11: So, It Begins…Pt. 1

“Where exactly are you taking me?” Victoria asked as she slid off the back of Derrick’s motorcycle. He parked it behind a large office building and the two started walking toward the red-light district, a place that’s hosted a crime scene or three in her time. “Um…Derrick?”

Her head jerked at the sound of cans rustling behind her and she found herself staring at a bum pushing a shopping cart filled with cans toward an alleyway. “Relax, Detective. Your nerves are giving off a scent.”

“Excuse me? Did you just tell me I smelled?” She frowned and eyed the large dumpsters of trash they were traipsing through.

“Yes.” Derrick stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. “But that’s not what I meant. Your pores are leaking a certain odor that is well known to attract danger in the form of hungry vampires. You might want to put a stop to the anxiety. Relax; I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Relax? How about you tell me where the hell you’re taking me and then I might be able to relax. I don’t like walking into something unknown. I let you do that to me once before and look what happened.”

“Fine, Victoria, you win. We’re going to a place called Dante’s, it’s a night club of sorts.”

“Dante’s? There’s no club in this area with that name.”

“Are you sure about that, Detective?”

“You know I really hate the way you call me that. It’s starting to sound very condescending.”

“My apologies, that isn’t my intention, but it was you who told me not to call you by your first name.”

“And yet you do it anyway.”

“Fair enough. Anyway, Dante’s is an underground club. I’m not surprised you haven’t heard about it since it caters to a more… aberrant crowd.” Victoria tensed up and Derrick moved closer. “There it is again. You’re nervous, stop that.”

“Oh, sure thing! Let me just tell my body that it’s perfectly normal to walk into a bar full of demons and I’m just being silly to think otherwise! What the hell do you want from me? Why are you taking me to a place like that?”

“Because I’m hungry and you’re curious. So, unless you intend on opening a vein to quench my thirst?” Victoria’s arms came up to her neck defensively and she took a step away from him. “I didn’t think so.”

Derrick watched her uneasy shifting for a moment. He chewed on the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing and flashed a quick smile at the woman in his company. “You know I’d never have guessed that you could be this intimidated, Victoria. You always seem so in control.”

“Yeah, of things that I know. How would you feel if you woke one morning and someone told you that the boogey man didn’t actually live under your bed but walked around like an average Joe; possibly your mailman! I have no idea what to expect in this place and no way out for that matter. You ask me to trust you but for all I know you could be taking me there to make me the main course!”

Derrick moved dangerously close to her with a devilish grin on his face as he backed her into the wall adjacent to where the bum had scurried off to. The look behind his steel gray eyes was intimidating and became even darker the closer he pressed against her with his body. “As enticing an offer as that is, Victoria, had I wanted to feed on you at any point I could have done so and you would have never known. Thought manipulation is a nifty trick us ‘creatures of the night’ possess. Meaning that I could strip you naked right here in the street and have my way with you and make you forget that any of it ever happened.”

“And then you wonder why I’m so nervous and intimidated,” Victoria replied as she rubbed at her head. She had nowhere to go at this point and was looking into the blank eyes of one of the strongest men she’d ever come across and the longer he stared at her the more nervous she became.

Derrick smirked and slowly moved his right hand up Victoria’s midsection. Caressing her ever so gently, he held her waist tight and jerked her body toward him as his other hand tilted her head. Slowly and methodically, he moved his lips closer, anticipating the first touch of her lips against his before actually closing his mouth on top of hers. 

Derrick sucked on her tongue as it darted out of her mouth to meet his and pressed their bodies tighter together. Working in sync with his lips, his hands moved along the curves of her waist, down toward her ass and he cupped both cheeks firmly. He possessed her mouth with ease and allowed her body to mold into his completely. Victoria’s hands wrapped around his neck as he kissed her deeper and the wet sounds of their mouths reverberated in their ears. The taste of strawberries was still on his tongue and she moaned as the flavor invaded her taste buds.

