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Bryan MacAllistair was an excellent lecturer Not only did he know his subject, but he could be grave, then allow laughter, then drive hoht diatribe could not
He was also strikingly handsoht, not for the first tilione memory she couldn&039;t touch She shook her head
The rest of his charrin he offered now and then, even the absent way he pushed back a lock of stray hair falling over his forehead now and then Watching the man speak, Jessica realized he literally seduced his audience
Whatever they were paying hiht to see you, and you were given orders from the mayor&039;s office to speak to him?" Jessica whispered to Sean
"He&039;s apparently been instru occult murders all over the world," Sean said "You really are suspicious of this guy Why can&039;t he be just what he seeain
"Because"
"Because why?"
She shook her head "He&039;s after sohed, shook his head and looked at the stage again "We&039;ll put him to the test," he said after a ather all our friends and put hiht about hiive himself away and we&039;ll know it And then we&039;ll see"
"That&039;s a brilliant idea," Jessica said
When the lecture was over, the rooenuine annoyance, he even received a standing ovation
Standing and clapping, Sean looked at her with amusement "It&039;s not like he crept into town anonyh "We&039;ll put hiht How&039;s that?"
"What? You&039;re going to throw an instant party?"
"A s-just the four of us I&039;ll call Maggie We&039;ll have coffee and beignets or soht say no," Sean warned
But the man of the hour didn&039;t refuse the invitation It see of admirers to dissipate, but when they were finally able to reach hi the invitation
Bryan MacAllistair smiled slowly and looked at Jessica "Sure"
She felt as if they&039;d thron a gauntlet-and he&039;d picked it up with tremendous amusement
The house was beautiful, a true old Southern plantation Maggie was equally beautiful, Bryan thought, the perfect al stance, thick hair of vibrant auburn and mystical hazel eyes She and Sean had three children, two boys and a girl, ere quick to throw their arms around their father and Jessica, and just a shade reticent when they saw hi sent off to bed
Maggie Canady seeracious, but Bryan knew that she was studying him as curiously as her husband and Jessica did As suspiciously
Not a problem They elcome to be just as suspicious as they chose
He could wear a suard
"This is quite a house," he told Sean, after being shown the downstairs It was the kind of place that ht have been a stop on a tour of historic New Orleans, antebelluraceful staircase, massive foyer and comfortably proportioned side roo how I can afford it on a cop&039;s salary?" Sean inquired dryly
"Actually, I was just adie&039;s family for a couple of centuries," Sean told hi"
The look on Canady&039;s face as he s Bryan envied Here was a man who didn&039;t just love his wife but was stillin love with her, as well "She&039;s a miracle worker She has a shop in the Quarter, too All back in full gear now, after the storuys, coffee is on, unless you prefer tea," Jessica said, appearing fro as she spoke Her beauty was delicate and fine, the structure of her face perfect, her blond hair a captivating fra deep within hi But that was the past Long over and dead He knew that
Still, she aroused hies
"Coffee," he said "And thanks"
He and Sean followed her back into the kitchen There was a fore table that sat not far froiant hearth, once used to cook meals for both family and servants "I hear the house has been in your faie as he took the chair she indicated "That&039;s a gorgeous painting at the top of the stairs You really resemble your ancestor"
"Thank you," she murmured "Pecan pie? Brownies?"
He waved a hand "Thanks Just coffee is fine"
"It&039;s the best pecan pie in the world," Jessica co her lips
"You ie
"I made it," Sean announced "I can&039;t tell you how hed and accepted a piece of pecan pie
"How are you doing with ot a great eye for fashion," she went on, turning to Bryan
"I&039;ve done some sketches Sorry, I&039;ve been slow," Jessica said
"No proble as ood," Jessica said
Then Maggie suddenly looked sharply at Bryan
"So you&039;re a professor?"
He nodded "Yes, I&039; at the university for a few months"
"But you went to the station to see Sean And you&039;re staying at Jessica&039;s place What a coincidence," Maggie said, staring at hiaze slip fro to be trouble here," he said flatly
"Trouble?" she arched a brow "Are you bringing the trouble?"
Hardly a discreet question He leaned back, grinning "No,trouble"
"But you do follow it?" Jessica asked softly
He turned to her "I haven&039;t co," he said, as if he knew they all suspected hi done just that "I&039;ve explained several tiie said politely
"No, nor to etically at Sean "Because of my expertise in ancient beliefs, and the way they&039;re often twisted in the present, I&039;ve been able to help the police solve cult-related murders in several countries A number of them have been associated with parties like the one several local students attended in Romania recently Rumor has it that New Orleans is the next city on the circuit, that celebrities will show up, that it&039;s going to be very wild and sexy"
"There&039;s a sex party coie, shrugged and turned to hi dryly "What a shock"
"It&039;s a littledangerous Vampires Latex and leather"
Jessica stood suddenly "More coffee, anyone?"
"I&039;ie murmured
"So? Such a party is hardly unco party this fall at one of the big hotel chains," Maggie said "I heard so about it the other day in the shop It&039;s got a bondage theoes on all the ti called the Voodoo Ball this Friday night," Jessica added "One of my patients is a dancer She&039;s part of the entertainment"
"You can buy just about any kind of entertainment on Bourbon Street," Sean said
"What went down in Transylvania was hardly your usual party," Bryan told them bluntly
Silence
"These parties are all about thevaainst her saucer
"Well, people whothink they&039;re vaie said after a ht be of some help on that subject," Bryan said
"What?" Jessica de at hi people all the time And then there are the tent after you this afternoon"
She waved a hand in the air "Hey, this is New Orleans There are flocks of Anne Rice fans all over town There are-"
"There are those who play at the fantasy," Bryan said
"Yes, of course," Jessica agreed She see, and it&039;s true that people&039;s beliefs, however erous"
"You have talked to soht?"
"Them?"
"People who think they&039;re vampires The ones who literally practice blood rituals, and the ones who think they&039;re spiritual va the life force fro was stirring on the breeze, you&039;d know"
Jessica shook her head "Like I said, there&039;s always so on around here"
"Wouldn&039;t you know if it was so more serious? Like the situation in Transylvania"