QUARQ’S CAR, INTERIOR


LILITH VATORE, the eldest daughter of the VATORE family, has just been picked up by QUARQ. The sun has just set and car headlights dot the horizon. Traffic is still heavy as they drive on cross-streets through Queens. They are headed for Brooklyn. Little does Lilith know that starting today she will never again call her childhood house home.

QUARQ

IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU, LILITH. DO YOU GO BY LILITH THESE DAYS?


QUARQ is an unusual individual with large ears, even by the standards of the occult. His head is large and devoid of hair, long since shed.

LILITH

LIL’ IS OK. MY FATHER USED TO CALL ME LILT. BUT I’VE ALWAYS PREFERRED MY LAST NAME.


LILITH’s raven hair flutters in the wind from the cracked window.

QUARQ

JUST ‘VATORE’, EH? BUT DOESN’T MAKE YOU THINK OF YOUR FATHER?

LILITH

I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS ONE OF HIS MANY GIFTS TO ME.


The young vampress stares out the window, watching the few people out on the chilly fall evening.

LILITH

MY BROTHER IS IN LOVE WITH THE MOON PRIESTESS.

QUARQ

ENDYMION? SHE’S A DRUNK, WHAT DOES IT MATTER?

LILITH

IT MATTERS TO ME. SHE NEVER TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT ANYTHING.

QUARQ

SHE WORSHIPS A DEAD ROCK, OF COURSE SHE’S DELUSIONAL.


LILITH leaves the company in awkward silence before resuming the conversation.

LILITH

HE’S BETRAYING OUR FATHER’S WILL. FRATERNIZING WITH FALSE GODS. FATHER WOULD HAVE DISOWNED HIM; I WILL TOO.


LILITH’s serious statement leaves a heavy break in the conversation.

QUARQ

I UNDERSTAND YOUR DESIRE TO HONOR YOUR FATHER BUT AGAIN, ENDYMION WORSHIPS A DEAD ROCK.

(pause, then with energy) SO HE’S MISGUIDED. HE’LL COME AROUND WHEN HIS PRAYERS GO UNANSWERED.

LILITH

IT’S MORE THAN THAT.

RINI’S RHETORIC WOULD HAVE US DENY OUR VERY EXISTENCE. UNDO MY FATHER’S WORK. LOWER OURSELVES TO THE PLACE SERVANTS SHOULD BE.

QUARQ

I DON’T THINK SHE TRULY WANTS TO END THE BLOODFEAST; SHE JUST WANTS TO BE THE LAST ONE STANDING.

LILITH

AND WHAT OF OUR FAMILY? OUR FATHER GAVE US ETERNAL LIFE. I WOULD SUFFER NO DESPOT TO FORBID THAT FROM ME.

QUARQ

SHE HAS NO POWER. A FEW INCANTERS, OF COURSE, BUT THEY ATTACH THEMSELVES HAPHAZARDLY TO ANY CAUSE. WHAT WILL THEY DO, SET OUR CLOTHING AFLAME? CONJURE OUR LAST MEAL? SPLIT THEIR SOULS –

LILITH

(interrupting) YES I GET THE POINT.

QUARQ

I ALWAYS PICK MY FRIENDS CAREFULLY. THE CASTERS THINK WAVING THEIR WANDS WILL OVERCOME THEIR DWINDLING POPULATION. FEWER AND FEWER OF THEM PROGRESS PAST BASIC SPELLS BUT OUR KIND IS GROWING IN POWER BOTH FANTASTICAL AND ECONOMIC. WE ARE THE REAL DAYWALKERS. WE FEAR NO MAN. WE UNDERSTAND CAPITAL.


LILITH stares out the window. QUARQ’s speech has not fallen on deaf ears but she still feels despondent. QUARQ continues to drive.

LILITH

MY FATHER SOUGHT TO CREATE A FAMILY THAT DIDN’T NEED THEIR WITCHERY. HE SOWED HIS OWN FIELDS. HE BROUGHT US FRUIT BEFORE THE THIRST OVERCAME US. ENDYMION WILL RUIN MY BROTHER – SHE’LL TURN HIM TO HER OWN JACK AND CALL HERSELF QUEEN AND DECLARE MY FATHER’S LEGACY DEAD.

QUARQ

SO FORGET THEM. WHAT CAN YOU DO IF THE YOUNG BOY WANDERS? A SHEPHERD CAN FIND OTHER SHEEP. MAKE THEM EVEN. HE’S YOUR BROTHER, YES, BUT… THE WORLD IS FULL OF SHEEP.