 
Tainted (Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #1)

By Claire Farrell

Editing by Red Adept Publishing Services

The backdrop may be grim, but Dublin city has become the centre of change. And as the humans and supernaturals figure out how to live in each other's worlds, the person who forced that change has quietly stepped aside for a peaceful life.

Ava Delaney is still trying to adjust to her own altered existence when a tainted nephal turns up on her doorstep, apparently on the run from the monster who changed Ava's life before she was even born. But she's not supposed to interfere, even for the lost souls she's vowed to help.

But as the first vampire leaves death in his wake, and Ava becomes an easy target to blame, she realises she has to take care of business once again. There are more secrets hidden in the shadows, more voices just waiting to be heard, and obedience has never been Ava's thing.

Only one thing is for certain, for people like Ava Delaney, there's no such thing as a peaceful life.

Copyright © Claire Farrell

Claire_farrell@live.ie

Cover by Yocla Designs

Licence Notes:

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold.

Chapter One

A heavy knock at my front door interrupted Peter Brannigan's aggressive grovelling session.

My nostrils flared. "I smell blood."

His stance immediately switched into that of a fighter expecting a battle. That was a relief; I was far more comfortable around the non-sentimental version of my ex-boyfriend.

We both reached for weapons on our way to the door. It wasn't likely to be danger on my doorstep, but after the wars, battles, betrayals, and deaths over the last year, we were understandably wary.

I opened the door, half-expecting a hooded assassin or some other equally annoying disturbance. I saw a stranger.

The teenage girl seemed unsteady on her feet. Her top was covered in blood, and a festering burn on her arm and shoulder looked painful. Spring in Ireland generally required a coat, but shock may have been the cause of her trembling. I looked past her and saw an injured man lying beside the front gate, as if those last couple of steps had just been too much.

The girl leaned against the jamb, her eyes widening with surprise and relief. "You," she breathed in an indistinct accent. "Are we safe here? Is it safe?"

"Yeah, it's safe," I said automatically.

She let out a heavy sigh and collapsed. I reached out to catch her, falling to my knees as I tried to support her weight. Holding her, I felt something connect inside of me, some instinct telling me it was right and true and all for me. After floundering for weeks, I had a sense of purpose to my new life.

Peter stared down at us. "What the hell?"

I couldn't tell him that the girl might be my first soul, the very first one in a line of many I had sworn to help for reasons I still didn't fully understand. I had recently, and secretly, pledged one hundred years to a secret organisation with more power than the ruling bodies who appeared to control everything on the planet. The death of the Matriarch, one of the Eleven who kept the balance on our plane of existence, had occurred, at least in part, because of me. I took her place after an old ally upset that balance over love, almost bringing the darkest demons from realms unknown into our world. Some demons had passed through, but so far, the world hadn't ended, so that had to be a bonus. Becoming the new Matriarch had been a kind of punishment for my role in causing tremendous upheaval in a world tied down by ancient laws and deals.

I studied the girl in my arms. She was young, maybe sixteen or seventeen, and she had been led to me. That was my job: finding the lost souls in the world and helping them back on the right track. Nobody had actually explained how to do that or even how I would know what the right track might be. And none of my friends knew the complete truth about my new path in life. They assumed the protection over us had automatically come with my inheritance. I had my reasons for letting them believe that nicer version of the story.

Peter scoped out the perimeter in a way that made him look like a soldier then assessed the unconscious man as if he were debating whether or not he needed to put him out of his misery. "He's in pretty bad shape." Peter had once been what amounted to a hired assassin of supernatural beings, and although he claimed to have changed, some things were too ingrained to ever really go away.

I wasn't worried about trouble following the new arrivals. Inheriting most of the cul-de-sac from the last Matriarch—a soul-sucking, redemption-seeking hag who had also been my sweet old landlady—had its undeniable benefits. Since I had taken over her role, my friends and I were practically untouchable, but the trade-off meant I couldn't interfere if my actions would benefit me. I had basically been put on a higher pedestal and neutered for good measure.

"Go get Anka and Margie," I said. "Maybe Val. We'll take these two inside and see what the deal is. If Lorcan's around, both of you should check outside the cul-de-sac to see if anything's out there."

"You sure?"

I nodded, refusing to look at him. In truth, I was glad of the distraction. I wasn't ready for the conversation he was so keen to have. I was still learning to deal with myself, never mind adding anyone else to the equation. Again.

While Peter was gone, I studied the girl. Something about her was familiar, but when I reached out with my other senses to see her energy, all I saw was a confused mess of colours. She was different from anything I had ever come across. That made two of us.

Val soon jogged from next door, a mace in her hand.

I raised my eyebrows. "The medieval-looking weapon probably isn't necessary."

"It's hard to tell with you." She set down the mace inside my foyer. "Anka's getting supplies ready. She wasn't sure what to bring."

"Help me carry them inside. The girl can go on the sofa. She's in better shape."

We quickly moved her first. The man, blond with glasses, looked pretty badly injured, so we carefully carried him upstairs to Emmett's old room. Peter's son had been a lost soul of a different kind. The kid was living with his dad most of the time lately, and my house felt empty without him.

Val looked at the stranger on the bed. "That's a nasty head wound."

"Looks like a recent wound to the stomach. There's a bandage under the shirt."

She frowned at the bloodstains. "He must have busted his stitches. Any idea who they are?"

"Nope. With our luck, bad news. Let's check on the kid."

Downstairs, we hovered over the teenage girl. She was athletic and leggy, on the edge of growing out of the gangly stage. Her hair was long, blond, and streaked with blood. The ends were choppy, as if it had been haphazardly cut by someone more interested in function than aesthetics.

"She's not much older than Leah," Val said. "But she knew enough to come here."

"Maybe they were trying to track down Mrs. Yaga."

She shrugged. "They look human."

"Looks can be deceiving."

Anka and Margie let themselves in.

"That's a nasty burn." Margie tutted as she peered at the young girl. "It's healing poorly. Hasn't been tended to properly." She tapped her chin. "Or she's been injured more than once."

"The other one is upstairs," I said. "No burns, but he's in a pretty bad state. Maybe take a look at him first."

The girl stirred restlessly, her forehead creasing.

"I'll clean her wound after we look upstairs," Anka said. She and Margie left the room, armed with bags of ointments.

"Did she get a chance to tell you what happened to them or what they want?" Val asked.

I shook my head. "But she doesn't wish us harm, or she wouldn't have gotten in. She asked if they were safe then passed out. Poor kid looks like she's been through the ringer. Maybe Leah will have some insight."

"Perhaps. Will you be okay if I leave to ask her?"

I nodded, barely hearing her. I was sure the girl had recognised me at the door, but I had no idea how she had tracked me down.

Peter returned alone, his jaw clenched. "Signs of a disturbance outside. An abandoned car that was in a crash. Either one of them is a shit driver, or they were run down by somebody else. Think they're trustworthy?"

I nodded. "They wouldn't have made it this far if they meant us harm. Besides, she's a kid."

He looked at me as if I were crazy. "Yeah, because in this world, people are innocent until they're thirty, and then they choose the good or bad card. Come off it, Ava. You can't trust anyone."

I gave him a meaningful look.

"Except me! You can always trust me." He cleared his throat. "From now on." He took my hands. "Ava, we need to fix this. Emmett loves you. We both miss living with you."

"You made your choices, Peter." And he didn't say he loved me.

"Deep down, you understand the choices I made. I know you do."

"Seeing through you doesn't make it any better."

His shoulders sagged. "Somebody once told me I'd regret having such a cold heart, and she was right. I do regret it. You and Carl and Emmett and even the rest of the weird Scooby gang... you've all made a difference. I can't say I let you in, Ava. You kind of kicked down the doors. But I'm glad we met because you opened my mind to so much. Even before you brought my son home, you had changed my life for the better. I just wish... I hope you can see what you'll be missing out on."

I sat next to the girl, a cold sweat running down my spine. I was a coward, a massive coward. I couldn't even look at the man who had once shared my bed every night, a man who had given me a family by sharing his son. But I couldn't forget he was the same man who couldn't bring himself to trust me because I wasn't human. He had sharpened knives in my kitchen at night when he couldn't sleep, and he was a man who couldn't love his son the way a father should. Peter was trouble, and if I let my guard down, I would regret it.

The girl stirred again, and her eyes fluttered open. They were green and clear, scared and vulnerable. She sat up in a hurry then flinched.

"It's okay," I said. "You're safe as long as you don't mean us harm. This place is neutral. Kind of."

She nodded, but when she caught sight of Peter, she shrank back into the sofa.

"He won't hurt you," I said softly. "Nobody will hurt you here."

Her gaze focused on me again. "A man gave me your address," she whispered. "I had nowhere else to go."

"Were you being chased? Is that what happened?"

She nodded. "They're looking for me. Probably looking for you, too."

"Who?" I asked.

"The first," she whispered as if in awe. "Seth and whoever works for him."

"Seth? Who...? Wait a minute, the first vampire?" As in, the monster who had bitten my mother to taint me in the womb. My heart raced, and I bit back the urge to count out loud.

The girl nodded enthusiastically. "You were on the television, showing your true face, and I knew you. I knew it had to be you. But then I got stuck in the games. We had to fight, but the vampires knew I was different, and he was probably there. He wants us back, my dad says."

I tried to follow the rapid outpouring. "Your dad is the man with you?"

She gripped the arm of the chair as if she had been shocked. "Yes! Where is he?"

"Upstairs. He's in bad shape, but my friends are taking care of him. They're into, um, natural remedies. What's your name?"

"Jessica. And you're Ava."

"So you do know me." My heart raced. "And you know about Seth. How?"

"You don't know?" She blinked, looking confused. "Because we're the same. I'm a tainted nephal. Just like you. My dad is a seraph, sent here to create nephilim children with a human wife. But Seth tracked him down. He attacked my mother while she was pregnant with me and tainted my blood in the womb. My mother died. Dad and I escaped, and we've been running ever since."

I met Peter's eyes. He shook his head, frowning.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course I'm sure. I want to see my dad."

"As soon as my friends are finished with him," I said. "They'll need to take a look at your arm, too."

She glanced at her arm absent-mindedly. "Oh, that's nothing. It was... never mind."

"So you think Seth is after you," I said. "Where did you come from? I mean, how did you come to be here?"

She huddled into the corner of the sofa. "We've always run, moved from place to place as often as possible. But... things changed, and we got stuck in England."

"Ah," I said. "You mean when the vampires decided to overthrow the Committee."

A flicker of anger crossed her face. "The vampires took over slowly. Nobody knew what was going on. We found some safe places, some not so safe places, and escaped to Ireland on a fishing boat. But the Guardians found us and kept us in a hostel."

"As in, gave you a place to stay or forced you to stick around?" Peter asked.

"We had no choice in the matter. They were waiting for us when we jumped off the boat. At the hostel, a fire started, so we took the chance to escape."

"Is that when you came here?" I asked.

"No. We found a safe house. People led us to safety. They knew by looking at us that we were running. A lot of people were running." She shook her head. "But even then we weren't safe. Vampires and other people kept coming at us, and Dad got hurt. Then I realised I was being followed wherever I went. So we were given a car and told to leave. We didn't make it far before they started following us again. I had gotten your address at that press conference where they announced the emergency numbers, and I didn't have anywhere else to go, so... sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry," I said. "How long were you driving?"

"Oh, less than an hour," she said. "We were staying in the city centre. We've been fighting back a lot. The streets are crazy."

"This whole story is crazy," Peter said. "Guardians, fires, safe houses? What the hell is going on out there?"

We'd heard reports of mayhem on the streets, but nothing quite like Jessica's story. Still, we had been concentrating on the bigger picture. Maybe we hadn't cleaned up as thoroughly as we imagined.

I glanced at Peter. He was on edge. I needed to get him away from Jessica as soon as possible. I sensed her reacting to his shifting emotions. I thought maybe if she calmed down, her story would make more sense.

"Change is going on. It takes time for everything to settle down and find a level point again. We'll have to find these safe houses and make sure everyone is okay." I caught sight of Jessica's terrified glance and smiled at her. "Not right now. When we've sorted you out."

"As soon as my dad is feeling up to it, we'll be leaving." Her cheeks flooded with colour. "We don't impose, and we can't stay anywhere for too long. I just didn't know where else was safe, and Dad was hurt. Plus I wanted to warn you. That video of you telling people to fight back was the only thing we saw for a while, so your face is pretty well known. You should be careful."

I shrugged. Being careful hadn't gotten me anywhere. "Peter, maybe you should get back to Emmett."

He hesitated, but when I gave him a meaningful look, he nodded. "I'll leave you to deal with... whatever the hell this is."

"Good," I said. "Explain it to him, okay?"

He agreed and left with a grim expression.

"That your boyfriend?" Jessica asked a little shyly.

"No," I said emphatically. "We just share a kid. Well, not my kid. His kid. But I... never mind."

Anka and Margie came downstairs, whispering to each other. Jessica pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"How is he?" I asked, noting how freaked out Jessica looked.

"He'll be fine. He needs a lot of rest and recuperation. He's practically malnourished," Margie said, pursing her lips. "What are you going to do with him?"

"Let him sleep, I suppose. Can you take a look at Jessica's burn?"

Jessica's eyes glinted red in the sudden sunlight that streamed through the window. The sun had disappeared for a long time when Eddie Brogan had messed with demons and ancient powers, but the constant darkness had recently faded. People had celebrated, and it had been kind of like the birthing of a brand new world, too. I had helped reveal the supernatural world, overthrow a corrupt supernatural government, and even end a vampire war, but while some people wanted to pat me on the back for a job well done, others saw me as the instigator of a lot of trouble and danger.

"They're trustworthy," I added when the feral look in Jessica's eyes didn't fade. "I can stay with you if you want."

"I'll keep an eye on the man," Anka said, "to make sure he doesn't have a bad reaction to any of the herbs. Margie can deal with the girl." She headed out of the room again.

The air thickened, and I cleared my throat, feeling uncomfortable. Jessica's gaze was a tad too intense, her story too familiar—yet outrageous at the same time. I hadn't known what to expect at my door, but a teenage tainted nephal claiming to be hunted by a vampire who was more myth than man certainly wasn't it.

