11.00 pm Thursday, 12 December 7 hours until sunrise, Succubus Club The Domain
Stallion, Dominic and Rain
We were well and truly out of the closet, I was assured by Stallion. I was intrigued by Stallion’s new friend, Katherine of Montpellier. As a distant relative (though who could say if a direct one), and one also with an interest in art. I’d met so few Torreadors; it would be good to understand the foundations of the Clan
“Well, Stallion, do you want to go see Katherine?” I asked, hoping to move the party along.
“Ah, I don’t know where she is at the moment,” He replied, and that seemed to be the end of that discussion.
We could always go look for her….
I turned to Dominic, “Would you like to walk around together?”
“Sure, we can walk around and see what there is,” He said, not sounding at all positive about the experience.
“Hey, has anyone seen the other one? Where’s Eclipse?” Stallion asked, which was odd for him. When did he take an interest?
“I haven’t seen her anywhere,” Dominic replied. “Rain, you were last with her?”
Good news to share, “ Yes, I saw her last with our mysterious Izac. They finally found each other. They were oddly stiff; I hope they’re doing better now they’re alone.”
“It seems not for long, if Stallion has something to say about it,” Dominic said, giving Stallion a side-on glance.
“What? Ah, no…like, I’d say hi is all, “ He blustered, taken by surprise. “I don’t understand what you mean?”
Dominic was certainly more under the influence than I’d seen him previously. It seemed his drink from the previous room was taking effect. As if he’d read my mind, he grabbed both Stallion and me around the shoulders.
“Hey, we need some more drinks. This is supposed to be a party.”
“I may have overstayed my welcome in the previous room, “ I admitted, but that didn’t put off Dominic, who seemed determined to wring some enjoyment out of the night.
“There are other rooms…hell, there are other places to drink…they’re walking around.”
The song through the sound system changed to a punk song in Russian. The insistent beat had me wanting to move on, so I was happy to go, but Stallion wasn’t finished with his observations.
“Er…what happened to your shirt?” Stallion asked, finally noticing the bullet holes in Dominic’s shirt.
“It’s a party,” He replied, as if that explained being shot.
“Are you getting into a habit of being shot?” I asked. It was the second time in as many nights, and though free of my fear of guns, gun violence happened so uncommonly that it seemed Dominic was somehow making himself a target.
“You live to be as old as I am, you’ll get shot at once or twice.”
Yes, shot at…not shot through.
“Just not once or twice a week?” I added, seeing this was going to be another ‘Don’t worry about it’ conversation.
“I’ll make a note of that,” Stallion said, gesturing to the clothing in the cupboard. “You could always take a shirt from here.”
“Don’t be gouache,” Berated Dominic.
Eclipse and Izac
Dragging Izac through the rooms, Eclipse stormed, looking for a private place to talk. She was willing to hear him out, willing to give him a chance to explain, but really, WHAT THE FUCK! Finding a room lined with tables encircled by velvet curtains, she pulled him through and took a seat.
There were a few kindred in the room already. One looked as though she was waiting for someone, just standing in a corner watching for new arrivals furtively. Another looked as though she waited for no one, unless it was a new moon. Dressed in rough-cut and hand-prepared scraps of leather, she was filthy, wild-haired, and eyed and covered in Gaelic tribal tattoos. Izac noted both of the kindred and drew the curtain closed around the table.
“At least this is a quiet place. We have some shit to work out, apparently,” He said as Eclipse silently stared, holes into his chest.
For a long moment she said nothing, judging her words carefully before speaking. From him she was getting the feeling that the conversation with the Prince hadn’t gone exactly as he’d expected. It had been a victory, yes, and yet there was no vindication…no triumph. It was a hollow victory.
“What the fuck was that?”
“It was always going to happen, and needed to happen. It just didn’t go the way I expected. It puts everything up in the air now. Fuck me!”
“After all the danger, all the sacrifices and strife Rain and I went through, and that’s how it’s repaid?”
“I didn’t ask…” He started, but Eclipse was not finished.
“You know, Izac, if you’d wanted to slap me in the face you could have at least used your hand.”
Izac sucked air through his teeth, feeling the sting of her rebuke just as sure as if she’d slapped him, herself.
“Now, I’d like you to treat me with some fucking dignity and tell me what your plan was”
“Look, the less people knew, the less liability. I’d rather you be seen as a fool than an active participant.”
“Isn’t it a bit late for that? I got the heart. It’s in Rain’s box.”
“The box?” Izac blinked. I’d given the box to the Prince before he turned up on that dock and had never known its significance, but he quickly made the connection. “We’ll just say I needed a box and Rain had one, simple as that. What’s the problem with the box?”
“The Prince had the box for a long while; he knows it. It leaves us like an open wound. I can’t believe I almost traded a boon with the Prince for the heart and you sit there, telling me I shouldn’t have even tried?”
“Do you think I wanted you to risk yourself like that?”
“It doesn’t matter what you wanted; it’s what happened!”
The enormity of what Izac had done was starting to sink in. This wasn’t a simple, clean-cut transaction between Izac and the Prince. Many people were involved, and this small drop in the pond was likely to ripple out, causing complications no one could have anticipated.
“I didn’t have a plan…going into this,” Izac confessed. He’d been the tool, thrown into the world for this one singular purpose, and that was all.
“Playing other people’s games?” She scoffed. It seemed to be the theme of their lives.
“Always! The Prince! Giovanni! The people who kidnapped me! My sire! Everyone. Everyone’s playing a game. At least now I’m an active member trying to do something about it.”
“I’m sorry I got you involved; it was not my intention. I guess that doesn’t matter anymore. Beyond this, if things are going to happen, they will happen. At least as far as I can see, only Rain is implicated in all of this, not you. ”
“And he doesn’t matter?” She asked, dark flames flickering in her eyes.
