"Emily?" Kenneth asked.

The blonde woman turned towards him and raised her eye brows questioningly.

"Are you ready to go?" Kenneth asked.

Emily looked confused for a moment, like she had no idea what Kenneth was talking about. Then the light of realization dawned in her eyes and she nodded, "Yes, Kenneth I'm ready whenever you are. What is he doing here?" She gestured to Brian.

"Since when do I answer to you?" Kenneth replied darkly. "And since when do you have any say in what happens in my office?"

Emily rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Are we going to go, or not?"

Kenneth stood up from his desk, draining the other blood bag as he did. He walked past Emily toward the elevator with Brian in tow. Emily fell in line behind them and rode the elevator down to the parking garage. When the door opened Brain peeled off from in front of her and got into his own car as she walked towards Kenneth's car. Her heels clicking on the cement ground with every step.

Emily quietly got into the car as Michael held the door open for her after Kenneth had got in. She sat down and turned toward the window. The car headed off towards where Kenneth had told Michael to go. She gazed out at the city night. The car had a relaxing hum. She tried not to let her thoughts turn back towards the woman who was dead in the coffin in Kenneth's apartments in the Dukart tower.

Why had she done it? She had always carried herself as something more than what she was. Her poise and grace gave her power over others. She should have been drained and dumped back on the streets after that banquet that she had told her about. But it was her attitude and the way she carried herself that had saved her.

Nova was great for using that as an example of why it was important for her to learn the movements and way of carrying herself that she had drilled into her. She had come to realize, maybe just tonight, that there was real value in what it was Nova had been teaching her.

But if all that was true then why accept the turning? Why now? There had to be something more that Nova wanted. She was Kenneth's mate now. The thought turned her stomach. Kenneth wasn't so bad, not really. But in him she saw every guy that she had ever had a run in with. A ready smile, easy going attitude, and a smooth demeanor, until they didn't. And every guy she had run in with had that part to them. Kenneth was no different, and with the full power of House Dukart behind him, she doubted that she had seen his 'until he didn't' personality yet. The thought of one day coming across that part of him made her shiver.

Stolen novel; please report.

The car pulled to a stop and Michael jumped out opening Kenneth's door, then hers. She stepped out of the car onto the asphalt of a parking lot. The soft yellow street lights lit the place up nicely. The parking lot was part of a late-night shopping complex. They were towards the back end of the parking lot so they had privacy, but they didn't look anymore out of place than the occasional shoppers going to their cars. Emily wondered, as she usually did, what the hell were people buying at midnight?

She spotted the Arab's car as it pulled into the parking lot, pulling slowly around the street lights coming towards them. The black Mercedes Benz had deeply tinted windows, not even her vampire sight could penetrate it clearly. She saw five men in the car including the driver. The car stopped and the driver opened the passenger door and let out the familiar Arab.

He was wearing a black suit with a forest green shirt. His shoes were Italian, and the suit was obviously tailored. His beard was long, hanging down past his neck, but neatly trimmed. His hair was equally well groomed. The man's deep-set brown eyes looked at the group surrounding the unfamiliar car with a frown.

Emily walked forward, "Hello Amir, it's been a while."

There was no recognition in the man's eyes when he gazed at Emily, "I don't know you. Where is Stewart?"

Emily stepped closer to him, "Amir, I've had a bit of a makeover but it is me, Emily. I've come with Stewart a few times. I'm the one who set up our meeting this time around."

"Where is Stewart," Amir asked again, unimpressed.

Emily glared at Amir, "He's dead, Amir, ok? He was shot by some fucking asshole when he was buying some street crap. I'm running the place now and I had hoped that we could still do business together. But if you want to go, that's fine too. I can't imagine what the hell you want with donated blood in the first place."

Emily confidently turned on her heel and walked back to the car. She met Kenneth's gaze evenly. Her Head of House was not happy with her and she could read his expression that said, 'you're fucking this up. What the hell do you think you're doing?!' She couldn't help but let a small smile play on her lips. Nova was right, this was fun. She was in complete control of the situation, at least she hoped so.

"Wait."

Emily let her steps pause, and she held her position for a moment. This was something else Nova had taught her. Let the commands of others be followed, but make them wait for it.

Emily slowly turned, brushing her blond curls over her shoulder as she did so, "Yes, Amir? Are you going to behave more like the gentleman that I have always taken you for?"

Amir straightened his posture at these words. Another of Nova's tricks, point out a shortcoming in a man's appearance or character and they will bend over backwards to prove you wrong; by acting exactly the way you want them too. The danger of that was a lot of guys didn't care about appearances. The gambit would either work, or it would get you a fist in the face. This time, however, the gambit paid off.

"I didn't recognize you, Emily, and I am sorry for your loss." He didn't look like he cared at all about finding out that Stewart was dead. "If you wish to continue our business relationship, I would be happy to take your shipment from you."

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