The night was dark and cold. No one was out and there were no stars in the sky. The carriage was rumbling on at a steady pace. The passengers jostled slightly but made no sound. The cobblestoned streets were wet and slippery, people raced around each corner the tavern was loud with laughing men and tankers slamming against the hard wood of each table. The carriage rolled up to a large estate. A chateau made out of bone-white limestone. It took up nearly the entire street. Close set windows lined ever floor like watchful eyes. Wrought iron balconies hung at each level dry brown vines clinging to the metal curlicues. They were evenly pointed pinnacles that boasted carved gargoyles. There was quite a yard surrounded by a nine foot high medieval gate that went all around the grand place. Two men stepped out of the carriage and the first said something quietly to the driver who nodded once and drove off down the road. Without another word the men walked around to the side of the house where a small portion of the gate remained unlocked. It started to drizzle and soon it became a million fat rain drops hitting the street in massive puddles. The men walked through the gate and up a stone path to a tall door where a woman stood. She raised her eyes to the men
"You are expected" she said softly then turned and unlocked the door. They followed her into a dimly lit parlor with comfy couches and a thick rug. No one occupied the room of late and they were led down a short hall to another room. The dining area it was called. The woman paused at the door and motioned for the men to go ahead. They did. Inside there were a few women and about a dozen men sitting along the wall in high back chairs and a long dining table. Several of the people looked over and smiled or began to laugh
"Kristofferson, Maurice, you are late" said a curly haired man. He sat at the head of the table shrouded in black with a red haired woman standing behind him. The first man with the hazel eyes (A/N: give it up for hazel eyes!) smiled as he took his coat off and handed it to one of the servants
"We were being entertained Harry sorry to keep you waiting though." Kristofferson said in a soft voice. The man Harry waved it off
"No matter, just don't let it happen again." Maurice cast his coat away and nodded. The men made their way to the table and sat gracefully. Harry followed their every move. "Do you have the papers?" Maurice picked up his briefcase and unsnapped the buckles holding it closed. Once opened Maurice pulled out several pieces of neat paper, and handed them to Harry. Harry nodded as he looked them over then he called for an ink pen and began to cross things out.
"DeMarco is away at the moment; he has come into some money recently and is at his vault. We will go there first or to his home?" Kristofferson asked while Harry continued making note. He thought for a moment
"You say he's at his bank? In Rome yes we'll have to debrief of course we must be civilized about this I shall speak with Damon on this matter he has been wanting to do DeMarco in for years. " Harry scanned the papers then laughed "bank statements, loans payment this man is sneaky oh but we are sneakier." Maurice and Kristofferson leaned back equally pleased with themselves, then Harry's eyes widened then narrowed. Kristofferson, sensing anger sat up straight
"What is it?" Harry closed his eyes and swallowed the gas lamp caught the side of his face and turned the pale skin yellow
Where are last months bank statements?" both men shot looks at one another nervously
"They should be in there." Harry's voice rose slightly
"well they aren't, I need to know every transaction this man has made and will make so we can get it back yet I don't see last months statement. If we don't have that then what's the point of robbing him. He is a very wealthy man, boys surely you understand that. And if Damon cannot safely take his gold then we will be out of luck." Then Harry took a deep breath and said softly "get it" Maurice and Kristofferson sighed seeing the worst was over
"We will Harry we promise." Harry nodded then waved them away. They jumped up and with quick bows left. Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The woman standing behind him squeezed his shoulders sympathetically. He glanced back at her with a small smile.
"Don't worry about it dear everything will be fine, the boys won't let you down." She smiled a wide smile revealing white teeth. Her fiery red hair was pulled back in an elegant bun and her hazel eyes were alight with happiness. Harry took her hand and guided her around the chair so she could sit upon his lap. Once perched she smoothed his hair and kissed his cheek
"I worry that our establishment will soon go to the dogs." He said glaring at the door the foolish men had hurried through only moments ago. She petted his hair trying to calm him
"Harry, we'll be able to pull it off with or without last months statements, worst comes to worst we will just have to use our, powers of persuasion on the sweet tellers."
"Oh LaVia you give me much joy." Just as he was about to pull her into him the main door opened and Lily and Brandon walked in. Brandon's grey eyes swept around the room for a brief moment before he helped Lily out of her coat. She smiled at him before she greeted the rest.
