Fang Bang Pt. 01: Santa Sangre

Find your way to Hollywood. Come with a dream in your heart and a few dollars in your pocket. Hit the streets, hit the clubs, be hot, be cool, be interesting enough that you get noticed. Party your way to a small door on a side street off the boulevard. Go down the stairs, take the elevator to the roof, feel the music sync to your pulse and the smell of sweet copper fill your nostrils, and step into a place of endless night.

Welcome to the Santa Sangre. If you're lucky, you'll have a time you'll never want to forget. If you're really lucky, you'll catch the eye of someone special and your whole world will change. Most likely? You're dead within an hour. Sucked dry by some leech that couldn't or wouldn't control themselves or, if not dead, then a thrall or a bloodbag, subservient to the whims of whatever "dark master" decided you were pretty enough to keep.

That's what this place offers to mortals. The pleasure of pain. Death with a smile. Slavery to something that will literally suck the life out of you. Of course everyone in town wants to get in.

Except for me.

I've never liked vampires. Pathetic little things, parasites convinced they're apex predators, gifted with power and eternal life but content with parties and politics and feeding off the great mass of humanity. If I had my way I'd never deal with a single one, but L. A. is the bloodsucker mecca, just full of the fuckers, and if I want to spend any time in the city's shadows then I have to at least pretend to play nice. That's why I'm sitting here, in the VIP section of the Santa Sangre, drinking a glass of obscenely expensive whiskey and waiting for my hosts to finally grace me with their presence.

Convince a master mage to take you under their wing. Spend ten years training in the arcane arts, another ten working as an agent of the black order. Become one of the youngest masters in that order's history, finally get a few years all to yourself. Come to Los Angeles at the recommendation of your master, thinking you can blend in and chill out, maybe make yourself your own little sanctum. Still find yourself in the same shitty club as all the clueless mortals who are about to get sucked dry.

At least up here it's calm enough that I can think. I'm on an upper level looking down on the main dance floor. The music's softer and it's got a great view of the mass of bodies below, like a hunting blind for hungry suckers. It's mostly them and their servants here, and a few other people of the shadows. Not a lot of stray humans. My guess is they're mostly in the private rooms that line the walls across the way.

Most of the vamps are focused on the buffet down below, or they're tucked away, doing as they please. From my table, I can see a vamp in a booth sucking down one of his bloodbags, a pretty young girl in a white silk dress who looks like she could barely be more than 20. He's pulled that dress up to her hips and latched onto her thigh, drinking slowly. She's slumped back, eyes hazy like she's taken a hit of something, and every few seconds a shudder of pleasure rolls through her body. I can see the signs that similar scenes are happening all around me.

Not all of the vamps are so occupied. Even without my defensive spellwork, I can feel attention on me. A dozen pinpricks of bloodlust needling at my awareness. Leeches, waiting for a chance to strike. I wonder how I look to them. The ones with skill can see I have the Power within me, but to most, I must look like a calf that's escaped the pen. Still, none of them have tried to make a move.

Except for the pretty blonde sitting in the corner of the room, placed in the perfect position to catch my attention. She's either new or stupid or both, my guess is new since she hasn't learned to hide the hunger in her eyes when she looks at me. Older bloodsuckers tend to be a bit more subtle.

For the past minute, the leech has been fixing her gaze on me, trying to drill into my mind, compel me to come to her. Her vampiric power slaps at my wards, enough to bend a normal man to her will, but nothing to me. I'd almost be insulted by her audacity, but her kind tends to have more arrogance than sense and if I'm being honest she does look inviting. Cap those fangs, put a collar round that pretty neck of hers, and she might be worth keeping.

Besides, I'm getting bored

The vamp lights up as soon as I start moving her way. Definitely new, or a very convincing actor. The look she's giving me would almost be cute if she wasn't trying to eat me. It still is if I'm being honest. She's got this innocent baby deer vibe to her like she's asking to be hunted. That and the skimpy dress she's poured herself into seem like the perfect combination to make the predator seem like prey.

