Hidden Truths - Ethan

4 - Take a Seat

I hate when I get sent out, but there are some meetings like this emergency meeting that are not meant to get anybody else involved besides the council members themselves; this time also Erwin. When it comes to science, I trust Erwin much more than everybody else. I am just a bit worried that the council will not take him seriously because of all his flaws.

When I left the room, I saw him testing the chair, which they assigned him. He always does that outside of his laboratory. Even though I would never tell him that, I am worried about him. That is just not in the nature of our relationship. Erwin is the closest to a friend I could think of. Beside Tristan of course, but that's a different story. For now, I need to find Eve.

I hope that she got rid of the guest in a room of the mansion. I really do not have enough patience left for this Doctor Nowak tonight. Our common rooms where the life vibrates are the salons. We have some around the different levels and parts of the headquarters and each one seems to have a bit of a different atmosphere. The one close to the big meeting hall is the one I am mostly at because that way I can stay close to Tristan. The people also got used to finding me there if something needs my attention.

I enter the salon slowly and breathe in the mixture of different decent perfumes and a volatile note of blood. The air is also filled with silent talks and a lady plays the harp in a corner. Some vampires only enjoy listening to her.

With so many different people from various countries and centuries, there are a lot of talents around to make the salons a living place filled with different kind of music. There are a handful of vampires sitting on big couches with velvet casings, smoking, and drinking out of heavy decorated glasses.

As my eyes wander around and search for Eve a woman with red hair approaches me from behind. She runs her index finger from one side of my shoulders to the other before letting her hand wander in my neck and come to stand in front of me; slightly caressing my hairline.

"Ethan, my darling, I didn't expect you here," she grins at me while I get rid of her hand with a determining grip on her wrist. "Celeste. I have the feeling that's only half of the truth," I answer to her in a calm and cold tone. Celeste Lavertu, or Cassy as I am mostly used to call her, is one of my little spies.

Usually, I exchange them now and then to make sure they do not know too much, but Cassy is one of those women you cannot get rid of when she does not want it. Her ginger hair cascades over one of her shoulders. Not a lot of women wear their hair like that; mostly only the ones who sell their bodies. In fact, there are many men trying to get her attention, but she only plays with their affection. For some reason, there is gossip that we have an affair. I would not be surprised to find out she feeds that.

"Oh dear, I'm just so happy to see you here. You will stay with me for a while?" she asks with puppy eyes. I look over her shoulder and can see Eve standing in the room with Dr. Nowak. She obviously is not amused to still be around him instead of getting some tasks from Tristan. I smile at Cassy as I have an idea.

"Cassy?" I start before leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "Will you do me a favor and take care of the man who is talking to Eve right now?" She blushes and slightly giggles. You need to know, that she knows her tricks well; she is an actor. Playing with a flick of her hair, she sweetly answers. "Everything for you, darling; but I want a reward."

She holds out her hand to me. My smile disappears. This woman does not even move a finger for free, but good work has a price. "Of course," I reply and take her hand in mine for a moment; I slightly bow down to kiss the back of it. Looking up at her, she smiles brightly and nods. Please don't think I always give out that kind of public affection so easily, but I really want to know more about that stranger, and as a side effect Eve will be released to talk to me; to get her 'reward' of walking into the meeting hall with a dead vampire; a dead council member.