"Hello everyone how are we on this fine evening?" Harry and LaVia stood as the couple made their way over to them "Harry LaVia how do things go?" She said kissing LaVia on each cheek and receiving kisses back.
"A minor set back but I'm sure we can handle it." Lily raised a perfect eyebrow but didn't press the issue. This was Damon's thing with the Free Companies and she hated playing boss when he was away.
"So what are my husbands' plans for these uh minor setbacks?" Harry shrugged
"The DeMarcos' today the Franks tomorrow." Lily laughed and settled in her chair. Brandon remained standing his finger tips on the tops of Lily's chair. "Where is Damon by the way" she shrugged and looked put out for a moment then it passed and she grinned
"Off with the others on a pre- assignment I suppose, he left last week but should be getting in about Friday the twenty-third. He will be pleased that you are handling the business." Lily leaned forward her eyes gleaming like a cat and showed her teeth. Then abruptly she looked up at LaVia "LaVia have you come up with any ideas on the subject we discussed?" LaVia frowned and tilted her head
"Well yes I have but I'd rather not discuss them in present company" she waved her hand around at the many men and women that occupied the room. Lily nodded
"Of course not how silly of me!" she took a deep breath that came out as a huff "when Damon returns we will continue with his plans I assume?" Harry chuckled
"I thought you didn't immerse yourself in your lovers' wicked schemes." Lily shrugged and stood
"This was the only exception, Brandon I'm going hunting would you like to come?" Brandon spoke
"Yes but we will have to go separate ways, its no good if the citizens suspect more than a few killings." Lily kissed his cheek and waved at Harry and LaVia before she and Brandon left.
Outside Lily sighed and ran her fingers through her hair irritatedly. "There is something off about this scheme Brandon I can feel it in my blood. What if something happens at the DeMarcos'?" Brandon took her hand and they began to walk
"Lily nothing will happen, Damon has been a part of plenty of schemes and nothing has gone wrong. You doubt him and the men too much." She shook her head in denial
"It isn't doubt I just worry, you do remember last time right."
FLASHBACK!
Damon leaned against the outside of the door not breathing. He heard a giggle then a sigh followed by a gasp. His fangs slipped out and his fists tightened so that his veins showed prominent against the milk white skin. There were murmurs and then the sound of pen against parchment. Damon moved away and checked the next door. There was a tiny commotion then a small yelp before slurping. He smiled ruefully and made his way to the next door just as it opened. He disappeared just as a man walked out with a small woman. They were laughing and holding hands.
"Oh but Johan you can't be serious!" the woman exclaimed as he nodded
"But I am my dear Halle I am! And to think I was going to be at his wedding…shame." He made his way to the door Damon had just checked and knocked on it. "Joseph are you decent?" there was no answer and Damon swore. He knew that if that door opened all hell would break loose.
'Get out of there William right now!' Damon thought pushing a cold blast of power through with his vicious words. The woman made an impatient sound as the man knocked again. There was a loud thud and a roll. The ma curiously opened the door. It creaked ever so slowly and Damon held his breath. Damon heard the woman scream and wasted no time dropping to the ground behind her. She turned still yelling her head off and he took her chin and snapped it to the side. The man was turning to. He had just enough time to yell before Damon ripped his heart out. But the screams had done it, all ready people were opening their doors peeking out to see just what was going on. Damon ignored them and raced into the room to find one of his many partners on the ground next to the bed, his face drenched in blood.
"Dammit to hell William we have to leave now! The humans are alerted!" William looked up slowly at Damon horrified
"But…" Damon didn't listen, instead he wrenched him to his feet and pulled him from the room. The hall was filled with people yelling and crying. Damon tried to make his way through with William without causing much of a scene but one woman screamed and pointed straight at the two of them
"Look at their faces they are hideous." It was only then Damon realized he had vamped out when the smell of blood had hit him. Seeing no way out of this he opened his mouth wide and growled at them all. Men yelled and rushed him while the women were ushered away. Damon pushed the men aside as if they were tissue paper and William followed his lead. They made their way down the hall and around the corner of the mansion. Doors were opening still and someone was calling for the head of the house fro help. Damon rounded another corner and burst into a room. Lily stood up from her chair an irritated look on her face
"What has happened? I stuck my head out into the hall and everyone was going mad!" Damon grabbed their bags and started stuffing things into them "Damon what has happened?"
