Volume 6

DISCLAIMER: This story contains adult content.

Please join us at the Yahoo Group...for discussion of the story and to give some feedback about what you think about the story, as well as other stories by this author.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/boxy_grove/

Dances Right Past Genesis

 

 

It was almost 9pm when we arrived at the New York Public library in Mid-Manhattan. We had snuck out again because I was almost sure I still shouldn't have left the warehouse by now. Decadence seemed to not notice many things however. She spent a lot of her time by her candlelight. Arie said it was very strange behavior and that it'd be safe for us to get out unnoticed. The only one that would tell was David and he was too worried about keeping an eye on Giovanni. Arie seemed to be someone who kept his promises. The library was closed of course which made no sense why we would end up here.

"There," he stated pointing to the alley way.

Arie took me by the hand which he still did very often enough. He grabbed me. There was something so different about walking in the darkness all the time. It felt magical sneaking around as we were doing.

He smiled at me as we went to the door and he broke the latch with his barehands. He just bent the metal as though it was nothing, as though the lock was as light as a paperclip.

"The library is so peaceful at night. I've seen it transform right before my eyes. Unlike the others I was born and raised in America. They found me when I was traveling from a Native America reserve to Manhattan. I fell in love with the city. I fell in love with the books. They wouldn't tell me much about who she was either. I decided to take it upon myself to find out."

"You mean Li..."

"You can say it. We are in privacy."

"Lilith."

"Yes, her. Why doesn't it hurt you to say it like it does the rest of us?" he asked me.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean literally. There is a physical pain associated with her name. It is cursed."

"I don't know."

There was no physical pain for me. The name sounded so natural. It sounded like any other name. It was just another way that I was different. He looked at me with a weird look. It was suspicious like the others would have looked at me. It was just curious.

"Sit..."

I did as he stated and watched him disappear in the huge isles of the public library. I sat at the wooden table, smelling the oak. The place really did seem ancient.

Why hadn't I thought about this? Why hadn't I just decided to look up her name myself? It was such a clear thing to do.

In a little bit he came back with a book.

"She couldn't have made you," he stated to me, "And you have to be careful who you say that to. It is a very powerful person. You understand."

I looked down at the book, "I can't read this..."

"It's Latin. I'm sorry. I forget your age. When you get old enough you start seeking different knowledge. It is the Alphabet of Ben Sira. It's dated between the 8th and 10th Century. It was written by the descendents of kings in the area. The one whose name you can say is old."

"How old?"

"The oldest...ever. You know Adam and Eve..."

"Yes."

"What the church doesn't want you to know is that Eve wasn't Adam's first wife."

The idea came to me hard. He meant it to. I could see him pause allowing me to fully understand what he was insinuating.

"You believe that crap?"

"Do you believe in vampires? Because if you believe in it then you believe in her. She was the first wife of Adam. She was the Darkest. You understand. He created the Darkest out of the same clay that he made Adam under."

"Do you understand how serious a claim that is?"

"But it has to be true. Even the bible says it. Genesis states Eve was created from Adam's rib but an earlier passage of the bible stated a woman was already created."

"So Lilith was equal to Adam?"

He nodded, "In every way. The body of a female but in all actuality she was as strong as he was. Unlike Eve who was made out of Adam. The Darkest began to bicker with Adam. She felt like since they were equal, she need not submit to him."

He turned me to a portrait. It was painting.

It was of a woman. Her body was beautiful but her face was slightly scarred. She coiled around herself. She looked dismal. It was hard to look at really. Out of her back there were wings, but they weren't bird wings but instead actual bat wings. They were large enough to engulf her entire body if they wanted to.

"Is this a portrait of her?"

"One of my portrayals."

"How did Adam's wife turn into...this..."

In a way it seemed monstrous. You thought about Eve and you thought about beauty first off and in many ways you though of innocence. She was so easily fooled by Satan. You looked at this woman and you really didn't see that innocence.

"When the disagreement occurred, Lilith fled out of Eden. She went to the red sea and mated with the many demons she found there. They were demons from herself. You understand why it is such a tender topic. In the Red Sea, she gave birth to the first vampires. It's the origin of our kind. The origin of darkness. Lilith was the first."

"And what happened with Adam."

"He prayed his wife return. Of course she didn't. Her children became unpure...they were bastards born out of marriage. And the sun became a vice to kill off all her children. Lilith since then swore her vengeance on the children of Adam."

