A Light on in Chicago

Toro was back at the house of the not entirely real gang known by most as the Dandies. He was waiting for an audience with Mike. He could tell it would happen fairly soon. Mike’s curiosity had invaded the whole house by now, even to the least sensitive of them to that sort of thing. All the vampires were restless.

Elizabeth met him at the door to Mike’s study. “Toro. Good. We’ve been waiting to see what you’ve found out.”

“Miss Elizabeth. Sir,” he addressed everyone in the room. “They accepted me easily as Ray. I will be able to come and go there now as I please. I am sure they suspect nothing of my true nature. They did make a comment or two about my clothing, though.”

“Well too bad. No way am I letting you out of this house in one of those blue jeans and t-shirt combinations they call an outfit. Over my dead body.” She stopped raving to giggle. “Dead body! I’m a vampire talking about ‘over my dead body’!”

Mike was getting a bit impatient. “So what did you find out? What are they doing all locked up in the house together?”

“Gerard, Adam, Peter, Michael, and Andrew were researching the old superstitions and horror stories of vampires, figuring out weaknesses. They haven’t discovered much that is relevant to us; they chase old wives tales mostly. Patrick, Spencer, Marcelle, Joseph, and William are configuring weapons. They could be much more of a problem. They are all learning to fight properly from Jack and the one they call Worm. Most of them are getting proficient at basic hand-to-hand combat now.”

“Good work. Go back whenever it seems prudent; just remember to leave before sunset. This should go exceedingly well.” Mike paused while Toro left the room. “Now, Lizzy, really, about the clothes.”

“Mike Carden! You doubt me? Well I never!” she huffed a bit. Outside the door, Toro could be heard laughing at the couple’s enjoyment with each other that was so obvious to his senses.