10

Old Friends, Older Lives

After showering most of the night the rain had thankfully decided to subside, leaving Freddie with that post-rain dampness in the air that he had always loved as he made his way down a particularly grimy looking back road in Knockturn Alley. He hugged his coat close, not sure why he did as being a Vampire meant he was always cold.

He came to the place he was looking for. From the outside it looked like your average club, if not a little weird due to the fact all the windows had been boarded up. Freddie knew what really went on inside though.

He walked towards the entrance where two gruff looking bouncers towered above him.

'I.D.' one growled menacingly as he placed a giant hand on Freddie's shoulder, squeezing ever so slightly as his friend blocked the doorway.

Freddie let out an equally aggressive hiss at the guard, revealing his fangs.

'Go in' the guard replied simply, dropping his hand back down to his side as the other guard stepped aside.

Freddie sent one last scowl towards the two of them as he passed before pushing open the front door and entering a haven of strobe lights, loud music and dark corners. He stiffened slightly, there was the faint smell of blood in the air…Muggle. Vampires were prohibited from drinking anything other than animal blood, it seemed like the rules weren't being followed as strictly as they should be.

He made his way towards the bar, pushing his way past a crowded dance floor. It had been thirty years since he had last been here and nothing had changed, then again, neither had he.

'What can I get you?' a barman asked, not taking his eyes up from the counter he was currently scrubbing with a blood stained cloth.

'I'm looking for Victor' Freddie yelled over the noise.

'Who?'

'Victor!'

'Never heard of him.'

It was an obvious lie.

'Can I get a shot of otter blood?' Freddie asked, changing tact.

'You want a bit of firewhisky in that?'

'Sure.'

The barman began pouring his shot and added the mixer before placing the glass down on the counter. Freddie took one last look to make sure the bouncers were not watching as he paid for his drink, lifting the glass and tilting it down into his mouth. Warmth filled his whole body, energizing him from his fingers to his toes.

He held his empty glass out to the barman who made to take it from him. In one swift movement Freddie brought the glass smashing into the barman's neck, shards of glass and blood exploding from the impact. One hand went across the barman's mouth to stifle the screams while Freddie's other bleeding hand went behind his neck so Freddie could bring him close enough to whisper into his ear.

'Tell Victor that Ripper is here to see him.'

The barman let out a whimper as Freddie let go and he scurried off past a door behind the bar.

He leaned his back against the bar as he grabbed some tissues to clean up his still bleeding hand, an ability to heal fast meant the cuts should close up soon. He closed his eyes and attempted to regain some composure – a bit of violence always got the blood lust going. He saw one of the bouncers eyeing him up suspiciously from across the room, Freddie waved with a cheeky smirk across his face.

The barman coughed loudly to announce his return, clutching a cloth to his wounded neck. He pointed towards a door to the far side of the dance floor.

'Thank you…' Freddie looked towards his name badge. 'Tim. That wasn't so hard was it?'

He passed through the door, finding himself in a strangely white corridor which lead only towards a large wooden door. Freddie doubted he would ever see heaven, if such a place even existed, but if he did he was sure it probably wouldn't look too different from this.

He didn't knock.

'Well, well, well' said a short, chubby Vampire with a massively receding hairline and a strong Italian accent. 'If it isn't little Ripper. Please, sit down.'

This was Victor. He sat behind a large wooden desk at least two sizes too big for him, making him seem even smaller in comparison. The owner of the establishment and, even though he didn't look like much, one of the most influential Vampires in London. A young girl, no older than eighteen, sat giggling on the floor in the corner – her arm covered in bites.

'I'm actually just going by Freddie these days' he replied as he sat down.

'Are you really? Eurgh, So boring, so common' Victor sighed.

'I'm going for a bit of a new look.'

Victor chuckled before observing Freddie closely for a moment, his dark eyes seemingly drilling deep into Freddie's mind.

'Aren't we all?' He laughed. 'How old are you now? You must be at least a hundred.'

'Ninety-two. '

Pride shone on Victor's face.

'Forgive me, remembering death days never was my strong point' He gestured towards the girl. 'Care for a drink? Don't worry, she gives it up willingly. Kids these days can't get enough of our kind.'

Freddie eyed her wearily. She didn't even look like she knew where she was, she was obviously the source of the blood he smelt as soon as he had entered.

