Recently, myself and two other writers embarked on a collaboration adventure and started writing Pursuit of Darkness, book one of Unearthing Sarkoczy series. We were part of a real life vampire community, and prospected to a house to learn more of the lore pertaining to origins of vampires for occult research. As opposed to legitimately based researched, we were met with a religious society based…
Unearthing Unearthing Sarkoczy
Recently, myself and two other writers embarked on a collaboration adventure and started writing Pursuit of Darkness, book one of Unearthing Sarkoczy series. We were part of a real life vampire community, and prospected to a house to learn more of the lore pertaining to origins of vampires for occult research. As opposed to legitimately based researched, we were met with a religious society based vampire house. On top of the disappointment of not finding the legitimate research we were looking for, we were also met with opposition from many members of this select group. Our beliefs were tore from limb to limb and opposed when it came to a “Middle Pillar/Twilight” way of life. Heinous acts were implemented in threats to us. We were told we didn’t belong and to leave. This was not the most delectable experience we thought we were to have. Instead, it was a horrible experience.
From this experience, we gained an aim for a new fiction series called Unearthing Sarkoczy Saga. It is a vampire saga and revolves around the many things we learned while in this society of greed, power, politics, sex, and drama. Although personalities and some traits of the real people of this society were used, the book is purely fiction. We molded what we experienced into a new dramatic view, kind of like Anne Rice meets Vampire Diaries. None of the scenes portrayed in the book literally happened. The names of the people in the book are purely fiction and pulled from generators for pre-1800 Hungarian baby names. All conversations are fiction and all actions portrayed are fiction.
We recently acquired a name for ourselves as “author bullies” as one of the members of this community is an author. We are in no way abusing her name in the book or portraying any real conversations we had with the author. We have not campaigned about her aside from retorting the claims and allegations of “author bullying,” plagiarism (which I will get to in a moment), hijacking a page that we ourselves had created in the beginning under our accounts, and have been accused of being drug heads and smeared in passive-aggressive fiction posts posted to said author’s walls. I myself was called “Spacey” and was said to have been as big as a bus, which was a stab at my weight issue, which is low for anyone. Yet, we seem to be the ones deemed as “author bullies” when in respect to the story the only thing we put in the book was arrogant attitudes that I must say most vampire novels have.
As many of you can see in my posts on here, I am far from being an author bully. I have a number of author spotlights for up and coming indie authors who have self-published on all types of platforms. One of my goals has been to help other indie authors achieve fandom, including said author as I shared her books to my personal Facebook page and profile for free promotion to her and asked for nothing in return.
We are 30,000 words into this novel when people started remarking that is was apparently plagiarized and stolen intellectual property. That is not true, as said series remarked as being what was copied is way before my age and I had never heard of it until told what the proposed plagiarism was. The three main characters known as the Karpati sisters are born vampires that have been pushed from countless homes after being hunted down by vampire hunters. None of their descriptions, nor the descriptions of other characters match any other material out on the market. As a matter of fact, the only resemblance that they have in the BEGINNING of the book are the way the members reacted to us when we were initiated into this community. There are blossoming romances between all three of the Karpati sisters with different members of the clan. In real life, I am married and hardly ever talk to the members of this established house unless they are females. Our first four chapters are up on this blog as well as the fan club website we set up on www.housesarkoczy.com. We did and do not live in a 200 year old plantation house and the established society we initiated into did not have stacks of humans hidden in a dungeon as snacks (that is kidnapping; if they want to claim that by gods let them; it is their funeral not mine). Face it; we are talking lush old world money and paintings from the Louvre and most of the members of the vampire community can barely make monthly bills. So for someone to see themselves in this fiction, and say we are openly writing about them being “author bullies,” then there is a need to know that personality profiles are just that; character profiles learned from mannerisms of multiple people.
Since the alleged accusations of our “smear campaign” came to light, I was removed from a writing group because she was friends with the owner of it and told the reasons were my book. There were no real life events written into this book and it being purely fiction there was no legitimate reason to remove me from the writing group. The owner of the group and a few others in the group (as well as one of the admins) are part of the vampire community. The “threat” posed to this established house offended them and they removed me because of their ties to the vampire community. I myself feel that this is wrong entirely as fiction can be written about anything and everything you choose. Since we used experiences to mold our novels to create “some” of the plots i.e. the attacks in the book were personal attacks on our characters saying we never belonged and shouldn’t belong, I do not feel as if this removal was fair just because they are friends. But, it’s Facebook and group owners can do whatever they wish to do, including emailing Anne Rice and telling her we were publicly stating an endorsement through her for the books (which the allegations were false as well).
This post is to clear our names of what we are being accused of. When writing fiction and using fictionalized characters, there is no way to smear anyone’s name unless they feel guilty about what is portrayed in the story (and I reiterate NOTHING in this book happened for real in real life). My hope is that if you hear any defamation of my character, any slander or bias as to me being a horrible person or an “author bully,” you will turn a deaf ear towards the accuser. We have posted disclaimers everywhere saying that the book is purely fiction with no real conversations that took place in real life, but they push people further into their propaganda and feed them the lies being told on the author’s actual author page on Facebook, where she clearly campaigns to unlike and block our book series/fan club page.
Going undercover for writing research for nonfiction occult books turned into research for an actual novel. We have deeply researched our character’s origins, dates, languages, specific words for architecture of places mentioned; everything. If you could, please pass this by word of mouth to counteract the attacks against my name and the other writers of this series.
In honest regards,
Kasey Hill
Pursuit of Darkness: Unearthing Sarkoczy- Chapter Two
Pursuit of Darkness: Unearthing Sarkoczy- Chapter Two
Candles illuminated the halls of the Sarkoczy mansion. The halls were quiet tonight as everyone joined the meeting that their coven leader, Fergas, initiated. A few clan members were missing, so Stephania took it upon herself to seek the next one down in line from her. As she rounded all the tunnels and hidden passageways, she called out to her successor.
