Laila shook her head. She laughed as she picked up her bag, and then looked at Sidi. He was still naked and draped across his bed. An adorable man, she thought. "They do not often guess that Katir is also Orchid. If they do, they don't talk. He does not need to use extortion to get what he wants. He's very charming in person."

The skin wrinkled around Sidi's brown eyes. "The reason some are afraid of the Darkling is they believe Darkling can read minds. Some say control."

"My sweet, there are Humans who can read minds." Laila laughed shrilly. "President Jewel of the United States."

"I've heard the rumor."

"Orchid has a child-in-blood related to her. But, I assure you, Orchid doesn't have to use that sort of ability to get what he wants. He's charming. He just smiles and winks and people do what he wants."

Sidi sat up. "One of the Vampyres in your Village is a Jewel? One of the Jewels?"

"Yes. David. Treasure is his taken name, but he's out, as we say. I am certain you've glimpsed him while we were together, Sidi; he's the red-head."

"Oh, yes, I've seen him."

"There are hereditary Witches on both sides of his family, and there have been supporters of the Darkling among them for centuries. You know the Jewels have been involved in American politics. Partly why America seems so liberal on Darkling issues. Now, the Jewels have ties to the Leader of Goth, as well. And, Ethan Jewel is currently campaigning to be President of the USNA."

"They do seem to have a lot of influence."

"They've only done good for the country. You should hear Miko and Orchid talk. Businesses flock to Washington D.C., New York, and San Francisco. If Jinnah wins, he could consider appointing David to some office. It would look good to people in Alexandria, Washington, and Frankfurt."

Sidi's eyebrows rose.

"I've really got to go. I'll call you," Laila said. She gave Sidi a kiss then let herself out of his apartment.

Laila forced a deep breath as she stood on the street to hail a taxi. It was just growing dark and some of the cars had their headlights on. The beams hurt eyes as they passed; made her pupils constrict violently. Laila squinted, but she saw two taxis pass her by. One flipped the occupied light on as he passed, but the other didn't even bother.

In the light, she looked absolutely fluorescent. She hated this discrimination. Some days she just hated being a Vampyre. She crossed the street and walked a few blocks up to a larger avenue. She tried hailing a taxi again. Finally, one pulled up and she got in. I'm going outside the city, on the west side," she said.

The taxi pulled away. She could see the driver realigning his rear view mirror. "Where are you going?" the driver asked slowly.

"The Village."

The driver was silent. Everyone in Karachi knew what village you meant when you said that. No one ever said its name in any language but American. Everyone knew it was the Darkling's village.

It was a long quiet drive. When the taxi arrived at  the narrow road that led into the Village, the driver slowed. Laila took out her card. "It's right off the main street, keep going please," she said.

He was nervous. But, as they drove through the village the driver became animated. He looked about and even smiled.

"It's the house with the blue trim up there, number 12," Laila said.

The driver stopped his taxi on its underwheels in front of Miko's house.

Laila passed her card to the driver saying, "20 percent." He took her card and ran it through his reader and punched in the tip she'd given him. She took back her card. "If you go to the coffee house you might find a fare back to the city."

Laila got out of the car and went into Miko's house. She found Miko awake but resting. Miko usually slept in her closet, and she probably had that day, but she was on her bed now, though still nude. Laila did not know if all Vampyres slept naked; she supposed they had different habits. Maybe, as with other people, they took after the one who spawned them unless they discovered their own preference. She'd heard that some slept in basement rooms covered in earth, some kept beautifully crafted coffins to sleep in, and others slept in very regular beds just as humans did. Laila had seen Orchid's bed. It was a normal bed, but had heavy drapes hanging around it.

"You slept safely with him?" Miko asked.

"Yes, he didn't bother me at all," Laila said, "Sidi is very good to me."

Miko reached out an arm and Laila lowered herself onto the bed. They kissed and Laila could feel the roughness of Miko's left fang. The memory flashed back to her: Miko lying on this very bed, blind-folded and under a harsh light as David sat straddled over her carving away at her tooth. He'd learned the art from another Vampyre while living in Goth. The delicatly carved chain of flowers ringing her fang made it hurt all the more when Miko's fangs went in and out of Laila's flesh.

