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Alexia finally recovered from her surprise and frowned She had no concrete plans, but she did not want to go into a vampire hive uninformed So she said firht" She made a quick decision to send her card round to Lord Akeldaht be able to fill her in on some of the local hive activities Lord Akeldama liked perfumed handkerchiefs and pink neckties, but he also liked to know things

"Toht, then?" The actress looked hopeful This request must be particularly iree cascade feather on her felt hat tickled the back of her neck "Where ao?"

Miss Dair leaned forward fro a steady hand to her frisky horses, and handed Alexia a small sealed envelope "I ies, Miss Hisselpenny You understand the delicacy of the situation, I aly and blushed delicately "No offense taken, Miss Dair This entire affair is none of my concern" Even Ivy knew better than to ask questions of hive business

"For who the envelope about in her hands but not opening it

"Countess Nadasdy"

That was a name Alexia knew Countess Nadasdy was purported to be one of the oldest living vampires, incredibly beautiful, impossibly cruel, and extremely polite She was queen of the Westht have learned to play the social game with aplomb, but Countess Nadasdy was itsand hard at the bubbly blond actress "You have hidden depths, Miss Dair" Alexia was not supposed to know s that went on in Countess Nadasdy’s circle, let alone her hive, but she read too much Many of the books in the Loontwills’ library were left over from her father’s day Alessandro Tarabotti had clearly felt a strong inclination toward literature concerning the supernatural, so Alexia had a tolerably clear concept of what occurred in a va more than blond curls, dimples, and a perfectly-turned-out rose dress

Miss Dair bobbed her ringlets at theossip coluood htly quirky "If you like that sort of thing It has been delightful to htened the reins to her blacks and snapped therass, but Miss Dair h flyer was gone, rattling down the footpath and disappearing behind the sirls followed, the airship in all its technological glory having suddenly lost its appeal Otherevents were afoot They walked a littlein a subdued manner Alexia turned the sh Hyde Park appeared to be doing the trick as far as Alexia’s prickly feelings were concerned All of her anger at Lord Maccon had dissipated to be replaced by apprehension

Ivy looked pale Well, paler than usual Finally she pointed to the sealed envelope Alexia was fiddling with nervously "You knohat that is?"

Miss Tarabotti sed "Of course I know" But she said it so quietly Ivy did not really hear her

"You have been given the actual address of a hive, Alexia They are either going to recruit you or drain you dry No daylight humans but drones are allowed to have that kind of information"

Alexia looked uncoht react to a preternatural in their midst Not very kindly, she suspected She worried her lower lip "I simply must speak with Lord Akeldama"

Miss Hisselpenny looked, if possible, even eous" Outrageous was a very good way of describing Lord Akeldaeousness any ood because Lord Akelda about on three-inch heels with ruby and gold buckles "My darling, darling Alexia" Lord Akeldaiven na He had said that he just knew they would be friends, and there was no point in prevaricating "Darling!" He also seemed to speak predohtful of you to invite "

Miss Tarabotti srin at Lord Akeldama; his attire was so consistently absurd In addition to the heels, he wore yellow checked gaiters, gold satin breeches, an orange and le jacket of sunny pink brocade His cravat was a frothy floaterfall of orange, yellow, and pink Chinese silk, barely contained by a e ruby pin His ethereal face was powdered quite unnecessarily, for he was already completely pale, a predilection of his kind He sported round spots of pink blush on each cheek like a Punch and Judy puppet He also affected a gold h, like all vampires, he had perfect vision

With fluid poise, he settled himself on the settee opposite Alexia, a small neatly laid supper table between them

Miss Tarabotti had decided to host hirin, alone in her private drawing room Alexia tried to explain that the vampire’s supposed inability to enter private residences uninvited was a myth based upon their collective obsession with proper social etiquette, but her mother refused to believe her After soht better of her objections to the arrange that the event would occur whether she willed it or no, Alexia being assertive--Italian blood-- she hastily took the two younger girls and Squire Loontwill off to an evening card party at Lady Blingchester’s Mrs Loontas very good at operating on the theory that what she did not know could not hurt her, particularly regarding Alexia and the supernatural

So Alexia had the house to herself, and Lord Akeldama’s entrance was appreciated by no onebutler This caused Lord Akeldarace, that he clearly anticipated a er audience The vampire took out a scented handkerchief and bopped Miss Tarabotti playfully on the shoulder with it "I hear, irl at the duchess’s ball last night"

Lord Akeldahest order, but he had one of the sharpestPost would pay half its weekly income for the kind of inforht Alexia privately suspected hi the servants in every host spies tethered to key public institutions