When the vampires finished their breakfast, Wolfe announced that departure was delayed due to stormy seas. Katelina was still eating, so Jorick gave her a kiss and said he wanted to speak to Oren. The lion-maned vampire followed him out of the dining room, and both she and Etsuko let them go.

The other vampires followed, until only Katelina and Etsuko remained. As Katelina chewed, she thought about the people who'd been out in the storm removing the metal shields from the ...