The Vampire Council: Case File:1 (2 page)

             
‘And that’s it?’ said Katie now sounding even more scared at the prospect of being killed.

             
‘The last downside being, the blood thirst. In human form you have a slight thirst for blood but it’s very controllable and once you have something meaty to eat you’ll forget about it. But the longer you stay as a vampire the harder it is to control. You will thirst for the stuff and do anything and attack anyone to get your fix. Over time you can control this like Jacqueline and me but as you’re rookies I wouldn’t condone staying as a vampire for long.’ Vaelen walks back to Jacqueline and stands next to her. Will, Jeff and Katie walk from the wall and stand in front of the desk.

             
‘So what happens now?’ asks Jeff.

Jacqueline sits on her throne. ‘Go back to your lives for now and await instruction.’ She explains again in a professional tone of voice.

              ‘And for the love of God whatever you do, don’t tell anybody your vampires ok?’ Vaelen says looking directly at Will.

             
‘Why you looking at me when you say that?’ said Will.

             
‘Because you have a look on your face which is the same face a teenager gives off just after losing his virginity whilst telling all his friends. You’re all now part of this. And there’s only one way out and it isn’t pretty. So you might as well buckle down and do as we tell you to.’ Vaelen now averting his eyes from Will and looks away towards the wall.

             
‘You will be glad to know this base is set not far from where you all live and also what you might not have known is that you all live within a mile of each other, so when the time comes, Vaelen will tell the girl at reception to contact one of you telling you what time to meet here and it is then that persons job to contact or retrieve the others and arrive outside the base where Vaelen will then let you in. Is that understood?’ States Jacqueline as she stares them all down.

They look at one another and make a silent agreement. They nod.

              ‘Vaelen. Show them the door.’ says Jacqueline as she slumps in her throne and pulls out a cigarette from her desk draw and lights it, inhales, then gives out a sigh of relief as she exhales. Vaelen has ushered the three new recruits out of the door, he slams the door behind them.

CHAPTER 2:

A NEW LIFE BEGINS

T
he new recruits all jump in unison as the door behind them slams shut. They take in their surroundings. The door leads them out into what can only be described as a hotel lobby. There’s a young woman behind a desk answering the phone and dealing with people constantly walking in and out of the front door, handing over keys, dealing with credit cards and other general dealings which is associated with working in a hotel. On the door behind them has a sign saying employees only.

‘
Erm, are we in a hotel?’ Will queries.

‘There’s only one way to find out.’ Jeff replies.

Jeff heads towards the front desk, Will closely follows as Katie trails behind still looking very frightened about her situation.

             
‘Yes, how may I help you?’ Says the young woman behind the desk.

             
‘Yeah, hi. I was just wondering, where are we?’ Asks Jeff.

             
‘Why you are at the magnificent five star ‘Ruby hotel.’ Replies the woman.

             
‘That’s like twenty minutes away from my house.’ Will states.

             
‘Oh so you must be Will. And you Jeff and her Katie.’ Says the woman.

The three recruits look on stunned that this young lady knew all three of their names without any hesitation.

              ‘How do you know who we are?’ Asks Jeff.

             
‘Because I’m just like you.’ Retorts the woman. She stands and leans slightly over the desk with a concentrated look over her face with her eyes closed. When her eyelids slowly open just darkness can be seen under them, she suddenly pulls back onto her chair where her eyes have now gone back to normal. ‘Get it?’

             
‘Yeah we get it. So what next, do we just come back here every time we get the call?’ chimes Will.

             
‘Oh you have just reminded me.’ Says the woman. She rises from her chair and bends down the open a drawer situated behind her. Will notices the woman’s pert bottom now sticking in the air, a smirk appears on his face. Jeff notices Will’s smirking and smacks him on the chest. ‘Ow!’ Shouts Will. A loud bang can be heard as the woman shuts the door. She straightens up and turns towards the recruits, in her hands she has three pager looking devices. ‘Take the one with your name on please.’ She says. They do so, as they all study what they are in their hands.

             
‘So what do we use these for?’ Asks Will.

             
‘What do you think?’ Replies the woman in a sarcastic manor. ‘With these you can contact each other as well as your group leader being able to get hold of any of you. Whichever one of you gets the call, you must contact the others using these, and you must all show up here as quickly as possible. A little tip higher ranking vampires don’t like being kept waiting. Each has the others numbers already programmed into it, also has my number programmed in, cause sometimes I’m asked to contact recruits with updates on missions and so forth, and finally your leaders number is also logged.’

             
‘So we just look for the name and call?’ Asks Jeff.

             
‘That’s exactly it, just like a mobile phone. But unlike a mobile please don’t lose these, don’t worry about accidently breaking these they are shatterproof and waterproof, and lastly keep them on your persons at all times, you never know when you may get a call.’ Replies the woman. ‘That’s everything I need to go through with you, please escort yourselves out, familiarise yourself as to where this building is located and I shall see you again when you get your first call.’

             
‘Thank you.’ Says Jeff as he turns and heads towards the main door. Katie follows still scared. Will stays at the desk and leans on the desk in a flirtatious manor. ‘So with this I can phone you whenever I please?’ He says trying to make his voice sound as sexy and rugged as possible. ‘Mine’s a one way number sorry, only I can contact you, and for your information, there’s no need for you to put on this rugged routine with me.’ She states.

             
‘Really?’ Will says surprised.

‘No of course not. You’d have no chance either way.’ She says as she looks up at his face.

              ‘
Will
! Move your arse!’ Shouts Jeff from the doorway.

