Vampires, Mummies and the Holy Ghost

Ali Vali

 

 

Part 3

The next two nights’ hunting went along much as the first one had. Jacques sent his creations up against them, and Charlie and Kendal destroyed them in short order. The end of the week was only a day away but there would be no rest from their work. The only new wrinkle was there would be more people in the French Quarter who could potentially see the epic battles the immortals were fighting on the rooftops. In a week, the city, already famous for its party potential, would put it in high gear for Halloween.

Kendal shook her head thinking about the fact it was on a Friday, on a full moon in a place that didn’t believe in boundaries. If Jacques was going to plan an all out attack, what better night than on one he could hide in plain sight? The one thing she was confident in was that they had mowed through the younger of her brother’s followers and the nights from here on out would get more difficult.

"Would you like breakfast, sire?" asked one of the men Indigo had left behind to tend to her needs.

"Yes, thank you. Could you put these back for me?" Kendal handed over the weapons she had used the night before to be placed back in the sword room. She was contemplating taking Ruda for a long ride when she heard a car stop at the front gate. With a wave of her hand she motioned for the man who had stepped out of the house to open it and let whomever it was in. She didn’t need the intercom to tell her who it might be. What did surprise her was the hour of the visit. It was only a little after six.

"Good morning." Kendal didn’t get up from her seat at the table and leaned in so her elbows came to rest on the arms of her chair.

"I came…"

"I know why you’re here, let’s not waste time on the explanations. I’m more interested as to why you decided to come at all?"

Piper stood next to her car seriously thinking she had made a mistake. Here was when Kendal laughed in her face and told her she was only kidding when she had offered help. In a different scenario it might’ve been what she had done if the tables were reversed if Kendal had treated her as badly as Piper had treated Kendal.

"Can I talk to you?"

The tall body unfolded itself out of the chair and walked to where the blonde was standing. "Please forgive my rudeness, Miss Dupont, welcome to Oakgrove. Would you like to join me for breakfast?"

Piper looked up at the house before she took Kendal’s arm and followed her to the table. She smiled at her gallant hostess when she pulled out her chair and poured her a cup of coffee. "If this is how you treat the enemy, I’d hate to see what happens to your friends when they come over. How do you ever get rid of them?"

"You aren’t my enemy, Miss Dupont. You’re more like a pesky annoyance buzzing around my ear," Kendal teased her.

"Today’s Friday." Piper wanted to engage in light banter with Kendal and work her up to what she wanted but she didn’t have time. After a sleepless night this was the only option she had left to her.

"And tomorrow’s Saturday. I know what day it is, and to save you more time I should tell you that you didn’t really need to make the trip here today."

"I need your help, Kendal. At ten this morning Kenny will take everything my family has built." For the first time Kendal saw the frightened little girl Piper tried to hide from the world in the glassy eyes looking up at her. So much like those from long ago when Kendal could do nothing to change what had to be done.

She moved to kneel next to Piper and put her hand on the young woman’s shoulder. "Go and pick up your grandfather, Miss Dupont, and go to your meeting. Have faith in what you and he have put together and in that you will protect what’s yours. You don’t need my help for that."

"You won’t help us?"

"You don’t know me, but I want you to listen to me. Everything will be fine and you have the means to send Kenny Delaney and all others like him packing. When you do, I hope you realize you’ll have to make changes so that you won’t be put in this position again. You remind me so much of someone I used to know, and like her, you have that same spirit for life and to make the right choices no matter the consequences. Hold on to that and there’ll be nothing you can’t do."

Piper moved away not wanting the comfort Kendal was offering. It was the same thing over and over again in her life. She trusted someone to stand with her and all they did was disappoint her or leave. "I’m sorry I bothered."

She had gotten her tears under control by the time she reached Kenny’s offices. When she entered the rest of the players were already seated. They stood until Piper had taken her place next to her grandfather. From the head of the conference table Kenny looked like he was going to enjoy stripping them of everything.

This deal and the prime real estate that came with it would get him out of his own financial mess on some of his construction projects that had sucked his company dry of their cash reserves. With a few maneuvers on his part once the papers were signed, he would get rid of his investment partners and take over the project of clearing and selling the land himself.

The Vice President of loans for the bank Dupont Enterprises used sat across from them with a stack of papers before him. Samuel Sheldon had been dreading this day because he and Mac had a relationship that spanned most of their lifetimes. How they had gotten to this point amazed him, but then again it was the Duponts and nothing they did surprised him much.

"We’re here to discuss the calling of loans and the assets that come with their payment," Samuel explained.

"Get on with it, Sam, we all know why we’re here," said Kenny in annoyance.

"Mac, are you sure you want to go through with this? You have enough on your plate trying to stay competitive without taking on a new business as well," Samuel spoke directly to his old friend.

"What? Are you delusional? My partners and I are here to call in his loans and pay them in full. I know you all go way back but Duponts’ are months in arrears when it comes to their debt and we can make good on those this morning," screamed Kenny.

"As of the close of business yesterday all of Dupont Enterprise’s loans were made good and paid in full. The loans I’m referring to today have to do with your company, Mr. Delaney. You’re delinquent in two of the three construction sites you have ongoing now. Mr. Dupont is in a position to call those in and take over."

Kenny looked at the banker like the man was speaking a foreign language. He did not understand if he was joking or not. There was no way the old man or Piper could have pulled together that much money in so little time without word getting out on the street. "Stop fucking around and let’s get on with it. We want to give you some money here."

"Mac, I suggest you just take the one site adjacent to your property. That way you can expand your site to make you competitive again and then go after larger contracts. We have some plans put together to finance the moving of your dry docks to Mr. Delaney’s property giving you more room to expand your production capabilities. But we’ll get to that over lunch, I just need your decision now so I can cut my counterpart here a check." Samuel smiled before looking at Kenny’s banker. The only thing confusing him was the fact Mac and Piper looked as lost as Kenny and his people.

"That sounds reasonable. Piper and I aren’t interested in taking over Mr. Delaney’s business, are we darlin’?" he asked Piper.

"No, sir, the property next door will be fine."

Samuel handed over a check and motioned for his clients to get going. They were done and there was no reason to stay and subject themselves to any more of Kenny’s vile mouth.

"Mac, Piper, I don’t know how you managed it but I really enjoyed putting that little moron in his place," said Samuel in the elevator.

"You know how it is, Samuel, got to keep your cards close to your vest."

"Well next time don’t wait so long to show them. I’m younger than you are and I don’t think my heart could take much more." They walked across the lobby to the front door of the building with a bounce in their step. "Are you two free for lunch?"

"I’ll be happy to join you but I can’t speak for Piper," said Mac.

"Thank you, Samuel, but I’ll have to pass this time. After I eat my share of humble pie I don’t think I’ll have room for anything else today." Mac smiled at her explanation, surprised to know she had some clue as to what happened. "Could I have a word with granddad before you take off?"

"Tell me you didn’t sell your soul to make that happen just now?" asked Mac when they walked away so Samuel couldn’t hear them.

"I asked someone for help, and they came through. Now I just have to figure out what it’s going to cost us."

"Who?"

"Kendal Mackey."

Mac leaned against the glass of the building they had stopped in front of. "The same Mackey who you called a thief a week ago?"

"More like the one you told me to listen to before I went jumping to conclusions, yes. I’ll tell you all about it tonight, but right now I’ve got to go," said Piper walking her grandfather back to his old friend.

"All set?" asked Samuel.

"You bet. You know something, I’m damned glad I’m retiring soon. You’re right, I’m getting old and I don’t think I can take much more of this, but that Piper she’s something else. Her daddy would’ve been so proud of her." Mac hit the man on the shoulder before they got into the waiting car. "She’s my future and it’s looking bright."

************************************************************************

Close to the road stood a grove of camellia plants that Kendal had planted herself when she had decided on the purchase of the property that became Oakgrove. Over the years some of the plants had been lost to cold snaps or disease but the ones that had survived were all hybrids of the originals. It was where she got the bouquets she brought Angelina when she went to call and they had quickly become the young woman’s favorites.

They had left Tomas to Jacques’ library to go riding. Angelina was excited about seeing all of her beloved’s land and spending time alone with him was a bonus. Dee for all her loyalty hated horses and everything to do with them, and her uncle trusted Jacques not to ravage his niece if given the opportunity to spend the day with her. With a packed lunch they set off to get to know each other and for Angelina to see what the life of a planter involved.

"What do you want my role with you to be?" She sat close to him on the blanket Jacques had spread out so they could enjoy their meal on the other side of the lake she had seen the day before.

Jacques stretched out and put his head in her lap. "What would you like it to be?"

"First I’d like to be your wife and the mother of your children, then whatever will make you happy."

He looked up at her and felt like someone had ripped out his heart for giving him something so precious he couldn’t keep. Angelina needed to find someone new and wonderful to give her all the things she deserved. Someone who would love her and grow old with her, which was something Jacques could not do.

"What would make you happy, love?"

"To see the same look in your eyes always when you turn those blue eyes my way," she answered pressing her lips to his. Jacques had a way of making her feel bold.

"No matter how much time passes it will always be so, but we have to talk before you make too many plans about our future together. There are things about me you need to know."

"You don’t want me?"

He stopped her before she could move too far away from him. "Of course I want you but you should know the truth about the man you’re in love with. If we are to be together it should be without secrets don’t you agree, cheri?"

"There is nothing you could tell me, Jacques, that will make me change my mind about you." Behind her Jacques could see the dark clouds forming and they were at least a couple of hours from the house.

"I pray that’s true, but let’s get going before you ruin that beautiful riding outfit in a downpour."

That evening they sat in the parlor and laughed at Tomas’ stories of all the bribes he had been offered over the years by those not wanting to read about themselves in the paper. A storm raged outside with no signs of letting up despite the fact it had been raining for hours. It was the noise of nature’s fury and the distraction of his company that kept Jacques from hearing the light knock at the front door.

"Yes, sir, may I help you?" asked the slave who opened the door.

"Is this the home of Jacques St. Louis?"

"Yes, sir, can I get him for you?"

"I’m his brother, Henri," said the man as he tilted his head to the side.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t realize Master St. Louis had a brother." The servant stood as if not sure of what came next. "Would you like to come in from the rain while I fetch the master?"

"You have to invite me in, my good man. It would be rude of me otherwise." Henri smiled and waited knowing he couldn’t step foot into anyplace he was not welcomed first. Especially any house under the Order’s protection.

"I’m sorry of course. Please come in, I’m sure the master of the house will be happy to see you." He finished before Jacques’, "Wait," could stop him. Any spell of protection was broken since the houseboy lived under Jacques roof and not in one of the cabins to the back.

