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"That’s good, pet," Otis said lazily, closing his knees and trapping the woain"

The wonation and slu her head on the sofa cushion between Otis’s legs

Another va neatly pressed khakis and a button-down blue shirt, his dark hair cut short He was holding a clipboard in one hand, a pencil in the other

"Lance is here, Otis," he said, reading so on his clipboard "It’s been three weeks, and I think it’s time--"

"On your knees when you talk to me, Nelson"

The dark-haired va as he tried to resist the order, but eventually he surrendered His knees hit the carpeted floor with a dull thud

"That’s a good boy," Otis drawled "Noas it you wanted to ask me?"

"Lance," Nelson repeated sharply "It’s been three weeks--"

"Fuck that bastard Tell hio someplace else"

"There isn’t anyplace else, Otis You know that He’s been traveling over a hundred miles just to feed That’s not--"

"I don’t care how far he’s fucking traveling," Otis roared, sitting up and knocking the woman out of the way "Let him hunt! I don’t want that bastard in ht" He s hair, as if aware his outburst had made him seem out of control And Duncan knew that control would be everything to someone like Otis

"Some vampires just aren’t worth the effort, Nelson You understand," he said with a sickening sht of Duncan and his people He sat up straight, his dark eyes ski finally on Duncan

"Well, looky who’s here, Nelson," he sneered "It’s our new lord co"

Nelson, still on his knees, twisted around to stare at Duncan His face registered first surprise, and then a fierce satisfaction He grabbed the wo a path between Otis and their new vampire lord

"Feel free to help yourselves, boys," Otis said, waving a casual hand at the crowded house "We’ve a full house tonight"

Miguel stiffened, a growl ru in his chest Duncan rested a hand on his forearents We’re an equal opportunity establishet hed loudly, auel," Duncan said "Get rid of the hu house is ive the orders, not you"

The woer over to the door, and Miguel shoved her out of the room as he muttered orders into his Bluetooth mike Several an scouring it fro up the stairs to clear the second floor Humans screamed and vamps roared, but the noise quickly abated as the local va and helped herd the humans out of the house Withinwere the va the startled attention of the preppy vampire with the clipboard "Come here"

"What the fuck?" Otis des tohis attention instead to Nelson, who had scra up at Duncan with unconcealed longing

"Nelson? Is that your full name?"

"Nelson Conway, my lord But everyone calls me Nelson"

"You knoho I am?"

"Yes, my lord You’re our master, the new Lord of the Capital Territory"