CONCEPT:Allegra Devenreaux is a Slayer. She attends a Masquerade Ball one night and finds herself hunting a bloodthirsty guest who hides behind a mask.

SETTING: New Orleans, 1845

MY NOTES: This a story I've been thinking of writing for a long time. I'm really pleased with it and I like that there is only one familiar character in it, Kakistos. Even then, we don't actually see him. I like thinking about past Slayers and the troubles they faced and I think you'll enjoy this story.

February 5th, 1845, New Orleans:

I write this and grit my teeth in pain; the doctor’s drugs do nothing to alleviate my symptoms, only fog my head like the haze of drink. Alas, another attack tonight, this time Allegra was fortune enough to delay catastrophe. Her actions on this night have saved yet another life, and angered the beast, whom which we have yet to see. The demon uttered his name as sacred before the Slayer ended his torment and turned him to ash. His name is Kakistos, and I have researched the name; such a vile name could only mean thus: ancient. I fear Allegra is frightened of these dire turn of events, but as always, she is strong and keeps her head high. I believe she fears displeasing me, and I try to comfort her otherwise, but it is hard in these times.

Tonight, Allegra and I attended a Mardi Gras feast at the Monteclaire estates. I don’t believe Allegra was pleased to play the debutante, charming possible suitors and acting for all the world as if she had nothing on her mind. I stood at the top of the stairs and surveyed the guests at the masq and could make out Allegra from above, her carnival mask not hiding her from my sharp eyes. I watched, as I always do, and caught sight of a servant of the beast. I alerted Allegra with one of our hand signals and she took off after the beast in a rush. She fought him, as did I, and it is thus that I am now writhing in pain and enduring the doctor’s drugs as it wreathes around my head. Tomorrow I shall take up the task at hand and we, the Slayer and I, will root out this savage killer. We must, we shall.

The night air was warm on her neck as she stepped from the carriage onto the cobbled street. She let go of the handful of heavy white silk, the lace hem brushing the clean swept cobblestones. She took a deep breath and smiled up at Jonathan, who held out his arm gallantly.

She took it daintily, her thin white hands veiling the strength in the fingers and the magic just below the muscles. Jonathan looked down at the dark-haired girl, so fey in the lamplight and felt a swell of pride. Seventeen and already the girl was proving to be a strong, intelligent Slayer.

“Are you ready, my sweet?” Jonathan asked, his voice heavy with an accent he would never be rid of.

“Of course, my lord.” Allegra answered, her voice like bells in a church. A smile quirked the corners of her sensuous pink lips and her violet eyes mocked his gentlemanly behavior.

“Remember what I told you, tonight is for play. No work, or I shall have to be cross with you.” Jonathan said, wagging a finger in her direction as he led her up the front walk of the Monteclaire mansion.

“Yes, sir. But if you should get cross with me, I shall try not to laugh too hard as you scold me.” Allegra said impishly, flashing her teeth and a set of dimples in her pale cheeks.

Jonathan stroked his peppered beard with a gloved hand and looked down at his Slayer. “Just for that, you’ll be training all through the morning.” He said, triumphant. Allegra laughed and looked up at her Watcher.

“Good. I hate these silly little parties anyway. They’re just an excuse for silly little girls to parade in front of silly little boys like a heifer at auction. I’d rather be running the obstacle course in a hurricane, with this dress on.” Allegra said ruefully, gesturing to her lily-white dress as she stepped up onto the steps of the mansion. From outside, they could both hear the faint buzz of voices, glass clinking and the sound of a violin behind played; it reached across the wide veranda and swirled around the Slayer and her Watcher, reminding them that the time for such talk was not now. Time to become debutante and uncle; time to face the high society of New Orleans with brave faces and double speak.

“Of course you’re right, niece,” Jonathan said, being the first to start the game they played so often, “but it is what is expected of the most beautiful belle in all of New Orleans.”

“Oh, Uncle,” Allegra said, blushing like a shy girl should, “You say such flattering things.”

“But they’re true.” Jonathan told her as a led her through the front door, nodding to a few acquaintances. “Your mask, sweetling.” He reminded her, prodding her with the staff of his cane. She hastily tied it on, the white ribbon gleaming against the black satin cascade of her hair. The butterfly shaped mask settled down on her high cheekbones, leaving only her mouth showing and her velvety violet eyes staring soulfully out at the world.

