It was two nights of unrewarding searching later when we got our first break. It was a matter of minutes till dawn and Rio’se was looking increasingly nervous. I was betting that his nervousness was due to the upcoming light, I wasn’t worried though- I could see the sign to our hotel at the crest of the hill we were on.

Eiden stopped dead in his tracks, thrust his nose skyward, and sniffed the air. “Vampire,” he said, and pointing across the street said, “There.”

Rio’se stopped his worrisome behavior and headed across the street at a pace that I couldn’t follow. We were looking down a dark alley, that didn’t look entirely respectable. There was a pile of burned cigarette butts from the prostitute who’d been there earlier, and a rustle of things far back in the darkness that made my stomach flutter. No one seemed to want to take even a step farther down the alleyway, so we stood and waited for the vampire that was back there to come to us.

We hadn’t waited more than a few seconds before the vampire came out of hiding. He eyed us all curiously, but quickly, and his hands were darting about his wrinkled suit in a nervous manner. The guy looked like sleaze. He was wearing a tacky brown suit, overly bright orange and yellow tie, greased-back hair, and scuffed loafers. An attempt at a clean look, if only it hadn’t be a century out of style. I placed this guy as a 1920’s New York gang flunky. Possibly a part-time police informant, drug runner, thief, and any other no-good-dirty-rotten-scoundrel type of guy you could think of.

“Hey, hey,” he said as he smoothed down his lapels. He nodded toward Rio’se, the only other vampire, and ignored the rest of us. Rio’se and the other vampire stared at each other for a few short seconds. I’ve seen other vampires do it, and I always got the feeling that something was going on between them. It was slightly nerve-wrecking. “What’s your name?”

“I am Rio’se.”

“Rio’se, Rio’se.” He raised his eyebrows, and gave us all a half-cocked smile. “The Rio’se? Rio’se, Prince of the Imorali Kingdom of Light? Rio’se, son of the lovely Queen Aelas?”

Rio’se smiled and nodded, “Have you heard of me?”

The man smiled back, “Nope. The name’s Busy Eddie. Have you heard of me?”

Rio’se gave the man a pointed frown, “I sure haven’t.”

“Good, good,” the man hurriedly said. He waved a hand down the alley, “This is my humbled business venture, Busy Eddie’s Secondhand Thrift Store. Anything you want, I’ve got or I can get. What can I get ya?”

Rio’se spoke up, giving a nervous glance to the approaching sunrise he said, “I’m looking for a man.”

“Yeah, yeah. Gotcha, I can point you to some nice looking men. Got you any kind of preference?”

Rio’se gave him a very disgusted look, then said, “I’m looking for a specific man. His name is Alic.”

“Hmmm,” the man mused, “Alic….” He raised his hand over his head, “about this tall?”

Rio’se shrugged, he really had no idea how tall Alic was.

“The Alic who lived over in the Imorali Kingdom of Light?”

Rio’se nodded.

“Alic… kind of looks like you.” He was pointing at Rio’se.

Rio’se nodded again. He did look exactly like his father. The Imorali curse, I call it, we all look exactly like one of our parents. I happen to look exactly like my mother did when she was my age.

Busy Eddie smiled and bobbed his head a few times, “yeah.” He started shaking his head, “don’t know the guy.”

Rio’se was tired of the man’s blatant lies, and in a fury grabbed the man by the throat and thrust him into the air, his feet uselessly trying to find a foothold. The vampire didn’t need to take breath, but it undoubtedly hurt. Through gritted teeth, Rio’se said, “you will tell me what you know.”

Busy Eddie had both of his hands wrapped around the one wrist that Rio’se used to hold him into the air. “Put me down, man, I don’t know nothin’.”

Rio’se snarled at him, showing him a sharp and ferocious looking vampire fang. “Yes. You. Do.”