“Marguerite!” she called out through the…
Pursuit of Darkness: Unearthing Sarkoczy- Chapter Two
Candles illuminated the halls of the Sarkoczy mansion. The halls were quiet tonight as everyone had assembled. The meeting was called by their coven leader, Ferguson Sarkoczy, a wealthy 34-year-old European entrepreneur. Ferguson was a man of striking features, just over 6-foot-tall with a lean athletic build. His raven lengthy black hair was coiffed professionally to command the power he wielded. With equally dark eyes, Ferguson’s stare was confident, he rarely blinked. His business affairs kept the Lord of the Manor on a tight schedule. While his investments hailed from around the globe, his posh British accent.
A few clan members were missing, so Stephania took it upon herself to seek the next one down in line from her. As she rounded all the tunnels and hidden passageways, she called out to her successor.
“Marguerite!” she called out through the mansion halls. “Marguerite!”
“Yes, Lady Stephania?” Marguerite answered as she stepped through the floating wall.
Stephania jumped as she entered into the walkway. “What on earth were you doing in there?”
“I was looking for the escaped human that ran from Sire earlier today,” Marguerite replied as the floating door shut behind her concealing the hidden doorway as a wall. “I can’t find her anywhere and Fergas is becoming impatient waiting to feed.”
“Mind your tongue! You know to only address him as Sire!” Stephania hissed.
“Sorry, Lady Stephania,” Marguerite looking to the floor.
“Never mind the girl. We can always hunt him another before sunrise,” Stephania replied agitated. She had been searching for Marguerite for hours. “Our annual masquerade ball is in less than a fortnight. We need to prepare for the guests. The Clans will be arriving in the next few days, and we need to gather a list of human guests so there will be plenty to eat.”
“Felix is already out scouting for young women as we speak,” Marguerite said as she tipped her head to her Elder. “He should be back at any moment.”
“Superb!” Stephania exclaimed examining her talons. She had recently changed the color to decaying death.
“I have a new color if you wish to change the color for the ball,” Marguerite offered. “Crimson nightshade.”
“Sounds like it’s a color to die for,” Stephania humored.
Stephania turned on her heel and Marguerite followed her back through the passageways that led to the conclave. Both women entered into the room and took their seat on either side of the clan leader.
“And Felix?” Fergas asked as Stephania settled into her chair.
“Out hunting women for the masquerade ball. He should arrive any time now, Sire,” Stephania replied.
“Well, I suppose we can start without him. Anyone object?” Fergas asked and looked around to the council members. No one opposed. “Alright then, first order of business, since it has already been brought into conversation, the masquerade ball for Samhain,” Fergas started leaning back into his chair. “This year we are doing things a bit differently than usual. There will be more covens attend, but instead of graciously handing over the women as we normally do, we will hold an auction, so to speak.”
“Why a change now, Sire?” one of the council members asked.
“AH, Herryck, the questionable one. The change NOW because we have lost many allies to the coven and we need to find a way to get them back. What better way to auction the women instead of just letting everyone feed from them all,” Fergas replied.
“It wouldn’t be the first time a clan member has taken a human as a puppet,” Stephania smirked. “The poor forsaken souls,” she said puckering her lip.
“Enough, Stephania,” Fergas bellowed glaring over at her. “To speak of what others choose to do with their food is unlady like.”
A commotion broke loose on the other side of conclave’s door, and Fergas stood from his seat. Felix burst through the door dragging Erzabeta and Annaneta by their arms while Matyas struggled to keep his grip on Kaszarina.
“Let me go, vermin!” Kaszarina yelled as she wrestled her arm loose from Matyas scratching his face.
Matyas backhanded her sending her to the ground where she looked up at him hissing. “Vermin indeed!” he yelled wiping the blood from his fresh wound.
“Matyas!” Fergas yelled calling attention to himself as both boys looked over at him.
Fergas walked over to the young women and motioned for Felix to let the other two go. “Strangers are met with hostility from the younger ones in the clan,” he said as he extended his hand to Kaszarina. Kaszarina refused his hand and stood on her own walking over to the other two women.
“Your parasites dare to drag us in here like human food and all you can say is we were met with hostility!” Annaneta scoffed.
“My apologies for how they treated you. They have not developed the sense to sniff out our own kind,” Fergas replied glaring over at Felix.
“Oh, I knew what they were, SIRE. They were sneaking around the manor,” Felix retorted. “And they wear the sign of daywalkers!”
Felix grabbed Erzabeta’s cloak and tore it from around her neck. Upon her chest, on a worn leather string, hung a wooden Cross of Lorraine. Fergas gazed from the cross on Erzabeta’s neck up to her face. He was met with crystal, blue eyes that showed no fear or sense of wrong doing. Her pale skin was silky smooth and creamy as if it were made from the finest tusks of elephants.
“Tell me, Beauty, what year were you turned?” Fergas asked peering into Erzabeta’s eyes.
“Long before you think I was,” she replied in nearly a whisper.
“Do you stand before me and mock an Elder vampire?” Fergas said through gritted teeth. “Tell me, what year!” he sneered.
“Long before the birth and heralding of the Sun God’s son was I created and not turned!” she exclaimed back.
“How long before?!” he demanded.
“I am a daughter of Luluwa born spirit made flesh. We are all daughters of Luluwa, and to strike us down means an end to your petty existence. You scoff at me claiming to be elite as an Elder,” Erzabeta laughed. “You have no idea what power you are ridiculing.” Erzabeta stepped back from Fergas and joined hands with Annaneta and Kaszarina. “We Sisters, of the Karpati Clan, sought protection in the manor, but clearly there is none. Now if you don’t mind, we wish to leave.”
“I don’t believe who they say they are. Vampires are not born, they are turned. They honestly think they were born that way? Like those punks in the Quarter?” Felix hissed. “It is unvampiric for them to wear those totems upon their necks!” Fergas waved his hand to silence Felix. “Honestly, you’re trying to silence me! If they leave, they could send anyone back to attack.”
“Silence!!” Fergas bellowed and walked toward Felix. “Your insolence has become rather unappealing of the late, Felix. Perhaps you seek somewhere else to live?”
