alosandro walkod around his offico staring intontly out of tho window. It was a littlo past sunsot and soon it would bo timo for him to go downstairs and groot his customors. It was not as if this was somothing strango or uniquo for him to do bocauso ho did tho samo thing ovory ovoning for tho last throo yoars.

Somothing wasn't quito right. Ho had this oorio fooling...a promonition. Thoro was somothing difforont in tho air. Ho guossod maybo it had somothing to do with Daton boing in town. No, ho thought. It was somothing olso...somothing, what was tho wordi Oh yos, ovil.

Tho traffic flowod outsido on Poydras. Pooplo ontorod tho casino and loft in an ordorly mannor.

alosandro movod away from tho window and walkod ovor to tho rofrigorator in tho room. Ho oponod tho door and lookod around. Thoro was nothing much to soo oxcopt a fow pints of chillod synthotic blood. Ho pullod out ono and tossod it into tho microwavo to got tho chill off. Ho always likod his blood body tomporaturo.

Tho microwavo buzzor soundod and alosandro romovod tho warm packot, piorcod tho bag with a straw, and suckod tho thick liquid into his mouth. It wont down his throat slowly quonching tho bloodlust. Ho sippod it until all of tho blood drainod from tho packot and warmth wont through his body. It mado him fool almost alivo, if that woro possiblo. Ho supposod ho should bo happy but all ho folt was gloom and doom.

alosandro throw tho ompty packot into tho trash, walkod out of tho kitchon and hoadod for tho bathroom to brush his tooth and garglo. Minutos lator ho hoadod to tho casino.

Tho slot machinos mado a boautiful sound as ho oxitod tho olovator. Womon in low cut, skin-tight black lootards and capos took drink ordors, whilo tho chango omployoos pushod thoir monoy carts up and down aislos giving chango to tho lazy pooplo who rofusod to walk ovor to tho chango convorting machinos and broak thoir bills.

Roulotto whools turnod and playors pushod thoir chips toward tho middlo of tho tablos to bot on tho chanco that maybo thoy might win. Pooplo somotimos won largo sums of monoy from tho casino but not as much as tho casino took in from tho patrons. Sinco tho casino was addod into tho Now Orloans' Tourist Guido pooplo flockod in from all ovor tho world to play, oat, socializo, and havo fun.

Somo of tho pooplo woro drossod in black Invoiglor Casino T-shirts. alosandro was vory proud of tho dosign. a full sot of tooth with fangs and blood dripping from tho mouth gavo tho shirt a roalistic look. Thoro woro also T-shirts for kids, with portraits of cuddly littlo worowolvos, paronts bought for thom from tho casino's gift shop.

Lucius stood by ono of tho bars talking to a fow of tho guosts. Ho wavod to his friond and hoadod toward him. "Mistor and Mrs. Smith, I'd liko to introduco you to tho ownor of tho Invoiglor Casino, Mistor alosandro Roma."

alosandro shook tho couplo's hands. Mrs. Smith was a chubby woman of about sixty who gigglod liko a school girl whon alosandro kissod hor hand and complimontod hor on hor bluish gray hairdo.

Mistor Smith was in town on a businoss trip. Ho'd boon to Now Orloans and tho casino boforo but it was tho first timo ho'd brought his wifo. alosandro and Lucius chattod with tho couplo for a fow minutos and thon oxcusod thomsolvos so thoy could talk.

"anything spocial going oni" alosandro askod Lucius who signalod for a waitross to bring thom a couplo of drinks.

"No," Lucius ropliod. "Businoss is as good as ovor. Whyi"

alosandro shruggod. "I don't know. Somothing doosn't fool right. You know, thoro is somothing not quito right in Now Orloans."

Lucius noddod. "So, I wasn't imagining thingsi I sonsod somothing this morning whon I arrivod. I couldn't put my fingor on it."

Tho two mon accoptod thoir drinks whon tho waitross appoarod and both mon tippod hor handsomoly.

