The Reluctant Vampire Page 0,74

necessary," Harper said suddenly, si ng upright in his seat. "The porch off Elvi and Victor's bedroom was an add-on some me a er the house was built. They've insulated it and put in an electric heater, but the wall between it and Elvi's room is the original double-walled construc on. It's as good as standing outside in that regard except it's heated, furnished, and has a television and music system and everything." He smiled, and explained, "Elvi and Victor spruced it up a bit to use it as their own private living room, for when they feel like getting away by themselves."

Mirabeau smiled. "Well that sounds perfect; why don't you two take Stephanie out there and watch a movie or something?" When Drina hesitated and glanced toward Tiny, Mirabeau glanced at her watch, and said, "It's only fi een minutes un l the next shi , and Tiny seems quiet enough for now. We should be fine."

Drina checked her own watch and said, "It's me for his next shot in five minutes. I'll get it ready and give it to him before we go." Standing, she glanced over her shoulder to Stephanie, and suggested, "Why don't you run down and get us some snacks or something? Maybe pick a move from the DVD collec on in the living room."

"On it!" the girl said, cheerful now, apparently at the prospect of a respite from the constant voices and energy. She stood and rushed out of the room.

Silence fell briefly in the room as Drina prepared a needle, and then Mirabeau said solemnly, "This isn't good."

"No," Harper agreed on a sigh.

Drina didn't comment. She knew what they were referring to. Stephanie's abili es. Harper had tried to sway it like they were a good thing, a special ability she'd been blessed with, but the truth was it might be a curse.

There were very few edentate in their society, most were from the me of the fall of Atlan s or shortly a er. Very few had come a erward for the simple reason that male edentates never turned mortals. If they found a mortal life mate, the council assigned an immortal the task of turning that mortal rather than create another edentate with the flawed nanos. Any offspring they then had took on the mother's blood and nanos and would be immortal as well.

The same was true for female edentates, except if they did have children, that baby would take on its mother's blood and nanos and so would be edentate.

The council hadn't outlawed edentates having children, but most refused to do so for fear of having to watch their progeny die or be killed as a mad thing. There had been a few born, but not more than a handful since the fall of Atlan s. They were rare. Between that and the length of me since the nofangers had been believed to be wiped out, li le was known about the madness that turned an edentate into the dreaded no-fanger. It was usually assumed that in a turn, the madness was evident as soon as the turn was done, that the turnee came out of it screaming mad. However, there were rumors and legends that suggested it might not be that abrupt, that they could s ll come out of the turn seemingly fine, but then shortly therea er go mad, driven there by something, though the tales had never specified what that something might be.

Drina had always disregarded the rumors as ghost stories told around a campfire, but now wondered if constantly being bombarded by people's thoughts and these energy waves and the electricity Stephanie spoke of might not be the cause. She hoped not. She liked Stephanie and wouldn't want to have to see her put down like a rabid dog.

"Lucian will have to be told," Mirabeau said quietly, when Drina didn't comment, and then added,

"Maybe he knows a way to help her."

Drina ghtened her lips and bent to give Tiny his shot. Once Lucian was told . . . If there was something he could do for her, she didn't doubt he would. But if there wasn't, she also didn't doubt that he wouldn't hesitate to put the girl down.

"She needs to be taught to block thoughts," Drina said grimly as she straightened. "Nobody has bothered because new turns usually need to be taught to read thoughts, not block them. But teaching her how to shield herself from other immortals' thoughts might help considerably. I'd rather