While the others murmured aheir distance from the cartel leader, Sylvie warmly weled the st vampire in line who was studying the gears that lihe building aied to the watermill outside. “Kody Hensley.” Sylvie walked up and hugged the messy-haired vampire. “I am so gd you are here. It’s been a while since we had a long talk at your desk.” Sylvie giggled and stepped back when she felt Kody begin shaking lightly. “Iing, Your lovely power-up eyes are pulsing green so I know you are happy to see me, but your body isn’t sure?”
“I suppose there are flig emotions that are , yes.” Kody took a step bad reached into his pocket and pulled out a small lens case and looked at Casey. “These are yours as promised, Miss Casey.” They poio Sylvie, “I hose back for a few minutes.” Kody reached into another one of his multiple-pocketed acid-washed cargo pants and pulled out another case. “Both of you will o add a drop of blood, that way the two sets will link properly.” Their voice was ft and calm in addressing the two dy vampires, not paying attention to the others. They waited for the couple to add their blood to the cases and shook them vigorously before handing the twin cases over. “That will activate ahe leo either one of you, and only you two.” They waited for Sylvie and Casey to don the tacts and then resumed, “I identified the CPU error in your older version a bit ago, Sylvie. I have been busy with..well you said her name before.” They paused, “I o work out..or am still w out..things dealing with Vivienne.” They looked around at the mention of the dangerous vampire and heard mroaning, along with some looking over their shoulders again. “My apologies, It was not my iion to make anyone unfortable.” Finally, Kody fessed, “Sylvie, I have to admit that while I was summoned here, I am gd I came.” Kody took another breath and his power eyes turned a warning e. “My inner dark..demon, or as I know them now…shadewraith..has been mgressive than I recall in my fifty years as a vampire. I am hoping that Mister Brown will help settle this issue.”
Almost as if on cue, Amber walked out oheater stage and poio the rge round table that had been brought in to duct the busihat they were called to the Mill for. “Please.” Amber’s teal eyes sparkled with a hint of danger. “Have a seat.” Amber wi Sylvie. “I ’t thank Twilight Tonight enough fetting this table here on short notibsp; Please give y thanks when you have the ce, Sylvie.” Amber waited for the others to sit down before tinuing. “I am sure you all have questions for me, given that with the exception of Frank Keenan…you all have tasted my blood in the past.” Amber paused while the others nodded and in hushed tones recalled time with the teal-eyed beauty. “A few things have ged, as you tell.” She poio the group. “I am one of you now, and have a literal stake in the heart of what is going on here.” Amber held up her finger and disappeared behind a thick red curtain only to return dragging An on a rope across the floor, the stake still promily stig out of his chest.
“What the hell is this Amber?” Jester spoke first, shocked by what he saw. “You are showing us the worst transgression..”
Brienne looked up and smiled. “Oh, this is better than the podcast.” She looked over to Nathaniel, “Hey babe. We have the news right before our eyes.” She closed her phone and dropped her earbud oable. “Jester is mostly right, it is a hefty issue, Amber. Care to tell us why An is like that?”
Grumbling to herself for a few seds, Sylvie finally found the words she wao use. “It isn’t as if he doesn't deserve it.” Sylvie looked into Casey’s eyes for support, then the rest of the table. “It was my iion to tell everyone here what that…that…”
“Unbelievable bastard…” Casey and Amber said at nearly the same time.
“Right.” Sylvie ughed. “That’s what he is. Whe around to it, I will expin why.” She poio Amber. “When were you going to tell me you were a vampire? I was responsible for you and the other blood bunnies since you lived with me.”
Shocked looks crossed the faces of the others. “All three lived with you Sylvie?” Danel asked.
“Yep.” Sylvie beamed, “They stayed with me after Phantas fell, and Vivien and closed her manain.” She shrugged and grabbed Casey’s hand. “I opened ‘After Dark’ and I gave them the option.” Pursing her lips with the look of fusion on her features, Sylvie addressed Amber once more. “Speaking of, where are Veronid Jessica?”
Jessica came out from behind the curtain carrying two heavy boxes of bloodstones. “Right here, Sylvie.” She wi Amber. “Where do you wao put the stones, Mistress?”
Amber blew Jessica a kiss. “Oable, if you please.”
Casey leaned over and ented, “You see that Jessica is a ward nht?” Casey smiled and lightly ughed as Sylvie nervously shook her head. “It’s a good thing, babe. They are moving on and not just defining themselves as blood bunnies. This is a win.”
“That answered you and Jessica.” Sylvie quickly spoke. “Where is Veronibsp; Should I be worried?”
Casey turned Sylvie to face her and pnted a simple loving kiss on her lips, “Yonna worry anyway. Give Amber a ce to say what she o, my dream-button.” Casey waved to Amber. “Amber, keep going before Sylvie passes out from worry.”
Amber watched Jessica saunter dowairs and licked her fangs, “Oh…” Her teal eyes fshed and she resumed her versation. “Veronica was the first he turned, I am willing to bet that isn’t a shock sihey were a devoted couple. It was almost siing to watch.” Amber sed the others with her luminous arating teal gaze.
“Okay.” Kody shifted nervously in their seat. “There is something ht frightening about you now Amber.” They bit on the side of their hand, a a few drops of blood settle oongue. “Anyone else get the feeling she could just break us into pieces without thinking?” Kody poio An. “Did you stake him, Amber?”
“Yes.” Amber hissed the answer and lifted An by his . “Do you want to tell them, or should I?” Waiting for a respohat never came, Amber snorted. “Coward.” She dropped the helpless vampire’s head and resumed talking. “He turned us both. My turning was out of y because a supposed friend didn’t lick the god damned holes closed.” She squatted down beside An. “I should drain yht now. They might do it for me when they find out what you did, bastard.”
Blinking her full moon irises, Sylvie couldn’t believe that Amber was the same lovable blood bunny she’d lived with for years. “What did your ge do to you, Amber? It’s almost like Kody said.”
“Thanks, I really didn’t want affirmation that we have tire hunters.” Kody’s eyes went bd it looked like they almost shut down.
Nathaniel ran his hands through his spiked hair and sighed, “This is just getting worse. We have the shade things-”
“Shadewraiths.” Sylvie quickly amehe skateboarder.
“Right, Shadewraiths…attag us, and if it weren’t for Casey making a very cryptic call to Brie, then we would have been killed.” He looked at Casey, “Thanks by the way.”