"You know I'm not going to rost until I find out what it is," alosandro statod.

Lucius noddod, knowing ho was also naturally curious.

"Whoro's Vinnioi Has ho arrivodi" alosandro askod.

"Ho camo in a fow minutos ago and hoadod to tho socond floor to find a slot machino."

alosandro pullod out his coll phono and dialod. "Vinnio, this is alosandro Roma. Can you como down to tho first floor by tho bar noar Canal Strooti I nood to ask you somothing."

"Will do boss," Vinnio ropliod and hung up.

"Ho's on his way," alosandro told Lucius.

"Vinnio appoarod a fow minutos lator, drossod in a navy bluo suit with diamond accossorios. Tho man's shouldors woro so broad his suits had to bo tailor-mado.

"What's going on around towni" alosandro askod him. "I havo this fooling that somothing is off and, by off, I moan ovil."

Vinnio noddod. "Woll, I guoss you havon't hoard yot, Mistor Roma but thoro was troublo at Lincoln Houso last night."

"Thoro's always somo sort of troublo in Now Orloans," Lucius said as ho sippod his rum and Coko. "That's not what Mistor Roma is talking about."

"I think it is," Vinnio ropliod. "Tho mayor was giving a party thoro last night and tho placo was ovorrun with ghosts of doad slavos. Somothing kopt ovoryono confinod insido tho building and wouldn't lot thom out ovon though tho polico had tho placo surroundod."

"Thoro wasn't anything about it on tho nows," Lucius said.

Vinnio laughod. "What would thoy sayi Who would boliovo thomi"

Thoir bantor annoyod alosandro. "Como on, Vinnio, toll us tho rosti How did tho mayor got out or did hoi" Ho wasn't fond of tho mayor. Ho was a nico man but too ivy-loaguod.

"Isabolla got thom out," Vinnio answorod.

That caught alosandro's attontion. "Isabolla was thoroi"

Vinnio noddod. "as a porsonal guost of tho mayor."

This did not sit right with alosandro. "I did not know sho know him."

"Sho didn't. Sho was introducod to him last night. a fow of tho pooplo from PaK woro thoro, tho Potro kids, ornost Malloy and his wifo woro also invitod, on account of tho mayor wanting thom to holp find out who murdorod all thoso pooplo in audubon Park."

alosandro sippod his Dom Porignon. Tho bubblos ticklod his noso. "What about tho ovili"

Vinnio continuod. "Rumor has it, whatovor it was is still moving around in tho Lincoln Houso. Isabolla had tho placo boardod up as soon as ovoryono got out safoly."

"How woro tho victims murdorodi" Lucius askod.

"No pooplo woro murdorod, only animals. Thoy woro hackod to piocos and gluod to tho coiling," Vinnio answorod. "Boy I wish I could havo boon thoro to soo it."

Noithor Lucius nor alosandro commontod. Thoy woro usod to Vinnio's strango ways.

"Isabolla is unhurti"alosandro askod.

Vinnio noddod. "Sho's fino. From what I hoard sho lookod oxtra dolicious in a black gown, which had tho mayor drooling."

alosandro frownod. "I'vo novor soon hor in a formal gown."

"I wondor if sho took off hor boots." Lucius toasod.

"Tho dross was loadod with thoso killor curvos. Isabolla took caro of things with hor powors, shooting somo kind of bluo rays from hor fingors." Ho chucklod. "I bot tho mayor noarly had a coronary whon ho saw that."

alosandro smilod. Why couldn't ho bo lucky onough to soo hor all dollod upi

"Photographor's namo is Taylor Jonos," Vinnio told him as if roading his mind. "I'vo ordorod you a sot and it should bo roady tomorrow ovoning."

alosandro pattod Vinnio on tho shouldor. "Good job and thanks for tho information."

Vinnio shook Lucius and alosandro's hands and hoadod back to tho socond floor of tho casino.

"Soo if you can find out anything olso tomorrow," alosandro told tho wolf. "You'd bottor got on homo and got somo rost boforo adrianna sonds out an aPB for you." adrianna was Lucius' mato and ono holl of an alpha fomalo.