“Depends on who we’re talking about. Look, if your life was hell, wouldn’t you do anything to get out? That’s what I did. Rain, the Prince… It’s a small price to pay.”
“I did all the hard work. What do you think?” She responded, and he had to appreciate that it was true. Her life wasn’t exactly blessed either, and yet she’d risked everything for him.
“And I appreciate it. Thank you. I just…didn’t want this.”
The two started as if a cannon had gone off, as a couple of taps made the curtain ripple beside them.
Izac, the quickest to respond, opened the curtain to see the kindred who’d been waiting.
“Can you two please keep it down? These are meant to be private booths, not domestic booths.”
They’d been oblivious to how loud they’d gotten. Izac felt a sudden chill of fear as he realised that everything they’d said was out in the open.
“Ah…We’ll try to keep it down,” He said, and slunk back behind the curtain.
“Is there anything else I need to know about?” Eclipse whispered harshly.
“You want to talk to me about secrets?” He responded, still burning over her own skeletons.
“Now I understand. We were just playing Lady Stone’s game. I was a piece on Lady Stone’s board,” She replied with a little more humility. It was easy to be drawn into the machinations of those with far more power and experience.
“I couldn’t contact you once I knew, “ Izac lamented. It was a fact that had tormented him over the days of exile. He sighed, “Let the past be where it is. From now on I’ll tell you everything.”
Eclipse held one of her long silences, judging and scrutinising until she finally relaxed her shoulders a little and dropped her eyes. “Okay.”
“Now, what do we do with this?” He asked and took out the small wooden box containing his heart.
Stallion, Dominic and Rain
“Come on. Let’s get back to the party!” I encouraged Stallion and Dominic.
“Yes, let’s get a drink!” Dominic demanded and marched off in the direction of another room filled with expectant victims. The catchy rhythm of Slice of Heaven was playing, and we were soon back in the party spirit.
That’s when I gotta play the clown for you
Black humour made me kick my blues
Where did you hide your wings?
“Wouldn’t it be funny if our sires were here?” Stallion asked, looking around. I didn’t share his joke.
“I assume Garcia is here, somewhere.” I glanced around and locked eyes with a gentleman we’d seen before.
The Campden, also known as Thomas Becket, who wore a mask of bone. He was enjoying a meal as we walked in, and I waited patiently for him to finish before speaking.
“Hello there, dear child.”
“Good evening, sir. I noticed you at the Dracula play the other night. Did you enjoy the show?”
“I did. Ah yes, I remember you,” he said. His eyes behind the mask sparkled as he took in my costume. “You look…different.”
I schooled my face to an expression of curiosity, “Oh? How so?” And looked down at my own still pristine white outfit.
“Less colour,” He said, and I shivered. All kindred auras are pale, but what was paler were wraiths. I only hoped he had no idea what he was seeing. “It must be your dress. It is reminiscent of a bygone time.”
“Ah yes,” I agreed heartily and stood taller to give him a good view, “That must be it.” It had been the whole point.
“I can see the other two are as garish as ever,” his mask lifted to take in Stallion in his yellow suit and Dominic, still sporting four gunshot holes, “Just like a Giovanni, I suppose.”
“One tries not to disappoint,” Dominic bowed his head in greeting.
“It’s certainly been quite a night so far,” I said.
“It has. So rarely do we get a sacrifice. And the Lupine were a fine distraction to one of my tastes.”
That caught my attention, but before I could ask more about the attack, Dominic interrupted, “So, what does Lupine taste like? If you don’t mind me asking.” Becket said, and his eyes closed as he once more savoured the moment.
“At least you can say they lived their life…almost to the end,” Stallion said, and I wasn’t sure if he was trying to be funny or make conversation.
“Who cares what they think, “ Becket’s eyes flashed from inside the shadows of his mask. “Their time is over.”
“They were trying to make a reenactment of Chicago and ended up being pushed into the dirt,” Dominic said, and I had to agree. It had not gone well for our local werewolves.
“They all fight the good fight in their own way, but the night was not theirs. They’ve had their time; they’re just not willing to give it up.”
“Ain’t most people like that?” Stallion asked, “It would be pretty weird for people to just…give up.”
Becket shrugged and conceded the point, “Food for thought, I suppose. From the mouth of babes. Now, before I go back to my feast, is there anything else I can help you with?”
“I appreciate anything you have to impart, sir. I did wonder what you thought about the play and its subject.” I asked.
“It was an indulgence. Lovely to see someone butcher that bastard’s work. Such great knowledge and power being brought low for the base commoners. It was amusing. He’s less a terror of the old ones now and more a child’s toy.”
“A children’s nightmare,” I commented. The old stories still lived rent-free in my memory from childhood. “But what about you? Are you interested in anything tonight?”
“I’m interested in devices with access to trinkets of unusual providence. Something of use, of course. I’m not looking for unbroken samian ware or native totems. Something of note. Something that holds power.”
“The arts and crafts room has an interesting individual. A creator of the unusual,” Dominic offered up, and Becket dismissed that idea with a wave.
“Yes, yes, but he is of limited interest. A one-tracked mind. Would any of you know of any such item?”
My thoughts went straight to the pocket watch, now gone. Not that I would have handed over that individual; he’d known too much.
“No, I’m sorry. I don’t know of any items of that nature,” I glanced at Dominic, who, after another drink, was looking worse for wear, “Though Mr Giovanni does deal in antiquities on occasion.”
“Hmm,” Becket turned, not to Dominic, but instead to Stallion, “Any more pearls of wisdom from the goat?”
“Huh? The name is Stallion,” He bristled.
“Hmm.” Becket didn’t respond, and I realised what Becket was also known for. Being a Capadocian. Becket was actually being very polite…in the circumstances.
