17. A Wondrously Magical Experience

"Alright Guys this is it. The big show." Austin took in a deep breath then exhaled. "Lets make this show one to remember."

"Yeah!" Cereza shouted out pumped.

"Woohoo." Eleanor followed up noticeably less thrilled.

Austin rolled his eyes. "Is everyone familiar with what they are supposed to do."

"I'm on lights." Christian was the first to answer.

"I'm the assistant for the star acts." Nessie was next.

"We are the stars." Eleanor, Schera, and Cereza were as one.

"And I am the host." Austin capped it off. Then turned to Cereza, Eleanor, and Schera. "Did you all practice your segments?"

"Yup. All good." Cereza confirmed and nodded together with Schera.

Austin eyed Eleanor suspiciously. "And you?"

"I'm one of the most gifted when it comes to magicks. I've practiced for decades upon decades. Something as trivial as this is but an accidental sneeze for me."

"Decades?" Nessie's face scrunched a little.

"Don't mind her, she has a thing for dramatization." Austin assured. "You still should have practiced. We need everything to go perfect."

"You suggesting my abilities aren't already perfect?" Eleanor shot back.

"Such a headache." Austin rubbed his temple.

"Give her a break this one time Austin. She is probably a little hungry is all. We all are actually." Cereza said a bit sympathetic to Eleanor

"Then its simple enough. Why don't we have Austin treat everyone to something tasty afterwards?" Nessie suggested.

For an invisible second the eyes of the three vampyres flashed red.

"I'm afraid you may be writing a check Austin can't cash. We can be pretty greedy when presented with our favorite dish." Cereza eyes held a bit of something primal as did the other two girls who were thinking the same thing.

"I'd be happy to split the bill if it so pleases you fair maidens." Christian took an elegant bow.

Eleanor laughed. "Ha. As if I'd accept it."

Christian's expression darkened and whispered. "Kids should only speak when spoken to."

Eleanor's expression went darker than his. "What'd you say?"

He jump and flinched, shocked that he was heard. "NOTHING!"

"Alright, alright. I'll treat everyone. Just make this thing a success."

Eleanor was the first to look Austin in the eye. Her earlier dark mood vanished without a trace. She looked unsure but hopeful. Cereza and Schera both looked him in the eye with the same gaze.

"Are you sure about that Austin...I mean can you actually handle that?"

Austin swallowed. He had feed both Eleanor and Schera and he had lost consciousness for a minute. Would he be capable of feeding all three of them?

"I'm sure it will be fine." Christian stole the floor. "He may look like a peasant but he is one who knows how to save. This is the perfect time to splurge."

Eleanor just shook her head. "Fine it'll be perfect. And you better keep that promise."

Austin stood motionless for a few tender seconds then shook off his nerves. "Alright lets break a leg."

Not much longer than that the curtains figuratively opened. The show was being held outside, right in front of the clubhouse. There was a somewhat sizable audience. At least a dozen or so people, give or take. It was honestly more or less what Austin had been hoping for. Expecting a larger crowd would be a complete folly.

Austin approached the crowd with a microphone in hand. "Greetings ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to thank each and every one of you for coming to our little show today. We have three amazing acts for your viewing pleasures today. Before we begin allow me to introduce tonight's show's beautiful assistant."

Austin dropped a bag of magic powder you can get from any magic shop. A huge puff of smoke covered him and his immediate area. It dissipated quickly and a magical box appeared in its place. Out stepped Nessie, fully dressed to fit the part.

"The lovely Nessandra!" Austin opened his hands with flair.

The crowd clapped a little impressed with the opening trick. 

"This ancient magus powder is only the tip of the iceberg you will witness today. There is much to come but there is no need to take my word. Seeing is believing and this first act, performed by the Mistress of Elements will transform you into believers."

Austin stepped inside the box and a bolt of lightening rained down on it blowing it to pieces. A small cloud of smoke revealed that Austin was gone and was now replaced by Eleanor. In her hands a glowing orb. An orb they had thrown together with tempered glass and LED lights. A makeshift artifact like many they prepared the day before.

In the short time between the lightening hitting and the smoke clearing Schera had raced Eleanor to Austin's position, switched them out, and returned out of sight with Austin.

"I am the great Mistress of Elements." Eleanor's getup  was as flashy as it was revealing. And she hammed it up quite a bit. "Behold the wonders of the supernatural. 

Eleanor put on a routine of magic with elemental properties. She would create wheels of flames from nothing. Make a string of water dance like she was conducting a symphony. She even summoned bats made of lightening from the sleeves of her robes. And she did it while giving the focus to the fake artifacts she held.

The spectacle amazed the crowd. They couldn't understand how each 'trick' was performed. They might have been able to figure it out if they had stopped looking at it like a trick in the first place.

Next up was Schera. She focused on her speed in order to simulate teleportation. With Nessie's help, She performed the Vanishing Girl on herself. She also performed several escapist trick by pretending be able to slip into another dimension. That was her gimmick. She wore a less revealing attire than Eleanor had before. Her pride wouldn't allow anything else.

The crowd was even more amazed and perplexed by Schera's performance. The last to go was Cereza. Who focused on the power to compel. Pretending to have been granted the eyes of god she was able to place other in deep hypnosis, read minds, and predict a volunteer's action ahead of time. Even seduced the audience with reality bending card tricks.

It was all so captivating. It was as if the entire audience themselves were under her spell. And then the final curtain call came.

"We thank each and every one of you for joining us today. It has been an honor to be your host. That concludes our show." 

Austin and the rest of the performers joined hands and bowed. Then Austin, standing in the center of the group, pulled out a red crystal. It floated out of his hands and a flaming tornado engulfed the crew growing thicker until they could no longer be seen. Then the fire sizzled out like it was just an illusion leaving no trace of the performers.

The captivated audience erupted into applause.

"I'd say that was a success." Austin grinned from just inside the clubhouse.

"I had so much fun." Nessie giggled from behind him. 

"I did too." Cereza merrily agreed. 

"But how did you do all of that? I mean I was a part of it and still don't get how some of it worked." Nessie cuffed her own chin and thought hard.

Cereza winked her eye with a cheeky grin. "Magician's secret."

Nessie pouted. "Aw, no fair Cereza."

"Maybe you will learn one day. After all no one knows what secrets tomorrow might share."

Nessie's eyes sparkled like she had a moment of clarity. "Ah, you're right." She smiled gleefully.

"Never mind that. I remember being promised a meal." Eleanor said with a slight mug to hide her growing hunger and anticipation.

"And it was a successful event." Nessie and Christian added.

Austin smiled. "Yeah, Yeah. I know."

"Where should we go?" Nessie titled her head having not given much thought to that subject before now.

"I'm thinking the new Korean BBQ spot. Its popularity is rising fast." Christian spoke.

Eleanor frowned. She didn't hate the place. The one time she went she enjoyed it. But meat wasn't the sustenance she desired. And those two were always in the way the past few days for her to satisfy that desire. 

"Honestly anywhere would be fine." Austin looked at the three blood suckers and understood they just wanted to dine on something extremely exclusive. They couldn't care what human food was chosen.

"Right. Well you guys lead the way." Austin smiled at Nessie and Christian.