“And yours, Uncle?” Allegra reminded him, nodding toward the mask tucked under his arm. He pulled his on and Allegra had to admit, he cut a dashing figure in his dark black jacket and top hat, a black mask firmly across his eyes. Many women’s hearts would be broken tonight.

The two weaved their way through the throng of elegantly dressed guests, waving to friends and people they knew vaguely. Allegra wasn’t watching where she was going and she bumped into the back of a tall, muscular man.

He turned, his face half-hidden by a red-feathered mask. He smiled down at her, sending shivers racing across her spine. Something about him made her want to arch her back and spit like a cat. Instead, she politely muttered an apology and walked away. As she went, she could still feel his eyes boring a hole in the back of her head.

Allegra started to say something to Jonathan, but her words were stopped short on her tongue by the swirl of skirts and a sound not unlike the clucking of a chicken. Allegra turned to the Hostess, a fake smile plastered on her lips.

“Allegra! Mr. Birchmont, it is a pleasure to see you here at our celebrations. My husband sends his best wishes and I’m sure you’ll be seeing him here soon enough. My dear Allegra, how you have grown since New Year’s! Such a lovely face, the most beautiful, I’d say. And Mr. Birchmont, Jonathan, may I call you that? You look so dashing tonight; you must meet someone. Her name is Viola Meraux, such a lovely woman. She just came from Paris and doesn’t know a single person, I’m afraid.” Mrs. India Monteclaire said in a rush, as she always did. Allegra groaned in her mind and let the woman babble.

She felt sorry for Jonathan, who was getting the brunt of her assault, but didn’t dare betray the amusement she felt. Instead she clasped her hands in front of her, bowing her head to hide the small smile on her lips. Mrs. Monteclaire droned on and she tuned her out easily, but her head snapped up when she heard her name being said aloud.

“Allegra dear, I’d like you to meet my youngest daughter, Brigitte. She just arrived from finishing school and I would like you to show her around. She needs to meet other young ladies and the young men of New Orleans and I’m afraid I don’t have the time for such things. Thank you, so very much dear. Such a lovely face.” Mrs. Monteclaire said, her words streaming out in a line as she pushed forward a plain girl with dark blonde hair and brown eyes.

Her mask was off and Allegra could see the nervous look on her face, betrayed by the high way she held her head. Allegra guessed her age to be about fourteen and knew that this was probably the child’s first adult party and she was terrified and nervous about doing all the right things.

Allegra smiled warmly and held out her hands to the younger girl. Brigitte took her hands and smiled back at her tentatively, blushing as she caught the older girl’s eyes. She rolled her eyes in the direction her mother had taken; Allegra liked her immediately.

“Hello, My name is Allegra Devereaux.” She said, leading the girl to a soft, padded davenport near the dance floor. She sat down gingerly, and Brigitte followed her lead, smoothing out invisible wrinkles in her lavender dress as she sat down.

“A pleasure to meet you Miss Devereaux.” Brigitte said as politely as could be, bowing her head, a demure smile on her face.

“Please, call me Allegra.” She said, waving an impatient hand. “So, you just arrived from finishing school? At terrible bore, wasn’t it? I never went, myself, but I hear that they make you sit and sew all day until someone thinks your done learning to be a girl. No thank you.” Allegra said, wrinkling her nose at the younger girl, who looked up at her, brown eyes wide. “I bet your headmistress was a rigid old bat who beat your knuckles with a cherry switch.”

“You shouldn’t say such things. My headmistress would be very cross if I said something rude about her. It isn’t ladylike.” Brigitte said, but Allegra could see the amusement dancing in her eyes, and betrayed by the quirk at the corners of her lips. Allegra had a feeling her guess was right on the money.

“Your headmistress isn’t here, so you can speak freely.” Allegra said conspiratorially, leaning towards the younger girl. “So, tell me, it was a terrible bore wasn’t it?”

It didn’t take Allegra long to get Brigitte to open up to her and soon she knew of all the ‘lady-like’ things she had been taught and also of all the un-ladylike trouble the girl had gotten into. Allegra laughed heartily at the girl’s unexpected antics and was, for the first time, glad she had come to one of these dreadful masquerades. She had made a friend.

Brigitte giggled and took out a fan from the folds of her dress. She unfolded the elegant wooden fan and started to move the air around her flushed face. Allegra couldn’t blame her; it was achingly suffocating inside, and she was sweating under the heavy white silk. She had taken off her mask already, letting her face breath in the oppressive heat. She silently wished that she had pulled her hair up like Brigitte’s, but it was too late to change it.

