I gave her my best puppy-dog look.
“Christ. All right, already.” She jabbed the box toward me and pointed to the corner piece. “That one’s like lemon pie.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed it and popped it in my mouth. “Mmm. Good.”
Jessica stared at me, horrified. “You have no idea how to properly eat a Godiva truffle. It’s impossible that we’re friends.”
“I think I’m more a sapphire kind of girl,” mused Patsy. “Maybe some platinum gold. Hey, Damian, how do you feel about loaning out your headgear?”
“No can do,
Liebling
,” he said, flashing a smile. He looked at me and winked. “It’s part of a set.”
“It still freaks me out to see him all smiley,” muttered Jessica. “It’s like the sun turned purple or something. You know. Unnatural.”
“Says the vampire,” said Patsy. She looked at me, her belly more rounded than mine. “You hear that Margaret Morningstone was committed to the loony bin?”
I nodded. “By her own children.” I glanced at Eva, who was reading an instruction manual and telling Lorcan how to set up the drum kit. “She had a nervous breakdown. And then some journalist discovered her latest bestseller was a bunch of lies.”
“Interesting,” said Jessica, who didn’t sound interested at all. “Don’t fuck with karma.”
Or with vampires or their friends, I thought, inwardly smiling. “Have you heard anything else from the Vederes?” I asked.
“Nothing that makes any sense,” said Patsy. “’Bout the only thing we know for sure is that I’m not gonna be queen of the vampires for much longer. And you know what? Just watching over the
loup de sang
will be fine by me. I might even resign from the Broken Heart council and go on an actual vacation.”
“We’re done,” declared Patrick.
“Woot!” Jessica put her chocolates on a nearby table and literally flew over the couch to jump into her husband’s arms. “Nice job, honey!”
I joined my husband on our side. He leaned down to kiss me, flattening his palm against my slightly rounded belly. “Are you ready to rock,
Schätzchen
?”
“And roll,” I said.
Damian kissed me again. “I love you,” he whispered against my lips.
“Love you back,” I said, my heart full of love—and a serious need to wallop some vamps on Rock Band. “Now let’s kick their asses.”
“As my queen commands.” He lifted my hand and turned it up, pressing his lips against the pulse point. I shivered. I don’t think I’d ever get tired of him doing that.
“This ain’t a game for sissies,” said Jessica. “Grab a guitar, Romeo, and quit pawing your drummer. Sicko.”
Damian laughed.
Jessica sat down by her drum kit and did a neck roll. “It’s time for the Broken Heart Bloodsuckers to school Lycan Therapy.”
“Try not to cry when we spank you,” I offered sweetly.
“Oh,” said Jessica, grinning broadly, “it’s on, sistah. It’s on like Donkey Kong.”
And it was.
THE BROKEN HEART TURN-BLOODS
*
Jessica Matthews:
Widow (first husband, Richard). Mother to Bryan and Jenny, and to adopted son, Rich Jr. Stay-at-home mom. Vampire of Family Ruadan. Mated to Patrick O’Halloran.
Charlene Mason:
Deceased.
Mistress of Richard Matthews. Mother to Rich Jr. Receptionist for insurance company. Vampire of Family Ruadan.
Linda Beauchamp:
Divorced (first husband, Earl). Mother to MaryBeth. Nail technician. Vampire of Family Koschei. Mated to Dr. Stan Michaels.
MaryBeth Beauchamp:
Nanny to Marchand triplets. Vampire of Family Ruadan. Mated to Rand.
*
Evangeline LeRoy:
Mother to Tamara. Teacher at night school and colibrarian of Broken Heart and Consortium archives. Vampire of Family Koschei. Mated to Lorcan O’Halloran.
Patricia “Patsy” Donovan:
Divorced (first husband, Sean). Mother to Wilson, and to
loup de sang
triplets. Former beautician. Queen of vampires and
loup de sang
. Vampire of Family Amahté. Mated to Gabriel Marchand.
