The Attempt
Author?s note: This story contains elements from the episode ?The Rise and
Fall of Eddie Fiori? written by Scott Smith Miller. The events of this story take
place before and during this episode?s timeline. Others own the rights to the
Kindred: The Embraced and White Wolf characters. All other characters are
my creations. Please do not use them without my permission.
By Diane Maher
As the prince of the city entered his office in a central Los
Angeles office building, he heard the phone start ringing. This cool, crisp
fall evening, Cyrus was aggravated by the annoying sound. Looking
around his sparsely furnished office, he noticed that the picture of Alicia
was crooked and this only served to annoy him further. Eddie Fiori?s
constant nagging for help of late was the root of his aggravation tonight.
Shaking his head, he sighed and put the whole matter out of his mind for
the moment.
He allowed his voice mail to take a message for him while his
secretary brought him the mail and other things that needed his
attention. Cyrus ran his city in the most practical way he knew by
ignoring the laws of the humans when he needed to. It had saved his
butt more times than he wanted to recall. Business was business in L.A.
The room was dark as the sun went down, but the ring of lights
around the edges of the room illuminated the off-white walls that were
decorated with pictures of various types of weapons, ancient and
modern. Cyrus wasn?t about to give his enemies the chance to assault
him here in the center of his power by supplying them with weapons. He
was armed at all times with at least a phosphorus gun. As his eyes took
in Alicia?s curvaceous figure, she smiled and more pleasant thoughts came
to mind. Today she wore a royal blue dress that made her look very sexy
indeed. Her dark hair was tied back into a ponytail.
?I?ve finished going through your voicemail except for the last
one,? Alicia began. Alicia was a Brujah he had embraced shortly after
becoming a primogen some fifteen years ago. She had stood by him
during the years he?d plotted and schemed to become prince of the city.
?Eddie Fiori just called and left you a message. I can go ahead and listen
to it and summarize it with the rest if you like.? She placed a pile of
papers on the corner of his desk. As she stood, she ran her hand up his
arm to his shoulder.
?No, I?ll listen to Eddie?s call,? Cyrus began as he pressed the
button and heard his other childe?s pleas for assistance. He ran his hand
over her butt as she leaned over him. ?Eddie is power-hungry and
desperate to force a confrontation with that blasted Ventrue Julian Luna.
However, I anticipated this. Eddie?s numbers have been down for the
last six months.?
Eddie Fiori?s voice came out of the speaker. ?Cyrus, I really need
to talk to you. Come on, stop messing around with your secretary and
pick up the damn phone!?
There was a pause and then a click. Cyrus chuckled. ?He?s really
desperate if he expects me to give up my chance to spend a little bit of
time with you, Alicia.?
The phone rang a second time. Eddie?s voice came over the
speaker again. ?Cyrus, I?ve done everything I know to prevent our clan
from losing money here, but I can?t make things work due to Julian Luna?s
constant interference in my businesses. I really need your help, if you
know what I mean.? Eddie hung up.
?So, Eddie wants the prince dead,? Alicia commented.
Cyrus replied, ?Yes. And since he?s called twice tonight asking me
for help, he has finally decided that he wants to keep his standing as
Brujah primogen intact. He?s never asked me for help before. I?ve known
there?s something going on with the Brujah in San Francisco for a while,
but I thought Eddie could handle it and I was wrong.?
?And Eddie doesn?t see these problems?? Alicia asked.
Cyrus replied, ?Not until now. He?s too power hungry to see
them.?
?Are you planning on helping Eddie?? Alicia asked.
?Yes,? Cyrus sighed as he picked up the phone. ?I?ll bring in some
professional help on this one. I need you to stay here in L.A. while I go
to San Francisco to visit a friend.? He made a brief phone call. As Alicia
opened his shirt, Cyrus said to the person on the other end of the line in
a threatening tone, ?Do it.?
After Cyrus hung up, Alicia had buried her head into the nape of
his neck. Cyrus said, ?Save those thoughts for later. I have to finish this
paperwork before I leave for San Francisco. Will you make my travel
arrangements??
Alicia stood up once more and straightened her dress. ?Of
course. I?ll let you know when I?ve completed the arrangements.?
An hour later, Alicia had finished making Cyrus? travel
arrangements when there was a knock on the office door. One of Cyrus?
bodyguards was there when she opened the door. This one had dark
hair and wore sunglasses all the time. Alicia knew that he thought he
looked so cool with his all black outfit and the sunglasses. Her pet name
for him was Glasses. ?What is it?? Alicia asked. Her sharp tone indicated
that she was aggravated at the interruption.
?Someone?s at the office door,? answered Glasses.
Alicia crossed the room and answered the office door. She found
a thin, athletic woman dressed in an expensive dress standing there.
The woman said, ?I?m here to see the prince.?
?Just a moment,? Alicia replied. She turned towards Cyrus and
said, ?My prince, there is a woman here who wishes to see you.?
Cyrus inclined his head forward and said, ?Send her in.?
