The Persecution: Part Seven

The neovision blared the news as Gabriel picked at his dinner. The Aisha reporter was rather peppy for a grey pet, and as she rambled off the latest happenings Gabriel carefully read the queue that sped by underneath her picture. The best news ran in the queue, the reporters only wanted to talk about what they thought would get them the highest ratings. Gabriel smiled as he read the news as it danced along the bottom of the screen.

     "See that, Cloud? Everything has been moving so much faster since Malice got his tail kicked off the council. I told you it would."

     The white Ghostkerchief looked at her owner lazily from her perch on the arm of the couch. She wagged her antennae sleepily at him and curled back up.

     Gabriel went on. "There's a law in the works, you know. The mayor is working on making it illegal for vampires to own a business in town. Already the tariffs have driven most away, but there are some stubborn ones still holding on." He gestured to the neovision. "It's only a matter of time now before vampires won't even get mentioned on that thing."

     Gabriel bunched up his napkin and dropped it on his mostly full plate, smiling. "Yes, Cloud, it's only a matter of time." He stood up, picking up his plate as he did. Before he could take another step though, Cloud flew over and hovered in his way.

     "What is it, girl?"

     Cloud nodded her head toward Gabriel's plate. He frowned. "I'm full."

     She shook her head, the motion translating to her cloth like body causing it to flutter like a loose piece of fabric.

     "Cloud, I don't have time for this. I'm working the night shift tonight, I have to go to work."

     She shook her head again and floated up to eye level, glaring at Gabriel. He tried to step forward, but she flew closer and bopped her head against his nose. Gabriel sighed.

     "Fine, Cloud. I'll finish off the potatoes, okay?"

     Cloud kept glaring, and Gabriel paused. "And the vegetables."

     He looked back at Cloud and her eyes flashed happily. She waved her antennae and rubbed her head against Gabriel's cheek, settling on his shoulder under the warmth of one of his floppy ears. He smiled and went back over to the table, walking carefully so Cloud wouldn't fall. Just as he sat down to eat, there was a knock at the door.

     Cloud groaned in protest as Gabriel quickly stood.

     "Calm down, it's just the door." He made his way toward the door, reaching out his hand to grab the doorknob. Just as he turned it and the door swung open, something leaped at him and hit Gabriel squarely in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Cloud frantically flew away as Gabriel spluttered for breath and tried to keep his balance. He looked up right into the face of a smiling green Blumaroo.

     "Vampires aren't so smart, huh?"

     Another fist flew at Gabriel, but this time he saw it coming and ducked in time, leaning backward and rolling away as he did. He moved back a few feet and remained crouched on the ground as he looked up at his attacker, smiling at him with a gap toothed smile.

     "Remember me? That stupid vampire you attacked in the alley?" He stepped closer. "Didn't think I would ever find you, eh? I have to admit, it was tricky, you covered your tracks quite well. It was easy enough when I saw that article though." He laughed. "Once I had your name all I had to do was do some snooping to find where you lived. And now I'm here."

     Gabriel stood and stepped back again as Tiberius loomed over him. "I'm here to make you pay. My fangs weren't the only thing you took from me, I lost all of my friends. My respect. And not just me, everyone! You have ruined life for the vampires!" He took another step forward and made a grab for Gabriel, but the Zafara was too fast. Gabriel laughed. He couldn't keep it down, he was proud of what he did and he wanted to shout it to the world.

     "You bet your sorry life I did! I fooled this whole town, I bent them to my will and it was easy! Anyone could control this place with a few well place rumors!" Gabriel laughed again as he felt the strength flow back into him, his confidence fueling his vigor. "And my article... that wonderful article I published about vampires! It was all so easy!"

     Understanding flashed across Tiberius' eyes. "It was you... you published the article, you started the rumors... it was all your fault!"

     Gabriel felt the pride swell up in his chest. "You bet it was! And I'm proud, everything just fell into place so easily!"

     Tiberius bared his teeth at him, the gaps from his missing fangs making him look like a fragile copy of one of the creatures that once destroyed his family.

     "You'll never get away with this! I'm going to expose you to everyone else in town, I'll show everyone the fraud you really are!"

