Overview

In the hellish heat of New Orleans, the devils meet! In pursuit of a killer, private investigator Mantovani teams up with the mysterious Calhoun, a gambler and a Grendel with a mission of his own. Unbeknownst to them, however, the ferocious Dulac is lying in wait! Meanwhile, both Gloria and Bixby have also arrived in New Orleans -- ready to pay the devil his due!

Summary

The head of the New Orleans Grendel Krewe, Renute, is revealed to be behind the Batiaque killings, and is now searching for woman named Simone and her child.

Alfred reminisces about his life before he went insane, when he was married to a woman named...Simone--before losing her to a gambler. Alfred had a child on his own but the baby died in the jungle.

Mantovani and Calhoun, the gambling Grendel, get together. It turns out that Calhoun knew the Batiaques. They try to track down the black Grendel who attacked Mantovani earlier, and find that his name is Dulac. They capture him. He explains that Renute believes he is related to the ancient French king Charlemagne, and that he will host the reincarnation of the original Grendel, Hunter Rose, if he kills all of Charlemagne's other descendants--including Simone and her child. However, Dulac escapes before they can kill him.

Gloria finds out the Grendel Krewe has the treasure she is seeking, and seduces Radley Benton, the Krewe's local curator.