The girl's locked onto me, her eyes roaming my body, not even bothering to hide it. If she were human, I'd think she was checking out my muscles or the arcane tattoos that sprawl down to my hands, but I'm pretty sure she's tracing my veins, watching the blood pump through my body like it's already hers to take. Confident little leech.

"Hi there, I'm Jake," I say, "you've been looking my way so much I figured I had to come over and say hello."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare, you're just... interesting." This leech is a pretty thing, that's even more obvious now that I'm close. Full lips, Big blue eyes. Big tits too. They're straining against her dress like I could reach out and set them free with a twitch of my finger. She's shorter than I first thought. I'm a big man, but even standing she'd just barely reach my chest. Feels like I could pick her up and carry her around with just one hand. Maybe I'll get the chance to try.

"I'm never gonna complain that a cute girl finds me interesting." I say, "What's your name?"

"I'm Belle." She says. She's got a pretty voice to match her face, light and gentle with just a hint of a Southern accent. The kind of voice I could listen to for hours.

But I'm not here to listen.

"Well Belle, we're going to have some fun," I glide my fingers across her face, and just that little bit of contact is enough. The little vamp doesn't even have a chance to react as power flows into her, the spell I've had prepared since the moment I said hello. My will floods her body, every inch of her is subject to my desires. I send a surge of power into her and strands of pure will dance through her head, through her brain, spearing Belle's mind onto a spike of pure pleasure.

Belle squeaks in surprise. Her eyes nearly roll to the back of her head as her pathetic attempt at mesmerism drops away.

I'm just getting started. I push more power into the girl, waves of pure sensation, overwhelming pleasure. I can track their movement through her body, shudders flowing from her chest to her arms down through her legs, setting her every individual nerve on fire. She twitches and squirms in her seat. I move my hand so I can get a firm grip on Belle's chin, and tilt her head up so I can look at her. The vamp was cute before but now, completely at my mercy, she looks downright delicious.

The leech does have some fight left in her. Her mouth contorts into a series of silent shapes as she tries to hold back the sounds of her pleasure, deeply aware of the attention on us, of the humiliation that a moan will bring her. She can't be seen like this, not just powerless against a mortal man, but enjoying it. Her pride won't allow it.

But her pride is not enough against me. I want to hear that pretty voice of hers. I intensify the power flowing through the girl, each wave battering against the girl's will, the pressure building and building. I can see the struggle on her face, the desperation as her defenses begin to crack.

And then they break entirely. A strangled moan bursts from Belle's lips. It cuts through the room and brings eyes onto us as the vampires all-around take notice of our show. Belle can feel them looking at her too, watching her defeat. Her cheeks are flushed red and even under my assault I can see the panic in her eyes as she tries and fails to stop the flow of sounds coming out of her, but she's helpless now that the barrier has been broken. The panic won't last. A little longer and the leech will start to enjoy it.

I might as well help her along.

I pull my captive's face towards me, close enough to kiss. "Tell me, Belle, what exactly were you planning on doing with me?"

"I wasn't--" Belle lets out another loud gasp as I send more power through her, killing the lie on her lips before she can finish speaking it.

"Tell the truth, or I won't be so nice."

"I have a room. I was going to take you there..."

"And suck me dry?"

"Yessss." Belle moans

"Naughty girl." There's no fight left in Belle. Her big blue eyes are locked onto me, and a dazed smile spreads across her face. I shift my grip on the girl's chin, sliding my thumb into her mouth. Her lips close around it instinctively. A normal man would be a fool to place any part of himself near the teeth of a vampire. I am not a normal man. "I think we can find a better use for that room of yours. Now, you're gonna get up and--"

"Mister Eisen." A new voice rings out behind me.

Just like my host to come right when things are getting good. I slide my thumb out of Belle's mouth and let her slump back in her seat.

