The Mission

Scarlet looked at me and frowned, “You really don’t want to play.” She stood up and rolled her eyes. “I really had hoped you might be amenable to my charms and my offer.”

“I don’t have a problem working for you Ms Snow,” I replied quickly.

She shook her head and pouted, “Not that offer child. Another more personal.”

It was my turn to roll my eyes. “I’ve already done the trying to father children and I’m not interested.”

“Obviously, only here for him.” She sneered and almost spat out the words. “Take him with you when you leave. We really don’t want him here.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“If he stays here too long I won’t care who he is, Mr. Sétanta.”

“And who is he?” I asked.

“You are friends with Del Figlio, ask him who your boy is. It is only out of courtesy he’s not dead yet.”

“Just tell me, Scarlet.”

“How easily you jump from formal to informal.” She smirked at me.

“Just like the vampires have a name for you, they have a name for him. And anyone who’s ever tried to kill him have only gotten themselves dead. So we stopped sending men after him.”

I was confused. “How do you know the vampires have a name for me?”

“You think you are the only one with connections? Vegas doesn’t run like the rest of the world boy. Much like New York doesn’t run like the rest of the world or Vegas. A certain cooperation is needed so we all prosper.”

I didn’t like the sound of this. “What do you need me to do?”

She smiled. “Always business with you child. Fine. I can’t move against the vampires myself, but you can, you aren’t mine to call. Abraham has a new friend in town, he’s threatening everything we’ve built here on top of the human world. We need to stop him.”

“You want me to get involved in vampire business because you can’t make money if things change.”

“If you say it that way it sounds so selfish.” She pouted. “But in a nutshell that sums it up. And for that I’ll let your boy do whatever he wants in my city.”

I wanted to say he wasn’t mine, but I didn’t want her to kill Alex either. She knew partially at least, what he was. But the fact that the vampires protected Alex scared me even more. What was Alex? I mean I knew he was a telepath and a dreamwalker. The dreamwalker alone could get him killed on sight.

I sighed as I nodded. “So you what want me to kill Abraham?”

She shook her head. “No just make it impossible for him to interrupt my plans. I don’t care if you hand him over to Il Cane and her ilk. Her son is here anyway which is unusual enough, but to have the three of you in my city at the same time. You all need to get the fuck out as soon as possible.”

“The three of us?” It was like we were some triumvirate of power. Alex and Ant didn’t even know each other at all. Alex was jealous of Ant’s relationship with me. And Ant didn’t like Alex. Why the fuck was she worried about us.

“All that power and you are ignorant of it. Even the heads of your stupid city are ignorant, young one. Ignore it. Protect your boy toy, keep Del Filgio from being a thorn in my side, and keep Abraham from getting whatever it is he wants with the New World Order. It will not stand in Vegas.” Scarlet didn’t waste any more time. “You have seventy-two hours to figure it all out. Before I get bored and end the three of you.” And then she walked further into her apartment.

The men who had saw me in were standing next to me waiting. I guess it was time to go.

I stood up and followed them to the door. I didn’t know what the fuck had happened, but I agreed to stop the Prince of Las Vegas’ plans. Whatever the fuck that was.

We were nearing the elevator when I saw a head peak out of the door. There was a distinct lack of pattern around the head before it snapped back inside. The men didn’t notice. “You have peeping toms?” I asked.

The looked at me and frowned. I pointed in the opposite direction. I just saw a camera around that corner. The men looked at me and pressed the button to go down shoved me inside and then went off in the direction I’d pointed. I pressed the hold button then stepped out after they’d gone. No fucking way I was taking that thing anyway, but that kid who I’d seen before was Venatori and the lack of pattern meant null. I had to see what was going on for a kid to be sneaking around Scarlet Snow’s headquarters.