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him. Besides, many of the Stalworth vampires
were in bad shape and needed to be fed. Better
they nurture their own for now.
Yes, my lady, Randolph replied with a
courteous tilt of the head.
Last, Sarge, we owe you our deepest gratitude.
May I ask one more favor from you?
The gruff Sarge came forward and knelt on one
fatigue-covered knee before her. As you wish,
my queen.
I don t trust Eric. Please lead a team through
the entire lodge and grounds looking for any other
nasty surprises he may have left for us. Begin with
my suite. And, Sarge, there is a nasty looking
zombie up there. I d rather not see him again.
Within minutes, the group had been organized
into teams. Macon and Stalworth vamps worked
side by side, some arming for the hunt while
others fed the weaker vampires.
Henny reported directly to Trish. I don t know
if it was wishful thinking on my part, but I could
have sworn I heard you tell me to eliminate those
soldier boys. I know I shouldn t have been able to
read your thoughts, but it sure felt like it.
Really? All I could do was hope you would
know what to do when you got them away from
the lodge, but if it s true, if I can communicate
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Casey Pendelton
with more than just Eric
The return of Remy and Damien preempted her
thoughts. Eric, much worse for wear, hunkered
between them. Trish tried to spot what she had
found attractive in Eric, but it was gone. The
confidence, the stylish pride was gone and the
Adonis looks had been marred with a bruises and
abrasions. Not even the crazed blue eyes
reminded her of the man who had charmed her in
her mother s home.
Damien led us right to him. While your blood
protected him from Eric s demands, it enhanced
his ability to track his maker. Good thing, too. Eric
was clinging to a tree root about a hundred feet
above a rocky ravine. Falling might not have
killed him, but it would have hurt like hell and the
wolves and mountain lions might have finished
him off before he could heal, Remy said. I
thought long and hard about finishing him off, but
he s done more to betray you than me. It is your
right to decide his fate.
Trish met Remy s eyes. No. It is our right. We
rule together. She held out her hand and Remy
took it, knelt in front of her and laid his head in
her lap. She stroked his head, thankful she had
someone so strong, so loyal as Remy to share this
experience with.
138
High Heels and Bloodsuckers
Chapter Ten
amn it, Damien, keep looking. You must have
Dmissed something, Trish said as she paced
the length of her office. At the rate she was going,
the room would need new carpeting before she
had held office a full thirty days.
I m telling you there s nothing here. I ve
checked every account. They re all empty. We
can t even afford to pay your shoe bill. Damien s
spiked head stayed bent over the keyboard, his
fingers tapping away as he spoke. That son of a
bitch either lost all but a few grand playing the
futures market or transferred the money out of
Collective accounts. I d fry the bastard if I were
you. It s what the Council would do.
Trish threw up her hands. The Council! Sabine
and Nathan are due here in five days and I can t
even afford to hold a proper reception.
Sometimes she really did think ignorance was
bliss, but Remy had opened her eyes to how
important ceremony was to the vampire way of
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Casey Pendelton
life, especially when dealing with the Council.
Council support meant the difference between
being left alone to rule in peace and finding your
every move scrutinized by outsiders. The
Stalworth Collective could even be forced to act as
sanctuary for exiled vamps, many of whom were
maddened by too much power and too many
years of living beyond everyone and everything
they knew to be real.
The human mind is a fragile thing. It may be
able to accept mortality. It may be able to accept
man feeding on man for survival, but too much
change, too much innovation thrust upon a
simpleton who does not care to change with the
world around him is as destructive as the most
lethal of drugs. While most Collectives took the
insanity of the few in stride, others were quick to
cast off their undesirables the insane, rebellious
and simply unfit to the care of others and the
Council was quick to oblige, for a price.
Damien finally turned away from the
computer, watching Trish pace from over his
shoulder. Tell Remy. He ll front you the dough.
Remy. Sore subject. Remy had gone back to
Hickory Creek the same night he captured Eric,
against Trish s wishes. She had done everything
but beg him to stay with her, but he said his place
was there and Trish knew her people needed her
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