"Andrew Lacroix. He's a full vamp, but not yet a vampire lord. He's the political lord down in Savannah, and he seems to think that he had more of a claim to Atlanta than Shane. Hell, he wants all of Georgia. Don't ask me why, since Atlanta is enough to handle, and certainly too much for that twit. I wish Shane would just send Banshee and Reaper after him, balls to the wall. Okay, there might be collateral damage, but what can you do? But hey, this is what makes undeath worth living, right?"

"Yes . . . sir," she said, letting her amused exasperation come through. About that time,...