Chapter 22
Dinner wasn’t nearly as hard to endure as Lucy had suspected. Anyone watching would have thought they were a happy couple, but to her relief there were no more close encounters of the Andre kind. After stuffing herself on pasta with seafood and a rich cream sauce, bread, several glasses of wine, and the obligatory chocolate mousse for dessert, she sat back, tiny espresso cup in hand, and relaxed.
“Please tell me there’s a gym nearby. If I eat like this every day I’m going to put on all the weight I lost and then some.”
“I’ve got a small weight room downstairs from the apartment. I’ll get you a key. It’s not much, but there is a treadmill. But you shouldn’t worry since we’ll be doing a lot of walking.”
“I don’t know if walking…” Lucy trailed off suddenly with a gasp. A couple had walked into the restaurant, an unusually tall couple, with skin the color of coal and blazing silver eyes. The woman, whose hair was as silver as her eyes, wore what Lucy could only imagine was a very expensive evening gown and the man wore a suit that was likely just as costly. What stunned Lucy was the fact that not only did no one in the restaurant seem to find their appearance odd, but the maître de, sommelier, and the entire wait staff appeared to be going out of their way to accommodate them. Lucy darted her eyes back to Andre, who seemed incredibly interested in something on his phone.
“This is too surreal,” Lucy half whispered. “Tell me I’m not hallucinating.”
Andre’s eyes snapped up, glanced briefly at the commotion surrounding the couple then back at Lucy. “I’m afraid not. ES is anything but underground here. What’s worse, their wealth and power make them practically royalty, as you can see.”
Lucy inhaled and held her breath to suppress the shudder that was threatening to overtake her. “Don’t they know who they are? What they do?”
Andre flashed a look of warning. “Not here, come on, we should be getting home.” They walked to the Metro and took the train in silence. Lucy shivered and Andre put his arm around her shoulder. “You’re cold?”
Lucy leaned into him, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder. “Let’s pretend that’s all it is until you can explain to me what just happened.”
When they reached their building, Andre paused, bringing out his phone. “What are you doing?” Lucy asked, not wanting to be out on the street any longer than she had to be.
“Scanning. You should as well, and get in the practice of doing so regularly.”
Lucy pulled out her phone and brought up the new application that Andre had installed. Adjusting the range to the max, she noted with relief that though there were many colored dots indicating all types of people within fifty feet of them, none were yellow. Andre unlocked the door and ushered Lucy inside.
“So what the hell are we up against?”
Lucy removed her coat and flung herself onto the sofa. Andre moved to the kitchen where he began rummaging through the cupboards. He emerged with two glasses and handed one to Lucy. “What’s this?”
“A night cap,” Andre replied, settling himself on the other side of the sofa. “You look like you could use one.”
Lucy swirled the dark red liquid and frowned. “I probably shouldn’t, I already had some wine and I’m not much of a drinker. Lona can attest to that.” Her stomach lurched at the memory of her first night out with Lona and Miles and four or five too many hurricanes.
“It’s just a port, it was all I had. It’s more sugar than alcohol and you’ve had plenty of carbohydrates for dinner. Lucy,” Andre set his own glass down and reached for her hand. “You’re shaking like a Chihuahua. You’re the one who charged into a house full of vampires without so much as blinking when they attacked you. What’s got you so upset?”
“The ES!” Lucy replied with frustration. “Especially these, I don’t know what they are. They’re like some sick parody of human. They're either coal black or chalk white. They have claws, for god sake, claws! Evan told me the problem was more pervasive here than back home, but seriously, I didn’t realize they’d be out walking around like normal people. Even if some mass hallucination makes them ignore the fact that scary-ass, giant demons are hanging out everywhere, doesn’t anyone notice the trail of dead bodies that must follow their esteemed vampire citizenry?”
