The Camarilla

Chapter 10

I had forgotten what it was like to rest in a coffin; I had stopped sleeping in one after an event in 1800, which I will not be getting into detail about because it's downright depressing. It's a strange feeling being trapped in such a small space. I am unable to move or squirm, or run the risk of hurting myself from the hard enforced walls of the coffin. This isn't some flimsy wood either, it's solid oak. If I wasn't captured and being taken to my presumed death, I would be impressed by the amount of security to make sure I can't escape.

Speaking of which, after what felt like hours, I could feel the coffin being carried off and thrown somewhere, jostling me more. After successfully holding down my lunch, I place my ear on the floor. It was immediately apparent from the vibrations that I was in a car or truck of some kind, being taken somewhere. Jagger seems to be keeping his promise.

I rolled on my back and stared at the wooden roof, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. So, this is how I die. Killed at the hands of other vampires. Ya know, I never thought that was how I'd go. I always thought I would go out with a bang, fighting pirates in the Metatherian Sea, sword in one hand, pistol in the other, fighting for my life. But that would not happen; I survived well past the Age of Honor and the Sword.

Maybe it wouldn't be so terrible. I've lived a long time, lived through many lives and personas. I've met some amazing people too. I learned to love, hate, grieve and love all over again. Looking back on it all, perhaps death should be welcomed rather than avoided? Well, maybe I shouldn't delve too deeply into it, that's how philosophers are attached.

I don't know how long I was reminiscing because when I snapped myself back to reality, the vibrations below me stopped. I began to sit quietly, not daring to move a muscle. I could feel the coffin being dragged out of whatever truck I was in and I could hear two voices speaking from the outside.

"So who's in here again?"

"Harley. As in the Harley responsible for 1883."

"Wow, how did Hills manage to nab him?"

"Some angel wanted his head and sent Harley after him. He managed to get the drop on him though."

"Amazing. Hey, what are the chances he's plotting his escape right now?" Shit...

"Probably too high, so we should stop talking. We don't want him to figure something out.

Shit... I was counting on dumb henchmen expositing their evil plans so I can exploit it...Or are they evil? It might be better to call them adversaries because they aren't evil just opposing me. Wait... Why am I thinking about that? Why am I trying to give proper labels to the people that are about to murder me?! What is wrong with me?

The jostling seems to have ended as I was set on the ground. I could hear the footsteps getting further and further away. Where have they put me? I gently push on the coffin lid to see if the rose is still attached. The lid creaked a bit, and I grinned. With speed and strength, I ram my entire body into the lid of the coffin, breaking myself out of my confines. I rise with a mischievous grin, ready to raise hell on whoever trapped me, but that grin quickly faded.

It was a well-lit room, walls made of stone bricks and floors made of wood. A tall ceiling towered over me, with the very top being a wooden cone. A princess' tower if you will. There are no windows and I see a table and chairs off to the side. Turning around, I see a solid steel door, no door handle, or windows peaking on the other side. There is a small sliding door on it though, one where you could easily side a tray of food through it. To cut a long story short: I am in a prison cell.

I sign and walk to the table and chair and sit down. No doubt whoever Jagger sent me to were watching me right now, whether through magic or technology means, I could feel it. There's nothing I can do right now; the room is well lit so I can slip into my shadow form to slip under the door and even if I could I had no idea what's on the other side, who's out there, or if they have pointy sticks to absolute murder me. There was no way to know.

So, there I sat, thinking, waiting, wondering what was going on in the outside world. 100 years could have passed by and I hadn't even noticed. Maybe everyone I knew is long dead, their skeletons rotting in the ground as I sit in this empty room. Perhaps Rexy was found in the abandoned apartment, a living skeleton, and saved from that hell. Maybe Nat was cured of his vampirism and lived a good life, occasionally wandering in his old age what happened to that vampire that bit him all those years ago. Perhaps the whole city got destroyed and a brand-new one was built on top of it. A lot can happen in 100 years.

Or maybe only 100 seconds could have just passed, as I watched the door slide open. This revealed a tall man, dressed in a tan suit and a red tie, flanked by two guards wielding long pointed stakes. The well-dressed man walks into the room and pulls up the second chair, sitting as the two guards close the door and flank the entrance, wooden spears at the ready. I'm not about to lie, I'm nervous.

"Good evening, Mister Harley. Or Miss Harley. Which do you—"

I cut him off, "Harley is fine."

"Don't interrupt me, Harley. You understand where you are, correct?"

"Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure I know. I'm in gay baby jail."

"No." The man takes a deep breath, "Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot." Oh, oh this gives me an idea. "I am Sterling, the recruiter for the Witch Takers. You have been brought here tonight because we wish to recruit the Great Harley to the Witch Takers, as you are quite notorious for your murder of the Cunninghams and we wish to recruit you under our—"

"Ok, I'm gonna have to stop you right there, dude." He pauses and looks at me confused, "Frist off, I don't know if you know this but if you're trying to recruit someone into your secret cult, you don't stuff them into a coffin and ship them out without their permission. I mean I believe that is the definition of kidnapping and if not it's probably incredibly close to it. Speaking of the coffin. Really? Just wood? Granted it's solid oak and that doesn't come cheap but, a cheap blanket and pillow, is this what you supply your agents out in the field?"

"Er, Harley—"

I cut him off again, "Another thing! Jagger Hills, eh? What did he do to piss off an angel folk, huh? If he had just paid her then we wouldn't be in this situation right now. I mean let's be real, angel folk versus vampires. The angel is going to win!"

"Harley!"

"And another thing! You guys have the nerve to be hunting humans out in the open! Like yeah, humans are very tasty but they are people too. Individuals with lives, families, they are cogs in much larger machines—"

"Enough!" Sterling slams his fists onto the table, "Just shut up already!"

"Wow... You snapped later than I thought, congrats."

"You shouldn't be taking this as a joke, Harley,"

"I do actually."

"I am offering you a chance to be something more than you already are."

"When you phrase it like that, it makes me think this is less of a clan of vampires and more of a cult, a cult of which encourages vampires to lean into their animalistic instincts and hunt humans in broad daylight, which is highly illegal in the grand scheme of supernatural society." I breathe in dramatically to catch my breath, "And not only that you're just drawing the attention of vampire hunters themselves on to you. Do you want to be murdered? Because that's how vampires get murdered."

I could tell that I had popped a vein on this guy, but his face shifted from frustrations to icy calm. "Alright, it's quite clear you aren't seeing our ways. We'll give you a few days to cool down. Then maybe you'll see the benefits of being a Witch Taker." He gets up and heads to the door, the guards getting ready.

I stand up, "Hey don't I get a phone call or something?"

"No." He opens the door and the three of them exit, slamming the door behind them.

I sigh and slink back into the chair. A few days in this cell huh? Isolated? They were trying to break me! Well, I won't cave so easily! Who do they think I am? I'm Harley! I'm not going to be brought to my knees so easily! I like to see them try.