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In truth you should have been learning about what you are since you were five. As it is, you’re just going to have to learn on your own, or from Syd. He can’t exactly object to training you early if I insist on it. It is his job.” Nana’s brow furrowed. “Ryan’s bite is...unfortunate...for him, but strangely fortunate for us. For you, rather. I could almost think...but Syd is a Master...” Rebecca looked at her grandmother as if Nana had started speaking a foreign language. None of what Nana was saying made any sense, but Rebecca felt like she should understand it. She reached to touch her grandmother’s shoulder, recalling her attention.
    “You said that...before. Up there,” Rebecca said, lifting her eyes to the ceiling for a moment before looking back at her grandmother. “That we’re fortunate to have a Master here. Syd is a Master...? What’s that mean?”
    “A Master vampire leads and sees to the affairs of a vampire clan.
    Sydney is the Master of a great, well-respected, powerful vampire clan—
    Cardoza. He was your mother’s mentor when she apprenticed the vampires.” Rebecca didn’t know much about her mother, but she certainly hadn’t thought anything about her being a veterinarian to the undead. How was she going to...?
    “Oh, don’t look so dismayed, Rebecca!” Nana said. She smiled at her granddaughter. “Healing is easy once you get the hang of it. It’s inside you—a part of you. It comes as naturally as breathing after awhile, and Syd will be here to at least get you started. We’ll convince him to stay until you’re ready to work by yourself. I’m afraid I won’t be all that much help. I drain too much energy now, and can’t focus my efforts the way I used to. However, I have some books with my notes and things, and I’ll show you where I’ve kept all my herbs and special equipment. It will be a lot of work and you’ll have to learn fast, but this is in your blood, and what you were born to do.”
    “Is this why I always wanted to be a doctor?” Rebecca asked, smiling a little.Nana smirked. “Very probably so,” she answered. “Now, let’s go check on Ryan. He should be over the worst by now.”
    Rebecca nodded and rose to follow Nana upstairs.
    They neared the linen cupboard that hid the entrance to the healing enclave. Nana reached in and pressed a large knot in the wood. It gave way at her gentle push and the shelves swung back and to the side.
    They entered quietly, though Rebecca collided with Nana when the older woman stopped short.
    “Rebecca,” Nana said in a calm voice. “Back slowly out of this room.” When Nana used that tone, Rebecca didn’t argue. Even though she had only heard it once or twice, she knew it was meant to be obeyed right then, without question or hesitation, and took a step back.
    “I would not deny the Healer, nor her apprentice, access to her own enclave, my lady,” came a deep, rumbling voice that shook the floorboards beneath Rebecca’s sneakers.
    “My apprentice is untrained, my lord, and I would wish no offense to thee,” Nana replied in that same calm voice, though Rebecca could hear the tremor in it. Whatever was in there had Nana scared to the bone.
    “No offense will be taken,” the dark voice replied. “Upon my word. I have come only to see about the boy.”
    “Yes, my lord,” Nana said to the voice. “Rebecca, follow me and do exactly as I do. Bow your head and keep your eyes on the floor until I tell you it’s all right to look up. Ask no questions now. They will be answered later.” Nana must have known there were about a billion questions running around in Rebecca’s head and a hundred more on her tongue just begging to be asked, to tell her to keep quiet. Rebecca took a deep breath and whispered
    “’Kay,” ready to face whatever Nana was afraid of.
    Here there be monsters , Rebecca thought, remembering a line from a pirate movie she liked. But what kind of monster was it? Even if Nana hadn’t been