Page 3 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot Chapter One 9:15 am.

EST, Tuesday, April 13 Downtown platform 6 Seventy-seven Eastern Street and Lexington Avenue New York, New York It was a miracle. Meena ran into the subway car and grabbed one of the poles color Silver shiny, Hardly daring to believe his good fortune. It was rush hour in the morning and she was late. She hoped to have to squeeze into a car with Hundreds of Other travelers who Were Also late. But there she was, still panting have run all the way to the station, entering a Car That Was Practically empty. Perhaps, she thought, things are going my way for a change. Meena did not look around. She Kept her eyes stuck on the ad above his head, who claimed That She Could Have beautiful, clear skin is to call her Dr. Zizmor immediately. Do not look, Meena said to herself. No matter what you do, do not look, not the look, not the look ... With luck, she thought she Could go all the way Until his arrest on the Street Fifty-five without making eye contact or have any Interaction with another overall human being. Were there butterflies - size - that caught the attention of Meena first. In the city girl uses "pumps" (type of shoe) with huge white insects plastic fingers. The novel (Meena That assumed this was a novel, based on visual helpless maiden (doe-eyed) girl on the cover), the girl was reading something written in Cyrillic (Slavic written languages of Which Comes from the Greek). The giant bag round parked in front of her was an evidence to further Top That the girl was out of town. Although none of this - including the fact That she held the long braided hair atop his head, style, The Sound of Music, and HAD attached her yellow dress cheap polyester pants with purple leggings - Been regarded the termination of his mortal status of girl "I am news-in-town" much as she did the below. "Oh, sorry," she said, looking up to Meena with a smile changed his whole face and made her go from pretty to beautiful Merely. "Please, you want sit down? " The girl moved her purse, Which HAD left on the bench beside hin, so that Meena Could sit beside her. No New Yorker would never have done such a thing. Not When Were there a dozen Other empty seats on the train. The heart of Meena sank. because now she Knew with Absolute Certainty two things: One was That, despite the miracle of the empty wagon is Almost, things Were definitely not out of your way today. The Other was the girl with butterflies in plastic shoe would dies before the end of the week. Chapter Two 9:30 am. EST, Monday, April 13. Train 6 New York, New York

Page 4 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot Meena expected to be wrong about Miss Butterfly. Meena Except That was never wrong. Not about death. Going to the Inevitable, Meena broke free from the metal pole shiny and slid to the bank That the girl HAD Offered. "So it's your first team visiting the city?" Meena asked Miss Butterfly although I Knew the answer. The girl, still smiling, bowed his head. "Yes New York City!" she said enthusiastically. Great. Basically His English was nonexistent. Miss Butterfly HAD removed her cell phone and was going through some photos. She stopped at a raised it to see Meena. "See?" Miss Butterfly said proudly. "Boyfriend. My American boyfriend, Gerald. " Meena Looked at the grainy image. Oh, brother, she thought. "Why?" Meena is he asked. "For now, all Other days? " She HAD the team for that. She Had a meeting. And a story to pitch. There position was the main writer, Ned wander Now That That HAD nervous breakdown in public work in the cafeteria During spring cleaning. Writer was really where the money was in a show like Insatiable. Meena needed money. And she was sure That Could not cause the pressure to hin nervous breakdown. She never HAD HAD one, and she HAD many things to worry about Beyond the viewing figures for Insatiable. A woman's voice from the speakers cam subway to announce That Were closing the doors. The next stop, she said, would the Forty-second Street, Grand Central Station. Meena, HAVING lost Their own parade, Stood his ground. God, Meena thought. When my life is going to stop being wellness sucked? "He Seems pretty cool," she lied to Miss Butterfly on Gerald. "You're here to visit it? ". Miss Butterfly nodded vigorously. "He Helped me get the aims," she said. "And ..." She used to mimic the phone taking pictures of herself. "Headshots," Meena said. She worked for the company. She Understood exactly what Miss Butterfly was saying. And heart sink again. "So you wants to be a model. Or an actress? "Miss Butterfly lit up and nodded. "Yes, yes. Actress." Of course. Of course, this beautiful girl wanted to be an actress. Fantastic, Meena thought cynically. Also Then Gerald was his manager. That Explained much about the baseball cap - pulled far down Meena That Could not see his eyes - and the number of gold chains around his neck in the photo. "What is your name?" Meena said. Miss Butterfly pointed to herself, if That surprise showing Meena wanted to talk about it Unlike the ultra-fantastic Gerald. "I? Yalena I am." "Well," said Meena. She opened her purse, digging around the mess inside, and with the cam card. She always Had a knack for this kind of situation Which, unfortunately, was ... Often Especially When riding the subway. "Yalena, if you need anything - anything at all - I want you call me. My mobile number is there. See this? "She pointed to the number." You Can call me anytime. My name is Meena. If the things not work with the her boyfriend - if it PROVES bad for you or hurt you in any way

- I want you to call me. I'll take it wherever you are. Day or night. E Listen ... "She added." Do not show this card to your boyfriend. This is a secret card. For emergencies. Among girls. Do You Understand? " Page 5 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot Yalena just Looked at her, smiling happily. She did not understand. She HAD not Understood That this number of Meena Entire Could literally mean the difference Between life and death to her. They never understood. The train jerked to Forty-second Street Station. Yalena Jumped. "Grand Central?" she asked, looking terrified. "Yes," said Meena. "This is the Grand Central." "I'll meet my boyfriend here," said Yalena cheerfully, grabbing Their huge round bag and giving it a tug. She took the card in another Meena hand, smiling. "Thank you I will." It Meant He'd call a coffee sometime. But Meena Knew Yalena call her for something Completely different. If she did not lose the card or ... Gerald did not find and catch. So did her a hand signal. "Remember," Meena repeteiu, Following her out of the train. "Do not tell your boyfriend who has it. Hide it somewhere. " "I will," said Yalena, and moved to the next flight of stairs, dragging his suitcase behind it. The bag was so big, and Yalena she was so small Could barely drag it. Meena, yielding to the Inevitable, got the bottom of the bag and incredibly heavy girl Helped aa carry her up the stairs steep and full. Then she pointed to the direction Yalena she needed to go - her boyfriend was waiting for her "under the clock" on "big station. "Then with a sigh, Meena turned and headed for the train back to the area residential part of town, so she Could get to Madison and Fifty third Street, the building where his office was located. Meena Knew Yalena HAD Understood not a word she said. Well, maybe one in each five. And even if she HAD, she HAD not Told the Truth to the girl in any team. She would not have Believed Meena, anyway. in the There was the sense in Following hin now analyze the boyfriend for herself, and Then tell hin something like, "I know what you really are and know what you do for live. And I'll call the police. "Because You Can not call the cops for someone Something That They Will is still the. The much as you Can Tell That She Will someone die. Meena HAD Learned this the hard way. She sighed again. Would have run now, if I wanted to take the next train to the city ... She just prayed not to HAVING many people in it. Chapter Three 6:00 am. TSE, Tuesday, April 13 Department of History University of Bucharest Bucharest, Romania "Professor?" Lucien Antonescu Smiled at her from behind the enormous antique desk on Which he sat, correcting proofs. "Yes?" "So it's true," Natalia said, grabbing the first one might think, the team she HAD Completely forgotten what I was going to ask you at the team the His dark eyes fell on her, "that the human corpse was the world's oldest

discovered in Romania? "Oh, no human corpse? What disgusting! How Could she ask something so stupid? "The corpse of the world's oldest human found in Europe, " Prof. Antonescu said, correcting her gently. "The corpse was the world's oldest Page 6 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot found in Ethiopia. And They Are about one hundred and fifty thousand years older than That the remains Consider what we found in modern Romania, in the Cave Bones. " The girl was only half listening. He was the sexiest of all Their instructors, That included and teaching assistants. In RateYourProf.com (AvalieSeuProfessor.com) of Bucharest University, Professor Lucien Antonescu HAD won 10 in category appearance. And rightly so, since he was Almost 1.80 tall, lean and broad-shouldered, with thick dark hair That he wore slicked back from his temples and a smooth and beautiful forehead. Were The if all this not enough, he HAD dark brown eyes That in Certain lights, When He was talking about your subject matter and Developing - Which was Often, because he was passionate about the history of Europe Eastern - Had a red glow. Certainly Were exaggerated the forum posts ... Especially Those Who insinuated That he was related to the royal family Romania, he was a duke or a prince or something. But since attended the lectures of Prof. Antonescu, Natalia Could see why he - and his series were so popular. And because the row of girls - and some children, although When He Showed pictures of the old Romanian art, Professor Antonescu spoke only appreciatively lush lines of the female form That there was in Possible way of being wellness hin gay - in the hour of his class was so long. He was a gifted orator, with a majestic presence very attractive ... and he was very, very nice. "Then," Natalia said hesitantly, in excellant way That cashmere blazer perfectly tailored and molded into his shoulders. She wondered why not Could I see his eyes - Those Eyes dark and brilliant - better and Realized That was because he HAD pulled the curtains from the windows of his office down. It hoped he HAD Noticed That She wore a new shirt, displayed the One That usefully neckline. He HAD bought at a deep discount at H & M, but still made her look irresistible. "It would be correct to say That Romania is the cradle of civilization in Europe. " This, Natalia thought it Sounded very intelligent. "It would be a lovely idea, of course," Professor Antonescu said, looking thoughtful. "Certainly Were there humans living here for over two millennia, and this land has Been the site of many bloody invasions, the Romans to the Huns, Until finally Today we have what the modern Romania Has Become ... Moldova and Wallachia, and of course the Transylvania. But the cradle of civilization ... I to not know if we may say so. " He was much more beautiful When She Smiled, If That Were possible. "Professor." The smile made her dismantle. She Knew it was not the first. Your status Single was legendary, Increasing the intrigue When he was caught with a woman - Never the same twice - in the upscale restaurants downtown. How many he called back to his castle - he Had a castle! - Out of Sighi

oara, or his huge apartment in the trendiest district of Bucharest? No one Knows. Maybe Hundreds. Maybe nobody. He did not seem worried about getting married and the family. Well, everything would change his food When He Experienced (in sense of cooking). Iliana behind her in line to see hin, HAD That Caused it by saying was going to invite hin to leave. So old fashioned! She only said to Natalia offer to sleep with hin right there in his office, the Iliana was doing, and end it. But Natalia's mother always said That Natalia could do better sarmale (type of food Originating in Romania) in any one family. A tasted, his mother said, and any man would be it. Page 7 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot "Yes?" Teacher Antonescu asked one of his thick, dark eyebrows raised. Natalia Wished HAD he not done so. This only made hin look more attractive, and made feel more foolish for what was about to the. "Would you like to come to my house for a homemade meal any time?" it asked, all in a rush. His heart was beating wildly. It Could see he was sure hin beating her chest after Repeatedly Considering the excellant new low-cut blouse was. Something in the dimly lit office chirped. "Forgive me," said Prof. Antonescu. He Reached into his breast pocket expensive and did a spin with the phone ... top of the line, of course. "I thought I HAD off. " Natalia Stood there, wondering if I Should say something about sarmale or Perhaps unbutton another button on her blouse, and Iliana have done ...... When she hesitated but saw the change of expression of Teacher Antonescu When his eye fell on the name in the caller ID. "A thousand apologies," he said. "This is an important link. I have to answer it. We Can talk about this another time? " Natalia felt her face redden. Was it Merely because he was looking for it ... HAD before and never lowered her gaze to his neck. "Of course," she said embarrassed. "And please, tell others," said Prof. Antonescu When he answered the call, "Unfortunately I have to finish the opening hours Earlier this afternoon. A family emergency. " Family emergency? He Had a family? "I warn Them," the girl said happily. He trusted her! That would put on your Iliana place! "Thanks," Professor Antonescu politely said she slipped away from the darkness, the room luxuriously decorated, all richly decorated furniture in leather and filled with manuscripts That Were Centuries older than her. By the office of Prof. Antonescu was different from his offices Other instructors, Which Were empty as a Politburo (the party's highest institutionthe former Communist USSR), and so disagreeable. She opened the door, slipped through it and close it again ... But not before he HAD heard say, the voice she HAD never heard hin before use, and in English, "What and when?" And then, "Not again." Natalia turned to look at his face That made her roll heart on his chest. But not to happy he did the When She Saw down the hall Toward the classroom. Now she was afraid.

Mortally afraid. For beautiful eyes Were getting red ... the the same color the water ran When she was taking a bath and accidentally cut leg while depilava. Only it was not a stream of water. They Were the eyes of a man. The eyes. They HAD Been And the color of blood. His gaze was boring to her as if he Could see through her shirt, her bra passing, in the most Close your heart. "Go away, " he said in a voice she would later swear, When Told his mother about it, did not sound human. Natalia turned and opened the door and Threw himself straight through, flying the white face with the death, passing by The Other students waiting to see your teacher. "Well, Obviously I was right," Iliana said with a smile. But When tried to Iliana open the office door of Prof. Antonescu, That she discovered she was locked. She knocked and knocked, and finally covered her eyes with Both Hands around Them Eye and pressed against the frosted glass door. Page 8 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot "The lights are off. I to not see in there. I think ... I think he was leave. " But to the teacher Could Have left a locked room HAVING without Any Other output? Chapter Four 9:45 am. EST, Tuesday, April 13 Outside the building ABN East Fifty-third and Madison Avenue New York, New York "Good morning, Miss Meena. The usual?" Abdullah, the guy in the coffee stand glass out of his building, he asked hin When it was finally Their turn in line. "Good morning, Abdullah," Meena said. "It is better to make quite large. I have a great interview. And the not bother toasting the bagel today, I'm running because I'm really, really late. " Abdullah nodded and Went to work while Meena narrowed excellant look at it. She Could not tell he HAD gone to the doctor to talk on your blood pressure out of control, despite the conversation he HAD with hin last week. Seriously, she was the only one who would one day out of the way if the people did not get to hear it. She Knew That taking the time to go to work Medical hurt. But When the alternative was to die? Premonition. Perception ExtraSensory. Witchcraft. No matter how call hin: In the opinion of Meena as a ability, was totally useless. Particularly useful Was When It finally managed to convince her longtime boyfriend, David, on the tumor That She Could feeling growing in his brain? Sure, she saved the life of David (If They HAD found the tumor a little later, would be inoperable, the doctors said). But Meena David left Immediately after his recovery from a daring radiology nurses. Brianna Were healed sick people who, he said. It was not a "crazy" who HAD Told hin That he would die. What Meena won saving David? Nothing, except a lot of heartache. And she lost half of the payment in They bought apartment together. She still Owed hin. He was being wellness a total idiot on your payment of wages in Their misery. Were David and Brianna Their buying first home together. And expecting her first baby. Of course.

Meena Learned from this experience - and All Other prior to this - that no one was Interested in finding out how he would die. except her best friend, Leisha is course, who always Listened Meena ... That time in since ninth grade, When Rob Pace invited her to a meeting at the Aerosmith concert, and Meena Told her not to go, and Rob led Angie Harwood instead of it. And that's how Angie Harwood, and not Leisha, Died beheaded When the wheel of a truck turning left and landed on top Rob is the Camaro he crossed the route I-95 going home for the show. Meena, Learned h of the accident on the morning after the event (Rob HAD escaped somenete miraculously with a broken collarbone), immediately Threw his lunch. Because she did not realize That saving his best friend from Certain Death, she HAD done nothing more than Ensure That The Other Girl? She Should Have Warned Angie Also, do anything - all the same - to stop Rob Leaving That Night. It promised he would never allow That, what happened to Angie Harwood, happened to another human being. Not if she Could help. It was the wonder That the then Education East, excruciating for many, it was even worse for Meena. That was how it Began Page 9 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot writing professionally for television. Real children Could not have enjoyed Both the company's "Girl You're Gonna Die" ("Die You Go, Girl"). But Meena who found in novels his mother enjoyed watching - Insatiable Been HAD the favorite - They Were always willing to see it. And When the history of novels she liked ended up not happening the way she thought They should, Meena started writing Their Own. Surprisingly, this hobby was rewarding. Well, if you call the writer of the dialogues of the second-novel-morewell-rated in America to reward. the Meena And she could. or More less. She Knew who owned what millions of people would kill to have the job ... dream. And Considering his "gift," she Knew her life Could be a thousand times worse. Look what happened to Joan of Arc. After what happened to Cassandra, daughter the Trojan king Priam. The she HAD Also Been Given the gift of prophecy. Because she did not HAD responded to God's love, the gift of God was Transformed into a curse, so that the prophecies of Cassandra, though true, Were never accredited. Hardly anyone Believed Meena. But That did not mean That Trying she would stop. Do not like the girls she met on the subway, and how Abdullah. She would take hin to the doctor, in the end. It was too bad, really, That the only person Whose future Meena HAD never been Able to see was his own. Until now, however. If it got too late for work, lose any chance of convincing Sy Had to take it for something serious. And forget about promotion of this writer. She did not have to be psychic to figure this out. -XChapter Five 7:00 pm. TSE, Tuesday, April 13 The hills of the outside of Sighisoara Country of Mures, Romania Lucien Antonescu was furious, and When he got angry, lost Sometimes the Control. He HAD terrorized the girl in his office Almost to death, and he wanted to in this. He felt the fear ... it was so sharp and Suffocating them to withers. She was a good person, he Recalled, like most girls her age, only by love. And he terrorized. But he HAD the time to worry about

That now. Now he Had a very serious situation That would require all your attention for the immediate future. And so he did what he Could Trying to calm down. His play classic favorite - Tchaikovsky - played over the speakers of the Hall (which he HAD Purchased and Transported the U.S. with an enormous expense, the sound quality was important). And he opened one of the truly great bottles of Bordeaux (type wine) from his collection and was letting it breathe in the sideboard. He Could feel the smell of tannins (chemical component of bordeaux wine) even across the room. The smell was reassuring ... Still, he Could not stop walking nervously by the extension of the great hall, a huge roar of fire in the fireplace Stone at one end of the room and mounted heads of animals That Their Various HAD ancestors crossed Killed hin Looked up on the walls. "Three," he muttered to the laptop sitting on the table long and elaborately carved timber in the center of the room. "Three dead girls? All Within the last few weeks? Why was not I who said before That? " Page 10 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot "I did not know there was a connection Between Them, my lord," the voice Slightly anxious, coming from the speakers of the computer, said in English. "Three bloody bodies, all stripped nude in Several city parks?" Lucien made the effort to keep the sarcastic tone. "Covered with bite marks? And of you not realize there was a connection. I see. " "Obviously the Authorities not want to start the general panic in the city," the voice said afflicted. "My sources did not know anything about bite marks up this morning ..." "And what steps," Lucien said, ignoring the Latter observation, "were taken to Find out who is committing atrocities These? " "Everyone I Talked to deny any knowledge That so-" Lucien cut off hin. "So Obviously you're not talking to the Appropriate people. Or someone is lying. " "I ... I can not imagine anyone who would dare," the voice said hesitantly. "They know what I'm talking about in your authority, sir. I feel ... if I may, Sir ... it is not ... well, one of us. Someone we know. " Lucien stopped his circuit around the room. "That's impossible," he said bluntly. "There is nobody who does not know." He turned and approached the bottle of wine, Which was filled with a liquid richly ruby. He Could see the reflection of light from the fire on one side of the crystal globe perfect. "It's one of us," Lucien said, inhaling the fragrance of the land of Bordeaux. "Someone who forgot himself. and Their oaths. " "Certainly not," the voice said, nervously. "Nobody would dare. Everyone Knows the Consequences of committing a crime to break his rule. That his punishment will be quick and ... severe. " "Yet." Lucien took the jar and watched the liquid inside to the left membrane deep red against the far side of the crystal lamp. "Someone is Brutally killing women and human Leaving Their Bodies open places to be discovered. " "He is putting us all at risk," the voice of the laptop hesitantly Agreed. "Yes," said Lucien. "So unnecessarily. It must be discovered and punished

Detained. Permanently. " "Yes, my lord," said the voice. "But ... how? How can we find out? Police ... my informants told me That's not even the police have a leader. " The perfectly formed lips Lucien bowed in a bitter smile. "Police," he said. "Ah, yes. Police." He Looked away from the bottle he held in the direction of the face on the computer screen, a few meters away. "Emil, find me a place to stay. I'm going to town." "Sir?" Emil Looked scared. "You? Are you sure? Certainly not be-" "I'm sure. I find our friend killer. And then ..." Lucien opened your fingers and let the bottle fall to the tiles beneath his feet. The bell crystal broke into pieces, making the wine That contained a red spot dark along the ground, where, Centuries before, HAD seen his father Lucien plucking brains of many of his Servants. "I'll show myself what happens When someone dares to break an oath to me. " -XPage 11 Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot Chapter Six 10:30 am. EST, Tuesday, April 13. ABN Madison Avenue Building, 520 New York, New York Meena was eating his bagel while Paul, an upset of the writers, stuck his bald head into your office. "I do not have time to help you update your Facebook page now, Paul," Meena said. "I only have a minute before going to meet with Sy." "I think you have not heard, then," Paul said wistfully. "Hear what?" Meena said a mouthful. "About Shoshona." Meena's blood froze. So it finally Happened. E was all your fault for not HAVING said anything. But how do you tell someone That Their advanced stage of compulsion to academia would end up killing it? The mat was not widely known to be fatal, and Shoshona was so proud to have Reached the size 00. The truth was, Shoshona never been one of the most favorite Meena. "... She Died? " "No." Paul Meena Looked strangely. "She got the job as a writer page. I think it Happened last night. " Meena was shocked. "The ... what?" She blinked back tears. She said to herself That Were tears of a piece of carrot That went down the wrong side. But it was not. "You have not seen the e-mail?" Paul asked. "They sent this morning." "No," Meena grumbled. "I was on the subway." "Oh," said Paul. "Well, I'm updating my resume. I reckon it will resign so soon anyway to hire one of his friends' clubhopping "(Club violent, literal translation). Would you mind taking a look later? " "Sure," Meena said so numb. But she was only half listening to hin. They cam back for Shoshona? After all the hard work she HAD done this year? Much of the work

