<div style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>Avarice</em></strong></div><br/><br/>People were never aware of their own personal greed until it was strung out on a string in front of them, being torn away from them, right out of their very clutches. Esmerelda Ariente was one of those people. Her greed had exceeded far beyond the mortal comprehension. For centuries she had lived under the guise of a helpless damsel, a wounded woman. The tale of her king ripped from the air, forgotten, stomped into the dirt. The people of the new age had forgotten where there fear had come from. What greatness had instilled that fear into their hearts and created the monsters they whispered of.<br/><br/>Esmerelda was one of those people, whom had long since thrown the story of her king into the back of her mind. Her kindred were not wide known, the vampiric community had gone into hiding, sworn into secrecy and surpassed as normal people. Esmerelda had to pass for a normal human being. Hailing from Spain, she had once been a member of the Holy Armada. Spains Conquest in the name of the Christian Religion. Overcome by the beautiful a man, whose sin was far greater than anything she could have ever imagined .. and once again, centuries later, she was over whelmed by that same, darkened beauty.<br/><br/>Nicolai Vorstiche.<br/><br/>Esmerelda was his assistant, his advisor, his peace keeper. She was the voice of the operation. The public image, whereas he .. he was the brains, the braun, the fear. Public Affairs was her general jurisdiction, as much as she hated the greedy bastard, she did what she had to in order to get by. And as she watched that man pull the stone from the earth, an inhuman chill rolled down her spine and she could smell the ancient rot lift into the air.<br/><br/>The destruction of that church, and the removal of that single stone had set a mark in history, times were going to change. She could feel it. This was the turn point for the new millennium. Slender digits rose to fix the position of the glasses poised upon the bridge of her nose. Each knuckle was kissed with the glint of a silver ring, glowing against her pale, milky complexion. For one of Pure Spanish descent, her complexion was off, her eyes too bright, and her voice to clear though muddied with her accent it sounded purely enticing. Sultry, seductive, and all the more appealing. Never a tone out of place.<br/><br/>"Mr.Vorstiche, Construction is underway and ahead of schedule. Is there anything you would like to add to the schedule? Or shall we proceed as planned?"<br/><br/>Her tongue rolled her 'R's and purred her 'S's delicately. Full, pale pink lips pursed together sensually as she canted her head in the direction of the powerful man. Her attire consisted of business wear, a tailored jacket over a white sheer blouse, and a black slim skirt, one slender leg crossed upon the other, the toe of her heel pointed as she poised herself to appear easy on the eyes, sensual, and yet stern. Not a feat hard to produce for Esmerelda.<br/><br/>The end of her pen tapped lightly upon the day planner as she awaited his decision. Certainly his approval to proceed with the schedule would be highly appropriate, but perhaps he had decided to change the plans for the evening. If so, it was Esmerelda's job to cater to his every need. Despite the fact she could feel an ancient power tugging at her soul, causing her long since dead heart to start beating and the unnecessary blood in her system flow thick and hot.<br/><br/>What significance had that stone held with her kind?