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she doing here, and alone? I didn’t like her wandering around without supervision. I might be an overprotective mother, but I knew what risks there were out there, how great the hunger was for a fledgling and just how easy it was to slip.
    I yanked open the door.
    “Erin, what are you doing here? Is Sassy with you?” I glanced outside, scanning the yard, but there was no sign of the older socialite.
    Erin shook her head and dropped to the floor, kneeling in front of me. As her sire, I’d always take on a certain godlike essence to her, and she’d fear my displeasure for a long time. At least until the day her powers grew to the point where she could destroy me. But considering who my sire was, chances were that day would never come.
    Dredge had been one of the strongest, deadliest vamps to ever walk either Earthside or Otherworld, and I’d fed directly from his veins. Erin was once removed from him, and she was also human.
    I’d turned Erin a little over a year ago, when she was forty-nine years old. She’d always been butch until Sassy took over fostering her. Now she was dressed in Chanel, with a stylish haircut, and her tan had faded into the albino skin that most vamps sported. Erin would never be beautiful, at least not to most eyes. But her heart was pure gold, even in her new state.
    I held out my hand for her to kiss, as custom dictated. She pressed her lips against my pale skin, and I motioned for her to stand. “Come in. What’s going on? Why are you here? If you needed me, you could have called and I’d have come right over.”
    I led her into the living room and nodded for Camille and Delilah to leave us. Not good for Erin to be around the living much. Not yet. The temptation to drink was a strong force. Thirst burned in the young.
    Erin waved at my sisters, and they waved back as they left the room, Camille with a stricken look on her face. Erin had been her friend, and Dredge had used her as a weapon when he came after me. Collateral damage. So far, two of Camille’s friends had lost their lives thanks to our enemies.
    “We’ll be in the kitchen,” Delilah said as they slipped into the hallway.
    I motioned for Erin to sit next to me. “What’s going on? Why are you here?” Vampires didn’t usually dillydally with small talk. It was a waste of words.
    “I’m worried about Sassy.” Erin gazed at me, her pale brown eyes fading into the mist. They were shifting to gray, as most vampire eyes did over time. She drew her hand across her face and pinched her brow. “Mistress, Sassy, she’s . . . something’s not right.”
    “What isn’t right? Can you be more specific?” I had a sinking feeling I already knew the answer but hoped I was wrong.
    “Last night someone came to the house. I don’t know who it was, but I know it was another vampire. He brought . . .” She stopped and swallowed, fear clouding her face. “I don’t want to get Sassy in trouble. She’s done so much for me.” As a look of clarity raced through her eyes, I realized that Erin was, indeed, growing and learning.
    “Tell me. I know you’re afraid, but you can tell me anything.” I reached out and slowly stroked her face, running my fingers down her cheek. I’d vowed never to sire a child, but here she was, my daughter forever until one of us walked into the sunlight. How could I not care what happened to her? And her behavior would reflect on me.
    Erin shuddered at my touch, raising her hand to cover mine. “I know I can. That’s why I came to you. Someone came over last night; a vampire, but I don’t know his name. He brought a girl with him. Sassy told me to go to my room and stay there—that she had some business to attend to. I was angry. Earlier we’d had a fight. I wanted to wear my jeans but she wanted me to wear some designer crap. Anyway . . . she and this guy disappeared with the girl as I pretended to do what she told me to. I know I’m supposed to obey her, but something felt wrong.”
    My stomach