"Come now, Jacques, we are family after all, are you not pleased to see me?" Henri stepped in and took off his cloak and hat, shaking his hair of any water.

"Why are you here?"

"I’ve come to make peace with you after all this time. The years have made me strong enough so that I don’t need to feed as often to survive. I think that we can now live in peace together."

Angelina walked up and put her arm through Jacques’ looking at the new arrival. Their features where similar but the eyes set them apart. "Do I need to send for anything, love?" she asked Jacques as she looked at the man across from them just inside the door.

"Just a towel if you have it, kind lady. Allow me to introduce myself, Henri St. Louis, I’m Jacques’ brother." He walked forward and kissed her hand.

She shivered at the coldness of his touch but wrote it off as the affects of riding through the storm. "Angelina du’Pon, my Uncle Tomas and I are friends of Jacques’."

"Don’t be modest, my dear, I see how my brother looks at you. I’m willing to bet you are both more than friends."

"Would you like a room to retire to, Henri, after your long voyage?"

"And miss the chance to spend time with you and your lady? I think not." Henri’s answer made Angelina smile. "Lead the way, Mademoiselle du’Pon, I would love to meet your uncle."

"Go on, Angelina, we’ll be right in." She looked from one man to the other and knew there was something wrong. Jacques didn’t look very happy to see his brother, and the smile on Henri’s face was more macabre than pleasant.

"She’s simply delicious, Asra." Henri waited until they were alone knowing she wouldn’t attack him in front of all these people no matter how much she wanted to.

"I want to know why you’re here," demanded Jacques.

"I wanted a new start just like you, brother," he laughed at the word. "Does the little precious know your grand secret, or are you waiting to surprise her when it’s too late for her to escape?"

"Get out of my house, or I’ll…"

"You’ll do nothing, and have you forgotten, I was invited in," he moved closer until he could feel the heat pouring off her body like a furnace. "One night, Asra, then I’ll disappear into the darkness. You have my word as a gentleman."

"Your word is worthless, Henri. It always has been, but watch your step here or I’ll destroy you."

Angelina and Tomas watched as Henri simply pushed the food around on his plate but none of it touched his lips. The same went for the sweet wine and fig preserves the cooks served after dinner in the parlor. They had never been around someone who studied their every move with such scrutiny.

"Will you be staying long?" asked Angelina of Henri. She was ready for the night to be over since there was something about the man that frightened her, and the tension between Jacques and Henri could be almost felt like a living thing.

"Long enough, but if there’s to be a wedding I might be persuaded to say longer for the festivities."

She laughed nervously and put her hand over Jacques’ in an effort to calm her fears. "Like I said, Monsieur, Jacques and I are only friends."

"Shame on you, Jacques. You’d better hurry and ask for her hand before someone else steals her from under your nose." Henri had studied the young woman from afar in the city whenever she ventured out with her uncle at night, but up close her beauty was breathtaking. He had been biding his time and now he was almost giddy to get on with his plan.

"Thank you for your encouragement, but I rather like Jacques’ pace as much as his company," Angelina answered for him. "If you gentlemen will excuse me, I think I’ll retire for the evening." They all stood when she rose to her feet. "Jacques, will you accompany me to my door?"

"Of course, my dear. Henri, I trust you will be here when I return."

"Like I said, brother, we have much to talk about after all these years."

They ascended the stairs in silence and walked in equal quiet to the door of the bedroom Angelina was using. Henri’s arrival had thrown Jacques for a loop and he was in danger of losing all he had worked for here. Now his only concern was to protect all those he loved.

"Are you all right, love?"

"Angelina, I want you to lock yourself and Dee in once you close the door and don’t leave the room until the sun rises tomorrow."

She put her hands on his chest, more frightened now than before. "Why? What’s wrong? Is that man really your brother?"

Jacques kissed her to stop the litany of questions. This time it had nothing to do with gentleness or patience. He wanted her to know how much he felt for her before, like Henri had said, it was too late. "I love you so much," he said before kissing her again.

"I love you as well."

"This isn’t how I planned to do this," Jacques started as he fell to one knee. "I have to speak to your uncle, but I wanted to ask you first," he continued as he took hold of her hand. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes." His hands felt wonderful when he moved them to her hips before sliding them up her body. Jacques rose to his feet with them wanting to show her how much he wanted her before the chance was stolen from him.

"Go now, darling, and remember, open the door to no one until morning."

"Jacques, please tell me what’s going on, I’m scared."

He pulled her close and kissed her one last time. The world and its worries melted away as she gave in to her urge, pulled the tie from his hair, and sunk her fingers into the dark tresses. "Get some sleep, and don’t worry, I’m here to watch over you. I promise in the morning I’ll tell you everything I’ve put off until now."

The door of the bedroom opened and Dee looked at the man standing next to her mistress with his hair loose around his shoulders. Jacques was almost too beautiful to be real. "Master, is everything all right? I just heard something that sounded like screams coming from the back."

"Lock the door and watch over your mistress. Remember, love, open it to no one." Jacques didn’t tell them anything else as he ran down the hall for the stairs.

In the parlor Tomas stood by the window alone looking out at the rain. Henri was nowhere to be seen. "Where is he?"

"He said he was going out to check on his horse. Strange man your brother. You two don’t seem related at all." The older man leaned on his cane trying to ease the ache in his hip.

"Tomas, I don’t have time to explain but I need you to go up to your room and lock the door. My brother isn’t the gentleman he pretends to be and I have to find him before he harms anyone." Jacques pulled one of the crossed swords from over the mantle. The action of doing so made him want to cry because in the morning they were coming down anyway to make room for Angelina’s surprise.

Not bothering with a horse, he ran toward the slave quarters to see if Dee’s worries were warranted. The noble Asra wasn’t prepared to find Lionel walking through the mud as if in a trance holding the lifeless body of Celia. His white work shirt was covered with what was left of her blood.

"I don’t know what it was, but it killed her," said Lionel through his tears. "It killed all of them, and I couldn’t stop it."

Jacques entered the cabin to find all of Lionel’s children with their throats ripped open and dead as if a wild animal had come in and feasted on them. At a dead run he headed back to the house already aware of his mistake. The first body he found was that of the boy who invited Henri in, he wasn’t too far from Tomas.

"You old fool," said Jacques from her knees. She closed the tired looking green eyes staring off into nothing before putting her hand on his forehead. Tomas’ walking stick was backward in his hand as if he tried to use it as a club to fight off his attacker.

The boots she was wearing felt like lead as she moved up the stairs. Angelina’s door was almost ripped from it’s hinges, the lock no opponent for Henri’s vengeance. Dee had the same mask of death as Tomas. Her soft brown eyes were open; in her hand the only weapon she had was the small gold cross her mistress always wore around her neck. The only thing missing from the room was Angelina.

She looked for the body until the sun came up with no luck. Henri had taken Angelina as a way to hurt her. She swore she would get even when night came again. Now she had people to calm and bodies to bury after the night of death. Working together they quickly assembled the pyres needed for Celia, her sons, Tomas, Dee and the others who fell to the demon the houseboy had so kindly invited in to their midst.

"Have them all pack and get them ready to travel soon," Jacques told Lola. The old cook had a rag twisted in her hands terrified at what had happened.

"Where we going?"

"I’m giving you your freedom to go wherever you like, but I would suggest you go to my estates in the northern part of England. You’ll be welcomed by my staff and you’ll be safe there for as long you care to stay."

"I thought you were from France?"

Asra put down the glass of whiskey she was drinking and turned her attention to the woman who had befriended her from the minute she came off the auction block and begged for the life of her son. "I am Egyptian but does that really matter now? This is all I can think to do, because after last night, I cannot stay here and I will not leave you all to suffer for my mistakes."

"I’ll get them ready, Jacques," Lola stood to go and spread the word. "And, Jacques, we don’t blame you for what happened, especially Lionel. You’re too good to be related to that monster."

"Thank you, but hurry and go. The sunset isn’t too far off. Lock your doors and invite no one in."

She waited in the study with her sword resting on her lap. The question of why Abez had come back now was about to give her a headache if she thought about it much longer. At midnight marking all hallows eve the front door creaked open and they entered together.

Henri followed the movement of the knife in her hand as Jacques twirled it through her fingers. For the moment he wasn’t too concerned with her throwing it since he had Angelina pressed up against his chest. "Miss me, or should I say us?" He ran his hand through Angelina’s hair, which was hanging freely down her back. The style made her look wild and sensual.

"For centuries I haven’t struck the death blow when it came to you, Abez, because no matter what despicable acts you’ve committed, I believed a small part of my brother remained in your heart. I was wrong. No matter what price I have to pay, you will die tonight." She embedded the knife in the arm of the chair, put her glass down and stood. The only noise in the room that followed her standing was the sword leaving the sheath that housed it. "I’ll take my revenge for our father and all the other lives you have ruined."

"Will you kill her too?" Henri pulled back on Angelina’s head and to Jacques’ disgust she kissed him. "Where has the love you have for her gone?"

"Angelina, love, come here," Jacques said softly. The blonde looked almost like she was drugged. Something had changed and as Jacques watched her walk across the room her heart broke because she knew what it was.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Angelina asked, her hand running up Jacques’ chest. "Did you think my knowing would frighten me away?" The hand moved lower to confirm what was missing from Jacques’ anatomy.

"I was going to tell you, you have to believe me," the blonde’s touch was overwhelming her senses and Jacques almost forgot Henri was still in the room.

Angelina pulled Jacques’ head down wanting to share a kiss. Their lips were about to touch when the truth of her suspicions registered in the immortal’s mind and it felt like someone dropped a bucket of ice on her soul. The strength the young woman had now was unnatural; Jacques could feel it in the hand at her neck. Her lips were limp against Angelina’s and before she could move away, the blonde sank her teeth into her lip.

Henri’s laugh rang through the house when Jacques pulled back, her mouth cut and bleeding. "She belongs to me now, sister. I took what you so cherished last night and I was right, she was delicious. What a wonderful wife she would’ve been, what an incredible bedmate she will be — to me."

"No." It came out as a whisper and Jacques wanted nothing more than to run out of the room to find darkness and sleep. In darkness she would find emptiness and a way to forget. In darkness she would find release.

"Jacques, please." The voice sounded like her sweet Angelina, but this hideous creature only inhabited the shell of her body. Her Angelina was dead. Jacques opened her eyes to watch Henri run his tongue along her ear. "If you love me then release my from this hell. I killed Uncle Tomas last night. May God forgive me but I couldn’t stop myself." A tear of blood fell from the green eyes Jacques loved.

"I can’t," said Jacques in anguish. "Please don’t ask me to."

"Please, love, I’m begging you. If you care for me still, just a little, then you will do as I ask." Angelina heard Jacques’ scream and closed her eyes. In what was left of her humanity she knew she couldn’t fight the thirst and she couldn’t resist Henri.