Alicia opened the door further and stood to one side to allow the
woman to enter the prince?s office. She shivered inwardly as the woman
passed by her. Although the woman made no threatening moves
towards her or anyone else, she had a menacing presence that unnerved
Alicia. Closing the door, Alicia sat to her desk to check her makeup. All
she wanted was for that woman to be gone.
********
As Shahin Amneris entered the prince?s office, she noticed the lack
of any obvious weapons. This man wasn?t going to be killed in his own
office unless his attacker brought weapons. Then she noticed several
men hidden in the shadows. Ah, the prince?s bodyguards. I could easily
take them out in a few minutes. Instead, she focused her attention on
the business at hand. She had received a call asking for someone who
could do a hit in San Francisco.
Cyrus began, ?So you?re an Assamite?? Shahin nodded and he
continued, ?I need you to do a job for me. You will be paid well.?
Shahin looked at Cyrus expectantly. He took several photos from
a manila folder and slid one across the desk towards her. ?You will go to
San Francisco, find this man and kill him. His name is Julian Luna and he
is the prince of the city,? Cyrus continued.
This didn?t concern her as she had successfully gone after a
Camarilla prince before. Shahin calmly folded her arms across her chest.
Cyrus then placed another photo on the desk and slid it towards her.
?This is the primogen who wishes to succeed Julian Luna as prince of the
city. You will find him and get close to him.?
?What is the reason for the second assignment?? Shahin asked as
she held out her hand for the folder.
?To prove to him how easy it is for an Assamite to get close to an
unsuspecting victim,? Cyrus replied as he handed it to her.
Shahin smiled wickedly. ?It should prove to be fun. Who is he??
?His name is Eddie Fiori,? Cyrus replied.
?Very well,? Shahin said before turning and leaving the prince?s
office. Once she was outside the building, she hailed a cab.
?Where to, lady?? the driver asked.
?The airport,? Shahin replied as she closed the door. It started to
rain a moment later.
As the plane headed for San Francisco, Shahin looked at the
folder containing the information about her two targets and considered
what she needed to do. Eddie Fiori was a fairly intelligent man who had
become primogen of the Brujah some ten years ago. He was the
strongest and most ruthless member of the Brujah clan in the city. The
man was devious and had enough political connections to get what he
wanted from the human government system. However, the specter of
Julian Luna hovered over him in the Kindred world. She decided that she
couldn?t afford to underestimate Fiori, no matter what Cyrus had told her.
Cyrus had commented on Eddie?s amorous appetites when it
came to women, whether Kindred or human. Fiori was a loner. There
was no one close to him and his clan?s presence in the San Francisco
metro area was still recovering from the Ventrue attack upon them at
some place called the Old Mission Winery in nearby Manzanita Springs.
First, she would get close to Eddie Fiori by using her body. It seemed to
be the easiest way to get to him. The folder Cyrus had given her
contained the locations of Eddie?s various hangouts and the office of the
Dock Workers? Union. Cyrus would be coming up from Los Angeles
tomorrow evening and expected her to get close to Fiori by then.
Julian Luna was another story altogether. This man was a more
public figure. According to her information, besides having tremendous
holdings throughout various types of businesses, he was now the
publisher of the San Francisco Times. She would have to watch him for
several days or so to determine whom she might be able to use to get
close enough to kill him. Just getting inside his mansion wouldn?t be
enough if she had no way out.
The plane landed then. Having checked no luggage, Shahin left
the terminal, hailed a cab and headed for an apartment that was owned
by a private investigator named Alan Ash. The man also happened to be
an Assamite like herself. Despite her dislike of him because he had made
several passes at her, his apartment was the only place she knew of
where she could prepare herself properly for the execution of her contract
in San Francisco. It would serve as a temporary haven for her while she
completed this contract. During the cab ride, she considered her plans
and for the moment, was satisfied with them. The driver tried to make
casual chatter, but she politely declined and continued reading the
information she had about Luna.
When the cab arrived at its destination twenty minutes later,
Shahin paid the fare and went into the building. When she checked the
mailbox with Alan Ash?s name on it, she opened it, found a key taped
inside to the top of the box and went up to the apartment.
Upon entering, Shahin found the apartment empty and made
herself at home. She found a light switch next to the door, flipped it up
and the lights came on in the room. The apartment was a spacious place
with very little furniture. One of the small wooden tables had a candle on
it and the other had a lamp. There was a couch with a coffee table in
front of it. She put her briefcase on the coffee table and went to the
bedroom to check the closets. There was a wide range of clothes for men
and women as well as an assortment of weapons hidden in secret
compartments behind the wall. She remembered the compartments from
her last visit to San Francisco several years ago when she came to learn
more about the Kindred in the Camarilla. She chose some casual clothes.
Checking her watch, Shahin decided to clean up and go to the
bars on Cyrus? list. There was no sign of Fiori at the first bar, but she was
able to feed upon a drunken man who had collapsed in the alley behind
the bar. When she finished, she located the other places on the list,
returned to the apartment and slept for the day.