The idea of nicking her lip filled his conscious thought as he felt Victoria’s tongue swipe across his fangs and his eyes popped open. Derrick pulled away from the embrace and rubbed one finger over her bottom lip as he slowly backed off of her. “There.”

“‘There?’ What was that for?” She asked fixing herself and pretending as if that kiss hadn’t taken her breath away.

“If anyone comes near you, they’ll smell my scent all over you. If they try and touch you, they’ll know it comes with a deadly price. I’m a selfish guy and I don’t play well with others. Everyone here knows not to fuck with me or…what’s mine. It should hopefully help with your nerves.” Taking her by the hand, Derrick led her the rest of the way toward what appeared to be a condemned building. 

He knocked a varied of ways three times, pushed in the buzzer and stepped into the door. An elevator turned on to their right and he escorted her inside. Pressing the button for the only floor available, the lift started toward its destination with a slight jerk as it was put into motion. Victoria inhaled a deep breath and moved a little closer to his arm. Derrick looked at her without turning his head and gently squeezed her hand in his palm.

The elevator finally came to a stop at the bottom level. For having just the one floor, the trip down seemed endless. The steel gate opened with a rusted squeal as the metal scraped against the tile flooring. Derrick led the way down the darkened hallway toward the only door on the end and the closer they came to it, the louder the music seemed to get. He stopped just at the end of the hall and waited silently. “What’s wrong?” Victoria asked and looked behind her.

“Nothing, just security.” To Victoria’s surprise two large men stepped out of the shadows beside the door and started forward. Sweeping them both for weapons using a metal detector and their hands, they finished their check and slunk back into their corners. 

“That’s kind of…” Derrick looked at her and waited for her to finish her thought. “If this is a vampire bar wouldn’t their ‘weapons’ be on them at all times. I assume you fight with your claws and teeth. And I know you are stronger than a newborn infant with a finger death grip so what’s with the bouncers?”

“Even though we could be considered weapons, there are certain man-made or otherwise crafted tools that can harm us just the same. And I like to take every precaution to ensure my guests have a safe environment to enjoy themselves.”

“Your guests?” Derrick smirked and pulled her behind him into the club. 

Several members of the crowd immediately turned and greeted him with cheerful pats on the back and handshakes. Many of them eyed the woman in his company and Victoria caught every one of their looks. Some hissed while others licked their chops as if preparing their stomachs for a hearty meal. Victoria kept her breathing steady as she took in her surroundings and readied herself for any sign of trouble but Derrick’s hand never left hers and it seemed to keep the bloodsuckers at bay. 

The temperature was reaching freezing and she found herself shivering as the cool air pumped into the room from the overhead vents. She suspected that since they all ran cold, they couldn’t care less if the thermostat was comfortable for their mortal guests. Then again there was very little chance any human would be invited down here willingly or last that long besides. 

“Mr. C!” A deep, throaty voice shouted from a doorway against the back wall, the direction Derrick had been pulling Victoria the entire time. He stepped up toward a wall of frosted glass leading to a VIP lounge with red curtains and a series of doors. “It’s great to see you, Sir! Had I known you were bringing company I’d have prepared your room! If you give me just a few minutes I’ll get that taken care of for you.”

Derrick eyed the detective hard as he read her expression and shook his head no. “That won’t be necessary, Perry, we have no use for the room tonight, just a few drinks and some candid conversation.”

“Ah perhaps a booth in that case?” The gangly, pale man asked. From his looks one would never expect such a rich tone to thunder from his mouth. He appeared frail in stature with veins more defined than Derrick’s on his face and hands through his sallow skin. His eyes were beady orbs of pale blue and nearly sank into his skull. If Victoria had to say he looked like anyone the closest she could think would be Igor from Frankenstein without the hunchback or wandering eye.

