Chapter 5
Bloody World
Harry peeked from Markus's side, looking around curiously. It was a rather big room with couches and sofas in the side that surrounded a low table…the walls were a dark wine red, giving off a rich feeling. Flowers, plants and paintings decorated the room as golden lamps gave off a gold light.
Near the back of the room a woman sat down on a chair, staring down and writing on stacks of papers.
"Good evening, Saorise" Markus greeted as he walked into the room, followed by Harry that gave off the feeling of a duckling following their mother "I've brought Harry, our little Golgotha novitiate. Please, give him our warmest welcome"
The woman looked up from her stacks of paper toward them and Harry blinked in surprise at her beauty. She had straight red hair pulled back into a rather gorgeous cut, her eyes were grey-colored surrounded by long, thick eyelashes and her blood red lips slightly parted to greet Markus back :
"Ah, welcome back, Markus" the elegant woman stood up from her chair to greet them, her grey-colored eyes flickering from Markus to Harry. The youngest vampire in this room blinked, now understanding what the voice meant by talking about a red cat.
"I've been expecting y-" her words died in her lips as her eyes widened at Harry in surprise before narrowing, her red lips pursing tightly against each other "…Markus, I think there's been a mistake. This individual was not supposed to be bitten"
She spoke in a very slow, dangerous fashion of someone barely controlling their rage. At least all of that anger seemed to be directed at Markus and not toward the smaller boy.
"Is that so?" the man asked, shrugging his shoulders, looking about as bothered as if he'd forgotten to get milk from the grocery store "But our brother here was the only pretty young dead things to walk out of the Abattoir. Your lucky candidate must have missed their appointment"
"Missed their - " her words died in her throat as she stared at him in bewilderment before growling. The woman steepled her fingers to her upper lip, and from the murderous way she was staring down at the ground, it was a wonder she didn't burn a hole through it.
"Just one headache after another" she shook her head, moving her hard to her temple and massaging it "If only I could hire someone competent for a change"
Who knew vampires could have headaches.
Finally, with a deep sigh, she turned her focus back to the white-haired boy, who had the distinct feeling her calculating eyes were scrutinizing him, doing some sort of rapid cost-benefit analysis.
She crossed her arms taped her finger against her arms :
"He barely looks old enough to be bitten" she muttered to herself before clearing her throat "Well, let me start by saying my name – Saorise Locke, S-a-o-r-i-s-e, 'Sha-reez' – and I apologize for all of this happening to you."
Harry could see she wasn't really honest about what she was saying, if she felt bad for anyone then it was for herself.
"As you might have guessed, another mortal was supposed to receive the bite tonight, not you. It seems there was a rather big…. misunderstanding"
Harry snorted as he thought to himself 'no shit'. Saorise raised her eyebrow elegantly, she seemed rather outraged by his snort but decided to ignore it, waiting for him to say what he had in mind.
Harry tilted his head in thought. There was no class about vampires in Hogwarts but he does know one thing and it's that there's not a potion to cure vampirism… but maybe they had some here?
He knew there was probably not any cure but he had to try.
"Is there any way to turn me back?" he asked her hopefully and the woman deadpanned.
"No, I'm afraid not" she seemed to think he was stupid and Harry wanted to argue he didn't lose anything by asking "If it were that simple, we wouldn't be standing here now, would we?"
Harry pouted slightly as he nodded, giving off a rather cute aura, Saorise's finger twitched slightly before she coughed away her thoughts.
"It seems my agent was sabotaged…presumably by your mysterious sire, who is no doubt an enemy of mine"
Harry's breath caught as he heard the word sire, his heart feeling as if being squeezed. Maybe it was because the man turned him but, he felt lost when he thought about the man that should be staying with him instead of kicking him in the wilderness…as for why Harry thought the man should be taking care of him, it was beyond him.
"Regardless, I'm rather short on time here, so I won't mince words" she said harshly "You can lament over your loss of humanity for the next century, or – you can accept the hand you've been dealt and move on"
Saorise breezed along without trying to hide her impatience or annoyance, as if Harry was somehow inconveniencing her.