Shoshona because Shoshona was always Leaving the office early to go work out? No. Just no. Meena was standing at the door of the office Sy exactly two minutes before the scheduled meeting, the anger bubbling. "Sy," she said. "I wanted to talk to you about-" That's When She Noticed That Shoshona was sitting in a chair in front of his desk, wearing, as usual, something Crewcuts, the children's section of J. Crew: it was very thin. "Oh, Meena," Metzenbaum said Shoshona, playing some of their long and silky black hair. "There you are. Sy I was telling how I love little treatment which gives to him. Tabby That being in love with that bad boy on the wrong side of the way? So sweet. " Sweet? To date, the only responsibility of Shoshona in Insatiable has been, like Meena, writing dialogue for the story, especially those with the largest and most enduring star, Cheryl Trent, who played Victoria Worthington Stone, and now her teenage daughter in the show, Tabitha. Only rarely was Shoshona able to handle it, always leaving early to go to the gym or by calling saying he would be late because he had broken his convertible on the way back Page 12 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot to the city over the weekend at the family home Metzenbaum Hamptons. Or that decorator who was retracing his loft in the city center had not appeared punctually. Or that she had missed the last flight from St. Croix and would have to be more overnight. Nobody ever got upset with these things, considering who the uncles of Shoshona were: Fran and Stan Metzenbaum, executive producers and co-creators Insatiable . That would have been different, Meena thought if Shoshona really deserved this promotion. If it had been Paul or any other writer who actually appeared in the office from time to time, Meena would not mind. But Shoshona? Meena has She had heard bragging on the phone with a friend who had never seen the show, until their uncles had hired her to come work for them ... unlike Meena, who never missed a single episode - not since she had completed twelve years. Shoshona not know the names of every single ex-husband of Victoria, so that Meena knew, or because they had finished (Victoria was insatiable, yes, but was not so lucky in love.) Or that the beloved teenage daughter Victoria, Tabitha, was following in the footsteps of her mother. (So far they have managed to kill every interest loving Tabby. The latter had been blown up in a Jet Ski accident plan for Tabby rejected by an admirer.) "I'm glad you like it," Meena said with forced patience. "I thought to launch a bad boy for Tabby might attract a younger audience, " "That's exactly what we are hearing from companies," said Shoshona, launching a Sy to look impressed. "We were sitting here discussing this. Not were, Sy? " "We were," Sy said, smiling at Meena. "Come here, girl, and take a chair. You've heard the great news about Shoshona? "Meena could not take his look to Shoshona, she was very angry. She kept her gaze on it while Sy sank into another Aeron chair in front of his desk. "I heard," she said. "And I was really wanting to have a conversation with you on this particular morning, Sy. " "There's nothing you can say to me that I can not say in front of

Shoshona, "Sy said cheerfully, waving his hand." Frankly, I think that is simply fantastic. We actually have a power of estrogen happening here! " Meena looked at him. Sy actually said the words power of estrogen ? And as he could not know that Meena was being the one doing all the work of Shoshona the last twelve months? "Sure," said Shoshona. "So I think that Meena should be the first to know about the new direction that the station hopes to see us getting started. " "The radio station?" Meena echoed so perplexed. "Well, our sponsors, in fact," Shoshona said, correcting himself. For knowledge of Meena, the sponsor of the Insatiable Consumer Dynamics Inc. , - the multinational technology and services conglomerate, which also happened to be the own Affiliated Broadcast Network - never had it at least once relegated to worry about the show. Until now, apparently. "In a word," Shoshona said, "they want us to depart for vampires. All vampires, all the time. " Meena immediately felt the bagel and coffee that she had eaten for breakfast rising. "No," she said after swallowing fast. "We can not do that." Sy blinked blankly Meena. "Why the hell not?" Page 13 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot She should know. His day, which had begun so badly, could only get worse. Lately his whole life had been conducted on a firm path that only got worse. "Well, first, because there is already a novel on a rival network, with a history of vampires, that is killing us in the criticism, "said Meena." A little show called Lust . Remember? I mean, we have to have some pride. Not we can simply copy Lust openly. " Shoshona pretended to be busy straightening up his sleeve as standard Meena spoke. Sy, epiando over his desk, could not take my eyes off her long legs and full of energy. Meena wanted to have a mini-Butterfinger (candy made Nestl) for their livelihood. Or give us a blow-smooth hair flat iron Shoshona. Flat-chap! Who would bother anymore? Certainly not Meena, who had cut most of his dark hair at the behest of Leisha - the "gift" of Leisha was that she could not look at anyone and immediately tell her exactly the most flattering way that your hair should be spent - and had several trouble arriving on time for work without having to worry about sloshing, even when she was busy trying to save little girls in subway death by some white slavery. "We will look total idiots," Meena said. "I do not think," Shoshona said coldly. " Lust is obviously doing something right. It Now one of the few shows that has not been canceled or forced to move to LA to film to save money. You are actually rising in the level of hearing. And like you said, if we survive, we must begin to attract a wider audience Young. Children do not care about shows. It's all about a reality show for them. " "And what's so real," Meena demanded, "in vampires ? " "Oh, I assure you, they are real," said Shoshona with a feline smile. "Have you read about those girls who are still found, emptied of all his blood,

in parks throughout New York, have not you? " "Oh, for God's sake," said Meena sour-faced. "They were not devoid of all his blood. They were only strangled. " "Um, excuse me," said Shoshona. "But I have an inside source that says These three girls were bitten everywhere and was drained every drop of his blood. There's a vampire in real life, here in Manhattan, and he is feeding on innocent girls. " Meena rolled his eyes. Okay. It was true that some girls had appeared recently killed in some city parks. But drained of their blood? Shoshona contracting the fever was a vampire - that, yes, gripped the country, there was denying it, it was quite obvious that even Consymer Dynamics Inc. had knowledge of it, and they were so obviously oblivious to the trends that they still thought to have a MySpace page was trendy - very far. "So let's give the show a sense of place-in-headlines," Shoshona continued, "and eating a vampire girls in Insatiable . Friends Tabby. And let's let him do a brainwashing Tabby, Tabby and let be its vampire bride. " Sy pointed to Shoshona. "Vampire Bride," he shouted. "I loved it. Better yet, CDI loved it!" Meena thought to get up, walk out the office window Sy, open it and play it. "And you did not hear the piece de resistance (piece de resistance), "said Shoshona. "I I can get Bane-Gregory " Page 14 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot Sy gasped and leaned forward. " Yes? " Meena groaned and dropped his head between his hands. Gregory interpreted the Vampire Bane in Lust . There was no person on earth who felt more nauseated by Gregory Bane than Meena. And she never even met him. "- To get Stefan Dominic read part vampire," Shoshona continued. Sy, looking disappointed, sank into his chair. "Who the hell is Stefan Dominic?" He escoriou. Shoshona smiled. "Only the best friend of Gregory Bane, "she said. "I mean, they go to the club night together almost every weekend. I know you've seen a photo of him with Gregory in Us Weekly, Sy. The publicity that we have to have him be hired enormous. I can not believe nobody has grasped before. And the best thing? He has a SAG card (Screen Actors Guilde - Association of Actors Film, a kind of actors' union) and I can come this Friday to read with Taylor. "Shoshona looked like the cat that swallowed the canary." I've talked to him about it. He goes to my gym. " And suddenly, Meena Shoshona knew exactly why he spent so much time in a treadmill. And it had nothing to do with those fit Crewcuts. "There is no way," said Meena, fighting for the patient inside, "Taylor" Taylor Mackenzie was the actress who played Tabby - "agree to play a vampire bride. " Taylor had recently left a macrobiotic diet and hired a personal trainer , shrinking to the size of Shoshona. Although Taylor was very satisfied with that - and the care of the tabloids were paying for it because of that

- She needed to consider if you really did not want to end up in a coffin ... something Meena was trying to warn her about leaving her in great sandwiches dressing room. This is not exactly subtle, but it was the best I could do Meena. "Tabby will appreciate it if the station tells her to do," said Shoshona. "This is the that ABN want. " Meena was not seriously trying to grit my teeth. Your dentist had already punished to do so during sleep and prescribed him a mouth guard. Having to fear Meena use it because it was not exactly the most romantic thing to wear when going to bed. She looked like a hockey goalie. But that was it, the dentist had said, or a new less stressful job. And there was a job of easily findable. At least not for a television writer. And since Meena was currently sleeping alone, she felt that no matter what she looked like, anyway. "Cheryl will not like that," Meena told them. Cheryl was the veteran actress who Worthington Stone Victoria played during the last thirty years. "You know she's hoping this is the year she will finally get that Emmy. " Thirty years, ten marriages, four miscarriages, one abortion, two murders, six kidnappings, and an evil twin later, Cheryl and Trent still never won one Daytime Emmy. It was a crime, according to Meena. Not Meena was only because one of the biggest fans of Cheryl and start writing to it was the thrill of your life, but because Cheryl was one of the coolest ladies Meena had ever known. And part of the plan of Meena, the script that she had submitted for Sy - but he just went back to the plot of vampire Shoshona Worthington had been to Victoria Stone would love for her father's new boyfriend Tabby, a bitter Victoria police chief who would help him meet with his rebellious son ... giving Cheryl a sure shot toward the golden statuette she Page 15 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot so desired. But a screenplay about vampires ? Nobody was going to be distributing Emmies for this. "Yeah, well," Shoshona said, narrowing his eyes to Meena, "Cheryl, I can beg. "(in the sense of being fired. expression in English is to "cry me River " ) Meena's jaw dropped. This was the thanks she got for saving Shoshona ass so many times with their scripts late? Why is she even bothered? "I loved it," Sy said, snapping his fingers. "Pass this to his uncle and aunt. I have to go, I have a meeting. " He stood up. "Sy," Meena said. His mouth was dry. "What?" He looked bored. "No ..." There were so many things she wanted to talk. It felt like I needed to talk. For the sake of your soul. For the sake of the show. For the good of the country as a whole. To Instead, she only said, "Do not take the Fifth. are congested. I heard that Wins in 1010. Ask the taxi driver to take the Park. " Sy's face relaxed. "Thank you, Harper," he said. "Finally, something useful from you." Then he turned and left the room. Meena turned his head and stared, eyes

dagger as to Shoshona. And it was because she was angry because she had just to save the life of Sy - if he took the Fifth, his taxi would actually meet with with the congestion that would irritate him so much that he would go out and walking, causing him to cross the street without seeing the sign in the Fifth and Seventh and getting hit by way of a Fresh Direct - and he was not even a little grateful, but because she knew what "Pass it to your aunt and uncle" meant. It meant that Shoshona won. " Vampires , "Meena said. "Truly original, Metzenbaum." Shoshona stood up, throwing his bag over his shoulder. "Get over it, Harper. They are everywhere. You can not escape them." And for the first time, Meena realized the dragon gems in the bag incrustrado of Shoshona. No. It could be. But it was. The Marc Jacobs bag that Meena had secretly coveted for a semester, but denying to herself because cost $ 5,000. And there was no Meena pay so much money for a scholarship - or justify the expense. And okay, Shoshona had to "aquamarine" (a type of stone precious), not the ruby red that would be perfect for the wardrobe of Meena. But yet. Meena stared at her, gritting his teeth. Now she had no choice but to make an emergency run at lunchtime for CVS in order to replenish your candy drawer. -XChapter Seven 12:00 am. EST, Tuesday, April 13 Parking at Walmart Chattanooga, TN Alaric Wulf was not considered a snob. Far from it. If someone in the office some ever bothered to ask - and, except for his partner, Martin, no Page 16 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot these ingrates ever asked - Alaric would have pointed out that in the first fifteen years of his life of thirty-five, he lived in extreme poverty, eating only when its various stepfathers earned some money on the track, and only if some money left over for food after his mother bought a little addicted drug. And so Alaric chose to live on the streets (and out of his judgment) of his native Zurich, until the Guardian Council took him and forced him to go to a home where he was surprised to find themselves being treated better by strangers than they ever had been for his family. It was in this home that Alaric met, and eventually was recruited, the Palatine Guard, thanks to her that he ended up being a strong sword arm, accurate and objective, an innate aptitude for languages, and the fact that nothing - not their stepfathers, social workers, priests, who claimed to have the voice of God whispering in their ears or vampire leeches - the intimidated (or impressed). Now Alaric was sleeping on Egyptian cotton yarn for eight hundred every night, driving an Audi R8, and routinely dined your favorite dishes such as foie gras and duck confit (rich foods). His suits were all Italians, and he never dreamed of using a shirt that had not been printed by hand. He liked to swim a hundred meters, and then sit in the sauna at the gym every morning, he had an active sex life with numerous attractive and educated women who knew nothing about his knowledge; collected comics Betty and Veronica (he had to send especially in Rome at a cost of America stunning) and killed by vampires living as part of a highly secretive military unit of the Vatican. Life was

good ... In fact, he had a style of life about which most of his colleagues work franziam forehead. Most of them, for example, preferred to remain in convents or local parishes while traveling, while Alaric always recorded at the best hotel I could find ... he paid for himself, of course. Why not? He had no son or relative to support. It was his fault that an early interest in investing (especially in precious metals, specifically gold, he could not help noticing that seemed to be largely around the Vatican) did to be the favorite customer of the bankers of Zurich? Still, nothing Alaric Wulf could be considered a snob. He could be "thick" like everyone else. He was being actually "crude" now. Sitting in your car rental outside of a large sale of a retail establishment in Chattanooga Chattanooga; that name for a town! - Alaric saw how the multitude of time Lunch flooded the store. An incomplete report of a couple of desperate parents had worked his way through his superiors in the Palatine Guard: A young girl who worked in Walmart in particular had been attacked by a vampire this car on his way home, coming home from work one night. It still had the intriguing puncture wounds on his neck. The problem was that she with his parents insisted that the marks were not an "attack", but were the result a "kiss of love." In other words, she loved being attacked. Of course, Alaric thought with his usual cynicism. All they like . The company had romanticizado vampires so much so that many impressionable young people throw themselves to the actors who played vampires in movies and on television. Not that it was guilty them. Women were genetically programmed to feel attracted to men powerful and well-regarded, men with a high level of testosterone that would be good providers for their children, who were like vampires - rich, tall, strong and beautiful - were often portrayed in films. Alaric love to know if women feel exactly the same way about vampires if they could have seen his exPartner Martin ICU after getting entangled in a nest of vampires who had found in a warehouse outside Berlin. They had torn half of the face Page 17 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot Martin. He still sucked dinner through a straw. Fortunately, the demons left the use of eyes, so he could still see the daughter he and his partner Karl had adopted - Alaric's goddaughter, Simone - celebrating its fourth anniversary. This was the Because of the dedication of Alaric to his work. Of course, he had been dedicated prior this particular incident. How many other row enable it using a sword? He could think of very few. And Alaric was very passionate about his sword, Senor Sticky. The blade, unlike the human, does not lie. It does not cheated, and not descriminava ... even if vampires were assholes. Especially American vampires. They stayed in place even Alaric never would have gone, especially if you were immortal. Such as schools. And Walmart. If Alaric was a vampire - and it would never happen, because if by some error of destiny abomination he was bitten enough times to make it ocorrese, Martin had instructed him to kill instantnemente, no matter how he struggled - He would be intensified. Target, perhaps. (Target is a chain of stores such as Walmart) Alaric supposed vampires avoided because the Target parking had many security cameras. (It's a myth that vampires can not appear in

mirrors or movies. Certainly in the old days this was true, when mirrors and silver films were the norm. But now that the world had passed into the digital age and mirrors are cheaper - the reflection of the vampire may appear as any other.) Alaric actually liked the Target. They did not have Target in Rome. He Goofy had bought a watch last time they had been in a Target. The Other guards were making fun of him, but he liked his watch Goofy. It was outmoded and did nothing but tell the time. But sometimes all you need to know is the time. Alaric's cell phone rang, and he lowered his comic of Betty and Veronica and fished the phone from his jacket pocket, then read the text message he had received with interest. Manhattan. Reports of bodies completely bled. At least three deaths. Alaric had to read the message twice to make sure he had read right. Bodies bled? There was a vampire foolish enough actually to drain a body full of his blood for a century. At least not that Alaric have known. Because that - contrary to what was doing in that vampire Chattanooga - was murder, not simply an assault with a pair of fangs. E assaults such as these could never be proven - not in a Court of Justice common - because the victim would consent ... due to mind control, is clear. But only the Palatine and the parents of the girls would believe it. If any vampire was stupid enough to be killing their victims, this could only mean one thing: The prince was out of any hole that had been hidden throughout the century. He needed. He would never allow something like this, which threatened the safety of its employees. Alaric forced a laugh. Your week seemed being much brighter. Suddenly, amid the crowd, Alaric saw a uniformed employee of Walmart coming your way, facing the car that girl's parents had described as her and that Alaric had carefully parked on the side. Sara did not look like the photo that his parents had arranged ... at least not anymore. Being a blood donor personal vampires could do that with a woman. His cheeks were thin round earlier now, and its hanging from his uniform worn structure. His curly hair Red had lost their lives and she was wearing a scarf made of something to around the neck to hide the "love bite" that his new friend had left behind during their last visit. She was so anemic, or perceived when Alaric came out of your car and stood in front of her, a huge figure in the sun noon, Seor Sticky carefully hidden - for now - the folds of his Page 18 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot coat. She just kept drinking in a large glass in noisy soda he was holding. She needed all possible soft drinks, he thought. She had to continue building a new plasma is going to be dinner somebody tonight. "Sarah," Alaric said quietly. She finally stopped and looked at him, her blue eyes focusing it on a dull look. Now it was time to show it to the sword. Some times, this was the only thing that could make them understand in the heat-induced stupor and them. Alaric pushed back the folds of his coat. "Just tell me where he is, Sarah," he said softly. "And I'll leave it alive." -XChapter Eight 2:00 pm. EST, Tuesday, April 13 ABN Madison Avenue Building, 520

New York, New York You are cordially INVITED ... WHY: An elegant party in our apartment, Park Avenue, 910. Apartment 11A. WHEN: Thursday, April 15, at 7:30 pm. WHY: Emil's cousin, Prince, is in town! CLOTHING: Exquisite! Dress up! This is your chance to meet royalty, Real old-fashioned! Find your fancy, sexy and most expensive dresses and shoes and have fun! No need to feel down just because your husband is not left to take the platinum card for a ride! Sell your closet and find ourselves in Thursday! Mary Lou xoxo Meena stared at the computer monitor. She was supposed to be working in an explosive scene dialogue for the next week that would confront her Tabby mother for sleeping with her riding instructor, Romero, for whom it was Tabby a passion. But all she could think about was promoting and Shoshona its terrible plot about vampires, which Fran and Stand had, of course, approved, agreeing with the broadcaster (who agreed with the CDI) that would make more Insatiable attractive to all-as-important-to-eighteen-year-almost-nineteen viewers female ... which in turn would give more money on advertising. That in turn all lead to an increase (Insatiable writers have been under a freeze pay for more than one year). Then the e-mail Mary Lou had popped into your inbox input. And Meena lost all ability to focus on something else. Appalled, Meena forwarded the email to her best friend, Leisha. "Who is this person? " Leisha called a few minutes later to ask. Page 19 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot "My neighbor Mary Lou," Meena said, surprised by Leisha not remember. It just complaining about something that Mary Lou had said or done every day. "Oh, yes," Leisha said. "The one you used to enjoy, until she began pursue it in the elevator every day-" "-Trying to get along with every single person she knows," Meena ended sentence for her, "after David and I broke up. Right. In addition she continues investigated as saying about the ancestry of her husband Emil to the Romanian royal. It discovered that he is an earl, making it a-" "Countess," Leisha said. Meena could hear the hair dryers humming in the background. Leisha worked as a stylist in a salon quality in SoHo. "It was she only the board of directors of his building would not let you buy and David the apartment, first, because they were not married? But then, when discovered that you write for Insatiable , she changed her mind because it is a big fan Victoria Worthington Stone? " "Yes," said Meena. She took a bite of mini Butterfinger he had pulled from their candy drawer. "And she hates Jon, but pretends not to." "Because she hates his brother?" Now Leisha looked surprised. "She thinks he's a bum to live with me," said Meena. "The question is true, how do I avoid going to your party? " "Uh," Leisha said, "no offense ... but because you do not want to go? The last time I I heard, your social calendar was not exactly full. " "Yeah, well," Meena said, "I do not have time to have friendly relations with the alleged Romanian prince when I need to worry about what will happen next