"Humans..."

"Adam, I have to tell you something," I stated and looked him in the eye, leaning close almost about to whisper, "What I told you and Roxanne about what made me...I wasn't lying. I was telling the truth."

Just at that moment we were interrupted.

There was soft clapping all of a sudden in the dark library.

My heart raced as I jumped to my seat looking around. I couldn't see anyone. Who the fuck was clapping? I saw that I wasn't the only one on edge. Arie was definitely one edge. He quickly came to me, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me close to him.

We looked around the library with our eyes. Even with such sensitive eyes the library was so dark to see much of anything.

"Whose there?"

"Continue," the voice stated continuing clapping, "I haven't heard that in such a long time."

"Ceasarion," Arie stated.

We both turned to a man standing by the window sill. He had managed to enter the room so silently or perhaps he was there the entire time. The man was had a very tan skin. He was young but very, very fine and beautiful. His skin was fair. He wore all black from head to toe. Arie's eyes brightened with some sort of recognition, but he didn't seem to ease up none-the-less. He was still blocking me off completely.

"Please don't stop in account to me," he stated, "It was such a beautiful story. I haven't heard it in a long time. You see I am very old. But it seems paradoxical to let you know that Arie."

"What brings you here, ancestor?" Arie asked.

Ancestor? Arie bowed his head showing some sort of respect, but even then I could tell Arie was afraid. His one arm seemed to be pushing me back as though telling me to fade into the shadows. Couldn't see it was already too late for me to go unnoticed? The man had already noticed me, probably a long time ago. What if Arie attacked this man like before? No one would be here to back him up. This man seemed older. The cool about him was a dead giveaway. It seemed the older they were, the more they oozed of confidence.

"It's been so long since I've visited the last remnants of my bloodline," the new stranger explained, "I decided I would come pay a visit. And I happened to spot you on the streets with your queer companion. I decided to drop in. Show your companion, turn him into the light."

"He's not to be bothered with," Arie stated, "He's relatively shy. He's gets very...afraid of things. You see he's very young. He'd embarrass me really. Adam why don't you run away."

"Adam? You let subsist with that name. Oh, the others would despise that name. I suggest you change it for him. Let me see him."

"I feel sick," I stated.

The man looked. There was such a cruel tension in the air. It was almost as though he knew we were trying to hide something. He looked at Arie and Arie looked back at him. It was the same tension from before. It was the same tension when the one man had reached out for him.

"It smells very strange tonight, isn't that right Arie?" the man stated, coldly and suspiciously, "I wonder what that a new smell could be?"
"It could be anything. The humans. The books. This place is old and commonly used," Arie challenged him right back.

There was silence.

It was such strange silence, but then all of a sudden the new stranger let out a smile, "Arie, I am staying a cemetery close to here. See I am very old and we still much prefer being underground. However, tell your mistress that I will be making a visit. There has been some strange occurrences in this area. Me, having you all as close family volunteered to lead an investigation into these...strange...matters. Hopefully my bloodline will be of assistance."
"Anything we can do to help."

"Great, come here child, give me a hug. It's been too long since we've been together Arie."

Arie looked back at me and whispered a very soft, "Wait here."

He walked forward across the room. For a minute I was afraid for him but he didn't seem to be worried about his own safety. They met halfway across the library where the moonlight streamed in.

The man embraced Arie with open arms and his head slipped over Arie's shoulders. The new vampire stared at me. Perhaps he had hugged Arie just to get a closer look at me and then I felt the cold stare of intrigue and I knew for sure he wasn't just going to let meeting me go...

 

 

Arie wouldn't let go of my hand on the way back. We moved quickly, very quickly in fact. He didn't even have time to catch a cab and let it be a winding down moment. He seemed to be in such a rush.

"You are hurting me Arie," I stated.

"We have to get home."

He pulled me almost like you would pull a disobedient dog by the lead. He grabbed me and tossed me in front of him. He wouldn't let go of me no matter how much I pulled and struggled to get free.

"Why did he hug you so hard?"

"My bloodline can be traced back to him. Decadence made me and a vampire made her. It can all be traced back to him. He is the oldest living member of my blood line. He comes here several times a century in order to check on us."

"So why do you seem so frightened?"

"He works for the Dark Church. He is one of the elders. He is as member of the furious five. Don't you understand how old he is? He is powerful...very powerful. He dates back to probably...34 BC."

"Caesarion? THE Caesarion? The only son of Julius Caesar?"

