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A few doors were closed to either side From the scent of coffee and tea, I identified a butler’s pantry that separated the dining roolimpse of an old-fashioned music room behind the parlor, and smelled mold that was peculiar to old books in the room behind it But the rooms on the left at the back of the house were for the servants, including security Brandon opened each as we passed

There were six bunks in one roo I sured he was a hu I didn’t have to like it, but I wasn’t here to rescue junkies

Lockers were on one wall of the bunk room, a laundry on the other A unisex bathrooe closet across from it, and a tiny cubical marked SECURITY Inside was a security console with sixback and forth with different carounds from multiple positions One showed the street They had seen rinned back "Nice setup"

"It works," Brian said "Plus we had heard from the Rousseau and Desmarais security teams that a female biker was in the District We talk" I nodded, i a break room with minikitchen, table, chairs, sofas, recliners, and TV

"That would be nice," I said, on my best children’s holasses and poured tea, and Brandon went back to the security console, glass in hand He was close enough to participate in the conversation, sipping, his chair at an angle, one eye on the screens, one on irly and innocent, but not really fooling either twin, even after the silver bracelet incident

"As long as they aren’t about the security precautions or syste you want," Brian said The brothers hadDeep South accent, one I had heard only in Louisiana, spoken as if they talked through apraline candy

"Ask away," Brandon said

So I did We drank cold sweet tea, which tasted fresh brewed, fros in grocery store-quality tea bags I asked about any recent changes in any vaes The tere an integral part of the va and lucrative business in cities with a city blood-master and vamps ere out of the closet Not all of the vamp-human relations

They volunteered info about social relationships, which clans were feuding, which va affairs of the heart, which clans and individual va too many blood-servant relationships, or too few, their habits, feeding ti hu blood relationships This new change bothered them the most

I studied therounds was reinforced These guys were sested they were older than they looked More like Vietnam War military Or maybe even World War II It was clear from their carefully controlled physical h to be fast Not quite vaular human

I wanted to ask about it but that seemed rude Like, "So, tell me How often do you suck vamp?" No way to ask directly and still be polite, so I asked, "These human donor syste , like a call-girl site, but for blood donors Blood for cash If a vae the site with contact info, city, cell phone, credit card, and restaurant or hotel where they want to meet They’re in four cities in the United States: New Orleans, New York, San Fran, and LA But it’s spreading We hear that a new branch is opening in Nashville"

"We’re trying to get a handle on who’s behind it," Brian said "Unfortunately, there’s nothing illegal in blood for reat for vamps ant an occasional safe, fresh-ood for the vamp community"

"Why’s that?"

"Because the blood-slave and blood-servant relationships are special They give vampires stability," Brian said "Emotional, as well as personal and clan security"

Brandon stood and scooted his chair so he could reposition and still see both the screens andhis arain, it was the voice a runts, a clipped and well-thought-out spiel, almost rehearsed I suddenly had to wonder if the brothers had been watching for me, to tell me this Since any reliable info on vamps was hard to come by I had to wonder why

"Vampires," he said, "are volatile at the best of ti, hot-tempered, impulsive, unpredictable, and capricious they are Alet violent"