Worthington week with Victoria Stone and her vulnerable, yet stubborn daughter Tabitha. "Meena took another bite out of your mini-Butterfinger. The important thing was to make that each lasted much as possible, which was difficult, because they were very small. "Because I'm stupid," Leisha said. "Of course. So what will happen to Victoria Worthington Stone and his vulnerable, even stubborn, daughter Tabitha? "Meena sighed. "A hunch. That came down from heaven today. Written on a stone tablet of the Consumer Dynamics Inc. same. " "What did you say?" " Lust began with a vampire story, and they are killing us in the ratings. So ... "Leisha gave a little babble of laughter. "Oh, yeah. Gregory Bane. Guys are asking me to do her hair like his for weeks. Type, is a current style, not something done with a razor blade and a little mousse. People are crazy for this guy. " "Tell me about it." Meena turned in his office chair so that he could divert the look of your computer screen to the valley of gray skyscrapers that make up the Fifty-Third Street between Madison and Fifth. She knew that at some out there, Yalena was discovering that his dreams of a new life in America were not exactly going the way she expected them to leave. Meena would love to know how long before she called. Or if she would care. "I do not understand. The guy looks like a toothpick. With hair. " Leisha stammered a little more laughter. Meena loved the sound of laughter Leisha. He encouraged and reminded of the old days, before they finish, both with loans. Still, Meena felt compelled to say, "Not funny. You know how I I feel about vampires. " Page 20 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot "Yes," Leisha said, sounding a little bored. "What you're always saying? In sect of misogynists monsters, vampires are the kings? " "Well," Meena said, "they seem to always choose female victims. And yet, for some reason, women find it sexy. " "I do not," Leisha said. "I want to be killed by Frankenstein. I like guys large. And idiots. Do not tell that to my husband. " "Even though these guys admit more and more that want to kill us," Meena continued, "the idea that they are nobly refraining to do this is, supposed to be attractive? Excuse me, but know that a guy wants to kill her is spicy? " "The fact that he wants but does not do is what makes some girls feel special," Leisha said simply. "Besides, vampires are all rich. I could deal with having a rich guy trying to kill me - but that is noble and contain yourself - being super into me now. Adam does not have a job, but it does not help me or even with the clothes. " "Vampires are not real!" Meena yelled into the phone. "Hang on. Look, I do not see what the big problem," said Leisha. "If someone can tell you how each person will die who knows can exist, why not there can be vampires? "

Meena took a deep breath. "I told you I was able to promote Shoshona writer Why you simply not seen the knife? " "Oh my God." Leena sounded as if she had apologized. "I'm so sorry, Meen. What Whatcha gonna do? " "What I can do? " Meena said. "Wait. It will ruin everything at the end accounts. I hope when it ruin the show and I still be here, and I can enter and save the day. " "Go on," Leisha said. 'Hero Complex. " Meena joined eyebrows. "What?" "Vampires are monsters misogynists," Leisha said. "And you have a hero complex. You always have. Of course you think that will save the show. And probably the world, while with it. " Meena snorted. "Okay. Enough about me. How is Adam?" "It has managed to get off the couch for three days," Leisha said. Meena nodded head, forgetting that Leisha could not see it. "This is normal for the first month after the resignation." "He stands there in front of CNN, like a zombie. He's starting to freak out with this serial killer thing. " "What a serial killer?" So Meena Shoshona reminded of what had been speaking in his meeting with Sy. "Oh, that thing with the girls killed in the parks?" "Exactly. You know, he actually growled at me the other day when I asked him if he could pick up the mail from the Mail Box downstairs. " Meena sighed. "Jon was the same way after losing his job and having to go live with me. In least he helped with the laundry. Just because I had a washer and dryer only the apartment and you can not stop tripping over piles along the way to to move. " Page 21 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot "I asked Adam when he will start the baby's room," Leisha said. "Or the corner of baby's room, I think that's how I should call it, seeing that room is so small, it's practically a closet. Still, he has to put a what port and a wall, and paint and everything. You know what he said? It is too early and that long to do this. Thomas will arrive in two months! Some Sometimes I do not know if we'll make it. I really do not know. " "Yes, you're going," Meena said so reassuring. "We will overcome all this. Indeed, we are. " Meena did not believe it, of course. It had been months since his brother, Jon, had been fired from the investment firm where he worked as a systems analyst, and he was so close to finding a job as at the day of his resignation ... and even with Leisha's husband, Adam, who had been coCollege before Jon Jon introduce you to Leisha. The few jobs that were out there in their areas had hundreds, perhaps thousands, of candidates also skilled competing with them. "This is a prediction?" Leisha said.

"Yeah," Meena said firmly. "I'm hoping it will be," Leisha said. "Well, good luck with the prince. I wear black. Black is always appropriate. Even for a meeting of the royalty. " And hung up. Meena put the receiver down, chewing his lower lip. It I hated lying to Leisha. Because things do not would be fine. Something was wrong. Leisha was still talking to Meena that the date of delivery would be in two months. And maybe that was what the doctor had said. But the doctor was wrong. Every time Leisha said that it - "Thomas will be arriving in two months" - Meena felt a uncomfortable twinge. The baby - Meena was posivita - come in the next month. Possibly the even earlier than this. And Thomas! Leisha and Adam wanted to put the name of Thomas Weinberg on the baby! The child would be a funny Thomas, considering that was a girl and not a boy. But how to tell a pregnant woman that all the doctor had said was wrong ... when you were relying on a feeling ? Especially when all its previous estimate of deaths were not on new lives? Easy. You said nothing to her. You kept your mouth shut. Returning to the computer screen, Meena was confronted again by email Mary Lou. Sometimes she found it hard to believe that there were still people who did not have to work for a living ... girls with supposed princes who do not needed to do nothing but parties and elaborate plan to use credit cards their husbands to go shopping all day. And then, however, there were girls like Yalena, being devoured by worms like her boyfriend, Gerald, on whom the Police could not do just anything ... But these people exist. And they lived in your building. Just next door, actually. Meena decided to click Delete, then opened a new document and started writing. -XChapter Nine 11:00 pm. GMT, Tuesday, April 13 Somewhere over the Pacific Lucien Antonescu did not like to fly commercially, but not, perhaps, for the same reasons that other people might not like it. He had control problems - That their concerns were not normal and control your own anger - and, Page 22 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot course, was not afraid of death. The idea of a burning or other pain not disturbed in any way. He was being, however, disturbed by the way airlines packaged their customers within metal tubes which are currently called "airplanes", then expected them to sit in those incredibly small and tight excuses for "places" for hours on end without no exercise or fresh air. Then there was some time since Lucien Antonescu had been on a plane that he did not have (your personal Learjet was ideal for most trips, but not strong enough for a transatlantic flight without scales). When he was asked to speak to a conference for him to travel abroad or by one of his books, Lucien simply tended to deny. He disliked advertising, in any case ... But today Lucien was flying in first class. The seats were made with individual compartments, so that the other passengers seated in front, behind or beside him were not visible. In given time during the flight, the attractive and very nice flight attendant - they were called flight attendants now, he reminded himself - showed him a menu, from which he was invited to choose from a dizzying selection of food and

wines, including some decent Italian Barolos (type of wine) ... Later, after the pilot light off, the flight attendant asked if he would like her arrumasse his bed for him. He accepted, out of sheer curiosity. What bed? His seat broad and Spacious, he found, automatically folded into a bed of reasonable size (But not for him, being several inches beyond six feet), all with a touch of a button. Then the beautiful flight attendant produced a cushioned mat another compartment hidden sheets that she had actually "bent", a duvet and a pillow, she softened. She then handed him a cloth bag containing a large pair of pajamas, a toothbrush and paste and a mask to the eyes. Finally, she wished him good night with a smile. He smiled back, not because he had no intention of putting on pajamas or going to sleep, but because he found that the process - and she - were absolutely charming. His smile made her blush. She was divorced from an unscrupulous man who had betrayed her throughout the his eight-year marriage and she was holding their baby alone. She wanted to only that her ex-husband pay child support and visit his daughter once in when. She said to Lucien these things ... but well, she did not need. He knew this because he could not stay around people without invading their secret thoughts within themselves. It was something he got used to Over the years, one thing that sometimes he liked. It made him feel human again. Or almost. She apologized and went to see another passenger, a businessman sitting stout transverse mode in the hallway spacious, 6J in the chair. The 6J passenger seat could not stop complaining: His pillow was not softened enough, the pajamas were not large enough, the bristles of your brush teeth were very strict and his glass of champagne had been filled quickly sufficient. Based on the observations of Lucien, the man was pressing the 6J call button approximately every four or five minutes, both irritating assistant flight as the lady on the bench in front of him, he raised his mask bed and looked out of his darkened room to see what it was all that disturbance. She had an important meeting in the morning and needed his rest. Lucien rose while the flight attendant slid back kitchen to fetch another pillow to the entrepreneur. Then he crossed the hall to make a visit to 6J. "What do you want? " The man - whose mind was as shallow as a thimble - looked with contempt for Lucien. Page 23 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot When the flight attendant came back, was surprised to discover that the passenger in 6J alarmingly pale and seemed in a deep sleep, he seemed almost comatose. She cast a quick glance and questioning around the cabin, facing the look of Lucien, as he stood, looking for a book he had left in top compartment. "Tired of all the champagne, I suppose," Lucien said to her. "There is accustomed to much alcohol at an altitude so high. " He gave her a wink. The flight attendant and then hesitated, as if silenced by Lucien smile, smiled shyly back and offered him the extra pillow. "Well, thank you," he said. Later, walking through dark corridors while pushing the sky nortuno toward New York, listening to the breathing of the unconscious passenger and experiencing your dreams, Lucien looked at the naked and vulnerable Throats

dozed and thought that someone should really do something to overendowment trips flight more enjoyable for everyone, not just for the privileged few in the first the class. -XChapter Ten 6:30 am. EST, Tuesday, April 13 Park Avenue, 910 New York, New York Meena hit the Up button and then looked around furtively. She was tired after his long day and hoped that one thing - just this little thing - Was on its way. And it was slipping into the elevator of the building in which lived without having to catch it with his neighbor Mary Lou, so she could have race eleven floors up your floor in a quiet restful. The building of Meena 910 Park Avenue - was elegant, with a porter who guarded the gates of brass Bright, a marble foyer, a crystal chandelier and a garage with underground parking spaces for all residents could pay a additional $ 500 per month (though Meena would rather invest that money in a Marc Jacobs right ball dragon inlaid with precious stones-she could ... afford an extra $ 500 a month, she could not). But her apartment was not exact justice to the elegance of the building: one needed repainting; frame over the ceiling was crumbling, the floor needed a floor sanding, the old fireplace did not work, and French doors leading to the tiny balcony, which gave to see the terrace of her neighbor, Mary Lou (which was roughly the size of the Meena the whole apartment), was jammed. And she was going out of space closet. The important thing was, it was hers - or at least was, when she finally David would pay their share of payment. They had been lucky to have purchased the when the market was at rock bottom and the previous owners had divorced and were desperate to sell ... and also because a small legacy of Meena's great-aunt, Wilhelmina, to which had been named (her mother Meena had written for fear that their teachers and classmates would always pronounce his name "Myna"), had finally come. Although David had gone too far, Meena never imagined his apartment as a place where she could have a tryst. But when she saw Shoshona leave the office with a cute face Page 24 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot (Now it should be realized that the famous Stefan Dominic, Meena had only able to glimpse the back of his dark head before the two disappear in a lift to happy hour ), she felt a twinge of envy. Meena could not even remember the last time you had an encounter ... less she told the first - and last - time left Mary Lou fix it with a man, someone who was her husband's office ... who felt Meena required to report on the calamari, when they had a meeting in one of the city's trendiest restaurants, he needed to keep your cholesterol controlled, or was having a heart attack before reaching thirty-five. It Needless to say, he never called for a second date. But with luck, he had turned to his doctor and started taking Lipitor (medicine to control the cholesterol). And yet, she continued praying for something that never, never even seemed to become reality. With the frequency of their meetings, Meena could well have come out with your neighbor. Every morning, poof! Mary Lou appeared, it was just

Meena hit the Down button. The same thing every night. It was strange. And every time, any hope of having a civilized descent was destroyed. Why then was Meena forced to listen to Mary Lou wax enthusiastic about the new guy she had known and he was convinced he would be perfect for Meena or on any idea for the awesome plot Insatiable he thought the night before. Oh, true? Meena was required to answer politely. Thank you, Mary Lou. In Actually, I'm seeing someone. Someone from my office. Or not, actually, I I will surely pass your idea that Victoria should become Worthington Stone Ambassador of Brazil to foreign Fran and Stan. I'm sure they will love it. Except that he had no expensive office Meena who was leaving (Except Paul, platonically, he was happily married with three children for twenty-five years), and the countess had never, not once, created a single story for his helpful favorite character, Victoria Worthington Stone. It was a shame because Meena genuinely liked the warm, maybe a little exaggerated Mary Lou and her husband modest, slightly tormented, Emil. It was just that Meena was beginning to feel a bit like Ned must have felt on the day of his nervous breakdown in the room ABN dinner ... especially after David left, and Mary Lou became obsessed with the love life of Meena. As Meena would bring a boyfriend to home if his older brother was always around the house, cooking fettuccine Alfredo? Someone just needed to push on towards Meena right. And Mary Lou was obviously appointed herself to be that someone. This is became especially obvious in that day, when Meena was once again unable to fulfill its objective of avoiding the Countess in the elevator ... Poof! There she was. "Meena" cried the countess. "I'm so glad I found! Did you get my email? Emil's cousin, Prince, is coming to town. You'll love him: he is a writer like you. Only he writes books, not a novel. A Romanian ancient history teacher, actually. Did you get my email about the party I'm giving dinner in his honor on Thursday, right? You think you get going? " "Oh," Meena said. "I do not know. Are crazy at work-" "Oh, your work ! "Meena realized he should have kept his mouth shut, as Mary Lou has warmed to the subject immediately. "You work so hard that his job. Not that I love every minute of it. Last week when Victoria was seized with Father Juan Carlos in the lobby after she went to confession about his guilt of sleeping with instructor direction of his daughter, I had to stick a napkin in my mouth to stop me from crying that not crazy and scare Page 25 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot employed while she was vacuuming, so I was excited. That was brilliant! This storyline was one of his, was not it? " Meena bowed his head modestly. She was proud of the plot-and-Victoria Father-sensual. It is different when a priest who is nobly refraining from sleeping with a woman. Father Juan Carlos also had no desire to kill Victoria. "Well, actually," she began, but Mary Lou interrupted. "Still, you will end up leading to early menopause if it keeps slaving for that show. Anyway, listen ... " With a noise the elevator doors opened and Meena and Countess entered which get to Meena, however, would increase the endless. Mary Lou

Meena then proceeded giving a lengthy description of the castle in which Prince spent his summers in Romania. Mary Lou was intimately familiar with the castle, because it was near the castle in which she and her husband spent the summer for two months every year - two months of happiness during which Meena was able to walk elevator without Countess. For the fifth floor, Meena was wondering why she never had a feeling about the impending deaths of Mary Lou and her husband Emil. That was odd, really. Moreover, it was possible with its power to predict death, which had appeared when she was between childhood and adolescence and was beginning to decline now that she was approaching thirty (a girl can dream). It was more likely, however, considering the fate Meena, who was turning into something else ... seeing feeling strange that she had had about Leisha and her baby. On the tenth floor, Meena had heard all she could about the British architectural influences. "Oh, I wanted to look like that," Meena said as the elevator doors finally, and thankfully, opened on your floor. "Oh, Meena," the countess said as the two walked toward their their doors. "I forgot to ask. As your brother is turning?" And there was. The Head Tilt. The inclination of the head was followed, of course, Look for nice. The countess was no stranger to Botox, as Meena knew and, since Countess should have well over forty years, but his face was so lines without expression as if it were the age of Meena - perhaps because Mary Lou had an extraordinary collection of paintings of hats, and gloves, she used more frequently to keep out fierce sun. Today was a mixture gigantic brown. So, everything was there, the Tilt Head, the "eleven" between eyebrows (frown lines two of concern), the puckering of the lips as I said, I care. Deeply. Tell me: How does your brother is turning? "Jon is very upsetting," Meena said with enthusiasm as she brought together, in view of how many times a week they had been bound to repeat it. "Really good. Working out, reading a lot, even cooking. He tried a new recipe for dinner last night. He made a huge steak Orange Chinese to me that he withdrew from the Times . It's delicious! " This was a complete lie. It was actually horrible and Meena had been furious with Jon for trying. He was no great chef. Steaks on the grill portable Meena on the balcony were his forte, not something that they might well have asked for surrender. She had to throw it away. Meena hoped that the countess and her husband Emil had not smelled when they returned for any event benefit in that they were. They were always going to - when they were not promoting - charity events throughout the city late at night, and had their Page 26 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot names mentioned in the social pages regularly, both for its generous as gifts for their trip to party to party. "Oh," Mary Lou placed her hand in front of his jacket Chanel. "This is great. I I admire so much what you're doing, letting him live with you until he recovered. So generous. The prince loves generous people, then he'll love it. Of course ... " Mary Lou moved his hand, and the diamond seven or eight carats she was wearing underneath the glove that she had taken shone in the lamplight of the corridor. "Bring Jon when you come for dinner to meet the Prince on Thursday

overnight. He is also always welcome. A lovely young woman. "Meena maintained a frozen smile on his face. "Well, thank you," Meena said with forced enthusiasm. "But I'm not sure about our plans. I warn you. Have a good night! " "You too," Mary Lou said. "Au revoir!" One thing, Meena thought as he ran toward his apartment. One thing good could still happen to her today. She never lost hope. Without hope, what else do you have? Nothing. Is that what you have. She could still feel the stock Ruby Dragon. Maybe online, used somewhere. Except that, even used, it would still be more expensive than she could afford. It would be selfish and horrible on her part buy something so frivolous that she obviously did not need, especially when so many people were unemployed and could barely afford food and had horrible people Yalena as the boyfriend of abusing them. She would never buy a bag, of course. Not even used. But it was important to have hope. -XChapter Eleven 6:30 pm. EST, Tuesday, April 13 Park Avenue, 910, apt. 11B New York, New York You have what it takes to join the Police Department of New York? To be able to make an appointment with the NYPD, you must go through a series of medical tests, physical and psychological to determine their suitability. Want to know more about our requirements? Jon, staring at the computer screen, shrugged, took another sip of his Gatorade, and clicked Learn more . Candidates should have at least 17 years until the last day to enter the examination for the which they are applying for. "Oh, yeah," Jon said. "That's what I'm talking about." Meena's dog, Jack Bauer, hearing the sound of a human voice, jumped out of their dog bed and walked quickly to the couch and curiously to see what was happening. Jon tilted his bottle of Gatorade in the direction of the dog in a toast and continued to read happily. Page 27 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot Candidates must not have reached its 35 birthday or before the first day to give entrance examination for which they are applying for. "Done," he said to Jack Bauer. "We'll definitely go for the NYPD!" Jack Bauer bowed his head as if he wished, sat on its hind legs, and barked. "Yes," Jon gave his Gatorade, picked up the phone and dialed. Once a person in other end picked up the phone, he said, "Dude. We will go pro NYPD. " "The devil we go," Adam said. "I'm about to become a father. I may need work, but not one where I get a butt shot. You know they have a serial killer on the loose out there? "

