Chapter 6

A Conflict of Interest

Selene awakened to the soft patter of rain slapping against the bedroom window. A growl from the night sky alerted her that they were to expect another night of stormy weather.

A flicker of movement, something red, snapped her attention to the night stand. Her pistol lay there and a small battered alarm clock that was dust-covered and had a large white sticker along the side of it with the words: Property of Riverstone Motel.

6:37 p.m.

She wasted barely ten minutes in the shower knowing time was of the essence. She was assured that she didn't have to worry much about Michael being gone, his scent lingered in the shower, he'd been there less than an hour before, and trailed into the den.

Tugging on her boots, ignoring her pounding headache and with the heavy canvas weapon's bag in hand Selene was ready. She did spare a moment to check her wounds of the previous night and noticed for the first time since her awakening that they had been carefully wrapped.

There was really no need to, the wounds were shallow enough to be nothing more than mere scrapes as of this evening, still she couldn't seem to bring herself to remove them.

Just in case, she thought and refused to assess it any further.

Michael hadn't noticed her when she crept into the den. He was standing at the far edge of the living room tracing the edge of the room with almost lazy footsteps that were more wistful than bored. By the way his eyes softly narrowed and his face took on something like a frown he was definitely thinking.

Perhaps she was intruding but she was oddly compelled to just watch him, perhaps it was the predator in her that was more than vaguely interested in watching him as he remained unaware of her.

"Michael," she called.

He blinked slowly looking slightly confused.

"We should go now."

That did it. His eyes snapped at her words, this time fully focused. "Yeah, all right."

It only took the two a few minutes to prepare. Selene was a bit surprised to see the man at the desk of the previous night was not there, instead a taller, dark haired man about the age of thirty was standing there.

He didn't notice her step inside, he seemed to be trying his hand at fixing a worn out television set that was perched on the far right side of a table behind the main desk.

The room that once stunk of damp shoes and ancient wood was now heavily perfumed in the smell of spicy red cider and pine, masking the previous smells. She inhaled the air once more, her nose obsessed with identifying another smell.

Selene didn't wait for his acknowledgement before throwing the keys atop the desk.

"Hey."

In mid stride Selene turned back. The dark haired desk clerk was smiling at her, dangling the retrieved keys in one hand. "There's no name for you under this key."

Of course there wasn't, she hadn't wanted there to be one in the first place, which was why she paid the old man for his discretion the previous night, she had a feeling she couldn't pull the same trick twice.

A fine effort gone to waste really…

"Hate to insist but I need a signature for this key." He continued to grin at her, in a friendly sort of mischievous way.

She wanted to pretend she didn't hear him, she wanted to just keep on walking out the door, she'd had enough delays.

It's only a human Selene, you're getting quite paranoid about everything nowadays.

Giving the man a smile that she hoped passed for friendly she replied, "of course."

She reached for the beaten clipboard on the far right of the desk, hearing clearly the cracking of bad reception on the old radio next to the television with intervals of what sounded a lot like classical music. She raised her pen beginning to scrawl hurriedly when she felt the man's eyes taking in her features.

Biting back her annoyance at such open lewdness, Selene looked up then before finishing her signature. "Beautiful dog you have," she said offhandedly identifying the scent finally.

Indeed there was a rust-red colored bulldog curled up on a heavily chewed blanket in the middle of the floor behind the desk.

The man barely glanced back at the dog before leaning closer unfazed by Selene's unresponsive behavior.

"I'm guessing you're a dog person," his voice was lowered a bit to lean even closer.

Two things happened at once, Michael entered the office and the once sleeping dog behind the desk snapped awake, barking and snarling viciously at the vampiress.

The man jumped startled grabbing hold of the dog's collar, "Settle down Bear, settle down." The beast continued lunging towards Selene foaming in it's eagerness. The man quickly backed the animal into a nearby door, clumsily kicking him along. "Sorry about that, he's never done that before."

In response a loud rasping growl sounded in the office, a sound that was no longer a warning of attack but a promise of murder.

