The smell of incense and ash fills the room; the dragon painted walls hide behind the smoke that floats through the room, escaping through the skylight as it competes with the whistling wind.
Azazel sits on the floor with his legs crossed and his arms resting on his knees. His eyes are closed and a Thurible is beside him, he mumbles and pauses for a while before he breathes in deeply and out. His mind wanders, stirring up new plans for his agenda.
Alex walks in; she coughs as the incense chokes her. She sees him in a white garment and wonders if he performing an uncanny ritual. It wouldn't go past him, he seems like a creep. Even creepier than Dracula.
"Alex, I haven't heard from the werewolves. The ones you said would kill Gabriel and bring Nightmare to me," Azazel says.
Alex leans against one of the pillars to avoid the smoke, "They are dead." she says.
Azazel takes a deep breath with his eyes still shut while he remains in a state of meditation, "Of course they failed. Even if he is no longer a sphinx he is still 500 years old. He knows a thing or two about killing werewolves.
What about Alucard? Have you heard from him?" he asks.
"No, but he did succeed. He killed Gabriel," she folds her hands, Azazel opens his eyes and his face brightens with a smile, "Good. Very good,".
"And the hybrid, Byron, is he awake yet?" "No. he is still in shock after finding out he wasn't just an ordinary wolf. He said he needed to speak to Dracula," Alex says.
"Vlad? Dracula is dead. The only way to speak to him is to die and we can't have Byron die just yet.
I have work for him. I can't have such an important chess piece leave the game without playing his part," he stands up and he looks up at the skylight.
Its edges have strange pictures of different creatures with the skylight at the center.
Azazel takes a deep breath and exhales before walking through what is left of the smoke. Alex notices that he is bare footed. His toenails her black and she can't tell if it is nail polish or natural.
"Is there anything else you like my lord?" Alex asks as Azazel walks past her, "The twins are known for the love they have for each other. Samuel will try to resurrect his brother so we are going to stop him, from the shadows of course.
Send vampires, werewolves, demons and whatever monsters you need to stop him," Azazel says hurriedly as he takes a faster pace.
"Isn't that a bit much?" she asks and Azazel turns swiftly making her almost trip over, "You don't have to take everyone, I am just giving you options," he says, "Me? Isn't there someone else who can run this operation?"
"Carter will join you. Normally I would leave it up to Ballan or someone else but you have more experience when it comes to Dracula's children," Azazel says.
He continues his walk in the hallway. A staff carrying a trail of fruits walks by and Azazel picks an apple from the trail.
"My lord, why do we need the twins? I know Dracula wanted them to resurrect his wife but why do you want them dead. They don't even know you," Alex asks, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.
"We don't need them, we are just helping Alucard. Remember, you and Carter will be working from the shadows. We don't want Alucard or Samuel finding out about The Lantern's involvement in this matter," he says.
Azazel climbs up the arched staircase and begins humming to himself, he knows he isn't helping Alucard but himself. He can't let the vampire know that. He can't let anyone in on his plan, not yet.
Dracula and Lucifer's plot to kill the twins created an opportunity and he doesn't plan on letting it slip but there is still so much to do.
Only time will reveal the mechanics of this man's thoughts.
He stops as Alex's footsteps almost mimic his, "Why are you still following me vampire? Go and get Carter and be gone," he furrows his brows in a frown.
"Wait," he stops Alex before she leaves. The blinding light from the skylight just catches one side of her jacket and her flowing red hair.
"Tell Ballan to meet me in my office. He should prepare his report on Warren Peace. That idiot hasn't called in for a while now," Azazel says as he walks away.
MEANWHILE
Maya and Joseph cleaned themselves up and kill some time on the tv watching sitcom. Cassandra joins them after a quick shower. She smiles at the sight of the two wolves enjoying a sitcom like normal people.
Who would have thought ferals could be so, human?
A knock on the door draws all their attention and the ferals quickly let their growls be heard. Zhen enters the room and pauses when he sees their glowing eyes, "Whoa, calm down it's just me," he says.
Cassandra squint her eyes. She is a bit surprised by their reactions. They were quick to send aggressive signals to the man like they were protecting something.
They just look like normal wolves and yet they were casted out.
"I found two more. One is somewhere in Astoria and the other is at Rocky Mountains," Zhen says.
"I want to know, are we all going or they are going to stay here?" he asks. Cassandra turns and looks at them. Maya plays with her hair and Joseph just stares at them.
She doesn't know what they would do to her apartment if she left them behind and getting all of them in the car seemed like too much company especially since she is going to be welcoming some new members.
It isn't a big deal, they will fit. They aren't paying the rent and I can't risk them running away.
"They are coming," Cassandra says, "We can just stay here," Joseph suggests, "And do what? Watch tv? When you start paying the bills you can have that right but for now get your ass up, we are leaving," she says.
"Okay, let's skedaddle," Zhen leads the way out.
They get downstairs and into Cassandra's car, "Who are we starting with?" Zhen asks as he checks his hair in the side mirror before entering the front seat, "Let's go to Rocky mountains. On our way back we can go after the other one,"
Cassandra pulls the car out of the drive way and sets course for Rocky mountains, the path of the next feral.