"William go round up the other men, make sure they grab what they can and meet us at the stables now." William nodded and disappeared moving at vampire speed throughout all the chaos. Lily's eyebrows went up in worry now
"Damon…" she started but he took her wrist and kissed her cheek
"Don't worry everything will be fine, we'll get out. We are discovered my love." He didn't wait for her to gasp in shock and she didn't wait around for his comfort. They both took what they could and fled the room. Moving at vampire speed they raced through the house to the back entrance but then Damon saw a flash of silver and doubled over. He had been stabbed in the stomach. He hit the floor hard and distantly heard someone shouting that they had caught a demon and a thief, followed by a scream of pain. Damon looked up in time to see Lily rip her teeth into his neck and suck his blood. Once he was dead she discarded his body and wrenched the sword from Damon's abdomen. He roared in brief pain but moved on with Lily anyway. Many of his men were running by some human some vampire ripping with their teeth and stabbing with swords. He pushed them toward the exit but all of a sudden glass exploded and someone screamed. Lily tugged on Damon
"The door is out we must find another way out!" but all the other ways were blocked by the humans and there were simply too many to blast with power while they were swinging their blade.
"Upstairs now" he and lily doubled back and ran up the elaborate staircase, zooming past humans who tried with all their might not to fall or to grab hold of the two. Suddenly Lily froze and her eyes unfocused. Damon opened his mouth to demand to know the problem when he felt another blade enter his body, this time in his heart. He gasped in pain and blood poured out of his stomach. Lily turned around just in time to watch him fall backward. A man was standing below them just off to the side, it seemed he had thrown the sword and hit his mark. Damon tumbled to the ground already healing as he went and was standing before the man could blink. The malicious smile on his face disappeared and was replaced by a look of agony and fear. Damon got ready to rip each and every organ out of his body when he heard a very inhuman screech. He looked up in time to see Lily launch her entire body off of the stairs and over the banister at the man. Her fangs were out her eyes were bloody and her entire aura screamed menace. The man didn't even have time to scream. Lily's hands jerked from left to right and her nails flickered quickly before she dipped her head and slashed with her teeth. The man gave a horrific scream before he slumped to the ground. Lily dashed over to Damon and licked her lips. He smiled proudly before they began to sprint once more up the stairs.
END OF FLASHBACK!
Brandon nodded in remembrance before he and Lily disappeared down the street. They hunted just outside of Florence where there was a huge population of poor people with rich blood. The man watched from a safe distance, way below Lily's radar. He had to drop all of his barriers just to be within hearing distance of her, she was very keen. Her power was immense and it had him shaking with pride and eagerness. The way she hunted how she shared her prey with the boy, it seemed as if she were born a vampire. He was fascinated by her, he had always had a fascination with Lily since he was human, it had turned morbid when he became a vampire. And now he wanted Lily even more than before. He had thought Damon was insane, especially when he had bled him then forced his blood into the poor mans' mouth and down his throat. It had become so clear when he had woken to his new life. Damon never told Lily about him, he wanted the man to be kept a secret from his own lover. The man smiled as the couple struck a woman on her neck at the same time, perfect precision. The boy was like a son to Lily, protective, smart, young, cold but rational. He would make an excellent pawn in this dangerous game he wanted to play.Soon the two were finished but stayed out talking and walking through the fields. He followed slowly keeping his power at a minimum. Brandon was holding her hand and Lily was staring at him fondly. If it hadn't been for her apparent love for Damon, it would seem these two were a couple. As it was they were just very good friends and continued to look out for one another. It was all so…sickening. He couldn't wait to get his hands on Lily to give her back all she had given him. Repay her for what Damon did to him, because it was her fault, everything was. With her damn power and her sweetness that covered up the evil inside of her. Oh he would get her good and she would be so surprised that she would do nothing against him. Brandon whispered something into Lily's ear and suddenly her head snapped up. She frowned and stood very still. The man stopped and blended with the shadows. He could feel Lily's swoop of power, like a shadow descended over him and the oak trees. She stepped forward and cast about again while Brandon searched with his eyes and ears. Finally when Lily was partially satisfied she leaned back against a tree and said
"Come on Brandon are you done?" He nodded and the two ran off. The man stepped out and walked the area that the two were in breathing in their scent, which mixed and turned and blew with the wind. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he turned and blurred away. He would see Lily again, soon very soon indeed.
Okay well I know its quite short and I am srry but I will try to post another chapter soon as I have already started working on it and I know what it will consist of well don't forget to review and I promise there will be more added to the mystery of this man and some more new characters.