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The ghoul sniffs. "Of course ma'am. I have been far too liberal with my opinions of late. I will attempt to keep such comments in check." He clears his throat. "In any case, Ms. Corliss would like you to come to her office early tonight. Presumably regarding the recent arrival."

Hunger gnaws at you. "Are there any vessels waiting for me?" you ask.

Gerard shakes his head. "These nights have been largely chaotic. With Arundel gone and your sire occupied, it's not surprising that they haven't had a bounty to share with you. Might I suggest you take some time to hunt before going into the office tonight? It could clear your head. Ms. Corliss won't be expecting you immediately, and with this Archon around, you won't want to be stepping into the political pool while you're hungry."

It's practical advice. At this rate, you'll grow accustomed to hunting again. The pampered life of upper Camarilla society had blunted your fangs, but sharpening them on new victims almost makes you feel alive again. "I'll do that," you say. "Thank you for the advice, Gerard."

"Of course, ma'am." He purses his lips, pondering over something before speaking. "This Archon, whoever she is, has the entire region's underworld quaking. My informants don't know her name, but the bosses are laying low and keeping quiet."

"So she's been here before?" you ask.

Gerard nods. "I heard stories back when I was active in the syndicate about a woman who single-handedly killed every member of an arms smuggling ring. They called her "The Demon." We were left high and dry, looking for good hardware for months afterward. Word is, the same woman was seen on the street late last night, exiting the police station after visiting with the Sheriff. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together and realize the Archon and the Demon are the same person. Keep your eyes open and play things safe, okay, ma'am?"

You nod. "Thank you, Gerard. Let me know if you hear anything else."

"Of course."

Before you head out, you remember the gun you picked up from the Feral, Hauberk. Do you want to bring the weapon with you?

You spend a few minutes finding an old shoulder holster you haven't used in almost a decade. The weapon fits, but it's tight. If you're going to carry concealed long-term, you might want to eventually look into a new way of carrying it. You put a loose-fitting suit jacket on over top. It manages to cover the holster, but you'll have to keep it buttoned in polite company.

By the time you step out onto the cold, snow-swept Ottawa streets, you've decided where you wish to hunt.

Where do you plan to sate your cravings?

Alisha's herd of blood dolls spend most of their nights working for a high-end escort service unimaginatively branded "Ladies of the Night." Out-calls are the norm, but they do provide special in-house services for particularly wealthy or well-connected clientele—and Kindred. An immaculately dressed woman in an almost otherworldly form-fitting red dress answers the door a full second before you intend to knock.

"Ms. ., I presume?" she says in a sultry voice that probably goes over well with mortal clients.

"Yes," you say, falteringly. You haven't been to the building in years, and you're quite certain that you've never met this woman in the long nights since your Embrace. "Do I know you?"

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure." The woman extends her hand delicately. "Abagail. Pleased to meet you. The Mistress insists that her hostesses know to welcome her personal associates. Please come in out of the cold; you must be freezing." You're not sure the Prince would approve of Alisha giving her help the names of high profile Kindred, although you suppose she would need some way of identifying who is who to avoid a disastrous mix-up. The Masquerade can be surprisingly flexible depending on who's doing the flexing.

You follow the woman inside and she closes the door behind you. The decor doesn't exactly suggest "escort service" more than it does a luxury hotel. A small fountain bubbles in the center of a wide lobby flanked by twin carved mahogany columns supporting the weight of a majestic interior balcony overlooking the room. Beautiful women and equally gorgeous men congregate with two well-dressed clients above.

"So. How can we help you this evening?" Abagail asks.