The next night, Shahin put on a spaghetti strap dress and made
herself look like a nice woman. She headed for the Haven. When she
didn?t find Eddie there, she decided to leave and look for him at the bar
just down the street from the Dock Workers? Union office. As she stood
to leave, she noticed Julian Luna having dinner with a human. Must be
his girlfriend, she thought. She turned her mind to her immediate task,
getting close to Eddie Fiori.
*******
Eddie Fiori sat in his office and was just finishing some
paperwork. He had managed to get things under control again. Several
cops were in the hospital after being beaten senseless by some of the
younger Brujah when they had tried to knock off a bank. His people had
to drag their asses out of the resulting mess.
?Damn punks! They don?t understand how things gotta work!?
Mario exclaimed, frustrated.
?And you?ve seen to their punishment?? Fiori asked, looking up
from the papers scattered across his desk.
?It?s been taken care of,? Mario replied, standing next to the
primogen?s desk. The younger, dark haired Brujah hesitated for a
moment, expecting a reply, but Eddie simply nodded as he continued to
sort through his papers. ?Everything?s fine, Eddie. There?s nothing to
worry about.?
?What about Cyrus?? Eddie asked distractedly. ?Has he called
yet??
?Not yet,? Mario replied. ?Look, boss, you need to get out of here
for a while. You?re going crazy. Head down to the bar and get a drink.
?Cyrus might call,? Eddie pointed out.
?I?ll have Donny sit on the phone,? Mario said. ?Get out for a little
bit. Get a drink, have some fun. Relax, boss. We?ll run things here for
you.?
?Yeah,? Eddie said, smiling slightly as he finally looked up from his
desk. ?Just a little time off to relax. A few hours, maybe a broad, and
things?ll be better.?
?That?s it,? Mario agreed. ?Come on, I?ll have Angelo call ahead
and reserve your table.?
They left the offices and went to the bar down the street for a
drink. As they entered, Eddie looked around and saw a woman sitting
alone in the corner booth that was normally reserved for him.
To his bodyguard Mario, Eddie asked, ?Isn?t she a looker??
?Yeah,? Mario agreed after his eyes took in the woman?s body
from the waist up.
Eddie straightened his tie and smoothed his tousled blond hair
before walking over to the booth. ?Hey, mind if I join you?? he asked.
The woman looked up and nodded. ?Hey Charlie, get me my
usual and another of whatever this lady is drinking,? Eddie called to the
bartender.
?Sure thing Eddie,? Charlie replied as he headed for the back
room.
To the woman across from him, Eddie asked, ?You?re new in town,
aren?t you??
?No. It?s just been a while since I?ve been here,? the woman
replied, her contralto voice was smooth in Eddie?s ears.
?I?d be happy to reacquaint you with the city,? Eddie said. ?You?re
a nice looking woman.?
?Thank you,? she replied demurely. The waitress brought their
drinks and placed them on the table.
?My name?s Eddie Fiori,? Fiori said to introduce himself.
?My name?s Shahin Amneris,? she replied.
?That?s an interesting name. Where are you from?? asked Eddie.
?I am from Egypt. In fact, I?m here supervising an Egyptian art
exhibition that?s touring this country,? answered Shahin.
?That?s fascinating. I?m from Los Angeles originally,? Eddie
commented. ?I work with the union for the dock workers here in San
Francisco. But let?s not talk shop tonight, shall we??
?And what shall we talk about?? Shahin asked.
Eddie took her hand in his and kissed it. ?I?d rather tell you how
beautiful you are.?
Shahin smiled demurely and said, ?Thank you. It?s been a while
since someone noticed.? She then took a drink from her glass.
Eddie noticed that Mario had found another woman and sat with
her at a nearby table in case he needed his help.
After they had a few drinks together, Shahin seemed to be pretty
mellow and Eddie had even gone around the table and sat next to her.
He was quite comfortable next to her. His arm snaked around her waist
and he envisioned her naked with him in bed.
That image energized Eddie to make it happen and he asked,
?Why don?t we go to my office so I can properly welcome you back to the
city??
Shahin smiled at him again and replied, ?That sounds like it would
be nice.?
They stood and left. Mario followed at a distance having already
had his fun and his meal for the night. Eddie put his arm around Shahin?s
waist and stroked her hip and butt. He was looking forward to a night in
her company. On their arrival at his office, he found that his answering
machine wasn?t even blinking. He hadn?t received so much as a
telemarketer calling and trying to sell him something he didn?t need.
?Come here, baby,? Eddie began. When she did, he pulled her
onto his lap and started petting her. He?d got as far as sliding one of her
dress straps down over her shoulder and she slid her hand inside his
shirt. He started to nibble at the nape of her neck and groped her more
intensely. There was a sound and Eddie looked up and saw Cyrus enter
the room with several of his bodyguards.
?Cyrus!? Eddie exclaimed.
?Eddie,? the older Brujah replied. Cyrus approached the desk
flanked by his bodyguards. ?I hear you?re having some problems.?
