(7) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

"Holy smoke," Linden exclaimed as he looked around the bedroom that had been assigned to him.

Piers grinned. "It is a bit much, isn't it? They're all like this. Roderick spares no expense. Wait until you see the rest of the mansion."

"Roderick has some pretty impressive places, but—whew. This room alone could house a small family back in the day."

A huge four-poster bed stood against one wall with a matching dressers on either side. A bay window overlooked the grounds of the estate at one end of the room, a plush sofa sitting within its confines. There were chairs to go with the sofa, placed at the foot of the bed with a small table between them. The fourth wall held a large fireplace and the door to, as Linden soon discovered, a bathroom with all the mod cons.

"I've died and gone to heaven."

"God you're easy to please."

"Piers, come on, I know you're used to such luxury now, but I grew up like a regular teen. The closest I ever came to seeing a place like this was at the movies. Well," he admitted, "and that one house of Roderick's in Atlanta, but it's tiny compared to this."

"Tell you what, I'll find someone to show you around while I'm sleeping. And that," he glanced at the window, seeing the first rays of the false dawn beyond the trees, "will be soon. Come on, I know just the tour guide for you. Of course you'll have to wait until she finishes helping Mrs. Pope."

"She?"

"Yes," Piers said with a grin. "Very cute, very flirty, I'm sure you'll have fun fending her off."

"Piers, you're evil."

"Vampire here, of course I am." Piers wrapped an arm around Linden's shoulders. "But a nice evil you have to admit."

"Except when you pull something like this. Okay, lead the way. I'm not certain I could find the kitchen on my own just yet."