Margie cleaned up the burn and wrapped Jessica's arm. The girl didn't flinch or cry. I couldn't stop staring at her. She was me nine years earlier, except less... unsavoury. She had a steadiness—or maybe it was a coolness—about her that I had never possessed, but something else simmered under the surface.

I wished Gabe were around to tell me what to do with her. My heart hitched a little. I missed that stupid angel with his stupid smart mouth and his stupid chip on his shoulder. He had been the closest I had to a supernatural relative, but I was faced with someone who might be more like me than anyone else on the planet. I couldn't wait to learn more.

Chapter Two

As soon as Jessica began to look a little less like a wild animal trapped in a cage, I left her with Margie so I could take a look at the damage outside the cul-de-sac. Shay pulled up in a squad car as I approached the exit. He had gotten out and was studying the wrecked car when I caught up to him. He looked tired, and his sallow skin was pale from lack of sun. But then he looked at me and smiled, and his dark brown eyes brightened, lifting years off him.

"I take it this isn't a coincidence," I said.

"Got a weird call on the emergency lines. Your name was mentioned. Everything okay?"

I wasn't sure how to answer that question. "I have some visitors, and I'm trying to figure out how much of the mess was them and how much was whoever was chasing them."

"I'm gonna need to talk to those visitors."

"The man's unconscious, and the girl is just a kid. But there's probably something you should know, now that you're part of the new... initiative."

He gave a little scowl. "What is it?"

I shoved my hands into my pockets. "The man is an angel."

He looked confused. "Like Gabe?"

I pressed my lips together to keep from snapping at him. Hearing Gabe's name brought out a lot of anger. When his confusion turned to concern, I forced myself to answer. "No, not like... him. This man is a seraph. Like my mother. So that makes the girl... me."

He gave me a blank look.

"You know, tainted, like me."

"And that's significant because?"

I stared at him, wondering if he was being purposefully stupid. "Uh, the first time I was brought to the Council's attention, they planned on putting me down like a dog. You should probably talk to Phoenix about this. He'll explain. Anyway, Jessica's under my care as long as she's here, so there will be no putting down or caging the new tainted nephal, okay?"

He took a step back, looking a little horrified. "Are you serious right now, Ava? You actually think I would be a part of—"

"No, but you're in bed with people who have been. Look, I know you're a good man. You're human, and you think you can do some good with this initiative and the new Senate and all of that, but do you really think you can restore a new Council and not have a lot of things revert?"

"For one, the Senate isn't the Council. Yes, the initiative's plan is to create a brand new coalition government, but the Senate itself is made up of people voted for by humans and supernaturals alike."

"People vote for the names they recognise," I scoffed. "There hasn't been time for anyone to discover if their representative has a clue or not."

He held up his hands. "For now, the Senate deals with immediate issues while the new sectors work through adjusting old legislation. To create a new government, we need a complete overhaul. That means changing laws to work fairly on both sides of the fence. The people deserve to get to know the new representation before anyone is officially sworn in, and they'll get their chance once we can put something permanent in place. It's a process, and it will take time. We will make mistakes, but that doesn't include sacrificing teenage girls."

I resisted the urge to sigh. "The old rules will apply for a very long time. People will always look at me like I'm a monster. It'll take generations of integration before change will even begin to truly happen. And that's fine. That's how it works, and we all have to deal with that. I'm just warning you and anyone else who matters that I'm not going to let any of that shit happen to this kid. If she's like me, we'll figure out what she can do, but she's not going to stay in the children's home. Are we clear?"

His face softened into a lazy smile. I stepped back a bit to avoid being sucked into his charm. I had assumed I was immune until I saw him work a room of unhappy humans until they were practically bowing at his feet. I wasn't so sure that Shay didn't have some subtle kind of Prince Charming power nobody knew about. Anka had assured me that wasn't a thing, and deep down, I knew it was just his way of giving everyone who spoke to him his full attention, making them feel important, but I wasn't taking any chances.

"That's very clear, Ava. So can I ask her what happened? A team of integration agents was being sent in, but I came instead. I knew you wouldn't want a pack of noob agents invading."

"Well, thanks," I said shyly, fully aware of the way my cheeks burned. Not that I wanted anything from Shay. But I wasn't blind. Or deaf. Or stupid. Maybe a little stupid. "We'll see if she's up to talking."

"I appreciate that." He gestured for me to take the lead.

"How are those new agents doing?" I asked as we strolled toward my home. "The Guardian stigma washing away yet?"

"They're in pairs now, a human matched with a supernatural because we thought that would do most for public relations. Honestly, they haven't been out in the field often enough in this capacity to judge, yet. I'm hopeful, though. Some of the teams have really bonded."

Back at my front gate, Leah and Dita were waiting.

"What's going on?" Dita asked. She had recently turned ten, but she was taking a stretch, beating out Emmett, who was almost the same age.

Shay chucked her on the chin. "Never you mind."

"Later," I promised and started to continue walking. But when I caught sight of Leah's expression, I hesitated. "Anything you need to tell me?"

Leah bit her knuckle anxiously. "You know what she is, right?"

"She said she's like me."

"She's angry," Leah said. "I mean, I think that's her thing. She has a different side to her. The rage is... powerful. Be careful."

"I'm always careful," I said lightly. "Head back inside. Shay needs to talk to our new visitors for a bit."

Leah led Dita back into the house they shared with Dita's mother, Anka, and Leah's guardian, Val. I was pretty sure Dita would have her face plastered to the front window for most of the day to be sure she didn't miss anything.

"Ava!"

I turned around. Phoenix strode down the path toward us. The royal fae's black and platinum hair hung over his shoulder in a loose plait, and his long leather coat flapped around his ankles. He was probably the only person on the planet who could have pulled off that look.

I glanced at Shay. "I thought it was just you coming."

He shrugged, looking a little irritated. "He probably got the same call I did. We have a new database set up with known names and addresses so we can deal with the emergency calls more efficiently. You were one of my red flags." He rubbed the back of my neck. "Just looking out for you all."

"Oh," I said, surprised. "Thanks."

Phoenix reached us and nodded at Shay. "I see you heard."

"Yeah, and I came to talk to the people who made the call." Shay's jaw clenched. "Joining us?"

There was a little tension between them, but as long as it stayed beneath the surface, I didn't care.

Phoenix bowed his head and looked at me. "If I may." He could be so freaking formal sometimes.

"Just let me do the talking," I said. "There's a scared teenage girl in there. I don't want either of you fucking this up."

"Aren't you going to tell him?" Shay asked.

Phoenix's green eyes flashed my way. "Tell me what?"

Inwardly, I groaned. "We share a similar heritage. She's with me now. Nobody gets to keep her or judge her or put her in a supernatural children's home. I don't care what your new rules say. You can take her over my dead body."

Phoenix's lips twitched. I hated when he laughed at me.

"Duly noted," he said steadily. "Anything else?"

"Um..." I took a deep breath. "She kind of thinks that Seth is here, or that he's coming here."

"Seth?" Phoenix asked.

"As in the very first vampire. The one who... created people like me."

"Then let's get this over and done with," he said briskly. "There's a lot to do."

The pair headed into my house. I stared at the walls of my sunny, red-bricked cottage, the place that used to be my own personal sanctuary, and sighed before following them. It was going to be an eventful day all round.

Inside, Jessica was practically climbing over the back of the sofa to get away from Phoenix. "Ava, run! He wants to kill you."

I raised an eyebrow at Phoenix, who lifted his shoulders into a shrug. "Any context for that warning?" I asked.

Jessica gestured at Phoenix. "I saw him. With the werewolves." Her cheeks pinkened as she squeezed the fabric of the sofa.

I caught myself praying it wouldn't rip and wondered when exactly I had turned into an old lady. "The werewolves helped us. They aren't your enemies, trust me."

Jessica slowly slipped back into her seat, evidently relaxing. "I was taken to the games. We were forced to fight each other, fight against vampires and monsters and"—she pointed at Phoenix—"he was there. I saw him. His people fought against the vampires, and we were able to get out of there." She stared at me. "I had begged my dad to bring me to you. I knew you would understand." When she glanced at Phoenix again, her eyes took on a red tinge. "But his people warned me against you, Ava. They said you were on the wrong side but that you would die soon. I can't... you can't trust him!" Her tone verged on hysterical, and her hands were clenched into fists.

I felt Phoenix stiffen next to me and knew I had to take control of the situation. "Anka, out of here quickly," I said in a quiet voice.

Anka edged away from Jessica and fled upstairs, but I doubted the girl even saw her anymore.

"You can't trust any of them!" Jessica screamed and bolted for the door.

I stepped in her way and grabbed her arms. "I trust him. So can you."

She struggled, her eyes wild. "No. No! He wants to kill you. His people told me so."

"Yeah, about that." I eased her into an armchair. "That was his mother. She hurt a lot of people. Phoenix was a victim, too. But he took our side because his kids are with us."

"Not just that," he murmured.

I shot him a dirty look. "Let's all sit down and discuss this calmly, okay?"

Shay, Phoenix, and I sat on the sofa as Jessica took heavy breaths.

After a moment, she calmed enough to ask, "So where's his mother? Is she trying to kill you? Is it safe here?"

"It's safe here," I said. "And his mother... well..."

"I killed her," Phoenix said. "My children and I destroyed her evil. You have nothing to fear. We're on the same page, Ava and I. I'm very sorry you were caught up in the games. It was violent and horrific and should never have happened. It was caused in part by some of my kind, including my mother. I'm righting those wrongs as best I can."

The red tinge vanished from her eyes. "A werewolf licked my hand."

I looked at Phoenix, who smiled. "Icarus," we said together.

Jessica held up her hands. "Look, what's going on here? Why are they here?" She tilted her head at Shay. "You were at that press conference, too, right?"

"Yes." He leaned forward, his expression soft. "It would help if you told us exactly what happened. Your emergency call got the right people involved, but whoever was chasing you was gone by the time we arrived."

She looked to me for reassurance. I nodded, hoping to encourage her so I could find out exactly what was going on.

"Okay," she said, suddenly appearing much younger. "Okay. Since we arrived in Ireland, we've been fighting and hiding and running and..." She shook her head with a little laugh. "It was about the same in Britain. We were going around in circles, trying to find a way out. The vampires had been invading the ports and airports for weeks, maybe months. Dad and I were stuck. Then weird rumours started spreading, and communication shut down. We were in Derby when the old air-raid sirens went off, and police and army began setting up barricades to stop people from leaving. That's when we finally realised how serious it was. A lot happened, including the games, but we finally found a way out. We made it to Scotland and took a fishing boat out of there."

"What happened when you got here?" Shay asked.

"Dad called them Guardians, the people who took us. We were brought to Dublin on buses. Lots of us. We had no choice, or they were going to send us out to drown. We ended up in a hostel. We all wore the same white clothes, and we didn't do anything but eat and sleep and stare into space. So we made a plan to escape—Dad and I... and a friend. There was a fire, and everyone escaped, but a witch was already there. She saw me and tried to take me, saying she knew somebody who wanted to meet me. At the time, I figured it was Seth."

She touched her arm near the burn. "My friend put fire between the woman and me, giving Dad and me a chance to run. The fire wouldn't stop, but we got away because people helped us. Strangers, some of them human, and they helped us for nothing."

Phoenix had flinched when she talked about the fire. Holy crap. What did he know? And then something else occurred to me. I had known someone with a healing burn on her arm.

I scratched my ear, feeling uncomfortable. "I don't suppose this witch was a bit cleavage flashy? Had red streaks in her hair?"

"Yes," Jessica said. "Do you know her?"

"Yeah." I made a face. "She's dead now. So is the man who wanted to meet you."

Her face fell. "I was kind of hoping it was somebody who could help me."

"Not without a trade," I responded. Eddie Brogan had been one of the first people to help me. I hadn't enjoyed watching him die, but Jessica was damn lucky that he hadn't found her.

"A trade you wouldn't have wanted to make," Shay added. "What those two did was make the sky dark for a while."

Jessica's eyes widened. "She took my friend. Do you think he's... dead, too?"

I glanced at Phoenix. He gave no hints, but I was suspicious. "If he's around, we'll find him," I said firmly. "What happened when you escaped? That was a while back, if Marina was still alive."

She stared at her hands. "Like I said, people helped us. There are safe houses everywhere, people... humans willing to help. People warned Dad not to sign the register, that they take the children."

"Register?" I asked. "What register?"

Shay shifted uneasily while Phoenix's face remained blank.

I gave Shay a warning glare. "We'll be talking about that later. What happened next, Jess?"

"We ended up in a safe house. Gerard took us in for nothing; he looked after us. But vampires came. They weren't alone."

"Beasts?" Shay asked. "Or something else?"

"Just this group who go around wrecking everything," she said. "They wear hoods, but they've been causing mayhem at night."

I smothered a groan. That group had been part of the plot to overthrow the Council in favour of a dictatorship. The hooded assassins had eventually lost their leaders, but apparently, the remnants of the group were still roaming around, causing mischief.

"They came our way more than once, and we had to fight. 'Cept Dad got hurt. During the day, I would look for my friend. Then, I saw the press conference." She gave me a weak smile. "You were there, so I tried to find you, but you had already left. Some man gave me your address. Then I saw them"—she nodded at Phoenix and Shay—"and I ran."

I frowned. "Who would give out my address?"

Shay sighed. "Moses was there that night."

"Yes!" Her expression brightened. "He told me his name so I could tell you who, um, to kill if I was some kind of new ninja assassin."

I grinned. "Sounds about right."

Jessica continued, "I noticed I was being followed. I kept getting away, but it was only a matter of time. Dad was afraid. You were all over the television and stuff, and he thought that would draw Seth in. Then again, he's convinced Seth had something to do with the vampires trying to take over. Anyway, I made Dad leave, and Gerard got us a car. But whoever was after us must have been waiting, because they tried to run us off the road. So we came here instead." She shrugged again. "I didn't know what else to do."

I caught Shay's eye. "Somebody should probably look into these safe houses. See if they need help."

"Somebody should look into Seth," Phoenix said. "How can you be so calm?"

"I don't know any better," I lied. A million butterflies had taken flight in the pit of my stomach, but I didn't want to freak Jessica out. "Besides, he can't get in here. Can you two try to find out more about the hooded assassins and the people who followed her? And this hostel she stayed in." I gave Phoenix a pointed look. "I'm interested in the fire, too."

