1.00 am Monday, 5 hours until sunset, 4 days until the S.C. Somewhere
A door at the far end opened, and the two entered, the door quietly closing behind them.
“I’ve been to this place before, “ Stallion said, looking around the empty room with interest. I don’t know what each door means, though.”
“A promise of delight.” His host crooned in the shadows, allowing his latest toy to take his time and get comfortable.
“Do you have a heading for us?”
“Oh, we make our own openings and closings here. How does that sound to you?” The host smiled, and the teeth glinted in what little light there was.
“ A little off-putting to be honest. I don’t know what we’re getting into.”
“Hmm, good question. We could start with the inner thigh. A hand, perhaps. That place between your collar and throat?” As the elder Vampire spoke, it gestured to each place on its own body, placing a long-fingered hand on his own neck. Suddenly, the fingers curled and dug into the skin as if it were no more than putty. The hand sank into the wrist, reshaping and moulding his shoulder and chest like a sculptor.
Trying to keep the revulsion from his face, Stallion swallowed, “Uh, doesn’t seem to be my thing, actually.”
“Would you rather receive than take?” His host asked genuinely and reached out for Stallion, whose clever hooves tripped back, out of reach.
“I’d prefer none of that going through skin and bone and whatnot.” Instinctively, Stallion breathed in and smelled the blood welling up from his host’s self-inflicted sculpture. The prey animal in him bawked.
“Fair enough, we can make it all flesh and nerve endings…if you wish…” The host stepped closer and Stallion jigged to the side once more, only to realise his captor was now between him and the door.
“I’d rather not,” Stallion’s eyes flashed white as he looked for other exits hiding in the gloom.
“Then it would appear, as frustrating as it is, that there was a misunderstanding.”
“I don’t know much about other vampires, other than the ones I hang out with. I didn’t know what you wanted.”
“Give it a try…” The predator said, holding his ground, knowing he had his prey right where he wanted it.
Stallion, not the brightest, still had a strong survival instinct, and all of it was screaming for him to get out. It took all he had not to grow his claws and tear a way out through his captor, “Nah…”
“After I went to all the effort of bringing you here? You’re not going to blue-balls us, are you?” The host, no longer trying to persuade, shifted his tactics to Gaslighting Stallion to his will.
“I told you I was young! Do you expect me just to comply? What is this shit!” Stallion let his fear bubble up as righteous anger, his hoofed foot stamping the concrete floor, echoing throughout the room in defiance like thunder.
His host shifted tack again, “Effort should never be wasted. Offer me something else. What do you have to offer?”
“I didn’t see this coming…I didn’t bring anything.”
“We’re here now…let’s negotiate.” His host said and waited as Stallion tried to work out what he’d be willing to give to this deviant.
When Stallion didn’t reply, his host tried another suggestion, “I’m less than willing, but more than capable.” He said, almost apologetically, as if violence was the least thing on his mind.
“Is that a threat?” Stallion asked, rising to his full height and squaring his shoulders. He’d been tested in a fight before and won. He would do it again, if pushed.
“I never threaten someone with a good time.” His host stepped forward. Stallion stepped back.
“A good time for you. Doesn’t sound like such a fun time for me.”
“You wouldn’t know until you’ve had it.” And his host laughed knowingly, sending shivers down Stallion’s back.
“Nothing is going to happen.” He replied, standing his ground, as flimsy as the concrete slab under his hooves felt.
“Wish to fight instead?” His host laughed again, “I come from a time when nobles and lords took what they wished. I was lucky to be part of all that. I understand you are new to all that, but everyone has to learn sometime. This is yours.”
“Even nobles had their day. Castles were stormed. Heads cut off.” Stallion threatened…or bluffed…he was never sure what the difference was between the two. Both seemed to end in blood in his experience.
“When they got lazy.”
“Fuck with a guy, the guy’s going to fuck you back!” Stallion allowed the blood within his veins to boil.
“Is that what you think this is?” In opposition, his host became very quiet and still. He’d come on all rapey at first, and now he was just standing there, not even moving to attack. Stallion couldn’t work out if this was a bluff, a threat or his host was just playing with him. He couldn’t work out what the freak wanted. Still, he stood between Stallion and the door.
Stallion stepped back, widening the gap between them. He felt the corner of the room against his back. Burning blood, Stallion stared down his captor, a glint of steel in his stare. Though already still, his host stopped all movement and just stared at Stallion, as Stallion’s strength and force of will shone through. Maybe this little morsel was more of a handful than he seemed.
Stallion didn’t have a lot of time. Hands behind his back, he drew on his blood again and let his nails grow long. Then, without taking his eyes off his host, he stepped around him towards the door. The vampire did nothing but follow Stallion’s progress across the room. Stallion placed his hand on the doorknob, and still the vampire did nothing but watch. He turned the doorknob and stepped through, never once breaking eye contact.