“Allegra, darling! I didn’t know you were attending tonight.” A familiar voice said, making Allegra silently seethe with anger. She forced a sweet smile on her face looked up at Mary-Katherine Belmont, her human arch nemesis.

“Mary-Katherine. My, don’t you look wonderful tonight. I scarcely recognized you without all your friends around you.” Allegra said, standing to face the older girl. Allegra remembered all too well the last time she had encountered the red-haired debutante. Jonathan had barely saved Mary-Katherine from landing face down in the New Year’s cake. Allegra swore she hadn’t meant to push her so hard.

“They’re all dancing.” Mary-Katherine said haughtily, shaking her red curls from her freckled face. “My dance card is so full tonight, I had to take a rest and cool my heels before I had a fainting spell. Why aren’t you dancing?” She asked, fanning herself with her hands.

“I--” Allegra started to say, but Mary-Katherine cut her off impatiently.

“If you’re waiting for Mr. Boudreaux, you must wait. He’s on everyone’s dance card tonight. And he’s asked me three times. I do believe he quite fancies me.” She said, smiling as if she had found the crown jewels in her pocket.

The name wasn’t familiar to her, so she shrugged it off and regarded Mary-Katherine with an air boredom. “I was just telling Brigitte how you always had the men begging at your feet, and how they usually got what they wanted. I’m sure this Mr. Boudreaux will get exactly what he wants before the night is over.”

Mary-Katherine was visibly rankled by the innuendo in Allegra’s words, but she didn’t dare deny it. Not with all the rumors that floated around her head. Instead, she turned her anger on Brigitte, who was fair game and fresh meat.

“Oh, I see you’ve finally made a friend. Another dreg you’ve saved from the gutter?” She said nastily, waving a long hand at Brigitte.

“How terribly rude of me! Mary-Katherine, I’d like you to meet Miss Brigitte Monteclaire. She just arrived from finishing school.” Allegra said sweetly, enjoying the poleoxed look on Mary-Katherine’s horse face. To her even greater pleasure, Brigitte played it to the hilt, dipping into a perfect curtsey and smiling deviously.

“A pleasure to meet you. I hope you find our celebrations entertaining.” Brigitte said, acting for all the world as if she hadn’t heard the gutter comment.

“Oh, well, yes, its quite beautiful. I...have to go.” Mary-Katherine said, beating a hasty retreat into the crowd.

Allegra and Brigitte collapsed onto the davenport, laughter bubbling up and escaping their lips. For a moment, Allegra forgot all the troubles that she had been enduring the past few months and all the danger still left ahead. As she laughed with her new friend, she forgot about the beast that stalked her in the night.

Jonathan finally got free of Viola Meraux’s clinging attentions, her tawdry attempts to take him out to the garden and ‘talk’, bouncing off of his worried mind.

True, he had told Allegra that she had the night off, but he felt he must be on the alert for something out of the ordinary. He climbed the steps of the grand staircase, sidestepping couples lost in their own worlds. At the top of the steps, he looked back down at the crowd and tried to pick out Allegra. He found her easily enough; her midnight hair was a stark contrast to her pure white dress. He winced when he spotted Mary-Katherine Belmont striding towards the Slayer, an evil grin on her long face; he remembered New Year’s all too well.

Jonathan watched as she approached Allegra, but he was relieved when the girl hastily disappeared back into the crowd a minute later, leaving Allegra to giggle with her new friend, Brigitte. He was marginally pleased to see that she was making friends with someone; he hated the way she normally sulked at these functions.

All danger seemed to have passed and Jonathan stared down into the crowd, his mind at ease enough to go over the information Viola Meraux had inadvertently given him.

A newcomer to New Orleans was in attendance at tonight’s masq. His name was Claudius Boudreaux and he was terribly mysterious. All the young ladies were swooning for him, but he wouldn’t reveal anything to anyone. Rumors were flying, as they always did, that he was an outlaw from France. And then she mentioned his peculiar habits.

Mr. Boudreaux was never seen during the daylight hours and he rarely ate or drank when invited to dinner. Jonathan pursed his lips and stroked his beard in thought. It seemed there was a vampire among the guests downstairs.

Jonathan debated telling Allegra, but decided there wasn’t much she could do in a crowd like this. She mustn’t give herself away to anyone, especially if she wanted to surprise the beast.

Twelve murders in a month, all drained of blood. Jonathan thought, shaking his head in disgust. The Slayer could not be everywhere, nor could she try. The beast, so far unseen and unnamed was testing her, sending his minions at her and hiding from their justice. Whoever, whatever he was; he was slowly winning.

