"'Tis impossible for a human to live that long, detective." Bronwyn said flatly.<br/>Malloy frowned, and Bronwyn cursed inwardly, realizing she had slipped a little. Humans didn't usually refer to themselves and others as 'humans'. She had just spoken as though she was something other than human... which of course she was. But it wouldn't do for the detective to know that.<br/>"Other animals do, tortises an' birds." she added quickly. "I heard about a clam recently that lived more'n four hundred years."<br/>She finished her whiskey, and this time Sam came over to fill her back up. The girl had long curly blonde hair that she wore pulled back, with a few strands hanging down to frame her face. The golden hoops that dangled from her ears were set off nicely by her tanned skin, and her lowcut shirt showed off her ample decolletage to an almost indecent advantage. She shot Bronwyn a smoldering look before she turned away, one the vampire recognized well.<br/>"So you're sayin' our medical examiner made a mistake?" Malloy asked.<br/>"Aye, he must've. Or she." Bronwyn said.<br/>Malloy leaned forward. "The doctor tested Romanov's remains four different times, using two different labs. He got the same results every time."<br/>Bronwyn shrugged. "Yer askin' me to explain a medical mystery? I be no doctor nor scientist, an' Romanov was. He experimented'n nearly every field o' science there is, so there's no tellin' what he did or discovered."<br/>Malloy asked Bronwyn a few more questions, but Bronwyn managed to be vague enough to be frustrating, so he soon gave up and left. Bronwyn waited a few minutes to be sure the detective was gone, then signaled for her tab.<br/>Sam brought the ticket over, then leaned on the bar while Bronwyn filled it out, showing off her impressive cleavage.<br/>"Got big plans tonight?" she asked, ignoring the impatient summons from other patrons waiting to place their drink orders.<br/>"Ya mean plans involvin' beautiful blonde bartenders an' dark sultry activities enhanced by rivers o' sweet wine an' pale, glowin' moonlight?" Bronwyn replied in a low, seductive tone, catching Sam's blue eyes with an intense gaze.<br/>A flush crept up Sam's tanned skin and her eyes darkened in response. "If you like." she answered breathlessly.<br/>"Not tonight." Bronwyn said and slid the ticket back across the counter. "Perhaps another." She added before sliding off the barstool. Sam watched her go, surprised and disappointed, until finally she yielded to Brandon's harsh reminder that she was working and turned away.<br/><br/>Bronwyn hit the street on the hunt, but not for blood. She was searching for the owner of that distinctive profile, who she had believed to be dead and still wasn't quite sure she was wrong. She combed the air currents for his scent, but the combination of human bodies and the stench of the bayou made it difficult to tell if he had been here recently. She prowled up and down the street among the drunken crowd until she was sure she had inspected every face present, but found nothing familiar. Convinced her imagination had gotten the better of her, Bronwyn gave up and turned to head back to the inn.<br/>And there he was, right behind her. Nearly seven feet tall, broad shoulders that every linebacker fantasized about, long dark hair tied back neatly at the base of his thick neck, black eyes that seemed to be able to bore holes through steel, Lex was impossibly, solidly, standing in the middle of Bourbon Street,<span style="font-style: italic">alive</span>. Or whatever vampires were. Bronwyn froze, staring in disbelief at the vampire she regarded as a brother, whom she'd given up hope of ever seeing again.<br/>"Hey lil' red. You're hard to find when you're pissed." He said casually, for all the world as if they had just enjoyed drinks the night before.<br/>"<span style="font-style: italic">Lex?</span>" Bronwyn gasped.<br/>"Yeah. Who else?" Lex answered flippantly.<br/>Bronwyn launched herself at the vampire, wrapping him in a crushing embrace that would have killed any human instantly. Lex staggered back a step before he caught himself and squeezed back, chuckling.<br/>"Missed me, huh?"<br/>"I thought ya were dead." Bronwyn choked out. "Ever'one else's dead, I thought ya'd been killed also." The Irish brogue that lilted Bronwyn's speech had grown thick, as it always did when she was upset.<br/>"Me, die?" Lex said incredulously. "I'm invincible. I thought you of all people would know that."<br/>Bronwyn laughed shakily and released her hold. "Why're ya here?"<br/>"I've been tracking a scientist that may be able to give me some answers to what's been done to me." Lex said, sobering instantly. "I lost his trail, so I started following a detective who's also chasing him, hoping he could give me a lead."<br/>"Malloy?" Bronwyn said, surprised. Lex nodded. "Malloy is investigatin' the explosion, not chasin' rogue scientists."<br/>"The scientist was on Drexler's payroll." Lex said darkly. "Malloy has looked into everyone who's been connected to Drexler in the past ten years, and found a lead on the sick bastard. He was more interested in trying to track you down first, which is why he hasn't moved on him yet." Lex's eyes took on a familiar dangerous glint. "Malloy lost his chance. Drexler's labrat is<span style="font-style: italic">mine</span>."<br/>Bronwyn nodded, understanding well the rage that drove her vampire brother. "Yer leavin' tonight." It was a statement, not a question, but Lex answered anyway.<br/>"Yes. As soon as we're done here."<br/>Bronwyn nodded and reached up to seize Lex's collar, yanking him down to look him in the eye. "Don't ya dare think o' dyin." she growled. "I lost ya once, an' I refuse to lose ya again. Understood?"<br/>"I love you too, lil' red." Lex grinned, completely unfazed. "I told you, I'm invincible."<br/>Bronwyn glared, then let him go. "Safe hunt."<br/>"Safe hunt." Lex returned, then walked away, disappearing into the shadows beyond the street.<br/>Bronwyn was both buoyed and disquieted as she walked the short distance to the inn. Her unbeating heart sang with the knowledge that her vampire brother was not gone, but his brief appearance only made her more aware of her loneliness. Strange, to be constantly surrounded by people and yet be the only one of your kind. The feeling was not new to the ancient vampire, but even the most solitary of personalities enjoys companionship at least sometimes.