Michael stared at the man for a long while before turning to Selene to ask: "you ready?"

There was a hard glare in his eyes and a strange tenseness she could see in his body. She didn't answer but followed him out the door glad for his interruption.

"What took you?" the hybrid questioned almost immediately after they stepped into the rainy night.

"The human," she answered wearily. "Believe me if an inconspicuous hasty exit were possible I would have made it. Be it vampire, lycan or human I want us to go as unnoticed as possible."

"And signing a check out form with your name on it isn't going to somehow attract attention?" Michael wondered.

Selene gave him a look that seemed to suggest she was considering shooting him. "Kate Brooks and Scott Noland checked out at 7:25 this evening, no one else is going to know otherwise."

The car groaned as Selene slammed her door shut, satisfied that the beaten Jag didn't fall apart.

The engine coughed to life and they turned onto the mountain road, Selene's mood grew even more sour when she noticed the left headlight on the car was out. The gas gauge read just below a full tank of gas, once it was gone they were going to need another vehicle.

"You'd best keep your hybrid nature in check if you're so concerned about helping me help us go unnoticed," Selene remarked.

"I didn't--

"You were snarling in that office like a wild animal," Selene reprimanded before he could finish. She sighed before continuing in a much gentler tone, "you've got to learn to stay calm and respond only to real threats."

Michael nodded once but didn't speak again for a long time.

They turned on into town just six hours later.

Why had they stopped? There was still at least another three hours until daylight.

Michael looked at Selene curiously but she didn't answer his look.

Going into town was risky and the idea was to lay low but they needed supplies and a vehicle immediately and Selene knew just the right person to go to.

At the corner of what looked a lot like a strip club in the middle of nowhere they parked and proceeded to the narrowed alley entrance. A husky-voiced singer purred within to a seductive beat of drums and electric guitar.

A stocky man in large black shades greeted them at the back door. He looked unsure of what to make of Michael but seeing Selene erased the tenseness from his body.

"I need to speak with Morgan." The human quickly ushered the two inside and they found themselves in the shadows of a richly lavished sort of brothel. Beautiful blondes, stunning brunettes and gorgeous red-heads all possessing darkly-lined jewel-like eyes you couldn't turn away from lounging round or swaying seductively to the thrumming of music for their clients.

Human clients, from the scent of them.

Michael didn't quite know what to make of such a place and what they were doing there.

He didn't have to wait long to receive answers. At the far right corner of the shadows sat a fairly regal-looking woman, the light of the room catching her glossy long bone-straight red hair and scarlet red cupid's bow lips.

She puffing leisurely on a cigarette where she sat between two men.

A tendril of cigarette smoke snaked past her lips as she focused her eyes on Selene and Michael, lifting one eyebrow and inclining her head slightly seemed to be a sort of invitation.

Selene signaled for Michael to follow and he did so. Their host extended her hand beckoning the two to sit across from her, only after Selene did Michael follow.

"Selene," she greeted warmly. "Certainly has been a long time since your last visit."

Michael's suspicions and nose has been confirmed when a smile lit their host's face and pearly white fangs glittered.

It was no surprise that the hybrid's stomach seemed to groan in hunger, the scent of blood everywhere. Many of these vampire had crystal glasses filled with blood, real blood, none of that bland plasma that did nothing for the taste buds.

"My apologizes," Selene said, there was a beat in which she took a look around once more at their surroundings. "I'll assume business has been well."

"Booming, you know the human heart, always lusting for the kiss of a vampire," she stole a glance at Michael and snuffed her cigarette out before speaking again. "Until last week, local lycans have found reason to expand their territory, hunting widely within this area, terrorizing my clients all the time."

"You have weapons and trained men, Morgan," Selene pointed out. "Besides that, you must think of those who need your protection."

Michael noted Selene's tone that lacked any aggression and was almost bored at the mention of lycans but seemed only interested in helping an old friend.