Jonathan wondered if this new vampire was associated with their greatest foe, but he couldn’t even begin to guess. After all, Mr. Boudreaux could just be another man.

Jonathan sighed and looked back down at the crowd, watching, as he always did.

Claudius Boudreaux was growing impatient of the posturing and dancing and the polite conversations. He was hungry and growing even more so every minute that he had stay here, surrounded by smooth white, virginal necks that begged to be defiled. He licked his lips and narrowed his eyes behind his red-feathered mask.

He glanced about, looking around for a worthy victim, his eyes resting on a dark haired girl, clad in a white satin gown. This was the girl he had seen earlier, but without the white butterfly mask. Her beauty astonished him and he started towards her, a charming smile on his lips.

“Mr. Boudreaux, I believe our dance is next.” Mary-Katherine said, stepping in front of him, a smile pasted on her face. She batted her eyelashes at him in a way that made her look ludicrous. Her long neck gleamed up at him and he could nearly smell the blood beneath the surface. His mouth watered and his eyes filmed with red. This girl would do.

“Of course, Mary-Katherine. But I’m terribly exhausted from dancing all night. Would you care to take a walk with me in the garden? I’m sure the air is quite delightful out there.” Claudius said, offering her his arm. She took it eagerly, her smile widening.

“I’d be honored Mr. Boudreaux.” She said, shooting all her friends a triumphant look as they watched the two of them pass.

“Please, call me Claudius.” He said as they stepped out into the dark night.

Jonathan jumped as Viola Meraux came up beside him, her hoop skirts ridiculously large and impeding as she looked over the railing.

“My, its high up here. I had wondered where you had gotten off to.” Viola said, shaking her elegantly coifed mane of hair at him.

“I needed to get a little air to clear my head. Its quite stuffy in here.” He explained, gesturing to the crowded hall below.

“I so agree. Why, Mrs. Charlotte Tibalt was saying just exactly the same thing…” Viola said, droning on and on about the guests at the party. Jonathan listened with half an ear, realizing that Mrs. Monteclaire had not spoken the truth when she had introduced Viola. She knew everyone here and about all the facets of the high society. He didn’t hear half of what she was saying and nodded his head when he felt it appropriate. She didn’t seem to notice, nor did she stop in her verbal assault on him.

Suddenly, though, her voice became hushed and conspiratol, bringing Jonathan’s attention back to what she was saying.

“Oh dear, there goes Mary-Katherine Belmont with that Mr. Boudreaux I was telling you about. I heard the most dreadful thing about that young lady, but it is not for repeating. Unless you want me to repeat it.” She said, obviously hoping that he’d want her to repeat it.

Jonathan ignored her and looked down into the crowd to where she had pointed. He looked just in time to see Mary-Katherine disappear into the darkness, Mr. Boudreaux right behind her. Fear griped his heart and he looked around frantically for Allegra. If Claudius was indeed a vampire, Mary-Katherine was in desperate peril.

He spotted her easily and immediately tried grabbing her attention, waving his arms frantically at her. Viola Meraux’s eyes widened, but he ignored her. No time for pretense; the Slayer was needed.

Brigitte glanced around the ballroom, her brown eyes shining. She was actually enjoying the festivities, much to her pleasure. She had thought that this was going to be boring, nervous and pompous occasion, but Allegra had made her feel right at home in her own home.

She fanned herself, and looked around the room. Her eyebrows shot upward when she caught sight of a handsome bearded man on the top of the stairs. He was waving frantically in her direction and gesturing toward the door.

“What a strange man. I think he’s waving at us.” She said to Allegra, who looked up to where she was nodding. Her eyes went wide as she recognized her Watcher. He saw her looking up at him and made a familiar gesture with his hands and pointed toward the door.

“I have to go outside for a minute, to…to catch my breath.” Allegra told her in a rush, looking about for something she could use as a weapon. Her eyes lighted on Brigitte’s wooden fan. “May I borrow this?” She asked, taking it from her before she could answer.

“Wait! Do you want me to come with you?” Brigitte asked, frowning. She wondered what she had done, if she had done anything at all.

“No! I—I need a minute alone. You stay here where it’s safe.” Allegra said, turning around and rushing through the crowd, her long skirts flowing. Brigitte watched her go, sinking back onto the davenport in dejection.

Allegra ran out of the ballroom, one hand weighing the wooden fan in her hand and the other holding her long, cumbersome skirts up. She burst through the door to the back veranda and looked around frantically for the vampire.