I wanted them both to leave so I could get the chance to be alone with Jessica. I had a lot of questions, and despite their good intentions, I wasn't sure if trusting those in charge would ever be a smart move.

Chapter Three

I closed the door behind Shay and Phoenix, but as I took a step toward the living room, Jessica's father roared her name from upstairs, rooting me to the spot. I winced as what sounded like a lamp crashed against the floor. The noise was quickly followed by the man stumbling down the stairs. I ran and caught him before he face-planted on the floor. He looked me in the eye and recoiled.

"Take it easy," I said, trying to find something in him that reminded me of Gabe or maybe gave me an idea of what my mother had been like, but there was nothing. He was just a stressed-out man looking for his daughter in a place he wasn't familiar with. Margie and Anka came down after him.

"He wouldn't stay put," Margie said in a disapproving tone.

He struggled, but I held on tightly.

"Relax," I said. "Jessica's fine. Just waiting for you to wake up." I sensed Jessica behind me and tried to lead her father into the living room, but he aggressively shrugged me off.

Anka went over and tried to check his stitches. He shoved her away, sending her toppling against the bannister.

"Anka, go home while I deal with this," I said through clenched teeth.

"He's just scared." She stepped around the man to squeeze my hand. "I'm fine, Ava."

"We'll leave until he calms down," Margie said, taking Anka's arm and guiding her to the door.

When I heard the front door close, I turned and glared at Jessica's father. "First, you're going to apologise for being such a dick to my friend."

He stared at me blankly.

"This is my house," I said. "Either calm down or get out."

"Fine," he said. "Jess, let's go."

I realised that he had been looking through me the entire time, more concerned with making his escape. I was just furniture in his eyes.

"Dad!"

"You heard her," he said.

"I wasn't talking to Jessica," I said coolly, beyond pissed off and probably not thinking very clearly. "She's safe right where she is."

He snorted. "Oh, and you can somehow keep her safe?"

"Yes, actually. This place is off limits to anyone who means us harm. In case you haven't noticed, nobody here is trying to kill you. From what I hear, that's a big change for you."

"Please," Jessica said, going over and blocking him from the door. "Just listen for a few minutes. They could still be out there waiting for us to reappear." She looked at me over his shoulder. "Right?"

I shrugged. Whoever had been after her was long gone.

"And my arm hurts really bad now, and you probably have concussion," she added. "Let's just calm down and have a rest while we figure out what to do next. I mean, if we leave and you pass out again, then I'm on my own, so let's take a breather here. Okay, Dad?"

They stared it out for a moment before he squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. "Fine." He adjusted his glasses and smoothed down his hair. "But then we're leaving."

"I'll go make tea or something." What I really needed was to give myself a chance to calm down.

In the kitchen, I tried to remember that those two had gone through hell, and I probably shouldn't add to it by getting annoyed easily. The man had been chased by who knew what then had woken up in a strange place without his daughter. I should have been more understanding. And I had been until he put his hands on Anka. That wasn't going to happen again to her, not if I could help it.

Thinking about that made me realise he had managed to hurt someone, even though in a minor way, inside my home. That put some questions in my mind. Had he been able to cause harm because it was accidental, or was there some kind of loophole because he hadn't stepped inside with an intention to harm? Just what were the limitations on the rules of protection?

I threw a bunch of teabags into a creepy vampire-frog teapot Carl had bought me as a joke. I did a quick count and removed the sixth bag. There was enough drama without inviting bad numbers into the equation. I caught myself wiping down the counters in even strokes that added up to fourteen and forced my hand to quit. I didn't need to revert to comforting myself with numbers every time I encountered a reminder of my heritage.

I took the tea and some biscuits into the living room and sat on a chair. Jess and her dad were at opposite ends of the sofa, wearing identical stubborn expressions.

"So..." I poured the tea into three cups. "We've gotten off on the wrong foot. I'm a... well, people come to me for help, and I find a way to help them. But I can't help if anyone is violent to anyone else under my care. Do you both understand?"

Jessica nodded, but her father didn't react. Arsehole.

"Maybe we could start with you two telling me what you know about Seth. What he looks like, the people he associates with, the—"

"We don't know anything." The man's expression shifted as he retreated behind an invisible wall.

Okay, so wrong tactic. "I just realised we haven't even been properly introduced yet. I'm Ava. Pleased to meet you."

When he didn't respond, Jessica rolled her eyes and said, "His name is Adam."

"We have to leave," Adam said.

"We just decided to stay for a night," Jessica said in an exasperated tone.

"I know, but I can't. I don't want you in the presence of a tainted nephal. Not now. Not ever."

I drew back, trying hard to control my disgust. "I thought that's what Jessica is."

She folded her arms across her chest. "I am."

"No," Adam said. "The taint isn't strong in her. There wasn't enough time for it to fully infect her because I took her first."

Took her? "And Seth just... let you?" I asked. "He attacked her mother then stepped aside and said, 'Go ahead, man. Your baby.'"

"Of course not." Adam glanced at Jess. "We had help. We were protected for long enough to get away."

"And her mother?"

His face paled. "I... she died while I..."

"While you?"

"While I cut the baby from her womb. I had no choice! She was dying, but the baby had a chance to be saved. That's what I was brought here for!" Sweat rolled down his cheeks.

"Okay, calm down," I said, seeing a frantic look cross Jessica's face. "Jess, do me a favour and run outside. Look for Anka and Margie. Your dad's feverish, and he needs—"

"No!" He shot out his arm to grab Jessica.

She jumped up and ran from the room.

He glared at me. "I won't let you! I won't let you turn her into something dark. I won't let you..." He blinked rapidly before promptly passing out on the sofa.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank feck for that." I headed outside and found Jessica leaning against the wall in my garden. "Hey," I said. "See anyone?"

"Some kid was loitering outside your gate. She's gone for help. I didn't want to go back inside."

"That was Dita, Anka's daughter. Your dad passed out. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. I'm always fine."

"I bet you are," I said. "But me? I wouldn't be fine."

"Yeah, right." She shrugged. "I saw you kill a monster. You're strong."

I put my back against the wall and nodded toward the house next door. "Anka couldn't hurt a fly, but after everything she's been through, she's still standing. She's not fine all of the time, but she doesn't let it stop her from pushing forward. That's my idea of strength. And there's nothing wrong with not being fine sometimes."

"So what makes a monster-hunter not fine then?"

"One, I'm not a hunter. And two, lots of things. I'm a person, Jess." She didn't look convinced, so I carried on. "Last year, I saw a picture of my mother's face for the first time in my entire life. The only two people who knew her are either dead or have no memory of her. I've nobody to talk to about her, and sometimes it kills me. I can only imagine how you feel when he talks like that."

"What do you think about what he did?" she asked, ducking her head and looking at me from under her eyelashes.

"He had to save you." I hesitated. "I understand the reason he gave." I didn't say how repulsed I was at the thought.

"What if he could have saved my mother, too? Maybe I'd be more tainted or whatever, but we'd be a family."

"People don't survive an attack by the first vampire. It's too much for a person to handle."

"But we're alive," she said. "Both of us. How does that happen?"

"I ask myself that all of the time." I gave her a wry smile. "Sometimes, life is out of our hands. There's a lot about fate and destiny and all of that shit, and while I think that, ultimately, we make our own futures, somebody else had a hand in our pasts."

"I need to find my friend. Parker has to still be out there."

I thought of Pheonix's earlier reaction. "I'll do what I can to track him down. I promise."

She fidgeted for a few moments before asking, "How come we weren't followed in here?"

"This place is kind of a sanctuary."

"But why?"

"It's a long story."

She bit her lower lip. "Are you going to help me kill him?"

"Seth? We don't even know for sure if he's in the country."

"Dad told me that the only reason we're alive is because he promised I would be the one to kill Seth. I have to... I don't know how I'm going to do that. Are you supposed to help me? Is that why we both survived?"

"I don't know, Jess. The thing is, sometimes I can't—"

"Ava," Margie called from behind me. "Is he all right?"

"Fever, I think," I told her. "That and the fact he can't calm down for five seconds straight. He's in the living room."

"We mixed up a tonic for him, something to give him a peaceful sleep." She looked at Jess and smiled. "But he'll be fine. He's in the right place. Trust me."

I stopped Anka, who had been following Margie, as she passed us. "You don't have to go in there."

"He's not usually like that," Jess interjected. "I swear he isn't."

Anka nodded. "I have no feelings on the matter." She strode into my house with her head held high.

I looked around the cul-de-sac and noticed a lot of curtains twitching. "We should get inside. Meeting the entire neighbourhood might be a little much for you right now."

"Wait," Jessica said. "What were you going to say before?"

I rubbed the ringed scar on my wrist. "Um, it's kind of... awkward. I'm a little tied down when it comes to..." I sighed. "I have to ask for permission to help you, and I might not get it. Okay, kid? So I might not be able to kill Seth for you, but I can hide you here for a long time."

"No." She shook her head. "I'm not hiding anymore."

"But—"

"You don't understand what it's been like. I can't keep running. I want a life, Ava. A real life with... I just want all of this to stop."

I felt sorry for her. "Let me see what I can do. But let's keep this between us for a bit, okay? If anyone asks, you're in hiding. That's all."

She stared at me for a long time. "Can I trust you?"

"Yes, you can."

"Even though you're friends with that royal fae... man."

"He's been through a lot," I said under my breath. "Phoenix was a good man, and so was his father. But his mother was an evil bitch who went out of her way to destroy her own husband and rip any happiness from her son's life. She took his memories, made him forget his human wife and his children. She even made sure his children were taken to Hell."

She squinted. "Like, actual Hell?"

"The real deal. They were taken to a slave market and ended up being sold to vampires in England. Eventually, the truth came out, and Phoenix was reunited with his children, but he has no memory of them. We've gone through more than just a vampire war here. Imagine what it's like for Phoenix to know that he was once happy but he just can't remember it. So please try to cut him some slack."

She stared at me, her eyes eerily expressionless. "Where are the werewolves now?"

"Free. And technically, they don't exist. A lot of people wouldn't be happy to know that a pack was kept alive here."

"I don't get how you're going to hide those... things."

How often had I been called a thing? "They've been treated pretty horrifically, too." I brushed the flyaway hairs away from my face with a weary sigh. "Listen, Jess. Everyone here has a story. You can't judge any of them."

"I'm not trying to!"

"I'm just saying that life is a lot more satisfying when you give people a chance."

"It must be easier when you have a place to live, too."

My irritation melted away. "You've never had a home?"

She scuffed the toe of her shoe against the concrete. "We've never stopped running. You don't understand my dad. Sometimes, I don't either, but he acts like he has no choice in any of this. He's terrified. I'm not even sure if—" She sucked in her lower lip and shrugged. "I should go see if he's okay."

I followed her, wondering what she had been dragged through in her short life. Inside, Margie and Anka were finishing up with Adam.

"We've made sure he'll sleep for as long as he needs," Margie said. "Every time he gets overexcited, he's going to set back his healing. He's as bad as you, Ava."

"Ha, bloody, ha. Is he gonna be okay?"

"All he needs is some rest and relaxation. Is he staying here?"

I nodded. "Jess is staying here, and she'll probably want to be close to her dad. Just let everyone know that she needs some space for a bit. Make sure they back off, okay?"

Margie laughed. "As if I can stop the inevitable."

"I'll keep Leah and Dita out of your way," Anka said.

I glanced at Jessica. "They might be good company for her. She can join their lessons with Carl. Maybe she can start at the new school whenever it opens."

"School?" Jessica said, looking terrified. "I've never been. I mean, I don't know—"

I cut her off before she could get too worked up. "It's the same as most of the kids who will be attending. I told you. You're not the only one with a story. Plenty of people around here are working hard to have a normal life after years of craziness. There's no reason you can't do the same."

She smiled. She looked so pretty when she was happy, but I was fairly sure her default expression ran along the lines of worry mixed with fear.

I patted her shoulder. "Let's sort out the spare room for your dad. Anka and Margie can watch over him. Maybe between the two of us, we can carry him upstairs without hurting him."

With a lighter step, she trotted up the steps after me. We started organising the room.

"I'm strong," she confided. "No fangs, though."

"You know about that, huh?" I covered my mouth with my hand, strangely embarrassed.

"You kind of showed the world." She lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. "That's what kept me going. Back in the games and everything else, I knew there were people like you, like me, helping each other. I feel like I already know you."

She hummed as she drew a sheet across the bed. I didn't feel as though I knew her at all. My first soul was definitely going to be interesting.

Chapter Four

When the doorbell rang for the fifth time, I said wryly, "I didn't know somebody had called a meeting."

"News spreads fast around here." Carl interrupted his busy schedule of eating me out of house and home to answer the door. "And we're officially worried, so we want to know what's going on."

I looked around at the people gathered in my living room. "I think you all are just bored because there's no war going on."

Lorcan stretched out his arms and grinned. He had recently cut his hair as short as Peter's so people would stop confusing him with his now semi-famous father. It suited him. "You getting into more trouble is always interesting."

"I'm not in trouble," I protested. "I just happen to have a house guest who might be."

"Oh, and is that why she's claiming that Seth is after you?" Esther asked from the hallway.

I stared at her in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not welcome anymore? It's 'cause I'm bald, right?"

I rushed over to hug her. As far as I knew, she was still supposed to be in the clinic after receiving a serious head injury. Her hair had been shorn, revealing a thick ugly scar on her skull, though it didn't detract from her looks in any way. Her dark brown eyes had a little less sunlight in them, but she was one of my closest friends, someone who had stood by me when everything in the world had gone wrong.

"Baldness looks freakishly good on you," I said. "I'd just look like a weird egg."

She laughed and held me tightly. "Aiden's on the run," she whispered. "The new alpha wants to pass judgement on him for his crimes. I left the hospital to avoid the questions. I might disappear for a while until all of this dies down."

My blood chilled. Her brother had cheated his way to the top as alpha of the shifters. I could only guess what payback they would have in store for him. "Anything I can do?"

"I'll let you know." She pulled away from me. "So where are the guests?"

"Upstairs." I sat on the arm of Lorcan's chair. Peter, Val, and Anka had already taken over the sofa.

