House of Betrayal

The sidewalk was slick with rain, the lights of the city shimmering in the puddles formed over the rough concrete. It was well past midnight, but cars still filled the streets, the occasional person stumbling home from whatever bar they’d been in. Sylus pulled his jacket tighter, the hood lower. He’d have grabbed a heavier jacket if he’d known it was going to rain on his midnight stroll. For as dangerous as a city like Chicago was said to be, Sylus felt at home, comfortable. The only anxiety that pulled at him now was his destination. It wasn’t a place you’d go, if you knew it existed, and it wasn’t a place you’d find unless you knew where to look. The buildings were pressed close together, tight alleyways and old concrete and brick stairs leading to dark places.

Beneath the low hood, he looked at each dark stairwell leading down, counting in his head as he passed them. He felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle, goosebumps rising across his arms. He stopped, staring down a narrow, dimly lit alley, ending in what looked like a brick wall, a dead end. Sylus knew it was not a dead end, and he turned and slipped into the tight space. He wasn’t the strongest or as well-built as the guys he knew by any means, nor was he overly tall, but even for someone of as average build as he was, the alley felt hard to get through. He was starting to think the design was on purpose, to keep people from attempting to make their way down here, at least, accidentally.

He could see now in the dim overcast of streetlights and passing cars that the dead end was in fact part of a brick building, old, very old. There was no door to be seen, only the shadowed start of a staircase in the same brick as the wall. Taking a deep, shuddered breath, Sylus descended into the darkness. The stairs stopped abruptly at a heavy door engraved with odd markings, ones he didn’t attempt to try to understand. He raised his hand to knock. The door opened before he could, just a crack, enough for a voice to be heard from the other side.

“Do you have an appointment?”

Sylus straightened and gave a nod, trying hard not to fumble his words, “Yes. I’m here to speak to Zero.”

A man pulled the door full open now. Sylus looked up as his eyes adjusted to the dark. Before him was a pale, lanky man, with slicked black hair, and a suit that did not read as Men’s Warehouse. The smell that wafted out was iron mixed with booze, sickly sweet. This was without question the right place. The man in the door stepped aside, his whisp of voice like ice in Sylus’ veins, “I would recommend not calling him by his first name, unless given permission. Sir will do just fine. Have a seat at the bar and he’ll be with you shortly.”

“Apologies.”

The inside of the place was like something out of a movie. Deep red velvet curtains lining the walls framed to look like windows that weren’t there. A few black tables and chairs scattered around the room, a wooden bar to the left with stools bolted to the ground. Sylus was surprised to see people inside, but there were people, at least they looked like people. Some sat together at tables making out, a few sitting at the bar nursing drinks. Sylus attempted a calm demeanor, though he was sure the pace of his heart more than gave away his fear. He lowered himself onto a stool and looked over the bar; a beautiful blonde was serving a man at the end, pouring a dark thick liquid into a wine glass. Sylus felt his stomach turn at the thought of what it could be.

For as long as his family had been indentured servants to vampires, it still always made his skin crawl at the thought of what they truly were. One never simply got used to vampires. Now, sitting in the bar of one who did not league with the other houses, he felt the fear of his mission grip him all over again.

The woman languidly made her way to him, he couldn’t take his eyes off her, but he knew what she was. Her skin was so pale, and she did nothing to hide the marks on her neck. Not all of them were on the neck of course, but she wore hers like a badge of honor.

“What’ll it be handsome?”

The simple words were sultry on her lips, a lure for wanting to draw him closer. Sylus knew their ways, knew how easy it was to be pulled in by them. His father had taught him everything and for the last 36 years of his life he’d been witness to every sort of vampiric lifestyle. He shrugged her off, turning his gaze from her and looking around the room.

“I’m good. Just waiting.”

She stiffened a bit, then shrugged, and wandered off. The last thing he needed was to be slipped something in his drink before seeing one of Chicago’s most notorious vamps. What he was doing was neither smart nor easy. He could very well never walk out of here again. It would take nothing for Zero to kill him. Even if he made it out, if he were found out, he could still be killed. He’d been so careful coming here though. He was certain no one knew.

“Sylus Beckett, what a surprise.”

The voice froze him in place, it was a voice he’d heard only once before, it was a voice you didn’t forget. Sylus swiveled in his chair, not ten feet from him now stood a broad-shouldered man with silver white hair and ice blue eyes. It was odd to see him dressed so modern, black tight-fitting jeans with a low V-neck t-shirt of the same color. He wore an amused smirk that slipped easily into a smile as the two men met each other’s gaze.