“Put me down, man, I gots to go. Sun coming up soon, don’t want to be around for that.” Busy Eddie struggled against Rio’se’s grasp. “Look, man, I’ll… I’ll set you up a meeting. Yeah, yeah, that’s what I’ll do. A meeting with my sire, Jerdon.”

Rio’se put Busy Eddie down. What I mean is, he pulled him up another foot and dropped him. I wasn’t excited about the news, we’d been hoping to avoid the man named Jerdon. But it seemed that all leads in this town led us straight to him. We would have perfectly happy to avoid him. Jaimen was afraid of him, and Imorali fear little.

“Where? When?” Rio’se hissed.

“Tomorrow at 11 p.m. Someone will get a hold of you for the location.” Busy Eddie was trying to straighten the wrinkles out of his suit coat again, for all the good it would do.

“Fine. Get you gone.” Rio’se took a step toward the man, and the man ran off down the alley, followed by the loud bang of a heavy door closing.

We headed back down the street toward our hotel, and the door to the building snapped shut just before the sun burst over the horizon. We’d all walked silently for a while, and we continued that way until we got to our room. Rio’se was expertly skirting the rays of orange sunlight that came through the hallway windows.

We were all in our room. All of us staring blankly at nothing. Rio’se kept shaking his head in frustration and mumbling to himself. Suddenly he clutched his chest. I looked over at him, and he had a look of pain on his face. He looked down at his chest, and raised an eyebrow. An expression that I know means curiosity when Rio’se wears it.

“Ouch,” he said. “That was really strange.”

“What was,” I asked.
“I’m not quite sure. It felt like a got a blade through the chest, or my heart broke, or something. I don’t know, for sure. It’s kind of hard to explain.”

“Hmmm. Well you look fine to me.” I checked him out, and he looked perfectly fine. No bleeding chest wounds or anything else of the sort.

Eiden interjected, “They say a sire can feel when his progeny dies.”

Rio’se laughed. “I’ve been a vampire for a week now, I think I’d remember if I had any vampire children.”

“Perhaps…” Yoden trailed off. “Never mind, my lord, a pointless thought.”

I looked at the window, there were trails of light spilled on the floor. “Well, brother, the sun is up. Maybe it’s the gods telling you to go to sleep for the day.”

He smiled at me, I knew the same thought had crossed his mind. “You’re probably right, Saijose. Good night.” He got under the covers without changing or showering, and the rest of us soon followed suit.

IIIIIII

The engagement was set for eleven p.m. at a location that we didn’t know yet. Fifteen minutes to show time and we still didn’t know where he was going to meet us. It would be just our luck if Busy Eddie had decided to go out for a nice, sunshiny afternoon lunch, got fried, and never talked to Jerdon.

So the four of us were stuck in our hotel room, waiting desperately for the phone to ring. I was sitting, for the most part, in Rio’se’s lap, in between his legs with his arms around me. Not really a position you see siblings in, but it was comfortable nonetheless. Eiden and Yoden were on the other bed slugging each other in arms. I don’t really know the point of it, but at least they were amused.

The fifteen minutes were up, and we still hadn’t heard anything. I was about to get up and go out searching the city again when there was a knock at the door. The boys stopped hitting each other and looked at me. I shrugged. We hadn’t told Busy Eddie where we were staying so it couldn’t be the guy we were meeting. I looked at Yoden and nodded at the door, he went to it and looked out the peephole and then mouthed back to me, vampire. I nodded and he opened the door.

I heard a new voice say, “may I come in.”

Yoden looked at me, and I called out to the voice, “is that really necessary? Do you need to ask?”

I still couldn’t see the face, but the voice held laughter, “no, it’s just pleasantry m’dear. May I come in?”

“Be my guest.” I laughed. It was a very clique phrase, but it was in earnest. “Come and enjoy some wine.”

