Siren's Secret

13. Pierce

Pierce remained quiet on the ride to the club. Rieka studied him silently.  He seemed lost in thought. His cold demeanor seemed to fade as he pondered the situation at hand.  So many questions were unanswered and that meant an uncertain outcome.  Pierce didn't like uncertainty. 

He was mostly curious about the wolf sitting next to him.  She was hiding something about her nature. Something important. Yet, Pierce could sense a calmness in her. Rieka was a mountain in the midst of the storm raging around them.  Where he worried about the pieces and what consequences they could lead to, Rieka chased after them- unabashedly putting herself in dangerous situations for the sake of others. 

Pierce smiled to himself. Rieka was the only one he had ever seen meet Catlia head on. No hesitation, no fear, just confident and in total control.  

They pulled up to the club shortly after.  Since it wasn't even noon yet, the club was silent from the outside.  Pierce and Rieka got out of the town car and Pierce used his key to enter into the building. 

Club Crimson definitely had a different feel when it wasn't full of music and bodies gyrating to the rhythms. There were various low level succubi and incubi cleaning, polishing, and stocking liquors.  Only a couple of the security guards were seen here and there checking the doors, cameras and other various security checkpoints to get ready for the night's festivities. 

Pierce and Rieka made their way to the smaller hallway and all the doors were open save the one to the throne room. A few cleaners were busy bustling about cleaning the rooms and rearranging the pillows and loungers to create the perfect atmosphere for the VIP's tonight. They continued down the hallway through the door at the end marked "Private" that led to the security stop.  This time there were no guards at the door, so Pierce used his clearance to open the door into the throne room.

The throne room was fairly crowded much to Rieka's surprise. There were about fifteen security guards, mostly rogue wolves with a few bears, talking and drinking coffee with succubi who were mingling around in long flowing satin robes.  The tables that held meats, cheeses and fruits last night were now laden with breakfast pastries, sandwiches and snacks. 

Pierce walked with Rieka to about the middle of the room then stopped, "Looks like Catlia isn't here yet. She must be in her private quarters still.  I'll go up and let her know you're here and wish to speak. Please make yourself comfortable and if you would like anything to eat or drink please help yourself." 

Rieka nodded in understanding and walked to the nearest chair and set her bags at her feet to wait. She surveyed the room, making a note of the three other doors in the room other than the one that led to the club that she entered from. She was on another's territory so it was a good idea to know your means of escape if it came to it. 

Pierce walked to the door behind the throne and walked up the short stairway to the door to Catlia's private chambers. He knocked but there was no answer.   He waited briefly, then put his ear up to the door to listen and see if Catlia was even in there.  He faintly heard voices talking low so he strained with his excellent Jaguar hearing to try and decipher who was in there. 

"We have the lycan, Is everything in order on your end?" a melodic female voice spoke. 

"Yes. So far everything is in order," Catlia replied, "the agent you sent is effective. The humans are confused and going in circles. We might have a small problem though."

"What could possibly be an issue?" the voice replied coolly.

"There is a young rogue werewolf detective on the force.  She brought a witch with her to my club last night.  She has a powerful aura and her witch friend knew the enchantments to block my magic. So far she has proved useful. She gave us a heads up on what the human police are looking for so we could scrub any supernatural evidence from the tapes, but she could pose an issue if she figures out anything else. She already suspects a siren is responsible."