Hi everyone. Here comes a long chapter. There might be some very detailed crimescene and there is a part in the chapter where there is bothflashback and VO.

Please let me know what you think of it. :)

Chapter 6 : Identities

It was an ordinary morning for all the humans leaving in L.A. They were going early to work, walking, driving everywhere like ants in their anthill. At the police department, the rhythm was the same. They walked all together down the corridor but in the middle of the crowd a lone blond figure moved slowly, her eyes lost into the void. The ants were too busy to notice her, but she'd noticed them. She felt their heartbeats, their thoughts, their scents and their feelings. She wasn't the queen of the anthill, she was a predator among the prey, lost in the sound of their lives.

She looked at the clock, 10:30. Talbot told her to meet him at his office at 10:15; he was late and Talbot wasn't the kind of guy to be late. They had to work on the new crime. Talbot was completely excited with the case, she could tell that only by the tone of his voice jumping from low to high and by his heart dancing in his chest. He was like a kid at Christmas Eve and the crime scene was his special present. Beth felt otherwise. It was easy for her to lie about the list, but hiding the name of the dead vampire was more difficult than she'd thought. It was a danger for her new career and for her new life as a vampire.

Beth read the names on the list as she waited for Talbot. She saw his name between the other, Luke Mineo. She knew who he was and she had to keep the secret. She heard his energic steps in the corridor, so she stood up and went to the door.

"Here you are! Sorry I'm late… Come with me, we need to go to the morgue. I'm waiting for the test results about the blood!"

He definitely was excited. Beth wasn't, her mind far away. She had many questions in her head right now and excitement would have to wait. They took her car and she drove in the direction of the place she'd been so many times. Mick had told her that Guillermo would know what to do, but she was worried. She parked her car and Talbot jumped outside. God, is he taking drugs or what?!

She followed him down the corridor and as she approached the room, she felt that Guillermo was there. Talbot was the first to come in. As Beth went in, she saw Guillermo looking at her with surprise. The silence in the room was strange but Talbot didn't notice it. He just saw the file lying on the table, but then remembered that the two other people in the room were there too. "This is Beth Turner, she's working with me." Guillermo smiled to Beth who raised a friendly hand behind Talbot's back. Talbot went to the file and said "Is this the results?"

"Yes, it is."

"And what did you find?"

"Nothing."

Beth and Guillermo could feel Talbot's shoulders slumped, he was disappointed. Beth was reassured even if she knew that Guillermo would hide the real identity. They looked at each other like people who shared the same secret. Talbot opened the file and read the information. The two vampires could follow the details in the file only by hearing Talbot's heart. As he read the notes, he asked "The blood record gave you nothing?!"

"No, I checked three times. The blood has nothing to prove."

Guillermo looked at Beth and then she heard his voice in her head "the blood is from a vampire." She realized that Guillermo used low frequences that Talbot couldn't hear. She'd seen Mick doing that with some vampires, when she was human. But it was the first time she experienced it as a vampire and tried to answer "I know". Talbot turned around and looked at Beth surprised "Do you know that? How?"

Beth realized that she'd talked loud and tried to catch up her mistake, "well… I mean I know a guy… who can check on the internet… but it's illegal, right?… and… it won't be good for your image at the DA's office, so just forget it."

"Yes, it won't be a good idea, Beth." and Talbot returned to the file.

Guillermo looked at Beth completely shocked and she gave him an apologetic smile. She took a deep breath and began to talk very low "I know he's a vampire." She looked at Talbot, anxious, but he didn't move from his file. She looked back at Guillermo, proud of herself and heard him answer "I also found his name in a very old file."

"His name is Luke Mineo. I know that too."

Talbot looked at Guillermo and asked "The DNA's results gave nothing! How can it be possible!?"

Guillermo stared at him blandly "It's possible if the guy haven't been on record before. All the tests were negative."

Beth went next to Talbot and whispered to Guillermo "Luke Mineo was on the list. Mick's working on it." Talbot noticed her and took the file.

Beth went to Talbot, smiled as a goodbye and when she reached the door, Guillermo told her loud enough so Talbot could hear "Tell Mick I said hello!"

Beth could have blushed if she'd been human but she just kept walking down the corridor. Talbot realized a second what had just happened and ran after her thinking that St John was following them everywhere.