“My insolence is only for your inaction when events occur that thwart our protection of the coven and of our home. Might I go on record that Jozsef is scheduled to be awakened this Samhain from his slumber this decade, or has everyone forgotten this year?” Felix asked looking around to the council members. “I see, you all have forgotten, or maybe Fergas just didn’t want to clue Jozsef in on his own agendas. One night out of ten years his spirit can walk the halls and you all forget that year is nigh.” Felix walked to the door passing by the three women. “And as for these three, if they stay, they will tear this clan apart!” He stared into Kaszarina’s eyes as he exited the room.
“It is evident that this is not the place for us,” Annaneta began as she too turned to walk through the door. “Come, Sisters, we shall seek refuge elsewhere.”
Erzabeta and Kaszarina turned to walk through the door with Annaneta when Fergas ran to block it. “Forgive me, and forgive my underlings. No one wishes you harm here, and we offer sanctuary and asylum to those who need it.” Fergas bowed to them. “The sun is nearly up and there is no shelter for miles in time for you to reach. Now, please, stay the day, and if you feel uncomfortable tomorrow, you can leave. We wish you no harm or ill will and would hate to think of the covens and clans who would find out that we treated such royalty with ignorance and disregard.”
The three women huddled and looked between themselves; the glances they stole toward the council and back to themselves appeared as if they were talking telepathically. Annaneta raised an eye brow and Kaszarina fought a grin. Erzabeta squinted her eyes at Annaneta and they face back to Fergas. Annaneta nudged Erzabeta who scowled at her.
She returned her eyes back to Fergas and spoke softly, “We will stay for the day. Do you have accommodations where we can all stay in the same room?”
“I will arrange for our housekeeper, Brunhilda, to prepare you a room. It may take an hour or two, so if you would like, I can give a tour of the mansion to you,” he offered sticking his arm out.
“We would like that,” Erzabeta said smiling and taking his offered arm.
“Sire, if you would like, I could accompany the young women and give them the tour,” Stephania piped up walking toward the group ushering towards the door.
“No, it’s fine, Stephania. Make sure to tell Brunhilda to have their rooms ready within a few hours.” Fergas left the room with Erzabeta on his arm, and Annaneta and Kaszarina walked behind them.
The door closed and Stephania let out a disgruntled groan. She saw the exchange of looks Erzabeta and Fergas had shared. It didn’t appease her at all.
“Marguerite,” Stephania snapped.
“Yes, Lady Stephania?” Marguerite said jumping to her feet.
“Find the house keeper and relay the message for her to prepare the room. I’m going on a walk,” Stephania spat.
“Yes, ma’am,” Marguerite said bowing as Stephania left the room. Marguerite glanced at Herryck and Matyas who had yet to leave. “I suppose the meeting is adjourned,” she said shrugging her shoulders.
“Marguerite, why do you let her speak to you in such a way?” Herryck asked.
“Because Sire asked me to,” she replied and left the room.
Matyas and Herryck exchanged glances. “Did you know Jozsef was to be awakened this Samhain?” Matyas asked.
“No, Fergas had made no mention of it. Had it not been for Felix, none of us would have known,” Herryck replied.
“Have you given any thought as to Felix’s proposal?” Matyas asked as they made their way through the door and into the halls of the mansion.
“Yes, I have. I’m sorry to say, Matyas, but I intend to stand behind Fergas. He has yet to disprove me of his role as clan leader, and frankly, Felix is young and hot-headed. He doesn’t have the training to become the clan leader. Unless you can prove to Jozsef it is so, I’m afraid your only choices are to stick it out, or leave,” Herryck replied walking away.
“One day you will see the error of his mistakes, Herryck. By then, it may be too late to salvage the clan,” Matyas yelled out as Herryck rounded the hall. “It will be too late for all of us…”
Pursuit of Darkness: Unearthing Sarkoczy- Chapter One (revised)
“Thank you for your purchase,” the cashier said handing a bag to a young blonde female.
“No, thank you! My mother is going to love this purse! It’s so chic!” the girl replied dropping the bag into her shopping tote. “I promised I would bring her something back that was stylish and had the New Orleans feel to it.”
“Aww, that’s sweet. I hope you come back for something for yourself,” the cashier replied as the girl walked to the door. “And be safe out there! It’s late and these aren’t the safest streets to be on at this hour.”
The girl nodded a silent thank you to the kind lady behind the register. Looking back at the boutique, she decided to take a selfie in front of the shop’s ornate sign. The Chenal D’Espirites was a perfect backdrop for her happy smiling face as she snapped the photo and slipped the phone back into her pocket.
Now, where am I, was the immediate question. She looked up and down the street realizing that in the excitement of finally being in the world famous French Quarter, she had wandered near the residential area. She was almost certain if she went towards the neon haze she would find her way to The Hotel Saint Marie. Everywhere she looked, there was beautiful historic landmarks still in use, unlike her hometown where most historic buildings were destroyed to make way for the future… or a parking lot. But not here, not in the Big Easy. This was a magical place and the vibrations of the past, present, and future all came together constantly. It was breathtaking.
With bag in hand, she walked down Decatur Street and turned inward into the Quarter towards her hotel. It was her first day in town and she had walked more in one day than she had in the past year. Accessing the maps on her cellphone, she decided to avoid the boisterous crowds already forming on the infamous Bourbon Street. Instead, she thought a peaceful stroll down Royal Street.
Most of the antique shops and art galleries had closed for the business day. However, at night, the stores were lit especially to spotlight their feature pieces. Whether it be extremely costly furniture from Louis XVI’s collection, or the Blue Dog Gallery,
She noticed the sound of footsteps behind her. Whenever she would stop walking, the sound stopped as well. Panic shot through her. This time when she started walking again, another set of footsteps joined in – becoming louder, closing the distance between them.
Picking up her pace, she felt her heart pound in her chest and throb in her temples. The serge of adrenaline pushed her into a full sprint. She was terrified, but a moment of courage took over and she whirled around to face her attacker with pepper spray in hand.
The street behind her was empty except for other tourists a few blocks away. She laughed at herself for being so ridiculous. She pocketed her pepper spray and turned back in the direction she had been running.
