welcome to the crescent city (Gates, open)

Gates smiled as she measured his words for not only truth or ability but intent to do what was thinly veiled. She was ever the avenging guardian. It was a rare combination that Gates could not help but find intriguing. His mind posited where such a group of traits could lead if given a portion of the time he’d held. Putting such rascal prince notions out of his mind he allowed her a moment to take in the whole of the dish. He marveled at so how like a lycanthrope she behaved. She devoured the scent all but rolling in it. He leaned back in his chair effecting a pose of restfulness.



Once she’d taken in her fill he simply waved his hand having the dish as well those Arnaud had set aside for her to be boxed. Dessert while as sumptuous he thought might be a step too far despite the detective’s formidable metabolism. “If you allow me I would continue our conversation even as for now I think our meal might be at the point of satiation.” It was an entreaty that he hoped she would heed. If not he would begrudge her the gluttony that might consume her though only within his own head. Mortals could be vexing and he’d learned enough in his dealings to look beyond their failings.



“There are several games afoot the most important being the quelling of the Vitamin V tide. That above all is the reason why I sought to invite you here to dine. The others to find proof of your lineage. All else falling so far aside to be nothing more than after thoughts.”

Gates waved off her grandmother comment. Time for that small deception was gone. While true it wasn’t the whole truth. He visited with the families of each of his once human servants over the years. While he never gave either the fullness of servitude he insured that they were whole and hearty fully human but far more than blood bound ghoul. He cherished their minds and their lives. He wouldn’t dredge up the pain of their last visit but as she had been inconsolable upon her brother’s death he had come. Bidden by her grandmother, he granted her what aide he could. He stole the sharpest of her pain leaving her to grieve without the inconsolable pain that would have robbed her of herself.



There were other memories he was sure she might find from her childhood. Especially the cookout where she rode his leg as he entered as if he were her best of playmates. It was such fun it became the thing she’d done with her father as he came home. “As do you if you far enough back into your own memory."



Gates kept from sneering but just barely. He was disappointed in the man. He had used innumerable resources insuring he had been placed in the one place to be of use should he need to be yet in this his moment of need he was underperforming. Seemingly on purpose. “I suppose that is unavoidable. Though I believe your date might be of more direct use. Delaine is seemingly possessed of the southern antebellum malaise and trots at his own pace. I fear that it may be far too short to do anything save clean the last dregs away."



Gates forced a smile even as the idea of what to do about Del escaped him. He wasn’t as productive as Gates hoped but he’d been diligent where others would not. There was give and take that Gates was to consider more deeply before making a decision about the man. "I believe you may have to. The cure if you haven’t guessed isn’t in any of the science labratorys that he has Vitamin V being studied. It lies in the inert element of the drug. It lies in the very thing that would be considerably worse than drug itself."



Sighing as he prepared to enlighten Monica a hair more than he was sure that she was able. Removing his phone he pulled up a video that if one so wished could be written off as a Hollywood blockbuster scream fest. Sliding it across to her he waited as she watched. The people involved clawed and chewed through each other getting to the camera man who was protected behind vampire proof glass. The sad depressing vestiges of humanity were not revenants nor zombies, they were humans ghouls addicted to vampire blood and denied the source of their reason to continue living. It was the reason no one had heard any news out of Baton Rouge. Vitamin V had hit hard and Antonia decided to cleanse the epidemic in one full sweep as an effort to redeem her public image. It worked for the first two nights the third riots broke out and the majority of her kiss fell in less than six hours. The Swarm she had at her beck and call suffered such significant losses that the lions of the area began killing anyone who smelled even loosely of vampires. They closed their borders and fought as if the world was ending.



Gates insured the epidemic was contained he’d had to make deals with several media outlets and leverage businesses that he would rather not but the snuffing of the terror was worth more than the losses he’d accumulated.

Gates slipped the phone away so as to not prompt a worse reaction. He was prouder than he should be that she hadn’t lost her meal and instead chose to wash the taste out of her mouth with the wine which had been chosen with as much care as the rest of the meal. He gave her a moment allowing the real fight of what laid ahead if no other avenue presented itself. He was already building certain failsafe’s so as to prevent Baton Rouge from coming to New Orleans. He was unfortunately forced to carry out his will in secret so as to not have anyone connected with the kiss to allow anything to slip. He trusted Chidera and Raven yet he knew the pain of the knowledge he held and would protect them at almost any cost. Chidera was a warrior borne and would want to annex Baton Rouge to maintain control.



“Of the ten people who have seen these images you are the only one not directly in my power. You do realize the amount of faith I am placing in your skilled hands and care.” Gates knew the weight of what he was laying at her feet. She could choose to leave it as it were but he doubted that. The Davis’s had been protectors back four generations. Gates trusted the inherent light in their darkness.