“You have to remember, Rain, Thomas here and I are not on good terms.”
“Agreed,” Said Becket, “I am not in the mood for a poison chalice.”
“Well, that is unfortunate,” It was time to leave Becket. “We won’t keep you any longer sir. Thank you for your time.”
Dominic wandered off and started a conversation with a gentleman in a lavish Victorian coat, vest and right down to the buttoned cuffs. He looked like every villain out of a Dickensian novel. The cheesy grin he gave Dominic as he bid the gentleman a good evening sent a shiver down my back.
“Lovely night, isn’t it?”
“It is. What is your name, little lickspittle?” Said the kindred with a strong Russian accent.
Dominic sighed, a gesture I’d never seen him use before. “I’m Dominic. Dominic Giovanni.”
“Ah, good to meet you? Are you, by any chance, playing the game tonight?” The man asked as I realised I was face to face with Critias’ opponent, the one whose pawn I needed to defeat…somehow.
“Oh, I’m here as a spectator.”
“Hey Dominic, “This was Stallion, “What does he mean by the game?”
“The eternal game,” Dominic replied, referring to the Jihad.
“No, I do not mean the troubles in the sand, “ Said the kindred and pointed at me, “You there. I see you there, quiet, empty. You are part of the game. You have spoken to him, yes?”
“Yes, if you’re referring to Critias,” I said, and he nodded before I was finished.
“Yes, you are one of many pieces against me this night.”
“Well, I don’t want to think of it like that….” I really didn’t want to think of myself as opposed to this man.
“Come now,” He interrupted, “Even though a pawn you may be, if I let you go too far, even you could become a problem.”
Even a Queen, perhaps?
“But where are my manners? I am Dimitri.”
“It is still very nice to know your name, Dimitri. I am Rain.”
“And where do you hail from, Dimitri?” Dominic asked.
“What a question. It is a very, very long time. I can no longer remember. But I am one of Malkav’s Understand?” I didn’t, but I wondered if he was suggesting he was one of Malkav’s children. That would make him very old indeed.
Dominic nodded he did, and Dimitri continued, “I have been around too long. Seen too many generations of kine. I miss the days of Malkav.”
He turned his mad eyes on me again, “And you piece. Are you ready to make your first move?”
“I had hoped I’d already had. That’s unfortunate,” I had hoped by getting around and talking to as many kindred as possible I had started my role in the game. Why pick me otherwise? Now, I was flat-footed and had no idea where to start.
“Oh look, I get to make the first move, “ Said Dimitri, his fixed grin never wavering, “Only with one of his pieces. You will find another piece, and between you, you will decide if it will be a test of strength, wits or death. You are ready, yes?”
“For whatever comes, “ I said as evenly as I could, and he seemed pleased.
“Splendid. You will find Malcolm. He’s an odd sort, “ And Dimitri described a young punk, pale and full of pent-up energy.
“I’m looking forward to meeting him,” I said.
“Good, we will see how you fare. Maybe not break my piece so soon, yes? But maybe he break you?”
“I would think the pendulum swings more his way on that score, sir,” I said with a smile, and he laughed good naturedly.
“You will do fine. I want to see how far you will throw dice in this game. There is something special about you, yes?”
“I hope to have been well chosen.” Well, really, what do you say to that? I really did hope Critias chose well; otherwise…
“Splendid. Now you go, you find him. You don’t waste time with me.”
And so, with not another word said, I bowed and left in search of the elusive Malcolm.
“What did he get himself into, now?” Said Stallion as I left, sounding more miffed than intrigued by my role in the game.
I didn’t know where to start looking for Malcolm. It had taken me several hours to find Izac, and I knew him and where he’d likely not go. What did I know of Malcolm? I was moving through one of the dance rooms scanning the crowd as I’d done all night when I noticed the DJ in the corner. Music from his deck went throughout the entire event. If a message for Malcolm was sent through the P.A., assuming Malcolm was present, he’d hear it. I made my way through the dancing crowds to the DJ booth and caught his attention as he changed songs to a Cyberpunk dance track.
“Can you announce Malcolm to the foyer for the game, please?”
ATTENTION EVERYONE. MALCOLM. MALCOLM TO THE FOYER FOR THE GAME. Rung out through every room. I’d made my move. The game was now afoot as I made my stately move towards the foyer.
I was there first, but not by much. Malcolm burst into the foyer like a fight looking for a place to start. He spotted me instantly and walked over. His movements were fast and barbed, as if he was already strung out on something from the feeding rooms.
“You’re clearly the one who called me for the game. You’re the piece?” He said, twitching.
“Good evening. I’m not very fond…” I started to say, but what did Malcolm care about how I felt about being called a pawn? “Yes…yes.”
“So, how do you want to play the game?”
“Dimitri suggested this was a game of Strength or Wits, correct?”
“Or to the death, but I don’t think either of us wants that one, just yet.” He seemed nervous, but that could have been what he’d taken.
“The night is young, “ I agreed. “Wits is more my thing,” I chose, trying to sound casual.
“Yeah, mine too.”
In the end, I think whatever he’d taken before meeting me had fried his brain a little, as I easily outwitted him and he quickly conceded.
“Well, have your fucking fun in the game then; what do I care?”
“Well, I know the game hasn’t worked out for you, but that doesn’t mean you have to have a bad night.”
“What do you propose, then?” He said with all the acid of a teenager, which he probably was.
Buy you a drink? Join a Neo Nazi rally? Conciliatory shag?
“What would make you happy?”
He grunted in contemplation, “I don’t like being anywhere too long. I don’t think being here all three nights is going to do me any good. Anywhere you recommend that’s good for a drive?”
As you know, I’m not a local, and in much of that time, I didn’t have access to a car. I suggested the mountains to the west could be good, knowing that road fairly well. I thought there was an Ocean Drive somewhere near Wollongong, but couldn’t have said where.
