Forty years later, Gilda wakes up in the guest room at Sorel’s gambling parlor in Yerba Buena, California. Since Bird departed New Orleans to seek her own Native people, Gilda has sold Woodard’s and traveled across the West, wearing men’s clothes to pass unnoticed and deepening her connection to nature and animals.

On her first day, Gilda receives a warm welcome from Sorel and from Anthony, Sorel’s gentle companion of the past 100 years. They introduce her to Eleanor, a striking redheaded vampire who takes Gilda out to the dressmaker the following day as Gilda no longer owns any women’s clothes. Gilda feels a strong but conflicted attraction to Eleanor. The women have a brief confrontation with a disdainful vampire named Samuel who later corners Gilda on her walk home, makes racists comments, and warns her to stay away from Eleanor and from Yerba Buena.

Back at the gambling salon, Gilda expresses surprise to Sorel that anyone could think ill of the charming Eleanor; he explains that while she’s a member of his family, Eleanor “lives through deception, the thrill of conquest” (78). She caused Samuel’s wife’s death and turned him into a vampire irresponsibly.