Page 5 of Rock Bottom
I was a human for twenty-four years, but I’ve been a vampire for nearly two hundred and sixty years. I’m a baby compared to the vampires who’ve owned me, but most vampires earn their freedom during their first century of life.
It’s my belief the vampire who made me didn’t want me to be free, and thus didn’t teach me what I needed to know to pass the Concilio’s tests. However, the wordfairdoesn’t exist in supernatural law, only strength, power, cunning. It’s all about survival of the fittest, and perhaps I enjoyed being taken care of too much to fight for my freedom back then.
Now, however, I look forward to following Marco’s guidance so I can someday be something other than a slave.
“I’m intrigued,” Silver said. “My parents were big Jules Verne fans, which should answer your question. Also, I approve of your guidelines for a first scene — a way to get to know each other without having to negotiate boundaries. I’m contractually obligated to be at the party a few more hours. If your boss can spare you the night, I’d love for you to accompany me to my hotel room when I’m able to leave. I’m going to leave this room now, and one of my managers will come in to talk to you about the logistics of making that happen. I’m under heavy security, so your guard shouldn’t be needed, but if she is, she can coordinate with my people.”
Her tone was tender and grounded, but also a little playful. She didn’t like having to deal with the minutiae, the details of negotiating, but she knew it had to be done, and her scent told me she was looking forward to what came later, even if she didn’t like this part of it.
She walked out, and a few moments later an older gentleman walked in, opening his cellphone so it was tablet sized.
“I’m Charlie, the manager for Mythic Beast, and we have to be careful about what information gets out about Silver. I have an NDA, a non-disclosure agreement, which I will explain to you in full before you’re expected to sign, but in a nutshell, if you verify to anyone that you had sex with Silver, you’ll owe Silver a half-million dollars or treble damages, whichever is more. If you don’t have assets we can seize, your future paychecks will be garnished, with interest. If any information whatsoever about Silver makes it to the public and it comes from you, you’ll be fined a minimum of two point five million dollars whether you profited or not, but again, if three times whatever you earned from the information is more, then that’s what you’ll be fined.”
Marco’s voice came in my head.Ask him to let you read it through completely, in silence.
I did so, and when I reached the bottom, Marco told me,If you wish to sign it, tell him you understand your legal responsibilities and potential liabilities, and then after signing, request a copy of the signed document be sent to your email. Understand that if you should end up owing any of these sums and I’m forced to pay on your behalf, you’ll be a slave for many, many centuries before you’ll be able to work yourself free of the debt. I believe you’ll be able to follow the terms outlined, though, so I’m not telling you whether to sign or not. It’s your choice.”
Thank you for looking out for my best interests, Master. What was the wording again, Sir?
I understand my legal responsibilities and potential liabilities. Please send a copy of the signed document to my email.
I deal with contracts all the time, so reading through it told me all I needed to know. He wanted to explain more to me, but Marco’s fancy wording convinced Charlie I understood what I’d read, and he handed me a stylus so I could sign and date it. I wrote my TBC email address below the signature line when he instructed me to do so, and a few minutes later, Marco assured me it was in my inbox and all was well.
“You work for The Billiard Club?” Charlie asked, probably making conversation based on the email address I’d used, but it was also possible he was gauging my suitability as a suitor for his client.
“I am personal assistant to the owner of TBC. He owns several other establishments, and his office is elsewhere, so I’m rarely on the premises.”
He nodded. “Silver is special to a whole lot of us. Doesn’t matter who your boss is, we’ll hurt you either financially or physically, or possibly both, if you hurt her in any way.”
Tell him you’re happy to know Silver has people who care for her.Moira’s voice, this time. Marco had just stepped in for the legal bits.
I told him, and he said, “Is there something you need us to obtain for you? Silver has condoms in a variety of sizes, and lube, in her room. Condoms are required.”
Well, this was embarrassing, but it had to be said. “I have need of the largest condoms available.” I told him the specific brand and size that works best, and an alternate if it couldn’t be found. I don’t often have to wear them because vampires can’t father children and we can’t catch diseases, but previous owners had taught me of their use, so I can roll them on if needed when we play with humans who don’t know what we are.
“I’ll see they are in the drawer of her nightstand.”
Charlie walked me out of the room, and Venom met us at the door and walked me towards our people.Marco felt you grasped the main points of the contract, but he wanted me to point out that whatever the circumstances, you keep your damned mouth shut about even knowing Silver casually, no matter who you’re talking to. People will try all manner of trickery to get information from you because knowing any tidbits about a famous person can be quite valuable and lucrative if you know how to monetize it. This also means you don’t text the information or email it, because if someone hacks your device or the other person’s device, you’ll still be liable.
And if another vampire gets the information from my head and sells it?
Marco’s people won’t do that because if they do, they’ll find themselves in a world of hurt that will include losing every asset they own besides horrible tortures and several decades, at least, in a box.
I didn’t talk to Silver again for a while. She made the rounds and talked to most everyone in the room while I stood near Marco and talked to our people, keeping tabs on who came to speak to him, and whether I should tune into their conversation or not based on whether it was likely to include a business discussion or not.
Eventually, Charlie came to get me, and he walked me out of the room while Silver was speaking to a couple of the bikers about a video game about to be released.
He didn’t speak to me while we walked down the hallway, and when I went to speak to him on the elevator, he shook his head to — I assumed — tell me to be quiet. When we stepped off the elevator, a man in a black suit nodded to him, and Charlie told me, “Silver won’t be far behind us. This entire wing is ours, and your security detail is set up in our control room. She informed us she’ll need to have you home before five in the morning so you can prepare for a six a.m. meeting?”
I nodded. “My boss keeps a hectic schedule that includes phone and video meetings with people all over the globe. Thank you for allowing my security into the sanctum of your control room.” I didn’t know whether it was Adelaide or Moira, but I thought I managed a proper thank-you.
“I’m told she has impressive credentials, and that’s saying something when it’s our people saying it. Your boss clearly values you highly.”
Adelaide, then. She’s my assigned guard, though I figure Moira could do just as much damage if someone pissed her off.
The elevator dinged, and Silver stepped out with a large male guard.
“Enjoy your evening with our Silver,” Charlie said, and he walked onto the elevator.
