Chapter 9: Good Solid Information

 

My unwilling night-stalker and I were currently sitting in a strip club. Yes, I did say a strip club. We were waiting to talk to his maker, who, frankly, I had a few words for. The place was actually pretty nice as far as strip joints went. It had soft pink carpet and clean white paint. The lighting was only dim because it set the mood, not because there were too few lights.

“Ah, Henry, it’s good to see you.” I turned around to see a pleasantly passé man walking towards us. I turn to…Henry…and raise one eyebrow. When he nods I know that this is the a*s that needs to be smacked, and hard. He comes around to sit, in all of his white suited glory within our circle of chairs. I saw his nostrils flare. “It’s not often that I see one of my own adjusting so well. Already bringing girls in, it makes me proud.” He smiled coolly. I saw a knowing smile on Henry’s face from the corner of my eye. It took everything I had to not jump up and pound his maker, but I restrained myself. It was then, in my moment of restraint, that I noticed the beauty of the girls. They were pale and beautiful. They were also vampires, so it seemed. I sneezed as the sweet smell of them hit my nostrils.

“So what’s your business in here?” He was talking to me now. This was the time if there was going to be one.  

“Well, for one thing…” I got up and slapped him so hard and fast that I almost didn’t see it. “You’re an a*s.” I quickly sat down before I caused to big a scene. The man rubbed his jaw, cracking his neck and looking at me.

“So I’ve been told, but what for exactly this time milady.” He seemed to be restraining the same urge I was.

“I’ll tell you what for, for not teaching Henry here how to hunt correctly. He’s been accidentally killing people, and then being so remorseful he just stuffs money in their pockets and runs.” I looked him square in the eye, “Now they think he’s a serial killer.”

“That’s all very nice, but what does this have to do with you.” I brought up my hands and tucked them under my chin.

“I’m the poor schmuck that got to teach him how in your stead.”

“And how was this so skillfully accomplished by an oddball human.” He smelled well and truly pissed now. Apparently he’d never been told to control his fledglings before, and especially not by someone like me.

I saw Henry smile. It was his turn to say something. “But that’s where you would be missing something, Richard. She’s not human.” Huh. Richard. I never did really like the name Richard.

“I could tell that much by her smacking me actually getting through to my deadened nerves.” He looked scathingly at Henry. “What, pray tell, is she then?”

Henry smiled as I got up. I jumped at him, quickly releasing the heat that had built up along my spine. I landed lightly in Richard’s quickly vacated chair as a wolf, the same one I had used with Henry. I heard a hiss from the stage. Every vampire in the house was now looking in my direction, and the only one smiling was Henry. He looked happy as a kid in a candy store in his new jeans and button down black shirt. I heard the commotion quickly restart, so quick that the humans would have barely registered it.

“Why are you here?” Richard asked nervously. I shifted back to human form. I immediately felt the tension relax.

“Well, like I said, I wanted to meet the lazy bum who hadn’t taught his fledgling correctly.” I smiled politely and motioned for him to please sit down. “I’ve also come to ask you a question.”As he sat down he seemed to calm some, he seemed curious.

“And what would that be, Lycanthrope? Whether I have a spare bone for you?” He said this with the manner of someone who was only saying something out of habit.

 “No thanks, I already ate.” I smiled. “No, I was planning on asking you about Dracula before I got sidetracked.”

He looked incredulous. After staring at me for a few long moments, he began to laugh. “Drrrrr…Draaaa…Dracula-hahahahahahahaha!” He was laughing so hard that he couldn’t speak, quite a feat for someone who didn’t breathe. He waved his hand in front of his face trying to compose himself. As he calmed down he managed to get out, “You’re looking for Dracula?” He chuckled once more before finally gaining control. He continued to wear a smile. I nodded. “Well, then,” He got up and put out his hand, “It seems we’ve started out on the wrong track, Miss…?”

“Akira,” I said as I took his hand, smiling. I always made friends in the strangest ways. He firmly shook my hand.

“Akira, then.” He released myself and sat himself down. I could smell that he was even more proud of Henry now. Henry’d found himself a genuine werewolf, which was quite a feat in his eyes. If only he knew that I could turn into more than just a wolf. I smiled at the thought, the corners of my eyes crinkling in mirth, as he folded his hands beneath his chin.

“To tell you the truth, I haven’t heard from the Count in decades. Do you know anything about him at current? How is he?” He looked hopeful, but mostly doubtful.

“I’ll tell you when I’ve found him, Rich.” I smiled, “I tracked him thus far, but can’t figure out where to go from here. You wouldn’t know where I should look next, would you?”

Richard smiled slyly, like he was enjoying a private joke.

“I believe your next destination is Italy, my dear.”

I smiled to myself quickly as I said, “I thank you, Richard.” I stand, surprised as Henry does the same. “I’ll keep in touch.”

“You do that.” He ran an eye up and down my figure, “And if you ever need a job…”

“I’ll be sure to avoid you at all costs,” I smile and wave as I exit to his laughter. As I began to walk back to the Pub, Henry caught my hand. I turned to see him smiling gratefully at me.

“Thank you, Akira. You don’t know how much it means to me that you taught me how to stay sane.” He looked into my eyes with his light blue eyes, his dark hair hanging in his face, with what looked like admiration.

“Don’t thank me yet.” I said as I gently took back my hand. I stepped back and said, “Work on the not over-reacting thing okay? I’ll keep in touch.” Henry waved as I faded into the distance.

 

 

As soon as the girl was out of sight, Richard swiftly crossed to the phone on the wall and dialed. He tapped his foot as the phone rang once, twice, three times. On the forth ring, the call was finally picked up.

“Cula’s office, how may I help you?” A deep male voice answered.

“Drac, it’s me, Richard.”

“Richard, my friend, how are you?”

“I’m fine, but there’s no time for chat. A dog just came in asking for you.”

“Hoho, really?” I heard a gravelly laugh from the other end of the line, “And why is this so worrisome? We’ve faced them before, it’ll be nothing. Wait…You didn’t tell them did you?”

“Her, and no, of course not.” He smiled wickedly, “I gave her the same old lie.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“She called me Rich,” he cracked with a smile, “No, I called because she’s serious, not just some nobody.” He shivered at a memory, moments old, “She shifted so fast I could barely see it, and walked in here with one of my fledglings like she owned the place.”

“Since when is this new, friend? Don’t worry; I’ve mixed up the trail enough that not even god could find me.”

“I believe you, but be careful.” Richard heard a female voice in the background.

“I’ve got to go,” A sigh blasted into his ear, “Talk soon.”

“Yeah…” he replied to the empty line, hoping that he was right. As he turned back to his establishment, he found himself face to face with a man in a black suit.

“May I help you?” Silence. “Excuse me? Can I get you anything?” More silence. Richard decided that there was nothing he could do, so he smiled and started to turn away. As he turned, the man stopped him. “What…?” There was a sharp pain in his chest as the world fell out from underneath him. The last thing he saw as he sank into the eternal darkness from which he had been kept from for so long was his killer’s face, shadowed and full of hate.

 

 

 

Author's Note

Holla' back, girl!...Boy...Person...