It almost left the teenager speechless…she was going to chalk this up to a misunderstanding?
"You were an accident" she started talking again and Harry rolled his eyes, the woman had made it clear enough from the start "but I'm offering you a purpose. As cruel as it may sound, this turn of events needn't be a tragic one for you…It's a chance for all you could ever want in life – perhaps even more, if you own the will to survive"
"I have been surviving ever since I was a child" the boy told her in annoyance but the woman just ignored him.
"Therefore, my proposal is a straightforward one. Will you join the Los Angeles coven of vampires – my coven?"
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
Saorise stared at him darkly, her fangs flashing behind her smooth red lips :
"Not particularly, no. I'm pleased you realize this, at the very least, so we can proceed past formalities" the briefest of smiles flashed over her lips, like a subliminal message flickering on a TV screen "Very well, let me establish the three main rules of our coven"
She held her hand up in a fist before holding one of her pianist fingers up :
"One : When you feed, do not kill. It is unnecessary, since mortals always lose their memory of events leading up to the bite"
Another finger joined the first one :
"Two : Never reveal your true nature to a mortal. By doing so, you endanger not only yourself, but our entire kind. As a result, you'll be disposed of."
Finally, :a third finger rejoined the other two :
"And finally : Do not turn any mortal into a vampire without my permission. M explicit permission. It's necessary to keep our population to a minimum, as otherwise, the area could quickly become…overcrowded. Anyone under the age of twenty is explicitly out of sight, the probability of them dying for good is of 99,9%"
Harry's attention focused completely in the last part, he was not twenty years old so how did he survive?
"Do you understand all of this?" she asked.
Harry nodded like a chicken before opening his mouth :
"Crystal clear but I don't hav-" he was cut off by Saorise before he could finish his phrase the woman continued :
"Good. See to it that you don't forget those rules"
With a quiet sniff, Saorise motioned toward the chair beside Markus, who had languidly stretched out into a seat while both of them were talking. As Harry settled down in the offered chair, Markus flashed him a sidelong smirk and if Harry could still blush, he would probably turn red.
The man's beauty was certainly otherworldly.
But all of that aside, Markus seemed to find all of this particularly amusing. Meanwhile, Saorise stared at them in annoyance, snapping her fingers to get their attention back to her.
Harry's state of shock – or lack of – wasn't high on her list of priorities, apparently.
"Now, Harry, you've arrived during a most difficult time" she started darkly "It just so happens that we're in the middle of a war. A messy, political war waged in the dark, entirely unbeknownst to mortals"
As she began her brisk business agenda, Saorise elegantly lowered herself on the couch opposite to Harry and Markus. Across from her, Harry wanted to bang his head against a wall because of the word 'war'.
"The three main Houses of Los Angeles, the ones where nearly most vampires from around here belong to – Iscari, Mavvar, and Goldotha – are fighting for the rule of Los Angeles" she closed her eyes and sneered "To put it very crudely, the Iscari tend to be diplomatic, the Mavvar are more aggressive, and the Golgotha are…everything else"
"Ah, if only it were that simple" the man next to Harry bowed his head and stared at her from behind his dark lenses.
"…Yes, well, no doubt he'll learn of the nuances soon enough" it didn't seem that she was bothered by the man cutting her in middle speech.
Crossing her legs, Saorise let out a faint sigh, one hand flitting to push up her glasses.
"The current ruling House is Iscari, my house. We have governed Los Angeles for a number of years, but recently, the other House have gotten a little – how shall I put it? Rowdy"
Harry wanted to ask what she meant by rowdy but stopped when someone knocked at the door. Saorise called out for them to enter and an old man wearing a butler's uniform entered. He walked toward them and put on the low table three glasses, each one of them holding a red liquid.
Harry's eyes widened as his stomach rumbled, his nose twitching and his mouth salivating. He wasn't stupid, that thing was blood.
Saorise smiled as she leaned down to take hold of one of them, bringing it up to her nose and smelling it before letting out a pleased sigh:
"My favorite…" she muttered before sipping on it. With her hand she signaled for the two males in the room to serve themselves but Harry shook his head :
"Maybe later…" he laughed slowly, staring anywhere but the table. Meanwhile Markus just smiled, not moving.
