A Scripta

Alison opened the door as the doorbell rang insistently. Even in the confines of her master's home, she wore pistols and other weapons on her person. She had her off-hand hovering over one of the Barrettas as she opened the door.

The man who stood at the doorstep was familiar to her. "Hey, Alax." She stepped aside for him.

He smiled at her and walked in.

"The master isn't home."

"I know," he said. "I'm here on business."

"Tommy's in the office."

Alax nodded and walked up the sloping stairs to the second floor. His sensitive hearing picked up Guns and Roses from one of the rooms beyond. He walked to the end of the hall and peeked in the open door.

Tommy was slaving at a computer screen. Alax walked in, and put his arm around Tommy, hugging him from behind. Tommy tilted his head up. "Hey."

"Hey yourself."

Tommy removed his hands from the keyboard and took a hold of Alax's arm wrapped around him, and leaned into his embrace. "Dmitrius isn't coming home."

"I know."

Tommy turned around. "How do you know?"

"He called Rowena. She sent me here to let you know she's laying claim to y'all."

Tommy gazed at him. "What?!"

"Dmitrius told her to."

"He didn't tell me!"

Alax stepped back. "I want to know what's so important up there. What did he tell you?"

"He was looking for someone."

"Another leech?"

"I don't know." He turned back to the computer. "He purchased a throw-away phone yesterday and texted me the number."

"Call him, then."

"I have to wait until at least four. Sunset's two hours later there."

Alax started walking around the room. "Is he selling the house? Is he coming back to get his things?"

"Alax, I really don't know. He only said he wasn't coming back."

"You're his seneschal, you should know these things."

He slammed his hand on the desk. Before, it would easily rattle everything on the desk. But he hadn't had Dmitrius' blood in over a month, so his abilities were waning. "He's been acting weird over two months now, ever since going to Rhode Island the first time! He told me nothing, NOTHING."

"Not even about his trip?"

"Nothing." He got up. "He can't just leave us here," he said with a small moan.

Alax went over to him. "Looks like he's going to."

Alax stayed with Tommy for the rest of the day, leaving just before sunset. About three hours after that, while the members of the household tackled Rock Band, the front door blew open.

"Here's your eviction notice, motherfuckers!" yelled someone, and threw a grenade into the foyer, landing just under the stairs. Armed ghouls surged forward, as the grenade exploded, the stairs taking most of the impact and blowing up.

Tommy was in the kitchen, frantically calling the Prince's ghoul when a woman in a black leather jacket stormed in, guns blazing. He dove under the table as the phone connected.

"Chuck! This is the sheriff's house. We're under attack!"

"He's not the sheriff anymore," Chuck said, and disconnected.

Tommy got hauled up by the scruff of his neck from under the table and stared into blackened eyes of a full vampire. "LUNCH!" the woman yelled, and bit savagely into his neck.


Cardinal Sir Geoffrey watched with satisfaction as his minions carted out items from the mansion. Artwork, furniture, belongings of ghouls - and a beautifully engraved silver coffin with velvet and silk lining - all found their way into his U-Haul trucks.

One of his servants came over to him. "Here's the wissy's phone," she said, and tossed it overhand to him. He caught it on the fly, and opened it, scanning the numbers. "Asshole had no taste," continued the servant, disgusted.

Geoffrey smiled, ignoring the woman. He noted the number in the text message, then dialed it. It connected, and he said, "Hello, Sheriff," before he was hung up on. Geoffrey gazed at the phone in shock. "How rude." He put it in his pocket and promptly forgot about it.

He looked up at the ants taking the treasures from the mansion. "When they're done," he said, turning away, "burn it to the ground."

"Right," said the woman, and started walking away, yelling at the top of her lungs to have them move faster.