Chapter 1

Chapter One
He snorted himself awake. The brown eyes adjusted to the sunlight shining through the windows into the purple colored room. The rows of black silk cloth hanging from the ceiling down to the floor fluttered just slightly. He squinted and pushed himself up on the bed. Laying beside him, on the black and purple colored covered bed was the Asian woman named Kat. She was fully naked and was laying on her stomach, her back seemed to have bruises along with small scratches.

Richard ran his hand through his hair and took in a deep sigh. It was then that he glanced down to the thick covers that covered his bottom torso. He lifted the covers slightly and gave a shocked glare before pulling the covers closer to his naked chest. A look of panic covered his face as he darted his eyes around the room.

On the night stand beside the bed was a black night gown. He quickly snatched the night gown and started to slip it over his head.

"What are you doing?" Kat asked without moving.

"I ... Um ... I hope you do not mind, Kat, but I am going to wear your night gown for just a moment." He slipped his arms through the arm holes of the gown. "You do not happen to know where he put our clothes, do you?"

Kat gave a sleepy giggle and pointed a finger to the window. "He thought it would be funny."

Richard scoffed. "Of course he would." He continued to slip the night gown over his naked body.

Kat slid her hand across the bed, under the covers, over to Richard. "You know, I am still kind of in the mood and it wouldn't be consider cheating..."

Richard's eyes popped open wide as he felt Kat touch his left thigh. He jumped out of the bed and landed on the black wooden floor. He sat on the floor for a moment in silence.

Kat giggled. "Too modest."

"I ... Um ... That sounds really kind of you Kat, but I have to go to school." He pushed himself up and walked over to the door to the bedroom. "He didn't happen to leave me any messages, did he?" The British young man asked.

Kat moaned. "I can't remember. We had some drinks and then retired after the club closed. The chances of that animal doing his responsibilities is a joke."

Richard nodded and continued his stride over to the door. His right hand grabbed the door handle and twisted it. He stopped and licked his lips. "Kat? Did Bugsy do that to your back?"

Kat gave another sleepy giggle. "I like it rough and I did a number on him too. I think I broke his nose."

Richard gave a confused look to the door knob and reached up to his own nose to feel it. He shook his head and opened the door.

As he walked along a long hallway, floor covered with a deep red carpet and walls painted white with ceramic angels protruding out of the walls holding candle like lamps, Richard guided himself with his left hand on the wall beside him.

"Sometimes I wish you could have my glasses handy, Bugsy." Richard whispered to himself.

With his hand on the wall to guide him, Richard rounded a sharp corner that led him further down the hall. In this extention of the long hallway, there was a single door that sat in the hall wall. He approached the door and opened it.

Inside was a concrete room, even the walls were a gray smooth concrete with minor cracks. The room was very large with strange abstract art pieces hanging all over the walls. In the center of the room was a king sized bed that was clean and pressed with a matched color set of red. The bed frame itself was made of a thick dark wood and matched the television stand that sat by the door, as well as the dresser that sat on the other side of the door. Behind the head of the bed was three large, tall pane windows with a black iron bench stretching underneath all three windows. In front of the bench was an painter's esel with a half finished canvas; an abstract painting in the form of trees. Beside the esel was a portable table filled with paints, brushes and other tools for the artist. On the far right of the bed was a small dark wood piano with a red seated stool underneath the keyboard. Sitting ontop of the piano was a black acustic guitar. At the foot of the bed was a large dark wood desk with a red coated laptop whose screen filtered between images of art.

Richard closed the door behind him and he stumbled pass the bed to find his way to the bathroom door on the left side of the room. He entered it and took his shower. After his shower and shave, Richard entered the room again, running a towel through his wet brown curvy hair. He followed the left wall to another door that sat in the corner of the room. Once he opened the metal like door, Richard stepped into his long walk in closet and turned on the light by pulling the string on the over head lamp.

