The Midnight Within

Chapter 6

~ New Orleans, LA ~Black's hooded gaze fixed on the white-haired singer up on the tiny stage as he tried to get the image of the woman out of his head. Who was this woman named Mia, and why was she haunting his dreams? Mia, the name beat inside his head like a mantra, driving him mad and she was not the only one. He had dreamed of quite a few people from his past and they all seemed to be pulling him northward, back to his birthplace. Often he would hear music and see a lithe dark haired youth with blood red lips who could sing like the angels. He almost didn't want to sleep and Carver had called several times, but he never answered and probably wouldn't until they rolled into town. It might be days or even weeks for all he knew, what he did know was that he was in no hurry to go home again. They would return when he was ready, there were just to many ghosts for him to want to go back to Disdain. They continued to drive south, crashing every party they found along the way. It was incredibly easy to scan a room for any number of lost souls looking for someone to ~ GET THEM ~ and with a promise of a good time and a few well-placed compliments they practically begged to be slaughtered, often leading them right to their friends, who just happened to be having a party at some deserted location. It was sad really. Maybe it was time to start thinking about going to ground and sleeping for a long period of time. Oh who was he kidding? Going to ground was never an option. They loved the heat and the good hunting of Louisiana. If they ever settled in one spot, this would be it. There were too many small, dark and Smokey bars to name and what other place almost expected you to be mysterious in some form or another. A vampire in New Orleans blended in like bad carpeting in a busy casino. They loved this city, loved to hunt the waterfront streets and back alleys, taking out as many so-called vampires as they could.Two nights ago he had walked past a small dark flat with an overgrown courtyard. He almost missed the man inside who thought that he was safely hidden from others of his kind, but Black had seen the curtain move and knew the other ancient one could see him as well. How different would his life have been, if he had been a student of this one and not the blond haired whore who had claimed him? Better to not dwell on that and leave the lonely one to himself.Outside of town, along an overgrown road they had taken out a nest or family, as they liked to call themselves now. Seemed it was now fashionable to keep your chylder all on one leash, or all under one roof so to speak. Black had never had any use for the new social structures that had been popping up all over the country. As far as he was concerned they were all bunch of bloated jackals who called themselves kings and anointed sheriffs and other bullshit titles. Making Progenies for the sake of adding bodies to your clan. What a joke. Yet he had spared one dark-skinned cat shifter after they had burned their McMasion to the ground, he hadn't wanted to give a chase after feeding so well, and he knew she would spread the word about the renegades if she didn't get killed by a rival clan first. They then spent the day in one of the crypts on the grounds and the urge to go home had never been stronger.Toying with the cheap plastic beads around his neck, he let his gaze slide from the stage to another dark corner where Shatter and Broken sat in a booth against the wall feeding from a dark-haired youth with chole lined eyes that reminded him of the boy from his dreams. Were they really going north? Back to a place he had tried so hard to forget? And was Mia really there? Living only blocks from the lake he used to swim in as a child? Oh how he loved how Mia's green eyes sparkled with fear. It was rare to connect with anyone so strongly and a shame he would have to end her life. If he was looking for a challenge then she would be it. Just how far would she be willing to go to protect her friends and family? Suddenly going North didn't seem so bad after all. Standing, Black took a gold coin from his pocket and tossed it at the singers feet. He gave the tall lanky guitarist a curt nod of his head and the slightest smile. They sounded good together. Shatter and Broken joined him at the back door, licking the blood from each other's fingers. They didn't know it but the pair on the stage had been spared, for now. There was one more stop before they hit the road again. Some backwater tiny town where people had been whispering about a blond haired waitress, rumored to be some kind of freak who could read your mind. Of course Black had not believed in vampires either, until he had become one. Funny how a person would reject anything they themselves could not see or do.It was raining as they walked down Bourbon, the streets unusually quite for this time of night . . . Like Las Vegas, New Orleans always seemed to hum with activity. No matter where they went in the world this city held his heart.They were almost to the van when a brightly lit sign caught his eye. He had not been into a shop such as this for a very long time. The twins hated anything to do with voodoo or spirits. Black reached out his hand to touch the old brass knob and the door swung silently open. The inside of the narrow shop was dimly lit and packed full of oddities, elixirs and old musty books. There was a long glass counter covered in dust and yellowed with age. It was as if no one had set a foot in the place for decades. Not waiting to see if they twins would follow he walked further into the store. There was a light was on in the back. He could also smell a thick floral perfume and hear a steady heart beat." Come in demon." She spoke before he had even crossed the threshold. "I have a message for you."Careful not to touch anything, he stepped into the dimly lit room, stuffed with even more arcane items. The voice had come from a tiny figure seated at a small table, and she had her cards spread out before her and when she looked up he saw that she was blind. It was a good thing the twins had stayed outside. They would have broken something for sure."Sit demon." She pointed at an empty chair."No thank you." He stood his ground, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. He didn't like being called a demon probably any more than she would want to be called a witch. "What message do you have for me?""Sit." Her long nails scrabbled over the dark wood of the table."Or what?" He was tiring of the game."Do you really want to find out demon?" The empty chair slid away from the table as she spoke.Black needed no further convincing. He sat with an unhappy scowl and the woman's pale face lit up with a smile. "Now give me your hand."He reluctantly held out his cold white hand to her and wondered why he had even come in."Oh your full of secrets and pain demon.""I'm not a demon." He didn't like the feel of her warm hand in his but her grip was strong." Should I call you dead one? A vampire or something else?"" You should tell me what your message is."" Oh you're in such a hurry to die. All of you are." She released him, pointed at one of her cards and chuckled softly. " Puppet,that's what you are. A puppet on a string, being led to your death like a pig to slaughter. But the game has just begun and you could win if you're careful. Beware the sleeping woman." Her fingers tapped the image of a stone angle. "And here." She touched an image of a king on a throne.'" The emperor. Betrayer and full of dark magic. Together they are your downfall. "Black sighed, they were already his downfall, The sleeping woman and the magician, it was not new to him. So the calling was a very real thing and Jack might not be the source."There are others, the warrior woman, the fool and his companion, and the wolf. Family will be reunited and torn apart. The hunter will be the hunted." She reached into her lap, laying a small bottle of dark liquid on the table. "Drink this when the time is right."Black almost laughed, his lips twitching and the old lady scowled at him from across the table. What could it hurt to take the offered vile. If anything he could get Broken to drink it. He thought about asking some questions, decided he didn't want to know and stood up. He put the liquid into his pocket, took from his other pocket a small bag of gems and tossed them down onto the cards." I make my own fate witch. " He turned his back on her and walked out into the shadowy store, fighting the urge to turn around. He knew if he did he would find an empty room.Shuddering he left the store, happy to be back on the warm street. The twins were in the back of the van when he returned, cloths strewn everywhere and blood covering their nakedness. He shook his head, smiled and climbed into the front seat. Mia was on his mind again. Was she his warrior? He hoped so, he was looking for a fight and thought maybe she would be the one to give it to him. It had been a long time since he had found anyone that had captured his attention as much as she did and it made him grin for the first time in a while. Could it be that going home was a blessing in disguise? or perhaps it would be his downfall. He didn't want to wait any longer so he turned the engine over and pulled the van away from the curb. It was time to go home.