From a Novella from The World of Jane Yellowrock
By Faith Hunter
33,480 words — to be published in BLOOD IN HER VEINS in Feb. 2016
Author’s Note: This short story will take place (in the JY timeline) after Dark Heir.
“The Master of the City of New Orleans sends you greetings and a missive.” I’d heard similar words once when the chief fanghead had told me to get out of his city or he’d eat me. And not a good way. The words had that old-fashioned ring, a sure sign of a powerful vamp’s official notice, and the fact that the courier was a vamp himself, and not a human blood-servant, indicated that this situation could only be trouble.
I cocked a hip onto the doorjamb, crossed my arms, and stared at the envelope in the vamp’s hand. “He sends his favorite slave as messenger boy? Can’t be good news,” I said. “Give me one good reason why I should accept the note.”
Edmund Hartley smiled, an act that turned his nondescript face into something almost human, and certainly charming. “Because I have healed you and those you love several times, without asking for recompense, or requesting you in my bed, or your blood in my fangs in return. Because I am fascinating and intriguing and you are curious about my history and my life.” His smile twisted slightly on one side, indicating a mischievous side I hadn’t seen before. “Because you like me and we have become friends of a sort?”
All of those things were true, but I wasn’t going to give in so easily, not to a fancy note from Leo. I scowled at him. “Friends with a vamp?”
“It is true that if we were locked in a dungeon together,” he said, an innocent, practically winsome look on his face, “I would certainly drink you down. But other than situations resulting in starvation, you are safe from me, I assure you.” He was teasing me. It was a novel conversation to have with a vamp.
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Faith