Dragonet

Chapter Eight

Dragonet had tripped over a wire in landing, ending up flat on her back with the light rain pounding down in her face. Struggling to her feet she walked over to the towers guy-wire, studying it. It was the same temperature as the night air so it had been invisible to her new sight. She tested it, swallowing. If she'd been diving, had hit it just right... It might just be strong enough to have taken her wing off. Maybe even her head. She wasn't sure what her fantastically fast healing ability might be able to do but losing her head ought to be pretty much terminal. She noted the danger, filing the information for further study. Three had to be a way to detect those wires after all. Maybe by the sound wind made going over them, her hearing was still improving she’d noticed. Carefully she walked to a fire door nearby since there were no skylights here. She'd have to go in, so using one claw to slowly slice through the battle rusted latch she opened the door and walked in.

Black Dollop Willy sat up straight as the roofs silent alarm sounded. Pressing a button he found himself looking at the slowly closing fire door, the black and white image grainy on his monitor. Turning a rheostat the camera's image changed as it spun around slowly. What he saw then made him gasp. A small female form walked slowly away from his camera, wings fluttering as they closed Selecting the next camera he nearly passed out when the figure was splashed with light from a window. "She's real" he whispered, staring at the winged form from his dreams. Grabbing a blank tape, or it was now, he shoved it into a recorder and started a record of everything that would happen. "SHE'S REAL" he yelled grabbing a phone. THE HIGH CASTLE's dreams had been answered. A real vampire had just walked into his struggling Goth club. Now if they could only keep from scaring her off.

In seconds he was talking directly with the DJ down at the main floor. Tapping buttons he followed the unaware woman as she moved through the building. Below the massive projection screen flickered, reruns of Dark Shadows vanished to a hale of complaints. Then Dragonet's image popped up with the word LIVE FEED at one corner. Everything went quiet as partygoers realized what they were watching. Here, in their building, coming towards them, was their dream Goddess. The DJ studied Dragonet's image as he softly warned everyone not to look directly at her if she came in view. "We do not wish to frighten our Goddess" he said softly, grabbing another tape at random. "Do not point, do not scream, do not stare. I think she's headed for the North balcony. Watch the screen, talk to each other. Dance. Do not notice her." He put on the new track, a Arabic-Galiec mix. It was a slow, haunting music and a club favorite.

Dragonet hadn’t spotted the cleverly concealed cameras so she had no idea she’d been noticed. Moving as quietly as her police training allowed she opened each door in turn. Most rooms were empty, some had old rusting or rotting office furniture. HIGH CASTLE she remembered, had been a bank once. So long ago though that it had been closed before her birth. Finally she reached the perfect spot to spy on the clubs proceedings, a dark platform that opened high above the floor below. A metal railing was now the only thing between her and the open space beyond. A perfect place to watch the crowd, to watch for anything illegal.

Black Dollop screamed in delight, making adjustments as fast as he could. Unknown to Dragonet she was almost directly above the massive video screen and in full view of a high resolution colour camera meant to pick out players on the floor far below. Her image in high resolution quickly filled the screen. He zoomed in on her face and his heart nearly stopped. She was beautiful. The iron railing gave a scale, small yes, but... He swallowed "God" he whispered, "Those dreams were true. A Goddess come to LIFE! YEAH!" Now if only he had a mike up there. Grabbing his checklist he flipped pages, only to throw it down in disgust. The nearest mike was sixty feet away and only a cheap one meant to pick up walking noises. For what he wanted it was useless. He watched as Dragonet's lips suddenly began to move, "She's Singin ta tha music" he gasped. And no damn mike. He stood and spun in frustration. THAT would be fixed in the morning, he'd make certain of that!

The music had finally ended, it wasn't exactly what she'd liked but it'd been nice. Certainly the best music she’d heard since going undercover a year ago. High above the small crowd Dragonet had noted the small crowds attention focused in her general direction. 'Can they see me?' she wondered, then realized they were looking below her. There had to be an entertainer just below her, or a movie screen. She couldn’t remember much about HIGH CASTLE since it hadn’t been in her assigned area. Changing her location though would be a mistake since she currently had a direct route out. Getting lost inside a building she didn’t know meant being captured. Capture was not in her plans. If her parents every found out what had happened to their youngest daughter.... She studied the crowd, all dressed in dark clothing. She didn't like black colors, pastel colors were more to her taste. Still the women were wearing tight revealing outfits and as she watched, one drew her attention. Pale skinned, whiter than anyone else around this woman certainly hadn’t been in the sunlight in a long time. She wore something with a neckline that plunged well below a delicate navel. New music started and the girl suddenly started dancing with a male. She was thin, maybe half again as tall as Dragonet herself yet still smaller than any of the others there. Yes Dragonet decided, after spotting the woman slip something to another dancer. She is the one, she’s my informate for this club. It was time to go though, Stretching her cramped muscles, wings spreading wide behind her she yawned, needle fangs dropping naturally as her mouth opened fully. Light glinted off their ivory surface, promising much to those below. Then she turned and hurried out of the building.

Everything stopped as they watched their.. THEIR vampire leave. The crowd waited, only twenty or so people but for the next minute they were one. Finally she was gone and the screen changed, a test pattern. Everyone waited until it cleared. There she was again, watching them, singing to their music, with them. And hunting. That was instantly obvious, after a few loops it became obvious that one of them had been chosen. The building suddenly shook with voices as everyone started talking as on the screen was a single frame. Their Goddess in all her glory, skin shining, massive wings outstretched and fangs waiting hungrily. Something grand had just happened and they were there! Which of the crowd had their new Goddess chosen? Which would have to live on forever to serve only her. Knowing only they had what she needed.

If only they suspected the truth....