"Tell us everything." Carl gestured for Esther to take his seat. "I'm out of the loop since I moved, and I hate it."

I rolled my eyes. "You moved four doors away. Don't be ridiculous."

"She mocks me." He clutched his shirt. "She always mocks me."

Esther winced as she sat down. "Leave her alone. The more you tease, the less she gossips."

"Wait," Carl said, standing. "We need more snacks."

"I have like two sentences to say," I said with a laugh.

"I'm still hungry!" Carl trotted to the kitchen.

"You feeling okay?" I asked Esther.

"Sure am." Her smile never reached her eyes, though.

I decided to wait for some privacy before broaching the subject again. Carl returned with every remaining item from my fridge and cabinets that contained sugar.

"Wow," I said. "What's that about?"

"We don't keep junk in my house."

"You live alone, Carl!"

He grinned and grabbed a biscuit.

"Can we get on with this?" Peter asked. "Leah and Lucia will kill me if I leave Emmett there for too long. He and Dita get up to way too much mischief together."

"My daughter does no such thing," Anka said indignantly. "The boy is the one who—"

"Okay!" I held up my hands. "The girl is waiting upstairs, so let's get this done."

"Shouldn't she be here for this?" Esther asked.

I shook my head. "I want to get some stuff out of the way first. Most importantly, we're safe here. This place is protected, and whoever chased that girl and her father here didn't make it inside. There's no need for any of you to worry."

"So there's definitely someone chasing them?" Lorcan asked.

I nodded. "Looks like it. They were stuck in the UK during the BVA invasion. The vampires caught up to them, and Jessica was trapped in the games. The rumours were true; the vampires actually organised fights for their own entertainment. Jess reckons Phoenix and his werewolves saved her." I shook my head. "The poor kid's been running from Seth her entire life. I can't get much out of her father, though. I don't know if Seth's following them, or if they're only running in case he is. I don't know a whole lot about Seth."

And the people I might have asked were all dead—Gabe, Eddie, even Mrs. Yaga. I had nobody to turn to anymore.

"Is Seth in Ireland?" Esther asked.

"I don't know. It's obvious that he could have been drawn by the vampire wars, and Jess reckons my face on telly made me a sitting duck, but that was ages ago. Surely he would have turned up by now if he was bothered."

"But what does he want?" Anka asked.

"I have no idea. From what I know, he infects the nephilim in the womb, making them tainted. Like me, like Jess."

"Except you both got away," Peter said.

Carl leaned against my leg. "With a little interference, right?"

I gave them a grim smile. "There was a reason both of us were spared. I was hidden, but she had to run. I don't know why, but they seem to believe that she's the chosen one, the one who is supposed to beat Seth. I'm getting the impression her father made a deal: their safety in exchange for his promise that his daughter defeats Seth."

"So you're to help her do that?" Peter asked. "That's why she ended up here?"

"I don't know. I mean, does he want to kill us or keep us? Is he even around? This could be a big pile of nothing. Or it could be serious. I have no way of knowing."

"But she's like you," Esther said. "I mean, is she exactly like you?"

"There are... differences," I said.

"I'm not exactly like her."

I looked around. Jessica was standing in the doorway, her face pale. She looked overwhelmed yet defiant. I decided that was a plus.

"Everyone, this is Jessica," I said. "Jess, take a seat... anywhere. This is Lorcan. He's Phoenix's son. Remember I told you about him?"

She nodded and smiled shyly.

"And this is my friend Esther. She's a shifter and used to be a Guardian like her—"

Jessica recoiled. "A... Guardian?"

Esther leaned forward. "Have you met a Guardian before?"

Jessica looked at me, her eyes distraught. "Guardians kept us in that hostel. Guardians fought alongside the witch who tried to take me."

"Marina," I clarified for the others. "Apparently, Eddie had his eye on Jess." I turned back to Jess. "You don't have to worry about Esther. The thing is... she's been in hiding from the other Guardians, too. Most of the people you'll see over the next few days have been in hiding, as well. We get it, Jess. We understand what you're going through. But you're going to have to trust me. If somebody's in my house, that means I trust them, and they aren't a threat to you. We're family."

Jessica stayed by the doorway, her hands pressed against the frame as if for support.

I got up and moved to stand next to her. "Val's a friend who—"

"I saw her," she whispered. "On the news reports."

"Oh, well... cool. You met Peter already, and Anka. Well, that's everyone important."

"Ava!"

I grinned at Carl's expression. "Oh, right. This is my minion, Carl."

She stared at me as everyone else laughed. "Minion?"

"Yeah, I accidentally mind-controlled him one time, and he's been hanging around ever since. Can't get rid of the chap."

"She loves me really," Carl said. "Can't live without me."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I clapped my hands. "Right! Everyone's up to date. And now we've run out of info, so it's hard to say where we go from here."

"What are you talking about?" Jess said. "We know everything."

"We don't know where Seth is or what he wants, or even who he's working with."

"He's working with other vampires," she said. "It's his blood that made those monsters."

"You mean the beasts?" Esther asked. "You think he's the cause of those things?"

"The way they feed is like him," she said. "Dad said my mother looked... looked like..."

"Okay," I said. "That's useful." And it meant that Seth had been nearby for a long time.

"If Seth's blood is being used in the formula, then he needs to die," Esther said firmly.

She was right. Vampires had lost the ability to turn humans about a century ago, but recently, a new, unpredictable method had appeared. Nobody had discovered where the formula that turned humans into warped, mindless beasts had originated, despite it being the main strategy taken by the vampires during their ill-conceived attempt at war. If it weren't for the Irish fae sneakily keeping a werewolf pack alive after their worldwide culling long before I was born, we would all be dead or enslaved by vampires.

"This is good news," Peter said. "There's been so much backlash about the beasts. Now there's someone left alive to point a finger at."

"You need to talk to Daimhín," Carl said. "She's the only one who'll have half an idea. And if Eloise sees something and decides to translate..."

"Yeah, I know," I said. "I kinda hoped that would be a last resort."

"Take Phoenix and Shay," Carl suggested. "Have an official meeting about it."

"I'm not part of the new government," I reminded him. "It won't be official if I'm there."

He gave me a knowing look. "Maybe you should be."

"Who are you talking about?" Jessica asked softly.

"Daimhín is the vampire queen in Ireland, and Eloise is her seer." When she bristled, I hurriedly added, "It's okay. Daimhín sticks to the rules. Mostly. And she's kind of on our side as long as she has some power. She's been in a good mood since everything changed."

Jessica looked horrified. "But she's a vampire. Vampires tried to take over."

"She didn't," I said. "And she killed the vampire who was leading the BVA's cause over here. She didn't fight against us, so for now, she's not our enemy. Fighting her now would just send her straight to Seth. If he's around."

"He's around," she said. "Who else would be following me?"

"I have no idea," I said. "I suppose I'll have to see her about this."

"I want to come, too," Jessica said. "It involves me. I want to be there."

"What about your dad?"

"He'll say no. Don't tell him. Please. He's too ill right now to deal with the stress."

I glanced at the others, but I wasn't getting any help from that fence-sitting lot. "Okay," I said at last. "But if you leave the cul-de-sac, especially at night, I can't guarantee your safety. So I'll have her come here. We can talk on the street. She's used to that." I smiled, but it was weak. Daimhín might refuse if she was in a mood.

"Okay," Jessica said, sounding relieved. "I'd like that."

Carl moved over a little and patted the patch of carpet next to him. "Jess, sit here and eat some sugar. It'll make you feel better."

She blushed, but when I gave her an encouraging nod, she ventured over to sit next to Carl, who was probably the least intimidating person in the room, despite his height.

"There are some other things I've been worried about, things we might need to keep a handle on." I rubbed the back of my neck and refused to meet anyone's eyes. "Um, Jess, when I was a little bit older than you, I lost control and bit someone. Is that something we need to... talk about?"

She gaped at me. "Bit someone? Like, drank their blood? Gross!"

Some of my friends chuckled as my cheeks warmed.

"So that's not... your thing?" I asked.

"Ew, no," she said. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean... I just meant... I'm not as tainted as you."

"Oh, right. Thanks for that." My tone was a little harsher than I intended.

She flinched. "It's just what Dad told me. I mean, I... I get angry sometimes. I see red, and Dad says if I don't stop, if I don't pull back, that I'll lose it and kill everyone. So that's why he taught me to kill in cold blood."

I blinked a couple of times. "Excuse me?"

"He thinks if I can kill in cold blood, then I'll never have to lose my temper to win. That's what we've been training for. That's the end game: killing Seth without needing to kill anyone else."

I stared at her for a few moments, my heart thudding fast. "Your father makes you kill?"

She fidgeted. "It's not like... it's only if we have to. Only if... I know," she said miserably. "It never feels right, but I don't want to lose control completely. If that happens, he'll have to kill me, and then he'll be alone, and—"

"Oh," Esther said. "This is not okay."

"How many kids have this life?" Anka asked with a note of disgust in her voice.

"It's not her fault," Carl said.

"We know that," I said. "But Anka's right. How many kids need rescuing still?"

"I don't need rescuing, and I'm not a kid," Jess said, her nostrils flaring. "I chose to go back to my dad when I escaped from the vampires. He knows what he's doing, and he's all the family I have. Stop talking about him like he's a monster. He didn't..." She shook her head. "I'm going back upstairs. I don't want him to wake up and wonder about me."

We all listened to her footsteps sounding on the stairs.

"That was intense," Esther said.

"The poor child," Anka said. "It obviously doesn't sit well with her."

"She's been through a lot," Peter said. "Just like Emmett and so many others. We could help her."

"With Seth," I added.

A shadow fell over the room as my friends exchanged worried looks. The first problem in my life was back to haunt me again.

Chapter Five

After getting ready for the upcoming meeting, I went back downstairs and caught Jessica staring out my living room window.

"Doing okay there?" I asked, slipping on my jacket.

"There's a ghost in front of your house."

"You can see ghosts? Let me see."

I bumped her out of the way and looked out the window. Lucia was sitting cross-legged on my front garden wall, staring at my house. "Ah. She isn't a ghost. That's Lucia."

"She looks like a ghost."

"She does not!" I studied Lucia, trying to see her as the teen might.

Lucia's pale skin appeared to gleam in the dying sunlight, and her long platinum hair fell over half her face as she leaned forward, her expression a mask of concentration. Her thin fingers were splayed across her knees, and her balance remained perfect.

"Okay, maybe a little," I admitted.

"She's the creepiest person I've ever seen."

I pushed Jess away from the window altogether. "And she can probably read lips, you big eejit."

"I bet she's a witch."

"More like fae." I pulled the curtains and found an old jacket of Esther's for Jessica. "Her mother was a witch, though. Lucia is Lorcan's twin sister."

"Lorcan's not creepy."

"Neither is Lucia." I cocked my head. "Well, once you get used to her. She's a good person. She doesn't speak, she gets visions, and you must never say a bad word against her in front of Val."

"You have a lot of rules."

"You have no idea. Come on. I'll introduce you."

"I'm not going out there with the creepy ghost-witch."

I glared at her. "Stay in here and act like a brat alone then." I strode outside and got in Lucia's way. She hunched to the left to keep her eyes on the house. "You can't force it, Lu. Stop trying to bring on a vision."

She shook her head, looking disgusted. Usually, Lucia was a mask of calm, but sometimes, frustration at her lack of control over her visions pushed through.

Apparently, Jessica's curiosity got the better of her. She sidled up next to me.

"This is Jessica," I said. "Jess, this is Lucia, Phoenix's daughter."

Lucia widened her eyes and held out her hand to Jess.

"Don't!" I cried.

Too late. Jessica gripped Lucia's hand.

But no crazy vision sharing occurred. However, Lucia's cheeks twitched as though something was happening.

"What?" Jess asked, dropping Lucia's hand. "What did I do now?"

"You didn't do anything," I said. "Lucia, that was mean."

Lucia's eyes twinkled with amusement. She had totally been lip-reading when Jess called her a creepy ghost. And she had seen something when she touched Jessica's hand.

"Let me know later," I said. "Now get inside before Daimhín gets here."

Lucia shrugged and slipped off my wall. She headed to Anka's house. As she opened the door, Emmett burst through, giggling hysterically and carrying a headless doll. Dita raced out after him, shouting incomprehensible words in a shrill voice.

"Stop!" I called out in my non-aunt Ava voice.

Both kids skidded to a stop and gave me a shame-faced look.

I frowned at them. "Vampire queen means hide."

Emmett shrugged and headed for his house.

"Emmett..."

He sighed and threw the doll at Dita. She caught it with ease, stuck out her tongue, and stormed back into her own house. Emmett reached his front door then turned to give me a cheeky grin. I tried to hide my smile, but he totally had me.

"What was all that about?" Jessica asked.

"A never-ending struggle for power." I shook my head. "Never mind. We'll wait here. It'll be dark soon."

"I know."

"So we have at least one thing in common."

She smiled. I fidgeted as I swung on my gate. Neutral ground, I reminded myself. Nobody could harm me on my own territory. Probably couldn't.

Jessica was looking at me curiously. "Nervous?"

"What part of the words 'vampire queen' would make me nervous?" I had been feeling sick ever since Phoenix and Shay had agreed to meet Daimhín with me. I figured the queen would be on her best behaviour around Phoenix, but that was assuming she hadn't already bowed down to Seth. I realised Jess was still staring and shrugged. "I just don't like these meetings. Makes me feel like I'm involved in things I shouldn't be."

"You don't have to—"

"Yeah, I do. This is about me, too, and I've never met anyone like us before. This is huge, and it gives us something even bigger in common. Seth killed our mothers. He killed my father, too. He ruined our lives. I didn't have a nice little life growing up, and neither did you. I had to make what I have now. I had to fight for it. I even had to fight myself to actually believe I deserved it. And that could happen for you, too. This doesn't have to be your life." I focused on the mouth of the cul-de-sac. "No matter what your dad says."

After a moment of uneasy silence, she said, "So... Carl seems nice."

"That's 'cause he is."

"And you're together?"

"No. Nooooo. He's like my brother. My lanky, annoying brother whose full-time mission is to bug me. Unless I'm in trouble. Then he's first in line to help."