"My arms are not far reaching like those of the coven Selene. I have but only six trained men. These lycans may be facing extinction but their numbers greatly surpass seven." It didn't take long for her to sober and become grave. "They hunt not for vampires but humans for the first time in a long time. A pack came sniffing around here just yesterday, young ones, four males and a female." The redheaded vampire gave attention to the man at her right. "Hayden was alone on duty, they left him unharmed, but managed to drag away two humans."

Selene addressed the man on her right with suspicion shining in her eyes, "why did you not shoot? If not for the sake of yourself, the humans?"

"Because I gave orders not to," Morgan answered. She gave a wave of her hand and without hesitation her two men stood dismissing themselves.

Their hostess quickly downed what looked like her sixth glass of blood, licking her lips frowning at the empty glass before continuing, this time with an artic gaze Michael had seen Selene possess few times.

"The lycans are growing, rapidly in numbers, not just here but all over. They've suddenly come from hiding. Something has changed hasn't it Selene? The war has changed, with the coven and you."

Michael, beginning to feel invisible, was finally given Morgan's full attention.

"Has it to do with this one? This one who's scent is very much lycan and very much you Selene?"

Selene and Michael met eyes before Selene turned away but not before Morgan noticed the flicker of emotion in the vampiress eyes.

Morgan's eyes widened in understanding. "The second hybrid…"

Selene hadn't been prepared for the news to be this far reaching only days after. But something else caught her attention.

"What do you mean another hybrid?" But the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach knew what Morgan was going to say.

In the anxious silence Morgan extended one pale arm palm up across the table, she carefully slid down the long flowing sleeve of her arm.

"Morgan…" Selene uttered softly in sympathy.

Michael had never seen such a horrendous wound, the flesh gone completely from a large portion of the inner forearm, visibly horridly mangled musculature and open arteries.

The boldness of Morgan was gone, there was no sense of humor in her either. She seemed to be fighting to not reveal any sense of fear. "Markus, paid me a little visit two nights ago. He was anything but warm and loving."

So Markus was awake and on the move…

"He thought I was harboring you, said you were wanted by the coven." Morgan retreated the injured arm back into her lap once again concealed. "He also mentioned another. A lycan turned hybrid that shares Corvinus blood with Markus. I've seen what Markus has become, a being of godlike power, his scent tainted with lycan. The strangest thing was fewer than six Death Dealers accompanied him in his raid here."

Selene now realized why Morgan had halted any attack on the lycans and why the lycans had chosen not to attack.

"Lycan and vampire are without leaders, without guidance, and know not what Markus will do or who he is for." Morgan shrugged. "I take my cue from this confusion, until one of my men or women are harmed I see no reason to stir the waters."

Morgan's weakness and fear was strange for Selene still she tried once more for any sense of the old Morgan she knew. "For one to have no passion for the sport of blood you were a very capable Death-Dealer."

Michael could see it now. This Morgan seemed to have an unspoken authority about her and it was clear she was in charge.

Morgan had a sort of cool femininity to her, a flirtatiousness, but anyone could feel this vampire was capable of much damage.

"I'll take that as a compliment from you Selene."

"So you know about Viktor, Amelia and Lucian?"

"I've only heard they are dead. Separation from the coven has me receiving all of the news last."

"Markus hunts me for the hybrid and for the slaying of Viktor," Selene admitted.

Morgan's fine-arched eyebrows raised in interest, "I must know what ever possessed one so loyal to Viktor to commit such a treason crime?"

It hurt. Feeling Selene's own hurt was like a fresh cut and Michael wished she would allow some small amount of comfort, he knew better though. Especially here, especially now.

"It doesn't matter now. What you need to know is that Michael and I are not your enemy." Selene paused, "nor enemies of the lycans."

"You're not?" Morgan asked and Michael nearly joined her in question.

Michael didn't know whether to be proud of being called Selene's or insulted at the idea of being owned by anyone.

Selene ignored the question. "Michael and I seek shelter. Our weapons are limited and our car is ruined. Tell me I can still depend on you?"

