Warring Logics *COMPLETE* (Book 1 of The Institute of Fantasiological Studies)

The one with the other guy (Chapter 10)

"Welcome Mrs. Hemstock!"

I smile back at the stranger greeting me.

Today is my meeting with the head of the Weiß coven and I can already tell this coven is so different from von Graf's. Firstly instead of a fancy restaurant, the coven offices are in an old house next to Grüneburg park in the north of the city. And instead of the stiff formality, here I am greeted with a friendly smile at the front door by the primus himself.

"Mr. Weiß, thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me"

Mr. Weiß is a tall and slim vampire with high cheekbones and refined features with reddish-brown hair and matching eyes giving him an eerily beautiful look.

"Naturally" Mr. Weiß gives me a big smile and opens the door wider to let me in "I couldn't pass up meeting you after hearing about your project, it sounds so... intriguing. Come, come, let's sit in the front room right through there"

The entry hall is a proper room decorated with dark mahogany wood paneling, wood accents, side tables flanked by forest green and cream covered chairs, and multiple closed dark wood doors leading to mysterious rooms. A large staircase leads to the second floor and an understated chandelier hands from the ceiling.

I follow Mr. Weiß to a sort of sitting room or living room where the theme of dark wood continued. Dark wood floors, dark wood walls, dark wood mantel fireplace decorated with a wood clock. Whoever decorated this place has a wood fetish.

I take a seat on one of the chairs, setting my bag down on the floor next to me and grabbing my notebook and pen, while Mr. Weiß sits opposite me on the couch, leaning back relaxed on the cushions.

"How do you like Frankfurt, Miss. Hemstock?"

I smile back at him, it's refreshing to start with a bit of small talk "I like it a lot. I like the rebuild Old Town and the European lifestyle, it's just too bad that the lockdowns prevented me from exploring the rest of the country"

"I'm sure you'll get a chance to explore more next year"

"I'm sure"

"Ah, Mrs. Hemstock, I forgot to offer you a beverage. Would you like coffee or water perhaps?" He flashes his bright white smile at me. Can vampires use whitening strips? Because if I had to guess this guy uses a pack a week.

"No thank you, I'm fine" I click my pen a few times trying to think of the best way to approach the topic I came for "so you read my email-"

"Yes" he leans forward in his seat "...and we are so excited to have you here. You see, we are a different sort of coven, most covens in these parts are stuck in the past- secretive, hierarchical, and unwelcoming- we however encourage the public to learn more about vampires, to even become vampires if they so choose. It's a radical new type of coven." His face lights up as he continues his description.

"That sounds really interesting"

"I hope so. See, humans are in constant search of eternal life and eternal beauty. They run, they exercise, they apply expensive creams to their faces, all in the hopes of finding eternal youth. They have spent lifetimes looking for the fountain of youth. What's his name...." he waves his hand in the air "...Ponce de León went all the way to Florida for it. But it's been here all along- vampirism allows us to experience eternal youth and eternal life, people just need to open their eyes and stop being afraid"

Damn it. Why does he have to go on such a speech when I don't have permission to record him for an interview? This would be so perfect to analyze for my thesis. Hopefully, I can get him or someone in his coven to repeat something similar...

I smile and nod encouraging him to continue.

"I am hoping that by interviewing us you will help spread the word. Show them" he waves his arm around "that we are normal, that we are safe to have around, that we can provide what they are looking for."

"Well," I begin. I need to let him down gently, I mean I doubt my work is going to do all of that, I'm lucky if my Ph.D. committee even reads my entire thesis, I don't think my supervisor will. "let's see what we can do"

He smiles even wider, "that is all I ask Mrs. Hemstock. So should we discuss what you need from us?"

"Yes, um..." I begin to flip through the pages in my notebook which lists my requirements, "...I'm thinking 10-"

Mr. Weiß slaps his lap interrupting me "I almost forgot! We have an event this Friday- you have to come"

"Oh um" I really don't want to go... like really don't want to go. Call it fear, call it PTSD, I don't care, I don't want to wake up in my bed unsure of what happened again. "I'm not sure..."

"Nonsense, you have nothing to fear. No one will touch you without permission."

"I just not-"

"I heard what von Graf did. You have nothing to fear from us, we are not barbarians, we do not touch humans without permission"

I blush and look down at my lap. I feel the need to defend von Graf, that's not what happened, "That's not exactly-"

Mr. Weiß waves away my comment, leaning back against the couch "no matter, I will personally ensure your safety. No one will touch you. And the event will allow me to introduce you to many of the coven members"

I swallow. I don't want to go but I know I should. It will greatly help me gather data for my Ph.D. and meet potential interviewees. Shit.

"Okay," I say reluctantly. Why do these vampires keep insisting I go to their stupid parties?

"Great!" he flashes me a fang-filled smile "bring whatever you need for your interviews, maybe we will even get your first interview that night!"

*****

Happy 2021!!

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