House of Eternity

MAISON DU SOLEIL 1800's

Unease trickled down Laurents spine as he entered the brothel. Maison du Soleil’s interior was cooler than the oppressive heat outside. There were rumors about this place, they also called it the house of eternity, you can lose yourself in the sins of the flesh and never return.

He adjusted his cufflinks and wrinkled his nose as the scent of death clung to his clothes. Death and smoke, there were bodies piled up in gutters and in mass graves. A plague had come down on them and they blamed the house of pleasure.

Gabriel was going down the path of losing himself to Maison du Soleil. Peering into the room off his right he saw a flame-haired woman watching him. The candles reflected off her eyes, he gave a shudder as he saw her watch his every move.

“Bonjour, how may I help you, Mr. Matise?” He eyed the petite blonde and he saw her for what she really was, a creature of myth, a siren that lured men with the promise of bliss between her legs. Smiling at him he sneered down at her and shook his head, why his brother felt the need to come here every night was beyond him.

She wrinkled her small nose and took a step away from him. He brushed off ashes from his shoulders, he looked into another room and saw a couch with three women draped over a man who was moaning and writhing in pleasure. He thought he saw blood smeared on the mouth of one of the whores as she lifted her face from his chest.

“If you are searching for your brother, he is in the game room.” She gave him an appraising look and then disappeared up the stairs. The rooms were perfumed and the underlying stink of sex clung to the air. Laurent sighed as he made his way down the narrow hall. His eyes tried to adjust to the dim interior of the house.

He needed to get his brother out of the city, tempers were running high and he heard the whispers that people were coming to burn the house of the sun, down to the ground. The people did not care if there were innocents involved, that the people inside the house of ill repute may have families outside the walls. The crazed preacher running the mob

He finally found the game room and saw women cozied up to his brother, his blonde hair seemed to glow gold in the candlelight. The women’s eyes reflected the light like the predators that hunted the swamps at night. Flashing their teeth at him they left the room and Gabriel scowled at his brother.

Laurent sat across from him and placed his hands on the table. He believed the rumors that circled the brothel, it was the only one in New Orleans that had such a dark and sordid story attached to it. Some of the rumors said that the patrons were killed by the women.

“Brother to what do I owe this displeasure if you came to preach about the sins of the flesh,” he leaned back and smirked at him. “I assure you that I have already indulged in all of the sins that you can imagine.”

Laurent sighed and rubbed his forehead; he was trying not to succumb to the seduction of the women in this place. It grew more difficult every time he walked over the threshold. He absently touched the medal under his shirt. He was not a perfect man by any stretch of the imagination but he at least did not spend all his time gambling and seducing whores.

Sanya said the medal was blessed and that it would keep the evil from the brothel from consuming him. She told him darkness dwelled in these walls and that it would be their undoing. Gabriel tapped his fingers on the table the poker chips clicking together, the cards fluttered to the floor as a breeze from the Gulf blew through the open window.

“We need to get out of the city tonight, Gabe.” The stench of smoke and rot followed the breeze through the window. Gabriel was smirking as he ran a hand through his beard, he looked exhausted and disheveled. How long has he been awake? He also saw the slight hollowness of cheeks, when was the last time he ate?

“Oh, and why must we leave the city? Did Madame Sanya have another of her visions?” There was a knock on the door and the flame-haired woman walked in. Her dress clung scandalously to her body. The corset she wore was studded with diamonds that caught the flames of the candles. She narrowed her gold eyes at the brothers and sat down at the table with them.

Leaning her face on her lace-gloved hands Laurent could smell the heavenly scent of lavender and magnolia. He closed his eyes and muttered a prayer under his breath, opening his eyes he saw the woman watching him like a cat watching a mouse.

“Ah, Madame Felicity to what do we owe the pleasure?” She chuckled and Laurent grit his teeth as it felt like it caressed the most intimate parts of his body. The parts that only should be touched by a woman that was his wife.

“I believe your brother is correct in telling you that you two need to leave tonight.” She arched an eyebrow at Gabriel and he sighed raking his hands through his hair. Laurent stared out the window and noticed an orange glow in the sky to the East of them. Shaking his head he stared at his brother but could not help but look at the woman.

She touched Gabriel’s hand and his brother turned his full attention on the woman. There was something wrong with this woman and every fiber of his body was telling him to take his brother and run.

“Not you too, Laurent here has been nagging like a fish wife for the past week.” There was a loud bang and the three people turned to stare at the door. Madame Felicity stood up and put her fingers to her lips.

“It is too late now. Do not utter a word. I will try to keep you two safe.” There were screams and men yelling. Laurent’s pulse skyrocketed and he ran towards the door trying to get past the woman who owned the brothel. She blocked his way and put a hand on his chest.

“Out of my way Jezebel.” She pushed him back and he landed unceremoniously on the floor. No woman should be that strong, she bared her teeth at him and Gabriel continued lounging in his chair. He smirked at the fear on his brother’s face.

“Tell your brother the price you paid for being a patron of my establishment. I am doing this to save you, boy, now stay here and do not come out of this room no matter what you hear.” Her face contorted into that of a snarling beast. She slammed the door in her wake and Laurent heard the click of a lock.

Laurent scrambled to his feet and tried the knob of the door. Gabriel started laughing and he heard the rustle of paper and the sound of it burning as his brother lit a cigarette. He turned on him and wondered how he could be so blasé about all of this.

“You are not going to get out. If Felicity says we are to stay here then that is our fate. I suggest we take part in some cards and whiskey and ride out the trouble that has shown up on her doorstep.” Laurent stared out the windows and saw the city was on fire and the flames were right at their doorstep.

This was not the way he wanted his life to end, he should have listened to Sanya’s warnings but he still came back to this cursed place. He fell to his knees and started praying for a miracle that he knew would never come. His brother smoked his cigarette and watched the city burn.