Page 37 of Mardi Gras Murders & Midnight Masquerades
I nodded in agreement and continued, “He called the masks 'vessels’. He needed six vessels to complete a circuit. And he knew we were coming even before we existed. He's been waiting for us specifically."
"That's impossible," Dre said, her practical naturerebelling against the idea. "How could he know about us before we even had our powers?"
"He did not know your identities until encountering your powers in the tunnels the first time. I think I picked up on him identifying you six," Adèle explained.
“It was a prophecy," Marie suggested. "Or perhaps he's been manipulating events to create the conditions for your emergence."
“That is a disturbing thought,” Adèle said with a shudder. “But a possibility if he is truly as powerful as he seems.”
I shook my head as I remembered the cold touch of his consciousness. "There's also a deeper layer to the mask. It’s personal and unique.”
“A magical fingerprint,” Phi translated. “Something we can track.”
“Exactly.” I swallowed hard, my throat still raw. "And there was an object he wore each time. As you can guess, it was the pendant. The same one Sullivan drew, the one Alexis was wearing."
Dre's expression hardened. "Then we need to talk to Alexis immediately."
"Not just Alexis," I corrected. "We need the whole council. We need to assess if the Society has infiltrated supernatural leadership. And I don’t want us to be the only ones to figure it out. Everyone needs to be involved."
Marie was already on her phone. Her voice was clipped as she called for an emergency council session. The rest of us moved with renewed purpose as Kaitlyn stepped forward and helped us cast new protections over the mask. We would have to keep renewing the efforts so the thing didn’t send us out in the middle of the night seeking the vile mage.
Marie left before we did. After a quick pitstop at the kitchen where we checked in with Cami, we piled into my car and headed for the Sunwhisper Sanctum,the Aegis Council headquarters. Within the hour, we'd assembled in the grand chamber of the old house. The space was filled with representatives from every supernatural faction. Their expressions ranged from annoyed to deeply concerned.
Alexis St. Claire was the last to glide her vampire ass into the room. Her usually perfect composure looked slightly ruffled by our crack-of-dawn summons. Those ancient eyes narrowed when she spotted Marie standing with us. Nobody expected to see rivals playing nice together. Times they were a-changing. Not that we were besties with Marie Leveau or anything. We had a tentative relationship at best. We knew better than to let even a molecule of our guard down around the Queen of Voodoo.
"This had better be important," Talindra said. Her musical voice carried more edge than a switchblade collection. The elf leader's silver eyes flashed with irritation. "Dawn is not a traditional meeting time for most of us." Beside her, Keryth nodded in agreement.
"Some of us need to take a stone nap when the sun comes up," Kassandra grumbled with a yawn. The gargoyle leader’s skin was showing tiny cracks as if to punctuate her comment. "So, let's speed this up."
"Trust me," Dre replied as she stood to address the council. "What we've discovered affects every supernatural in New Orleans. Even you, Molvith."
The ice demon leader's frozen expression didn't change, but the temperature in the room dropped about ten degrees. He had a hard time controlling his anxiety. Dre outlined the latest about the murders and the Society's true purpose. Then she told about the ancient mage pulling strings from the shadows like the world's creepiest puppeteer. I watched the council members' reactions with my best poker face.
Cyran, the light Fae leader, wore his concern openly. He was one of the ones we could trust was on our side. He’dfought beside us more than once. Tanarath, the rage demon’s representative, looked... well, ragey. But it was Alexis I focused on. The vampire leader's expression remained carefully neutral. Though, I detected tension in her posture when Dre mentioned the pendant.
When Dre finished, murmurs filled the chamber as council members turned to each other in hushed debate. Kaveh, the djinn leader, whispered something to Kaitlyn. She was both the witch representative and our greatest ally. Through her, we could trust and count on Kaveh.
Keryth rose first. His elven grace made it look like he was floating on air. "These are serious accusations. What proof do you offer that this... mage... exists? Or that the Society is more than what it claims to be?"
"Nothing definitive. The mage is smart," I said, stepping forward to plunk Sullivan's journal on the table. "But we have records from a mundie police officer. He documented numerous concerning details dating back centuries. And this." I nodded to Marie, who carefully unwrapped the box. She opened the lid to reveal the mask. Our latest containment spell still hummed around it.
"I touched this mask," I continued, meeting each council member's gaze. "My psychometry showed me its creator and his plans. He's been using the Society as a front for centuries. What they do not know is that he has been harvesting their power while its members believe they serve a higher purpose."
Arguments erupted across the table like someone had lit a match in a fireworks factory. Cyran and Talindra defended the Society, calling it an ancient and honorable tradition that preserved knowledge. Tanarath and Molvith, in a rare display of demon unity, condemned it as a dangerous cult. Kaveh and Kaitlyn pointed out that the council could launch an investigation to determine the safety ofthe Society members. That one didn’t go over very well. And through it all, Alexis remained silent. Her ancient eyes were calculating as she watched everything.
"Enough!" Marie's voice cut through the chaos. Her power rippled through the room like a stone dropped in a pond. "The evidence is before you. The question now is what shall be done about it."
"I'd like to hear from Alexis," Kota said. "You were wearing the pendant described in Sullivan's journal. The one that is connected to the mage's magic. I saw it on you the other night."
All eyes turned to the vampire leader. Alexis straightened. Her perfectly manicured fingers splayed on the table before her like she was about to play a particularly intense piano concerto. "I was wondering when we'd arrive at this particular accusation," she said in a voice cool enough to give Molvith a run for his money. "Yes, I possessed such a pendant. No, I am not in league with this mage you describe."
"Then explain the pendant," Kassandra demanded.
Alexis's expression didn't change, but something ancient and deadly flickered in her eyes. It made my survival instincts scream 'danger’! "I've walked this earth for over five centuries. In that time, I've collected many artifacts of power. The pendant came into my possession over a hundred years ago. It was during a particularly chaotic period in New Orleans history."
"That coincides with another cycle of murders," Phi noted as she consulted her tablet like the supernatural Wikipedia she was.
"Indeed," Alexis acknowledged with a slight inclination of her head. "I was investigating those deaths when I encountered a man of unusual power. He claimed to have 'created a group to preserve the greatness of supernatural society’. His arrogance was matched only by his magical strength."
