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CHAPTER 1

There was no sign on the abandoned church, but someone had scribbled “Let us Prey” above the main doors As a Catholic, I didn’t approve As so exactly that, it seemed oddly appropriate

I pushed open the heavy wooden doors and went in It looked like I’d guessed right in going with office chic when I’d gotten ready for the evening There were a minority of Goths and sohtclub, but most of the crowd seemed to be composed of those recently released from corporate hell

I fit in well enough, in a blue silk tank top I sweated through within five minutes and a short black skirt The tank matched the new streaks in ot a beer at the bar and wandered around, looking for trouble

It didn’t take long to find it The club was populated roup of the fashionable undead showed up every night for the all-you-can-eat buffet, and fro early

He had a pretty brunette in a corner, his hand up her skirt and his fangs in her throat That was frowned upon by the Va body for North As to be kept nice and subtle But then, this guy had already proven he wasn’t too concerned about the Senate’s point of view—about a lot of things That hy I was here They intended to teach a lesson, and to make it memorable

The wo out toward the crowd, and by the tiet her dress open all the way down She wasn’t wearing much underneath, unless you counted the scrap of black lace he had his hand inside He did so that caused a quick, indrawn breath and a helpless shift of her hips One of the bystanders laughed

There were a dozen of them, all vampires, and at least a feere masters I’d hoped to catch him alone, or at worst with two or three others I hadn’t planned on the show, and it cos

He pulled the dress off her shoulders and it slithered to the floor, over skin already so sensitized that every tiny h her nose, tre her mind, because it’s no fun if they aren’t terrified And because his boys wanted to play

Vahts, and because of e, I pick them up better than most She wouldn’t meet their eyes, wouldn’t raise her head But she knehat they saw by the i

Froes of her body, slick and shining under the lights, of the rivulets sweat had carved through the goose bu jerked down her thighs And the pictures came in stereo, with every sound that was ripped fronified a dozen tih, too: arousal, anticipation and,bloodlust