House Of Pain
From their seats in the corner, Chupa and Priest had a clear view of the entrance. Priest smiled as a tall, curvaceous brunette slowly sashayed past the table. "Damn, there's another nice one! They're out in force tonight," he commented, lowering his sunglasses to watch her heart-shaped derriere as she walked away. Chupa glared at him. "I thought you preferred purebloods." Priest grinned broadly, displaying pearly fangs. "I do, but with such an abundance of delights before me, I may make an exception," he replied, his eyes twinkling. Chupa grinned suddenly and just shook his head.
A few moments later, a young man dressed in an outfit that looked to be made of wide leather strips rushed up to their table. Both vampires nodded at him. "How long have you two been here?" he gasped as he caught his breath. Priest raised an eyebrow. "Since nightfall, Stefan. Why? What's going on?" he asked, leaning forward on the table. Stefan glanced at Chupa who grinned humorlessly and pointed to an empty chair. "I'm not sure, but I didn't feel safe until I got here. There's something strange on the streets tonight. You can feel it in the air," he tried to explain after sitting down. "Strange how? You're not making sense, Stefan," Chupa growled, rolling his eyes at Priest. Stefan was quiet for a moment and then answered. "Whatever it is, it leaves you feeling like you're going to burn. You know, like you got splashed with UV. Ilinka wouldn't even leave the apartment and you know that very little fazes her." Priest gave him a surprised look. "Ilinka was spooked? I'd have to see that to believe it," he said, pushing his sunglasses back up to the bridge of his nose. "Besides, that looks like Ilinka coming up behind you," Chupa retorted, rapidly growing tired of Stefan's dramatics.
Stefan turned and saw an extremely pale Ilinka hurrying toward him. He rose to his feet as she got closer. Her white skin stood out against her blood black hair and her wide blue eyes looked almost fearful. When she got to him, she clutched his arms. "I saw them, Stefan. They're coming this way!" she exclaimed, visibly shaken. "Saw who, Ilinka?" Priest asked her, wondering what could have frightened her so much. She wasn't the sort to act this way. Ilinka turned bright eyes toward him. "They look human, but they can't be. The scent of their blood is all wrong and they give off a feeling of power that unnerves me," she told him, sliding an arm around Stefan's waist. "What do they look like?" Chupa demanded as he realized that she was serious. "One was hooded and the other looks like a young girl. But no child could radiate the power that she did. The hooded one I cannot describe. I could only see her cloak. The young one wears a green cloak. She has auburn hair and her eyes glow green through the darkness. There is something terrible to them. I'm sure of it," she said, a visible shudder running through her.
For a moment, Chupa wondered if maybe Ilinka hadn't gotten some bad blood. He changed his mind as he felt something ripple through the air. Whatever it was, it made the hair on his arms stand up. "I feel it, too," Priest said quietly as he rose to his feet. He wasn't the only one. Vampires all over the club were staring around the cavernous room, eyes wide and teeth bared. Then suddenly, the music stopped. The two that Ilinka had described had to be inside of the building.
The doorway to the main club area
Emma's gloved hand passed in front of the vampire guard's eyes. "Let us pass," she murmured, her voice shimmering through the air. Without a word, the vampire moved aside and the huge steel door slid open. "You see? That was painless, Rayn," she said softly, nodding toward the surprisingly quiet dance floor. "For now, you mean," Rayn muttered, following as Emma swept through the crowd of vampires.
They parted as she moved among them, teeth bared and hissing malevolently. "What does this place have to do with our task, Emma?" Rayn whispered urgently, sticking close to the older woman. Emma did not reply. She continued moving through the throng towards a corner. When she came to a stop, so did Rayn. Reaching up, Emma lifted her hood away from her face and head. With a slight smile, she finally answered Rayn's question. "This place has everything to do with it, kid." "But why?" Rayn demanded in a low voice, suddenly very aware of the red-haired vampire staring at her. Emma pointed first at the redhead and then the muscular vampire standing next to him. "Because they are the task," she replied and then lowered her arm. Rayn's eyes widened. Emma smiled. "And she gave us a real bitch this time."