The man, obviously a vampire, walked into the room. He took a seat at our small table and gave me a chance to survey him. He was about 5’10, maybe more, white-haired, frail-looking, and scary all the same. He had probably been about 60 when he was turned into a vampire, and vampirism is not a cure for old-age. But this man looked like he’d killed his share of cuddly little kittens to become the feared and malevolent man I had been told he was. Hell, Jaimen had even seemed a little scared of him.

He turned his nearly black eyes to me and said, “I hear you wanted to meet a vampire.”

Rio’se, who had been hiding behind my hair, ducked his head out and stared the new man down. The new man smiled at the sight of Rio’se and bearing his yellowed fangs said, “Ah, I see.” Then, just as if the other three of us appeared, he looked at us, really looked at us, like he was staring into our souls, in the creepiest of ways. “The rest of you,” he paused and sniffed the air, “you are Imorali.”

Rio’se smiled at the man, “Good sir, you and I, and the rest of these people are Imorali.”

“We are not. You and I, brother, are children of the night. We are Seami. We are scum to the rest of these Imorali.” He was staring at Rio’se, but his eyes moved to mine for a second. “Has you little hussy there ever called you Seami like it was an insult?”

Ok, that was a low blow. Not the hussy part, I was playing the little woman because of the position that Jerdon had found us in. The Seami comment hurt, I have never insulted any of my people for their species. I might say human as an insult once in a while, but I have never called any Seami in a hateful tone.

“She has not.” He patted my hair, soothing me so I didn’t get up and show Jerdon what an Imoralan fist feels like. “She has never called me anything but lover.”

Ok, now that was a little creepy. I know I’m supposed to be playing the girlfriend, but lover? I could do that. I love a little playact once in a while. I perched my hand on Rio’se’s thigh, and smiled sweetly at Jerdon.

Rio’se quietly yelped in my ear. “Besides what would else would you have her call us. We are what we are. By your own omission, we are Seami. Would you have her call the willow by another name? Or the rocks? I’d think not.”

He got out from behind me, and I scooted back against the headboard. He extended his arm to the vampire and they clamped wrists. “Let us not quibble, brother. I have forgotten my hospitality, forgive me. My name is Rio’se.” He waved toward our guards, “They are Eiden and Yoden.” The guards nodded in time with their names. He took my hand and smiled at me, “and this is my si…” he almost said sister, but covered with, “the lovely Saijose.”

Rio’se dropped my hand and went to the table that Jerdon was sitting at. He poured two glasses of blood wine and handed one to Jerdon. “Have some wine with me.” Rio’se sipped his and Jerdon merely sniffed at the liquid.

Jerdon smiled, “blood and wine. I like the ingenuity.” He took a sip and promptly spit it all over the carpet. “Pig’s blood?” He screamed. “You hospitality is pig’s blood.” He forcefully set the glass done, sloshing the wine all over our little table.

Rio’se was visibly trying not to laugh. He took another sip of wine, “I’d say there’s a little cow in there too. Lovely combination.”

I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh out loud. I chanced a glance at the guys at the other table, they were doing similar actions. Jerdon was staring at the door, arms crossed, and looking angry.
“Sir?” Rio’se asked. “I would genuinely like to ask you a couple of questions. After that you can be on your merry way, if you’d like.”

Jerdon looked at Rio’se for a second, and then his eyes were back on the door. “Ask your questions, boy.”

“Do you know a man by the name of Alic?”

Jerdon’s mouth twitched in a brief smile. “Indeed I do. What is he to you?”

“He’s my father,” Rio’se said proudly.

“Your sire? Or are you some relic from his human life?”

Rio’se was pacing across the room. “Neither. He did not sire me. I suppose in a way he did, but not the way you mean. Nor am I any relic. I am simply his son.”

Jerdon cocked an eyebrow. “Hmmm. Well I suppose you get your taste for wine from him, then. That man drank the worst muck I have ever tasted.”

Rio’se took another swig from his wine, and then stared into the liquid smiling. “Do you know where I can find him? I am desperate to find him.”