The closet itself was not filled with clothing. There were a few shirts hanging along with a few pairs of pants. Only one brown casual leather jacket sat among the shirts and a pair of black and red skateboard sneakers sat on the floor. He selected a rock band logo gray t-shirt, a pair of acid wash jeans and a white shirt with gray checkers. He slipped on his clothing and then slipped on his shoes. On a small shelf on the right side of the closet, just under the shirts, was a box filled with six pairs of glasses; each designed differently. He selected a thick black framed pair and slipped them on.

Richard sighed before removing his brown leather jacket from the hanger and left the closet, turning out the light as he did.

The young man with curly brown hair, still wet, walked over to his computer desk and tossed his jacket on his bed. He started to type on the laptop keys and then opened the web camera video recorder. He selected record on the program and cleared his throat before speaking into the web camera.

"I am not certain what happened last night, but I am thankful you kept our deal." He glanced to the laptop's clock and then turned his attention to the camera. "I think it is fair to warn you, Victoria is working on a formula to help us during sleep. I don't know about you, but I have been having some awful dreams here lately. Martha says that it is because we are under going a memory transferance. Meaning that are dreams are fusing together into one pool." He coughed. "This new formula is designed for dream suppression, so we will not be having them anymore." He glanced over his shoulder to look at the door and then returned to the screen. "Be careful with Kat. I saw what you did to her and I know we agreed about staying out of each other's lives, but I only show my care for her because she is a dear friend. You and I can heal from anything she throws at us, but she can't, so remember that."

He stopped the recording and uploaded it to his email. As the email was uploading, Richard opened the top left drawer of his desk and pulled out a tablet incased in a red colored case. Then, from the same drawer, he pulled out a black smart phone and powered it on. Richard glanced to the screen to see that the email's upload was complete. He sent the email and shut off his laptop. The young man stood up picking up his tablet, slipped the phone into his right jean pocket, grabbed his jacket and left the room.

As Richard closed the door behind him, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He slipped the phone out of his pocket to read the caller name: Zach. Richard gave a small grin and answered the call before holding the phone to his left ear. "Good morning." He said in a cheeful voice.

"Same to you, my friend." Zachary's boyish cheerful voice said on the other end. "I wanted to call you before coming down there. Are you avalible?"

Richard nodded with the phone in hand. "Yes."

"Good." Said Zachary's voice from beside Richard.

Richard turned to see the smiling Zachary Taylor, dressed in his usual torn jeans, expensive black boots, black shirt buttoned up to his collar bone with rolled up sleeves.

Zachary smiled, exposing his pearly white teeth to the daylight that escaped from the ceiling windows overhead. His red iris eyes twinkled at Richard as he slipped his own cell phone into his pocket. In the daylight, Zachary's pale skin was similar to paper. He leaned his left shoulder against the hall wall and his blond hair was messy looking. "I received those reports you sent, I must admit, wonderful budget ideas."

Richard nodded, shoving his phone into his pocket. "I had some help from Bugsy."

Zachary leaned away from the wall and shoved his hands into his jeans. "He hasn't been giving you any trouble, has he?"

Richard shook his head. "Not really. With the threat of the new Prantex over his head, I am certain that Bugsy won't give me much trouble. How was he last night?"

Zachary shrugged, giving his usual boyish gring along with a large dimple in his cheek. "He was Bugsy, if that tells you anything. Do you have time for breakfast? I grabbed some donuts on my way in this morning."

Richard shook his head. "Thank you, but no, I am usually not hungry after a change. I'll grab something at the school."

Zachary lifted his left wrist to his face to peer at his expensive silver wrist watch. His red eyes widened. "Yes, it is about that time. I'll walk you out, there is something I have to show you."

Zachary and Richard continued down the hall and carried on a conversation. Zachary walked beside Richard with his pale hand on the young man's shoulder. The sharp black nails looked like they were freshly painted.

"How is school?" Zachary asked.

