Page 58 of Hollywood Games
Rory’s reaction was instinctive. He needed to get as far away from her as possible in the shortest amount of time. He leapt backwards off the bed, falling off the edge with an almighty crash, smashing into the bedside table and taking the lamp with him. The room went dark, the only light coming from the red embers of the fire. Kirsten crawled to the edge of the bed and looked down.
‘Are you okay, sire?’
Rory stood up, blood pouring from a gash above his eye. ‘What the fuck are you doing?’
Kirsten frowned. ‘The spirits. I need you.’
‘Get out of my room!’
Kirsten didn’t move. ‘But His Holiness said—’
‘Now!’
Kirsten scuttled off the bed and ran out, slamming the door behind her. Rory dragged on his clothes, his whole body wired. He wanted to puke, then punch someone. Hard. He rang Charlie.
‘Mate?’
‘Where are you?’
‘I’m, er, in my room.’
‘Get to Vlad’s room now to stop me fucking killing him,’ Rory snarled, hanging up.
He walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Charlie met him in the corridor. ‘What happened to you? Tried to shave with an axe again?’
‘Long story. Let’s just say Vlad’s been putting the wrong ideas into someone’s head and it’s gone too far.’
‘You need that seeing to,’ said Charlie. The gash was dripping blood down his face and onto his clothes. ‘You look like you lost a bar fight. Leave Vlad for the morning, he’s not worth it.’
‘I want that fucker out now. You’re here to make sure it’s not in a body bag,’ replied Rory, taking the steps to the attic rooms two at a time. They could hear shouting. Charlie gripped Rory’s arm and held him back.
‘You said you had taken away her pixie magic! You said he belongs to me!’ Kirsten was standing outside Vlad’s room, her curly red wig vibrating with rage. Vlad stood in the doorway, naked apart from a pair of black budgie smugglers with a picture of fire across the crotch. The smell of weed floated along the corridor and the sound of women giggling could be heard from inside his room. Doors along the corridor were beginning to open. Vlad held up his hands to placate Kirsten and she gawped at the one holding a chicken drumstick. Vlad dropped it to the floor and kicked it back into the room behind him. Kirsten followed it with her eyes.
‘My child, I have not yet finished the exorcism,’ Vlad said. ‘Give me a couple more days.’
Kirsten looked from the floor back to him as he licked barbeque sauce from his beard. ‘You’re finished in LA,’ she spat.
‘But, Kirsten! Wait, the spirits!’
Kirsten flipped him the bird. ‘Fuck them, Vlad, and fuck you,’ she yelled, storming back down the corridor, pushing past Rory and Charlie. Vlad slammed his door shut and turned the key.
Rory strode up and banged on it. ‘You’ve got ten minutes to pack, then you’re out of here,’ he roared.
‘Hey, man, what’s going on?’ called Brad from behind them. Rory turned. Brad was standing at the end of the corridor, dressed in a pair of silk monogrammed tartan pyjamas.
‘Holy crap, son, what happened to your face?’ he asked.
At the word ‘son’, Charlie grabbed Rory’s arm in a death grip. The door opened behind them and Vlad sidled out, back in his long robes, now accessorised with a tall black hat, festooned with silver coins.
He walked to Brad, the coins jangling, holding his arms wide. ‘A misunderstanding, everything will soon be back in alignment.’
‘Get the fuck out of my house, now!’ Rory yelled. Charlie held onto him, the muscles of his arms bulging with the effort. By now the corridor had filled with people taking in the show.
Brad held up his hands. ‘We’re all cool here, let’s chill. No one’s going anywhere.’ He clapped. ‘I’ve got it! Let’s go to the great hall and make a healing circle!’
Vlad nodded and stroked his beard. ‘An excellent idea, the spirits concur.’
‘Over my dead—’