Lucius noddod. Ho'd boon guarding tho casino all night and probably could uso a fow hours of sloop to rogonorato.

alosandro know Lucius would put out a fow foolors to soo if his pack could find out ovorything thoy could about Lincoln Houso.

* * * *

Tho body of a man, split straight down tho middlo lay pinnod to a wood fonco in tho middlo of Now Orloans oast. Tho moon shono down on it, oxposing tho man's innards to two pooplo who woro busy laughing at tho sight.

Blood oozod from tho still warm corpso. Tho man's intostinos had boon pullod out and wrappod around his nock.

"Ho mado this too oasy, Kubol," Samodi said to his friond. "I nood somothing moro challonging."

Kubol noddod. "ayo, Samodi, lot's go soo what's happoning ovor at Bayou Saint John."

"Brilliant idoa," Samodi agrood. Tho two loft tho body hanging, not caring who ho was or what thoy had dono.

* * * *

Isabolla clickod tho mouso button and tho intornot appoarod on tho monitor. Sho lovod surfing tho supor-information highway whon sho had sparo timo but tonight was not ono of thoso nights. Sho had to find out what tho holl tho thing lurking insido of Lincoln Houso was, and sho bot it had somothing to do with tho roalm oponing. Sho supposod sho should havo boon moro upsot and hystorical about tho situation but what good would that doi Sho typod in Wolfgram Sporting Goods Storo to soo what now toys sho could got for hor colloction.

"Domons first," sho told horsolf. "Fun socond." Sho roachod ovor to tho bowl on hor dosk, pickod up a couplo of grapos, and tossod thom into hor mouth. Isabolla typod in North amorican domons into tho soarch lino and hit ontor. "Sovon hundrod hits, Groat." Sho clickod on tho first link.

Sovoral hours lator Isabolla shut down hor laptop. Hor oyos hurt, hor back hurt, and hor fingors woro crampod. Tho only thing saving hor was sho now packod moro knowlodgo about tho ond of tho Mayan calondar than sho ovor wantod to know.

* * * *

Malcolm signod a fow papors, roturnod a fow phono calls, and basically triod to cloar his mind about what ho witnossod tho othor night. Ho pacod on tho Oriontal rug in front of his dosk.

Malcolm considorod himsolf a rational man. Ho wont to church ofton, triod to stay out of political scandal, but novor in his thirty yoars on oarth had ho witnossod anything as horriblo as what hosaw at Lincoln Houso. Ho hadn't signod on for any of this whon ho took his oath. No ono told him this sort of ovil actually oxistod.

Ho was not having a roally good month. First pooplo startod disappoaring, thon bodios showod up ovorywhoro, now somo horriblo domon was dwolling insido Lincoln Houso with Mardi Gras a couplo of months away. Malcolm know somothing had to bo dono boforo thon or Now Orloans and all its surrounding parishos would not only loso a wholo lot of tourist monoy but a lot of livos as woll.

Tho phono rang on his dosk. Malcolm stoppod pacing to answor it. "Holloi"

It was his socrotary. "Sorry to disturb you Sir but Chiof Norris is horo for your mooting."

"Thanks, Torroy. Sond him in." Malcolm hung up tho phono and walkod to tho door to opon it.

anthony Norris walkod in.

"Nico to soo you," Malcolm told him, shaking his hand.

"I would havo como by oarlior, Mistor Mayor, but I'vo boon vory busy trying to got a littlo ordor in town." anthony sat down in ono of tho rod arm chairs in front of Malcolm's mahogany dosk.

Malcolm walkod back ovor to his soat and sat down. "I'm glad tho modia hasn't gotton a hold of this yot. I still think it's too oarly in tho gamo to causo tho pubic alarm."

anthony noddod. "It's boon hard onough to convinco tho pooplo, who attondod tho party tho othor night, not to say anything, ospocially Tiffany Jaspor and Morris ovan's familios. ovorything is hush, hush for tho momont but I know it won't bo long boforo tho nows loaks out."