Morgan nodded resolutely. "I usually don't allow lycan's within these walls, but being a hybrid and your mate--

The dark-haired vampire rolled her eyes. "Michael is not my mate Morgan."

Morgan chuckled at how quickly Selene argued her words, "then tell me who's mark that is that scars the left side of his neck?"

For some reason the suggestion of Morgan's tone was too much for Selene to look their hostess in the eyes.

"It's a long story."

Morgan made a noise of agreement holding a new cigarette between her lips. "One I expect to hear all of in exchange for this favor you ask."

Selene finally stood crossing her arms in front of her chest looking down at Morgan for sometime before deciding. "Done."

Morgan's sly grin was back again, she gave a snap of her fingers and the two men who sat previously were back. "Show our friends where they may rest. I'll have a car for you in the morning."

"What of the weapons?"

Morgan shook her head firmly. "I can't grant you weapons that may harm Markus, despite what he has become." She ended the discussion by leaving their sight, walking away deep into the darkness of the bordello.

"What is this place?" Michael asked.

It was barely five minutes later when the two were alone that the hybrid began his questions.

Selene was knelt across the room from him carefully unlacing her boots. "Morgan's business, a sort of brothel for vampires and humans alike. The vampires here are young ones that prefer a more natural food source, the humans here are bedded by these vampires and as payment are always bled by blade for feeding to avoid accidental death or turning."

"I thought vampires didn't feed from humans anymore."

"Morgan never much liked the idea of living off plasma, she was brought before the coven for suspicion of late night human feedings. Her second offence was a treason charge, in a late night raid of a lycan den. Morgan allowed four mothers and at least six pups escape. Viktor was furious. Morgan had become such a problem, such a suspicion, amongst the coven, Amelia, Markus and Viktor were awakened exclusively to give judgment."

Selene carelessly discarded the bag of weapons before sitting down across from Michael. Her eyes were not on him but a jagged blade she held to the light, it's reflection in her eyes.

"Had not been for Markus, Morgan would have found herself dismembered. He spoke in her defense, despite what going against Amelia and Viktor could mean, and she was given only exile."

Instead of quieting Michael took Selene's tolerance of his questions even further, curiousity more than he could stand. "Why would Markus want to risk so much?"

"I'm not sure if Markus wanted to he would have been able to favor her punishment."

"What do you mean?"

This time Michael had Selene's full attention. "Morgan is not like other vampires. Morgan's mother and father were both born in the coven and bonded quickly. But bloodlust is deadly and dangerously high in those naturally born, so in consummating such a union, Morgan's mother marking her mate drained him dry. Morgan was born of her father's seed and potent spilled blood. An insatiability no one could understand was part of Morgan. Morgan began preying on blood and sexual pleasure many centuries before anyone knew."

"You're telling me that Morgan is a--

"Succubus, a very rare thing within the coven. Despite Markus' own power and Morgan's youth, Morgan was able to draw Markus to her easily. Morgan was given privilege never before granted, to mark and bed an Elder. By all accounts Markus wasn't a very tolerant leader but when it came to Morgan, Markus was different, changed."

"He loved her."

Selene smiled at Michael's sweet hopefulness despite herself. "Perhaps. However despite their frequent feedings and sharing of physical pleasures, Morgan was insatiable. Morgan grew out of control with her feedings when Markus was put into hibernation. She became most unreliable as a Death Dealer and member of the coven. It was all too easy the decision to exile her. The harm that befell Morgan was perhaps only possible due to Markus' new lycan strain. Succubus' charms have little to no effect on lycans."

"So you trust her to help?"

"There are few more deadly or trustworthy. She may not be ready or willing for a battle now but her time of submission to Markus and the local lycans will definitely be short-lived." She gave Michael a look of solemn seriousness. "With Markus awake and now a hybrid we are going to need all the help we can get."

Alright you guys that's all for now, hopefully I'll be able to keep up this new writing bug that's bitten me, I'm out of practice but superexcited to continue this.