Free Broken Heart 01 I'm the Vampire, That's Why by Michele Bardsley

are going to insist that you remain in Broken Heart under our protection." Patrick met the gaze of each person sitting in the room, then he looked at me. "Give us time to show you how to protect yourselves, how to feed, how to set up your lives so that humans do not recognize you for who you are. Then you will be able to go anywhere."
    "How did you do that so fast?" I asked. "Usually it takes at least a month to close a sale for a residential property. Commercial properties take at least sixty days."
    Patrick's eyebrows winged upward. I shrugged. "I took a real estate course once."
    "We bought private land. With cash. The owner was thrilled. I believe you're familiar with the Barley and Boob Barn?"
    "You're shitting me!"
    "Certainly not."
    "What about the strippers?"
    "I brought them into my harem."
    My mouth went slack. "You what ?"
    Patrick rolled his eyes. "We paid them, love. A great deal, in fact, to pack up and go elsewhere." No , he shot into my mind, I don't really have a harem .
    Good. Then I won't have to stake you. "Sounds like you know what you're doing," I said begradgingly.
    "We've also been buying out the businesses and residences of the other townspeople."
    My nape tingled. "Why?"

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    "The town is small and it's isolated enough that the Consortium will be able to finally implement our long-term goal for a parakind safety zone. A permanent community, rather than pockets created within human cities."
    The tingling traveled down my spine and spun a cold circle in my stomach. "You're getting rid of the humans so you can invite other vampires to live here."
    Patrick nodded. "Not just vampires, but other non-humans who want to settle down in a community where they don't have to hide their true natures."
    "You can't just run our citizens out of their own town," said Linda, outrage vibrating in her voice.
    "No one has turned down our offers, which are more than generous compensation." Patrick's gaze softened with empathy. "I know you've been struggling to keep Broken Heart alive. But it's a dying town.
    At least with the Consortium's plan, it will thrive again… just in a different way."
    It was hard to believe that a few days ago my biggest concern was balancing my checkbook and counting the carbs in a Ben & Jerry's pint. Now, I was not only one of the eternal undead, I was just one kind of creature that most people believed wereHollywood creations.
    "Has everyone in town sold out to the Consortium?" asked Ralph.
    "Yes."
    "You're kidding me," I said. "You got to everyone in a day?"
    Patrick looked at me strangely. I couldn't interpret that glance, but it made my stomach dip. .
    "We've been buying out the businesses and houses in town for the last six months," he confessed.
    Stunned silence followed his announcement. Then voices started up all at once. After getting my own emotions in order, not an easy thing to do in the middle of a crowded, noisy room, I whistled shrilly and everyone shut up again. It occurred to me that Patrick might be pulling our chains. Maybe we were getting hazed—you know, teased and tormented before being allowed to join the vampire fraternity.
    "As I said, we've been looking for a place to create a community for non-humans. We realized that a small town inOklahoma would be perfect. No one would think of looking for our citizens in theMidwest
    ."
    Guess I hadn't done too good a job getting my emotions packed up. Shock had me sinking to the floor.
    I thumped down on my ass like a drunk who'd lost his balance and tried to comprehend that Patrick and his Consortium had been on the way here from where-the-hell-ever with every intention of taking over Broken Heart.
    "We were forced to vacate our previous location," said Patrick. "Unfortunately, not all parakind are interested in a kinder, gentler future. We've had problems with a group of vampires who call themselves Wraiths. They destroyed our other facility and forced