Ch.2 Death
"So check it out folks its a little weird so watch carefully." I called out to the on-looking club goers. No Name was packed tonight and Tony the club owner had me doing some close up magic behind the bar. My best friend D.C. filmed from amongst the audience.
"Ma'am is it possible to turn a card without flipping it over?" I asked.
"No I don't think so." The woman responded. She wore a simple black top and a totally Goth'd out ballerina skirt. She also had short spiky purple hair and matching lipstick, which stood out harshly against her paper white skin.
"Its very easy actually you simply rub it." I said while rubbing the face up Jack of Clubs on top of the deck revealing a face down card. The woman kept totally reserved but the flash of shock sparked across her eyes. Some others in the small crowd weren't as controlled as one man shouted in disbelief from his seat not too far from my left.
"I know it is pretty weird, but in case you missed it here it is again." I said softly to my crowd. With a simple wave of a hand the top card changed swiftly to a face up position revealing it to be the Jack of Clubs once again. With another rub the Jack reversed itself once more and with another free wave of the hand it corrected itself.
"Now here's the really weird part folks you don't need a special card." I said while inserting the Jack into the deck. "This trick is so insane it can be done with the entire deck of cards." I then flipped the top card face upwards revealing a two of hearts and with a soft snap I spread the deck in my hands revealing every card in the deck to be all face up, all except one card. The crowd just about held their collective breath as the face down card was turned over and revealed to be the Jack of Clubs once again. A riptide of shock and amazement shot through the entire bar top as the crowd roared its approval. The man who shouted early was raving mad in his seat at the trick I just preformed.
"Sir!" I called to him. "You've been so cool tonight that I have a little gift for you I said as I reached into my back pocket. I pulled out a normal black wallet with this guys I.D. and information in it. "Is this yours?" I asked.
"No way dude." He said in wide-eyed amazement as he jumped from his stool and searched his pockets for his wallet I was now holding. The crowd began to laugh and roar in awe of my work.
"I'm sorry sir this isn't your wallet." I said. He turned in confusion. "Yea this is mine I can tell I don't think you have that much money to burn." And on cue large flames sprang from the wallet frightening the crowd in a startling display of magic. A moment later the applause from my show eclipsed even the deafening bass driven rock music blasting through many of the in-house speakers.
"Thank you for your participation folks, I am J. Redgrave the Mindless. Not to be confused with Criss Angel's MindFreak or Mentok the Mindtaker. Remember to tip your waitresses, and please do not drink and drive tonight...you might spill your drink." I placed my hat mouth up on the bar top with the word 'TIPS' etched into the brim. And I left the bar to talk to D.C.
"Dude how was I?" I asked in somewhat haste.
"Those last two tricks were fucking art bro....how?" He asked rewinding his camera to review my act.
"A magician never tells, my dear boy." I said which he hates...hence the reason I said it. D.C. and me headed back to the bar to watch the tape and round up a new crowd.
"I swear your becoming insane bro." D.C. said as I turned to count my tips. (A/N, the purple lipstick girl leaves her cell number; -p)
"Its not insane dude its real, well my real." I said smiling.
"Again with the relative reality psycho-babble." He said under his breath.
"Dude its true everyone's reality is different that's why I know how my stuff works because I refuse to believe in limitations" I began, just about to dive head first into my weird psycho-dribble when a small hand hit the bar top hard causing D.C. to jump in shock and me to lose count of my tip money.
The hand belonged to a beautiful young woman about twenty or twenty-one years old deep brown eyes, soft dark skin, and shockingly pink hair draped down to her shoulders. She wore a black and white, skull and cross bone embroiled tank top and what appeared be matching jeans. She flashed that smile that sent my heart running.
"Luv! What do I owe such a visit from such a heavenly angel?" I asked in the grandest most exaggerated way I could think of.
"Shut up Redgrave just get me Tony." She said softly through the music.
"I'll get you Tony as soon as I get your number."
"You drive a hard bargain Hun but I'm afraid I might be too much for just you."
"Ooo I like that. After all I like my women like I like my hot sauce. Hot...?" I cannot believe I just said that.
"A rare swing and a miss." D.C. commented from his spot at the bar. Luv only laughed softly to herself before speaking again.
"Come' on Redgrave I need to speak to Tony, its business suga. I'll have my fun with you some other time." She said flashing that beautiful smile yet again.
"Awww Luv you always say that." I retorted before punching a few digits into one of the in-house phones that was routed right to Tony's office. Not too long after Tony ushered Luv into a back room leaving me and D.C. resetting for another demonstration when Havik drifted over towards us.
"You alright?" D.C. asked Havik whom I just noticed looked extremely tense.
"Ayo Havik was goin' on man?" I asked. His face had somewhat of an animalistic sense to it I couldn't put my finger on but it wasn't good. As if a light switched was thrown the air changed. It was like electricity was actually; I didn't know what was coming but it was bad. At just that moment, the music cut and Tony's voice was heard through the speakers.
"Ladies and Gentlemen please remain calm but we need everyone to exit the building and leave the premises immediately. It is important that you all get as far away from here as you can as fast as you can." That was all that can be heard before the stomping of feet roared through the hall as everyone darted for an exit. Lucky enough Tony had several exit doors and hallways added incase of major emergencies. In the chaos some familiar faces from the shop swept up D.C. and me. (Havik, Marcus, and Xander) and sprinted for an exit behind the bar area and through the back.
The moment we burst through the back doors the alleyway was flooded by light. And three men blocked or path, as they stalked their way from around a large black car. I couldn't tell the model I just knew it was big American muscle that put that car together.
Through the flooding light I was startled to hear a loud growling rip through the air from my left from Marcus.
"Check it out boys." The largest man by the car shouted. His clothes barely fit him even from where I stood I could see he was riddled with muscle. "Three Camillarian cowards and snacks for when we're done." He said, the words confused me especially the snack thing. Havik was the first to speak in response.
"This city is under the control of the Camarilla leave now and no one will have to die tonight." He shouted.
"Dude? Die?" D.C. asked me from behind Xander Marcus and Havik.
"Awww the bull is scared." The larger male taunted with one head cocked to the side.
"Wait a sec, you...I know you." Said one of the three strange men. He wasn't like the rest there was something horribly wrong with him. He cast no shadow what so ever. He leaned against the car door, while the larger man stood further toward us resting a steel bat on his shoulder, while the third man reminded me of Sabertooth from X-men sat in a low crouch on the hood of the car.
"Yea that there is Havik boys, he's head of the Shadow clan, mates. Bloody Caitiff the whole lot of them." He concluded. The largest of the three laughed loudly and sneered in our direction.
"LEAVE OR DIE!!!" Xander shouted from my right. His muscles tensed in anticipation as if this impending fight could end in seconds. This idea crept up my spin as the fear seeped in from all sides.
"You know what we should do?" Said the largest. "We should rip you three to fuckin pieces and feed you to your humans. Infact Damian show these boys how to really be a shadow."
The one leaning against the car grinned wide before speaking softly to no one in particular.
"Filthy strays." Was all he said as he raised his arms so fast I didn't see him move. A growl echoed from Havik's chest and Xander sprang forward with incredible speed flanked by Marcus as the largest man and the beast. Both pairs of men clashed with unimaginable speed and the force of the collision shook the ground below.
Havik made a beeline for the man leaning against the car. He seemed to be in a deep trance. Havik was mere seconds from attacking when the man opened his eyes and swung his arms towards D.C and me. The light became too much for my eyes at that point and the darkness soon washed over me...