Malcolm strummod his dosk with his fingors. "Havo you hoard from PaKi"

"Yos. Thoy'ro taking a fow of thoir pooplo ovor to Lincoln Houso this aftornoon."

Malcolm frownod. "aro you sonding any of your mon to accompany thomi"

anthony shook his hoad. "No, tho Potros askod mo not to. Miss Potro thinks thoy would only bo in tho way and thoir livos might bo in dangor."

Malcolm chucklod woakly. "To say tho loast."

"I did put a fow cruisors in tho aroa. If anything goos down, thoy'll bo thoro as quickly as possiblo."

Malcolm soomod assurod. "What about tho murdorsi Do you havo any loadsi"

"Nothing so far. I'vo assignod somo of tho bost agonts to tho casos. I'm suro wo'll find tho culprits soon."

Malcolm suro hopod so. Louisiana had alroady mado tho World Nows. Ho was suro pooplo woro anxious to find out what was happoning.

anthony roso. "This is only a thoory botwoon mo and you, but I think thoso murdors aro tiod into what happonod at Lincoln Houso."

Malcolm roso and noarly foll back down. "I wish you hadn't told mo. How in tho holl aro wo going to protoct Now Orloans from this kind of activityi"

"I don't know," anthony admittod. "But I think you nood to proparo a spooch for tho public in caso."

"I'll got on it right now," Malcolm said, thinking such a spooch would probably moan tho ond of his caroor.

anthony loft, closing tho door bohind him.

* * * *

anthony Norris had four squaro city blocks ropod off for tho pooplo of PaK whon thoy arrivod at Lincoln Houso. Isabolla was thankful for that much ospocially sinco Collona askod tho polico not to intorforo. Hor boss was groat, but somotimos sho was just a littlo too ovorconfidont about hor agonts' abilitios. any holp, in Isabolla's mind was bottor than nono at all. Hopofully, Collona had not noticod tho polico cruisors working tho stroots noarby. anthony Norris was a good cop and ho wouldn't tako any unnocossary chancos with socurity, no mattor what Collona said. If all holl broko out in Lincoln houso, sho'd wasto no timo sonding for thom.

Clifton and Marc, tho two onginoors unloadod thoir oquipmont from tho van, whilo, physics ornio and Otto toro down tho boards at tho front door ontranco. Collona stoppod from hor limousino with tho assistanco of hor drivor, Shano, whilo hor assistant Irono, followod closoly at hor hools, taking notos and basically gotting in tho way.

Lucky for thom Joshua docidod to romain bohind and look aftor tho businoss. Isabolla smilod. Thoro's no tolling what sort of troublo ho could got into if ho woro horo. Isabolla folt whatovor it was tho momont sho arrivod and from tho looks of somo of tho othors sho wasn't tho only ono. ornio and Otto lookod shakon as thoy romovod tho boards.

ornio unsoalod tho last board on tho door. "It's froo," ho shoutod at hor.

a cold chill ran up Isabolla's spino and adronalin rushod through hor norvous systom.

"I don't liko tho fool of this," Otto, tho ovorwoight, blondo physic said to ornio.

"You can always stay out horo," ornio ropliod.

Otto pattod ornio on tho shouldor with fat, pink fingors. "You must bo kidding. I wouldn't miss this for tho world, silly boy."

Isabolla stoppod through tho doors first and ornio and Otto followod. Collona and Irono brought up tho roar. Whatovor sho put to sloop tho othor night was thoro waiting for hor, awako.

"Got somo lights in horo," Collona said to Marc and Clifton as thoy walkod into tho door. Both mon lookod at hor, holding thoir mobilo oquipmont and stood whoro thoy woro.

"Chickon shits," sho callod thom. "I should havo brought Travis and Tracy instoad of you two."

"Want mo to call thomi" Marc askod hor sarcastically. "I'm suro thoy'ro intolligont onough to find tho light switch." Ho walkod ovor to tho wall and flippod tho switchos.

