Chapter 3: Laura

I slipped on my sunglasses and we left. It was still dark, but the sun would be up soon. We'll have to move fast. I was accompanied by Spike and, of course, Gabriel. Neither I nor Spike wished to be in the presence of Laura. She is a vampire in the form of a small girl. But she was... for lack of a better word, a bitch. Cruel, pushy, and overall creepy. Even her own kind was afraid of her. But, in Gabriel's absence, she kept a handle on things. Kinda ran the vampire club, in a way. Before we knew it, Spike's cell rang.

"Yeah?" Spike answered as we all kept our pace.

There was a minute of silence.

"...Alright." With that, he hung up. "Back ally of The Blood Bank."

Laura had agreed to meet us. Although, I did not like the location. The Blood Bank was a bar on vampire territory. We're crossing the boundaries, and that made me uneasy. I was confident that nothing would happen to me, or Gabriel, obviously. Gabriel is THEIR Lord, and no member of any clan is allowed to attack the other's Lord. But Spike was just a lycan. If he mouthed off, they could attack him. Hopefully, Gabriel would keep them contained.

"What sorcery was that?" Gabriel asked.

"What are you talking about?" Spike asked.

"That box you talked into. It made noise, as well. Is it possessed?"

"It's a cellphone." I answered his question.

"Cellphone?"

"It allows people to talk to each other over distances, dude." I was educating him in the way of the 21st century.

"Dude?"

"...This might be harder than I thought."

Gabriel's solitude for 400 years made him ignorant to the technological advances humans made over the centuries. As well as advances in terminology. He still talks as though he is in medieval times.

Before I knew it, we were there. A great big seven foot tall vampire body guard protected the front entrance. The only way to get to the back ally was through a special gate the guard protected as well. It was where most of the... feeding occurred. So it's hidden from human view. In case they wanna lure some unsuspecting victims to their deaths, of course.

Spike walked ahead, directly up to the vampire bouncer. He was a tall, bald headed man with a brown goatee. He wore a button-down black suit. Which was strangely sophisticated for a bouncer. His level of sophistication indicates he's an older, stronger vampire. Most of the older vampires tend to look classy, well dressed. It's stupid if you ask me.

Spike skipped the line and stepped up to the bouncer, their height difference became painfully obvious.

"Open the back gate. We're here to see Laura." Spike demanded.

"Damn it, Spike." I thought. "Don't be arrogant, not now. Not here."

"What'd you say, lycan vermin?" He asked threateningly; anger ripping through the seams of his speech.

"Now, now." I said, walking up behind Spike, being the shortest of the three.

"None of us want a confrontation... Now, do we?" I pulled my shades down slightly, showing my wolf like eyes to the bouncer in order to scare him off my friend. Lords are naturally MUCH stronger than any regulars. Some are close to our power through years of battle experience, but still unable to defeat us.

"Michael, the Lycan Lord... I shoulda known." By the new tone in his voice he calmed himself. He knew I'd tear him apart.

"What do you want? Lords are welcome on all territories according to the Treaty." He looked at Spike.

"Your followers, however, are NOT."

"What'd you say vampire trash!" Spike responded, clenching his fist.

Aw, how cute. Spike and this giant hate each other already.

"Easy Spike." I demanded, and looked back at the bouncer.

"I know, I know. Just this was a bit of an emergency. We have a present for you guys." I explained.

"A 'present'?" I could tell he was skeptical.

I turned to the side and held my arm up. Gabriel moved closer and out of the shadows.

The big guy gasped immediately, and fell on his knee, bowing to his king.

"My lord! It is great to be in your presence again. I'll open the gate right away!"

He walked to the side and unlocked the gate, allowing us to pass. Walking down, we saw a small girl in pink crying.

She was a young girl, couldn't have been older than 14. Blue Converse, blue jeans, and a pink frilly shirt. She had jet black hair that was in a pony tail, and she sat on her knees, crying, surrounded by blood stains.

Spike quickened his pace, going to comfort the girl.

"Spike, no!" I cried.

The girl quickly turned herself. She hit Spike in the chest with her palm, and a ring of air from the pressure bursted forth from the point he was hit. He flew back without the ability to stop himself.

I held my left hand out, and continued walking forward, with Gabriel slightly behind me and to the right. I caught Spike by his collar and kept walking.

"Very funny... Laura." I said, stopping close to her and placing Spike down.

"Wasn't it?" She said, laughing under her breath, with her English accent. She walked slightly closer.

"That wasn't fucking funny, you little—!" Spike was about to get in her face, so I placed my hand upon his chest and pulled him back.

"Spike." I lengthened his name to command him to relax.

"Oh, chill. Don't be a little bitch. It was just a... game." She said, creepily.

"Same game you use to lure humans into your trap?" Gabriel asked, coming out from behind me.