"I'm sure there are many," Jon said. He put his size 44 feet on the coffee table center of his sister. Jack Bauer, inspired by this act, climbed on the couch, where he was strictly prohibited by Meena sitting. Jon moved a little to make room to it. "And we'll get them. Because guess what? The Police Department New York? Hiring. You just have to be older than seventeen and a half and younger than thirty-five. Bingo. It's us. " "And crazy too. You read that part? Someone has to be crazy to apply to be police in this crazy city? " "Yes, and a written examination and physical, has a psychological evaluation," Jon said, glancing at his laptop. "And you may have problems passing through this part, since you were a trader in securities backed by commercial mortgages. " "Are you finished?" Adam said. "Because I have to hang up now." "Yeah," Jon said. "Okay, go to the site of the NYPD. I really think we should do it. We can do something to make a difference, Weinberg. We we apprehend criminals. We can help small children who were abused. " "Listen to yourself," Adam said. But Jon could hear clicks in the background and knew Weinberg was doing what he had requested. "Criminals. As if you knew something about criminals. You've been watching The Wire again? " "I'm serious. Think about it. What we did in our past jobs? Sure, we won a lot of money for others and for ourselves. But we played really people's lives in a meaningful way? No. " "I disagree," Adam said. "I was in charge of the pension fund of the Union Teachers of Alaska. " "And," Jon said, "what happened to him, Adam?" Adam muttered, "It was not my fault." "Those teachers will be fine," Jon said. "Okay, probably not. But perhaps he was fired was a blessing in disguise. This may be our chance to return the we lost. Helping people who really need it. " "And carry weapons," Adam said. "Admit Harper. The part that you like is the part weapons that we won. " "The thought that we would receive firearms and permission to carry them legally crossed my mind, "Jon said. "But it's really about helping persons, Weinberg. Do you honestly want to leave this serial killer with which you is concerned roam around free? " Page 28 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot "No," Adam said. "I want to find a job doing what I was trained to do. I would like to schedule non-original money and strategies and implement changes as communicate information and market trends for other professionals investment within the firm. " "Really?" Jon could not hide his disappointment. "Is that what you will put on your curriculum? " "That's what I told the HR representative in TransCarta," Adam said. "Who seems to be the only place that is hiring right now. " "When you could be saving lives." "Let me ask you something," Adam said. "You spoke of it to his sister?" "What do you mean?" Jon asked defensively. "I think you know what I mean," Adam said. "I mean, you said

for that crazy sister of stone you are considering to apply for a employment in the NYPD? " "I do not have to tell my sister all I'm thinking of doing," Jon said firmly. "Oh yeah?" Adam laughed an evil way. "Well, I will not run for a employment in the NYPD unless his sister says she sees us as retiring lieutenants or whatever. " Jon said, with a stream of irritation, "You should know by now not so with it. " "Yeah," Adam said. "I think if this were so, none of us would be in that situation, is not it? " Jon sighed. The gift of her sister had never left the life just easier for it. Because she would not be able to predict the winning lottery numbers, or girl at the bar were more likely to sleep with him, or something really useful? Listening to ways in which it could conceivably die were interesting, Jon assumed. But he preferred to get rich. Or lie. Jon heard the scraping of Meena key in the lock. Jack Bauer heard that too, and quickly jumped out of the couch to return to his dog bed. Jon said, "We talked about it later. I need to shut down," Adam, then hung up the phone and took his feet from the coffee table. Meena entered, his face looking nervous and robust, as he always did when he returned from anywhere. She asked, "Was Jack Bauer on the couch right now?" "Of course not," Jon said, rising. "How was your day, dear?" "It sucked. I met a girl on the subway and I think she will end up being sold as a slave to white and then dead. " "Cool," said Jon sneered. "I should say," Meena said. "And Shoshona got the post of Primary Writer. E the station is forcing us to make a crappy vampire script, then my beautiful and totally horrible-inspiring proposal on the bad boy with his father's police chief is dead at last. " "Shoshona got the post of Primary Writer?" Jon asked. "This is a disgrace. You gave the girl his subway card, did not? " "Yes," Meena said, tossing his keys into the small tray on the counter kitchen, she began keeping there for that purpose after Jon finally stressed your psychic power was useless to find the things that she continued losing. "I hope she call." Page 29 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot "And Taylor?" Jon asked. He tried to keep his voice casual. He had a crush on Taylor Mackenzie - that his sister had pointed out several times that he was too young to he - since Meena had started writing for the show. "She is going to have the new vampire boyfriend," Meena said. "They have the best friend Gregory Bane to play with her on Friday. He is good, apparently. I think I saw him leaving the office with Shoshona tonight. But for the most part it was only the back of your head. " Jon looked at his reflection in the old round mirror that had hung Meena above the dining table. " I 'm hot, "he said, admiring his own reflection. "What do you think? I do not material look like a vampire to you? "

Meena snorted. "Okay. Interpret a member of the choir in the musical Mame when you were in School does not count as work experience. Especially if you just did this for extra credit for staying out of the baseball team, thanks to its D Spanish. "She took his coat and crossed the room to find Jack Bauer, who was run to give you a lick of welcome. "And how is my little man?" she asked. "You saved the world today? I I think it saved. I think you saved the world from nuclear annihilation, as you do every twenty-four hours. Look at you. Just look at you. " Jack Bauer was a chow mix Pomeranian-Meena who insisted on bringing home the SAPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in the first once you put your feet there, "just to look at," after David had left with her and that he was in a comatose state, with depression. The tiny dog was sitting in a large empty cage by himself, his huge eyes brown so full of anxiety that Meena had commented that, with your skin clear, it seemed Kiefer Sutherland during a particularly dramatic moment in television series 24 Hours . When the dog fell into his arms as soon as the door cage was opened, giving a bath in her face with kisses grateful, adoption inevitable was signed, and the name was Jack Bauer, because the anxious look in the eyes of mutt rarely disappeared all the way unless when he was aparetamento resting on the side of Meena. "He saved the world, all right," Jon said. "He tried a little maltipoo encoxar in the race for Carl Schurz Park. " "My hero," shouted Meena, bringing the dog up and hugging him. "Continues showing its male domination, even if neutered. " She turned to Jon. "So what did you do today?" "I was totally going to make chicken," Jon said. "But when I got to the store none of the chickens looked good. " "Really?" Meena said, going to the couch and reaching for the remote control. "Yes," said Jon. "Everyone was in the past the expiration date. It was as if the delivery Perdue had not come on time or something. " "Let's just ask," she said. She called the news. "We do not ask for food tailendesa a while. " He felt a wave of relief. "Thai seems very good. Or Indiana." "Indiana seems good, too," she said. "Oh, my God, we were invited for the Countess's apartment on Thursday. If we keep the lights off, "she added, as if it were a perfectly reasonable way of dealing with the Page 30 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot problem, "we need not worry about them seeing that we are at home by crack in the door. " "Meena." Jon loved his sister. But she was totally and completely insane. And she had always been. Meena shook his head. "Jon. You know I can not help but love her. But she is trying to get me Romanian prince with some relative of her husband. Come on. " "A prince?" Jon raised his eyebrows. "Really? Is he rich?" "I do not want to meet a prince," Meena said. It sounded crazy. It seemed

crazy. "I'm having the worst week of my life, and yet it's Tuesday!" Jon Meena knew well enough to know that it was not about getting Shoshona employment, or the girl she met on the subway, or even the show, which she loved. "What," he said bluntly. "What did you see?" "Nothing," she said, throwing him a confused look. "I do not know what you're talking about." "You know something," Jon said. "You know what I'm talking about. It's about who? I? It's about me, huh? Just tell me. I can stand. When I go? It this week? " Meena looked away. "What? No. You're fine. I do not know what you're talking about." Jon shook his head. He did not think that was wrong. He lived with his sister since childhood, long enough to recognize the signs. She obviously knew something about someone ... but who? And because she was not telling? "It's about Mom and Dad?" he asked. "I thought I had said that they were as well. I mean, relatively speaking. " "They are good. " Meena glared at him. "For two people who continue whooping at happy hour every night in Boca as if they thought they were F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. " "So I do not understand," Jon said. "Your crazy, stupid and millionaire neighbor, who thinks What is a countess, invited to dinner at his apartment to meet a real Romanian prince on Thursday night. And you're telling me not to think will get all the ideas for stories there? Are you serious? " Meena looked at him, her large dark eyes bright in the light of the setting sun, just outside your window, turning the sky a rose pink with a delicate lavender. Finally, she smiled. "You're right," she said. "How could I lose a great and fantastic opportunity, so rich with the promise of a pretentious nonsense for me to mock later in Insatiable ? I have a professional duty to be there. " "Absolutely," Jon said. "I'll say yes to RSVP (Answer Please French expression) of the Countess, "said Meena. "We have way to go." Jon reached for his quill short, as a Boy short dark hair. "I'll order some samosas (Indian food) for we. " Meena smiled and increased the volume of news, it was all about how they still had not been able to identify some of the victims of what they were now calling the Park Strangler. They were encouraging any member of the public might recognize the woman to come forward. "After all," Meena said thoughtfully, clearly not paying attention to information that the presenter was giving very serious, "The various meetings Worthington Stone Victoria with doctors, lawyers, millionaires, moguls leaders, gangsters, murderers, maniacs, cops, cowboys, priests, and once even Page 31 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot their own half-brother - until she discovers who he really was. It's time she left with a prince. " "That's the spirit," Jon said, and started dialing. -XChapter Twelve

6:30 am. EST, Tuesday, April 13 West Fourth Street Chattanooga, TN Alaric Wulf was not surprised to find that Sarah, like most women and men - in love with a vampire, was initially resisting the idea of giving you the address of your love. "Just tell me where he is, and I'll let her live." Sarah escaped for a while. Like most victims, she did not care more for his own life. His brain was proven in many nutrients. She was just preoccupied with protecting his stallion. By Alaric finally put his sword in his throat. The Palatine Guard was listed in most encyclopedias and services search as a defunct military unit of the Vatican, formed to defend Rome against attack from foreign invaders. That part was true: the Palatine Guard was a military unit of the Vatican. But she was almost extinct. And by the invaders which it had been formed to defend were not foreigners. They were demons. And the Guards were not only defending Rome against them, but the whole world. Members of Guard had different methods of making the victims of these demons, which were often impassioned by their assailants, speak. Abraham Holtzman - currently the oldest officer of the Guards, who had trained both Alaric and Martin - had always preferred deception. He showed a card from a fake fancy law firm (dummy), explaining that he had been hired by Vampire estranged family to deliver a big check inheritance. Often the victim was so nervous the pleasant surprise that she did not realized that Holtzman had never even mentioned the name of the vampire. This was because he did not know the name. But that was the Holtzman. Alaric had always suspected that Holtzman could only do this because it looked so erudite. His Jewish parents had been horrified when he went to work for the Vatican, Holtzman not the same as had been converted. (Conversion was not a requirement work. It was hard enough to find someone able to stay sane while brandishing a sword in the direction of a demon strident, even someone who was also a devout Catholic. Members of the Palatine Guard were a wide mix religions ... even as Alaric, complete atheists.) What helped in the plot of Holtzman, Alaric thought was that he looked like a lawyer. Still, there was nothing wrong with an opinion of the demon hunter-muscled ... especially if it was That's what he was. Alaric had no expertise except to cut out heads of vampires and return again to his victims full humanity. Then Alaric did not waste time frames as Holtzman. Especially when Sarah was. He went straight to the point ... applying Seor Sticky in his throat. When she finally stammered, "Felix ... Felix lives in a loft over a store antiques at West Fourth ... but please ... "he grabbed her by the neck and shoved in the passenger seat of his rented car. Page 32 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot He did not need her sending warning messages to her lover immortal to Felix vampires can call your friends and make a trap. There was a trip Car very constructive to the home of Felix. Mainly because Sarah sobbed most of the way and whispered, "Please Please ... do not hurt. You do not understand ... he did not want to be the way he is. He hates what he is. He hates to have to ... hurt me. "

"Really?" Alaric looked at her a glance. He had put on the car radio heavy metal station. He did not like heavy metal, but he needed something loud enough to muffle the sound of her sniffling. "Then why did you leave he will hurt? " "Why," Sarah said, sniffling, "he'll die if I did not leave." "You're wrong about that," said Alaric. "He can not die unless someone The stab it with a wooden stake in the heart or cut off your head. Or, instead Also, if someone put under a direct sunlight or immerse completely your body in holy water. But "he added, glancing in his direction, "You should know all this." "None of this is true," Sarah said. "He told me it was all a myth. The Vampires get to live only on animal blood. He said that if they do Therefore, they die. That's why he needs to drink my blood. To keep himself alive. " Alaric rolled his eyes. "You realize that girls like you have fallen into that for centuries? Vampires simply do not like animal blood. This weakens them. And they are not as beautiful after the drink for a while. And if there's a vampire thing does not leave to be, is to be vain. Human blood is like filet mignon to them. So if he will told that he will die if you do not let it drink his blood, he is a liar damn, besides being an abomination putrid, stinking, and abuser of women without the soul. " Sarah seemed to find his language objectionable, since this statement only made her cry more. Alaric felt a little bad about it. Holtzman was always telling him he needed to work more on their skills in dealing with people. Being so, Alaric passed her a handkerchief from a small package that rental agency cars had left the car. "You mean," Sarah said, blowing his nose in his handkerchief. "Felix is not a soulless abomination. He is sensitive. He has feelings. He read poetry to me. Shakespeare. " Alaric wanted to stop the car so he could vomit, but they had no time. The sooner they would end up with it, the faster he could go back to the hotel, asking room service, take a nice, relaxing bath (in the lower bath world, which had those grainy strips fixed on the bottom to customers not slipping in the shower - that was the number one complaint of Alaric on hotels less-than-five-stars, he was a grown man, he could stand without falling in the bath) and go to bed. So tomorrow morning, he would fly to New York, check in at the Peninsula, to find the prince and kill him. He was very happy think about it. "This," Alaric said to Sarah what he thought was a gentle voice, "you are feeling is not love. Just dopamine. Because Felix is not like anyone you know. Being a creature of the night, it is new and exciting and active one neurotransmitter in your brain which releases feelings of euphoria when you are close to him ... especially because you know you can never be together, and Page 33 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot it sounds complicated, and perhaps even sensitive and vulnerable at times. But I held you guarantee: it is nothing of that. " "How dare you?" Sarah demanded angrily. "Not dopa ... whatever! It's love! Love ! "

Alaric wanted to discuss. Vampires were incapable of love - human love - because they Hearts were not. Well, technically, he supposed that they possess hearts, as that that was what he had to stab a stake to kill them. But their hearts no blood or pulsing beat. So how could they feel love, much less return it? But arguing with a teenager about the semantics of love Vampire did not seem to him a friendly overture. "Oh, come on," Alaric can not avoid saying finally realizing that his passenger still sobbing silently to herself. "It's not so bad." "How?" Sarah demanded, casting an angry look in his direction. "Because there is so bad? You will try to kill my boyfriend! " "Truth," Alaric said. They were almost at the address she had given him. "But Look at it this way. He promised to turn you into a vampire, did not promise? " "Yes," Sarah said, sounding a little surprised. "He said he would change me, so it is strengthened. So I'll be beautiful, like him. And immortal. " "Sure," Alaric said a little sarcastically. He knew that Felix had not no intention of changing it. Doing so would deprive it of its main source of food. What Alaric was sure that the vampire would, instead, was to deceive her for a few more months, so when she got too sick to be of anemia any use for him, he would switch to a healthier host. He would probably say to her that he was not her ... that he needed time to "Think about things." Then he would disappear. Then, after her heart broken - and yet more broken body - has healed, Felix will probably go back to Sarah - and Chattanooga - and begin the cycle all over again. Unless Sarah thought forces to step up and say to it does not, it would not be abused in this way. But that would not happen. Vampires were fascinating too. And their victims never seemed to think they deserved thing better than the treatment they received. It was almost as if they had afraid to take action because they thought they would never get anything better ... But this was where Alaric served. He would take the attitude by Sarah, as she had no strength or will, to take the attitude itself. He would she could get something better and stop the cycle to continue. Permanently. Alaric found a place ... except that it was next to a fire hydrant. It did not matter. They would not be there long. "Supposing him to turn you into a kind of him," he said, turning off the motor and turning to look at it, "then I or one of my fellow officers, you would have to eventually kill, because that's what we do. We kill demons. And trust me, you would not want any of us in its wake. We would be your worst nightmare. It's much better that way. That way, you will still human, and maybe you can go to college and get a specialization and a job doing something fun you like. Or maybe you can meet some guy at Walmart with which you can date, even marry. And, assuming you want, you may have some babies, and watch them grow old and having babies, and grandparents are not a dia.Voc like that? You could never have babies with Felix. " "Can vampires have babies," Sarah said. "I read this in a book." Page 34 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot "Yes," Alaric said, feeling angry. "Well, books, vampires nobly themselves fighting not to bite you because they love you so much. But that does not

happened, happened? So the books are not really very accurate, are they? " Sarah glared at. "I hate you," she said. Alaric nodded. "I know," he said. He reached in front of her and opened the car door. "Sai." She looked at him blankly. "What?" "Go ahead," he said. "I know you're dying to run away and give notice to the lover boy. I'll let you do this. Tell him I'll let him go on one condition. " Her attitude changed completely. Suddenly, she was all helpful and pleasant. "What condition?" She asked eagerly. "Tell him that if he tell me where I can find the prince, I'll leave you two go. Then you can run and vampires have babies together. " Alaric could not say the last part without laughing, although he has tried, remembering that he should be working on their people skills. Sarah course did not notice. "Oh, thank you!" Sarah was smiling as he walked away from the car. "Thank you!" "No problem," said Alaric. He watched as she ran up the sidewalk to a discreet door beside the window an antique shop inside an industrial building. He gathered his things as she pressed the intercom. Then, calmly walked into the alley, where As he suspected, there was a fire exit. He jumped into the metal ladder rusty as he heard the voice of Felix the intercom asking, "Who is it?" Then came the buzz, leaving Sarah to enter the building. Alaric had only one or two times to climb to the roof of the building, and less than that to fit a the hook side of the building and then tighten the end of the rope at the waist. A few seconds later, Alaric jumped off the roof, going against the window boards Felix and glass shattering it ... While the vampire ... put a black cover to protect from the sun, preparing to escape from it. Sarah screamed as glasses with UV protection flew everywhere. The vampire desperate to get out of the sun's rays, which could be fatal for him, threw himself in the front door. "Now, Felix" Alaric said quietly. "You can not go there, too." A second later, Felix was screaming. This is because a bottle Alaric arremessara full glass of holy water at the door. On the doorknob broke, scorching fingers Vampire as he could see. He pulled his hand, hissing with pain and shaking fingers smoking. "I thought you said he is going to let him go if he said!" Sarah yelled at indignation. "And I'll leave," Alaric said, smiling at her. He turned to Felix. "So," he said. "Where can I find her prince?" Felix, who looked like a handsome young man of eighteen or twenty years - and apparently, by posters on the wall, enjoying the band Belle and Sebastian - curled his lips to reveal a set of teeth white extremely strong. His incisors were abnormally long and, true to his kind, very sharp. "I'll never tell you, demon hunter," he growled.

Page 35 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot Then he threw back his head and whistled, his long tongue in and coming out of his mouth like a lizard's tail. Sarah looked shocked. It apparently never heard her boyfriend use that tone of voice before. Or seen their with eyes that glow red. "Felix," she cried. "Just tell him! He said he will let you go if you say." When Felix shook his bright red eyes and twisted his tongue toward to her, she staggered back a step. "Because you brought him here, you stupid bitch?" Felix demanded. Horrified, Sarah began to cry again. Alaric took the tears as a hunch that it would be okay with it if he would do his duty. Then he said, Seor Sticky shaking free of its sheath. It was over in a matter of seconds. To its credit, the vampire had a good fight. But cornered by sunlight on one side and the other holy water, he had nowhere to go. There was no escape. Alaric gave him no chance for last words. Over the years, vampires do not had really nothing interesting or insightful to say. Shakespere and was always emo. When he finished, he looked at the girl. She was curled in a ball on the broken glass, crying softly to herself. But - and Alaric knew that was not imagining it - her hair had regained its luster, and there was color in his cheeks that were not there before. She would look good on some days, her parents fed with enough protein. He sheathed his sword. "Get up now," he said in what he hoped was a calm voice. He was too bad this part. Martin was the one who always knew the right things to say. "I'll take you home to your mother." She unfolded a little and looked coldly at him. "You said it would not kill him if he said," she said. His voice sounded stronger than before, and his eyes had a glow to him that had nothing to do with tears. She was, he knew his own person again, and not a pawn to a master vampire. His killer was released Felix. "And he told me," Alaric pointed. "You did not give him the chance!" she cried. But she was getting up, carefully avoiding looking in the direction where the body was. Except that there was no body. Only clothes where Felix had been thrown. He had to have more than one hundred years. His bones were dust. "He never would tell me," said Alaric. "If he told me, Prince, or their subordinates, they would kill him, much less gently than I would kill. He chose to die by the sword because he knew it would be faster. "He dropped his gaze to her. "They would have killed you too, you know, if they find you here with him. They would have fed you until there's nothing left. " Sarah blinked. "You mean ... he would die to protect me? ... Oh this is so sweet!" Alaric would like to show her the pictures he always carried some of the friends of his now ex-boyfriend had done to Martin. As they had chopped and stripped, just for fun. Vampires were unable to make sweetness. But Holtzman, he knew, would not approve it. Moreover, his work there was completed. She was free now. And that meant it was time to return to the hotel and leave for New York to pursue a vampire might actually reveal a challenge to his hand a sword, unlike her boyfriend asshole. So he just said, "We'll take you home now."

