Chapter 8: Chapter Seven

Through a door marked employees only, Darren followed Piggles to an area that partygoers had no idea existed. There were offices, dressing rooms, storage, paths to the stage, and all types of behind-the-scenes shit that kept the party going at Raw. It was like its own little community with sang running back and forth.

“All right, here he is,” Piggles announced as he entered an office. “King of New York, King Ellis Reiher!”

Darren felt like he had hit a fucking brick wall and couldn’t keep his eyes from growing bigger than they already were. Thank God for his sunglasses. It was too late for him to backtrack out of the office. Why the hell didn’t he feel the fucking king in the club? Simple. He didn’t want him to. Rooted to his spot in the doorway, he felt like a fucking fool, but there wasn’t any chance he was going to move further into the lion’s den.

King Reiher was not only the king of New York but also the head of the council. Not only a council of the many that were in the cities of New York but the one located in Albany, the state’s capital. All celebrities that were embraced had to be taken to the council in the state’s capital city and there they asked for entry into the area. King Reiher made it clear from the beginning that he desired Darren and everything in his nature was sexual, fluid, and fine.

An uncanny beauty, King Reiher stood at exactly seven feet, and his entire body was devoid of pigment. He had been born an albino in his human life. His skin was stark white, his long flat hair shimmered like silvery gossamer strands, and his pale pink eyes were unnerving. He had to get his clothing made, of course, and he only wore suits constructed of the finest fabrics. He dressed in white from head to toe and occasionally added a pocket square or necktie with the barest hint of color usually in pink, purple, or blue. He kept his nails extended to their full length and they were painted in a white pearlescent color like nacre. Many rings decorated his fingers with white diamonds, stones, pearls, and opals set in white gold and platinum. Though he didn’t need a cane, he carried one. Well, excuse me, walking stick. It was made of white wood and looked more like a reeded leg from a Sheraton chair except the reeds were concave. It tapered down to a narrow point at the bottom and on top was a large cut white opal. Yes, that was an expensive walking stick.

From what McGregor told Darren, King Reiher was around three thousand years old give or take and he was of Germanic heritage. Judging by his face, which was fine and delicate but still held masculinity with its sharp and cutting angles, he was in his early thirties when he was embraced.

That pink-tinted gaze rolled over Darren and gently, one mocking corner of his lip lifted and he smirked. “Well, sit down Darren,” the king instructed with a voice that was heavy with regality and deeply accented with a time of three millennia ago.

Darren swallowed and eased into the room. He slipped stiffly into the chair opposite King Reiher. They were only separated by a raggedy old desk. He was sure that the office was Piggles and that the king was only taking control of it while he was present.

“Darren Hayes,” King Reiher rolled his name out of his mouth like he had dipped it in chocolate and was licking it off with the tip of his tongue. “You know, my girls, some of them, loved you and Daniel.” It was said that he only embraced women because men were absolute fucking trouble, though he professed to be gay through and through. Maybe it was wise not to embrace someone you love. The thought played in Darren’s mind. “I must admit that I don’t care for anything after the 1800s, but Savage Garden was an exception. Now, when will you and Daniel be gracing our stage?”

“Oh,” Piggles piped up.

“Oh, what?” King Reiher snapped.

“It’s only going to be Mr. Hayes,” he explained. “Mr. Jones wasn’t interested.”

Darren hadn’t told Daniel a damn thing. Why would he? He was a fucking drunk. It would be an utter embarrassment to have him on stage.

King Reiher looked at Darren. “Well?”

“Ugh,” Darren began. “Yeah, Daniel said he’s done with performing.”

“Hmmm…” King Reiher tapped his nails on the top of the desk. He then said, “Take off those glasses, Darren. The sun isn’t shining in here and even if it were we’d all be crispy. Now, wouldn’t we?”

Both King Reiher and Piggles laughed but Darren didn’t. Slowly, he reached up and gently removed the glasses. He looked at the king for a brief moment before lowering his gaze.

“Now don’t be a shy boy, Darren,” King Reiher said with amusement. “A boy as pretty as you should never be shy, especially with all the attention you used to get. You should be used to it. Or…is it just me you are shy around?”

Piggles leaned into the king and said, “I think it’s just you.”

As the two laughed, Darren wanted to melt into the chair and disappear.

“Look at me, Hayes,” King Reiher said with weight.

Lifting his head, Darren looked the king in the face as he dictated. It was uncomfortable as hell. Whenever their eyes met, Darren would slide his away to look at the ceiling, the floor, the desk, anywhere but the king. He could feel his eyes probing and sexualizing him. He could feel his thoughts flowing over his form. Darren didn’t feel like a grown-ass man. He felt like a shrinking violet of a girl who was being raped with her petals ravished and torn asunder.

“Just gorgeous,” the king said breathlessly. “The lips alone are a miracle. Luscious and divine. Ready to please any man.”

“Right!” Piggles brayed.

Under other circumstances, Darren might have enjoyed someone gushing over his lips. Hell, he hadn’t wrapped his lips around a fat cock in what? One, two, four, six, wait, five years? He and Daniel hadn’t fucked in five years straight. The worst thing about all of that is that Daniel had a big summer sausage of a dick. Damn, Darren was lonely, but he had respect for himself, and he just felt like meat in front of those two.

“Take your hat off, dear,” King Reiher instructed.

