The Case of the Parisian Vendetta: A Mark Julian Vampire PI Mystery #10 (Mark Julian Vampire PI Mysteries)

by L. G. Fabbo-Gonnella

  “May I say you are still the best looking female werewolf in this wee town,” Collin’s lilting accented voice said from just behind her. “Maybe we might discuss those charms a tad more intimately tonight?”

  Viola turned to see the smiling open face of the Irish vampire. “Another time Collin,” she quietly replied. “Right now I’m confused and more than a bit angry at a certain French werewolf.”

  “I know a fun way to vent anger darlin,” Collin lightly teased.

  “So do I,” Viola laughed as she mulled over Dustin and Dale. Which one to call? It might be time to bring Dale back into her bed. The sex demon had a well-defined body and an amazingly kinky side to his nature. Dustin had a great body as well and a certain boyish enthusiasm for role-play. She grinned as she contemplated the toys each one of them enjoyed having used upon them during their sexual escapades.

  “I promise you a good time lass. I think you will definitely enjoy it too,” Collin chuckled as he have her another of his charmingly mischievous winks. His eyes sparkled with merriment.

  Viola suddenly took a hard look at Collin. He was filled with Irish good humor. It made him impossibly endearing in a naughty schoolboy way as well. There was something compelling with him. He was clearly not her usual type. She doubted if the words kinky sex had ever crossed his mind. Simple sex was probably his style. A bedroom romp with the Irish vampire would not be all anger and violence. The concept of tender fun in an intimate encounter unexpectedly intrigued her. “Well lets try it your way,” she laughed as she slipped her arm through Collin’s. “By the way do like toys?” She laughed as they walked out of the room.

  “Like bats, balls and such?” A bemused Collin inquired. “You’d not be expecting we play some sporting games in some park are ye now, lass?” Collin gaily asked with that engaging twinkle in his eyes.

  “Well maybe no toys tonight then,” Viola said. She shocked herself by unexpectedly giggling like a schoolgirl. “It might be amusing to have simple sex for once at that,” she said to cover up for that lapse.

  “Oh darlin,” Collin softly said as he pulled her tighter towards him. “Tis not so simple when I’m in the saddle. And trust me lassie I will be in the saddle,” he purred in his devilishly seductive accent. They two’s laughed and left.

  Mark and Vinnie watched that unfolding event between Viola and Collin with a sensation of horror and stunned silence.

  “I’m going to be sick,” Mark muttered to Vinnie. “Those two getting it on tonight is too much to think about honey.”

  “Yeah I get it,” Vinnie said. “I am so not liking the mental pictures I’m getting about them either.”

  “That can put one off sex for sure,” Mark grimaced as he suddenly had a myriad of unwelcome images of Viola and Collin engaging in sexual intimacy.

  “Best cure for that is great sex,” Vinnie mused as he took Mark’s hand. “I’m calling a cab right now. We go to bed the second we get home.” He eagerly pulled Mark towards the front door.

  Jaime, who had also observed all these at matters, just laughed. She tenderly leaned in to kiss her husband. “Come on home we need for you to get some sleep.”

  Jean-Claude winked. “Absolutely. But maybe you might enjoy a light snack in bed before you do that hmm,” he nuzzled her ear. “I’m told I serve a great breakfast in bed,” he lovingly growled as Jaime girlishly giggled too. They both exited knowing that tomorrow was the beginning of the end of a long nightmare.

  A Supernatural VE

  It took only forty-eight hours for the hostilities to terminate between Paris and New York City. To everyone’s absolute amazement, Paris surrendered. Prisoners were to be exchanged and full reparations from Paris’s supernatural community for all war damages were to be made within two months. A tired Henri Roué announced his clan would assume all financial liabilities set out in the treaty. He agreed that, at Fae insistence, to compensate for their loss of life, his clan would send ten of their young men to serve the Fae for one year as indentured servants. The only condition was that these young men would not be abused physically or sexually nor degraded in any way. Jean-Claude, for his side, assigned Viola to monitor this aspect of the treaty to ensure the Fae honored that commitment. Henri also announced that he was taking his wife on a long trip. He permanently turned over his title and position as clan leader of the French Roué werewolf tribe over to Laurent. The young man appointed Collin as his clan advisor. In New York City, both Jean-Claude and Julio were applauded as the victors of the war. All doubts about their leadership dissolved.