And that was exactly what he did. Page 36 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot -XChapter Thirteen 10:00 pm. EST, Tuesday, April 13 Park Avenue, 910, Apartment 11 A New York, New York "What is this?" Emil walked into the spacious master bedroom, which he shared with its lively and lean wife, holding a printed copy of the e-mail that he found on your desktop (desktop computer). "Oh, dear," Mary Lou said as she moved quickly to her dresser. "This is just a small invitation sent to all my friends for we will have dinner in honor of Prince Lucien on Thursday. " Emil felt a small but persistent feeling in the center of your stomach that was not very different from being scratched several times by someone with long fingernails long ... a feeling which, as it happened, Emil was not strange. "You sent an email about the prince? " he said. "Have you ever thought that this messages fall into the wrong hands, can compromise everything? " "Oh, do not be silly," Mary Lou said. "I sent only to my best friends. In the hands of those who might fall? " Emil fought for patience within. "The Dracul, perhaps?" he said dryly, as he could speak again. "The Palatine Guard, for example? Not to mention human beings? All persons would like to see us, not to mention Prince, destroyed? " "Oh, enough!" Mary Lou said. She sat in front of the large mirror behind the dressing table and began removing her makeup. "You're being melodramatic. Nobody wants to destroy us. Prince Dracul is under control. The Palatine Guard do not know where we are, and humans love us! Look how popular we are in books and on TV. Why, if everyone finds out, I'm sure I will be invited for Oprah as a special guest. " "Mary Lou!" Emil looked at her reflection in amazement. "Someone is killing women! Throughout the city! Nobody will ask you to Oprah while women are being killed by one of our brothers. The prince will not want a dinner in his honor. He will prefer to keep a low profile while he is in town, trying to figure out who the killer is . " "I have so many beautiful and intelligent friends," Mary Lou said, looking thoughtfully to herself. "Why not show them? The prince is left alone for a long time. " "Lucien is not here," Emil said, feeling like I was being drowned, "for find a wife. He's here for business . The murder-" "And if he happens to find a nice girl," Mary Lou said, interrupting, "While it is here, it would be so terrible? Apparently he has not had any luck in your own country. But you know we have the most amazing women world right here in the good old U.S. of A-" "Mary Lou." Emil looked uneasily at his wife's shoulders. "You understand that you are putting me in a terribly awkward position. Lucien asked I should not mention his arrival with anyone, and here you are sending e-mails for everyone on your list 'cc', an e-mail that can be tracked, "

Page 37 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot "Not everybody," Mary Lou said indignantly. "Only my best some single friends and married women not to be obvious that it is being arranged. None of them are employed by the Vatican, for God's sake, or membras of Dracul. I only invited Linda and Tom, and Faith and Frank and Carol of the office, and Becca and Ashley, and Meena across the floor. " "Meena?" Emil was confused. Many things about his confused wife. He was sure that even they have spent an eternity together - and he felt that had - he never fully understood. "The prince ... and Meena Harper ? But she is-" "Why not?" Mary Lou gave a jolt in naturally curly - and still naturally blond - haired. "At first glance, it may not seem like his type, but I like it. She has this cute image, and cut suits his tale. Most Women could not remove it, you know, but she works it. And if the Prince like it, just think how much he will be grateful to us. Besides, "she added with a shrug, "all she does is work to support herself and her no-good brother of his financial wreck. I think she needs a break. " "She likes her job," Emil said, thinking of all the times he saw his neighbor in their pajamas with bare feet in the garbage room, angrily and strongly pushing cross-script pages down the ramp to the incinerator. Well, maybe she does not always liked his job. "Oh, right," Mary Lou said. "The novel thing. But you think it would work if did not need? " Emil thought about it. "Yes," he said. "Well, it shows how much you know about women, which is nothing. Look for these ladies about whom she writes in Insatiable , Victoria Stone Worthington and her daughter, Tabby. Victoria has never had a job in his life, except the time she was a model. Oh, and a fashion designer. Oh, and when she was a race car driver, but this was only a week before it hit and miss and the baby into a coma. These were not even real jobs. They tell you to write about what you would that happen to you. So obviously Meena wishes she did not a job. " "Or," said Emil, "she wants to be a race car driver." "And the Prince Lucien is able to give her that." Mary Lou continued, ignoring him. "And seeing that the prince likes to write, the two already have something in common. " "It's a very different kind of writing," Emil said. "Lucien writes historical non-fiction. And anyway, he made it clear when I talked to him, he wanted keep his visit low profile. We are in a very critical time with Dracula. These murders, " "Oh, stop being so pessimistic," said Mary Lou. "No man would not want to have a dinner with several beautiful girls. " She laughed and turned to touch her husband in the stomach, which has never been arrested on waistband. "Do not tell me you do not like to be the center of attention from me and all my friends. Not that you are ... "

"Well" Emil felt the pressure in your intestines back slightly. "Maybe he does not import both. A man has to eat, after all. " "Exactly," said Mary Lou. "And then, why not do it in the company of a lot of lovely and talented ladies? " Page 38 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot "Why not?" Emil asked. Perhaps, he thought his wife was right: The man need to eat, and all. -XChapter Fourteen 3:45 am. EST, Wednesday, April 14 Park Avenue, 910, apt. 11B New York, New York Meena looked bright red numbers on the digital clock in your room. Three and forty-five. She had five hours before having to leave office. Four to sleep before having to get up to start getting ready. Except she does not sleep. She lay there, staring at the ceiling, through gritted teeth, and Yalena thinking about - all she could see was a picture of the girl's body, beaten almost beyond recognition - and Cheryl and CDI and the position she had not achieved and Jon and his parents and David and Leisha and Countess and Adam and baby. Now she would never get to sleep. Was only a solution to the problem of Meena, and was inside an orange bottle in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. It I hated having to resort to pills, but lately she was counting on them more. She was about to take his secret stash of pills in the medicine cabinet when she heard: the noise of feet of Jack Bauer on the floor of wood behind it. Seeing her standing and walking, thought Jack Bauer was in the morning and was time for their first ride of the day. "Okay, Jack," he whispered to Meena. "Okay. We will. " She spat out his mouthpiece, leaving it in the sink, then put on, as quietly possible, his coat and a pair of sneakers and pulled the collar of his Jack Bauer hook. It passearia only a little with him, she decided, then return to bed. It would be house in less than fifteen minutes. With half a tablet, it could still have four full hours of restorative sleep before work. Everything would be fine. On Meena porch of the building, Pradip, the night porter, had fallen asleep with his head supported by one of his books. He was studying to be a massage therapist, who in Meena thought was a legal career option for him, considering that the people had multiple careers today and until his eighties, and his death did not seem imminent. Meena slipped past him, taking care not to bother you - all staff working in his building worked so hard - and slipped out the automatic doors to the sidewalk, where Jack Bauer was quick to relieve in front of the vessel palms, beside the red carpet at the entrance of the building, as was his ritual. Meena waited behind him, inhaling the fresh morning air. Or was night? She was not sure. The sky above them was like a dark blue wash with a pale blue at the edges, where it disappeared behind the tall buildings. Meena gave a tug on the collar of Jack Bauer, and he began to trot obediently behind her. They had a path that ever took by this time of night - down the Avenue Park to Seventy-Eight, passing the Cathedral of St. George, currently closed to reform very necessary, so then back to the Eighty, and its

apartment. But for some reason tonight - or this morning - Jack was feeling nervous. Meena could say, because it ignored some of his posts he usually liked to take too long, smelling, and only Page 39 Translated by Community Translation by Meg Cabot trotara they nervously sniffing the air, almost as if ... well, almost as if he were anticipating something. But because this was the way he often behaved - his name was, after all, Jack Bauer, he was a bundle of nerves, always expecting the worst, barking at the front door when he was just the countess and her husband coming home from a party - Meena did not think anything about it. She left Jack Bauer pull it, thinking about work slowly. How would it fit a Prince for Cheryl on the script of Shoshona vampire? And Yalena - Meena should have followed her to find her boyfriend? She'd love to know if she could have said something to it, look at it, done something for him to know she was watching him, when she realized the first person she saw another since agreed to let your apartment, coming towards the same side of the street, but in the opposite direction. was a man. But he was a tall man, wearing a long black coat that fluttering behind him, almost like a cloak. Meena's hand tightened on the collar Jack Bauer, and not just because the dog had started to growl. She was alone in a dark street approaching a big man she did not know. What hell he was doing at four in the morning without a dog, if he was not drunk? She did not blame Jack Bauer for him getting suspicious. She was also suspicious. But as they approached the large steps of the Cathedral of St. George, surrounded by scaffolding, saw Meena, the security lights shining on the towers of the church, the man was exceptionally beautiful - maybe a little more than thirty years - and not was sending signals that did not belong to the neighborhood boasted. His clothes were were clean and in good taste, his black hair, slicked back his temples, without even a hint of gray, immaculately maintained. Even their chops had the ideal length. She was the one, she realized belatedly that probably looked suspicious, considering the fact that her short hair was not doubt stuck in some places (like he used to when she raised), she was without makeup and blue pajama pants flannel - with plump clouds - were leaving under his own overcoat, above their legal-but-worn shoes. When she looked up to find him when he passed through it - Jack Bauer was practically snarling at this time - she Smiledapologizing, both by their appearance, and by the behavior of your dog. Hesmiled back, his black eyes were full of mystery as a window,lurking around them. And she relaxed. She had no foreboding about thisman. Not a single pang on how or when he would die. It was quiteamazing she did not feel anything ...Same ... nothing about it."Shhh," Meena said Jack Bauer, embarrassed by the antics of the dog. It was soonafter that the sky fell.-X-Chapter Fifteen04:00 am. EST, Wednesday April 14Cathedral of St. George Street 180 East SeventyeightNew York, New YorkThe sky would not fall apart really, of course. Only it seemed to be happening,because a large part of it came down to a Meena of the towers of the cathedral. Itscreamed and ducked, covering Jack Bauer with his body and arms, trying to protectboth from what looked like a strip of dark paint on the material that fell, bumping________________________________________Page 40Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotin your head. Except she could see the dim glow of the yellow haze of the streetand security lights between objects that were pushed, driving it to aincredibly fast speed. Meena was when he realized that this was not asolid piece of the Cathedral of St.

George, then crumbling. Wereincredibly, bats. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of bats emitting blacka shrill, all going directly to her, their mouths open roses, sharp clawsextended, small bulging yellow eyes sweeping down from the towers ofcathedral, blocking most of the night sky and available light with their feetand large wings, your single target Meena Harper and her Pomeranian-chow.First Meena froze. She was not paralyzed with fear as much as a shock.All she could think was, how she was going to die? To be cheweddeath of rats with wings? Meena predicted the death of other people for so long,never happened that day she could be living her own. And now,before his own impending doom, all she could think of was thatnever for a second, saw it coming. Then his heart was arrested inthroat, too scared to drop a second cry while I was at the bottom ofsteps of the cathedral, Jack Bauer pulled her into his arms, bats were almostas large as it then fell to the ground to protect your dog, your face andBurying his nose in the Eye by Jack, she began to pray frantically, althoughhas never been a particularly religious person before that time. Oh,Please, please, oh, oh, please, she prayed to no god in particular, everyaccording to the shrill sound of the bat sounded louder and louder in his ears. And then,appeared the first of those claws sinking into his scalp, back ofhis neck, in his column unprotected, she felt something - or rather, someone - fall forover it, wrap it, blocking the light and sound almost completely. She realized,risking a quick look up, he was a man who was standing on topit ... tall, good looking with beautiful hair, expensive coat. The man whose futureshe felt nothing. Except that it was impossible. For he threw himself onit in order to protect it from bats. And now he, not she, was being torn byclaws of bats and struck by the impact of their bodies. She could feel the forcethem wounding him, one after another, reverberating all the way through your body toit, with two crouching on the steps of the cathedral, bombarded by noisywinged missiles. Why he was not screaming with pain that had to feel with eachGrab wounding him, Meena did not know. He even tried to protect his face andneck of the bats continued to rip it. Meena could not see his facebeneath the dark folds of the protection of his coat, he had formed a kindroof over it, protecting it from threatening attack. She thought she saw a glimpseher eyes when she looked out, trying to see what was happening, and shecould have sworn that ... Well, she could have sworn that they glowed redas the brake lights (brake lights that stay behind the car), she had seen it allup and down on Park Avenue. But this of course would have been impossible. As impossibleand the fact that she did not feel that he would die that night the minute she saw him,coming your way. And die protecting it. But that's what was happening.Because no human being could pass for an attack like this and get out alive. Meenacould not believe that none of this was happening. It was four o'clock in themorning, and she was in the Seventy-eighth Street in front of a church for which he hadpast one hundred - maybe even thousands - of times before, and was being attacked bybats killers, while a man - a total stranger - had played onshe voluntarily giving his life for her. And then, when Meena wassure could not stand it for even a moment longer, (when she was________________________________________Page 41Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotconvinced that the attack would not stop and that they would pass right throughman's body and go for it), suddenly as they had appeared, they wereleave. Just vanished in the night sky, disappearing as mysteriouslyas they had appeared. And the street was quiet again, except for the distant sound oftraffic on Park Avenue. There was no noise to be heard except the cries of JackBauer and his own ragged breathing. Until then she had not realized that shewas crying. She could not hear the breath of man. He was already dead?How could he be dead if I did not feel his approaching death? Even asa stranger to her, she should know. Its power to predict death - which had beenalways unwanted - had never failed her before."Oh!" She thought she could not catch my breath.She was trying to take big gulps of oxygen, but did not appear to bereaching your lungs. It was not that his shield was a dead weight on topit."Oh, my God."That's when the man got off to Meena, and with a deep voice, tinged with aaccent that seemed to her as a mixture of English

and a dash of something else,asked, "Is everything all right, Miss?"-X-Chapter Sixteen4:10 am EST, Wednesday, April 14St. George's Cathedral Street 180 East Seventy-eightNew York, New YorkNone of this was possible, of course. He was unharmed and talking to her politely,as if she'd just stumble into the collar of Jack Bauer dropped on the sidewalk andhe was a pedestrian who stooped to help her. She was looking into the eyes ofcharming stranger kneeling beside her and saw that they were not all red,but perfectly normal, dark brown."I ... I'm fine," Meena stammered in answer to your question about your health.She left Jack Bauer go because she could no longer hold his body swayingwildly. He ran to where his collar would allow him, then stoodgrowling, all raised by their coasts. Meena could not believe howhe was horrible behaved. "Are you okay?" She asked her savior witha trembling voice."I'm fine, thank you." The man had stood up and came to get their handsMeena in his, to help her. "I had heard, of course, that New York Citywas dangerous. But I had no idea how dangerous it was. "He was ...? He was. He was making a joke.His handshake was firm. Meena felt so strangely quiet. And bysmall joke."It is-not," stammered Meena. Meena needed, she decided to sit. His griphands was the only thing that remained standing. "I think you should go to ahospital "was heard to say.Or I, she thought. And do a CT scan in the entire head."In no way," said the man, putting an arm around the shouldersHer trembling. His hold on Meena seemed to say: I'm in control. There is in________________________________________Page 42Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotneed to worry about anything. Everything will be all right now. In someaway from her brain, she hoped he would never, ever let her go. "I'm fine.I think you should go home, though. You look very tired.Where you said you lived? ""I did not say," said Meena. His mind was running, she knew. But who does notwould be after an event like this? How could he be so calm?Bats, Meena recalled, sometimes conveyed anger. "Did any of them willbit? You must go to the emergency room immediately. They can stop the angertreating early enough. ""None of them bit me," he said in an amused tone of voice. He had taken theHer leash and was walking with her and Jack Bauer - unlike Meena, Jack Bauerwas not a little shaky on his legs and was struggling against his leadership,using an expression similar to that used when terrorists Kiefer Sutherlandkidnapped the president in his appearance, and was going to attack all who werefront. "But I'm going to the hospital to check as soon as possible, to go homesecurity. ""It's important," said Meena while crossing the street. She was babbling.She knew she was babbling, but she could not fix it.What was happening? Who was this man? How could he be unscathed? ByJack Bauer was acting like a maniac? "It is important that you go. VictoriaWorthington Stone got angry as a rabid bat when she suffered aplane crash in South America, followed by brain fever, she slept with herhalf-brother ... although she did not know he was his half-brother at the time. "What was she talking about? Worthington Stone Victoria? Oh, God. Really?The man hesitated."It's one of her friends?" He asked.Shrinking of shame, Meena, said:"Well, I mean, it's Cheryl. She plays Victoria Stone in WorthingtonInsatiable. I write their speeches. But it's true about bats and rabies. Canjust be a novel, but we strive for the authenticity of ourplots ... ". Or at least we used to, before making the head of Shoshonawriter to yield to the demands of the sponsor, she could only succeed stoppingis added things. "I understand," he said, gently guiding it, throughgrocery store where Jon said he had not been taken delivery of chicken. However, there was adelivery truck outside the store now, the engine running with a loud noise.Oh, so now there will be chicken, Meena thought disconnected. It is. She was losingcontrol. "So you're a writer." "A writer of dialogues." Meena feltneed to fix it. "I never wrote a scene like this," meaning theit just happened out of St. George. She could not get his head:sound of all the flapping. And the smell of them - so filthy, the way she alwaysI had imagined the smell of death, not that she had ever smelled death,which, thank God, she had not done. She knew many people for whomDeath had come very close, some of whom were not even touched,

because he hadbeen able to save them forever .... But death will never, never come so close to her. Ehigh frequency sounds ... the sound they made when they came tearing the sky andThen the roar of their bodies hitting him ... And the eyes. Those red eyes.Certainly she had only imagined it. Meena had now come close,personally, death - hell on earth - as always wanted. And she did not understandhow she managed to escape. She knew nothing. "Sorry," she said, pullingto stop at the front and lifting the chin to look him in the face. It is not___ Page 43 Traduzido por Comunidade Tradues de Meg Cabot cared more about the tears, or the way it should have looked or sounded.She had to know. She had to know what was happening. "But I do notunderstand. How can you not be hurt? I saw them. There were hundreds of them, coming right upfor us. I felt the beating in your body. You should be torn. But therea scratch on you. "He was so handsome, so ... nice. How could she havethought something of him, except that it was what it was? A strange, wonderful highwho had saved his life? "N-not misunderstand me," she said shaking her head."I am eternally grateful. What you did ... it was so amazing. I'll never getthank you enough. But ... how did you do that? "" They were only smallbats, "he said with a smile. only little bats. But ... no. hadwas more ... much more than that. She was sure. As certain as itcould be about something late at night, after something so traumatic. "You'rehome now, "he said, and pointed to the automatic doors of bronze justmeters. "I'm sorry for what happened. I'm afraid it was my fault.But you should be pretty safe at night. "Meena focused his gaze and she realized thatin fact, they had come to Park Avenue, 910. The green awning extended familyover their heads. Through the glass doors she could see Pradip still dozingat the front desk with his face on his book. "But ..." She looked back to thetheir savior, confusing. "I told you where I live. I never told you about my in-"Jack Bauer cried, pulling his leash, eager to get away from the man whohad saved her life. "Of course you did. It was wonderful to meet you, Meena,"said the man, dropping his shoulders. "But it would be best for you, forget everythingand to enter it now "Jack Bauer pulled her to the door, which opened automaticallya quiet hiss. Pradip, behind the table, stirred and began to raise his head.Meena's feet, as if on its own initiative, began to move towardthe Park Avenue, 910. But, on the sole of the door, she turned to look back. "Ido not even know his name, "she said to the stranger tall, who was waiting with thehis hands in his coat pocket, as if to make sure that it would entersafety before he follow in his steps. "It's Lucien," he said. "Lucien" repeated,to remember him. Not like she was forgetting something thisovernight. "Well. Thank you, Lucien." "Good night, Meena," he said. And then JackBauer pulled for the rest of the way interior and automatic doors were closed witha gentle whoosh behind her. When she turned to try to have a last glimpse,he was gone. She was not quite sure he had been there.Except for the fact that when she arrived safely inside his apartmentagain, saw that the knees of her pajamas were dirty where it had scraped whenplunged into the sidewalk. Proof that what happened was not a dream -or a nightmare - finally.-X-Chapter Seventeen4:45 am. EST, Wednesday, April 14Cathedral of St. George Street and Eight Setente East 180New York, New YorkThis was not to be tolerated. They attacked him, and in the open, where anyonecould have seen. And someone had seen. Just a human girl, and she was veryshocked by the extreme violence that had occurred and had come closer to________________________________________Page 44Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabottouching the death of anyone to give any rational explanationwhat ...... the moment unlikely that she remembered everything that does nothappen. But this was not the point. Someone would pay. But the question was, who?Lucien was in front of the cathedral, looking at the towers. He had circulatedagain after delivering the girl safely in your home. He had not lostirony of where she lived. But this was probably the only place expected. Ofmany ways, Manhattan was a collection of small villages, as well as in

itscountry of origin. People rarely ventured outside their own neighborhoods,especially young women walking their small dogs and cute at fourin the morning. St. George (for those unaware, is St. George in St. GeorgePortuguese). He had not missed the irony too. St. George had not killedDragon? And now the cathedral was empty, while the renovation took place.What time would be better for the children of Dracul - or "dragon" in its Romaniannative - desecrate it? And what better time than now to convey their Draculmessage to the only legitimate son of the prince of darkness, they would no longerenforce its rules? Sighing, Lucien climbed the stairs where, only momentsbefore, had repelled the attack of their own species. They should have released the newsarriving just mere seconds after he stepped on American soil in orderto meet many for the sake of destroying it. It was a little disappointing to discoverthat his own brothers did not like him so violently. On the other hand, itnever asked to like it. Just to obey him. Looking up anddown the street to make sure he was alone - no other passeadora ofBeautiful dogs and wearing pajamas - he lifted a piece of blue scaffolding surrounding theCathedral, slipping behind it. The church, badly enough to require repairs - and stillmost in need of a cleaning - stood behind him, some of its stained glassexcessively ornate broken, covered with metal wires. Not that it waskeep it out of there, nor any like him. They all were gone now, isclear. How long they had waited, knowing he would go through thereeventually going to or returning from the apartment of Emil. He could only imaginesquabble. Especially among girls. Women were always full of DraculPoison in the language. With just a quick adjustment, he was inside the gateslinked the church and walked down the aisle to a pile of rubble. Thebanks were in disarray, some beaten and completely finished, somelying on a crooked way, like drunken sailors after a night out. Ashe had suspected, the Dracul had been inside the church too. There was a sketch done withspray of a dragon on what had been a marble altar with decorationsornamental. He was now completely ruined. As much as the congregationhad raised money for the renovation of the church, they would need much moreto have the granite altar. Lucien shook his head. So much unnecessary destruction.Such disregard for the beauty. Behind him he heard something and twirled, theirfast reflexes, a fraction slower than normal because of all the energyhe had to perform during the meeting outside the church. But fortunately it was only aPigeon Bobbing up from inordinately troubled banks,interrupting the solitude of Lucien now. The entire Dracul had gone away withoutdoubt frustrated by his attempt at murder him ineffective. Relieved not becalled again to defend itself anytime soon, he let his shoulders drop abit. It had taken every ounce of energy he had left behind afterattack to heal the wounds it had received of Dracul. There would be justified inlet the girl see the gray body and his face had suffered and why he hadtaken care of repairing the injuries were caused. Were those________________________________________Page 45Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabothumans that could lead sport in the view of the face of a man bittenby an onslaught of flesh-eating bats ... And then there were those who did notcould. The passeadora dogs had definitely fallen into the category of thosecould not. It seemed a sort of good person - or someone who struggled todo the right thing, anyway. Despite his thoughts for somereason, they are so difficult to penetrate as in a rainforest. Some beingswere so human. Some had their minds so dry and barren as a desert andwas easy to navigate around. Other had more psyche passeadora as dogs,only accessible with a machete. It was strange that a girl so beautiful and vivacioushad so much emotional baggage. It trusted, however, that whatever thedark secret that she was hosting, he was not in the same place thatmemories that she ran up there, which ensured that she would not remembernothing of the incident and would cheerfully to their work as if the attack neverhad happened. He wished he could be lucky. Lucien was standing in the ruinsthe cathedral, contemplating his next move. The sun was coming soon. Heto go to the floor, then trade a few words with his half-brother, Dimitri. And it iscourse, make a generous check to the Fund for Renewal of the

