“That’s great,” the queen said between giggles, “but I already have more help than I can shake a stick at. I mean…well, look.” She gestured to the kitchen. “I’ve been trying to get rid of some of these bums for almost a year.”

“Some of us,” Jessica piped up, “her whole life.”

“Well, too bad. I have to help you to—to get something I want, so here I am.”

Tina leaned over and murmured something in the king’s ear. Idiots. When she said she was a werewolf, did she say she was hard of hearing, too?

“I don’t know who Dr. Spangler is, but don’t call him. There’s too many people for me to deal with as it is.”

Tina looked startled, and Jessica, who had only seen Tina’s lips move, jumped, and then said, “Well, uh, I think—we think—you might be. Uh. Crazy.”

“No no no,” Sinclair said smoothly. “That’s a harsh word, I think.”

“Confused,” Tina suggested.

“Oh, come on,” the queen said. “Give her a break. She came all the way from Maryland—”

“Massachusetts.”

“—right. And she knew George’s real name! I mean, hellooooooo? Am I the only one who thinks that’s a really good trick? So why can’t you give her a break on this?”

“Because werewolves don’t exist,” Sinclair explained.

A short silence followed that and then Jessica said cautiously, “But you’re a vampire.”

“The existence of one does not ensure the existence of the other,” the king almost snapped. “And I can assure you, in all my long life, I’ve never seen one.”

Antonia snickered. “So that’s why we don’t exist? Because you’ve never seen one? Too bad; I thought you were smart.”

He blinked and said nothing.

“Well,” the queen said, and Antonia almost—almost—liked her. The woman was obviously pulling for her. She must be used to strangers popping up out of nowhere and making declarations. “When’s the full moon? She can, you know, get furry and make believers out of us.”

“It’s in six days,” Antonia said with a sinking feeling. “But the thing is, I can’t Change. Into a wolf, I mean.”

“Oh?” Sinclair asked with a truly diabolical smile.

“Yeah, yeah, I know how it sounds. My father was a—anyway, the pack thinks that instead of Changing, I get visions. All the disadvantages of being a werewolf, and none of the advantages,” she joked. “I might as well be a m—be a regular person.”

“Boy oh boy, you’re not making it easy for me to stick up for you,” the queen commented.

“Sorry,” Antonia said, and almost meant it.

“She isn’t,” Garrett said from his corner, and they all jumped.

“Cripes, George! I forgot you were there, you were so quiet.”

“Why are you calling him George?”

“Well, he doesn’t—uh, didn’t—talk, and ‘hey you’ got old.”