TITLE: Icarus Manor, chapter 9
AUTHOR: lillywhite1, but you can call me Casey.
SUMMARY: In a mysterious mansion in a secluded part of North America, a man 
discovers that he is far from alone in the world. Here at Icarus Manor several species of 
non-human description live together to survive in a world that does not know they exist. 
LAST CHAPTER: Sean begins his new work. Responsibilities trickle down. THIS 
CHAPTER: The boys head off to the club. Cameo by Cate Blanchette.
PAIRING: Eventual DM/BB
RATING: R; still setting up the base for the affair.
FEEDBACK: is my neutella on a spoon that makes me go all gooey and melty and 
mmmmm...
A/N: Text in asterisks (*) represents italics or general emphasis. This is a book and a 
work in progress. Be gentle. Comments to cswann1@gmail.com.

Chapter 9

Dominic flipped through the pages of yet another crumbling, ancient text and let it 
whisper between his fingers and on to the marble floor. Orlando had described in feverish 
detail where they were going tonight before running off to tell Elijah about his plans for 
them all. And although Dominic only caught every third word or so of what Orlando 
gushed out before zipping off, Orlando’s excitement was contagious, and his description 
glittered with possibility. 

Orlando rapped out in fiery tones the beauty and complexity of his favorite night spot, 
and he left Dominic panting for more. He was nearly shaking with anticipation and the 
magnificently adorned pages of the books crumbled and were lost forever before he could 
be the last witness to their existence. But Dominic was too distracted to mourn the 
passing of yet another divine text. The images that rolled off Orlando’s tongue danced 
like whirling dervishes in his mind’s eye. A corner of their home city remained in 
darkness even by day and belonged exclusively to those who barely appeared human and 
tonight Dominic was going to be submerged in the culture that he had only tasted from 
being here at Icarus Manor. 

In truth, Dominic was terrified. The only other thropes he knew in this world were the 
ones at the Manor besides his family and few other werewolf acquaintances, most being 
detached political leaders and elders. But it wasn’t the werewolves he was worried about. 
By listening in on the staff’s conversations, there were plenty other species of thropes 
that he had never met. Many of them sounded dangerous. Thankfully, the truly terrifying 
ones were either exiled or couldn’t pass for human.

*I could be categorized as dangerous, too, couldn’t I?*

Dominic smiled. 

*I guess most of them would have to be rational enough to be walking free in the human 
world.*

But what about their customs and taboos? A scant glance at Elijah’s manual had revealed 
not to associate too strongly with specters because they could become addicted to your 
presence. And what was that part about not penetrating them? Extremely violent? 
Dominic began to worry that most of the vital things to his survival were not common 
sense.

*Perhaps that was why my family didn’t bother to teach me. It’s just too complicated.*

But he had his friends, right? They’d help him out. And what about Mr. Boyd?

Dominic focused his canine ears on the next room. A rustled page and a small intake of 
breath told Dominic all he needed to know.

~
	
“Mr. Boyd! Fancy seeing you here!” 
	
William quirked an eyebrow at Dominic as he sauntered into his office. He smelled like 
the disintegrating books, and he was covered in them, but he still looked stunning to 
William. 

 “Yes, I’m only here all week not to mention weekends and holidays. You’ve truly caught 
me at a rare moment.” He tried to not look up from his busywork.

“So how’s business?” Dominic perched somewhat seductively on the edge of the desk. 
He had to look up now. No use pretending.

“Fine, Dominic. Just fine, really.” *What’s he doing?*

“Y’know, Mr. Boyd, I don’t even know what it is that your business does.”

“Frankly, Dominic, it’s not very interesting at all. It’s just…transportation.”

“Transport, huh? Of what?” Dominic said in a suggestive tone.

“Items.” Mr. Boyd said in an exaggeratedly suggestive tone.

“That must be a tough business, and it sounds like you don’t get out enough.”

William paused. Was Dominic going to ask him to go out with him? A myriad of 
feelings, questions, and responses rushed though his mind. What would he say? Where 
would they go? What could they possibly do that a blue-eyed werewolf and a … well … 
William would enjoy? Would it work at all, or should he never have acted so friendly 
towards Dominic to begin with? But Dominic was going to need some sort of answer in 
the next few seconds, and here was William with his jaw practically hanging open.

“Is there something on your mind, Dom?”