Cathedral of St. George.-X-Chapter Eighteen8:45 am EST, Wednesday, April 14Hotel The TennesseanChattanooga, TNAlaric, who had just returned from his morning swim, looked at the message on the screenyour computer. It seemed too good to be true.You are cordially INVITED ...WHY: A party in our fineapartment, Park Avenue, 910. Apartment 11A.WHEN: Thursday, April 15, at 7:30 pm.WHY: Emil's cousin, Prince, is in town!"Where'd you get that?" He asked Martin on the phone. "The IT departmentencountered during their routine check and thought it might be something. "(IT Department is Portuguese, Department of Information Technology) TheVatican had high-tech for some time and now employed across a fleet ofprogrammers and analysts for full-time Palatine, taking its battle againstthe forces of evil in the cyber world as well as the street level. "And what doesthinking, "Alaric said in Italian," that it has something to do with our prince? "Martin seemed angry. And it was no wonder. It was siesta time in Rome byless for Martin's daughter, Simone. And probably for Martin, too. Hehad slept much while recovering from his injuries, thanks to allanalgesics had been prescribed by the surgeons of the Vatican. "They arechecking the lists of passengers on each flight private as well as commercial,________________________________________Page 46Community Translations Translated by Meg CabotNew York City, and there was a Lucien Antonescu, professor of ancient historyRomania, Bucharest on a flight last night. First class seat. ""So?" Alaric was already bored. His killing in the previous day had not been veryexciting - except to the extent that Alaric had fallen out the window, which naturallyhe had enjoyed. And breakfast in bufett when he was checked out inway back to the pool room, was inspiring, to say the least."They analyzed this professor Antonescu," said Martin. "Rumor has it that he givesclass at the university - evening classes - for thirty years. But they took a copy ofAuthor's last picture ... the guy seems to have thirty-five, at most. "Alaricmuttered. "Oh," he said sarcastically. "The photo of the author. Well, it confirms everything. Thewriter would ever use an outdated picture of him. "" He has a summer home inSighisoara, "Martin continued." People say it's a castle. "" Who does not havea castle in Sighisoara today? "Alaric said. He grabbed the remote controlof his hotel bed and began to pass the channel. The Tennessean, which promised to be aluxury hotel, offering only one channel cable TV, HBO, and there was nothing goodpassing, except, predictably, a vampire show. Alaric watched the vampiresHollywood for a while, with fake smiles showing how attractive and self-they were contained. If people knew the real story. "I think this may be thelegitimate, Alaric, "said Martin." The woman who sent her last name is Antonescu. Itis a Manhattan socialite. Her husband is a great real estate dealer. Wenever had any reason to suspect them before, except that the boyscomputer had a hit with the names, the word prince and the flight today. OfAnyway, it will not hurt to check the party, is what they are saying thereabove. Everyone says this guy is royalty. It has to be the prince of e-mail.I mean, this woman claims that her husband is a descendent of the Romanian Royal Family andshe is a countess. They also have property in Sighisoara. "" The Royal FamilyRomanian. "Alaric's finger froze when he was changing the channel of the vampiresHollywood. "Exactly," said Martin. "That's why Johanna sent me.She thought you would want to see. "" Why did not she just walked straight tome? "Alaric asked confused." Why do you think, idiot? "Now, Martin is notlooked angry, but just having fun. "It is not the case. You have to find theserial killer. Also ... "Alaric leaned forward." Besides what? "He askedit. He had not slept well. The pads of his hotel bed were not verycomfortable. It they all stacked one against another, and yet was not equal to luxurytheir goose down pillows at home. Alaric did not even want to think aboutfind what he had passed a luminol (that light blue stain showswashed in tissue) in the bed comforter. He was fed up and hid in the closetanyway with what was in the living room wall "art". "Holtzman orderedyou continue in Manhattan after the serial killer. Johanna says she feels that foryou can be very personal this whole process to be allowed to go behind the

prince."Martin was soon over." Sorry, old chum. "Alaric almost chokedswallowing water that had taken the bottle of water with gas removed from the minibar."I know," said his former partner so when Alaric traquilizante poured someselect curses. "Look, I know how you feel. Do you think this is not mekilling, stay out of action while all this is happening out there? "" This is abureaucratic nonsense, "said Alaric, and threw the empty water bottle in the wall where theArt offensively bad hung. Annoyingly, the bottle did not break. Wasplastic. "I know," Martin said in his ear. "But look at the prospect of Holtzman.You can hardly be considered more impartial. And you do not follow exactlyprotocol when it comes to hunting demons, is not it? Not control their impulses and their________________________________________Page 47Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotstrong satisfaction. What you just played? "" Nothing, "Alaric said, getting out of bed andpicking up his sword. "And I resent the implication of a fight with the prince ofdarkness will not be anything other than strictly business. "He pointed to the swordbeautiful vampire boy on the television screen. "I am eminently capable of maintainingmy emotions under control while I cut the head off your bastardbody. "" I know, "said Martin." Why do you think I sent this email in the firstplace? "Alaric nodded. Drugs of bureaucrats. He loved his job, butsomething he could never understand was how the above could not see thatthey only made things worse with his accursed bureaucracy. LookMartin, for example. He still had to keep the fact that he was married to aman in secret from his superiors. Not Holtzman, Holtzman ... of course, asAlaric could not have cared less about who his fellow guard whengoes home at night, while they had the job that had been trained todo (although, in the case of Holtzman, he preferred to do within the budget). ButTimes and attitudes have been changing worldwide. We can only hope thatsomething changes soon in the Papal Palace. "Look, just to remember," said Martin. "You do notgot the e-mail me. Got it? "" Yes, "said Alaric, placing his sword insheath. "Thank you. How are you feeling, anyway?" "Sometimes good," said Martin."Sometimes evil. I have to go. Simone wants his nap. What will you do today?"Alaric smiled. "Oh, the usual. Check things. Fly to New York. Saveworld. "-X-Chapter Nineteen2:00 pm EST, Wednesday, April 14ABN Madison Avenue Building, 520New York, New York"I already know." Cheryl's lower lip began to tremble. Just a little. "I Shoshonasaid last night. "" Do not cry, "Meena said, dipping his hand in a boxhandkerchiefs, and then passing a pack of them for lead actress in Insatiable."Seriously. You know what happens to your makeup when you cry. Nowwe're in high definition. "" Okay, "said Cheryl. But she took the handkerchief andrubbed his eyes anyway. "They may pass again. I just do notI believe that after all these years, they are marketing a vampire. ToTaylor. "" It came from the station, "said Meena. Although she did not know why he wasdefending Shoshona. "The CDI want. I'm sure there's some kind of newrelated product they want to market ... "." It just makes things worse, "saidCheryl with a sob. "Look, do not tell anyone," said Meena, trying to soundencouraging. "But I think I thought of something for you. Something fantastic." Itjust was not willing to say it out loud. Although not. She did not knowwhy, exactly. Well, okay, she knew why: the network would hate. And well ...perhaps the reaction Leisha on the phone when Meena called earlier in the day to tellhim what had happened out there in the Cathedral of St. George had moved slightlytheir confidence. "Bats?" Leisha echoed. "Yes," Meena said emphatically."Bats." "In front of the Cathedral of St. George," Leisha said, as ifconfirming. "And this guy senseless just threw himself upon you to protect itthem? "" And to protect Jack Bauer too, "said Meena, reminding her. Leisha________________________________________Page 48Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotignored it. "And he did not even get a scratch, despite all these bats attackhis face? "" Yes, "said Meena." And then he took me back to my building. SameI never told him where I lived. It was as if he knew. "" Okay, look "Leisha said. The sound of hair dryers blowing in the background was high, asusual. "There is a totally rational explanation

for the whole thing: You took asleeping pill, who was not even thinking. And then you took the dog for aride. And you had a nightmare. "" Except that I had not taken a sleeping pill. "Meena said. "Leisha, I took when I got home. I had to take, Itrembled so much after all that happened. How else do you think Iable to sleep after something like that? I was a disaster. "" Well, "Leisha said,"There is no other explanation. Because none of what you are describing could havehappened. Large flocks of bats - or whatever it is called, sinceBats are not birds do not play out of nowhere, attacking people in Manhattan. Ehow could he know where you lived and your name - you also said thathe knew - even if you have not told? There are no such things as readersmind, Meena. Except for Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood protagonist of the series that canread the mind of humans), and it is fictitious. All you can do is say howPeople will die, which is not as useful or cool. You took the pill before leavinghome, just do not remember, and then dreamed the whole thing. Are you working on avampire story, remember? It is natural to dream of bats. Vampiresbats. I'm surprised that the guy you dreamed was not wearing a capebig black, foaming, or something. "" He was wearing Burberry (markclothes), "Meena said, furrowing his brow." But he definitely did not shine. Hewas very polite, however. And strong. He kept his arm around my shoulders the entire path to the house. It was the only reason I did not fall. He was inControl. "Thinking about how strong and controlled Lucien had been brought backfeelings of warmth, even when Meena remember during the day. Except forone thing. "But Jack Bauer hated. Why did I dream that?" "God, I'm justglad you're okay, "Leisha said, sounding worried." Whateverhappened last night. You should not leave so late, even with Jack Bauer. Eif the guy was not as educated or as a gentleman? You told this to Jon? "Meena frowned when he took a sip of his morning soda. "No. That... say more or less. I said I saw some bats out of the church. That was all. ""You did not tell him because the guy was a cat." It was a statement. "No, Leisha,please. I barely talked to him. "She did not mention the warm feelings that shehad when he thought about how strong he was and controlled. "What, you'rebabbling! About a guy you met in a dream! I can not believe.You like him. "" If it was a dream, "Meena said defensively," there were parts thatwere actually experienced. And why would not it? He saved my life. And theJack Bauer, "she added hastily. Leisha said," I knew everythingyou write this novel would take you a crazy day, and now stuck. Meena, youis in love with a guy that your subconscious has done for you. A supermanthat saves you from attacks by bats. God is so obvious. He saved her from having to writeabout vampires, you hate! Especially now, with its new and ShoshonaHead. "Meena had risen to throw away the can of soda. She made apause as he was about to throw it to the trash can be recycled. "Well," she said,"I guess I never thought of it that way. ... But now that you mention, thebats can represent my deep and abiding loathing forvampires. "" Right, "Leisha said." Sure. It makes much more sense thanthink that was something that really happened? "" Perhaps, "said Meena." But________________________________________Page 49Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotso how do you explain the knees of my pajamas? They were filthy when Iup this morning. Obviously, I was on the floor somewhere ... "" Youactually went for a walk with Jack Bauer and knelt down to collect some ofhis coconuts? "Leisha suggested." And do you remember? "Meena grimaced." Youreally knows how to kill the romance in a story, is not it? "She said." That'sWhat are the best friends, dear, "Leisha said." It's a dirty job, butsomeone has to do it. "But now, sitting in the dressing room of Cheryl, Meena isThere were wondering ... everything was just a dream? Your subconsciousventing their frustration at having to write about something she hated, and Leishasaid? And if it was ... well, why not let it work for you? "Look," saidMeena. She looked around the dressing room luxury of veteran actress as ifworried that someone might listen. But there was only a vast collection of dollsCheryl - all dolls collection of Madame Victoria Worthington StoneAlexander - seeing. "Do not tell Shoshona because I have nothing writtenyet but was thinking of Victoria to find

... well, a prince, actually. ""A prince?" Cheryl was so stunned that she actually stopped crying. "What kindPrince? "" A Romanian ..., "said Meena. The truth is that since it had raisedmorning - still small by the ordeal last night, although Leishalikely to be right and it was all a dream caused by frustration for havinglost his job as head writer and have taken medication before and not after,walk with Jack Bauer, had not been able to take Lucien, and his accentEuropean his head slightly. And ok, so it was possible that he was an inventionhis fertile imagination, a manifestation of how she imagined her "Icreative "(strange that his creative self was a nice guy in a black coat, butwhatever), who rushed to save her bat, also known in the roadmapsthought by Shoshona vampire (who wore a fishnet today and theyprobably were not even in control-top). But Meena had felt verysafe and secure in his arms. She did not feel that way long ago.Lately it seemed that the wolves - or bats - were falling on it. If notaccounts were winning at the end of the month was Shoshona, getting all the promotions,but doing nothing in office work. Meena suspected Cherylprobably felt the same because, suddenly, she sighed, looked at her reflectionmirror in the dressing room and then pulled his neck. "I do not know, young." Cheryllooked skeptical. "No offense. But going against the station? I think not. They leftGregory Bane to kill Beverly Lust in Rivington the other day. Twenty-five years shewas at that show and they left a skinny kid with a haircutFunny suck all her blood. If this is not an analogy for the waymy career is going, do not know what is. "" I know, "said Meena. She expectedCheryl had not heard of Beverly. But that was ridiculous in a business likethis, where all people carrying an iPhone that was on E! twenty-four / seven (MTV documentary) Online. "But I will not let it happenwith you. "" Oh, really? "Cheryl raised an eyebrow." How? "" I'll make aRomanian prince killer of vampires that Victoria will contract to kill her boyfriendvampire daughter, "said Meena dramatically. Meena knew she was treading onthin ice. Introducing a new character just to kill the character ofShoshona? The vampire that was supposed to save the beating that InsatiableLust took of the assessments? The vampire who wanted the station? She was mad?But she never felt healthier in his life. Cheryl, of course, notagreed. "It will be your funeral, dear," she said doubtfully. "At the time dedicate theEmmy for me, "said Meena. Cheryl looked modestly." Oh, dear. That goes________________________________________Page 50Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabothis lips to the ears of the Emmy voters. Well, "she patted the hairhighly stylized. "I think I'd better go there and face to face this priest."Meena Cheryl went into the hallway. But instead of going into the studio, turnedcoming up to his own office. She needed to start writing aboutLucien, the Romanian prince who would kill the vampire Shoshona immediately. Whowould know that almost killed by a bunch of bats could be as creativelyinspiring? But there had been, she knew, the bat that had made theircreativity begins to flow, had been the warm brown eyes .... LucienPerhaps while she was in it, he thought, should write an ad in"Friendships Lost" from Craigslist. Who would say that she would never see Lucien?That's when she was trying to figure out how to describe those warm eyesBrown in his announcement that she almost bumped into Taylor, leaving the elevator,dressed for a scene she was filming in the stable with your current romantic partner,Romero, her riding instructor. "Oh my God, Meena!" Taylor shouted, throwingarms around Meena. "Thank you!" Meena, feeling a bit overwhelmed,Taylor hugged back. "Sure. When you need to." Thank you for what? "Youjust do not know, "said Taylor, finally releasing her and watching herwith tears overflowing with his big blue eyes "how much it means to meThis fantastic plot. I was so jealous of Mallory Piers in Lust for gettingall the press because of those scenes she has done with Gregory Bane. Enow got my own vampire! "" Ah, "said Meena." This. Yeah ". Meenaabsently ran his hand through his hair short. She could not help but felta little guilty about the fact that he was coming up with the intention of killing the newTaylor's love interest. "Well, that idea was more of the station. CDI, actually ...""I know," said Taylor. "Shoshona ever stopped and told me." I bet you said, Meenahe

thought. Shoshona seemed to have gone throughout the building, gossiping. "I think it's sowonderful that you two are working together to put a littleyoung blood back in Insatiable, "Taylor said, coming to shake hands withMeena. "Okay," said Taylor. She thought now would be a good timeto point out that she was thinking of writing a romantic partner Cheryl, whowas going to put a stake through the heart of the new "boyfriend" screen Taylor."Thank you again," Taylor said. "And thank you also for all the sandwichesyou leave abandoned in my dressing room. But you know they really do notpart of my new diet. Let sashimi any day! "She ran, her thighswere so thin that seemed to belong to a gazelle. Meena entered the elevator witha small frown on her face, only to find Shoshona already in the elevator. Great."Hello, Meena," Shoshona said with a playful smile. "Hello, Shoshona." Meena notcould not help noticing that she was carrying the bag of ruby dragon. Up close,Meena could see he had a perfect pocket with padding on the handle too, sono matter how much crap Shoshona put it, not hurt yourshoulder. "Going up?" "Of course," said Shoshona. "Looking forward to meeting with the newMaximillian Cabrera on Friday? "" Who is Maximillian Cabrera? "Meena saidconfused. "The vampire boyfriend of Taylor," Shoshona said, rolling his eyes as ifMeena was stupid for not knowing. Except that Meena had not seen the sequels tothe plot of the vampire story. How could she, since, as usual, Shoshonahad not yet given the idea for Paul to write? "Stefan is coming to read the paper inFriday. You were there when I told Sy about it. Remember? ". Meena,Angry, he kept his eyes on the numbers above their heads as theyilluminated. "Oh," she said. "Sure." "And Stefan Gregory told me that it maywith it, "he added Shoshona." Oh, great, "said Meena. Maybe she brought Jon________________________________________Page 51Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotto work with her on Friday. He could not fare worse than the testfriend of Gregory Bane. And God knew that Jon was more beautiful. Not that Meena neverhave admitted it in front of Jon. "I am very happy that you have becomeanother player on our team, Meena, "said Shoshona." You scratch my backand maybe someday I'll scratch yours. "I bet you will, Meena thought cynically.-X-Chapter Twenty1:00 am. EST, Thursday, April 15Concubine Eleven East Street Lounge, 125New York, New YorkThe club was dark and pumping techno music, but higher than mostclubs in Bucharest. Not that Lucien attend such places if he could ...help them. They were too smoky for his taste and tended to attract a crowdrough, seduced by the promise of abundant mountains of rum and women dressed inlittle clothing. Such clubs were more for students. Lucien wasuncomfortable about being seen in the same places that your students. It was, he felt,appropriate. Especially when their female students threw their legson him and began to rub her crotch against him, a dance movepopularly known as "scrubbing." Lucien had seen several styles of dancecome and go, usually with more amusement than alarm. But all of them,he hoped that "rubbing" would be of shorter duration. It really had nothingsexually seductive or attractive about it. However, while examining the trackthe crowded dance Concubine, he saw that the rubbing was so popular in the United Statesas it was in Bucharest. It was a little hard to tell through the fault of all the smoke frommachines of dry ice. But it certainly seemed so, seeing all those bodieswrithing against each other. When a body, dressed only in pantsblack leather and a metal bikini, he turned from the others and began to move againsthim, Lucien asked, "Where is Dimitri?" The girl has a hand with nailsblack for his flat abdomen, pulling his shirt white belt of his pants. Itlooked under him through his spiked blond bangs as he began torub it in the rhythm of music and flirting said, "We do not need it. Unlessyou like that. "Lucien grabbed his wrist in a grip of iron before itcould dip his fingers into his pants. "Where," he askedagain, his eyes flashing red, "is Dimitri?" The girl stoppedrub and said, his voice rising to a whimpering coward, "He is there. MyGod! I was just trying to be friendly. "Lucien dropped his wrist and walked towardthe VIP area, where she had pointed a shaking finger. He did not intendto scare her. On the other hand, she was drugged and had expected him to

drugsmake it even more drugs. Apart from that, his mind was as empty as the Sahara.Lucien could not help but remember the passeadora dog (in English, dog walker,that takes dogs for walks) the night before, whose mind had been just the opposite- As an impenetrable jungle. He wondered why he apparently did notcould not stop thinking about her. He told himself it was only because of the fact thatdancer and the girl she had almost the same age and were both attractive.However, the resemblance ended there. He had given up feeling sorry for addictsas the girl dancer. They had many of them today. The VIP area where Dimitri________________________________________Page 52Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotsat was separated from the dance floor by black velvet ropes and hada series of elegant high booths that made a retreat from loud music androtating bodies on the dance floor. In soft black leather seats rested ahalf a dozen middle-aged men - a lot of middle-aged, and other panudos, forextremely young, slender women who were over them, their eyesinnocent as expressionless as the girl who had tried to rub in Lucien.In a nearby booth sat some men much younger. Onelooked up and smiled as he approached Lucien ...... while twoburly bodyguards tried to block the path of Lucien. "Sorry, sir,"said one man, who weighed about 150 pounds and wore a gold chain to thearound his thick neck with the name Reginald stamped on it. "This area isonly for VIPs. "" I'm seeing this, Reginald, "said Lucien. "I'm here tosee Mr. Dimitri. And you'll let me pass. "" Of course I will, "said Reginald andhe went out the front. "I'm sorry, sir." The partner Reginald, who weighed nearlysame as Reginald, all in muscle, was horrified. "Reggie!" He shouted. "Whatare you doing? "said Reginald, while desenganchava the velvet rope toLucien pass, "You heard the man. He's here to see Mr. Dimitri. "Dimitrihad risen from his cabin and came to meet Lucien. A tall man,dark hair in a business suit that served as perfectly as those ofLucien, he wore a white shirt was open at the throat, exposingin a leather cord which hung a small iron dragon symbol."Brother," Dimitri said, extending a hand to take Lucien's hand in his. "This isa surprise. Makes too much time. When you arrived? "" Dimitri, "said Luciencoldly. He shook hands with his half-brother, purposely ignoring thequestion. "You're doing fine, so I see." "Oh, this?" The sweeping gesture ofDimitri with his left hand (in which he held an expensive Cuban cigar, heever, Lucien remembered, had a predilection for smoking, which combined with theLucien's own penchant for fine wines) included Reginald and his partner,VIP area, the entire club. "That's nothing. I have four more on national andI'm opening another in Rio de Janeiro next month. "" Rio, "Lucien said,raising his eyebrows. "Even taking dangerous steps." "What danger? Is anightclub, "Dimitri said, emphasizing the word night. "But we call themthe clubs now. You would love the River Moisture! Very good for the skin. Come, youhave to meet my new friends TransCarta. You must have heard it, theprivate equity firm? They are brokering an agreement rathergreat at the moment and are having to relieve some stress. So of coursethey came here. Everyone who works in finance has a reputation asbad today. Negative publicity. This is something on which we both know alittle, is not, brother? "Dimitri laughed at his own joke as he took the arm ofLucien, trying to guide him toward the cabin where the men were middle-agedbeing caressed by the young and skinny girls that not stick. "Maybe later,Dimitri, "Lucien said. "I would like to speak privately with you for a momentfirst. We have many business to discuss, I think, you and me. "" Nonsense, "Dimitri said. "Pleasure before business! I know what you're talking about ... and whyyou are here. "He put an arm around the shoulders and began to Lucienguide you toward the cabin that he had just vacating. "One unfortunate thing,these young girls dead. And I asked around believe me, is not good forclub has such a maniac on the loose - and I can assure you, nobody knows anythingabout it. If they knew, you do not think I would have given a way? You got meknow, Lucien. Anything to improve profit! "Lucien nodded to________________________________________Page 53Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotthe girl who had approached him as he entered the metal bikini.

