Exton

The doors open and a steady stream of people troops into the Tavern, all of them more or less upset and trying hard not to show it. Raina is one of the last, with Alise not far behind. I wave them over and lean to whisper in Raina's ear.

"Is it over?"

She nods, her mouth working, eyes wet. I wrap one arm around her and the other around Alise. "She was a good woman - one of the best. May she rest in peace." I realize to my considerable surprise that I really mean it.

A noise attracts my attention and I see Rath haranguing his servant again - over some piddly-assed bullshit, no doubt. Keep pushing, asshole, I think grimly. One day she's gonna get fed up, family or no family, and she's gonna shove a stake straight up your ass - and then open all the curtains. I just hope I'm there to see it.

Raina looks resentfully at the vamp and I see anger smoldering in her eyes. "The problem with vamps like Rath," I say quietly, "is that they buy into all the vampire hype. 'Humans are cattle, I'm superior, I'm gonna live forever, yadda yadda yadda.' They forget that without these 'cattle', they starve - and at that point, living forever doesn't sound too good. If he's bothering you, I can go over and talk to him…."

"No!" The word comes from Alise. "Grace has just died. Don't dishonor her by getting into a fight now." Her voice is quiet, but intense. "Here - play with Tomas. He hasn't seen you in ages."

"Hello? Fangs? Red eyes? Scary?"

"His daddy can be just as scary when he goes to stone." She plops the little one unceremoniously into my arms where he immediately begins to gurgle and squirm and drool down my shirt front.

He's wearing a fucking Batman shirt.

I cast my eyes heavenward. "I'll get you for this, Jack…."