He nodded, "Yes, he is. The son of Caesar and Cleopatra. He didn't die, a vampire turned him at the age of 17. That is why there are no records of his death."

I turned around.

Amazing.

I couldn't really comprehend what I had just laid eyes on. The son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. I hadn't realized it. Arie seemed so bothered and afraid but instead I just wanted to go back and meet him again. The things that I could ask him. He was alive only 34 years before Jesus Christ. Maybe he had met him. Even if he could just describe some things from the time of Jesus. The knowledge would be so infinite. Many humans would die for an experience of knowing how Jesus was really like.

And then I realized it once again. It was a cold, hard fact. I wasn't human any longer...

 

 

 

The warehouse was dark when we came in as usual. It was it's usual calm. Arie was leading me around. He was pacing back and forward. I hadn't seen him so lost and confused. He had such soft wrinkled on his forehead. He seemed to be going into some kind of daze.
"Arie, are you ok?" I asked him.

I was ignored. He seemed so troubled. I hated the fact that I had to do with a lot of why he was like this.

I put my hand on his shoulder and he jerked in a motion that was very surprised. When he noticed it was just me he calmed down a little bit.

"I can't let anything happen to you," he stated, "You know? I mean, I told you I would protect you didn't I? Didn't I tell you that? I plan to. I really do."

He then hugged me. It was real tight. For a moment the deepness and connection I felt was unlike any other. At that moment I almost had it figured out how I really felt about him. The warm feeling almost made me feel human again. Or maybe it was how humans were supposed to feel. I wouldn't know. I wasn't a master of these matters of the heart.

All I knew as that it felt right. He was so hard. His body was so masculine and tough and yet his skin was so...soft.

"You don't have to protect me. Maybe it's best I leave. I mean, there is something about me that gets their attention. Something about me that they want."
"
They probably want to feed off you," he explained.

"I don't know what it is...but it isn't you guy's responsibility any longer."

"I want the responsibility," he stated, "You know what I'm saying..."

We were so close that I could see his lips moving. I could smell his breath smelling like rainwater. His lips parted. They were wet and seemingly soft. Just a little closer, please...I needed those lips. Don't you get it? Have you ever just yearned for someone with every part of your body. It was such a longing.

He was touching me now. Arie was touching me. He was my Arie. I'd known it then and I'd know it forever. I knew it just by how he was touching me. Even though his words were always so neglectful. He couldn't hide the way he touched me so strangely. I was a young vampire but I knew it wasn't normal. I hadn't seen any of the others touch one another like that. I hadn't even seen Giovanni touch David like that. They were always sensual expressions with vampires but never intimate to this level.

"I don't know what you are saying Arie," I stated looking deeply into his eyes, "Why won't you tell me what you are saying?"

Just at that moment we were interrupted...again.

"So this is where you have been?" Giovanni asked.

He was asking the question to me. He had come out of the darkness. He had no shirt on like usual. His pants hung unbuttoned far below his waist, showing his pubic hair and much of his ass. He had a bottle in his hand. It was full of vodka.

He smelled of sex...

"Giovanni, this isn't the time," he stated, "Gather the others. We have some business that we must take care of."
"They are resting. The monthly hunt is coming soon. I was going to teach you some secrets Arie. Why didn't you stick around?"

"Fuck the hunt!" Arie cried out taking a step forward, "Giovanni, they are here. The church has come and they are investigating. Gather the fucking others! Have you lost your complete mind."

"Why so damn nervous?" Giovanni asked, "We killed one before. We can do it again if we all stick together."

"Until when?"

"Until they stop coming for us."

"They won't stop you idiot."

"Then we will kill them UNTIL FOREVER," Giovanni stated, raising the bottle of vodka and taking his own toast as though already celebrating victory.

He laughed immediately afterwards and stumbled backwards. You would think he'd catch himself being such a graceful mover, but he didn't. He kept falling backwards until he fell onto the floor and he found this funniest of all. He sat on the floor in his drunk stupor and laughed his heart out. He was having a great time...alone.

"This is who you wanted to train you?" Arie stated looking to me in serious counsel. He made it sound so demeaning. It was almost like he spat the insult.

And Giovanni was not too drunk not to notice it. He lifted his head and turned away, stumbling to get up.

"And you are much better?" Giovanni asked him, "What can you teach him? You only know how to speak dead languages and find good hiding spots so the humans won't recognize who you are."