“Well, Orlando, Elijah and I are going out to a club called Purgatory. I thought it would 
be great if you could come out with us. Have you heard of it?”

“I have heard about Purgatory on occasion, but I have not gone there. It’s a vampire club, 
isn’t it?”

“Yes, and it’s supposed to be a lot of fun. Would you like to come with us?”

William stared up into Dominic’s grey-blue eyes and considered the offer. He really 
wanted to shake off the layer of dust that, like his books, had covered him over years of 
immobility. He didn’t even know if everything under the dust still worked right. 
Whatever had kept him hiding in his little rectory for all these years had rusted and 
broken. He didn’t want to find out if his feelings for Dominic were substantial by testing 
them out and risking their blossoming friendship. It was probably best to figure out how 
he felt, and then act on them. He gently shook his head.

“I would love to Dominic, but I have a great deal of work to do still and it could take all 
night.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. The work could wait, but it was an excuse that didn’t 
offend.

“You have to work at *night*? Can’t it wait till morning?” Dominic pressed. 

William smiled sadly. “Many of my clients wake up when the sun goes down. The work 
day starts again at 8 o’clock or so. Perhaps another time?”

Dominic gave up and nodded. “Rain check, then. Well, I’m going to quit for the day if 
that’s okay with you.”

“Sure, I’ll just dock your allowance or remove some furniture from your room.”

Dominic smiled. “See you tomorrow.”

As William watched Dominic recede into the hallway, he felt a twinge of regret for what 
could have been and what may still be.

~	

“Come on, ‘Lij. You’ve been staring at your closet forever. Just pick something.” 
Dominic let out another exasperated sigh as he reclined on the couch in Elijah’s room. 

“Well, we’re still waiting on Orli so I’ve got time to consider all of my options. I didn’t 
just buy a new wardrobe on the boss’ account, like some thropes I know.” 

Dominic stood up in front of one of Elijah’s floor-length mirrors and stared himself 
down. The silk blue button-down complimented his eyes very nicely and the black stacks 
clung to his body just enough to be flirtatious. He smiled at the memory of their 
collective shopping trip and thanked Orlando quietly for his good taste. His hair was a 
mass of brown tangles and the eyeliner he had applied generously made the outfit. This 
was practically his coming out into society. He had to look his best for his debut. 

But he wasn’t going to have his debut if they never left the manor.

Dominic looked exasperatedly at the merman again. He was only wearing some shorts 
and was thoughtfully chewing at his nails. His skin glowed a little in the light of the 
room, not because of the sheer whiteness of it, but because he was covered in tiny scales 
that shone in various slight shades of blue. There were also ridges running up and down 
his body: on the outsides of his arms, legs, and one along his spine. But other than the 
ethereal glow and the ridges, he looked human. He was truly extraordinary.

Then suddenly, something that smelled remarkably like the botanical gardens on fire 
burst through the door. Orlando was wearing his best tonight: a pinstripe brown and pink 
suit with matching hat and suspenders. He looked like a good imitation of a 1940’s swing 
dancer, and he was almost breathtaking.

“Soon we will truly live up to the misnomer ‘Creatures of the Night!’ What’s taking you 
two so long?”

Dominic threw a lazy arm in Elijah’s direction, “Monsieur Indecisive.”

“Is my work ever truly done?” Orlando gently shoved a boxer-clad Elijah out from in 
front of the closet and with movements too quick to catch assembled a cute little number 
and threw it at the nearly naked merman. “Does it really matter, though, dear? You’re just 
going to take them off anyway.”

Dominic coughed as he choked on the words.

Orlando laughed as Elijah blushed, “To swim. I like to swim at the club. Don’t get any 
ideas.” He ducked into the bathroom.

“I thought this was a vampire club?”

“It is Dom, it is. But they sort of cater to all thropes.” Orlando sat down.

“Is there anything specifically for werewolves?” Dominic asked hopefully.

Orlando cocked his head, “I don’t know.”

Dominic couldn’t help but feel disappointed, although he didn’t know what he was 
expecting.

“Bucker up buttercup. There’s bound to be something.”

“Okay, I’m ready.” Elijah emerged from the bathroom in a violet shirt cut close and some 
fashionable jeans. “Just one more thing, before we go. Are we going to invite Sean?”

Dominic and Orlando stared at Elijah.

“Nevermind. Just thought I would ask.” Elijah picked up his keys and the three 
adventurers headed out the door.