Standing before her was a young man around six foot tall. He had dark shoulder length hair and the palest blue eyes she had ever seen. His face called to her and drew her in. She inched closer to him as he stood staring at her. She was inches away from him when he smiled at her and she saw a glint streak through his eyes. She turned and screamed, but her scream was muffled by his hand around her mouth. He dragged her into the dark entry way of a closed silver shop.
“Quiet now, be a good girl,” he whispered into her ear with a slight Texas accent. He leaned in and sniffed her neck. “Mmm, you do smell delicious,” he said as he leaned in and bit gently into her neck. It only took a small amount of blood loss to make the young girl pass out. The young man put her arm over his shoulder and braced her as if to walk.
“That’s right’s right sweetie, we’re almost back to the hotel,” he called out a little louder than normal, “what have I told you about mixing alcohol and beer, huh?” Looking over his shoulder and back forward he continued the charade, “That’s it, one foot in front of the other…”
Rounding the corner behind him, a well-manicured, navy, 1957 Austin-Healy convertible pulled up next to him and the girl. Inside were two acquaintances, the blond male who drove and a female with long black hair.
“Felix! You going to stand there all night or what,” came a good-humored remark from the blond who was driving.
“Yeah, yeah – Bek get the trunk, huh? Can’t you see I’m doing some heavy lifting here,” Felix replied nonchalantly, as he picked up the female to go in the trunk.
Anxious and concerned, Bek guided, “Watch her head. Don’t hurt her.”
Felix starred at Rebekka blankly for a moment before rousting Matyas out of the driver’s seat.
Matyas smirked, “Fergus calls for your presence back at the Manor.”
“Tell Fergus I’m busy! Whatever it is, he can wait,” Felix replied. “Besides, he wouldn’t want to include me in tonight’s meeting. We have had… another disagreement on his rule, and I intend to have him removed from the throne.”
“Mind your words, Brother. You know ears are everywhere,” Matyas said as he waved his hand to the rooftop.
A silhouette disappeared into the darkness just as Felix looked. “Probably Herryck! Devoted tattletale. Let them run back to Manor. I’ve already told the old bastard to his face. It’s not news to him!”
“And where did Rebekka go,” Felix looked around the area with a familiar annoyance to his tone, “How does she do that? She was just here, man!”
As if cued by her name, Rebekka appeared from the shadows and skipped over to Felix and Matyas. “Are we done in the city?”
“I am not, and I do not know if Matyas accomplished what he set out for neither,” Felix commented angling his head over to Matyas.
“The boss wasn’t in so I will have to come back out tomorrow night or some other time,” Matyas replied. Matyas made his way to the passenger side and dropped into the seat in a split second. “Show off,” Felix muttered as he climbed in his seat. Rebekka climbed into the backseat giggling as a school girl would on a date. “Why are you laughing, Rebekka?”
“You two bicker like old women,” she replied smiling.
Felix rolled his eyes, pushed the gear shift into gear, and screeched out of the side street nearly hitting two pedestrians walking by. Matyas laughed at his callous move and Felix muttered under his breath. He hated having to drag Matyas and Rebekka around. He was a thorn in his side along with Rebekka, the God-fearing, lust junkie that Fergus had saddled him with. She came into the house seeking solace and refuge at the request of Fergus. Even after spending half a century as a vampire, she still turned to God as if he would pity her undead soul. He made all attempts to try to put an end to her Christian beliefs, but she refused to let go of the petty human love for an apparition that did not exist. “How many more girls are on your slate for tonight?” Matyas asked as he watched the buildings whir by.
“When can we go home now?” Rebekka asked with a childlike whine.
“Not yet. I have one more to get to make five. We need a total of around one thousand, and were close to the mark. The ball this year should be an event no one can forget,” Felix grinned.
He had hand chosen each of the girls taken from the streets of New Orleans.
This was his city, his hunting grounds. He had picked each and every single girl out that he could smell untainted.
“So… what do they plan to do with them?” Matyas asked.
“I haven’t a clue what they intend to do with the girls they receive, and frankly, I don’t care. That’s their business, although I did make sure to pick the pure ones out for their desirable needs,” Felix replied.
It was mid-autumn in the Crescent City, but summer was not always over, much to the surprise of tourists. There is always a festival in New Orleans, there is always a football game bringing fans for LSU and for the Saints. The Mercedes-Benz Superdome makes every game a French Quarter event. Whether it was the unusual blend of French and Spanish architecture, colorful shotgun shacks that lined most neighborhoods, or the antiquated layout of the city – there is no place like New Orleans.
Crowds came to experience the city that care forgot; maybe it was the streets lined with occult natured boutiques, or the strange fact that native citizens do not bury their dead – there was a special vibe in the French Quarter that could not be conveyed to people who had never been there. It was a busy necropolis that drew people from all walks of life to experience this unorthodox reverence to celebrating life past the point of living. What really can be said of any place that blends this veil of tears with the city’s motto, Let the Good Times Roll!
People would stream in from all areas of the United States to experience the feeling they read in novels and saw on TV. That was what Felix loved most about the city. No matter the tragedies and devastation that would hit the city, people still came back looking for more, and indeed, more they found.
New Orleans’ Halloween parties were the largest accumulation of people in the world. All these events also gave reason for the largest number of disappearances for the city. Numbers of missing persons’ reports would funnel through the police stations with patrols dispatched to search for the persons in question. Some were found safe and sound, however, some were not.
Felix smiled knowing he was one of the largest factors of these unsolved mysteries. He took pride in the work he did. He hunted with skill and ease that none of the other vampires of the clan had. He had met a young witch on the streets while hunting one night. He spared her life if she would supply him with one gift; invincibility. After she brewed the potion and charmed the ring he wore with power, he became one of the most powerful vampires on the East Coast matching the power of his Sire as well.
He relentlessly tortured the men of the city before he fed. They begged for mercy and tried to talk their way out of sudden death. However, the men had always been his fuel for rage, and he enjoyed taking the power from them that they all thought they had. Women, on the other hand, set him off in a different way. They were always speaking out of turn or when it was the least convenient for them to talk. The first thing he always did was bind their mouth with a gag of some sort, or place his hand over their mouth.
