I half expected to run into resistance at Castle Sthol. Old habits die hard, after all. But instead of the typical animosity of the past, I was instead greeted with awe and more than a little fear by the vampires who stood guard at the front gate.

Yes, I could have landed myself and my vampire friends in the middle of Pannera's throne room. But I was learning diplomacy and figured sugar might get me farther than arrogance and bullying.

Sunny and Uncle Frank took the ...