~

They drove one of the many company cars to the club: a modest little sedan, but 
fashionable. Dominic had to hang his head out the car window like a mutt to avoid the 
noxious, overpowering scent that was Orlando. The city flashed by him in streaks of 
colored lights. His brain desperately tried to snatch up the little pieces of writing and 
colored signs and make sense of them, but he let go. The toxic air whistled by cold and 
seemingly cleansing, and he forced his mind to quiet and let go of the parade of visual 
misinformation. He let it all blend together and pass before him like a Monet up too close 
to look like anything other than a mess.

Orlando feverishly went through his daily woes and complaints about the new job and 
how most people were just itching to make his life difficult. At the wheel, Elijah was 
mostly nodding and agreeing when he could get a word in edgewise. Dominic was 
conjuring up image after image of promise and splendor in this mysterious place called 
Purgatory. He saw thropes in garb of every time period and material dancing under 
filtered moonlight. He saw glorious bodies of every shape and size signaling the same 
promise of love and sex. He could almost smell the sweat of every creature belonging to 
an Earth that was just now unfolding before his starved eyes. Before any of them realized 
it, they had come to their destination: an abandoned pier by the river.

“Is this a joke?”

Elijah and Orlando said nothing. They simply walked towards the decrepit warehouse 
before them that looked like it was slowly sinking into the open waters’ gaping mouth. 
This was their club? This was what Dominic had been building up in his mind to be the 
very home of the Olympian gods? 

For several quiet moments they walked in zigzags through the labyrinth of steel bunkers 
and freight containers. The light diminished with every turn. Soon there was no light 
except the waxing moon. Dominic smiled up at his two-faced mistress and felt his ears 
growing pointed along with his wonky jaw and teeth. His eyes grew more sensitive as the 
artificial light faded, and he walked further into oblivion. He had the urge to run and 
bound and leap off the walls of steel and trash, but he kept mostly himself human for his 
friend’s sake. They weren’t used to turning around and finding a five foot eight monster 
behind them where their friend Dominic had been. 

He was getting ready to say something when Orlando stopped suddenly before a nook 
made of walls of garbage with someone or something at the end. Dominic looked up in 
acute anticipation. It was a sleeping beggar. He was wearing clothes no better than rags 
and smelled strongly of booze and urine. Orlando tapped his ill-clad foot and the beggar 
sputtered awake, immediately falling into his routine.

“Spare some change, sirs, for a man down in his ways?”

Orlando stretched out his lanky arm to drop three coins, one after the other in the 
beggar’s hand. The beggar held up one to the moonlight and examined it. The coin 
sparkled red and gold, but Dominic didn’t recognize it as any form of human currency.

“What the hell kinda change is this?” The beggar roared.

“The only change that is constant, and will always be.” Orlando said calmly.

nd with those words, the beggar and what had appeared to have been walls of garbage 
disappeared to reveal a door in the side of the warehouse. A large African man opened 
the door and stared at them in the darkness with pupils dilated further than any human 
could ever manage. Perhaps they saw just as well as Dominic’s wolf-eyes in the 
moonlight. 

The man smelled of death and blood to Dominic, and that made him nervous for his 
friends. The man smiled as only a god on Earth can, and he breathed deeply. His canine 
teeth revealed his thropic identity: Vampire.

“Welcome, travelers, to Purgatory.” His voice was warm enough, and Dominic relaxed as 
he and his friends slipped through the doorway and down.

Having passed the large man at the door with the proudest traits of the saber tooth tiger, 
Orlando led them down a few flights of twisted stairs to another door where another 
guard stood. Only this time, she was about his height and didn’t seem to be nearly as 
threatening. She appeared to be of Latin origin and she scanned them all again, just as the 
first guard had. Dominic didn’t know what she was looking for, but he was sure the 
owners had their reasons to be cautious. After all, they lived in a world dominated by 
stupid, panicky, micromanaging animals that would sooner torch them all than make the 
effort to live in harmony. 

But this place, oh, this place.

Before he could take it all in, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was as if his 
memory bank of scents had descended upon him all at once. He could nearly taste the 
other non-humans. He smelled water, fire, earth, and wind all together and mixing. It was 
a sensory overload. 

