The Red Guard: Vampire Hunters of Vatican City

Chapter Thirteen - After Party

Chloe swallowed hard but kept her gun drawn and on target. "We know that there are a few Red Guards who are sympathetic to our cause. And I happen to think that the 'few' are you. In fact, I'm betting my very existence on it," Penny said with a slow smile.

"Why would you risk it?" asked Chloe with genuine curiosity.

"Because, we are tired of the agreement. It's an agreement that many of us never committed to, but are forced to live by. Do you have any idea how much better well-nourished blood tastes compared to blood starving of nutrients? We should be able to live like the vampires in non-Catholic countries. They are free to eat who they please. So should we be able to. So we want to renegotiate the agreement."

"With who?" demanded Quinn.

"Why not you?" asked Penny.

Felicity laughed, "I don't think so." Then, much to Chloe's shock and dismay, Felicity pounced with ferocious speed, landing on Penny's chest with her stake in hand. Quinn was not a second behind her, adding weight behind the pounce. The two Red Guards were sitting in a pile of ashes within moments. Penny was gone.

"What? Why?" stuttered Chloe.

"She was setting us up," breathed Felicity as she got her phone out to send a text to the other Red Guards.

"I wonder what the Pope promised her?" wondered Quinn.

"What?" demanded Chloe.

"If you were going to do what she was saying she was doing, would you just trust the first Guards you came across?" whispered Felicity.

"Maybe she's been spying on us," countered Chloe.

"No. Felicity's right. You have to pass the Pope's speculations. He's still not sure about you, so you need to prove yourself. Assuming we get a mission tomorrow, you need to be at the top of your game. You need to be the one who kills the next target," said Quinn.

Chloe took a deep breath and sighed. Then nodded half heartedly. "I wanted to hear what she had to say," Chloe said.

"What she had to say didn't matter," argued Felicity. "What matters is keeping you on board. Trust me when I tell you that life is better in Vatican City than it is out here as a vampire. Way better." Felicity looked at her with pleading eye. "Tread very carefully, Chloe."

They heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

Another group within the Red Guard quickly came up the stairs and there were whistles as they looked at the pile of ashes next to Quinn and Felicity. There were hoots and hollers within the group as they high-fived and celebrated.

Jessica walked over to the part of the troupe who had successfully hunted the vampire down. She looked at the ashes and then at Chloe. She turned to Felicity and Quinn with narrowed eyes. "You two did it? What about Chloe?" She looked to Chloe with a speculative expression.

"Not this time," said Felicity, "but I don't know a single Red Guard who's killed a vampire on their first night out." There were nods around the group and some of the Red Guards looked at Jessica with appraising eyes. It was odd for her to call out a new member of the Guard like that.

"Did you make a kill your first night out, Jessica?" asked one of them, Chloe thought his name was Johnny. She enjoyed his sassy Australian accent as he challenged Jessica. "'Cause I sure didn't."

Jessica looked momentarily flustered at being called out. "I just meant it would be really cool if she had done it, that's all." Chloe thought the recovery was pretty good. "Anyways, what do you guys want to do to celebrate another successful mission?"

Everyone shook off the awkward moment and decided they would go out to celebrate at a dance club. There was an active night life in Rome and they all headed back to Vatican City to get changed and head out on the town to relax.

Chloe had yet another shower back in her room as they got ready. She put on a nice pair of jeans and a fancy top. She thought she looked pretty good, but then she realized she didn't have any makeup. She went over to the phone and asked to be connected with Felicity's room. Felicity immediately invited her up so Chloe could borrow her makeup until they had a chance to go shopping.

With a sigh of relief, Chloe ran out of her room and up the stairs. She was grateful to flop on Felicity's bed and have a bit of girl time. "What did you think of Jessica tonight?" asked Chloe.

"I think she has the ear of the Pope and you need to watch it. I think we need to do our best to get you the next kill. The sooner you prove your loyalty, the sooner we can move on to more important things," said Felicity. "What makeup do you need?"

"What have you got?" asked Chloe as she got up to look at Felicity's collection. She picked up the eyeshadow and put a smoky layer on her eyelids. She followed that with a bit of colour on her cheeks and a good layer of mascara. She fluttered her eyelashes and did a duck face in the mirror.

Felicity laughed, "You look sexy and ridiculous at the same time. That, my dear Chloe, is a gift."

Chloe tittered and then took on a more serious expression. "I don't know if I could do what you did, killing right in the middle of a conversation like that. It's so..."

"I know," said Felicity nodding her head. "It seems heartless. But, really, there's no reason to have a conversation with a target. If anyone caught you talking to a target, they'd immediately suspect you and once that happens, you might be removed from the Red Guard. You don't want to be removed from the Red Guard, Chloe. It would be a matter of days before you were turned into a vampire. And while the movies may make a vampire's life look glamorous, it's not. You have to hunt the poorest of the poor. And when you hunt them, you end up hanging out with them a lot. It's not the most pleasant way to exist. Especially if you're used to all of this," she gestured to the grandeur of her room. All of the luxury. The members of the Red Guard wanted for nothing, it was true.

"Whatever else you might have planned up that sleeve of yours, save it. You can hatch your plan later. Much later," she finished. She turned to the mirror and carefully applied some red lipstick. "For now," said Felicity, "enjoy yourself. Have some fun. Ignore what you can't stomach, it's the easiest way to go about this life."

Chloe thought about what Felicity said. She didn't say anything, she just thought. She continued to think about what Felicity had said as they walked to the front gates of Vatican City. She joined her new friends and they all walked down the road towards the club. Her friends were all very jovial and celebratory and she smiled in an effort to join the festivities.

They got to the club and immediately started dancing with the reckless abandon of victors. They were totally letting loose, jumping and waving their hands in the air. The club had a very high energy feel and all of the patrons were as into the dancing as the Red Guard was. Chloe could feel the vibrations moving through her body and she buzzed with the energy of the place.

She was dancing with Quinn and Felicity when she noticed a familiar face in the crowd. A face she shouldn't be seeing. Her breath caught in her throat and it felt like someone punched her in the stomach. She slowed her dancing stride and slowly came to a stop as she looked around to see if anyone was watching her. Felicity was definitely watching her and stuttered in her own motions as she reached for Chloe's hand. "Are you okay?" she said over the loud music. Chloe could hear her over the other sounds with her Red Guard ears.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. I just have to go to the washroom. I'll be right back," Chloe replied.

"Okay," said Felicity, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, no, I'm fine! I'll be right back." Chloe smiled as she reassured her friend that she would be alright. Felicity nodded and turned to Quinn. Chloe's face dropped almost immediately as she turned around to see if that face was still there. There was so much confusion in her mind that she couldn't decide if she hoped she was seeing things or if it was really him.

She walked towards the bathroom, continuing to search the faces around her, taking her back to her last night in Rome as a human. Searching, searching. And then she saw him through a break in the crowd. It was Derek. And his vibrant blue eyes were watching her.