Elegant Black Read online

  “You’re crazy, lady.” I could think of nothing else to say. I watched Rex now. Did he move? I thought perhaps I saw his eyes flutter, but it was hard to tell in the dim light. My fear level ratcheted up, and I was more afraid than I’d ever been. Alice didn’t seem to notice or care. She did not answer me but paced the floor. And then I realized we weren’t alone. Others were watching, creeping just inside the door. With a wave of her hand they vanished, retreating into the darkness, but I could hear them sighing and cooing, undoubtedly over me. They all wanted me, to kill me, drain me.

  Lisa! I’m so sorry I failed you!

  “Rex will not be marred by decay and will remain young forever, always beautiful and oh so talented. But he will always be hungry. Especially in the beginning. The hunger will be like a flame that burns inside him, but you will sustain him. You belong to him and to him alone. He chose you, Levi Wallace, for you are like him. So young and beautiful. So talented. We have watched you for so long, and you have played for us so wonderfully. Rex chose you, Levi. You will sustain him.”

  “I don’t know what that means! What do you mean?” I cried and screamed at her.

  She shook her head in disbelief as if I were the stupidest of creatures. I kept my eye on her, on dead Rex and on the shadows that gathered in the doorway. “The blood in your veins has a rare power, young Levi. It strengthens my kind; even small sips of your blood satisfy us the thirsty. I am sorry to say that your sister’s blood failed to suffice; it was very different from yours. I have tasted them both.”

  “My sister? You killed Debbie! It was you! My sister…” I took a step away from her, but something behind me brushed against me. I shuffled away and kept her in my sight. I wished I had something in my hands, a gun or a sword or a stake. But there was nothing.

  She flashed her fangs and growled at my thought.

  “You killed my sister. I would rather die than give you one drop of my blood! You hear me?”

  And then the corpse of Rex Teaser began to moan…

  Chapter Nineteen—Charles

  Thankfully, Naomi’s medication kicked in and she stopped screaming. Debbie’s twice-dead body lay at the bottom of the stairs, her face staring up into nothingness. Who would believe this? Detective Reynolds was going to come down on us hard, probably arrest me for something crazy like abusing a corpse, but that was a problem for another day. “I am going to Crush because Levi is planning to meet the people, or whatever they are, that are responsible for this. I can’t let him do this alone, but I’m also not the bravest man in the world. There has to be safety in numbers. I know I shouldn’t even ask you this, but…”

  “Yes, I’ll go. I can’t let them do this to Levi,” Naomi said in a sad, broken voice. She never took her eyes off Debbie.

  Jackson said urgently, “No, Naomi. This is crazy. We need to call the law and let them handle all this. Please, listen to me.”

  “You have a daughter, Jackie. You would do the same for her. Levi is my son. I can’t let him go into that place alone!”

  “If you think I’m letting you go, you’re crazy. I’ll go to Crush and check it out, but you aren’t going anywhere.”

  “You can’t stop me,” she hissed, glaring back as she covered Debbie’s body with a blue crocheted blanket she retrieved from the couch. He didn’t say another word about it.

  I nodded in agreement. “If these devils scatter to the four winds, it won’t help us at all. Let’s wait and bring the cops in when we get there.”

  Jackie agreed, and a few minutes later we were racing toward Crush in his car. I ditched the hat and jacket, but it really didn’t do much good. To the hipsters inside the club, I would be an old man—anyone over thirty was old to that crowd. I kept my knife in my pocket and patted it once to be sure it was there. It was dumb luck that I killed vampire-Debbie with it, but I could use all the luck I could get. I glanced at Naomi as Jackson drove through the streets with reckless abandon. She was quiet, uncomfortably so. She was deep down the rabbit hole now. One child dead, the other in grave danger. I couldn’t imagine what she was experiencing.

  “Let’s stay close together. If we get separated, Naomi, head back to the car and wait for us. You got that?” I said to them both.

  “Yeah,” Jackson answered as Naomi stared out the window. She’s probably in shock. I didn’t ask her again. She was lost in her own sad world. I couldn’t help but feel for her, but I also wanted to stay alive.

