Vampire World (VAMPIRE WORLD #1)

Part 18 Fireball, Level Two

Chapter 17: Fireball Level Two

After an exhausting practice, we relaxed at a table and downed refreshing glass tubes of blood. April was quiet as usual, though Michael and Marsha talked my ear off while Brett held me tightly.

            “You’re really getting better, Janice,” Marsha said. “You’re gonna do well in the tournament.”

            “Thanks. I could really use the money,” I said.

            Brett laughed. “We all could use the money.”

            “All of us except Michael,” April responded. Wow! So she could talk! And the funny thing was, she was loaded. She certainly didn’t need the money. Nevertheless, I wisely kept my mouth shut.

            Michael chuckled. “Hey, I can never get enough Carns. I don’t think any sane vampire can.”

            He'd been gazing continuously in my direction ever since we'd sat down, like he had a thing for me. Although his tattoos, clothes and looks were impressive, there was no need for Brett to worry. Nothing would ever tear us apart.

            “So when do we enter?” I asked. “I’m ready.”

            “Once we finish these drinks we’ll go stand in the line,” Brett said. “When we’re checked in, we’ll go down the escalator to the second level.”

            Kate sighed. “Before we can go down, we have to sign a document that says we promise to attend the qualifying round. We can practice as much as we want after we sign, but we have to be at the qualifying round. If we don't turn up for that we could go to jail.”

            I was shocked. “Jail? Over a game?”

            “This tournament is taken very seriously,” Kate warned.

            “Don’t worry,” Michael cut in. “You’re way too pretty to go to jail.”

            I saw Brett immediately flinch with jealousy. I appreciated Michael’s compliment, but if he continued like this he was gonna risk pissing Brett off to the point where he might want to take a bite out of him.

            We finished our blood and made our way to a long line of motivated and athletic vampires. I heard chatter about rotating platforms and winning Carns.

            After a lengthy wait, we eventually arrived at a long desk with a burly attendant standing behind it. Further back, I could see eager vampires descending into a cave-like passageway. A sign above it read: 'Welcome to the 850th Fireball Tournament. Where courageous vampires fight for glory.'

            The desk bouncer handed me a document that he said I must sign in order to play. Because I already knew the rules, I did this without question.

            “Here is your ticket, together with the time you must be here for the qualifying round,” he said. “Failure to show up could mean imprisonment, torture or death.”

            Yep! They really did take this freakin game seriously.

            We rode down the steep escalator toward a faint light at the bottom. Throughout the ride, stalactites hovered threateningly overhead.

            After stepping off the escalator, we entered a room similar to the one above. However, instead of ruddy lighting, only a few jade-colored lights illuminated the place. There were far less players here than above, which was just as well seeing as how there were considerably fewer playing squares as well. But the thing that caught my attention the most was seeing several of the squares rising up in the air, then twisting and turning to send players tumbling many feet to the punishing floor.