Cold One

Eight: Feelings

Antallagi is not a friendly neighborhood building to be precised, but it's still a quite decent place around The Grey. Everything was either black or grey or dirty white with hints of dust or mud.

As we get inside, the smell of cigarette smoke and beer quickly greet me. It's always full of visitor here. The main hall of Antallagi is a bar filled with people waiting for their turn to do their business or people that just simply want to have drinks.

I notice some vampire slaves around, sitting on the dirty floor as their masters having a good conversation on the table. Chains and collars around their skinny neck.

Zion has this strange look on his face the whole time. Somewhat a pure combination of distaste and unimpressed.

"I'm here for Red," I tell the boy standing in the counter. He looks young, really young. Probably around Vivianne's age or younger. He looked like a kid who did just try vodka the night before and had just throwing up every few hours since.

He's new. There is always new people. I've been coming here for the longest time that I remember but one thing I'm sure of is that I would never see a same receptionist's face twice. No one stays long in the job, I wonder why.

His bright green eyes stare at me for some times now, seeming like he is trying to observe me.

I raise an eyebrow at his behavior.

"You're Rosaline Winter!" The boy gasps in awe, his eyes widen.

"And I am here for Red, kid," I repeat my words. "Do me my favor and put me through the line."

Through, because I don't wait in the line. There are lots of people that wants to see Red every single day, and I'd be spending hours here if I take a stupid queue number.

"Right, mam!- I mean miss," he reply in a panic manner. "Follow me."

The boy guides our way deeper inside the building. Zion trailing besides me.

"And this is your world, now, isn't it?" He says.

"And what does that supposed to mean?" I raise my eyebrow in amusement.

"People recognize you."

"What about it?"

Zion shrugs, not answering.

People stare at us every now and then. Mostly on me. Whispering, It's Rosaline Winter; The Vixen leader; deadliest Vampire hunter. I've seen some of the faces before somewhere though I don't really know their name.

She's a girl, I can here one of the men I pass by says. Doubting.

Yet she's the best, another man says.

What is she doing with that vampire? Is it her slave? She has a taste, that one makes my eyes glance coldly at the person. That one comes from a man in his early twenty with a clean look and once confident grin that now disappear as I land my eyes on him.

"What is this place?" Zion mutters, his voice low with nervousness still glimmers in his eyes, making me turn to him again.