Eternal Night

(I) Chapter 9: Repercussions

Dracula was seated closest to the wall, half listening as Rémy recounted the evening's disappointments to the small band of revolutionaries all seated at the bar. Most of the regulars had left for home by now, the sun due to rise within the hour. Yet Vladislaus remained. It was a time-consuming business, earning the complete and utter trust of Rémy Chase, undisputed leader of the alliance; and while Dracula had no plans of dethroning the man from his present position of authority – at least for the present – it was certainly tedious playing the role of devoted follower.

Chase was presently going on about his meeting with a contact of one Aldrick Meino – proprietor of one of the hottest vampire nightclubs in the city, Scarlet. Meino was a man with certain connections that could prove valuable to their little ragtag group of rebels, but the thing was, it was damn near impossible for Rémy to get anywhere close to him. Aldrick had always been known for his uncanny ability to rub shoulders with absolute scum without even getting his hands dirty – which brought to Dracula's mind a certain traitorous half-brother of his.

But he had to give credit where credit was due. The extent of Marcus Augustine's corruptive hold on not only the city, but the entire state was far stronger than he ever could have anticipated. In the time Dracula had been in stasis, Marcus had managed to not only eradicate the majority of his original court, but he had also allied himself with the top crime syndicates in the city. It was Rémy's hope that if he could strip Augustine of at least some of those allies, it would weaken his hold.

While Dracula remained supportive of Chase's strategy in public, in private he had very little faith in it. For all of Rémy Chase's outward shows of pragmatism, Vladislaus was quick to note the hallmarks of an idealist buried deep within the man. He wanted things both ways – to socialize with filth without getting muddied in the process. Although Dracula supposed, now that he thought about it, perhaps it was less idealism and more of a certain naïveté. He had learned long ago that the company you keep has the power to either tarnish or purify, and even if associating with scum was for the greater good, it was impossible to come out untouched the other side. He supposed Rémy would only learn the same through personal experience.

He just hoped that the man wouldn't lose more friends and loved ones in the process as he had.

Vlad looked down at the remaining werewolf venom laced whiskey in his glass as his meandering thoughts found their way back to days long since passed – memories of a life forgotten when he had been as idealistic and naïve.

He had had a family, then – a wife and children.

Religion.

Hope.

Purpose.

A country and cause worth fighting for.

And like a naïve fool, he had lost it all. His own romanticism and faith had blinded him to the dangers that had surrounded him and it was on the battlefield he had been dealt the final betrayal.

Abandonment and isolation.

A familiar darkening of thought began to lightly claw at the back of his mind, but he banished it as quickly as it came before knocking back the rest of the venom-laced alcohol in his glass.

"I just don't know how we're going to win him over at this point," Rémy continued with a sigh.

"We'll think of something," Carmen assured him.

"She's right," Danny agreed. "Don't give up. He's just playing hard to get... you'll find an in. I know you will."

"Either way, we seem to be boring Leinhart," Rémy said teasingly. "You've hardly said anything since I got back."