She just caught a glimpse of red hair and a bright yellow skirt disappear behind a bush and she knew immediately who it was. Slowly, skirts swishing, she took off after Mary-Katherine and the vampire, her mask in place.

Jonathan heaved a sigh of relief as he watched Allegra jump up and run out the back door. The Slayer was on duty now, and that meant the Watcher must help as he could. He snatched his wooden cane up and ran down the staircase, leaving behind a very perplexed Viola Meraux.

It didn’t take him long to get to the back door and he rushed through it, into the night air and the darkness. He hastily pulled his mask in place and glanced around with sharp eyes for a sight of Allegra’s stark white dress. He saw a glimmer out in the garden and took off after it, eager to get to his Slayer.

Allegra leapt out of the bushes and landed on the vampire’s back. He rolled off of Mary-Katherine, who was struggling to get free of his grip. The vampire leapt up, his fangs bared, his icy yellow eyes shining through the red-feathered mask. Allegra felt a chill as she recognized him from the ballroom. Her suspicions were correct.

“Mary-Katherine, get to the house. Now.” Allegra said in a low voice, pitching her voice to make it appear different. The mask hid her face, but the red-haired girl knew who it was by the wide-eyed look on her face.

Mary-Katherine jumped to her feet, clutching her hands to her chest, hiding the nudity there. Allegra knew immediately what had happened here, but said nothing as the girl ran back toward the house.

“So, you’re Mr. Boudreaux. I’ve heard so much about you. But this is new.” Allegra said, shifting her weight on the balls of her feet, clutching the wooden fan in her fingers.

“You’re the Slayer.” Claudius said, nodding his head, his long blonde hair bouncing.

“Oh, you’ve heard of me?” Allegra said, her voice edged with steel, her heart racing.

“Everyone has heard of you, everyone who serves the beast.” Claudius said, spitting at her feet. Allegra saw blood on his lips and grimaced.

“Who is the beast?” Allegra asked, seizing the opportunity to get information. “Why doesn’t he show himself?”

“He doesn’t have to. His name alone makes the world tremble. You aren’t worthy of him.” The vampire said, ripping his mask off to reveal the bumpy ridges on his forehead.

“Try me.” Allegra said, jumping at him. Her foot struck his chest, knocking him backwards. He fell to one knee, but quickly dived at her. She started to move backwards, but her feet got tripped up in the hem of her gown. She toppled over, landing in the dirt. He was upon her within moments.

“I saw you in the party, Slayer. I wanted you, I wanted to taste you.” Claudius whispered in her ear, making her cringe. She struggled to be free of him, but he held her fast.

“Never!” A voice shouted from behind the two. Allegra ducked and rolled away as a heavy wooden cane came down on the vampire’s head. Claudius roared with pain and clutched at his head. Blood spurted from a ghastly wound, soaking the hem of Allegra’s already dirty white dress.

She looked up to see Jonathan standing before her, a look of determination on his masked face. She stood up and grabbed the vampire around the collar, forcing him to stand. She shoved him against a tree and punched him in the face, harder than she had meant to.

“Who is the beast?” She repeated, battering him with her fists. The vampire struggled, but Jonathan grabbed his arms and held him against the tree.

“You aren’t worthy of such a sacred name!” Claudius screamed, spittle flying from his lips.

“You will tell me, or I’ll tear out your eyes and feed them to you.” Allegra said, all ladylike mannerisms gone as she stood face to face with a demon of the night. The sound of her voice ran a chill up even Jonathan’s spine.

“Never.” The vampire said, echoing Jonathan’s earlier statement.

“Fine.” Allegra said, reaching her fingers toward his eyes. Her thumb hovered just a centimeter from his pupils before he yelped and moved his head to the side.

“Tell her!” Jonathan said, wrenching the vampire’s arm around. The vampire roared and struggled again, but Allegra smashed his face with her fist. She raised a wooden fan, and waved it at him. He saw the look in her violet eyes as she brought the makeshift stake down and knew she meant to kill him.

Desperation gave him an extra burst of strength and Claudius ripped free of the Watcher’s grip. He grabbed Jonathan’s wrist, wrenching it like a doorknob until he heard a satisfying crack. Jonathan cried out in pain and slumped the ground, one hand clenched over the broken wrist.

