Part I: Authority Always Wins

Chapter 3: Stake Night

1

Henry wakes up in a cold sweat. Memories of the nightmare are still fresh in his head. He looks over at Vlad and his stomach sinks. Then he wipes the sweat off of his forehead before laying back down.

He thought about waking up Vlad and just telling him what happened. From start to finish. Just telling him that it upset him and that he didn't know why he would have a dream like that.

But that wasn't like Henry.
So instead he lays back down and closes his eyes.

He starts to drift back into the world of sleep, his dreams this time around are a lot more peaceful though. He dreams of the old days.

He dreams of the day he first met October.
He dreams of the days playing baseball with Joss.

Now he can't even stand to be around Joss, and nobody has even seen or heard from him in two months. But that was okay.

Before Henry fell all the way asleep, he felt Vlad getting up and voices coming from the kitchen. Otis was calling for Vlad and Henry.

Henry sits up and walks out to the kitchen along with Vladimir. Otis is already talking to him about something so Henry waits.

"Vladimir. A woman is coming to dinner tonight and it is of the utmost importance that she does not come in contact with Snow, or become aware that Henry is your drudge."

"Who is she Otis?"

Henry walks closer to hear the conversation better. Otis makes eye contact with him and then looks back to his nephew.

"Chancellor Salome."

Henry stomach drops. Every time he hears about the Chancellors of the Council of Elders he immediately gets upset. But he has every right to considering Vladimir's past with the group.

But now Otis was in charge and maybe he was getting upset over nothing.

"Why is she coming to dinner?" Henry asks.
Otis looks over at Henry and looks a bit irritated with the question, but he answers it anyway.

"She is coming to apologize to Vladimir about everything that happened while D'Ablo was involved with the Council."

Vladimir shakes his head. "I don't want her apology. I want her to stay away."

Otis sighs. "She is adamant in this. I have said no on multiple occasions. Now we must just bear with her for one night."

Vladimir nods, as does Henry. Otis points his finger in Vladimir's face.

"You need to get Snow out of here. Now. The less she knows about you the better. Trust me."

Henry blinks for a moment and then inquires. "Why are you letting her come over if you don't trust her?" Otis' face turns into a grimace and he yells. "Enough questions! Just do as I say. We don't have much time before she arrives."

Vladimir nods and speeds into the room, leaving Henry with Otis.

"Henry. When I say something to Vladimir it is very important that he complies as fast as possible. I know you're naturally cautious when it comes to things with him but I am NOT the enemy here."

"Is Salmon the enemy?"

"Her name is Salome." He pauses and takes a step back. "And no. I just think it's right for us to be cautious."

Snow speeds out of the house and is gone in three seconds flat. Vladimir sent her to the goth club for the night. She was happy to go.

Henry steps close to Otis and whispers.

"If you are going to be cautious, so am I. About everything. Even you Otis. I know you're his family, but not many people in his life truly care about him."

"And you do?"

Henry takes a moment to think and then looks Otis directly in the eyes. "I would give my life to protect him. Remember that."

Before Otis can say anything more, the doorbell rings.

2

Snow arrives at the club and calls October. October picks up her phone after the first ring.
"Hey bitch!" She yells, Snow smiles. "Hey Octopussy. Where are you?"

Snow walks towards the side of the club. Not noticing the figure watching her in the distance.

"I'm at my grandmother's house. Where are you?"

Snow sighs. "At Shadows. I was hoping you could come by."

October moves around on the other line and Snow can hear the excitement in her voice when she returns.

"I'll come right now! Let me steal gran's car and I'll be right there!"

Snow smiles. "Are you sure?" But before October answers, the line disconnects. Snow looks at her phone and laughs. "She's excited."

Outside of the club cars are all over the place. On the curbs, in the parking lot, and of course crowding the streets.

The club is a giant black building in a triangle shape. The building looks as though it's made completely out of glass, and the entrance is under a large rectangular archway surrounded by large trees.

It's dark outside of the club because the only lights are these artificial torches.

Snow doesn't notice the dark presence getting closer to her until it touches her shoulder. She gasps and turns around to face a little boy with blonde hair-he couldn't be any more than nine years old.

She kneels down and smiles. "Hey there. You're far from home now aren't you?"

He sniffles and Snow can tell that he's been crying. She hugs him and cradles his head. Petting it.

"Aw. Sweetheart! What's wrong? Where are your mommy and daddy?"

He sniffles again and stutters out a statement to the best that he can past his tears. "I ran away because they were bad to me. My daddy beat me with his belt and my mama let him. I don't want to be with them anymore."

Snow looks around the area, wondering how far he must have walked to arrive here considering there aren't many houses nearby.

"Well, you can come home with me tonight okay? But only tonight. Then tomorrow I'm going to have to take you to the police station so they can take care of it." Snow usually wasn't so friendly, but something about this boy just screamed that he needed help.

The boy nods and she grabs his hand. "What's your name sweetie? My name is Snow."

He sniffles again and wipes his eyes with his free hand. "My name is Alexander, but you can call me Alex. That's what my friends call me."

Snow smiles. "Do you have a lot of friends?"

Alexander smiles, "I guess so. Can we go away from here? I'm so cold."

She hugs him tight and picks him up, just as October pulls up in her Pontiac.