The music was pumping and vigorous and promised everything. He could feel the beat in 
his sternum and his lips. Then he opened his eyes and gasped. Two of the back walls 
were made of thick glass and outside them, merpeople and other thropes swam in backlit 
ecstasy. The water flowed under half the dance floor and through the hollow glass bar. 
The exiled dancers batted eyelashes and flirted through their prison to the thropes on the 
other side. The bartenders rapped on the glass and threw kisses and drinks down the bar. 
At least one bartender had more than two arms, but it was hard to tell. Lights flashed and 
spun. Smoke rumbled from nowhere and settled in sparkling clouds around the dancing 
inhabitants. Beautiful. The beautiful inhabitants. 

When your species has been sent through the evolution slicing and dicing machine, you 
usually came out the other end with a flawless body. By the look of it, all the 
paranthropes that had come out to play that night were no exception. Everywhere 
Dominic’s eyes settled it was on another sweating, androgynous, lovely body. They were 
grinding in raised cages and platforms. They were casually draped over the bar. They 
were chatting in corners. And of course, they were pounding on the dance floor. 

It took this magnificent sight to force Dominic to realize how lonely he had been. His 
friends were great, of course. Nothing could compare with them, but it had been far too 
long since Dominic had had the pleasure of another warm body in his bed. He’d had a 
girlfriend back in the pack, but it was a somewhat forced infatuation. The pool of 
acceptable mates was small, and out of sheer desperation, they had found each other 
satisfactory at the time. She had his child and then disappeared. Too many females in his 
pack had done that as of late. What happened to her, he would never know. The pressure 
to conform and be as human as possible was strong when there were few other thropes 
around and perhaps she had picked up and left to have as normal a life as she could. He 
felt no remorse for her loss, but he would have liked to have met his pup at least. It had 
been a loveless relationship, but Dominic still had high hopes for finding real love. 
Unfortunately, the most promising of his pursuits for love hadn’t accepted his invitation 
for tonight. 

Dominic mourned this fact briefly before turning his attention back to the marvels 
slamming into him. Orlando and Elijah waited patiently to his right.

“Be careful, Dom. If you stand there with your mouth open that wide, someone’s likely to 
put something in it.” Orlando teased, and led them all to the bar. It had only been a few 
seconds when a beautiful bartender noticed them.

“Cate, my dearest!” Orlando exclaimed and threw half of his stringy frame over the bar. 
She caught him and hugged him back. 

Cate was tall and thin like Orlando with wide facial features, but still managed to be 
extraordinarily attractive. Her eyes were rimmed in flaming blue hues and silver, and her 
attire was an artist’s rendition of what the ocean would wear if she were such a 
glamorous barkeep. Her hair was long and wound into dreadlocks. It was so pale blond, 
that it reflected blue. Her lips sparkled when she smiled. She hugged Elijah as well before 
turning her attention to Dominic. She extended her hand to him, but as he reached 
forward, she slipped her hand behind his neck and pressed her forehead to his. It was an 
unusual greeting, but Dominic accepted it as one of the many things he was going to 
learn tonight.

“I’m Cate. I’m a protector of this river.”

“Dominic, werewolf,” he smiled awkwardly, “I’m sorry if I don’t seem friendly enough. 
I’ve never—”

“It’s his first time out with us. He’s a veritable virgin to all ways except that of his own 
kind.” Orlando finished for him. Cate stared in disbelief.

“But I’m eager to learn.” Dominic blushed.

“Can’t learn to swim if you don’t jump into the water! Welcome and good luck to you 
Dominic. Can I get you anything?”

“Sure. What can you suggest?”

Cate placed a Bloody Mary before him and what looked like the contents of a lava lamp 
before Orlando. 

“Sheep’s blood, so it’s all legal here! Wave if you need anything.”

And with that, Cate was gone. Dominic took a sip of his mysterious drink and found it 
warm and inviting. With a snap of his fingers and a hint of sulfur, Orlando lit his own 
drink on fire. And Elijah—

Dominic turned around. Elijah was gone. Dominic was about to panic when a familiar 
face pressed up against the glass wall caught his attention. Elijah had his nose and tongue 
flattened fully before he pulled back to wave. With a flick of his black-blue tail, he was 
off to meet the others in the water. 

Dominic smiled. Elijah looked so happy.

“Shall we dance?” 

Before he could articulate a response, Dominic was mercilessly whipped out onto the 
dance floor into the lurching crowd.

