“So . . . what, you’re stalking me?” I asked in stark disbelief.

“Oh, no! We wouldn’t do that,” she said, distress visible in her muddy hazel eyes. She cast a worried glance at her husband. “We were just so excited that you were here, in our area-when word reached us that a new Zorya had been made, and that she was from Seattle, we were naturally excited. But then the governors said that you were a bit confused, and asked us to help clear some things up for you. You can imagine what a thrill and an honor it is for us to be asked to aid a Zorya.”

“Um . . . all right. I’d be thrilled and honored, too, but I’m not a Zorya anymore.” A bad feeling was growing in the pit of my stomach. “I hung up that hat almost two months ago. What . . . what exactly are you supposed to be helping me with?”

Janice clasped her hands together, beaming first at her husband, then at me. “The governors asked us to answer any questions you might have-Rick is very learned in Brotherhood history, and I’ve led more than two hundred welcome sessions, so between us, there probably isn’t a question that we can’t answer.”

“I’ve made it a policy to never turn down an offer of help, but I’m afraid I’m still a bit lost. You keep mentioning governors, but I don’t know exactly who you’re talking about.” The headache that always seemed to be hovering over me like a dark cloud intensified.

“The governing board,” Rick explained.

“Governing board?” I frowned and rubbed my forehead. “I thought the Zenith ruled the Brotherhood.”

“One normally does, but the last Zenith . . .” Janice sent another glance toward her husband.

He picked up where she left off. “The last Zenith was destroyed by the vampire scum she fought so valiantly against.”

“Whoa, now! First of all, vampires are not scum. I know several of them, and they’re perfectly nice people.”