Good Nite Dr Death

The first three months of my vampiric existence were uneventful.
I had learned a lot though. Thanks to Frank’s hours of patience I could take care of myself in a fight. Thanks to Mikey I could mix a mean marguerita and Ray had tried to teach me the basics of running a club. He and Claire had admitted to defeat on that one after several broken plates and two minor fights. This all meant that I spent most of the time hanging out with Gerard in one club or another, usually hunting with him after and then falling into bed. I was more than happy with it but Gerard pointed out that it was no way to spend eternity.
“What? You think fucking you could get boring?”
He laughed, pinching my nipple and leaning across me to grab a smoke. The window was open and gentle drops of rain were ghosting our heated skin. I was comfortable and drowsy, not really worried about finding something to occupy my time.
“No, I think you and I could stay here for a century and never get tired of it but there is a city out there that you haven’t explored.”
“I know, I’m just not all that good at anything. Claire said I can read the tarot for the goths if I want.”
Gerard and I stared at each other before a giggling fit overtook us both but I took his advice and spent a few hours thinking about it as he slept beside me. There was one talent I had that none of them knew about, one that had never been anything more than a hobby but now I got to thinking about it seriously and decided that there was something I could offer.
The next evening was also wet and Gerard was surprised when I told him I was off to explore just as he had said. He was busy with Mikey and Ray, going over the club’s accounts and they were meeting up with some vampire friends later in the night which left Claire and Frank to run the club. I gave him a sweet smile, Claire giggling as I wheedled a little.
“I just want to explore.”
Mikey joined his brother, one arm going over his shoulder as two sets of hazel eyes bored into mine. Combined they were a force to be reckoned with and I had found that if anything, Mikey was more protective of Claire and I than Gee. It was mirrored in his soft tone, a concern merged with the barest hint of a threat.
“Well be careful and steer clear of trouble. There have been reports of hunters on the east side.”
“Yes dad.”
Frank mirrored their pose, his arm around me as Claire leant her head on my shoulder. Mikey and Gee were now smirking, a few of the club clientele looking our way as my lover tried to put on a stern face.
“Please? Be careful and no fighting!”
I nodded, still attempting to look contrite and accepted hugs and kisses from all of them before leaving the warmth of the club and setting out in the rain. It felt good to be alone and able to stroll down the streets watching the milling people around me. So many colours melting together, so many voices and yet I could see them as nothing but food now. I viewed them as a man might view a cow, good for meat and not much else.
I had a target in mind, trouble was it was perilously close to the east side and I knew that although I could handle myself reasonably, it wouldn’t be enough if I did run into hunters. Mikey had shown me the scar on his chest from where he had nearly been staked, his life saved by Frank and Ray. Both he and Frank had drilled it into me to leave, not confront which kinda went against my nature. Still, I had promised no trouble and intended to stick to it.
I stopped only once, a pretty young redhead with a good figure caught my eye and I contented myself with her blood while I gazed at the building in front of me. It was huge, colonnades of white stone fronted the wooden doors with a Latin inscription above. In the dark it was threatening to some, looming large in downtown as it did. Most ignored it, the daylight gave it form and function as the city museum and once it closed it disappeared into the background. I dropped the body, my eye caught by the signs hanging down from the door that were illuminated by the struck match.

“RUSSIAN IMPERIAL JEWEL COLLECTION MAY10-16”

I had been intending just to take Gerard home an interesting statue or some trinket but this was so much better and I waited now for the evening crowd to pass. My limited thieving career in mortal life had involved Brian usually, he was always getting locked out for a start and my skill at picking a lock had led to him daring me to steal the takings from where he worked during the day. Needless to say, a dare is a dare. I had managed it, the hardest part being avoiding the dogs. I figured with vampire speed and no temperature signature I could be a little more ambitious.
By eleven traffic was slow enough to make my attempt and I was almost sick with both anticipation and nerves. Finding the service entrance to the kitchens was easy enough, the double lock broken off with a twist of my wrist. I let the local strays in, their heat and movement would be enough to trigger the alarms and provide an explanation for their trigger. By the time it was found that anything was missing I would be long gone. I left the kitchen as the klaxon started and quickly sprinted down the darkened corridors. It was exhilarating, I was faster than any human, able to slide beneath metal doors as they came down and able to blind cameras before they could see me.
I followed the exhibit signs, picking up some Sumerian statues and a thirteenth century mace on the way. It was like Christmas shopping, the statues for Gee, the mace for Frank…a sharp cavalry officers jacket for Mikey, a nineteenth century carved globe for Ray. I screeched to a halt in the exhibit itself, the dim lights couldn’t hide the sparkle of gems and diamonds.
I could hear people in the distance two floors down, cursing the cats and wondering how the service door had come to be open. They were a distance from me but I couldn’t afford to browse and quickly skipped around the glass cabinets. It was all so amazing and exquisite, tiaras and crowns vied with necklaces and brooches. All of them were centuries old and invaluable. I knew a woman who fitted that and their beauty, gently snapping the cables of the infrared and lifting the lids on the Perspex boxes. I knew more alarms would go off and that all these treasures would never see daylight again. My friends would enjoy them in our hidden world of opulence and I smiled to myself as I picked out rubies for me and sapphires for Claire.
More voices sounded and closer, the door that I had entered was now sealed so I worked on the window, managing to raise it enough to slip through. The ground was a sickening three floors below and I scanned the side of the building for a way up. The wind was rising, my bag that held the treasures banging against my knees as I worked my fingers around the sill and used the brickwork and plaster to hoist myself up. It was slow and I didn’t want to find out about how many bones I could break if I fell so there was no choice but to climb on inch by inch until I found a fire escape and a way down. Once on steps I could be faster, now seeing police cars piling up at the front of the building as I jumped the last few steps. I let the laughter break free, already wondering what the guys would make of this as I crossed back across the square faster than any of these men would see.
It was raining harder and I was rapidly getting soaked but I was on a high and it took me a while to calm my pace down. It was then that I realised I had strayed off course a little and was now seemingly lost. Swearing a little I stopped in a doorway and retrieved my phone before pausing. If I admitted I was lost now then I might not get out alone for a while….
“Are you ok?”
I jumped, surprised by the male voice and turned to see its source. The man in front of me was young, tall and quite handsome. His hair was a burgundy shade of red, thin features set off by the punk cut and a good body. I tried to raise a smile and waved my phone.
“No signal and I’m lost. Can you point me in the way of the museum?”
“Where all the flashing lights are.”
He turned and pointed with a laugh as I craned my neck to see. Sure enough I could see the blues and reds over in the direction I had come and had almost forgotten the man as I worked out how to get back to the club and Gerard.
“You look cold, can I invite you for a drink?”
I focused back on him, sure that the drink I was thinking of was not the same as his. He pointed just along the alley to a neon sign that proclaimed two for one on beer and I nodded. There would be no harm in alcohol and then blood before I went back, still a little high from managing a robbery in less than half an hour flat.
“Sure, thanks.”
“My pleasure, my name is Kier.”
I shook his hand and murmured my name, my eyes fixed on the tattoo on his neck as he led the way into the dim bar. Another man raised a hand and Kier returned the wave before ordering us a drink and looking slightly apologetic.
“My friends….”
I giggled and followed him towards the table, little knowing I was walking towards the very trouble that Gerard and Mikey had warned off…..

Notes