And we heard Bill was on a diet of synthetic blood only, said the tattooed vampire. Guess we heard wrong, Diane. The female vampire cocked her head and gave me a long look. Im not so sure. She looks like a virgin to me. I didnt think Diane was talking hymens. I took a few casual steps toward Bill, hoping like hell he would defend me if worst came to worst, but finding myself not absolutely sure. I was still smiling, hoping he would speak, would move. And then he did. Sookie is mine, he said, buy ghd straighteners and his voice was so cold and smooth it wouldnt have made a ripple in the water if it had been a stone. I looked at h ghd straighteners im sharply, but I had enough brains to keep my mouth shut. How good you been taking care of our Bill? Diane asked. None of your f ghd mk4 straighteners ucking business, I answered, using one of Jasons words and still smiling. I said I had a temper. 80 There was a sharp little pause. Everyone, human and vampire, seemed to examine me closely enough to count the hairs on my arms. Then the tall male began to rock with laughter and the others followed suit. While they were yukking it up, I moved a few feet closer to Bill. His dark eyes were fixed on mehe wasnt laughingand I got the distinct feeling he wished, just as much as I did, that I could read his mind. He was in some danger, I could tell. And if he was, then I was. You have a funny smile, said the tall male thoughtfully. Id liked him better when he was laughing. Oh, Malcolm, said Diane. All human women look funny to you. Malcolm pulled the human male to him and gave him a long kiss. I began to feel a little sick. That kind of stuff is private. This is true, Malcolm said, pulling away after a moment, to the small man cheap ghd straighteners uk s apparent disappointment. But there is something rare about this one. Maybe she has rich blood. Aw, said the blond woman, in a voi ghd hair straightener price ce that could blister paint, Thats just crazy Sookie Stackhouse. I looked at the woman with more attention. I recognized her at last, when I mentally erased a few miles of hard road and half the makeup. Janella Lennox had worked at Merlottes for two weeks until Sam had fired her. Shed moved to Monroe, Arlene had told me. ghd uk The male vampire with the tattoos put his arm around Janella and rubbed her breasts. I could feel the blood drain out of my face. I was disgusted. It got worse. Janella, as lost to decency as the vampire, put her hand on his crotch and massaged. 81 At least I saw clearly that vampires can sure have sex. I was less than excited about that knowledge at the moment. Malcolm was watching me, and Id showed my distaste. Shes innocent, he said to Bill, with a smile full of anticipation. Shes mine, Bill said again. This time his voice was more intense. If hed been a rattlesnake his warning coul ghd ceramic iron d not have been clearer. Now, Bill, you ghd pure cant tell me youve been getting everything you need from that little thing, Diane said. You look pale and droopy. She aint been taking good care of you. I inched a little closer to Bill. Here, offered Diane, whom I was beginning to hate, have a taste of Liams woman ghd sale or Malcolms pretty boy, Jerry. Janella didnt react to being offered around, maybe because she was too busy unzipping Liams jeans, but Malcolms beautiful boyfriend, Jerry, slithered willingly over to Bill. I smiled as though my jaws were going to crack as he wrapped his arms around Bill, nuzzled Bills neck, rubbed his chest against Bills shirt. The strain in my vampires face was terrible to see. His fangs slid out. I saw them fully extended for the first time. The synthetic blood was not answering all Bills needs, all right. Jerry began licking a spot at the base of Bills neck. Keeping my guard up was proving to be more than I could handle. Since three present were vampires, whose 82 thoughts I couldnt hear, and Janella was fully occupied, that left Jerry. I listened and gagged. Bill, shaking with temptation, was actually bending to sink his fangs into Jerrys neck when I said, No! He has the Sino-virus! As if released from a spell, Bill looked at me over Jerrys shoulde ghd iv r. He was breathing heavily, but his fangs retracted. I took advantage of the moment by taking more steps. I was within a yard of Bill, now. S ghd sale ino-AIDS, I said. Alcoholic and heavily drugged victims affected vampires temporarily, and some of them were said to enjoy that buzz; but cheap ghd straighteners the blood of a human with full-blown AIDS didnt, nor did sexually transmitted diseases, or any other bugs that plagued humans. Except Sino-AIDS. Even Sino-AIDS didnt kill vampires as surely as the AIDS virus killed Cheap ghd humans, but it left the undead very weak for nearly a month, during which time it was comparatively easy to catch and stake them. And every now and then, if a vampire fed from an infected human more than once, the vampire actually died redied?without being staked. Still rare in the United States, Sino-AIDS was gaining a foothold around ports like New Orleans, with sailors and other travelers from many countries passing through the city in a partying mood.