Saorise sighed in exasperation, commanding the butler to take it away after finishing her own.
"Where was I…?" she asked herself before nodding "Ah yes, we need to negotiate some sort of three way peace to restore order, but that's easier said than done. There are simply too many secret deals, betrayals, and assassinations going on behind the scenes"
She stared fixedly a Harry :
"…However, you are new enough to be politically naïve and unbiased. Most vampires tend to have a weak spot for newly turned childes…specially such young-looking ones as you"
She paused, that critical light glinting in her eyes again :
"Unlike most of the other vampires in Los Angeles, you have neither an existing reputation, nor any allegiances to speak of…and thus, you may be the key to our reconciliation."
"I don't know if I like where this is going…" he muttered as he scratched his cheek.
Saorise merely gave him a blunt look, his hesitance apparently falling on deaf ears:
"The first task I Intend to give you is a simple one, but it will serve as an accurate measure of your potential. There's a meeting going on tomorrow night between Randal – the powerful leader of the Mavvar rebels – and some Golgotha emissaries" she squinted her eyes "I want you to sneak into that meeting and disrupt it"
"Uh, no. I'd rather not walk into a death trap" he told her bluntly.
"…Your sense of humor is truly charming" she offered Harry one of the most unpleasant smiles he'd ever seen "Perhaps you can disarm the guards with your sharp wit. I'm sure it will be the last thing they'll expect"
"Right…sharp wits…" he knew when to recognize sarcasm, thank you very much.
"Tomorrow night, Markus will call you an hour before the meeting. He should have all the details you need. Make sure that no treaty is made between the Mavvar and Golgotha. It is an important step toward forcing Randal onto our side ; he's too valuable as a potential ally"
Crossing her legs, she tilted her heard :
"Consider this task your trial. Is is an opportunity to transcend your circumstances – to prove that fate chose you for a reason"
Fate is but a side of a coin a sage voice whispered and Harry twitched. The voices never quitted him but he has been ignoring them as most of what they said made no sense.
With an air of finality, Saorise rose and stepped briskly past Harry, striding over to the door. Markus shuffled aside, eyeing her with an arched eyebrow.
"You'll be staying here, at the Hollywood Heights Hotel, in the room intended for the candidate you replaced. The hotel is managed by some of our people, so you'll be perfectly safe…the next time we speak, I will be looking forward to the tale of your success, Harry"
The door slammed shut behind her, and the swift clacking of her high heels slowly faded into the distance. Harry turned to Markus, unsure how exactly to process everything Saorise had just told him.
If there was something Harry didn't want to do…it was to join another war but if he didn't, he would be killed without even trying to survive.
"Well, well, well, it seems the stars smile on you, brother" Markus let out a delighted chuckle, winking at Harry from behind those dark lenses "Saorise doesn't like to make mistakes. You must have caught her in a good mood tonight"
Harry snorted "Yes, she seems to be in a good mood" he said with sarcasm dripping from his words.
Markus paid no mind to his tone of voice :
"Tell me, what do you think of her? The red queen?"
Harry tilted his head in thoughts and nodded when one of the voices whispered a 'bishop and pawns'. It was exactly what he has been thinking.
"Does that make you her bishop, and me, her pawn?" he asked.
"Ah, I see you're already getting an eye for how things work. When you finally meet the king, the remaining pieces will slowly fall into place"
Markus paused, glancing down to an old-fashioned pocket watch in his palm. Somehow, the fact that he owned one didn't surprise Harry in the least.
"I will be calling your room around…mm, midnight tomorrow. It would be wise to prepare yourself, in every sense of the word. Now, it's about time for me to head out, but before I go…" he looked straight into Harry's eyes "I have one last thing to say to you, and I don't intend to say it twice"
His expression suddenly grew dark. He stared at Harry intently, as if to confirm the younger boy was listening.
"Do not…trust…anyone" he said with a pause between each word "Every soul you meet in Hollywood is full of lies…some unintentional, others deliberate. Very rarely does anyone do what they say, or say what they truly mean. Only a fool believes everything they're told"
Harry blinked in surprised as he was told those words…
"Do you understand me, brother?"