I expected her to at least show HIM some respect.

"Shut up, Gabriel. SOMEONE had to lead the vampires for the past few centuries. I didn't see you jumping for the job."

"He is your Lord. Why are you still SO disrespectful?" Damn it. I opened my mouth.

"Shut up, Michael. I knew this chump before he even was our Lord. Almost killed him when he was human. I should have. Should have just killed him and taken Carmilla's power for myself."

"But you did not kill me. You spared my life. Surely, there must still be some compassion in you." Gabriel attempted to reach out to this witch of a child.

She looked to the side. "...Why did you come back, anyway? I had things under control. We don't need the self-loathing vampire."

"Zobek has returned, sending a warning that Satan is returning. He seeks revenge." He started explaining what he had explained to me.

"What does that have to do with us? He wants you Lords, not us. Take care of it yourself." Laura was so cold.

Her bouncer walked down the way and stood behind us.

"You little bitch!" Spike yelled. He was a short-tempered man...

"Spike!" I commanded his attention. "...Why don't you go inside and play with the other kiddies and let the grown-ups talk, huh?"

"Yeah..." The bouncer said. "Let's... go inside." He laughed slightly.

"You—the guardian of the gate." Gabriel said. "If anyone harms my new friend, they will answer to me."

The bouncer sighed slightly. "...Yes, my lord."

With that, Spike and the giant vampire entered the bar. Leaving us to talk.

"We will take care of him alone. The problem is, Gabriel has no idea HOW to fight as a vampire. I figured... you could help him?" I was TRYING to get her to help.

"And why the HELL would I do that?" God, she's such a bitch.

"I need your assistance as you once aided me many years ago. How can I use wings if I gave the Seraph Shoulders to the order? And I must also blend in with this era's style. Whatever that may be." Gabriel was trying to make her... That's bad.

"Gabriel, I see no reason I NEED to help you." She retorted.

"Look, everyone's in danger if we don't have ALL the Lords at full power. Please. We need your help." I was forced to beg her, and that pissed me off.

"Hmm, beg!" She said.

Wow, I called that. She loved her games. In which, she always won. Because the other was forced to lose. She must be in control at all times. If she were to lose, chaos would ensue. She's the epitome of the wrath of a woman scorned. The problem is—we all hate her. So we ALL get her wrath. Clan or not.

Gabriel, surprisingly, got on his knee.

"I beg you, Laura. We are in desperate need of your aid. If I am not strong enough to confront The Unholy One again, we will all surely fail. And the world will be in peril." He pleaded.

She laughed, seemingly mocking our lucidly desperate plea.

"Alright... Since you put it SO nicely." Her grin seemed to stretched farther than the horizon. And sarcastic tone sent chills down my spine.

...

Spike entered The Blood Bank, followed by the bouncer originally at the front door. The bar was also a dance club. The room was dark and the disco ball was flashing different colors, all to techno music as vampire conjugated on the dance floor.

The bouncer and another vampire walked up behind him.

"Your precious Lord wants you alive. So we can't kill you. But how bout we settle this... the ol' fashion way?" The bouncer asked.

"Fine by me, ya prick." Retorted the conceited Spike.

...

A while later, they were both intoxicated, both doing shots until one passed out. A crowd of humans and vampires cheering them on.

"...G-give up... vampire." Spike struggled to talk.

"No... way in hell. Lycan trash." Both took another shot.

"H-hey... What's your name anyway?" Spike asked.

"J... Jacob. Jacob Havoc. ...Your name, lycan?"

Either the humans did not hear their clan-based insults, or their slurs impaired the humans' hearing.

"Spike..." Spike fell off his chair, practically passing out.

"Yes...! I... wo—" The vampire known as Havoc said while stretching his arms.

"Shit." He interrupted himself, and fell over too. The crowd applauded and cheered at the hilarity.

Without warning, a red portal opened on the wall. Red horned creatures flew out of the portal. Gremlins-swinging their fire everywhere. They attacked vampire and human alike. Showing no remorse or discrimination. Prejudice and petty clan differences meant nothing to them. They will burn it all.

Spike picked his head up slightly. "Oh, shit! Michael!"

...

Outside, Michael, Gabriel, and Laura continued discussing the matter at hand.

"Alright," Laura said, "I'll help. I don't really want Satan ruling the world, anyway. Less people to feed on. Come with me. I'll teach you how to be a vampire, you failure of a Lord."

I heard the screams coming from inside. Something bad was happening.

We all turned when we heard Spike screaming "Michael."

"What the fuck! Your men better be keeping their word, Laura!" I threatened.

"Oh, relax. My men wouldn't harm your precious pup."

I opened the door to see small demons flying everywhere, launching fire balls down and lighting their victims on fire.

I sighed before I spoke.

"Looks like training will have to wait awhile..."