellewise; her brown eyes huge and spilling with tears, her mouth trembling. The first made-vampire ran from the cave and into the wilderness. Eventually, Maya would have son-it was not known who the father was-just as she'd promised, became known as the first of the Lamia, the family of vampires who could grow up and have children. And her son, Red Fern, became ancestor of the most powerful Lamia family in the Night World - the Redferns."
"Eventually, the witches, Lamia, made-vampires, and shape shifters founded the Night World. The Night World isn't a place. It's all around you. It's a secret society of Lamia and made-vampires, werewolves, witches, and other creatures of darkness that live among you. They're beautiful and deadly and irresistible to humans. Your high school teacher could be one, and so could your boyfriend."
"The Night World laws say it's okay to hunt humans. It's okay to toy with with their hearts. Hell, it's even o.k. to kill them - discreetly, of course. There are two things you can't do with them: One, never let them find out that the Night World exists. Two, never fall in love with one of them. That's why Circle Daybreak was founded; it's a group of witches who're trying to get humans and Night People to...live in harmony. And here lately, many of the Night People have been recognizing human soul mates..."
"Soul mates? What's a soul mate?" interjected Remmy.
"Well Remmy, the soul mate principal goes something like this: it's the idea that everyone has one and just one soul mate in the world, and that if you find them, you recognize them immediately. And..that's that." said vampire Quinn.
"Well, what have we here?" a loud voice said. Every one turned to see who it was; it was Thierry! Upon seeing the Sliders, and also noticing that there were two Quinn's, he said, "Sliders?"
END CHAPTER 5.