Tre Lloyd Adventures Ch. 05

I plopped down into my chair after replacing my long cold coffee with a fresh cup. I checked the progress of my search engine and didn't like what I was seeing. Six hours of searching through database after database had turned up nothing so far. I had put in calls to several of my contacts as well, asking them to be listening for any word about the Eclipses or the Sun Chasers and offering good money to any who brought me the information I was looking for.

Over the next three days I split my time between my library and exercising with my sword in my back yard. I worked diligently on both the physical and magical aspects of my training. I was working through an exercise against 3 opponents when the phone rang. I cut the exercise short and answered it, sweat streaming down my face and body. "This is Tre."

"Tre, I found some of the information you wanted." I recognized the voice as Evan, one of my informant's in the downtown Memphis area. "How much are you willing to pay for it?"

I laughed, "Before I can tell you that, I have to hear what you have to offer."

"Ok. I got a little information on the Eclipses and the Sun Chasers. I also got some extra information I thought you might like." I made a sound of irritation as I walked into the house and into my library, half shivering at the air conditioning on my soaked skin. I turned on the recorder on my phone in the library and picked it up as I hung up the other, leaving Evan no idea that I had switched or that the conversation was being recorded.

I listened to Evan blathering on about how dangerous it was for him to get the info and cut him off, telling him to get on with it. "Of course Tre. I did some checking around about the Eclipses and the Sun Chasers. They are both factions within the Vampire hierarchy of Memphis. They are both on the bottom of the hierarchy, but they are there." I listened, curious as to how the Sun Chasers could be my allies if they were vampires, the very people I fought against. Evan continued, "Believe it or not, they are said to be daywalkers. Vampires that can walk around in the day as well as any human."

I interrupted him, "Wait a second Evan. Daywalkers as in Blade was a daywalker? That was just a movie. They are not real."

"Yes, Tre, as in Blade was a daywalker. Supposedly the idea for the movies came from these experiments. It was a way to introduce the idea to the public and see what they would think about a daywalking vampire. The Eclipses and the Sun Chasers are two factions of vampires that are both daywalkers, but opposed to each other from what I have heard. The Eclipses are loyal to the Duchess. They are rewarded by her and her court lavishly. The Sun Chasers, on the other hand, hate the vampires. They do not like that they were turned into vampires before birth and when they were born, taken from their mothers."

I spoke up again. "Wait, how were they turned into vampires before birth? That would take turning the mothers."

"That's right, Tre. The mothers were turned into vampires while carrying the children. Some were made while the child was close to birth. Others were turned at various times in the pregnancy. The vampire who created the individuals is generally unknown to them. Freyja did create some of them personally. Only one name is known for any of them. He calls himself 'Achilles' although that is not his real name from what I gather. He and all of the Sun Chasers choose false names to protect themselves, typical subversive tactics. I learned a lot, and I need to get out of town before they find out that I talked to you. How much will you pay?"

I chuckled. "I'll pay you $1,500 for what you've given me. You said you had some extra information. What was it?"

"Oh! Yeah, I almost forgot. You've been marked, Tre."

"Marked? What do you mean 'marked'?" I asked him.

"The 'Blue Dragon' has been sent after you." He replied. When I asked him who the 'Blue Dragon' was, he answered quickly, "I am not sure exactly. All I know is that it is the Duchess's premier assassin."

"It?" I asked.

"Yes, it." He laughed. "The Blue Dragon is known to exist, but that is all that anyone will be able to tell you about it. Not much is known except that the Dragon has risen quick through the ranks of Freyja's helpers in the last few years."

"Thank you, Evan," I said. "I will add another $1000 to the payment. See you when things cool down." I hung up the phone and summoned a spirit. I set $3000 on the desk and sent the spirit to deliver the $2500 plus a small bonus to Evan. I watched as the spirit surrounded the money with its essence and disappeared along with the stack of bills. I sat back in my chair to think about Evan's information.