Eddie muttered, ?Get ready for tonight, baby.? Shahin stood and
after he gave her ass one last squeeze, crossed the room, sat in a chair
and straightened her appearance. Turning his attention to Cyrus, Eddie
scowled, ?And it?s all because of Julian Luna.?
?I?m sure that you won?t have any more problems with him,? Cyrus
said.
Eddie looked over and saw Shahin sitting in the chair. ?I told you
to get ready for tonight, baby.?
Shahin said nothing and Cyrus interrupted, ?Have you ever
worked with the Assamites, Eddie??
Eddie realized that Cyrus didn?t care whether the woman heard
their discussion. Okay, he?ll probably make her forget she ever met me or
heard any of our conversation, he thought. ?No. They only work for
princes. That?s why I needed to talk to you, can you hire them?? Eddie
asked in reply.
******
It was obvious to Shahin that all Fiori wanted was someone to
share his bed with for a while. However, that wouldn?t be happening.
She was here to do a job. She looked up then, as Cyrus had mentioned
something about the Assamites and what they could do. To emphasize
his comments, as he and Eddie looked her way, she shifted her shape
from a woman to that of a man and back again. The look of fear on Fiori?s
face was well worth it. Eddie swallowed nervously; his eyes bulged with
shock at how easily she had gotten close to him. She could have killed
him and now he knew how careless he?d been.
?Eddie, I didn?t take over L.A. overnight,? Cyrus? voice interrupted
her musings. ?I laid the groundwork and planned my ascension to the
princedom. When the time came, I was ready.?
?That?s what I want, the power to do anything I damn well
please. It?s time this city had a Brujah prince.? Fiori looked warily her
way and asked Cyrus, ?Can the Assamite get Luna??
?Look how easy it was for her to get close to you. I have
confidence that she will be able to get just as close to Julian.?
?I like the sound of that,? Eddie said, now he was apparently
confident in her ability to kill Julian. ?Thanks Cyrus, you don?t know what
this means to me.?
Cyrus said, ?I think it?s time we allowed the lady to do her job.
You?ll keep us informed of your progress?? She nodded once, stood and
left the room.
Over the next several days, Shahin watched and followed Julian
Luna?s every movement. Like most people, the man had a pattern to his
lifestyle. She was able to infiltrate his mansion, and had been inside his
human girlfriend?s home without her knowledge. She didn?t kill Luna
whilst inside his mansion as there always seemed to be someone with
him. This prince was far more of a public figure than her previous
targets. They had been as reclusive as the Nosferatu and yet she had
succeeded in eliminating them. This public life that Luna led wouldn?t
intimidate her.
As Shahin watched Julian interact with Caitlin Byrne, it gave her
some idea of Luna?s personality. Caitlin seemed headstrong and was
deeply in love with Julian. The human fit the type of woman that she
would expect a Ventrue to associate with in public.
The best time to attempt to kill Julian would be when he was with
Caitlin or when he was outside her house. Because she was human,
while he was with her, he had a minimum of bodyguards around to
protect him. After her reconnaissance of the area surrounding Caitlin?s
house, Shahin began planning her attack. She would follow Julian to
Caitlin?s house and then she would strike.
*******
The next night, Shahin followed Julian to the Haven. She
appeared to be dressed elegantly and wore an ankle length dress with a
light jacket over the top. When she entered the smoke-filled club, she
saw Fiori sitting at a table marked as reserved. Luna came down the
steps, and met with his Ventrue sire, Archon Raine for a moment before
heading for the table where Eddie sat. Cash followed, watching Julian?s
back. She saw Cyrus casually cross the room with his bodyguards and
stand next to Eddie. She didn?t worry about hearing the conversation.
What Julian did afterwards was more important to her.
When their discussion was through, Julian, Archon and Cash were
standing in the middle of the room and talking. Shahin picked up her half
empty champagne glass and moved to the table closest to them. She
hoped to hear where Julian was going from here.
?I can?t believe that Eddie sat down to talk with you,? Cash said.
?Neither can I, especially after all his loud-mouthed bravado about
how I shouldn?t be prince. Of course, when Cyrus showed up, I was
twice as surprised,? Julian commented. ?That?s one Brujah I don?t need in
my city.?
?What will you do now?? Archon asked.
?I think we should keep an eye on both Eddie and Cyrus,? replied
Julian. He looked at his watch. ?Tonight, I have a dinner date with
Caitlin. It?s her birthday. Cash, will you and Billy come with me? And, will
you arrange to have some of your Gangrels watch Eddie and Cyrus when
we get back from Caitlin?s house??
Cash nodded. ?When will we be leaving??
?Shortly,? Julian replied.
Shahin smiled and thought, Perfect. Julian will be on his way to
Caitlin?s house soon. I must arrive there before he does! She left the
glass on the table, went to the ladies? room, removed the encumbering
dress to reveal the black pants and turtleneck shirt beneath and left the
club. Outside, she hailed a cab and gave the driver an address that was
about a block from Caitlin?s house. She had already stashed her weapon
in the tree in Caitlin?s front yard during a previous visit. After the cab
dropped her off, she set off at a brisk pace to cover the one block
between her and her objective.
