The secret arrival of vampires in the area had not left my list of priorities, nor the Icelandic clan’s lack of gracing the Queen with their presence. I checked out a few leads and came up short, all provided by my Queen or her minions. There was something more to all of this. Why send me to look for non-existant vampires or search out vampires who may or may not begrudge our Queen.

I decide to contact Estella for an audience; she was always straightforward with me regarding Madliene. She owed an allegiance to The Queen true enough but being held prisoner and made to work for the rest of your immortal life is a different thing entirely. I knew Estella wanted out, but wouldn’t leave without Angelique and Angelique wasn’t leaving without her sister, who was so deep with The Queen that it was ridiculous to think otherwise. Sophia was still “young”.

I had arrived through my usual means of entry, hastily locating the Queen to discuss with her, her theories regarding the dead ends I kept coming to. Through the grapevine and cohorts I employ on the rare occasion I need information, I learned few things. Flannaghan, Alistair, two of the vampires still in existence, their names on very few lips these days, but there were a few.
And the few vampires that weren’t, old world vampires that were long gone. I followed the Queen and her two human minions back to her haven to discuss these matters in a less than hostile environment. The music in Morte’ definitely drew a large crowd this evening as the masses writhed methodically about the dance floor. Tonight’s playlist must have been an angry sort as Korn’s “Dead Bodies Everywhere” thumped heavily.

Madliene glided over to the large mahogany desk ornate with old world carvings, pulled the massive chair from its cubby and carefully pushed her antique burgundy bustled gown and overlaying robe back to seat herself accordingly. I silently watched as she straightened her back and interlaced her long boney fingers littered with rings together at the edge of the desk. Her demeanor seemed jaded this evening as if I were pulling her away from something more important. She took a deep breath and stared into me with her fierce brown eyes that were growing increasingly hazel.

“You have news?” She said dryly.
“Yes Majesty there is little rumblings in the community regarding Alistair and Flannaghan...” I stopped as one of her hands flew up to silence me. She turned her eyes from me to her two minions and without a word Romeo and Damien turned and left. As soon as the door closed the Queen relaxed herself pushing the chair back to cross her legs.

“Speak freely.” And she smiled her glittering smile not many get to see. She gestured for me to have a seat; I tipped my head to her and obeyed. I began to explain my findings, her demeanor changing throughout the conversation and though I could tell she was visibly concerned or perturbed or humorous during certain parts of my brief; she offered no resolution or inclination. This gesture aggravated me and I believe it was visible to her as well.

“Begging your deepest pardon Madam and maybe I am overstepping my boundaries, but I am a warrior a fighter, an assassin. I am not a detective.” I hoped my tone was plain and not aggressive.

She sat silently and closed her eyes, taking in one deep long breath. I waited patiently for her to speak. And when she did I had no idea what was coming.

“Cian.” And she stopped as though she were re-thinking her thoughts. But she seemed to shake that feeling and continued. “You know I am old.” I bent my head to respectfully acknowledge her.
“And we have known each other for a long time.” She accentuated the word “long” and I bent my head once more.

“I come from a very primitive time and I have gained many an enemy in this immortality, some my children, some not.” She stopped short once again and her hazel eyes burst open to reveal the most prominent green barbs indicating her intense feelings. “And there are creatures like us, but not like us, have you heard talk of this?”

I relaxed further into the lavish parlor chair, “The throwbacks, rejects, primal ones…” her hand flew up once more to silence me.

“These creatures are from a time before mine, all but wiped out before I reached the century mark or so I thought.” She took a deep breath. “You know of the Benoit disappearance?” her eyes boring into me already knowing the answer to her question. I didn’t flinch but adjusted myself slightly in the chair.

It’s no secret Estella and I talk.
“I know the night that thing attacked me the Benoit man went missing. Is there a connection?” I asked her and felt this personal knowledge was enough to find her confident in me without divulging what I knew about Babet or my dangerous obsession with the wife of missing, Griffin Benoit.

“Well, he’s not missing.” She said “At least not in our opinion, his family is another subject.”

A sensation I hadn’t had in centuries began to rise in me and I couldn’t help feeling that the Queen brought me to her private chambers for more than a brief conversation. I kept the attentions on the matter currently on the table though.
“His family?” My tone exuding stupidity.
“They still consider him missing.” She said and I was immediately relieved. “After that creature left your terrible hands, alive, which by the way I was shocked and disappointed when I heard that Cian, he attacked the Benoit man and left him for dead, around Jackson Square no less. And here lies the mystery.” She said as she adjusted her skirt to cross her legs the opposite direction. “Either this creature is so primitive it has no idea what it’s doing, in which case I am very surprised it has survived this long. Or it’s being kept, over the years, by a more powerful vampire and that vampire is using the creature.”