They went outside the morgue and walked to the car. Talbot was completely silent and tried to think about something which could help him with the case. As Beth drove back to the office, her thoughts were disturbed by the memories of the night before. She could still feel the silver run through her veins and paralyze her slowly. She remembered the sensation of the last breath before everything became dark and a deep silent void.

Talbot suddenly brought her back to reality as she parked her car.

"I need to go to the motel. I have to find answers, so you can go back home. I don't need you for the rest of the day."

Beth looked at him, she understood that he was disappointed but she didn't understand why he was punishing her and replied "I can work on the list."

"No it's okay. You told me that you found nothing interesting. It can wait. Bye."

She saw him walk to the building and felt bad for him. She was in part responsible, but she had no choice. She had a new life now and with new responsabilities. She looked down at the steering wheel and realized that she had something important to do.

Her car stopped in front of a large portecochere and she pushed the button. A voice answered and she just said "I'm Miss Turner, Mister Du Plessis is waiting for me." A second later the heavy doors opened and she drove inside the property.

A black tall villa slowly appeared; nothing like what she'd thought. She stopped her car in front of the entry and a man came out. He opened her door and took her keys. She stepped outside and stood in front the imposing house. She inhaled the place and old scents grabbed her. It was charged with history and the master of the place was only one detail. She walked upstairs and went through the door. As she came inside she discovered a very sterile design. There were some vases and black and white paintings on the walls. It looked more like a modern art museum. There were almost no walls, just a beam standing in the middle, with a white modern couch looking like a long arm and a glass dinner table in the center with red chairs in glass surrounding it.

She stared at the large windows which faced the city, when she heard steps approach. She turned and saw the French man coming. "Mademoiselle Turner, I'm so glad to see you!"

He grabbed Beth by the shoulder and looked at her straight in the eyes. She tried to hold his look, but his eyes were too sharp. She stared at something else, feeling that he was studying her. He pulled his arms away and showed her the couch with a smile. She sat on the modern couch and Du Plessis sat in front of her on a white armchair which looked like a big opened hand.

Beth tried to find a comfortable position while Du Plessis crossed his legs and put his elbow on the thumb of the chair. Beth watched him, he had the same face as his famous brother. She could recognize the sharp eyes from the old pictures she'd seen on the books, but he had something else. His face was long and pointed, but he had some harmony which gave him a certain charm. His eyes showed that he was very clever and knew how to talk to people. She suddenly saw a mischievous smile appear on his face and she understood that he knew what she was thinking. She finally opened her mouth "I came here today, because I want to know more about Coraline and her family."

His smile grew. They both knew it wasn't the real reason of her visit, but Du Plessis was decided to play her game. "Well, Miss Turner, I think you came here for a special reason. So why don't you ask me directly what you want?"

Beth stared at the French man sitting in front of her and said with a sharp voice "I want to know who Coraline was."

Du Plessis was surprised by her question. He saw that the female vampire hid something more important and he was ready to give her more time. He shifted his legs and his eyes went to the windows, looking at the city as if he travelled back in time "Coraline was a very special woman. As a human, she was the only daughter of a rich family, protected by six brothers. Her life was boring and for a beautiful and clever girl like her, the country life was too simple. One night, a lady came to meet Coraline and gave her a chance to become someone else." Du Plessis stopped and looked back at Beth. He knew that if he wanted Beth to tell him everything, he had to be honest with her. He turned his face back to the view and continued "The lady, her name was Dubois but she is best known as Milady."

Beth realized that she knew her name and as she looked at Du Plessis, she understood that it was exactly the one she'd thought. The whole story of Alexandre Dumas took a new dimension for her.

"Well, I see that you already know her life, Dumas created nothing. So, let's skip her part. The only thing is that she was a vampire and she was my fledgling. My brother took her under his protection years later and he made himself as her sire. She worked as a courtisan for the Queen Marie de Médicis and Coraline became her friend and a courtisan as well. Both of them had a talent to corrupt the mind of men. Coraline saw it like a game at the beginning but then it became a dangerous one." Du Plessis turned his face to Beth and asked her "Do you know she had a mark, a fleur de lis?"

Beth nodded and it reminded her how she discovered it.

"Well, this mark changed her life for good. She began to hate men and the turning increased her feeling. My brother turned her and was too happy to see that she'd became the "perfect killer", as he liked to say."

Du Plessis was now looking down and Beth caught a scent of sadness.

