Chapter Eight
The Festival of the Dead was exactly that; the dead. Not one person in that hall was sober and they had only just arrived.
The tavern where the creatures of the night met was very gothic, like a scene from a horror movie Darren had once watched when he was younger. Or when he was older? After all, movies didn't exist right now, did they? Bloody time traveling, Darren didn't know if he was coming or going anymore.
"I see Mika," Larten grumbled behind a coal black mascaraed ball mask. He, like Darren and Wester, had dressed in the traditional formal attire; fancy suits of blacks and reds with fluffy white shirts and cravats. Their heavy black boots echoed on the dark oak floor boards, though no one paid them huge attention over the noise emitted from a distant stage where a blonde haired human sung vampire songs for her audience.
Wester followed Larten's eye line till he too spotted Mika.
The young General was dressed in a strange green and gold suit with a stunning leaf shaped mask covering the left side of his face. Darren was surprised to see his thick black hair merely at shoulder length –the last time Darren had seen it it had poured down in thick curls to the small of his back.
"Well, if it isn't the three musketeers!" Vanez Blane boomed from behind the busy bar, serving an older vampire whilst talking to Wester, Larten and Darren. "I recognized that scruff of orange hair anywhere! What do you three want? It's on me tonight,"
"I thought it was an open bar at these things?" Wester chuckled.
"Not anymore. The Clan need money somehow for the medical wing in the mountain. This is now a charity raising event,," Vanez laughed, scratching his eyes before smiling. Darren was amazed to see that Vanez had use of both his eyes, yet to lose his sight at all.
"Three ports and a shot of vodka to wash it down," Larten instructed Vanez, handing over a few coins despite Darren and Wester's disapproving looks; the vampire had been in detox all through their trip to Scotland, Wester desperately trying to curb Larten's self-destructive habits.
The orange haired man took three glasses, returning for the vodka as the three took up seats at the back of the hall. Neither had been to one of these events before and so they were each slightly nervous. They didn't know traditional dances, they didn't know many of the vampires present, and worst of all they didn't feel nearly as dressy as some of the others.
All three wore the same black suit and white shirt with sequence covered black masks that fitted over their nose and eyebrows. As they sat back in their seats and enjoyed their ports, a few women sauntered past in revealing costumes; a leopard lady, a woman in an icy body suit, a beautiful fire red bodice.
"Why did he come here? We should have stayed in Scotland," Larten complained, finishing his pint in a ridiculous time before downing the vodka shot skilfully. Wester grew twitchy at the sight of his brother drinking once more, particularly as he went for a second round before Darren had even taken one sip.
"We came here to mingle with vampires our own age, Larten," Darren explained, eyeing up a few of the vampire women who passed him. They were a rare thing and so they demanded the utmost respect from all the males.
That's when he spotted Arra lingering around the bar. In vampire tradition, women were not allowed to buy their own drinks, a sexist rule which was soon to be demolished at next council. Still, until that year, she had to rely on the kindness of other vampires to offer her a glass of wine.
"I see Arra. She looks…wow," Darren whistled, watching Arra's body closely in a crimson red and shimmering orange body suit, a strip of chain around her hip; even at a formal ball she owned a weapon. "Very fiery," Darren complimented.
"She is truly a stunning vampiress," Wester agreed, shamelessly joining Darren in staring at Arra. She wasn't like any woman either boy had seen; thick set and muscular compared to the womanly curves and feminine natures of humans which was perhaps why their blood was burning under their skin. They both felt a burning need to mate with her, an instinct neither male understood as they had never experienced such want before.
"Should I go over and talk to her?" Darren asked curiously, seemingly forgotten about who her future mate was likely to be, "I think I might buy her a drink,"
Wester frowned at that, "I might join you. I want to get my name in there,"
"I saw her first," Darren laughed, shaking his head as both he and Wester made for the bar.
Wester shook his head and retorted, "Larten's a sleazy male, you are a nervous lover. I am the happy medium,"
"I am not!" Darren scoffed, pushing Wester hard before looking up at Arra, "Hello, Miss. I don't know if you remember us but-"
"The peeping tom from Scotland. You were both leering at my fellow vampiresses and I whilst we trained. Where is the third member of this shady little pack?" Arra asked passively, clearly not impressed by their presence.
"Oh, um, Larten? He's, um,"
"Are you having trouble, Arra?" Mika growled, approaching his assistant and holding her hip, those sharp raven eyes glaring at Darren and Wester, "Be gone, boys. Take another drink and drown out the sound and stench of your hormones. You are offending perfectly respectful women with your childish presence,"
"Back off, Mika," Larten growled from beside Wester, puffing himself out and glaring straight into Mika's eyes, "Or are you going to tell me to back down too?"
"Crepsley, this does not concern you," Mika snapped, pushing Larten's chest hard. He leaned in close to his face and bared his fangs, "Arra is mine."
Larten looked up at Arra, the vampiress sneering at the back of Mika's head. She probably didn't appreciate being labelled as belonging to anyone, Darren mused as she caught Larten's eye sight.
"Go. Crepsley," Mika continued, pushing Larten hard once more. A crowd had formed around them, the vampires eager for a good brawl.
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"
"That female is mine," Larten spat, pushing Mika back, agitating Mika to throw a fist which slammed into Larten's cheek. There was a loud snap and Larten's nose erupted into a torrent of blood as a second fist smashed him square in the face. A third punch collided with his gut before a kick caught him in the groin.
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"
Larten forced himself upright and glared furiously at Mika, eyes burning with pure hatred. He charged at Mika, knocking him to the floor with Larten's weight above him pinning the black haired general. His fists ripped into Mika's face, tearing his hair and slamming his head onto the hard flooring.
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"
Mika tried to kick back but Larten was savage, obliterating Mika's face beyond recognition, tearing into his skin with his nails and ripping away flesh and hair. When Mika went to tap out of the fight and surrender, Larten's hand found a bottle lying carelessly on the floor beside a table the two had knocked over. He smashed the end and hovered it above Mika's face.
"Get that psychopath off Mika!"
"Grab'em!"
Furious, blood oozing over his lips, Larten glared down at Mika's unconscious body. His breathing was rugged and hard as he panted through blind rage, muscles quaking from adrenaline. Before he knew what was happening, Larten was being dragged off Mika. He dropped the bottle in a haze whilst medics ran forward to aid the messed up Mika.
"What the Hell?!" Darren snarled, pushing Larten hard, "What the Hell is wrong with you!"
"Darren!" Wester warned, Larten seeming completely lost as the younger vampire shoved him hard once more. "I'm warning you Darren!"
"You coulda killed him!" Darren pressed, ignoring his friend and continuing to give Larten grief. "He tapped out!"
"He," Larten gulped, shaking badly as the red haze evaporated, "Do not tell Seba,"
"Oh, I'm telling Seba. You can count your left bollock on it!" Darren roared, looking over momentarily at a stunned Arra who was stood clutching a bar stool tightly, "Larten, what in the Gods name were you trying to do-"
Larten was gone.
"Shite, he flitted," Wester cursed, grabbing his coat and bombing out the door after his friend.
Darren stared after in disbelief before looking towards the gurgling breath as Mika was finally resuscitated.
That's me back officially now :D Next chappy soon!