I slept in, sleeping in is an awesome experience, a rare luxury which I rarely get to experience, and after a late light breakfast I headed out an hour before noon. Noon the height of the day letting the sun burn away at any of the dark energies that might decide to attack me. The villa was bigger than it looked the night before.

There was a wall surrounding the entire property, or more accurately there was a wall now it was in ruin, crumbling stones which showed an outline of a wall. about fifty feet beyond the wall was a courtyard made of flag stones. In the courtyard was a large fire pit with broken down rotisserie stands, it made for an excellent venue for a party. Between the courtyard, and the house proper there was a wide green belt which served as the villas house garden, which went from a garden, to weeds, to grass, and finally small saplings whose roots would one day turn the flag stone floors into rubble.

The house itself would have been something to behold back in its prime. There was a central common room where the ceremony, or ritual was being performed; a kitchen, and larder, and four smaller adjoining rooms. It was site to behold, or would have been if it were not completely in ruin. I concentrated on the common room for my current investigation.

I first concentrated on the physical aspects; I performed a slow circle around the common room simply observing. There were dozens of tracks of all the drunks staggering their way toward the fire, and the ringing of the bells. There was ash, and detritus which indicated said fire in the middle of the common room. There was a white salty stain on the floors where the three female forms stood. That indicated the use of water. But the question was the water intentionally spilled, or was it spilled as the ladies rang the bells.?