"I first met Coraline years after her turning. It was a year before the French Revolution. Lady Dubois came to me with Coraline. I remember her eyes full of hatred. My fledgling and I were on bad terms, but she wanted me to meet Coraline. I understood that she was worried for her. Lady Dubois could read people and she knew that my brother wasn't someone good for Coraline.

I remember her face when she saw me. Her first reaction was unpredictible; she laughed and said that she understood why my brother had the power. That's how I knew that Coraline was clever and because of it more dangerous. My answer was the key of our relationship."

Beth looked at Du Plessis; she knew that he was the kind of people to say few things that directly touched the soul. He'd done the same thing with her, the first time they'd met. She finally asked "What did you tell her?"

Du Plessis smiled, his eyes lost in L.A "I told her that she wasn't as beautiful as people said." He paused and then continued "She smiled at me mischievously and laughed. She came often to my castle and we talked about science and politics. Coraline only needed a place far away from her courtisan duties. She was herself with me and I began to see that her temper slowly changed."

Suddenly Du Plessis stood up and went to the window. His allure was severe. His tone was also different as he began to talk "After the French Revolution I left the country and took a boat to the United States of America. Lafayette was a good friend of mine and the richest families were vampires, so I quickly found my place in this foreign country. As I left France, I also left Coraline alone with my brother. I hadn't heard from her in centuries. It's only one hundred years ago that I receive a letter from her. She was in New York with a new friend. I saw her again one year later. She came to L.A and I received her in this very house…

Coraline stood in the entry hall and smiled brightly as she saw Du Plessis coming to her. "Here I am, Armand."

"Yes, finally. It's good to see you, Coraline. Come take a seat and tell me why you're here."

Coraline followed him to the dark living-room. She recognized some furnitures from his French castle and smiled. It reminded her of good memories. Du Plessis sat next to her and waited to hear all her stories.

She told me that she'd left her sire and the bloodline but she didn't explain why. I only understood the reason months later.

Du Plessis sat in a little office, watching his accounts, when someone knocked on the door. The housekeeper came in, holding a silver plate with a letter on it that he held to Du Plessis. He took it and read the name on the back. It was from Coraline.

It explained that Lady Dubois had been killed by Lance. My brother had given the order."

Beth interrupted Du Plessis "Why?"

He turned his face from the window to Beth and smiled "My fledgling had fallen in love with a human and she'd turned him without the consent of my brother. Coraline was the one who told him. Lady Dubois and her fledgling were decapitated and Coraline never forgave herself. So she left her bloodline and her country to a new one and began a new life."

Du Plessis turned completely to Beth and went to a white cabinet. He opened a door and took out two glasses and a red bottle. He filled them with the red velvet liquid and came back to Beth. He gave her one glass and sat back on his chair. He tasted the fresh blood and enjoyed it before he continued "Coraline had new friends and you know some of them; Cordelia, known as the Cleaner, and Josef Kostan. Even with them around, Coraline was between two different cultures and even if she tried, she never completely found her place. She was bored with all the high society until one night, when she met Mick St John." Du Plessis smiled as he felt Beth's pulse change and followed "She'd found a toy through him. I remember being in her villa one night and seing him at the door, fully dressed up for his date…

Coraline walked in her pink gown to the glass door. She opened the door and saw Mick dressed up, his breath caught by her beauty "Why did you leave the other night? We were just starting having fun." He pulled tighter to her and tried to kiss her.

She stepped back "What night?"

Mick saw a man sitting in the darkness, drinking a martini "I get it. that's fine." He looked back at her and left the place. Coraline closed the door behind him and walked back to the couch.

Du Plessis held her glass and asked "Why did you that to that poor man?"

"He's just a foolish human."

As she told me that, I felt how uncomfortable she was. I understood that she was afraid to be like Lady Dubois and restrained herself as a debt to her friend.

Du Plessis stood up and put his glass on the glass table. He buttoned his jacket and Coraline stood up next to him. They walked to the door and Du Plessis looked at her straight in the eyes "He's not the fool one. You're the fool, Coraline. You're rejecting the love of a man."

Coraline finally lived her love but she hid her true nature. I was surprised to hear later that she was going to marry him.

Du Plessis and Coraline sat next to her swimming pool, both holding a glass of Champagne. He looked at her surprised "Did you tell him what you are?"

She laughed "He loves me so much. That's enough to accept who I am." Coraline pulled her glass close to her lips, feeling the bubbles catching her face. Then she lifted her glass in the air, a smile on her face "I'm going to be Coraline St John!"

