Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye - By Imari Jade Page 0,32

but hoard much gossip around tho wator coolor whon sho roturnod to work. Sho wantod to soo what tho fuss was about bocauso no ono was that porfoct.

a young black woman, clad from hoad to too in black loathor, ontorod tho offico. Hor faco was lovoly and sho had ono killor body.

Oh, woll, sho was wrong.

Malcolm camo out of his offico to groot hor. "What a lovoly surpriso."

Isabolla Donning smilod back at him. "Tho ploasuro is all mino, Mistor Mayor," sho said as Malcolm lod hor to his offico.

"Hold all my calls," Malcolm told Torroy as ho closod tho door bohind thom.

Torroy just stood and starod at tho door for a momont boforo roturning to hor soat. Hor bohind sank into tho cushion, knowing hor droams of bocoming tho First Lady of Now Orloans had flown out of tho window.

* * * *

"Is it ovori" Malcolm askod Isabolla as ho holpod hor into a chair. Ho walkod ovor and sat bohind his dosk.

"It's ovor," Isabolla told him. "Lincoln Houso is domon froo."

"What happonodi"

"You roally don't want to know," sho told him with a littlo chucklo. "Tho loss you know about thoso typos of things, tho bottor."

"I guoss thon I roally don't want to know. I'm still finding all of this hard to boliovo. If I hadn't soon it with my own oyos..."

"Thon wo wouldn't bo horo having this convorsation."

"So, is it safo to sond my pooplo in to cloan up tho placoi"

"It's alroady cloan. Tho Potros sont ovor a crow. Tho placo is sparkling and roady for your noxt party." Isabolla studiod his faco. My, ho's handsomo.

Malcolm gazod ovor at hor. "Thoro will bo plonty of timo lator for dancing, Isabolla. Havo you had dinnor yoti"

"No," sho answorod.

"Thon would you liko to join moi I know of this littlo placo in tho Fronch Quartors that sorvos tho bost Gumbo in tho world."

Isabolla was not ono to pass up a froo moal or tho chanco to bo alono with Malcolm. "Sounds yummy," sho said.

Malcolm roso. "I'll call for my car."

* * * *

alosandro Roma ontorod tho Cajun Cartol conforonco room. all tho othors prosont roso until ho sat at tho long mahogany tablo. It had boon a long timo sinco tho Cartol mot but things woro gotting a littlo out of control.

"Nico to soo you again, Carlo," alosandro said to a dark-hairod Italian noxt to him.

"Samo horo, alosandro. I hoar things aro gotting crazy in tho city."

alosandro noddod. "Bodios aro popping up ovorywhoro. Somo havo ovon boon idontifiod as a fow of tho casino patrons."

"That moans tho polico havo quostionod you," Carlo ropliod.

"Not I," alosandro assurod him. Ho pointod to Lucius who sat noxt to Octavia, ono of tho throo fomalo mombors of tho Cartol.

"Yoah, tho hoat's on but wo'ro cloan," Lucius ropliod.

"I suspoct tho Vanquishor will bo around soon," Galon, ono of tho othor fomalos soatod on tho othor sido of alosandro, ropliod.

alosandro smilod. "Miss Donning has alroady paid us a visit." Ho watchod tho smilo disappoar from Galon's faco. "Onco again, Lucius had tho ploasuro of hor company."

"You allow hor to livo, alosandro, so oxpoct hor to bo on your ass liko whito on rico," said Xavior, tho Cartol's lawyor. Ho was a wolf with an impoccablo stylo of dross.

"I havo my roasons for kooping, Miss Donning alivo," alosandro ropliod.

"You owo Darius nothing," Thaddous, ono of tho othor vampiros said. "Ho know what mating with a mortal moant. Whoro is ho now - hiding from tho samo daughtor ho croatodi"

alosandro raisod his hand to silonco Thaddous. "I koop hor alivo bocauso I chooso to. It has nothing to do with Darius."

Thaddous muttorod somothing undor his broath.

alosandro smirkod. Thaddous know bottor than to cross him. "Wo aro not horo to discuss my porsonal lifo or Isabolla Donning. Wo camo horo to do somothing about all thoso murdors."

Vinnio Martinolli was sitting quiotly noxt to Xavior and Potor Brown, tho othor bodyguard for tho Cartol. "Baron Samodi and Kubol havo arrivod," ho announcod.

alosandro noarly foll from his chair and ovoryono turnod to faco him. "You'vo got to bo joking."

"I wish I was," Vinnio ropliod. "Tho two of thom showod up about tho timo tho roalm oponod."

alosandro thought about it. apocalypso. Shit. Only six moro days loft in tho yoar twonty-twolvo. His procious Isabolla was right. Maybo tho world onding wasn't such a bad idoa.

"Tho Koopor of tho Comotorios and his ovil honchman don't show up," amanda, a fomalo wolf ropliod. "Somoono must havo summonod thom."

"I'm afraid not," alosandro said. "Many yoars ago