As he drove, he spotted the next woman he was to take for the night. “Do you want to watch a pro in action?” he asked Matyas as he veered the car off into a self-pay parking nook.
“Which one are you going for?” Matyas asked as he watched what few humans walked past the parking lot.
“You should know by now, Brother. The blond!” he laughed as he opened his door and climbed from the driver’s seat.
He slunk against the wall and walked as quietly and effortlessly as a cat. A couple of girls passed by, and one of them stopped to take a call. Perfect timing, he thought to himself. He watched her wave the other two ahead of her saying she would catch up in a minute. He snuck closer to the opening, still shadowed by the buildings. She turned her back on him; he ran up to her grabbing her from behind, wrapped his hand around her mouth, and pulled her back into parking zone. He bit down on her neck and within seconds she had went unconscious.
Matyas had the trunk popped for him to throw the girl in. “Aw, there was no fun in that one!” Matyas exclaimed grinning.
“Didn’t your mother tell you not to play with your food?” Felix replied with a smile.
Felix dropped the girl in with the other four bodies and shut the trunk for the last time for the night. He and Matyas climbed back into the car. “Where to next, Brother?” Matyas asked as he leaned his elbow in the window of the door.
“Back to the manor. I’m sure Fergus or Stephania have some crazy drama going already,” Felix replied complacently as he started the car.
He screeched the car out of illegal parking and started down the streets of the French Quarter. The buildings and house already had their decorations out for Halloween events. The buildings were covered in macabre and spider webbing. Zombies, ghouls, and other creatures of the night hung on doors and from balconies to symbolize the feel for the night.
Everywhere one looked were roleplaying enthusiasts, adorned in every movie style imaginable. From the Victorian velvet and ruffles aficionado to the street smart Daywalker in resilient PVC and leather, the streets were a tribute to Hollywood’s Who’s Who of the undead.
Excitedly Rebekka hung over the side from the backseat pointing, “Oh wow, those guys are just so pretty!” She smiled happily as her thick black Cherokee hair waved in the wind, “I want that one!”
“Keep your fangs in your pants, Bek… not tonight!” Felix reeled in her momentary frenzy.
“Would you check out this crowd, man?” Matyas was in awe at the humans on parade.
Dryly Felix commented, “I think you could use some fashion tips, Mat.”
“You know these humans drink each other’s blood just to call themselves vampires?”
“Yep, that is pretty much the deal,” Felix answered indifferently as he dropped the Austin-Healy into low gear to slow for pedestrians. “There are clusters of them all over America, each claim to have some ancient bloodline or something,” Felix answered indifferently.
With a straight face and a humble voice, Matyas offered, “That’s what I believe, too man…”
Felix was caught off guard at first, giving Matyas a double take, “Really Mat? Really? You so need professional help.” Felix spoke under his breath as they turned onto Canal Street, “Let’s get out of here. These things are giving me the creeps.”
“Does it really bother you that much?” Matyas asked watching as the busy crowds disappeared behind their speeding car.
“They only make fools of themselves. They worship dark gods of fiction as their Lord of the Vampires,” Felix mocked with a ghoulish sound.
“How are we to know there aren’t any dark gods over us?” Matyas murmured.
“There is only One True God over all of….” Rebekka began to relate her many times told tale.
Felix looked sternly at her in the review mirror at her, “Not now, okay sweetie?!”
“Come on, Matyas! Don’t you go wishy-washy on me! If they knew our true becoming, our real reason for being, they would stop their pretentious acts and go back to being human before I change them all!!” Felix grumbled as they turned onto Canal Street heading for the interstate. “The only good thing that comes from those events is that we can mingle easier without notice, taking our fill.”
The Sarkoczy Manor laid on the outskirts of the city hidden on an island in the National Wildlife Refuge. It was the perfect place to glamor the house so no one would accidently stumble upon it. The Sarkoczys have been able to keep the manor hidden for centuries as they housed all of the vampires that sought solace and refuge from hunters and hid them even from their own kind.
Felix pulled the car into the bayou’s pier and put it in park. It was now midnight and all of the guards were either sleeping on the job or off to lunch. He hung his parking permit on the rearview mirror and got out of the car. Once Matyas and Rebekka were out, he locked the doors, and then popped the trunk. He hoisted the girls one by one onto his shoulder and carried him to the fishing boat he used to get to the island the manor was built on. Matyas stood watch as he loaded them all onto the boat.
“Don’t forget to ditch the phones,” Rebekka reminded Felix.
“Good thinking, Bek,” he replied giving her an approving smile.
Felix rummaged through their pockets and purses fishing out all phones or other ways they could be tracked. He tossed them in the bayou water and watched them sink in delight. He gave a whistle to signal Matyas to get on the boat and they set sail into the murky waters of the swamps.
“Are you sure they’re completely knocked out? We don’t want one jumping ship and being eaten by a gator like last time,” Matyas said as he eyed the pile of girls in the cabin.
“I tried to take a little more off the top with each of them. Tonight their sleep paralysis will last. Do you remember that one cute little witch – the blonde from the Quarter? I liked her. What a shame. I couldn’t believe it when she jumped ship,” Felix recalled as he handled the boat’s wheel, steering it through the treacherous waters. “She had spunk though, I will give her that!”
All it would take would be for the boat to get hung up on one of the Cypress roots that peaked above the water, and one of them would be swimming to get a replacement boat. Felix scanned the waters as they turned the bends and finally it opened up into the marsh side of the bayou. It was smooth sailing from here on and Felix could see the mists evaporate as the glamor over the manor came down.
As they arrived to the island, you could see the moon on the eastern horizon as it rose into the sky. Its crescent moon cast a soft glow across the marsh as they drew close to the pier to unload the girls. Cultivated out front was a moon garden with moonflowers and angel trumpets layered throughout the yard. White climbing roses coveted the lattice of the house. Yellowwood trees grew on either side of the yard silhouetting the manor in their white flowers. Honeysuckle grew in bushes around the trees. All of the flowers assembled lit the entire field in pale shades of blue, purple, and white.