“Just point the car in a direction and go. This is a big place, after all. Have a better night.”
While I conversed with Malcolm, Dominic received a message from his driver.
“I’ll be right back, “ He said to Stallion and left to get his change of clothes, leaving Stallion once again alone.
He could have had a drink and chilled out; he could have danced, or he could have gone and found someone to talk to. He tried the latter with an intriguing woman he’d spotted entering the room. She was tall and lean, though not skinny, with her long hair slicked back away from her face. Tattoos of dog prints stepped up her slender neck against her skin, which was not milk-white like most in the room, but warm caramel. She scanned the crowd through flinty eyes that gave the impression she was hunting, and she was smoking; inside.
Good things might come to those who wait
Not for those who wait too late
We gotta go for all we know
Just the two of us
We can make it if we try
Just the two of us…Just the two of us
“Hey!” Stallion said, gaining her attention. Now he was closer, it was clear she was Gangrel. She looked him up and down with her critical eye. “Been in this room long?”
“E puta?” She said, her dark eyes almost weaponised.
“What?”
“Puta!”
“Er…I don’t know puta.”
“Ah, no habla inglés.”
“I take it you don’t speak Australian. Ah, fuck.”
“Gangrel?”
That Stallion did understand, and latched onto it like a lifeline, “Yeah!”
“Me Gangrel.”
“Yeah, same, same.” He said, and as a wave of dancers from the nearby moshpit swept around them, Stallion joined in.
She laughed, “Está tonto.”
“Está tonto. What the fuck does that mean?”
She pointed at him, “Está tonto.”
It was then that Stallion remembered he lived in the twenty-first century and had the power of Emperors at his fingertips. He pulled out his phone and brought up Google Translate.
YOU IDIOT, it said, translating it from Spanish.
“¿Y estos hacienda el habla?”
Stallion tried the translator again, but with the noise in the room, the app didn’t pick up her words.
“¿Con novis, sabes dónde cazar hombres lobo?” She said quickly. It just sounded like gibbering to Stallion.
“I don’t speak your fucking language,” He said, putting away the useless phone in frustration, wandering off to the other end of the room.
Izac and Eclipse
While Stallion was lost in translation, Izac and Eclipse were staring at a small wooden box. Eclipse picked it up and contemplated opening it.
“I would rather you hold onto it than…the alternative.”
“I could be like the Prince. Put it somewhere. Say I’m keeping it safe,” She replied as Luna whispered ideas in her mind.
You know the safest place for it, right? In the pit? No one will look for it there. What’s one more shrivelled heart among the dozens, huh?
Izac laughed a bitter little bark, “I believe you better than him.”
“He was arrogant.”
“He wasn’t wrong, though. When he said I can’t use him as an excuse anymore. I could have done…anything and said it was because of him.” Izac said, blindly staring down at the small box in Eclipse’s hands before blinking and remembering something.
“Speaking of the Prince, what did he mean? Is there something we should be worried about?”
“He said a lot,” She shrugged, not making eye contact.
“‘This serving more than my interests,’ going to be a problem?”
“Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe you don’t have to hold onto your guilt and blame, ” She deflected, knowing he’d always blamed himself for everything in the past.
“That’s not what I said. Is it going to be a problem?” He repeated, and she knew she couldn’t distract him anymore.
“No. It doesn’t affect you. It doesn’t matter.”
“Fair enough. Now what? It all went so fast. I was expecting….I don’t know… something more dramatic?”
What party streamers and party boys?
“Like, I haven’t been here two hours, and this has already happened.”
“It’s not what you were made for, “ Eclips explained, “Not what you were made to expect.”
“No. She was in the crowd, though. My sire. She saw. I was made for something very different, and that is probably going to raise its head some time soon.”
“Are you worried what your sire thinks or because you didn’t complete your mission?”
“Fuck what she thinks!”
“What’s the problem?”
“Repercussions. I didn’t plan this far ahead. You know, bridges in the distance. I guess we’ll cross them when we get to them.” He said and shook his head.
“But what are we doing right now? We have a whole building under protection and time to kill. Should we try and find the others?”
“There is…something you should hear from me before the others arrive,” Eclipse said and placed both hands over the box between them. Izac glanced outside the curtains to make sure no one was listening.
“I found Madeline.”
It was such a non-sequitur that for a moment, Izac had no idea what she was talking about. Slowly, the truth dawned on his face, a ghastly pale.
“What?”
“She was what stopped me at Circular Quay the night you were taken.”
“She’s a ghost. She’s dead.”
“No. She was…alive, but empty. Looking for you.”
“Where? Where is she? Is she here?” He made to leave and find her, but Eclipse’s hand on his arm arrested his movement.
“No. She’s dead.”
He fell back into his seat, and it creaked with the strain. “Um…Okay…um… that’s a lot to throw at me all at once. You’re throwing me for a loop, Luna!”
“You want the truth, don’t you? She was looking for you. I guess she found the closest thing. We kept her…relatively safe for the last week. And when we got to the Succubus club, the Malkavians performed what they call the Great Prank.”
“The Malkavians? What did she have to do with them?”
“She was chosen to be their target.”
A wave of sadness took hold of Eclipse’s face as she contemplated what she’d just said. Sadness? Yes, but not like one at the loss of a dog. More like a goldfish flushed down the toilet. Mads hadn’t needed to die, but she’d done it anyway. Izac, paying attention to every flicker of Eclipse’s expression, understood she was hiding something.
“Who chose her as the target? To be chosen, someone had to have made that choice.”
Lying is always an option. You don’t have to be entirely truthful. Said Luna, or some other voice in Eclipse’s head. She rolled her eyes. What good had ever come of telling the truth? Taking a breath that she only needed to steel her nerve, she continued.
