I didn't want to do it. In fact, I could think of about a thousand things I'd rather do, including having a root canal without anesthesia.

I resisted it as long as I could. Well, I resisted it for about ten minutes after I had the idea. But this could be considered "the beginning."

It was also right around the time Nick would have realized I was a vampire, and that we had stomped all over his brain with big black boots. But Nick wasn't the only one we'd vampire mojoed and regretted it, after.

One phone call to Tina, who was in the middle of trying to cross the border into Switzerland, was all it took. This was a surprise. Not that she had the info. Frankly, I had no idea Switzerland was anywhere near France.

"Isn't that, like, way farther north? Like by Greenland?"

"My queen, how may I be of service?" Tina replied, sounding harassed.

"I need Jon Delk's home address."

Long pause.

"Tina? Stupid cell phones. . ."

"My queen, what good would that information do you? As you have promised not to leave the house until I return."

"Every day is another pint of Sinclair's blood, Tina, assuming he's still alive at all." I could actually feel her wince through the phone. "Delk's old job was killing vampires, and he hates Sinclair more than anyone I know. It's worth paying a visit to the family farm, don't you think?"

Another pause, this one shorter. Then: "Bring Laura."

"Sure," I lied. Damn. I was getting good at lying through my fangs. I'd make it up to Tina once she got back.

"And please call me the minute you find out anything," Tina was saying. "Or don't find out anything. It's an excellent idea, Majesty. I just wish I was there to run the errand for you."

"You've got your hands full already, sunshine. Now hit me with the address, please."

"I've text messaged it to your phone while we've been talking."

"Sneaky and efficient. That's my girl."

"Majesty, it's kind of you to pretend I'm actually being of assistance."

"Stop that," I ordered. "There's no point in beating yourself up. You had an important job to do, and you did it. Who could have predicted all this?"

"Someone," she said, "my age with my IQ."

"Whoever did this took him out from under my nose. Did all this shit right in front of me, and I didn't even notice. Whatever's happened. . . well, it's on me, that's all. Not you."

"Kind," she replied, "but untrue. Take all care, Majesty. How I adore thee."

"What?"

"N-nothing."

Awkward!

As we hung up, I found myself wondering about the mysterious Tina. How had she turned into a vampire? Who had done it, and why, and where were they now? I had no answers here, only her unabashed devotion. In fact, the only person I knew less about was my recently vamoosed fiance.

How was it that these two vampires, who seemed to care so much about me, had remained so mysterious about their pasts?

Well, wondering wasn't getting me any closer to finding Sinclair. After some digging (I was always misplacing the damned thing), I found my cell in the bottom of an old Louis Vitton purse Jessica had bought me for my twenty-first birthday.

I noted not only the address but precise directions (I knew Tina would make sure she could track down a Blade Warrior if necessary), and got ready to make the long drive to the Delk family farm.