“Hey. Lighten up, Slim,” Lowell said. “It’s not like I set him up to swim the Mississippi.”
“No. You just had him dancin’ around like some street-trash hustler. That ain’t somethin’ he’d do normally,” Slim growled, turning away.
“What? It’s beneath his dignity?” The vampire laughed. “C’mon. It’s just a rat.”
“Yeah?” Slim said, returning to the fray. “And you’re a vampire. How’d you like it if someone got into your head and had you dancin’ around just for show.”
“Slim,” Tammy said, warningly, putting a hand on his arm.
“Like there’s anyone at this conclave who could get that much control over me… or any other vampire,” Lowell shot back.
“Hey, guys,” Gustov said, stepping between them. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little?”
“And you stay out of this,” Slim said, turning on the shape-shifter. “If I want advice, it sure won’t be from the likes of you. What? Has he got a mind hold on you, too? I thought you were further up the food chain than that.”
“What are you doing?” Lowell said, looking at the changeling.
Tammy looked up from her cell phone.
“I’m calling Mr. McCandles,” she said. “This whole thing is getting out of hand.”
“Whistling up the dragon to bail you out of trouble?” the vampire sneered. “Well, he isn’t strong enough to stop me if I really wanted to get into it with Animal Man here. Oh, put that thing away. We aren’t…”
He started to reach for Tammy’s phone, but Slim knocked his hand away.
“I don’t care how bad you think you are,” he snarled. “You don’t touch her while she’s with me. Leastwise, not unless she wants you to.”
“And you don’t lay hands on me!” Lowell hissed. “Better men than you have learned to regret taking such liberties.”
Again, Gustov stepped between them.
“Gentlemen,” he said. “There’s no call for…”
“And I told you before to back off, Fido,” Slim said.
“Around here, a man fights his own battles once he starts ’em.”
The shape-shifter struck a stance.
“That’s twice you’ve insulted me, Slim,” he snarled. “Both times I was trying to help. But if you…”
“What’s going on here?”
Griffen McCandles appeared out of the darkness, striding toward them.
There was a frozen moment, as everyone held his pose in tableau like a bunch of guilty children when the front door opens. Then everyone started talking at once.
“We were just…”
“The man threatened to…”
“Started to go off on me over…”
Griffen held up his hand, and they lapsed into silence.
“Let’s try this one at a time,” he said. “Lowell?”
“Gustov asked me a question regarding basic animal-control skill,” the vampire said. “We came up here, away from the tourist traffic, so I could give him a minor demonstration. Slim here came along and took exception to what I was doing. Something about offending the dignity of a rat. It went downhill from there.”
“I see,” Griffen said. “Slim? Anything to add?”
“He was makin’ it stand up on its hind legs and dance,” Slim said with a scowl. “To me, that’s abusin’ the power.”
Griffen remembered how offended Slim had gotten when it was suggested that he use his animal-control skills in his street act.
“Did you say that to him?” he said.
“No. I just asked him to stop,” the street entertainer said. “Don’t figure it’s my place to try to tell someone else how to use their abilities.”
“That was it, then?” Griffen said. “A disagreement over how one’s powers are to be used? I thought that was the kind of thing that was supposed to be talked out at this conclave.”
“It got a bit heated, Mr. McCandles,” Tammy put in.
“There was some name-calling and muscle flexing. All in all, I’d say it was just a misunderstanding that got a little out of hand.”
“Very well,” Griffen said. “We’ll leave it at that. I think a round of apologies is in order, and after that we can all forget it.”
“I ain’t apologizin’ to him after what he said,” Slim said stubbornly.
“All right,” Griffen said, turning to the other two. “Lowell, Gustov, on behalf of the conclave, let me apologize for any offense offered you tonight. We know that there are a lot of old grudges and biases here, and we’re all trying to work past them.”
“Thank you, Mr. McCandles,” the vampire said. “I, too, must apologize for my comments. They were said in the heat of the moment when I felt I was being challenged.”
“And thank you, Lowell,” Griffen said with a slight bow. “Now, if we’re all… Slim?”
Slim was ten yards away, striding off down the Moonwalk with his shoulders in an angry set.
Apparently not everyone was ready to forgive and forget.
Forty-two
Griffen was sitting at one of the back tables in the Irish pub. While he normally sat at the bar so he could chat with the other regulars or the bartender, tonight he opted for solitude, and the others respected it. Sipping his usual Irish whiskey in larger-than-usual gulps, he brooded about the altercation with Slim.
Of all people to cause an altercation at the conclave, he would never have figured Slim. If anything, the street entertainer was the one who had served as Griffen’s advisor about what to expect and how to handle it. For him to be the one to pick a fight with attendees from not one, but two other groups went beyond surprising.
Once again Griffen ran through what had been said and done once he arrived on the scene, but still he was at a loss to find a better way he could have played it. The situation had simply degenerated too far by then, and all he could do was attempt damage control.
“Hey, lover!”
Startled, he glanced up as Mai plopped down on an empty chair at the table, drink in hand. It said something about how focused he was that he had not even noticed that she had come in.
