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  “How is she?” I looked to Harper who was very conscious to anyone in pain, her eyes were already welling with tears as I put my arm around her cool shoulder,

  “She’s well, I left her with Carter. I didn’t realise he was her father, she shielded her thoughts from me.”

  “That is something,” said Joe as he lifted a wine glass and handed it to me, “Are you still eating their food?”

  “Uh yes,” I said in a low voice as I took a drink. I noticed their looks to one another,

  “Well I can’t judge, I have a strange love for royal blood,” said Nick with a smile. Harper tapped him on the arm,

  “Oh stop! You met one girl who claimed she was a royal.” I laughed and remembered how good it felt to be amongst friends.

  “Did you know Chris is here?” I shook my head as Joe nodded toward the stairs into the theatre. Chris had been the only sire Chloe had made. He wore a suit that looked uncomfortable and his hair was disheveled, as he looked my way. He was holding a bottle of blood as he managed a smile and headed our way.

  “This is a surprise,” he said as he shook my hand then pulled me into an embrace. I held him for a long while as he said, “Damn shame that she’s gone.”

  “I know, Marc still feels that he was to blame.” He shook his head as we parted,

  “Now he needs to buck up, that Aerin girl was the only one to blame. Listen, I hear she’s Carters daughter, man that does not shock me.”

  “Yeah, I couldn’t believe it, two daughters.”

  “The other one was the girl killed by Klaus?” I nodded as he shook his head,

  “Not shocked, hey I’m gonna head in and pay my respects to Octavius. We should go out before I head back home.” I nodded as I said,

  “Where is home these days?”

  “Way up north…I kind of met a girl and got stuck in Alaska.” I managed a laugh then patted him on the shoulder,

  “Man, it must be love if you’re living way up there.”

  “Got a whole month of darkness…I love it!” I watched as he walked toward the theatre, I looked to Harper who was already leading the way. I followed them closely as I waved to others I knew. It was already becoming a reunion of sorts.

  Once inside the theatre I looked around to see that some had taken to the seats above and chatting amongst one another. Around us on the floor where the seats had been removed some were awaiting Octavius to step out. I excused myself from Harper as I climbed the side of the stage and headed off to see him. I could see young girls in various states of dress all around me and wondered what it was he was planning for the night. I made my way to his dressing room as I peeked through the open door to see him sitting with the dark haired woman from Carter’s house on his lap. I knocked as they looked toward me, he smiled as she got to her feet. She was much taller than I expected as she walked past me. I tipped my hat to him as he laughed,

  “This I have to say is overwhelming but I wasn’t about to pass up a party.”

  “The last one was a real bloodbath,” I repeated as he laughed and nodded. I crossed my arms as I continued, “They all believe you will be a good leader.”

  “Yes, I’ve known for a long while that Klaus had stopped listening to his people. I intend to hold regular meetings and at least hear cases that have gone unheard.”

  “It’s going to be quite a feat.” He nodded knowingly as I looked back to the girls and said,

  “What are they for?”

  “I’m not sure but I think they will be my escorts.”

  “And the brunette?”

  “Allison is a friend, if you can believe she has wanted to meet me all her life.” I looked back to the dark haired girl reapplying her lipstick watching us in the mirror.

  “How did she learn about you?”

  “Remember that time I attempted a glam rock career?” I nodded as I recalled the small rag tag band that had toured San Francisco and broke up after a few weeks. The music was bad and mostly covers of other bands. They played horribly and I had fought to get them paid along the way.

  “Are you ready?” He nodded as he got to his feet and pulled on the red velvet jacket and headed for the stage. Already the girls were leading the way in their milkmaid costumes with their long blonde hair loose around their shoulders. I watched as they ran off to the end of the stage as he opened his arms wide as the crowd applauded him.

  “I want to thank you for coming here tonight!”

  I took my exit from the theatre before he was done speaking. I didn’t have to hear anymore as I headed for the car. My driver held open the door as he nodded to me, I got in and sank into my seat. I looked to my side to see Aerin sitting beside me. I looked away as I said,

  “Your father would kill you if he knew you were here.”

  “I needed to see you.”

  “What more do you need to say, Aerin?” I took in that she was wearing a short gray dress that doubled as a gown. Her blonde hair was curled and pulled away from her face, she had come to the theatre for the party. She touched my face as she turned it toward her. I was staring into her dark blue eyes as she leaned forward to kiss me. I sat while she climbed atop me and ran her hands over my hair. Her tongue was hot against mine as I felt her cold hands pulling at the waist of my pants. I reached down to stop her as she groaned,

  “What are you doing, Aerin?” She shook her head as she continued to kiss me, I could see her eyes were closed now. I held her wrists as she stared into my face she pulled away from me,

  “I just want you.” It was my turn to shake my head as I set her down on the seat,

  “We’re not meant to be.” She lowered her head as she looked away from me. I realised I was still holding her hand as she turned to face me. Already the car was coming to a stop before my house as I climbed out. She followed me onto the sidewalk as she stood at the gate. I started up the walk as I made my way to the door.

