The multiple pairs of hands threw Nick down in front of a black desk. A dark cloth covered the desk, making it appear like an altar. The back of a chair faced Nick from behind the desk.
When Nick tried to rise from the floor, powerful hands pushed him back down. His new buddy, Santino, began talking to the person sitting in the chair.
"Leader, this is the traitor we discussed before. Known as Nick Knight, he was caught spying on a meeting of your Dark Angels."
"Is this true?" The voice of the mystery man sounded young, about twenty-ish, but it also sounded full of experience and knowledge. Obviously a vampire, and an old one at that.
"The Enforcers will hear of your 'club.' This goes completely against our laws," Nick yelled from the floor, fangs bared and eyes aglow. "You won't get away with this."
"Leave us," the voice instructed Santino and the others. Santino seemed hesitant to leave Nick alone with his Leader, but he did not wish to disobey. He turned and walked out the door, followed by the others. When they were gone, Nick watched as the chair slowly turned around.
The vampire sitting in the chair had sandy blond hair, much like Nick's, but longer. His thin frame barely seemed intimidating, but Nick could understand why the others followed this one. Old age radiated from this vampire.
He's almost as old as I, Nick thought.
"Well, well. So you're the infamous Nick Knight. Second oldest vampire in Toronto. It's been a long time, Nicholas de Brabant."
Nick tried to remember where he might have seen this vampire before. He did not look familiar to Nick, except for one thing. His eyes. They reminded Nick of his childhood. Growing up with a purity and innocence unlike anyone else. They reminded Nick of his sweet sister, Fleur.
Nick relaxed and pulled up his fangs. Despite his attempts, tears welled up in his eyes.
"Andre? Is it you?"
The younger vampire smiled. "I'm surprised you actually recognize me. I've changed since you last saw me."
"How could I not recognize my own nephew, the only son of my sister?" On her death bed, Fleur had asked Nick to take care of Andre for her. He had tried his best, but it was impossible to care for the child and keep his secret as well. One fated night, Andre walked in on Nick as he had been feeding. Andre had run out in terror.
This whole scene flashed through Nick's mind. "I thought I had lost you," he said to Andre.
His nephew's smile faded. "In a way, you did. After that night, I had to live on whatever I could find on the streets. I changed from the sweet little boy that you had known into a kid who would do anything to survive. I swindled, stole, even killed if it helped me live. One night, I tried to pick the pockets of a well-dressed man, a vampire, passing in the streets. I almost got away with it, but at the last minute, he felt my presence. Fortunately for me, he admired my cunning and skills. Instead of killing me, he turned me into the 'man' I am today."
"Where's your sire now?" Nick inquired.
"Dead," Andre started to grin again. "He tried to control me. I don't play that way. So, while he slept, I had a mortal friend drag him out into the sunlight. That was seven hundred years ago. Quite a time to think of what I would do if I met you again."
A knock sounded at the door. "Enter," Andre replied. The door opened, and Santino came in, followed by four others who were dragging someone. Vachon.
"We captured the other spy, my Leader. As you requested, we returned shortly before sunrise, giving an impossibility of the captured' escape."
"Well done, Santino," Andre responded. "Take them down to their new home." He turned to face Nick. "Usually, we punish spies and people threatening to contact the Enforcers with instantaneous death, but since you're family, you shall be allowed to live. That is, as long as you can without food. Take them!"
Santino and his goons grabbed Nick and carried him and Vachon down a long flight of stairs. Even though they were flying, it seemed to take forever. Finally, both of them were thrown into a single cell.
Nick crawled over to Vachon. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, man. Just a headache," Vachon responded.
"Such camaraderie," Santino mocked through thick metal bars. "It will not last. I guarantee that in a few days time, you'll be trying to rip each other apart to get at any sustenance the other might have. It would be futile to try to escape. These bars are impossible to bend but a little, and there are no windows. Have fun."
The Dark Angels left Nick and Vachon in their cell. The two looked at each other, fearing that Santino's words might be true.
======================
Natalie had arrived at Vachon's a moment too late. She drove up just as four vampires took to the sky, carrying a struggling Vachon. She knew she could not do anything. Unless she could save them from wherever they were taking them. The warehouse! She started to go to the warehouse, but realization slapped her in the face. Was it on Cherry Street or Berry Street? She could not remember. Her only hope was to find the flyer with the address. Natalie revved the engine and sped to Nick's loft.
