Chapter 3: A Familiar Confrontation

 

 

 

Veronica’s ebony eyes fluttered open to darkness, almost pitch. If not for a dull light sifting through gaps in the wood that covered the nearest window, it would have felt surreal. For a moment, she couldn’t remember where she was. Did she go to sleep on the couch after Joey and her had their fight…?

 

And that’s when it hit her. All of the previous night’s images, sounds, and smells came back to her in a flurry of blood and fear. She whimpered aloud, which surprised even herself. She had never experienced anything like last night. Even still, she didn’t quite comprehend the situation she was in. For instance, she was in a vampyre’s house. She frowned, recalling this also.

 

I’m in a vampyre’s house.

 

 

She repeated the words over in her head, trying to squeeze any kind of logic from them, to rationalize what was going on. No luck. Was it all a dream? No, she just woke up. Or did she? Nothing was for sure now… Veronica turned her head to the side and tried to make out the room again. The only color that popped up was the glowing red of a digital clock across the room. 7:13 AM, it read.

 

S**T.

 

Veronica sprung up halfway from the couch, but was suddenly overcome by light-headedness and sort of flopped onto the wood floor with a thud. She groaned softly, rubbing her now sore hip as she got to her feet. The pain only refreshed her dismay. Auuugh, I’m gonna be late for work! Damn! She grabbed her hoodie off the couch and somehow found the door; but before she could turn the handle, her eye caught sight of a yellow sticky note:

 

 

 

Veronica smiled and plucked the note from the door, re-reading it as she shuffled over to the kitchen; her eyes were pretty adjusted now to the dim light. Sure enough, on the white-tiled counter was a single hundred-dollar bill. Her shoulder sagged and she tilted her head to the side. How sweet…Thanks, Kalvin…Kal. She smiled again.

 

She put the bill in her pocket and really headed out the door this time, glancing once at Kalvin’s bedroom door before she left. There was a different clerk down at the front desk this time, working the day shift. Veronica shared an inside joke with herself, that Kalvin had probably never even met the guy before. Once outside, she hailed a cab that was passing by. As she sat down on the cushy taxi seat, the cabbie questioned her with the characteristic, “Where to?” She supplied him with the address of a local coffeehouse.

 

~

Sunlight streamed in through the many windows of the Émeraude Café, casting warmth on the bronzed tiles. Quaint black bistro tables were strewn about the large room, complete with matching chairs and a couple dozen customers sitting in them, happily sipping their mochas and cappuccinos. Veronica stood dutifully behind the counter, waiting for another to enter. Her feet and legs were sore from standing, and it had only been four hours.

 

Lunch break better come soon…she thought with a small sigh.

 

Sure enough, someone did walk through the glass double doors; a young man who looked a couple of years older than her, with short, spiky blonde hair and green eyes. He was wearing all black – something not uncommon in this coffee place. Veronica opened her mouth to utter the customary “how-can-I-help-you”, when he held up a hand and looked her in the eye. Her breath caught in her throat, and she looked only a little confused. He grinned a very toothy grin, with very white teeth, and chuckled lightly.

 

“You must be Veronica?” he asked. His voice was on the higher-pitched side, and rang a bit of New Jersey; she immediately sized him up as being “cocky.” She nodded her head and smiled.

 

“Yep. That’s me.”

 

“Listen, ah…” He lowered his voice and leaned in. “My boss has learned that you were attacked last night by vampyres.” He still kept a casual tone, as if he were discussing the latest gossip. Veronica reflected nothing but astonishment. “He’s… very apologetic. You see, that bunch of brutes? He owns them. My boss.. he’d like to give his condolences in person.”

 

Veronica held up her hands. “Whoa, whoa, wait… So… A human controls those monsters?”

 

“Ah, well, you see my boss is also like them… b-but he’s no monster,” he added hastily, a sudden tone of nervousness washing over the words.

 

Veronica looked confused. “But… you can’t be, can you…? It’s daylight…”

 

He shook his head and grinned again, like before. “Nah, nah… Me? I’m human. I’m what you call a ‘familiar’. Keep that term in ya books. See?” He turned his back to her; his hand pointed to a small tattoo of a strange symbol on the back of his neck:

 

[image to be added later]

 

 

“That means I belong to him,” the familiar continued.

 

“Who?”

 

“If you wanna meet him, come to this address –“ He slipped a small, colorful nightclub card to her across the counter. “ – at 9 o’ clock sharp tonight. Don’t be late.” He emphasized by pointing his finger. And with no further words, he turned around without a drop of coffee and went out the door.

Veronica picked up the card and examined it. Club Crimson. Hm.

 

 

Reviews

[fireblossom]

You are a really good writer stylistically. The format glitch was irritating but the story is intriguing. Good job.