Photo by Holmes Palaciosview original here on Flikr
Leonard twirled Frankie out to the side as the song was coming to an end and pulled her in just in time to dip her backwards on the last note. Frankie’s breathing became deeper as he looked into her eyes. She would have done anything to get away from those eyes; they may be similar to Alistair’s but they made her feel totally different, like he was an insect crawling into her soul. At this little display of Leonard’s there was a round of applause rippling through the room. When he finally righted her she became aware of the number of eyes in their direction and that none of the staff were clapping. Will especially looked like he might grind his teeth down to nothing.
Taking his offered arm Frankie let him escort her back to Alistair,
who hadn’t moved an inch since she left his side. If looks could kill Leonard
would be six foot under by now, but the way Alistair gripped his folded arms
let her know that it wouldn’t be that simple.
“ We are going to have so much more fun my dear. But for now
I think you two lovebirds have some things to discuss.” Leonard sniggered as he
turned and bowed to the audience of waiting men.
“Time to go.” Alistair said through gritted teeth grabbing
hold of Frankie’s hand and pulling her toward the arch. Frankie had no
objections at all, except that they didn’t seem to be stopping for her jacket.
She liked that jacket too.
But the world didn’t tilt as the shimmer kicked in and
walking forward only spat them back out into the club. Twice more Alistair
dragged Frankie through, gaining speed with each attempt.
“You know that’s not how it works Alistair.” Trixie’s voice came
from the corner. “If he has decided you’re not leaving then the arch will no
longer work for you. I’m sorry.”
“Alistair, who is he?”
Frankie asked, “Alistair.” She said grabbing his face and forcing him to look
at her. His eyes were frantic, unlike anything she had ever seen in him before.
“Ok, take a breath for a minute. We obviously aren’t going anywhere fast so
let’s just sit down...”
“No! We have to go, now. Trixie, please?” Alistair pleaded,
“This has to stop. Let us out.”
“You know I don’t have that kind of power. And before you
ask Miss Taylor, no there isn’t an alternative exit. One way in. One way out.”
Trixie replied and then disappeared, her position no longer needed at the front
of house with the doorway sealed.
“Come on” Frankie said pulling Alistair with her as he
looked back at where Trixie had been moments
before. She took them straight to the bar and slid onto two bar stools
as far from everyone else as possible.
An uneasy silence hung between them sat there at the gloomy
end of the bar, punctuated by the clunk of the ice rolling around in Alistair’s
glass as he swirled his whiskey. Frankie was the first to break the impasse. “Ok,
are you going to tell me what I’ve gotten into here?”
Alistair rubbed his hands through his perfect hair and
pulled them down his face, letting out a long sigh. “I’m sorry, Frankie. If
only we had met before.”
“Before what?”
“Before I ever started coming here,” he gestured to the club
suddenly looking exhausted.
“Exactly how long have you been coming to the club
Alistair?” Frankie asked warily.
Alistair let out a long breath. “Around three centuries.”
Frankie threw back her shot of tequila that had been sitting
on the bar since they sat down. She savoured the burn as it slid down her
throat and the sticky bitter smell of the alcohol while she composed herself. Three centuries! “Well no offense but I
wasn’t around back then, I don’t think meeting would really have been an
option.”
Alistair looked up from his down-ward gaze to meet Frankie’s
eyes. As he did Frankie burst out laughing, straight delivery of comedic lines
wasn’t something she was ever good at. I didn’t take long for her laughter to
infect him too.
“ So,” Frankie began, gasping through the remnants of the
hysteria, “exactly what is it you bring girls here for?”
“You have to understand Frankie that this started a long
time ago when I was very young and very stupid.” He started, “I was from a rich
family; thought I was entitled to the world and more . Why do we always want
more? Anyway, I’d been coming to this club. Back then I lived in London and
that’s where I was introduced. Drunk one night, sat at the bridge table, I
stupidly said in front of the wrong person ‘all I want from life is to have a
young woman on my arm.’ The next thing I know I am speaking with Leonard and
signing my life away.” Alistair stared over toward the gambling tables lost in
the memory for a moment.
