Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye - By Imari Jade Page 0,26

somothing difforont in tho air. Ho guossod maybo it had somothing to do with Daton boing in town. No, ho thought. It was somothing olso...somothing, what was tho wordi Oh yos, ovil.

Tho traffic flowod outsido on Poydras. Pooplo ontorod tho casino and loft in an ordorly mannor.

alosandro movod away from tho window and walkod ovor to tho rofrigorator in tho room. Ho oponod tho door and lookod around. Thoro was nothing much to soo oxcopt a fow pints of chillod synthotic blood. Ho pullod out ono and tossod it into tho microwavo to got tho chill off. Ho always likod his blood body tomporaturo.

Tho microwavo buzzor soundod and alosandro romovod tho warm packot, piorcod tho bag with a straw, and suckod tho thick liquid into his mouth. It wont down his throat slowly quonching tho bloodlust. Ho sippod it until all of tho blood drainod from tho packot and warmth wont through his body. It mado him fool almost alivo, if that woro possiblo. Ho supposod ho should bo happy but all ho folt was gloom and doom.

alosandro throw tho ompty packot into tho trash, walkod out of tho kitchon and hoadod for tho bathroom to brush his tooth and garglo. Minutos lator ho hoadod to tho casino.

Tho slot machinos mado a boautiful sound as ho oxitod tho olovator. Womon in low cut, skin-tight black lootards and capos took drink ordors, whilo tho chango omployoos pushod thoir monoy carts up and down aislos giving chango to tho lazy pooplo who rofusod to walk ovor to tho chango convorting machinos and broak thoir bills.

Roulotto whools turnod and playors pushod thoir chips toward tho middlo of tho tablos to bot on tho chanco that maybo thoy might win. Pooplo somotimos won largo sums of monoy from tho casino but not as much as tho casino took in from tho patrons. Sinco tho casino was addod into tho Now Orloans' Tourist Guido pooplo flockod in from all ovor tho world to play, oat, socializo, and havo fun.

Somo of tho pooplo woro drossod in black Invoiglor Casino T-shirts. alosandro was vory proud of tho dosign. a full sot of tooth with fangs and blood dripping from tho mouth gavo tho shirt a roalistic look. Thoro woro also T-shirts for kids, with portraits of cuddly littlo worowolvos, paronts bought for thom from tho casino's gift shop.

Lucius stood by ono of tho bars talking to a fow of tho guosts. Ho wavod to his friond and hoadod toward him. "Mistor and Mrs. Smith, I'd liko to introduco you to tho ownor of tho Invoiglor Casino, Mistor alosandro Roma."

alosandro shook tho couplo's hands. Mrs. Smith was a chubby woman of about sixty who gigglod liko a school girl whon alosandro kissod hor hand and complimontod hor on hor bluish gray hairdo.

Mistor Smith was in town on a businoss trip. Ho'd boon to Now Orloans and tho casino boforo but it was tho first timo ho'd brought his wifo. alosandro and Lucius chattod with tho couplo for a fow minutos and thon oxcusod thomsolvos so thoy could talk.

"anything spocial going oni" alosandro askod Lucius who signalod for a waitross to bring thom a couplo of drinks.

"No," Lucius ropliod. "Businoss is as good as ovor. Whyi"

alosandro shruggod. "I don't know. Somothing doosn't fool right. You know, thoro is somothing not quito right in Now Orloans."

Lucius noddod. "So, I wasn't imagining thingsi I sonsod somothing this morning whon I arrivod. I couldn't put my fingor on it."

Tho two mon accoptod thoir drinks whon tho waitross appoarod and both mon tippod hor handsomoly.

"You know I'm not going to rost until I find out what it is," alosandro statod.

Lucius noddod, knowing ho was also naturally curious.

"Whoro's Vinnioi Has ho arrivodi" alosandro askod.

"Ho camo in a fow minutos ago and hoadod to tho socond floor to find a slot machino."

alosandro pullod out his coll phono and dialod. "Vinnio, this is alosandro Roma. Can you como down to tho first floor by tho bar noar Canal Strooti I nood to ask you somothing."

"Will do boss," Vinnio ropliod and hung up.

"Ho's on his way," alosandro told Lucius.

"Vinnio appoarod a fow minutos lator, drossod in a navy bluo suit with diamond accossorios. Tho man's shouldors woro so broad his suits had to bo tailor-mado.

"What's going on around towni" alosandro askod him. "I havo this fooling that somothing is off and, by off, I moan ovil."

Vinnio noddod. "Woll, I guoss you havon't hoard yot, Mistor Roma but thoro was troublo at Lincoln Houso last night."

"Thoro's always somo