“Your best champagne!” Damien ordered, giving the waiter a very large tip in advance.
We took our time with appetizers and before long we noticed Gerhardt, Eric, Kale and several of their friends enter.
As they were being shown to their table Damien called to Gerhardt.
“Count Bistodeau, please come and meet my new friends.”
Gerhardt’s group stopped, looked at each other, and had a brief discussion before coming over.
“Daminov,” Eric greeted Damien in a cold and disinterested tone.
“I know we haven’t spoken much since I left America, but I would love to introduce you to some lovely ladies who are new to Paris. This is Suzette, Regina, Sasha, Lorelei and Ava.”
“Charmed, I’m sure,” Gerhardt said with a bow.
“What brings you to Paris?” Kale asked.
“Business. We are having a party at the end of the week to introduce ourselves. I would love it if you would agree to come.”
“I’ll have to check my social calendar, perhaps. Daminov,” Gerhardt said dismissively, bowed to the ladies and then continued on with his group to their table.
“Very friendly people,” Rosa said sarcastically but I noticed her eyes crinkle at the corners as if amused.
“Make no mistake. No matter what they say, the royal class will be amongst your best clients. Pillow talk can be very interesting,” Damien said. “And the next largest group will be those in powerful government positions. Private parties will be very profitable for you.”
“You seem to know an awful lot about this business,” Kate mused.
“This is only what I’ve been told,” Damien assured her with a wry smile.
“Cain, I know
you
know something about the business we’re in. Is there anything that you can add?” I said.
“True, it’s very big business in the underworld, where entertainment is limited. Everything Damien has said I can confirm, and Paris has always been the center for such endeavors. Let’s have another toast, shall we?”
We all filled our glasses again and raised them high.
“To success in everything you do. To long life and good friends,” Cain pronounced.
I looked happily around the table and thought that even disguised it really felt like old times. It felt so good to have an evening out. After dinner we went from V club to V club until we had made an appearance at all seven. Our last stop was the club in the first district. This place was larger because it also had housing for the working class vampires, the Belnovus.
“Spread out; Gruen said this club is full of Belnovus, and Noctu. Talk to as many as you can, I want to see if they are really interested in taking power.”
“Don’t worry about your safety while I’m around,” Gruen said as he surveyed the room. “Liridon stayed with the coach and driver, I’m staying with you.”
A voice hailed me, “Suzette, how nice to see you again so soon.”
“Nevidius, I brought some of my girls out to see all the club locations. And it seems we’ve already managed to make some very nice new friends,” I said taking Damien’s arm and looking up into his now smiling face.
“Count Daminov, I should have known. You and your brother seem to be everywhere these days.”
“I happen to be very good at being just what I am, an idle, rich royal.” Damien’s smile turned into a sneer as he pulled his eyes from mine and looked at Nevidius.
“Do you have any problems with the government, Nevidius? I had a problem with my permit this morning,” I asked in my best simpering voice.
“There are a few problems, one in particular that I hope to have taken care of soon. Certainly
you
could handle any bureaucrat that you encounter.”
I laughed demurely, “Oh I handled it
and
I think I have a new client.”
“I have no doubts that you will be very busy indeed. And now seeing some of your girls, I can assure you that I will be a regular client myself. Although I wish you would change your mind about only being management.”
“You never know.”
“Well, if you will excuse me I would like to meet the others.”
“Of course.”
“
Oh please,
” Damien said to my mind, startling me and forcing me to control my expression. It was the first time we’d spoken like this for months.
“
Thanks for sharing
,” I said back sarcastically. “Gruen, I think we’re done here for tonight. I’m ready to go home.”
“I’ll get the coach,” he said and then trudged away.
“We’ve learned a lot today. Your party should be very interesting indeed. I for one can’t wait.”
“We still don’t know where Auguste is, but it’s obvious that Meil is no friend of the brothers, but they know each other. I’m tired and I just want to go home now.”
“I thought Cathos would have boosted your powers, but you seem to be tired every time I see you.”
“He did. It’s just the stress I think. Trying to get every detail perfect is exhausting.”
“Well you can sleep tonight. I’ll help as much as I can and so will Cain.”
“Thank you, Damien.”
“There’s Gruen, I’ll tell everyone we’re leaving. You go ahead.”
Rafael was just coming in as I was leaving.
“Well the beautiful Suzette returns. You missed me?”
“How can I resist such charm? I brought several of my girls out to see your fine establishments. Do you and Nevidius manage all of these yourselves?”
