"And when I graduate in a Christmas miracle, you'll get to see the dirty streets of Petersburg in winter. Alas, that cabins with outdoors entrance ways seem to be a thing of the past." And said with a little bit of real glee: "The poor Barge is getting shabbier and shabbier, it seems."

The worse, the better. The loss of outdoors areas might at least irritate some of the more spoiled wardens who are used to having access to entire garden areas.

"Oh, yes. Godric is his name," he explains. "Nice fellow. He was one of the first wardens I spoke to after the spring breach. By way of introduction, he told me that he killed people for a thousand years before he had some sort of moral epiphany and came here. The man knows how to make a first impression, I'll grant him that. It must be a trait that gets passed down through the vampire lines."

Or at least his, given Eric's own unforgettable introduction to the Barge.