Chapter Nine
Lucius looked down toward the door. Alesandro had arrived and greeted the gamblers as only he could—with a wide toothy smile and a very strong handshake. Alesandro descended the carpeted staircase, waving to him. He was dressed to the nines in a black suit, a charcoal grey shirt and diamond accessories. Beneath the jacket he wore a red vest that set off his deep Roman complexion and dark hair.
Women loved Alesandro’s good looks, impeccable manners and charming wit. Well, all women with the exception of Isabella Denning. Talk about one ice princess. Lucius leered. He wouldn’t mind melting a few ice cubes to get at the delightful creature who was nicknamed the Vanquisher.
“Good evening, Alesandro. Looks like we’re going to have another full house tonight.” It was a little past dusk and the casino was packed.
Alesandro nodded. “That’s exactly the way it should be.” He leaned against the bar. “Any problems?”
“The police were here earlier but I don’t think this is the place to discuss why they were here.”
Alesandro nodded. “Let’s go up to my office.” He signaled for one of the other managers. “Micky can hold down the fort until I return.” The other manager arrived so Alesandro and Lucius rode the escalator up to the third floor.
Alesandro’s office, as well as his, was located to the rear. Lucius preferred modern furnishing but Alesandro stuck to the older, opulent kind. They entered the office and Alesandro slid into his chair. Lucius sat in one near the desk.
“The police have this hair-brained idea that the casino is somehow involved with the disappearance and murder of a few of the tourists who were here,” Lucius told him.
“Mere coincidences,” Alesandro replied. “We can’t be responsible for every Tom, Dick, or Harry who comes here to gamble.”
“I know that, and you know it, but the police are always looking for a reason to shut us down.”
Alesandro nodded.
The casino had been under the scrutiny of the city since Alesandro opened it. Lucius guessed that a lot of people were still mad at how Alesandro purchased the Super Dome right from under them and had the place leveled to erect a casino. It wasn’t Alesandro’s fault the Dome hadn’t been making money. They should have planned better for its future.
Alesandro made a lot of profit since he’d opened the place, with the adjacent hotel next door, the parking garage and the day care center. All he had to do was give the people what they wanted…a little fun for a couple of hours and they came pouring through the doors to spend their last dime.
“Were they convinced that we had nothing to do with the murders when they left?” Alesandro asked.
“No,” Lucius replied. “So, I do plan to hear from them again.”
“Anything else?”
Lucius guessed he had to tell him about Vinnie’s visit from Isabella. “Isabella Denning and Ernie Malloy came to see Vinnie.”
Alesandro’s eyes lit up and he moved around rather uncomfortably in his seat. “Did you find out why they visited him?”
Lucius nodded. “The same as the police.” He paused. “Isabella told me to tell you hello.”
Alesandro smiled, showing those amazing teeth. “How nice of her.”
“She also asked if I knew of a vampire named Daton.”
Alesandro stopped smiling. “Daton? Why?”
“Because she had a run-in with him. He’s here in town and looking for you.”
Alesandro’s eyes turned a dangerous shade of deep purple. “Did he harm her? Because if he has I’ll pull what is left of his innards out and have them for dinner.”
Two things a smart person never messed with were Alesandro’s money or his woman. Lucius hated being around Alesandro when he got angry. King Adjatay said the vampires could not harm humans while they were based in New Orleans but he said nothing about other preternatural creatures and demons.
“She had a couple of superficial bruises but other than that she seemed fine. You know she heals as rapidly as we do.”
“That’s beside the point,” Alesandro replied. “How did she run into him?”
Lucius shrugged. “All she told me was Daton wanted her to tell him where you were.”
“Did she?”
“No,” Lucius replied. “Both she and Ernie said she didn’t. I can tell from her tone of voice that she preferred you to Daton.”
Alesandro laughed. “The woman has good tastes. So, Daton is in town looking for me. I guess the last ass whipping I gave him wasn’t enough.”
Lucius smiled. “I guess not.”
“Did she say where he was at?”
Lucius shook his head. “No, and I guess she doesn’t know because I’m sure she would have taken care of him.”
Alesandro nodded. “Why didn’t she do it then? A well-trained assassin like Isabella usually doesn’t leave an enemy behind.”