The vampire stuck, lunging forward to grab Stallion by the shoulder. Reflexes fired by an instinct, Stallion felt the brush of fingers against his collarbone, but tripped away out of range. The vampire reached out to grab him again. Stallion buffed his speed with blood and lashed out with his six-inch claws. They raked through the vampire’s chest, cutting open gouges that didn’t bleed, not even put his adversary off his stride. The vampire’s hands clamped down on Stallion’s shoulders, his fingers sinking into flesh, parting bone and sinew like strands of hair. There was a sudden jolt in each shoulder, a click, and both of Stallion’s hands fell limp to his sides. The bastard had dislocated his shoulders from their sockets. Only tissue, muscle and sinew now held them in place.
In a last attempt, Stallion stepped forward and crashed into his captor. Burning blood, he cast the Vine of Dionysus. It was meant to make the other vampire drunk, but either he had a greater tolerance or it didn’t work. He fell to the floor at his tormentor’s feet, his arms useless to break his fall.
“Interesting, “ The vampire walked around Stallion’s prone body as if studying a well-built sports car or well-bred beast, “Magic. Hm, let me now show you a trick or two.”
Placing himself where the Stallion could see him, he began changing. He started growing taller, almost brushing the ceiling of the anteroom they were in. The flesh of his stomach distended and sagged, his clever fingers grew even longer and clawed. His head and face elongated, distorted until any resemblance to the original human was subsumed under ridges, lines and scales. He was a grotesque, eight-foot-tall and powerfully built.
Stallion wasn’t beaten yet. Burning more blood, the steelly glint returned to his eye. Even armless and prone, he still looked impressive, dangerous and strong. This time, the monster wasn’t unaffected. Leaning down, he reached out and gently caressed Stallion’s face, his clear complexion and square jaw, the delicate skin of his neck. Then the claws reached down for the flesh of Stallion’s calves and dug in. He spun Stallion around and dragged his squirming body back into the room, his arms trailing uselessly behind.
Stallion squirmed and wriggled, using the strong muscles and connections in his legs and torso to thrash like a fish on a line. He pulled over his tormentor, but it was a temporary win, as the vampire stood once more, and closed the door behind them both.
“Is this final death, then?” Stallion finally, blood already pouring from his eyes.
“Not if you behave.” Was the reply.
It started with screaming, which quickly turned to gurgling as blood welled and pooled. And there was blood…so much blood…Every molecule of Stalion’s body was malleable. Like putty, it stretched, shaped and draped. Intestines are longer than they appear when they’re neatly tucked up inside a human body.
Later, Stallion would be unable to determine how long he’d been in that room. To be sure, there was no rest, no deathly sleep once the sun rose. If calculated at all, Stallion’s torment would last more than seventeen hours.
1.00 am Monday, 5 hours until sunset, 4 days until the S.C. Crowbar
I was getting sick of reading. Don’t get me wrong, on a rainy day, there’s nothing better than slipping between the pages of some gripping novel and falling deeply into a story. But this day, we’d already spent a few hours at The Theosophical Society and were now back in Dominic’s library flipping through dusty histories, essays on secret societies and grand and confusing apocryphal texts.
“..they silenced their enemies with blades and teeth…” My eyes scanned the sentence, latching onto the word ‘silenced’, and I was reminded of the unusual phenomena we’d experienced out on the road. What if we could harness that sort of power? What if we found those who were using it down along the railway line and made a deal?
Mads was quietly reading Days of Fire, leaning up against a corner where the bookshelves joined. She seemed engrossed in the text, anything to take her mind off her current failed quests and a life of cycling misery. Eclipse was scanning through Caine’s Chosen and occasionally reading out parts to me that she thought would be useful. It seemed the Black Hand were like a secret police of the Sabbat. Their roots extended through the European Inquisitions on their quest to destroy demonic influence in the world. Unlike the reigns of terror created by the Kine, the Sabbat Inquisitions still existed, rooting out those who would deal with demons. She seemed to think that a bunch of young kindred fell for the Gothic vibe: satanic rituals, black cats, and pentacles. If the Black hand had been trying to stomp out that sort of nonsense for five centuries, they probably weren’t very good at it. I was reminded of our little friend in the watch, and resolved to have nothing to do with them.
And still I yearned to be doing something. At least attempting to find that individual who could conjure silence would be better than more hours of reading. Finally, I slammed the Anarchy Cookbook shut and returned it to the shelf.
“I’m going back to Lilyfield and see if I can’t find whoever was using that Silence. Even if it’s gone, I’ve got to try.”
“Are you sure that’s safe, Rain?” Mads asked from her corner of the room.
Safe no. That’s why we stepped back in the first place. Still, her question gave me pause. What sort of kindred would use such an ability? I figured the mysterious and unforgettable Cabolut Hazzim of the Assamites would find that useful. I wasn’t keen on meeting him in wasteland near a dark railway track. Still, it had been established through this mess with Izac that Assamites are…mercenary. They’re happy to do whatever is asked…for a price.