The name 'Blue Dragon' seemed familiar to me but I couldn't place it. I went back into the Order's databases and ran a search for the name. In almost no time at all the search engine came back with a seeming multitude of hits for the name. I began opening the files at random and skimming them for information. After I skimmed a handful of the files, I began to notice a pattern in the victims who had fallen to this assassin. Since its first job almost 10 years before, mages had been targeted by the Blue Dragon almost exclusively. Some had died from its attacks; others had disappeared and were rumored to be vampires now.

I made a list of its victims and had to salute the Dragon's skill. Some of the mages taken out were very powerful and/or very skillful. I recognized a few of the names personally from the few meetings of the Order of Hecate that I had actually attended. Most of them I knew only in passing from reading about them or from word of mouth.

After scanning all of the files, I sent an engine through them looking for a description or pictures of the Dragon. Within moments, the search engine had returned with zero hits for a description or pictures. Frustrated, I unleashed my search engines on the remaining databases and went to the refrigerator for a beer. I tossed the top into the trash and went back to my library, sitting down in front of the computer and frowning as the search engines return with nothing.

Resisting the urge to put my fist through the monitor in frustration, I signed into my email account and sent out a message to all of the addresses listed with a certain contact name. Once the email was on its way, I logged into a different account on another server and went to a chat room hidden on the server. I drank my beer and part of another one waiting on everyone to arrive. As soon as everyone arrived, I gave them a basic rundown on what had been told to me. They all wanted to take some kind of action but none were sure just what action needed to be taken.

Finally I agreed to have them all meet me at The Villa, a good sized farmhouse, built after the Roman fashion in the heart of northern Mississippi. It belongs to Arianna on paper, or to one of her businesses in New Orleans to be precise, but she gave me a key to use it when I wanted to. She keeps it stocked with a variety of foods and has provided a set of spirit 'slaves' to work the house and grounds. I sent a spirit to The Villa to have it prepared for an extended stay by six guests.

I turned off my computer and went into the living room by way of the kitchen, snagging a Mountain Dew from the refrigerator and flopping down on the couch. I turned on the set and clicked to watch the shows I had caught on my DVR. I started with Alias and set it to play through CSI and a couple of History Channel shows. I had just dozed off when the phone rang. I picked it up and mumbled a sleepy "Hello?" into it.

The voice on the other end of the line snapped me out of my drowsy state quickly. "Hey, Tre, this is Marie."

I sat up, rubbing the back of my arm across my eyes. "Hey, Marie. How have you been?" The voice called to mind the memory of the short woman with the long brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that could almost swallow a man whole. I smiled to myself and closed my eyes and envisioned her smile as I had first seen it.

She laughed, shaking me out of my reverie. "I've been good. I was just calling to see if tonight was still on for us."

I thought and remembered that she and I were supposed to go clubbing tonight. "Yeah. We are still on for tonight, Marie. Just let me get changed and I will be over there to pick you up. No motorcycle right?" I chuckled remembering the time I had played a prank on her and showed up at her apartment on my motorcycle.

"That's right. NO motorcycle." She laughed. "So I will see you in an hour or so?"

I smiled and answered, "Yes, that is about right. I will see you soon."

"Bye Tre. See you soon." She said. I said bye and hung up the phone, already headed for the shower. I quickly showered and dressed. After pulling on my boots, I turned for my closet and grabbed my duster. I folded it over my arm and headed for the kitchen, grabbing a Mountain Dew. I snagged my keys off of the counter and headed out to the garage. With a grin I walked around my motorcycle, committing it to memory to play a prank on Marie, before climbing into the Viper.

I cranked up the Vipers motor and backed out of the garage and into the street. Within a matter of minutes I was pulling into the apartment complex that Marie lived in. I parked the Viper away from her building and walked on over, casually casting a spell to create an illusion of my motorcycle in an empty parking spot right next to her apartment. I walked up and knocked on her door and heard "Come on in, Tre" called through it. I opened the door and walked in, looking around at the furnishings.

I sat down on one end of her sofa and waited for her to finish getting ready. She opened her bedroom door and peeked around it, "I will be right there. I am just finishing up." She blew me a kiss and closed the door behind her. I smiled and just made myself comfortable on her sofa, waiting on her to finish getting ready. I heard the door open and looked over, unable to stop my mouth from dropping open in a look of shock. She laughed and turned in a slow circle, raising her hands above her head. "Well, what do you think?"