A car rolled into the cul-de-sac. My heart sped up.

"Seriously, are you okay?" Jess asked. "You feel... kind of wired."

"You can feel that?" I grinned. "Not so different after all, mini tainted one."

Phoenix parked and stepped out of the car. He walked toward us with a laidback stride while I struggled to hide my grin. His hair was plaited, and he looked more like his son than ever. That was really going to piss off Lorcan.

"How come he looks the same age as Lorcan?" Jess whispered.

"Long, long story. Lorcan's way older than me. I have serious doubts that Phoenix even knows his own age."

"Really?"

Phoenix stepped up to us and cut the conversation short. "I'm early."

I smiled. "You're pretty unreliable that way."

He nodded at Jessica. "I've been mulling it over, and I believe I remember you now. It's a pity we didn't speak in England. I could have taken you straight to Ava."

Jessica shrugged. "I met some people along the way who made the detour worth it."

"I've been thinking," I said. "When Leah starts at the school, Jess could maybe tag along and see how she feels about the place."

"After some testing," Phoenix said.

That chilled my blood. A number of things hadn't been adding up lately. Shay had been noticeably stressed out and irritable when in Phoenix's presence, and I was pretty sure the new Senate wasn't working as well as they had hoped it would. Then there had been mentions of a register—and now testing. It didn't sound like Phoenix, but it had come out of his mouth.

"Phoenix," I said warningly.

He held my gaze. "It's not as bad as it sounds."

"Maybe I need to check up on the home."

"I've been asking you to do that for weeks."

I avoided his eyes.

"You could help me," he said. "We have the same vision, but I can't do it all alone."

"Here's Shay," I murmured, hearing the car turn into the cul-de-sac.

Phoenix strode toward Shay's car to greet him.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Jessica asked.

"What? No! What's with the boyfriend obsession?"

She shrugged and scowled down at her feet.

"I was kidding," I said hurriedly.

When she looked up again, her face held a pile of vulnerability she obviously didn't want. "The first person I ever kissed sold me to the vampires. I thought he liked me, but it was all a trick. And then my friend gave himself up to get me away from that witch, and I realised how much I cared about him once he was gone. I can't really talk to Dad about that stuff, so I was hoping..."

"I'm not exactly queen of the healthy relationships," I said. "I bit my first boyfriend and recently persuaded Phoenix to take the guy's memories of me away. You have plenty of time to learn more than I do about relationships, and trust me, it's not a lot."

"What age were you when you first killed someone?" she asked.

For the briefest instant, I saw the dying vampire Maximus rise up before my eyes. "Twenty-five."

She bit her lip. "I don't really know what normal and healthy is, Ava."

I draped my arm around her shoulder. "Then you'll learn."

Shay and Phoenix approached us, chatting to each other politely. Few would notice the hint of tension in their body language. Shay was a pro at appearing relaxed, and Phoenix was adept at seeming emotionless. Despite the tension, they still worked well together. I was surprised at how easily Shay had fit in. He and Phoenix, amongst others, had done a lot to change people's perceptions of the old governments, even while creating a new ruling body. We were still in the infant stages of that idea, and change had made stability impossible, but I had hope for the future.

"It'll be dark soon," I said, watching the sky to avoid looking at either of them. I was keeping a secret from those I trusted most, and sometimes, I was almost certain they could see it in my eyes.

"She'll be late," Shay said wryly. "The vampire is always late."

"Did she freak at the idea of coming here?" I asked.

"No," Phoenix said. "In fact, she seemed eager. Be careful."

"I'm always careful."

He gave me a look that said I wasn't, but I ignored it.

"Just remember," I said. "Jess is under my protection. Daimhín cannot have her for any reason."

"Why would she want me?" Jess asked. "To feed from me?"

"That would probably make her day." I made a face. "But her biggest reason would be so that nobody else can have you. She might offer you a job. Say no. I've been there. It's not fun."

She recoiled. "You worked for the vampire queen?"

"It was either that or be tortured to death," I said. "Give me a break, Jess."

"I'm sorry. It's just... my dad won't like this at all."

Darkness fell, and I shivered. "She should be on her way soon. And I'm glad the four of us are here because I've been thinking. Shay, you got caught up one night because of a massive fire in the city centre. Jess tells me she was trapped in a hostel that was set on fire. Connected?"

Phoenix's fingers twitched. I was definitely asking the right questions.

"Was it a supernatural fire?" Shay asked. "Because nobody could put that fire out. The building burned down completely. Nobody came forward to claim ownership, so I assumed it was a supernatural building. We didn't look into it as much as we could have. Not with... everything else."

I glanced at Jess. "Your friend started the fire, didn't he?"

She nodded, keeping her eyes on the ground. "In England, Dad and I were running from a pack of beasts, and Parker turned up and saved us with fire. We sort of stuck together after that. Sunny—his grandfather—told me that Parker had kirin blood in him. He can control it. Don't think he can't. He was just trying to set us all free. Then when the witch came, he did what he had to do."

"Marina's arm was burned before she died," I said. "I remember that much."

"Parker used his fire to separate us. She was holding on to me with magic. He put the fire between us, and we got separated." She touched her arm self-consciously. "He saved me from her. Later, we heard that Parker left with the witch."

"If Marina had him, she either took him to Eddie or the Council," I said, glancing at Phoenix. "But Eddie's gone, and so is the Council."

"Let's hope Eddie never got his hands on him," Shay said.

I narrowed my eyes at Phoenix. "Is Parker in the children's home?"

Phoenix slipped on his snobby fae mask. "I would remember if a kirin had been mentioned. We don't get many Korean supernaturals here."

"Are you saying he definitely isn't there?" I demanded.

"I know nothing about a kirin. But it's possible this friend is one of the silent ones. Not everyone wants to share their identity, even when they're safe."

"That just means they don't feel safe," I countered.

"We're trying our best," Phoenix said. "I can only deal with one problem at a time. The children's home is complicated, and I have more pressing matters to deal with. We've hit a wall with the families of most of the children."

"I told you already. You need to hire Peter and Val. This business they've set up is perfect. How better to track down lost families without using up too many resources than to use a pair of finders?"

"It's Peter," Shay said. "He won't come to us, won't make an official application. He wants us to run after him, but there's red tape."

"How the fuck can there be red tape already?" I blurted. "Jesus, why do you men have to make everything so fucking complicated?"

Jess started at my tone.

"We'll deal with everything in due course," Phoenix said firmly.

He was the only one I had the heart to let feel as if he were the boss of me. And also, I was still slightly terrified of him. The fact that he saw me as so little a threat that he could occasionally show me a more vulnerable side made me more scared of him, rather than less.

Daimhín's limo entered the cul-de-sac. We all shut up. Jessica froze next to me. I tried to hold her hand for reassurance, but she pulled it away. Just when I felt I knew how to comfort people, I went and messed it up.

We strode over to the car as the usual occupants stepped out: Daimhín; her bodyguard, Zion; her forever-teenage seer, Eloise; and Eloise's pet baby vampire, Jules.

Jules's gaze locked onto Jessica right away. He licked his fangs hungrily, carelessly spilling his own blood as the points pricked his tongue.

I held up my hand and stepped in front of Jessica. "Jules, no! Daimhín, keep him on his lead around here."

"Calm down, Ms. Delaney. He's under control," Daimhín said in a bored tone. "Let me see the new addition."

I stepped aside so she could look at Jessica. The queen's fangs protruded instantly. Jessica grabbed my hand then dropped it just as hurriedly.

"It smells unexpectedly delicious." Daimhín smiled. "And more danger comes your way. You do know how to find it, don't you?"

I shrugged. "It sort of finds me."

She gave an uncharacteristic roll of her eyes. "Of course it does. Well, let's get on with this."

"Is Seth in Ireland?" I asked.

The vampire queen looked momentarily afraid. "Let us hope not. What makes you say that?"

"We think he was tracking down the new addition. That he's the secret ingredient in the beast formula. That killing him will do us all a favour."

Her expression tightened. "How will it do me a favour?"

"He's higher in the food chain," Phoenix said. "If he appears, your standing as queen will be destroyed. You know how it is."

"I've heard that those assassins and rogue vampires were working under a new leader, but I never suspected..." She paced on the footpath in front of us. Jules, in turn, grew edgier by the moment. "This is inconvenient."

"So you haven't heard that he's here?" Shay asked.

"No, no. I would have brought it to the Council—I mean, the Senate. This can't happen. You must get close enough to kill him, Ms. Delaney. Even if you let yourself die, it may not be enough to destroy him. You must tear him apart."

I held back a sigh. "We have no idea what will happen when I die, but I'd like it not to happen anytime soon."

"If he comes here, he'll take her," Daimhín said, pointing at Jessica. "You, too, perhaps. More likely, he'll kill you for standing in his way. He rarely lifts a hand to act himself. Others willingly do his work, but you have more chance of fighting back against his... minions, as you would call them. You have no idea what he's capable of."

"He destroyed my family to create me," I said wryly. "I have a pretty good idea of how much of a villain he is."

"That's the problem with you," she said. "You always think in terms of heroes and villains. I had half-forgotten he created you. Perhaps he simply wants to take his daughters home." She gestured at Phoenix. "If that's the case, we would be better off killing these two ourselves."

Phoenix stiffened. "I'll keep that in mind."

She looked disappointed. "Oh, not you as well."

Eloise's eyes had brightened. They weren't tinged with red, and she seemed calm.

"What do you think, Eloise?" I asked. "Know something you'd like to share?"

She cocked her head. "When I know something I'd like to share, I will do it."

"If I give you permission," Daimhín said hurriedly. She had been a little bit frazzled since Eloise began being rebellious.

"Is Seth a definite threat?" Shay asked Daimhín. His tone was strained, and I wondered if he took her advice about killing Jess and me first seriously.

"Only to these two. And the angels. Gabe is lucky he died foolishly."

Phoenix put his hand behind his back and took my clenched fist. He squeezed so tight it hurt, and I surreptitiously kicked his ankle, but he didn't let go. It wasn't as if I had been planning on attacking the vampire queen. I had seen her fight on occasion. I wasn't that stupid.

"I will make enquiries," Daimhín said. "If Seth is gathering, we'll hear about it. And I'll look into the information on the formula. I wish not for that plague to visit my island again."

"So it's likely?" Shay asked. "Is he responsible for the formula?"

"It's possible," Daimhín said. "And it makes more sense than anything else. If this is true, we won't be the only ones to wish him dead." She glanced at Phoenix. "You could perhaps use this as leverage."

Leverage against what?

"And if Seth offered you more power?" Phoenix asked. "What would you do then?"

Daimhín gave us a toothy smile. "I would consider my options very carefully, as I always do. We must leave. I haven't had a chance to eat yet."

The four of them got back into the car. Zion had to shove Jules into the backseat because he was staring at Jessica so hard.

The car pulled away, and I breathed a sigh of relief. But then it slowed, and the window was wound down.

"I'd like to see the girl again," Daimhín called out. "Bring her to me sometime. I have an offer for her, should she survive Seth."

I swore under my breath as the car disappeared around the turn. Taking Jessica to the vampire queen was the last thing I planned on doing.

Chapter Six

Early the next morning, I tried to sneak out of the house, but Jessica was up first and caught me before I could make it outside. She was in the centre of the living room, doing some kind of stretching exercise. The furniture had been moved to make room, and her cheeks were flushed with exertion.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Um." I fidgeted. "Just out. Somewhere boring."

She straightened. "Can I come?"

"Wouldn't you rather stay here and keep an eye on your dad?"

"I'm bored." She kicked the air with perfect form. "I need some fresh air."

"I have a garden."

She pouted and folded her arms across her chest.

"For the love of... fine! But if I take you, you can't ask questions. You can't tell anyone anything. You have to keep your mouth shut. Do you understand?"

She stared at me in astonishment. "Who would I tell?"

"Any one of the people you've met. I'd like to keep some things private, and they don't need to know everything about me. I need to find out if I can help you."

"If?"

"You don't understand, and I can't explain. I'm confined by rules, and you can't spill any of this."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Good! Keep it that way."

She shook her head, still looking confused.

"Oh, come on then. We have to get out of here before anyone notices. And let's pray your dad doesn't wake up and find you gone."

She quickly changed clothes, and we left the cul-de-sac as the sun was rising in the pink sky. I had missed sunrises. Even the persistent rainclouds couldn't spoil the return of sunlight.

"Why did the darkness go away?" Jess asked. "The sun was hidden for so long, then suddenly, everything was back to normal again."

"I don't know," I said. "Nobody does. Were you scared when it happened?"

"The darkness?" She shivered. "The sky went dark, and it seemed like everything out there came after us. Everyone at the safe house fought back. It was kind of cool, actually. But then..." She shook her head. "It got worse out there, and the sun never came back."

I shivered at the memory of that night. "I was in the middle of dying when it happened. A very powerful man was doing his best to bring his dead wife back to life, but it took all kinds of blood magic, sacrifice, and releasing demons into the world."

"There are demons here?" She looked so panicked that I laughed.

"Maybe a few. The important ones didn't get a chance to pass through. Carl helped contain it, and then a friend... well, it all ended in time. The circumstances that made the spell possible have been fixed, so there's a good chance that won't happen again."

"Just a good chance?"

I shrugged. "Anything's possible."

"So where are we going?" she asked.

I hailed a taxi. "To see my solicitor."

"That's the big secret?" she asked.

"I told you it was boring."

We climbed into the taxi, and I gave the driver the address. I hoped Mr. Breslin would be ready for me. I really needed to talk to the Eleven. I was one of them, but as the newbie, I was an outsider. They had specifically told me that I couldn't let my personal feelings affect my actions, that I could help souls but not influence their actions to benefit myself. But I wanted Seth dead, and I wanted Jessica alive. So if helping her would give me exactly what I wanted, how could I remain unbiased? I needed to talk to the Eleven before I did something that would negate the protection over my houses and tenants. I wasn't ready to die quite yet.

Martin Breslin answered the door himself. He hesitated when he saw Jessica but invited us inside.

"Sorry this had to be so early," I told him. "I was trying to avoid questions, but obviously..." I gestured toward Jessica.

"Of course," he said softly. "How can I help you today?"

"I have a request. A question really. For... them."

