Wednesday.
”I hear you’re the one to come to about… vampires.”
It was a lazy Wednesday evening, and I was spending it in a café, drinking coffee and enjoying one of my favourite books. I hadn’t seen the woman from last week again and had decided to ignore the whole thing unless she’d poke her brunette head and crucifix back into my life.
When I heard the words I looked up from my book to see a blonde woman who was standing above me. I gave her a grin, curious, and nodded.
“Yeah, I might be.” I finally said. After all, one does not go shouting about their associations with vampires, no matter what their nature. I motioned for her to sit down, and after some hesitation she sat in the chair across the small, round table, still staring at me. A quick glance to the sides was enough to show that we weren’t overheard; the few other patrons of the café were happily minding their own business.
My eyes soon returned to the woman, and confirmed my first impression of her; she was pretty darn hot. Chin-length, slightly wavy and wispy blonde hair framed her softly tanned face, out of which two dark eyes peered at me calculatingly. A pretty painted mouth underneath a delicate nose was pursed into what reminded me of a rosebud. She looked like she had escaped from the 1920’s and jumped into today’s clothes.
I leaned back in my chair, giving her a good look. What was below her neck wasn’t hurting the eyes either. Oh, listen to me, all film noir private dick here. And as those movies go, I of course could tell that this woman would be trouble.
“You don’t really… look like what I expected.” She said suddenly, looking rather embarrassed. “I mean, you look like one of… them.”
“I know. But despite my looks I am not a vampire.”
“What are you, then?”
“A dhampir.” I half expected her not to recognize the word, but a look of understanding dawned on her face and she nodded.
“But I thought you people were just a myth. Or charlatans.”
“Many who claimed to be dhampirs were charlatans. I am not. But it doesn’t really matter, not these days. It’s harder to kill vampires now, they’re too visible.”
“Don’t I know it. But still. I wish to acquire your services.”
“You do, now, do you? Care to tell me a little more?”
“Well, obviously, I’m having trouble with a vampire.” She said with a roll of her pretty eyes. “And I would like some protection from you.”
“Of course.” I nodded and calmly sipped at my lukewarm coffee. She looked over her shoulders nervously.
“Look, is there somewhere more private we could continue this in?” she leaned over the table, giving me a very nice view of her cleavage while at it.
“There is my office,” I told her, “but I have an aversion of taking possible enemies there.”
“Enemies? I just said I wanted to hire you!”
“Yes, but how do I know you’re not sent by one of the vampires around here, to lead me to a trap? I don’t do much killing these days but I still am a dhampir, and we’ve always been a bit disliked by their ilk. You know, with killing them for a living and all.”
She was about to argue but soon understood my point of view and leaned back, taking away that lovely sight. “I see. While we’re on the matter, how can I know that you aren’t in cahoots with the vampire either?”
“Seems to me that we have a little problem on our hands. If you really wish to hire me, we just have to trust each other.” I said, nodding.
“I do trust you.” She said quietly after a moment. “I’ve done my research, and you had a few glowing recommendations attached to your name. So I’m willing to trust you to keep me safe. I don’t know what I can do to make you trust me, though.”
She seemed sincere enough, so I decided to give her the benefit of doubt. “There is a way for me to check your trustworthiness.” I said after making up my mind. “And it indeed requires that you’re willing to trust me. Give me your hand.”
She seemed suspicious, but offered me her right hand which smelled slightly of her perfume. Lily of the valley. A lovely scent. Poisonous flower and berries, but a lovely scent.
I felt her arm stiffen as I pulled her hand towards my mouth. Her eyes went wide when I took a hold of her thumb and opened my mouth. I licked at the soft skin a little before piercing it with my sharp incisor. She twitched but didn’t let out a sound.
Closing my mouth around her, I sucked out a tiny drop of blood. It was enough to let me know that she indeed had no connections with any vampires. I would have tasted that.
With one last lick, I allowed her to pull her hand away. She –instinctively or not- immediately placed the hurt finger in her own mouth and gave me a questioning look.
“All right. Let’s head out.” I told her, drank the last of my coffee, grabbed my bag and my book and headed out. She followed a little slower, still suckling on her thumb. “It didn’t hurt that much, did it?”
