BOYS OF THE NIGHT - #25


In Orlando


"There - that one. In the red," Kevin whispered to Nick as they crept up on a group of prostitutes, chatting on an Orlando strip corner.
"HER?" Nick replied, hissing loudly. He looked at Kevin incredulously.
"Yes, her. She's the only wearing red, right?"
Nick shook his head. "You're crazy, man. I can't do this," he said, turning to go back from where they came. Kevin caught his arm roughly.
"You WILL learn to do this, Nick."
Knowing that tone of voice all too well, Nick gulped and reluctantly walked back.
"What do I do?"
"Go up to her... and ask her to come with you."
"That was a terrible pun, Kevin," Nick smiled boyishly. The Ventru shot him a stern look.
"You won't be talking about puns when the cops are called on us for loitering here with a bunch of hookers. Now go," he replied, pushing the Toreador out of the shadows and into the light.

Nick stood in the light of the streetlamp, alone. The women turned to him, hearing him clear his throat. They looked him up and down, taking in the baseball cap he was wearing backwards and his hoodie, concealing his identity. It would have been too dangerous if he would have dressed normally - He'd be easily recognizable.
"Well. What have we here, Girls?" the one in red asked.
They all giggled, whispering to one another.
"You looking for a good time, Sweet Heart?" she asked, ignoring her commrades.
Nick hesitated, but then responded. "Yeah. You up to it?"
"Am I up to it?" she snorted, almost offended that he would ask her such a thing. She'd been working the streets for years. She thought she'd seen it all. She was about to be disproven.
"Yeah. See, I'm into something 'special.' Think you can handle that?" he challenged, finding that he was dripping with vampiric charm. It came very easily to him - a talent that he thought he'd lacked.
"Depends on how much money you got," she said, a smile spreading across her bright red lips. She sauntered up to him, swaying her hips seductively.
Nick smiled back smuggly. "Oh, plenty, Babe... plenty."
She stopped a few inches from his face and grabbed the zipper of his hoodie, forcing their eyes to meet. "And where would a pretty young thing like you get all that money, hmmm? Rich daddy?"
"You could say that. Come on. Let's go back to my place," Nick said innocently. She laughed a little, not believing how bold the kid was. He grabbed her hand, his hunger growing.
"Whatever you say, Doll... Whatever you say. Later Girls! Good luck to ya'll," she called over her shoulder as she was being practically dragged away.



"Is she dead?" Nick asked, wiping his mouth off with the back of his hand, as he leaned back against the huge tree trunk.
Kevin listened closely, gauging her heart. "No, not yet."
They both sat back on the grass, full: gorged on the hooker's thick, warm blood. They wouldn't have to feed for a good week now.
After a few minutes of silence, Nick spoke. "Here, I'll do it."
He lunged for her torn up throat, but was thrown back by Kevin, who then placed himself in front of the girl, putting space between her half-dead body and Nick.
"No. I forbid you to kill, Nick. Is that clear??" he commanded.
"Dude! What the hell?" Nick growled, confused at Kevin's sudden change of heart. An hour before, he was pushing Nick to pick her up so that they could feast.
"IS THAT CLEAR?!"
The Toreador looked hurt and sat back, hugging his knees to his chest. "Yeah... I guess so."
Kevin sighed, not meaning to scare his son. "There's many things you don't know, Nick. I'll tell you them now. I'm your maker. You know that?"
"Uh... yeah. God, I'm not THAT blonde."
Kevin wasn't amused by Nick's nonchalant view of what he was about to tell him.
"You've never made a kill by yourself, right? I mean, one of us has always ended their life for you. Am I right?"
"Yes. Where is this all going, Kev?"
"Well, since you are not a killer yet, if I should for any reason, die, because I am your maker, while you are still half-blood. You'll go back."
"Wait. Wait a minute. Are you saying I'll be human again? Are you saying I still have a chance?" Nick said, squinting his eyes. He felt deprived - he felt no one had the nerve to tell him this.
"Yes," was all Kevin said. He looked to the body and slowly reached out to touch her bleeding neck. Nick, mean while, was still in utter shock from the information he'd just recieved. Kevin gently held her head between both hands and cracked her neck sharply.
One swift *snap* was all it took.
Nick watched him, not really taking in what he was doing, but just staring, thinking.
"Wait... what are you saying?" he asked again, unbelieving.
"If the head vampire dies - all his half-bloods go back to being human. You are still a half-blood."
They were silent. The younger vampire felt completely disoriented by this.
"Where are you going to put her body?" Nick asked, his voice quiet. Kevin looked at him, and then around them. At the end of the park, near the exit, there was dumpster.
"There. Come on, help me... We need to get back soon. The sun's gonna come up any time now," Kevin said, grabbing her feet as Nick picked up her head. They hefted her up and walked towards the bin, preparing to throw her body in.