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One of theet the creature back to her place Apparently unable to handle the transition froling had so lost herself in a bloodlust attack she ran up against a wooden pin used to hold a saddle and staked herself The other one had been executed by Danny herself

She should have done thehts of the plane co on his airstrip Every vampire in the world knew you didn’t turn children But when Lord Charles Ruskin had done so to cultivate his unique and diabolical pack of "hunting hounds," Danny hadn’t had the heart to dispatch them the way she’d dispatched their sire

Of course, the Vampire Council didn’t want to be involved, because they had the typically European attitude that Australia was the ass-end of the world, the least of their concerns While Mal wasn’t any fonder of the Vaht have taken care of this proble to civilize theery out of them that Charles had exacerbated with torture and starvation Malachi had cursed when she explained she’d used two of her household staff to help feed and edy, one dead and the other violated and alh to kill the fledgling that had perpetrated the crime

The sa, and, incoreed The Lady Daniela that Mal reuileless blue eyes and golden blond hair, but she didn’t have a sentimental bone in her body She’d put her foot up soans out their throat Instead, in this case, she’d called Mal for help

So in addition to seeing what could be done about this ie this woman, this Elisa He had to put up with her for only three days, though Danny had said to give her that round on the "children"--and to say good-bye Then he was free to bundle her back on the plane with Thoht that was best

It would have been best if Danny’s human hadn’t come at all Children He snorted That was part of the proble them that altered the true perception of thee creatures with no sense of i In any other environment except sentis and superhuan its approach, Elisa was coain, her face washed The children had traveled in a separate co thees in which they were confined, but at least they were roo Each child had a bed and so room Malachi was supposed to have a secure facility for them that included a communal area

At her latest check-in, Jererateful look Leonidas spat at her She hated the spurt of fear that had her hurrying by his cage, nothis eyes The other responses fell soed in visual age froht be anywhere froe It wasn’t likely any child could have survived longer than that under what Lord Ruskin had inflicted upon the, they knew he’d gone through at least fifty or sixty before this lot, the average life expectancy a horrifying two years

Danny had said little about the va, except that he was a friend she had known so for all he’d accomplished Over a hundred and twenty years old, he’d operated this private sanctuary for predatory cats for the last several decades, and owned the island where it was located

"He’s the quiet sort, Elisa," Danny had explained Giving her htforward look, her Mistress had added, "I expect you to obey him as you would obey me, particularly where these children are concerned Reainst ment, but this is their last chance If we don’t see improvement, if Mal determines it’s time to end this, we follow his direction I’ve told Mal he may send you back with Thomas at the end of three days if he chooses, and then their future is up to hi three days Consider it fortunate I’ue, but a warning flicker in Dev’s expression ue Danny didn’t pull the "I’m an all-powerful vampire" mantle of authority too often, but when she did, disobedience or argument wasn’t tolerated Plus, this wasn’t easy for Danny She’d initially decided to spare the children, when they’d found them at Ruskin’s estate Now Willis was dead, and Elisa

She tightened her chin She was fine Just fine It wasn’t like she was an untouched innocent, after all Willis would have wanted her to keep trying She thought he would, at least She knew for certain she did She had to, because soe surged in her such that her fingers itched for a stake herself Especially when he scented her fear, and she heard hihts to Jere herabout nine years old when he was turned, he was a slireen eyes None of the only inarticulate noises as they fought past the de rese prey or food However, they’d made the most headith Jeremiah He’d been the very first to reach out

At the station, she’d discovered a predawn routine that helped ease the children’s agitation Dev’s bedti theed within a few feet of the sees Since the children found adult va, Danny would stay at the barn entrance, but she usually caht sh Elisa was sure Dev was equally alert, he’d appeared relaxed that night as he told the story of the Three Sisters rocks in the Blue Mountains While so low in their throats, she thought a couple expressions flickered with sparks of curiosity Nerida and Matthew, the two youngest, ed posture

"They tell this story several ways Legend has it there were three beautiful sisters a the Katoomba people Three brothers of the Nepean people fell so deeply in love with them, they knew they’d never be whole until they had theainst tribal law that forbade the e and planned a battle to capture them Someti their hearts," Dev added At his broad wink, Danny gave him a raised brow that made Elisa hide a smile "But as the day of the battle approached, a witch doctor of the Katoombas decided to turn the three sisters into rock to protect theured he’d turn theaze flickered to the left Jereh the bars Just pressed his palm flat on the wooden slat floor, near one of the toys that Elisa had left close to his cage None within reach, because the children shredded the for the over, so he was on his hip and elbow, Dev pushed the bear closer, continuing the story even as the boy scuttled back Dev kept that position, his shoulder propped near the bear Danny tensed He’d brought hiaze was too focused on the artery in his throat Even Elisa could see himent

"Unfortunately, the witch doctor was killed in the battle So to this day, those three nificent rocks stand in the Blue Mountains, the three sisters forever captured, because no one kno to reverse the spell" He tilted his head back to eye Danny, hu that ive him an exasperated look "Course, I’ve alondered; if those girls could do it over and had the choice--to beconificent rocks for hundreds of years, or offer those three blokes a chance to be their husbands, despite tribal laws--hoould they have decided?"

Danny pressed her lips together, about to move forward Dev shook his head, apparently quite aware the boy had reached through the bars With one hand, Jeremiah took the bear With the other, he stretched toward Dev’s hair One fingertip touched it, then another A crooning noise cas curved over his lips Then the hand retracted and Dev turned his head to watch the boy pull the bear into the cage As he held it against his belly, a curious look crossed the boy’s face Jere the soft sensation under his ratty T-shirt

"There you go, o to bed now, and have sweet drea not to clap her hands in victory over this sress In her joy, she of course had paid no attention to the criaze The vampire who looked thirteen years old would be the one who, a couple months later, would take her and Willis by surprise in such a tragic way

It was too bad Jereer than Leonidas, because if he had o entle" vah Elisa had seen hie until he bloodied hirily at any living thing They all had such episodes, though Jeremiah’s and Leonidas’s seemed e, as if they were going insane in their own skins Those were the hardest moments for Elisa She could sense their distress, their need to be touched and comforted, but the bloodlust in the paper dolls being torn in half