I discovered later how she'd turned him without his consent and I lost contact with her. I guess she was afraid to be judged."

Du Plessis stopped and looked at Beth. She was staring at the floor thinking of what he'd said. Up to now she'd only heard Mick's version of their story, but listening to Du Plessis made her realize that it was more complicated than she'd thought. Du Plessis studied her emotions and broke the heavy silence "I know what she tried to do when you were a child. Coraline was like a wild tiger outside her cage. I discovered it some months ago, just like her sudden death."

He finally stood up and Beth understood that the session was over. She slowly stood up, feeling her body heavy with doubt. She felt herself more lost than before her visit. Du Plessis took her glass from her hand and let her go first to the door. As they reached the door, Du Plessis put one of his hand on Beth's shoulder and stopped. She turned to him and he caught her eyes full of question and her emotions filled by doubt. "Listen, Miss Turner. I don't know why she turned you, but she had a reason. I'm not sure you're ready to know it yet. Before you leave, I would like to add one last thing. Coraline and you are two complete different vampires, but when I see you, it reminds me of her good days, when she felt herself free."

Beth was completely shocked but something in her was relieved.

A man came to the door holding her keys. Du Plessis went with her to the car and watched her sit inside. "Goodbye, Mademoiselle Turner. You are welcome here anytime you need!"

Beth smiled at him and started her car. Du Plessis stood in front of his house, looking at the car driving away, a sad smile on his face.

***
She buttoned her black shirt and slowly brushed her hair. She was sitting in the corner of the king size bed and put on her boots. She turned her face and looked at the light coming from the window. It was the morning and the bright light hid the dark shadow standing next to the window looking at the city. She stood up and went to the large crystal mirror on the wall and refreshed her make up.

"You can stay, you know," said the shadow.

"Yes I know, but I'm busy." She turned to him and continued with a mischievous smile "I'm sure you're busy too, Kostan."

He grinned, his eyes lost in the moves of the city "Business is a non stop job. Maybe I'll think of a change of employement and become a Cleaner."

She came next to him and laughed "I don't think this job is for you. You know that "Cleaner" means to clean? Blood, bodies?"

"You're not cleaning anything."

"Well, of course, I'm the boss!"

Josef made a step closer and put an arm around her waist. "I'll be your boss then". He leaned in and gave her a tender kiss. The Cleaner looked at him and realized that something was wrong. She went back to the mirror and Josef stared back at the city. The Cleaner saw his reflection in the mirror and she caught a light scent of anxiety. She'd felt this emotion since he'd killed Coraline but it had become stronger the last few weeks. "You did the best thing to do with Coraline, Kostan. She was prepared to die, she had been for a long time."

The figure she saw in the mirror didn't move and the scent was still there. Suddenly her phone rang "Cleaner, location please?"

Her face became as cold as ice when she heard the voice speaking "There's a body waiting for you. 8555 Beverly Boulevard, room 1654."

She hold the phone tight in her hand. "I've got to go. He has killed again."

Josef turned and looked at the Cleaner walking to the door of his room. "You're sure that's him?"

"I know the customers and I can recognize his voice. It comes directly from hell."

Josef saw her leave the room and close the door behind. He grabbed his phone in the pocket of his silk robe and dialed a number "Come to my place in an hour. Call the four other."

The Cleaner walked down the corridor as she dialed a number. "St John, he has called me again. We've got an other body. Meet me at the location: 8555 Beverly Boulevard, room 1654. It's morning so we have to hurry before humans find him!"

She hung up and dialed a second number and the person answered only after the first beep "Take the team with you. We've got an emergency here. Drive directly to 8555 Beverly Boulevard, room 1654. I puy you in charge until I'm there. Don't touch anything, understood?"

She stepped inside her car and drove to the location as fast as possible. As she arrived in front of the adress, she realized that her day was going to be a difficult one. She stopped her car in front of the large building. "Great, a luxury hotel." She took her phone and called her assistant "Where are you?"

"The van is parked in the back of the hotel. Two guys are posted in front of the door and we are waiting in the room."

"And Mick St John?"

"He's not arrived yet."

She hung up and went to the entrance, towards the hall in the direction of the elevator. People were looking at her gait full of confidence. Some of them murmured thinking that she was a movie star.