“The deal was I would always have exactly what I wished for;
never again would I grow old and I would always find young beautiful women
attracted to me.”
“I’m sensing a ‘but’ here.” Frankie encouraged when he seemed
unwilling to go on.
Alistair sighed, “Yes the but; there’s a catch that I didn’t care about back then. Every five
years Leonard gets a young lady for the club.” His head in his hands, “God
Frankie I used to justify it that they would get to live forever. Seriously I
was condemning them to this hell-hole and they get to stay here forever, what a
peachy life huh? I just couldn’t see a way out.”
“Really? Not one single way?” Frankie asked raising her left
eyebrow for effect.
“Yes I tried that and
a few other ways too.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Alistair sat up and finally downed his whiskey; he’d give
Will this one the guy knew his patron’s poisons. “I’ve been at this for three
centuries Frankie. Once I finally grew up and realised what the Hell I’d gotten myself into, do you not
think I tried every which way to break this or cheat it. It doesn’t work. He
finds me every time, drags me back or revives me and then takes what is owed
any way he can.”
“And I’m your five year payment?” Frankie said bluntly.
“Shit Frankie, I don’t want this. I love you. I wish you had
never met me.” Alistair shouted throwing his empty glass at the wall.
Frankie smiled; watching him come apart was just a little
bit satisfying. “Alistair,” Frankie said calmly composing herself, “tell me how
it works.”
“What? How what works?”
“How Leonard gets me. How the club takes me. Tell me exactly
how it happens.”
In hushed tones at the end of the bar Alistair told Frankie
how the process starts when she puts the ring on but isn’t complete until vows
are exchanged in a ceremony. He explained how the vows are the key, seemingly innocuous
wedding vows but vows are a contract and a contract with Hell at that.
“So if I do this I’m what another waitress? I grow horns and
a tail and wander round in my underwear?” Frankie spat the words at Alistair,
the disgust now showing plainly on her face.
“If you are lucky.” Alistair replied, not bothering to hide
the disgust from his voice.
The bar stool tumbled over when Frankie stood grabbing her
purse to leave. Alistair grabbed her wrist.
“Please don’t. We’ll figure this out...I lo”
“Don’t.” She cut him
off before he could finish the word. “I will not be another Trixie in your
world, watching you bring women into this club.”
Will appeared at the end of the bar, “Do you need anything
down here? Is he bothering you Frankie?”
“No, I was just leaving.” Frankie yanked her arm free and
for good measure slapped Alistair across the face with a satisfying crack.
Walking away from him and no longer having to pretend to
like him felt good but this was far from over, she hadn’t gotten out of the
place yet. And she still hadn’t found Mum. She was nearly to the end of the
bar, though where exactly she thought she was going was a mystery. Leonard
stepped into her path forcing her to stop just before colliding with him.
Slowly having to adjust the angle of her head to look him in the eye, the smell
of his colongne almost overpowering.
“Well my dear that chat didn’t seem to go at all as Alistair
would have hoped, or I for that matter.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint.” Frankie replied belligerently.
“Come sit with me Frankie.” Leonard offered his arm, once
again to take her away from Alistair and once again she could feel him seething
behind her.
He guided Frankie across the club to his own private booth,
set just away from the rest of the booths it offered the best view of the stage
as well as the rest of the club. It was also more spacious with added velour
throw cushions and a seat that you could sink into. There was no waiting for
drinks a waitress was right behind them with glasses and a bottle of blood red
wine.
“Tell me Frankie, what do you make of the entertainment
here? What brings the young people into a club like this?” Leonard asked
handing Frankie a rather large glass of Argentinean Malbec.
Frankie took a slow sip trying to work out how to answer
this question, “To be honest I’m probably not the best person to ask. I think I
live in the past sometimes.”
“Ahhhh, but life is ahead of you my dear. A very beautiful
life”
Hope you are still enjoying this, the few of you that are still reading ;-) What has everyone been upto lately?