*******
As Julian left the Haven, Cash noticed Sasha preparing to start
her Harley and wondered where she was going. Julian tapped him on his
shoulder and he opened the rear door of the car for his prince. After
closing the door, Cash got into the front seat of the car next to Billy and
started the motor. The Mercedes purred as Cash guided it into the
street.
?Is there something on your mind, Cash?? asked Julian.
?I was just wondering about Sasha. Ever since her embrace by
the Brujah, we?ve had a few problems,? replied Cash. ?I?m trying to work
it out with her. I still love her, you know.?
?Yes. I know. So do I,? Julian replied quietly.
The rest of their trip to Caitlin?s house was made in silence. Cash
thought he caught a glimpse of Sasha?s Harley following the car several
times, but thought nothing more of it. He was working and thinking
about her wasn?t helping him keep his mind on the protection of his
prince.
* * * * * * *
Shahin climbed the tree in Caitlin?s front yard, claimed her Kukri
knife from one of the higher branches and patiently waited for Julian to
arrive. Shortly, an expensive black car stopped in front of the house.
Cash and then another bodyguard, whose name she assumed was Billy
after hearing Julian giving orders at the Haven, got out of the car first.
They stayed with the car as Julian took a long, wrapped, rectangular box
to the front door of the house. A gift of some sort for his lover, Shahin
assumed.
Her attention returned to the Gangrels when they started talking
at the car. A moment later, Cash passed beneath the tree she was
hidden in, headed towards the corner of the yard and went around the
house to the backyard. The other man stayed with the car.
Cash never bothered to look up in the tree or else he might have
seen her. However, she waited several minutes to see whether he
would return immediately. When he didn?t, she decided to move down to
a lower branch. As she moved, a small branch snapped and she froze.
The remaining Gangrel thought that the snap of the branch meant his
friend was returning. He walked over beneath the tree and stopped to
listen.
Damn! Shahin thought. I can?t allow him to interfere with my
mission! Silently unsheathing her Kukri knife, she leaned back and,
hanging by her legs, swiftly cut off the unsuspecting Gangrel?s head.
His decapitated body fell silently to the ground. She pulled herself
up and then jumped down away from the body in the shadows. She
quickly moved the body into the deepest shadows beneath the tree. Just
then, the front door of the house opened. There wasn?t time for her to
get back into the tree. She knew the Gangrel would be missed. Her only
option was to shift her appearance into the form of the bodyguard. This
will be my best chance to kill Luna, Shahin thought as her form changed.
She sheathed her knife and went to where the late Gangrel had stood.
As Shahin leaned against the car, she watched as Julian came
over towards her. He casually started making conversation with her and
treating her like she really was his bodyguard. Luna said something
about keeping an eye on the Brujah primogen. He turned away from her
for a moment when he heard someone approaching from behind.
Cash was returning from the rear of the house when his foot
touched something in the shadow of the tree. He leaned down, and
examined something in the grass. He found an arm with a brown leather
jacket covering it. He thought, My God! That?s Billy!
Looking towards the car, Cash saw Julian standing with Billy and
wondered, How the hell?? He then whipped out his phosphorous gun
and cried out, ?Julian! That?s not Billy!?
In the split second when Julian turned towards Cash, Shahin
thought, Damn! Cash blew my cover! She instantly changed back to her
normal form, whipped out her knife and attacked Julian.
Julian whirled around to face her as she attacked him. He
grabbed her arms and tried to disarm her, but to no avail. She fought him
and tried to kill him, but he managed to get the upper hand in the
struggle and threw her away from himself. When she rolled away from
him and stood, she turned and saw that Cash had returned to Julian?s
side. Temporarily outnumbered, she backed away and thought, I?ll have
to try a different plan to get you, Luna!
?Sasha!? Cash cried out. Julian looked back towards the street
and froze.
Shahin backed into someone who she grabbed and pulled in front
of her to use as a shield. She looked towards Julian and Cash who were
frozen in place and staring at her. When they started towards her
anyway, she released her hostage, turned and ran.
Damn! I?ve never failed before! Shahin thought. The taste of
failure, however temporary that failure might be, was bitter in her mouth.
She continued down the street and considered how to break the news to
her Brujah employer.
Shahin felt her exhaustion then and slowed to a walk. About a
block later, she felt lightheaded and her hunger started to gnaw away at
her. Shapeshifting took a lot of energy and she needed to replace that
energy quickly if she expected to make a second attempt on Luna.
Looking around, she spotted a solitary woman walking down the street.
Although it was against her better judgment, she decided to feed. Most
of the houses were either dark or their curtains were closed and she saw
no one looking out at the street. No one would see her feed on this
woman in the shadows beneath one of the trees.
