“I need you,ʺ said Lissa.ʺI hear that from women a lot,ʺ said Adrian.”

“I want your opinion.ʺʺThat,ʺ Adrian said, ʺis not something I hear a lot.ʺ”

“ʺWho′s a spirit user?ʺ said Robert.ʺFormer spirit user,ʺ said Victor, ʺShe became a Strigoi to get away from it.ʺʺYes . . . always a lure to that . . . kill to live, live to kill.Immortality and freedom from these chains, but oh, what a loss . . .ʺ said Robert.”

“ʺWe need someone to get the roomʹs attention,ʺ I said. ʺSomeone not afraid to make a spectacle—I mean, besides me, of course.ʺ”

“Theyʹre shooting at us,ʺ I said incredulously. ʺTheyʹre actually shooting at us!”

“Sorry,ʺ she said, her face shining with joy when she saw me. ʺShould have put a sock on the door. Didnʹt realize things were getting hot and heavy.ʺʺNo avoiding it,ʺ I said lightly, clasping Dimitriʹs hand. ʺThings are always hot with him around.ʺDimitri looked scandalized. Heʹd never held back when we were in bed together, but his private nature wouldnʹt let him even hint about such matters to others. It was mean, but I laughed and kissed his cheek.ʺOh, this is going to be fun,ʺ I said. ʺNow that everythingʹs out in the open.ʺʺYeah,ʺ he said. ʺI got a pretty ‘funʹ look from your father the other day.”

“Iʹve seen you too. Ozera. Crispin, right?ʺʺChristian,ʺ corrected Lissa.ʺRight.ʺ....ʺSo what brings you and Christopher here?ʺ asked Blake. He finished a glass of something amber colored and set it down beside the new drink.ʺChristian,ʺ said Christian.....Blake gave her puppy-dog eyes. ʺBut you just got here! I was hoping we could get to know each other.ʺ It went without saying what he meant by that. ʺOh. And Kreskin too.”