I swallowed the huge lump that had appeared in my throat and just nodded, not trusting myself to talk at the moment. She turned once more, even slower, enjoying the effect. As she turned I let my eyes roam her from top to bottom, enjoying the way the short black skirt clung in all the right spots, accentuating her muscular legs and firm ass. I looked higher, licking my lips at the top she was wearing. It was practically a bikini top, concealing yet showing off her firm breasts perfectly. It wrapped around her back, going up her chest, crossing in front of her throat and hooking behind the neck, with a six inch 'skirt' of see through silk that left her trim belly bare.

I stood up and walked over to her, putting my hands on her sides, leaning down a bit and kissing her lips softly, whispering "Very nice, Marie. You look good enough to eat."

She smiled and winked. "Maybe later. The clubs are calling first." She spun away from my hands and headed over to the door, grabbing a small coat and putting it on. She grabbed her keys and handed them to me to hold for her. We went out the door and she closed it behind us. As we walked around the corner facing the parking lot she stopped, pointing at the parking lot where the illusion of my motorcycle was sitting. "What is that?" I looked to where she was pointing and back at her, smiling innocently. "I told you not to bring the motorcycle." She got a mischievous grin on her face and held her hand out "I need my keys please."

"For what?" I asked her.

"I have to go change. I can not wear this outfit and ride on a motorcycle, so I have to go change." I quickly released the illusion of the motorcycle. She laughed when it disappeared. "That is what I thought would happen if I threatened to change clothes on you. So where did you park?" She laughed and walked up, sliding an arm through mine.

I pointed with the other hand to where I had left the car and we started walking that way. I unlocked the door and opened it for her, watching as she got inside. She grinned up at me as she saw me looking, shifting a bit on the seat, giving me a clear view of her smooth shaven mound, uncovered by any panties, before pulling her thighs back together. I grinned and closed the door and walked around, climbing into the driver's seat and cranking the car up. "So where to first?"

She pressed herself against my arm and whispered the name of a club in my ear. I looked at her curiously and she just nodded. I shifted the car into gear and got headed out that way. Marie leaned against my arm and we talked quietly as I drove.

I pulled up into the parking lot and into a space. After shutting down the engine I got out and walked around the car, opening the door for Marie. I looked over suddenly from admiring her legs as she turned to get out of the car as a motorcycle slid into the parking lot. I looked at the helmeted rider for a second before noticing that the figure was laughing. Before I could say anything though, the rider took off again into the night, cutting off a car as it powered back into traffic.

Marie peeked over my shoulder in the direction the motorcycle rider went. "Someone you know Tre?"

I shrugged, looking over my shoulder at her. "I don't know. Not that I can think of."

She laughed and bit my earlobe. "Then let's go inside and have some fun." She grabbed my arm and half dragged me into the gentlemen's club. I paid the cover and we walked inside. She pointed me towards a table close to the main stage and we threaded our way between tables and waitresses and sat down. We ordered our drinks and sat down to watch the girls dancing. She scooted her chair around the table closer to me and I slid my arm around her shoulders. She leaned close so we could talk and be heard over the music blaring out of the speakers. The waitress came back with our drinks and I paid her for them, adding a generous tip to keep her attention on our table.

The music died down and the DJ's voice exploded through the sound system announcing the next dancer coming onto the main stage. Marie's hand tightened on my arm and she leaned up, whispering in my ear, "oooh, Kimberly. I met her at the casino the other night at work. I heard she was an excellent dancer. She told me she worked here. That's why I wanted to come here tonight."

I grinned at her before looking back up at the stage as a leggy brunette walked up the small stairs. My curiosity was piqued as she had a red cape held tight around her, covering her from neck to mid-thigh. Suddenly all of the lights near the stage went dark and the music went silent. I looked around to see if it was a malfunction or something and the music started up again. I was surprised at the quiet, slow pace of what sounded like a classical piece of music, but not one I was familiar with.

