Path of the Vampire forum

”That is all I have to give you.”

The complimentary dry cleaner pen in Kanoa’s hand ceased the creation of swirls and lines of basic blue ink. All that the mailroom turned editor turned reporter turned news anchor had to go on was what he was watching dry slowly on the paper beneath his eyes. The tip of the pen tapped at the information as if he hit the surface a few more times a little more would magically appear.

“It’s been long enough. Three years for the **** storm to settle. I can get her to talk… or him. They were hooked once. They can be again. Hell, if I do this right I can get both of them. But if I do I want to roll this how I envision. Segments. A series perhaps. Nothing small either. I think it will sell in top brackets. This is a documentary of the century if these two are some of the very first vampires still able to be reached. I’m going in ready to sacrifice my skin to get this story so it’s reasonable. A book was written, people went nuts. Remember that? People literally started shooting at the ******* messenger!” He paused long enough for her to chuckle. “ Yeah, That was then and now it is like visiting a freakish theme park surrounded by circus tents of equally creepy **** in the suburbs. I actually was able to buy blood in a bag from some vendor selling everything from water balloon launchers and sports cars to fishing spots and weapons. And get this…” His voice drops for a second as he looks around to keep from sharing what could be a little known secret. “I walked out soaked. I was in water balls deep getting in there. Did the fastest backstroke getting out. I **** you not. They have sunken places that all these people hang in. And what is in there is off the charts crazy.”

Kanoa settled back and forgot where he was as his mind weaved his thoughts together. His summer tailored loafers popped up secure on his feet and landed on the chair across from him. They remained relatively unseen since they were hidden under the outdoor table he had been claiming for the better of the last five hours. He was far from loitering. As many times as the waitress had strolled by he ordered as many of his tall refreshing vices.

“Hold on a second…”

Kanoa didn’t wait for the confirmation from the person sharing the phone call. He raised the empty glass with the red straw and gave it a shake of his dominant hand so the ice rattled back and forth within. The concoction was rumored to aid in hangovers which is how the love affair between he and the Caesar started when he first arrived. Now it was a daily staple in his diet that had dropped the typical salads and sprouts in favor of poutine, bannock and vodka. Lots of vodka. It was like a shot of calm to his originally frazzled nerves at his first sights of bears, fadebeasts, zombies and underwater beasts, oh my!

“Back. So, I will give this a shot and call you back in a few days and update you.”

The call ended and the fresh glass was raised to inspect the moisture rolling down the side. Drop after cool drop had Kanoa’s attention. His forehead mirrored the drink in his hand. Both Caesar and a tenacious reporter were in the mood to sweat before the sun had set.

“Predators shall meet prey. Not every lion has it’s day.” The red straw bobbed with the movement of his hand coming closer to his face. Just as his lips formed around the straw movement caught his attention. “Excuse me. I am looking for a place called Moon Dark Magic. Any idea where that is at?” A grin found his lips while the waitress took out her pen and a small napkin and began writing where to find it. “You must be an angel or a devil in disguise.” His glass went up with a wink of his eye. “Don’t tell me which. Let it be a surprise.” He always had a habit of playing the wild cards.

Kanoa settled back in the driver's seat once the engine to the car ceased to run. The door to his left eased open when his hand made the minimal effort to pull at the silver handle. With the confirmation of a series of inner workings clicking he pushed it outward a minimal distance from where he was sitting. If only the rest of the evening could be so simple and predictable as getting out of his recently paid for car.

A warmth, courtesy of the watchful moon, greeted the surface of his skin as he exited the canopy of the black Mercedes-Benz E-Class. As the door closed he took a brief glance over his shoulder at his reflection. The deep tint in the custom glass offered him the visual reassurance that he looked casual and acceptable even if, for the most part, a bit out of place given the nature of business he was about to enter into. The moisture that had been accumulating on his scalp was combed out with the slow threading of his lean fingers from crown to nape. The sweat born salt clinging to his upper lip gave up its hold with brush of his tongue. A glistening tip tracing the soft ridge out of nervous habit was abandoned as soon as his loafers paused in the space outside the shop door. A two second exhale whistled through his lips.

