NaNoWriMo Writings

The place was empty, except for people who looked like waiters and waitresses gathered near a podium at the front door. He paused at some stores, a jewelry store, a pawn shop, Venda Ravioli, a couple of convenience stores containing dusty cans with white labels facing out of the windows. A bridal store, a laundromat, another restaurant.

This one, however, was lit up. Two men stood guard outside.

No, correction: two thin-bloods.

Ragest turned slowly to face them. One tucked his hand in his coat pocket. Ragest looked to try and see if there was an outline of a gun or something else.

“Can I help you?” The second vampire made a pushing motion with his hand to the first one. He took his hand out of his jacket pocket.

“Antony Giovanni.”

“Got an appointment?”

“How do I make one?”

The two of them looked at each other. It reminded Ragest of a bad comedy movie, where the gangsters didn’t know what was going on and would stare at each other, hoping one of them knew. Neither did, and the second vampire looked back at Ragest. “You gotta have an appointment.”

“I understood that,” Ragest said disgustedly. “Why don’t you check and see if he’s busy?”

{{Difficulty 6. Manipulation: 5, 5, 5, 6}} “He’s busy.”

“Then I’ll make an appointment for tomorrow night.”

The first thin-blood gave him an up-nod. “What’s your name?”

“Ragest.”

No recognition. This might be good. “You a dog? Cuz you sure as fuck smell like one.”

“Yes,” he said, drawing out the word as a sigh. He only hoped he wouldn’t get this attitude from Giovanni. If he would, he’d have to show him his place.

“Ragest the Dog.” The thin-blood laughed. Ragest only gave him a hooded look, and the baby vampire let his laugh trail off.

“Come back tomorrow,” said the other thin-blood.

Ragest continued down Atwells Avenue, toward a church. The road curved sharply to the right, so he followed that to a well-lit area.

This, he realized, was the real red-light district. He smelled pot, blood, and sex on the wind. To his left was an open bar, still thrumming even though it was only an hour until closing time. Past that were two store-front churches, one in Spanish, one in English.  Beyond that was a bustling take-out joint. A couple of girls tried to get his eye, but he hunched in his shoulders to cocoon himself from them. Maybe another night he would try their tainted blood, but not today.

A boy, about seventeen and too lightly dressed for the weather, approached him. Ragest saw him flick his hand.

“Yo. Gimme you shit.” He let the blade from the knife catch the light.

{{Diff: 3 Str, Dex 8.9.6,10,10,1}} Ragest shrugged his shoulders and gave the kid a good shove into the street, between two parked cars.