He nodded. "I'll keep an eye on the girl while you... get reacquainted, shall I?"

"So I just go in and touch the thing?"

"Yes. They won't be aware until then. If it all goes well, it shouldn't affect any of their schedules negatively."

"I'm not going to lose a couple of days this time, am I? Because if I do, you need to get Jessica back before her father flips out."

He shook his head. "That was different. You weren't one of them last time. It was preliminary. This is the real thing. You do realise this is the first time you'll enter officially as part of... the team?"

I shoved my hands in my pockets. "Yup. Not sure how I feel about that, but whatever."

He patted my shoulder. "You'll wait here with me, miss," he told Jessica. "Ava, you know where to go."

Surprised and relieved that she didn't argue, I took a deep breath and headed for the vault. Each step down was another stone around my neck. I wasn't quite sure what I would do if the other members said no. I pushed open the very ordinary-looking door and stepped into an impossibly dark room.

In the centre stood a small table. The crystal ball sat on top. Milky clouds stormed inside the glass, making the orb appear almost alive. I rubbed my hands together as I approached then held my fingers above the crystal. This is it. Make or break time. Christ.

I closed my eyes and pressed my hands against the ball. The spinning sensation was easier to bear when I couldn't see. Somebody cleared his throat, and I opened my eyes.

Ten ghostly figures sat in a circle around me. One was more there than the rest—the Shepherd. I was desperate to know him, to really know him. He acted as though he knew me, and it ate me up that I didn't know my counterpart's identity.

"You have called us here," Birth said. "What do you wish of us?"

"I kind of have an issue with my first soul," I said. "Um... her needs correspond with my desires."

"Clarify," Judge said.

"My first lost soul turned up, and she kind of happens to have a common enemy with me. This enemy is either going to steal her or kill her if I don't do something about it."

"Helping the lost souls doesn't always mean you must fight their battles for them," Warden said.

"He's likely after me, too, and she's just a kid. I mean, can I give you details or...?"

"You may," Shepherd said kindly. "You'll understand our secrets in time, after all. Tell us everything to enable us to safely judge the situation."

"Seth is after her. The first vampire. We think he might be involved with the beast formula. His blood could be the secret ingredient."

"And you believe if you kill him, it will serve your own goals to rid the world of the beasts?" Death said. "That would serve us all. I don't see this as a—"

I interrupted him without thinking. "That's not all. Seth is the vampire who killed my parents. He made me... the way I am. This isn't just about this girl. It's about me, too."

There was silence for long seconds.

Slave made a low sound. "This lost soul is also tainted, I take it."

"Yeah, but she's a good kid. She can't fight one of Lucifer's creations alone. It's possible he's been drawn over here by the formula and the wars, and if he has, I'm definitely a target. But if I help her kill him..."

"You save your own life," Silence said. "You avenge your parents. You stop the creation of any more beasts."

"This is awkward," Knowledge said. "This one should not be Matriarch if everything is so complicated for her."

"I'm not making it complicated," I said. "It's not like I chose to have this first soul or this life or any of this. Look, I need to keep this girl alive, and I need to keep everyone else as safe as possible. Getting rid of Seth accomplishes all of that."

"This soul was led to her for a reason," Shepherd said.

"She can't involve herself so deeply," Judge said, but she sounded almost regretful.

"I know," I said. "But surely—"

"What if he attacks her first?" Warrior asked. "Is she supposed to stand there and let him kill her?"

"Of course not," Knowledge said. "But that would be different."

"Exactly," he said, sounding pleased with himself.

"So that's my out?" I asked. "I wait for him to come for us?"

"Wait," Slave said hurriedly. "You can't in good conscience go after him, but if he should cause a threat to you and actively attack, then you have the right to defend yourself."

"And if he attacks this kid? This lost soul? Can I step in?"

"No being has a right to harm those under your protection," Shepherd said. "If he does his worst, feel free to do yours."

"And you'll all back me up? My people will still remain protected?"

"We need to discuss this," Judgement said when nobody else answered. "We need to be sure."

"Do we?" Silence asked. "We let the hag slip away because she was old, losing strength and weakening us in the process. This one is young and vital. We all feel it. This is a new age, and new eras require new rules. With her strength, we can push back this time."

Nobody disagreed. Nobody ever disagreed with Silence.

"Will I lose protection?" I asked again, determined to hear a clear answer before I left.

"No," Shepherd said firmly. If it weren't for him, I was pretty sure my conversations with the Eleven would go differently. "You are, of course, permitted to protect your own. Don't we all agree?"

The others muttered their agreement.

"Well, good." I was still suspicious that there was a catch. "And I can just... do my thing until he comes for us?"

"He may not," Birth said. "He may leave you alone."

I shook my head. "If this kid hasn't led him to me, he'll find his own way, I think."

"Be careful," Warrior said. "It won't be easy. This creature is seen as mythical. He's lived longer than most and yet managed to remain under the radar. His continued existence has upset the balance time and time again. It would benefit all of us if he didn't exist anymore."

"We must return," Wisdom said. "We've done all we can here."

"Go," Shepherd said. "Matriarch, wait a moment."

The others vanished, leaving me alone with the misty figure, who looked even less transparent once they'd left.

"So," I said awkwardly, "I didn't know this was a thing."

Shepherd laughed. "Are you nervous, Matriarch?"

"Stop calling me that. It's... unsettling."

"I wanted to speak to you privately."

"About what?"

"Seth," he replied. "I want him to die. We all do, but it's something we have learned not to say. It won't be easy to kill him. The vampires won't want him dead, not if his blood is the key to this formula. It's spreading, you know. There are reports of these creatures all over the world—none in great force yet, but it's only a matter of time. That's not the only problem."

"What do you mean?"

"You've opened the windows and doors. People know gods exist now. Religion has gained power, and gods who have long slept awaken, while vigilantes spring up everywhere. And the vampires will grow a cult following. They will gain power in other ways. As long as Seth is alive, the beasts will keep coming."

"The werewolves are the best protection against the beasts."

"The creatures who are not supposed to exist. We are not eager for the extinction of a species, although some are more troublesome than others. What do you think of them?"

"I think they've had a shit life, and they deserve the freedom and space they've been granted. Look... Shepherd, they helped everyone as far as I'm concerned. And even though I'm all... vampirey, they protected me, too. I can't hate them for that."

Shepherd laughed. "You're not exactly vampirey."

"You're close to me," I said. "I mean, you're not on the other side of the world, are you?"

He remained silent for so long that I worried I had offended him.

"Perhaps," he finally said. "Perhaps we're not so far apart."

"But I can't know you."

"Maybe you will," he said. "Someday. It takes a long time to acquire the true identities of the Eleven, but remember: I knew you before you ever appeared in front of us. It's not such a burden." His voice had grown wistful. "It's not such a sacrifice to be one of us."

"It's going to be difficult not to track him down," I said. "It's going to be hard to wait for him to attack us. I'm not sure how a person waits like that."

"It's not in your nature, but there's no crime in that. You'll do what you need to do. Your instincts will help."

I wasn't so certain about my instincts anymore. Since my circumstances had changed, I wasn't sure of any of my decisions. I had been trying to grow as a person, but in some ways, I had plateaued. However, Jess needed me. She was relying on me, and I had to be the leader again. I had to teach her, to guide her. Her weird-ass father wasn't going to be much use, but I could be the cool big sister she never had. We could make friends, become another kind of family, and we could take down Seth together whenever he came for us.

Apprehension and anxiety knotted in my chest. On one hand, I wanted to run and hide. On the other, I couldn't wait to meet the man who had created me. I wanted to look him in the eye and watch him die, just as he had killed the chance I'd once had for a family. My parents' lives being saved could have led to me to experience a life like Jessica's, but I wasn't ready to deal with that train of thought. Not yet.

"There's something you should know," Shepherd whispered, his ghostly form fading in and out. "The paragons have already reached out about the werewolves. They won't be happy about you, either. This other child might go beyond their limits."

"Who are the paragons?"

But he was already gone, and I was spinning back to earth.

Chapter Seven

"Well?" Breslin asked anxiously when I returned.

"I can't hunt him down and attack him unprovoked, but if he comes after those I protect, he's fair game."

"Can you handle it?" he asked.

"I'm going to have to," I said. "Where's Jess?"

"In my office. Go ahead. I'll lock up here. I think she needs a, um, friendly voice."

I nodded and jogged back to his office.

Jess was sitting in one of the chairs, her head in her hands. Some old books lay open on the desk in front of her. A terrifying picture of a tainted nephal jumped out at me. I had read those stories. None of them had helped my confidence.

"Hey." I reached out and closed the books. "Don't believe everything you read. People like you and me can rewrite the story."

She looked at me a little fearfully. "What is this place?"

"It's kind of hard to explain." I sat in a chair across from her. "I used to have a landlady. She was secretly important, untouchable, but she gave it all up to help us, to really get involved in the things that have happened to us. Anyway, when she died, she left me a lot of property and... her solicitor, weirdly enough. I transferred some of the houses to people I know, but of the rest, Breslin takes care of everything. This is where he works, and where I come to deal with other things my landlady left me in charge of. So if you and your dad decide to stick around after Seth is gone, I could sort out a place of your own. I mean... if you want."

"So you're the landlady now?" she asked.

"Yeah, I suppose so." I pulled my ponytail a little tighter.

"This is a weird place," she said. "I feel very... uncomfortable here. You have all of these secrets that are hidden by really human stuff, and I don't know if—"

"If Seth comes for you, I can help," I said. "But I can't hunt him down and strike first, though I wish I could."

She stared at me in horror. "Why on earth would you want to hunt him down?"

"Because I don't want to wait until he decides to make his move. He's an ancient creature. They take their time, make plans, grow roots that trip you up when you least expect it. I hate having to look over my shoulder, so if I can bait him, tempt him into coming for us, then I will."

"What are you, crazy?" she demanded, getting to her feet. "You don't tempt some evil monster into coming after you! You run, and you hide, and you—"

"That's no way to live," I scoffed. "You said it yourself. What's the alternative for you? Run around the world with your dad for the rest of your life? You haven't even been to school. If you stick around, you can—"

"I can't be like other people! I'm not other people!"

"Neither am I!" I took a deep breath. "Look, Jess, a little over a year ago, I was hiding, too. I know what it's like, and I know how scary it is to stop and come out into the open."

"You weren't running from this."

"Maybe not, but I did a lot of running of my own. I avoided the world as much as possible, and I was miserable. Worse, I didn't feel much of anything half the time. I was comfortable and in charge, and nothing in my life ever changed."

"So why did you give that up? It sounds... peaceful."

"The past has a habit of catching up. A part of me was desperate to get involved with the rest of the world. Just to see what would happen. In the end, instinct took over. I stepped in to help Carl, and you know what happened next, but while I was trying to get rid of him, I made friends and realised I didn't want to be alone anymore. I had been my own worst enemy for so long, but eventually, I couldn't think of anything worse than running again and leaving behind everyone I have ever cared about. And so many other people hid in the cul-de-sac, and the sanctuary, and all of these other places, but as soon as they got a chance, they fought back and made their own place in the world. If you had looked in their eyes before and seen how trapped and desperate they felt, you would understand how much of a difference freedom has made."

She was staring at me, but I couldn't read her.

"All I'm saying is that there's a place for everyone, no matter how different they are. They just need to claim their place. You need to be the one to carve out a life for yourself, Jess. You can't live in fear forever."

"Every time I try, somebody gets hurt," she whispered. "Every decision I make that goes against Dad blows up in my face. I keep getting it wrong."

"You're, what, seventeen years old? You're not supposed to get everything right. You can't control the world around you, Jess, no matter how much you want to. You have to let it go and keep marching on because nobody is going to carry you all of the way. You have to be willing to make it to the end all by yourself. Nobody will ever want it more than you do."

"I don't even know what you're saying anymore."

I grinned. "I'm telling you to break free and do what you feel is right. It doesn't have to be one lonely road for you. You have people looking out for you. You're safer here than anywhere else. I can promise you that. You and your dad, as annoying as he might be."

She frowned. "He's still my dad."

"And that's the only reason I'll put up with his shit. Angels... I don't know if they're the good guys, but I'm willing to give him a chance. Though when it comes down to it, you're my priority, not him."

"Why?" she asked. "Why do you care what happens to me?"

The question surprised me. "You came to me for help. Besides, we're cut from the same cloth. I want to help you."

"Even kill Seth?"

"As long as he hits first." I grinned.

"And if he doesn't hit? If he just takes?"

I sucked in a breath. I wasn't sure what I could do if he decided to take back what he thought of as his property. "I won't let him," I said. "Not even if you want to go. I went to Hell to save children who were being raised in darkness. I can do the same for you." I eyed her. "But please don't get taken to Hell. I really don't want to go there again."

She raised her eyebrows. "Are you serious?"

"Sadly, yes. I've had an interesting year, Jess. Want to hear more of the gory details?"

"Yes, please," she said eagerly.

"Let me say goodbye to Breslin, and I'll feel you in on the gossip."

I got up and went to find Breslin. He was loitering in the hallway.

"You've been reading up on tainted nephilim," I said. "Ready to quit yet?"

His sardonic smile lifted years off his face. "Have you read the stories about Baba Yaga? Your kind has nothing on the hag. She had years to make her mark. Your life has barely begun in comparison. Kill a few thousand innocent men, and perhaps I'll think about changing my mind, but I'm getting too old to shift careers now."

I laughed at the mischief in his eyes and thanked him again for meeting me so early.

Jessica and I walked home, while I filled her head with stories of the adventures my friends and I had gone through. She made me show her every scar, and I may have glossed over some of the darker details, but I felt as though she trusted me a little more by the time we reached the cul-de-sac.

***

Adam stared at me suspiciously. "Where's my daughter?"

"Downstairs watching television," I said, hanging by the doorway. I hated that he made me feel nervous in my own home. "So... I have a little news. Pretty much everyone agrees that ridding the world of Seth is a good thing, so if he comes for Jess, she won't have to deal with him alone."

He barked out a harsh laugh. "If he comes here for Jess, she'll be long gone." He stared at me. "With me."

"Well, I'm certainly not running like a coward."

"Cowards tend to live long lives. Besides, she'll face him when she's ready. Hopefully, far away from here."

"What's your problem? We can help her."