The sword flew from her hand like a javelin and pierced Angelina’s heart. Jacques threw it so hard it embedded into Henri’s chest as well just below his heart. When Angelina exploded into dust he staggered back clutching at the weapon weakening him by the second. When he looked up gasping for air Jacques was standing over him intent on finishing the job.

"If you kill me you’ll never find the other blonde bitch you sniff after all the time," he said as the sword slipped out and Jacques now held the point to the skin over his heart.

"I buried her deep, your little teacher." He kept at it as the point of the sword drew its first blood on the way to its target. "Swear you’ll let me go and I’ll tell you where she is," Henri knew Jacques’ sense of honor and her word would be his salvation. What he was saying was his ticket to escape.

"How can you believe I’d trust anything you say or believe, even for an instant, that you’re telling the truth?"

"I’ll take you myself. If I’m lying you can kill me then, but if I’m not, you have to let me go after you get her out."

They arrived on horseback, Henri draped over the back of her saddle, at the church being built with Jacques’ generosity after Angelina had convinced her to make a donation. It was where she wanted to marry the man she’d fallen in love with. "Under the cornerstone," he told her as he held his hand over the wound on his chest. It would take extensive feeding and months to heal he knew because of the essence of wood the blade was made with. For once though he had planned for every possibility to beat Asra down and keep her away from him.

Jacques braced her legs and pushed against the carved stone. She didn’t believe Indigo would be underneath but she wasn’t willing to gamble. There had been no word her Elder was coming. The stone moved and there in an indentation in the dark soil, bound and gagged was Indigo.

"I kept my word, now it’s time for you to keep yours," said Henri as he slowly staggered away.

"Kill him," rasped Indigo from Jacques’ arms.

"I gave my word, not now. My word though does not bind me in the future. To the future I give my word that Abez will not live forever no matter the cost."

The morning came and with it a sense of despair. Jacques gathered Angelina’s ashes and arranged to have them buried in the church run cemetery outside the city after they were blessed by the young woman’s priest. Indigo waited in the du’Pon’s home until all of Jacques’ slaves set sail to freedom in Europe. She had promised the warrior to get them settled in their new life and new home before retuning to America. All of them boarded ships except one.

Lionel stayed behind with Jacques wanting some explanation as to what happened and why his family had been slaughtered. Jacques’ answers made no sense to him and for the first time in his life he though he was going mad.

"No man or woman lives forever, and no one lives on blood alone," said Lionel.

The plantation was quiet and peaceful without the sounds of workers and children playing. They were standing in the field where they had burned the pyres of their dead. "I can only tell you the truth as I know it, I can’t make you believe me. I have lived for almost two thousand years as a warrior of the Order that balances good and evil in the world. You can say I’m their angel of death to those who are the undead."

"You are mad."

Jacques sighed and pulled a dagger from her belt and handed it to him. "If my words can’t convince you, perhaps my blade can." She ripped her shirt open and he was confused at the bindings wrapped around her chest. "I am Asra, born in Egypt under the rule of the Pharaoh Ramses. The sun is my strength and the Order is my guide." She faced the afternoon sun and held her hands out. "Go on, try and kill me."

"So I can find myself at the end of a rope, I don’t think so, Jacques."

Jacques took the dagger back and drove it in herself. Lionel lunged forward to try and stop her. "Pull it out," she asked as they both lay on the ground. He watched in amazement as the wound closed and healed with the help of the sun. "Do you believe me now? ‘Cause these little demonstrations are rather taxing," Jacques said rather drolly.

"I want to be like you, if only to avenge my family."

She sat up wiping her hands of her own blood on the grass. "I can’t, Lionel. I made a promise to the Order, and to me that’s very precious. A person is no one without their word."

"Do you know how?"

"Yes, I remember how to make the elixir, but you don’t know what you’re asking me."

"I’m asking you for the time to find that bastard who calls himself your brother and drive him into hell, even if it means going with him myself."

She had given in to his pleas in the end pulling down the wrath of the Order on her head for breaking her oath. Kendal was convinced if she hadn’t saved Indigo’s life in the events of that time, they would have buried her somewhere and she’d still be a sleeping dry husk.

Kendal looked up just before Piper reached for her to wipe away the tears that had fallen down her face, surprised that the small blonde would want to touch her in any way. Kendal saw for the first time the same compassion Angelina’s eyes had held for her in Piper’s.

"Why do you always look so sad when you sit alone and think?" asked Piper with her hand still on Kendal’s face.

"I cry for the things I cannot change."

Piper wiped away the last of Kendal’s tears and smiled. "Then you must cry a lot."

"More than my share, but I’m sure you have other more important things to worry about." Kendal took a deep breath and tried to put aside the worst memory of her entire existence. Having to be the one who had ended Angelina’s life had been the worst feeling she had ever experienced. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company twice in one day?"

The blonde took a seat next to her and folded her hands over her knees. "I don’t think I have to tell you why I’m here, you already knew this morning and didn’t bother to tell me. I’ll have you know I had a miserable drive into the city thanks to you."

I hope this is a big build up to a thank you for all the money I just dished out on you, pipsqueak. A dark brow arched and Kendal’s mouth stretched into a thin line. "And once you arrived, things took a turn for the better I’m thinking. At least if the size of that smile is any indication," said Kendal pointing to Piper’s face.

"Come on, fess up. You saved my granddad and me so you don’t have to get modest now. All I need to know is what you want in return." She patted Kendal’s leg once before retreating to the other side of the bench. "My gratitude only goes so far you know, so don’t go getting any ideas."

"I didn’t save you and you don’t owe me anything, so don’t sweat it. The homosexual is perfectly capable of getting girls without having to bribe them if that’s what you’re worried about." Kendal stretched out the word homosexual until Piper blushed.

Crap, I did it again. "Listen, Kendal, I just wanted to come and say thanks."

"And you have, though it’s not necessary. You should feel good about fulfilling your self-imposed obligations, even though like I said thanks are not necessary. I didn’t do anything for you or Mr. Dupont. If you want to believe otherwise, go ahead, but now all I have to say is, the exit is that way." Kendal pointed her thumb over her shoulder. In reality the gift she had given the old company didn’t add up to a tenth of one percent of what she was worth, but she had expected something different from Piper. Wishful thinking and pigtails don’t add up to much of a meal, Asra, try and remember that.

"Can I ask why? I haven’t exactly been nice to you."

"It wasn’t me, Miss Dupont, try and understand that. I can’t put it more plainly for you, or would you like it in French?" Kendal stood and started back toward the house. If Piper wouldn’t leave her in peace to relive her nightmares she would find some other place to sit.

"If hypothetically you did help us, why’d you do it?"

The tall woman stopped and turned around not wanting to be rude and not answer the question. "Hypothetically, you remind me of someone I used to know. A young woman who was special to me and now she’s just a memory. If she were here I’m sure she would have told me it was the right thing to do despite your past behavior. Hypothetically speaking of course." Kendal kept walking never turning around to see if Piper was leaving. "Good day, and good luck," was all she said as she waved her hand.

"I don’t care what you say, Kendal, I know it was you." Piper kept her seat for a minute longer looking at the large old trees devoid of flowers because of the time of year. It was then it occurred to her. Why was Kendal Mackey walking around Oakgrove like she owned the place? The plantation belonged to the St. Louis family and its heirs, or so the legends stated. The history books weren’t really clear as to what became of the original owner and all the slaves he owned.

************************************************************************

"Is there anything in Mackey’s past that mentions a girl who left her hanging somewhere along the line?" Piper sat across from Hill as the private investigator looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"Again, do you read absolutely anything I send to your office when you have me investigate someone? Nothing, there’s nothing that tells me anything about this woman aside from her accomplishments as the head of the company she founded. She doesn’t give interviews about business much less about her personal life."

"Hill, this woman you know nothing about just gave me millions of dollars and she doesn’t want to confess to doing so. She also doesn’t want to look at me much less tell me what she wants in return, so call me stupid but I have a burning desire to know."

"You’re stupid."

"What did you say?" asked Piper looking like she was scanning Hill’s desk for something heavy to throw at her.

"I called you stupid," said Hill again, oblivious to any threat. "If she gave you the money, saved your ass and doesn’t want anything in return, what exactly is the downside to that?"

"You ever heard of a balloon payment. We’re cruising along building boats and whammo, Ms. I Want My Money Back comes waltzing along and we’re screwed. You don’t have anything to tell me, aside from thinking I’m an idiot."

"I don’t think you’re an idiot, I think you’re stupid." Hill thought about the painting in the rectory and wondered if it had anything to do with Kendal’s coming to the Dupont’s aid. "There’s just one thing I didn’t tell you about the day I followed her to the church."

"Now, Hill, I need to know now."

"There was this painting the nun told me about. Before the cathedral that’s there was built, the folks back then built another church. The main benefactor who put the deal together and paid for it was Jacques St. Louis."

Piper sat up in her chair. "The original owner of Oakgrove?"

"One and the same."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Brown eyes rolled and Piper sat back down and let Hill get on with her story. "The church must have commissioned a painting to mark the occasion or to chronicle the history of who was involved. That’s what I was looking at the other day." Hill shivered thinking of the similarities to the two people she was now trying to avoid so she could stay in one piece. Piper had a way of talking you into entering your own slaughter and Kendal was just the person to wield the sword to get the job done. "It’s a picture of Mr. St. Louis with the holy men who I guess were going to staff the place, other dignitaries involved and a woman."

"Who was the woman?" Piper asked, again cruising the desk in case she needed to prod Hill into talking faster.

"I had to dig a little but I finally found her picture in the archives of the current local paper. Back then the paper was the New Orleans Gazette, owned and operated by Tomas du’Pon. He was never married and had three brothers. One of them died along with his wife in an epidemic and Tomas was left to raise their daughter, Angelina." Hill didn’t know how best to proceed so she paused gauging Piper’s face. "The girl in the picture standing next to him was Angelina du’Pon."

"What’s so spectacular about that story that you just wasted ten minuets of my time telling it to me?"

"Ok, that’s it." Hill got up and grabbed the spoiled blonde by the arm. She dragged her outside to her car and shoved her in the passenger seat despite Piper’s objections. They drove in silence to the church where Hill grabbed her passenger again and dragged her to the door of the rectory offices.

"Can I help you?" It was a young man in long priest’s robes who had come to the door with his hands folded in front of him.

"We’re sorry to bother you, Father, but I was here the other day and one of the sisters showed me a painting you have hanging in the foyer. I was wondering if you would allow me to show it to my friend."