Shahin ran towards the woman and grabbed her. The woman
struggled ferociously against her and the next thing Shahin felt was a
blade of some sort slicing through her wrist and stabbing her in the side.
The pain she felt was doubled when the woman viciously turned the
blade inside the wound. Shahin hesitated momentarily and the woman
took advantage of this and bit the freshly opened wound on her
assailant?s wrist.
As the woman?s teeth tore open her wrist, Shahin screamed. Her
blood sprayed all over the human?s face. Consumed with pain, Shahin
released the woman who turned and ran down the street. Shahin rallied
what strength she had and ran after the woman. When she tackled the
human, she punched her victim in the head to prevent any further
retaliation and the woman?s body sagged in her arms. Shahin?s fangs
then punctured the unconscious woman?s neck and she fed hungrily.
Neatness wasn?t important right now; she?d feed and get the hell away
from here. Just then, a car came around the corner and they were caught
in the glare of its headlights. Damn! Shahin thought as she dropped the
woman, licked the wound on her own wrist closed and ran.
*******
After the attempt on Julian?s life, Cash thought it best for them to
return to Julian?s mansion as soon as possible. As the car?s motor roared
to life, Julian relaxed in the rear seat of the car and Cash was driving.
Sasha had ridden her motorcycle and was going to meet them back at the
mansion.
?I?m sorry I wasn?t there, Julian,? Cash began.
?Where were you?? Julian demanded angrily.
?I was in the back of the house, checking to see whether there
was anything coming from that direction,? Cash replied.
Julian was just about to ask why Sasha was there, when
suddenly, the car came to a screeching halt and he threw his arms
forward to brace himself.
?What the hell is going on Cash?? Julian demanded.
?Someone?s hurt and bleeding on the sidewalk!? the Gangrel
shouted.
Julian jumped out of the car. He got a glimpse of someone leaving
the scene, but not enough to identify them. Looking around, he saw no
one at the windows of any of the houses. Good, Julian thought. No
one?s around to see this. Squatting down, he examined the woman?s
neck, saw the open wound, leaned down and licked it closed before the
woman bled to death. He then checked for a pulse and found a weak
one.
The woman?s eyes fluttered open, and she mumbled something
unintelligible. In a soothing tone, Julian said, ?You?re all right.?
She looked at him for a moment. Julian looked to his right and her
gaze followed his. He passed his hand over her face and exerted his will
to make her forget that she had been attacked. Once she was
unconscious, he looked around and saw her purse. He gently picked her
up and took her to the car. As Julian got her settled in the rear of his car,
Cash went and got her purse and handed it to Julian. When Julian was
settled again, he opened her purse to find her identification. Her driver?s
license said her name was Sharon St. James, and Julian gave Cash the
address on the license.
As the car started to move again, Julian cleaned the woman?s
neck and face with a cloth. He looked at her and she had dark shoulder
length hair, which cascaded over her shoulders. She wore jeans, a
purple t-shirt and a light jacket. There was blood spattered on her face,
in her mouth and all over her shirt. ?Whoever attacked her was Kindred,?
Julian began.
?Oh? And she fought them off?? Cash asked, amazed.
?It seems so. She?s got blood all over herself,? Julian replied.
?She should be okay, then?? asked Cash.
?I think so, though she got some blood in her mouth. I can?t tell
whether it?s hers or her attacker?s without tasting it and even then
there?s no guarantee that I can tell the difference,? Julian replied with a
sigh. ?She needs to sleep.?
They passed The Haven and five minutes later, came to the
address. It was the dead of night when they arrived. Julian got out of
the car, and with Cash?s help, took Sharon inside to her apartment.
*******
Julian left Sharon?s apartment and was relieved that the woman
hadn?t regained consciousness before he was able to leave her at her
apartment. Soon, they were back at the mansion and he was talking
with Cash about the incident outside of Caitlin?s house.
?We?ll have to beef up security around here. Now that I know
someone?s trying to kill me, I must be prepared,? Julian said.
?Yes. I?ve sent Tara to recover Billy?s corpse,? Cash commented.
?She?ll bury him in a cemetery in the woods. Mostly old miners are buried
there. No one goes there anymore.?
?Good. What I want to know is who hired that Assamite,? Julian
said.
?Isn?t it obvious? You know that Eddie Fiori wants to oust you and
take your place as prince of the city,? Cash replied, exasperated.
?Yes. I?m well aware of it. However, from what little we know
about them, the Assamites don?t work for someone like Eddie Fiori.? A
wry smile crossed Julian?s face as he suddenly realized the true reason
behind Cyrus? visit to San Francisco.
?What is it?? Cash saw the expression on Julian?s face and was
curious.
?I was curious when Cyrus showed up at The Haven with Eddie
earlier tonight. Eddie?s ambition to be prince of this city is nothing
compared to Cyrus? desire to rule the state of California.?
Cash nodded. ?And he?s got the clout to hire an Assamite.?
?Yes, Cyrus is ruthless enough to hire the Assamite on Eddie?s
behalf and once I?m out of the way, he would use Eddie as a puppet,?