As far as I could see, there were four options. Get in touch with the Assamites and see what it would cost. Ask Dominic, he’d at least know a contact. I could ask the Nosferatu, it was their sort of sneaky, stealthy trick. Or, I could ask around the bar and keep an eye open for what turns up.
It was Mads who pulled me out of my revelry, “Besides, they’d be long gone by now.”
I hated to admit it, but she was right. The moment was then. “I just hate the idea of…missing an opportunity.” I couldn’t hide my disappointment, and suddenly felt very tired.
“You know what, ladies, I think I’m done studying for one night, I’m giving up.”
Eclipse just looked at me as if she wasn’t sure what species I was. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that I was giving up on studying or the silence. Maybe it was something else. That we hadn’t made plans for the heist?
“Don’t be disheartened, there’s going to be another time,” Mads replied kindly, “There are always opportunities to find something like that. I’m sure.” And I was reminded, for all her brashness, she was far older in this world than us…than me. It seemed Eclipse had always been an old soul.
I nodded, and there was a moment of silence in which the buzz of a silenced phone. It wasn’t mine, it lay still in my pocket. Eclipse didn’t respond, but looked to Mads and me. Mads pulled out her phone and read a text from Dominic.
CLEAN UP IS DONE.
In the silence of her corner, she replied a simple, THANK YOU.
“Well, that’s something off my back,” She said to the room, before turning her attention back to us, “I think I’ll stay here and read as much as I can of this book and then call it a night. See you tomorrow evening, Rain. Eclipse, are you staying around for this reading session? Or are you off to do your own thing as well?”
“I owe Rain a drink, so there is that,” Eclipse said, slowly closing her book, “I want to at least keep that promise.” It was an odd way of saying it, but I appreciated the thought. Now that it was mentioned, I was parched. I couldn’t leave until I’d had at least one drink. More than one.
“Hmm, thanks for the reminder,” I said, and led the way downstairs to the V.I.P. lounge.
“A straight red, please…large,” I said to the bartender, another nondescript servant of Dominics. As the red poured from the tap, I wondered where he got them all from.
“Would you like something with your red, sir?” The bartender asked. I didn’t mind. I would more than likely quaff this first glass before going for a second, but did enjoy the experimentation.
“I’ll take a chaser of something. Sure.”
“Coming up,” He gestured with a hand for both Eclipse and me to look over the counter. From a small drawer to one side, he pulled out something no bigger than ten centimetres long with wings. Holding it carefully between thumb and forefinger, he showed us it was a tiny humanoid with transparent wings. A pixie. Before I could say anything, there was a small crack, and he pulled the head off the pixie and carefully squeezed out the body into the drink. The spent body he placed carefully in a drawstring bag for safekeeping.
“Their parts can be valuable, “ He said by way of explanation, “You Syringa, sir. Enjoy.” The glass was placed in front of me. It was take it or let it go to waste.
“Thank you,” I said quietly and took the glass.
“And for you, fine lady, the same?” He asked Eclipse, who looked as dumbfounded as I felt.
“Ur…sure.” And the same drink was made, with a second fairy life taken.
As we walked away from the bar, I whispered low so only Eclipse could hear.
“That was my first experience of the fey…”
“And now it’s your drink. Such are our modern times. Take the wisdom and knowledge of the ancients and squeeze it dry into an easily digestible format.” She muttered back, but she, like me, drank and enjoyed it nonetheless.
Instead of heading towards an empty table, I drew us towards the Time Out room and checked to see if it was unused.
“At least here I can guarantee no cameras,” I said, closing the door on our discussion.”You were looking at the plans for the museum. You weren’t impressed with what you discovered?”
“Not particularly,” Eclipse scowled.
“You said you had options, but none of them good?”
“I can walk without a trace, but once I start interacting with things, it makes me vulnerable, and there are a lot of doors down to the second basement.”
“That’s why I was going to try ease our way in. Open the doors and act as a distraction while you take the heart.”
“I’m just not sure how much you can con our guide into taking us that far.”
Of that, I was pretty confident. I’d used a fraction of my abilities and was looking forward to…stretching myself. I did not reprise Eclipse of any of this. She’d only think I was boasting.
“You’re charming, but other than that, I’m not sure how you were thinking of swindling your way through.”
“I have a little more than words, but it’s true, I won’t know until I try.”
“Can you change the way you look?” She asked, and I was intrigued, giving her a questioning look, “It’s only that I have and it’s hard.”
“We’ve both come a long way in a few months, haven’t we?”
“It felt a lot longer.”
“It’s felt longer,” I clinked her glass as if in a toast.
“We’re also considering this plan without Madeline,” Eclipse turned our talk back to the topic at hand, “She might try to be a smooth talker, but her edges are rough.”
I nodded, “She’s Brujah. She’s brute force, thankfully with a mind.”
“And the whole point of this is getting down to the basement, not flitting through the gallery as she believes.”