"Of course, come in." He waved them in and closed the heavy oak door behind them. There hanging in the foyer was a painting of the Last Supper. "It’s spectacular isn’t it? We just recently acquired it through a private donation."

"It’s lovely, Father, but we were interested in seeing the painting that was here before," said Hill.

"I’m sorry but that’s not possible."

"What, you want a donation or something?" asked Piper. She was about to flick Hill in the back of the head for dragging her down there but now the priest was acting a little suspicious. Piper had a talent for spotting when someone was hiding something.

"No, ma’am, it’s just that the painting your friend is referring to has been sent back to the original owner, or should I say the family who owns it. It only hung here on loan. It’s a shame that they didn’t donate it or allow us to replicate it, but that was their wish." He smiled hoping they weren’t going to cause a scene. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Father, do you know much of the history of some of the church’s more prominent parishioners?" asked Hill.

"Some, why do you ask?" He folded his hands in front of him again like he was in prayer.

"Can you tell us anything about the du’Pon family, or more specifically Angelina du’Pon?"

"All of the children’s programs the church funds in this area are made possible by the Angelina du’Pon trust set up all those years ago. She is buried in St. Louis cemetery number one, though no reason for death was ever listed with the church." He closed his eyes as if trying to remember anything else of importance. "There is another perpetual fund set up to care for her tomb and place fresh flowers there every day."

"For hundreds of years?" asked Piper in disbelief.

"Yes, I’m a man of the cloth, but I’ve always thought it was rather romantic to remember a loved one for so long."

Hill squeezed Piper’s hand trying to get her to stay quiet so the guy would keep talking. "Who set up the trusts?"

"Her fiancée, the Marquis Jacques St. Louis. He left the city shortly after her death and was never heard of again. Some say he died of a broken heart, but he was most generous with us even in his absence." The young man started them toward the door anxious to go back to his studies, but it was nice to see others as interested in the church’s past as he was.

"One more thing father, who is the current St. Louis heir in charge of the trust?"

"I’m sorry, I can’t give out that information." He put his hand up to stop their protests. "I would if I could, but they asked to remain anonymous. In these times the church must respect whoever is willing to still believe in our cause. The money Angelina’s memory pays for, goes strictly to the welfare of children. It is my understanding they were her greatest joy."

"So she and Jacques had children?" asked Piper.

"No, ma’am, they never married. Miss du’Pon died before they were able to exchange vows. I assume Jacques St. Louis went on to have children since there has always been someone to carry on the family business since his death. Whoever that young woman was, she must have been very understanding to compete with the memory of Angelina’s ghost all her life. The Marquis stayed very devoted to her even in death. It makes one feel good to believe in the afterlife. I do anyway. Maybe in their next life they had better fortune when it came to sharing a life together."

"Thank you, Father, you’ve been a big help," said Hill. She motioned to Piper to follow her into the garden where Kendal had met with the monsignor days before. "What I’m about to tell you sounds crazy, but that painting that’s missing, there was something strange about it. I looked at it for ten minutes and I still couldn’t believe what I was looking at."

"Tell me already."

"He was the spitting image of Kendal Mackey and the woman standing next to him looked just like you."

There were two things that went through Piper’s mind stopping her from telling Hill she was crazy. First there was the reaction Kendal had the day they met. Her paleness had been like she had seen a ghost. The other was just that afternoon when the woman had said she reminded her of someone she knew. It was impossible though. They weren’t talking ten years ago, it was almost three hundred years since Angelina and her boyfriend, Jacques walked the city. "It can’t be."

"It can’t be, but I’m telling you, Piper, it was two dead ringers for the two of you. Emphasis on the dead part." Hill looked at the sweat gathering on Piper’s forehead and thought she was getting sick. "Are you ok? You want me to drive you home?"

"Hill, do you think Kendal is the current St. Louis heir?"

"I’m thinking so, but what I can’t figure is why she wanted the painting back? Do you think one of the penguins told her someone was here looking at it?"

"I know I didn’t read your report so give me a break before I ask, but did it mention anything about family?"

Hill laughed at Piper’s honesty. "Nothing, why?"

"She told me the other night that she wasn’t interested in Dupont anymore, but she was still in town on family business. I’m wondering who the family is and what the business is?"

"Why do you care?" asked Hill getting up and offering a hand to Piper. "You have control of the company back and Kendal doesn’t want anything else to do with you."

"I don’t." Only in her heart she knew that wasn’t true. The shark she had read about wasn’t the image she got when she remembered the woman sitting and crying on the bench that afternoon. Something haunted Kendal and Piper wanted to know what it was.

************************************************************************

"Do you think we’re getting closer to the end?" asked Charlie. They were sitting on the rooftop of the famous bar Pat O’Brien’s waiting for the next group of vampires to come along. The last fight had taken all of Kendal’s skills and Charlie’s help to get through. The opponents were getting better.

"When we get to the ones carrying the same weapons we’re carrying, we’re getting closer to the head slimeball. All these others who think their kung fu moves will make a difference are just bait." Kendal looked down at the street and wondered if they could get away with what she had planned next. "Ready?"

Charlie didn’t answer as he watched her take a dive off the roof, do a couple of forward flips and land on her feet in the middle of the street. She landed in the middle of a crowded street full of tourists and innocent bystanders. "Sure, I’m ready. Don’t mind my delayed reaction here."

"Warrior," said Troy as he pulled his blade from the sheath strapped to his back. He couldn’t kill her but he could wound her enough to take her. The five he had with him followed his lead laughing when the crowd dispersed, but not very far. Even in New Orleans, this was something you didn’t see everyday.

"Please, call me Buffy," joked Kendal, twirling her sword slowly in one hand. In the other was a sais she had pulled from her boot.

"Buffy, who is this Buffy?" asked one of the fighters with Troy.

From the crowd watching someone yelled, "The Vampire Slayer, stupid."

Kendal moved forward a little giving Charlie room to land to the applause of the crowd that now thought it was a street performance. "What, Henri doesn’t give you time to watch television? I’d contact my union rep about that, ugly. There has to be time for watching television in between all the killing and mayhem."

"Kill her," screamed Troy.

Three of his men rushed forward and sparks flew from their weapons when they clashed with Kendal’s. "Watch my back, Charlie. I see these creeps have been practicing."

Everyone watched in awe as the katana met the other three swords stroke for stroke, Kendal driving them back until they were down one of the side streets. With one kick to the side of the shortest one’s head, she sent his blade clattering down the street. One of the watchers picked it up and told his buddy, "Dude, these things are real."

"You think that’s something, watch this," said Kendal with a wink. She ran up the brick wall of one the buildings close by and flipped over two of the vampires’ heads landing in the middle of them. "Now you see them, and now you don’t." The blade of the katana sliced through the armed one and the sais through the unarmed one. She took the time to take a short bow after they turned to dust.

It was approaching midnight when the other two moved forward, Troy hanging back to watch. Kendal replaced the sais and pulled one of the small axes attached to her belt. The taller of the two stood and twirled his sword in precision moves trying to impress her. One throw and another of the vampires met a dusty end, the weapon dropping to the street. "At least try going to the movies every so often, jeez. Would have seen that coming if you’d bothered to rent an Indiana Jones flick."

The last vampire still willing to fight dropped his sword and starting running only to meet the same end at the end of the axe when Kendal threw it with deadly aim. She looked to make sure the weapon had hit its mark.

"Kendal, turn around," screamed Charlie. Before she could, Troy’s sword sliced clean through her chest. The instant pain dropped her to her knees. His aim had punctured a lung and nicked her heart. He was about to pull it out and stab again when Charlie’s sword finished him off.

"Charlie, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, boss, move faster next time?"

"There’s that yeah, but I was thinking more about you pulling this goddamn thing out of my chest so I can beat you with it." She laughed up at his concerned face. "If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times, this hurts like a bitch."

A mounted policeman rode up and looked down at the bloodstain growing along her shirt. "Are you all right, lady?"

Borrowing a line from Piper she stood on shaky legs and said, "Peachy." She sheathed the katana and put her hand on her hips like nothing was wrong. "How’d you like the show? We thought we’d try a dry run out here before moving into the theater down the street."

"The disappearing acts could’ve been better and the blood on your shirt is too dark looking to be real."

"Well it’s really old," said Kendal with a smile. She accepted the axe back from Charlie before moving back to the car. There would be no more fighting until the sun came up and she was able to heal. "Everyone’s a critic I swear."

************************************************************************

She was waiting next to the fence line when the SUV Charlie was driving pulled into the gate. Next to him sat Kendal looking like she was growing weaker so he never noticed the intruder enter after them. His old friend was in no danger of dying but only the sun would bring her back to her full strength.

"You’re not over there beating yourself up are you, Charlie?" asked Kendal. She had been silent for the drive because she was going over the last fight they had engaged in. There was something about the way some of the demons had fought. They had nothing to do with Jacques and his training.

"I’m turning out to be more of an anchor to you than anything else. You should start going out alone and leave me behind."

"It was you who took care of the big guy, or was there more audience participation than I realized?"

He put the vehicle in park and turned to smile at her. She was always the same. Always trying her best to make him feel better. "No, that was me, but I didn’t get to you before he stabbed you."

"Time will make you better, but you are with me because I want you here. Do you want to wait until I’m done? I don’t want to pressure you into something you don’t want to do."

The night was starting to fade with the coming of dawn and he looked out towards the east. "If you don’t mind I want to be there for you, but mostly for Celia and my sons. They deserve me trying to kill the bastard who did that to them. I’m sorry he’s your brother, but I want nothing more than to kill him."

"I know how you feel, Charlie. Have I ever told you who Jacques’ first kill was all those years ago when he was made into what he is?"

"Trust me I remember all our talks having to do with him, you’ve never told me much more than what he is."

Kendal moved her hand from her chest and put it on his shoulder. "It was my father."

"Did you share the same parents?" Charlie looked to the steering column in shock.

"Yes, but that didn’t stop him from killing the man who had raised and taken care of him. I wasn’t there but I can imagine the betrayal my father must have felt as Abez drained him. That’s what made me accept Indigo’s offer of eternal life."

He looked up at her in equal dismay. "You thought about not taking it?"

Kendal looked down at her chest to the wound that bled freely. One that would’ve killed her minutes after Troy had given it to her had it not been for the elixir she drank two thousand years before. "I didn’t want to live forever. I wanted to serve my pharaoh then find a woman to share my life with. Back then if you believed strong enough the gods would provide all that I could not, like children."

"But to never worry about death."

She laughed. "Is replaced by the worry of living forever. Your family was different, Lionel. You watched them die and you wanted vengeance and I gave you the vehicle to see it through. I had no one left when I returned from battle and wanted nothing more than to join them in the valley of the dead. In the end I chose my honor and duty above all else that I wanted. It’s what my father would have wanted, and what he would’ve expected of me."

