Reese Ch. 03

"Can you check to see if previous guest lists are posted?"

"Sure... how are things going there?" Marco asked.

"As well as can be expected," Reese replied and said no more.

"Here we are," Marco said. "The last guest list...Rossi isn't on it. Nor is he on the one before it. Do you want me to start arranging for a trip to Germany?"

"Yes and pack your bags, you're going too," Reese replied. "I'll call you later with details."

He felt someone approaching and turned around. Leo was standing by the door with a woman.

"This is Shirley, the one who has all of Rossi's financial information."

Reese nodded at the woman and then spoke to Leo.

"Get her and as many others out of here as you can. Take them to the far end of the beach, there will be a van waiting there. The keys are in the ignition... one of you knows how to drive I hope?"

"I do," Shirley piped up.

"Good, now get to work." Reese said.

"Wait! Where am I driving to?" Shirley asked.

Reese gave her an address and then vanished.

*****

Paolo couldn't take it anymore. He opened himself and began to listen to the conversations going on around him. He was hoping to hear what was going on between Leo and Barresi. He had come to the conclusion that they were where the problem was. Not for the first time, he wished that he had killed Leo and kept his wife alive. It was time to rectify things. After the party, Leo would join his wife in the afterlife as he had always wanted.

Finally, since he wasn't enjoying himself; Paolo decided to end the party early. The Elena scenario would have to wait until another time. He was going to make the announcement when suddenly Reese was standing before him. Paolo jumped.

"Control your fear," Reese said calmly. "You and I need to talk and we can't do that if you're dead."

"What do you want?" Paolo asked as he looked around for security.

"They aren't here," Reese replied. "You called them and relieved them of duty about an hour ago. You even arranged to pay them a bonus for the inconvenience."

"I did no such thing!" Paolo shouted.

"Ahhh but you did," Reese countered. "You even released the humans."

"Who are you and what do you want?" Paolo asked angrily.

"You are still the pompous ass I see," Reese remarked. "If I were you, I would end this party now. The smell of rutting won't hide the scent of your fear for much longer."

Reese looked at the women sitting on either side of Paolo. Only one of the two was vampire and he could tell which one by the way her nostrils flared when she smelled Rossi's fear.

"Ladies, you may take your leave," Reese said with a bow of his head. "Say nothing to anyone on your way out."

The human woman wasted no time, the vampire hesitated.

"Addie come on!" the human woman called. "Let's get out of here!"

The relieved tone of the human woman's voice was enough to make the female vampire move. She took the human woman's hand and led her away. Paolo watched speechless that he would be disrespected in his own home and by a stranger no less. His outrage covered the increasing scent of his fear.

"How dare you come into my home and..."

"Shut up!" Reese said cutting him off. "End this party now or I'll call attention to you and your fear."

When Paolo didn't say anything, Reese straightened up and opened his mouth.

"Everyone!" Paolo shouted before Reese could speak. "I regret to say that I must cut this evening short. Something has come up that requires my complete attention. Unfortunately, I must ask all of you to leave."

"The humans stay," Reese whispered.

"What?" Paolo asked.

"I said that the humans stay unless they want to go with them."

"I can..."

Reese's raised eyebrows silenced him.

"Excuse me everyone! I know that I usually allow you to take the party favors with you, but this time they must stay unless they decide to go with you willingly. I promise to have them at the next party which will be soon."

"What the fuck is going on?" Someone asked grumpily. "I had her warmed up and ready."

"Again, my apologies," Paolo said. "Now if you will all please vacate the premises."

Thirty minutes later, the last guest was gone. All of the staff with the exception of Natalie and Leo was also gone. Leo had been unable to persuade Natalie to leave. They walked into the room side by side.

"Get me a drink," Paolo demanded.

Natalie scurried off while Leo remained where he was.

"What are you staring at? Go get my robe!" Paolo said as he stared at Reese.

"I am no longer your slave," Leo said taking a step forward.

"I am your maker, so that makes you my slave," Paolo replied. "Now do as I say and your punishment for speaking out of turn may not be too severe."

Leo looked at Reese and nodded.

"Now, would you care to tell me what this is all about?" Paolo asked.

Reese pointed to a chair, did a come hither motion and sat down when it reached him.

"You were much more difficult to get to than Alberto was, but not as hard as Edward who I believe tried to warn you."

Paolo startled, but said nothing.

"I've been looking for you for a very long time and thanks to technology and your ego, I have finally found you."

"You killed Alberto and Edward?" Paolo asked shocked. He hadn't heard about Edward's death.

"I did," Reese admitted. "You see, I have this list. Most of the names have been crossed off. After you, I have four left."

"Why are you doing this?" Paolo asked, "I did nothing to you! I don't even know you!"

"But I know you," Reese replied. "You are part of the reason that my family died. You are part of the reason that I am as you now see me."

Reese could see Paolo frantically trying to remember him. By this time, Natalie had come back with Paolo's drink, but he was no longer interested in it. His attention was focused on Reese. He had even forgotten that he had asked Leo to get him a robe until he appeared with it.

"Look, if I did something to you or your family, I'm sorry," Paolo said in the most conciliatory voice that he could muster. "If money will help ease the pain of your loss, I can arrange..."

"You have no money," Reese interrupted. "Therefore you have nothing that I want except for one thing."

"What do you mean that I have no money?" Paolo asked thinking that Reese was joking.