“As to ways in. There are several, but all too obvious.” She juggled her empty glass and brought up the plans of the building on her phone, “There are, however, some older entrances, but none cover our entrance and exit except deliveries.”
I was hearing a lot of problems and not a lot of solutions. That I, too, have very few solutions was beside the point, I was used to winging things. The more people, the more planning required. Frankly, I was starting to think I should just go ethereal and slip in, take the heart, and slip out. It would be dangerous and I’d be alone, but it was something I could control.
“Look. This, I will admit, could bring a lot of heat on both of us. I can completely understand if you’re getting cold feet.”
Ellipse wheeled on me, her expression sharp and almost accusing, certainly indignant.
“We have no time for elaborate plans with trucks and patsies. We have at most two nights.”
“Rain. Will you let me speak?”
Ah. “Apologies. I do like hearing the sound of my voice.” I demurred and stepped back to listen.
“Just because I’m finding negatives doesn’t mean I don’t mean to help you,” She said slowly, word by word as if to a stupid person, “I had half a mind to get the heart a couple of days ago.” And maybe she was.
“You’re right, this is too hard alone,” I said conciliatory.
“And if we’re so short of time,” She nodded in agreement, a bright spark of knowledge in her eye. “We know someone who knows all the ways in and out of everywhere.”
“We could pay them in something they want from the Museum,” I said, swilling the last of my drink.
“We can ask the Nosferatu,” We said together. A moment.
“Something we should consider?” She said as we left Time Out and returned to the bar.
“We still have time tonight,” I agreed, “Let’s take a drive out to Pymont. But first, another round.”
Eclipse left a tip for the bartender.
1.20 am Monday, 4 hours until sunset, 4 days until the S.C. Crowbar
Now Mads was alone, she was finding it hard focusing on her reading. She toughed it out for twenty minutes before giving up and poking her head out the office door. The hallway was silent, the Security Room at the far end doubly so. Bruce with Dominic, Eclipse and I together, and Stallion who cared where, Mads had the place to herself.
She checked the hallway for security cameras. There were two, one at each end. She contemplated going through old footage to find Izac, but that seemed a waste of time. She’d seen the highlights already. Instead, she went back to the library. Forgetting the luridly painted doomed future for a moment, Mads started searching for books on modern-day kin. Notable names and aliases, especially those known to deal with the Assamites. She could have really done with the Encyclopedia Vampirica, but that was still with Lucretia.
When her search came back fruitless, she resigned herself to her default setting. Trudging down the stairs, she headed into the VIP lounge to ask around. Most of her queries received blank stares. Some were downright rude. The polite ones suggested talking to the management of the fine establishment she now found herself.
“He can get you anything you want…for a price…”
“It’s not that kind of job.”
“What kind of job?”
Frustrated, “A job for anyone but that gentleman.”
“So, what kind of job? Stealing, killing, extorting…”
“Finding…I have to find someone.”
“Well, why don’t you go and try the Nosferatu. They know where everyone is.”
Fair enough. She started her search for Nosferatu, first in the V.I.P. room. Failing that, she knew all she had to do was gain their attention, and they would come to her. Like seagulls to a chip. Leaving the bar, she headed out onto the street and presented what she thought of as a ‘shifty’ persona. Walking past as many stormwater drains as were in the area, she looked around nervously, kept her jacket tight around her and tried to look desperate. It wasn’t hard. She was running out of options.
When she thought she’d spied a few glints and glimmers from the drains she passed, she went and found one in a quiet place where she could hold a discussion. Sitting down on the curve, she tapped the metal grating, drawing them to her location. A gnarled, yet slimy hand rested gently on her right shoulder.
“Yes, sweet Madeline?” Came a voice oozing through creased lips of a Nosferatu (too hard to tell male or female with them) standing above her.
“Ur…” Even after calling them to her, the words were taken from her mouth at their sheer hideousness. A face, made more of creases, cracks and lines than discernible features, hid behind massive glasses. There was no nose, which begged the question, what were the glasses leaning on? This all went through Mads’ mind in a matter of seconds.
“Um…I need your help. I’m looking for someone.”
“Who is this time? Izac again?” The Nos asked, pulling a small notebook out from a trenchcoat too seasonably out of place on a Sydney summer night.
“Yes. Have you seen anything more of him? Heard anything?” She asked, turning to look away, anything not to look at the creature behind her.
“We hear many things,” The Nosferatu said smugly, “It’s more a matter of what do you need? How vital is it?”
“I’d like to know where he is. Location.”
“Last week? Yesterday? Next Tuesday?…”
“The most recent information you have,” She replied, trying not to sound sarcastic, and failing, “I don’t want to know where he was three weeks ago, I want to know where he is now.”
“So you’re looking for where he is tonight?”
“Yeah.”
“When can I get this information to you?”
“As soon as possible. Do you have a way for me to contact you? Or do you want me to sit at this grate all night?”
“Where are you sleeping? Where is your sanctum?”
