A few vamp pharma businesses, including Leo’s lab in Texas, had been researching treatments for humans who had been blood-bound, with some success but also with some failures. For now, these slaves could opt for the experimental treatment or be brought over to blood-servant status if a vamp was willing, had the funds to care for them, and could find a job for them.
I stood in the open garage and dialed Bruiser.
“My Queen,” he said, a caress and a warning in his voice. Others could still hear us.
I took a deep breath and blew out my fury and frustration. I breathed in the calm of night and gave him a down-and-dirty debrief.
Bruiser listened with the intense concentration that had made him the best primo in Mithran lands and the best Consort I could ever have. When I finished, he said, “We’ve learned that the remaining vampires from this nest are among the last powerful vampires from Europe.”
Formal words and tone. So maybe the chief of police or the sheriff was standing there listening, and he was informing them as much as me. Bruiser continued. “From the information gathered in the bleed-and-read, their plan was to ambush and kill us all, and if they failed in that, to kill as many of your followers as they could, leaving you crippled. Then they would kill and disable local law enforcement, travel to New Orleans, and take over there, while the Dark Queen was rebuilding her court.”
And grieving my Consort, my brother, and Shaddock. Yeah. Those deaths might have brought me down all by themselves.
I heard Shaddock’s voice in the background. “My Queen, your position is under threat, about to be usurped.”
“Yeah, I got it. Those powerful vamps are on the way to New Orleans.”
“One presumes,” Bruiser said.
“Just in time to screw up Jodi and Wrassler’s wedding. For which Jodi will kill me.”
I heard Shaddock laughing as I ended that call to dial the Council Chambers of NOLA. Thankfully Wrassler himself didn’t answer, but one of the original Tequila Boys, the security team put together when I first took over vamp protection there, did.
“Antifreeze,” I said. “This is Jane.”
“Yo. Legs. How high you kickin’?”
“Nobody lets me kick lately,” I complained. Except for tonight. Maybe they knew I needed the release.
“Yeah, being rich and powerful must suck. Hang on while I curtsy.”
I had missed this kind of insulting banter. Dear heavens, I had missed it so much. “You guys are rich, dude. I made sure you got an increase in pay. You even got dental and visual plans.”
“Legs, there’s comfortable with purdy teeth and nice specs, and then there’s rich rich.” Before I could reply, he shouted off the cell. “Hey guys! It’s her majesty, Legs.”
“Legs!” another guy shouted in the background. I was pretty sure it was Sweaty Bollock. The Tequila Boys were named after tequila cocktails. I had never asked what the ingredients were in a Sweaty Bollock, for fear they might tell me. “When you coming home, girl?” he yelled. “I have a deep and abidin’ need to spar with a royal.”
I glanced up and spotted Thema watching me, standing in the shadows, vamp-still, silent as the grave. Haha. “I might hurt you,” I said to Antifreeze and Sweaty. “Send you to the hospital for weeks. You’d be out of work, lose your house and car.”
Antifreeze said, “Come to think of it, we need a long-term care package with an ‘injured on the job’ clause.”
“Yeah, yeah, take it up with Raisin,” I said, referring to Ernestine, Leo’s very elderly human accountant. “Meantime, we got some big bads on the way.”
“Girl, when do we not?”
“Initiate Cowbird Protocol at HQ and all the clan homes.”
“Roger that, Legs. Hold on.”
I heard typing and clicking in the background as he activated the security measures based on the real cowbird, which meant a traitor on premises. I said, “Antifreeze, I want additional cameras integrated into the system, even places formerly off-limits. Cameras outside the bedroom doors, cameras showing the entrances to public restrooms. And would you mind letting my housekeeping service know I’ll be home sooner than expected? I’d like to get my house and Yellowrock Clan Home ready for visitors, ASAP.”
“Already done, Fang Queen. Report: HQ is on high alert with two special units gearing up to roam the halls and grounds. No one has been allowed out alone without a hall pass, just like high school. Other units will be deployed to back up each of the clan homes and outlying properties, including the currently sparsely occupied NOLA Yellowrock Clan Home and your private residence. I’ve sent a message to Wrassler notifying him of your orders, and so he may call you and tell you not to fu—ah, mess up his wedding.”
I smiled. Tequila Boys were all former military, and their jargon was always military-oriented. And they all knew how I felt about cussing.
“Perfect. Thank you, Antifreeze. Remind me that I need to include Christmas bonuses come time.”
“You da best, Legs. Later, woman.” He ended the call.
Legs. Woman. Fang Queen. Wonderful snark. I had missed it so much.
Thema was still watching me when I pocketed my cell, the moonlight shining on her dark skin, her eyes narrow with . . . suspicion? Curiosity?
“What?” I demanded.
“You have servants to make such calls, yet you make them yourself. You did not demand respect from your underlings. They called you names about your legs.”
“So?”
“You are a strange ruler. People with power most often spend their days trying to take more power. They have nothing without the mantle of royalty.”
“I kinda suck at royalty. And I have my own mantle.” With an index finger, I drew a circle in the air around my furry face.
“I see this. I could teach you how to be decorous and genteel and royal, but I will not. The lack of propriety suits you. And it makes me laugh.”
“Yuck it up. Poop will hit the prop soon enough, and no one will be laughing. At least that’s been my experience.”
“What is this poop prop?”
I laughed and walked off. I kinda suck at royalty. No kidding.
* * *
* * *
It was nearly dawn when Lincoln Shaddock arrived with three vehicles. His people escorted blood-slaves into two cars and let them snuggle down with vamps. They would share blood, and that would calm the humans’ anxieties, at least for a while. As the sun began to gray the sky, Shaddock took up a position near the front of his own vamp-mobile. They all had super dark tinted windows and heavy armor, toys he needed for the MOC position. He drew two swords and pulled on his power as master of the city. I felt the energies shiver through the ground, a cold wave of danger. “Thema! Kojo!” he shouted. “Attend me!” The power rolled out. A summons.