             
‘Ok! I’m coming!’ Will shouts back at him. Will straightens himself out physically showing the woman behind the counter that he’s brushing off her remarks. He notices she isn’t paying any attention to him so he turns and heads towards the door in a slump.

† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †

              ‘Katie! Come back!’ Shouts Jeff, as he chases Katie over a grass hill not far from the hotel. Situated at the other side of the hill is a small pond in which Katie throws herself into and flings her arms around with such force it propels water all over her as she lets out screams of anger and horror. Jeff stops himself at the water’s edge as he turns to see Will clambering down the hill shocked at what he was witnessing. Will joins Jeff at the water’s edge as Katie has calmed down slightly just standing still soaking wet staring towards the setting sun in front of her. Will begins to walk into the water to fetch Katie, Jeff lays his hand on Will’s shoulder and stops him. ‘Just let her sink it all in.’

‘It’s a lot to process.’ Will retorts.

‘It sure is. I still can’t kind of believe it myself, I was just a simple happy family man and now, this, a vampire. I didn’t even believe vampire’s existed.’ Jeff slowly lowers himself to the ground, now knelt. ‘Why us Will? Out of the thousands of people in this city, why us? Why were we chosen?’ Jeff gets slightly aggressive as he jumps to his feet and grabs Will by the scruff of his shirt collar. ‘And chosen for what Will? Why the fuck has this happened?’

Will notices that Jeff’s eyes are slowly turning pitch black and his grip gets ever so tighter.

‘Calm down Jeff! You’re changing!’

‘This is who we are now, why not embrace it!’ Jeff shouts as his canine teeth turns into fangs and lifts Will off the ground like he is weightless.

‘Jeff! Stop, please!’ Will tries to plead as he kicks at Jeff to let him down. ‘Put me the fuck down!’ Will’s eyes darken and fangs appear in his mouth, with this new found strength Will manages to kick Jeff with such power it forces Jeff to drop Will to the ground. Both return back to human as they slowly get to their feet.

             
‘I’m sorry.’ Explains Jeff as he helps Will to his feet. ‘I just don’t understand.’

‘None of us do Jeff. Maybe it will become clearer in time but as for now there’s nothing more we can do except act normal and wait for the call.’ States Will as he pats the phone in his pocket.

They both turn and look at Katie who has been kneeling in the water watching what had just happened between her two new partners. She speaks softly as she heads her way to the grass. ‘Does it hurt?’

‘No.’ Will explains.

‘It looks scary.’

‘There’s nothing to it, it’s just a strange feeling nothing painful about it,’ Will continues.

‘Do you want to try it?’ Asks Jeff.

‘No. I want it to be natural.’ Katie answers.

Jeff turns away from Katie and leans into Will and whispers into his ear, ‘There’s nothing natural about this.’

             
The team head back to the top of the hill. Will has his arm around Katie comforting her. Jeff turns to them. ‘It’s getting dark. Will, take her home.’

‘What are you going to do?’ Asks Katie.

‘I’m going to walk, just need to clear my head before going home to the family.’

‘Shit. That’s going to be tough keeping this from them.’ Will states under his breath.

‘Not much else I can do.’ Jeff runs his hands down his face as he lets off a groan of exhaustion. ‘Get her home, be safe.’

Will nods. Will puts his arm around Katie’s shoulders and pulls her in as they walk away,
Katie wraps her arms around Will as she begins to weep. Jeff watches them get to the main road before he turns around with a determined look on his face as he stares directly at the Ruby Hotel, like an Olympic runner Jeff sprints towards the hotel.

CHAPTER 3:

JEFF MEETS TESSA

J
eff stands on the street opposite the Ruby Hotel. He’s looking for answers, but knows he cannot just walk through the front door and ask for them. The street lights have just started to turn on one by one, making the streets a flood of unnatural light. Jeff watches as a stream of what he believes all to be vampires walking in and out of the hotel. He clocks onto a male and a female walk out of the hotel then proceed down the dark alley beside the building. The male looked about 6’1 not that well-built, he wore a suit and tie. His hair long black and greased back. The female however was wearing a peculiar outfit which resembles something close to an assassins choice of clothing, her hair was long and black tied up tight in a pigtail. Jeff heads across the road and stands by the entrance to the alleyway and eavesdrops on the vampires’ conversation.

              ‘Tessa I’m telling you I’ve got it all under control.’ Dirk shouts at the female vampire.

‘Stop trying to convince yourself this, nothing the great and wonderful Dirk has is enough to fulfil what Ana wants.’ Tessa shouts directly into Dirks face. Dirk pushes Tessa against the wall. ‘You have not the faintest idea what Ana is or what it’s actually used for. I’ll tell you, it’s not a define prophesy that will bring answers and cures to the curse we have been given or will it create something that will help us not feel the hunger anymore. No. These are all lies fed to you by The One.’ Dirk explains as he holds Tessa against the wall by her neck.

‘Then what is it used for?’ Tessa coughs in pain.

‘Ana is a programme. A group. Created by me. A group with the sole purpose of sorting out this mess The One has put us in.’ Dirk lets go of Tessa and lets her fall to the ground, she rives in pain on the cold gravel.

‘You’re a fucking madman Dirk! You haven’t spared a single thought for anyone if you go ahead with what I think Ana is. It’s treason Dirk.’ Tessa coughs and sputters.

             
‘That’s a word that’s thrown at me far too often. I’m not committing treason, your precious vampire council couldn’t prove it. I’m committing a courageous act that will change the face of this organization forever.’ Dirk pulls out a gun from a holster under his jacket and aims it at Tessa’s head. ‘And I’m sorry Tess but my new organization has no room for you.’