“I’m staying at the hotel,” She pointed down the street beside the bar.
“We will meet you there tomorrow evening.”
“Done.”
“Make sure you have payment.”
She paused for a moment. It was always the problem. She sucked her lips in frustration. “Anything you have in mind?”
“Expensive. Something rare and unique.”
“Okay.” She agreed, not knowing what this thing could possibly be.
“Anything else?” The Nosferatu asked, business-like.
“How have you been?” She asked, smiling up at the hideous deflated balloon of a face staring down at her.
“Ah, I do miss the small talk, but you’ve set us rather a tall order. Good morning.” He returned his notebook somewhere within his coat and slinked away into the night.
“Good morning,” Mads called after him, sitting alone in a back alley.
“Now if only that heist was happening tonight, then I’d have something to give them,” She murmured to herself. Where was she going to find something expensive…something rare by early evening? Her thoughts strayed back to the small, personal and currently unprotected library of one Dominic Giovanni.
Mads stood, brushed her arse of alley grime and returned to the Crowbar.
1.20 am Monday, 4 hours until sunset, 4 days until the S.C. Leichhardt
Dominic put down his phone and continued driving home. It had not been the best of nights. He considered taking himself off to his Coroner’s office for a few hours’ light entertainment. But, thoughts of his current appearance and the security cameras at the office made him feel older than his hundred years. He was sore, tired and wanted nothing more than the deep oblivion of rest. Instead, he turned the car towards home. Once inside and safe from mad murdering police officers and the machinations of his adoptive childe, he sat and quietly read a while about the Shadowlands, resting his face.
1.43 am Monday, 4 hours until sunset, 4 days until the S.C. Pyrmont
Eclipse and I drove back to Pyrmont, and though we now knew the suburb well, it took us a moment to find the old staircase heading deep under the Sydney streets. Eventually, we recognised the old Sydney Sewage Pumping Station number one, not far from the Powerhouse, and found the green metal door. As we arrived, the door opened, and no one was within sight. I just assumed the Nosferatu and their spy network had been watching us since arriving at the building and recognised their local Toreador representative. What Eclipse thought of it, she kept to herself as we started our descent.
Over fifteen minutes of steady climbing later, we arrived at what I thought of as the foyer of the Nosferatu domain, a room at the bottom of the stairs. Three Nosferatu were waiting, stiff and silent. They looked at each other as if confused by our arrival, and I glanced at Eclipse. She’d caught it too, the sudden uncertainty, the unspoken question about what to do with us. They were not expecting us. They had been waiting for someone else. It seemed it was possible to sneak something under the noses of the ever-vigilant Nosferatu clan.
“Good morning,” I smiled, feeling more confident seeing the Nosferatu flustered, “I know we’ve not been able to complete a deal we made previously, but I do have a proposition and I just need a little information from you kind people.”
The centre Nos, a…gentleman, if I was to guess, with a face like a month-old tomato, glasses, and a long unseasonable (and unflattering) trench coat, spoke up.
“Of course, we are aware of your problem….Rain. What proposition do you have for us? Is it more personal or attached to your current ongoing deal?”
As they didn’t know we were coming, I highly doubt they knew all about the old Pyrmont house, but I allowed the symantics to roll down my back. Forever the little black duck.
“It is not part of our deal, I’m working on that with Mr Giovanni. No, this is something more personal to me. I need to gain access to the Contemporary Art Museum in the Rocks. Tomorrow night is our schedule, and I need to get in and out undetected. Of course, if there were anything that you good people would want while we were there, I’d be happy to relieve the Museum of its responsibility.”
I felt good about my proposition. This time, I had a clear idea of what I wanted and what I had to offer. They smiled, laughed , and discussed it among themselves. Eclipse squirmed beside me as if she realised she’d been invited to dinner as the appetiser.
“Who are you trying to save?” Asked the tomato-faced spokesman, and now we knew the scope of the Prince’s collection. Not content with just Izac’s bleeding heart, it seemed there was a collection of heartless kin in the City.
I tried a bluff. You never know.
“What an interesting thought. I’m not sure who I’d be saving by breaking into the museum. I’m personally interested in acquiring something from their walls. I have a place now and long to fill it with beautiful things. I’m sure you understand.” Surely that sounded Toreador enough to pass even their hardened scrutiny.
When the spokesman, failfailedbreak me, he turned to Eclipse, “You there, dark one. Who is it that you are trying to save?”
“Who says anyone needs saving?” She replied nonchalantly. I was so proud. She’d come a long way since that stumbling conversation with the Police Officer. In fact, as he spoke, it seemed that there was a knowing glint in her eye, a kenning. I made a note to ask her about it once we were clear of the Nosferatu’s many eyes and ears.
“They say museums are places of preservation, but they only let things decay.” In this, I recognised the subtle game of ‘I know that you know, that I know…’, but wondered why.
“Indeed…” I stumble to contribute, “They lock the beautiful things up, often in cages. They should be out where people can enjoy them.”
