Vamps in Chaos

Chapter Three: A Council Summons

When Babe awoke the next evening, he was greeted by the sight of Billy pacing the loft, clearly agitated. It was a sight Babe was starting to enjoy, if only for the fact that Billy's elegance didn't mix well with anxiety. He looked like a trapped animal-one with immaculate manners and a perfectly tailored jacket.

"You alright there, buddy?" Babe asked, sitting up and stretching.

Billy paused, turning to face him with a mixture of annoyance and apprehension. "The council," he said, his voice laced with dread. "I was... unprepared for such an audience."

Babe shrugged, pulling on a hoodie and sliding his feet into his favorite sneakers. "Relax. They're just a bunch of vampires in fancy robes. Probably all brooding and pretentious, if you ask me."

Billy's mouth tightened. "You are aware, are you not, that the council holds considerable power within the vampire society?"

"Yeah, yeah, power and all that," Babe said, waving a hand dismissively. "But I'm not one for all those ancient rules. Besides, I've got you, right?"

Billy didn't look reassured. If anything, he seemed even more on edge. "This is not a matter to be taken lightly, Babe. The council is steeped in tradition, and any... deviations are seldom tolerated."

"Great," Babe muttered, grabbing his keys. "Guess we'll just have to charm our way through, then. I'm a pro at 'deviations,' anyway."

When they arrived at the council's chambers-an old, sprawling mansion on the outskirts of the city-Babe felt the shift in atmosphere immediately. The place reeked of history, the kind that made you feel like you were stepping into a time capsule. Everything from the towering pillars to the flickering sconces on the walls seemed designed to remind anyone who entered of their place. The council didn't just want to be respected; they demanded reverence.

Babe glanced over at Billy, who looked both tense and strangely at ease, as though this place was familiar in a way that unsettled him. As they made their way down a corridor lined with portraits of ancient vampires, Babe couldn't help but wonder how many of these faces Billy might actually recognize.

The double doors at the end of the hall opened, and they stepped into the council chamber, a vast, dimly lit room with an absurdly long table at its center. At the head sat a man with silver hair and sharp, calculating eyes-a vampire who exuded authority with every precise movement. His gaze was piercing, resting on Babe and Billy with the kind of scrutiny that made Babe want to slouch just to be contrary.

"Ah, Billy," the man said, his voice smooth as silk. "We welcome you back to our world. It has been... quite some time."

Billy inclined his head with a stiff formality. "Thank you, Vladislav. I am... honored to be here."

Babe bit back a grin. Vladislav, he thought, struggling not to snicker. Could this guy be any more on the nose?

Vladislav's gaze shifted to Babe, and his expression morphed from polite curiosity to faint disapproval. "And you must be the... modern influence I've heard so much about."

"Babe Tanatat, at your service," Babe said, flashing his most charming smile. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure."

The tension in the room thickened, but Babe held his ground, still grinning. Vladislav didn't return the smile; instead, he gave a small, disdainful nod.

"Yes, well," he said, voice dripping with restrained annoyance. "We shall see about that."

Another vampire-a woman seated beside Vladislav, with sleek black hair and an expression that radiated indifference-spoke up. "We called this meeting to evaluate your... progress, Billy," she said, her voice like a purr. "The council is quite curious to see how you intend to adjust."

Billy straightened, his face unreadable. "I am committed to integrating into this era, Countess Isadora. My guide"-he gestured toward Babe-"has been... most enlightening."

Babe fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Guide," he muttered under his breath, but stayed quiet.

Vladislav steepled his fingers, watching Billy with hawk-like precision. "Very well. Then allow us to test this... integration of yours."

Countess Isadora smirked, raising one perfectly arched eyebrow. "Billy, can you tell us what... Wi-Fi is?"

Babe suppressed a snort. He watched Billy's face go blank, the question clearly catching him off guard.

After a moment of tense silence, Billy replied, "Wi-Fi... is a means of... connecting to... information?"

Vladislav's mouth twitched as though he were barely containing a smile. "Close enough. And this... device?" He held up a smartphone, his eyes gleaming with barely veiled amusement.

Billy hesitated, glancing briefly at Babe, then back to the council. "A... communication device?"

"Better," Babe muttered, though he shot Vladislav a look that said he wasn't impressed with these little tests.

Vladislav turned his attention back to Babe, his gaze icy. "And you, Mr. Tanatat," he said, voice slow and measured. "What exactly qualifies you to guide one of our oldest members through this... chaotic era?"

Babe leaned forward, smiling just enough to be infuriatingly charming. "I dunno, Vlad. Maybe it's my sparkling personality? Or maybe," he continued, his tone shifting, "it's because I know how to survive here without sticking out like a sore thumb."

The council members exchanged glances, some clearly disapproving, but Countess Isadora seemed intrigued. "Very well, Babe," she purred. "We shall see if your... approach proves effective. For now, you are both dismissed. But be warned," her eyes narrowed slightly, "we shall be watching your... progress with great interest."

With that, the council fell silent, the dismissal as cold as it was final. Babe and Billy stood, giving small, polite bows before exiting the chamber.

As they stepped back out into the night, Babe let out a dramatic sigh. "Well, that was fun."

Billy glanced over, his expression solemn. "You should not take them so lightly, Babe. They are... not to be underestimated."

Babe shrugged, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, maybe. But they're not my biggest worry. They're just... council members with too much time on their hands."

Billy was quiet, his gaze contemplative. "Even so," he said softly, "their power is... substantial."

Babe glanced at him, reading the tension in Billy's face. "Look, don't stress about it. You're doing fine. Wi-Fi? Communication device? Nailed it."

Billy's mouth quirked up, just a little. "Thank you, Babe."

They walked in companionable silence, the weight of the council's watchful gaze lingering in the back of Babe's mind. Despite his lighthearted attitude, he couldn't shake the feeling that this "evaluation" was only the beginning-and that the council would be back, sooner rather than later, with more tests and tighter expectations.

But for now, they'd made it through one hurdle. And in Babe's book, that was progress.