She went outside the elevator and walked down the corridor until she saw two of her guys, who opened the door for her. She stepped inside and discovered the room. It was a private suite with modern decoration, but the place had been changed into something completely different. The curtains were shut and all the lights were covered with red material. The place looked more like a room for Xrated movie. As the Cleaner walked, she let herself take in the scents. A vampire had been living here and she could smell humans, freshies. Scents of pleasure and fresh vampire's blood were surrounding the room. She finally went to the bed were the body was lying. This place was different from the first crime scene, but the atmosphere was as strange as the first one. The lamps hanging at each side of the bed were covered with dark purple material. The one over the bed had no lampshade and gave a violent white light in the direction of the missing head. The body lay like a inanimate puppet with no head. The line of light coming from the lamp was like a finger which pointed out the only thing the killer had taken with him. The atmosphere around the bed was no more biblical. The lights were threatening like if the devil himself had taken his due. The arms of the body were spread on each side and gave the same image of the crucifixion.

"He's giving us the same message." said the Cleaner as Mick entered the bedroom. He came next to her and stared at the body lying on the bed. He could feel the same strange atmosphere. His eyes followed the line made by the white light to the missing head and distinguished something on the naked chest of the body. He took a step forward and saw the same symbol. Like the first one, the symbol was drawn in the blood of the victim.

"Yes, he tells us something through the symbol and the atmosphere."

Mick went next to the bed and took a better look of the body. He inhaled the decapitated vampire and nothing but the blood reached Mick. He still could tell that the killer was a vampire but he couldn't smell it. He stared at the cut on the neck which was lightened by the special light. The flesh was as white as the light but the thin line of the skin was brown.

"The killer used a sword and the cut is clear. He made one shot and the head was gone."

Mick inhaled the skin and he could smell that it had been burned by the sharp contact of the blade. "It looks like the skin has been cauterized by the sword."

"The man knows how to use a sword. He's not a young vampire." The Cleaner was now on the other side of the body looking at the neck. She could see the ivory bone of the spinal column which contrasted with the red muscles around it. Her vampire's eyes could distinguish all the muscular fibers, the veins and the arteries; they made a monochrome of red colors and each fibers made small circles inside the flesh. A strange painting of the human body.

"Do we know who the guy is? Is this his room?"

"The room was the dead vampire's, but he gave a wrong name. We don't know yet his true identity. We're at the same point. Only a new dead body on the list."

"Well, we know who the first vampire was. If the killer calls the DA's office, we'll soon know his name." The Cleaner looked at Mick. She knew he was talking of Beth. "I need your team to send the body to Guillermo. I'll call Logan and see if he found something. Do you remember when the killer called you?"

The Cleaner couldn't remember exactly when he'd called. Being with Kostan, was her only way to forget the world around her. But technology could help her to answer the question without sharing any details of her private life. She took her phone and looked at the last call. "10:45."

"Thanks. I've got to go." Mick took a picture of the symbol on the chest and of the morbid scene before he left the Cleaner and her team.

The Cleaner heard the door close behind Mick and she turned to the two girls waiting behind her. "Okay, take the body and clean the room. Hurry!"

***
He'd just finished putting his clothes on and went directly to the phone lying on the bed. Her scent was still fresh in the room. Her presence was his last female vampire company; two others were dead because of him. He didn't feel guilty for them, Lola and Coraline had deserved death, but he couldn't help thinking that he was in part responsible. Sometimes he surprised himself he felt a strange fear for Cordelia. Would he be a danger to her too? He knew that she was different, but somehow she was like them. Cordelia was an independent vampire and she liked her situation. She didn't need him to live and he didn't need her. That was their deal; it was his own deal with all of them. He'd thought it would prevent him from sadness; Sarah was the ghost causing this fear, but he knew that he was lying to himself. The deal was a false protection and the only thing that prevented him from a sad life was the strong attitude of these female vampires. Cordelia was his last support and he knew that she was conscious of her role.

He took his phone and went outside the bedroom. He walked down the long and dark corridor, went downstairs and silently to the only door circled by a line of light. He went inside and stood in front of a black round table. He took the last avaible chair and as he sat down, his phone rang.

"Kostan."

"It's Logan. I've searched for all the last moves of Lance and his brothers in L.A the last two month and I found absolutely nothing. The last one was Henri who left after the death of his sister. They're clean, sir."

"I want you to seek deeper and this time in all the country."

"What?"