“There was going to be a calamity. To…avoid it, a choice had to be made. “
“You knew!”
“I knew inaction would cause a calamity. There were three choices.”
And then Izac knew, and his voice barely escaped his lips, “It was you.”
“Kill you, kill Madeline or let the fates decide. That was the choice. I knew you would be upset, but she was so unhappy. She was on a path of self-destruction. All she knew for years was anger for you.”
“Self-destruction?! Oh, throw me a fucking rock, will you!”
Suddenly the Cyberpink dance transitioned into Fear the Reaper again and Izac couldn’t help but laugh at the irony.
All our times have come
Here but now they’ve gone
For a long moment, Izac just sat clenching and unclenching his fists. He was always a man of action, not words. He wanted to move, to hit, to inflict pain and not…feel it.
“Sorry…I don’t…you see…I don’t know…how to fucking react to this…”
She’s fucking killed for you. You could at least be grateful.
“I thought you should hear it from me. No one else knows the reality. They just think it was just the Malkavians doing what they do. The truth is my burden to bear.”
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in Enterity
40,000 men and women every day
40,000 men and women every day
Another 40,000 coming every day
“Okay, “ He said finally, letting his hands go limp in front of him, “Okay. I’ll need to time on that one, but…okay. Is that everything? Is that all you need to say?” His words were as lifeless as his hand before him.
Don’t fear the Reaper
Baby I’m your man.
Rain
Having secured the first victory in the game, I started straight back to the feeding room to see if Stallion and Dominic were still there. They weren’t, having moved on, but there was an intriguing Asian woman meticulously selecting a kine to feed on. She was short, far shorter than the average Australian, at least, and even shorter than me. She wore colourful clothes made from tight-fitting undergarments and long lengths of homespun cotton, covering her head and torso, and forming a pleated skirt that seemed to have no stitching holding it together. On her forehead, where a mythological third eye would be, she wore a red dot. She looked like an ancient priestess to some unknown god. I couldn’t have said where she would belong, but it was certainly not in the feeding room of the Succubus Club.
I stood to one side and waited as she ate.
“Lakshmi?” She said, turning to confer with me. It sounded like a name, but I couldn’t have said from where.
“I’m sorry?”
“Oh, and what is your name?”
“Oh, good evening. I’m Rain.”
“Hmm, “ She stared at me like she was determining my pedigree. “Pleased to meet you. You can call me The Watcher.”
“The Watcher. A provocative name. Anything worth watching here?”
“I make sure that everyone follows the Traditions appropriately.”
“Oh, as far as I know.”
“So no breaking of the Traditions?”
“No, everyone has been very civil here. Maybe because it’s only the first night.”
“Hmm, “ That judgemental hum again, “I mean in the city as a whole and not just the event.”
“The whole city?” Where to start, “Our Prince is a stickler for the Traditions.”
“Hmm.”
“They were made very clear my first night.”
“That is promising, but if you don’t mind, I will take a look around and make my own judgment on that score.”
“Well, very good luck with that. I wish you a good night.” And with that, she wandered off.
Stallion
Having struck out with the intriguing Gangrel woman, Stallion decided to bring the coterie together and sent a text out to Eclipse to find out where she was.
HEARD UR WITH IZAC. WHERE YOU AT!
Izac, needing something to distract him from his current situation, asked Eclipse, “Are you going to answer that?”
“It’s been going off all evening,” She complained, not giving up her hold on the box to reach for her phone.
“There are only a few on your phone list, and I doubt it’s Giovanni.”
She released one hand to pull out her phone and placed it down for both of them to look at. Izac flicked through the notifications to see the last message. The message appeared, attached to a donkey emoji.
“I don’t know who donkey is, but they’re wondering where you are.”
“Oh!” And Eclipse laughed, “Ass. It’s Stallion. He has hooves now.”
“OH! Why?”
“I don’t know. I saw him one day, and he didn’t have feet, just hooves. It doesn’t pay to ask why.”
“Right. Okay. If there’s something else we need to discuss…”
“You can take your distraction when it’s offered.”
“I’m not sending a message as you! That’s your trauma.” Izac said, and she just stared back blankly. Taking her phone back, she sent a message.
PRIVATE BOOTHS. DONE HORSING AROUND?
Stallion received the message as he was walking through the rooms and spotted me.
“I haven’t seen Izac since he’s been back. I sent a message to Eclipse, and she says they’re in the private booths. What to join them?”
“For a while, I’d love to get back together.”
“We’ve not got long to talk. Anything you want to say before they get here?” Izac asked Eclipse after she’d sent the message.
“Anything about your task I should know about?”
“Which one? My personal one?…”
“The one you were made for.”
“I told you that. Look, maybe it should wait for somewhere more private. Besides, that particular task…I don’t know if I care anymore. I’m just tired of the back stabbing…smiling faces…”
“The facades.”
“Yeah.”
WHICH BOOTHSSSSS?!?!? Stallion sent when he and I found there were a number of booths and didn’t think it appropriate to tap at each curtain to find our star-crossed lovers.
“Stal, it’s been a while, “ Izac welcomed us to the table. “Wait…what happened to your jaw?”
“Nice to see you again, Izac. Surgery.”
“Yeah, you can call him a self-made man,” I said, gaining a look from Eclipse.
Appropriately or inappropriately, the music shifted to The Very Model of a Modern Major General, from The Pirates of Penzance. As I hummed the tune, I had to think that in some ways Stallion fitted the role of the Major General.
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
Stallion pulled his fruit bat off his back and plonked it on the table in front of everyone. Izac, without leaving his seat, got as far away from the table as possible and only after noticed the sizable bag of blood cocaine Stallion also pulled from his bum bag.
“Why is there a bat here?!”
“I’m astounded someone hasn’t eaten that thing already,” I said, glad my seat backed onto the curtain and escape.
