"I don't know that much about it," Kaiser stated bluntly. "Except it's a relatively new drug being manufactured by the thousands. It's dirt-cheap and can be used anyway possible. Nobody knows the contents or recipe but judging by the way it makes people high I don't think anyone really cares."
"Do you know whose making it?" Aradia asked.
Kaiser shook his head. "Only whoever is making them has got some serious scratch. There's no way to make that amount of drug in so short of time without having some serious cash to spread around."
"So whoever is making Rage is rich?"
Kaiser just shrugged. "I don't know. What I do know is this stuff is being imported from out of the country."
"So it's completely untraceable," Aradia said with a grim expression.
Kaiser exhaled a breath through his nose. "Not necessarily."
"Hmm?" Aradia inquired.
Kaiser stood up and raked his fingers through his hair. It looked like he was deep thought. After a few moments, he turned to face her. "Give me a few days and I might have some more info."
"What are you going to do?" Aradia couldn't help but ask.
He shrugged. "I have some leads to check out. I might be able to find out more info about Rage for you but I will need at least a week."
After agreeing to a future meeting spot and time Aradia left Kaiser's apartment. She didn't realize until after she left the building that night had already fallen. Oh crap, she thought, I am out here alone with no money and with my power practically at zero level.
In other words, she was completely vulnerable and helpless. As she walked out of the building she stuck to the lighted streets as best as she could. Avoiding eye contact as best as she could and with fear coursing through her veins. Homeless people, men smoking, and women wearing too much make-up leered at her and made suggestive comments. It was all she could do from breaking out into a run. Instead she tried to control her fear and kept walking down the street. Never realizing that if she was too busy looking at the ground she couldn't see where she was going.
Therefore, it wasn't really surprising that a swirl of grayish black smoke came out of nowhere and was able to pin her against a wall. Vampire! Aradia realized and extremely frightened.
"You smell so good," he crooned as he licked Aradia's neck, "I wonder if you taste the same."
He giggled before extending his fangs. "Only one way to find out I guess."
Aradia struggled as best as she could but without her powers she was helpless. Unless...
She quickly brought her leg up and kicked him in the groin. As he doubled up, Aradia used her purse to hit him in the face. She dashed into the building as quick as she could. The vampire tried to follow but since he hadn't been invited in he couldn't budge past the door. Aradia went straight to the elevator and pressed the nearest button. The vampire growled as soon as the doors closed. However, after hearing the ping and seeing the floor buttons above the elevator light up he smirked.
Aradia breathed heavily and pressed herself against the back of the elevator. She glanced at the button she pushed. Her heart sank a little when she realized it was the top floor. May be a blessing in disguise, she realized, once I reach the top floor I can call Saul and ask him to come get me. Although she shuddered to think how angry he would be.
Regardless, the moment the elevator stopped Aradia flipped open her phone. Her heart sank once she realized the top floor was nothing more than an outdoor pool. A creepy one covered with a huge tarp and completely bare with no pool furniture at all.
I guess it wouldn't do for there to be a winter storm and have chairs blown off the building! Aradia mused. She chuckled as she left the elevator. She walked a few feet outside before dialing Saul's number. She spun in a semi-circle as she waited for him to pick up. Her back was to the edge of the building so she didn't see a white hand with long claws grip the edge.
After a while of hearing nothing but busy signals Saul finally answered. "Hello?"
"Saul I...ohhhh!"
Aradia's phone was yanked out of her hand and crushed in front of her face. I am not really having that much luck with phones am I?
The vampire didn't seem to notice her chagrin. He was too busy licking his chops. "How considerate of you to help me to work up an appetite."
Aradia tried to run from him but he reached out and grabbed her arm. He then pulled her into an iron embrace with an arm over her stomach and a hand in her hair.
"Please," Aradia tried to beg, "don't eat me. I don't want to die!"
The vampire just shrugged casually. "Everybody has to die sometime sweetie, you might as well die now."
He extended his fangs one more time and Aradia clenched her eyes. His fangs had barely grazed her neck before he froze. Aradia wondered what was going on. Suddenly some unseen force seized the vampire and hoisted him up into the air. Aradia fell to the ground and turned around to see what it was. Her eyes grew as big as dinner plates and her mouth fell open.
It was a huge creature standing on two legs with grayish stone skin and huge black bat wings protruding from its wings. It had a huge grey lips with fangs sticking out from the bottom and the top. It had a flat bat snout, bat ears, and it's eyes glowed bright yellow as its huge clawed hands seized the vampire in its arms. As the vampire squeaked and squirmed the creature opened its mouth and a long forked tongue emerged. Without any further hesitation the creature sunk its mouth full of teeth onto the neck of the vampire.
Aradia screamed and hastily got to her feet. She kept her eyes on the creature as she backed away but was too frightened to realize she was nearing the edge of the building. She finally did but only when she tripped on the cracked remains of her phone and fell sideways. In a feeble attempt to save herself she reached out to grab the stone wall but her fingers missed by a mere inch.
"Help me!!!" Aradia screeched as she began to plummet towards the ground.
The creature heard her cry and thrust the withering vampire away. He got to the edge and looked down at the falling Aradia. After one moment of hesitation, the creature stood on the wall with it's big clawed feet and dove off. It extended its large wings and sped towards Aradia who was still screaming and clawing at the air. The creature then reached out its long arms and seized Aradia. At this point Aradia had stopped screaming. She just stared wide eyed at the creature as it began to glide along the night wind. It then soared up towards the edge of another building until they finally reached the roof. The moment they did, the creature set Aradia on its feet. Aradia immediately stepped back and saw the creature in full frontal view. It wore a thick brown leather loin cloth around it's waist but that was all it wore. It wore no shoes, no jacket, or anything in spite of it being very windy. The creature had no hair whatsoever not even on its chest. Aradia just stared at the creature towering over her.
"Who are you?" the creature finally asked, "What were you doing on that rooftop? And why was that vampire after you?"
Aradia just stared at him. When she finally managed to say something it sounded more like an realization than anything else. "You can talk?!"
The creature rolled its eyes where were no longer glowing. "Yes I can talk. I can also speak five other different languages, do math calculations in my head, and recite all fifty states and capitals in the United States."
Aradia was impressed but she still couldn't stop herself from asking,"what are you?""
The creature's chest rose and fell before he spoke. "I am a gargoyle."