Chapter 6: A glass of bourbon.

  Roberto stood in the middle of Lamar’s shop just in a shirt, his boxer briefs, and boots. He was holding his now wet pants that tried cleaning the blood out of in the bathroom sink.

  “Why are you half naked in my shop?”

  “I was trying to clean the blood out of my pants, but did you say that you got a reaction.”

  “Can you get dressed first?”

  “But there wet and bloody.” Roberto made a face of disgust.

  “For goodness sake,” Lamar snapped his finger and the pants were now free of blood and dry, they even looked brand new, and the blood that was spilled all over the floor and counter was no longer there either. Amazed at his power Roberto thanked him.

  “So it was a potion?” Roberto said kicking off his boots so he could put his pants back on.

  “Looks that way, and not a very strong one either.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “The darker the color the stronger the potion, this one turned black but more of a muddy black.”

  “Well that makes me feel a bit weak minded.” Roberto admitted.

  “How come?” Lamar was confused by the comment, Roberto was a royal, he was a pureblood, and they are the top of the vampireic food chain.

  “That a weak potion was able to get me to go after you like that, I should’ve been able to resist it.” Roberto started sulking.

  “Welp you didn’t, so build a bridge and move on.”

  “That was a bit harsh don’t you think.” Roberto said with a ting of annoyance in his voice.

  “Maybe so, but right now we got bigger problems, one being that whoever made this potion has to know me or been around me at some point. A potion that makes the drinker go after a specific target like you did would have had to have some of my DNA in there.” Lamar had a few bookshelves behind his counter where he kept the grimoire for the more experience mage.

  “Your DNA, how would someone get that from you without you knowing?”

  “Plenty of ways, it could have been from a napkin I wiped my mouth on, could be hair from my beard, could have been from gum I threw away, but its not about the how, it’s more about the who.” Lamar grabbed a few grimoires and placed them in his bag, the potion he was looking for could be in anyone of them. “I’m going to need your help looking through these books if you don’t mind.”

  “No I don’t mind, but if you know it was a potion then why do we need to figure out what kind?”

  “Because if we can figure out what kind we can figure out who made it, a potion like this regardless of its strength isn’t going to take ingredients you can just find in your kitchen cabinets.” Lamar grabbed a few more things from his shop, he made Roberto put back on the glasses and in the earbuds and they made their way out of the market, once they back in Elle’s diner he took the glasses and earbuds from Roberto and walked towards the door.

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  “Lamar,” Elle called before he walked out the door. “Let me talk to you for a minute,” she looked at Roberto, “in private.” Lamar told Roberto he’ll meet him at the cars. He walked over to Elle as she stood behind diner’s long counter.

  “I’m not your mom, hell I’m not even a blood relative, but I think of you boys like my own. I don’t know what is going on for you to bring a vampire in here but it must be something important.” She reached under the counter and grabbed a picnic basket that was full of sandwiches and chips and a large thermos of coffee. “Take these I got a feeling you’re going to need them. Lamar smiled, Elle walked around the counter so she was face to face with Lamar, she stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him on the cheek.

  “You be careful you hear me. Don’t be reckless and watch out for the others, promise me.”

  “I promise.” Lamar said, as he grabbed the basket and thermos. As he headed for the door he looked back and thanked her again for the food and coffee.

  Elle watched as Lamar existed the diner, “Martha,” Elle called to the other night waitress, “I need you to watch the front for a bit I need to make a call.” Elle made her way to her back office and closed and locked the door. She went over to her desk and pulled put a blue jagged crystal no bigger than an apple from the bottom drawer. Setting it on the desk she waved her hand over the top of the crystal and whispered “conceal.” There was a small flash of light that emanated from the crystal and then glowed dimly which indicated to her that it was working. She turned on her computer and scrolled through her contacts until she found who she was looking for, “Elle, now isn’t this a surprise.”

  “Councilman.” Councilman Thomas sat in his office at his home that Elle and him use to share.

  “Wow that’s how things are going to be between us.” Thomas said. “Fine then, Miss Howler what can I do for you?”

  “We have a problem, Lamar brought a vampire into the diner tonight.”

  “Okay.” Thomas said now wondering why she called him this late in the morning. He wasn’t sleep most if not all duskers former or current are night owls.

  “It was a royal Thomas.” Elle was getting angry.

  “What’s the big deal Elle?” Thomas said in a mocking tone.

  “You know what forget I even called you alright, of course you wouldn’t care when it comes to your precious royals.” Elle got up from her chair in a huff. “You know for once I wish you’d take off those rose colored glasses you have for them and see them for what they truly are,” Elle grabbed a bottle of bourbon and a glass off of a shelf in her office and poured herself a small glass.

  “And what is that Elle?” This was the same argument that they have had countless of times, and frankly Thomas has had enough.

  “Killers!” Elle downed the glass of brown liquid and poured herself another one.

  “I’m not going to have this argument with you, it’s late and I have a council meeting in five hours,” Elle rolled her eyes at the camera so he would see. Besides should we really be having this conversation at your diner where anyone can hear?”

  “One I’m in my office and two I used the concealment crystal Lamar gave me, no one is going to hear or be able to see anything in here for the next 20 minutes,” She poured herself another glass.

  “You might want to slow down.” Thomas said.

  “You might want to go to hell.” Elle replied.

  “Yeah so I’m done with this conversation.” Thomas ended the call.

  “Wait,” Elle sat back down at her desk. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that, it’s just these boys mean so much to me and I thought they did to you too.”

  “Who says I don’t?” Thomas shifted his body in his chair to be closer to the camera. “Elle the difference between me and you is that I trust them to be able to handle themselves. Do you really think that Lamar would do anything to put the others and you in harms way?”

  “You’re right, I just don’t know why he was with him?”

  “Did you ask?” Thomas said.

  “No.” Elle admitted.

  “Then how can you be mad or worried if you didn’t even ask him what was going on. Oh before I forget, I offered Lamar my seat on the council.” Elle’s eyes got wide.

  “You did wh…” Thomas ended the call before she could finish her statement.