“Bring it closer to me, and I’ll give it a go,” Eclipse threatened, and besides gaining a protective reflex from Stallion, she received a surprised look from Izac.
“What the hell? I leave you alone for a week, and this is how you end up?”
I glanced at Eclipse. It had been one hell of a week. “It was a very….long time, Izac.” There wasn’t enough stress I could add to that one word that did justice to the time we’d been without our shining knight.
“Here, you sound like you’re a little edgy, “ Stallion said, holding up the bag. “You should have some.”
“My sobriety has lessened somewhat…but not to that degree.”
“I thought it was just fucking regular human blood. Drugs as well?”
“I’ll have a pass on the blood coke, thanks,” Izac stared around wide-eyed, “Someone should stay of sound mind.”
“And that’s why you’ll go crazy,“ Eclipse informed him, and I noticed my small puzzle box disappear into her skirts.
Stallion showed his experience and started forming thin lines of cocaine on the smooth surface of the table as we all talked.
“I hear you had your inevitable altercation with the Prince and both lived to tell the tale?” I said, wondering what blood cocaine would do to one of my…constitution.
“Look, I don’t know what his plan is for me now. He seemed…I guess, defeated and bored. I’m no fun anymore, and I don’t know what that means.”
“He has no hold on you. No way to make you squirm,” I said, thinking about Izac’s words. The Prince had been in Sydney for a long time. Maybe he was starting to think it was time to move on.
“You were a toy on a string to him, “ Eclipse agreed, “A yoyo?”
“But tell the story, Izac. What did you do? Did he know the heart was gone?”
“No.” He said simply, and I laughed out loud. The perfect heist.
“Wait. What’s this about a heart?” Stallion asked, and I stopped laughing.
“I had some missing property, and I recovered it,” Izac replied quickly, and Stallion went back to his drug preparations.
“So the Prince had your heart…and you got it back.”
“Yes. It got lost, and it was recovered.”
“Reacquisitioned, one may say,” Eclipse suggested.
“Reacquired, certainly,” I added.
“The Prince would consider it his, wouldn’t he?” Stallion was like Boofhead (the real one) at a bone.
“It was offered, “ Eclipse said, “He didn’t want it back.”
That was intriguing news. I’d have to find out about this altercation from other sources.
“Nah, he seems the sort of guy who likes to take,” Stallion said sagely and went back to his drugs.
“Ah, was that my box I saw a little while ago? Izac?” I said, now aware of how wide the shit from the Prince would be flung. It didn’t matter now he’d not missed the heart, when it was handed back to him in a box he knew very well…from me!
“Yes.” He answered as simply as he had Stallion and I bridled. It was one thing to keep Stallion out of the loop. It was my heist! My plan, Eclipse and my neck on the line for it.
“Izac!”
“I needed a box, and you lent me yours, isn’t that right?” He said with heavy emphasis, and I realised he’d already planned for this. In only a week he’d learnt duplicity and subterfuge. The man was a fucking genius.
“Yes, of course.” I agreed grudgingly, “It seems now it was a foolish thing to do.”
“It was convenient at the time. Right.”
“Yes. It meant nothing.”
“So, did you at least learn a lesson?” Stallion asked. This, from the man with a jaw the size of Tasmania.
“Yes, somewhat. I have a better understanding of Vampires, that’s for sure. Everyone has their traumas. Everyone has their damage.”
“So, who kidnapped you anyway?”
“Someone you’re better off not knowing.”
“So no one you want to prank then?”
“No, we’ll leave that one alone.”
“You were at the meeting, Stallion. I told everyone there. The Lady.” I said.
“Lady Stone,” Eclipse added, “And a Banu Hakim hireling.”
“Makes me think I should learn something to keep better track of you all,” Stallion said, and it made me wonder how he was doing with his magic training. That only led to Lenny, and I was lost in my own dark thoughts for a while.
“Whatever the fuck that means, Stallion.”
“Well, we lost fucking Izac. I could be a good precaution.”
“To level with you, I didn’t know where I was, or where I’d end up.” He looked around the three of us as if seeing us all for the first time. “Look, we’re all here now. Let’s make the most of it.”
That reminded Stallion of Dominic and his departure. “Mr Giovanni called it an early night.”
“Ah, fair enough. Did he break his spine again?” Izac said, and a smile was shared around the table at the old man’s expense. It was good to be together again.
“No, but he’d been shot, and somewhere he’d lost his coat.”
“Bullet holes?” Izac asked, then thought better of it. “So, what’s everyone else been up to? Stallion, you’re going to have to tell me the story about this chisseled jawline of yours.”
“Oh, I met a Tzimisce. I had a real fun time with him. Like, over a day with him. It was…an experience. In the end, he taught me a few things.”
“Yeah, fair enough,” Izac said, cringing as we all were at the table.
“ I didn’t know that, Stallion,” I said, his tale breaking through my self-imposed gloom.
“Did you ever bother to find out?” He bit back, and I realised even Stallion had not come out of the last week unscathed. I could only imagine what it had been like to be at the mercy of someone who could reshape bones with a thought.
“No, I have to admit I didn’t.”
“I also woke up one morning with feathers in my mouth, and my feet turned into hooves.” He went on. It seemed he’d been wanting to share his story for a while, as it now came tumbling out all over the table.
“That could prove a problem, as well as a violation if you’re caught.” Izac reminded him, but as Stallion was back in his robes, it seemed he was on it.
“Be careful during the club. It doesn’t mean anything here, but there is a woman called The Watcher who’s a bit of a stickler when it comes to the Traditions.” I said, which started a conversation on all the odd and dangerous characters we’d collectively met so far at the club.
The conversation was easy, better than it had been even before the kidnapping. We talked as the clock ticked over into Friday, a new day and new possibilities.
