Raving Moon, Lords of the Night Book One

Chapter 10: Alphas

We left the hall by one of the many side doors and walked down an adjoining hallway. Earl led the way, the Black Brothers brought up the rear. Mingling vampires from House Agatha watched us with curiosity. Most kept their thoughts to themselves, but a few openly scoffed and pointed. Earl seemed unaffected, but I couldn't help but feel self-conscious. Agatha was a Lesser House with a single seat on the Low Congress, but they held power and influence in Gorgon City. Politics played a powerful element in our society, and I needed to tread lightly.

"Look. It's just like the captain said, he's more like the animals than us," someone whispered.

I glanced back and found Sybil speaking to a pair of sergeants and a banker from House Agatha. She watched me, her expression saying it was no accident I overheard her. She smirked and her eyes burned like coals. The Agatha banker said something snide that made the group erupt in laughter, but I heard nothing, deafened as I was by her linge de sang. Miguel tapped my shoulder and gestured for me to keep moving. Sound came back in a rush as I continued down the hallway, laughter chasing after me.

The White Smoke would have killed one to send a message... you're not him, you're a coward.

I closed my eyes, tuning out the monster.

Earl opened the door to a small sitting room where a dozen people waited. We entered. The Black Brothers waited outside, closing the door behind us. Twenty-four eyes looked up at us, twelve beasts lurked behind them. A large square table sat in the middle of the room with the occupants sitting on three sides. A single chair sat isolated on the fourth side. Earl joined the others, leaving that seat for me. Apparently I had a second interview scheduled.

"Have a seat, Lieutenant."

"We have interrogation rooms downstairs for meetings like this. I'm sure I can get you all access," I said, drawing a fair share of growls. I crossed my arms over my chest. After what happened at The Wild I was armed. I didn't expect any violence, but it was still comforting to rest my hand on the blade in my blazer. "One might forget, I'm the throne here."

An older woman laughed loudly, the cackle echoing through the room. Her peers turned curious eyes on her. "What? He's funnier than I remember."

"Michele, please." Earl gestured to the seat.

I made a show of my reluctance before I sat. I wanted to know the purpose of the clandestine meeting, but I hated being ambushed. I got enough of that with my people, I didn't need it from Earl's.

"What's this about?" I asked.

"We are the leaders of the Hunters Moon Tribe, and we wanted the opportunity to personally thank you for what you're doing," the old woman replied.

"What I'm doing?"

"Yes, what you're doing. Tomorrow dawns a new day," stated a young man opposite her. "The world is changing. Thanks to you."

"I hate to disappoint, but I was ordered to champion this cause. I had no say in the matter."

"You could have railed against the lords of the night, but you didn't. You accepted graciously. That in itself was a small but heroic act." Again the young man.

They were piling a lot of praise upon my shoulders, praise I didn't believe I deserved.

"I'm sorry, who exactly are you people?" I recognized a few of the faces, but I needed to know who I was dealing with.

"Perdon, I seem to have forgotten my manners," Earl said as he raised his hand. "This is my leadership, the men and women who give The Hunters Moon its power."