“Oh. Hi, Mai,” he said, forcing a smile.
“Are you okay?” she asked, leaning forward to peer at him. “You look a little down.”
“Just a bit tired is all,” Griffen said. “This conclave thing has been running me ragged.”
“Well, I sure haven’t seen much of you,” Mai said, leaning back. “I was just a little worried about you, is all. Thought you might be upset over your go-round with Slim.”
Griffen stared at her.
“How in the world did you hear about that?” he managed at last.
“Well, I could just say ‘It’s the Quarter,’ which it is.” She grinned. “Truth to tell, though, some of the fey kids are holed up at a bar up the street and were talking about it. Your sister is working the bar and overheard a lot of it. Since she doesn’t get off for a while, she gave me a call and asked me to look you up.”
“Oh, that’s just great.” Griffen grimaced. “I was hoping the whole thing would just blow over. Instead, the word is spreading.”
“Hope for the best, but plan for the worst,” Mai recited smugly. “If it blows over, fine. You’d better be thinking about what you’re going to do or say, though, if it doesn’t.”
“What can I say?” Griffen said, shrugging helplessly. “I know Slim has a thing about abusing the power to control animals, but he really seems to have overreacted this time.”
“From what I hear, that was only part of it,” Mai said, sipping at her drink.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I don’t think you got the whole story when they gave you the recap,” Mai said, leaning forward and lowering her voice. “The animal-control thing is where it started, but it escalated into a pissing contest over whose powers were stronger and who could control who. Specifically, it really heated up when the question came up if you were powerful enough to control a vampire.”
&n
bsp; Griffen covered his eyes, then massaged his forehead. “This just keeps getting better,” he said.
“You haven’t heard the best part,” Mai said with a grimace. “The real subject of conversation is what you’re going to do about it. It seems everyone is expecting you to come down on Slim.”
“What?”
“Well, he is one of the locals.” Mai shrugged. “And he not only got into it with a couple of the other attendees, he specifically defied and embarrassed you in front of witnesses. Some are thinking that you’re going to have him bounced from the conclave. Other are saying that, since you’re a dragon, you’re going to come down hard on him just to make an example of what could happen if anyone crosses you.”
Griffen slammed his glass down on the table.
“That tears it,” he growled. “What am I supposed to do now?”
“I really don’t know, lover,” Mai said with a sigh. “I just figured I should pass along the info you didn’t have. You’re in a tough enough spot without people holding back on you.”
Griffen favored her with a long stare.
“That sounds a little funny coming from you,” he said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mai said, cocking her head to one side. “Has Val talked to you?”
“You never bothered to mention that you knew Flynn,” Griffen said, straight-faced. “I had to hear it from him. He seemed to think you had told me all about him.”
“I know a lot of people.” Mai shrugged. “It didn’t seem very important, particularly with you getting ready for the conclave. Besides, you seemed totally taken with him.”
“From what he said, I got the impression that you two aren’t very fond of each other,” Griffen said. “Would you care to elaborate on that?”
“I’d say he’s a snake, but it would be insulting to snakes,” Mai said, playing with her drink. “I know he’s been giving you advice, and that doesn’t sound like the Flynn I know. He doesn’t do favors. The only one Flynn is interested in is Flynn. If he’s being nice to you, you can bet there’s something in it for him.”
“You mean he might have a hidden agenda?” Griffen said with a smile. “If not, then he’ll be the first dragon I’ve met who doesn’t.”
“Well, speak of the devil,” Mai said, jerking her head toward the far door.
Griffen looked around. Flynn had just entered the bar. He gave a quick wave at Griffen, then stopped at the bar to order a drink.
“That does it for me,” Mai said, finishing her drink and rising. “I’m sure he’ll have all sorts of ideas about how you should handle things, but I don’t have the stomach to listen to it. I’d probably get into it with him, and you don’t need more problems right now. Just be sure to count your fingers if he shakes hands.”
“Hello, Mai,” Flynn said, stepping up to the table. “You’re looking beautiful, as always.”
Mai smiled prettily at him.
“Bite me, Flynn,” she said. “Later, lover.”
The whole bar watched her leave.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” Flynn said, easing into a vacant chair.
“It’s not you,” Griffen said. “Well, not entirely you. I’m not very good company tonight.”
“Oh? Problems at the conclave?”
Griffen reflected for a moment on Mai’s warning but decided that Flynn was too good a resource to waste. At the very least, he could listen to the older dragon’s advice and not follow it.
Leaning back in his chair, he gave Flynn a quick summary of the problem with Slim.
“The way I see it, you’ve got a tempest in a teapot there,” Flynn said with a shrug. “It will only get to be a big thing if you let it. Just downplay it, and it will go away.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?” Griffen said.
Flynn leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table.
“Just get word to Slim that you want to talk to him. Then have a quiet sit-down and talk it all out. If anyone else asks, just say that it’s between you and Slim.”
“I guess that’s as good a plan as any,” Griffen said with a thoughtful nod. “At least it beats anything that I’ve been able to come up with.”