“…No.” she muttered and pulled the finger out. When she caught up with me it was again made obvious that she was half a head taller than me. Looking down I saw that it was partly thanks to her high heels. She also had noticed this, and seemed even more suspicious of whether I could be of any assistance.
“Judge me by my size, do you?” I asked, smirking. She blushed a little and looked away.
“Kielo.” She suddenly said.
I slowed my steps and turned to look at her. “Excuse me?”
“Kielo. It’s my name.” She explained and frowned when I let out a small laugh. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, nothing. It’s a pretty name.” I tried to calm her down, still smiling. Well, it explained the choice of her perfume. I wondered if it described her nature as well.
Poisonous despite the lovely scent and appearance.
She clearly had expected me to introduce myself as well, but I just continued on. After all, she had done her research and found out the name I went by these days. She already knew who I was.
I led her quickly through the surprisingly lively night towards my little hideout; a small apartment on the outskirts of the city central. I’d bought it decades ago, just like I owned a few other apartments in larger cities around
She followed me in, looking curiously around as I guided her onto the sofa in the living room before hurrying to close the heavy curtains. It was late in the evening, but spring was so far along that it was still quite light outside.
It was as if night had fallen; the apartment became almost pitch black, so I turned a few lights on before returning to the hall to take my coat and shoes off. Kielo wasn’t on the sofa anymore when I returned; she had moved to one of my bookshelves and was running a finger across the titles.
“Find anything interesting?”
“Oh yes. Your collection is quite impressive.”
“It has taken a while to gather.”
“How old are you exactly?”
“I was born in 1827.”
Her lips moved a little as she did the math. “Your father was the vampire?”
I nodded, not bothering to elaborate. Kielo turned slowly around, taking in her surroundings. “This is your… ‘office’?”
“Yes, and my home. It’s safe for us to talk in here.” I motioned at the sofa, and she sat down again. I sat into a large and comfortable easy chair.
My apartment consists of one bedroom, a large living-room, kitchen and a quite nice bathroom with a large bath. It also has a small balcony, and several high windows. I love the Jugend-style. The walls are thick; I barely hear a beep from my neighbours. I’ve had enough visitors here to know that my home is a bit unnerving to most.
It’s not just the swords and other antique weapons, or the bookshelves that go up all the way to the ceiling. Or the fact that I like to keep the curtains closed. Apparently it’s the way how all these old things in this old building create an atmosphere that takes you back in time. One guest once said that it makes even my laptop and coffee maker seem like they belong in the 19th century. It came as a bit of a surprise to me; I like old things, but I had thought that my home was still somewhat modern. Apparently not, I was told that the apartment looked like the home of some old scholar. Doesn’t bother me, though, I am comfortable like this. I have all the old things close to me that I like to keep nearby. Books, weapons, mementoes, and everything else that I need to keep myself going. And there was still comfortable room for myself and the cat. She hated most people, so I’m not surprised she hadn’t come out to greet the guest yet.
“So, would you like something to drink?” I asked, playing the good host before getting into business as she seemed hesitant now to open her mouth again. Maybe the room was bothering her.
“A glass of water, please.”
I nodded and slipped into the kitchen. I poured her a glass from a jug I keep in the fridge to keep the water cold.
Kielo smiled warmly at me when I gave her the glass, and whispered her thanks. “You have a very nice apartment here. I thought these buildings would be expensive to live in.” She said after looking around again for a while.
“The official story is that I inherited the apartment. Truth is that I bought it years ago. Decades.”
She raised one of her eyebrows at my words and emptied her glass before lowering it to her lap, twirling it absent-mindedly in her hands.
“Can I use the bathroom?” she asked a moment later.
“Sure.” I pointed her in the right direction. She returned soon, without her high boots.
“I’m sorry, I must have dragged dirt all over your home.” She must have noticed me looking at her feet.
“It’s ok.” I said as I sat beside her. “I’m not too tidy. I have a cat, so there’s cat hair all over the place anyway.”
“Really? What’s it called? Where is she? Or he?” She looked around, waiting to see my fur-ball pop up somewhere.
“She’s called Buttercup, but I usually call her Butterball. She’s got a big attitude problem towards humans, and a real sweet tooth.”