  She whispered, “This is what he meant, Jackie. Virgil told me this would happen, but I didn’t believe him. I never believed him.” She said to no one in particular, “Not once did I believe him.”

  Jackson said, “I’m not following you, Naomi. Listen, you can’t space out right now.” He swung the car down a side street near the club. I could hear the music thumping as we got closer.

  “Virgil never wanted to have kids, you know. He said this would happen, that we would doom them. He said misfortune was in our blood, and I think I know what he meant now. I did this. It’s because of my blood.”

  “No, Naomi. You’re talking crazy. Virgil never thought of anyone but himself. He should never have left you like he did.” Jackson put the car in park and turned it off. “We’re going to get Levi, and then I am going to take you home.”

  I had to know more. “What do you think he meant?”

  “Why are you encouraging her, Coleman? Can’t you see she’s—”

  She spun around in the seat. I could see life in her eyes now, and there was determination too. “I’m fine, Jackie. I’m thinking clearly now. I really am. We have to go get Levi. Like you said,” she continued as she turned to me, “we have to stay together. We will be okay if we stay together, but you all stay close to me.”

  “Together then,” I answered her with a reassuring smile, and we all climbed out of the car. “Maybe you should take this,” I said as I handed her the knife. What was I doing? This was the only weapon I had! But of the three of us, Naomi was the most vulnerable. The frailest, the weakest, the most broken. She would need it, I was sure. To my surprise, she didn’t argue with me but stuck the knife in her pocket and nodded in agreement. Jackson tossed his cigarette away.

  “All that’s left is to make that phone call. I guess I’ll do it now. Maybe Reynolds will listen. If not, we’ll have to rely on Plan B.”

  “And what’s that?” Jackson asked as he toyed with a fresh cigarette.

  “Pull the fire alarm inside the building.”

  “If it has one,” Naomi offered without much confidence.

  “Right,” I agreed as I headed for the pay phone. I dropped the dime in the slot, but it soon became clear that Plan A wasn’t going to work. The phone was dead.

  “This isn’t an option. No dial tone.”

  Jackson tossed his shaggy hair and swore as he stomped up and down the sidewalk. “Naomi should go get help.” He held her by the arms and said, “I want you to go, okay?”

  “I’m not leaving Levi. Besides, you need me.”

  “I need you to be safe, Naomi. That’s what I need. You know how I feel about you.”

  “I will be safe. Safer than you, I think.”

  “That knife isn’t going to save you from a club full of whatever those things are. You need me.”

  “I’m not talking about the knife, Jackie. Charles and I can go. He knows this place, don’t you?” she asked me hopefully. The truth was I had never even seen this place before today, but she obviously wanted him to believe I had. I played along in hopes that we would get going before my courage left me.

  “We all go together. I’m not going anywhere, Naomi.”

  She kissed his cheek and the three of us scurried through the chilly streets, me with no jacket, and headed toward Crush. The front door was obscured by a crowd of young people who were obviously hoping to get inside to see some band or celebrity. Who knew why they were there? If only they knew the truth about this place, that it was a front for vicious vampires.

  If I got out of this ali
ve, I’d be sure to let the world know, no matter what the consequences.

  Chapter Twenty—Levi

  My back stung as what felt like the force of a Mack truck pinned me to the floor. The half second between Rex Teaser’s scream and my own did not give me enough time to process the imminent danger. By the time I realized what was happening, he was on me—his hands pinned my shoulders down, and his lips were on my neck. And to think just a few minutes ago I thought he was going to die; he’d looked so frail and helpless. But Rex Teaser was one of the Frenzied now, and I did not believe that Alice would protect me from death. Not in any way, shape or form. I could hear her whispering his name in short breaths, as if she were cheering him on, chanting a strange devilish incantation. It didn’t sound like she was alone, either. Are there more of these things in here? I managed to rear back with my fist and punch him in the throat. I didn’t think I actually hurt him, but he was certainly surprised. Alice hissed at me, but I only needed a few seconds and I was struggling to my feet. It was an exercise in futility because he lunged at me again, and I screamed as his determined fangs dug deep into my flesh. Then I was on the floor again while Elegant Black played in the background.