Richard gave a grin. "It's great, I am excelling in art class."

Zachary laughed. "I would suppose you would. You know, I plan on redecoring this entire manor with your artwork, Richard."

Richard gave a scoff with a roll to his brown eyes. "Please don't, I much rather not have customers of Club Red see that horrible stuff."

"Too modest." Zachary said with a grin.

"During my shower, I was thinking about something." Richard mentioned with a serious look on his face.

Zachary looked at his friend with a joking grin. "I believe that is personal, Richard."

Richard chuckled. "I was thinking of how grateful I am to you and the others here. I mean, a month ago, when Martha and I stumbled on your doorstep, I thought I was done for. I can see now that there is a future for me and my cousin."

Zachary gave a half grin. "Well, from my memory, I stumbled on you at the bell tower. I am glad that you decided to stay."

Richard gave a smile, but as quickly as the smile approached, it vanished. "Have you spoken to Martha lately?"

Zachary looked at Richard in confusion. "Yes, but so have you, as I understand."

Richard shrugged, his eyes were glued to the passing floor. "There is a feeling I get from my cousin, like she is angry with me or something."

Zachary gave a large nod and then smiled. "You are worried that she is upset about your decision with Bugsy. You have to understand, Martha has been at odds with your darker half for years. She has been exposed to your father's dark side. It is only natural for her to feel betrayed just a little."

Richard nodded. "I hope she still knows that I love her."

Zachary patted Richard's shoulder before letting his hand slide off. "Of course she does and I know that she still loves you as well."

The two walked down the flight of red wood stairs that led to the front double doors of the manor. In the hallway that led from the doors to the club doors, Gabriel stood. With a flat head screw driver in hand, Gabriel was working on a thin box that protruded from the ground. From the casing of the waist high rectangle were wires and other electronic componets.

The long black hair of Gabriel rested on his thick shoulders and swayed as he stood up straight. His blue eyes stared at the two with a crooked grin. "Good morning, Richard. Are your ribs okay?" He asked with care.

Zachary shook his head.

Richard looked at Gabriel in confusion. "My ribs?"

Gabriel gave a smirk. "That Bugsy character forced me to throw a punch into his rib cage. I was hoping you didn't feel the effect of that."

Richard stepped down onto the ground floor and shook his head. "Um ... No." He rubbed his chest. "I feel fine, not even a hangover."

Gabriel nodded. "Good, good." His smile was filled with relief.

Richard pointed to the device protruding out of the ground. "What is this?"

Zachary shoved his hands into his pockets and gave a nod to the box. "An I.D swipe. We have been having trouble with minors slipping in here unannounced. So..." He pulled out of his pocket a thick plastic card to hand to Richard. "We designed a form of invites for the club doors."

Richard took the card and studied it. It was a black card, made of hard plastic. On the front was the red smiling fanged face; on the back was directions to the manor. Above the directions was a metallic strip.

Richard smiled and handed the card back to Zachary. "Why do I feel that Wally had something to do with this?"

Zachary chuckled and took the card away from Richard.

Gabriel scoffed. "That boy is going to cause us all kinds of trouble. If his father finds him here, we are talking about apocolyps."

Richard and Zachary gave a chuckle.

Richard patted Zachary's back. "Well, I will leave you two to it. I am afraid if I don't leave now, I'll be late."

Zachary nodded and reached into his other pocket. "Yes, but hold on for a second." He pulled out a necklace, made of strange wooden beads and in the center was a small triangle made from small bones. The bones were tied together by thick black twine and in the center of the triangle a cat tooth that hung from a single black thread. He held this jewlery out to Richard with a grin. "For Chloe."

Richard looked at the piece in confusion. "Um ... What is it?"

Zachary pointed at the necklace with sleepy like eyes. "A good conversation starter." He gave a wink.

Richard shook his head with a smirk. "I'm glad I can't read your mind."

"I wouldn't even I could." Gabriel said with a scratchy voice.