Derrick nodded and she watched as the man skulked toward a corner of the club and toward a booth situated between the bar and the door leading back out to the more boisterous section of the establishment. The area they walked in was calm and classy like something out of an upscale hotel. There were crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceilings reflecting what little light illuminated the dining hall. Large hand carved statues held up sections of the wall where delicately crafted silken drapes hung about the entrances in swirls.

The carpeting was plush and seemed to cushion her every step propelling her forward. Derrick allowed Victoria to slip into the booth before him and took the side of the table closest to the door. Their booth was one of four private areas in the back of the club lit with just enough overhead lighting from small braziers and gobos to see your drinks. The frosted glass walls and curtains gave the illusion of added privacy which was most likely the draw to them; Derrick’s guest didn’t want to be seen while feeding.

The bartender came out from behind the bar and started over. He was dressed in dark slacks, a black vest and white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up above his elbows. Victoria took note of the careful way his tie hung around his neck doing its best to hide two small puncture wounds just above his throat. “The usual, Mr. C?” he asked flashing a brilliant smile in her direction.

“Yes, and for you?” Derrick asked of Victoria as he settled himself beside her.

“Um…well I guess to say ‘I’ll have what he’s having’ would probably net me a dark red liquid that I’d much rather not try so um I’ll take an orange juice if you have it.”

“Coming right up!” The man scurried off back to his post and began preparing their drinks.

“You never know unless you try it. It’s heated to 98.6 degrees here; unless of course you prefer it chilled. And you even have the option of adding in your favorite flavoring; vanilla, mocha, orange to name a few,” Derrick grinned as Victoria cringed in his direction. “All complete with a cute little umbrella.”

“You’re really enjoying this aren’t you?”

“Of course, I am. You have the honor of being my first mortal friend who knows about me. Let’s call it ‘testing the waters,’ Victoria. Just how far can I go before you’re carving up your very own stake to ram into my chest?”

“That’s real?” Derrick nodded and rubbed a hand over the left side of his chest.

“You’ll have a hard time getting there though; I’m very fast.” He watched her as she looked around the place taking in every nut and bolt of the architecture. “You have a lot of questions I know. Ask when you’re ready and I’ll do my best to answer.”

Victoria finished her summation of the area and fell back into her seat. Derrick noticed the slump in her shoulders as she finally began to relax and smiled comfortingly. “So,” she started as she leaned forward onto her folded elbows. “If this is your place, why didn’t security just let you right in?”

“Why would they? As I told you before I take the safety of my guests very seriously. It wouldn’t look right for the owner to ignore the rules that he imposes on those he hopes to protect now, would it? I don’t feel I’m above anyone in here. We all have the same weaknesses; hurting one would hurt the rest of us. Besides, I’m a pretty well known figure in the underworld. It would be easy enough for someone to slip something on me that could expose everyone in here to danger. I wouldn’t want that.”

The Keep returned with their drinks and Victoria moved the liquid around a moment with her straw as she watched Derrick nearly inhale three large mouthfuls of the red liquid in his. The veins beside his eyes began to disappear as the thick fluid settled within his belly. Feeling her eyes on him, he smiled and dotted his mouth with the napkin sitting in front of him. Victoria heard a door close in the nearby hallway and turned her attention. For the most part this section of the club was empty which didn’t surprise her much given the fact that many of the rooms were numbered with a privacy warning posted above them. “Do I even want to know what goes on behind closed doors?”

“Not likely. I can say for one thing though, Detective, you couldn’t make a case here. I don’t condone murder or allow it to take place in my club. Each of these rooms is set up with a monitoring system that detects heart rate and pulse of any living being inside of them. If they get too low, a liquid nerve agent known as Vamp-X is dispersed instantly knocking out anyone inside preventing further actions from taking place. It’s fairly harmless to humans, may cause slight irritations in the form of a rash. It keeps everyone safe; the mark from death, myself from a lawsuit or criminal charges and the feeder from punishment. I’ve spared no expense to ensure the safety of the consenting partners in these chambers.”

“Consenting? I thought you said humans don’t know about you or this place?”

