the 16th of October, 2010
FABIAN
I figured taking pity on myself isn’t very dignifying, so I decided to do what I do best. Keep my distance and rely on my vampire shield. The fact that I have to go to Gabriel’s stupid party is troublesome, but the sooner I get it over with the better.
Now there’s only one minor detail left.
LAILA
Purse. Check. Keys. Check. Mirror reflection all right. Check.
He’s here. Just on time.
FABIAN
What is she staring at?
LAILA
Black shirt. Check. Faded jeans. Check. Leather jacket. Check. Impossibly gorgeous eyes. Check. Deadly smile. Check.
Oh, my God. Check.
After 2 minutes of gawking, I was fully recovered. That was, of course, until he took me down stairs to his car. The most incredible car ever – I have no idea what kind, but it looked good. I didn’t even know he had one.
Actually, I didn’t even know he knew how to dress up. I mean, he’s handsome all by himself, that I could tell. But tonight, he is especially attractive. There’s something about him – a sensual power that I never noticed. Of course, the usual sense of rejection is there, but it’s a lot more faded than all the previous times.
The street lights frame his figure just right. He’s opening the door for me. So he can be a gentleman when he wants.
But as soon as we were in the car, the spell broke. I tried making some small talk but his face was as impassible as ever. Yet, that seemed to attract me even more. What is wrong with me?
FABIAN
I’d like to ask mister-perfect-Edward-Cullen how he copped with girls like Laila. She seems to be... in a dreamlike state. Not that that doesn’t add to her personal appeal. She’s wearing this tight black dress with high leather boots. Ironically, we match quite well.
What am I talking about? Matching clothes? The blood I drunk must have been rotten.
I parked just near Gabriel’s apartment complex. It was easy to find it since the music could be heard all the way down the block. This vampire sure likes to attract attention. But then again, I already knew that.
LAILA
So his apartment is actually a penthouse. That’s nice. And surprising. Don’t see many of those in this city, you know. Oh, but Gabriel’s music tastes are as awfull as Fabian’s.
FABIAN
I think Laila and I just entered the Twilight zone – or should I say, the Gabriel zone. This place looks like a strip club from hell. The majority of people are girls, as I suspected. What good could one of Gabriel’s parties do without his fan club?
But there’s something different about them this time. No squeaking. No fainting. Not even a little bit of giggling. No, the atmosphere seems to be electrically charged somehow. And… I can sense an intense hunger.
Yes, hunger.
But for what?
As I walked through the various crouds with Laila by my side, I noticed they were all looking our way. The hunger in their eyes intensified. But I just couldn’t place it. No, there weren’t any vampires here besides myself, but the need I felt building up in the air was as great as bloodlust.
And then we reached the living room. Here people were moving all around as if caressing the air with their bodies. They’re dancing, my mind told me. But I kept thinking of some sort of obscene ritual. And then I knew what they were hungry for – pleasure. Primal pleasure and nothing else.
I could see Laila out of the corner of my eye and saw her expression almost exactly mirrored my own bewilderment.
LAILA
Oh, my God, I’ve landed in Slutville.
When Gabriel invited me and Fabian, I was expecting some sort of elaborate tea party. Not in a hundred years could I have guessed he was planning to run for best-orgy-of-the-year!
The air is sickeningly sweet. Everywhere I turn, I’m being looked at from head to toe.
“Are they checking me out?” I asked Fabian when I couldn’t take it anymore.
“They’re ckecking us out. And that implies you, as well.”
“But they’re girls!” I started to freak out when a hand grabbed me from behind and I shrieked. Fabian pulled my hand and led me towards a long corridor. At that moment, I couldn’t care less where he was taking me if that meant we were far away from those harassing chicks.
By the time I finished mentally cursing them, Fabian had led me into an empty room. Or so I thought it was until I heard a soft moan.
FABIAN
“Gabriel, what is this? You’d better explain yourself.” My voice was thick with anger and I could feel Laila cringe from the sound of it.