Julian replied.
?But we have no proof that Cyrus hired her,? Cash began. ?What
now??
?The Assamite will undoubtedly try again. We must prevent her
success at all costs.?
*******
Across town, Shahin returned to the apartment that she was
using as a temporary haven. She closed the door, crossed the room to
the window and was about to pull the curtains closed when she said, ?I
will get you Julian Luna.?
?I assume that you failed to kill your target tonight?? a masculine
voice said from somewhere behind her in the darkness of the room.
Shahin whirled around and asked, ?Who?s there??
When the person didn?t answer, she looked around the room
nervously and backed away from the window to make less of a target.
She heard the sound of a match being struck off to her left. When she
looked towards the source of the sound, she saw a candle being lit. The
light from the candle illuminated her visitor?s face. The man had shoulder-
length black hair, and wore a casual outfit of jeans and a dark shirt
beneath a black leather jacket.
?Alan! What the hell are you doing here, checking up on me??
Shahin asked as she recognized the tall American. He was one of the few
Americans who had been embraced into the clan.
?I just felt like visiting. After all, Shahin, you?re the only woman
from our clan in this area,? Alan replied with a grin as he took in her figure
beneath the black outfit she wore. ?Hell, what am I saying? You?re the
only other member of our clan out on this coast!?
?I?m not your plaything, Alan Ash!? Shahin exclaimed, noticing his
appraisal of her body.
?I never said you were,? Alan replied, his tone playful as he
approached her. When he continued, his eyes narrowed and his tone
changed to one of malevolence. ?I was also curious whether you had
successfully completed this contract.?
?I will succeed in fulfilling this contract,? Shahin snarled as she
looked up into his dark gaze.
?Honor demands that you do so or die trying,? Alan replied, as
calm as ever as he crossed his arms over his chest.
?How dare you lecture me on how to conduct myself when
completing a contract! Besides, what would a filthy infidel such as you
know about honor?? Shahin demanded.
Alan moved so fast that she never knew what happened until it
was too late. With one hand, he grabbed her by the throat, lifted her
and despite her struggles, slammed her hard against the wall. Holding
her there, he retorted through clenched teeth, ?How dare you, bitch! I
know more about honor than you?ll ever know!?
?You were nothing before the Amr embraced you,? Shahin replied.
?Al-Ashrad disgraced himself by choosing you to become one of us.?
Alan squeezed her throat tighter and continued, his tone sibilant,
?I was a highly decorated, well-respected and honorable U.S. army officer
before I was embraced. I fought in many battles against the Germans in
the North African theater during World War II.?
?I don?t know what the Amr saw in you, you cold-hearted
bastard!!? Shahin spat.
?Perhaps he liked my potential. That?s not important now,?
retorted Alan sharply.
Shahin silently cursed herself for her lack of weapons and her
weakness from a lack of blood. Instead, she started to kick and claw at
Alan to get him to release her. ?Damn you! It is important!?
Alan said quietly, ?It isn?t and you know it.?
?All Americans are good-for-nothing, greedy infidels,? Shahin said
between gasps. She was having trouble breathing now and Alan either
didn?t notice or care.
?Your narrow-mindedness will be the end of you. Never
underestimate an American.? Alan scowled at her disdainfully as he
released her and she slumped to the floor, gasping for breath.
?Leave here, infidel!? Shahin shouted. ?All you wanted here
tonight was to sleep with me and I?ll have no part of you!?
?I?ll never consider that again! I wouldn?t want to dirty myself on
one such as you! Go to hell, you fucking bitch!? Alan replied menacingly
before he turned and stormed out of the apartment. He had another
apartment which he would return to after he had a couple of drinks at the
Haven.
After her confrontation with Alan, Shahin called a cab and went to
Eddie Fiori?s office. She was in a dangerous mood as she considered the
reasons behind her embarrassing failure to kill Julian Luna and how to
prevent it from happening again. Another failure would be intolerable.
She would see to it that she succeeded in killing Luna the next time.
When she looked up, the cab had just arrived at the Dock Workers? Union
office. Before leaving the cab, Shahin said, ?I?ll be right back.? The cab
driver nodded.
Shahin entered the building and went up a flight of stairs to the
left of the door. At the top, she walked down the hall to the second door
on the left. Through the open door, she saw Eddie sitting smugly in a
chair next to the wall and Cyrus stood there, waiting patiently for her
return.
Eddie stood as she entered the room and said, ?Tell me you killed
Julian Luna.?
Shahin said nothing, only stared impassively at first Eddie and
then Cyrus.
A momentary look of panic flashed across Eddie?s features before
he said anxiously, ?You gotta go back and kill Luna!?
Again, Shahin said nothing. She saw the look on Cyrus? face. He
wasn?t happy with the situation at all. Now the two Brujahs also knew of
her failure. She turned away and headed back to the door. Before she
left the room, Cyrus said, ?Contact me tomorrow night.? He crossed the
room and handed her a piece of paper with a number written on it. She
left the room, and then the building. Upon climbing in the back seat of
the cab, she told the driver to return to where he?d picked her up. When
the cab arrived outside the apartment building, she paid the driver and
went upstairs once more.
