Public and Private Lives

As Adele and Jack were enjoying the show a waitress came by with two vampire drinks for both of them with a note that read:

A welcome for you.
I am at your disposal.
From Liaison Lillian Foster

Jack took the note and read it before handing it to Adele.
Jack: Looks like your liaisons are here by the bar.
Adele: Seems so. Be a dear and hail them over.
Jack: Sure love.
Jack nodded at Lillian and her partner and gestured for them to join them at the booth. Adele then unlinked Jack and sat up as she put on her game face. Jack gave a small grin to the guests.

Lillian had just waited for the drinks and note to be delivered and she watched as Leon and Colette made their entrance. Not trying to start anything, she greeted Leon but only glanced at Colette. “I see you’ve returned. Good. Hopefully, you’ll be taking over now. I’m sure the Nosferatu will be in much better hands.”

Colette didn’t miss the dig at her and neither did Leon but he wasn’t about to have a fight in a place where they did business. He could sense the tension coming off both Colette and Lillian in waves. The two had never gotten along. Colette thought Lillian was far too stuck on herself, which wasn’t exactly wrong, Lillian thought Colette was a little too noisy but that was being a Nosferatu. It wasn’t uncommon for Colette to try to charge Lillian triple or make her get information in the sewers. It wasn’t uncommon for Lillian to snub Colette every chance she got. So, Leon knew what this was and he also knew that Colette had done a fine job stepping up as temporary leader of the Nosferatu. when there had been no one else to do so, but Leon was also far more diplomatic about such things.

“Yes, I'm Primogen now,” Leon said. “I would be careful though Colette is my second. She, apparently, did an outstanding job when I was gone.”

This was a little complicated but being a second of a Primogen basically meant that Colette outranked Lilly, Colette did anyway because she was older but that just added to it. Lilly had been in New Orleans for years and had connections that proved useful so there was always a care to not overstep too much with her.
“I see,” Lilly commented. “Well, once again welcome back. I take it we can do business again, at some point.”

Leon nodded. “Just let me know.”

Lilly looked over towards the table to see Primogen Adele and the man with her had gotten their drinks and she was being waved over. “Well, I am being summoned. Primogen,” She nodded to Leon and then to Colette. “Colette”

Lilly then proceeded to the table which held the Toreadors. She stood in front of the table, knowing better than to sit before she was invited. She had left Harold and Hope at the bar and would call them over only if needed. “Primogen,” Lilly said. “It is so nice to finally get to meet you.” When she was invited to sit, she would do so. “I do have some news for you.” However before Lilly could finish that statement Helena came over and the three of them did business of their own.

Quinn came into Gomorrah and looked around. She would be going back and forth between the two clubs for a good portion of the evening unless something more pressing came up. Conducting underground business required that, at times. Some days though she thought about just training others to take over but out of the Brujah that were left in the area, she wasn’t sure who she could trust enough to do it. She spotted Lillian talking with Leon and Colette, she just went to the bar and waited for their little exchange to be over and Lillian to be seated with two others who she could only assume were also Toreadors before heading to speaking to Leon and Colette.

“Well, when did you get back?” Quinn asked Leon.

“Earlier tonight, “ Leon said. “I heard you were made Leader of the Brujah or are they calling you Primogen.”

“Primogen but we haven’t rejoined the Camarilla if that’s what you’re asking,” Quinn responded. “Are you in charge now?”

“Yes, I was made Primogen tonight. Colette is my second.”

“Good choice.” Quinn meant that. The Nosferatu and the Brujah in the area got along surprisingly well. Quinn and Leon got along well and were always able to be civil to one another and she thought Colette had been fine as temporary leader. “Can you tell me who that is?” Nodding to the two people that Lilly was talking to.

Colette spoke up. “That’s the new Toreador Primogen. Adele Bordeaux and her assistant or maybe her second anyway, he’s also a Toreador Jack Gomez.”

Quinn nodded, then moved on to business. “Are you in need of my services?”

“Yes,” said Colette, “We are going to need to get some more bags to keep downstairs for the staff.’ They weren’t close enough for anyone to overhear but still better safe. “Also, we need to replenish our supply at home.”

Quinn nodded. “Ok, the same amount as last time?”

Colette said. “Actually, could you add 20 more to the order for the staff and ten more for the private order. Do you want me to see if any of our staff need any?”

“If you don’t mind,” Quinn commented.

“I’ll text you when I find out.”

A Brujah came into the club and pulled Quinn aside. Quinn sighed. “Why can’t all the Toreadors just stick to one club? Alright, I’ll be over there in a few minutes.” The woman glanced over at Leon, “Well, I have to go back to the Lion’s Den. The new Prince is over there, by the way, just in case you were interested or didn’t already know.

Leon nodded. “Thanks for the update.” Then watched as Quinn left.

Colette and Leon watched as Helena went over to where the other Toreadors were sitting and then Jackson. They waited for Jackson to be behind the bar before saying hello to him. They would let him know they would be opening the basement door to let the other Nosferatu and that Leon needed a new membership card to reflect he was now Primogen of the Nosferatu and to just let them know when the card was ready. When that was done they would go downstairs and open the door letting the other Nosferatu inside.

***********
(At the Giovanni’s house)

Angelica and Guiseppe arrived home to find Mario’s ghoul Elara coming out of Mario’s office. “Elara, is Mario ready to see us?” Angelica asked.

“Oh, I think he was expecting you home a little later,” Elara said, adjusting her skirt. “I’ll let him know that you are here.” She walked back towards the office before stepping inside it.

Angelica didn’t want to know. Mario and Elara had been lovers for years and things between them happened wherever and whenever Mario wanted. Not that Elara was opposed to that. It was just what was and everyone who lived in the household knew it. Angelica often thought that if Mario could he would have turned to Elara years ago but Elara wasn’t of Giovanni blood and therefore that wasn’t happening.

Angelica and Guiseppe just waited for a few moments before Elara said that Mario would see them.

Mario issued Angelica to take a seat and told Guiseppe to leave them which he did. “Angelica, how long were you actually at the Lion’s Den?”

“I’m not sure, maybe an hour, an hour and a half.”

“And you think that constitutes long enough to actually check out anyone, let alone a Prince?”

“I….I mean he wasn’t doing anything, just sitting there and kind of watching everyone.”

Mario moved around to the front of his desk, and stood behind her, leaning over the back of her chair. He was menacing, at least to Angelica. “You disappoint me. You know I don’t like being disappointed.” His hands reached behind her, unzipping her dress just enough to expose her shoulders. “I have taught you better, haven’t I?”

“I….I’m sorry ….I’ll go back.” Angelica said.

Mario held a letter opener in his hand and ran it over her shoulder before digging it in a little, allowing it to cut open her skin. She could feel it. He then cut his wrist and showed it to her, not allowing her to drink any of the blood coming out of it. He moved to the front of the desk and dripped a few drops into a cup. “Not for you.” He said to Angelica as he watched her lick her lips. “You go back to the Lion’s Den with Guiseppe and don’t come back until I tell you to. Or I will have the basement waiting.”

“Yes, Mario.” She said as the thoughts of the basement and what was down there ran through her mind. “I’ll go back right away.”

“Very good. If you are a good girl, maybe, I’ll have a treat for you when you get back. Now, get out of my sight.” Mario said.

Angelica immediately left, she felt her shoulder heal and then told Gusieppe they were going back to The Lion’s Den, where they arrived a few minutes later and this time took a booth where they could pay better attention to what the Prince was doing.