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They were quiet for a heartbeat or two. “Yes, the Harlequin fear the Queen of Darkness, our creator,” Jean-Claude said.

“Everyone fears the dark,” Requiem said, “but if the Mother of All Darkness is our nightmare, then the Harlequin are the swift sword of the dark.”

Byron nodded. “No arguments from me on that one, duckie. Everyone fears her.”

“What are you suggesting, ma petite?”

“I’m not suggesting anything. I’m saying, I’ve stood in the dark and seen her rise above me like a black ocean. She’s invaded my dreams. I’ve seen the room where her body lies, heard her voice whisper through my head. Tasted rain and jasmine choking on my tongue.” I shivered and could almost feel her moving restless in the dark. She lay in a room with windows, and they kept a fire below her, a continuous watch. She’d fallen into a “sleep” longer ago than most of them remembered. Once I’d thought they watched to celebrate her awakening, but I’d begun to realize most of them were as afraid of her as I was, which meant they were scared shitless. Marmee Noir liked me for some reason. I interested her. And from thousands of miles away, she messed with me. She’d made a cross melt into my hand. I’d have the scar until I died.

“Speak of the devil and you bring him closer,” Requiem said.

I nodded and tried to think of something else. Oh, yeah, I knew what to think about. “The Harlequin are just vampires, right, which means they’re subject to your laws, right?”

“Oui.”

“Then let’s use the law against them.”

“What do you propose, ma petite?”

“This is a direct challenge to our authority. The council has forbidden any Master of the City to fight in the United States until the law decides whether you guys are staying legal or not.”

“You’re not suggesting that we fight them?” Byron said.

“I’m saying that we act in accordance with the law,” I said.

“Don’t you understand, Anita,” Byron said, “the Harlequin are who we turn to when the bad things happen, sort of. They are the police for us.”

“When the police go bad, they aren’t police anymore,” I said.

“What are they?” he asked.

“Criminals.”

“You cannot seriously suggest that we are to fight the Harlequin?” Requiem said.

“Not exactly,” I said.

“What exactly then?”

I looked up at Jean-Claude. “What would you do if someone powerful moved in on us like this?”

“I would contact the council in hopes of avoiding open war.”

“Then contact them,” I said.

“I thought not everyone on the council liked us,” Nathaniel said.

“They do not, but if the Harlequin are breaking the law, then that would take precedence over more petty concerns,” Jean-Claude said.

“Have you forgotten how petty the council can be?” Requiem said.

“Non, but not all on the council have forgotten what it means to live in the real world.”

“Which council member will you contact first?” Byron asked.

There was a knock on the door. All of us with heartbeats jumped. Nathaniel gave that nervous laugh, and I said, “Shit.”

Lisandro’s voice: “There’s a delivery for you, Jean-Claude.”

“It can wait,” he said, his voice showing some of the strain.

“The letter with it says you’re expecting it.”

“Enter,” Jean-Claude said.

Lisandro opened the door, but it was Clay who walked in with a white box in his hands. A box just like the one I’d found in the restroom. I think I stopped breathing, because when I remembered to breathe, it came in a gasp.

Clay looked at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Who delivered this?” Jean-Claude asked.

“It was just sitting by the holy-item check desk.”

“And you just brought it in here,” I said, my voice rising.

“No, give me some credit. We checked it out. The note says Jean-Claude is expecting it.”

“What is it?” I asked, but was afraid I knew.

“A mask,” Clay said. He was looking at all of us now, trying to see why we were so upset.

“What color is it?” Jean-Claude’s voice was as empty as I’d ever heard it.

“White.”

The tension level dropped a point or two.

“With little gold musical notes all over it. Didn’t you order it?”

“In a