Miko said that she had been bored of having the same body so long and had wanted a change. She loved her hair dye too much to change that. Laila wondered if she'd live long enough to want to change herself. Orchid was younger than Miko and had an intricate tattoo on his back as well as many piercings. Miko said she was thinking about next getting tattooed. She said that another vampire related to Orchid had a pretty butterfly tattooed just behind his shoulder and Morpheus had done it.

Miko took Laila out of her clothes and wrapped her limbs about Laila's warmer body. "I'm so hungry," Miko said. Laila felt Miko's fangs pressing against her.

"Let's go out to the drug store, Miko, I need the blood more than you. You'll only leave me starving."

Miko laid her head back on the mattress. "Warm me up," she said.

Laila kissed Miko and rubbed Miko's skin to warm it. Finally Miko got up. She dressed, looking as adorable and fabulously accessorized as was usual to her.

They walked together through an alley onto one of the back streets of the Village and went into the drug store. It served the community's particular needs, respecting local laws that classified commercially bottled blood as something only a licenced pharmacist could sell, while also stocking medicinal drugs, and herbal remedies, and creating a safe space to socialize.

Miko said that in some places butcher shops had sold blood to Darkling, but contemporary laws targeted at discouraging Darkling from voting districts created risks for butchers still doing so. Blood from Darkling butchers usually went directly to family and employees and wasn't sold. Thus the bottled commercial brands were a necessity in the Village.

In this drug store there was a soda fountain at one counter, where ice-cream and milkshakes were sold, not far from the counter where blood and other controlled substances were dispensed. This made it possible for the blood-drinkers to socialize withtheir friends at the barstools, or one of the small tables.

The store was something of a well stocked apothecary, as well, having rare and hard to find spices and herbs.

As Halfangels were as likely to be very strong and lived thousands of years, as to live short lives with rare maladies, they also relied on the drug store for substances to ease their pain. 

Laila and Miko picked-up their star-shaped packs of Red Rabbit from Zulfikar who was the part time Pharmacist and then went to the counter and sat.

"Hello, Miko. Laila." The boy working behind the soda fountain was one of the Naphaim. He was almost feline in feature and slightly built.

"Joe," Miko said, "your voice changed."

The dusky-skinned boy blushed and looked downward. "Some of us are still growing," he said. Laila had not lived in the village before Miko turned her, but she knew Joe was an orphan who had been raised in the Villa.

Miko giggled, covering her mouth. And then her face twisted and she looked to her side, where Laila sat. "I hate when I do that," she whispered, "That damn modest giggle, I can't get rid of it."

Laila knew Miko's struggles. She smiled as she placed a hand to Miko's shoulder. "I know. But it is cute on you." She knew that was not what Miko would want to hear, but it was honest.

"Oh it's very demur," Miko said.

A chime rang and Laila turned to see David walk into the store. He waved to them. "Hey, Joe," he said, "Morpheus has Sin and Laudy over again, so we're making another batch of absinthe.  I need some Aniseed and Wormwood."

"Aisle Two," Joe said.

"David," Miko called.

"Hmmn?" He licked his lips as he stood loking toward them.

"Do you really drink it?"

"Aye. I mix it with blood, but it's adding sugar that really hits me." That was one of the more secret and less known weaknesses the vampires shared. David laughed as he walked away to the second aisle.

"Why drink it at all?" Laila asked in whisper. She imagined David might still be capable of overhearing.

Miko made a shrug. "Same reason Humans take things that might make them sick. Maybe, for David, to remember. He was raised in the Villa. Morpheus and his family are nearly immune to such things, but the making and drinking are tradition." Laila didn't think Miko had lived in Karachi, then, but she had probably been Orchid's business assosiate when David was yet mortal. She was fairly close with David now.

David came back from the aisle. "Can you ring it up over there, Joe?" he asked.

-------

Secret: I needed a break.