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I WAS COVERED in blood, but it wasn't mine, so it was okay Not only was it not my blood, but it was all aniht were six chickens and a goat, I could live with it, and so could everyone else I'd raised seven corpses in one night It was a record even for me

I pulled into my driveway at a quarter 'til daith the sky still dark and star-filled I left the Jeep in the driveway, too tired to e It was May, but it felt like April Spring in St Louis was usually a two-day event between the end of winter and the beginning of su your ass off and the next day it'd be eighty plus But this year it had been spring, a wet gentle spring

Except for the high nuht Everything fro a civil war soldier for a local historical society to question, a will that needed a final signature, to a son's last confrontation with his abusive mother I'd been neck deep in lawyers and therapists ht If I heard, "How does that make you feel, Jonathan (or Cathy, or whoever)?" one ht, I'd screao with his or her feelings" ever At least with raveside The court-appointed laould ascertain that the zonitive ability to knohat they were signing, then he would sign off on the contract as a witness If the zonature The corpse had to be of "sound" nature I'd never raised a zoal definition of soundness, but it happened sometimes Jamison, a fellow animator at Animator's Inc, had a pair of lawyers corave What fun

The air was cool enough to make me shiver as I walked down the sidewalk toas I fumbled the key into the lock I hit the door with my shoulder because no one ever calls just before dawn unless it's important For me that usually meant the police, which meant a murder scene I kicked the door closed and ran for the phone in the kitchen My answering machine had clicked on My voice died on the machine and Edward's voice came on

"Anita, it's Edward If you're there, pick up" Silence

I was running full out and skidded onthe receiver as I slid into the wall and nearly dropped the phone I yelled into the receiver as I juggled the phone, "Edward, Edward, it's me! I'm here!"

Edas laughing softly when I could finally hear him

"Glad I could be a What's up?" I asked

"I' in my favor," he said quietly

It was my turn for silence, Once upon a TIME Edward had coht a friend, Harley, with hi Harley Now, Harley had tried to kill me first, and I'd just been quicker, but Edward had taken the killing personally Picky, picky Edward had given me a choice: either he and I could dran on each other and find out once and for all which of us was better, or I could owe him a favor Some day he would call reed to the favor I never wanted to coainst Edward for real Because if I did, I was pretty sure I'd end up dead

Edas a hit man He specialized inThere were people like alities, or hell, the ethics He even occasionally did a huerous reputation Other assassins, criminals, bad men, or women Edas an equal opportunity killer He never discriion, race, or even species If it was dangerous, Edould hunt it and kill it It's what he lived for, what he was ¨C a predator's predator

He'd been offered a contract on my life once He'd turned it down and had co Harley with him I'd asked him why he hadn't taken the contract His answer had been siot to kill et to kill

He's either a sociopath or so close it makes little difference I may be one of the few friends that Edward has, but it's like being friends with a tame leopard It may curl on the foot of your bed and let you pet its head, but it can still eat your throat out It just won't do it tonight

"Anita, you still there?"

"I'm here, Edward"

"You don't sound happy to hear from me"

"Let's just say I'm cautious," I said

He laughed again "Cautious No, you're not cautious You're suspicious"

"Yeah," I said "So what's the favor?"

"I need back up," he said

"What could be so terrible that Death needs backup?"

"Ted Forrester needs backup from Anita Blake, vampire executioner"

Ted Forrester was Edward's alter ego, his only legal identity that I are of Ted was a bounty hunter that specialized in preternatural creatures that weren't vaeneral rule vamps were a specialty item, which was one of the reasons that there were licensed va else executioners Maybe vampires just have a better political lobby, but whatever, they get the most press Bounty hunters like Ted filled in the blanks between the police and the licensed executioners They worked al to hunt down varmints and kill them for money Varht in about six states as long as later a blood test proves they were lycanthropes So contested, but nothing had changed yet on a local level

"So, what does Ted need h truthfully I was relieved that it was Ted asking and not Edward Edward on his own probably al, maybe even murder I wasn't quite into cold-blooded murder Not yet

Come to Santa Fe and find out, he said

"New Mexico? Santa Fe, New Mexico?"

"Yes"

"When?" I asked

"Now"

"Since I' as Anita Blake, va my arsenal"

"Bring what you want," Edward said "I'll share my toys with you when you arrive"

"I haven't been to bed yet Do I have tiet on a plane?"

"Get a few hours sleep, but be here by afternoon We'vethe rest of the crime scene for you"

"What sort of crime scene?"

"I'd say hter, butcher, torture Yes," he said, as if trying the word over in his mind, "a torture scene"

"Are you trying to scare me?" I asked

"No," he said

"Then stop the theatrics and just tell me what the hell happened"

He sighed, and for the first tiot tenTwelve confirmed dead"

"Shit," I said "Why haven't I heard anything on the news?"

"The disappearances le in the Desert' The twelve dead were three fahbors just found them today"

"How long had they been dead?" I asked

"Days, nearly teeks for one family"

"Jesus, why didn't someone miss them sooner?"

"In the last ten years alot a huge influx of new people Plus a lot of people have what amounts to vacation homes up here The locals call the newcomers Californicators"

"Cute," I said, "but is Ted Forrester a local?"

"Ted lives near the city, yeah"

A thrill went through me from the soles of my feet to the top of my head Edas the ulti about hiet to see where you live?"

"You'll be staying with Ted Forrester," he said

"But you're Ted Forrester, Edward I'll be staying at your house, right?"

He was quiet for a heartbeat, then, "Yes"

Suddenly, the whole trip see to see Edward's house I was going to be able to pry into his personal life, if he had one What could be better?

Though one thing was bothering me "When you said families were the victims, does that include kids?"