"Let’s get you out of here to wait for the sunrise."

Her hand left a smear of blood along the door when she leaned on it to get out of the car. The purple of the night sky was turning pink behind the house and she started walking slowly to one of the lawn chairs to sit and wait. It wouldn’t take long to feel the healing begin.

Behind them, the unexpected visitor moved slowly almost throwing up at the sight of all the blood. The idiot she had come to see was going to die before she got to ask any questions and the big guy walking with Kendal didn’t look like he would be very forthcoming with information if she did kick off.

"May I help you with something, Miss Dupont?" asked Charlie. Kendal kept walking to the back of the house leaving him to deal with the blonde.

"I want to call an ambulance if you aren’t going to do it."

"What would we need an ambulance for?"

"For the woman bleeding profusely behind you," she said pointing toward Kendal. "Who is doing a good job of ignoring me by the way," she continued raising her voice so she would be heard by both of them.

"It’s just a scratch, Miss, but I’m sure Kendal would feel better if you left her to rest and recover." He waved to the direction of the gate. "I’ll be happy to walk you out myself."

"I’m not leaving until I talk to her."

"Or I could just carry you and deposit you on the road, your choice."

She screamed all the way to the entrance as Charlie carried her over his shoulder like one of the bales of cotton he carried here long before. Every time she was able to land a blow to the back of his body, he drove her anger up a notch by laughing. He opened a small entry next to the main drive and placed her on her feet.

"Have a good day, Miss Dupont."

"You’ll be having a great day too when I come back with the police." The clank of the gate sounded deafening when he closed and locked it leaving her alone. Not to be deterred, Piper was back three hours later with a young deputy in tow. It had taken her that long to convince them she wasn’t hysterical and that she had really seen someone hurt on the property.

"Good morning, ma’am. Sorry to bother you but could I have a word?" asked the police officer. Kendal was sitting at the table eating a huge stack of waffles with syrup. Next to the plate sat another one with eggs and a rare steak.

"Is there a problem?"

"Miss Dupont here," started the young man.

"Is that the problem? If she is I can’t help you there, annoyance isn’t illegal, it just makes her a pain in the ass. Sadly there isn’t any law to make her act otherwise." Kendal pointed her fork at the woman with her hands on her hips.

He put his hand over his mouth to hide his smile not wanting to antagonize Piper. Her grandfather and the sheriff were old friends and he didn’t want any problems. "No, ma’am, Miss Dupont swears she was here this morning and you were knocking on death’s door from an injury to your chest. Seems you were bleeding pretty bad." If this woman did have an injury of any kind she was doing a great job at hiding it, and he had a feeling they weren’t leaving until they checked.

"I spilled a V8 in the car but I can assure you I wasn’t bleeding."

"V8 my ass," said Piper in a frustrated voice. She moved to the porch and stood next to Kendal. "Stand up right now." The chair scrapped along the wood floor and Kendal did as she asked. "Now we’ll see who’s lying." Piper turned her around so the deputy couldn’t see and opened the robe Kendal had on. She wasn’t expecting naked.

"If you wanted to come to my house and see me naked, you didn’t have to bring the police with you. Asking nicely would’ve done the trick."

The female body had never done anything for Piper, but then she had never laid eyes on someone like Kendal. She started at her shoulders, which were strong and rounded with muscle. The breasts were smallish but well shaped and fit nicely with the overall picture. Piper was sure when she got to the abdomen that she had never in her life seen someone who had a visible outline of every muscle. Lastly she ran her eyes down Kendal’s legs thinking only that she must spend hours running around when she wasn’t buying failing companies the muscles in them stood out in such vivid relief.

"Um, in your dreams I wanted to look at you naked. I was just worried about you, but you seem perfectly healthy."

"Miss Dupont, is everything in order?" asked the police officer.

You have no earthly idea she thought as she tried to force her eyes off the open robe and back to the yard where the man was standing. "Yes, I’m sorry there must have been some kind of misunderstanding. She’s all right, nothing out of place and no holes that shouldn’t be here."

"Are you done?" asked Kendal in amusement.

"Hmm?"

"The visual tour, are you done?"

"Of course," snapped Piper, her fingers still wrapped in the thick cotton of the robe.

"Of course," replied Kendal closing the garment herself. She turned to the deputy still standing in the yard with his hand covering his mouth and gave him a smile. "Would you care for some coffee, officer?"

"No, ma’am, we won’t take up any more of your time. Miss Dupont, you ready to go?"

"You can go ahead, deputy, I’ll see to it that Miss Dupont gets home. After all she hasn’t checked out the back for suspicious puncture marks," teased Kendal getting Piper to blush.

"Yes, ma’am, I’ll leave you to that then." The leather of his utility belt creaked as he got into the car. He couldn’t hold the laughter until he got to the gate and his obvious mirth caused Piper to turn a darker shade of red.

"Thank you for not subjecting me to his company all the way back to the sheriff’s office, but you and I both know what I saw this morning. You were hurt and that guy just threw me out."

Kendal pulled her chair out for her and put her hand on Piper’s shoulder to get her to sit in it. "I’m flattered that you were worried about me, but as you just saw I’m fine. If I didn’t know better I’d say you were stalking me."

"You must have gotten an A+ in your self esteem class. Why in the world would I be stalking you?" Piper watched as the big hands poured her a cup of coffee and mixed it with the right amounts of sugar and cream. "I don’t even like you all that much."

"At the risk of my sanity, why were you here at the crack of dawn?" Kendal motioned for the young man at the front door to bring out the plate he had in his hand. "Since you don’t like me all that much, you spend inordinate amounts of time trying to see me."

"You interest me, is that a crime?"

"Interest you how?"

The red streaks of a blush ran up Piper’s face again and she tried to hide behind the coffee cup in her hand. "Not like that," she whispered so the server wouldn’t hear her.

"Shall I call Charlie to carry her out again, sire?" asked the man in Japanese.

"Let’s wait up on that. If worse comes to worse I’ll carry her out myself. I’m feeling lots better." Kendal bowed her head to acknowledge his then pointed to Piper’s plate. "You should try them while they’re hot. They’re pecan waffles and an old family recipe."

"Whose family?"

"The St. Louis family I would imagine." Kendal took over the job of buttering the nice smelling breakfast squares and pouring syrup over them so Piper would start eating. They weren’t quite as good as Lola’s but the new chef had come close. "Shall I cut them up and feed them to you as well?"

"How are you related to the St. Louis family?" asked Piper picked up her fork to keep Kendal at bay.

"I’m more like a family caretaker than a relative."

"Uh huh, can you tell me about Jacques St. Louis and the woman he was going to marry, Angelina?"

The last piece of waffle was swiped around Kendal’s plate to pick up the last of the cane syrup she had poured over them. She chewed slowly trying to find a way out of having this conversation with Piper and not make her crazy by putting her off. "What makes you think I would have any of that history in my head, Miss Dupont?"

"Can I ask you something?" Kendal nodded and waved her hand to get her to proceed. "Why do you call me Miss Dupont and yet you call Hill Ms. Jarvis?"

"You don’t look like a Ms. to me, and it’s impolite according to old southern tradition to address you that way."

"Kendal, if I asked you to, would you call me Piper?" The question came out in a tired voice and the petite woman’s shoulders came close to slumping.

"I would be happy to." She pushed Piper’s plate of waffles closer, cut one small square and held it up to the blonde’s mouth.

One taste encouraged her to finish the plate enjoying the silence that surrounded them. The only breaks were when Kendal addressed or answered questions from her staff in whatever language they felt comfortable speaking. Piper was no expert, but Kendal’s accents and skill matched those of whoever spoke first.

"Would you excuse me for a moment? I’ll run up and throw some clothes on and drive you home if you like."

"What would you be doing if I weren’t here? I could call someone to give me a ride if you had plans."

"I was going for a ride, but I’m sure Ruda will understand. We have all the time in the world." Kendal stood up and cinched the pull on her robe tighter. "You’re free to do whatever will make you more comfortable like calling someone else to drive you, but I really don’t mind taking you back."

Piper nodded and sat back in the comfortable chair. The kind hostess and excellent service made her more curious as to who Kendal was and what she was like. An idea popped into her head and Piper wanted to make it work so she could stay for a while longer. All the answers to the questions Hill had uncovered lay in this house and its owner.

"All set?"

"Will you take me riding?" asked Piper. They were both in jeans so Kendal couldn’t turn her down because of dress.

"You like to ride?"

"No, but I though I could ride with you."

"That would require you to get really close to me. I thought you didn’t like me?"

"I want to get on a horse with you, Kendal, not do the nasty. Come on, I have a rare morning off since I thought I’d be driving you to the hospital."

The gate opened for them as Kendal led Ruda to the road. The way Piper was clutching her forearms a slow ride on the levee was all she would subject the girl to. Kendal moved her arm to Piper’s waist as the horse clopped up the incline.

"Do you have something against saddles?"

"This is better for the horse, less cumbersome. Just relax and go with him."

"Will you tell me about this place?" Piper squeezed her safety belt to quiet Kendal before she objected. "You didn’t really say you didn’t know."

"True, that’s very perceptive of you, Piper. What do you want to know?"

"How did Oakgrove come to be?"

He stepped off the boat and looked around the busy port. Most of the moored boats flew French colors but there was a sprinkling of other flags as well. Here among the pirates and settlers would be a good place to hide for a while and forget his responsibilities. To work for something that wasn’t born out of the privilege he had known.

"Carry your bags, Monsieur?" asked one of the small boys hanging around looking for spare change.

It was a short ride to the hotel, and one gold piece later Jacques was walking with his new friend toward the stables. "Don’t you want to sleep, Monsieur? That was a long voyage you just finished."

"Sleep is for those who have time for it." He patted the boy’s head and sent him back to the docks with his earned loot.

After a quick negotiation Jacques was riding his new horse down the road out of town. On the way out of town he passed the main auction blocks where most had lost their minds to greed and inhumanity. It would be something he would deal with later, now he was interested in being alone with his thoughts. Places like Paris and New Orleans were filled with the types of people he wanted to escape so the countryside bordering the river was ideal.

He rode until the sun went down and he came to a clearing where the full moon made the leaves on the new oak trees glimmer. It was there he would build a house and make it his home.

Kendal stopped the horse and looked back in the direction of the house. The trees had grown larger and the levee made it possible to see the roofline now, but the feeling was the same. This had been the first time she had built a place to call her own. All the other estates had been someone else’s dream first, but not Oakgrove.

"It was here I guess that he stopped that night, and saw the potential others didn’t. Back then the trees were smaller and there was no levee and road."