Ralph Genessa:
Widowed (first wife, Teresa). Father to twins Michael and Stephen, and to daughter Cassandra. Dragon handler. Vampire of Family Hua Mu Lan. Mated to half dragon Libby Monroe.
Simone Sweet:
Widowed (first husband, Jacob). Mother to Glory. Mechanic. Vampire of Family Velthur. Mated to Braddock Hayes.
1
Phoebe Allen:
Divorced (first husband, Jackson Tate). Mother to Daniel. Comanages The Knight’s Inn in Tulsa. Vampire of Family Durga. Mated to Connor Ballard.
Darlene Clark:
Deceased.
Divorced (first husband, Jason Clark
1
). Mother to Marissa. Operated Internet scrapbooking business. Vampire of Family Durga.
1
Elizabeth Bretton née Silverstone:
Widowed (first husband, Henry). Stepmother to Venice. Socialite and jewelry maker. Vampire of Family Zela. Mated to werejaguar Tez Jones.
GLOSSARY 1
GERMAN WORDS/TERMS
Deutsches Reich:
German Reich also known as the Third Reich
Liebling:
Darling
Mein kleiner Frechdachs:
My little cheeky monkey (rascal, scoundrel)
Nein und abermals nein:
A thousand times, no
Schätzchen:
Little treasure
Schwarzwald:
Black Forest
Was zum Teufel:
What the fuck?
Wehrmacht:
Unified armed forces of Germany from 1935–1945
GAELIC IRISH WORDS/TERMS
a ghrá mo chroi:
Love of my heart
a stóirín:
My little darling
a thaisce:
My dear/darling/treasure
aiteacht:
Inexplicable sense of thing or place that is not right
bard:
Poet-druid (see:
Filí
). Storyteller and singer of Celtic tribes
céardsearc:
First love/beloved one
damnú air:
Damn it
deamhan fola
:
Blood devil
draíocht:
Magic
droch fola:
Bad or evil blood
druid:
The philosopher, teacher, and judge of Celtic tribes
Filí:
(Old Irish) Poet-druid (see:
Bard
)
Go dtachta an diabhal thú:
May the devil choke you (Irish curse)
Is minic a bhris béal duine a shrón:
Many a time a man’s mouth broke his nose
Leamhán sléibhe:
A Wych Elm (the only species of Elm native to Ireland)
mo chroi:
My heart
Ná glac pioc comhairle gan comhairle ban:
Never take advice without a woman’s guidance
Níl neart air:
(lit. There is no power in it) There is no helping it
Ovate:
Healer-druid; healer and seer of Celtic tribes
Solas:
Light
Sonuachar:
Soul mate
Súmaire Fola:
Bloodsucker
Tír na Marbh:
Land of the Dead
Titim gan éirí ort:
May you fall without rising (Irish curse)
OTHER WORDS/TERMS
Centurion/Centurio:
Professional officer in the Roman army in charge of a century, or
centuria
, of men
Century/Centuria:
Group of 60 to 160 men in the Roman infantry led by a centurion
Durriken:
Romany boy’s name that means “he who forecasts”
Fac fortia et patere:
Latin for “Do brave deeds and endure”
Gadjikane:
Romany for “non-Gypsy”
Muló:
Romany for “living dead”
Roma:
Member of nomadic people originating in Northern India; gypsies considered as a group (Also the term used for cousins of full-blood lycanthropes who can only shift during a full moon and who hunt rogue vampires)
Romany/Romani:
The language of the Roma
Strigoi mort:
Term for Romanian vampire
GLOSSARY 2
Ancient:
Refers to one of the original eight vampires. The very first vampire was Ruadan, who is the biological father of Patrick and Lorcan. Several centuries ago, Ruadan and his sons took on the last name of O’Halloran, which means “stranger from overseas.”
banning:
(see:
World Between Worlds
) Any one can be sent into limbo, but the spell must be cast by an Ancient or a being with powerful magick. No one can be released from banning until they feel true remorse for their evil acts. This happens rarely, which means banning is not done lightly.
binding:
When vampires have consummation sex (with any person or creature), they’re bound together for a hundred years. This was the Ancients’ solution to keep vamps from sexual intercourse while blood-taking. There are only two known instances of breaking a binding.
