Those Five: Short Story Compilation

Jidy

Satire looked back at the house on the hill shortly before disappearing into the morning. He was in argument with Chalice again, a discussion of their old issues...

Thiomo was already safe, asleep in the cellars, tucked comfortably in his rather expensive bed among the silk and pillows, a Little Prince with too much wealth to spare and an eternity to pursue everything and anything he wished, never mind if it was contradictory to the morals of his older brother.

They’d visited a club that night, a most unusual ‘mortal’ establishment lavished with pornography, where they had observed, drank, killed…but only because those who’d attacked them had chosen the fate. He’d even made an example to the boy, tied the wretched ‘new-age vampire’—it called itself out of preference—on a pole and watched the unearthly bonfire at dawn. They really don’t last that long. A few seconds, minutes…then they just fade into dust.

Dust. Wasn’t a satisfying lesson though. It reminded him of what they’d lost in ‘that’ bonfire mortals did away with their ancient home so long ago. Thiomo wasn’t able to witness it. Chalice had been too young then but he did remember, as the day had all but burned into Satire’s memory like the blazing sun...

A Dhampir, yes, that was what they were, but Chalice had not survived the tragedy unscathed. Satire had lost him to the centuries, to loneliness and sentiments and all other emotion. Would the same happen to Thiomo, the boy he now consorted, his current paramour though his loyalty remained to the older prince still?

Satire turned to leave. Into the morning he will pretend to be human, at least for some part of it until he chooses to close his eyes and lie down in the coffin he kept, the coffin he really did not need except as a reminder that he was, like the colour of his kin, the structure of his bones, an unnatural.  To rise again tonight when he was to execute a plan. 

He had picked up a most unwitting discovery that could very well change Chalice; or regain in some manner, a bit of his old self back. The older dhampir had found a reason for the old Prince to open himself to feeling again…and memories. And maybe Satire will be forgiven by him for the things he had done. Not that he expected it all to be all right after, but he could hope…

Dried leaves shuffled. The currawongs fluttered and cawed, disturbed by the sudden gush of wind which blew past them and through the bony branches, before they settled once more to watching over the graveyard and the lone house that stood there…  

#

So much angst on such a pretty face. Brown eyes glinting like he’s always mad with the world, the lot of it. Who wants to live when you can’t live at all? And working in a wormhole like this club with perverts and maniacs the fare of the day. Not to mention that he attracted most of them. That’s his unwelcomed specialty. Like drinks and mixes had been his forte. 

Constantly fending off bastards that want his flesh, he had been kept miserable. Terrible. Like he was a low-life of sorts. Well, he is now. An heir fallen from grace because he fell for the most unusual redhead of a man. That was ten years ago and he’s still paying for it. He’s not even gay for gods’ sake. Just got enticed, seduced by the idea. Crap. Reality now is that he’s already here. And he may never get out.

Another night at the Corner. 

The usual patrons that have too much time in hand and too little to worry about but dancing and looking for someone to crash with for the night. Jidy hoped he was not going to get the same attention that he got yesterday. Almost cost him his job (that’s what they call it, mixing drinks and being required to wear all this greasy black paint on your face). 

He had a reputation for always arguing with the customers, the manager had told him over curses and what-the-f*ck’s. And why wouldn’t he be if they were trying to get their hands on him, snaking their palms and running their fingers down into the most unwanted of places. Not that he was one who didn’t like to be touched. By women, yes. But coming from them. No way!