Piper could feel the voice rumble against her back, and was embarrassed to find it was because she had completely relaxed into Kendal. The way she told a story made it seem like she had been at Jacques’ side as he made his discoveries. "It sounds like he was a man who was driven by what he wanted." She leaned forward and turned around to look at Kendal. "It seems to still be a dominant trait in his gene pool."

"He was a man who tried to do the right thing in evil times, I would find that a more attractive characteristic."

The look on Kenny’s face from the morning before came back to her and Piper nodded. Kendal may not have believed in her and Mac, but she didn’t believe in letting the wrong person win Piper had a feeling. "True, and he would be proud to see it too still runs in his bloodline."

"I’m a thief, Miss Dupont, you said so yourself on more than one occasion. There’s nothing honorable in that."

"There’s another old southern tradition you forget, Kendal." She was starting to like getting that brow to arch in her direction. "A woman has the right to change her mind if she wants to."

"I must be losing my touch if you’re starting to like me."

"Oh the shame of it all," laughed Piper. It felt like sunshine to Kendal it sounded so much like Angelina’s. When Piper relaxed and let down her defenses she was even more beautiful to the immortal. Because of this, Kendal felt the need to raise her own walls to protect her heart. She could not bear to lose herself again. She had loved Angelina with all her heart and when she died, it was almost her ruin. This young woman was not her long lost love, but the potential to fall into those green pools was just as likely if Kendal allowed herself to hope.

************************************************************************

"Did you have a nice ride?" the question clicked through the intercom in her helmet and Kendal looked to the person riding next to her.

"It’s not over as far as I can tell."

"Not this ride, and don’t try and change the subject." He dropped his foot down as they came to the light at the bottom of the onramp to the interstate. "I saw how cozy that girl looked up there with you."

"Clear that cozy girl from your mind before we get any closer into the city. I won’t be responsible for the loss of anymore innocents on my watch. Piper Dupont is someone who is perfectly capable of taking care of herself from here on out, so I wouldn’t count on seeing her again."

"Who are you trying to convince, you or me?"

"Drop it, Charles, she’s history." She took off in a roar and he had to rev up to catch up. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that if Piper so much as batted her eye lashes in Kendal’s direction she’d turn into the same lovesick idiot who stood on a muddy street almost three hundred years before. There was something about blondes with perky breasts that made Kendal’s hormones go into flux.

They took the French Quarter exit into town and Charlie thought they would head back into the heart of the neighborhood, so he was about to ask why they were stopping near the St. Louis cemeteries when she put her finger to her lips. The sun was dropping below the horizon and the church employees had padlocked the gates to keep the vagrants out.

Kendal took a running leap and landed on top of the brick fence surrounding the dead. It amused some who visited the city from places where people were buried in the ground and marked by a small stone or cross to see the elaborate silent cities the south erected to their dead. In the beginning when the first arrivals from France got off their boats they insisted on continuing the traditions that had been practiced in their homelands for generations, the burying of their loved ones was no different.

The first wave of sick and old died and they were placed in the ground in their pine boxes and prayed over. It worked out fine until the first rains of spring and summer came, then like macabre fish corks they popped out the ground and floated down the city streets. No matter how much weight was put over and in them, it rained and the coffins floated to the top breaking through the soil. After a couple of years of chasing bones down the alley ways of New Orleans, fences were put around cemeteries to hem them in.

She jumped again and landed on one of the taller mausoleums in St. Louis number one that would allow them to see into both locations. The grave belonged to one of the older families in New Orleans and there were probably generations of remains stacked inside. At the top of the marble structure was a large angel with her arms lifted to the heavens as if in awe of God. Her flowing robes of cement cast a deep shadow and made an excellent hiding place, Charlie just didn’t know from what.

Kendal pressed her fingers to lips first then pointed to her eyes. Watch and listen, Charlie, she tried to send the silent message through her hand signals. Once the sky had turned dark and it was truly night it took less than twenty minutes for them to hear the first scraping of stone. She pressed her hand to his knee to keep Charlie from moving or making a sound. Those who hid in cemeteries, especially those under the protection and blessing of the church were the old ones.

These were vampires who were made before Jesus walked the earth spreading his message of salvation. Before the church took up the cause and added damnation to the teachings. Evil was just as capable of believing the diatribe of the church as its most faithful. The young ones stayed away from the holy places thinking the power of the Holy Spirit would drive them into hell. The old ones knew better. Only the warriors had that power and they were no spirits.

A tall bald man took the time to close the iron gate behind him as he stepped out to the walk circling the place. He straightened the coat he had on that looked very much like the one Kendal was wearing as he waited for his brethren to join him. The pommel of his sword came into view for only a second as he turned quickly and lifted his nose to the air.

"What is it, Horatio?" asked a thin man who had emerged from a grave topped by two small stone cherubs.

"There is a unique scent in the air. It almost makes me want to take the time to feed."

"There isn’t time for that. We must go and see to the master’s wishes."

"Don’t worry, Arres, I know what my duties are."

Two sets of blue eyes watched them leave with incredible speed, joined by six others before the graveyard went back to silence.

"Who were those guys? They look different somehow," said Charlie.

"Just remember the names, Charlie. They are different and there’s only one place I can think to go to find out why."

The bikes were left parked where they were as Charlie followed Kendal into the back of the Quarter. On Bourbon there was a sort of invisible dividing line around the seven hundred block where the bars and establishments were run by gay proprietors for gay clients looking for a good time.

"Come on, Toto, you aren’t in Kansas anymore so watch you’re ass," teased Kendal as they entered a place called Oz. The music was blasting so loud it made the floor almost vibrate and there was barely room for one more person on the dance floor.

"Why, do you think there’s vamps in here?" asked Charlie at the top of his lungs to be heard.

"No, well not the blood sucking kind anyway. I just think you look divine in those pants and so will every guy in here." Kendal hadn’t finished her warning when a cute guy wearing leather palmed Charlie’s butt and winked at him. She laughed and kept walking toward the bar.

"Tell me why we’re here again?"

"I felt like having a beer."

"You felt like having a beer? Ok. Tell me why we’re having a beer here?"

"Because I wanted to see what the fuss was about."

"Fuss?"

"Nature gave us certain parts, so it doesn’t make sense to me why you would want to mess with that. Take you for instance. Don’t you ever wonder what it’s like to have a guy who knows what he’s doing show you what sex is all about?" Piper took a sip out of the bottle in her hand and watched two women move together to the Madonna song playing. They were sitting in the back corner of the place away from the large speakers so conversation was not impossible.

"I’ll answer that question, if you answer one for me first," said Hill looking to see what Piper found so interesting.

"What?"

"How many men have you slept with who know what they’re doing? In every category."

"Category?"

"Oral and body part utilization as you put it."

"Some."

"I see. Well I can tell you I’ve never met a woman yet who hasn’t been able to satisfy every need I have, and I mean every need. Your problem is you find the idea repugnant, but you have no point of reference as to why. You should try it first before you go making any sweeping statements."

Piper turned to her and frowned. "I do not find it repugnant, I just don’t get it, there’s a difference. There isn’t anything about women that would get my motor running so to speak. I mean I can appreciate the female form, but I also admire pretty dogs, doesn’t mean I want to sleep with one." The label on the beer bottle finally lost the battle to Piper’s picking and fell to the floor. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"You’re just honest with yourself, Piper. There’s nothing wrong with that. What I want to know is why we’re here? There are some more subdued places where folks go to have a drink and hold hands that are of the same sex if you wanted to conduct a case study. This is the other end of the spectrum."

She waved a small hand toward the dance floor before opening her mouth. "It just seemed primal. Any inhibition these people even thought of having was checked at the door."

"What’s that supposed to mean?" asked Hill about to take exception on behalf of some of her friends.

"That they’re having a good time and not ashamed to show it. I’m looking but it still doesn’t make sense to me."

"Maybe you’re just looking in the wrong direction," said Hill smiling. Now she had some idea why Piper had dragged her out of her office to have a drink.

"What?" Piper followed Hill’s finger to the bar and the two people leaning against it.

It should be a sin to always look that good thought Piper as she slowly looked at Kendal from head to boot. She had on a long leather coat with matching pants under it, with a pair of black biker boots. The hair, as always, was pulled back and held in place with what looked from here to be a silk ribbon. It was the only soft thing about the tall imposing woman.

"Why are we here?" asked Charlie echoing Hill.

"To see a woman about some history."

"You lost me, boss." Charlie slid a twenty across the bar and picked up the two drinks he had ordered, handing one to Kendal.

"Everyone gets to do what they want as long as it’s legal, Charlie. The woman who owns this place wanted to try her hand at being a bar owner in this particular lifetime," said Kendal waving around her.

"She’s one of us?" Kendal nodded and took a sip of the cold vodka. "Why didn’t you tell me?"

"You never asked and you hardly ever leave the house. See what you would find if you were a little more adventurous."

A young Asian woman pouring drinks behind the bar looked over and saw the two friends talking. She wiped her hands as a huge smile covered her face, and motioned for one of the servers to take over for her. With a quick leap she landed on the bar and strolled the length of it until she was standing over Kendal. The bartender accepted the hand Kendal held up and proceeded to slide down the long body until she was pressed up against her old friend. Charlie looked on as the new arrival kissed Kendal like she was making plans for later.

"You shit, you didn’t tell me you were in town. I had to hear it from Indigo while she was here," was the greeting when they pulled apart.

"I wanted to surprise you, and I need to see your teacher."

"Promise me a dance and I’ll take you up myself."

"Deal, now let me introduce you to Charlie. Charlie, this is Kim; Kim, my dear friend Charlie." The two new acquaintances shook hands. "Kim is training to be an Elder archivist," she explained to Charlie.

"Your teacher works out of this place?" asked Charlie holding up his hands.

"What’s wrong with it?"

"Don’t you think it’s kind of loud?"

"The libraries which pertain to our needs are a bit different than those you have been in before. My teacher likes to be reminded of why she works so hard to keep the history of civilization chronicled. Here she can feel the energy of who we are fighting for, Charlie."

"Gay people?" asked Charlie confused as to her point.

"Ok, Rush Limbaugh, that’s not what she meant," said Kendal with a laugh.

"Please don’t compare me to that windbag."

"Then stop looking at the world in black and white," retorted Kendal. "I think what Kim is saying is, here people who are not afraid to live are gathered almost every night in a celebration of life and who they are. Who better to fight for, and as you may notice, they’re not all gay." There were a few couples in the crowd with someone of the opposite sex just there for the music.

"Come, I think Lenore will be happy to see you." Kim walked them to the stairs against one wall keeping close to Kendal as she moved.

"See she gets it," teased Hill as Piper’s green eyes followed their progression the whole way across the room. Had the small blonde put any more pressure on the bottle she was holding when the bartender laid a kiss on Kendal, it would have shattered.