"And I can teach him how to survive. Hotheads like you don't last. History had taught that to us over and over."

"You call this meaningless paradox survival?"

"Are you both done yet?" Roxanne asked immediately coming out of the darkness, "You all are always so loud. Don't you understand rest? Is that beyond vampiric comprehension?'

Arie turned to her and whispered his words quickly, "They are coming."

Roxanne seemed to understand almost immediately.

"I thought we had more time," she stated seemingly disappointed, "I'll get Decadence and David."

She moved quickly, running into the darkness. You never really saw where people went off into in the warehouse. It was always so dark that vampires just seemed to disappear into darkness. Just like how she did now, she had been engulfed by the darkness as she ran away. Yet she was so accustomed to the place that she didn't seem to need light. She seemed to know exactly where to go.

"I'm not staying for this," Giovanni stated," This is going to be boring. Far too serious for me. Adam why don't you come with me. We can have some real fun, like we did the other night."

The slap seemed more to me then Arie. Giovanni laughed as he walked away. He knew I would refuse. That seemed the reason that he asked actually. He seemed to invite that awkward response. He wanted the aftermath of just Arie and I standing there looking at each other. Arie had almost forgotten about the little incident but Giovanni had brought it right back to the surface

Then he left.

"Arie..." I started.

"What you going to follow him or something?" he asked me at that moment crossing his arms, "Go ahead, why not just go follow him? He can teach you how to murder."

"Arie, I really care about you," I told him.

"Didn't I tell you it would be pointless?" an interruption happened again.

At the time it seemed like a devil was between us. We were interrupted yet again. T his time it was Decadence. I could tell she wasn't happy that Arie and I were back to being close again. She didn't look in my eyes when she had made the comment but I knew it was referring to me. It was referring to when she told me it was pointless to pursue Arie because he was way too much in love with her.

"What was that?" Arie asked her as she walked into the room with her strange facial structure. She had a very feline themed face. She had extremely dark features including her long dark hair.

"Nothing," she replied, "So I got your message. They are here?"

"Yes."

Just at that moment I realized that David and Roxanne were also standing there. David was leaning against the wall. He seemed very bothered by the news even more so then Roxanne or Decadence. It may have been that Roxanne and Decadence were older and could maintain the cool about themselves even through situations like this.

"We have to get out of here," David stated.

"Quiet," Decadence quickly replied and then turned back to Arie, "How many did you meet? Why weren't you taken into custody?"

"I think they have an idea we have something to do with it. What is strange was who they sent. They sent Caesarion, Deca. Our Caesarion."

"What!" Deca stated raising her voice for probably the first time ever, "That is so very odd of them."
"They are trying to make sure we don't run," Roxanne stated, crossing her arms, "They know we won't run from our ancestor. They think we'll feel comfortable around him. Maybe word got back to them about the strange new addition we have here."

Just at that moment all eyes turned to me.

It was haunting. It really was how they all turned like that as though all thinking the same thing at that moment.

"Has he met him?" Decadence asked, "Arie have you been disobedient again? I told you not to take Adam out of the warehouse."

Arie didn't look her in the eyes, "I promised him."

"Why are you promising him things?"
"Mother perhaps if we stick onto the subject," Roxanne stated and then added as though it was necessity, "With all due respect."

Decadence was bothered. I could tell she was bothered by how she seemed a little shaky. It was amazing that I was able to bring out that little bit of emotion out of someone that seemed so very emotionless.

"Can we get out of here?" David asked, "What the hell are we going to do? He knows. If he saw Adam he smelled him as well. He knows the scent is unsual. He will want to investigate. He will find out we killed Edgar. We'll all be dead ."

"We must vote, where is Giovanni?" Decadence stated.

Arie shook his head, "Gone."

"Fine. Then we must go on my own decision. I feel like we should wait it out and see what he wants. We are Caesarion's descendents. We owe him obedience. We can run. It would probably be wiser to run."

"Yes it definitely would be," David said smirkly.

"You are free to leave David. No one is keeping you here. You understand?"

He put his head down. He looked at me. It was almost as though he was blaming me. I wouldn't have blamed him if he was. It made so much sense that David was upset. It made so much sense that he didn't trust me. Out of all of them, I seemed to understand him the most. I could see the distrust and anger in his eyes. It was frightening because I knew when people were afraid in a corner, they tended to lash out.

"I won't leave my family," David added immediately, "If you are going to be fools, then I have no way of stopping this. I'll follow you Decadence."