"I think I spoke clearly enough." Josef hung up and put the phone on the dark table. He looked around with a smile. "Thank you all of you for coming so fast. As you can understand, we have a crisis here."

Five vampires were looking at him with concerned eyes. All of them had seen terrible things before, years of terror among the vampire community and they knew enough to help Josef Kostan.

Josef watched them and felt that he had their full attention "I called only you five, because we've got a long and respectful history in our bloodlines. That's also why all the things I'm going to tell you now, have to stay in this room."

He turned his face to his right and looked at the only female vampire in the room "Virginia Dare, do I have your word?" She closed her eyes and nodded.

He looked at the man sitting next to her "Gilles de Rais, do I have your word?" The dark haired man put his right hand on his heart and closed his eyes.

Josef was now staring at the man in front of him "Grigori Rasputine?" The vampire brushed his beard and nodded.

His eyes were now on the man sitting next to Rasputine " and you, François De Sade?" Like Gilles de Rais, he put his right hand on his heart and closed his eyes.

Josef turned to his left and looked at the last vampire "Gaius Julius Caesar, do I have your word?" The noble man closed his eyes and nodded.

"Fine. Like you know, there's a list with all the vampire's names on it. This list came out some days after Coraline Du Valle died. I have some suspicions on her bloodline. As we all know, her sire, Richelieu, is a dangerous vampire. Lance was in L.A some weeks before Coraline died. He brought her back to France and I'm sure there was a special reason why Henri was the one who came to L.A with Coraline."

Caesar looked at Josef perplexed "Josef, I know that you were the one who killed Coraline and that it was a difficult thing to do. We all knew Coraline and her past. You did the right thing, but I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to tell us here."

Josef looked at the other vampires who nodded. He took a deep breath "What I'm trying to explain is that I think that the French bloodline has something to do with the list." He suddenly felt a cold emotion fill the room. He knew that he was telling them something very important and all the vampires around him knew what it meant. If the French bloodline was involved, the crisis was more dangerous than what they'd thought. It would be a war between bloodlines.

Gilles de Rais looked at Josef and with a deep voice he asked "Are you sure that Richelieu is the author of the list?"

Josef knew that this time would be decisive for the time to come. "I have no proof yet. But yes, I'm sure."

"You know that it's a severe accusation, Kostan." Rasputine's black eyes shone. "Why would Richelieu involve all the community in L.A, if it simply was a revenge against you?"

The other vampires nodded and their eyes were all turned to Josef who looked at the dark table. "I think Richelieu uses the revenge on the pretext of something else and I've decided to figure out what."

Virginia took Josef's hand in hers and squeezed it. "If you think so, then I'll follow you. We know that you have seriously thought this out. Your bloodline is a noble one and we all remember your sire. So, we should stand by you and support your decision." She turned her eyes and looked at the other vampires, waiting for a reaction.

François de Sade who'd stayed silent all the time, finally stood up and put his right hand on the table. "Well, I've always thought that Richelieu needed a good lesson. So I, François de Sade, son of La Marquise de Pompadour, give my conscent to Josef Kostan." He stared around the table and gave a sharp look to Gilles de Rais, who finally decided to stand up.

"I, Gilles de Rais, son of Jeanne d'Arc, also give my conscent to Josef Kostan." His eyes went to Caesar, who stood up.

"I, Gaius Julius Caesar, son of Odysseus, give my conscent and my protection to Josef Kostan and his bloodline."

They were now all looking at Rasputine who looked at Josef. A solemn silent filled the room where four of the greatest vampires stood and showed Josef their respect. Rasputine looked at the black table and closed his eyes. The other vampires were looking at each other trying to understand what would happen. Rasputine finally stood up and stared at Josef, his right hand brushing his beard. "I would prefer to have a serious proof of what you think, Kostan. Richelieu is powerful, but I guess that his power is growing too large and I don't accept that. So, you've got my conscent."

Josef looked at the five vampires around the table and he realized that this moment was decisive. The war was declared and Josef Kostan had the support of the most important bloodlines.

***
The office was silent and the only sound came from the tick-tock of the clock on the wall. He stared at it and saw that his day wasn't over yet. He turned his chair and looked outside; the sun was high in the sky and people outside were enjoying the afternoon.

As he watched the city under his feet, his last conversation with Mick came back in his mind…

"Thank you for coming, St John. I know you're busy, but I have some questions to ask."