  ****

  “I always knew the boy had the right stuff him to lead us in this matter,” a deliriously happy troll gushed after Jean-Claude officially announced the end to the war and the peace terms at their council meeting. Many, like the troll delegate, had already been celebrating the unofficial news of New York City’s complete victory. By now he, and quite a few other council delegates, were thoroughly drunk. Even among the more sober of them, their high-spirited enthusiasm was contagious. “All that bumbling by you in the past was just a ruse huh my boy,” the troll grinned while attempting to focus his bleary eyes upon the werewolf. “Played the fool to lull them into over- confidence.” He laughed. “Had some here fooled too all right?” He winked at Jean-Claude. “Not me. I played along with it.”

  “Well I knew it was a role-play,” a full figured female fairy delegate sighed. “We’ve the hottest…I mean the smartest executive there is leading us.” She winked at the werewolf too, but hers was more of an invitation for doing something more intimate.

  “I’m glad you no longer feel werewolves are traitors,” Viola said with a hint of humor in her voice that surprised everyone. For the last few days she had been in a fine frame of mind, unlike Dale and Dustin who seemed to be rather annoyed with her.

  “Never doubted our leader. Great acting job he gave,” the drunken elf babbled. “Never doubted him or our security chief either,” he sputtered as he waved to Julio. “All bluff and blustery pretense on my part too in questioning Jean-Claude’s leadership abilities. Helped the war effort by letting others here think I had no confidence in them,” he slurring said as he swayed in his seat. “Good man that Julio. Great job,” he managed to say before he passed out and slipped down onto the floor.

  Julio snorted and signaled one of his personnel to assist the indisposed delegate get back to his home near the Williamsburg Bridge.

  “I always said we had a very cute security chief,” a striking female banshee said before looking at Julio and giggling. The security head blushed. A part of him realized he did find the banshee to be very attractive. He grinned at her. She noticed his reaction and smiled. She let her tongue wet her lips and laughed as Julio’s face flushed with his embarrassment. I bet he will be fantastic in bed, she sighed to herself as she gazed at his tightly defined body that was clad in the snug black security forces jumpsuit and plotted on seducing him in his office after the council meeting finished.

  “I move we vote our thanks to our leader and Julio for a war well fought and a job superbly done,” a goblin shouted. Everyone quickly joined to second his proposal.

  “I move we congratulate all of us too,” a bleary eyed ghoul laughed. The now raucous delegates seconded this motion as well.

  Jean-Claude and Julio exchanged wry glances as the supernatural council unanimously passed both motions. Jean-Claude leaned in and whispered to the Latino vampire, “I guess it’s true that failures are orphans but victories have many parents huh.”

  Julio smirked as other delegates now continually and boisterous sang the two men’s praises. Everyone insisted how he or she had never doubted the council’s leader or his security chief.

  Tortego sat in utter silence during this entire display. His face was devoid of any expression. Up till now Jean-Claude had not acted against him because he needed the vampire’s strong support. That requirement was now a thing of the past. Tortego patiently waited to find out what would come next because of his to his rol
e in this entire matter.

  A short while later the meeting ended. A highly determined banshee made an unannounced visit to Julio office. Locking the door behind her, the banshee launched her own forceful campaign for his sexual conquest. After ignoring a few half-hearted initial protestations by Julio, she secured a resounding victory.

