“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.”

“Christian stretched out beside her and pulled her close. ʺBut for what itʹs worth, I think youʹd be a greatqueen too, Princess Dragomir.ʺʺYouʹre going to get dirty,ʺ she warned.ʺAlready am. Oh, you mean from your clothes?ʺ He wrapped his arms around her, heedless of her damp and muddy state. ʺI spent most of my childhood hiding in a dusty attic and own exactly one dress shirt. You really think I care about this T-shirt?ʺ”

“Blake smiled radiantly. ʺMay I call you Vasilisa?ʺʺYou can call me Lissa.ʺʺYou can also,ʺ added Christian, ʺlet go of her hand now.”

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

“Naptime,ʺ said Christian, leading her toward the bed.ʺI still need a shower.ʺʺSleep first. Shower later.ʺ He pulled back the covers. ʺIʹll sleep with you.ʺʺSleep or sleep?ʺ she asked dryly, sliding gratefully into bed.ʺReal sleep. You need it.ʺ He crawled in beside her, spooning against her and resting his face on her shoulder. ʺOf course, afterward, if you want to conduct any official Council business...ʺʺI swear, if you say ‘Little Dragomirs,ʹ you can sleep in the hall.”

“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.”