He looked at the man in front of him and tried to read his thoughts, but the guy was quite good at hiding them. Since he didn't answer him, Talbot continued "I heard that you were a hero trying to save Josh Lindsay." His eyes held in his vision the man sitting in front of him. He was determined to catch every reaction possible to know him better and for that he was ready to do anything. "It must have been easy to have his girlfriend after that."

Talbot couldn't hold the little smile. Mick St John was in his chair trying to hold himself. The young attorney could guess that the P.I was angry and it was exactly what he wanted. Then he saw that Mick St John changed his attitude and smiled. "What do you want to know, Talbot?"

Talbot took a second and stared at the P.I. The man didn't want to play, so he would go straight to the point. "I want to know what game you are playing, St John. Do you know Donovan Shepard?"

"Yes. He's dead, he was executed."

"That's right. What about Jeff Pollock?" Talbot saw that St John sought in his memories and then he caught something in his eyes that showed that he knew who it was. "What do you know about Jeff Pollock?"

"He was the witness of a car crash. He was a doctor."

"Was? What happened to him?"

"Well I don't know, you tell me."

Talbot tried to find something in St John who could help him. He wasn't telling the truth and he had to make him say something relevant. "Do you remember the night Beth and I were kidnapped. How did you find us?" He could tell that Mick was embarrassed and annoyed by all his questions.

"I came back to the office and I found an adress where the surgeon had a secret business. I was lucky to find you both there."

"Did Beth tell you that my team and I came back the day after and that everything was clean, too clean?"

"Maybe, I don't really remember. I just wanted to find you and Beth. That was the only thing that mattered."

Talbot began to loose his calm. St John was more cunning than he'd thought. He was now prepared to make him loose his control as well "Can you explain why I have a list with your name on it?"

He looked intensively at Mick and examinated every reaction, but he caught nothing. "Well, it depends what kind of list you have."

Talbot let a little smile appear. He decided not to tell everything, but enough to scare him "I've got your name with Shepard's and Pollock's. It's strange because they are all from your cases."

"Good for me. You can see that I'm a good P.I."

At this instant a phone rang. Both of them were still looking at each other but finally Mick took his phone and smiled. "Sorry, Beth needs me. I've got to go."

Talbot knew that he was lying "I'll see you around St John, I'm not finished with you!" He saw the door close behind St John and felt that he had lost his self control, Talbot gave a kick at the table.

Talbot was now alone and he could feel that he still was angry. The St John's file on his knees, he looked outside trying to find a way to explain why St John was one of the names. Lost in his thoughts, Talbot was suddenly awoken by the ringing of his phone. He turned his chair and took the call.

"Talbot." A strange silence was on the other side of the line. Then he heard an answer.

"There's a something waiting for you."

Talbot sat straight in his chair in the grip of the word "What? Where?"

"Lincoln Park on Pacific Avenue. A red box."

"Who are you?" Before he could finish his sentence it had hung up. Talbot quickly took a piece of paper and a pen and wrote the address. He looked through the glass wall and tried to see if Beth was back. He remembered he'd given her day off and he couldn't wait for her or for someone else. This head was for him and he wanted to be the first there. He grabbed his keys and left his office.

On the road, all he could think about was the red box. The tension in his body became stronger, adrenalin ran through his veins, pumped by his fast beating heart. In the corner of his eyes, he could see the little piece of paper with the address he'd written on it. His heart beat faster at the sight of the address.

He was some blocks from the park. He could see the trees from the park and instinctively he pushed on the accelerator. He found a place to park his car and jumped outside his car. He stood in the corner of the park, between W. Broadway and Pacific Avenue, trying to see a strange figure, he finally decided to walk along the avenue and scrutinized the park in the search for a red box. Some steps further he finally caught something behing a tree. He ran to the place and as he came closer, he could clearly distinguish the corner of a red box.

He stopped in front of it and trying to catch his breath, he slowly touched the corner of his holy box. The sun was high in the sky and the air was warm like the metallic red square. Talbot let his fingers run on the box and found the lock. He slowly opened the lid and a violent smell of decomposition mixed with the warmness caught him. Talbot felt suddenly weak, his head became fuzzy and the landscape turned around him. An acid liquid reached his mouth that he tried to hold, but the sight of the contents overwhelmed him. He couldn't hold it any longer and threw up. Mothers walking with their children looked at him scared, holding tight their kids and hiding them from the terrible view.