  ****

  Days later a highly nervous Tortego stood in Jean-Claude’s office facing the clearly angry werewolf. Sitting off to one side were Jaime, Mark, Vinnie and Julio. Tortego was dressed in his former attire of a black suit. He decided clerical attire was too inflammatory to continue using, considering the circumstances. The other men were dressed in muted colored suits as well. Once again Jaime wore only a simple Chanel black dress unadorned in any manner. Tortego took that as a very ominous signs of things to come.

  “I should have you arrested for treason,” Jean-Claude slowly stated. “You defied a judicial order of death from our council and let Sebastian live. I spoke with my Uncle. He told me everything. You helped start a war to topple me,” Jean-Claude took a deep breath as he sought to retain self-control. “People died. Property destroyed. You drugged me and turned me into a pathetic addict. For that alone I’d kill you!”

  Tortego straightened up. “Do it then and spare me a lecture,” he snarled. “I will not haggle for my life nor grovel to you to spare it!”

  Jean-Claude’s face grew stern. “On the other side of the ledger your actions regarding Sebastian, though self motivated I’m sure, prevented an innocent death. As for the war, I cannot publicly reveal your part in it without also revealing my uncle’s perfidy as well. I will not endanger Laurent’s new reign by uncovering information that would turn his French allies against his clan or subject my young cousin to a murder trial here for Lucius’s death.

  “Nor endanger your rather extra-judicial sentence of Sebastian I might add,” Tortego defiantly shot back. “If the whole truth emerged your actions concerning his fate would be called into question. Maybe even nullified as it was beyond your authority to do it. You would not care to risk Sebastian being freed again to claim the Roué leadership. Not such a pleasant thought is it?”

  Jean-Claude face went blank. “Lastly,” Jean-Claude continued as he looked at Jaime who merely nodded at him. “You did prevent my possible sexual rape which is no small matter.” He paused. The two men stared at each other. “I will let you live. Your actions regarding me will stay a closed book. Not that I fear the personal scandal. I and mine can face anything in that area. If what you did to me ever came out just know that my father would not be so merciful towards you. Every Roué werewolf would hunt you down and take delight in slowly butchering you. I want the bloodshed to end right now. But there is a price you will pay. Your minions are being purged from the offices they were appointed too. You will remain in your position but have no power at all which, I think, is a punishment you will hate the most.”

  Tortego smirked. "I would have killed you,” he said with defiance. “If the roles were reversed.”

  “I’m sure you would but, thank the wolf goddess, you are not me,” Jean-Claude sharply replied. “For the sake of peace you are safe. Any new investigations would prove too disruptive under the present circumstances. Officially Sebastian was executed for killing the vampire Lucius. Your aide was a traitor that Mark and Julio uncovered. They informed you of this fact. Naturally, this spying shocked you. Since he was a vampire, you asserted your rights as the head of the city’s vampires to execute him. I will not press that last part any farther. Just know I find it hard to believe you did not sanction his acts of treason. But, since Sebastian refused to talk about the matter, no concrete proof exists to the contrary. So, it dies right now.” He glared at Tortego. “That luck you have may not last forever so I’d keep that idea in mind. We will all live with this version of events. Those who live write the history. Sometimes the real truth of events is lost in that recording. Now go priest!”

  Tortego nodded and left. As he did he glanced at Jaime. When he gazed at her face, the vampire shuddered. He immediately made fast plans to publically announce that he leaving for a while to somewhere outside of New York City so he could rest from the strain of fighting the war. The vampire decided it would also be healthier if he found a location that was far from the reach of Quan’s anger. They had both had played for power and lost. Quan would not quickly forgive Tortego’s role in this failure. He realized that New York City’s supernatural world was a place he had best stay away from for some time till passions cooled. As he contemplated his exile he decided to pack light but be sure to bring with him Boethius’s work “The Consolation of Philosophy.” As he walked the dark hallways to his residence he recalled a saying from one of his old teachers back during his time in the seminary: Life is merely a series of endless disappointments ending in an ultimate tragedy.

  “I’d have killed him,” Vinnie whispered to Mark as he watched Tortego depart.