The bed’s curtains moved slightly as a lazy voice purred.
“Do you mind? I’m not finished yet.”
“YES, I DO MIND!” I shouted, not being able to contain my fury any longer. Probably Gabriel picked up on that and I heard him say “We’ll continue this later, darling.”
As the naked girl eased out of the bed, I looked at Laila. She was flushed with embarrassment and indignation and refused to look at anybody.
The blonde vampire finally spoke again after covering himself with a silk robe. He’d done that for Laila’s sake, not mine.
“It is rude to interrupt one while he is having a good time, Fabian.”
“The hell it is. What’s this party supposed to be anyway? Because whatever it is, I sure don’t want to be a part of it.” I started turning for the door.
But Gabriel was at my throat in an instant. “You should learn your manners.” Laila gasped in shock. Gabriel’s fingers were digging in my skin.
“You’re one to talk.” I tried to pry them loose, but it was like some impossible force was in them. Gabriel smiled as he saw the realization I’d come to.
“Yes, my boy, I am far more experienced than you.” And then, as abruptly as he had caught me, he let go. “And all this time you thought you could avoid me… IGNORE me as if I were merely an annoying fly.” Gabriel was heading towards Laila. She had turned pale now and her white skin seemed almost translucent against her black clothes. She could sense the danger too.
“But we didn’t ignore you, Gabriel. We’re here now.” Laila mumbled.
“True. But you do not like my party.” He was stroking her cheek now and she flinched.
“What’s there to like? You’ve… you’ve hypnotized all of them.” Even as the words left my mouth, I knew they were true. The look in Gabriel’s eyes – the hunger you could see in them – I’d already seen it.
“Hypnotized?” Laila frowned. “Uhm…”
That is a suitable reaction, I said to myself. And then I stared at Gabriel, speechless. How old did he had to be to be able to hypnotize humans? Very, very old, that’s for sure.
It now occurred to me that he was right. I’d never treated him as anything remotely worthwhile of my attention. We had met in 1953 when the communism had been successfully installed in Romania. I’d always thought he was the same age in vampire years as I was. But that was his doing, of course. He’d been concealing his strength and abilities. But – for what purpose? He’d been pestering me every ten years or so ever since.
Gabriel was certainly delighted to have found a new toy. He circled Laila like a predator and then from behind he touched her chin lightly. Or so it would have seemed to the average man. But I knew the deadly hold he had on her. And judging from Laila’s wide-eyed expression, she knew that as well.
“Gabriel, if this is a joke, you’ve gone far enough. Damn, it’s hilarious! You’re an artist when it comes to pranks!” I was forcing myself into talking nonsense in order to distract him from the delicious blood Laila was showing in her veins.
“But Fabian”, he paused slightly as if the whole discussion was being directed – “you two are just too fun to tease.”
“So you keep saying. Your repertoire has gone old.” My voice sounded as arrogant as I felt. “Even so, if you do something rash this instant, I shall tear you apart, experience included or not.” And as if to prove my point, I flashed just a hint of fang. A gesture I knew Gabriel would see, but not Laila. In the end, the retort I was expecting never came.
Instead, Gabriel looked pleased and for the second time this night, he surprised me giving Laila a quick kiss on the neck and then releasing her.
“You may be dismissed.” He waved us off.
“We may be dismissed? What are you – some whimsical prince?” Laila had finally found her voice. She was shaking and I noted that it was from anger, not from fear. I had to give her credit for that.
“Not at all, my darling Laila. But I have now confirmed a theory of mine and your presence is no longer needed.” He eyed me in a conspirator’s manner. “Nevertheless, you should know that these parties are one of my unique pleasures. I do not wish to hide this side of me from you. I hope that you too will one day share my point of view, Fabian.” he concluded while staring out the window.
“Fuck you”, I said the words at the exact time as Laila.
We were already outside the room when Gabriel’s forbidden laughter started and an echo resonated in the living room – “yes, please”. And then some more laughter.
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