Las Vegas, Nevada - The Excalibur
Sometimes one can just tell the type of person someone is, simply by the way they carry themselves. It is especially true when you work with the public, and in such places of employment as the luxurious hotels along the famous Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. Places like the Excalibur, one of the Strip's most renowned luxury hotels where most of the clientele are the rich and famous. Or at the very least, the reasonably well off.
Viktor Hemsworth, a top neuro surgeon, along with his family, his 'trophy wife', Amelia, and their two teenage daughters, Jennifer and Alicia, entered the lobby of the Excalibur with no less than four stewards pulling the family's luggage behind them. Just watching these people, one could tell that they lived comfortably with the surgeon's income, and they considered themselves relatively high above most others.
"Yes sir!" The female desk clerk greeted the family with the token perkiness that was to be expected.
"We have a reservation." The doctor stated simply, without so much as a greeting to acknowledge the woman standing behind the counter was anything more than human. "It's under the name Hemsworth."
The clerk started to type at her computer keyboard as the two teenagers grumbled, glancing around the lobby with indifference.
"This is so lame." Fourteen year old Alicia whined. "When you said we were going on vacation, I thought you meant we'd be going somewhere fun. Or at least remotely interesting!"
"You don't think Las Vegas can be interesting?" Their mother asked casually, slinging her Gucci purse over her shoulder and opened the compact she took from the inside of it to glance at her reflection for what had to be the fifth time since they had stepped out of their car in the valet parking area just outside.
"Psh!" Fifteen year old Jessica hissed. "Last year daddy took us to the Cayman Islands! Why couldn't we go there!?" She added with a piercing whine.
"Because for once I thought it'd be nice if we came somewhere your mother and I wanted to go." The doctor answered. "Instead of constantly going where you girls want to."
"So not fair!" Jessica pouted, folding her arms over her chest in a classic pout.
"Besides," Amelia stated, holding up a pamphlet. "There's plenty that you girls can do. You were complaining about not being able to dress up for Halloween and have some fun? Well tonight there's a costume contest and Trick or Treating in North Las Vegas."
"Well that's something I guess." Alicia shrugged her shoulders.
"Okay, Doctor Hemsworth." The clerk said, passing the keys to their hotel rooms over to his waiting hand. "Your rooms are on the tenth floor. Jarrold will show you to your rooms."
A young porter stepped up and after the doctor passed him the room keys, he personally escorted them across the lobby and toward the elevators...
"Really, madam."
Brother Grimm stated with a soft exhaling through his black lips as he stood up against the wooden mantle of the old-world fireplace in the ancient home of his 'benefactress'. He shook his head as he took a glance around and frowned in wonder at how the usual decor had changed from the motif of old wood that seemed at the ready to rot away any moment, and the stones covered in moss and decay.
It had been replaced by a means unknown to even him with one of a more 'mouth watering' nature, at least to the mortal palette. Walls fashioned with sweet cookie and hard candies, windows made not of glass but clear candy sugar, and all held together with not mortar or the like, but with the like of icings used on cakes and treats.
His top lip curled in a sneer of distaste at her new choice in holiday decor and he continued with his feedback on the more modern 'tale' told to him by the old woman for this time of year. He pulled his curious stare from the colorful candies embedded in the walls and back to the figure in the rocking chair, hidden in shadow.
He stated, "I admit that you have told me a great number of fanciful tales to explain the world during my time spent in that Void, but this?"
He smiled brightly, his dark lips pulled back to reveal perfectly white teeth, but a smile that could curdle milk despite its otherworldly beauty.
"Even this I find difficulty in believing." He said.
"I can't imagine why." She said from where she sat on a rocking chair, hidden in the shadows. The chair slowly creaked back and forth, as her aged hands worked the knitting needles, crafting her little project on her lap as the spool of yarn slowly grew smaller. "These people have always held some form of fascination with the macabre. They celebrate it, despite the fact that they hold such fear in their weak hearts. This has held true since before you were ever imprisoned."
"Tch." Grimm shook his head. "It has held true for as long back as I can remember, which given my age is a very long time indeed."
"Then why, might I ask, do you find this particular bit of fancy so difficult to comprehend?"
Grimm pushed himself up off of the mantle and stepped forward, stopping against the edge of the witch's table which was covered in cakes and pies and various other forms of sweet treats.
He said, "It's one thing to hold an interest in the shadows, perhaps even gain some form of thrill by attempting to brave what might lie within it, but children... walking the streets and begging strangers for sweets?"
He shook his head and cast his cold, amber eyes toward her and shook his head in faux disbelief. "Really."
