10 PM

Headlights appear in the distance and slowly make their way to rear of an old church. The faithful have long ago abandoned this place of worship when financial hardship hit the congregation, so the diocese was forced to sell it to a private buyer. The low, deep growl of the Charger’s V-8 resonates off of the gothic, stone walls. It comes to a stop in front of a heavy oak door. Sarah steps out of the black muscle car and enters thru the back entrance. She makes her way thru the back passages until she comes to Darius’s workshop. She finds him working away checking and servicing the tools of his trade.

Inner dialogue [This calms me. Making sure everything is in order and put in its proper place puts me at ease. Those old tales on being protected from a vampire by giving it something to count is pure crap, it is more like a distraction and it doesn’t work on all of us. Before current medicine it was an old wives tale, now it would be termed OCD. Like anyone else it varies depending on the individual. If I am walking down the street I am compelled to count the windows of a building or the number of ceiling tiles in a room, but that is only if I am not doing something. This curse is like being born, you get certain traits from your parents and some are stronger than others; before I turned I never had this need but I guess somewhere along the way it was acquired and passed on to the following generation. Oh well, you can only fight your genetics to a certain extent.]

Sarah: Bad news, I’ve been watching Manetti’s house for three weeks and he hasn’t dared leave the confines of his compound. I guess your last visit scared the shit out of him and he doesn’t want to test the “You can’t touch him,” theory. Any ideas on what you are going to do now?

Darius: Well for right now I will be patient, I have had several centuries of practice. At some point he will have to leave, and if he doesn’t do it of his own accord then I will have to make him. While I am waiting I will use the time to find a way to break the spell on the Blood Diamond and release Veronica. For the first time in centuries I am free, so I am going to enjoy it before the weight of the world is strapped to my shoulders again.

Sarah: I understand, just don’t relax too much, we need to get some money rolling in, seeing as the major bankroller of this operation now wants us dead. You may not eat but I do and at some point we are going to run out of money. How would you feel about a little freelance work? You can be your own boss and choose your clients. Plus, if you are setting your own price then you can finally have the income to get the answers you need.

Darius: Your idea has merit. This would give me the freedom to go wherever I needed to go to pursue the missing pieces of the puzzle and also build up more resources for my fight with Manetti.

Sarah: Figured you would feel that way, I will set something up. I will keep everything low key, so for now you will be Mr. Smith. That way nothing will pop onto Manetti’s radar before we are ready and it is generic enough that there is no way to run a trace on it. Now if you are done with me for the night, your familiar needs to clean up and do some research before she hits the sack.

Darius: No, I will be leaving soon to hunt and to make sure Manetti knows I have not forgotten him. Rest well; your idea may keep you busier than you are prepared for.

Inner Dialogue [She likes to joke about the whole “familiar” thing like a bad horror movie invention, but in reality she knows that it saved her life. It is a very entailed job; she has to act as my eyes, ears, and hands during the day while also keeping me from seeing the light of day when I am rejuvenating. She also has to handle the travel arrangements and be an errand girl, and if needed act as a source of sustenance in extreme circumstances. Her previous life had gotten her into a bad situation and so a choice was offered, life or death, the most basic of choices. Either continue with the daily struggle of survival and all the joy and pain that comes with it or slip into the warm embrace of oblivion where nothing matters again. She chose what any human would choose who is afraid of their own mortality and thus became my servant for the rest of her natural life. In this we share the same fate. For now the past does not matter only what is to come. She has proven an eager student for both my trade and also my centuries of acquired knowledge.]

Darius rises and retrieves a cylinder from one of his racks of weapons. He checks the clock on the wall, dons his shades, and heads into the night. As he was performing his calming ritual with his weapons, he was meticulously deciding on his prey for the night’s festivities. He has chosen one of Manetti’s underlings; one that will cause a disruption and also send a message. This man, Thagio, controls the narcotics distribution in the Queens area. His demise would cause millions of dollars in loss of revenue and send the message that not only is Manetti’s life in danger but also his empire. Some of Manetti’s competitors might start seeing weakness and jump at taking a bigger piece of the action away from him.