“What about a rogue?” I asked. And the as the word slipped through my teeth, I think, “Shit, Angelique”.

She sat inquisitively her face turning stern. “Interesting, but not plausible. These things can’t survive like we can, or like others can, I know your preferences and can respect your choices. These creatures can’t lure a human in with their time-stopped beauty, they have none. They cannot sweet-talk the humans; they have to attack from the shadows, literally. I realize we live in the darkness to the majority of human kind but these creatures are all about the element of surprise. Once changed these creatures lack any humanity. Very different from us, our humanity lingers ever so slightly in the first few days after our transformation, not so with the creatures. They are vicious, cruel and extremely dangerous.”
“Primal.” I say aloud, momentarily forgetting my company.
“Primitive.” She said in a somewhat ominous tone. And we both sat silent for a moment.

“Understand Cian, I am well aware of your job description.” She said smiling again. “You have exhibited yourself time and time over the years to be a master of your craft. Some incidents I have witnessed, but as I prefer it the most I have not.” She says this with a thoughtful smirk across her pale pink lips. I knew her smile indicated jest on part of her comment. The Queen wasn’t fooling anyone; she was as bloodthirsty as the rest of us. Another short silence sat between us.

“I want to know who is keeping this creature. If there has been vampire admittance into this territory without my knowledge that will be an easy verdict, the Icelandic clan doesn’t concern me. I spoke with Linde four nights ago, we are at peace. Other scenarios,” she stopped, “Such as Alistair and Flannaghan,” she stops again, their names like poison in her mouth. “Could prove to be more difficult to execute. I have the utmost faith in you.”

I stood to leave and bowed to her Majesty. I was almost out the door when she called me back.

“Oh and Cian, the creature has been seen around the Benoit residence, somewhere in the French Quarter.” I bent my head to her and closed the door behind me.
I made my way down the haven corridor to the sounds of the club’s system; One Inch Punch’s, “Pretty Piece of Flesh”, and I fling the large carved doors open to reveal the night’s patrons. I am met with hoards of vampires bending to feed from the volunteered humans just aching to get close to the immortality of us. Little do they realize, all the gory details. Until it’s too late.

I scan the crowd for Estella who was engaged in conversation with a frequent elder. She catches my eye and I tilt my head motioning to her that I needed a word. I needed Estella to accompany me the next time I went to Babet’s. Her immortal gift would be of great assistance to me in locating the creature.

“Cian, you look more serious than usual tonight, what’s up?” She said placing her oval tray on an empty table. Her uniform for the night consisted of a tight white tank top tucked into a red, green and blue plaid school girl skirt; a mini matching tie adorned her neck and knee high combat boots. Her strawberry blonde curls tied up into pigtails on top of her head.

I scanned her head to toe admiring her outfit. I grazed the outside of her thigh, wrapped in fishnet hose, with the backside of my finger, “Nice.” I said with a smirk and she smiled back at me. I straightened up and asked her to accompany me to the French Quarter after her shift at Morte’. She seemed taken aback and before she had the chance to “shut me down” I stopped her. I smiled at the emotions circling her at the moment.

“Listen, I know what you’re thinking and the fact of the matter is I need to utilize your gift, should you be open.” I said my smile widening at her blushing.
She adjusted her stance and said, “Oh, sure, when are you trying to head over there?” her tone disappointed.

“The Queen asks that I stake out the area for a while to see what I can find out about the location of a primitive creature terrorizing New Orleans.” I admit the words seemed overdramatized.

“A primitive creature?” she asked suddenly serious. “I thought they were all gone?”

“So did Madliene, however a new development has proved otherwise and I think you might be interested in the family?” I say, but her facial expression and body language indicate she already knows.

Estella stands, her hand turned in toward her face as her thumb nail bounces between her glittering teeth as she thought. She looks up at me and assuredly says, “When do we leave?”

“As soon as you’re free.” I smile at her hoping that the gesture would come across as friendly.

“I’ll see what I can do.” And with that she grabbed the oval tray off the empty table as soon as a wary human couple sat down. She smiled a grin at them that glinted in the lights and they flinched ever so slightly. Estella headed back to the bar to relieve Sophia who seemed perturbed at my monopolizing her co-worker. I waved and she shot me a sarcastic smile, I bowed to her for her forgiveness but she rolled her eyes and continued working.

http://www.amazon.com/Revelations-Cia...

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