Chapter 123

The house was not just a house, it was a Spanish-colonial style compound, in Beverly Hills. The walkway had a small fountain and large rustic-style wooden door, stucco exterior and balconies all around the upper level. The foyer was huge and when they walked inside, there were hundreds of people gathered in the warm atmosphere with wooden cathedral ceilings, chandeliers, dark hardwood flooring, beige walls, stone fireplaces, and windows galore. The entire home was filled with clean and crisp lines and colors that complimented each other. The wood flooring and cathedral wood-beamed ceilings added to the Spanish style with wrought-iron accents of sconces, chandeliers, and detail throughout the home. It had to be 10,000 square feet.

Pearl saw faces she recognized and had watched in movies and television most of her life. She was a bit starstruck at first.

Rhys and Pearl made their way to the lawn behind the the house, Ian had left them at the front door when they walked in. There was a grotto style pool with a waterfall and a slide, with blue and green lights in and around it. A huge tent was set up with a bar and tables, like a restaurant outside, with lantern lights, roses and other various flowers everywhere, a dance floor and a band playing. Waiters were passing out champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Pearl took and glass and what looked like jelly on a piece of toast. Rhys did the same. A man came up and said hello to Rhys. "It's good to see you. The show is fantastic, I can't wait to see this season when it's done. Does Amber know you're here?" He asked Rhys. Pearl got a closer look and saw it Steven Spielberg. Steven fucking Spielberg. Another man walked over and said hello. Soon there were 6 or 7 people around them, introducing themselves to Pearl and congratulating Rhys on the nomination. Pearl was standing next to Spielberg when she took a bite of the jelly toast. "Ugh. What the fuck?" She said out loud to herself, slamming her champagne to wash it down. It was terrible. He laughed and said, "I'm not a fan of caviar, either. I think rich people eat it because they're told they are supposed to." And he gave her an elbow nudge. She blushed and felt like an idiot. "I thought it was grape jelly." She said. He let out a belly laugh and congratulated Rhys on his witty wife.

They were obviously a big hit at the party. Amber and her husband, Vick Aimes, the guitar player for one of the biggest hair metal bands of their lifetime, had found them and they all chatted by the outdoor fireplace on a gorgeous marble patio. A few moments later, Ian walked up and joined them. They all chatted about the show and the band, new projects for the others and what they were working on. Pearl was enjoying herself, much to her surprise.

"Hello Rhys" everyone looked over at a woman standing in the circle now. "So, this must be Pearl. I'm Carys Mack." She extended her hand for Pearl to shake and Pearl looked down at her hand and didn't shake it. 12 people standing in their circle now were all dead silent. Carys made a disgusted sound and pulled her hand back.

"Oh come on Carys, you know exactly who I am. I mean, you must, you talk to the press and people in my past like you know me well, so you surely know who the FUCK I am." Pearl said, looking directly at her. Rage came over Carys's face. Amber tried to change the subject and divert. A couple of people standing there smiled and chuckled at Pearl's telling her off. "You're going to let your whore speak to me that way?" Carys asked Rhys.

"She's not my whore, she's my wife. And I suggest you go away and enjoy the party unless you'd like to find out one of many reasons I married her." Rhys said, looking at Pearl with a smile. "She doesn't eat shit politely." He said.

"Ok Carys, let's go and talk with a few people here that are working on that screenplay you were talking about." Amber said, taking Carys away from the circle. No one said anything for a few seconds, and then Amber's husband said, "That was fucking bad ass! No one talks to the great Carys Mack that way." Pearl smiled and shook her head. "She's never met someone like me before."

Vick leaned closer to her and said, "Not many people around here have. And it's a good thing. A very good thing. These people are vampires. And not the kind that you wanted to be when you read Stoker for the first time as a child. These people are soul vampires. Don't change, wild child." He tipped his glass to her and walked away. Ian looked at Pearl and smiled. He knew her plan was working.

"Excuse me, I need to use the ladies room" Pearl said, walking away and toward the house. She found the restroom and took the paperwork from her purse. "You got this Pearl." She said to herself, folding them up again and heading back to the party.