“They notice,” Andre said grimly, “but those who should be doing something about it turn a blind eye, as long as their campaigns are being funded and no one in their family goes missing. It’s a nightmare, Lucy. Our hunters cross paths with literally hundreds of ES every night, yet their kills are just a fraction of what ours are because they can’t do anything without being certain they won’t be seen. Vampires aren’t skulking around in alleys here. I mean, some are, sure, they can’t exactly feed in the middle of a busy street. If one of our hunters was to kill an ES vampire within sight of the police, they’ll be arrested. This is why our job here is so important. We can’t let New Orleans fall under ES rule and if they take down our organization, that’s exactly what will happen.”
“What about this government organization that Evan told me about?” Lucy asked. “Surely the European Union has just as much interest in seeing the end of the ES as our government does. Why don’t they supersede the local government and take them down?”
Andre sucked air through clenched teeth. “That, well, that’s not so easy. I suspect, as does our agent with the CIA, that the EU agents are also compromised, and have been for a long time.”
Lucy leaned her head back against the sofa and sighed. “So it’s just me and you versus the vampire mafia, then?”
“We’re not going to play hero, Lucy,” Andre said softly. “We’re going to find the information leak, shut it down, and if that means we take down a few vampires along the way, all the better, but we’re not going to go out of our way to look for trouble.”
Lucy laughed mirthlessly. “But that’s the problem, isn’t it? Trouble seems to have a way of finding us.”
“Trouble seems to find you, Lucy. But don’t think you haven’t had a hand in that. Don’t forget, we’re partners now and we watch each other’s backs.” Andre squeezed her hand for emphasis and stood, pulling her up with him. For a moment they just stood, awkwardly close and still hand in hand, staring at each other. Finally, Andre let go of her hand and pulled Lucy into a brief, but gentle hug. “Get some rest. Tomorrow we’ll head down to the office and do some poking around.”
EJC’s European headquarters was a short, squat building located in the Parisian business district of La Defense, nearly invisible amongst the skyscrapers that loomed over much of the area. Unlike New Orleans however, the Eclipse project’s hidden headquarters were not at the top of the building, rather it comprised of two levels underground. Andre explained that the lowest level connected to an underground garage, which in turn connected to tunnels that let out at different points around the city. Lucy would only see the first level where the offices were housed. They arrived in the early evening, an hour before the first teams would be convening for their nightly meeting.
To her credit, Lucy played the role of Andre’s in-the-dark fiancée well, smiling and making polite conversation as she met with all of the members of the Paris team. Everyone was polite, yet guarded, which Lucy assumed had more to do with the fact that they did not know to what extent Lucy understood her fiancé’s job description. Most surprising was the warm, almost overly enthusiastic reception Lucy received from Lisette. Free of her disguise, the hunter was indeed a bombshell, and unless she had a sudden change of heart, she was apparently a most accomplished actress. As suspicious as that may have seemed, Lucy fully understood the difference between trying to not make a scene and treason. None of the employees, hunter or otherwise, had given Lucy any reason to assume that they were responsible for the information leak.
Andre led her away from a group of young women who, no doubt, had already begun to gossip about her, knowing that Lucy spoke no French. “Don’t worry, it’s not about you,” Andre said with some disc
omfort.
“Oh? What are they talking about then?” Lucy asked unconvinced.
“It appears betting is as rampant here as at home. Marianne lost twenty euro to Christine because she bet I was gay. Apparently,” Andre raised his voice slightly to make sure the group of women heard, “my Parisian colleagues forget that I still speak and comprehend my native language.”
Lucy stole a glance back at the group and saw a few of the women had the decency to blush. Andre swiped his hand across the scanner at the door and held it open courteously for Lucy.
“This is the communications office,” Andre explained. “It looks like only Joseph is in right now.” Lucy noticed a small man in his late thirties or early forties hunched over a desk, writing furiously with his phone to his ear. At the sound of Andre’s voice, he hissed a goodbye and hung up, and plastered an obviously fake smile on his face.
“Andre!” Joseph rose to greet them and Lucy noticed he used the action to distract them from the fact that he slid the paper he had been writing on under the day planner that was open on his desk. “I didn’t think we would be seeing you again so soon. What brings you back to Paris?” Joseph turned to Lucy and a wide smile broke out across his face. “Ah yes, the rumors have been flowing free. This must be the lovely lass who has stolen your heart?”
