The entire time Alastor walked from the library to the outside gate, his steps didn't make a single sound. Every movement he made was as silent as the night and if he had chosen to sneak up on someone they would be greatly startled.
"Alright Husker I'm here." He said. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Husk isn't here." A voice said. "And he's not the one who wanted to see you. I am but I knew you wouldn't want to speak to me at the moment."
Alastor turned around to face the person who had requested his presence. His smile remained but his eyes were filled with great irritation.
"What do you want now Vox?" He asked.
"I'm a little hurt that you didn't tell me that you were going to have visitors."
"What concern is it of yours if I have visitors or not?"
"You know that it's my concern whenever fresh meat is involved."
Alastor looked at him.
"You're crude Vox."
"Holding out on me again, eh? Just like old times."
"For your information these three are guests of mine. Not potential prey for you."
"Oh come on Al, I've been eating the same thing for the last six months. I'm craving something new."
"I don't care if you have reached the point of starvation, you are not to touch my guests."
"Typical, you keep all the good morsels for yourself and leave the scraps for me."
"I don't think you heard me correctly my good fellow. I specifically said that they were guests, not prey."
"Wait, so you're telling me you're not even going to feast on them? What the hell did you bring them down here for if not for food?"
"Once again that is none of your concern."
Vox started to argue but then a thought occurred to him. A thought that made him give a very sadist looking smile.
"Oh now I know what this about." He deduced. "I can't believe I didn't realize it til now, it's that girl isn't it? The pretty blonde one you were eyeing so fondly at dinner the other night."
Alastor said nothing but the look in his eyes confirmed it all.
"I don't believe this!" Vox scoffed. "After all these decades and you still haven't gotten over her? Shit, I don't get you Alastor. You know this town is crawling with sexy women who would be eager to satisfy your needs. Hell, Mimzy would throw herself at you if you gave the word. You're good-looking and loaded, you could have a thousand broads if you wanted. Yet you still remain hung up on just the one."
Alastor was still smiling but inside he felt insulted by Vox's insensitive and inconsiderate words.
"No woman could fill the void that she left behind."
"No woman except this one right?"
"I don't have time to explain all this to you. You never could understand anything with deeper meaning."
"Like that's anything important. But if you want the blondie to live fine but what about her little entourage? They're fair game right."
"You are not to harm any of them."
"Why? What do you care happens to a wop and a beaner?"
"Vox I will not tolerate you using such language in my presence."
"Cool your jets Al, it's not like I used the other word."
Suddenly Alastor drew back and jabbed his hand right into Vox's mouth. He then pulled something out from his jaw and held it tightly in a fist. It was Vox's tongue.
"You know it is quite frustrating how throughout all these years, you never learned to control that tongue of yours." He said. "If you can't use it properly then maybe I should take it away from you and put it to better use. Like bait for the alligators."
"Bleh! Bleh! Bleh!" Vox blubbered while shaking his head rapidly.
"Oh you want it back? Very well but first let me make a few things clear." His voice turned very dark and sinister like. "Number one, when visiting my abode you will speak to everyone with respect. Including my guests. And number two, you will not harm my guests. If you do I will personally have you skinned, gutted, chopped, seasoned, and cooked like the fat mouthed bass that you are. Do you understand?"
Vox nodded pathetically.
"Splendid." Alastor's chipper tone returned as did Vox's tongue to it's rightful place.
"You're a damn drag you know that?" Vox said when he could talk correctly again. "You don't even let me have my fun with the locals anymore."
"That's because things are much different now. The science used to study the bodies have become more advanced and the authorities are more alert. You can't just impulsively slaughter your prey like you used to. Nowadays it'll raise more suspicion and it'll put us at higher risk to exposure."
"Would it really be so bad if we were exposed?"
"Would it really be so bad if we were exposed?" Alastor repeated. "Let's think about that for a minute. Well considering that we all live in a country where Christianity is the most dominant faith and that we in particular reside in the Deep South where the church has great influence, yes! It would be very bad if we were exposed! Honestly have you forgotten about exorcists and church militia? You know the power of the lord is our only weakness and these states worship that kind of power."
"So we just take it away from them."
"You really are a dolt. You cannot take away the power of faith. It is literally the only thing in the world that cannot be taken! For Heaven's sake, what do you use your brain for? I swear you're just like Mephistopheles Magne."
"Don't compare me to him!"
"Why not? You're egotistical and you never think through anything just like him. If you're not careful your pride and impulse will be your downfall just as his was."
"I thought you were his downfall."
"I may have been the gun but it was his years of pride and impulse that pulled the trigger." Alastor explained. "Metaphorically speaking that is."
"I know what a metaphor is. I'm not stupid."
"Really? You could have fooled me when you showed such little consideration for our secret."
"For your information it's not that I don't care. It's that I'm sick of us always hiding like rats. Why should we even hide when the power we have could take down an empire? We could conquer this town and more. Maybe even the world."
"I have no desire for that."
"But you could make them all suffer. The humanity that wronged you. You could have the perfect revenge."
"I have had my revenge Vox." He said. "I have made those who wronged me suffer. They are long dead and still suffering. My vengeance is satisfied."
"But what about their descendants?"
"What reason could I have to turn wrathful on them? They weren't even born when those heathens committed their sins against me."
"But you could inspire them to fear you to ensure that history would never repeat itself."
"Vox that is foolish and a waste of my power. Also it's quite predictable and boring if you really think about it. Ruling the world? Ha! What would that give me that I do not already have. No Vox, what I want now is something that I have spent years wanting above every other desire I've had. Including my revenge. And at long last the opportunity to obtain my greatest wish has finally risen, and you will not ruin it for me!"
"But Al-"
"Enough! You know my expectations and demands. You may do as you please outside my household but leave my guests alive and unharmed." Alastor then turned his back to him. "Now be about your business and leave me to mine. Otherwise you will know what it really means to regret something."
His finally words to the man before disappearing into the darkness that surrounded his mansion.