Consortium:
More than five hundred years ago, Patrick and Lorcan O’Halloran created the Consortium to figure out ways that parakind could make the world a better place for all beings. Many sudden leaps in human medicine and technology are because of the Consortium’s work.
Convocation:
Five neutral, immortal beings given the responsibility of keeping the balance between Light and Dark.
donors:
Mortals who serve as sustenance for vampires. The Consortium screens and hires humans to be food sources. Donors are paid well and given living quarters. Not all vampires follow the guidelines created by the Consortium for feeding. A mortal may have been a donor without ever realizing it.
Drone:
Mortals who do the bidding of their vampire Masters. The most famous was Renfield—drone to Dracula. The Consortium’s code of ethics forbids the use of drones, but plenty of vampires still use them.
ETAC:
The Ethics and Technology Assessment Commission is the public face of this covert government agency. In its program, soldier volunteers have undergone surgical procedures to implant nanobyte technology, which enhances strength, intelligence, sensory perception, and healing. Volunteers are trained in use of technological weapons and defense mechanisms so advanced, it’s rumored they come from a certain section of Area 51. Their mission is to remove, by any means necessary, paranormal targets named as domestic threats.
Family:
Every vampire can be traced to the one of the eight Ancients. The Ancients are divided into the Eight Sacred Sects, also known as the Families. The Families are: Ruadan, Koschei (aka Romanov), Hua Mu Lan, Durga, Zela, Amahté, Shamhat, and Velthur. Please note: At this time only one known vampire of the Family Shamhat exists.
gone to ground:
When vampires secure places where they can lie undisturbed for centuries, they “go to ground.” Usually they let someone know where they are located, but the resting locations of many vampires are unknown. Both the Ancients Amahté and Shamhat have gone to ground for more than three thousand years. Their locations have yet to be discovered.
Invisi-shield:
Using technology stolen from ETAC and ancient magic, the Consortium created a shield that not only makes the town invisible to outsiders, but also creates a force field. No one can get into the town’s borders unless their DNA signature is recognized by both the technology and magical elements.
loup de sang
:
Translated as “blood wolf.” The first of these vampire-werewolves were triplets born after their lycanthrope mother was drained and killed by a vampire. For nearly two centuries, Gabriel Marchand was the only known
loup de sang
and also known as “the outcast.” (See:
Vedere Prophecy
) Now the
loup de sang
include his brother, Ren, his sister, Anise, his wife, Patsy, and his children.
lycanthropes:
Also called lycans and/or werewolves. Full-bloods can shift from human into wolf at will. Lycans have been around a long time and originate in Germany. Their numbers are small because they don’t have many females, and most children born have a fifty percent chance of living to the age of one.
Master:
Most Master vampires are hundreds of years old and have had many successful Turnings. Masters show Turn-bloods how to survive as a vampire. A Turn-blood has the protection of the Family (see:
Family
or
Sacred Sects
) to which their Master belongs.
PRIS:
Paranormal Research and Investigation Services. Cofounded by Theodora and her husband, Elmore Monroe. Its primary mission is to document supernatural phenomena and conduct cryptozoological studies.
Roma:
The Roma are cousins to full-blooded lycanthropes. They can change only on the night of a full moon. Just as full-blooded lycanthropes are raised to protect vampires, the Roma are raised to hunt vampires.
soul shifter:
A supernatural being with the ability to absorb the souls of any mortal or immortal. The shifter has the ability to assume any of the forms she’s absorbed. Only one is known to exist, the woman known as Ash, who works as a “balance keeper” for the Convocation.
Taint:
The Black Plague for vampires, which makes vampires insane as their body deteriorates. The origins of the Taint were traced to demon poison. After many attempts to find a cure, which included transfusions of royal lycanthrope blood, a permanent cure has been found.
Turn-blood:
A human who’s been recently Turned into a vampire. If you’re less than a century old, you’re a Turn-blood.