Roman sighed. This mortal sex toy was supposed to solve the Malcontent problem? They were wasting his time, not to mention making him feel horny and damned lonely at the same time. "All the Vamps I know prefer brain sex. I assume it's the same with the Malcontents."

"Not possible with this one, I'm afraid." Laszlo tapped the doll's head, producing a ripe-melon echo.

Roman noted the doll was still smiling, though her blue glass eyes gazed straight ahead with a vacant look. "So she has the same IQ as Simone."

"Hey." Gregori scowled as he cradled the doll's foot to his chest. "That's not nice."

"Neither is wasting my time." Roman glared at him. "How can this toy possibly solve the problem with the Malcontents?"

"But she's much more than a toy, sir." Laszlo fiddled with the buttons on his white lab coat. "She's been transformed."

"Into VANNA." Gregori gave the doll's little toe a playful tug. "Sweet little VANNA. Come to Papa."

Roman gritted his teeth, remembering first to make sure his fangs were retracted. Otherwise a Vamp could accidentally pierce his bottom lip. "Enlighten me, please, before I resort to violence." Gregori laughed, apparently unconcerned by his boss's anger. "VANNA is a Vampire Artificial Nutritional Needs Appliance."

Laszlo twirled a loose button on his lab coat, his brow furrowed with worry. Obviously, he took the boss's temper much more seriously. "She's the perfect solution for the vampire who is still compelled to bite. And she'll be available in whichever race or gender you prefer."

"You're going to make male toys, too?" Roman asked.

"Yes, eventually." The loose button tumbled onto the floor. Laszlo picked it up and stuffed it in a pocket. "Gregori thought we could advertise her on the Digital Vampire Network. You'd have your choice of VANNA Brown, VANNA Black—"

"And this would be VANNA White?" Roman grimaced. "The legal department will love this."