When Nick tried to rise from the floor, powerful hands pushed him back down. His new buddy, Santino, began talking to the person sitting in the chair.
"Leader, this is the traitor we discussed before. Known as Nick Knight, he was caught spying on a meeting of your Dark Angels."
"Is this true?" The voice of the mystery man sounded young, about twenty-ish, but it also sounded full of experience and knowledge. Obviously a vampire, and an old one at that.
"The Enforcers will hear of your 'club.' This goes completely against our laws," Nick yelled from the floor, fangs bared and eyes aglow. "You won't get away with this."
"Leave us," the voice instructed Santino and the others. Santino seemed hesitant to leave Nick alone with his Leader, but he did not wish to disobey. He turned and walked out the door, followed by the others. When they were gone, Nick watched as the chair slowly turned around.
The vampire sitting in the chair had sandy blond hair, much like Nick's, but longer. His thin frame barely seemed intimidating, but Nick could understand why the others followed this one. Old age radiated from this vampire.
He's almost as old as I, Nick thought.
"Well, well. So you're the infamous Nick Knight. Second oldest vampire in Toronto. It's been a long time, Nicholas de Brabant."
Nick tried to remember where he might have seen this vampire before. He did not look familiar to Nick, except for one thing. His eyes. They reminded Nick of his childhood. Growing up with a purity and innocence unlike anyone else. They reminded Nick of his sweet sister, Fleur.
Nick relaxed and pulled up his fangs. Despite his attempts, tears welled up in his eyes.
"Andre? Is it you?"
The younger vampire smiled. "I'm surprised you actually recognize me. I've changed since you last saw me."
"How could I not recognize my own nephew, the only son of my sister?" On her death bed, Fleur had asked Nick to take care of Andre for her. He had tried his best, but it was impossible to care for the child and keep his secret as well. One fated night, Andre walked in on Nick as he had been feeding. Andre had run out in terror.
This whole scene flashed through Nick's mind. "I thought I had lost you," he said to Andre.
His nephew's smile faded. "In a way, you did. After that night, I had to live on whatever I could find on the streets. I changed from the sweet little boy that you had known into a kid who would do anything to survive. I swindled, stole, even killed if it helped me live. One night, I tried to pick the pockets of a well-dressed man, a vampire, passing in the streets. I almost got away with it, but at the last minute, he felt my presence. Fortunately for me, he admired my cunning and skills. Instead of killing me, he turned me into the 'man' I am today."
"Where's your sire now?" Nick inquired.
"Dead," Andre started to grin again. "He tried to control me. I don't play that way. So, while he slept, I had a mortal friend drag him out into the sunlight. That was seven hundred years ago. Quite a time to think of what I would do if I met you again."
A knock sounded at the door. "Enter," Andre replied. The door opened, and Santino came in, followed by four others who were dragging someone. Vachon.
"We captured the other spy, my Leader. As you requested, we returned shortly before sunrise, giving an impossibility of the captured' escape."
"Well done, Santino," Andre responded. "Take them down to their new home." He turned to face Nick. "Usually, we punish spies and people threatening to contact the Enforcers with instantaneous death, but since you're family, you shall be allowed to live. That is, as long as you can without food. Take them!"
Santino and his goons grabbed Nick and carried him and Vachon down a long flight of stairs. Even though they were flying, it seemed to take forever. Finally, both of them were thrown into a single cell.
Nick crawled over to Vachon. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, man. Just a headache," Vachon responded.
"Such camaraderie," Santino mocked through thick metal bars. "It will not last. I guarantee that in a few days time, you'll be trying to rip each other apart to get at any sustenance the other might have. It would be futile to try to escape. These bars are impossible to bend but a little, and there are no windows. Have fun."
The Dark Angels left Nick and Vachon in their cell. The two looked at each other, fearing that Santino's words might be true.
======================
Natalie had arrived at Vachon's a moment too late. She drove up just as four vampires took to the sky, carrying a struggling Vachon. She knew she could not do anything. Unless she could save them from wherever they were taking them. The warehouse! She started to go to the warehouse, but realization slapped her in the face. Was it on Cherry Street or Berry Street? She could not remember. Her only hope was to find the flyer with the address. Natalie revved the engine and sped to Nick's loft.
