Welcome to Wednesday Briefs! It's flash fiction, so this story will be presented in 1000(ish)-word chapters. I hope you enjoy it, and check out the many other flashers, whose links are below. You can also check out the Wednesday Briefs Blog for more info and to sign up for email notifications.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading!
THE BOYS OF BELSMEADE
*NOTE: There is an external link toward the end of this chapter. You can check it out if you'd like to. It will open in a new tab.
Chapter Six
A three-acre field separated the Ambrogi estate from the Becker's. The vampires had named the empty lot Little Switzerland. It was completely neutral; it didn't belong to either clan. Unlike its namesake, however, this plot of land had been the scene of many skirmishes.
This dark January night was no exception. A large crowd gathered on each side of the field. In the middle of the group, two boys stood, glaring at one another. Beside each boy was an older vampire—their fathers and Clan chiefs.
As their sons prepared to fight, Aristes Ambrogi locked eyes with Lukas Becker. The latter sneered and turned to leave the field. The elder Ambrogi fought the urge to grin in triumph. Everyone knew who would win the fight today. The larger issue was why Aramis had challenged Blake in the first place. The rumors that flew around the Clan were troubling indeed. The "why" would need to be dealt with, but for the present, it was time for Aristes to join his family on the sideline and make sure things didn't get out of hand.
He needn't have worried. In an instant, Blake bolted toward Aramis, intending to push him out of the battle circle, thus ending the challenge. The taller, stronger vampire had anticipated Blake's clumsy surprise attack. Aramis spun around and kicked his attacker in the chest. Blake flew backwards thirty feet and landed well out of the battle circle.
Aramis brushed off his jacket. "I think I'm done here."
Members of the Ambrogi Clan shouted and jeered at the humiliated vampire, until the Ambrogi chief ordered, "Silence!" Everyone immediately obeyed. Aristes turned to his son. "Go and shake hands with your opponent and then meet me in my office."
Aramis scoffed. "Dad, that wasn't even a real fight. It was one kick! Can't I go out with Robbie and—"
"My office," Mr. Ambrogi repeated. "Five minutes. I will not say it again."
After the Ambrogis left the field, a small group of Belannis gathered around their friend. Carson Nilsson asked, "What the hell, dude! You didn't even try against Ambrogi."
Blake cuffed him on the arm. "Why get my ass kicked when I know of a much better, much more effective way to bring Ambrogi down? Look what happened to fall out of his pocket when he took his coat off." He held up a smart phone and chuckled darkly. "Once I spied it on the ground, I figured I'd lose the challenge quick and snatch the phone."
Carson had a very, very bad feeling about this.
This dark January night was no exception. A large crowd gathered on each side of the field. In the middle of the group, two boys stood, glaring at one another. Beside each boy was an older vampire—their fathers and Clan chiefs.
As their sons prepared to fight, Aristes Ambrogi locked eyes with Lukas Becker. The latter sneered and turned to leave the field. The elder Ambrogi fought the urge to grin in triumph. Everyone knew who would win the fight today. The larger issue was why Aramis had challenged Blake in the first place. The rumors that flew around the Clan were troubling indeed. The "why" would need to be dealt with, but for the present, it was time for Aristes to join his family on the sideline and make sure things didn't get out of hand.
He needn't have worried. In an instant, Blake bolted toward Aramis, intending to push him out of the battle circle, thus ending the challenge. The taller, stronger vampire had anticipated Blake's clumsy surprise attack. Aramis spun around and kicked his attacker in the chest. Blake flew backwards thirty feet and landed well out of the battle circle.
Aramis brushed off his jacket. "I think I'm done here."
Members of the Ambrogi Clan shouted and jeered at the humiliated vampire, until the Ambrogi chief ordered, "Silence!" Everyone immediately obeyed. Aristes turned to his son. "Go and shake hands with your opponent and then meet me in my office."
Aramis scoffed. "Dad, that wasn't even a real fight. It was one kick! Can't I go out with Robbie and—"
"My office," Mr. Ambrogi repeated. "Five minutes. I will not say it again."
After the Ambrogis left the field, a small group of Belannis gathered around their friend. Carson Nilsson asked, "What the hell, dude! You didn't even try against Ambrogi."
Blake cuffed him on the arm. "Why get my ass kicked when I know of a much better, much more effective way to bring Ambrogi down? Look what happened to fall out of his pocket when he took his coat off." He held up a smart phone and chuckled darkly. "Once I spied it on the ground, I figured I'd lose the challenge quick and snatch the phone."
Carson had a very, very bad feeling about this.
********************
Aristes Ambrogi sat back in his chair and studied his son's face. It was one thing for Aramis to date a schoolmate from a vetted family outside the clans. It was a different matter entirely to date someone outside the school.