“Well, we’re all about enjoying people,” The trio laughed. I laughed along. What? It was funny-ish.
“But that’s not the point, and it’s not why you are here,” Tomato-faces wrinkles and sags seemed to become more prominent as he feared we were wasting his time. Eclipse tensed beside me. She was picking up more than me, a fact I found a little frustrating.
“Is this deal of any interest to you?” I tried again, now less confident.
Tomato-face rolled his eyes and spoke as if speaking to a child, “If you are not honest and someone else comes and asks what was misplaced, it may behove us to let them know.” Or in other words, tell us the truth or when the Prince comes asking where Izac’s heart is, they may have to say they don’t know, but they’d let us in only a few days ago to pick up a few sketches.
My heart sank. We were screwed. The Nosferatu knew we wanted a heart, and even if we didn’t make a deal, they could use that information against us. It was now, either work with them or forget the whole plan. Go out to the farm and look after the tree, and tell Merritt I couldn’t do the one thing she asked of me.
“He won’t be an easy person to lie to,” Eclipse said, taking over the conversation.
“We might not have to. I ask again, who are you trying to save?” Tomato-face countered.
“And this discussion? Is this now public record? We’ve come to you respectfully, asking to get into the museum, and you threaten us with what, telling others about this conversation?”
“No threats. But we listen. We watch and we know of a certain…predeliction of our honourable Prince. That place is…special. So, instead of the smooth patter of a long conversation, I’d like to cut the fat and get into it. Who are you trying to save?”
I looked at Eclipse. If we wanted to move ahead, we would have to be honest, but I didn’t think that was my call. Izac was her love. She knew him better than…pretty much anyone, including himself.
“They know, Eclipse, they know,” I whispered low, hoping big Nosferatu couldn’t pick it up, “But I don’t think I should be the one to make the call.”
To her credit, she thought, then straightened her shoulders and spoke clearly to Tomato-face.
“I intend to return a stolen item. An item the Prince does not want that person to have.”
“There are many persons in this same predicament,” Tomato-face confirmed, “Who-may-this-someone-be?”
“We do not want the person you were alluding to, to know we were there,” I added, making it clear that it was a stipulation of the deal. The Prince was never to find out it was us.
“If you deal with me, that shouldn’t be a problem,” Tomato-face shrugged, only squashing the wrinkles deeper still.
Eclipse looked at me and nodded.
“Okay. Okay. You know of the one called Izac.” It wasn’t a question. Everyone in town must be bugging them for information on him.
“Yeah, we do know of him, and that does make sense. It seems very early to be going for that. We’d estimated it would take a year before you tried to do the switch.” They conferred with themselves a moment, and we just stood like naughty school children, waiting for the principal’s verdict.
“Do you mind if there’s any collateral damage?” Tomato-face finally asked.
Confused, I jumped in, “This sounds like it’s now your heist, that you’re going for the heart.”
“Forgive me, you’ve never done this sort of thing before, you don’t know the place. Clearly, I do.”
“We were just asking for access to the place,” I qualified, feeling like we were losing control of our plan.
“There are easier ways of getting yourself killed. What’s your game plan? You go in. Take his heart and leave, and expect no one to notice? Is that it?”
“I had in mind to replace the heart,” I replied, definitely feeling like that naughty student.
“Do you have one?”
“I have to acquire one.”
They went back to their discussion, now pointedly ignoring us. It was clear they believed or were trying to sell us on them having more knowledge than us. It was not hard to be more knowledgeable, but we were there to make a deal. I’d gone from walking into the car dealership with a sensible plan to buy a reasonably priced car, and Tomato-face, the salesman, was pushing a late-model Mercedes my way. I was almost forgetting the whole thing and walking away. Thankfully, Eclipse was there to stand firm.
“We don’t mean to insult you,” She said, gaining our Spokesperson’s attention, in fact, your offer is very great, more than we asked.”
“I could make a concession. An easy one for you. During the event in a few nights, I will pose a question to both of you. No matter what, you will say yes. That is my cost to let you in.”
“Think yes, it will not take our lives?” I asked, disliking the ambiguity of the proposal, “Will it take someone else’s life?”
“It won’t cause final death to either of you. To someone else? Does it matter?” He laughed at my suggestion.
“I’m trying to avoid leaving bodies behind me.”
“Oh yes, and how many in recent nights have you killed?” His question stung and confused me. Besides those who I’d been asked to deal with by the Prince himself, I knew of none.
“I don’t need to ask Eclipse, though.” Before I could comment, he’d turned his attention, and I watched Eclipse seethe under his scrutiny.
“You know my answer,” She said through clenched teeth, and even with Auspex down, I saw the black flame in her eyes. “You have a test, I have a test. We’re only monsters.”
Tomato-face laughed, “And they say the youth know nothing.”
I was certainly clueless, but felt that education could wait. I wanted to pin down this agreement.
