Gibbs ate little of the dinner placed in front of him. He lost count of the number of courses put on the table. He had a little of the fish course and ate the vegetables. He didn't have any of the lamb. When the sorbet arrived he ate half of it. He listened to the woman talk with her "pets" or whatever they were and several times the majordomo came to her with messages. The last time she rose and so did all the men at the table.
"Un moment my darlings. I have some business to do. Agent Gibbs I will leave you for only a moment. You will not harm him my pets. Understood?"
Gibbs simply lifted a brow at her.
All of the men bowed to her. The Asian moved to the side board and poured brandy. He looked to Gibbs and lifted the decanter toward him.
"Do you wish a drink?" He asked politely.
"A bourbon would be better, if not OK." Gibbs said cautiously.
"Of course. Our Lady has only the best." He poured the bourbon and brought it to Gibbs.
"Thanks." Jethro said. The Kenyan lit a cigar after pouring himself a glass of scotch. He regarded Gibbs in a thoughtful manner.
"You are wondering why you are here aren't you." It was said as a statement not a question. " You speak French with a Parisian accent. You seem very fluent. I will perhaps exercise my English if you would allow?" He gestured toward Gibbs with his cigar.
"Sure. It would be nice to know why and I'll speak English if you want. But it's not necessary." Gibbs expression remained alert, he gestured back to James.
The Asian spoke then. His English was accented but not as badly as some. Gibbs couldn't place the accent without hearing him speak his native tongue. He was guessing Korean or Japanese.
"My name is Léon. The Lady said I am her lion. I do not hesitate to do what may be done."
Gibbs raised a brow and tipped his head in acknowledgement.
"Good to know." He said calmly. He turned to look when the dining room door opened and Jaffrey came back in. He leaned back and took a sip.
"Getting acquainted then Gibbs? Good for you." Jaffrey moved to the side board and poured a hefty portion of scotch and drank it quickly. He poured another and turned to Gibbs. He smiled then came and sat down next to Gibbs. Gibbs eyed him as if he were a snake and then decided to question him.
"It's been awhile Jaffrey. Where' ya been?" Gibbs swirled his bourbon and looked at Jaffrey from the side of his eye.
Jaffrey chuckled and took another large swallow of his scotch. He leaned back in his chair and pulled a package of Turkish cigarettes from his jacket pocket.
"Yes Gibbs. The million dollar question, isn't it?" He lit the cigarette and offered to Gibbs who shook his head. "Let's just say I had a better offer. I go by Édouard now. I've been with the Lady for 10 years. It's been a good fit. I help her with her business. I help her with her team. We all… do things for her."
"And what does she do for you?" Gibbs said with genuine interest.
"C'est remarqueable. Elle est au-delà belle. You have no idea Gibbs. But you will, oh yes you will." He smiled again. He touched his earring which was made of diamonds and amber.
Sallah DuFresne-Ste-Germaine swept back into the room. Again all of the men rose. She caressed the cheek of Léon.
"I am so glad you all are getting on. I do hate conflict at home, most sincerely!
Do I not Édouard ?"
"Yes my Lady, you certainly do." She smiled again at Gibbs and the tip of her tongue touched her lips as she eyed him up and down. "Much better with new clothing. But you will learn, and then C'est magnifique! Robert will be here shortly. In the meantime, we are speaking Anglais why?"
She looked about expectantly at the men before her. Léon carefully trimmed a cigar for her and lit it.
"It is for me My Lady." James said looking toward her with an earnest expression
on his handsome face. "I thought to improve my skill in that area while awaiting you." He spoke in French.
"How enterprising of you. Have I told you I find your Anglais unsuitable?"
"No My Lady! Never! I did not mean to do anything wrong!"
He looked at her entreatingly. Gibbs followed the exchange closely, his face without expression and sipping his bourbon slowly.
"Come here to me my Love." She gestured to the floor next to her. The tall Kenyan rose and moved swiftly to kneel beside her.
" James," she spoke as if to an errant child. "If I feel your skills in an area need shall we say enhancement I will tell you myself, or Édouard will for now. Do we understand each other? After all Agent Gibbs speaks flawless French, for all that it is Parisian. But he will learn, just as you did." She ran a hand over his shaved scalp. Then she leaned into him and kissed him deeply.
" I adore you." she murmured to him. He bowed his head. "Now give me your wrist."
As Gibbs realized what was going to happen he started instinctively to stand. A large powerful hand gripped his thigh tightly holding him down. He flashed a look to Jaffrey who merely glanced at him briefly. The message was clear. Do not interfere.
Sallah held her hand out and Léon handed her the Havana he had lit for her. Sallah took a deep breath and as she expelled it she pressed the glowing head to the inside of James wrist and held it there.
The sickening smell of burning flesh began to fill the room. James became gray and was covered in a cold sweat. Although he bit through his lower lip and blood dripped from his chin, he did not cry out.
Gibbs determined that not passing out was part of the expectations Sallah Ste-Germaine had of her 'Pets'. He waited tense and angry. It was unnecessary he felt to humiliate the man in front of his peers. He understood then that she was not eccentric, she was a sadist. His situation was more dire than he had thought.
He had to get out of here. Looking at the others he knew these incidents were routine in one form or another. Both Léon and Édouard were expressionless casually observing.
Sallah lifted the cigar after what seemed like an eternity to Gibbs and gave the cigar to León. She smiled and murmured endearments to James. Then she licked sweat from his brow and kissed him deeply. When she drew back she had blood, sweat and saliva dripping from her mouth. She took a finger and wiped her lips and licked it off. She looked so much like a vampire sitting there all in black with blood around her mouth that Gibbs had a superstitious shiver run through him.
She touched a buzzer under the table. A servant came in.
"Get someone else and help Monsieur James to his room. Let Mousier Robert know he needs to address the wound and no infection will be tolerated. Understood?"
"Yes My Lady." He bowed and disappeared through the door immediately reappearing with a taller man who literally lifted the half conscious man off the floor to carry him out.
"Now Le Roi Jethro, let us become more acquainted. There are little details of your past I would like to make sure are accurate."
She smiled a very sweet smile at Jethro who simply stared at her as he would an interesting bug.
