II

The Clan Medira haven was nothing if not extravagant. Visitors would say that it resembled a brightly coloured and constant party. Champagne flowed as members conducted anything from the tactical planning of a raid to helping the children of the clan with their math homework. Liberally dressed dancers gyruated their bodies up and down the clubhouse (though, it is to be said, never in front of the children) and then at almost all times, the clubhouse was kept in a borderline obsessive state of cleanliness by order of the Don, Leonardo Medira.

This was not one of those times.

"Leon, I'm sorry!" Charlie desperately tried to prevent any further damage to his friend, who was currently nursing a sore head after being thrown into, and back out of, a wall. "I didn't know about the laws, I should've done a better job at protecting everyone. That's my job, isn't it?"

"Shut it, ya feckin' eejit. Hugo here knows better than to break four different clan rules. Got nothin' to do with ya. If anything, you should be praised for getting in that car when I told ya. Good job."

Leon Keane smiled at Charlie, though he wasn't really reassured, partly because most of Leon's teeth were missing, but also because he had watched a red-headed beanpole weighing no more than one hundred and fifty pounds knock seven bells out of a high-level Clan Nebelwald witch, with his bare hands.

Hugo emerged from the wall. "Ouch, Lee Lee. All of this because I didn't call for backup? They were fairies, little tiny contraband peddlers. Honestly, it turned out fine. I really don't understand why you..." Leon's fist reconnected with his jaw, and Hugo fell back into the hole.

"Charlie, my nervous friend, you're a pretty good listener, yeah? You've been told about the rules in the field. Why don't you rattle them off for Hugo? Apparently, he could do with the benefit of remembering. I think he's pretty concussed at the moment. If we are lucky, he'll stay that way."

"I can still hear you, darling," the voice echoed in groggy imbalance. "But yes, Charles, be a dear and do as Lee Lee says. The five rules of field work, if you please."

"Do not do anything that would violate the New York Magia Laws. Do not deviate from the instructions of a superior unless you are sure that the instruction is a danger to life."

"See? New kid already knows more than you."

"Shut up, darling. If I didn't have such a throbbing… headache, I would be able to remember this too. Probably, definitely, maybe."

Charlie kept going. "Never venture onto another clan's turf without strict instructions from the Don. Never leave a brother, sister, or sibling behind. Do not allow magical society to be harmed through your actions." The new initiate exhaled loudly as Leon clapped him on the shoulder. He could hear a faint round of applause from the hole in the wall.

"So ya see? Hugo here broke four. He left you behind, I had to come get ya. He disobeyed the boss when he told him to tread carefully, and again when he told him not to fight on Nebelwald turf. Worst of all!" Leon grabbed Hugo by the scruff of the neck. "The non-magics started investigating the shoot-out. The boss had to waste quite a lot of energy making them forget." A fist connected with Hugo's face again. Charlie heard, and felt, a pop.

Leon carried Hugo across the room and down the stairs. Charlie watched as his mentor was dragged over the shoulder, in full view of family members, haven staff, and children alike. Charlie's stomach dropped when he saw the door they had found themselves in front of.

"Leon, I know Hugo messed up, I did too, we all do! Let me go in instead. I don't know the rules either, and if it wasn't for Hugo, I would've been in much more trouble than I was. That witch would've impaled me on her branch, I would be dead, please!"

Truth be told, Charlie didn't know what was behind the door. His sense of panic originated solely from the fact that, for the first time since he had known Hugo, his face had a look of pure dread. Gone was the bravado, the swagger, and the intense energy that he irradiated, in its place, Charlie saw a small, frightened boy.

He admired Leon, but when he looked upon the Clan Medira enforcer, all he could see were images of his father. The insults and the beatings, the drunken nights and the belt. It was true that he didn't join the clan out of choice; he was the way he was because Hugo couldn't keep it in his pants, and, if he was being honest, neither could he. The fact remained that Charlie felt an intense anger at the thought that the place that he knew to be his safety had suddenly been turned into his old home again.

He quietly uttered a spell, the same spell that had turned him into an immovable object back at Mrs. Mendel's laundromat. For the first time in his life, Charlie knew that he was doing something right,he also knew that for the first time since his infant years, he had never had less bowel control than he had right now. Leon clicked his tongue and whistled. "Well, ain't that grand? This one's a keeper, ya fancy French fop. I hope you two have a very nice life together when you've picked him up off the floor."

Leon began to step towards the clan newbie, rapidly increasing in speed until, after a few seconds, he was almost a blur. Charlie could sense no magic from him. He had heard rumours that he was different, still supernatural, but not in the way the majority of the clan were. Charlie had seen Leon's strength and he knew, despite his size, to be nervous.