“True they don’t. Most of the marks that come in here are under the belief it’s a sex club; a place to have the best kinky, good-natured romps within a safe environment. They get free drinks and free games depending on the buy-in but the feeding is all wiped out once they go topside with the agreement this place remains a secret. Not hard to do considering the requests some of the marks make. But if anyone feels their mark won’t be able to keep things hush-hush, they are completely wiped and released.”

“And how do you tell that?”

“We’re walking lie detectors; one way is reading your pulse. Any fluctuation of heart beats is easily ascertained by listening. For example, our kiss earlier. You pretended as if it was one of the most unwanted acts you’ve ever had forced upon you but your body was telling a much different story,” he smiled and Victoria blew out a long sigh in frustration.

“Whatever. Now I’m not a lawyer, Derrick, but that doesn’t sound like consent to me. It’s consensual sex maybe but these Johns aren’t signing on to be pumped and dumped like a walking buffet!”

“Semantics, Victoria. Sex can be anything up to and including teeth play. So, a small amount of blood gets dropped in the process. It’s never enough to cause anyone serious harm and the men or women that accompany my guests are under agreement for kink.”

“Right…does Mason know what you are since the two of you seem buddy-buddy? Or Sketch for that matter.” Victoria asked getting a very interesting image in her head about her strait-laced, by-the-books Superior.

“No, of course not. In all of my time I’ve only allowed myself to slip up once,” he smirked toward her and took another sip of his drink.

“Wait, so the thing with your eyes wasn’t by accident? You came up to my bedroom and purposely changed? Why would you do that?” 

“It was the only way I could get you to hear me out. I mean you’re a seasoned detective. I’m sure you’ve heard a ridiculous number of confessions with incredulous stories. My telling you that I was a vampire would have only made you laugh, Victoria. And because I needed you to get in the know quickly, what better way to do that than to show you?”

“And what made you think I wouldn’t have, I don’t know, shot you or something? How could you trust that my reaction would have been to freak out and run off?”

“Because your service weapon is at your precinct under your captain’s supervision and a woman like you would keep any other weapons under lock and key to prevent theft or accidental handling. You wouldn’t have had time to get to your gun before I could have you pinned against the wall.”

“How did you know you wouldn’t attack me if that eye thing happens when you’re hungry?”

“I know what I can handle. It wasn’t my first-time death dropping.”

“Death dropping?”

“It’s what we call allowing yourself to get low enough to starve to death. Although I wasn’t near that level, I’ve experienced it enough to know when it’s time to feed.”

“So, you had it all figured out.”

“I’m a gambler, Victoria, but a smart gambler. I never go all in unless the odds are heavily in my favor. I hate to lose, excuse me.” Perry had motioned for Derrick’s attention and he slipped from the booth heading toward his office.

She watched him disappear behind a thick metal door before turning her attention to the soundproof glass pane that separated her from the club floor. Dozens of what she assumed to all be vampires danced and frolicked amongst one another under the beat of the house DJ who wasn’t all that bad. She could feel the beat of the music pounding beneath her feet making the glasses vibrate on the table top in front of her.

Victoria stood and walked to the edge of the platform just before the drop to the door. Never would she have imagined anything close to this existed and yet here she was standing not more than twenty feet away from the stuff nightmares were made of. A lot of what she had taken in over the last few hours hadn’t sank in just yet but what she had been able to process made her think about what else was really out there. Were UFOs real too? Or witches and warlocks and all of the other supernatural monsters Hollywood ‘fictionalized’ and made movies of. 

Movement out of the corner of her eye near Derrick’s office drew her attention and she turned believing he had returned, but got a very different surprise instead. There rushing into the metal doors of Derrick’s back room was a man she’d believed was murdered. It took less than a second to place his face, but the anger that followed held on. She had toiled over his case for weeks, collecting evidence that finally put his murderer behind bars and now before her very eyes she saw the walking body of…“Jake Foyers?”

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