October runs up and after questioning Snow for a couple minutes they place him in the car. Somewhere not so far away, Roman Zimojic checks his watch and smiles. As the two girls unknowingly cart away the three-hundred-year-old vampire that will soon bring Vladimir Tod directly to him.

3

Salome walks into the house. She's wearing a green dress that really goes with her figure. I can't help but stare at her chest and then I blush when she smiles at me.

"Vladimir Tod. As I live and breathe." She smiles and puts her hand out. Vlad looks at her hand and shakes it, she smiles and faces Otis. "Guardian." She puts her hand out again, he grabs it and plants a kiss on it. As I should have done.

She smiles and walks on to the final person in the room. "And you must be Henry McMillan. The faithful drudge of Vladimir." She puts her hand out. Henry does not take it, he just smiles. "And you're the bitch that tried to take him away from me."

She puts her hand to her side and smiles. "My name is Salome Agrippa. I apologize for the past with Mister Tod, but those decisions were out of my hands. I was one of the Chancellors who believed he should have been cleared of the charges."

Otis nods. "She's telling the truth Henry." Henry glares at Otis and Salome smiles at him. I feel like an idiot. Just watching as the three of them gripe about me.

Salome smiles, "What will we be watching the human eat Otis?"

Otis smiles, "I've prepared steaks."

"Then let's get to it!" She giggles and claps her hands twice as Otis walks over to the kitchen.

4

Meanwhile, Rosalyn Harris and Kibwe Akinjide are going over papers in his office. A tall pale man with a beard walks into the room and clears his throat. Rosalyn looks up.

"There you are! I thought you would never get here! Did you speak with Roman?"

The man nods and sits down in the chair in front of the desk. "He is less than enthusiastic about all of the recent issues with your council."

Rosalyn scoffs. "Please. We are trying very hard here. Kibwe, Salome, and I want nothing more than for the mainstreaming agenda to go forth. But we can't do that until we make sure we will be in full power. And the only way to ensure that is if we destroy the Pravus first."

Kibwe speaks in his deep tone from behind his dark mahogany desk. "But that will be exceedingly difficult with the Lucis in the boy's possession."

The vampire on the opposite side of the desk shakes his head. "Roman has sent Alexander Drew after the boy. Tod is planned to be in his custody in the next two days."

Rosalyn laughs and puts her hand on her chest. "Plans are meant to fail Dieter Braun."

Dieter frowns. "Have faith."

Rosalyn scoffs and Kibwe looks at her in disdain. Rosalyn continues, "To hell with faith."

5

Dinner is going well. I got to suck some of the blood out of my steak and I actually enjoyed it. Otis and Salome seem to be getting along well, and after getting to know her I think I might be okay with her coming around more often.

The only person who isn't having a good time is Henry. He's staring daggers into Salome and he barely eats anything on his plate.

Salome drank a cup of blood from the bags in a wine glass and so does Otis.

We talked about a lot of things. My high school graduation. The incident with my father. And at the end of dinner Salome asks me to go for a walk. Considering the way the night went, of course I said yes.

A noise comes from my bedroom and Henry goes over to check it out. Probably just Snow coming home from a relaxing night out.

Salome and I walk outside and travel down the sidewalk. At first the silence is kind of weird, but for some reason I find safety in her presence.

"So Vladimir, tell me, are you happy that all of this has finally ended? All of the madness?"

I smile at her and nod. "I am really happy. I'm glad that I can finally spend time with the people I love without having to worry about them being subject to… you know, death."

Salome nods as well and we stop walking. I look her in the eyes and she looks back in mine. "How old are you Salome?" I ask. She smiles coyly. "You're never supposed to ask a woman her age my dear Vladimir."

I blush a bright red and she pats my shoulder. "I'm only joking. I was turned at the time of the life of the human's religious figure, Jesus. So I'm about 2,000 years old."

I change the subject completely with my next question, but I have to know. "What are your intentions with my uncle?"

Salome and I begin walking back to the house as she takes a minute before answering. "Well, Vladimir. I would really like to go steady with your uncle, if you give me your permission."

I stop walking again and think about it. "Salome. My uncle just got out of a relationship. I don't really think he'll be willing to do that right now." She looks down at the ground, but now I pat her shoulder. "But if he's willing… then I am willing to allow it as well."

I smile at her and she smiles back. Otis comes outside and I walk up to him. He smiles at me after smiling at her. And I punch him in the arm and smile. "Don't let this one get away Uncle."

He nods and I head inside. I shut the door behind me and hear a lot of commotion coming from the bedroom, and I can hear October's voice.

I walk into the room and the freak-show commences. October is sitting on Henry's lap, in an all-black get up and neon make-up. Snow is talking to someone in the corner of the room, wearing one of my shirts that is hanging below his knees due to how short he is.

"Snow. Who is that?"

Snow stands up and walks over to me, excitement in her eyes.

"Well, Vlad honey." She grabs my hands as we turn to face the boy in the corner of the room who's smiling at us.

"This is our new roommate. We're going to be taking care of him for a while. His parents mistreat him and he convinced me to let him stay with us, but we can't tell Otis!" My eyes get wide and Henry looks shocked as he says: "I didn't know we were keeping him!"

Alexander smiles widely, "Thank you Snow!" Snow looks at me for approval patiently. "What do you think honey?"

I don't hesitate with my answer. "Absolutely not."

End of Chapter.