Veronica heard Nathan’s footsteps pacing back and forth in the foyer of Blind Bluff Manor. She stood near the window, watching a black limousine drive up the path and stop in front of the door.

  Since the night of Lucius’ release from Limbo, everything in and around the sanctuary came to a complete stop. She could barely sleep and her appetite was close to non-existent. As far as she was aware, no one else knew about Lucius’ release and Selene wanted to keep it that way. After he ran from the cave, Anastasia followed and had tried looking for him, but his scent became lost among the vampires and Deamhan in the city.

  Veronica also became intrigued with Anastasia after the fiasco. She knew exactly what thoughts the Ramanga kept hidden. They weren’t normal, but it proved to her that underneath the Deamhan persona, Anastasia still had human tendencies.

  A few days passed and Veronica grew impatient. Selene promised that she would keep in touch but she’d sent no word after the night in the cave. When she finally sent word, it wasn’t on the location of Lucius but an invitation to a Gathering that Kei was throwing.

  “She’s here,” Nathan announced. He walked to the front door and turned the knob. “Are you sure you want to go?”

  Veronica waited before nodding her head.

  He opened the door, standing face to face with the human limousine driver. Before she left the sanctuary, he whispered in her ear telling her that she had nothing to worry about. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, picturing an image of her mother in the dark, looking back at her.

  “This is for you, Mom,” she whispered as she exited the sanctuary into the cold air. The driver followed her and made his way around to the back passenger door. She approached the limo cautiously, staring at her image in the car window.

  The driver opened the door and Veronica caught a glimpse of Selene, who motioned for her to get in. She glanced back at Nathan before entering the limo. She gave him a soft smile as she climbed into the back seat.

  Once inside, she smelled lavender. Small wine glasses were stacked near the floor, next to the opposite door. The cushions, made of velvet material, gave the limo an elegant almost expensive look.

  “It’s good to see you.” Selene wore a red, short dress with red high heels. Her red hair sat on the top of her head in a neatly formed bun.

  Veronica turned around and found herself looking into the eyes of an attractive male dressed in a tuxedo. Like all of The Deamhan, his light brown eyes were pupil free and his smooth, skin lacked any blemishes. His short, dark brown hair contrasted, fooling her eyes into seeing his skin glow under the light in the limo. She felt totally underdressed.

  The Deamhan male sipped on his wine in small gulps then he smiled. “I have the pleasure of two women.” His body was average and his square face seemed too big for his body. The body of a female with ratted brown hair sat next to him, slouched in her seat with her shredded mini skirt raised high above her hips, showing her red silky underwear. Small puncture wounds covered her neck, arms, and her stomach.

  “Just push her onto the floor,” the Deamhan male suggested. The driver walked around the back end of the limo. He sat in the front seat and started the engine. The male grabbed Veronica’s hand and brought it up to his mouth, kissing it.

  “She’s beautiful.” His mouth slightly opened while he gawked at her.

  “She’s under my protection,” Selene replied.

  Veronica jerked forward as the limo proceeded to move. The Deamhan male moved aside, making enough room for her to sit. She had no choice but to sit next to the corpse.

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  “She must be a piece of work.” He snickered and dropped her hand. “Pity.”

  “Silvanus, I wouldn’t have your driver drive all the way out here for just a meal.”

  “Meal?” He looked at Veronica. “More like a snack to me.”

  Selene smiled briefly. “Don’t make me regret inviting you all the way out to Minneapolis for this.”

  “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

  The limo drove through the front gates of Blind Bluff Manor and continued down the road.

  Silvanus pouted. “Tunisia was getting boring anyway. It’s not like it used to be. I remember when you could get a good, virgin meal for half the price. You’d think the bigger the human population, the more abundant the food.” He reached under his jacket and pulled out a metallic flask. “But they all have diseases, their blood is just dreaded awful and you can’t just toss them in an alley without finding their murder featured on the ten o’clock news.”

  “It’s called adapting.”

  “Deamhan in this city sure aren’t adapting. It’s like a Bacchanalia festival every night here with Kei leading the young Deamhan astray . . . poor bastards.” He smiled. “Don’t get me wrong. I’ll take a Bacchanalia festival any day, but not with that inbred throwing the party.” He unscrewed the lid and took a sip. “And I thought the French were bad. Even the blood is horrid here.” His face shriveled at the taste of the liquid.

  Veronica had heard about the ancient Roman festival celebrating the god of wine. Adapted from the Greeks and their festival for Dionysus, the festivals had drunken humans, letting go of their humanity, and losing themselves to chaos and free will. It wasn’t her area of expertise, but from Silvanus’ interest in the subject, he appeared to be fond of them.

  She remained quiet, watching the two Deamhan in conversation. Like many Deamhan she encountered in her search, she’d never heard of Silvanus until this night.

  He placed the flask back into his jacket. “Why can’t I find one poor soul who doesn’t put crap into his or her own blood stream?”

  Veronica continued to look out the tinted windows at the darkened scenery. She wanted the car ride to be as quick as possible. The car turned the corner, and the female body fell over just inches away from her feet.

  “Get rid of it,” Selene demanded.

  Silvanus chuckled and he picked up the body, clumsily placing it on his lap. “Don’t give me the whole ‘I’m an Ancient routine. It gets old.”

  She sighed. “Just get rid of it.”

  “If you say so but we will attract the eyes of humans.” He opened his door and pushed it onto the street. Veronica heard a huge thump as the body hit the ground and rolled onto the pavement. Silvanus closed the door and resumed his comfortable position. “There. Happy?”

  Selene looked back, watching the dead body roll into the bushes on the side of the road. “This isn’t about being happy or what the humans will think, Silvanus. This is about following the rules.”

  “The Dictum, yes, I know,” he said while rolling his eyes. “The Dictum . . . everything is about ‘The Dictum’ to you.” He looked back at Veronica. “Excuse Selene, she’s very adamant about our laws. Just like her sire.” He leaned back in his seat, focusing now on Selene. “So, where is Lucius? From what I heard, he hasn’t been seen since his release.”

  Selene didn’t answer.

  “You lost him? Already? You can’t sense him?”

  “No.”

  “Do you think he’s dead?”

  “No, I would’ve felt his death,” she quickly replied. “He’s alive, out there.”

  “You know, my dear, Lucius is the only known Deamhan to have been freed from Limbo”—Silvanus rubbed his hands together in thought— “there is a reason that Amenirdis decided to let him go and it wasn’t out of the goodness in her shriveled heart.”

  Selene positioned herself on her right side and she gazed out at the scenery. “Whatever the price, I’m willing to pay.”

  He rubbed his hands together in glee. “I can’t wait to see what that price is!” He studied Veronica. “So this human is important to Lucius?”

  “Yes. Very much so.”

  Veronica cleared her throat and decided to speak. “Lucius will be there? At the Gathering?”

  “I communicated with him but he didn’t reply,” Selene answered. “I don’t know if he’ll show up.”

  “Why wouldn’t he?” Silvanus smiled. “No one misses out on a Gathering, and from what I’ve heard, Kei knows how to throw them.” Silvanus sighed in exuberance. “Haven’t been to one of those in centuries.”

  “I’m only bringing you because Amenirdis failed to tell you about your mother,” Selene said to Veronica. “If what we know is true, then Kei was the last person to see your mother. I will force the information from him.”

  “Not before I get a little private time with him.” Silvanus grabbed onto his lapel triumphantly. “I owe that bastard a beating or two.” He placed his hand on Selene’s thigh. “And after I rip his head off, you can thank me later by throwing some praise my way.”

  Selene tilted her head. “When Kei is nothing but dust and blood, then we can all rejoice.”