“We give the orders. Others, including my brothers carry them out.”
“And what of these other vampires I see everywhere? Oh, don’t look so surprised, it’s obvious by their behavior here that ‘vampire’ is exactly what they are, although they would fool the less astute clientele. Good trick not having them scent vampire though. How do you accomplish that?”
“You are very observant, my dear,” he said anger flaring in his eyes. “They have their uses. They are easily controlled and are able to blend in here, hiding in plain sight if you will. These simple beings are the basis of our army. Do you care who rules the vampire world?”
“The only use I have for the ruling Royals is their money. I am however against any vampire that puts our existence in danger.”
“I agree. Would you be interested in helping us in our cause?”
“If there is something in it for me, I might consider it.”
Rafael smiled, “I’ll speak with my brother about it. I’m sure we can come up with something.”
“Are you speaking about Nevidius?”
“I have another brother I would like you to meet. But that decision will be his alone. You see he’s not very social these days I’m afraid.”
“This intrigues me. Perhaps he would come to my masquerade party on Friday. Invitations are going out to only the most elite Parisian’s. You will be receiving yours very soon.”
“I doubt it, but one can never tell.”
“I thought you were leaving,” Damien said as he joined us.
“Rafael was such interesting company I couldn’t help myself, but Damien is right, I must go. There is so much to do before Friday.”
“If we can be of service in any way, please let us know.”
“Thank you, I will.”
“
I can’t leave you alone for a minute,”
Damien broke in.
“I think Auguste will be making an appearance at the party,”
I answered.
“Let’s go home,” Kate said as the others approached.
We got into our separate coaches and were on our way.
“Still tired?” Damien asked.
“Yes, but I feel better knowing that we are at least making some progress.”
“Eric told me earlier that Hun Lee’s two sisters will join us. According to him they are perfect combination of all things; beautiful, just as brilliant as he is and as skilled in fighting and sword play as the rest of us,” Kate said.
“That is exciting news; their exotic beauty will be very popular and add to our reputation. Liridon mentioned his sister Yanna is coming as well and I have two others arriving tomorrow.”
“Who are you talking about?” Kate asked.
“Charmaine and Amparah.”
“Ooh, that’s going to be very interesting,” Kate said excitedly.
“Cain has told me about Amparah, but who’s Charmaine?”
“She’s a Belnovus that has chosen to help us. Cathos found her for us in Althar and I brought her back from there with me. She’s been working with Allwain and now she’s ready to join us.”
“Damien, you looked shocked,” Kate laughed. “You should be used to the way the Five are able to attract the right people to our cause. It is, after all, the key to our success. ”
Damien closed his mouth and shook his head. “Sasha you’re right. But sometimes the things that come out of Suzette’s mouth just make me crazy.”
All three of us laughed. Damien and I just smiled and looked at each other the rest of the way home.
Suddenly it felt like we had never been apart. Quinn said that Damien was still between us and now I felt that their positions had been reversed and that Quinn was here between Damien and me.
“Have you noticed the dark vampires don’t seem to be trying to grow their numbers by changing humans?” I said.
Damien had a ‘where did that come from’ look on his face.
“Uh, you’re right.”
“We had a lot of problems with that in America, yet here I have had no indication that that is the case. Don’t you find that odd?”
“So what are you thinking? I can see that the wheels of your mind are working at high speed.”
“I just made sense out of something that Rafael said to me earlier. They are using something that humans have used against each other since the beginning of time. class warfare. They are recruiting born vampires to revolt against the ruling class: the royals!”
A light seemed to switch on for Damien as his face reflected the sudden truth of it.
“You know Cain and I have been here for months and haven’t made the progress that you’ve made in one day. It’s really quite annoying if you want to know,” he said and then shook his head and smiled while drawing closer. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he said in a softer voice.
“Well, here we are
and not a moment too soon I thought
I’ll see you tomorrow, Damien.”
“Yes you will,” he laughed at my abrupt withdrawal.
“I wish to speak with both you and Alex for a moment after you put the carriage away,” I said as Jonathan, opened the door, we all stepped down and Damien left to join Cain in their coach.
“Of course, Mademoiselle.”
“What’s going on?” El asked when we got inside the house.
“We just had a bit of a revelation about all of this,” Kate announced.
“I just figured out that our enemies are not growing their numbers here. Well, not by changing humans. They are turning born vampires into allies in order to get rid of those in power, especially the royals.”