"You're tainted," he said nastily. "I can't bear the thought of you near my daughter."

"She's tainted, too, arsehole."

"Not like you."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. You ripped her from her mother's womb before she could be as poisoned as me. Fuck you, angel. Get that stick out of your arse and cop on to yourself."

He sneered. "You're so crass."

"Oh, noes. You wounded me." I turned to leave then hesitated, remembering what I had come in there for in the first place. "Did you know my mother?"

"Why would I know your mother?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Seraphim? Thought maybe that meant something. And Gabe knew her, so—"

"Gabe's here?" He sounded horrified.

"No," I said softly. "He died recently."

Air whooshed out of him. "That's a relief. He would have happily handed my daughter over to Seth."

"Shut the fuck up!" I pointed with a shaky finger at him. "He saved everyone. Everyone. He gave up his life so nobody else would have to. So don't you ever speak about him."

He glared at me, but he kept his mouth shut. Apparently, he was smarter than I'd given him credit for.

I stormed out of the room and went outside, unable to see straight through my anger. I was mad at Gabe—pissed at him, really—for giving up on himself and having to die alone. I knew, deep down, that he had done something wonderful and pure, but I couldn't get past his death. He had been my only connection to my mother, to a past I could never understand, and he was gone. I wasn't about to have some nasty, mean-tempered seraph bad-mouthing Gabe in my own home.

I trembled as I leaned against my gate, the spring sun shining on my shoulders. I wished I could cry. I needed to release the torment inside my soul—the guilt over Gabe's death and the anger over him leaving me without warning. He had driven me mad in life, but I had felt him change and known that he was growing as a person, never mind an angel. He deserved the chance to atone, but instead he had died, and I would never know if he had done enough.

Leah came to stand next to me. "You're upset."

"I have a gobshite living in my house, that's all." I sniffed. "What's up with you?"

"I want to meet her," she said. "The girl. I wish there were more people my age around here."

"I know." I sighed.

"You miss him," she said softly.

"Who?"

She gave me a wry look. "Gabe. Who else?"

I thought of Eddie. I had turned to him whenever I had a question. He had made some horrible mistakes, but he had done it all for love, and my anger at him had quickly faded.

I was madder at Gabe than at Eddie, which was beyond fucked up. It was as if whatever grief I'd had over Folsom and Mrs. Yaga and everyone else had mingled into a huge ball and rolled into my guilt over my grandmother and Wesley. They didn't remember me, and although that was a weight off my shoulders because I had one less burden, I also felt a sense that a piece of me had been ripped away. They didn't remember me, so my memories of them practically didn't exist anymore.

I had already been unstable emotionally, and then Gabe had just... vanished, right before my eyes, burned away until he was nothing. I still had dreams about him, and I knew I was angry because that was all I could deal with, but I couldn't seem to release any of my emotions.

"It's okay to be upset," she said. "It's okay."

"I know. I do know that. I just can't..." I shrugged.

"I know you aren't going to talk to me about it. I just think it would help to talk to somebody."

"I'll introduce you to Jess properly tomorrow," I said. "She's a little antsy, being stuck in the house all day."

"Maybe we could go to the children's home together."

I stared at her. "Who told you we were going to do that?"

"Phoenix. We talked about it."

I laughed. "When the hell did you learn to wrap him around your little finger?"

She smiled. "He's like you. Protective of everyone. I'm close to Lucia, so he sees me a lot, and I think he feels bad about the last time we visited the children's home."

"Yeah, he wasn't Mr. Pleasant that night. I'm glad you're getting along."

"He's coming over later," she said. "To see the twins. He's having dinner at Anka's house."

While everyone was in hiding, Val and Leah had stayed with Anka and Dita. I offered to rehome them afterward, but the four of them were more than happy to stay together for a while. Val had people to protect, Anka had someone to watch over her daughter, and the girls got to have a pseudo-sister for the first time in their lives. The situation had worked out better than I expected. And the twins were living in a different home, but Lucia and Val were in some kind of relationship, so the two households spent a lot of time together.

"You gonna come over?" Leah asked, jolting me out of my reverie.

"Oh," I said. "Nah. It's a family thing. I wouldn't want to intrude."

"We're all family," she said. "And Phoenix is more relaxed when you're there. He's always nervous of saying the wrong thing to Lorcan and making him mad. He knows you would slap Lorcan upside the head if he acted like, well, Lorcan."

I tried not to laugh. Lorcan had come a long way with his father, but he couldn't help letting out snide remarks every now and then. "I'm not getting in the way of family time."

"Stop being weird," she said. "You know you're family. You brought them together. And we don't see you as often anymore."

"Good," I said. "That means the world is safe for a while."

"For a while. So why not enjoy it?"

I shrugged. "Just busy with the noobs."

"If you say so. Anyway, Anka asked me to invite you over tonight for dinner."

"I think it's better if I don't show. We'll end up talking about anything other than family, and it'll get weird. Besides, I shouldn't leave Jess and Adam alone."

"Are you avoiding Phoenix?"

I laughed scornfully. "Why would I avoid him?"

"I heard things got a little... touchy when the Council caught you breaking out Aiden that time."

I shivered at the memory of Phoenix's lightning whip from hell. Touchy was an understatement for the pain I had experienced at Phoenix's hands. He had sworn to me that he had been putting on a show for his mother, whom he later killed, but I would always remember exactly what he was capable of. However, that wasn't why I tried to avoid him.

Chapter Eight

I wasn't surprised when I heard a soft knock at my front door later that night. When I answered, Phoenix was standing on my porch, fidgeting with his watch.

I turned without a word and headed into the kitchen. I heard the front door close and sensed him following me. The fae might have gained some purpose of late, but he was often unsettled and restless. He remained silent, hovering in the doorway, while I made a pot of coffee. I had bought larger cups just for his random visits. He rarely said what he wanted, but he always seemed to end up at my house, and for some reason, it didn't bother me all that much. I was only truly rattled around him in the presence of other company.

When the drinks were ready, I led him out into the back garden. We sat on crappy garden chairs and sipped coffee in the darkness, a full moon the only light. A sharp breeze nipped at my skin, but the hot drink held the chill at bay.

"You didn't come to dinner," he said.

I sank lower into my seat. "It was a family thing."

"They consider you family."

I looked at him. "It's good for you to spend time alone with them."

"They're not completely comfortable with me. When you're there, Lorcan is on his best behaviour, which makes Lucia worry less about the atmosphere."

"I'm not completely comfortable with you, either, but here we are."

He caught my eye and smiled. "This is not uncomfortable."

I sipped my coffee, deciding not to answer.

"How is the girl?" he asked. "And her father?"

"They seem okay. Not talking much. A bit like you really."

To my surprise, he laughed. "I speak when I have something to say. I don't require constant noise."

"I've noticed. How are the werewolves settling in at their new place?"

Phoenix had taken his mother's land and given it to the werewolves so they could have space and privacy. So far, there had been nothing in the newspapers about their location.

"They split up into small packs." He hesitated. "There hasn't been any trouble." But something about his tone belied the words.

"So who are the paragons?"

He jerked a little then let out a heavy sigh. "Who told you about the paragons?"

"Well, it wasn't you, so I'm guessing it's important if it was a secret."

"It's not a secret. It's... complicated."

"Am I too stupid to understand?"

He gave me a wry look. "It's safer for you to be out of the way of this one."

I frowned. "I don't appreciate being told what to do."

"I've noticed," he said.

"If I'm at risk, then I have a right to know."

"This isn't something that needs to be discussed with every person here."

"And that is supposed to mean what, exactly?"

"You have a tendency to... share. Everything. With everyone you like."

I frowned. "That's why they trust me. I don't keep... many secrets."

His eyebrows rose. "Such as the truth about the neutrality surrounding this place?"

I held his gaze.

He looked away first. "The paragons are a higher power. They are above the various designated governments, councils, and committees around the world. And one of these paragons has arrived in Ireland after hearing about the werewolves. He's taking his time to get to the point, but he likely wants to know why werewolves still exist."

"They saved us," I said heatedly. "And where were these paragons when the formula was being passed around and screwing up everything?"

"Taking their time," he said. "I feel confident I can appease them about the werewolves as long as there aren't any incidents, but I am concerned they will look to you and this child you're protecting. One tainted nephal is risk enough in some eyes. But two?" He shook his head.

"Is that what Daimhín meant about leverage?"

"Yes. If they turn their eyes to you, the fact Seth is here could help." He shrugged. "Or hinder if Seth causes enough trouble. For now, the paragon is watching. We have time to figure out our options."

"What'll happen if the paragon decides the werewolves are more trouble than they're worth?"

"They'll sentence the werewolves to extinction," he said softly, and I knew the same could apply to Jess and me. "Perhaps you and the girl could stay in the sanctuary. It's safe since ownership came back to me."

"Thanks. But we'll hold out here." There was no way I was giving up my home.

"I'm living there now," he said, "in the house next to the sanctuary. I could watch over you both."

I didn't want to flat-out refuse him. "If it comes to that, we'll see. But for now, I'm staying put."

"The paragon isn't an issue." The unspoken "yet" echoed in the air. He shifted in his seat. "Seth might be the real concern, but I'm worried about the hooded assassins. They disbanded and came back together under Reuben. What's to stop them from doing the same under Seth, an even more powerful vampire? Technically, he's not truly a vampire. He's an original and singular creation who sired an entire race. That makes him their god, in a way."

I made an attempt at an unconcerned grin. "What, are you afraid the faith of a bunch of vampires will make him invincible?"

"I'm more worried about the Irish vampires turning against Daimhín and the Senate. Or Seth creating more beasts."

"That's why he has to die." I gripped my cup tighter. "It's the best outcome for everyone."

He looked at my face. "So you're hunting him then?"

I bit on my lip, anxiously waiting for him to see right through me and into my soul. "If he comes here and attacks, I'll fight back."

Phoenix narrowed his eyes. "You would wait for him to come, looking over your shoulder while he bides his time? My children live here, remember, and I won't stand by and let you—"

"If he comes, I'll deal with him. I promise you that the twins needn't get involved."

"You're involved. That drags the rest of your world into it. You know as well as I do that Lorcan will fight your battles, and if Seth attacks unexpectedly because—"

"I don't have a choice."

"If harm comes to my children, any friendship between us will end."

"I'm not going to put them in danger, but I'm not hunting Seth down. This is the way it is."

He slapped his leg. "And you won't tell me why it's the way it is. Ava, I—"

I rose to my feet and headed toward the house.

Phoenix caught hold of my arm as I reached the back door. "I know you've made some kind of deal. But if you talk to me, I can help you."

"You can't," I whispered. "I can't tell, and you can't help me."

He closed the space between us, crowding me. I caught his scent and inhaled sharply. I was confused and overwhelmed and—

"Ava," he whispered. He put his fingers beneath my chin and tilted my head, making me look up at him. "Are you forbidden from telling me?"

"Yes," I said firmly, able to meet his eyes with the truth.

"Then I won't ask again."

He fell silent, but he didn't move. I held my breath. On some level, I was absolutely terrified of Phoenix. I still dreamt of the pain I had suffered at his hands when he'd basically been a double agent. His fingers tightened on my chin, and I knew I had let a flicker of fear show.

"Don't do that. I would never—"

"Stop," I blurted. "I can't—"

He eased back a little, but his hands moved to my shoulders and pinned me in place. I squirmed, panicking in case he could somehow glean the truth from my face.

"You haven't asked Lucia to look for Seth," he said. "Why not?"

"I don't want to force her visions."

"She wants to help you. I'll ask her myself."

"Phoenix, no. It was overwhelming for her when she suddenly began to see her visions again." I barely stopped myself from saying it was after his mother's death. "Seth isn't something she needs to take on."

"She's stronger than you think."

"I know she's strong, but—"

"She hasn't seen anything. Not yet. She'll let us know as soon as she does."

"I can't ask her to—"

"You haven't."

I shoved at him. "Let me finish a sentence, Phoenix!"

To my surprise, he smiled. I wrapped my arms around my waist, trying not to shiver.

"Why are you scared of me?" he asked. "You know why I—"

"I'm not!"

"Now who is interrupting?" He grinned, a broad, contented smile that I would never have expected from him. He took my hand. "Sit with me a while."

He led me back to the chairs and didn't drop my hand. His was warm and large, and I felt comforted by the contact. We were both a little empty, maybe even lonely, and that pushed us together sometimes.

"How have you been?" I tried to relax, but it was ridiculously hard when I was basically holding hands with a fae prince. And that sounded so crazy in my head that I wanted to laugh.

"Strange," he said. "There's been so much to do that I haven't had time to process it all. It's on nights like this..." With a sigh, he leaned back and stared up at the moon.

I watched his profile, confused by this side of him. "Sorry," I whispered. He had killed his mother then been thrust into responsibility. Coupled with building relationships with the children he couldn't remember having, his current life had to be tough.

His fingers tightened on mine. "I get frustrated sometimes, trying to remember things that don't exist."

"Do you think about her? Helena, I mean."

He frowned. "I only have the twins' memories of my wife. I see a stranger through their memories. I never see what it is that made me fall so hard in love that I left my heritage behind just to be with her. It's just... missing."

"I feel like a piece of me is missing sometimes," I whispered. "Isn't that weird?"

"Because... they don't remember you? Do you think that's how my... wife felt?"

I pulled my hand from his grip. The memory of what I had done to free my grandmother and my ex made me uncomfortable. "Helena didn't know what happened to you."

"But she lost her children. That must have made her feel empty."

I thought of Emmett and Peter and the way I had felt when they left. "Yeah. That almost destroyed her. She had a purpose, though. Searching for her family kept her from falling apart. She was good to me. She made my life so much better. I can see why you loved her."

"What age were you when you knew her?"

"In my early teens, I think. She was old to me, even then."

"Old," he mused. "Human old. And I would have watched her die. I would have always outlived her by lifetimes. How was that something I could be comfortable with?"

"I think that if you really love someone, then everything else doesn't matter. You still love who they are, no matter what they look like. You knew she was human, so when you were together, it didn't matter to you. You were willing to take one lifetime with her, even though you would be left behind. You obviously thought she was worth it."

"But who was she?" He sounded frustrated.