"What I see is Kendal Mackey is as easy as I thought she was. Are you ready to go?"

"No," answered Hill leaning back and kicking her feet out in front of her.

"Please come with me, I don’t want to walk back to my car alone."

"I’m not staying because I want to pick up someone, Piper. I want to see who Kendal is here to see aside from the cutie behind the bar." She pointed to the door the three disappeared behind on the second floor. "That’s the office, but as many times as I’ve been here, I’ve never seen anyone come out of there even though the light is always on."

They sat and waited with their eyes on the door. Every so often Piper’s eyes would stray to the dance floor and the people packed on it. Would she be as free to express herself if it were Kendal she was grinding against? Could the tall businesswoman change her mindset when it came to who she thought she was? All Piper knew at the moment was she had felt like shit when Kendal had returned the woman’s greeting so enthusiastically. That afternoon she had been on the receiving end of Kendal’s undivided attention and she rather enjoyed it.

************************************************************************

The room they entered was cavernously large. The bar’s office was actually the entrance to the building next door and was filled with volumes of old books most of which were hand written in a variety of old languages. To add a bit of modern technology there was a bank of computers in the middle of the first floor next door. The way Lenore had set the library up was shelves on the first and second floors along the walls and a grand open space in the middle so anyone entering could enjoy the glass ceiling that let you see the night sky.

Kendal found her sitting next to the railing in a stuffed comfortable chair. There was a cup of hot tea on the table next to her and on her lap sat a book entitled simply "Ora." She was sitting with her legs crossed wearing a man’s shirt and a pair of old soft jeans. "Asra, welcome. I was wondering when you would come calling."

Lenore had been made an Elder long before Kendal had met Indigo and became an immortal. In her human life she had been the priestess of her tribe and had an amazing memory for events. The Order had found her skills to be perfect for keeping an accurate unbiased account of world events and the people responsible for making them happen. She had been in the beginning of her thirtieth year when she had taken the elixir, forever preserving the beautiful delicate features her people had been known for.

"I’m sorry for neglecting to come sooner, Master," said Kendal bowing over her hand and kissing it. She moved aside so Charlie could follow her example.

"Please, Asra, let’s not stand on ceremony. We really haven’t got the time. Why are you here?"

"Charlie and I have been busy for the last few nights fighting Abez’s forces in the city."

Lenore nodded and motioned them all to sit in the chairs surrounding hers. "Kim’s kept an eye on you and hasn’t reported any problems."

"The ones we’ve faced so far haven’t been, but tonight I went to the graveyard looking for bigger fish and found eight strong looking vampires arising for the night. Two of them talked as they waited for their counterparts to wake."

Charlie jumped in now knowing why Kendal had told him to remember the names. "Horatio and Arres."

"Are you sure?" asked Lenore leaning forward as if she hadn’t heard him correctly.

"Those were the names they used," confirmed Kendal.

"The tall one called Horatio, was he carrying a sword?"

"A large broad sword with a golden handle. I only saw it for a second but it looked like a," Kendal didn’t get to finish as she looked at the page Lenore had turned to in the book in her lap.

"An asp with its mouth open ready to strike. I hear the workmanship of the fangs is quite extraordinary," the historian answered.

"Who is he?" asked Charlie.

"Horatio and Arres are the equivalent of the Order’s Elders. They serve and protect Ora their queen and mother of all vampires. You see, Charlie, while demons like Abez have the ability to create more like him, there had to be a first. That was Ora, a witch who lived a few decades before Asra was born. She managed to work her black magic so that she could live forever on the living blood of others. Drink from her and you live forever as well but with the same thirst for life." The history lesson was barely heard by Kendal. She had been taught the same things years before and so had Charlie, but the woman’s voice was hypnotic almost. There was something though that she had said that made the hair at the base of Kendal’s neck stand on end.

"If they serve Ora, what are they doing here?" Kendal looked at the two women in turn to see if they were going to withhold information.

"Ora has hidden herself well from us for hundreds of years leaving only those like Abez to carry out her work. You have done well in the past at keeping their numbers reasonable, Asra, and hopefully Charlie will join the ranks of our elite warriors after this fight is done."

"But," prodded Kendal.

"But no matter how we’ve tried, we haven’t been able to gather what she’s been up to or what she has planned. It may be our luck is changing though. If you’ve seen both her most trusted advisors in the city, then it means their master is not too far away." Lenore flipped the page and there were the two men they had seen earlier sitting at the feet of a beautiful woman with long flowing red hair. "It is written that the three are never without each other."

"Sounds kinky," joked Kendal, getting Kim to laugh.

"Laugh now, but if she’s here and guiding Abez we are all in great danger. Ora is powerful and will stop at nothing to dismantle the Order by burying us one by one."

"Then we have to keep fighting to even the odds. Most of the time the easiest way to kill the snake is to cut off the head and the body will wither. Now I’ll have to do it in reverse. I’ll hack the body to bits and the head will have no choice but to show itself and face me."

"May all that’s good in the world be with you, warrior. Call again if you have any other questions." Kendal and Charlie kissed her hand again and followed Kim back down the stairs.

When the door clicked closed and the lock turned, Lenore pulled another book from the shelf closest to her and ran her fingers along the fine leather covering. With a few more exploits by the subject and she would have to start on a new volume. A smile formed on her lips as she started writing on an empty sheet with her favorite fountain pen. She had a feeling this chapter would take more than the usual page the other lifetimes had gotten. The gold lettering on the cover simply said Asra.

************************************************************************

They left the bar without ever looking in the corner of the bar. Kendal pecked Kim on the lips one last time before heading out into the night to hunt. She wanted to finish with the last of the fledglings before taking on the older and savvier fighters. An hour before dawn found them close to the cemeteries again confident that the young ones were no more.

"The key to successful hunting, Charlie, is to trap your prey so it has no escape. The most successful hunters live by the credo, divide and conquer." She pointed from their same perch in the direction the vampires had disappeared earlier.

"Divide and conquer?"

"The two who arose first are the strongest in this bunch. The others are old but they are merely foot soldiers guarding the outside of wherever the queen bee has set up shop. Killing them will give us away tomorrow night, but Horatio and Arres will never leave this graveyard after tonight. They picked their resting place well. Plenty of spooks to keep them company in hell." Kendal waved her hand to point out all the other graves.

The eight moved back with the same speed as before, splitting up once they were over the wall. Horatio stopped before entering his tomb and sniffed the air as he had done earlier. The same familiar scent was in the air and he still couldn’t place it. Arres had already gone inside but the other six were just opening the doors to their beds.

"All of you spread out and search the area. I’m not sure but I think there is someone here and I don’t want any surprises once the sun comes up." The others looked concerned but didn’t want to argue with Horatio. "Go, you have time before the sun rises." He unstrapped his sword before closing the iron gate behind him. The night had not been long enough to complete all their plans, so he looked forward to the sunset. Tomorrow his queen had given he and his men permission to hunt the warrior. Their plan was to bury her under the bitch she had cried over for decades in this very place.

"We can do this easy or we can go the hard route. What’s your pick?" Kendal asked Charlie.

"I’m having a craving for a hamburger and home fries, so I pick easy."

"You’re no fun, Charlie, but that does sound better than going down there and playing with these guys." She stood up and pulled out the weapon she had retrieved from the bike before climbing back up to their perch. The quiver held arrows strictly made of wood. The shafts where just sharpened on the ends, which weren’t good for hunting game for the average bowman, but if shot with Kendal’s strength they would do nicely for what she had in mind.

She nocked the arrow and drew the bow back. The man in her sights was short and stocky but held his sword like he knew what to do with it. When it clattered to the ground the others drew back their lips and showed their fangs at whatever the threat was. A second later another sword hit the sidewalk leaving the four remaining looking a bit more frantic.

"Look, up," one started, pointing at the woman in the silhouette of an angel in prayer. He never finished his statement as the arrow pierced his chest.

Charlie jumped down to fight with one as Kendal shot the two coming toward them. He had barely worked up a sweat as he went to meet the vampire’s downward stroke when the man’s sword shot to the right, embedding itself in the tomb where Horatio had entered. Looking up he put his hands on his hips and glared at Kendal.

"Hey, man, you said easy."

************************************************************************

"Just tell me when she drives back home," Piper told Hill when the private investigator dropped her off at home. If she goes home that is.

"And that will serve what purpose?"

"Me knowing where to find her. I was planning on going over there and giving her something as a thank you for helping us and I can’t do that if I don’t know she’s there."

"What are you getting her?"

Piper tried Kendal’s intimidation tactic and arched her pale brow as best she could. "Why do you need to know that?"

"Just curious as to what you think Kendal Mackey might want or need." Hill smiled up at the woman leaning in the passenger side window. For once it was nice to watch Piper flounder since it was what she usually did to other people.

"Let’s just say after I had to shell out the money for it, she has expensive taste."

Not to mention annoying ones, Hill kept the thought to herself as she tried to hold back a laugh. She had seen how the object of their investigation had looked at Piper the day they got caught on the property. "I’ll call you, and good luck tomorrow if I don’t see you."

That had been hours ago and Hill hadn’t called her. Piper had waited until sleep claimed her on the sofa. At seven the phone on her chest rang scaring her so much she fell to the floor. "What?" she yelled into the phone in annoyance when she found a line of drool running down her cheek and she discovered her neck was killing her.

"They just rode by, I thought you’d want to know," one of Hill’s employees informed her.

"What time is it?"

"A little after seven."

"In the morning?" asked Piper because her brain wasn’t working.

"Yes, ma’am. Will there be anything else?"

"No, thanks for keeping me informed."

Piper picked a blue suit to wear after taking a shower; angry with herself for even caring enough to do this, but knowing she wanted to see Kendal again. The one thing she was looking most forward to though was waking the party animal up as payback for the crick in her neck.

One of the men she remembered from the previous morning when she’d stopped by for waffles opened the door and waved her inside. "Good morning, Miss Dupont. Would you like me to take that for you?" he asked, referring to the box in her hand.

"Thank you, but I would rather deliver it myself." She walked past him and headed for the stairs. "Want to tell me which room is hers?"

"Last one on the right."

She turned around and faced him from the third step. "Aren’t you going to try and stop me?"

"Would you like me to?"

Piper laughed at his answer liking him already. "No, but I don’t want to get you in trouble."

"Kendal is expecting you, Miss Dupont, if she weren’t you’d still be buzzing at the front gate."

"Is she now?" He nodded before bowing his head slightly and heading back into the kitchen.

Piper walked slowly up the stairs and down the long hall, taking the opportunity to look at the house that had fascinated her even as a small child. The colors were fairly neutral, which was good since they didn’t compete with the beautiful paintings and furniture she saw. Some of the paintings of people had small brass plates at the bottom with their name. One in particular stopped her before she got to Kendal’s door.

