Vampire Sunrise

Ribbons

I opened the blood bank doors and saw a dozen people forming the beginnings of a line waiting on sunset. Eddie was not wasting any time; he and his cameraman were taking interviews and asking questions. I wasn't sure if it was company policy to give interviews with a mic in one hand and a cigarette in the other, but Eddie wasn't the typical reporter.

I needed to prepare the underworld for tonight. Luckily in the demonic world, time moved differently, and I had all the time I needed.

I closed my eyes and said, "Inferis." Immediately I was gone from the blood bank. When I reopened my eyes, I was sitting on my throne.

The chiseled black throne was comfortable; it relaxed me the same way as sitting in a favorite chair after a long day at work. I looked around, and the underworld was just as it was the last time, except for one minor exception.

Angel's usual place was beside me to the right of my throne, she never left it when we were in the underworld, and she was there now, but on my left, something was different.

Three teen girls, each with twin French braids complete with pigtails, were sitting there. The fiends were smiling eye to eye talking and playing with each other's red hair. The three fiends were lacing rainbow ribbons through their braids.

It looked like they were having a sleepover next to the throne. Who knew how the three fiends got ribbons in this place? I guessed their magic had fully returned; all I could do was roll my eyes at the three troublemakers. The other demons were at least twenty feet away from them except Angel.

"Tonight, we walk the streets in the human world. A war has started against the vampires and their allies. I'm not sure what to expect, and all of you have lived far longer than I have. You all have seen battle and war and horror, so prepare yourselves for tonight.

"None of you are allowed to die, and none of them may live. If you can, take a more human-looking form; if you cannot, stay within the darkest parts of the shadows. I do not want to frighten the people of New Orleans. Remember, vampires can see in the dark and are fast, but not as fast as us.

"The witches are with us, but some witches or other humans may side with the vampires, so trust no one. Minions, you are free to join me tonight, demons. I will call you through the veil if needed."

After my speech, the fiends continued to play with each other's hair, and Angel told me more stories about her time as a real Angel. We spent hours talking. I was almost as much at home here as in the above human world, but I knew my purpose, and it was time to get on with it.

Angel and I returned to the blood bank. The sun had already started to set. Faint traces of light were still reflecting off the blood bank apartment windows. Sunset in New Orleans was surreal, both energizing and frightening at the same time.

The laughter of visitors engaged with the city's sights and sounds and culture shifted into an eerie chorus of uneasy shadows and sinister noises once darkness fell. The once busy streets faded into vacant lanes of darkness that branched off into the unknown. Streetlights flickered into life, permitting shadows to roam freely. Tonight, there were no bird calls, no late-night dinner sounds, just an uneasy quiet.

I looked toward Jackson Square and saw several figures walking around a corner coming into view. The figures were tossing balls of light into the air; the balls seem to float on command.

It was the witches! They were out in numbers; I counted all fifteen. They tossed colored light orbs into the air—breadcrumbs for anyone to follow that needed shelter and safety. I loved seeing their magical display in public.

The witches were dressed for battle and utterly stunning. All of their cloaks were buttoned at the top button, just around their neck, causing the material to cascade behind them as they moved.