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“How strongly drawn?” Jean-Claude asked in that careful voice.

The two vampires looked at each other. There was suddenly something between them, not magic, but almost as if willpower could be something touchable.

“That is an odd question,” Samuel said.

“Is it?” Jean-Claude asked, and his voice held a lilt at the end that sounded strangely chiding.

Samuel settled back against the love seat, as if he was going to be there for a while. Somehow they both knew they were negotiating. “It was surprisingly bad manners for Augustine to have started a fight with your human servant.”

“Yes,” Jean-Claude said, “it seemed out of character for him, don’t you think?”

Samuel nodded. “I do.”

Richard’s free hand found mine where it rested on his leg. He began to run his thumb over my knuckles, as if he’d picked up the tension, too. Something was up, but what? What was Jean-Claude up to? I wasn’t used to being shut out by both of the men, especially when we were touching, but whatever was happening tonight, Jean-Claude was holding us tight shut against each other. He usually only did that when he was afraid of what would happen if the marks opened. After our little show-down with Auggie I wasn’t going to argue, but it made me head-blind around them, and I wasn’t used to that. I hadn’t realized that I’d started counting on getting hints from both their minds.

“I need advice, Samuel, advice from another Master of the City.”

“What could I possibly advise you on? You are a sourdre de sang. I am but an ordinary Master of the City.”

“I crave your wisdom, not your power.”

The two of them stared at each other, and neither face showed a damn thing. Note to self, never play poker with master vamps. “I am always glad to share my wisdom with my friends.”

“I need your trust, as well, Samuel.”

“Friends must always trust each other.”

I had a moment to wonder if “friends” meant for them what it had meant for Augustine and Jean-Claude. Not the time to ask.

“I trusted you tonight, Samuel, but Thea tried to force herself, and your Thomas, on my human servant. That is not the way a trusted friend behaves.”

“I can only give you my deepest apologies, Jean-Claude. Thea is sometimes overly enthusiastic in her pursuit of our sons’ powers.”

Sampson and I both laughed at the same time. The vampires looked at us. “Sorry,” I said, “but I think you’re understating it.”

“Mother, overly enthusiastic in pursuit of her children’s destiny,” Sampson laughed again, shaking his head.

Samuel frowned at him. Then he sighed and turned back to Jean-Claude. “Once I helped you, not for money, but because Augustine was my friend, and he asked a favor.”

“Your ship was my escape to the new world,” Jean-Claude said.

I remembered Auggie, in Jean-Claude’s memory, saying something about a ship and a captain he trusted. Had that been Samuel?

“I propose that we put aside mistrust, and speak plainly. I propose that we act as true friends and not adversaries.”

“All master vampires are adversaries,” Jean-Claude said.

Samuel smiled. “You speak what you have been told, not what you believe.” He looked at Asher. “He is master enough to have his own territory, but he stays with you out of love. You do not fear each other.”

“No, but you and I have never been close in the way of lovers.”

Samuel waved his hand in the air as if Jean-Claude had missed his point. “I do not covet your lands. Do you covet mine?”

Jean-Claude smiled. “No.”

“I do not covet your lady, do you covet mine?”

Jean-Claude shook his head. “No.”

“We have different animals to call, so that cannot even be shared. We are no threat to each other, Jean-Claude, our powers are too different. Let us help each other, and leave off this game playing. Let us come in honesty and friendship.”

Jean-Claude gave one brief nod. “Agreed.” Then he gave a wide smile. “You first.”

Samuel laughed, sudden and wide enough to flash fangs. It was an echo of Sampson’s laughter, as if when human he’d been even more like his son.

The thought made me wonder: if I was pregnant, who would the baby be like? Would it be a little