Thad stared up at the painting.  It had been his favorite of all the ones that filled Rose's mansion but now it was ruined.  The blood would never come out of it.  Oh well.  He turned his attention back to the matter at hand, stepping over the body of one of the butlers, passing through the hallway and into the sitting room.

The fireplace crackled still, struggling to keep itself alive on the few bits of log that hadn't burnt out.  Thad worked his way around pools of blood and bodies as he made his way to the couch where his sister sat.  Or rather, was currently impaled.  He stood in front of her and stared down at her lifeless body for a few moments before kicking at her foot.

"Ok.  C'mon.  I got shit to do."

Rose's head lifted and she glared up at him.

"So did I.  Could you have taken any longer to get here?  Fuckin hell."

"You could've just fought back.  Didn't need to play possum and waste everyone's night."

Rose rolled her eyes, attempting to shift her posture slightly but the sword going through her chest kept her pinned firmly in place on the couch.  "And how would I explain that?  Hm?  Besides he'd already signed the will.   It was more conveneint this way."

Thad glanced over at the body of her husband crumpled on the floor a few feet away.

"For someone that's got so many plans tonight you sure love taking your fucking time."  She snapped as he slowly returned his attention to her.

Thad pretended to inspect the sword, shifting this way and that to get a good look from every angle before finally gripping the hilt and giving it a tug.  He was surprised when it didn't pop right out.  He began to wiggle it around and tug on it, slowly forcing it to dislodge from the solid wooden table it had punctured on the other side of the couch.

"What the fuck.  What amatuer did this?"  He growled.

"It beats being beheaded."  Rose said knowingly.  "And they attacked a Laveau.  Amatuer is giving them too much credit."

She snickered as her brother nearly toppled over when the sword suddenly dislodged.

"Mhm.  Har har.  And who's going to fix that hole in your chest?"

Rose ignored his threat, standing and stretching out.  "I think I'll be going back home in... oh, maybe a week or two.  After the police ask their questions and the inheritance is settled.  Shame.  We had tickets to go see the opera tomorrow.  I suppose it would be tasteless to still go by myself considering the circumstances, hm?"

"what about the girl in the basement?"

"What?  Oh, did one of the maids survive?  I hope it's Eliaza.  Sweet girl.  She's the one who told you to stick your dick in an anthill when you felt her up during Christmas, remember her?"

Thad glowered and eyed the blade.  He considered putting it back through her.  "Just shut up and get ready for the ritual so you can be back in one piece and I can get the fuck out of here."

Rose was stil basking in the glow of that fond memory.  "Ahh, she's my favorite.  I guess tonight didn't turn out so bad after all."