“I can’t believe you bit me there,” she finally said. “But what I really can’t believe is how it felt.”A smile curved his lips. “There are perks to being a vampire. That is one of them. I’ll enjoy showing you the others.”

“A vampire private investigator?” he repeated. “You’re putting me on, right?” “I know you have vampire hit men, so why wouldn’t you have vampire private investigators, too?” she flared back. “I can’t just run an ad with Nathanial’s description on it titled ‘Have you seen this soul welsher?”

“I can’t wait to find out how you taste, and you won’t want me to stop even after I’ve completely exhausted you. You’ll think you were on fire, your skin will burn. I’ll suck all of your juices out of you. And then I’ll drink your blood.”

“Charles,” Bones said distinctly. “You’d better have a splendid explanation for her being on top of you.”The black-haired vampire rose to his feet as soon as I jumped off, brushing the dirt off his clothes.“Believe me, mate, I’ve never enjoyed a woman astride me less. I came out to say hello, and this she-devil blinded me by flinging rocks in my eyes. Then she vigorously attempted to split my skull before threatening to impale me with silver if I so much as eventwitched! It’s been a few years since I’ve been to America, but I daresay the method of greeting a person has changeddramatically!”Bones rolled his eyes and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re still upright, Charles, and the only reason you are is because she didn’t have any silver. She’d have staked you right and proper otherwise. She has a tendency to shrivel someone firstand then introduce herself afterwards.”

“She might not know what your routine is, but I do,” I said softly. “So put the lantern down. You’re not burning me yet, and we both know it.”“What’s she saying?” Sarah demanded, hobbling over. His white brows drew together, and I allowed a little smile to play on my lips. “Awfully bossy with you, isn’t she? Then again, it makes sense. She’s got the pants on, and you’re the one in the dress.”

“Why can’t you just look into my mind and see what happened for yourself? You erasedmy memory, can’t you bring it back?-I buried it beyond even my reach, so as to be sure it stayed forgotten.Great. If Mega-Master Mencheres couldn’t pry it out, then it must really be lost.”

“I remember hearing you scream, Cat, and seeing your face. But I don’t remember dying. And how can I go on if I’m dead?” Tat answered fiercely, “Dead is stuffed inside that box, not what you are now. You’re my friend. Always will be. No matter what the fuck you eat. I didn’t believe that pale prick when he said he could wake you up, but you’re here. And don’t you dare think about covering yourself back up with dirt. I need you, buddy. It’s been hell without you.” “I missed you, amigo,” Juan said in almost incoherently accented English. “You can’t leave me again! Tat’s boring, and Copper only wants to train. You stay!” Dave stared at us.”