  Here’s where it will happen. Here’s where I will die.

  I thought of Lisa, her dark hair in my hands. She wore that silver pendant I bought for her birthday. She danced around me playfully, her lips curled up into a smile. Then her soft lips were on my neck, her hands on my body. But no, wait… there was nothing soft about her now. She growled at me!

  “Lisa?” I said stupidly. I felt dreamy, detached from the situation. What the hell? I could see my body sprawled out like a rag doll on the black floor. And that wasn’t Lisa on me but Rex! I watched the scene below, uncaring and unconcerned. I could die now. I would surely die now and this would all be over.

  Move, Levi!

  Debbie’s voice came at me with force, and I glanced to my left to see her hovering beside me. Her golden skin glowed slightly, her eyebrows furrowed in disappointment, and she held her arms out to her sides to steady herself. Was she flying? Hey, maybe all this was from Jimmy’s tainted weed. I was dreaming all this, surely. Debbie was alive, right?

  Move it!

  “Debbie!” I croaked and instantly answered my own question. Debbie was gone but I was still here, currently a meal for a vicious vampire. Pain shot through me, and Rex’s fangs burned in my flesh with the heat of a thousand suns. “No!” I bucked against him, surprising him as he lay on the floor writhing with delight at the blood he’d stolen from me. I was horrified at the sight of him. Rex Teaser was nothing beautiful to look at now. He was a creature with a broad face, a wide, leonine smile and a stout body. The illusion or whatever it was only lasted a few seconds. Then he was Rex again, reaching for me, hungry still. I scurried away on all fours but managed to climb to my feet. I felt sick and off-balance. I was so weak now.

  Oh, God! Here he comes again! Rex didn’t have to pounce on me; I fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Alice hovered over me, her dark hair covering her horrible face as her nails scratched at my arms.

  “Now mine. My turn,” she said with a laugh, and it was a scratchy, hungry sound. What happened to ‘I will watch over you’? I didn’t ask the question, but she heard me nonetheless and laughed even harder. Her pretty face twisted into a scowl as she cocked her head back and flashed her teeth at me. I was in her grip now, but then she was gone and Rex was in her place.

  “No!” Rex said in a shaky, excited voice. “He is mine!” They left me alone but only to fight with one another. I heard the sounds of the demons wrestling a few seconds and then he was back, his body crawling over me. “He’s mine; he should be all mine. I paid the price. He is mine. This is what he wanted.” I wanted to argue, to protest, to fight for my life, but I couldn’t move now. I was going down fast.

  He bit me again, not on the neck this time but on the chest, right where my heart was, and as he did I felt my heart beat faster. Maybe it would explode and I would die and all this would be over.

  Lisa!

  It hurt like hell, but what was worse was the scene that played in my mind. I could see! I could see what I had forgotten.

  The band and I were at the Rattlers concert. The was a strange man in a cape, shiny black pants and high-heeled boots—the Creep! Nikolai was his real name, right? He’d whispered in my ear, “Someone is dying to meet you.”

  “Who?” I’d asked, feeling put off by his proximity but genuinely curious. Nikolai Kastoff was a well-known local artist. If he had a connection for me, I couldn’t refuse it.

  “Only the Prince of Rock and Roll. He asked for you personally. Heard you jamming earlier and was impressed with your fingers and your voice.” His smirk gave me the chills, but I shook it off. Surely that was just the booze making me paranoid.

  “Come on,” I said with a grin. Lisa cheered beside me and sloshed her drink on my clothes. I couldn’t tell you who the band was at this point, but they were playing loudly and kind of off-key. Lisa and I were both three sheets to the wind; it had been a long day of music, booze and other things. It had been a true jam session with some of the local talent.

  “It’s now or never, Wallace. Come quickly because he cannot stay long. Not long at all.” Nikolai drew his cape around himself as if he would vanish, like some weird magician. He glanced around suspiciously as I cocked an eye at my band.

