I'm starting to believe that there is to more this theater than just a place for the performing arts, the darkness here is too deep to sift through. If anything this place was more akin to the wilds of nature and the unforgiving rules of survival than it was to put on a performance of the fiction. These individuals' drive for success knew no bound or sense of reason, they were willing to do whatever it took to achieve their dream success and the power of they so truly desired. The fame and glory that would be theirs if they truly proved worthy were intoxicating to them, so much so that they required death. The call had come down from Rebecca Parker effectively Alice's daughter, she wanted a possible hindrance to be dealt with that was tarnishing the illustrious image of their family.

Now granted, she did say to try and convince said individual to cease with the rumors and lies or if they chose not to conform, then to kill them and leave their body to be disposed of later. Probably to be used as some sort of dark message to anyone who dared try to step past their boundaries. But first, it was time to figure out who this person was. Walking through the back hallway, Lucian could feel hear the various pockets of gossip scattered around the area, with his wolf-like hearing he picked up on various parts of different conversations. Most of them worthless drivel and pandering that no one would really want to stomach and then he heard something from a group far on the opposite side of the hall.

"Jessica told me Alice manipulates the director by some sort of bribery. That or she's sleeping with him. It is the only reason she keeps getting the lead parts." The other individual seems to giggle with the disposition of a schoolgirl.

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"I heard she doesn't even really care for Rebecca and she is only having her around as a public move for her image." The two women cackled at the joke, So it was a Jessica they were looking for. But what would cause Jessica to cause such a commotion? Rivalry, hatred, jealously? I need to know more. Disappearing from the hallway, Lucian walked back towards the director's office, there had to be something else to lead him to this mysterious Jessica individual.

As Lucian neared the door, he heard something coming from the other side of the heavy wooden frame, two thick voices.

"I've had enough of this, Monte! Alice keeps getting part after part and she hasn't been doing anything to deserve them! I buss my ass ten times harder and yet you give me secondary roles and for what! To stroke her self-sustaining ego! What about art?!" The woman's voice crashed through the air with fury.

"I told you, madam Day, you are an extremely talented actress, but we are in trying times at the moment my dear and we can't risk it! Alice is a surefire face that will bring constantly filled seats to this Auditorium. If we are to return to our glory days then we may very well have to deal with her for a while more, But you will have your spotlight, Jessica. I promise."

"Well, I suggest something happens soon before I make it happen myself."

Lucian quickly turned as the raven heard beauty stormed out of the door, the glass insert shaking from the force. So that was miss Jessica Day. Coincidence. Fate doesn't deal in coincidences. Walking toward the backstage, Lucian prepared to engage her, but he had no idea where her room was. One of the stagehands handling a rack of costumes seemed to be struggling with his task, grabbing onto the clothes, the man thanked him in response.

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"Where are you taking these?"

"To miss Jessica Day. But I have so much more to do and these are extremely heavy. How does she wear this stuff?"

Fate, you know how to work everything in one's favor.

"I'll deliver it to her just lead me in the right direction."

Taking the clothes into his hands, Lucian hurried down the hall, coming upon a room with a door knocker, he saw the name engraved on a plaque hanging on a hook. This was the location and would be now that things became difficult. Knocking on the door, Lucian waited for a curt call to come in, he slowly went to enter the room. Placing the clothes on a rack, he approached Jessica.

"I'm not signing any autographs. Please leave."

"I am not here for any autographs. I'm here with a warning."

"What from Alice?! Do you think I'm afraid of her petty threats and warnings? She is nothing more than a washed-up has-been that can't seem to accept her time on the big stage is coming to end." Lucian could admire her strength and bravery but this was not the time for one to be so foolhardy and he did not want to kill this woman.

"I am asking nicely to please cease all rumors, I do not want to hurt you."

"Hurt me? Do you not know who I-."

Rushing forward Lucian grabbed the woman by the mouth muffling her failed attempts to scream, holding her up like a ragdoll, he squeezed a little to make things more apparent. Letting her down slowly, Lucian maintained his grip and asked again.

"I suggest you stop or else I will squeeze till the bones in your face are nothing more than dust."

In her eyes were defiance and anger, she knew that she faced certain death and yet she never broke eye contact, she couldn't give it up, Lucian had seen those same eyes before. In one of his long time dead friends. Jessica day shook her head and Lucian knew it was no use in continuing this game.

"Ma'am, I give you this chance, you leave and never return. You are no longer Jessica Day. I have been tasked with killing her and she no longer exists. I will bring a body from the morgue from the recent tragedy to cover as you, but you are now dead."

Jessica looked up with tears welling in her eyes, but she understood the cost. Covering her in a sheet, Lucian carried her out of the theater, dropping her off in town. Going to the nearby morgue, Lucian snatched one of the cold bodies from the gravedigger's wagon, he none the wiser to Lucian's actions. Covering up the body in the same sheet, he took it to Jessica Day's dressing room and prayed over the body giving respect to the departed before crushing the head in his hand. As the body sat there, Lucian disappeared out of the room and towards Rebecca's Parkers quarters.

Knocking on the door, he entered slowly.

"The deed is done as you asked, she is now dead. See to it you have that body disposed of quickly, any longer and the smell will soon tell quite a story that we both wouldn't want to be shown."

"Thank you mister mage, here's your reward, and trust me, we have this all figure out nicely."

"I'd be a fool to trust you or your mother."

Walking out of the room, Lucian disappeared into the night.

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