Previously: Newly-turned vampire Elliot Marshall and his vampire offspring, Lexi Cramer, have been challenged by Vladislaus Straud to build a clan consisting the most powerful families around. Vladislaus has named Geoffrey Landgraab, Bella Goth, Lily Feng, Max Villareal, and Judith Ward as required members, of which Elliot must turn three before his rival, Miss H does. But with the Landgraabs deceased from a terrible pufferfish accident and Bella Goth vanished somewhere, the options are limited. Elliot has won Lily Feng onto his side, but he’s also got to keep the bills paid with his newly purchased bakery. Or gift shop. It’s unclear.

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As the weeks passed, the temperature dropped noticeably. Yet as we all know, children are not only infinite sources of energy, incapable of getting tired, they also take no notice of cold weather. (This immunity is particularly enhanced if a parent yells, “Don’t forget your jacket!” as the child leaves the house.) Today, Jade Zest, Alex Goth, and Max Villareal were collectively utilizing their extra energy to play Voidcritters in the cool crisp winds of Preeminent Domain Park on the Magnolia Promenade.

The children made their way to Elliot’s Bakery–looking both ways before crossing the road, of course. They’d never seen any cars hurt humans, but it paid to be cautious.

Inside his store, Elliot was reviewing the figures on his latest profits. Or lack thereof.

Jade and the boys pressed their ears so close against the window, she pondered how they didn’t get stuck there. Or push the glass in. Or both. Never mind how these people they were listening in on…no, these vampires failed so utterly to notice a bunch of kids spying on them. Were they really that dense?

As interesting as this info was, Jade felt an ache of betrayal. Her father had so few friends, and he and Elliot had seemed to hit it off. It was bad enough that her grandparents and uncle had turned on them–her dad was still trying to cope with their deaths. Learning his one and only regular at his show was a bloodsucking creature of the night? Jade shuddered. Mostly with anger.

Jade didn’t feel better, but she didn’t feel like she had to rush home and tell her father to get Elliot banned from the park, either. She would wait and decide.

In the meantime, Johnny Zest had taken a short trip out to see his parents’ old home. The ownership of the place was still in debate, but he had at least been cleared to look around. Familiar and faded scents lingered together on the night air–his mother’s pricey perfumes, the pungent coats of polish on the floors…all of it haunted him.

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