College Vamp

Prologue (EDITED)

1993

He had gone over his mental checklist multiple times. His hair combed back, overcoat free of dirt and his modest dress shoes shined with the best polish he could get. The man stood across the street from a bar in central Pennsylvania. The nighttime crowd bustling in and out of the two-story, red brick building. The streetlights dotting the area illuminated the sidewalks.

The man looked past the smiling, inebriated citizenry and tourists. His eye was on the inconspicuous stairwell next to the front door. A single glowing light hung above it - just ever so off center compared to the rest of the building. Steeling his nerves, the man crossed the street. He paid no mind to anyone he passed on his way; eyes locked on the staircase. He hurried down and out of the prying public's eye. At the bottom of the stone stairwell, he came to a door covered in fresh purple fabric with yellow stitching.

The man knocked firmly and stepped back, giving himself one more look over. He snapped to attention when a small rectangle door hole slid open. A pair of green eyes glared out at him.

"Pace pentru noi?"

"Într-o zi curând. Joseph Vitz." The suited man opened his mouth, revealing his fangs.

The green eyes blinked and the view hole closed. Several locks clicked, the purple door swung open, and the green-eyed man waved him in. Sprawled out before Joseph was a room that took up every inch below the main floor. The floor was covered with a diamond patterned, maroon and purple carpet. The tan walls were decorated with portraits of royal figures and their pristine regalia. Each spaced apart by pilasters with curtains draped over. In the center was a long table covered with cloth and had a vast selection of food and drink on top. The niche light fixtures above lit up the gathering of lords and dignitaries present.

They were divided into multiple groups, taking up their own spots amongst the chairs and couches. Each conversed over different topics and business compared to their neighbors. However, Joseph paid little mind as he walked deeper into the room. Despite the faces he recognized, his eye was on the group at the back right corner, next to a stairwell door.

Their dark suits were well-tailored from the collars down to the golden cufflinks pinned in their sleeves. Their hair combed back, glistening with gel. A spindly man sat in the finest chair of the bunch. His suit was far more regal with his vest and shirt sporting the room's color scheme. A long-collared cape sat draped over the back of his chair. Instead of a glass, he held a chalice filled with luscious red wine.

As deliberate as he could look, Joseph veered off to the dining table. He looked over the selection of wine, mentally sorting each by color. He shifted over to the red ones placed around the table's centerpiece. He panned a hand over the selection in front of him until one caught his eye. The color was a well saturated red, bearing a healthy glow from the room lighting.

However, he pulled back his hand.

No. Too obvious.

Joseph looked at his choices again, rethinking his criteria. His eyes ended up on a lone glass to his left. A white wine with a yellow-gold tint. The last of its kind on the table. Joseph slid over and carefully picked it up. Composing himself, he resumed his approach towards the group of men. He adjusted his fingers around the glass to mimic their etiquette, tuning into the conversation to find his moment.

"So, the man is asked to direct his majesty, Count De Ville himself, to the nearest lord in the area." recounted one man. His glass half empty and barely containing his laughter. "Guess where the dolt sends him, come on. Guess."

"Middleton Parish?

"No, a backalley sex shop."

The group roared. Some well under the influence. Joseph slid into an open spot between two men in front of him, feigning laughter at the remark.