He was saved when the door was pushed open with such force that it nearly flew down the hallway. The clan members present magically anchored themselves to the floor, and even then they struggled, thankfully Charlie was already magically reinforced, but Leon and Hugo nearly disappeared like paper in the wind.

"Enter," a low and authoritative voice said. Charlie took a step forward and heard Hugo whimper.

"So you," Leonardo Medira cupped Charlie's face in his hands. The sensation was new, though; it wasn't like when Hugo did it. There was no love there. Charlie could sense an analytical, almost scientific approach to the way that he was being studied. The Don's eyes were cold and impressive, and unlike everyone else around him who kept their vampirism hidden, Leonardo's teeth were there, prominent and ready. "Are Charlie Brooke, am I correct? A fledgling turned by Mr. d'Orleans here?" Charlie was frozen in fear. "That wasn't a rhetorical question, Mr. Brooke. When I ask a question, I expect an answer. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Don Leonardo!"

Leonardo let go of Charlie and walked over to a cabinet. There, he pulled out a bottle of something, poured a glass, and sat down at his desk. The Don was old, Charlie knew, but not decrepit old man old or wise old man old. Don Leonardo had lived the kind of life where he knew how to use every instrument of his power in the right way at the right time. Charlie was mesmerised by his every movement. He was so graceful and beautiful; his long white hair and piercing blue eyes cut through everyone in the room. If the Don had said he wanted to kiss Charlie, his heart would've leaped out of his chest. If he told him to get down on his knees and take his life, he would've done it without a second thought.

"I would offer you something to drink, Charlie, but a quick scan of your mind told me that you were tee-total. Not my choice personally, but I can respect it. Though, I'm curious, Hugo doesn't normally go for the teacher's pets." He looked at Hugo scornfully, and his voice changed from a jovial lightness to a low, methodical tone. "What changed?"

"I'm sorry, Don, but you know what I'm like. I go to a speakeasy, I see a handsome young man and I... well, I..."

"It does not bother me that you wanted to get your stick wet, Hugo. What bothers me is that Charlie here is far too nice for our world. I am sorry, Charlie, I might've delved a little bit deeper into your thoughts than I originally suggested. You are here now, though, and, as unfortunate as it may be, you are who you are. Hugo, why hasn't he gone through the initiation yet? He's been with us what, two months now? Yes? Three?"

"Well, it's like you said, Don Leonardo, Charlie is not really cut out for this world, so I didn't think it was right to..." Hugo's plea was interrupted by a swift kick to the gut from the Don. The ripple of it impacted in almost slow motion, and a green rune burned onto Hugo's chest, followed by a large, heavy gust of wind that threw him against the wall.

"I have been very patient with you, Hugo. You are a loyal soldier and quite a strong mage. Yet, it seems that even my most loyal soldiers can't keep a leash on you such that you don't, intentionally or otherwise, bring shame upon me. I cannot allow this to continue." The Don clicked his fingers, and a figure was brought into the room. Charlie couldn't figure anything about them because of the way they were dressed, but they were placed silently onto a table and strapped down. "Charlie?"

"Yes, Don Leonardo?"

"As you probably guessed by the delightful state of our haven, I like the finer things in life. I was originally a merchant in Venice, you see. My family were born poor, and I worked my way up from nothing to become one of the richest men in Southern Europe. This was back before Italy was unified, mind, so we're talking a very long time. My point is that I also like to have the most capable people around me. Now, I have been informed that you are indeed quite a good fighter by Leon over there, and I must say I'm quite surprised. Do you know why?"

Charlie silently shook his head.

"I read your mind. I know you haven't undergone the full initiation. You haven't tasted blood."

"No, Don Leonardo. If I can help it, I... I don't want to hurt anybody."

"That is very adorable, Charlie, but the thing is, what you want literally has no concern to me. This person on the table is currently under my thrall. When you devour them, they will not feel any pain or anguish; they will simply cease to be. You need to do this because I'm going to kill Hugo. I know you don't want that to happen, I know how you feel about him, though I question your taste. I'm going to tell you now that the only way you have a chance of stopping me is by devouring that individual over there. If you don't do that, Hugo will die."

Charlie's heart raced as he looked backwards and forwards between the restrained figure and the Don. He hated himself for watching him disappear, but he knew he couldn't stop him. he'd known that since he'd first laid eyes on him. He also saw Hugo, the one person who had loved him unconditionally, the person who had shown him a new world and let him love living in it, Hugo, someone who wanted to be around him, and he was someone who wanted to be around Hugo.

More than he knew.

Hearing the quiet sobbing of his mentor, he took a step towards the thrall.