"I'm here," Torina announced as she and Quenby arrived. The redheaded vampiress wore a 1950s style winter coat and lugged an overstuffed duffle bag. Katelina could imagine her saying, "I did get rid of things. This is only the ten or twelve necessary outfits and coordinating shoes and accessories."

Verchiel grinned, and Torina ran her eyes over them. "Is it fashionable now to wear a human on your back?"

Jorick's cold voice came from behind them, "No, it isn't." ...