~

Four dance partners, three quick hours, two more Bloody Marys, and a partridge in a pear 
tree later, Dominic found himself planted in a comfortable booth across from the bar with 
Orlando and several thropes who were admiring him. He was telling some story which 
could have been about his conception by an alien father and bovine mother for all he 
cared right now. He couldn’t seem to get his mind off Mr. Boyd. 

William. That was his first name. Orlando had told him.

Dominic had made peace with his attraction to his strange boss days ago and was oddly 
comfortable with fantasizing now. He let his mind wander. He didn’t care if they stared. 
He closed his eyes and felt the music pounding deep and true. 

Who's in bunker, who's in bunker? 
Women and children first 
Women and children first 
Women and children

The colored lights spun and danced, and the club’s inhabitants gave off a brilliance akin 
to angels. He could feel them trying to penetrate his eyelids. He pictured the incandescent 
man: His ginger colored hair, his childlike face, his open, emerald eyes and their wisdom. 
He wanted to touch that sad face and make him smile and blush. He wanted to see those 
perfectly crafted cupid’s bow lips come closer and closer to his own till he couldn’t see 
them anymore, only feel.
 
I'll laugh until my head comes off 
I swallow till I burst 
Until I burst 
Until I…

To finally know what he smelled like, past the memories. New memories. New 
sensations. New realizations. He wanted to press their bodies together and be taken care 
of. He longed to possess this unobtainable man and make him sweat.
 
I haven't seen enough 
You haven't seen enough 
I'll laugh until my head comes off

Mr. William Boyd. William Boyd. William. Billy.
 
Women and children first 
And children first 
And children…

He knew someone was staring, but he didn’t want to let go of the fantasy. If he could just 
hold on to this nearly perfect image for just a few seconds, maybe it would come to life. 
Maybe he could have it.  But that was ridiculous. He let the lights penetrate his closed off 
mind and couldn’t believe what he saw.
 
Here I'm allowed, everything all of the time 
Here I'm allowed, everything all of the time 

The fantasy had clearly not ended, for he must still be in his reverie. A man dressed all in 
white stood at the bar and stared back at him with frighteningly intense green eyes. He 
had ginger hair and a childlike face. It couldn’t be.
 
Ice age coming, ice age coming 
Let me hear both sides 
Let me hear both sides 
Let me hear both…

Mr. Boyd stepped away from the bar and the two men came closer. The throbbing music 
drew them. The crowd parted for them. They strode towards each other as if in a trance 
and were swallowed by the oblivious throng. 
 
We're not scaremongering 
This is really happening, happening 
We're not scaremongering 
This is really happening, happening

Dom wondered why he was here. How could this be happening?

“You called me, Dominic, and I came.” 

But these words were not spoken aloud for it was too loud to hear anything over the 
hypnotizing music. Mr. Boyd was speaking to him directly without voice. Strangely, it 
still had that Scottish lilt in telepathy. But if Mr. Boyd could hear his thoughts, it was 
very likely he had heard everything else.

Take the money and run 
Take the money and run…

Dominic panicked when Mr. Boyd smiled and nodded. He had the urge to run, but Mr. 
Boyd kept him from leaving with his eyes. Perhaps he had known all along. 

“I never knew till right now, Dominic. I let you have your privacy, but those last few 
thoughts you had were directed towards me. You wanted me to know them. And I’m glad 
for it.” 

Mr. Boyd had said it all again without moving those perfect lips. Dominic stared.

Mr. Boyd reached up and touched Dominic’s face so lightly that Dominic couldn’t have 
proved he had done it at all. Dominic breathed him in, and this time the memories didn’t 
descend on him. This time, Mr. Boyd’s scent was really there. It was light and airy and 
like cotton candy, but with a sharpness that almost brought tears to Dominic’s eyes. That 
must be what sadness smells like. And even now that he could smell him, he still had no 
idea what Mr. Boyd was besides non-human.

“Call me William.”

And as another song began to play, William brought Dominic close to him and they slow 
danced.

I want to 
I want to be someone else or I'll explode
Floating upon this surface for the birds 
The birds 
The birds 
 
You want me? 
Fucking well come and find me 
I'll be waiting 
With a gun and a pack of sandwiches 
And nothing 
Nothing 
Nothing 
Nothing 
 
You want me? 
Well come on and break the door down 
You want me? 
Fucking come on and break the door down 
I'm ready 
I'm ready 
I'm ready 
I'm ready 
I'm ready 
I'm ready
~
Please email comments to cswann1@gmail.com.