1.00 am Friday, 13 December 5 hours until sunrise, Succubus Club The Domain
Notable NPCs
Abram: Ventrue, and one of the six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Agaricus: Children of the Moon, and one of six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Alex Holmstead: Husband of Mads.
Alicia: Toreador Vampire met at the Crow Bar
Amelio: SC met by Dominic. Tremere who does Blood Technomancy and claims to have a way of getting around any security.
Azrael: SC met by Stallion in the Cloak Room. A Toreador musician.
Ambrogino: 5th Generation Vampire, Cappadocian and Elder of the Giovanni Clan.
Avel: Rain’s mother, a wraith.
Basir: SC Met by Dominic. Creator of a dissolving bullet.
Thomas Becket: Wearer of the Skull mask. A.K.A. Lord Campden a 5th generation Cappadocian and former Seneschal of London under Mithras. Talented necromancer. Knew Sarrasine and Lady Stone in London. Distaste for Tremere and Giovanni.
Beelzebub: Fallen angel, demon entity in Rain’s pocket watch.
Blanco Falzo: A man who had made into the likeness of Stallion’s dog for a time. Now deceased.
Bobby Lisner: Malkavian seer who lives in an old Sewer pipe in The Rocks.
Bobby Weatherbottom: SC met by Dominic Ventrue met previous by Dominic at Crow Bar. An arms dealer.
Brendan Virgil: A.K.A. Miss Divine Intervention. Rain’s close friend.
Bruce: Ghoul of Mr Giovanni
Cabolut Hazzim: the name given by a vampire who cleared out the homeless at Rain’s old squat. Prince’s Assassin.
Carna: SC met by Rain. A Tremere interested in finding her fellows and fascinated with the idea of a truce with the kine Mages.
Chucko: Malkavian clown from 2023 Earth. Part of a gang called the Bozos.
Critias: Old gentleman kindred Rain has made a deal with to be a ‘playing piece’ in a game at the Succubus Club.
Days of the Week: Pseudonyms for members of the Baali group Eclipse (Luna) is now part of. She is Sunday, and they are missing Wednesday. Tuesday seems to be their nominal spokesperson, though they seem to have no leader.
Delith: Ambitious Ventrue bar staff at the Crowbar.
Detective Woodman: NSW Police ‘premiere’ detective and a sufferer of schizophrenia. He currently has an assistant named Notetaker.
The Devil Brahmin: SC Follower of Set. Teacher of Magic. Met by Dominic.
Dimitri: SC Rain, Dominic and Stallion met. Other player in the game. A Malkavian.
Doctor Willis Hodge: A ghost acquaintance of Dominic Giovanni’s from the Coroner’s Court.
Doctor Vermundo De Sancha: El Torcedor “The Twister” or more accurately, “The Fleshcrafter” A Tzimisce from South America
Ezequiel Coyotl: SC. Long dark haired kindred met by Mads who wished to kill those who would end the world.
Founders of Sydney Masquerade: Those still alive: Abram, the Ventrue, in Canberra, Wid, the Nosferatu in Wollongong, Agaricus, Child of the Moon, Tasmania, Montague Layton, Toreador, current whereabouts unknown.
Francesco: a werewolf, part of the Spiral Dancers who investigated the Pyrmont basement.
Francis Tuttle: Name given in charge of the investigation into the deaths of the homeless in Surry Hills.
Garcia: Sire. Unknown location.
Genghis: SC. Brujah argued with Eclipse.
Giuseppe Giovanni: Ghoul of Mr Giovanni and nephew.
Harold Zettler: Chairman of the board of Pentax multinational. Standing member of the Sabbat.
Hēi Lóng Gōngzhǔ : SC Chinese Malkavian met by Eclipse and Rain. A.K.A Black Dragon Princess
Inconnu: A secretive group that is thought to be working behind the scenes against both the Camarilla and Sabat and towards Golconda.
Jack Dawson: SC met by Rain. Gunfighter.
Joel Mitchell: Mads’ friend. Deceased.
Jules Talbot: Seneschal to Prince Sarrasine of Sydney
Katherine of Montpellier: SC Torreador Artist met by Stallion. Court of Love. 7th Generation.
Kenneth Stahl: South African Giovanni (exiled)
Laibon: Vampire Clan out of Africa
Lady Merritt Stone: A very old and powerful vampire who has taken an interest in Izac. Rain spoke to her about the Coterie and Izac’s mission. Also known as: Lady Jennifer Stone and Lady Ophelia Meritt. Consort to Mithras. Exiled from London and wanted by the Ventrue. See also: The Red List or Kemintiri. Fourth Generation, Followers of Set. Suspected embrace, 1300BCE. Sire: Set. Childer: numerous. Evidence points to her being the creator of the Children of Osiris.Known to be a master of disguise to rival even the best, to the point that even Nosferatu have a difficult time discerning her. Known associates: Mithras, Set, Horus. Kemintiri is First on The Red List. She is immune to blood blonds and Dominate. There is no known exception. She is the only being known to have returned from Wassail.
Lambach Ruthven: Kin met at the theatre. Sire of Dracula. Drug addict.
Lenny: Rain’s Ghoul and artist friend, now with mages. Location unknown.
Little Black Rose: Le petite rose noir or mala crna ruža. Name give to Rain by Dominic that he now prefers.
Lucretia: Childe of Ambrogino, now caretaker of the Pyrmont House and teacher to Dominic
Madeline Blackwell: Ghoul of Mr Giovanni, working at the State Coroners Court.
Maldavis: Catif working on the rights of Catifs and Thin Bloods
Maxwell: SC met by Stallion.
Montague Layton: Toreador, and one of six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Night Rider: Red-haired vampire? Works for the Prince.
