Robert’s Rules of Order should.
Before coming in, I reviewed the minutes of my last meeting. It had been difficult before a week ago, because I’d had my memory wiped. But now I remember everything. I can’t get the image of Domitia sinking her fangs into my neck out of my mind. When I try, my vision clouds with my blood running down her chin, and then her carting my sister away.
I give my head a shake and focus on the mountain in front of me. The next item on my agenda is the roll call, the taking of attendance. “Where’s Frangelico?”
“He’s not available at the moment.”
But he is here somewhere. I need to find him to tick off the next item on my agenda: the unfinished business between us.
“You can wait in the Serranos’ private room, seeing as you’re part of their family now.”
That grates. I would never claim those bloodsuckers as family. As soon as I have proof of this world, I’ll get them away from my sisters. But I have to get the evidence first.
I pat the breast pocket of my shirt. The pin containing the spy camera is in place. It’s online, feeding both sounds and images to a server back in my office.
Thanks to that news article, my word has been muddied. But the public can’t argue with live video. I just need to get down to the floor below.
The last time I was here, I tried to do things by the book. Now, I am stooping to another level. It is all that’s left to me to protect my family—hell, to protect the world. Mankind needs to know that these creatures—vampires, animal shifters, and who knows what else—walk amongst us, feeding off of us, stealing our livelihoods. I will out the scourge, and be labeled a hero. But first, I need to get inside.
Jared steps aside. He waves his thick arm, allowing me passage. I take a step towards the dark hall, but before I descend, something bright tugs at my attention.
I turn to look over my shoulder. Bodies are gyrating on the dance floor. The faces of the humans above ground are contorted in grins of pleasure. They think they’ve found heaven on the dance floor. They don’t realize hell is beneath their feet.
My gaze slides past the crowd at the center of the room, to the door. Coming into the entryway is an angel. She is light personified in the dark club. Her brown skin shines like this morning’s sun rays did as they warmed the Catalina Mountains.
With each step she takes, she casts the club in shadows. The room pales into muted black and white, while she is a rainbow of color. She wears a ballgown just like the others on this night of Venetian revelry. There is a corseted bodice with ropes crossing over her chest. My fingers itch to play with the knots there, but my gaze dips to her flaring skirt where I’m sure a treasure is hidden. Her gown is an intricate pattern of oranges and reds and blues. It reminds me of the parades on Juneteenth, the African American celebration of emancipation.
She stops in the entryway. Her bright gaze looks from the floor to the ceiling as she takes in the club. Her elegant head pans on her swan-like neck as she takes in the crowd of dancers. I can see her chest inflate as she breathes in the excitement, desire, and alcohol in the air. If possible, her eyes go brighter, her grin splits wider.
I want to make a motion for the world to stop spinning. Inside my pants, my penis rises to second the motion. My head forgoes any need for debate. My heart thumps as hard as a gavel to bang the motion into law.
“Durand? You in, or you out?”
I blink, but she is still in my vision even as I turn back to Jared. For weeks, whenever I closed my eyes, I could only see that white-haired vampire and her fangs. Not this time. The vision of light and color shines in my mind. I turn back to the exterior doors, but she is gone.
The door to the lower level of the club stands open for me. I need only to walk down there and gather my evidence. Perhaps, when I come back up, I can find that glowing soul and get her out of this den of night creatures and to safety.
I take a step into the unknown and immediately wonder: what