"You stay just like this," I tell her as if she's able to hear it. Then I turn to face the queen of Los Angeles' nights.

Helene Sanguine looks like a vampire. The stereotypical bloodsucker straight out of a movie or a TV show or a million and one costume parties. Long red hair, lips the color of blood, a tight black dress that looks like it might have been stolen straight from one of Dracula's brides, more likely an expensive custom order from some niche designer. The queen of the vampires has to look the part. She fills the dress well at least. It puts every inch of her hourglass body on display. She's descending from a long spiral staircase that seems like it was built for making entrances, moving towards us with that supernatural grace all vampires have. No one will ever say the suckers don't put on a show.

Helene gets close fast, not striking distance but near to it, the ease of her movements masking her speed. Her eyes glide across my body, sizing me up like I'm a slab of meat at a butcher's shop and she's trying to decide whether she wants to buy. I assume she's playing it up for my benefit, she's been watching me since I came in, but if she wants to play pretend I'm not going to give the game away.

"We're so pleased to see you again." Helene says, "I trust you haven't been waiting long."

"I've been here long enough. Didn't think the queen would keep one of her subjects waiting, I was just about ready to start making my own fun." I gesture towards Belle. The girl's still behind me, twitching and whimpering, completely surrendered to my will.

Helene's eyes flit to the other vampire for just a moment, but her expression doesn't change. "Time can be a difficult concept for our kind."

"Most of the immortals I know don't have any issues." That's a lie. At this point, I'm half convinced that the tradeoff to living past one hundred is a complete inability to read a clock, but I know that just the suggestion that she might be inferior to others will piss the vamp off.

Helene's eyes tighten just a little bit. Not much but it's a crack in the mask. "Do you know many immortals?"

"Enough to have an opinion."

"Well, we of the Vampyr are not like most immortals," Helene says. She's smiling at me like I'm some spoiled child she's correcting, showing off her fangs, dainty little things even at full extension. I don't know if she's expecting me to react to her display, but I couldn't care less about a pair of pointy teeth.

"Is your husband going to be joining us?"

"Lucian moves as he pleases," Helene says, "I'm sure he'll be along when he's ready."

"You realize you summoned me here, right?" I'm more annoyed by this bloodsucker bullshit than I thought I'd be. Being called like a dog is insulting enough, but having my time wasted with these games is just irritating.

"We do." Helene says, "We appreciate the speed with which you came. Tell me, are you enjoying Los Angeles?."

"I'm having a fantastic time, in fact, I was having a lovely day relaxing on one of this city's many fine beaches when your pet told me I needed to come out here for reasons that still have not been explained to me."

"Those are our rules for the --"

"City? Yeah, I've followed your rules, I came when I was called." I gesture at the room around me," I presented myself to your court when I first arrived too and I distinctly remember being told then that I would be left to my own devices"

Empty words from a visit that lasted all of five minutes. They'd asked me why I was here, barely listened when I told them about my sabbatical, then had me on my way as quickly as I'd arrived, I wasn't sure if Helene's husband was even awake.

I can guess why their attitude has changed.

Helene isn't smiling anymore. "You must not understand the situation, most in this city would be honored to be granted an audience with us."

"Oh yeah, I'm real honored to be dragged away from my long overdue vacation. I'd much rather be here waiting for you than lying in the sand soaking up the sun. Well, I guess you wouldn't remember the appeal of something like that, would you?"

That jab finally breaks Helene's mask. She bares her teeth like she's about to strike, and her eyes shine with power. "You stand in front of a ruler of the night." she snarls. "You will show me the respect that position deserves." I can feel her pressure on my mental wards, she's trying to drive me to my knees with fear, but she's not even strong enough to make me flinch.

I have to stop myself from laughing. Without the effect of her power, her whole display is like some scene out of a shitty movie. Helene 's watching me. When she doesn't get the reaction she's expecting, her eyes flick to our audience. It doesn't look good when the queen fails.

