Half an hour later they gathered in what Katelina had come to think of as Oren's study. There were four vampires in all; Oren, Jorick, Anya, and the male with dark hair and eyes who Jorick informed her was Fabian from Oren's old coven; Jesslynn's brother.

They were all barely seated when Fabian demanded angrily, "Do we have to have the human present?"

"Yes," Jorick replied smoothly, as he caught Katelina's hand and pulled it onto his leg. Their chairs were close enough ...