Page 92 of Homecoming

“Can I help…” his words fail and his voice fades into nothing but shivers.

There’s a loud sniffing sound and the man in front of him closes his eyes, as if savoring the smell. “Ah... books.... Real books. They smell so good, don’t you think? Certainly better than ‘human’ vampires. You should consider updating that cologne; it’s so last century.” The man steps from the shadow and smiles. His personal bodyguard tips a large pile of books from an old round-backed chair and dusts it down before placing it directly in front of the old glass counter.

“Tea. I think we should take tea, don’t you? And then you can tell me what it is you know. Tea always brings a little civility to proceedings.”

“I… I do not have any tea. I do not I… I have no need for it,” the aging vampire trembles in a whimpering voice.

“Really? Still, no matter. Now just relax and tell me… what information could you possibly have that would make me come here in person?”

“I did not know you would come in person. I thought you would send someone.”

“Well… I’m here now, so let’s get on with it, shall we. I’m in a hurry and need to be somewhere soon.”

“I had a visitor here earlier today. The… the she-wolf that had been asked about. She came here. I had not seen her in a quite some time, but she came looking for books. And I had been informed there was a reward for information about her.”

“And that’s it? Just she came here. That’s what you wanted to tell me? Why would I waste my time coming here just to know that?”

There’s a low snarl and the man rapidly clicks his fingers. The burly man with him grabs up the bookish vampire and, holding him by the throat, thrusts him against the wall. Squeezing his large hand, he closes it slowly around the vampire’s scrawny neck.

“I believe you’ve wasted my time. I have a meeting I need to attend, and you have made me late summoning me here for this nonsense.”

“No, wait…” the man coughs and chokes. “Wait, please. She was looking for a book. A rare—extremely rare—book.”

“Wait…” At a raise of the seated man's hand, the guard immediately lets go. “What book?”

“She did not know the exact title, but I think after a little research I did, it is an almanac—an almanac of demonology.”

“I’m not interested in books that she’s looking for. You are a waste of time. Come, we need to leave.” He clicks his fingers again.

“But that book—it is an encyclopedia of demon lore—including vampire lore. It contains everything one could ever wish to know. But most interestingly, she asked about children… vampire children.”

“Vampire children?” The man turns and his purple eyes glower. “But they are a myth—a made-up tale, are they not?”

“That is what I told her, but she said that book contains information regarding them.”

“And do you know why she wanted it?”

“No. Just that she was looking for it.”

“But you have this book?” He watches as the vampire shakes his head. “Then you can get it?”

“I do not know. As I told her—it’s an extremely rare find. If it even still exists. Most would be lost in thrift stores or vast library collections. My research concludes it is an unassuming book. Many collectors would not be aware they have it—most may only have purchased it on a whim because it was rare—or more likely because it was expensive. The serious collectors I know rarely look at the books they own. They are often bought by the curators of their collection—purely for investment. Where she has seen this book, I cannot say.”

“This is true even of my own collection. Very well. Get it—the book, get a copy of it.”

“You require a copy? But I am not sure I can…”

“No. No, you get it for her. You find it and you get it for her.”

“But it will be very expensive and even if someone were to have it, I doubt they will part with it unless the fee is substantial.”

“I don’t care how expensive it is. You offer what it takes to get someone to part with it. Do you understand? If you don’t, you’ll be needing to find a new owner for this store.”

“Very well,” the vampire man gulps. “But it could take some time. Should I call you when I find it?”

“Please do. Now, have a good day. Oh, and get some tea for the next time I call—and that cologne, don’t forget to change it.”

The driver drops the vampire to the floor and watches him slide with a gasping sigh down the wall.

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