Pangea: a Nosferatu (tunnel builder)
Padre Craneo: Nagaraja vampire met at the Crow Bar
Paul: a Nosferatu of the sewer rats
Paul Derrogard: Name given by Monday of the Days of the Week. Claimed to be Ventrue.
Pentax: a multinational group that is involved in a secret project called Omega.
Persephone: Sixth gen Malkavian who works security for Pentax an multinational company. Her sire is Harold Zettler. Something to do with the Spiral Dancer.
Pierre Bellamare: SC Gambler. Met by Mads. A.K.A Symeon.
Prince Lodin: Prince of Chicago (until his final death in the 90s) and sire of Al Capone.
Prince Sarrasine (Sar-ras-seen): Toreador Ruler of Sydney*
Rumplestiltskin: A Kiasyn mixologist who uses fairies in his drinks.
Salubri: An almost lost clan of vampires whose founder is said to have discovered Golconda.
Sebastian Melmoth: Kin met at the theatre. Powerful Toreador. Oscar Wilde.
Shara-had: Banu Haqim (Assamite).
Sparrow: a Nosferatu of the warren in Pyrmont, closest to home
Sydney Sewage Pumping Station number one: Known access to Nosferatu waiting room.
Tailor: Dominic’s Tailor who has a shop in Leichhardt
Tatiana Steponova: Met at SC by Stallion.
Teeth of Titanium: Werewolf dingo met in Leichhardt.
Tar- Anis: see Persephone.
The Prestige: The speak for the four Tremere met at the Blavatsky Lodge.
The Twins: A pair of Tzimisce of Dominic’s acquaintance. The creators of Blanco Falzo the Dog??
The Watcher: SC Met by Rain. Of Indian origin. Interested in the keeping of the Traditions
The Woman: A powerful being of unknown name who kidnapped Izac and enchanted Rain. See Lady Merritt
Tom: A sleeping head awakened by Dominic in the Dreamtime.
Victor: SC Kindred working on the fireworks in the Domain that Stallion met
Vida Goldstein: an Australian suffragette, originally interested in women and children welfare. Malkavian. Diablerised by Dominic.
Wid: Nosferatu, and one of six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Glossary of terms:
Anarchists: a faction of Vampires. Caused issues in Los Angeles recently, killed the Prince.
Antediluvian: from before the time of the biblical flood. The third generation was the progenitors of the thirteen clans of vampires.
Baali: A bloodline bent on keeping beings old before time from waking up and destroying everything. Eclipse and the Days of the Week are Baali.
Banu Haqim: Also know as Assamites, Assassins though sometimes just mercenaries for hire.
Bone Gnawers: A pack of werewolves
Blood hunt: A process to destroy a vampire who has broken a tradition. Specifically mentioned in the sixth.
Blood worm: What a possessed vampire can turn into.
Black Spiral Dancers: A pack of werewolves that worship a being of entropy.
Brujah: One of the twelve clans of Cain.
Canaanites: Those descended from Cain, the first murderer and vampire.
Camarilla: a faction of Vampires closest to the Princes. Believe in hierarchy and order.
Children of Osirus: Bloodline outside the Caine family tradition who practise Bardo, a discipline to control the beast. Izac’s current Bloodline.
Children of Seth: Bloodline the Prince is rumoured to be (originally?)
Clan or Bloodline: From one of the children of Caine or subsequent established lines of vampires.
Christopher Charlton: Rain’s pseudonym.
Marauder: A mage gone mad. Living in his own pocket dimension that answers to the whim of his broken mind.
Diablerie : the drinking another vampire blood and soul
Favour: How Vampires pay for things they want or need doing.
Fetter: A place, person or thing that binds a wraith to the Shadowlands.
Gangrel: A bloodline of vampire. Stallion’s Bloodline.
Ghouls: Servants of a vampire who have been fed vitae. They are loyal, stronger, and more resilient, and sometimes, they show other powers gained from the blood. They must receive the blood at least once a month or they return to being human. Can be addictive.
Giovanni: A vampire bloodline that keeps within genetic family ties. Dominic is a Giovanni.
Glasswalkers: A pack of werewolves
Hunter: Members of the Society of Leopold, a branch of the Catholic Church. Fanatical vampire hunters and killers.
Kiasyd: Part of the La Sombre Clan.
Kin: Short for Kindred. Vampires, a name among themselves
Kine: Humans
Marauder: a rouge mage, often mad. They are likely to act in a way that exposes the Otherworld of the Masquerade to exposure.
Masquerade : The rule that keeps vampire society safe. Hiding ones nature from the world.
Nagaraja: A bloodline that are obligated to eat the flesh as well as the blood of their victims.
Malkavian Time: a connections all Malkavian share to a greater network of knowledge and shared visions called the Madness Network
Men in Black: An international unit dedicated to controlling supernatural and alien entities.
The Red List: a universal kill list of vampires. Maintained by the Camarilla, anyone on the list can be mudered without question.
Sabbat: a faction of Vampires that believe that the progenitors of the clans will one day awake and eat all their young.
Sadhana: a magic tradition out of India based on Hindu teachings.
SchrekNet: A vampire only Internet.
The Theosophical Society: A private society of learning and tolerance based out of the Blavatsky Lodge, St. Leonards (https://sydney.theosophicalsociety.org.au)
Tremere Pyramid: A strict hierarchical structure that all Tremere are part of. Every member knows their place within the Pyramid. The antidiluvian, Tremere, sits at the top of this pyramid.Below him, the number seven is repeated through the clan’s structure.
Toreador: Bloodline of Vampire. Rain’s Bloodline.
Traditions: Six laws that vampires live by.
Tzimisce: Bloodline of Vampire. Body sculptures.
Vaulderie: A ritual where Kindred swear loyalty to each other.
Writ of Retication: Lineage of a Vampire.
A Strange Life 