Page 18 of Addicted in Blood
With our arrival, I’d missed the opportunity to steer him toward Devon’s addiction.I sighed and glanced out the window.
Tall brick walls surrounded the property, and similar to the one in L.A., two massive rod iron gates were open, leading to a small security booth.After Sergi flashed a card and a quick computer scan of our faces, we were allowed to proceed.The driveway curved around expansive green lawns spotted here and there with oak trees, the Spanish moss hanging from the stately branches.
The library depicted an old Southern plantation complete with tall white columns supporting a veranda that appeared to wrap around the building.
If I’d just woken up in my room in Santiga Bay and looked out the window, I’d have no doubt I’d been transported to the South.What told me I was most likely near New Orleans were the two decorative yard posts that each sported two symbols.I recognized the style of design from the quick internet search about voodoo I’d performed after finding the bone in my pillowcase.My first hunch was that it was some type of warding or protection spell.As beautiful as the symbols were, a shiver ran through me.
Sergi slowed when we reached a split in the road.A sign for general parking showed a symbol for going left.Below that another sign showed VIP parking straight ahead where the drive appeared to take the visitor to the front entrance.
He turned left, and though there was plenty of open parking, he drove to the back of the lot where it branched off to another smaller lot.A chain had been strung across the drive, so Sergi couldn’t pass, but he stopped the car and leaned toward the windshield as if trying to get a better view.
“What is it?”I leaned forward, as if I knew what we were looking for.
“The black limo on the far side.”
There were five cars in the lot.Two were limos, two were sedans, all four black as midnight and polished to a sheen.The fifth car was an expensive-looking red sports car, most likely European.
“I see it.”
“I think that belongs to Lafitte.”
“Didn’t you tell him the museum was the main reason for our coming to New Orleans?”
“Yes.”
When he didn’t elaborate, I kept quiet.The car wasn’t moving, so he must be thinking.It was best not to interrupt.I’d learned that the hard way, which resulted in lovely bruises to my left hip and right shoulder.That didn’t include the other aches that took a couple days to work out, and that was after an Epsom salt bath and time in the hot tub.
“He knows we’ll be here for several days.”Sergi squinted in thought.It wasn’t the first time I’d noted that as gruff as he was, he had an old-world beauty to him.“We could have chosen to visit the library at any time.What I found most interesting was the way he greeted us at the manor.It was almost as if he’d been waiting for us before rushing to be on his way.”
“Was he hoping we’d come here after meeting with him?Does he want us to know he’s here for some reason, or is this all just a coincidence?”
He turned his expressionless gaze on me.“Do you know what I like about your constant barrage of questions?”
This was one of those no-answers-are-safe kind of questions.Everyone in the manor was aware of my inability to control my constant need to know everything.It had become somewhat of a joke at my expense, and I’d learned to live with it.They weren’t entirely wrong.
“You’re going to tell me regardless.”
Another rare smile.“They’re starting to make sense.”
This was the moment, and far from the first time, where I had to decide whether to focus on the part where he appreciated my questions or become irritated over the fact he shared compliments in a way that reflected how stupid I’d been before.Since we’d be traveling together for a few days, I decided to be a grownup and kept my mouth shut.
He took a last look at the limo before the car made a slow turn as he took us back to a closer parking spot.
The entry to the library was met by a custodian with the same friendly disposition as the one in L.A.—and, yes, I was being facetious.After the “Welcome to the Renaud Museum of Vampirology & Knowledge” spiel, we were handed a map that was a replica of the one I picked up in SoCal.The only exception was the list of events on the back page.I stuffed the map in my pocket to review later.
I was surprised Sergi didn’t ask about Philipe Renaud or ask for a manager at the front desk.Instead, he led me down to the third sub-basement floor and the rare book collection.The same place Simone and I had searched for theDe første dage—the elusive book that might or might not share secrets to the origin of vampires.We perused the books as if we had an interest.I could barely read the covers since most were in other languages, or a form of English so old it might as well be a foreign language.
After twenty painful minutes, a custodian appeared from around a suit of armor that, based on the sign at the base of the stand, placed the artifact from the fifteen hundreds.I had a hard time imagining Devon wearing something similar.
“Can I be of assistance, sir?”The custodian, a thin woman with rimmed glasses, frizzed hair, and a bland expression blinked up at Sergi, completely ignoring me.
“Yes, you might be.”Sergi put away the book he’d been perusing and gave the custodian as pleasant an expression as he could muster.“I’m in town for a short time and had to stop by to gather some information for a research project.”He waved a hand.“You wouldn’t be interested in that.But I thought while I was here I’d check in on an old friend.He’s usually in town this time of year.”
“Certainly.Does he work at the museum?”
“I believe he’s still the curator.Philipe Renaud.”
I sidestepped to the left to catch the custodian’s expression when the Renaud name was mentioned.She was good.If I hadn’t been watching for it, the change in her pupils and the quick glance to her left told me she was cooking up a lie.