"That is great news. I understand that the scope is considerably larger than initial reports and your first hand experience. I believe that like most outbreaks that there is a cure or perhaps more fitting treatment that does not require a scorched earth policy. Antonia’s line is considerably hardier than one would expect to end such as her it would require the complete eradication of each infected."



Gates shrugged away other statements he could have made Aas a vampire he’d had centuries to develop an understanding of patterns to which even his own statements fell. So far he had displayed a knowledge of how one might end not one but two masters of their cities who were farther away than idle gossip could travel. "Perhaps wine is not quit what you would wish. As your meal has ended I know an aperitif that will calm the soul and cause happiness to bleed into ones very foundation if but allowed." He raised a hand with two fingers hoisted ordering a sazerac for each of them. While not as well appointed as Christians Chef Armand had developed a recipe that was almost as good.



As the apertifs arrived Gates smiled obligingly taking one for himself inhaling the beautiful aromatics used. Raising his glass he intoned a toast “A votre santé” he said as he made eye contact. Quaffing the entirety of his drink in one downing.

“You seem far more bothered by the news than I would have expected. Maybe a chance at seeing a beautiful night would help you realize that there is always a way through the dark. Come let us head to the rooftop garden you can see the majority of Bourbon just out of sight and above the direct din.” Rising again Gates helped her from her chair making it to the roof in little to no time later he was able to show her a sight of New Orleans that few actually witnessed. The rooftop garden was a secret very few were aware of while the inn was no skyscraper it afforded an air of privacy and yet a closeness to the heat and pulse without any of the potential messy consequences.



He was sure she would catch light of an option he had not mentioned nor would lest she bring it up. It was not a secret that vampires could bond with humans and grant them an increased protection. As long as the final bonds were not aligned and the vampire was sufficiently strong he or she could have as many wives/husbands as their blood would tolerate. The major problem is being that close to the bliss such a pairing could become and yet held just outside its embrace was a hell most vampires and most mortals could not stand for long. In fact as he knew only three other Masters who had been able to do so he would not mention it save for outing himself as closer to his actual age and his true blood’s inheritance.

Gates stepped into the wind break she formed in leaning away from him. Moving until they were almost touching and should any careless bystander look skyward it is in fact what one would believe actually to have taken place. Close as they were he could feel the warmth of her exposed skin as well as the heat blooming through her. The warmth blossoming through him had very little to do with his actual body heat but instead with the small shrugging of his shields allowing her just inside them. Shielded as they were he spoke by means undetectable to any save her at this moment.


‘Your safety is of paramount concern to me Angel. Your continued existence is a reassure I would not deny the world.’



He used a childhood nickname of hers that was sure to dredge up a myriad of feelings. Moving past that revelation continued.


‘There are many things I can offer you yet the acceptance of those many securities and strength might come at far too high a price. Have you thought not why New Orleans has such an abundance of lions. Or why certain lycanthrope grow and breed so easily within my realm. Your choice in partners might grow exponentially focused and the signs of which might go unnoticed so long as you come to no attention would be barely recognizable. The moment you came the attention of any who could posit such signs and portents would be undeniable.’



His speech nearly complete Gates paused. Though speech was a stretching of the definition of what was transpiring between them. More a glimpse of possible futures and pasts all rolled into one. Her Grandmother as young as she was now. In the service of Gates. Her line of ancestor stretching back four generations the length s paid to initially keep her brother rom harm. The dancing of Gates shadow through out her life as well as the lives of other families. From mysterious benefactor to beloved yet distant uncle, grandfather, or charitable Samaritan. Gates at the right hand of his maker. The hint of his true age. Then as his hands rested against her hips steadying her his smiling face poised between what was perceived and what he in fact was.



“Careful my dear though the breeze is not strong here it easy to loose ones footing this close to the edge.”



A small pause before going on “ I won’t let you fall…”

Gates quirked a brow knowing she had not absorbed what it was he had failed to impart. Very well he thought. A smile far more seductive sat on his partially opened lips. Closing the distance of micrometers he rested his lips against her forehead then her eyelids finally hovering just above her lips. Hovering waiting their as the seconds grew pregnant with what could take place. "The price matters most because it is such a rare thing."



Kissing her he pulled away just enough to lay a chaste butterfly kiss against her carotid “Como Usted quiera , mi ángel . Ven a mí antes de su partida. Y voy a ver que están fortificados contra la mayoría de los daños.”



Pulling away he simply vanished from before her. She was suddenly alone in the realization of what she’d asked and what could be between them. This time was important she needed to realize he did not bewitch her. That he had not beguiled her nor had he taken from her the grasp of her senses. She also needed to realize that unlike her lover he was not in fact human by any true definition of the word and that while he would give her much the cost would mean she would need to be near to the fount to draw deeply from the well. This time to consider was paramount. It was almost as important as the chase. The pursuit the solving of the riddle as to why he wouldn’t give the gift now. The niggling notions and doubt were all art of the package of being bound in any sort with of damned denizen.