"Yes, really." She answered back calmly enough as her knitting continued. "You know as well as I that all these little traditions the flock partakes in, held some tie to ages past. Carving their little pumpkins with frightening faces to guide the spirits of the dead. Wearing masks to hide from demons and ghosts. Lighting bonfires. All to make merry on their Halloween, or as we know it, Samhain."
"Samhain." Grimm smirked as he picked up a candied apple from the table. "I knew that one. The most over rated demon since Lucifer." He gave the candied apple a light whiff and scrunched up his face at what he considered a foul odor and quickly set it back down to its rightful place.
He continued, "If these sheep knew what truly lurked in their world on this night, they'd never leave their homes."
"They used to." She acknowledged begrudgingly. "Even we must admit that ages ago, mortals were wiser to the darkness around them. Now where they once cowered in fear, they stride in ignorance. They did more than believe ages ago. They knew, and that, perhaps, was their only true strength. Now?"
She paused long enough to glance toward the fireplace and almost immediately the logs inside of it sparked to life and a warm, dancing flame soon was sparking shadows along the wall. Only then did the rocking of her chair continue, and she did as well herself.
She said, "Now where they once had some spark of knowledge, they wallow in ignorance. When they once feared going out past dusk because they knew what lied in wait, they dare waltz down darkened alleys with the belief a stranger with a gun might be the only threat against them."
Grimm chuckled through pursed lips and walked along the side of the table, and he said, "I miss the old days. They provided us with more of a challenge. I almost regret the line of Hunters has almost died out."
"Almost." She said. "Yet not quite. There are yet a few mortals with a bit of knowledge who remain."
"Not enough for my tastes." Grimm said as he passed a candelabra and glided his finger tips along the dancing flames of the lit wicks. "If these people actually do send their children out in garish costumes to beg for sweets, then their ignorance has fallen to an even deeper level. Still..."
He then stood upright and with a smile, turned toward the door.
"And where might you be going?" She asked, pausing in both rocking and knitting.
"Out." Grimm answered simply. "If these fools have forgotten the old ways, then I will simply have to find my own ways to amuse myself." He stooped at the now open door and turned back with an inviting smile. "Care to join me?"
"Amusing as your talents are against them, I'll pass." She answered. "I have my own ways I enjoy celebrating."
"Suit yourself." Grimm said with a nod and he shut the door behind himself.
"Where are you two going dressed like that!?" Viktor asked, staring hard at his two daughters.
Alicia was dressed in a sexy demon's outfit, complete with bustier, mini skirt and net hose. Her sister, Jessica, was not that much better off as she was clad in an Elvira costume knock off. They looked at each others' outfit, confused, then looked at their father and shrugged.
"What?" Jessica stated. "I think we look great!"
Viktor turned to his wife and pointed at the girls. "And you have no problem with this?"
"Obviously!" Alicia snorted. "Considering mom bought us the outfits."
"Would you relax?" Amelia scolded her husband. "They'll be fine! The driver is taking them to North Vegas for the Trick or Treating and right back here." The mother looked at the two teenagers over the rim of her fashionable shades an raised her eyebrow. "Right?"
"Sure. Sure." Jessica waved her mother's concern off. "That won't exactly be the night we hoped for, but at least we'll get some candy out of it."
"Then we can come back here for the party in the lobby!" Alicia elbowed her sister gently in the arm and the two girls giggled and high-fived one another.
Their father just exhaled sharply and shook his head, saying, "Why do I even bother?"
"I don't know." Alicia said. "You should know by now we usually get out way."
"You girls head for the lobby so your father and I can see you off." Amelia stated. "I just need to change purses."
"Again!?" Viktor moaned but it did him little to no good as his wife disappeared out into the hall to head for the room she shared with her husband.
Amelia shut the door behind her and proceeded to open the dresser up and she stared at the two other top fashionable handbags that she had brought and with a brief pause, she selected the beaded one. Picking it up, she turned around and brought it and her full purse to the bedside and set them both down.
So focused was she on this task that she did not notice the shadowy figure behind the silken curtains over the window.
She emptied the contents of her Gucci purse onto the bed and then she proceeded to switch them over to her beaded purse, being extra careful not to forget anything such as her Diore perfumes or her makeup. She thought she had placed a silk handkerchief inside as well but it was not there. The amber eyes in the shadows watched her with amusement as she glanced around the room and discovered the aforementioned handkerchief all the way across the room, crumpled on the oak table by the window.
With a frown, and a muttered blame toward her daughters under her breath, Amelia walked over to the window and picked the accessory up and smoothed it out against her breasts. The light curtains fluttered up in the evening's breeze, and it glided against her arms, causing Amelia to start.
She turned around quickly and shook her head.
The window was closed tightly.