Andre smiled warmly and pulled Lucy close. “This is Lucy Soriano, my fiancée. Lucy, Joseph works in our communications division. His role is most similar to my own back home.”
Lucy momentarily stiffened at this revelation, but caught herself and presented Joseph with her most winning smile. “Bonjour, Joseph,” Lucy butchered the simple greeting.
Joseph smiled, delighted at her attempt. “Bonsoir Lucy! Congratulations to you both! Andre, she is lovely. Lucy, you have a good man, the best. I wish for nothing but happiness for the both of you!”
“Thank you. I just wish it hadn't taken an accident to get Andre to take a vacation.”
“I figured if I’m not allowed to work I would take advantage and bring Lucy here to Paris. It was the least I could do considering how often I’d have to leave the country on a moment’s notice without giving her so much as a goodbye kiss. Today I thought I’d show her around the office. I’m afraid I spend so much time working that poor Lucy knows little of what we actually do.” He gave Joseph what was intended to be a meaningful look.
“What’s there to know, really?” Lucy asked, playing dumb. “I’m content in the knowledge that you do something with computers that is probably very important, but I hardly know a circuit board from a silicon chip. Plus it is nice having my own IT guy on call. I work in the legal department mostly with patents,” Lucy explained to Joseph. “I’m just happy he indulges me when I can’t figure out how to install my apps.” As if on cue, her phone began to ring. Not the phone she was issued by EJC, Andre noted, but the pre-paid phone she picked up at the airport for just such a diversion. “Oh! Excuse me, speaking of phones…”
Lucy rummaged around in her expansive handbag and produced a sparkly pink monstrosity that screeched out a popular hip-hop song. With embarrassment that she did not need to feign, Lucy flipped open the phone and excused herself to the corner, and engaged in an entirely one-sided hushed conversation that became increasingly urgent. Andre smiled indulgently and chatted with Joseph about ‘safe’ work topics.
“I’m sorry,” Lucy covered the mouthpiece on the phone with her hand. “I need to write this down, may I?” She nodded in the direction of Joseph’s desk.
“Of course!”
Lucy smiled gratefully and sat down, locating a pen and a stack of sticky notes. Turning so that her back was to the men, she slid the paper Joseph had been writing on out from under the day planner and copied down everything he had written, punctuating her actions with the occasional utterances of, “Uh huh,” “Right,” and “Okay.” When she was finished, she slid the paper back under the planner, slipped the sticky note into her pocket and, clasped the phone shut audibly. Both men turned around.
“Is everything okay babe?” Andre asked, noting the tight smile she wore.
“I’m afraid not,” Lucy lied smoothly. “That was the hotel in Lille, they’ve double booked the room we were planning on staying in tonight and have walked us to another, but I’m afraid this one is not within walking distance from the train. They said they would have a courtesy car at the station for us, but only until seven, so we have to take an earlier train, which means we have to cut our sightseeing short for today.”
“Ah well, what can we do?” Andre picked up on the charade, but still cast a questioning glance in her direction. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back in Paris soon, but really, you won’t want to miss the festival in Lille. We’ll just have to go now. Joseph, give my regards to Ephebia.”
Joseph looked noticeably uncomfortable for a moment before recovering and reaching out to shake Andre’s hand. “I’ll do just that,” he said with a smile. “Lucy, it was a pleasure meeting you.” He grasped her hand in both of his and planted an old-fashioned kiss upon it. “Don’t let Andre work too hard.”
“I’ll do what I can,” Lucy smiled, guiding Andre swiftly towards the door.
“Would you mind telling me why we’re on our way to Lille?” Andre asked when they reached the street.
“We’re not,” Lucy admitted. “It was the first place with a train station that I found online. We’re laying low then following Joseph to Noirotique at midnight on Friday.” She produced the sticky note and handed it to Andre. “I copied everything from the note he was trying to hide when we walked in.”
“Noirotique? Sounds like a strip club.”