Itnow I was turning myself on the dance floor, in his own stupor brisandodrug-induced. "And she? You're not having much success with keepinghard drugs out there, "he observed." Surely it can not be helpingimprove profit. "Dimitri's gaze followed his half-brother." Oh, drugs, "he said, androlled his eyes. "Well, what can you do? They are everywhere. Governmentshould legalize them and then put taxes on them, and use the money to pay thedebts and give addicts the help they need. But because we are talking about asubject so depressed? Come, you do not see Stefan ages ago. And you have to know mynew project. "" His latest project? "Lucien raised an eyebrow." It is notthis club ...? "" Not at all! "Dimitri was toward a table where he sata seedy-looking young man and his companion even more miserable,Both were wearing extremely tight pants and shirts open to the middle of the chest,beneath the leather biker jackets. Were flanked on both sidesyoung women, so thin as pencils, which seemed to be well dressed,analyzing their clothes as a whole, but were exceptionally common in the chestand had a very smooth hair. "A new venture," said Dimitrienthusiastically. "Gregory Bane, meet my brother, coming from Romania, LucienAntonescu. "" Hello, sir. "The thinner of the two young men rose toshake hands with Lucien. Lucien knew why he was being so nice beforeeven feel the skin of Gregory Bane ... or see the thin dragon tattoodecorated the inside of your wrist pale. "It's a pleasure," Lucien said without smiling. "TheMy pleasure, "said Gregory Bane, his eyelids fluttering nervously.Lucien would love to know how long the boy had been turned and whotransformed. Dimitri was not for sure. His brother was many things but ...not this. It was more than likely that he had seen and had an opportunity of ahis many mistresses to do so. The boy had, Lucien thought, beautiful by defaultset by its current group of female students, who tended to bethin and dirty. The other boy, who wore a dragon equal to Dimitri in the form of asymbol of iron in a leather strap, stood up and stretched out his right hand ... "UncleLucien, "Stefan said, somewhat sheepishly. But again, the boy had never beenthere before, Lucien thought as he shook hands with his nephew. If this was becausehe had seen his father kill his mother before his eyes - it happened in adifferent time and place when the uxoricdio (murder of his wife) was not asunusual, but still, Lucien did not approve - because he had beentransformed very young, Lucien was never sure. The young man was definitelya disappointment. Dimitri was always a scheme formulating some scheme or somethingwell to give him a direction. But he never left the boy to use his surname.How could he expect that Stefan would exert any kind of thing in yourcareer? Dimitri was playing that game now? Lucien would love to know. And thebellies of financial analysts TransCarta had to do with it, if they hadsomething to do? That was all really part of the new "enterprise" of hishalfbrother? Or something more insidious? Oh, Dimitri has done its share in giving goodWelcome to the family with open arms ... He even asked for bottles of Veuve (markchampagne), but champagne has never been one of the favorite drinks of Lucien.He was never a fan of bubbles, which disappeared immediately in the language. He preferredheavier and full-bodied wines, which melted in your mouth like ... well, as ameal. But it all seemed a bit like champagne, or young womenthat had been wrapped with Stefan Gregory Bane and unhappy - not to mentionAdministrators at the limit, in the cabin next door - but said nothing resolved with. Page 54 Traduzido por Comunidade Tradues de Meg Cabot frequently to the bathroom and then came back wiping his nose, minds so emptyas the girl who tried to make him dance with her. Very empty. Without muchsubstance. Only a lot of air. After some time, felt that Lucien hadWear sufficient. If there was some response in the club of his half-brother, he did notcould in this way. He apologized, saying he had to go. Dimitri willshowed the output of the funds, since the front was now crowded with other

revelersdrugged so that he could get out without pushing people out. "Wherewhile you're getting here? "said Dimitri - far too casually -blowing smoke from his cigarette into the starry sky at night, which was visiblethe dark alley where they were. "" Emil got me a place, "said Lucien.The less he said, Lucien noticed the better. He trusted hisbrother ... But only so far. Dimitri laughed. "Emil," he said. "He stillthat wife is with him an idiot? "" It is, "Lucien said." Marriage, "Dimitri said."Now that's the only thing that we both have in common. Not want to be stuckit. Well, not again. "" I never seemed prudent, "Lucien agreedcarefully. Dimitri stared for a second or two before bursting into alaughter by surprise. "Prudent," he said. "Listen to what you're talking! You do notchanged, is not it? In all this time. "Lucien gave him a critical eye." No, "hesaid. "I think neither of us has changed." Dimitri stopped laughing and pointed at the timefor Lucien. "I do not like how that sounds," he said in a deep voice. "I thinkyou do not come here looking for trouble, Lucien. Because we have livedperfectly well on this side of the Atlantic without a drop of the problem ... and Palatinewithout their interference. "His eyes, usually as dark as those of hishalf brother, glowed as red as his cigarette when he said the wordinterference. A second later, a layer of trash, dirt, rocks and broken glass,I was down the alley in front of Lucien began to rise, if spiralingviolently in a tornado heading toward him. Lucien raised an arm toprotect the face from shrapnel. So Dimitri found himself being thrown against a trash can,as if an invisible wind had picked up and loaded up there. His fall wassupported by empty cardboard boxes someone had stacked in the trash forrecycling. If it were not so, it would hit right in the steel can with such forceas if he had been shot by a nail gun (this). As he lay there,surprised that the vortex created Dimitri had died as suddenly as he had followplayed, all the broken glass and trash back down the alley. Lucien slipped upwhere his brother was, pausing on his way to tread carefullyDimitri the cigarette that had dropped, then picked up and tossed in the trash behind.Lucien was furious ... but even when angry, he was still consciousregarding garbage. "I have no idea what kind of game you're playing here, Dimitri,"Lucien said, resting an elbow on one side of the trash and going down to his brotherwith a voice that was almost terrifying in its calm after the violence that hadhappened just a few seconds. "Disco full of investorsbanking and young women addicted to drugs. This is your account, and I agreed therelong to stay out of things of Dracul, provided there were deathsby human blood loss. But now ... are not you have to PalatineI'm ... afraid. "Dimitri, glued on one side of the bin as a trash bagwaiting to be picked up looked at his brother. "I know that," he said, esfregandosuaneck. "I always knew that. You did not have attacked me with such force,you know. "" These girls dead, "Lucien said, ignoring his brother." What do you knowabout them? "" I told him, "said Dimitri." I know nothing about them. "A steel platethat was abandoned in a trash can next to the suddenly rose several centimeters________________________________________Page 55Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotthe ground and began to sway ominously over the heads of Dimitri. "Wait,"Dimitri shouted, raising one arm over his face to protect her beautiful traits ofdestruction. "Okay, okay. Yes, I heard -" Lucien left the steel plate droppedto the side. The noise they made was deafening, and the two men could hear ratsGushing and running away. Dimitri, still sitting in the trash on the floor of the alley, dida face. "But you can not find that I know who's doing it, Lucien," hesaid. "Obviously if I knew, it would stop. I do not know why you would think isone of us. It is clearly a sick pervert. "" What drink human blood, "Luciensaid quietly. "Well, many people do," said Dimitri. "It is quite stylish to be aVampire today. Or act like one, anyway. "Lucien studied hisyounger brother. He wished he could believe that Dimitri was as innocent asclaimed to be. But Lucien had fallen into the mistake of believing in the innocence of his brotherother times in the past. And it almost cost him his life. He would not make the same mistakeagain, especially when now could involve human lives. "If Idiscover that you know a single thing about these

killings, "said Lucien," and thatYou did not tell me or did something to stop them - or by chance you're behindof these deaths - I'll destroy you and everything and everyone you care, Dimitri. Youunderstand? "Dimitri, trying to fight to stay in faith and leave the garbage, said," Brother! Wecourse started on the wrong foot again. I apologize for the smallthat there was confusion. We can not, "But Lucien was not finished. He put ahand on the shoulder of his brother and dropped again in the trash off the floor where he wastrying to quit. So Lucien leaned toward him and whispered in his ear, "No, notcan. You know the deal. Everyone can drink. But no one can "" For theGod's love, Lucien! "Dimitri groaned." You think I do not know, after allthese years? No one can kill a human, no matter how established you are feeling.Doing so will bring swift retribution and absolute prince. The Dracul have lived under theirorders for more than a century. Do you think we would somehow haveforgotten it? "" Yes, "Lucien said with a smile." Because you have forgottenbefore. And will again. "That was when the back door of the club opened andReginald and his partner appeared. "Mr. Dimitri?" Reginald asked, alarmed,seeing their leader played down the alley. Lucien straightened. "Give him a hand,Please, Reginald? "Lucien asked over his shoulder as he turned to slidehim toward evening. "Mr. Dimitri will need all the help they can get."-XChapter Twenty-OneThursday, April 15 19hsCathedral of St. George 78 East Street, 180New York, New YorkMeena faced the cathedral. In the dim light of late afternoon, seemed beautiful, with its towersTwin rising into the sky of spring and the elegant stained glass, even though somethe windows were broken in some places. Who would throw stones at the windowa church? Sure, he was surrounded with the familiar blue plywood that surrounded the entirebuilding in Manhattan that was under construction. But was not compensated forfar high enough to hide the huge and lovely cathedral behind him. Thecathedral, just two nights ago, had been the scene of an attack and unexplainedbrutal. Really? Meena stood with Jack Bauer on a leash, at the foot of________________________________________Page 56Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotsteps of the cathedral, exactly where they were the night before yesterday, when thehad come from bats swoop out of nowhere. She was worried at first that Jackwould not want to get anywhere near the church for what happened the last time theyhad there. But he showed no sign of reluctance, hopping up there, andraising a paw in a car parked right in front. Obviously he did notkept bad memories of the incident. But although the principle itself has beena little confused, she remembered everything now, as clear as if it happened thereminutes, and not nearly forty-eight hours ago. There was the place insidewalk where she had knelt down and shrunk, with heart in throat,so long as bats tacavam again and again against the body and faceLucien, trying to - she was sure at the moment - tear it alive. Only he hadbeen good, his face unmarked. And okay, I had no drop ofthe same blood, or anything on the ground, to show that had any type ofattack that was. But she acknowledged the crack in the pavement, as it couldforget? His face had become almost stuck against her when Lucien hadthrown upon it, keeping it secure. It was strange, he thought as Meenasaw the towers of the church, wondering if the bats were there now and whenwould agree - and attack - again. She felt nothing evil in the cathedral, eventhe exact point where it was has been the scene of a savage attack.Meena not boasted of as a dialogue writer for a program ofInsatiable quality, have particular the gift of writing. She did not go out theresaying it was a creative genius. Not thought of it the same as more creative thanany of the artists she sometimes saw outside the Metropolitan MuseumArt, who painted dawns amateur and gardens and sold to touristsby chance passed by. Meena felt that his scripts were to Insatiablebasically the same as ever: a reflection of what was happening dailyin the lives of ordinary Americans, as well as dawn ... only a little moredramatic, to keep people interested. But she always knew it was alittle more sensitive to moods than others, possibly becauseits ability to tell when something horrible would happen to someone. Maybesimply there was nothing horrible to be felt in St. George. Because theSt. George

tragedy had been averted ... thanks to Lucien, whoever he was.He had saved his life. She did not know how or why, but he had done. Meena iswondered, did Lucien came to think about what had happened on the sidewalkchurch, and how strange it was? Perhaps he has come up the side ofoutside of St. George and wondered the same thing. Maybe he placed an adlooking for her (she was too shy to put one looking for him). It was goodshe remembered to check ... "Meena?" Meena's heart almost came out through the mouth.She turned, half expecting to find himself staring at Lucien. But it was onlyJon, looking extremely surprised to find her standing in front of the CathedralSt. George on a Thursday night, staring at nothing. "What are you doinghere? "Jon said." I thought you were bringing Jack Bauer to give aback. "" I was, "said Meena, showing the collar of Jack. Jack Bauer was inactually lying on the sidewalk, licking his paw, and ignoring. "I mean, I am.I was just thinking of ... something. "" I noticed. "Jon stopped beside her and looked atup, the church towers. He wore linen trousers and blouse social, and was,for some reason, wearing a tie. In his right hand was a paper bagbrown. "You're still freaking out because the flock of bats?" "It was acolony, "Meena corrected." I looked on Wikipedia. Bats live in colonies. And II found that is not normal they attack something - or someone - the way that group________________________________________Page 57Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotdid the other night. They should be completely nutty. They are in factsolitary hunters. You know, because they use a high frequency sonar. "Jon looked ather like she was crazy. "Okay," he said. "Good to know. You go home tofix? Because we have dinner in half an hour of Antonescu. "She blinked." What? "" Thedinner the Countess, "he said." Remember? For his cousin, Prince. It's Thursdayovernight. You said we were going. "Meena rolled his eyes." Ah, "she said." That. Becauseis. We can not go. I have not confirmed the presence. "" Meena, "Jon said, shaking hishead. "We've talked about this. We decided that we would." "Well," Meenasaid. "I never told her that we were going. So I think we can not. Whatsorry. Let's watch a marathon of The Office (TV show) at home. "" No, "Jon said."Free Food. Remember? Also, I met Mary Lou in the elevator today and sheasked if we were going and I said yes. So we have to go. Look, I boughtfor them a bottle of wine. "He lifted the paper bag he was holding."It cost me six bucks. I will not waste." Meena's shoulders fell. "Oh, myGod, "she said." I guess I can not hold a party at the home of the Countessovernight. This has been a week really bad. "" I know, "Jon said, holding herelbow and leading her away from the church. "But you want to know this guyPrince, right? Is not he the guy you want to use as a model for the huntervampires from your script? The guy for Cheryl? "" Actually, "Menna has admitted whenthey began to walk toward Park Street, 910. "I think I met someone whowould be a better model for my prince. "" Really? "Jon said." Who? "" Oh, just aface, "Meena said, knowing what Jon had said about his affair with Lucien out ofCathedral the night before last. And if she told him, he will only spend a sermon-moreold brother on her she leaves the house late at night, something she knewhe should not have done. In their society, with gender inequality, not yetwas completely safe for American women wandering the streets of New Yorkunaccompanied late at night. (Though to be fair, it was not safe for anyonedo this, seriously. There were colonies of bats swooped down hiding in allplaces.) "Well, the guy we meet tonight is supposed to be a prince,"Jon said. "Where else will you find one of these?". "Nowhere," Meenahas admitted, realizing that Jon was actually looking forward to attending this dinner. He did nothad the chance to go out very often, as I was ... well, broke andunemployed. Like most of his friends. Entertainment was the lastthing that he could spend money. She should know that for his brother, anychance to leave the apartment would be welcome ... even if it were simply to gothe neighbors' house, across the hall. She looked over her shoulder forchurch towers rising into the sky purple-end of the afternoon, the sunset-pink cloudssunset, while the Jon dragged away. Churches, she thought. What are they good?To worship, obviously. But to worship what, exactly? A god

who gavea gift for which you never asked, which was basically a curse? On the otherhand, most people had, exactly? Nothing. Nothing but the hope thatthings could improve some day. The kind of hope that Meena, in theirTV program, and the priests in the church of St. George, trying to give people."You're right," Meena said with a sigh, turning. "We have to get toall night, "Jon said as they turned the corner." If a bag, we willleave. "" Yeah, "Meena said." And who knows? It can even be fun. "Even though, of course,she did not believe it for a second.-X-________________________________________Page 58Community Translations Translated by Meg CabotChapter Twenty-TwoThursday, April 15, 19:30 pmStreet Park Avenue, Apt 11A 910New York, New YorkLucien was sure that his cousin had lost his mind. "A dinner?" he echoedwhile handing his coat to the servant, who received it to hang it in the closetthe room. "It's just that ..." Emil said softly to his wife, busy withwaiters in the dining room, could not hear you, "she seems to have this fantasy thatyou need a bride and that New York is the place where you will find. NotI do not like to say how I feel too. If you want to stab me, my lord,I understand perfectly. "Lucien, instead of getting angry - what he knew to bereaction that Emil was expecting it - just felt surprised. Although hemade clear that he does not want anyone to know of his arrival in NewYork, which of course was a moot point. The damage was done. Clearly, itsenemies knew where he was: an attempt had been made against his life. Theinformation had just traveled. Just as the expected LucienNews about the way he had treated his brother from spreading. It is notregretted it. He was counting on it. If all to hear Dimitri say thathad started a battle with him and that Lucien had won, they would be far lessinclined to stage a second attack of the sort that occurred the other night, when hehad clearly survived. The prince of darkness was in town, and moreindestructible as ever. But dinner? With humans? The idea did Lucien smile. "Hiswoman, "he said to Emil," is a bold woman. "" This is one way of puttingthings, "Emil said with a wan smile." But honestly, my lord, if youprefers to cover back-"" It's okay, Emil, "Lucien said, comforting him.Sometimes he thought that Emil could explode himself, clutching himselfwith extreme force. "I assume you have some decent wines to serve." The smileEmil brightens considerably. "Sure, sir," he said. "SomeAmarones (wine brand) delicious that I bought just for you. Comelet me open them. "Emil Lucien went to the library, where he opened a fine wineItalian red. After a while, the dark and comfortable, they could hear theguests arriving and the cheerful voice of Mary Lou while greeting. "II guess, "Emil said reluctantly," we should go outside. "" It'll be alright, "Lucien assured his cousin. "I like humans. I used to be one, remember?And I teach them. "The two men entered the living room, with Mary Lougiving a little cry of delight. "Well, here they are!" she screamed. She was wearing aturquoise dress along with several gold jewelry to match your shoesgolden. The shadow in his eyes was the same color of the dress. Her long hairhad been perfectly blond curly and tidy. "Where you have twohidden? Prince Lucien, I want you to know our friends Linda and TomBradford, and those are Faith and Frank Herrera and Carol Priestley and Becca Evans and AshleyMenendez, Emil's office. Folks, this is Prince Lucien Antonescu ... "Thewomen were attractive, and youthful men. Lucien shook hands with them all, thenjoined the conversation about New York City restaurants and shows and he does notshould not miss while you were here. It was a beautiful spring evening, andAntonescu had opened all the French doors to terrace. The sun had________________________________________Page 59Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotplaced in the west and the sky was a lovely shade of pink and lilac. Lucien went to theterrace, followed by several women, all holding glasses of champagne and talkingexcitedly about an art exhibition that they had gone the previous week.Mary Lou had chosen poorly. His guests were beautiful women andintelligent. When Lucien heard the bell ring the apartment, did not looksee who was coming because they do not want to seem rude. (And he knew it was not amember of the Palatine Guard Dracul or coming to kill him. They neverlose time with the bell.) But then he looked, because something told him that hehad to

