Chapter 1

"How long have you been a vampire?" Roxanne asked Megan.

"About twelve years."

"With me it has been only three years. Less, actually, but it seems longer."

"Well, I suspect that it gets mixed up with all the other things you had to do, what you already went through before Barnabas showed up."

"Yes, that is true. It is not such a big deal with me. Other things were more important."

"You have talked with Howard, I take it."

"Yes, I have, but still..."

"Still you are not sure whether or not to accept his offer, and you want my opinion."

"Well, everybody speaks highly of your judgment."

"Thanks, but I not infallible. I have been known to screw up on occasion."

"So have I."

"Did you actually trick Barnabas into making you into a vampire?"

"Yes."

"With me, it was an accident. His system was getting too screwed up because of Julia's treatment and I paid for it."

"Will my system get screwed up, too?"

"No. I suspect that Julia actually sabotaged it for reasons that made sense to her then, and which would give us a headache just to try to elucidate. She has no such reasons to do that to you."

Roxanne studied Megan, not sure whether or not to ask the next question. "Did you ever sleep with Barnabas?"

Megan laughed. "Honey, I sleep with everybody. It is a need that I have on top of the blood. So he got included. Anyway, I think that you are seeing him with your old eyes, your human eyes, where his vampire charisma got to you. Now that charisma does not work, and you can see all his flaws. And he has plenty. Take a good look at him, a really good look. When you are through with that, you'll think yourself lucky to be done with him."


"How can you release Delia?" Iris asked with a hurt voice.

"She has recovered. There is not reason why she should be locked up."

"It isn't right that she is free while Violet is dead! She killed Violet, and you know it!"

"She did not."

"She pushed her to it."

"Iris." Julia's voice was firm, but understanding. "She did push Violet into kidnapping you and Tammy. But breaking out of Wyncliffe and trying to kill you, that was wholly Violet's idea."

"It would not have happened if she had kept away from Violet."

"Maybe. And maybe not."

"Violet would not have come up with the idea on her own. She was my sister, she loved me."

Julia sighed at the rationalizations and self-deceptions that Iris imposed on herself. Why couldn't Iris accept the truth about her sister? Was it the pain? Was it easier to drown herself in guilt than to see Violet as he had really been?

"She loved me!" Iris repeated. "She would have never hurt me!"

"Don't lie to yourself, Iris. It only hurts you."

"It was all Delia's fault."

"Not all of it."

"We would have been fine, Violet and I, if it had not been for her."

"You would not."

"We would."

Julia sighed again. Was it wise to release Delia while a vengeful Iris was stalking her? Specially when you thought of all the different kinds of trouble that could be found around Collinsport.

On the other hand, Delia was fully recovered now. She had no right to keep her locked up - and if she did, she might be facing a lawsuit...

"How can you do this to me?" Iris protested.

"Delia is recovered. I am not going to keep her one minute longer than I have to."

"She deserves to be locked up."

"I am not running a jail, and certainly I am not running "Wyncliffe for your convenience."

"But it isn't fair!"

"I didn't say it was, only that this is the way it is."


The waves crashed against the rocks, sending an almost invisible shower of droplets in his direction."

Adam licked his lips, tasting the salt that had fallen on them. It was cold, suddenly, and would get even colder. He found it invigorating. He was almost tempted to go for a swim.

And actually somebody was swimming.

He could see the trail, the body, the white shoulders, the long trailing hair..

Someone swimming in that weather? And that hair...

It must be Megan. She liked to swim and did not mind the cold.

...But the sun was up in the sky, shining. It could not be her.

And her hair was green... Dark green. It had seemed black, but it was green.

The woman reached a rock and lifted herself on it.

She had no legs. At the hips the skin paled and became silvery. It also turned into scales.

Into a fish tail...


"So you will not be running for reelection this year?" Ralph, the D.A., asked George.

"No, to your great relief, I assume."

"It is not what you think... Look I do not approve of what you and Barnabas do. I think that it is wrong, But I have worked with you all these years and I know that I can rely on you. If what I want done can be done, you will do it. I have a good working relationship with you, but..."

"But there is your son to consider."

"I did not mean..."

"I know what you mean. Tommie and all the other children who were in Kira's power. If I run for reelection, after making public my private life, we will be overrun by reporters. And they will go hunting for other stories after they are done with me. They might want to know more about the man who is my lover. they might want to know more about the town and the people in it. Before you know it, someone will remember that Sister Kira died nearby, and start asking questions about her."

"You underhand my position, then."

"Ralph, ever since we found out about Kira, protecting the children was the first concern. Why should it be different now?"

"It should not, but..."

"But you think that I am ready to make a point with my reelection. Try to tell the world that a gay man can be a good sheriff. Well, I have made that point already. If I have not done it in all the years that I have given this town, then I will never do it. And I never got the job to make any point, in the first place. I believed that I had something to offer this town, and I believe that I delivered on it. Now, it is time that I lived a bit for myself. And it is about time that you people learned to manage without me. Maybe one day an openly gay man or woman will become sheriff of Collisnport. It won't be me, though."


Quentin sat on the cafe, looking out to sea. Collinsport looked nice, even with the cold. had it always looked so nice? or was it that he was at last able to really look at it?

It was strange, but he could not remember ever paying attention to shapes and colors before. Color was color. Red, yellow, blue... why suddenly had he acquired this appreciation for shading, for tone, for brightness?

Maybe it was another of Adam's gifts. He had given him a painter's eyes.

Had Adam added anything else that he did no suspect? Had he taken away something that he might miss?

He did not like the old Quentin, why should he mourn him? Adam had done well in what he did, and he was grateful for that.

"Fancy meeting you here." Carolyn said.

"Not really" he said politely. "This is a public place. It has a good view, and the food is nice. Why shouldn't I be here?"

"It is not that. It is my finding you. Mind if I sit down?"

"Be my guest."

"I want to apologize for the way I used to treat you."

"I probably deserved it. Actually I deserved a few kicks in the ass then."

"I was beastly."

"And I was a spoiled brat well past the age when such behavior is cute. No, Carolyn, do not feel bad. I deserved anything that I got."

"Still, I am sorry. I would like to make it up to you."

"Well, if you want, you could start by not making any plays for me."

She stiffened up. "I am not doing such a thing!"

Quentin sighed. "You and Adam have problems. You do not want to face them and try to solve them. Instead you have fantasies about me. Even though if I was foolish enough to take you up on them, I'd run across the same problem as Adam. Uncle Roger and your stubbornness in dealing with him."

"I am not being stubborn. Roger started as an outpatient and is taking his medicine."

"Good. In which case you can try reconciling with Adam now."