“I’m way ahead of you,” Lucius agreed. “The only thing that could have happened is he caught her off-guard.”
“Isabella is always on guard,” Alesandro said in the woman’s defense.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s that time of the month.”
Alesandro growled. Any type of blood turned him on. “Do you think she loses some of her abilities once a month? Because if it’s true, I might be able to use that to my advantage.”
Lucius shook his head. “Why do you insist on torturing yourself? You’re never going to get her into your bed.”
“There’s no such word as never,” Alesandro told him. “But I can’t think of it right now. I’ve got a renegade vampire to find.”
Lucius nodded and rose. “I’m going home,” he replied. “I’ll see you before sunrise.”
* * * *
Oliver Randall flipped through folders of dental records while Anthony Norris filled out forms. The two of them worked long into the night, meeting with families who had come from all over the country to identify their dead loved ones. Women cried and fainted while men became violently ill and ran out into the hallway to vomit. Oliver did the best he could to make the remains presentable but it was hard to patch together shredded skin and missing limbs.
Most of the bodies were mangled and mutilated and some of the faces were swollen and unrecognizable. The hardest to look at were the young people, whose soft young flesh had been forcefully ripped from their fragile bodies. Their hearts had been torn from their bodies while they were still alive. It made him sick to think how those youngsters must have suffered.
“Did you get in touch with Isabella Denning?” Anthony asked him once he pushed aside the forms.
“Yes, she stopped by yesterday.” Oliver closed the files.
“Has she agreed to help?”
Oliver nodded. “I told you she would.”
“Her bosses didn’t seem too convincing when the mayor talked with them.”
“A ploy,” Oliver told him. “You know how those Brits are?” He knew Isabella would do it because she loved a challenge. What was more challenging than this?
“Does she have any idea who could be behind this?”
Oliver shook his head. “She didn’t say.”
Anthony stood and stretched. It had been a long night and he bet his old friend was tired too.
“If I hurry, I think I can make it home for a quick shower and a nap, before I return to work.”
“I’ll be right behind you,” Oliver said. “Are you still going tonight?”
Anthony nodded. “There’s talk going on around town—the mayor is interested in meeting Isabella.”
Oliver smiled. “We don’t get much gossip around here. Now you’ve mentioned it, they would make an interesting couple.”
“Interesting is the word,” Anthony chuckled as he walked out of the door.
* * * *
“Wake up Isabella. I need to talk to you.”
Isabella moved on the bed.
“Isabella, it is me. Wake up.”
Isabella opened her eyes. The room was dark except for the moonlight filtering in through the windows. She knew she wasn’t alone. Her keen senses picked it up as soon as she opened her eyes. A thin mist filtered into the room. Isabella sat up on the bed watching the fog materialize. It took human form quickly. It was a female image. “Oh, it’s you, Marie.”
“Yes, Mon Petite, it is I, Marie.”
The apparition floated near the foot of the bed. Isabella looked at the clock. It was three in the morning. “Why are you here, Marie?”
“To warn you, Mon Petite. Something is amiss in the city.”
“Duh! You’re talking about the murders.”
“Yes, and more. Isabella the stars have aligned,” Marie replied.
“Yes, I know. I was preparing for the world to end.”
“Do not joke, Isabella.”
Why did everyone assume she wasn’t serious?
“Something evil is about to descend on our fair city...something so horrible it will put them into a fit of chaos. More people will die before this is over.” She paused. “Perhaps the world may come to an end yet.”
“What are you talking about? Who is going to create all this chaos?”
Marie’s image started to fade. “Someone from beyond this world.”
“That is very vague, Marie.”
“It is all I can tell you now. You must use your talents and natural abilities if you wish to succeed.” The image grew fainter until it was mist again. “Be careful—the unknown days are coming.” Then she was gone.
Isabella sank back on the pillow and sighed. She liked seeing Marie but the woman had laid some heavy news on her. Isabella was used to being awakened during the night by spirits and apparitions. It had been happening since she was born. She wished they wouldn’t be so vague with the word they brought. Okay, something was coming to destroy New Orleans and possibly the world and it had been dropped into her lap. Well, she was tired. Whatever it was would have to wait until tomorrow. Isabella closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.