The Gate of the Middle Kingdom

Chapter 13: A scorned woman

It's generally agreed upon that certain stories are more difficult to accept as truth than others, but sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. That night Stephen's perception of the world had been forever altered.

The experience of being bitten by a vampire was difficult to describe, and Stephen had a hard time comprehending the emotions that came along with them, which was why he decided to put the memory aside. That, however, was easier said than done, when the punctures in his skin kept reminding him of the previous night.

Though he tried very hard to hide it, Stephen's injury did not go unnoticed.

"How did you get that wound on your wrist?" Victor asked him out of the blue, while they were folding the tablecloths.

"That's none of your business," Stephen snapped.

Madam Hong laughed, sitting at a table, sipping tea and enjoying a plate of fortune cookies, while she watched over her employees. "Oh, don't worry, Victor," she said, "the boy hasn't changed one bit."

Stephen frowned. Changed? It was like Madam Hong knew what had happened to him. Then again, if vampires existed (Stephen still had some reservations, but was beginning to acclimate to the idea), then fortunetellers were not such a big leap.

Victor had finished folding another cloth to perfection, and was placing it neatly on top of his stack. "I wish he had," he said in regard to Stephen, "I can't stand his obnoxious attitude."

Stephen shot the man a dirty look. "Look who's talking," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Victor to catch it.

Victor pretended not to hear. "At least you're still suitable," he said. He favored Stephen with a sideways glance, but Stephen was not sure what it meant.

"Suitable for what?" he demanded.

Victor opened his mouth to answer, but Madam Hong forestalled him. "For playing the bait," she answered.

The bait? Stephen thought.

He was too late to inquire further, however, for Madam Hong had already moved on to the next topic of conversation.

"Are you certain that child will come?" she was asking Victor.

The look he gave her could only be described as frozen. "You should know, Lady of Fortune."

Madam Hong smirked. "Of course, I know, but I'm asking you, Victor. How do you know?"

Victor narrowed his ice blue eyes into dangerous slits. "I know, because I raised that child. He'll come for his little pet."

The atmosphere surrounding them grew cold and heavy. Even Madam Hong had dropped her mischievous attitude, and was regarding Victor with a grim expression.

"I have warned you," she said. "Your paths have diverged."

"That's because you made it so!"

In the heat of the moment, Victor had raised his voice, throwing down the tablecloth he held in his hands. But Madam Hong was not in the least intimidated.

"You should accept reality, Victor."

Stephen alternated his gaze from employer to employee. "What are you two talking about?"

"None of your business," Victor growled, throwing Stephen's own words back into his face.

"No need to be rude," Madam Hong admonished. "Here, Stephen-boy, have a fortune cookie."

She offered the plate on her table and the tension in the air was broken.

Stephen chose a snack. He stared at the cookie in his hand with ambivalent feelings, before breaking the treat apart and taking out the slip of paper. "Would be more apt if it were called a misfortune cookie," he mumbled.