Shahin spent the next few hours deciding how best to kill Julian
Luna before going out to feed. She called Cyrus at the appointed time
the next night. He told her that Eddie would be making his move to take
out Julian Luna at the Luna mansion in the hills. Cyrus told her that he
was sending her in as Eddie?s backup. He suggested that she shapeshift
into the form of the Toreador primogen, Lillie to gain close access to
Julian.
When Shahin hung up, she was furious! How dare this Brujah
send her in as a second thought! He hired her to do a job and to treat
her like this made her angry. ?I suppose I earned this treatment by
failing the first time,? she muttered to herself. She took a few minutes to
gather what she needed and calm down. It wouldn?t do her any good to
be upset. It made shapeshifting more difficult if her mind wasn?t clear and
focused.
Shahin called a cab and had it take her to a spot just out of sight
of the main gates of the Luna mansion. She was able to easily enter the
mansion via a shadow-covered window beneath one of the nearby trees.
Closing the window, she shifted into the form of Lillie and concealed
herself in a room off to the side of the main entrance. From here, she
could see Luna enter the mansion.
Once she was situated, Shahin heard the sound of a car as it
pulled up in the driveway. A moment later, a car door slammed and
someone opened the main door of the mansion. Cash came down the
hall to meet Julian. She slid her dagger out of its sheath on her arm and
hid it in the right sleeve of her black, long sleeved shirt. She had decided
to wear the same outfit as the previous night, because it was practical for
the assignment.
?Cash,? Julian began. ?Is everything secure? I don?t want that
Assamite to have a second chance.?
Cash nodded. ?Yes. Oh, by the way, Fiori is in the library. He
says he wants to talk to you.?
?Okay, I?ll see him after I make a quick sweep of the place,? Julian
commented. ?Keep an eye on Fiori.?
Cash went up the curved staircase which led to the library. As he
entered, he saw Eddie Fiori sitting in the chair with a book in his lap. The
library had books, a desk, some paintings on the walls and a small piece
of sculpture on the desk along with a long, rectangular box.
*******
Below, as Julian walked past her hiding place, Lillie silently left one
of the rooms and followed him. This is going to be your best chance to kill
him! Shahin thought. Don?t blow it again! It was do or die this time. A
second failure was not an option.
?Julian?? Shahin asked in Lillie?s voice.
Julian turned to face her and said, ?I have nothing left to say to
you.?
Shahin said, ?I don?t want to talk. I just want you to hold me.?
Her voice caught on the last word.
Julian took her into his arms as though all was forgiven. This was
the moment of truth for her. Shahin slid her dagger out of her right
sleeve and raised it to kill him. Somehow, Julian must have felt her
movements and interpreted them as hostile. He put a phosphorus gun to
her throat at the same time and cocked it. Before Julian could do
anything else, she managed to bring the arm with the dagger down but
missed stabbing him.
Julian viciously shoved her away from him, turned and ran. As
Shahin regained her balance to follow him, he was ahead of her by a bit.
As she ran swiftly and silently through the mansion?s hallways after
Luna, she approached an open area where some stairs spiraled up to the
next level. She suddenly heard a voice call out Julian?s name. She
stopped and carefully stared upward as she got to where she could see
the landing above her.
?Julian?? the voice above asked before its source went back into
the room above.
Shahin recognized the voice as that of Cash. She killed one
Gangrel the other night during her first attempt on Luna?s life, and she
decided to make it two tonight. In order to have no obstacles standing
between herself and Luna, she knew that she must get rid of Cash. She
shapeshifted into the form of Julian so that she could get close to Cash in
order to kill him.
Shahin headed up the stairs and when she reached the top,
found the door to the library open. As she entered the library, she saw
Cash standing there.
?Give me your gun,? Shahin demanded in Julian?s voice.
Cash had no idea that she wasn?t Julian and started to hand over
his gun to her, butt first. All she needed to do was pull the trigger and
Cash would die. Then, the chair behind the desk turned around bearing
Eddie Fiori who had a phosphorus shotgun in his hands.
Seeing Julian Luna in front of him, Eddie raised the gun. There
was no way that Shahin could warn him that she wasn?t Luna unless she
exposed herself. Before she could come up with another way out of the
situation, Eddie Fiori made the decision for her. He fired and the shot hit
her in her stomach.
The phosphorus burned ferociously and she screamed as she fell
to the floor and writhed in agony. Cash hadn?t foreseen the possibility
that Eddie would kill Julian on sight and was horrified and grief-stricken as
he fell to his knees and took her body in his arms as Eddie ran down the
steps to leave the mansion.
?Oh God! I should have seen this coming!? Cash cried out as he
held her.
Shahin thought, You were right, Alan. I underestimated the
Ventrue and I?ll pay the ultimate price for my failure. Her vision faded to
blackness and final death claimed her.