The woman was dressed in a beautiful gown and she was seated next to a grand fireplace that didn’t look like anything that would be in this house. She was older but even her fragile condition couldn’t hide the mischief in her soft eyes. Behind her stood a man who resembled her with his hand on her shoulder. They shared the same smile. In her lap she held a book in place with a flat hand as if it were a treasure to her. Unlike the others though, this one had no name to hint at who the people might be.

She opened the door in time to see Kendal zip her pants up and start on her belt. It was amazing how fresh and alert the woman seemed after a sleepless night. "You’re late," said Kendal sitting to put on her shoes.

"Why do you say that?"

"I’m dressed, so if you came over to see me naked again I’ll have to take all this stuff off. Pain really, but if you insist I’d be willing to go through the trouble."

The urge to smash the box in her hand over Kendal’s head was quickly becoming hard to fight. "Why do I bother trying to find things to like about you?"

"Because you find me irresistible. Face it, no matter how hard you try, you can’t stay away." Kendal stood but didn’t move closer. The blue skirt and jacket looked incredible on Piper so she was enjoying the view from where she was standing.

She snorted killing the sexy picture Kendal was enjoying. "You were right the first time. Mental illness must run in your family."

"Does that make me crazy about you?"

"Here, before you embarrass yourself any further with corny lines," Kendal accepted the box and ripped through the wrapping as soon as Piper let go. It was a box of the cigars she liked.

"Thank you, Piper, I don’t know what to say." She held her hand out awkwardly not knowing what kind of thank you gesture the blonde would accept from her.

"You’re welcome. I hope they’re the right kind."

"Best smokes on the planet." Kendal put the box down on the nightstand and reached for the jacket resting on the bed. "Are you ready?"

Thinking Kendal meant breakfast, Piper had to turn her down. "I can’t stay, I have a meeting this morning."

"How about you give me a ride into the city then since I do as well." The request made Piper’s smile return and she nodded.

When they stepped out into the hall together, Piper admired the painting of the two people again before looking back at Kendal. "Want to tell me another story?"

"Miss Dupont, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Lola and Joseph St. Louis. Lola is responsible for the family recipe you enjoyed yesterday. Her pecan cakes as they were known back then were the envy of the Territory." Kendal looked at the question in Piper’s eyes and quickly added one thing. "Or so I’ve read. Lola and her son were slaves here and she ran the kitchens and household staff for Jacques."

"She sure dressed nice for a kitchen slave."

"Lola, like all the other slaves who worked this land while Jacques was in residence was given her freedom and safe passage to England. This lovely woman ended up as the mistress of Farthington, Jacques’ English estate. In her later years she rather enjoyed having others cook for her. The man standing behind her was her only son Joseph."

The thought of such a happy ending made Piper feel good for the people she was looking at. "What’s the book in her hand?"

"That is the St. Louis family tree that chronicles Lola’s family. Joseph, with a little guidance from his mother went on to marry and have twelve children. One of her descendants is a Member of Parliament. I think one of her greatest accomplishments and the thing she was the most proud of besides her family was being able to record their history and pass it on to her grandchildren. Slaves in general were prohibited from learning to read and write, but Jacques insisted on it for all his people." Kendal raised her hand and touched the book in the painting. The original was still at the estate in England along with all the volumes that came after. It had made her cry when she first looked at it long after Lola had died. The tree on the first page had the name Jacques St. Louis written among the roots.

"You know what I would wish for if someone would grant me just one?" Piper asked looking up at Lola’s face.

"What?"

"I would like to go back in time and spend the afternoon with Jacques St. Louis."

Would you settle for breakfast? "An afternoon well spent if he had any brains at all." Kendal offered her arm and escorted Piper down the stairs.

************************************************************************

The drive was slow. It didn’t escape Kendal’s notice that they were going ten miles under the speed limit as if Piper was trying to stretch out their time together. "Where can I drop you?"

"I’m sure you’d like it to be off a cliff but the Royal Sonesta is fine. I’m meeting someone for breakfast at Begue’s. If that’s out of your way, just drop me on Canal and I’ll walk the rest of the way."

"Really? That’s where I’m headed myself so it’s no problem. Small world, huh?"

"You can fit it in a thimble at times." Kendal got out and waited for Piper to get her slip from the valet attendant outside the hotel. "I’ll leave you to meet your party, thank you for the ride."

"Can I call you later?" Piper didn’t want to sound like she was begging but Kendal was stuck in her head and the only way to extract her now was to find out what made the woman tick. In her experience that’s where she found enough fault to get over any infatuation. But was what she was feeling infatuation? "You can tell me more about the people who once lived at Oakgrove."

"With all that’s going on I would think you would want to concentrate on the living and the here and now." Kendal held her hand out to shake Piper’s before going their separate ways.

"Is there something about me that you find unforgivable? I’m trying and I would like to get to know you better."

"Why would you want to? You have plenty of friends I’m sure. I can tell you all my stories if you want but I think you will never feel differently about me, so I think it’s best if we part on the best terms we’ll ever hope to achieve." For the first time since they had met, it was Kendal who sounded immature and childish.

"Do you judge women on whether or not they’ll sleep with you?"

Kendal lifted one hand and rubbed her chin with it as if the question had stung. "No I do not, but let me ask you something. Why do you want to get to know me? What do you think you’ll get out of that relationship?"

"A friend."

The image of her sword entering Angelina’s chest played out in Kendal’s head and she took a deep breath to still her emotions. Jacques would use everything in his power to get to her, especially people she cared about. They were all weaknesses. Her love for Indigo had been what had helped him escape before. There was no way she was putting this lovely woman in harms way.

"Piper, I can’t…"

The blonde put up her hand to stop whatever else Kendal was going to say. "Never mind, my mistake." The abandoned child came out in force and Piper put up all her defenses.

"Please, Piper, let me explain."

"You don’t want anything to do with me. What’s to explain?"

Kendal put her hand on Piper’s arm to keep her from walking away. "It isn’t you, little one, it isn’t you at all."

Piper laughed in a way that had nothing to do with humor. "Yeah right. Go back to your life, Ms. Mackey, and don’t worry about having to placate me." She broke Kendal’s hold and walked away leaving Kendal in the lobby not wanting the taller woman to see she was upset.

"Hello, granddad," Piper plastered a smile on her face and leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek.

"Are you done celebrating?"

"Yes, there’s a lot to do if we’re really going to get access to the land next to ours. I have a meeting set with the staff for this afternoon to start going over our plan."

"There’s someone who’s done that already, darlin’. It’s not set in stone but the preliminary surveys of what it will take to revamp our operation was delivered to the office this morning. Frank in operations is going over them now but they seem to be in order and have a good workable timeline." Mac lifted his orange juice glass and took a sip as he noticed the other person they were dining with enter the restaurant and look their way.

"Piper, you remember Kendal Mackey don’t you?" asked Mac.

"Stood up were you?" Piper said with a little heat.

"No you’re both right on time." Kendal shook hands with Mac and took the seat next to Piper’s. "Did you get the paperwork I had sent over this morning?"

"Our guy’s going over it now. I’m glad you could join us, Kendal, so we could take the time to properly thank you for what you’ve done. I can’t say I can find a reason for why you did it, but Piper and I really are grateful." Mac nudged Piper’s foot under the table with his.

"You sent the outline?" Kendal nodded her head. "Thank you for the loan but we’re perfectly capable of handling our own affairs from here on out and we plan to pay you back every cent with interest."

"Piper, apologize right now," demanded Mac.

"None is needed, Mr. Dupont. I didn’t come here looking for a pat on the back or gratitude. If you want a reason for why I helped you, all I can say is it seemed to be the right thing to do, and maybe I don’t do that often enough." Kendal reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a business card. "I thought I would do one more thing before I go, but it’s up to you as to whether you take the offer or not."

"Who is this?" Mac asked looking at the card.

"He’s in charge of naval contracts and wants to do business with you on some Coast Guard Cutters being bid out. The contract will more than pay for any expansion and refitting you want to do, and it will show your potential for future business." Kendal folded the napkin on her lap and placed it on the empty plate in front of her. She was confident she had done everything she could to help these two people and could walk away with a clear conscious. "If you need anything else or have any problems, please contact my New York offices and someone will be glad to be of assistance."

"Please stay for breakfast. The least I can do is buy you some eggs," said Mac.

"That’s not necessary, sir. Good luck to you and hopefully some time in the future we’ll have the opportunity to sit and talk." Kendal took his hand and returned the firm handshake. "Miss Dupont, it was nice seeing you again, please take care of yourself." Kendal held her hand out to Piper only to have the young woman ignore it.

It would have hurt less if Piper had slapped her. It seemed ludicrous to Kendal that she cared, but by ignoring her, Piper had wiped away any good will they had built between them. It was for the best though. Now she could enter into any battle without the fear of dragging anyone with her and into harm’s way.

Kendal’s hand dropped back to her side and she sighed. "I’m sorry, Piper. I wish things had been different."

She left before Piper could respond. It seemed so final to the blonde. Kendal was leaving and really didn’t have any plans to contact them again. If she didn’t react now there was a chance she would never see the tall woman again.

Running out to the lobby, Piper was sure she could catch her before Kendal left, only there were only a few people looking at street maps planning their sightseeing day. She ran out the front door and looked down the street in both directions and felt like Kendal had just disappeared. It wasn’t fair her mind screamed. Sure they had started off as combatants but there was something there now. Why would Kendal just walk away from her like everyone else had?

"You treated her like dirt, Piper, can you blame her for leaving?" she asked herself as the tears started running down her face. No matter how poorly she had acted, Kendal had rarely lowered herself to Piper’s level and now she would never get to make it up to her.

"Don’t cry, little one." The voice wrapped around her heart like the two arms that held her close. That Kendal was being so nice only made Piper cry harder. "Please don’t cry. I’m sorry, but I thought I was doing the right thing to keep you safe. It’s nothing you’ve done, please believe that." Piper just clung to her tighter and closed her eyes.

With time to compose herself, Piper took a deep breath and looked up at Kendal. "Please don’t leave me," she asked in a shaky voice.

What Charlie had feared the most had come to pass. Kendal looked down into the green eyes and lost her heart again. It felt like a losing proposition all around to care for someone she could have no future with because Piper would never return her affections but maybe she could just be what the blonde needed and offer her friendship despite what she wanted.

"Never, little one, don’t worry." With gentle fingers she wiped away the last of Piper’s tears. "I will never leave you and I will always look after you." Kendal spoke the words praying to any god that would listen she could keep that promise.

 

Continued in Part 4

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