“I’m…” Darren had to start again because his voice came out hoarse and scratchy. “I’m all right.”

“I didn’t ask if you were all right. I told you to take your hat off.”

Darren nodded his head and slipped the beanie off of his silky soft puff of ebony hair. He ruffled his fingers through his hair to loosen the hat head and then set the hat on the desk.

“And there he is,” the king sat back and rested his hand on the arm of the chair while the other kept a hold on the walking stick. “Darren Hayes. One of us.”

Yeah, one of you, Darren thought bitterly.

“Well, now on a more serious note, Darren.” King Reiher’s disposition changed. He switched to serious and professional. Lifting his walking stick, he laid it across his lap and tapped on it with his nails. “Now, you are used to being famous Darren, I’m sure McGregor, the good chap that he is, has told you the importance of maintaining secrecy at all costs. You will not be playing arenas and going on world tours. However, you can start here in this little hole in the wall, and we will see how that goes. Piggles and I have a few ideas we have been toying around with.”

“What kind of ideas?” Darren asked with curiosity.

King Reiher just smiled and continued, “Nobody in the human world knows where you and Daniel are or if you are dead or alive. We’ve actually been thinking about staging some sightings like Elvis.”

“Is he…?” Darren trailed and the king just offered a thin-lipped smile.

“Now, one thing you must understand is that this sort of thing with celebrities happens all the time, but if you fuck up, you will be dealt with. Do not lead hunters and Blood Reavers to my door. I will be held responsible and if I am being held responsible for something you have done, well…” He gave a toothy grin. “Anyway.” He tucked his fangs away. “Not all celebrities are fit for supernatural life. Look at those five buffoons…Orgy?”

“Yeah, that’s them,” Piggles confirmed.

“That damn fool Jay Gordon snapped his goddamned spinal cord and killed himself. What the hell ever possessed him to wrap a microphone cord around his neck? And his poor partner, what is that boy’s name?”

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“Paige,” Piggles filled in.

“He’s been depressed. I hear he’s heavily into drugs, alcohol, and eating. He was always a little round one, but I’ve heard he’s packed it on. Something was wrong with them all.”

“Well, they’re weres.” Piggles shrugged.

“Dogs. All of the bastards.”

“Not all of them.”

“Oh?”

Darren sat quietly listening.

“Uh, Bobby, the drummer, he’s a panda.”

“The fuck? How did that happen?” King Reiher was outdone, and Darren was amazed himself. “What, when he changes, does he look like one of the Buddy Bears on Garfield when they were fighting?”

“I don’t know, sir.” Piggles shrugged. “Let’s see. Okay, Jay was a lycan and so is Paige…”

“Dogs.” The king snorted.

“Bobby the panda, Ryan was a fox…”

“A fox is logical.” King Reiher nodded.

“And there is another one.”

“Amir, the beautiful one.”

“Yeah.” Piggles grinned. “He’s a leopard and I hear he’s beautiful. Nice black and gold coloring.”

“Wow…Hmmm…Maybe I should get a leopard…Maybe I should capture him.”

Piggles shrugged.

“Maybe not.” King Reiher waved a hand of dismissal. “I bore easily.”

Darren had sat through the whole thing silently. He wasn’t surprised at hearing what happened to Jay Gordon. He remembered watching music videos and performances with Orgy and wondering why the hell would someone wrap a microphone cord around their neck, and they always wore those huge ass platforms that reminded him of big black erasers. If they tripped…Well, it did happen. God rest Jay Gordon’s soul.

“Well,” King Reiher broke Darren’s train of thought. “You signed for a year and not two.”

“That’s right.” Darren nodded. He wanted to sign for six months but Piggles said it was one year or nothing.

“I think you will find that we can help you grow into that star you once were. Things are different for you now, Darren, but you can still achieve stardom. We’ll get you everything you need. A band, backup singers, whatever.”

“What about a recording studio?” Darren asked. “I got some new material I’ve been working on.”

“Well, I’m sure we can work something out,” King Reiher assured him.

“Thank you.”

“Now, VamVu has been loving you, Darren,” the king continued to gush. “Have you seen all the thumb-ups you got on your live video?”

“Ummm, no. Sorry, sir. Haven’t had the time.”

King Reiher rolled his eyes. “Well, anyway, people have loved it and later this week there is going to be a competition hosted by…” He looked at Piggles. “Latoya La La?”

“She doesn’t go by that anymore,” Piggles informed the king. “She goes by Savage Slut.”

“Ah yes, Ms. Savage Slut,” King Reiher addressed Darren again. “She’s going to host a competition later this week to see who can sing “I Want You” and get all the words right.”

Darren nodded and felt a bit lighter inside though he still wanted to tear the fuck out of the office. “That’s not easy.”

“Well, I think that will be all. Are we done here, Piggles?” The king looked up at Piggles.

“Yes, sir,” Piggles replied.

“Good, good.” King Reiher waved Darren on. “You enjoy the rest of your night, lovely boy. I’ll be keeping a close eye on you.”

Darren cringed internally and felt dirty all over again. He would need a bath when he got home. He quickly said goodbye, tossed on his hat and sunglasses and left as quickly as he could with his glass of unfinished blood wine still on the desk. He flew out of the club and into the tunnels. He was running again. He was just a ball bouncing between a rock and a hard place. He was a ping pong being jostled, tossed, and whacked back and forth. No good was going to come out of this situation. Nothing good at all.

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