Kielo laughed at the explanation. “I’ve always loved pussies, but I can’t have one since my roommate is allergic. But maybe one day when I can afford to live on my own. What kind of a cat is she?”
“Russian blue. The species is supposed to be very gentle and friendly, but she isn’t. She doesn’t like most humans at all. If I have guests, she’s either hissing at them from under the table, trying to scratch their ankles from under the sofa, or sulking under my bed.” I had to grin when Kielo immediately lifted her feet up to the sofa. “Don’t worry, I think she’s chosen sulking under the bed this time. We would have heard her hiss if she was here. She’s not the nicest cat but she’s very affectionate with me, and I love her lots.”
“That’s sweet.” Kielo smiled but kept her legs up.
“So. Should we get down to business?” I finally suggested. She nodded and started to explain.
“A few weeks ago I got this client. I work at an escort agency.”
“A what?” The phrase was pretty alien to me.
“Escort agency. Where men can buy a date for an evening or longer, just to talk or look pretty. No sex involved, at least officially. It’s a job, it pays the bills.” She explained it like it was nothing odd. Guess it’s not, then. Considering she was telling about her encounter with a vampire to a dhampir. “So yeah, one night there’s this one guy, pale and skinny. I thought he was a rock star, but it turns out he’s some foreign vampire. I accidentally found that out, and he got pretty pissed. He wanted to bite me, but I got away. He’s called the office several times, asking for me.”
“Did you tell your boss about it?”
Kielo snorted and raised one delicate eyebrow. “That he was a vampire? You think she would have believed me? No, I just told her that he was some sort of a creep, so she didn’t sign me or any of the other girls to him when he’d call. She told him that if he keeps calling, she’ll call the cops. He keeps saying that he didn’t do anything. But the boss, she trusts us when we say that someone was a creep or otherwise odd, and won’t believe them.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah, it is. She’s a good boss.”
“Has the vampire otherwise come after you?” I wouldn’t be surprised. Vampires can be very stubborn, if they’ve found someone they like. And more pressingly, if he was aware that Kielo knew what he really was, she might be in danger.
“Yes. He and some of his friends have been harassing me. Since my boss would not arrange another meeting with him, he somehow found out my cell phone number, and has been calling me. Promising me money and whatever if I meet him again. But I don’t trust him when he says that he just wants to talk, and then he’ll call off his friends. So that’s where I need you. I agreed that I’d meet him, just to get this thing over with. But I want some protection.”
“Me.” I said, and Kielo nodded. “When are you supposed to be meeting him?”
“He’s coming to
I raised both my eyebrows at that. I knew of the place, and the reputation it had as one of the finest spots in
Speaking of which, “how will we get in?”
Kielo smirked. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve been going there ever since it opened. I can easily get us both in. If you’re interested in the job.”
I shrugged. “You just want me to accompany you there on Friday?”
“Well, yes…” she looked unsure for a moment, biting her lower lip with hesitation, so I motioned for her to go on. “That, and if it’s possible, I’d like you to kind of be my bodyguard until then.”
“Around the clock?”
“No, just the evenings will do, while I work. I’ll be all right during the days, at my other job, and I have a roommate back home, and it’s really hard to get into our building anyway.”
“That and vampires can’t enter into your home unless you invite them.” I noted and she nodded.
“Exactly. So it’s really just evenings when I’m out at town. But of course you can’t be with me while I’m working, so if you could just hang in the background?”
“Sounds all right…” sounds really exciting. Excuse my sarcasm. But the customer is always right. And paying, of course. “You are aware that I won’t be doing all this for free, right?”
“Of course. How much do you charge?” there was that nervous biting of the lower lip again. Damn it but she is cute.
“Well I have no standard fees or anything, I usually go case by case. Expenses for when I’m… escorting you, I’ll get receipts for those. And I’ll come up with something for the rest. Something reasonable.” I smiled at her, and she smiled back, looking relieved.
“I guess we have a deal, then.” Kielo said, and stood up to offer me her hand. I stood as well, and offered her mine. She shivered at the touch of my cold hand, but her grip was strong and sure.
This could be fun.
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