"Why am I here, Lady Sanguine?" I ask. Maybe her loss of face will finally cut through all the bullshit.

Just as quick as Helene's snapped, she's back to calm. "When you first came to us, you presented yourself as a simple mage. We were unaware of your talents. That mistake has been corrected. We have been informed that you have the power to enhance our Dark Gift. That you can make us stronger, allow us to walk in the sun once more. We would like to offer you a position in our court, so we may make use of that power."

"Now why would I want a thing like that?" I ask.

Helene's smiling now, seductive, back in her groove. She moves in closer to me, putting a hand on my chest, and I can feel her pressing against me again with her power, stronger than before.

"Mister Eisen, you don't need the benefits of service explained to you." Helene's eyes flick to Belle, still slumped in her seat behind me. "We can find all sorts of rewards for those who please us."

"Only one problem with that," I say, "I'm not a servant"

Helene opens her mouth to speak. More words that mean nothing, but she doesn't get the chance to say them. A loud thud cuts her off, and everyone turns to the source of the noise.

Lucian Sanguine stands beside the spiral staircase that leads to the upper floors of the club, looking like he just strolled down instead of jumping off. The King of Los Angeles looks masculine for a vampire, taller and more muscular than every other leech in here. He's dressed in all black, leather pants and a tight shirt open down to his belly button, meant to show off his physique. The man radiates with an aura of power, and I can see even some of the lesser vampires cringing away at the sight of him, unable to handle it. Maybe impressive to some, but he's still a leech. I've got about six inches and a hundred pounds on the guy and for all his other looks he's still got long silky hair and delicate features that seem more beautiful than handsome.

I can tell the man just loves the attention he's getting. He slides his gaze across the room like he doesn't know exactly what he's looking for, and takes his time locking on to me and his wife, playing the whole thing up for the crowd. Then in a blink, he's right there beside Helene and his arm is draped over her shoulder, pulling her in close to him.

"Wife, what is taking so long?" Lucian asks. Up close, I can see he's flushed. There's a wild look in his eyes like he's buzzing with energy. Probably just fed.

"My love," Helene says, "This is the mage I told you about. We were just discussing--"

"What is there to discuss?" Lucian snaps, "He will serve us."

"Like I told your wife, I'm not a servant," I say. I'm tolerating Helene because she was at least something nice to look at, but this man is pushing my buttons fast.

Lucian doesn't even look at me. "It spoke to me, Who told it it could do that?"

This man's an idiot. I turn my focus back to Helene. I can see the helplessness on her face, she knows she's lost control.

"This audience is over," I say, "My patience has run out." I thrust my thumb back at Belle. "I'll be taking the girl with me as payment for my wasted time."

Helene's eyes widen. "You can't just leave," she says "You have not been dismissed."

"Watch me," I turn towards Belle. Whispers and laughter ripple through the vampires gathered around me. Lucian and Helene keep talking behind me.

"Wife, why have we not just thralled this man?"

"He's powerful, my love, I was trying to be subtle."

"Why bother?" Once again, power crashes against my defenses. The combined might of both Lucian and Helene trying to break through to my mind. For the first time tonight, I feel my wards shiver. I whirl back around and take a step towards the couple. Their power intensifies as I look at them directly. Lucian smiles at me like he's a cat that just caught itself a mouse.

"Submit." He says, and the word trembles with the weight of command.

But nothing happens.

I look at Lucian and I let my magic flow freely. I can feel it spilling through me, lighting up my tattoos, making my eyes glow. The leeches smell blood now, they're standing up, surrounding me, baring their fangs. Bloodlust from every direction. Violence wherever I look. A few are laughing, a few are smiling, but underneath it all I smell fear. Helene's face has somehow gotten more pale, her eyes move once again to Belle.

Lucian looks unfazed. "Resist all you want," he says," If you won't bend, we'll just have to break you."