“Save a man’s life once…tsk tsk…” there was a sass to his tone, playful, but deadly serious underneath, “Tell me you aren’t here to ask me to save your life twice.”

Sylus gave an awkward shake of the head, “I- uh… no. I’m here on another matter.”

“Oh?” Zero raised an eyebrow, titling his head slightly, “Color me intrigued. By all means then, step into my office.” He swept his hand out towards the door he’d emerged from and watched as Sylus stood and walked past him.

Sylus was stiff in his movements, his mind wandering to what would have happened had he said he was here to ask for his life to be saved. A shudder ran down his spine. Zero moved behind him silently, when they were both within the confines of the somewhat smaller office, Zero shut the door and sank lightly into a leather chair behind the desk. He gestured to a chair across from him and Sylus sat, looking anywhere but directly at the vampire.

“So, Sylus, if you aren’t here for your life… then who do you want me to save?” Zero leaned back in the chair, unbothered by seemingly anything. Always a cool air about him.

Sylus sat up straight, looking directly at the centuries old man, and took a breath, “I want to hire you as a bodyguard to my sister.”

This piqued Zero’s curiosity. He sat up straighter as well, leaned forward on the desk a bit, “Why would a servant of House Bathory require a bodyguard outside of any of the Vampiric Houses? Surely, she can’t have gotten in that much trouble that you’ve become desperate enough to ask me. I’m sure Liza will be more than happy to accommodate your needs within your own house.”

He moved to stand but Sylus stood first, the fear obvious now, but Zero could sense it wasn’t a fear for himself. The Vampire relaxed in the chair, studying the human. Once when Sylus was just a boy and still learning what his life would be, he attempted to murder one of the family members of a House Bathory rival, hoping it would free his family from a life indebted. At the time Zero had been working for the rival house to watch over their youngest on his first hunt. It was the youngest that Sylus attacked in the dark alleys of Chicago. Zero let it happen for a while before he realized who the human was. It was hard to keep track of every House’s pet, but when he realized, he stopped the fight, Sylus was badly injured but beyond that, he was in danger of being killed by Liza for his severe lack of misunderstanding to the rules.

Feeling slightly sorry for the boy, having been born into this world, Zero brought him back to Liza, telling her how Sylus had been attacked by a human gang, that he himself had just been in the area and happened to hear the scuffle. He thought he’d get a meal out of the fresh corpse, however, he found instead Sylus and upon recognizing him as her property, promptly returned him.

Liza, of course, believed him. It was Zero after all. She saw no reason one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in the city would lie. So, the secret remained between the two, who thought they’d never cross paths again. That was 22 years ago. Now they sat face to face once more, only this time the human was asking for the vampire to protect someone else.

“No. Liza can’t know. No one can know.” There was fear, desperation, and a hint of stupidity. Sylus twisted his hands together, pressing on, “I want to hire you to protect my sister, watch out for her. She hasn’t been in any trouble, and I want it to stay that way. My family has served House Bathory for generations, with no end in sight. No matter what we give or do, we’re just expected to fall in line until our lives are over and we’ve given more generations to live in proverbial chains.”

Anger rose in him, the plan was already laid out, but unless Zero agreed to this, there would be no point in even trying, “You attach yourself to no house, hold no loyalty to anyone other than yourself, you are at the top of the food chain…as it were…”

Now Zero stood, glaring at Sylus, “What idiotic thing have you hatched now child? Are you going to attempt another failed murder?” his tone dripped with mockery, yet beneath, a genuine want to know.

Sylus met Zero’s gaze, “I am going to take down the Vampiric Houses’. Every last one of them and free humans.”

Zero erupted in deep melodic laughter, tossing his head back, hand to his chest. Sylus did not laugh. The vampire laughed another minute before calming down, “I knew you were dumb, but this, this may be the single stupidest thing you’ve ever spoken aloud.”

“I’m serious, Zero.”

The room grew eerily still. No one called him by his name without permission. Now Sylus played a very dangerous game. In the blink of an eye Zero was upon Sylus, pinning him to the wall, hand round his neck, staring into his eyes, “You dare use my name.”

Sylus didn’t fight back, didn’t move, “Yes, because this is serious, and I want you to know it.”

Zero let out a growl and released Sylus, “What the hell do I stand to gain out of one puny human trying to topple the Houses’?”

Sylus was solemn, “I’m not doing this for you to gain something, I’m doing this to save my sister, even if all I do is take down Liza, then so be it.”