The manor sat in the distance quaint but mysterious to gaze upon. Alabaster pillars supported the top gallery that overlooked the entire marsh. Wrapping from either side of the gallery around the manor was a veranda with large windows framing the sides. The bottom half of the house mirrored the top and the veranda wrapped entirely around the sides of the house where they met the extended hallways that led to the extra rooms of the manor. The railings were wrought iron wrappings that intermediately covered the porch in between the columns.
As Felix climbed from the pontoon, he glanced up at the manor and caught a glimpse of movement. “Stay here, Matyas. Make sure none of them awaken. I see something,” he said as he moved with inhuman speed and stealth.
Rebekka whispered, “What is it, Maty? Something wrong?” Matyas shook his head silently.
He climbed what few stairs led up to the front door and peeked around the corner of the manor. Three women cloaked were staring inside of the windows whispering quietly to one another. He could see by the slight moonlight the silhouettes of their creamy, pale skin. Hair billowed from beneath their cloaks and he saw one with shimmering red hair that was dark and bright as fire burning. The one that stood in the middle had flowing blonde hair that glowed luminescent under the pale light. The one closest to him he could see had brunette hair with streaks of contrasting hues of chestnut and raven black. They peered around themselves and he dipped back away from their gazes.
“What is it, Kaszarina?” the blond asked.
“Nothing. I thought I sensed someone watching us, but I don’t see anyone,” she replied.
“Do you think this place is safe, Annaneta? I wouldn’t want to trespass and be caught off-guard…” the red head asked.
“Nowhere is safe, but from what I can see downstairs, the place is abandoned. We will take shelter tonight and then move on tomorrow,” Annaneta replied.
“And if there is someone…” Erzabeta questioned her sister.
“Shhhh…! And if there is someone, they may hear us if it is not abandoned! We must…”
“You must what?” Felix asked as he rounded the corner. All three of the women jumped back hissing in fear. “Haven’t you witches learned not to play in the devil’s playground?”
Beauty is Fangs Deep- Chapter Three
Beauty is Fangs Deep- Chapter Three
“How the hell could you mess up this bad!”
John awoke to the sun beaming in his eyes and the arguing outside the car. He sat up in the seat and looked around to see where they were. They were back at the diner they had left last night.
“I did exactly what John said. He said to stay on the highway and wake him when we hit Colorado. I made no turns, no turn arounds, nothing,” Duke yelled back at…
Beauty is Fangs Deep- Chapter Three
“How the hell could you mess up this bad!”
John awoke to the sun beaming in his eyes and the arguing outside the car. He sat up in the seat and looked around to see where they were. They were back at the diner they had left last night.
“I did exactly what John said. He said to stay on the highway and wake him when we hit Colorado. I made no turns, no turn arounds, nothing,” Duke yelled back at Larissa.
“Hey, hey! It’s okay. We’ll get something to eat and then just start back on the road. It’s no big deal. There was probably an exit and this was a bypass highway that looped around,” John said pulling his hoody off.
“Whatever,” Larissa said walking to the burger joint.
“I’m sorry man, I-“ Duke began.
“It’s ok, no worries,” John said popping the trunk and changing his shirt.
He glanced through the window at Michala still reading in the front seat.
“You coming in?” he asked.
“Not hungry,” she replied turning the page.
“It might be the last stop for a while,” he said trying to urge her out of the car.
“Not hungry,” she replied yet again.
“I’ll bring you something back,” he said standing up from the window.
She was pissed at him and had good reason to be. He walked inside with the other two and ordered his meal and something for Michala. Instead of sitting inside with Larissa and Duke, he walked back outside to eat in the car.
The same car that had stopped last night beside theirs was stopped there again. Instead of the man this time, it was the woman underneath of an umbrella talking to Michala.
“Are you sure you don’t have directions,” she asked Michala.
“We got lost ourselves last night and ended up back here,” Michala said sympathetically.
She noticed John walking out of the diner, “John, maybe you can give them directions. They’re looking for…what was it…Stewart?” Michala asked the woman.
“Yes,” replied the woman.
“You past it about 50 miles back south,” John replied. “Head south on this road and take the first exit you see. That’ll put you on your way to Stewart,” he said stopping in front of the woman.
She had sunglasses on. Her hair was dark nearly black in color and she wore the most peculiar dress that looked like a Latin dancing dress. She was the palest person he had ever met before.
“Thank you, young man,” she said walking back to the car. In the sunlight, the tint was so dark, you couldn’t see inside like you could last night.
“You’re welcome,” he said waving his hand.
He climbed in the driver door and looked over at Michala who was watching them pull away.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Whenever they talk to me, it’s like, like I can’t ignore them. Like I HAVE to talk to them. I can’t explain it,” she said still slightly mystified after their departure.
“I got ya some grub,” John said handing the bag of food over to her.
“Thanks, I’m hungry all of a sudden,” she said opening the bag to see what he got her.
She pulled out the fries and started going to town eating. It was unusual behavior for her, but then again she didn’t eat last night neither, which was John’s fault.
“Here’s your drink too,” he said handing her the cup that the diner offered for drink.
She gulped it down and ate the hamburger that was in the bag. She had everything ate in under five minutes.
“I’d say you were hungry,” John said slowly chewing the food in his mouth.
She looked over at his food and then to his face. He smiled. He got the hint and handed the burger over to her along with his fries.
“Thank you,” she said taking a bite of his burger.
“No problem,” he said laughing while chewing his bite of food.
She had slowed down eating and was chewing at a normal pace. He watched her start to nitpick at the food, her tell-tale sign that she was full but didn’t want people knowing she was.
“Give it back,” he laughed taking the burger and fries back.
She continued chewing the mouthful of food as the quiet proceeded to settle in between the two of them.
“Look, about last night,” John began.
“Don’t worry about,” she said looking out the window.
“No, I truly am sorry. Things slipped my mind once I broke it off with Larissa then got the eighth degree from Duke. Apparently, they both think we were screwing around behind their backs,” he said balling the burger wrapper up and tossing it in the bag. “Everything I said in that letter, I meant every word of it,” he said pulling the ring from his pocket.
“Hey, how’d you get that? It was in my-“
“Purse,” he said smiling.