"Those girls have got me imagining things." She thought quietly to herself as she walked back to the bed and she folded the handkerchief and leaned over to place it in the handbag when she felt the warm sensation of someone's lips pressed close to her ear, but just enough to where they weren't touching. A breath was exhaled into her ear and what should have been a warm breath, was instead chilly.
She jumped up and turned around, but there was nobody there. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow move across the mirror. She turned to look, and again, there was nothing.
She swallowed hard and slowly baked her way toward the door. It was all her imagination, wasn't it? She then looked toward the bed where the purses were, and she gasped as the outline of a body started to take form beneath the covers of the bed. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened and closed, while she blindly started to reach for the knob of the hotel room door. She finally took hold of it in her hands and she started to tug and to pull but it was sealed tight!
"Help!" She started to scream and she pounded on the door. "Let me out!"
She then pulled again but this time her hand slipped off of the knob and she stared at it in horror, as her hand was slicked with crimson! She started to shake and took a step back, almost tripping as she looked at the door which was leaking blood!
"HELP!"
Outside in the hallway, Jessica and Alicia met their father and he seemed annoyed.
"You girls seen your mother?" He asked.
"Uh, no?" Alicia said with the haughty attitude teenagers were prone to.
"Yeah, duh!" Jessica said. "She went to your guy's room for her purse, remember?"
"Apparently she didn't." Viktor said, jetting thumb back towards his room door. "I was just in there and she's not there."
"So maybe she went down to the lobby." Alicia offered, though her tone of voice stated she either didn't believe it, or just didn't care. "Look, can we go?"
With a huff, Viktor led his two daughters towards the elevator...
Grimm leaned in close to the woman who was paralyzed with fear. He ran his fingers down against her cheek and whispered, "Trick or Treat."
In downtown Las Vegas, far away from the bright lights and casinos, there were normal neighborhoods with normal homes and families. Children of all ages were out and about this night, dressed in a wide array of colorful costumes, in everything from ghosts and pirates, to witches and elves. The time honored tradition of Trick or Treating was always a huge success in full neighborhoods such as these, and this night was no different.
A small group of children, ages ranging from six to twelve, friends and family in a huddle, gathered together at the end of the walk and looked into their bags.
"This was great!"
"Hey! I got a giant Snickers!"
"I got Pop Rocks! Cool!"
"Are we done? We can't be!"
"Yeah, it's still early!"
"Yeah but mom said we had to get you guys home by eight."
There was a collective gathering of moans and groans from the youngest in the group. Nobody ever wanted Trick or Treat to end until their bags were absolutely threatening to burst! And theirs were getting there!
"Come on! Just one more house?"
"Pleeease?"
The oldest, a brother perhaps, sighed. try as he might as an older sibling, he couldn't resist when his younger siblings ganged up on him like this.
"Fine!" He said. "But just one more house and then we go home."
"We can go to that one there."
The child pointed towards the modern home, two stories, at the end of the road. It looked quite pleasant with it's colorful Halloween decorations on the porch, walls and the lawn. The brother blinked. truth be told, he hadn't even noticed the house before, but it was as good as any for one final round of Trick or Treat.
So with a wave forward, the brother hurried after the gaggle of children as they rushed toward the house. they bounded up the walk, and onto the porch where one tiny fist knocked.
"Trick or Treat!"
The door opened and with a soft invitation from the grandmother type inside, the children entered to receive their treats.
And the door closed, revealing it to be a house crafted of candy and gingerbread ... in a foggy woodland setting.
"I am not one to waste time with words. I never have been. You should know me by now, to be the one that prefers to lurk in the dark and watch from the shadows while the people that I must cross paths with inside of the ring, waste time with words to their heart's content."
"This time is truly no different, but I thought I would take this moment to invite the soul who opposes me, Shane Spencer, to a very special celebration. A time of the year where the veil between worlds is at its thinnest, and spirits, demons, and everything in between, is free to roam this world without a care. Where the things that lurk in the closets of your children and what lies under the stairs, waiting for you to descend, have no defenses against."
"A time where I am at my strongest, and where victory is all but assured."
"This is my time, Shane Spencer. This is the time where the Darkness reigns supreme. The time where all fears of the soul are magnified and the creatures of the night are free to feast on bone and blood. How, poetic, is it not, that we draw so close to the holiday of All Hallow's Eve, and here you are, Shane, facing the Bogey Man Himself. Fighting the one being in existence that can not be fought. Fear is the one emotion that can not be conquered. No matter how mighty and valiant mortal man claims to be, the seed of fear will always have taken root deep within the darkest recesses of their souls."
"So shall it be with you, Shane. I commend the valor you boast, false as it is.</size>