Zero whirled on Sylus, a cruel smile making his fine features look harsh, “You? You are going to take down Elizabeth Bathory? Feared even among the immortal. A ruthless murderer, which I’m sure you’ve seen firsthand. Mortals thought her dead, only she’s been living in the shadows of this city for a couple centuries. You’re going to take down her and her entire House? It’s laughable at best.”

“I’m not backing down. You don’t have to be a part of any of my plans, you don’t even have to help me. All I want is for Cordelia to be safe. If I die, so be it, but she deserves a better life.” His head dropped, staring at the floor, hands twisted even tighter together with anxiety, “Please, Sir.”

“I’m already involved now!” Zero roared as his fist came down on his desk, cracking the solid wood. “You told me your plans; you gave me information I shouldn’t know! Even if I was interested in seeing that bitch fall, I can’t be a part of it… and now I am weaved into your tapestry of madness!” Zero brought his hands up to his face, covering it for a moment, then lowering them again. He couldn’t even deny that he had wanted to see Liza taken out for as long as he’d known her. She was vain, cruel for the sake of it, enjoyed killing far more than his own tastes allowed. It didn’t mean he wanted to be a part of that, he’d spent centuries not getting wrapped up in the drama and the old ways of those like Liza. He detested it. They wanted to live in the past whereas he was content with embracing the modern world, he enjoyed the fashion, the entertainment, the music. Things weren’t slow and stuffy and boring anymore, not to mention the number of willing humans wanting him to feed on them. They didn’t ask to be turned, didn’t run in fear, they wanted him to drink from them. Liza, Morgan, Marcus, Alessa, Gabriel, and Horace were the exact reasons Zero refused to align with any of the Houses.

They pranced around the city as if they owned it, kept humans as pets, servants… used them for their own whims, breaking them down until they became useless. Zero had no love for humans but using them like fodder was the old way. Fuck, he thought. He was already roped in just by Sylus walking into his club tonight. He’d watched the boy grow up from afar, knowing damn well that Sylus was stubborn enough to go through with whatever the hell he was planning.

“What exactly are you planning?” Zero sounded much calmer now, though still ready to murder the idiot standing before him at any second.

“The less you know, the better. I know you don’t want to be tangled up in the bullshit of the six Houses, so I’m trying to keep you as far out of it as possible. Hell, I wouldn’t be here at all if I wasn’t worried that the first retaliation of Elizabeth would be my sister. Just keep her in no man’s land for now. Make something up, if they ask, tell them you met her at a club, or wherever it is you go these days. I-I’ll set something up, so you can “bump” into her.” Sylus took a deep breath and met Zero’s now burning gaze once more, “Let them do whatever it is they may do to me. If I manage to bring down even one House before I’m killed it will have been enough. Cordelia doesn’t know I’m here, she doesn’t know my plan, and I can’t watch her suffer at the hands of these damn bastards any longer.”

The two stared each other down for a long time, neither speaking. Sylus waited with bated breath in the hope that Zero would agree. Zero stood there fighting the urge to say yes, he owed nothing to this ‘boy’, nothing to the sister he didn’t even know existed until now. If anything, this would just be another debt Sylus owed him. That thought struck something in the vampire and a spark flickered in his icy blue eyes.

“I’ll make you a deal Sylus. Seeing as you already owe me a life debt, we’ll double down on it. I will protect this sister of yours, but you…” he stepped from around the desk, reaching into the pocket of his pants, “…you will not fail in taking down at least House Bathory.” He pulled out something small, wrapped in a dark piece of cloth and held it out to Sylus, “This may help you with that, but do not open it until you are alone.”

Sylus was stunned for a moment, unable to move for fear that he’d somehow slipped into a dream. Stiffly his hand reached out and he took the wrapped object. It was hard beneath the cloth, he stuck it in his pocket.

“Find a way for your sister to be at the Concord Music Hall this Saturday. Early, before the concert starts. Tell her you won tickets or something. I’ll be there, waiting. It’s a rock concert, I hope that isn’t a problem.”

Sylus shook his head, “She loves music, so this will be perfect. Do I just have her give her name at the door or something?”

“Yes, I own the building, I’ll let them know Cordelia Beckett gets in for free.” He turned and went back to his desk, sinking into the chair once more, “You may go now Sylus.”

He nodded, leaving the office, just before he shut the door behind him, he turned to looked back at the vampire one last time, “I won’t let you down, Zero.”