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"Not hue Not until she loses her fur in two decades, when shehave done so, though it is rare a of Pea for the balance of your life, knowing that you will come to love her, and that she will kill you without remorse if you stray?"

"It sounds a little too e ceremony with a death sentence at the end, but yeah I do" Pea chirped and raced around Rick’s shoulders, whistling delightedly

"Your fate is not written in the stars You will choose as you will, and your life and death will play out accordingly," the grindy said "Go now Feed Pea as Keain, o and I let hirindy as he left the cave She ignoreddown as if to take a nap Out in the sunlight, Pea had leaped from Rick to the steer carcass and ripped off a piece of rawlike the three-way love child of a raccoon, a squirrel, and a cat But green furred I headed up the steep hill "Co your new pet We have a helicopter to catch" Rick caught up withon his shoulder, a strip of raw rindy had said Rick’s future was his choice The thought sat onme down into my failure and loss Grief was like dust and ashes in elina was dead at my hand Molly had withdrawn from me Beast had withdrawn so far fro Evan And yet, despite all that, I had done everything I was supposed to do I had done the job I was hired for I had killed awitch I had kept Grégoire safe I had sent in my report I had pleased my employer And soon it would all be over And it would be decision- tiht as head of security, the last night ofroom with fifty-five vamps, double that nuh security personnel, watching the final results of the parley fiasco Everyone was in for the clothes Leo had sent without , loose black silk pants, a low-necked, black silk shirt, gold and silver ened especially for ner, with pockets and straps for ear

My hair was up in coe, a facial, and athank you for a job well done, but not yet coold and silver iven hts, and silver stakes stuck out froht like a deadly fan I looked fabulous, and I knew it because of the way the va at me Like I was dessert and a silver blade--sweet and deadly Leo stood at the dais, looking like sex-on-a-stick in his tux I touchedto be a vamp-riot with throats torn and double-dead bodies, it would be now

Leo said, "Grégoire, blood-master of Clan Arceneau, of the court of Charles the Wise, Fifth of his line, in the Valois Dynasty, have you reached a conclusion in the petition of Lincoln Shaddock, hts to clai territory as Master of the City? To be granted hunting land and cattle and the rights to rule as Blood Master of the City?"

Grégoire rose, looking delicate as a child in gold brocade forloves over his burns and a gold beret to hide his burned hair "Yes, my master Lincoln Shaddock, turned by Charles Dufresnee after the Battle of Monocacy, currently sworn to Clan Dufresnee, and with his per the blood-master of the southeastern United States Rise"

Lincoln stood, looking grave--ant in all black Beside hiold and Constantine in US military dress blues, a lot of lettuce on his chest--awards he’d won in the service of his country At Shaddock’s side was Amy Lynn Brown, the reason for this parley after sixty years Their faces were drawn and worried Worse were the expressions on his blood-servants’ faces Everyone in the roos, and everyone in the room had seen the battle in front of the hotel Lincoln at the scene, doing nothing Unoire and Big Evan and I fought his battles for hieneral Fubar’edpositive for hiht save him, was that Leo hiht head cut him some slack

There had been layers upon layers of reasons for Leo’s decisions and actions relating to this parley And none of the

Adelaide looked atThe debate and discussion had gone on behind closed doors for two nights, as judgs, it certainly wasn’t me

Hope and dread filled Lincoln’s face, and he was breathing occasionally with tension, oddly huoire said, "Lincoln Shaddock is hereby given provisional perin three new clans" The room exploded in applause and a nu a prayer Constantine barked for order and the place quieted "Said clans are to be headed by his heir, his secundo scion, and one other of his choice The Mithrans will be taken fro they couaranteed five years As the human blood-servant Sarah did not die from the attack, and has been turned successfully, none will be staked or declared rogue" There were more cheers, cut off quickly, and followed by a brittle, breathless silence

"The position as Master of the City is to be denied Lincoln Shaddock at this tirave;ne Zacharie Pellissier, turned by, and heir of, Amaury Pellissier, his human uncle and Mithran father, blood-master of the southeastern United States, possessor of all territories and keeper of the hunting license of every Mithran below the Mason-Dixon Line, from the eastern border of Texas at the Sabine River, east to the Atlantic and south to the Gulf, with the exception of Florida and Atlanta, will send another envoy to reconsider Lincoln Shaddock’s blood-master status hopes Until then, and for the duration, there will be the custoe of blood-servants and scions" Grégoire turned and bowed to Shaddock, then bowed, much lower, to Leo "This parley is concluded My thanks to all who provided for us, kept us safe, and so well entertained in the city of Asheville"

And that was that I nodded to Adelaide, who clearly wanted to speak tothe idiot va blood-servants safe the rest of the night Drunk and rowdy but safe No one died No one got turned No celebrating vamp met the sun by accident or intent Everyone ate and drank and partied and I learned that even staid old vamps can act the fool on a dance floor

I fell intothat by sundohen Leo and Grégoire headed back to Louisiana, I was done

I slept until sunset, showered, dressed, called the bellhop and the valet, and was ready to check out by nine pular checkout ti to do next, except return Fang, pick up Bitsa, and sleep for a few days Dressed in jeans, jacket, and a minimum of weapons, I followed my stuff down the elevator and to the front desk I was standing in the checkout line when I smelled the blood-servant scent, close by, familiar, deadly The blood-servant orn to the same maker as the blood-servant who had attacked uy I had killed

Casually, I swiveled on the heel of my well-oiled Lucchese boot, and looked out over the hotel lobby No one caught my eye No one stood out Where was he? Derek and Wrassler exited the elevator and I caught Derek’s eye I held up a hand as if gesturing hello, but swiveled er, an order to be sharp and look around Instantly, his de over Wrassler caught on fast, his gaze finding me; he stopped near the fireplace while Derek swiveled back toward the elevators, ostensibly looking at so pulled a weapon

I openednear the fireplace The petite woman must have just entered I pointed Derek to her and slid out of line, one hand on my Walther atto the woer in her shoulders She was tiny, but wiry, and I picked out two bulges on her--a gun at her back and maybe a blade at her hip The elevator door opened Leo and Grégoire stepped around the corner, Grégoire’s ar he’d taken The tere behind theirl took a half dozen steps away froun Derek leaped in front of Leo I screairl with a bellow I raced in, Beast-fast Draw Un-safety No ti the first shot Fro One Two Three Chest shots,Derek fall, blood on his throat She was still standing Wearing a Kevlar vest I squeezed off a single shot, e The girl went down

More shots sounded The three burst rat-a-tat of a sub stinging my arm