The Queen of the Night

Carla

Chapter two - Carla 

After a restless nights sleep, I was relieved to be leaving the dirty motel behind me. I had no clue where we were going but I prayed it had a clean bath tub. I had argued with Caesar for most of the night on the Axel situation, I finally managed to get him to agree to me visiting him once the heat had died down, but the gods only know when that would be. I climbed into the back seat of a very old banged up mustang, “Are you ready to tell me where we’re going?” I asked impatiently as my stomach let out a huge growl. Caesar turned around from the drivers seat and looked at my stomach in amusement, “Somewhere for breakfast I guess.” I rolled my eyes at him as he shifted the gears and began to drive off down the long highway, the tires kicking back the desert dust behind us. 

   The scenery was like a wasteland, almost apocalyptic. We didn’t pass a single car or person for about an hour, and by this point I was starving! I kept thinking about the tiny human I was now growing. I had never given much thought to becoming a mother during my life, most girls my age in the neighbourhood that I grew up in all had those pretend crying babies, they would dress them up and push them up and down the street in a stroller. But not me, while these little girls played happy families I was learning the quickest way to load a gun when in a stress situation, and what to do if you or someone you know has a bullet wound. 

   Jaxon and I had spoken about it once, but I shut it down quickly. I know that whatever happens, I want this child to have a chance at a normal life, free from the mafia and all things supernatural. I think Axel would want that too on some level. 

Thankfully we pulled up into a diner, it was too risky for me to go inside but of course Caesar had his yes man do all the dirty work. Although I hadn’t known him for very long I could tell that Dantè craved Caesars approval, he did everything he said without a second thought or argument. He was loyal and trusted that Caesar’s judgement would cause him no harm. 

   “Okay, what do you wanna eat mama?” Asked Caesar as we pulled up in front of the diner, it looked deserted. “Ummm, can I have something savoury and something sweet? Like a breakfast burger a milkshake and a cheesecake please? Oh but only chocolate cheesecake, I hate the other types. Oh and can I get some chips for the rest of the ride?” 

 They stared at me dumbfounded as if I’d just uttered an ancient dialect that nobody had heard in a million years, Dantè laughed at me- a loud deep bellowing laugh that made me smile. 

“Sure thing, I’ll be back.” He said as he quickly got out the car, leaving me alone for the first time with my kidnapper. I was curious about vampirism, I mean who isn’t? I decided that now was the time to indulge my curiosity and fill the deafening silence inside the car.

   “So, how many vampires are there?” I asked, cutting straight to the chase. 

“A lot.” He said simply, his eyes meeting mine in the rear view mirror. 

“So why is it just you two?” 

“The less people know you’re alive the better, Dantè is my right hand, has been since we were kids- I’d trust him with all my darkest secrets.” 

“So where are the rest? Is that where we’re going?” 

“Probably hidden in a basement somewhere, hiding out from the light.” 

“The light? You mean the sun?” 

“Yep. Vampires can’t walk around in the day time or else we burn to death.” 

“Then how come you both can?” 

“I know a witch or two, they cast a protection spell on us. But of course the cost is high, so only

a select few of us have the privilege.”

“Don’t they get jealous? I mean you basically get to carry on living your life to the fullest while they’re trapped in a basement?” 

“It helps keeps the soldiers in check, I reward my soldiers with a witch to cast the spell it’s how I keep them in line and stop them killing humans for sport.” 

“For sport?” 

“What do you think happens when you give the Mexican mafia the powers of a vampire? All your senses are heightened- more so than a wolf. We’re also stronger and faster than any other supernatural out there.”

“But how did it happen? Vampires were extinct.” 

“It’s a long story, all you need to know is that we’re not. We’re here to fight for our freedom, to be whatever we want to be.” 

“The witches made you this way so you’d do their dirty work?” 

“Maybe, I don’t trust anything that witches say. Every time a witch opens her mouth there has to be some crazy blood ritual or a goat sacrifice.” 

I went quiet, despite there being so many questions burning on the top of my tongue I could tell he wouldn’t answer them anymore. I looked back out of the window to see Dantè walking back out of the diner, struggling to balance all of the food I ordered. Instinctively I got out of the car to go and help him, I jogged over and grabbed the bag of food he carried. He gave me an appreciative smile and we walked back quickly to the car where Caesar looked pissed. 

As I climbed back in to the car as he gave me daggers “Every time you expose yourself like that you put yourself in danger. You’re not in the city anymore, this is gang land and regardless of who you are, you’ll get taken.” Snapped Caesar, I ignored him and began to dig into my food, he tutted and started to drive off back down the highway. 

   After quite some time, we finally reached our destination. We had made our way to a bustling neighbourhood- where it was I couldn’t tell you, but it was hot. I wiped my forehead free of sweat as I stepped out of the car the examine my surroundings better, it was sensory overload; a far cry from the quietness of Thorne hill. The street was booming with music, all different types from each household- the melody entwining with one another making it hard to distinguish. 

     “Caesar! I’m so glad to see you where have you been?” Called an assertive voice from outside the sickly yellow house. I turned my head to see a large woman in a blue pin striped dress rushing out of her rocking chair that sat neatly on the front porch. She embraced him fiercely, closing her eyes and taking him all in, she must have been about 60 years old with dark wirey grey hair that shone brightly under the burning sun. Her eyes were emerald green like Caesars, and her laugh lines were prominent, without warning she lifted her hand and slapped him across the face. I couldn’t help but let out a gasp at this fiery woman who dare to slap a vampire. 

   “ITS BEEN TWO MONTHS, YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE A PHONE? I thought you were dead!” She exploded, the laugh lines turning to worry lines in an instant. 

 “I’m sorry, I’ve been tied up.” He said simply and cooly while massaging his face, she then turned to me with a curious expression on her face, “Who’s this?” She asked as she studied me closely, making me feel awkward as hell. 

   “This is Carla, she’s pregnant and I need you to take care of her while I straighten out some business.”

I stood there, mouth open completely dumbfounded by his brazen statement. He hadn’t spoke to this woman in months and he just expected her to be okay with me staying here? 

 What the f**k is going on? Carla?? He couldn’t come up with a better name than that?? 

“Carla this is my aunt Sophia.” He introduced us finally, I had no words after the audacity of this guy. 

“Hello Carla, I apologise for my nephew’s rudeness.” She said as she gave him an evil side eye look. She raised her wrist and checked the time on her watch, her eyes widened which concerned me. “Why don’t we all get better acquainted inside, it’ll be night fall soon.” She said smiling at me, she had an amazing warmth about her I couldn’t tell you why but I felt like I could really trust her. She put her arm around my shoulder and guided me up the path towards the house, leaving my new allies behind. 

   “Cora will be home soon, so how about I make you something to eat and then you can tell me all about why the Queen of the Wolves is alive.” She whispered as we walked inside, just out of earshot from Caesar and Dantè. I stopped in my tracks and turned to her with wide eyes, 

“How did you know?” I asked her worriedly. 

“You went on television and exposed us to the world, of course I know exactly who you are... Carla.”