S.A. Price by Entwined By Fate Page B

out. Do we know anyone in Shadow Heights that might be able to help?" she asked looking at the page in front of her. It outlined a myth of the Delphyne, a sister of a Titan in Greek mythology that was said to be a Lamia. "This myth, the Delphyne, she’s a goddess right? Or was worshipped as one once? This is something I want more info on. When Beryl gets here, I need her expertise on this." she mused.
    Something about the myth was niggling at her.
    She shrugged, "Well I'm sure she'll be able to help me out with a few things, I have a few questions I need her to clear up for me. There’s been a few cults popping up here and there. I found them because they've been claiming themselves as religions for tax benefits of all things. It started with one three years ago and now they have about seven over the US. A guy called," she checked her notes. "Cristof Ansley, a French aristocrat, he claims that he's discovered the secret to eternal youth.
    They say they worship the old gods, Delphyne's noted as one of them along with a few choice others that they shouldn’t even know about." She shook her head. "Anyway so I did some checking and this guy is heavily into his dark arts. He's raised a number of red alerts from a few different people most notably the French police. He was the prime suspect in the ‘Fusion murders’ five years ago, seventeen bodies were found in the French countryside all ritually killed and tortured. They only found seventeen but they suspected that there are more, a lot more. They brought him to trial but they couldn’t make anything stick. He jumped country soon after, no idea how he made it here with his record though. He’s a real piece of work."
    "Interesting, very interesting. And kudos for getting the information Myra, at least no one can say we aren’t efficient, and it will help with our standing." she said quietly, quite pleased with the upper hand.
    "And how is our standing?" She asked carefully.
    Elise sighed. "Well, Merrick, that prick, didn’t make anything easy for us."
    "No?"
    "No I’m afraid. Past history being what it is between he and I, the other Archons will take the fact that my intended betrothed is here with another woman as proof of my inability to hold a man, and
    ~40~

    therefore hold my territory. They could ask for me to be ousted as Archon, citing weakness and inability to mate. With him dead it was safer for me, hell if we had mated before he went to ground it would have been safer for us, but that’s neither here nor there."
    "I'm sorry." She sighed. "How likely is it to happen?"
    "Well with Ramona, anything is possible, and I know this sounds shitty, but I’m hoping she still hasn’t been able to contact her daughter, so that she doesn’t think of snagging our territory for that simpering brat and her fledgling nest. Though the fact that you have information that others probably don’t have, will give us leverage, at least allowing us the chance to ask the council for a time line so that I can petition for a mate, which I will ask for in exchange for the non withholding of information on our side. It’s a shitty thing to do, but I’m through playing games. You guys are my first priority, always."
    Myra nodded looking relieved. "So what exactly is Merrick up to? He's not really with..." She trailed off. "Is he?"
    "I don’t have the foggiest. Last night he just happened to pop in while you were still in the control room I gather, and had to have a revisit of old home week. Told me he still loved me," she chuckled bitterly, "then offered to mate to me so the cluster fuck he brought down on my head wouldn’t be so bad."
    "God what an ass..." Her mouth twitched into a small smile. "Kinda hot though, if I'm not out of my place saying so. It is such a male thing to do... try and sweep in and rescue you. Even if it’s from his own doing... I mean he didn't have to." She sighed. "Crappy way to do it though."
    "That’s my point. It’s all crappy. I hate that he still