77

You arrive home less than a half hour before sun-up, mind reeling with the night's events. For so long, you've felt like your un-life's been moving at a glacial pace, but now you're beginning to feel like a noose rests around your neck, and each night it's growing tighter. Completing Bouchard's task could very likely backfire, and if you're not careful, the ghoul, Ichiro, won't be the only one meeting their end tomorrow night. Of course you could expose the Sewer Rat's plans to Alisha, but double-crossing a Primogen who you're already in deep with is sure to come with its own consequences. Alisha may not have a reputation as the most vicious of the court, but interfering with any Primogen is a risk you'd rather not take. Corliss always told you never to let Kindred fool you into thinking they are "civilized." The pleasantries and formalities are a necessary camouflage hiding the monster within. In the days of the Second Inquisition, a mask is ever-more necessary, hiding the true self from Kindred and kine alike.

"Good morning, ma'am," Gerard greets you. "I imagine you had a productive evening?"

The ghoul raises his eyebrows. "Attacks, you say? The bad-old-days of raids from Montreal again?"

You shake your head. "We don't know yet. Just be on guard for anything suspicious. If you feel like you need to hire some trusted muscle to watch the areas outside the front entrance, I'll leave that to your discretion."

Gerard scribbles down a note in the small pad he always keeps on his person. "The fact that you're bringing it up to me is concerning enough, ma'am. Consider it done."

"Thank you, Gerard."

"No problem at all. Before you retire for the day, I have a pertinent item for your attention. It will only be a moment."

You sink into a plush chair beside Gerard's desk as he flips through his notebook. Hopefully it's not something that requires immediate action. In a world of "feast or famine," this isn't the type of feasting you've grown accustomed to.