  “What about my friends? I can’t leave them out. Not if there’s a chance to meet someone like the Prince of Rock and Roll,” I protested, feeling guilty for some reason. We’d done this together. We were a team. It wouldn’t be right to leave them out of any meeting.

  What are you talking about? This guy is full of crap, Levi.

  But I couldn’t just walk away. I couldn’t.

  “Your choice, Wallace.”

  “Fine, but I want to bring Lisa at least.”

  He glanced at my smiling girlfriend and smiled back at her. Oh, that’s not cool. “That’s your choice. Follow me.” I grabbed Lisa’s hand, and the three of us snaked through the crowd to the backstage area. I smelled like beer and sweat and cigarettes. I thought I heard Jackie calling my name, but I couldn’t be sure because the excited crowd sang and cheered and screamed around us. Was there any better sound in the universe? There was nothing better than this. Couldn’t be.

  The Prince of Rock and Roll? Who could he be referring to? There were no big names in this town. Not that I’d heard of. We were lucky to get the occasional concert. No, nobody came to Eugene Springs, New Field or any of the other spots around the tristate area. Nothing significant ever happened here. This meager sampling of musicians was not impressive at all. In fact, the most impressive musician present would be Nikolai, even though he hadn’t had a hit record or even a decent amount of airtime on the local radio station in over a year. Jackie had said earlier he thought the guy was all washed up, but I defended him and his band and reminded Jackie that Nikolai was an incredible songwriter. Lisa had interjected with, “Hey! He’s a creep!”

  And now I remembered why I had given him that name when I saw him on the bus. My mind struggled to be in the moment, but the pain in my chest and the relentless probing of my mind would not allow me to leave the memory alone.

  No! Rex wants me to see. He wants me to remember. And I did.

  We walked through the black curtain at the back of the makeshift stage, Lisa and I together. I held her sweaty hand and we both caught our breath as Rex Teaser came into view. He was flanked by two beautiful young women. They kissed him and snaked around his arms until he nodded his head and they quickly departed. Rex was wearing tight blue jeans and a white vest. He smiled at Lisa, and I heard her gasp. But it was me he spoke to like an old friend.

  “I haven’t seen anyone so talented in such a long time. I had to meet you. What is your name?”

  I shook my head in disbelief. Rex Teaser wanted to know my name. He wanted to know who I was! I laughed at that and said, “Levi. My name is Lev
i Wallace. I’m so happy to meet you. I have been a great fan of yours for a long time. Wow! This is amazing!”

  “Walk with me, Levi. She’ll be safe here. Nikolai, a drink for this beauty.” He reached around me and caressed her cheek but only briefly. Then his hand was on my shoulder, and he led me away from the crowd. I couldn’t believe this! Small groups of people milled around backstage. There were the obvious groupies and managers and various band members chatting and talking shop, but Rex walked farther than that. I glanced back nervously over my shoulder wondering what was going on. I wasn’t going to be rude to him, but it seemed improbable that an international star like Rex Teaser really wanted to speak to me about music. Did he think I was a drug dealer? He would be sadly mistaken. I occasionally partook but never sold the stuff. I hoped he didn’t have anything else in mind because I was definitely a one-woman kind of guy and not into dudes at all. Not even handsome ones.

  “Hey, where are we going?”

  “Just over here where we can talk in private.”

  Yeah, that didn’t sound good. “I’m real flattered that you would want to meet me, Rex, but I have to confess I don’t know why.”

  “I recognize talent when I see it.”

  “That’s very kind of you to say, but I am no Jim Morrison. And my band doesn’t even have a name yet. Are you sure you aren’t confusing me with someone else?”

  “Red Roses, that’s your song. Right?”

  I couldn’t hide my surprise. “Yes. I wrote that one. You’ve heard it?”

  “Yes, I heard you perform it earlier. Excellent piece. Real talent there.” We walked around the side of the bus. I thought for a few seconds that we were going to step on board; maybe he wanted to smoke a joint. Imagine smoking with Rex Teaser… No one was going to believe this. No one except Lisa. She’d seen him.

  There were two other people waiting for us, a woman with long dark hair and a very pale man who was extremely tall and wore a top hat that made him look even taller. Surely we were here to smoke?