She looked over at the others, "I assume then that we are staying. Get this place ready. You understand, decorate. We must make everything seem the same . David & Arie begin cleaning. Seal off all doors but the entrance. Roxanne, make sure everything is orders. You know how Caesarion likes his cigars stacked. Make nothing seem out of place. It is important, you all understand."

They all seemed very loyal to her. It was powerful the type of influence she had over them. I watched as they completely went to work, leaving the room...disappearing into the darkness.

"What about me?" I asked, "Should I hide?"

"No. It's too late. He will know something is off if he's already smelled you. We must present you here. As though its nothing at all. You must not be afraid though. Vampires can smell fear. We must appear composed."

She grabbed at her candle and disappeared into the dark hallways of the warehouse. It was hard for me not to appear afraid because I was very so much afraid. I sat there trying to cool off.

 

1am...

2am...

We all sat in the room waiting for him to come. I looked over at David. He disapproved of this. He felt like we should have ran. Maybe he was right. Why would someone travel so far if he hadn't a clue. Maybe it was just routine. We were holding onto the hop e that it was just routine. Or maybe Decadence just knew it was inevitable to run from these older vampires.

It was almost 2:30 AM when Roxanne's body started to shake all of a sudden, "Do you feel him...he's coming..."

I hadn't noticed. I guess she expected me not to notice however. She was talking to Decadence, probably the only other old enough to notice such things as that. They exchanged looks and Decadence nodded to Roxanne.

Roxanne seemed to understand Decadence in a way that we didn't know. It was obvious Decadence was motioning her to open the door and bring in our guest.

My heart raced.

"Calm down," Arie stated. He grabbed me by my hand.

"None of that," Decadence stated, quickly giving him a stern look, `You baby him. You cradle his fear. How will he learn to defend himself."

Arie nodded in agreement, but I could still see his reluctance to release my hand. It was very clear as a matter of fact. He didn't want to let it go. He finally did however when Decadence refuse to let go of her look.

"David escort Arie to his room," Decadence stated.

"I should be here."

"I didn't ask your opinion," Decadence continued immediately, "David escort Arie to his room and then return here."

David walked up to Arie and motioned him to go with him. I could see Arie looking at me. Fuck she was taking Arie away now I was really getting nervous. I could see my palm shaking. He knew that I felt comfortable around him. He was still the only one out of them that I even slightly trusted still.

Decadence looked at me. It was only her and I in the room now.

"Be still. Stand by the lamp. Be motionless."

Just as she finished speaking Roxanne returned to the room. I walked over by the lamp as she had instructed me. Why did she want me in the light? It was almost as though she was trying to hide me by making me blend into everything else.

Roxanne brought in Caesarion and sat him at the same table with Decadence. In front of him, she had his cigars outlined neatly stacked.

Caesarion smiled, "It's so very nice to see you again Decadence? How long has it been?

` "Too long master," Decadence stated, "I hope your visit went well."

"Extremely so. I see your brood is intact. Minus one of course. Where is Giovanni?"

"He joined the Sacrilege, I'm sure you heard."

"Of course. But he evaded arrest some how. I assumed he would return to the place he knew best. Are you meaning to say you haven't seen him?"

"No..."

Caesarion nodded, calmly. He didn't show any signs of not really believing her. However there was such a tension in the room. It felt like Decadence was being interrogated.

"And my little friend. He is beautiful...isn't he?" Caesarion asked her about me.

Decadence gave me a look, "You don't think he's plain. He's relatively plain."

"Yes plain can sometimes be beautiful. He is very plain however. Who sired him?"

"We are not sure. Arie found him."

He paused looking at me again. I could tell by how quickly Decadence answered her questions that she didn't want to keep the conversation on me for too long.

"Surely you've noticed his strange smell. How would you feel if I asked you to take him with me...back to Boston. The others would find his scent so intriguing. He'd be the talk of the town really. Would you mind?"

"No I wouldn't."

"Good. It's settled."

"Sorry sire, but my Arie would mind. He's somehow formed a deep connection with the boy for some strange reason."

"Oh he wouldn't mind."

"I am sure he would."

Caesarion paused. He took a puff of his cigarette. It seemed like he didn't expect this refusal. He was still relatively calm and this conversation was calm. It was the calm conversations that always seemed to be laced with the most anxiety however.

"I...insist," Caesarion persevered almost like a stubborn bull.

