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When Etzli had told her that Santos planned to test Aht it was a foolhardy move, but not unexpected Santos wanted Amaliya for hi her poas the best way to determine the woman’s weaknesses and determine the best plan to acquire her fro Cian, but Rachon knew froer, older, and more resourceful than most of the vah the kitchen, the floorboards creaked under her feet She would have to replace the floors soon and have the foundation checked The old house was a money pit, but her mother loved it Prosper hated that she and her ance and wealth of the French Quarter along with his brothers Rachon couldn’t bear to leave the old neighborhood behind until she had to She loved the sense of coth of will of those who had to work even harder for the sihborhood free of cri the people who inhabited the ho their daily existence Besides, heruprooted, so it was easier to alter to hbors than actually upset the older woe of the Ninth Ward in New Orleans It was a si porch surrounded by herHer mother loved to putter around outside at all hours of the day The house had survived the terrible wrath of Hurricane Katarina only because of the ical wards Rachon had placed on the property over the course of the previous century The neighborhood had suffered h She’d secretly funded the reconstruction of h a dummy foundation Sadly, there were still destroyed hohbors thought Rachon was an artist, living odd hours, struggling toShe sometimes chatted with the off about her, soht Rachon had vivid memories of the many times she had been hunted by her owner’s henchmen and by vampire hunters, therefore she tried to keep a low profile
"Mairl," she said as she walked into the living room
Her mother leaned over the arm of her leather recliner, the only new piece of furniture in the house for the last twenty years The older woman was very tiny, with a delicate face and slim frame She had been a house slave before Rachon had rescued her She had pale green eyes, light brown skin, and her white hair isted into a bun on top of her head Rachon’s father had been black as night with hter He had died before she had rescued her fa I keep forgetting she is back there," herfunny on the TV, not really paying attention to their chat
"I just want to ainst herthe soft warmth of her skin Her reed to take sips of Rachon’s blood to extend her life Delia was very devout in her faith and afraid of losing her soul if she became a vampire She prayed faithfully at church every day for her va
"Oh, that girl isn’t okay, but she’s quiet So it’s all good" Her led her face into Rachon’s hand as she raised her own arthritic hand to touch her daughter’s fingers
"You tired yet?" Rachon asked, s as her mother kissed her palm
"No, no Don’t need sleep yet Besides, that wild party next door won’t let ood crawfish earlier Mly kissed Delia’s cheek
"Rachon, let’s rinning
"Let’s not," Rachon answered
"Always ruining hed and playfully slapped his knee "Always on the prowl for a pretty girl"
"I got a pretty girl right here," Prosper answered, resting his big hand over hers
"Oh, you’re such a liar!
Rachon left the and banter She slipped down the hallway to the room in the back of the house The walls of the hall were covered with frahout the years The faces of her cousins, aunts, and uncles were carefully captured with the sure strokes of a charcoal pencil Over a century and a half of the saly recreated by her ed in one area of the wall, but they weren’t as re the door open to the s wo at the TV
"How are we doing, Bianca?"
As always, the pale vampire just stared at the screen blindly She rarely showed an inclination to do anything other than to gaze into nothingness except for when Rachon opened a vein Then she would mew like a baby and latch onto Rachon’s wrist until she was sated Though Bianca’s eyes never revealed any sign of coirl had to understand her co forth the dead Without fail, every tiraveyards around New Orleans, the girl would summon the dead per Rachon’s request Yet, she never responded to any other order, never revealed a sle word
Rachon knelt beside the girl, her fingers tracing over the silky, baby-fine white blond waves Prosper bought her lacy, frothy dresses and Delia put ribbons in her hair Maybe they did it because they thought of Bianca as doll-like Bianca was beautiful and delicate, like a perfect huirl, Rachon lightly stroked her cheek "Pretty girl, hoould you like to go to meet our brother and your new sister?"