“You little sneak,” she scoffed.
“Michala, I wanted to do this last night, but better late than never,” he said holding the ring up in between them. “I’ve loved you since the day you moved in next door. No matter who I have dated, I couldn’t take my mind off of you. We spent so much time together just being ourselves, we never really did pay much mind to dating each other,” he said taking her hand in his. “I’m not asking you to marry me, I’m asking you to promise to be mine forever,” he said putting the promise ring on her finger.
She couldn’t say anything back, but didn’t get the chance to. He ran his hand up her cheek and pulled her in for their very first kiss with each other. His hands slid from her face to her hair, and she put her arms around his neck. He pulled her across the bench seat of the car closer to him. He kissed her and pulled back numerous times to look at her face. He brushed her hair back from her face and trailed his finger down her cheek.
“I’m sooo ready for the beach,” she said smiling at him.
He smiled back and kissed her one more time. She sat back down in her seat that had gotten hot due to the sun beaming on it. So, she scooted to the middle of the bench seat. Duke and Larissa made their way from the diner and climbed in the backseat.
“Everyone ready to go?” John asked.
Everyone chimed an answer of yes, and once again, they started off in the direction of Colorado.
Duke started in on the remaining beer left from his 12 pack and offered one to everyone in the car. Larissa accepted while Michala and John declined.
“You know that stuff makes me car sick,” Michala said looking at the beer disgusted.
“I’m driving,” John said laughing.
“You both lost your cool when you graduated school,” Duke laughed and chugged his beer.
John turned the radio on and everyone sang along to the radio. Michala scooted closer to him but he dared not put his arm around her in front of Larissa. He wanted a peaceful trip. The two knew mutually not to let the cat out of the bag about themselves. As John glanced in the rearview, he saw Larissa and Duke quietly talking in the backseat. She was already putting the moves on him, and he was openly flirting back. He hadn’t known that Michala and Duke had called it quits already, unless Duke was trying to make her jealous with his actions.
They had been driving for hours and nightfall was hitting when they came upon lights to the right.
“How in the hell….” John muttered and pulled over in the parking lot.
The diner they were at earlier was the final resting spot.
“See, I told yall,” Duke said leaning over toward the passenger window.
“There were no exits or anything. How is this possible?” Michala asked looking over to John.
“I don’t know,” he said putting the car in park. “Let me go ask them for directions,” he said jumping out and heading in the diner.
“This is way too creepy,” Larissa chimed in the backseat.
It hadn’t been but a few seconds that John had entered the diner that the Jaguar rolled up beside them.
“Well, I see we are all having the same experience,” the gentleman said getting out of his car.
A panic flew through Michala. A gut feeling was telling her somehow they were the ones responsible for this but she couldn’t say it out loud.
“Are yall lost too?” Larissa asked climbing out of the car.
Duke was about to do the same when Michala turned around and shook her head no.
“We have been trying to get to Stewart and followed the other young lad’s advice and still ended up right back here,” he said motioning to the car.
The woman then got out of the car and walked over beside the gentleman. Her eyes burned into Michala’s and she had to look away.
“Our friend is inside getting directions from the diner,” Larissa replied back to the gentleman.
“It won’t be any good. They couldn’t give us directions,” he replied back.
Michala pulled her cell phone out of her purse, and to her dismay, there was no signal. She felt uneasy with the strangers and there was a lull to them that made her look back to them. The woman was still watching her. She withdrew her gaze from the woman to the diner but couldn’t help peaking at her.
John walked from the diner’s doors muttering and cussing.
“So, what they say?” Michala asked glancing uneasily over at their guests.
“They couldn’t tell me anything. Useless!” he replied angrily.
He then noticed the guests at the car and slowed his steps. He looked over at Michala. Her face was white as a ghost, and she slightly shook her head relaying an unspoken message. Hearing John’s voice, the man and woman turned their gaze toward him.
“Ah, there’s the young lad. I see you’re having the same problem as we are,” he said walking toward John.
“Yea, it’s weird we drove four hours away from the diner and still ended up right back where we started,” he replied making his way over to the driver’s door. “Larissa, get back in the car. We’re going to head back towards the house and reroute,” John said jumping in the driver’s seat.
“It was nice meeting yall,” Larissa said turning around and getting back in the car.
“The pleasure is ours,” the woman said following suit.
John started the car, turned around on the highway, and drove back the way they had initially started from. It wasn’t until the lights of the diner disappeared that Michala spoke up.
“Did you feel it too?” she asked looking over at John.
“Yea, I did,” he replied.
“What are yall talking about?” Duke asked leaning up to hear them.
“The last two times we were there, they were too. I just got a creepy feeling about them. I mean how odd is it we’re heading in two different directions and are both getting lost ending up back in the same spot we started?” Michala asked looking from John to Duke.
“Well, I think they’re nice people,” Larissa said scornfully.
“That’s only your first time meeting them. I mean they’re looking for a place less than 50 miles away, driving a Jaguar, and dressed like the Addams’s family. Come on now?” Michala said irritated. “You don’t feel what I do when they come around. It’s like I can’t talk unless spoken too. I can’t think or anything. I’m just drawn into them. I can’t explain it,” Michala said sitting back right in her seat.
Everyone was silent. Michala never talked like this before and it was odd.
“Maybe we should just head home,” Duke offered. “Maybe this trip wasn’t meant to be.”
“Bull! I did not leave the state of California just to be rushed back to it because we’re lost on a highway. We’re going to the beach!” Larissa exclaimed.
“Larissa is right. We should just continue on to the beach,” Michala said solemnly.
John looked over at her. She was just staring straight ahead expressionless.
“Michala, are you okay,” John asked.
She just kept staring straight ahead without responding.
“Michala!” he yelled a bit too loud.
She jumped from being startled and looked over at him. The look on her face terrified him.
“Are you okay?” he asked pulling over on the side of the road.
She trembled and couldn’t speak. She looked into the rear view mirror as headlights appeared.
“Go,” she whispered. “Go! Its them!” she yelled as John saw the headlights in the mirror as well.
