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lively, the meeting had taken on the same air of discomfort as when someone tells a particularly bad or inappropriate joke.
    “What about the brand?” asked Notchey, turning to Madison. “What did he say when you saw it?”
    Madison didn’t care for Notchey’s tone or implication. He had a mean streak that came out from time to time, and his question had been underlined with spite. Madison was sure he hadn’t made a mistake, that the question had been meant for her.
    “It was Stacie, not me,” she reminded him, “who said she’d seen the brand. I’ve never seen Colin with his shirt off, back or front.” She stared at Notchey, asking him with her eyes what in the hell he thought he was doing.
    “Well,” said Samuel, once more breaking the awkward silence with diplomacy, “as soon as someone hears from Colin, let him know I’d like to speak to him. If he knew anything, he should have mentioned it during our conference call. Meanwhile, I want full surveillance on this house day and night. If there’s a third body on its way, we’re going to be there waiting. Madison, I want you and Pauline doing day watch. The Dedhams will watch all night.”
    “Absolutely, Samuel,” Doug agreed. “We can’t have this happening again, no matter who is at the root of it.”
    Samuel nodded confirmation at Doug and continued with his instructions. “Before you and Dodie go to bed, I want you to wake up Madison and make sure she’s on the job. I’ll also send Hyun over before dawn, just in case. He can also fill in when Madison’s at school. I don’t want that back yard unguarded for a moment.”
    Samuel turned to Mike Notchey. “The information you gave us on Keleta was most helpful; thank you. At least we know he’s no more than eighteen months old as a vampire, if that. And we know where he met the woman who kidnapped him. I’m going straight over to Byron and Ricky’s tonight to question the boy further about it.”
    The meeting was about to adjourn when the front door opened. Every head turned to see who came in, half expecting it to be Hyun with a message for Samuel. Instead, it was Colin, standing tall, dark, and handsome in the doorway. He was dressed in his usual black shirt and pants and black leather jacket. His swarthy face was set in stone, and his thick, black hair was windblown. He looked at the gathering with a stony face, offering no greeting or explanation.
    Behind him was a gorgeous and very shapely woman with long, wavy red hair. She wore an elegant knit pantsuit the color of copper. Thick gold baubles adorned her neck and ears. Coming around Colin, she entered the room with cocky confidence. Spotting Doug Dedham, she flashed him a wide, perfect smile, but when her sapphire eyes met Dodie’s, the smile turned to a smirk. Dodie started to rise to say something, but Doug put a hand on her arm to stop her.
    “Annabelle.” Doug’s voice was a whispered mixture of surprise and wariness.
    The woman stepped up to the dining table and placed her designer handbag on it as casually as if she did it every day. Samuel rose at the head of the table and studied her, letting her know he was in charge and she was on his turf.
    Annabelle Fogle met Samuel’s powerful gaze with a slight but superior smile, letting him know in return that he wasn’t the boss of her. “You must be the famous Samuel La Croix I’ve heard so much about.” Her voice was as cold and sparkly as a diamond.
    Samuel gave up a tiny, tight-lipped smile of his own. “And you must be the infamous Annabelle Fogle.”
    The two studied each other like opponents at a gunfight, each waiting for the other to twitch first. The room went silent once again.
    With a slight sigh of surrender, Annabelle relaxed. “Actually, the name’s Ann now. Ann Hayes.”

SEVEN
    H ayes?” Doug spoke next, his voice swollen with anger and surprise. “You took my name?” He had risen to stand next to Dodie’s chair.
    Ann Hayes tossed her glossy hair. “Well,