No Man's Land by Debra Dunbar

West Virginia since before it was a state. There have always been the usual trespassers, but never this level of intrigue.”
    “There’s nothing going on.” Kelly lied. She had a pretty good suspicion there was something going on. The whole family had been buzzing with gossip the last five years. “I know you guys keep track of this sort of thing. Help me out here and I’ll be out of your hair by the end of the week.”
    Jaq let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl. “Is your family planning on making a bid for our territory? Did they plant you here to spy on us as well as the other vampires, beating you up as part of your cover so we’d feel sorry for you and not kill you outright?”
    Idiots. Werewolves had no brains, just fur and fangs. Why would anyone want West By–God Virginia? There was nothing here. “No! I swear to you I’ve been punished and exiled. We’ve always had an uneasy peace with the Kincaids, and my family wants as much intel as they can get. Look, this may be my only chance to get back to my family, and you said yourself that I need to get out of here.”
    The woman before her suddenly looked fierce, gray eyes nearly silver as they bore through Kelly. “No, this is different. Tensions have been increasing between the two vampire clans, and we’re sandwiched right in the middle. There’s been an increase in scouts from both sides crossing the borders, and vampire shell corporations have been trying hostile takeovers on some of our companies. Don’t give me this crap about ‘business as usual’.”
    Kelly caught her breath. What was it with this crazy werewolf? The vampire was no weakling, but Jaq gave her pause.
    “Look, it’s an internal thing. Not werewolf business. We’ve got one Born too many, up north — a Prince who has come of age. I’m not privy to his plans, but I’m assuming the Master is thinking a raid on Kincaid lands is safer than a power–hungry son in his own territory.”
    “Yeah, not our business at all. We’re smack in between you two — how can you think that’s not our business? Do you expect them to do this raid across the DC metro borders, where security is high? No, they’ll tear through our state and sneak into each other’s lands in the rural areas. And why are vampires trying to take over the major corporations here?”
    “I’ve got no idea,” Kelly insisted. “I can’t imagine the vampires being interested in any businesses here. Outside of the racetrack, they’re not our usual businesses. I’m sure you’re mistaken.”
    Jaq snarled. “We’re not mistaken. These companies will be vampire owned by the end of next month, and there’s nothing we can do to stop them. We don’t have the kind of money to defend against multiple hostile takeovers, and it’s not technically against the contract the vampires have with us. Once they control all the money, they’ll starve us out. Is that what you have planned?”
    Kelly crossed her arms defiantly in front of her. “We don’t want your state, or your stupid businesses, and I’m sure the Kincaids’ don’t either. Look, I’ll pass along any information I get from my vampire family that concerns your territories if you share information on the scouts you’ve caught to date, and any future info.”
    Jaq’s eyes narrowed. “Why do I have a feeling the knowledge you have to share is slim to none? They beat you and tossed you out here to die. You’re expendable. I can’t imagine that they’d divulge anything worthwhile to a disgraced vampire whose life has no value.”
    The werewolf’s words were like a punch in her gut. Expendable. Was this really a way for her to earn the trust of her family again, or a chance for them to drain whatever usefulness they could from her before she died? The whole idea was too depressing to dwell on. Equally cutting was the idea that she had no information that would be worth anything to the werewolves. It was true.
    She could happily tell the