Harry pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows:
"That's impossible. Everyone has to trust someone"
"No, brother, that is just a Hollywood scam to send you on an express train to hell. Save your own hide first. Once you forget that, it's all over. And to be thoroughly honest…" he trailed off as he gave Harry a tiny smile "Well, I find myself taking an unusual interest in you, Harry. I see a spark of life yet remaining in your cadaverous eyes, and it's far too soon to have it blown out"
Snickering softly, he shoved a hand into his pocket, rummaging around for something :
"Where is the damn…ah, here" he reached for Harry's hand, pressing a small object into his palm "If you ever want to muse on the apocalypse or take laughing at the stars, here's where you'll find me"
Harry's eyes flicked down to see what he'd given him – a small business card, colored bright red and emblazoned with bold black letters :
Blood & Roses : A dark paradise for all of your erotic fantasies! Adult movies, magazines, and more!
Was Harry misinterpreting this card, or…Markus worked at a sex shop?
Harry's mouth opened and closed in shock but by the time he glanced up, the man in question was already gone. Harry didn't even hear the door open or shut. How did the man leave the room so suddenly…?
"Maybe it's for the best if I don't know" he sighed, shaking his head before pushing the door open and walking out the room, leaving behind him an empty room and finding his way back to the front desk, asking about Saorise's reservation.
A slightly awkward, pale-face clerk handed him a key without question. He didn't smell like a vampire but that paleness war certainly not natural.
Numbly, he made his way into the elevator and up to his floor, where a posh corridor opened up to greet him. The room numbers felt like they passed by in a blurry marquee.
909…911…913…915.
Harry's new home.
He took out the keys he was given and opened the door. The room was in a complete darkness but Harry could see nearly as well as if there was light, he just saw it in grey.
His hand flew to the button and the room lit up in a warm colored light. Sparkling clean, warmly lit, beautifully decorated – and almost too glamorous to be real. The kind of room where you'd see starts partying, orgying and overdosing, ringing up their agents, shutting the curtains to hide from camera flashes. Straight out of a magazine.
Near the wall where a small window would find it's place normally, there was a transparent glass that nearly took all the wall, giving him a beautiful view of Hollywood. The bed was big enough to let three adults sleep in it and across from it, stood the best and latest TV that existed.
He even had a small saloon warmly decorated by red cushions.
Up close, though, Harry realized the room was just as dead as him. The cameras were the only thing that made it seem so alive…but part of him guessed that already.
As Harry stared at one of the stock paintings on the wall featuring two horses, trying to figure what emotions he was feeling, something stirred in his guts.
A dull, aching hunger. It didn't feel like the hunger pangs he'd felt since he was a child; it was in his mind as much as in his body, like an addict who needed their fix.
Was it…a hunger for that?
Blood~ blood~ the voices chanted in whispers.
Harry shifted as the idea uncomfortably wormed into his head. He looked around the room until his eyes fell on a small fridge next to his bed.
"Maybe regular food will tide me, or even just some water" Obviously, Harry knew that was bullshit, but of course, he pretended it was not.
Harry slunk over to the mini-fridge, unsure of what he hoped to find. Pulling the tiny door open, he bent down to peer inside but instead of discovering any water, or food, or even ice, he was something completely different.
Three packs of blood, neatly sealed in translucent bags like morbid juice boxes. Harry snatched one up without thinking, at that moment, the sketchy bag looked better than a meal from Hogwarts or even a 5-star restaurant.
Moving on impulse, he sank his fangs into the plastic, downing the cold liquid in giant gulps. The second it slid down his throat, a rush of energy flowed through him and he started feeling warm…even hot. The pain vanished, and his body hummed with…well, not life, but something close to it.
Drinking came naturally to him, and each sip tasted better than the last one. His cheeks reddened giving him back a tint of humanity but in the back of his mind, Harry knew that he'd lost some part of himself at that moment, something that might never come back.
So he drank until the bag was empty, and it was over. His surroundings fell silent, that's it, until a knock at the door interrupted his dinner.