“So, your proposal is we will say yes to a question you will pose at the Succubus Club…”
“Just the one question…” He interrupted, making it clear it was a very simple task.
“What sort of question?” Eclipse asked.
“I’m not asking you to walk into the sunrise or to slap the Prince, nothing as grandeous as that. It will be subtle.”
“In return for this subtle yes, you’re taking the heart…”
“No, merely providing the access, as you requested.”
Right. Straight-forward and ominous.
“And what’s the cost for you to do it?” Eclipse asked. I didn’t like this plan, though the benefit of not being involved had its merits. I just didn’t know how I’d face Lady Merritt admitting I paid the hired help to do my dirty work.
“That will be more complicated and involve a life boon.”
I tensed. If I was squeamish of the power of a single yes on one night, the weight of a life boon seemed oppressive. Obstensibly, we’d be forever in their debt. They could ask us to do any little task they please without payment or argument for the rest of their lives. It would only be truly paid if we were to complete some task they believed to be of equal value. I knew this ploy. This was how my old gangster bosses used to keep people loyal to them. I’d begun this life with the hope of starting afresh, without a massive social debt. Dominic was bad enough, and he was our adoptive sire. This! Like a toddler taking on a mortgage for a family home in Sydney, adding on top the lifespan of the average kindred.
Eclipse looked at me blankly.
“We’re still willing to do the job, aren’t we, Eclipse?” I asked, trying to make her aware we didn’t want to take their generous Mercedes deal.
“Hardest part is finding a replacement,” She replied low only to me. She wasn’t wrong. I had an idea, I was a budding Necromancer for nothing.
“Do you think we can’t find one?” I tried to instil my words with the ring of confidence. Still, it seemed I wasn’t the expert here when it came to human hearts.
She didn’t answer.
“You would rather the Life Boon? The Life debt?” I added, now fearful that’s exactly what she wanted.
I leaned down so I was lower than her head and whispered my plan, “I was just planning on getting something from the bar. Are you worried that’s not going to cut it?”
“Normal hearts tend to rot,” She said, and I could see this was the clincher for her. We needed a good heart.
“It won’t be a normal heart for long,” I replied and hoped to whatever demon or deity that looks over us poor souls that the Nos didn’t hear me.
“Hearts are still connected to their owner…at least in our case.” I guess that it could be traced back to its body was also an issue. I had an idea for that too, but once more it was not a discussion for in front of the Nosferatu. I could see that we needed to work on our communication.
“Look, this Life Boon is serious. They can ask any little jobs from from us and we’ll have to do them for the rest of our lives. No bargaining out of this one. Until we do a task equal to this one, we are theirs and I’m not into that, are you?”
“But we’re putting ourselves in harm’s way. Stealing the heart right from under the Prince’s nose. And you like him.”
“And I like him,” I admitted so quietly even I barely heard my reply. But wanted to try. I knew who we were up against as soon as I saw the heart and mused about stealing it back. Sometimes you bite the bullet…sometimes it bites you.
“So, you’re doing something for the Lady, and I’m doing something for Izac, we’re pitiful.” She replied almost as quietly.
“We do have another option. When the Lady calls I tell her…we couldn’t do it.” I admitted not trying to hide the bitter taste it left.
“And…I can’t accept that.” She replied, and it was like we were back in the Porsche again, hatching our mad schemes for this crazy life.
“We can at least take their access,” She said, and I nodded firmly in agreement. We were committed…or should be.
“Let’s hope that no one noticed the switch until after the event.” She added, and to that I also nodded.
“And we have one last person to ask for help,” She suggested, and I was confused.
“One last person?”
“An Italian man we know very well.”
Dominic? The man who lived large on the peace and generosity of the status quo created by the Prince? Mr Conservative himself, who took on the charge of three strangers as his responsibility for the chance of a boon from the Prince? I could have laughed or wept.
“You want to take this to him? Really?” I asked incredulously, “Sure let’s take this to Giovanni and see what he says. And if by some slim chance he agrees, it’s his plan, his way. If he doesn’t agree, Izac does not get his heart back. Black or white.”
“Who would you rather be in debt to?”
I did laugh then. That was a trick question.
“But we’ll take the initial offer of access and say yes when asked,” She said with finality.
“We’ll say yes,” I agreed, and turned back to the Nosferatu.
The other two had left, only Tomato-face remained to tie up the loose ends.
“Okay, be here, 8 pm tomorrow night,” He said, and the deal was done.
“Just so you know, there may be another,” I said. I didn’t want any questions raised when we turned up with Madeline the next evening.
“Whom?”
“Madeline is her name,” Eclipse supplied and what could only be considered a grin parted the creased and lines on the Nosferatu’s face. He laughed.
It wasn’t actually surprising. Mads has been looking for Izac a long time, surely she done deals with the Nosferatu before, though I wasn’t sure why it was so funny.
“You know our Mads? You’ve had dealings with her before?”
“Yeah, she asked for quite a bit, but that’s more her business unless you want to make another deal?”