With a flash the lights turned back on, focusing on the stage just as the music blared and picked up in tempo. I looked back at the stage in time to see the red cape flying back away from her, revealing her dancing outfit, a blue bikini with the red and gold 'S' of Superman on each large full breast, and the front and back of the bikini bottom. Marie and I both laughed as we saw that, watching as she began her routine. She flowed from move to move, keeping time to the music perfectly, even as she began to remove her outfit.

Marie rose and grabbed a couple of bills from the table where I had set them and walked up to the stage, waving them back and forth. Kimberly, in a wonderful show of skill, kept her upper body and arms moving in time to the music and walked, well, strutted, her way over to the stairs, a flowing arm gesturing Marie to come over there without breaking the routine of the dance. The men watching hooted and whistled as Marie, well aware that the men were watching her as well as Kimberly, strutted her stuff over to the stairs. She put one of the bills between her lips and wiggled it, Kimberly smiled and, keeping her legs and lower torso moving, reached out, pulling Marie's head towards her chest, almost completely burying it there before pushing the full mounds together to snag the bill.

She kept her body moving to the interesting music and gestured for Marie to sit down and lay back with her head on the stage. Marie did as instructed and, still keeping her body swaying at one pace and her arms at another, Kimberly lowered herself and plucked the bill from her lips with a smile. As Marie sat up, Kimberly leaned over and kissed her full on the mouth, before moving to whisper in her ear, nodding at something Marie said to her and rise to continue her dance. Marie made her way back over to me and leaned down to nip at my ear as she stepped around me to sit down.

"Have fun sweetie?" I asked her, chuckling.

She nodded, an excited flush to her cheeks, "Very much so. I told her to come over here when she got off of the stage. I hope you don't mind." She laughed and leaned over against me, watching Kimberly's dance as it sped up, her movements faster and faster, ever keeping time with the music.

I slid an arm around Marie, pulling her tight against my side, loving the feeling of her body pressed against me as we watched Kimberly's willowy movements on stage. The waitress came by and I ordered us another round. The music began to slow down and the lights to dim as the tall brunette's dance obviously wound down. The waitress came back as the lights went up, setting our drinks down and taking the empties. I paid and tipped her and looked back to the stage.

Kimberly was back on her feet and as the music came up, a popular rock song this time, she began to dance, showing her ability, but none of the graceful deliberate movements of the first dance. Marie and I took turns taking her money, although I do believe that she, and the watching men, enjoyed it more when Marie took it to her. I know that I enjoyed watching the way Marie walked when she knew people were watching her.

After the lights went down on the last dance of Kimberly's set, Marie leaned up and nipped at my earlobe. "Still want her to join us?" I nodded and she laughed. "Good, I do too." The DJ announced that Kimberly would be on the floor in a few minutes and that other dancers would take the main and two secondary stages momentarily.

Marie leaned over and turned my face to look at her, kissing my lips as she held my face to hers. I pulled her tight to me and returned the kiss, feeling her tongue slip between my lips as I resisted the urge to slide my hand down and squeeze her ass. The kiss continued until a long curtain of brown hair fell over us and a soft voice spoke, "You wanted me to join you? Because it looks like you have things well under control."

I broke the kiss and looked over my shoulder to see Kimberly standing there with an amused smile on her face. "Of course. Please, have a seat." Marie sat up and I rose to pull out a chair for Kimberly. She took it and smiled at us. "Would you like a drink, Kimberly?" I gestured for the waitress and she came over, bringing Kimberly a Crown Royal and Coke, her usual I guessed. I paid the waitress with the usual tip and looked over at Kimberly. "That was some interesting music you danced to in your first dance. I'm not familiar with it. Who composed it?"

Kimberly smiled shyly and sipped from her drink. "I composed it. I studied ancient music in college and some friends who are into a master and slave lifestyle, I can't remember the name of it, asked me to study the information given on the musical instruments described in the books they had and see if I could recreate them digitally using synthesizers." She drank from her drink again, shrugging. "I could and I did synthesize them. Since then, I have been writing tunes for them using the music program on my computer. I burn them all to disk and some I bring here to dance to."