  “No Aerin…” She looked down at her heels as she sucked in the night air and followed me toward the house. I watched as she stopped then turned to leave as I found myself reaching out and turning her to face me. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her hard on the lips. I felt her arms wrap around me tight.

  It was early morning when I awoke to find her side of the bed empty. I ran my hand over the cold space and knew she had left before I awoke. I sat up and looked around the room, I got up and headed for the window that overlooked the street below. The car was gone and I knew she had taken it back to his home. I noticed my phone was blinking with a message. I scrolled through to the latest message and saw that Octavius had noticed I had left.

  “I hope you have a grand way of making it up to me. You were sorely missed. I think Harper is still crying.” I laughed as I shut my phone off and climbed back into bed. I would apologize profusely to him when I saw him next. I was still trying to wrap my head around what had happened with Aerin. I leaned against the headboard as I stared out the window that overlooked the front of the house. A magnolia tree obscured my view of the house across the street. I could see the faint trace of light breaking through the clouds in the sky above. I covered my face as I let out a groan, what did she want with me? I was very close to forcing her death the last time she had been in my home. I thought about Nina and her death. It was still a rock in my stomach when I thought of her lying on the floor of the bedroom. Her body twisted in the sheets and her throat torn open. I shut my eyes and wished it had not occurred. I pushed the covers away as I got out of bed. I inhaled the air and caught her scent nearby. I headed for a chair near the window and pulled on a pair of jeans and a black hoodie as I headed for the stairs.

  Outside I headed down the sidewalk, the morning air was cool against my face as I looked down the street for her. I watched as she turned the corner and followed her. I had no idea what I wanted to tell her or even what I would say.

  “Aerin,” I called out as she slowed and turned to face me. It hit me that she was walking in the sun. She wore my white dress shirt over her short gray d
ress. She held her platinum strap heels in her hands as she walked barefoot. Her hair glowed under the rays as she stared at me,

  “I’m a lot stronger now, Rent.”

  “I can see that…why did you leave?” She closed the space between us as she reached out and touched my face,

  “You were dreaming of her. It made me realize that you really did love Nina. It was wrong to take her life that night. I was angry with you and I took it out on the wrong person. You don’t know what you do to people, Rent.” I stared into her dark blue eyes as I nodded, she was right. I drove Samara to the point of my own end.

  “I’m aware that I can make women insane.”

  “It isn’t that, I really thought it would be forever for us. I wanted to believe that. I lost Noah and suddenly you were there for me. I didn’t want to believe that you would leave me or that it would be over so soon.” I crossed my arms as I stared at her. In the morning light it was hard to tell she was one of us.

  “And I’m not like you, Rent.” I shook my head knowing she was now reading my thoughts.

  “I made you,” I replied in a low voice. She shook her head as she said,

  “You might have awoken something in me but my heart had not fully stopped until my father completed the job. The styce that Octavius gave me must have fought off the effects of your bite that night. I thank you though for opening my eyes and bringing my father closer to me.”

  “And last night?”

  “Call it a moment of weakness. We’re not meant to be, Rent,” she said in a low voice. I nodded slowly then turned away from her,

  “Goodbye Aerin.”

  “Is this what they call karma?” I looked to Octavius as he lounged in his office wearing a robe and his long dark hair pulled away from his face. He looked worn out from the night before,

  “If you have to ask – then no it isn’t karma. You’re a good person and you just make really bad choices when it comes to women. We all warned you that night when you took her home. I’d say you weren’t right in the head.”

  “Ha, and what of all the other times?” He let out a laugh after a long moment of silence as he said,

  “Maybe when you fell to earth – you hit your head and have never been the same since.” I nodded slowly as I looked out the window of his office. The sun was out and I could hear the birds chirping. I should be thankful for the things that I had and that I was still walking this planet. I bit my lower lip as I looked at him and replied,

  “I hope you keep that little bit of information to yourself going forth in your long career leading our people.”

  “I’d be insane to tell anyone that the rumors were true. It would be mayhem if they knew we were anything less than princes of darkness.” I let out a laugh as I nodded,

  “This is true.” I got to my feet as I looked around the office lined with volumes of books and boxes.

  “I’m moving my space into an old warehouse in the Central Business District. I need the space and I believe this could be a nice guest room.” I shrugged as I looked around,

  “Sounds like a good idea…are you up for getting a bite?” He grinned as he got to his feet then looked over his shoulder at the sun,

  “I may have to wait a couple of hours.”

  “I think I can make myself busy around here.” I picked up an empty box and a couple of dictionaries. He laughed as he settled into his chair and opened his laptop to read his emails.

  “It seems Klaus didn’t know how to operate a computer and now I’m flooded with requests from all over the country.”

  “I’d organize them by priority and who’s still alive.”

  “Most of this list has been staked or burned. So it shouldn’t take long to get through. Maybe a little religion could set some of us straight,” he winked my direction as he said this. I shook my head as I felt an old familiar tingle in my shoulder blades.

  “I think the last thing anyone needs is a Church of Rent Tres.”