“Do you not know? All of my ‘children’ know where to find me at all times.” Jerdon made a point out of mocking my brother with his children comment. “I don’t suppose I know where he is. He came to this town about 44 years ago. He slipped off about four years later, without so much as a goodbye.”

Rio’se looked horrified, we’d expected some luck. “He never said where he might move to next?”

“He did not.” Jerdon gave Rio’se another half-smile. “Are you through? I wish to find a proper meal.” He said the last with a head nod toward his un-drunk glass of wine.

“I suppose I am through. Thank you for your time.” Rio’se spoke with obvious disappointment.

Jerdon got up and walked toward the door. He gave a nod to Rio’se but ignored the rest of us. It was slightly rude, but he was prejudice, and we weren’t going to change that. However, I couldn’t stand him leaving without knowing why he hated our kind. “Wait!”

He gave me a piercing stare that made me want to crawl away. Instead I clutched at a knife in my belt. “What do you want, girl?”

“Why do you hate us?” It was blunt, but I could think of no better way of saying it.

He eyes dropped to the floor, he looked old and very sad at that moment. “My wife…” He brushed his cheek, he might have actually been crying. “A long time ago, my bride was kidnapped by one of your kind. My lovely Emily…”

I started cursing myself. I looked at Yoden and Eiden, they were both wide-eyed. We’d all heard this story before, but it had always been from Emily’s perspective. The girl had been turned into a vampire so that she would wed an evil man. When Timon on his way to the Imorali kingdoms at the side of Jaimen, the sentinel, strolled into her town, this town. Timon and Emily fell in love, and he whisked her away with him. They live in the Kingdom of Light’s city. I’ve never actually met the couple, but I know their neighbor. Their love is a true-life fairy tale.

Eiden inhaled loudly, “Timon!”

I cursed to myself again. I knew that Eiden would have been the one to betray our ignorance. That boy is always quick to words and slow to think. There is no way we should have known that story if we weren’t from the Imorali Kingdoms, and our story is that we weren’t. I wasn’t sure how we were going to get out of this. We all looked around at each other, hoping someone could tell a good lie to Jerdon. I, for one, am a terrible liar.

Yoden spoke, in a very soothing tone, “Forgive my friend’s tongue, sir. He speaks without prior thought and without care for other’s feelings.” Yoden was standing, staring at Jerdon, one hand behind his back on the hilt of knife. Jerdon grunted at him and Yoden continued, “We heard the tale outside of the city. We had no idea that you were the spurned husband in the story. I’m sorry for you loss.”

Jerdon turned around and walked out the door. He slammed the door behind him making the pictures on the wall rattle. We all looked around at each other with bemused and skeptical eyes. Rio’se was pacing and shaking his head furiously. No one was going to reprimand Eiden, there was no need, we all knew his reactions before he made them. No one was going to thank Yoden, we brought him along for his magic voice. Then again, I might thank Yoden and ask Eiden to think before opening his mouth. Just not now.

Yoden laughed, startling me. “Blessed be,” he said to the closed door. “That went well, don’t you think.”

I raised my eyebrows, “Yes, that was indeed fruitless.”

“Perhaps not,” Eiden said watching my brother like a lion watches the gazelle.

I looked at Rio’se, he was still pacing and shaking his head. I wonder what he was thinking. He went to the window, pulled back the shades, and looked up into the stars. He turned around and caught my eyes.

“Jerdon told us more than we think.” He looked to Yoden, then to Eiden, and finally back to me. “He left here only after four years. That’s unlike most vampires.”

Eiden nodded his head, “It is.”

“Alic came here when I was born and left four years later. What could have happened that would have made him leave this town?”

That was a good question. Vampires, all Imorali for that matter, tend to stay in one place for a very long time. What could have made my brother’s father leave New Orleans? I understood now, “Rio’se what happened when you were four?”