“Geckos.” His hand moved the shop door gently so there was no barrier between the inside and him. “No. Rabbits.” What the hell was he even thinking? That was just wrong. Who kills rabbits? His thoughts quickly had him focus. “Rocks. Stones. Yeah, sticking with stones.” Being curious and walking in for the first time would be apparent to who he was looking for. If they could sense how many pints of blood a body had flowing through it and it’s temperature then a quick look at him and his attire would scream virgin to what he was stepping into.

“Excuse me.”

Kanoa stepped to the side as he made room for a dark clothed figure to pass through. Just as he made his way into a section of oddities, by his limited knowledge of the dark arts and rituals, a couple at the counter caught his attention. Enough so that his steps took an instant pause leaving him to stare in near disbelief. They matched the two he was looking for but to see it with his own two eyes was something entirely different. The centuries left little to no marks upon the two.

A soft brush of contact at his left shoulder had him turn briefly to acknowledge the presence. A cool sensation flowed over the back of his neck and curled upward against the back of his ear. In its wake an unexpected shiver traveled down his spine. Unsettled and nearly forgetting his lack of movement, or the fact he was likely standing out like a nosey human in an ancient vampire’s place of business, he cleared his throat lightly. Suddenly he felt compelled to be direct verses the sleazy reporter move to be standing in loafers and looking for some rocks. With that decided he stepped up to make the first move.

“Good…” He wondered if it was a thing to say goodnight in greeting at this hour for several centuries old vampires. Some of the first is how he remembered it. “Night. I hope I am not interrupting…” he glanced around finding things moving about without a care as to who he was or the fact he was standing there. “Things, your business. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kanoa Hahn. I would like to speak with you about a previous interview and see if you are interested in expanding on it.” There. The cat was out of the bag. Of course kittens naturally came to mind and he really hoped nothing cute, soft and tiny started making noise and distracting him.

“With all due respect, I don’t think the interview did the two of you or the issues both vampires and humans are facing any good. Our worlds are merging alarmingly fast. The reasons why after all these centuries are concerning. Many have been self-serving, dramatic and have done more harm than good. I will be the first to admit until I reviewed the content sent to me I was a bit of a skeptic. I had to come here and see for myself.”

Kanoa glanced to the movement at his right then nearly slid his hands into his pockets before he realized that body language would be a warning to some. Making sure not to send the wrong signals he resisted the comfort of sinking his fingers into his own clothing.

“This world has changed, Sir. Even more than I have been prepared to see. I found an A.T.M underwater in some sunken temple not recorded on any maps created a decade ago. Now such places are reachable by transits. That was all the proof I needed that it is happening. Zombies roam all over like this place is a theme park. They aren’t moving from this area oddly enough. Why?” Kanoa’s expression soon was shaped by the increasing interest in the faces he was conversing with. “I cannot imagine what it must be like for either of you to witness. And that is the reason I have come to seek both of you. I want to know what brought us here crossing paths. Obviously my journey to this point in time is relatively brief. Nothing will mark me being here. Whatever I have experienced in my brief twenty-something years will not be influencing the world like the two of you have already. It has paled in comparison to that of centuries seasoned immortals. You won’t remember me in fifty years or even a hundred. I, however, will remember you until my last day.” Kanoa’s focus shifted to the woman standing with him. “And you as well.” His right hand moved to brush a finger at the edge of the counter between them. “I am curious by nature. I like to know the truth instead of what I read from whoever is paid enough to write it and serve it to me. I investigate. I subject myself to what I am working on. If I can’t do the story justice after all of that, then I won’t put it out there. I think you were short changed. I know I am asking a lot from you. You don’t owe the world anything but I am asking for you to make an impact on me more than you already have.”

He could have pushed more words into the air but he didn’t. He opted to go silent and wait to see what reaction, if any, came from the first two vampires he had met...as far as he was aware of.