"Well?" Aramis asked nervously.
Mr. Ambrogi exhaled slowly. "I don't know, Aramis. This is so… unheard of."
The boy shook his head. "Un. Real. It's not like Eliot is another species." His father cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow. Aramis corrected himself. "Okay, technically he is another species, but Dad, he's special. I've never reacted that way before. And he likes me. I can tell."
"Senator Ishiro's daughter Suki liked you too," Mr. Ambrogi replied.
"And Suki is a girl. We've been through this. I don't date girls. Please. Just let me introduce you to Eliot, and then you can decide if I can go to the council. How does that sound?"
Mr. Ambrogi nodded. "Very well. The winter fete is in six weeks. You may bring him then.
Aramis shot out of his chair. "To the fete?" he cried. "No! I meant just our family."
The older vampire set his jaw and his eyes flashed silver-blue. Aramis got the warning and quickly sat down. Mr. Ambrogi said, "The Coven is your family, Aramis."
"Yes, sir. I apologize. However, I checked the laws today and it states quite clearly that any human has to appear before the council prior to entering a clan assembly. The fete's an assembly, right? So I'll have to bring him home first, and then to the council and then to the fete."
"It is a comfort to know that you follow the Laws of the Covens, Aramis," his father said with a grin. "Especially when it suits your purpose. Go ahead and bring this… Eliot to the estate. If I deem him worthy, I will speak to the council on your behalf."
"Really?" Aramis asked with an ecstatic grin. "You'd talk to them for me?"
Mr. Ambrogi walked around his desk and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "I want you happy, Aramis. You've been alone for far too long. If you think this boy will make you happy, then so be it."
"Well?" Aramis asked nervously.
Mr. Ambrogi exhaled slowly. "I don't know, Aramis. This is so… unheard of."
The boy shook his head. "Un. Real. It's not like Eliot is another species." His father cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow. Aramis corrected himself. "Okay, technically he is another species, but Dad, he's special. I've never reacted that way before. And he likes me. I can tell."
"Senator Ishiro's daughter Suki liked you too," Mr. Ambrogi replied.
"And Suki is a girl. We've been through this. I don't date girls. Please. Just let me introduce you to Eliot, and then you can decide if I can go to the council. How does that sound?"
Mr. Ambrogi nodded. "Very well. The winter fete is in six weeks. You may bring him then.
Aramis shot out of his chair. "To the fete?" he cried. "No! I meant just our family."
The older vampire set his jaw and his eyes flashed silver-blue. Aramis got the warning and quickly sat down. Mr. Ambrogi said, "The Coven is your family, Aramis."
"Yes, sir. I apologize. However, I checked the laws today and it states quite clearly that any human has to appear before the council prior to entering a clan assembly. The fete's an assembly, right? So I'll have to bring him home first, and then to the council and then to the fete."
"It is a comfort to know that you follow the Laws of the Covens, Aramis," his father said with a grin. "Especially when it suits your purpose. Go ahead and bring this… Eliot to the estate. If I deem him worthy, I will speak to the council on your behalf."
"Really?" Aramis asked with an ecstatic grin. "You'd talk to them for me?"
Mr. Ambrogi walked around his desk and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "I want you happy, Aramis. You've been alone for far too long. If you think this boy will make you happy, then so be it."
********************
Aramis had asked me to go out sometime, so we traded phone numbers. On the bus ride home, I assigned his number a separate tone for calls and texts. I couldn't believe that he wanted to go out with me. Me! The king of all things ordinary—except for this new patch of blond hair behind my ear. Even my father, the doctor, couldn't explain it. We chalked it up to hormones.
As I lay on my bed Saturday night, my phone chimed with the special tone reserved for Aramis. I excitedly opened the text, but was confused with the message.
As I lay on my bed Saturday night, my phone chimed with the special tone reserved for Aramis. I excitedly opened the text, but was confused with the message.
11pm Tonight – INFO HERE.
ETERNUM
ETERNUM
I clicked on the link and it brought up a password box. I took a chance at ETERNUM and hit enter. The blog consisted of a single post. An invitation to someplace called Artery in Boston. The simplicity, yet sinister quality of the image chilled my bones… and made me insanely curious.
Quickly donning some subdued club attire, I grabbed my keys and said, "Hey dad? I'm going down to a club in Boston."
"Boston?" he asked. "I don't know…"
"Please? I have my pepper spray and I won't talk to strange people."
Little did I know that people would be the least of my worries that night.
Quickly donning some subdued club attire, I grabbed my keys and said, "Hey dad? I'm going down to a club in Boston."
"Boston?" he asked. "I don't know…"
"Please? I have my pepper spray and I won't talk to strange people."
Little did I know that people would be the least of my worries that night.
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great story
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