look. And. sound of the conversation of women around him died. Not becausethey have stopped talking. But because he was not listening. It was the woman whowas taking his dog for a walk on the night of his attack, which had almost beendead. Meena Harper, was her name. He saw that it was Mary Lougreeting with a kiss and grabbing a bottle of cheap wine in your handHigh male escort. Of course she was at the home of Emil. Of course it was. Thehe had expected? Deep down, he should know. Otherwise, he would have left,left for more than one hour. He was not in New York to socialize withhuman friends Emil's wife. He was never without female companionship whenprecisvaa, and was perfectly able to find them without the help of Mary Lou. Nowthe last woman in the world who he should approach because he could feel,himself, the magnetism that she had on him - had entered the room. And he wasstop there, staring at her in her black dress and cheap haircut male.And it was clear, the only look she gave him, that had no memory cleaningworked. No, she recognized him instantly. By the way itsbig brown eyes widened and his jaw dropped, it was obvious that she rememberedthat meeting with perfect clarity. What's more, with a minimum amount in yourmind - he threw across the room just to see if she was happy to see him oronly disgust, it was pure vanity, and he thought he deserved the shock that came inresponse - revealed something amazing, something almost creepy that Lucien did notnothing could understand why: Vampire. He was on the tip of your brain. It was allWhat was she thinking. In vampires. And also, almost as bad to know, death. Helet your mind immediately ... but not before capturing his own name. Lucien.She knew. She knew. But, how? What had happened? What had gone wrong?Why her memory was not successfully deleted? How could she have done thisconnection? Who was she? What was it? What happened to this girl and herelectrically charged and hyperactive brain? He needed to find out before the night -and his whole mission in New York - were disastrous paths. "Meena Harper,"Mary Lou sang as he approached. He realized he had left thewomen with whom he had been talking so amicably without a word.But the situation had become dangerous. It had nothing to do, he said to himself,with black eyes and hair of Meena Harper, or the curve of her hip thatcheap black cotton dress. Not a bit. This was a matter of life ordeath for the whole race of vampires. "I want you to know the cousin of Emil, thePrince Lucien Antonescu. "" Oh, "Meena said, smiling. His two front teethwere slightly askew. Since he had not noticed it the other night? "I know. We""Pleased to meet you," Lucien said, interrupting. He took the hand ofMeena even as his expression of surprise was becoming confused.The prince! his brain was screaming. It's him! What in God's name thismean? Who was she? "Sure," was all she said aloud, however, ina voice that was considerably less excited than the circus atmosphere in theirmind. "Nice to meet you, too." His hand was warm and slippery. In it,________________________________________Page 60Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabothe knew, was anything but. "And this is his brother, Jonathan Harper," Mary Louhe said with barely concealed a note of disapproval. "Jon." The man's hairblack standing next to Mary Lou Meena corrected, raising his hand. "I'm Jon.""Pleasure," Lucien said. He gave up his brother a quick release, with carefuldo not press too strong. Still, he saw the young man wince. He returned theirattention back to the girl, who had not taken his eye once sinceentered the apartment. He was tempted to reach his mind once againVampire Death Dragon Prince Father and withdrew as quickly as he had touched. Notwas surprised that he had failed to clear his memory from his mind: She wasclearly disturbed. It was complete chaos in there. "Jonathan," Mary Lou wasto his brother saying, "I know you are good with electronic things. My friendBecca just bought an iPhone and are racking their brains to be able to downloadone of those, as you call them? Oh yes, applications. Could youhelp her? "Brother looked at Becca, a young girl wearing a large bustsdressed in red silk dress, and said, "Sure." The girl watched his brother withoutComment. Vampire, Lucien could not avoid hearing his mind screaming. Lucien,Prince, hunter, dragon, death. The image

of a red bag with a jewelencrusted dragon-shaped on one side crossed the mind of Lucien, aimage of which he could not get any sense. Not that he has understoodany of these things. "So to say," the girl turned to tell himwhen his brother was gone, "you are the prince of whom I have heard so much talk?" Hesmiled at her politely - he was well aware of the devastating effecther smile had in human females - and then grabbed her by the arm and ledgently to a vacant corner of the terrace, saying something about how sad it would belost his sight. He thought maybe he could talk rationally with her,more she was psychotic. "I told the wife of my cousin what happened inpavement of the church, "he quickly explained to her in a low voice when they werefar enough from other people. "I did not want to alarm her. No woman wantshear of a colony of bats loose in the neighborhood ... "Of course he does notmention the Dracul. "Neither have I told Jon," she said in a tone of voiceperfectly reasonable, the surprising. "Well, at least ... not about you." "Thiswas probably a wise move, "he said." We do not want to worry about ourloved ones. "She lowered her eyes dark and appeared to be looking at the windowsof low rates, rather than looking at your eyes. He had to admit thatthought very charming and had to remember to take care. She was human and,Judging from the cacophony in his head, crazy. Which was a shame, since it was sokind. "Especially," she said, "since no one was hurt." "So weagree, "said Lucien," that does not mention the fact. To anyone. "" II told my best friend, "she said, finally looking at him." She did notbelieved in me. Do you think I was dreaming. "Maybe the situation, he thought, notwere as dangerous as he had imagined. "Who can blame her?" he said. "Thewhole thing is a little hard to believe, huh? Bats in the Upper East Side.Absurd. "" Not so hard to believe as the only explanation I couldcompiled for the reason you were not hurt, "she said, leaning onwall of the terrace. "Since I know I was not dreaming." Vampires, he knew sheI would say. He was not sure how he would act as she said. It had been solong since discovered a human about them ... a man who wanted to make themevil. In addition to the Palatine, of course. That this maddeningly beautiful, but unfortunatelydescobeto insane girl has bothered a bit. Bothered more thanhe had to do with it, if it were true that she knew. "What's that?" he asked,________________________________________Page 61Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabottrying to sound casual. "I think you're an angel," she said, smiling at himopenly. "And a miracle happened on the pavement of the church of St. George thatevening. "-X-Chapter Twenty-ThreeThursday, April 15, 20hsStreet Park Avenue, Apt 11A 910New York, New YorkPrince Lucien Antonescu did not like being called an angel. But then, Meenarealized with delay, no man would like. "There was no miracle," he saidinsistently. "And I'm not an angel. That I can assure you." "This is notIndeed, "Meena said. She was the teasing. He seemed to her to be a man whowas not caused too often in your life. He seemed unusuallyseriously. "You risked your life to save mine, and then you disappeared without evenat least let me thank you properly. This was quite angelic. "" I thinkyour friend is right, "he told her when one of the waiters served them bowlschampagne on a silver platter, "and you're confusing your dreams withreality. They were only a few bats "" You said that at night when everythinghappened, "she recalled with a tone of indignation." It was not true thattime and still not true. Most likely it was the most horrible thing forwhich I've been in life, and I still say it's a miracle you have gone without a singlescratch. But if you want to continue minimizing what happened, go ahead.Can we just talk about trivialities like the rest of the people here. ByHow long will you stay in town, and you've watched a showinteresting? "He looked at her with a surprised expression on his face. Then he fell inlaughter. "Not really," he has admitted. "I came on the day inknow, I'm not here long. What do you recommend? "Meena tooka sip of champagne. She felt as if his mind was racing a thousandkilometers per hour. What were the chances of Lucien - Lucien her, she hadKnown on the pavement of the Cathedral of St. George - Prince and the Countess being thesame person? That would be so perfect! She needed to find out everything he could abouthim to be

able to write a perfect description of character to attack Sy. No, of course,that their prince would be an exact replica of Prince Lucien. First because itseemed to be very new to Victoria Worthington Stone. They would have to findsomeone a little older for a romantic couple decent. Not that Cheryl would opposeusing real-life Lucien, of course. It would, in a second New York. Anywoman would. Look at him! He was perfect ... that profile, those shouldersimpressive. But who wants to interpret, should definitely have hairgray at the temples ... and use glasses. Yes! That was it! A Vampire Hunter, or asWhatever they were called, should definitely wear glasses. "Pardon?" thePrince said, looking at her intently with those beautiful brown eyes of him."You said something?" "No," said Meena. Her direct gaze made her nervous. Eraalmost as if he could read his thoughts. Or see through her dress. Stillthus he was the sexiest man she had seen in a long time ... whom she did nothas had to beg him to drop his motorcycle. "I mean, I waswondering what you do, "she said." I know this is something rude and________________________________________Page 62Community Translations Translated by Meg CabotNew Yorker to ask. We are obsessed with what other people dolife. But I'm really curious. I mean, what a prince does at the end ofaccounts? You have a habit of rescuing damsels in distress, or I was just in placeat the right time? You have a castle? You participate in fighting warriors? "He kept looking puzzled. He seemed to think that it caused much perplexity.Meena love to know about what a woman usually talk to him. It seemednatural for her to ask about a prince fighting warriors. "I have acastle, in fact, "he said." A property of the family, really. Emil and MaryLou will visit me in the summer. I'm sure she said this to you, "Meenaraised his hand. She realized belatedly that I had heard a lot about the castle."Do not worry. I already know. In Romania." "Out of Sighisoara," he said with asmile. "And in answer to your other question, no, I never participated in a combatwarriors. I teach. "" You teach? "If he told her that he had a Twitterit could not be more surprised. "You teach what? Evasion attacksbats? "" History of Eastern Europe, "he said, still sounding distracted." InUniversity of Bucharest. Evening classes, mostly. "Meena raised aeyebrow. "Really." She had the feeling, not because he had himselfcastle but the clock seemed expensive that he was using and the way hebore, which Prince Lucien did not have exactly the teaching job tosustain. His next statement confirmed their suspicions. "It's important to me,"he said, "that the rich heritage of my country is not forgotten by the next generation.You know how today's youth is attached to video games and messagestext. I try to make a compelling story to my students, to arouse themthe kind of love I ever had for her. If I can ... "He shrugged his shouldersmodestly. Meena wanted to applaud. If he turns out to have a pair of bifocals injacket pocket she thought she could really jump up and kiss him on the mouth. "And you'rehere for the Spring Cleaners? "she asked." No, I'm not actually "Prince Lucien said, removing a pair of reading glasses silver rim of the pocketinner coat of cashmere and placing them. "I'm here for a series oflectures he is giving a colleague in the metropolitan area about Vlad Tepes. "Seeingreading glasses, Meena leaned over her high heels and thin and almost fell."Are you okay?" he asked with genuine concern in his deep voice."Here, let me help you." She felt his strong arm, so familiar in the other nightfront of the cathedral, pass through her bare shoulders. A second later, he wasdirecting it, gently and skillfully toward one of the garden chairswhite cast iron of the Countess. She sank gracefully on the padstriped green and white, only capable of thinking, the glasses! The glasses! He took theglasses and put them hastily back into his pocket, leaning over her with concern."Should I get some water for you?". "No," Meena said, emptying thecontents of his glass of champagne and landing it on the table next to ironit. She hastened to say something to change the subject. "Vlad is OoTepes? "" He was the most powerful prince of Wallachia, who is currently theRomania, in four hundred years, "he explained." He is considered a hero inEastern Europe. Are you sure you're okay? You really do not seemas well. "She put her hand on his, which rested on the arm of the chair beside her.She could not avoid. There was

something about him that made her want to touch it. She did not thinkwas only the fact that he saved her life, too. "I'm fine," shesaid, thinking that his fingers were a bit cold. But then, was not exactlysummer out there. She wished to have brought a cardigan. But they were too late forthe party, she had no time to even look inside your closet for a good________________________________________Page 63Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotis to look at her dress. "I just had a very bad week at work.""I'm so sorry to hear that," he said, removing his jacket and placing it gentlyon his shoulders ... as if this were the most natural gesture. Meena feltas if he had been punched in the chest by a customer in a sale of showcasesMarc Jacobs. Calm down, she told herself. He is a prince. This is theprinces do. They are trained from birth to act that way.I mean, just look at him. He is so cool, her coat is not even hot!"Is that better?" he asked, with what appeared to be a real concern. Oh, Meenahe thought. Shoshona. If you could see me now. How would you cry in your saladwithout sauce. "Thank you," she said. "It's much better, Lucien. Oh ... I canLucien call? Or do you prefer Antonescu Teacher? Or Dr. Antonescu? Or HisRoyal Highness? "" Lucien is good, "he said, smiling a little. He was almostunbearably cute when she smiled, with all that dark hair and eyessad. Meena not help thinking to herself that Lucien Antonescu was aman who needed a lot of provocation. Perhaps his life, to overcome anything had happened to him, put all your pain into those eyesbrown. "And what happened to you so you have been so bad one week?""Oh," said Meena. "Well, you hear about the war of vampires, not heard?""Pardon?" For a split second, she could almost swear those eyesflashed red brown sad as she thought he had seen that night, in frontthe cathedral. The look he gave her was one of disbelief mixed with almost ... well,anger. His hand came out from under it as quickly as if his skin hadsinged his. "Dinner is served," called the supplier of food, with tailhorse blonde, wearing a white shirt and black pants, smiling at them closelyFrench doors. Meena had no idea what she had done for insultingPrince. But he definitely seemed offended. He took the glass of champagnefor which he had not shown any interest so far and drank the wholecontent. What did I do? Meena is asked. What had she said? Whathad happened to make the prince, at a time, waskindly lending him your jacket to keep warm and the other wasswallowing alcohol as a junkie in search of your next dose? "And, I'm sorry,"Meena stammered. "I just-" But when he turned his head to look at her again, shewas relieved to see that his eyes had returned to its normal color of brown. Itclear. She must have imagined the red. She really had an imaginationvery active. That was why she got the job he had. "No, I'mmuch, "he said, sounding more like your self friendly. However, she could not helpfeel that he was controlling with an effort. The knuckles of the handwas holding a glass of champagne were white. In a second, she thoughthe could break the glass in half with just your grip. "But I do not thinkI heard you correctly. You said the war of vampires? "'Si-i-im," said Meenaslowly. She noted the Countess coming your way inside the apartment andfelt a little relief. Perhaps Mary Lou could help her to explain. "I writefor Insatiable. Pass on ABN. We are being massacred at the hearing byLust. They have a plot with a vampire ... I know it's ridiculous, actually. But thisweeks my bosses announced that they want us to do a plot withvampires ... "" Ah, "he said. "This war of vampires." "Of course," she said, laughing witha bit of disbelief. This guy was really intense! She had not beentotally wrong about him need to be a little provoked. He needed to be verycaused. "What other kind exist? You thought I was talking about awar of vampires real? "She saw him throw a glance in the direction of the Countess a look ...________________________________________Page 64Community Translations Translated by Meg CabotMeena who could not understand. She was not sure what was happeningbetween the two, but Mary Lou, coming to raise a glass of champagne of the fingershands of the prince, apparently, before he could break it, saying: "Now theyou two are still doing here? Dinner is on the table and everyone is expecting.About what you would be talking to have not even heard thead? '"Oh, nothing more," said Prince

Lucien, still looking as ifholding the jaw tightly. "Just about the war of vampires." The Countess gave alook at it quickly and then threw his blond head back and began tolaugh. "Oh, my stars," she said. His Southern accent always seemed to bemore pronounced when she drank. "Meena should be talking to you about the warbetween the vampire series that it works, Insatiable, and its archrival, Lust. Withoutoffenses, Meena, you know I'm a fan Insatiable to the end. But I can not get enoughGregory Bane of sexy. "" Well, "Meena said, staring grimly, as alwayswas when I heard the name of Gregory Bane, "I heard that our vampire willbe as sexy as. "Lucien, however, seemed visibly relieved." TV, "hesaid. "Of course." Meena does not understand anything of what was happening. Thebecause the tension had finally left the face of the prince ... or because the smileMeena gave him when he turned was so stunning that made her knees feelweak again, so she was not sure he would be able to walk all theway to the dining room of Antonescu in their heels. At least not withoutfalter. But that's okay with that, because Mary Lou said with a laugh, "It is clear thatthat was what she meant, silly. What vampire would be another war? Well, far fromI try to stop the conversation. I booked two seats for you at the end of the tabledining. Prince Lucien, be gentle and follow Meena there. "Prince Lucien waskind. He stood, with his arm gallantly to Meena. She looked athim with a bit of a surprise at first. And it was no wonder: there was no manoffered his arm to Meena before. David was not exactly the most gentlemanof her suitors, being more interested in his books about teeth and organizingparty manners. Meena was not sure if it should slip your hand through thecrook of the arm of Prince or put your finger on it, the way she had seenJane Austen's heroines do in BBC productions. She really feltjust a little dizzy ... but if it was the proximity of the prince or the champagneMeena was not right. She wondered what was wrong with her. It was not asif it had never been near a handsome man before. She worked with someof the hottest actors on television, for goodness sake. Maybe it was just becausenone of them has ever shown any particular interest in her. Or maybe ...just maybe ... it was because for the first time since David had left it inactually met a man she was attracted to was not married, was notgay and had a certain death that weighed upon him. She slid her hand along the curveof his arm - in case she had to rely on it to sustain itself if the stunningworsened - and smiled at him. "So," she said. "Where were we?"-XChapter Twenty-Four9:00 pm. EST, Thursday, April 15Outside of 912 Park AvenueNew York, New York________________________________________Page 65Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabot"What are you doing here?" the blue-haired old woman said while hisPekingese (breed of dog) got a leg not far from where Alaric Wulfwas standing. "And do not try to lie to me, young man. I was watching you from mywindow. You're standing out here an hour ago. "" I'm just waiting for my wife,lady, "he said. "She has an appointment with Dr. Rabinowitz." He shookhead toward the bronze plaque on the building in which he was leaning that saidDr. Rubin Rabinowitz, Obstetrics. The Blue Hair followed her gaze, then turnedback to it. She was not, he saw by his expression, believing in nothingaddition. "At this hour?" The old woman demanded. "And you're not in the roomexpect? "" Claustrophobia, "Alaric said. He faced the Pekingese. His little facewas puckered in a look of disgust that seemed to match that of its owner. "And theDr. Rabinowitz is very attentive to my wife's busy schedule assupermodel who travels the world. "" Hmph, "said the old woman, and walkedquickly on his way. Alaric, standing in the doorway next to the number of 910Park Avenue - but out of sight, leaning against the side of the building where hewould be noticed by anyone but older women who passed astook their impossibly small dogs for a walk and cast glancesreproach in his direction - he felt that he approved. Not the Blue Hair, although hewould have liked it. He liked women with spirit. They reminded him of Bettyand Veronica. What he approved was the Park Avenue itself, and its residents. Theresidents live, anyway. It was an elegant brick structure, built ina corner and obviously well preserved. Potted plants in each side of the gatesElectronic looked healthy and lush. He

had an immaculate red carpet beneaththe green awning over the door, and the doorman standing under the awning was young andeager to do their job well. Alaric saw the trap and rebuking (the translationI found the original word was to beat or cuff, which I doubt he did, thenthis was the best word I could) a delivery of Chinese food beforehe could pass to sneak by him, determined to put under the menusports residents naive. The doorman also stopped to check carefullythe name of each guest who came to attend the party in the Antonescusa list that they had given him before letting them go. It was thus that Alaricdiscovered that he could not at all just crashed into theparty without being invited ... unless, of course, he used force. And he was notwilling to use this trick. Still. And because the building had twenty floors, andAntonescus live in the eleventh no fire escape, his trick"First foot through the window through the roof" also would not work. Until hefind a way to sneak in through the underground parking -or possibly using the service entrance - he would end up knowing the carsparked outside of Park Avenue, 910 fine, he suspected. But allas well. He had time. All the time in the world to plan their next move. Alarichad checked in at the Peninsula the night before and was really enjoying the climblevel compared to your hotel in Chattanooga. He had several premium channelscable TV to enjoy it - on a flat screen TV, no less, whilebathed in a large, deep tub with no rubber stripslip in the bathroom - and Frette linens, not to mention a swimming pool ina glass atrium on the roof so he could continue hisexercises, a wide and varied menu of service quaro to explore, and several loungeswhere it was possible to find attractive women of all nationalities after a dayShopping drinking tea and sending messages to her friends. No, not Alaricwas in any hurry to leave Manhattan. Except for one small detail________________________________________Page 66Community Translations Translated by Meg Cabotunpleasant. The reason he was there to begin with. But then, if theemail that Martin had sent for him was genuine, the prince was in town forsame reason: to ensure that no other girl had the blood of your lifesucked him. The file containing all your photos were waiting for Alaricwhen he was checked in. What horrified that file had contained it. Ewas very necessary to horrify Alaric, who was convinced that hadseen everything in his twenties with the Palatine. He had names along with the photosvictims. The coroner's office suspected - according to the dental archgirls - they were from Eastern Europe or even in Russia and were born in the countryillegally ... which would explain why nobody had come forward to identify them.Alaric had given to them American names to match American dreamswith which he was sure that each one of them had traveled to this country: InAimee was first with long hair, discovered early one morningOnly ten days ago in the pedestrian lane of Central Park.TRANSLATED BY COMMUNITY TRANSLATIONSMEG CABOT.STAY ON FOR A NEW TRANSLATIONBOOKS THIS AUTHOR IN THE COMMUNITY!.