“When I was four…” he thought, and smiled at me. “You were born.”

I don’t think he got it yet. So I prompted him with, “And after that?”

He laughed, “The day you were born, you and I were kidnapped, and sent to the human world. Do you think Rourkshar told him?”

“I know he did. He told me that Alic was devastated. Alic’s logical next action would be to go look for you. Do you not think that is the case?” I was jittery, we had gotten lucky. It just hadn’t been obvious to us.

“Perhaps… but he didn’t find me. Jaimen found you, and through your foster parents’ description of the man who sold you to them they found Zaron, and through him they found me.”

“But is it not possible that he was biding his time trying to find you himself?” It might have been a long shot, but I thought it sounded like truth. If I had been in Alic’s position I would have done what I was proposing.

“Yes, I suppose it’s possible.” Rio’se flopped onto the bed. “It’s even probable.”

Yoden appeared in front of us, looking down into Rio’se’s eyes. “Have you tried what Jerdon talked about?”

“What are you going on about, Yoden?”

Eiden clapped his hands and exclaimed, “Yes you should try that.”

“What?” Rio’se asked angrily.

Yoden crossed his arms. “Have you tried knowing where your father is?”

Rio’se looked astounded, “You are quite possibly insane.”

Eiden shook his head, “No, he’s not. Other vampires have talked about where their children are or where their sires are. You should try to do that.”

Rio’se gave Eiden a considering thought, then looked between me and Yoden. “How?” He looked at us probably because we are the ones who are good at magicks.

I shrugged. He looked at Yoden. “Umm, well. Close your eyes, and think about Alic. Then try to get a picture of where’s he at.”

Rio’se exhaled and shut his eyes. I could see his eyelids moving behind his eyelids. He was breathing deeply and exhaling loudly. He did this for about a minute, with all the rest of us waiting expectantly. He sat up and threw his hands into the air.

“All I see is blackness.” He stood up and raced across the room to the window. “I see nothing. The gods truly have cursed me.”

I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it, and finally decided what to say to him. “Brother, perhaps he is sleeping at this time. You should try again, some other time.”

He turned to look and gave me a brief nod. He would try again. He looked up at the waning moon. Talking to none of us, he said, “Where did you go next father?” I think he might actually have been asking the moon itself. It was a very faerie action, I’ve seen Yoden do it many times. In a voice that didn’t particularly sound like his, he said, “Los Angeles.”

Yoden, Eiden, and I were staring at Rio’se’s back with the same open-mouth query. Rio’se turned around and took in our expressions and raised an eyebrow at us all. No one moved. We were waiting for Rio’se to explain what just happened.

“What,” Rio’se asked finally.

“You said Los Angeles, my lord.” Yoden said running his fingers through his hair. I think he was uncomfortable, he was our resident psychic and magician and he had been caught off guard.

“I didn’t.” Rio’se shook his head at us. “Stop staring at me like I have a squirrel on my head.”

“Rio’se, you did say Los Angeles when you the asked the moon where your father went after he left New Orleans.” Yoden pulled an amulet from under his and took it off from around his neck. He handed it to Rio’se. “This is a grounding amulet, with a scrying crystal inside it. Hold it in your hand, and ask the moon again. This time ask her where your father is now.”

Rio’se looked at the amulet for a second. He went back to the window, and rubbing the amulet he asked, “Where is my father.”

We all waited expectantly. Rio’se said nothing else. He turned around and tossed the necklace back to Yoden. Yoden stared at it for a second, then put it back on. He said, “It was worth the try.”

“Do you think we should go to Los Angeles next?” I asked Yoden. He was looking at his ornament again.

“Yes I think that would be the best course of action. It seems that that is where Alic went after he left this city.” He pulled his hair out from under the necklace string and tucked it back under his shirt. “Shall we leave immediately?”

Rio’se smiled. “I think it would be best if we all got drunk at once.”