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Within a year, the Others had been defeated and peace was restored
Rodin deployed our men to every part of the world to act as keepers of the peace They were charged with the task of assuring that any Others who had survived the conflict were destroyed before they could wreak havoc a the humans, or create more of their kind Our people established new covens in other countries throughout the knoorld
Under his leadership, our existence has reotten
Our way of life is safe once again
Our people have flourished
Long live Rodin Sherrad, Master of the Carpathian Coven And long live those of his blood
Chapter 1
Lake Tahoe, NV
Kaitlyn Sherrad rolled down theof her baby blue Porsche and stared up at the log cabin set alone in the midst of a cluster of tall pines As usual, her father had outdone hiraduation froift she wanted and she had said, facetiously, Oh, nothing much, just a little su into the driveway and cutting the engine, Kaitlyn grabbed her suitcases fro with anticipation, she hurried up the narroinding, red brick path that led to the front porch She quickly skipped up the stairs and unlocked the door
Knowing her father, she wasn’t the least bit surprised to find the living rooh, curved back and a h-hewn stone fireplace A deepat the s The tables alnut, as was the large bookcase--already filled with books by her favorite authors--that took upher suitcases beside the sofa, Kaitlyn explored the rest of the house--two large bedroo bathroom; a den, co-screen TV; a serator filled with her favorite foods; a service porch equipped with a neasher and dryer
She shook her head, a sting of tears behind her eyes Being an only child, she had always been spoiled rotten, but this went far beyond the ballet classes and piano lessons her parents had provided when she was in grade school, the neardrobe they had given her every year, the Porsche her father had surprised her with for her twenty-first birthday last year
She had hoped her folks would spend the summer with her, but trouble at the Fortress had drawn the a father as the Master of the Carpathian Coven Sonored Usually, her uncle Andrei handled things at the Fortress, but whatever the eency had been, it had required her father’s attention, which e, her parents rarely spent hed as she removed her sweater and tossed it over the back of the sofa Someday, she hoped to find a man ould adore her the way her father adored her mother A man ould live and die for her Aup her suitcases, she carried them into the first bedroo shades of green, with billohite lace curtains The ts looked out over a sparkling blue lake
Kaitlyn shook her head Hoas she ever going to express her gratitude for the love and kindness her parents had showered upon her? She had thanked them on numerous occasions in the past, but words seeether pleased with her decision to ree, but they had accepted it without argu a little hoan to unpack Her folks had always treated her like a princess, but then, maybe that was natural, since she had been raised in an old stone castle in the heart of Ro her clothes in the closet
All she needed noas a prince
Chapter 2
Zackary Ravenscroft strolled through thenow and then to chat with one of the custo to answer a question here, to address a cohtclub, loved the excitement that filled the air, the rush of adrenaline that fired the blood of the patrons, the fact that no two nights were ever the sao, siht it would be a nice distraction It was one of the best decisions he had made in the last six hundred years Not only did the casino provide a hefty incoe in customers assured a steady supply of woly or pretty, smart or not so smart, black, white, red, brown, yellow--it made no difference He loved theinable
Leaving the ga tables behind, he strolled up and down the aisles of slot machines He stopped aone of the old dollar slots From her shabby appearance, she appeared to be down on her luck andthe last of herHe had seen it all before Usually, he had no sympathy for those who plunked down their last five bucks in hopes of winning a fortune on the turn of a card Sure, it happened froame, the odds were alith the house
The old lady wasunder her breath
It took Zack a
He frowned as he listened to the urgency of her words, heard the unshed tears in her voice as she sent a desperate plea toward Heaven
Zack grunted softly Her husband was sick He needed an operation, and er afford She had lost her job They couldn’t pay the rent