“Vampire sex club, I looked it up while arranging our train schedule. I’m putting money on the fact that ES probably owns it. The club’s site was vague, claiming the club to be members only, but a couple of other sites confirmed what it was.”
“Joseph was probably following up on a lead,” Andre reasoned. “Of all the people in Paris, Joseph would be my least likely suspect. He’s been with the company for decades and heads the hunters. No one has more to lose than he does if the whole operation comes crashing down.”
“He may not have a choice. Who is Ephebia?”
“His wife. You don’t suspect she’s involved, do you? You haven’t met her, but she’s the last person I’d suspect to be in league with vampires.”
“Joseph grew uncomfortable when you mentioned her name. Though that would make sense, if he is helping the ES she might not know. Either way, I’m not looking forward to this. We won’t be able to follow him in, which worries me. Of course, the idea of walking into a vampire sex club doesn’t exactly thrill me either.”
“As opposed to walking into a mundane garden variety sex club?” Andre teased.
Lucy smacked him lightly on the arm. “I don’t think the words mundane and sex club should be in the same sentence, but you know what I mean. Something tells me that not everything that happens at a vampire sex club is consensual.”
“You may be right,” Andre said thoughtfully. “Regardless, I think you’re jumping the gun, but at the moment it’s the only lead we have, so we’ll check it out. In the meantime, we need to figure out a new plan, seeing as you’ve just made it imperative that we aren’t seen in Paris for the next two days.”
Andre had explained to Lucy earlier that in addition to the visit to the office they would be trailing the Paris hunters, looking for activity out of the ordinary.
“And what were you planning on doing without disguises, anyway?” Lucy rolled her eyes. “Honestly, if you want to catch someone acting suspicious you don’t stand over them waiting. I had Tanya pack a bag of stuff we could do ourselves. Wigs, makeup, hats and things. I see no reason why we still can’t go out.”
“Well I guess you thought of everything,” Andre said with a look towards the darkening sky. “If we’re going to do this then we’d better hurry, it’s getting late.”
Chapter 23
“There is no way in hell I
could ever be a hunter here, it’s freakin’ freezing!” Lucy jammed her hands into her pockets and jumped up and down in an attempt to warm up. The previous two nights had been mild, but Thursday brought a cold snap that dropped the temperature to near freezing. Lucy had intended to wear every sweater she owned under her coat and pass herself off as a fat tourist, but Andre nixed the idea because she didn’t look fat, just lumpy. “Can we find some place to warm up?”
“Lucy, I already explained this. It would be best if we stayed out of sight.”
Lucy sighed, frowning at the sight of her frozen breath curling away like cigarette smoke. “Look, there’s a Starbucks. Who the heck goes to Starbucks in Paris? I doubt vampires do.”
Andre glanced across the street where two hunters sat together at a café and had to admit, it was getting unbearably chilly. “Fine, we’ll go get a cocoa or something, but wait for just a moment. Those two have been sitting there for a while.” He indicated the hunters with a nod. “I want to make sure they’re not meeting anyone.”
“Okay,” Lucy said through chattering teeth.
“Come here.” Andre tugged Lucy’s sleeve and pulled her further into the doorway where they were hiding, until her back was against him. He reached around and took her freezing hands into his own. “Better?”
Lucy immediately felt warmer. However, her ability to focus on watching for suspicious hunter activity took second place to Andre’s proximity. “Y-yes, thank you,” she stammered.
Even though Lucy knew that they were playing a role, she couldn’t help but notice that the line between acting and real life had begun to blur in a way that simultaneously scared and comforted her. Aside from gestures of kindness, like trying to warm her frozen hands, Andre had fallen so seamlessly into a relaxed intimacy that it was sometimes difficult for Lucy to remember that he wasn't actually her boyfriend. While this was what they were expected to be like in public, there were many moments while they were alone in the apartment that Lucy would find herself curled up with her head on Andre’s shoulder and his arm around her while they caught up on emails.
The Eyes of the Sun: The Complete Trilogy Page 22
