The bar filled with smoke. He sat with five men with a blunt of marijuana between his lips. His clouded from the gas he lit. This was a different game, in his hands a set of cards. Two Hearts, the numbers 2 and 7. Next to them, three spades; four, five, and seven.
The game played differently from chess, checkers, and poker. One used chess piece but you only kept the king and the king was surrounded by pawns. The piece that moved was the Whispers, represented as the Knight piece.
The board of the game was a regular checkerboard. The King sat towards the player, skip a row, 16 pawn pieces blocked the King piece. In front of the pawns, three Whispers.
Seamus held a few hearts, his lifeline. The Spades were his Keys. The player was meant to have a few Clovers and Diamonds. Clovers combined with diamonds doubled your pay.
Seamus glimpsed above his cards at his opponent. His cards were invisible to him.
When turned around the Spades became blockers. His opponent threw down three blockers. Spade cards starting with six, three, and five.
When playing this game, one is meant to set it up like a maze using sides from a cardboard box.
What Seamus needed to do, was get to the mansion and take the stash. "I put up ten lyons in my keep. Come get them."
Seamus removed the blunt from his lips and held it between his middle and ring finger. "Ten million?"
"Ten lyons," the Maul repeated. "I'm not letting you have her by trading me some pennies. You got to work."
Beside him a set of dice which dictated his moves. "What happens if I lose?"
The Maul chuckled, "I could use you. Makes your name?"
"Seamus—" he cut himself short. "Fuck you—"
"What ya mouth…" the Maul disciplined. "What did you come here for?" He leaned forward against the table. "Do you know who the fuck I am?"
He didn't. He was so focused on getting his sister he didn't think about who or what. This game looked like a simple board game. He's played checkers before. "What are you doing with my sister?"
"I'm going to make her one of us. You know the old tradition. Vampires can't come in the house unless invited."
"What's that got to do with it?" Seamus shrugged his shoulders. "You called me about my fucking missing—"
"I told you, watch ya mouth. Don't be stern with me."
Seamus held his breath. Oh, how he wanted to flip the table over and fight. But then he would probably get shot and never get his sister back. "I need bodies." He said. "My name is Ataullah Rug Hatem. I'm a vampire."
With a name like that he immediately knew he had to be of Arabic origin. But also, as a vampire, "I've crossed."
His eyes widen, "That's right I can hear your head."
"My sister!" Seamus yelled.
"I have her. I'm still thinking of a name."
"A name—She's not a fucking slave!"
"Correction, I don't need slaves. You're buying me a drink or not. But something tells me you will." Ataullah smirked.
.
.
.
In a cell, Wyleisha sat next to a girl with long brown hair. She hugged her knees muttering to herself. Wyleisha, a round face brown-skinned girl with her hair in a bun, thought to herself how stupid she looked. Why was she shivering when it was hot? Why was she crying when she wasn't hurt? More importantly, why was she here when she had no business being here? "Can you shut the fuck up?" her voice was low. "You're annoying."
"Can you shut up and not talk to me?" The girl blurted through strenuous tears. She tucked her head between her knees and sobbed uncontrollably. "Your stupid." Said Wyleisha. She turned away and looked at a broken pipe hanging from the ceiling. "Crying isn't doing anything. They like it when you cry."
"Shut up!" she screamed. "What a bitch. I'm Mokiri."
"I don't care!" the girl couldn't make it any more clear that she didn't wanna talk. "I'm lying. My name's Wyleisha."
"Leave me alone!" the girl yelled through her crying, she started coughing. "How did you get put up for sell? Me? My cousin got kidnapped but she's really my sister."
The girl looked up from her knees, wet with tears, she sat baffled. Why was this happening? Of all things? "What is wrong with you?"
"I could be her sister. Or her cousin," her eyebrows lifted. "But I really think she's my cousin because her dad is Regal. I don't have a dad. Or mom. Or siblings so that begs the question, who am I?"
"Excuse me?" Now, this was getting creepy. "Are you talking to yourself?"
"Mokiri is from another clan too and she has a crush on this boy from school. I think it's stupid, he's name's Aleigha or Royce—something. They call him little voodoo. And his mom, wait—no, I'm Mokiri—Or am I? I could be… I forgot myself. I could be, I hope I am. It's all a game."
"Hey…" the other girl peered at her face. She didn't look at her. Now she was going crazy trying to figure out who she was addressing. "Are you ok?"
"Headcount is that another name for Dracula?" Wyleisha poked her cheek with her tongue in thought. "Dracula? Alucard? But Headcount? And then he's from Romania. Headcount's from Africa or The United Kingdom but I have a good hunch he's African."
She pushed Wyleisha's shoulder. "I'm in wonderland again. Just like dad always said. I'm seeing—saying—even thinking… as a crazy would do. Crazy as what? A Canary? Well, if I keep that up I can surely rap. And If I can rap, I can tap. You can't have a vampire at the door but he… was at the door. And he said call me Dad. And mommy dropped dead."
"Your scaring me…" she said. Wyleisha's lips moved and not once did she turn to the girl. "Are you… a vampire?" she asked, she caught sight of small fangs poking out her mouth. Her head turned quickly, "I don't know… Alexis is stupid, but she also might be Cerdica. But she's in Canada? Or Japan? Dad wants to play God. He saved a man and now he likes the dead. So, he can bring them back."
"What are you talking about—"
"I'm his fucking daughter!" Wyleisha shouted. "My dad killed my mom and I'm here with my uncle! Wait—" she froze. "My grandpa. Oh, I remember now. I'm not real."
"I don't like you."
"I don't care." Wyleisha got up off the wet concrete floor. I'm a doll, that's what dad said. He always wanted a daughter but I'm not complete. I think he forgot about me."
Wyleisha viewed the girl on the ground. "What's your name?" "Moibeal." She stated. "My name is Moibeal."
"Your name is Valentina."
"Moibeal!"
"Your name is Valentina Growden."
"Listen to me!"
"My daddy said one day he's gonna be a savior. He's gonna cure the world." She turned on her heels. Wyleisha grinned, "He's gonna cure the world of humanity."
"What…" Moibeal's mouth dropped. "Daddy said the world is covered in stupidity. It's too many humans and vampires were sent to purge. It's a curse!"
"A curse?" Wyleisha bent down in front of Moibeal. "Are you human?"
"Stay away from me…"
"Stop being so scared. I just wanna eat you… and steal your body. Just a for a while…"