He put the car in drive and hit the gas speeding off. He was gaining speed and the headlights were being lost in the space between the two vehicles. He saw a side road and veered off onto it hoping to lose their followers. The road led to an abandoned cabin where he turned the engine and lights off. They heard a car fly by the road in the direction they had been heading. All was quiet.
The four of them climbed out of the car and gathered in front of the house.
“Now this is what creepy looks like,” Larissa said snidely.
“It’s not that bad,” John said walking up the front steps. One of the boards began to creak and bow under his weight and he jumped to the next. “Be careful walking up.”
They each took the steps carefully one by one so the steps didn’t give away to all of their weight. John pushed the cabin door open and walked inside. It was completely bare inside.
“Hello?” he called out.
There was no answer.
“It’s safe to say its empty,” he said walking further into the house.
The rest of the group followed in uneasy. The windows had been busted out and boarded up haphazardly. The curtains were shredded and barely clung to the rods above the windows. There were spider webs everywhere and newspaper littered the floor. It looked as if homeless people crashed here every once in a while.
“Let’s crash here tonight so we know we’re driving the right way tomorrow,” John said turning around to everyone.
“Are you nuts?” Larissa asked.
“I’d rather stay here than have some lunatic searching the roads for us,” John retorted.
Larissa didn’t say anything back.
“Okay, its settled. Duke, help me get the stuff out the car. I have some camping gear packed in case we broke down somewhere,” John said walking to the door.
Duke turned around and made his way carefully down the steps. The two guys unloaded the car and brought everyone’s stuff inside. John broke open one of the bags and pulled out his camping gear. He turned on a camping lamp for everyone to see inside the room.
“I have one more if anyone wants to sleep in another room tonight,” he said setting it over to the side.
He unpacked four sleeping bags, some pillows, and blankets. He pulled out a case of waters and a case of sodas and loaded the cooler packed with ice with drinks.
“I have some bread and peanut butter also,” he said holding up the loaf of bread and peanut butter for everyone to see.
Everyone grabbed a sleeping bag. Michala unrolled hers in the middle of the floor and put a pillow and blanket on it. John unrolled his a few feet away from her and followed the same steps. Larissa and Duke hesitated.
“Duke and I…are going to sleep in a different room. I just don’t like the idea anyone can open that front door and walk in here with us,” she said picking up the sleeping bag, blanket, and pillow for her.
Everyone was quiet.
“Why don’t yall really tell us the reason why,” Michala said looking at the two of them.
Duke and Larissa exchanged glanced with one another.
“You know?” Duke asked.
“I’m not stupid, Duke. We were breaking up before this trip, and you showed up at my door with her. Come on now, I’m not naïve,” she said shaking her head.
“And both of you are okay with this?” Larissa asked looking from Michala to John.
“We’re all friends. It’s cool,” John said.
“Well, ok then. Goodnight you two,” Larissa said smirking.
She and Duke walked up the stairs to one of the rooms and shut the door. John and Michala could hear giggling.
“Well, those two are going to get drunk tonight,” John said smirking.
“Huh?” Michala asked.
“He took his other 12 pack with him upstairs,” John said pointing to where the 12 pack had sat.
“Oh,” Michala said.
“You look distracted. Are you okay with those two…being together?” John asked scooting his sleeping bag closer to her.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be? They didn’t admit to sneaking around behind our backs with each other at all,” she said flopping down on her sleeping bag. “You have no idea what it’s like to be cheated on over and over,” she said tying her hair up in a ponytail.
“Yes, I do. It’s one reason it was so easy ending it with Larissa. They have been sneaking around a lot longer than you knew,” he said setting down on his sleeping bag.
She looked over at him, “You knew this whole time and didn’t tell me?”
He looked down to the floor, “I caught them once together in her dad’s car. They swore it was the first and last time…I didn’t want to break your heart being the one who told you,” he said looking up at her.
She sighed, “Well, they got the cue from us. Even though we weren’t dating we acted like we were,” she said situating herself under her blanket.
John took his shirt off. He scooted closer to her and lay back on his pillow with his one arm under his head and the other outstretched for her. She lay down on his arm and curled up beside of him pulling her blanket up over her shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead, an age old gesture the two shared. She let out a sign and traced her finger on his chest. She looked up to his eyes and saw them looking right back at her.
“It was obvious how you felt about me,” she said smiling.
“Oh, how so?” he asked flirtatiously.
“You were always staring at me in your rearview mirror, duh,” she said laughing.
He laughed with her, then it grew quiet.
“John, I have something to tell you,” she said biting her bottom lip.
“What’s that?” he asked looking down at her again.
“It’s about college,” she said timidly.
“What about it?” he asked.
“I’m thinking of going to school on the east coast,” she said.
She waited for his response. He was silent.
“There’s this really great program that I’m interested, and I got accepted,” she said.
He still didn’t respond.
“John?” she asked trying to get him to talk.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” he asked in irritation.
“Because I didn’t want you getting upset. I was going to tell you when we got to the beach,” she said wishing she hadn’t brought it up.
He sat up and folded his hands together in front of him while resting them on his knees.
“You can’t go that far!” he yelled.
It startled her. She had never seen him this upset before.
“I thought you would be happy for me,” she said sitting up beside him.
“How can I visit you if your 3,000 miles away?” he asked looking at her.
“The decision was made long before your plans came into motion,” she said crossing her arms.
“Please don’t go…” he begged.
“I have no fall back schools. This is the only chance I have. They have an awesome scholarship that I was given to even go,” she said.
“I will pay for your college tuition anywhere else in California,” he said looking at her. “Please, don’t go. Don’t leave me behind.”
“Why don’t you come with me?” she asked.
“I don’t belong on the east coast,” he replied.
They were both silent.
“You promised that no matter where I went, you would be here waiting for my return. Did you mean that?” she asked.
He sighed, “Of course I did,” he said wrapping his arm around her. “It’s just the same day we decide to have a relationship; you drop this on me.”
“I know, but would you have rather me wait til the day of?” she asked.
He pulled her closer to him. He didn’t want her to go and she was too stubborn to change her mind in not going. He was getting ready to reply when there was a loud noise outside.