“Dragons have impressive shields, and Emerald was raised by the best shield builder I’ve ever met. I can’t get intoher head, so we’re flying a little blind, but we’ll figure it out. Best I can tell, if we can keep her sexually sated, we might have a chance of her not getting kicked out of yet another postgraduate program.”
“She’ll have to take undergrad classes this summer and suck up to at least two professors who’ll back her before she’ll even get into a program.”
Zander nodded. “We have enough connections to make it happen, assuming she behaves over the summer. How many more flock members do we need to balance things out for the summer?”
“Three at a minimum, but four or five would be better.”
Seven were graduating, and four were immediately moving away to accept job offers. He figured they’d lose the other three sooner rather than later, so he added to Spence’s numbers to account for losing them.
“Gavin has two who want to come north for the summer,” he told his boy, “and August has three.”
Spencer nodded. “Assuming at least three are masochists, that should get us through until school starts back.”
“Tomorrow, you’ll need to take Emerald to the Atrium so she canchangeafter you drain her. Enough blood for me, Kendra, and Eric.”
Spencer rolled his eyes, and Zander understood why. A new vampire didn’t need dragon blood, but Kendra was responsible for Eric, and Zander was letting her make the decisions about her neophyte. He’d been an extraordinary human, and he promised to eventually be anextraordinary vampire.
“Eric has handled the other predator bloods okay,” Zander told him. “I believe she’s going to mix it with some of Toby’s blood, so Eric doesn’t get it full strength.”
His boy felt it wisest to change the subject. “You only have three professors at the university watching for potential flock members. You had nearly a dozen watching out for potentials in Chattanooga, plus people stationed at the on-campus restaurants we owned.”
“Kendra is talking to someone tonight about a store that’s about to go out of business right beside campus. I’m thinking of putting in the old video games — Pac-Man, Galaga, etc. — along with simple bar foods and beer. Should give us another place to spot them, if Kendra can make it happen. Meanwhile, let’s create a contest for Chase and Sabrina. Hell, make it open to anyone. The person who recruits the most flock members who stay at least nine months gets an invitation to attend one ball at Mordnik next year, their choice which. Room and board in the bed-and-breakfast in town.”
Spencer made some notes on his phone and nodded. “Excellent plan. Have you decided yet who’ll be assigned as Emmy’s security?”
And that was another problem, because it needed to be someone Emmy would like and respect.
“Male or female?” Zander asked. “What’s your take?”
“Male if they’re fucking, or if she knows the male is in a serious relationship and off-limits. A female might work better though, someone to have coffee with, compareoutfits. A built-in friend so she isn’t alone on campus. Would need to back off when she’s making actual friends though.”
“We’ll put her with a few people over the coming days to see how things shake out, so I have a better idea before school starts. Have Anton added to your usual security tomorrow for the trip to the Atrium.”
Chapter 4
The first morning of the summer session, Emmy dressed in charcoal stretch jeans that molded to every curve, a black ribbed cashmere turtleneck, heeled boots with kind of a military look, and rhinestoned ear cuffs with dangling gold dragonflies that would peek out around her hair, which she was wearing down. She’d braided it and wrapped it into a bun the night before, so with any luck, it would be wavy and bouncy today.
Also, a crossbody bag for her tablet and keyboard, along with an actual paper notebook and some pens.
Three more days until her first paycheck, and then she could buygoodshampoo and conditioner, so her hair would curl without her having to braid it at night.
She’d decided the day didn’t call for understated makeup, so she went crazy with the liner, but then chose mid-sized lashes instead of the ultra-dramatic ones. Plentyof shading and contour, but she blended it well because this was daytime, after all.
And then fire-engine red lipstick, and she texted Delaney, her assigned security, that she was headed to breakfast and then would be ready to go. She’d met her briefly the night before, and she seemed okay. So far.
Spence was cooking when she arrived in the kitchen, with Toby eating off to the side.
“I don’t cook every day, but I try to hang out with everyone for breakfast two or three days a week, before I go to bed for the day. I’m making omelets — I’ll assume you want all the meats. So, beef, sausage, chicken, and mushrooms?”
She couldn’t believe he remembered she liked mushrooms, but she nodded and told him, “Lots of cheese, please, and maybe some onion?”
She was going to miss garlic, which was absolutely forbidden. It wasn’t that it’s deadly to vampires, they just don’t like the way it flavors the blood.
“Sure.” He grabbed an onion, quickly diced about a fourth of it, and added it to a pan with butter. She figured that was the answer to how much she could have, and made a mental note.
A few minutes later, he handed her a gorgeous omelet while she sipped her coffee.
“Thanks. You really do spoil us.”