Allegra dived for the vampire and caught him around the neck. She raised the fan and started to plunge it in his chest, but he grabbed her and flung her over his shoulders. Allegra landed in a prickly rose bush with a jarring crash. She thrashed about, freeing herself from the long thorns, her dress in tatters. Her fingers closed around a rose branch and she broke it neatly into two.

She stood up as the Claudius strolled over to her. One hand came across her pale cheeks, knocking the white mask from her face. She spat at him and he laughed. Before she could move, he tangled his fist in her coal black hair and hauled her to her feet.

“A taste, just a taste.” He said, leaning in towards her long neck.

Allegra’s eyes narrowed and she plunged the rose branch into his back, just above the heart. Claudius staggered backward, his face registering his shock. He wasn’t dead, but he hurt worse than he had ever hurt before.

He fell to one knee, a hand clutched to the sluggishly bleeding wound. Allegra bent down before him and grabbed at the rose branch, an unreadable expression on her face.

“Who is he? What is his name?” She repeated in a low, almost kind voice. From Jonathan’s vantage point, he could see the war going on inside Claudius Boudreaux.

“Kakistos. The beast’s name is Kakistos.” Claudius said, gasping in pain, his fear finally winning over loyalty.

“Thank you.” Allegra said, and then she ripped the rose branch out his chest. She stood to her feet and held out a hand to him. He stared up at her and took it; she hauled him to his feet and gestured for him to leave.

Claudius started to walk away, confusion and relief on his face. She wasn’t going to kill him. She wasn’t going to ki---

Claudius looked down at his chest and saw a wooden cane sticking from his chest. He gasped and screamed and then turned to dust and ash before he could take another step.

“Jonathan! Are you all right?” Allegra said, running to the fallen Watcher. She helped him to his feet and looked at the break.

“Its all right. I’m sure I’ll be okay.” Jonathan said, putting on a bright smile, even though pain was lancing through his body.

“No, you’re not okay. I let you get hurt. Its all my fault.” Allegra said, frowning. He could see tears in her eyes.

“No blaming, sweetling. We have triumphed tonight. A servant of the beast is dead, and we have learned his name. We are closer than we’ve ever been to defeating the cancerous evil in this city.” He reassured her, leaning on her shoulders as she walked him back towards the house.

“You’re right. Small sacrifices for the greater good.” Allegra said as they walked back into the ballroom. Several people’s heads turned towards them, curious at the sight of Allegra’s mussed appearance and Jonathan’s broken wrist.

“Allegra! What happened?” Brigitte said, rushing up from behind her. She took one look at Jonathan’s wrist and her mouth formed a small ‘o’.

“We’re fine Brigitte, don’t look so worried. My uncle decided he would climb a tree to get me an apple and I’m afraid he fell. I quite soiled my dress in my worry for him.” She said it loudly enough that her voice carried to the ears of the crowd near the door. The story would circulate and change in its truth, but at least no wilder rumors than that would be brought up and their deception would be safe.

“Oh dear! Let me go call your carriage, and make sure the doctor comes to your home.” Mrs. Monteclaire said, rushing up out of nowhere, as always. She gestured for two strong men to take charge of Jonathan and take the weight off of the seemingly frail shoulders of Allegra.

A few more pleasantries and ordered commands were given, but they fell on deaf ears as Allegra’s gaze found someone else’s.

Mary-Katherine, pale and still shaking with fright turned amazed eyes at her. Allegra saw fear and respect in those eyes as she shook her head as if to say she would never tell anyone what had happened. Mary-Katherine owed her, and she knew it.

Allegra nodded her head in acknowledgment and looked away from the fear in those eyes and followed the small crowd of concerned well-wishers out door. Brigitte appeared at her side as if conjured and she smiled at her new friend’s presence. Allegra hugged her and promised to come back soon for tea.

The men loaded Jonathan in their carriage and soon they were on their way home through the darkness of New Orleans. They sat there in silence for a moment, and then Allegra broke the silence.

“I thought you were going to be cross with me?” She said, grinning impishly once more.

“Oh, I am. Very cross.” Jonathan said, attempting to frown. He gave it up for a pain-filled smile instead.

As promised, Allegra laughed heartily, her head thrown back in amusement. The laughter rang throughout the silent streets of New Orleans, sounding foreign in such a dark place, in such a dark time.

Allegra and Jonathan didn’t care; they laughed at the world and laughed at the pain they felt because they could never be part of it. They laughed at the battle to come with the unmasked beast, Kakistos. They laughed because for now, they had won; whatever was to come, they were triumphant now. They laughed, and faded into time.

THE END.