'I'm fine' Freddie said with a dismissive wave. 'I'm off the human stuff.'

'What?' Victor said in shock, throwing up his arms theatrically. 'Ripper's gone clean? Since when?'

'Ever since I was chased out of England by Aurors' Freddie replied simply.

'I heard about that. I heard you ended up in Spain.'

'For a while, eventually settled down in Russia.'

'Ah, longer nights.'

'Exactly' Freddie looked towards the girl again. 'I thought all human blood was off the menu? That's one of the main rules of the treaty.'

Victor giggled.

'Well with the Family taking an extended holiday, let's just say things are a little more relaxed these days. You picked a good time to sneak back into the country.'

'Yeah…that's kind of why I'm back. I hear some interesting things are happening around here. I was hoping you could fill me in.'

'Why do you care?' Victor asked, eyeing him suspiciously. 'Sounds like you've gone all clean, never thought I'd see the day when Ripper wore a halo above his head. Why would you want to get involved?'

Freddie leaned back in his chair.

'Maybe old habits die hard?'

Victor smiled.

'There's not a lot I can tell you. It's all just rumours and hearsay. All we know is that the Family just disappeared one day, giving us free reign to do as we please. The Wizards haven't even sent anyone to investigate.'

He said the word Wizards with particular disdain.

'I think they're scared' he continued. 'Scared of starting a war before they've even recovered from the last.'

Freddie took a moment to let this all sink in.

'Who's behind this?' he asked. 'Taking out the Family wouldn't be easy, there must be a group or something. Someone's trying to stir things up, make a statement.'

'No one knows' Victor lied, averting his gaze.

'You never could lie to me' Freddie muttered, leaning forwards onto the desk. 'What's going on?'

'Well' Victor began hesitantly. 'There's rumours of a group, led by an Old One.'

'Impossible' Freddie laughed. 'The Old Ones are just a fairy tale, a story to scare little kids.'

Vampire's spoke of Old Ones like a religious man would their God. The Old Ones were the original Vampires, pure blooded and older than time itself – supposedly the original source of the Vampire condition. Most did not believe they had ever actually existed.

'I'm just telling you what I've heard' Victor continued. 'It's a group that started off small but they're expanding, cherry picking the most vicious of our kind to join their ranks.'

'What for?'

'A war I guess. I've heard a lot of murmurs of people saying Vampires are going to take their rightful place at the top of the magical world. People are getting fed up of being looked down and spat on by every other creature in existence.'

'That's madness, Wizards out number us five to one.'

'Whoevers leading this group must be pretty charismatic, got everyone believing we can make a stand.'

'How would I go about joining?' Freddie asked, attempting to sound as casual as possible.

'Haha' Victor looked at him sceptically. 'The reason so little is known about these people is because, as soon as you go to try outs, you either get in or it's a stake to the heart. Only the best make it through. You sure you're up to it?'

There was silence.

'You must not know me or you wouldn't have asked that.'

Freddie fixed him with a cold stare which sent shivers down Victor's spine.

'Yes! There it is! A bit of that old Ripper spark. I was worried you'd gone soft.'

He passed a card into Freddie's hand.

'Be there at midnight this Sunday. Make sure you're at your best, don't hold back. They'll eat you alive you if you do.'

'Thanks' Freddie replied as he pocketed the card and stood up to leave.

'Does Nerissa know you're back in town?' Victor asked suddenly.

'Wha…no' Freddie stuttered, caught unaware by the question. 'And I'd rather she didn't find out.'

'I won't tell her, but she'll find out eventually' Victor smiled. 'She always does.'

Freddie didn't reply, instead turning to leave.

'Hey' Victor cried out once again just as Freddie opened the door.

He threw a small vile of blood through the air, Freddie's Vampire urges taking over as he snapped it greedily out of the air.

'A little welcome back present from me' Victor winked. 'Strong stuff, from a Wizard.'

Freddie knew he should have thrown the vile straight back at Victor, he willed his right arm to do so. He just couldn't. He left the room without another word.

Back out in the street Freddie decided he would go to Hermione Granger with the information he had. He should go straight away.

He looked towards his right hand where the vile of blood was still clasped tightly in his hand.

Two minutes later he was hidden away in the shadows of a forgotten alleyway, lapping up the blood like a dog would lap up a cold bowl of water on a hot day.

He was an addict getting his fix.