"All of your money and that includes the Swiss accounts and the Cayman Island accounts are gone. The only wealth that you have is what you're wearing on your head."

"You lie!"

"Leo, go get his laptop," Reese said. "In the meantime, I'm going to ask you a few questions. You can refuse to answer, but if you do; I can't make any promises as to how you will die. I believe that Leo has an axe to grind with you by the name of Rosaria. I have four axes to grind with you, but I am prepared to be merciful. I can't say the same of Leo."

Leo walked in with the laptop and handed it to Paolo. Paolo looked at the laptop as if it was a foreign object and then turned it on. Reese, Natalie and Leo waited and watched his reaction. Leo smiled when he saw Paolo's expression go from disbelief to horror as he looked through his accounts. The balance in all of them was zero.

"You put too much trust in technology and overestimate your control over people," Reese said. "So you see, you really have nothing that I don't already have."

Paolo was now sweating and his heart pounded. He looked first at Natalia and then at Leo. They were ready to attack. He knew that the only thing stopping them was Reese.

"You mentioned information; will you let me live if I tell you what you want to know?"

"No," Reese replied. "The only thing that I will promise you is that your death will be quick. I want to know about the Borcelli's ball. When is it?"

"I... I don't know," Paolo replied his eyes glued to Natalie and Leo. "For security reasons the date, time and place aren't announced until a few days before. The same goes for the guest list."

"I want you to get me into that ball," Reese said firmly.

"Are you crazy? I can't do that! I don't even know if I'm invited. And even if I were, I couldn't take you."

"Then you are of no use to me," Reese said as he reached for the now terrified vampire. "But before you die, I want to tell you how we met."

By the time Reese was finished, Paolo's attitude had changed. He was no longer the king of the castle, but a blubbering coward who begged for his life.

"I have agreed to let Leo have some time with you," Reese said his voice deceptively soft. "How does it feel to know that your life is in the hands of another? You could have shown mercy to me that day. If not for you I would not have taken the disease home to my family. They might have gotten it anyway, but we will never know. Because of you, the doctor refused to come tend to my daughter so spare me your pleas for mercy. They are falling on deaf ears."

"Please," Natalie said softly. "Spare him. You have already taken away everything that matters to him."

"Are you his mate?" Reese asked.

"Yes," Natalia lied.

"That you would lie for one such as him is commendable, but that does not change the fact that he must die. You may bid him farewell if you wish..."

"Who are you to decide these things?" Natalia asked. "Are you god? Do you have a direct line to his ear? We all deserve another chance! Please do not kill him!"

"It has been decided," Reese said. "Leo, take him down the one of the basement rooms. I will give you fifteen minutes to exact your revenge but you may not kill him."

"Listen to her!" Paolo screamed. "Let me live and I swear that you will never hear from or about me again!"

Reese lifted Paolo from the chair and carried him to the basement. He could hear Natalia screaming and crying, begging for Paolo's life as they headed for the basement. Paolo tried to break free, but couldn't. He didn't understand it. He was older than Leo and should have been able to break free of him easily. Reese he understood, they had been made in the same year.

Once again he tried to bargain.

"Give me a chance! I'm sure that I can get you invited to the party!"

He was ignored as his wrist was shackled and he was lifted so that only his toes touched the floor.

"Natalie and the others tell me that you enjoy pain," Leo said as he selected a whip. It was the same type of whip that had been used on him when he put the vampiress out of her misery two centuries before. "Let us see if that's true."

Paolo howled as the first lash cut across his back. By the time the fifteen minutes was over, Paolo's back was covered with bleeding welts and he was crying for mercy.

"Enough," Natalie said from behind them. "He has learned his lesson."

"This," Reese said ignoring her as he drew a line across Paolo's chest with a pointed nail is for Angelica. He drew another line across Paolo's belly. "This is for my baby daughter Anna..." he finished with Mateo and then Timoteo. As he sentenced Paolo to hell, he slowly drew a line across his throat severing his head from his body.

Natalie screamed as Paolo Rossi turned to a pile of dust on the floor of the room where he had used and abused so many people.

"You didn't have to kill him," she repeated over and over as Leo led her away.

"Take her to the hotel and watch her," Reese said. "I will be there later in the evening. We have to decide what to do with everyone now that they are free."

****

Lewis checked on their new acquisitions before retiring for the day. Jean was already changed for bed and she wasn't happy.

"What the fuck was that?" she asked. "That was the worst party that I've ever been to and what happened to Edgar? Maybe we should call him."

"I don't know what the problem was," Lewis replied. "I agree that Paolo was a bit off. As far as Edgar is concerned, maybe he changed his mind-it wouldn't be the first time. Why don't we call him when we get up?"

"It is late," Jean agreed. "But I don't understand what happened to him. He's always wanted to go to one of Paolo's parties."

"I'm sure he'll tell us when we talk to him," Lewis replied.

"He's better have damned good explanation," Jean replied as she got into bed.

Lewis breathed a sigh of relief. By the time they got up, Edgar would be released and Jean would be none the wiser. He would also be free of Edgar's captor. The vampire had frightened him with his single mindedness. He lay down on the king sized bed and closed his eyes. He was almost to his resting state when he heard the prepaid cellphone ring. He looked over at Jean who was already snoring softly and crept out of bed.

"Where is my son?" Lewis whispered when he answered the phone.

"Safe," Reese replied. "You did well."

"Then let him go," Lewis replied looking behind him.

"I will... after you do something else for me."