He finished his drink and got to his feet, carrying his empty with him.
“And there’s no time like the present, right? Catch you later, Flynn. And thanks!”
Flynn waved good-bye and watched him until he was out the door. Then he turned his attention to his own drink with a slight smile.
So far, he hadn’t been completely satisfied with his success at dealing with the McCandles boy. While the kid was listening to him and asking for advice, he wasn’t always following it. That meant that a lot of the carefully laid traps that Flynn hoped would weaken the support he was gathering weren’t working.
This Slim incident might just do the trick, however. It reminded the other conclave attendees that Griffen was a dragon and had them on edge wondering how he would react.
Now all it would take was for something to happen to Slim.
Forty-three
Even though it was still several nights before Halloween, the conclave had an evening when no events or gatherings were scheduled. This was done specifically so the attendees could enjoy the Quarter during its pre-Halloween warm-up.
Halloween in the French Quarter was never just a one-night affair. Starting about a week before, various bars would host costume parties with cash or bar-bill prizes for the best entries. If one really had a hot costume, it was possible to hit different competitions on different nights, sometimes on the same night, and score several prizes on the same outfit. Of course, very few actually attempted this.
New Orleans was a town that liked to dress up. Between Mardi Gras and various theme parties, nearly everyone had an extensive wardrobe of masks, costumes, and costume pieces one could mix and match to come up with new outfits. For many, it was a source of pride not to wear the same outfit twice… or, at least, not twice in the same season. As such, if someone was hitting two different parties in one night, the usual procedure was to duck back to one’s apartment or van and change into a totally different costume before hitting the next party.
All this meant that on any given night prior to Halloween, there would be individuals and groups roaming the streets and bars of the Quarter in costumes ranging from the clever to the borderline obscene. It was a field day for photographers and exhibitionists alike, and everyone had a good time.
Even tourists who weren’t expecting such a display would get caught up in the fun, buying inexpensive feather masks and boas to join in the festivities. It was often referred to as a Mardi Gras for locals.
Griffen, however, took advantage of the opportunity to retreat back to his own apartment for a quiet night alone. Even though the conclave, for the most part, was running smoothly, he found it was still wearing on his nerves.
He refused several invitations to dinner or for bar-crawling on the vague excuse of “got to take care of something” and made his escape. On his way home he considered calling Mai or Fox Lisa for company but decided against it. Simply put, he realized he was just “peopled out,” and wanted to be by himself. As a final, defiant gesture, he turned off his cell phone. Let them struggle through for one night without him. Tonight was going to be just for him.
Kicking back in the quiet of his apartment, he ran through the assortment of DVDs he had available. With the approach of Halloween, he had stocked up on an array of horror movies. Somehow, though, after what he had been going though at the conclave, the thought of watching a werewolf or vampire movie just didn’t ring his chimes. Finally, as a sort of compromise, he settled on Young Frankenstein and settled back to watch.
It was classic Mel Brooks, and silly to the extreme. He had seen it dozens of times before, however, and as the story unfolded, he found his mind wandering.
Slim had not attended any of the conclave events that day. What was more, when Griffen stopped on the way home to ask some of the various stre
et entertainers if they had seen him, no one was able to give him any specific information. It seemed Slim was making himself scarce for the moment. At some point, Griffen would have to decide if he was going to take time off from the conclave to run him down and clear the air, or if he should simply wait until the event was over and things had calmed down.
Then there was Tammy. She was still alternating between glaring daggers at him and looking like a kicked puppy every time their paths crossed. Despite Tink’s reassurances that this was just Tammy being Tammy, Griffen still felt he should apologize or at least say something to her but was at a loss to know how or what. Then, too, there was the chance that if he was successful in dealing with her, she would take it as encouragement and decide to stay on in the French Quarter. He tried to envision his normal routine with Tammy bouncing in and out of it. His mind flatly rejected the image.
Heaving a sigh, he tried to focus on the movie.
A loud knocking on his door made him sit bolt upright, and he realized he had dozed off. Blinking, he tried to focus his eyes and mind as the knocking continued.
“All right. Coming,” he called, moving to the door.
Valerie burst into the apartment as soon as he opened the door.
“Your cell phone is off,” she said accusingly, as she looked around the apartment. “I thought I heard you moving around up here earlier. Are you alone?”
“Hello, Val. Good to see you, too,” he said, sarcastically.
“And, yes, I’m alone. Why?”
“Hold on to yourself, Big Brother,” she said, grimly. “I’ve got some news, and it ain’t good.”
He started to make a wisecrack, but looked at her face and abandoned the thought.
“Okay. What is it?” he said.
“Slim is dead,” she said. “Somebody killed him.”
“What?!?”
“But that’s not the bad news.” Val sighed.
“It isn’t?” He blinked. “Then what is? Or shouldn’t I ask?”
“Word is going around that you did it… or had it done,” she said. “That’s why I wanted to know if you were alone. It would be nice if you had someone to alibi your whereabouts and actions tonight.”
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