“She asks for things now, that will come in the fullness of time.” I said, by way of saying I knew her desires and did not need to deal for them.
“How true.”
We made our farewells with Tomato-face and started the return journey up the stairs. We travelled back to the car in silence, waiting for the seeming solitude it provided to speak.
“Do you want to come back to my place or do you want me to drive you back to the hotel?” I asked.
“We still need a heart. Do we have enough time now?” She replied and I looked at the glowing clock on the Audi’s dashboard.
“We have a little time tomorrow…not a lot though.”
“How much now?”
“Three hours?”
“A hour is more than enough time to kill someone,” Eclipse said so adamantly, I was left in no doubt, she’d killed before. I didn’t mean at the restaurant that first night, I didn’t even mean the feral ghouls we’d put down. No, she’d gone out alone or with her new friends, hunting and killing. I knew that for certain. The thought sent a rill of fear up my spine. At the same time, I felt more confident that we could get it done.
“Here?” I said, looking out at sleeping Pyrmont, my home.
“No, no my prey would be in the Crow Bar.”
I turned the car onto the road, “Back to the Crow Bar,” I repeated, knowing that it would mean the death of someone.
“A heart like Izac’s, and if anyone knows his heart…I’ll find a good replacement.”
“I agree, you know him best.”
2.04 am Monday, 4 hours until sunset, 4 days until the S.C. Enroute
***************************************************************
Love and Hate are Monsters
Eclipse is attempting to read the book in front of her. She gleams some. The Black Hand and the Inquisition. That’s all she gets before those floor plans bleed into her vision.
It’s an impossible mission.
Having pulled herself from the clutches of death itself, Eclipse has an eye for when the walls are closing in.
Breaking and entering the museum is half the battle. In fact, that may be the easiest part. Otherwise, there are a plethora of cameras to catch every one of their movements.
The greatest threat however is the Prince. It’s his prize, his property. Rain and herself are spitting in the face of ultimate authority and hoping to not be killed. It’s foolish.
She’ll do it anyway.
Unlike Rain, who does it at the request of a fantasy with the shape of a name, Eclipse is doing it for other reasons.
A personal one.
She would return to that pit and pull herself back up all over again and again if it meant she could complete this for Izac.
For the man she loves.
For the man she will lose.
Eclipse knows her fate is already foretold. The cards shuffled. Her tarot read.
The Hanged Man.
The Lovers.
Death.
Is it not clear to you?
I’m fucked.
Living by the skin of your teeth, you know when the jig is up.
Men don’t like broken things and they particularly don’t like broken women.
Eclipse carved herself out of her own shape. Saw what death actually looked like. Saw what it’s like to have your life bleed out of you, one drop at a time, until you have nothing left.
Like Frankenstein’s monster, Eclipse is built out of old decaying parts. She’s rotten.
She is a monster.
And Izac?
No. No, Izac can’t like monsters. He’s destined for something greater, something better.
It’s something both her and Frankenstein’s creation have in common.
If you cannot have love, you’ll create hate.
Eclipse can feel it. Under her skin, in her veils, soaked into her very being.
It takes a wicked thing to bring the end of the world.
Notable NPCs
Abram: Ventrue, and one of six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Agaricus: Children of the Moon, and one of six founders of Sydney Masquerade
Alex Holmestead: Husband of Mads. Location and status unknown.
Alicia: Toreador Vampire met at the Crow Bar
Ambrogino: 5th Generation Vampire, Cappadocian and Elder of the Giovanni Clan.
Avel: Rain’s mother, a wraith.
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.
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.
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 has an assistant currently called Notetaker.
Doctor Willis Hodge: Ghost acquaintance of Dominic Giovanni’s from the Coroner’s Court.
El Torcedor: “The Twister” or ore accurately, “The Fleshcrafter” A Tzimisce from South America
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.
Francis Tuttle: Name given in charge of the investigation into the deaths of homeless in Surry Hills.
Garcia: Sire. Unknown location.
Giuseppe Giovanni: Ghoul of Mr Giovanni and nephew.
Joel Mitchell: Mads’ friend. Deceased.
Kenneth Stahl: South African Giovanni (exiled)
Lady Merritt Stone: A very old and powerful vampire that has taken an interest in Izac. Rain spoke to her about the Coterie and Izac’s mission
Lambach Ruthven: Kin met at the theatre. Sire of Dracula. Drug addict.
Lenny: Rain’s Ghoul and artist friend, now with mages. Location unknown.
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.
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
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*
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
Teeth of Titanium: Werewolf dingo met in Leichhardt.
The Prestiege: The speak for the four Tremere met at the Blavatsky Lodge.
The Woman: A powerful being of unknown name who kidnapped Izac and enchanted Rain. Lady Merritt
Tom: A sleeping head awakened by Dominic in the Dreamtime.
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 that were 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.
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.
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.
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.
Vaulderie: A ritual where Kindred swear loyalty to each other.
A Strange Life 