Chapter 1
Alex laid in bed his left arm resting across his chest his index finger tracing the shape of the chain link brand on his right side something he only did when he was tense. As he did he kept flashing back to the moment it was put there. The branding iron covered in molten rose gold and the faces of Janus and Klaus as they used it on his skin. He still felt the vivid memory of the excruciating pain as if it had just happened. It had changed since it was put there in 1711. Modern technology had meant what used to literally be a chunk of rose gold stuck to his skin had been reduced to a small lip and made more pliable. It now looked like a 3-D gold tattoo. It no longer gave him any physical pain just painful memories.
He looked at the clock 3.15 he needed to sleep but Klaus's sudden visit made him nervous. Why had he turned up now? When had he last seen him when he was turned in 1711; it was nearly 300 years later. No there was a brief distant glimpse of him at Verdun in March 1916. That's right Klaus getting a free meal from the nearly dead French soldiers. What could he possibly want?
He had to sleep he had clients today even a vampire could get puffy eyes. His looks, his body and face were the tools of his trade. Wednesday was a quiet day designed to slow him down for his day off on Thursday but this week he was having a long weekend no work until Monday. He sighed got up and went to the bathroom. He went straight for the bathroom cabinet and moved a couple of bottles aside and found the herbal sleeping draft he was looking for. He took a good swig of it returned it to the cabinet and went back to the bedroom.
He made a point of lying of the left side of the bed, scrunching up the pillows so he had them beside him to hug and so he could bury his head in them. He awoke when the alarm went off and without opening his eyes shouted, "Alarm off!" He raised himself on to his elbows looked sleepily at the time 6.30 already. He sighed deeply, lay back for a minute and ran his fingers through his bed hair, got out of bed and thought about his day. Klaus at 8 am then Amarante Donovan 12.30 till 4.30, the new lady Rachel Mc. Mc something, he forgot he would have to look that up, 5.30 till 7.00 then Lola Mane 7.30 till 9.00 then home.
First he got the laundry bag from the bathroom that contained yesterday's shirts, socks and pants. Being brought up in a French aristocratic family with over 90 indoor servants he had learnt nothing about chores and he had decided long ago he didn't, like or want to learn so the washing went out, when in LA, to Stanton Laundry Services. Alex had been using them on and off since they opened in 1901 but obviously they didn't know that. A good example of location knowledge being invaluable probably the best laundry service in LA. He got the Armani suit from the bedroom wardrobe he wore to Camille's put it in a suit bag and hung it by the door so he wouldn't forget to send it with the other laundry. Stanton dry-cleaned and pressed designer suits properly.
He went to the bathroom and took of his shorts damned now he had to walk back into the bedroom, open the laundry bag, toss them in, tie it up again and come back. Sleeping naked, as he normally did, was so much easier.
He got into the shower moved the jets around and then adding the big shower-head to the mix he turned the hot water on. He let the water hit him for a few minutes then he reached for the French vanilla shower gel. He always washed his body and hair in this stuff the smell was amazing and it always reminded him of his mother. Finished he turned everything off. Pushing his wet hair off his face he reached for a towel dried his face, rubbed his hair dry and finished his body before throwing the towel in with the other laundry.
As he left the bathroom he turned left and entered the main dressing room to choose his clothes. Amarante liked him in whatever he wore but she had sent him a black milky knit long sleeved top last week. He banned gifts from clients but Amarante wasn't his normal type of client so she was forgiven. He got that from the drawer, it was still packaged, and put it on the island behind him. He thought for a moment then decided to wear the hipster jersey bottoms with the white stripes down the legs. He then got out his boots he could tuck the bottoms into them. All his boots and shoes were boxed with a picture of them attached and each had a one black pair and of colour coordinating pair silk knit socks in them ready to wear.
Next Rachel M had asked for a professional business suit. He went to the racks that contained his suits. Every suit in a suit bag with a picture and details of the suit stuck to them all in colour order. The charcoal grey Tom Ford he got that out and placed that on the island. Next a shirt the new white Vivien Westwood, he got last week, and a pale plain grey silk tie. Lola she would love the top Amarante bought but she would need smarter trousers the black Voi skinny cords. Shoes well he could use the same for Rachel and Lola classic black Oxford Brogues the staple of any mans wardrobe. He got the shoes everything was now sorted.
