Saints of Evil | Trepidation Trilogy | The Empty World Sequence

Nine

The club was filling with smoke faster than it filled with people.  It never seemed to fill fast with people.  But, that was to be expected for such a private club catering to such a particular clientele.  Angel looked over her right shoulder to the door, the interior door that lead to those back rooms of gaudy red velvet and black-stained wood.  Looking into those rooms always made her feel as if she had been transported directly into the weirdness of Twin Peaks, and thought she knew she was in New Orleans, just thinking of that time period made her think of Orchid.  And thinking of Orchid made her think of that miserable boy who she supported, the one she'd put up in the French Quarter house while taking up residence in the Garden District again. 

     Theo came from that back door, from between painted figures: a blonde angel dressed in leather wielding a whip, and a saintly looking dark-haired angel chained to a tree.  She hated the murals, but it didn't stop her from sitting in the club every night.  Theo slipped an arm about her waist, as he stood beside her, and they both looked to the bar. 

     Mareena had just arrived and was slipping off her shirt as casually as one might a jacket, while Christian served out drinks to the early guests.  On these hot summer nights the bar rarely filled up much at all till late.  Angel knew the reason was half the customers were very honest sorts who just wanted to party and went dancing at other clubs before coming here afterward for quiet drinks and more tasteful music.  Theo's club was located in the trendiest stretch of Bourbon street, it was bound to attract such intense partiers. 

     Angel knew the other half were less forward and honest.  Even the friendliest held back greeness behind their eyes.  Greeness.  Angel didn't know why she called it that.  Lust and envy were what she really meant. 

     Theo and Chris were bantering as usual.  Christian never stopped complaining about how he hated New Orleans and working in the bar.  And Theo never stopped reminding him that, if he chose, he could go right back to Vampire City.  None of them much wanted to go back there, so they hid in this little club of Theo's, passing the nights in his shady world of twisted supply and demand.  Whatever you wanted Theo could most likely find you.  He had every drug at his bar.  He had all manner of prostitutes secreted in his back rooms.  He had all sorts of entertainment, some shown off more publicly than others. 

     Christian had gone to Vampire City to assist Angel, and when she had gone, Theo had gone to assist Christian.  When the war had ended, Angel had desperately looked to Christian to tell her some way out of her misery.  She'd half expected him to tell her to fall on her sword.  She hadn't won the war.  Americans had won the war.  She had done the dirty work, and led thousands of her own children to their deaths.  But, Christian could not even help himself.  And so it had fallen to Theo to help them, and he had taken the two ancient ones under his wings, as it were, and led them into this life in New Orleans. 

     American politics had gone weird.  Without a Jewel in the White House legislature often came up before the house that might decide the future for Darklings.  It was becoming more difficult to buy blood legally especially in less populated areas.  They were very particular about letting Darkling immigrate.  If you could prove you had actual biological parents in America or at least that you had lived in the country for most of your long life, then they would let you stay, but other darklings were often found, almost hunted, and deported.  Christian was not allowed to stay, unless he worked for Theo.  For one so ancient this was quite an embarrassment.

     No one had dared ask Angel any questions.  She was too famous, and too hated for anyone to get close enough for her to hurt them for their opinion. Theo never had trouble.  They didn't know about the illegal things he did.  The club was apparently legit, and he always payed taxes.  Uncle Sam liked Theo.