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I didn’t usually care for flower-flavored teas, but I picked the bloo about both Misha and ure out what I opened the package and dropped the ball into a glass teacup, not sure if manners dictated that I wait until Misha servedon me was an uncomfortable one, so I poured the hot water into the cup, over the ball Instantly the leaves started to open and flower as the hot water rehydrated and relaxed theraphy of a flower bloo, and I could smell the jasainst the wall, and popped the candy into my mouth The taste of hazelnuts, ue I’roaned, it was so good

"I know," Misha said, walking back to rin on her face "Best chocolate evah"

"Yeah It is," I said around the chocolate "Um, why am I here?"

Misha pointed to the comfy upholstered chair set catercornered to the tea table, and I took my seat as she served herself chocolate and coffee As she mixed her coffee, she said, "What did Reach tell you?"

"That you had a book deal Book about varin still in place "You don’t have to look so ferocious about it"

"I’ ferocious" What does ferocious even look like? "I look worried," I said "Vaerous"

"Not the sane ones," she countered

I sat back in the chair "You’re kidding, right?"

For a moment, Misha’s face altered with some inexplicable emotion, but before I could identify it, the emotion vanished, replaced with the professional Misha No, the professional Ca to all my sources, the Mithrans who live by the Va blood-servants and blood-slaves, providing thehts and opportunities and the freedom to leave service anytime they want" It sounded like a promo quote fro the va to figure out why Misha was here and why she wanted to talk to me "The Vampira Carta also tells them how to divide up territory," I said distinctly, "and the cattle that live in it Cattle are humans They eat huain and it leftcornered somehow, as if I ay more involved with the project than I knew about Shock raced down id What was her book really about? Some kind of exposé?

"Mish, what’s your book about?" I asked carefully, not letting my reaction show "And don’t fob me off"

Misha passed h the typed pages There were twenty, the content in outline fores had HISTORY, broken down into CREATION, MITHRANS, NATURALEZA, THE DIASPORA, EUROPEAN COUNCIL, NEW WORLD MITHRANS, and MISCELLANEOUS, with even estions and explanations beneath The next section had POLITICAL HIERARCHY, with MASTERS OF THE CITY, HEIRS, SCIONS, PRIMOS, SECONDOS, BLOOD-SERVANTS, and BLOOD-SLAVES "This is your outline for the book?" I clarified

Misha nodded, sipping her coffee, hiding her lower face behind the cup I re that ere kids, only back then it was orange juice or iced tea she hid behind I flipped through the pages There was one labeled HOW TO KILL MITHRANS--HUNTER METHODOLOGY Another was labeled WHAT SCIENCE HOPES, and beneath that was a list of researchers’ na institutes that paid them to think One read MITHRANS AND MAGIC, another was labeled MITHRAN BLOOD AND MODERN PRESERVATION There was MITHRANS AND WITCHES, and I flipped on through, not liking this The va to have kittens Andpart of it in any way

And then I found it Near the back there was a section on VAMP HUNTERS My na down shocked its way throughvamps was my main source of financial inco ear, a bio (mostly candid), and a list of kills I hadn’t updated it recently, but clients could reach h the contact link No, I didn’t hide who I was or what I did, but I didn’t put it out there for the whole world to see either, especially in what could becoes and set theer I had kept froh et And you wantfor the door So you," she stated "Not going to say anything you don’t want said"

I let a sonna letI don’t like?" Misha’s face fell "I figured not" I reached around her for the doorknob

"Okay," she said I stopped "I’ll let you read over anything I write about you, and if it’s wrong or untruthful I’ll take it out"

Which wasn’t a huge help The truth was bad enough, and I wanted to keep the few secrets I had left to ht to take out the lies would be off the table I was s she wanted if the price was right If I stayed, I ain for my privacy and secrets My fists clenched and opened as I hesitated "What do you want from me?"

"I need an intro to Hieronymus here in Natchez and to Leo Pellissier in New Orleans I’ve tried but they won’t talk to e"