  “Me too,” Mark said as he and Vinnie turned to go. “I think Quan was involved too. No proof of that fact either but the vampire gossip mill has it that Tortego boasted he and the boss were in tune on things here.”

  “I’m watching him. He makes one false move and he disappears,” a grim faced Julio told them as he too prepared to exit with them.

  “I sent a letter to Quan telling him all that happened but also advising all was taken care of. I also told him he need not come here and any visit from him for the foreseeable future would be counterproductive,” Jean-Claude stated taking a bit of pleasure in the surprised look of the other men in the room.

  “Laurent sent word he is liquidating over ninety percent of his family’s personal assets to cover the entire amount of reparations that are due. He felt it was unjust to have his clan pay for his family’s mistakes.“ Jean Claude told his wife once the others had departed.

  “He will make a good leader,” Jaime said.

  “Yes, it will solidify their support for him as their leader. I will approach the Fae to see if they might agree to a modification of the werewolf service time too. I think the idea of having Viola on their backs relentlessly complaining over every task they assign to a werewolf will make them agreeable.” They both smiled. “By the way, my father called me," Jean-Claude casually added. "He and I had a good conversation. We’re reconciled. He also mentioned something about his joy at possibly being a grandfather for a second time."

  "Did he?" Jaime innocently replied. "I wonder what gave him that idea?"

  "Are you..." Jean-Claude began asking then paused.

  "Not yet but maybe we can fix that situation this week," she said while giving him a highly suggestive wink. "Wouldn't want to disappoint him now would you," she giggled.

  “Woof,” Jean-Claude sexily growled as he pulled her into his embrace.

  Mark stuck his head back into the office just in time to see Jean-Claude and Jaime kissing. He smiled and left them alone and quickly joined Julio and Vinnie. "Hey let’s head off for a celebratory drink at the Letter Lounge. I think Shaw probably has our drinks on order already,” he told Julio.

  “I’ll call Dexter to meet us there,” Julio laughed. “Billy is working there right now and it will be nice to relax with my kid and my future son-in-law,” he added. A grin came to his features as he thought about his new growing family then about a certain banshee who refused to take no for an answer. For centuries he had cut himself off from any emotional and physical ties to others. For better or worse, he had opened himself up to family and now, to an occasional unattached sexual intimacy. He would always love his wife and seek her out through the centuries but he knew he could no longer endure never being intimately touched nor would he forever forgo touching another. For the first time he felt alive again.

  “Yeah,” Vinnie chuckled. “I may even flirt a bit with Travis. “ He playfully winked at his spouse. “You can do the same with Sean and Paulo.”

  “Make sure it is only flirting,” Mark teased as the three men left the council building
. “Afterwards let’s go to Eleanor’s and see what gastric marvel Louie Gee has for his patrons tonight. We need to howl guys. Good guys score again,” Mark happily stated as he along with Julio and Vinnie hailed a cab. As they rode in the taxi, Mark sighed with relief. He felt that the worst appeared to be over. He realized however, that he and Jean-Claude still had to talk about those two feeding encounters. Life is complicated and friendship’s wax and wane in their emotional intensity. That was all that really happened. Our friendship simply got too intense, he said to himself. Our talk will be a bit touchy at first but in the end it is nothing to worry about, Mark thought.

  ****

  “So that’s what I found out, Raphael.” Dustin told the tall white haired man. “Viola likes to brag and it was pretty easy to find out what had been going on during these weeks. I mean I knew something was up when she had me pose as Jean-Claude so I knew what to ask about and how to discover the rest. Actually her story about Julian sucking on Jean-Claude and both of them getting erect during it was hysterical” He paused and looked at the angelic messenger of the Heavenly Host. “Did I do well?”

  Raphael smiled. “Oh very much so my agent. It appears Tortego is off the board as a player for the time being. Quan went a touch too far and certainly too fast to win the game we both are playing. His hands are singed and he will have to back off for a time. As for that story involving Mark Julian and the werewolf. Well the word hysterical is not one I’d choose to use”