No Dominion

– You were asking origins, man. Well, Tom’s the one who sponsored me to the Society. He didn’t infect me, but he found me after I got sucked. I’d been at the Mercury Lounge. Got mad drunk on Hennessy and Cokes, went outside and stumbled around and got latched by a sucker. Tom found me. Took me to a safe house, got me nursed up, gave me the 411 on what was going down. Saved my life.

– Hell of a guy.

He stirs sugar into his coffee.

– Well, let’s not exaggerate, man. I mean, he got me pledged and all, and I’m indebted, you know. But he’s, man, he’s…uptight.

– He’s an asshole.

He shakes his head.

– Not for me to say. I haven’t been around long enough to be passing judgment on guys who’ve been doing all the heavy lifting for years.

Pigtails walks over to me on her knees, carrying a cup and the coffeepot.

– Coffee?

– Sure.

I take the cup and she pours.

– Milk and sugar?

– No thanks.

She stays there in front of me, on her knees, holding the pot.

– You really Joe Pitt?

– Yeah.

– Funny.

– What’s that?

– I thought you’d look younger.

– Sorry about that.

She blows at a strand of hair that’s come loose from one of her pigtails and settled on her forehead.

– No, that’s OK. I still think you’re hot.

I sip my coffee.

Poncho leans forward and snags the back of Pigtails’ miniskirt with her index finger.

– Settle down, girl. The man doesn’t want to play with you.

Pigtails scoots backward on her knees, smiling at me.

– But he can. He can play with me anytime he wants.

She sets the coffeepot on the tray and starts whispering in PJs’ ear. The two of them burst out giggling, scramble into the bathroom and close the door.

The Count waves his hand at the door.

– Sorry about them.

– No problem. So, Tom found you.

– Found me, schooled me, sponsored me, pledged me to the Society.

– But you’re not one of his boys?

He finishes his coffee and takes another cigarette offered by Poncho.

– Look, bro, what is it you want to know? Tom my buddy? I already told you not. You mean, am I one of his partisans? Also not. Exercising authority is not my thing. If there’s a referendum at-large in the Society, do I vote how Tom thinks I should? Yep. Guy brought me in, he’s entitled. He needs some cash, wants me to donate to the Clan coffers, do I go the extra mile? Sure. I can afford it. Do I have him up to my place, let him sit in my favorite chair, have my ladies make him some coffee, put those ladies at his disposal? No. Never done that. But here you are. So what’s that tell you?

– Tells me you want something.

He points his cigarette at me.

– That, now that, bro, you ask what your rep is? That is your rep right there. Your rep is, don’t take nothing from nobody no how. Surprised you took the coffee and the smoke.

– Didn’t want to be rude.

He laughs, slaps his knee.

– Yeah, that’s it, that’s the shit. That Slick Willie lone-wolf style. That’s the rep. See, see, me, me? I couldn’t do that. I’m not saying I’m a mama’s boy or anything, but I am, you know, used to having some comforts. In terms of lifestyle, I’d just as soon be like you, Roguing it. But the truth is, I’m not cut out for it.

Poncho strokes his cheek.

– Poor, soft baby.

He nods.

– Pretty much. As it is, I got my Society membership to keep me safe down here. And I got my trust fund to keep me comfortable. ’Course, don’t know how long I can make that last. Told my moms and dads I needed to take a year off. Hard to go pre-med when you can’t take classes during the day. Pretty soon they’re gonna want to know my plans. What am I gonna tell them? Uh, I don’t know, hang out, drink blood, party. So, no, bro, I don’t want anything from you. I just heard about you, thought maybe you were cool. Philip introduced you, I played it easy and all, but, hey, I was kinda starstruck. Truth. So, my crib, my smoke, my girls. Whatever. You don’t want to hang, just want to ask your questions and take off, that’s cool. It’s all good.

I set my half full coffee cup on the floor at my feet.

– What about drugs?

– Love ’em. But they don’t really work anymore.

– Uh-huh. What about this new thing?

He fiddles with his cigarette, licking the tip of his finger and rubbing the saliva on the side of the smoke where the cherry has started to burn unevenly.

– This new thing?

– A new high. Something the new fish are into.

The intercom buzzes. The bathroom door bangs open as Pigtails runs out and presses the button to buzz whoever it is into the building.

The Count stands up.

– You cool if I take a sec?

– Sure. Visitor?

He grins.

– Delivery.

Pigtails is jumping up and down again.

– Delivery! Delivery! Delivery!

The Count steps into the hall and closes the door behind him.

I stand up, look at Poncho.

– Can I get another of those?

– Sure.

She holds out the cigarette. I take it and she offers me a match. I shake my head and light it with my Zippo.

– So what about you, how long you been on the scene?

– Less than a year.

I snap my Zippo open and closed against my thigh.

– Society?

– Oh yeah.

She holds out her hands to the other girls and they run over and jump on the couch with her.

– We’re all Society here. Not a Rogue in the house. ’Cept you.

– Yeah. Except me. Who brought you in? You don’t mind me asking?

– We don’t mind.

– So who was it?