I could see Decadence getting somewhat anxious. How could she keep denying him without raising considerable suspicion.

"Perhaps I'll talk it over with Arie. In time I can send the child...afterwards though. I'd have to suggest it in light terms."

"Why not now?"

"Dear master. I'm sorry but you've come to visit us and it seems all you can do is talk about this boy. Is there a certain reason to it."

"Yes there is. A very disturbing one. It is quite troublilng."

They exchanged looks from across the table. I remained still as I was told. Roxanne had taken a seat beside Decadence but was silent as well. This talk definitely wasn't an open one. However by the way Caesarion completely ignored David as he walked into the room, I could tell that he had no serious interest in the brood.

"Share it with me?"

"A member of the furious five was sent down to detain Giovanni...your Giovanni. And how strange it was that he didn't report back. This particular vampire went by the name of Edgar. Do you know him?

"No I am unfamiliar."

"Well let me tell you a little about Edgar. I was never a big fan of him, but he was a thorough man and a good worker. You can appreciate a good vampire, can't you?"

"Of course."
"
Well I owe to his bloodline to find out what has become of him. He loved exotic things.

Much like your friend here."

"He is not exotic."

"May I speak to him myself...and find out exactly how exotic he is."

Caesarion was making me so fucking nervous. Sweat was rolling down my forehead. Why the hell was he asking all the questions in the way he was. He had to have suspected something. I could tell we all noticed he suspected something. We weren't as cool as we were when we first walked even. Decadence was the only one still holding up the line of being perfectly unemotional and unbothered about everything.

Decadence hesitated before answering, "Is it all that necessary?"

Caesarion wasn't really asking permission and I could tell. He didn't feel like he needed permission from Decadence. It was obvious that he was much older then her.

"Young one. What is your name again?" he asked me.

I looked at Decadence. She hadn't said he would try to talk to me. She hadn't told me how to respond to his questions. Of course she had no way of knowing about this. I panicked for a moment before I turned to him.

"My name is Adam."

"Oh of course. It is a name that he shouldn't have. I explained this to Arie. Where is Arie?"

Decadence shook her head, "He is a little...emotional. You know Arie."

Caesarion laughed regardless of how seriously Decadence meant it. The laugh was wholesome and that seemed to bother me so much. He dripped with intimidation literally. It was something a little weird.

"Does it have anything to do with this new vamp?"

"Do we have to keep talking about Adam, master?"

"How can you NOT?" Caesarion stated, "You have something here Decadence. I suppose you will take good care of it. But I suppose I understand very well. These matters of the heart. Arie cares about him. They don't wish to separate. The passion of a vampire is limitless. Remember the saying. A vampire is either highly emotional or highly emotionless. There is no in between. Great. May I tell you something about love?"

"You are older sir. You are stronger...you can do whatever you wish."

Decadence stated it in a weird way. She was making it clear that Caesarion was slightly overstaying his welcome. Caesarion had to know the history between her and Arie. The way that he spoke of Arie's interest in me was completely dismissing Decadence almost all together. I could see how she was offended.

"Love causes people to do things they shouldn't. And it is quite a dangerous chain. One person does something they shouldn't. And then love causes someone else to do something they still shouldn't have. Isn't it strange how it breaks down...over...and over...and over..."

There was silence all except Caesarion's laughter.

Decadence didn't answer his question. She just looked at him. We all just looked at him. He had an unsettling manner that I couldn't put my finger on. This wasn't a meeting...it was an interrogation. I could see it written all over Decadence's face.

There was still silence only after he finished and put out his cigar. He used the table. He didn't bother to use a tray.

Then in a happy voice as he got up he stated relatively calmly, "I must retire though. I hope you understand. But this meeting was nice as always."

Decadence still seemed a little distant as she smiled to him, "Roxanne can you escort the master out."

As soon as he left the room her smile was completely erased from her faced. It was almost like someone had taken an eraser and completely taken the smile off of her face.

She turned to us. She seemed a bit uneasy even in as she turned. Something had really worried her about the situation. David looked at me almost as though I had done something to her and he quickly went to her aid. I could see the connection between them...even with Giovanni was the outsider in the group. They all seemed connected to one another.

Everyone but me.

"It's ok isn't it? Aren't we ok now?"

"No. Caesarion will be back...tonight. Prepare yourself. The older ones are intrigued by something...new. He suspects something. And this isn't about Giovanni any longer. It's about...him."