"Helene," My words are slow now, laced with as much menace as I can muster, "Whoever told you about my talents, did they explain what type of mage I was? Did they tell you my specialty?"

"No," she says, "what is it?"

"War."

I raise my left hand and rays of pure sunlight spill through my fingers. A half dozen leeches are ash just like that. The rest of them pull back, a few are already fleeing. The shock alone is enough to take the fight out of them.

Lucian and Helene launch themselves at me together, moving at a speed no mortal could follow. With my enchantments, I'm faster. I snap my fingers and strips of metal rip themselves off of the bar, slamming into Helene and knocking her out of the air. The strips stick to her, wrapping around her body, binding her hands and feet.

I'm Lucian's only focus. He's still coming at me with all he's got. His features are twisted with rage, not, I think, at the death of his subjects or the attack on his wife, but at being defied. He swipes at me with a claw-like hand. I duck under it and slam a magically enhanced fist into his gut. The blow is hard enough to rock him, and then the secondary charge I hid within it detonates, and the vampire stumbles back, a whole human's worth of blood spurting out of his mouth. I know he's got more inside of him.

Helene's still on the ground. Even with her vampiric strength, she's struggling to break through the magically empowered metal wrapped around her. I snap my fingers again and that metal electrifies, forcing this pained gurgling noise out of the vampiress as she writhes in pain on the floor. None of her so-called subjects move to help her.

My attention on her gives Lucian an opening. He charges at me again, slashing at my stomach. I step back out of reach of one of his attacks and slap his other hand into the ground. It's only at the last moment that I notice the other vampire sneaking up behind me. I almost don't have time to react.

Almost.

I whip my hand out and catch the vampire by the throat, lifting him into the air. His eyes widen in surprise. His legs kick helplessly underneath him. Lucian keeps attacking, taking advantage of my split focus. I take a step back, still holding the other vampire, and Lucian's hand slides along my cheek, opening up a deep wound. Lucian's mouth widens into a savage smile when he sees the damage.

I pour hot fire into the vampire within my grasp and toss him back towards the rest of the crowd. He lands in front of them, struggling and screaming as he is consumed from the inside by a fire that he cannot put out. Another warning for the crowd not to interfere.

Lucian looks back at the man and laughs. "Do you--"

My fist collides with his face. No more distractions. I'm on the offensive now, attacking relentlessly. Lucian can barely defend himself, just barely dodging out of the way of a few blows, but nowhere near enough. Most of my hits land, and every hit of mine that lands hits twice as I detonate the energy I leave within him. With each big blow, blood pours out of Lucian's mouth. The floor is slick with it. I have to be careful not to slip. It doesn't take long to wear him down.

I slam my fist into Lucian's stomach once again and this time he drops to the ground. His arms shake as he pushes himself onto his knees, and he looks up at me with wild, desperate eyes.

"Please," He says "Sto--"

I don't give him the chance to finish.

I look up at the remaining vampires and fix them with a glare. Any arrogance these leeches once had is gone, shattered by the sight of their strongest member begging like a bitch. None of them can meet my eyes. They're too afraid of what I might do.

I leave the vampire where he lies and walk over to Helene, still bound and writhing on the floor. I snap my fingers and the electricity flowing through her stops. The queen of the night doesn't look like much of a queen anymore. Her face is slick with sweat and her hair is a mess around her. Her body is twitching from the shocks. Still conscious though. I grab the vampire by the hair and pull her face up close to mine. She winces at the pain, but there's not really anything she can do to stop me now.

"You know this is all your fault?" I say.

"Yes." She croaks. She can't hide the fear in her eyes anymore, the terror at realizing that her empire has crumbled in under a minute.

"I was perfectly happy to sit around and do nothing. You made me come here. You tried to bind me to your will. Everything that has happened here is on you."

"What now?" she asks. I can feel her trembling, not from the electricity that was just coursing through her, but at the thought of what I might do.

I smile at the vampire. I do not have fangs to show. I don't need them. "Now? Now you're mine."