The first Chicagoland Vampires novel from New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill. Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was Merit's. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead. Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she’s traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan Lord o the Manor Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred-year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude—and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan’s attitude are the least of Merit's concerns. Someone's still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war...and there will be blood. Praise for the Chicagoland Vampires novels: "These books are wonderful entertainment; and if you are looking for a vampiric role-model, you couldn't do any better than Merit of House Cadogan. Chicago is lucky to have her." --#1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris "[A] strong-minded, sharp-witted heroine who will appeal to fans of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse and Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake." -- Library Journal "If you loved Nancy Drew but always wished she was an undead sword-wielding badass, Merit is your kind of girl." - Geek Monthly Chloe Neill was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest. When not transcribing Merit's adventures, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys, her favorite landscape photographer/husband, and their dogs, Baxter and Scout. Chloe Neill  is the  New York Times  and  USA Today  bestselling author of the Captain Kit Brightling, Heirs of Chicagoland, Chicagoland Vampires, Devil’s Isle, and Dark Elite novels. She was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest, where she lives with her gamer husband and their bosses/dogs, Baxter and Scout.  Chloe is a voracious reader and obsessive Maker of Things; the crafting rotation currently involves baking and quilting. She believes she is exceedingly witty; her husband has been known to disagree. Learn more about Chloe and her books at: chloeneill.com Table of Contents Praise Other novels by CHLOE NEILL Title Page Copyright Page Acknowledgements Epigraph   CHAPTER ONE - THE CHANGE CHAPTER TWO - RICH PEOPLE AREN’T NICER-THEY JUST HAVE BETTER CARS. CHAPTER THREE - YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT. CHAPTER FOUR - THE THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT . . . ARE PROBABLY ... CHAPTER FIVE - JUST A QUICK BITE CHAPTER SIX - IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, FALL DOWN, DOWN AGAIN. CHAPTER SEVEN - WHAT’S IN A NAME? CHAPTER EIGHT - FANGS MEAN NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU’RE SORRY. CHAPTER NINE - THERE’S NOT MUCH WRONG THAT CHUNKY MONKEY CAN’T FIX. CHAPTER TEN - KEEPING WATCH IN THE NIGHT CHAPTER ELEVEN - ADVICE FOR LITIGATORS AND VAMPIRES: NEVER ASK A QUESTION TO ... CHAPTER TWELVE - YOU CAN’T TRUST A MAN WHO EATS A HOT DOG WITH A FORK. CHAPTER THIRTEEN - TWO’S COMPANY—THREE’S A MADHOUSE. CHAPTER FOURTEEN - LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD. SO IS THE CITY OF CHICAGO. CHAPTER FIFTEEN - BEFORE THE FLOOD   EPILOGUE EXCERPT FROM FRIDAY NIGHT BITES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I owe a debt of gratitude to (at least) the following people: Jessica and the staff at Penguin for a phone call I will always remember, and for taking a chance on a new author; Lucienne, my agent, for patiently reading would-be chapters and offering fabulous advice; Melissa, for explaining the architecture of the University of Chicago’s English Department; Jess and Jill, for being the guinea pigs in my writing experiment; Jess and Jenny, for being fabulous shower hostesses; Ryan, for reading the fight scenes and repeating the moves until I figured out how to write them; My friends and colleagues, including Julie, Sandi, Anne, Amy, Heather, Tory, Matt, and Kevin, who read the draft, helped with the search for a title, and/or offered advice on contracting, history, character development, and editing (and who patiently listened to my incessant lectures on the virtue of vampires); D.J., for information on weapons and tactics; The Murphy family, for their hospitality, advice, and inspirational sarcasm; Baxter, for keeping me company; Nate, for making me smile more and laugh harder than I thought humanly possible; and Dusan and Mom, for always believing in me.   Want to learn more about the vampires, the Houses, the Canon, or Chloe? Visit chloeneill.com. “It is better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for what you are not.”   —André Gide CHAPTER ONE THE CHANGE Early April Chicago, Illinois           At first, I wondered if it was karmic punishment.