Cuore di Venezia

The night was clear and the lights from the city dimmed the further the floating casino went from shore. Giorgo took a breath of the cool, crisp air and a look at the stars before heading inside. It was time to go to work.

He wandered around checking the various areas of the riverboat casino. The Cuore di Venezia . On the upper deck, the restaurant on the ship was known as one of the best Italian restaurants in all of New Orleans and the crowded dining area proved the point. There was also a deck, the one he had just come in from and while the restaurant took up most of the inside of that deck, there was enough room for a small souvenir shop for those with a more sophisticated and expensive taste and a location of his families bakery/coffee shop.

The main level had two casino floors another bakery/coffee shop and another souvenir shop but this one had more middle of the road priced items, more of the t-shirt and small trinket variety. Where there was the casino floors however there were also the bars. The main level had those on the floors the drinks like in most casinos were comped for those playing the tables. Of course, the cost was made more than up for in loses and it kept people coming back. Those not playing on of the tables, such as those who preferred the slots, could keep a running ticket provided they gave a credit card. The first casino area was pretty standard with the highest table at $50.

The second casino area was more exclusive, elite and ran the high roller games. The lowest table starting at $500 and the highest was $10,000. While they got people gambling at some of the high tables every night having the $10,000 table full wasn't as common though not unheard of. Tonight, however, a small crowd was watching something going on at that very table. Giorgo wandered over there in no real rush to watch a beautiful woman with long flowing auburn hair, an obvious build of someone who should be a professional model and as she looked up he could see her deep green eyes. Her green dress perfectly hugged her body. She was winning, a lot, actually she was winning almost too much. He watched her for a few more minutes, her moves, her looking directly at the dealer as he lay the cards before her to reach another 21.

Giorgo went over to a man in dark blue suit who had been standing there. "How long has she been at it?"

"About an hour and half." Responded Micheal, one of the floorpersons for the casino.

"How much has she won?"

"About 25,000?" Michael looked at Giorgo. "Is there a problem?"

"I don't know, yet."

Giorgo watched for a little while longer; he thought she might be a vampire but the dealer was also a vampire and incredibly good at being resistant to manipulation or she never would have gotten the job at one of the highest tables on the ship. So, even if the high roller was a vampire that's not how she was winning.

He didn't see any signs of cheating from his vantage point so he decided to take a walk. He walked up to the security room, said hello to the guards watching the feeds and then watched the feed from that could see from behind the redheaded woman. He watched her, and then paused it, then looked again, a zoom, more zoom and that was it. Her fingers were moving beneath the table, she wasn't counting with them instead she was rubbing something that looked silver. He watched it, it was three rubs and she'd close her eyes for a moment. He turned to one of the guards and said. "Have her brought to me, in my office."

With that he left and went to his office which was on one of the lower floors. It didn't take long before he heard a knock. "Enter." He said.

The guard arrived with the redheaded woman, who looked confused, was that an act or did she really not expect to get caught.

"Have a seat?" Giorgo said to the woman, who sat down on the other side of her desk. He then told the guard that he could leave them, which the guard did.

"Why am I here?"

Giorgo didn't answer her, at first. Instead he said. "What is your name?"

"Maureen." She replied.

"Well, Maureen I don't like it when people cheat in my casino. Don't deny it, we caught you on camera."

Maureen's demeanor suddenly changed and one leap she was over the desk and on him knocking him, chair and all to the ground. She opened up her mouth and her fangs showed and she shoved something wooden in his face and said something. When she felt something hit on the back of the head; he took the opportunity to push her off of him and then he quickly got up and when she tried to tackle him again this time he was ready; he got the upper hand and landed on top of her. This time with her face inches from his, he opened up his mouth and grew his fangs and then said. "What? Are you new around here?"

He took a moment for her to calm down and he said. "If you promise to not try that crap again, I'll get off of you."

She took a breath. "Fine."

He did as promised and then she got up. Giorgo looked at her. "Trimere?"

"Yes, it should have worked?"

"Not on me and you can tell the rest of the Trimere to not bother trying anything like that here, again."

"Fine"The woman looked around for a moment and a small grin crossed her lips. "Your companion has an arm."

"Yes, she does." Giorgo nodded picking his chair up. "Now, give me your winnings and you can go."

She put the chips on the table and turned to leave.

Giorgo then said. "I don't think I need to tell you not to come back."

"I got it." And with that Maureen left.

Giorgo watched the chips move on the desk, they lifted up and then fell back down, then suddenly they were being stacked. He shook his head. "Fine, play with them."

A knock on the door and the chips stopped moving. "Enter" Giorgo said.

"Mr. Giovanni. The new Caitiff are ready for you." The woman with the dark hair, and a professional look.

"Very good Maryanne. Let's go."

Down the hallway they walked into one of the conference room. In the room, a group of Caitiff waited. A variety of them all beautiful and all at least in their 20's when they were embraced. He told them to stand and surprisingly they did. He looked them over as if inspecting them and then said. "Very nice, you may all have a seat."

Once they were seated, Giorgo continued. "I know you have all been filled in on the position I'm offering you. This is your last chance to back out. Going once, twice....no one?" When they all stayed he said. "Perfect. Maryanne please give them the papers." As Maryanne was handing them all a sheet of paper and a pen. "That is a non-disclosure agreement. Anything, you find out here. Any services you perform; never leave this ship. You don't discuss anything to the people outside of my employment. I need you all to sign this."

They all signed it and a few had questions but most of it had been answered before hand. Once that was done the Caitiff were taking to get ready. When they came back they had all been cleaned up and dressed impeccably. They were high class and looked the part. Perfect, he thought.

The Caitiff were taken to the high roller room. There were people who had been vetted who had a black chip and the Caitiff's job was to ask for the black chip; if the client wanted them they would hand them the chip. He watched as one by one the Caitiff's left with their partners for the evening their black chips in hand. Smiling to himself as the last one left for the decks below and the cabins that waited those particular clients. Maryanne came over to him and said. "All the rooms are taken. Except one." And she held up one of the key cards.

Giorgo smiled at her. "Very good." Offering his arm. "Well, we shouldn't let that room go to waste. Should we?"

Maryanne took his arm and said. "No, I suppose we shouldn't" And with that the two wandered off.

Inside of Cuore di Venezia