He went back to the bathroom to brush his teeth, floss and mouthwash. He carried toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, deodorant, cologne and breath mints with him in his top up bag that he carried with him all day. He checked his face did he need to shave no just a quick shape up with the mini razor. Hair had to be okay for everyone a little gel to shape it. He had cut his long hair in the late 80's, the 1880s, and had followed fashion since only skipping the long 1970s permed-poodle look. He had to have two hair salons far away from each other because his hair grew quicker than humans. He had it cut every three weeks but each salon had a standard 6-week appointment.
He went back to the dressing room and got some black CK's from his underwear drawer and put a pair on. He then put on the top Amarante bought wow it was really soft and tight the buttons at the neck designed to be open. Then the jersey pants. He looked at himself from all angles, 360°, in the full-length mirrors. Amarante had taste his top felt like a second skin and his reflected image told him he looked hot. The top barely met the low hung pants. He sat down on the chair put on his socks and the black boots tucking the pant legs into them. Happy he went to a draw and removed a black ceramic watch. Done and it was 7.15. 45 minutes to spare time to sort out breakfast.
He took the bags of clothes and shoes he had sorted for his later appointments and took them to the bedroom door and put them with the other things he needed to take with him. He got his top-up bag, a briefcase and checked the contents were there especially the condoms and added blood vials from the fridge.
Chapter 2
He went into the living area. The apartment was vast and only the bedroom suite had been separated out. The living area consisted of an area for sitting, a formal dining area; a mid room open fire, a reading and computer area and kitchen and breakfast bar. There was a small balcony area outside with a few planters and a table and 2 chairs. No sun lounger but there was a wicker day bed. Vampires didn't really sunbathe even if, like him, they could walk in daylight. The sun warmed him but never changed the colour of his skin and sometimes the UV rays did cause small blisters and a hunger for blood. The apartment had floor to ceiling self-cleaning grey windows across most of the back wall that let in good natural light but kept out preying eyes. The walls of the apartment were filled with pictures an eclectic mix of modern art, photography and some Bretagne paintings.
The kitchen had all the usual appliances, sinks and preparation areas. There was a boiling water tap, which was handy for making instant coffee, a food fridge and a large drink fridge. The blood was kept in there and it looked like dark tomato juice. If humans came there was some real juice in the same style bottles but vampires didn't real entertain humans. Alex liked A positive blood but there was O positive for guest no sharing of the A positive.
Coffee well he loved the smell of it, more than anything, and did drink strong latte. He always ate breakfast he loved croissants and pain au chocolat from the bakery in the street below they reminded him of the ones served at his parent's chateau when he was a child. So he had enough in case Klaus did want to do the breakfast thing. He would be eating either way. He got out a bottle of A positive and drank it down. The coffee was coming through the machine at last. He looked at his phone on the counter and wondered if he should call. No he would leave it and wait till later after he knew what Klaus wanted.
Klaus would be late he knew that to make sure he had upset or unnerved Alex and enjoy a little payback. It was working Alex was unnerved. But Alex was wrong at 7.50 the intercom rang. Alex answered it.
"Good morning Mr Bovary I have a gentleman here who says he has an appointment with you at 8 for breakfast a Mr J-var-ak?"
"Yes, Daniel" the concierges had changed shifts at 6 "Mr Djavarak does have an appointment. I will open the elevator lock and the doors from here. You can send him up"
"Thank you sir. Have a good day"
The elevator could always come to the top floor but if you didn't have the remote or know the pin code you couldn't get out. Alex could open both the elevator and apartment door from where he was. What should he do? How do you greet the monster that took away your innocence and 7 years of your life? He could smell Klaus before he entered the room. Bloodsuckers smelt of decay but natural vampires had no smell normally but Klaus did today for some reason. Klaus tapped on the open door and Alex called him in and walked towards him to greet him.
He saw before him a different Klaus and the smell made some sense. This one looked older maybe 60 not 25. He had silvering hair. The smell was ageing. He walked with a slight limp and wore clothes that should have been put away in 1959. Klaus was looking about the apartment and seemed a little edgy.
"He's not here. Marcus is away at a medical conference and won't be back till tonight but I guess you knew that or you wouldn't be here"
Klaus nodded "You are right I checked. Though he is going by the name Dr Mark Hamilton and people can change their plans at the last minute. So you're using the name Alex Bovary apt if you choose it from Madame Bovary. A good choice for a whore"
"So do you want breakfast? Or do you want to carry on insulting me? Or do you want to get straight to the point?" Alex stood hands on hips.