  “You know that doesn’t sound so bad!” I cringed at the thought of a whole congregation of people following my every word. I decided that it would be a bad idea since I would have to expose my scars for all to view. I was partially embarrassed by them and the inability to heal that portion of my skin.

  It was early in the evening when we headed out into the Quarter. Octavius wanted to visit with friends that we had not seen in a short lifetime. I had fallen into a booth with Chris and Harper as they recounted their travels and the people they met.

  “I just got tired of the city and waiting for Mike to make up his mind about where he wanted to live next. I mean you only have a short span to live somewhere before someone starts to question your youthful genes,” said Harper as she crossed her legs and took a drink from her wine glass. Chris nodded as he said,

  “Well, I’m lucky, being from California, everyone just thinks I’m conscious of taking care of my body…you know? I mean the new girl, Sheila, does not care about the aging process. She knows at some point we will have to move. She’s actually excited about being called a cougar – I hate to break it to anyone that I’m actually robbing cradles here with her!” I laughed as I thought almost everyone was younger than myself at the table.

  “I’m swearing off women for awhile,” I said as I looked to Harper, “No offense.”

  “None taken, my dear, I just think you are meeting these girls in all the wrong places. Cemeteries, bars, fast food joints – really why are you still eating their food?” I shrugged at the idea then thought of the burgers from Port O’ Call, I felt myself drooling at the thought of having one later in the night.

  “I can’t help it that I can digest food better than most people.”

  “Yeah, there is something wrong with you,” said Chris with a smile. I punched him in the arm as I replied,

  “You totally ate solids up until you moved back to California.”

  “I did and I paid for it! My body could not process the food and it was death for me.” I looked around then flagged down our server and ordered another round of drinks. It was going to be a long night and I didn’t want to have a dry table.

  “Rent, are you sure about swearing off women for awhile?” She winked at me as she looked to the middle of the room where a girl in a short sequin dress was climbing onto a table. She held a bottle of champagne and danced along to the hip hop track that played overhead. I laughed as I shook my head,

  “I think I’ve had my fair share of party girls.” Harper laughed as she shrugged. Chris got to his feet as he walked over to the girl, she leaned down to listen to what he had to say. I could only imagine as she followed him back to our table. I got to my feet as she now stood before me, her large green eyes stared back at me. I noticed her pupils were large and could tell she was on something more than the booze she was drinking. She was a lot younger than she appeared from a distance. There was a roundness to her face that was not present to Aerin when we had last met. Her short blonde hair was cut in a bob shape, she held out her hand as she took my own,

  “Your friend tells me that you think I’m an amazing dancer.”

  “Did he now?” I glared at Chris as he grinned,

  “I had to tell her something,” he said with a laugh. I was still holding her hand as I said,

  “Do you have a name?”

  “Not one that you’ll remember in the morning,” she said smartly as she leaned in and kissed me hard on the lips. I could taste the champagne on her tongue and knew already that this was going to end badly. I didn’t look back at my friends because I knew they would not help me now. I followed her out of the bar as I looked to Octavius, he shook his head as he raised his glass,

  “And that ladies and gentlemen is how it’s done.”

  9.

  I didn’t sleep that night. I looked back to the girl lying asleep in my bed and looked to the sky as I whispered,

  “Hail Mary…” The words didn’t mean anything rolling off my tongue and I stopped. I looked into the night sky and thought how easy it
had been to break my own vow. I laughed as I turned back and headed indoors. I shut the doors behind me as I watched her stir and open her eyes. She sat up slowly and I learned that the blonde was in fact a brunette. She held up the wig and smiled,

  “Looks like my glass slipper has worn off.” She tossed it aside as she shook out her long hair, I sat on the edge of the bed as she surveyed the room.

  “I think I drank more than I had anticipated at the club because I don’t remember the car ride here.”

  “We flew…” she laughed at the words and I didn’t want to inform that we had in fact flown, it was one of my lesser talents. I smiled at her as she leaned over and pulled her dress over her head in one movement.

  “It’s late and I have to get home.” I nodded knowing full well the rules of this sort of evening.

  “I don’t think I caught your name earlier.” She stood before me as she slipped into her heels then smiled,

  “Is it really important to know my name when we both know you won’t be calling on me?” I shrugged as she began walking toward the door,

  “Could you tell me exactly where we are?”

  “Second and Prytania.” She nodded and was shutting the door behind her before I could comprehend that I’d just been had. I leaned back against the headboard and felt slightly violated. I looked at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was in fact four in the morning. It was not nearly my bedtime and I was following her out the door. Maybe there was time to save my reputation.

  On the street I saw she was standing in the cool night air as I called out to her,

  “Hey.”

  “I’m waiting for my cab…did you come out here to chat me up?” I shook my head as I replied,

  “Actually I’m headed back into the Quarter to see if any friends are still out there.”

  “They probably are slinking back to their coffins. I’m keen about your kind.” I laughed as I nodded my head,

  “We’re not like anyone you’ve met before.” She nodded slowly as she looked to the sky,

  “That’s what they all say and then they go poof when the sun comes out. Trust me, you can’t fool me.”