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Diana nodded. “I don’t know, it’s been a crazy night. Would you like something to drink?”
Her eyes closed as she realized what she had asked and to whom she had asked it. “I have wine,
soda, tea. I could brew a pot of coffee.”
“A glass of wine would be wonderful. Don’t worry, I told you I don’t do girls.” Michaela
smiled. “See? No fangs.”
Despite herself, Diana laughed as she moved into the kitchen and took out two wine glasses
from the cabinet. “This is just so weird. I thought vampires weren’t real. Then to meet not one but
three in the same evening it’s…”
“Overwhelming?”
“Extremely.” She opened the refrigerator and pulled out the wine. After pouring it, she
handed Michaela one of the glasses and walked out of the kitchen, leading her guest to the living
room. “How long have you known Francisco?”
“I met him right before the turn of the century.”
“Oh, so only a few years.” Diana nodded. She took a sip of her wine and placed it on the
coffee table.
“Not this century, the twentieth century.”
31
The Envoy
Diana had been in the process of sitting on the couch, at the startling statement she missed
the couch to land heavily on the floor. “Twentieth century?” She squeaked.
Michaela set her glass on the coffee table and offered Diana a hand. “I think it was eighty-
one…maybe eighty-three? You okay?”
Taking the hand, she pulled herself up then sat on the couch. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just realizing
that you and Francisco are over a hundred years old startled the hell out of me.” Diana laughed.
“You look so young. I’d have thought you were twenty-five at most.”
“I was twenty-three when I was changed.”
“So, when you were twenty-three some vampire bit you three times and now you are one?”
Diana couldn’t believe she was asking these questions, but figured she’d never get a chance like
this again.
“It’s actually not that easy to become a vampire.” Michaela sank gracefully onto the opposite
side of the couch.
“Really? But, that’s what the books and movies say.” Diana leaned back.
“Who are you going to believe, someone who’s been through it or some writer trying to sell
a story?” The female vampire took a sip of her wine, held it for a moment before swallowing. “This
is a really nice wine, what is it?”
Diana picked up her glass “It is, isn’t it? It’s a Chilean winery. They’re new to the US so it’s
not as expensive as some of the California wines. I never can remember the name of the winery.
I’ll look when I refill our glasses.”
“All that matters is it drinks well and you like the taste. Kind of like blood. Trust me, in a
century I’ve had some excellent wines and some really crappy ones.”
“I’ll take your word for it. So how does someone become a vampire?”
“It’s a long involved process, now.” Michaela stretched her legs out and laid an arm on the
back of the couch. “They’ve changed the rules a lot since I was turned and technically I wouldn’t
have met any of the requirements to be changed. Now, if you want to become a vampire you have
to have some skill that’s useful in our society, a sponsor, and Cassandra has to approve. I’m not
real sure of the procedures, since I’m not a Mistress of the Change.”
“Mistress of the Change?”
“Every change is overseen by someone who is trained in helping a new vampire learn the
rules of our society. More men are changed than women, and they’re more comfortable with a
woman getting close to them than another man.” Michaela ran her fingers through her hair. “Really,
think about it, if it was as easy as books and movies make it seem to become a vampire there’d be
millions running around. Every one of them thinking they could have their own private little band
of lackies, kind of like that ass you ran into tonight.” She leaned forward and placed a hand over
Diana’s. “I’m sorry about that. My teams were supposed to be hunting that jerk. I can’t believe he
got through. If I wasn’t so short staffed a few heads would roll, literally.”
“It’s…” Diana frowned. “Okay isn’t the right word, but it wasn’t your fault. Did he…”
32
33
“No, it’s not,” Michaela comforted quickly. “It’s not Frank’s fault either, but if I know him,
he’s going to be blaming himself for it. It was that dumb fuck’s fault. He knew facing Frank was
suicide.” When Diana met her gaze, she continued. “Frank’s the best Cleaner there is. I’m thrilled
he was given the position of Envoy, but I’ll never be half the Cleaner he was. Don’t let that gentle
old-world manner of his fool you. He can be ruthless if the situation calls for it. He never gives up,
never stops, and once he gives his word, he never breaks it.”
“You’re in love with him.”
“Yeah, I love him.”
Diana smiled sadly and nodded, there was no way she could compete with the vampire in
front of her.
Not that I want to.
I should stop kidding myself. If I didn’t I wouldn’t be sitting her e with Michaela asking
questions.
Michaela grabbed her hand that was lying on the back of the couch and squeezed. “Oh no,
not like that, hun. I meant I love him like a brother. The same way I loved my big brothers when
they were alive. I’m proud of his every accomplishment. I tease him when he screws up, which,
by the way, he rarely does. What you see of him is what you get. He was my mentor after my
change. Took me under his wing, taught me the truth about being a vampire. All the rules. Got
me in the Cleaners which had never allowed women to join, and that was before the women’s lib
movement.” She winked. “Now, why don’t we play twenty questions? Ask me any twenty things
you’d like to know about vampires and I’ll answer them—if I can.”
“Okay. Let me think.” Diana felt strangely relieved by the things Michaela had told her. The
female vampire had an easy, open way about her that made Diana want to trust that maybe she
really didn’t need to fear that Francisco was going to rip her throat out. “How much blood does
a vampire actually have to drink?”
Michaela smiled, lifted her wine glass and pointed to a spot near the top of the glass. “About
this much. We have to drink blood at least once a week, nightly is better. The longer we go without
blood, the weaker we become, and then we risk entering the Cruentus or blood fever. I have my
staff drink a minimum of three times a week. I drink every other night, but don’t worry, tonight
isn’t my night.” The smile she gave was all little girl mischief.
“That’s all? Wait, don’t answer that, it would be one of my questions.” She laughed and
Michaela joined her.
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