     Across Gabriel's face spread a mocking smile. "I bet you will, you pathetic excuse for a-"

     Gabriel was cut off as Tiberius launched himself at him, teeth bared and his eyes filled with vicious fury. Gabriel simply stepped to the side, and Tiberius barreled into the couch, sending torn cushions and splinters everywhere. A large crack formed in the wall where the impact from the couch struck, and several of Gabriel's family pictures teetered and fell from their nails. The Zafara couldn't contain his amusement despite the damage.

     "Terrible. Never use so much energy on one strike, especially if you can't aim." Gabriel put his hands on his hips as Tiberius tried to stand back up, grabbing onto the table for support. His ears were bent in opposite directions, and his eyes rolled before settling on Gabriel. He blinked and his eyes blurred as he stepped forward, tumbling back down into the wreckage. He groaned and put his hands to his head.

     "You... You'll pay..."

     "Of course I will." Gabriel strolled over and pulled Tiberius from the pile. "You just keep thinking whatever your little heart wants." He picked up the cushions and ripped the fabric hanging from them, tearing them into strips and using them to tie Tiberius' hands behind his back. He resisted little; Gabriel could tell from the glazed look in his eyes that his mind was still scrambled from the impact.

     Once he was finished Gabriel grabbed Tiberius by his now tied arms and dragged him over in front of the large window at the front of the room. He put his hand on the drawn curtain as Tiberius weakly struggled against Gabriel's well tied knots.

     "No, Tiberius. I won't pay. But you will. Actually, I have to thank you. Now that you've attacked me, I have another report to make that will help my cause." He pushed open the curtains and the light of the crescent moon filled the room. Tiberius had given up struggling and looked blankly at Gabriel.

     "Now wait here like a good little Blumaroo. The sun will be here soon enough, but just to make sure you don't run off..." He left the room and returned with a small flask filled with sand. "I'll give you something to help you rest." Gabriel uncorked the flask and carefully sprinkled the sand over Tiberius' eyes. As the Blumaroo's lids slowly slid closed, Gabriel strode over to the door.

     "Now... sleep. I have to go to work."

*****

     Villia

     The sky was surprisingly clear for a Haunted Woods night, so the moon actually cast quite a bit of light onto the streets. Villia stalked along the side walk, her hood drawn up over her recognizable face. It was late, the middle of the night, but at this point it was the only time when vampires could travel safely.

     Villia once again looked at the slip of paper in her hand and at the address scrawled across it. Gabriel Kira, the man who had been attacked by that idiot Tiberius. She wanted to look him up and talk to him, perhaps make amends and try and convince him that vampires weren't all bad. She heard that he had a seat on the council now, and it would help to have a friend on the council, especially since there weren't any vampire friends with seats now. Even if he wouldn't see the light of her ways and refused her offers of friendship, perhaps she could accomplish something. A meal, perhaps. It wasn't like it could do any more harm, things were bad enough already.

     The house was tucked away in a neat row of brick dwellings, each one exactly like the last. After close inspection of the gates Villia eventually found the one she was looking for. Taking a deep breath, she put down her hood and stepped up to the door, knocking on it with three sharp raps.

     The moments of silence ticked by as Villia impatiently waited. After counting to sixty, she rapped on the door again.

     Nothing.

     Sighing, she turned to leave when a large window near the door caught her eye. She could see the curtains weren't drawn, and her curiosity stopped her in her tracks.

     Well... it wouldn't hurt to look.

     Carefully she picked her way over the neatly laid plants and over to the window, slowly so not to disturb any of the landscaping. Eventually she reached the window, gasping when she finally poked her head around.

     Tiberius lay on the floor of Gabriel's living room in full view of the window, he looked unconscious, not even stirring when Villia broke through the door to get to him. She rushed over, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him.

     "Tiberius! Wake up!"

     It wasn't until she slapped him hard across the face that he finally came to, his eyes slowly fluttering open.

     "Tiberius?"

     Tiberius groaned and shifted. "Who...?"

     "It's me, Villia. What in Fyora's name happened to you!?"

     Tiberius blinked again and his eyes cleared a bit. "Gabriel... he..."

     "Tiberius, you didn't come here and try and finish him off, did you?"

     "No..." Tiberius coughed. "Villia..." He rubbed his head and sat up with Villia's help. His face was filled with pain, and he had lost all of the light that his face once held. It wasn't until now that she could see what this entire ordeal has done to him.

     "Tiberius, just tell me what happened. Please don't lie anymore."

     "I'm not going to lie, Villia." He took a deep breath and a glint of strength shone in his eyes.

     "I'm going to tell you everything."

To be continued...