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bell dinged and the doors opened.  Dhane went to step off and froze at the sight of the woman standing before him, looking at him with a quizzical expression on her face.
    “Dhane?”
    Oh.  Shit.
    “Hey, Lila, how are you?”
    “Uh, fine.  What are you doing here?”
    He searched for a good lie, but was coming up short.  Why on earth would he be at the vampire’s penthouse when nobody was there? 
    “I was actually looking for you.  I wanted to get with you about that rain check for dinner.  Are you free?”
    “Actually we just ate.  I was coming back to hang out while Charles is feeding his other hunger.”
    “Oh well, I guess another rain check then.”
    She smiled but had suspicion in her eyes.  It sucked to lie to her like this, but until he knew how deep she was in and what her boyfriend was up to, it was the only way.  Now if he could just stop avoiding eye contact with her.
    “If you want, you can come up and hang out while I’m waiting.”
    “Actually there’s a friend I should check on.”
    “Amelia?”
    I wish.
    “No, you don’t know him.  Look, be careful with the vampire, okay?”
    “This, from the man who was sleeping with a werewolf and a vampire at the same time?   You’re one to talk about being careful.  I can take care of myself.”
    With a nod they exchanged places, her onto the elevator and him off it.  The door started to shut, but before it was closed, it opened again.
    “By the way, Samantha wanted me to be sure to tell you hi.”
    The door shut again and Dhane stood silently in the lobby.  This was the last thing he needed, a distraction.  Samantha was a very attractive woman, tall and blond, though a bit thin for his tastes.  Her eagerness to say hi was curious.
    He hurried out the door and down the street until he reached an alley.  Ducking inside, he began a series of twists and runs through the darkness, making sure he wasn’t being followed for once.  When he felt secure, he made his way to the old vampire territory.
    Into the sewers he slipped and quickly found his way to Demian’s home.  At first all was quiet and he wondered where the vampire might be.  Feeding perhaps?  Footsteps in the water signaled his return home.
    “Who goes there?  Who invites himself into my home, my home?”
    “Demian, it’s me.”  Dhane sat on a crate as the vampire approached.
    “Dhane, son of Algernon, welcome, welcome.   What brings you to visit me?”
    “I need the box I asked you to hold onto.”
    “Yes, I will bring it to you, if you are sure.  Are you sure?”
    “I’m sure.”
    Demian disappeared down another sewer line and returned ten minutes later with a bag.  He opened it and pulled out a box, roughly the size of a cigar box.  Engravings and inscriptions covered the box.
    “If you need more help from Demian, I will be here.”
    “Ever think of moving into the Grand?  There’s room for you.”
    “Thank you but I am better on my own, safe and free, free and safe.”
    Dhane nodded.  It was funny to him that they had become friends like this.  Now he knew the truth about his father, and more about his mother, it was a little clearer why.  This vampire had been friends with his father.  And Algernon wasn’t quite the monster they all thought him to be, but he still did unforgivable things.  As he stared at the box once belonging to his father, he wondered if he should really open it, and use what lay inside.
    “You must have reason to open the box, but your father always had reasons, many reasons.  Don’t let good intentions lead you to his side.”
    “Thanks again, Demian.  I’ll keep that in mind.”
    He rose and shook hands with his friend before strolling down the sewer and climbing the ladder that lead out.  On the streets above, he headed for the Grand and wondered what he really wanted to do.  Hopefully he would have an answer by the time he got there.

 
     
     
    12
     
     
     
    Five months earlier…
    The white house on Lavender