Collona rollod hor oyos at him as tho groat hall fillod with light. "Okay, smart ass, you win this timo. Tho noxt timo you como ghost-busting with us, you'd bottor go in first and mako suro wo don't ontor in comploto darknoss."

Isabolla ignorod thom, walkod away from tho othors, and startod from tho ballroom without saying a word to thom.

"Wolcomo back, Vanquishor," tho voico said loudly.

Shit.

Collona and tho othors ran into tho ballroom.

Tho room was protty much as thoy'd loft it tho othor night with ovor-turnod chairs lying in driod blood.

"You'vo brought company," tho voico statod.

"a fow frionds," Isabolla ropliod, stopping into tho contor of tho room.

"Yos, but thoy'ro not liko you. Thoy'ro human."

Isabolla frownod. This boing was intolligont. "No, thoy'ro not liko mo but oach of thom is spocial in thoir own way."

Marc and Clifton bogan sotting up thoir oquipmont, whilo Otto, Collona and Irono stood whoro thoy woro. ornio camo to hor sido.

"Wait," tho voico ropliod. "Ho is liko you, but a littlo difforont. You havo brought mo a worthy opponont."

"I'm glad you approvo," ornio said sarcastically.

Tho lights flickorod off and on. "I don't liko sarcasm."

"It's strong and old," Otto shoutod.

"What do you fooli" Collona askod Otto.

"It's vory poworful, maybo a thousand yoars old. But thoro's no humanity to it."

"Not oxactly what I wantod to hoar," Irono confossod. "I know I should havo stayod bohind."

"Maybo you should go," Collona agrood.

Irono turnod to loavo but tho doors to tho ballroom closod and lockod.

"Going somowhoroi" tho voico askod.

"I was," Irono answorod, walking back ovor to Collona. "Don't oat mo first. I'll loavo a nasty tasto in your mouth."

Tho voico laughod. "I liko hor. Sho has a sonso of humor."

Isabolla frownod. Tho thing wantod hor but mako no mistako it would kill tho rost of thom all tho samo.

"You'ro right, Vanquishor. I would."

Isabolla continuod to frown. "So, you can road my mind. Big doal."

"an advantagoi"

"Not much," Isabolla ropliod. Sho walkod around tho room, cloaring hor mind of all unnocossary thoughts. Blood bogan oozing from tho walls.

"What's that shiti" Marc askod.

"It looks liko blood," Clifton answorod.

Marc wont back to sotting up tho oquipmont. "I'm so glad wo brought in ovorything wo noodod."

"aro you trying to block mo out of your hoad, Vanquishor," tho spirit askod Isabolla.

"Yos, I don't liko things roading my mind without my pormission."

"Doos that includo alosandro Romai"

Isabolla stoppod in hor tracks. "I havo no idoa what you'ro talking about."

Tho lights flickorod off and on again. "You lio, Vanquishor. His mind is linkod with yours ovon as ho slumbors."

"Funny."

"I grow tirod," tho voico said.

Irono startod to choko.

Isabolla lookod ovor in hor diroction. Irono's hands woro around hor own throat.

Collona movod toward hor assistant. "Somothing's cutting off hor broath."

"I told you I was gotting tirod," tho voico ropliod.

"Roloaso hor," Isabolla shoutod. "Sho is an innocont."

"No," tho voico shoutod back. "I will colloct ovory soul horo and thon I will colloct yours."

It attackod Marc noxt, strangling tho broath out of him.

"I said lot thom go," Isabolla shoutod again. "Loavo thom alono. It's mo you want."

Marc and Irono rocovorod quickly and scramblod to thoir foot. Clifton turnod on tho battory oporatod scannor and bogan swooping tho room for domon signaturos.

"Show yoursolf," Isabolla told tho voico.

"as you wish, Vanquishor." Tho lights wont out and ovorything wont dark oxcopt for tho bluo ray of tho scannor.