"She was kind and caring, selfless, really. And she changed my entire life. She got through to my grandmother and made the worst of it all stop. I mean, you saw Nancy's memories of me, how she saw me. Helena made her see me in a different light. And then I met Wes, and he helped, too." I cleared my throat. "Life is weird." I squirmed a little. "You could... see Helena through my memories. If you wanted. It might help, and I think I owe you that much."

"Thank you," he said. "I'll think about it."

Hoping to defuse the tension by changing the subject, I asked, "What do you do when you're not working? Or here?" I smiled.

He grinned back at me. "I read. Learn. Try to remember, or at least, catch up on what I've missed. I visit the werewolves and just... sit with them. I train sometimes."

"You could do that here if you wanted." I sat up. "You could help me train Jess. You and Lorcan could spend time together training her even. Her dad's convinced she has to fight Seth herself." I shook my head. "Some stupid deal. But we could at least prepare her."

"She doesn't trust me."

"Nobody trusts you at first," I teased. "But we got over it. So will she."

"Does that mean you trust me?" His voice had become serious. When I looked at him, his expression was naked, youthful and vulnerable.

"I do." And I meant it.

His expression shifted, but I still couldn't read it. "I should go."

He walked to the back door, and I followed. Still, he hesitated. I doubted he ever really knew what he wanted when he came to my house. He just didn't have anywhere else to go.

"Phoenix..." But I didn't know what else to say.

He was lost, but he sought me out as if I could help him. I felt responsible for him without knowing why. He was an adult, a father, a husband, a leader, someone with more responsibilities than most. He could take care of himself, but still, there was a part of him that he needed help with, and I felt compelled to be there.

"I'll come back when she trusts me more," he said. "I'll help Lorcan train her. If Seth comes for her, I'll stand with you."

"You can't get involved. You might have to deal with him as a government official."

"If he has been involved with the beast formula, then he is an enemy of this country."

"If he comes here, we can put an end to the formula. It would be over for good for the entire world, not just us. We would never have to worry about the same thing happening again."

"It would be the last major threat."

Unless the paragon decides to be awkward. "What if they try to order you to wipe out the werewolves?"

He raised a brow. "You know the answer to that already."

"That might be dangerous."

"A man needs some excitement in his life."

I smiled, but I was too chicken to ask what he would do if the paragon told him to wipe out the tainted nephilim instead.

Chapter Nine

"You did what?" Adam spluttered. "Vampire queens and—what on earth is going on around here?"

Jessica stood with her hands on her hips, her cheeks flushed. I covered my smile. She was totally taking advantage of her dad's injuries. I walked over toward the sofa where Adam sat.

"Real life," I said. "Cut her some slack, Adam. She's been through a lot."

"Cut her some slack? Been through a lot? Do you somehow believe I haven't been around for any of it?"

"I know you have, and I think maybe you're too close to the situation right now. The vampire queen is part of the new Senate here, and if anyone can warn us about Seth, it's her. She has a seer, and she has contacts. The last thing she wants is a stronger vampire taking over her territory."

"He's not a stronger vampire. He's a creator. He's the first. He's more than a vampire. He can—"

"Dad," Jess said in a frustrated tone. "Do you really think I haven't learned anything? I know what I'm doing. I'm just trying to help us survive here."

"This is the wrong place," he insisted. "We have to leave. We have to move on before he finds out where we are."

"We're safe here," Jess cried. "Won't you listen? This is the safest we've ever been!"

"According to her!" He jabbed a finger at me. "A tainted one."

A growl emanated from Jessica's throat. "I'm a tainted one, Dad. Me. Stop acting like it's a sin."

I was getting angry. Adam could be such a sanctimonious prick. If he would just listen to someone else for longer than ten seconds, he might learn a thing or two. He was so caught up in his bitterness and spite that he couldn't see anything besides what he had already convinced himself of. In that sense, he reminded me of Peter when we first met, except there didn't seem to be any getting through to Adam.

"This is getting us nowhere," I said. "You can leave if you want. Jess can stay with me. I don't care what you do, Adam. She's the one I'm interested in."

"Why?" he asked through clenched teeth. "Why are you so interested in my daughter? What can she do for you? What's your motive?"

"I don't have a motive," I snapped. "And if you keep pissing me off, you'll be crawling out of this house. Jessica's told us about her life, and I'm mad enough about that as it is. You treat your kid like shit, and that's one thing I can't abide. If you don't start treating the people in this cul-de-sac—including your daughter—with respect, you can leave."

"She's coming with me," he said. "We'll leave today. Trust me, I won't be looking back."

"No!" Jessica roared, her eyes turning red. "No!" she screamed again, kicking over the coffee table.

Startled, I took a step back. For the first time, I began to understand why Adam was so against his daughter losing control.

"Calm down," Adam said, but he didn't sound calm himself, and that clearly sent his daughter into a worse rage.

Jessica's hands clenched into fists. "You can't make me leave. You can't keep doing this to me whenever I get used to a place. I won't go!"

He sat up straighter and glared at his daughter. "You don't have a choice!"

"She has a choice," I said, eyeing Jessica warily. "Things are obviously... tense between you two right now. It might be better if you stayed in a different house. Jess can stay here until everything cools down. I don't see how—"

Jessica moved forward until she loomed over her father. "Get out," she snarled.

For an instant, I saw fear in his eyes. I closed the space between us, ready to stop her from hurting him if it came to that.

"Jessica," he said in a low voice, "pack your bags. When you calm down, we'll leave."

"You can. I won't." Her voice had changed, transformed into something dark.

I saw the taint in her then. The darkness appeared to shroud her skin and elevate her into something almost demonic. She raised her hand. In the second he flinched, I grabbed her arm. She flung me off her and sent me crashing into the wall. The force of her strength stunned me. She wasn't Jessica anymore. There was no recognition in her eyes.

"Jessica!" Adam shouted. "Stop it! Leave her alone!"

Jessica pounced on me. She had completely lost control. She caught me in the jaw with her fist before I managed to roll her over and pin her. She was stronger than I was, but she was also careless and out of control. I could manage her. For now.

"Jessica," I said as calmly as I could manage. "It's Ava. I am helping you, but you don't get to hurt anyone here. Do you understand me? Your taint is no excuse. You're better than this, and you can control it, so get a grip and snap out of it so we can move on already."

Panting, she snarled. She stared up at me, her chest heaving, but I held tight, holding her gaze. The scarlet haze slowly dissipated from her eyes. It was replaced with horror. When she finally stopped struggling, I let her go. Scrambling to her feet, she choked out a sob then raced up the stairs and went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Blowing out a breath, I turned to check on Adam. He had changed, too. He looked like a worried parent all of a sudden. There was no distaste in his eyes, only concern. I felt a little relief; I had been genuinely worried that he didn't love her at all.

"I'm sorry." He sounded defeated. "She doesn't mean it. She's too young to..." He shook his head. "She doesn't want to hurt anyone."

"I know that." I took a seat beside him on the sofa. "That was intense. Does it happen often?"

He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "It used to be rare, maybe once or twice a year. When she was younger, I could deal with it, but she's grown stronger during her... episodes. It's happening more often, and she insists on pushing the limits, on working herself up until... that happens."

"And that's why you've trained her to kill in cold blood?" I tried to keep my tone even, but my judgement came through clearly.

He gazed at me, exhaustion in his eyes. "You know what people think of tainted nephilim. Imagine if the wrong person saw her act that way. What if she keeps getting stronger and stronger until nobody can stop her? What if she can't come back one day after she loses control? They won't think twice about killing her. I'm terrified for her. If she can protect herself without losing control, then she stands a chance."

I shook my head. "She's a teenage girl. She shouldn't be encouraged to have blood on her hands by her own father."

"She's tainted." His voice broke on the word. "Avoiding that side of her nature is the only way I can keep her alive."

I shifted uncomfortably, seeing the parallels in the way I had been brought up. "Hiding from who she is won't help her in the long run. That's a temporary solution. She needs to learn how to control that side of herself. Trust me. I don't have her problem, but I have other issues. I know better than anyone what avoidance does."

"It's too risky." He gave me a pleading look. "We'll leave. We'll keep moving. There's no need for you to tell anyone else about this. I can handle her. If the time comes when... well, I'll be the one to deal with her."

"I'm not going to give anyone the excuse to use her or harm her. Look, I think both of you are going through a phase where you bring out the worst in each other. I don't know if it's proximity or hormones or what, but you're both supremely unreasonable when you're together. But I still think I can help you. I want you both to stay in the cul-de-sac, but I really think it's best for everyone if you stay in a different house until everything calms down some."

He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do with her. For the past three years, things have gotten worse and worse. I keep thinking if we move on frequently that there won't be a chance of her getting attached enough to lose herself. But it was impossible when the vampires came. She made friends, and it actually seemed as though her anger issues improved, but she still fought me on every other level. It's an ongoing argument that I try to disengage from, but it just continues whenever the opportunity arises, and I can't deal with it." He raised his head and turned to me, his anxiety plain on his face. "Did she hurt you?"

"No. She's strong, but I've been through a lot worse. I'm not a mother, Adam. I've had very little experience with teenagers, but I know what it's like to be a young tainted nephal and have the people I'm supposed to trust look at me as if I'm some kind of monster. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you expect her to act like a hormonal teenager, she will. And restricting her life obviously hasn't worked. She needs to be around people her own age, and both of you need to get out of each other's pockets and spread your wings."

His shoulders sagged. It was strange getting through to the real Adam, the parent rather than the seraph. "Coming back to Ireland has made everything worse again."

"Coming back?"

"She was born here."

That struck me as strange. As far as I knew, seraphim were rare, but two had reproduced in Ireland within a decade. I saved up those questions for later. "Does she remember the place?"

"No, no. But it's obviously going to raise some questions about her past. And her mother." He winced. "But she's been obsessed with what happened to Parker. She wouldn't be this jumpy otherwise, I think."

"Parker's the boy you met up with along the way, right? The one who creates fire."

"Yes, we joined up with him and his sick grandfather. Sunny's death was bad enough on Jess, but I promised Sunny I would take care of his grandson, and then we lost him. I feel responsible for that, but Jessica's head is full of dreams. She sets up these fantasy worlds in her mind, where she thinks everyone is a potential family member. We both grew attached to Parker, but the fact that he saved her life has her caught up in some kind of obsession with him. He's a good kid, but Jess has no experience with boys. And her judgement has proved... less than stellar."

He made a face, and I figured he was talking about the same person Jess had mentioned, the one who had sold her to the vampires. I really hoped that arsehole wasn't walking around on his own two feet anymore.

I thought of the children's home. "We could look for Parker. It might help her deal to know he's okay."

He shook his head. "She would only get hurt."

"Sometimes it's worth the risk."

His face paled. "Trust me. I know it's not worth it."

"You loved your wife, didn't you?"

He gazed at his hands and rubbed them together. "It wasn't a requirement, coming here and having feelings. I wasn't expecting the humanity of this body, how easy it was to care. When it was all taken away from me, it ripped me apart. I killed her. I'm the one who caused her life to end. Yes, she would have died anyway, but I caused her heart to stop beating."

"You did it to save Jess," I said. "Your wife probably..." I couldn't give advice. I had no idea what exactly had happened. But I was dying to find out.

"She begged me to save the baby," he said. "She had no idea what was going on, but she understood she was dying. She knew the baby was at risk if she died; she just didn't realise the baby was at a different kind of risk if she lived."

"How did you get away from Seth?"

He rubbed his cheeks. "I prayed. I offered everything I had to save her, so that my wife's death wasn't for nothing. I saved my daughter just so she could do the dirty work of beings who don't care and haven't helped. No matter what I've done, bad luck has followed us."

"Have you told Jess any of this stuff?"

He made a strangled sound in his throat. "I wish I didn't know. Why would I burden her?"

"Do you not think...?" I shifted in my seat, feeling uncomfortable. "I mean, wouldn't it help her to know what happened? That her parents actually cared about her? That it wasn't all about the end game. At least not for you."

He looked at me, his face twisted with disgust. "Are you talking about Jess or yourself?"

I shrugged. "Both, I suppose. Gabe had so much more he could have told me. He was biding his time; I just know it. And my grandmother doesn't remember me anymore. Everything I could have known was wiped from the world. I mean, why do these things happen? Why us?"

"You think the answers would help you?"

"Why not? You've been under pressure to keep Jess moving. My grandmother was under pressure to make sure I was treated like crap. Why the specifics? Why were Jess and I treated differently? And why is everyone so obedient?"

But the spell had broken. Adam's gaze turned cold. "Perhaps you're right about a short separation. I will not stay in the same home as a hellhound, however."

"Half-hellhound," I corrected. "And somebody fiercely loyal, so you had better hope she takes Jess under her wing. But yeah, I think you'd be better off with a human, someone who doesn't easily take offence. And you need somewhere quiet, so you can recuperate. You can eat your meals here, if you feel up to it. Jess still needs you, but I'd prefer to dial down the intensity for now."

"Where?"

"I think Carl would be best for you. You'll be able to see this house from his window. You can come over any time. I'm not taking her away from you; I'm just putting distance between you both to avoid that happening again."

"I understand," he said, biting out the words in a clipped tone.

"Okay," I said. "I'll organise it. You should talk to Jess and explain things to her."

"I'll let her know where I'm going."

"That's not what I meant."

He rose to his feet. "I know."

He headed upstairs, leaving me with more questions than he had answered. I called Carl and made arrangements. He wasn't too chuffed with the new deal, but he didn't say no. He came over a little later, and we helped move Adam into his new lodgings.

Jessica didn't speak or help. I hoped I was doing the right thing.

Chapter Ten

Jessica had been subdued since the incident, and I thought hard about finding a way to make her realise that I didn't blame her. She barely looked me in the eye anymore, but with her dad out of the way, I could be more creative in my dealings with her.

Two days after her dad left to stay with Carl, she was sitting at my kitchen table, pushing uneaten cereal around in a bowl.

"I was thinking we could go somewhere together today," I said brightly.

She grunted.

"Kind of like a field trip. More like a mission really," I babbled.

She gave me a quizzical look.

"It might be fun for you to meet some people your own age."

She froze. "I don't think—"

"Other teenagers who haven't had a normal life," I clarified. "There's Leah, next door, for starters. She was on the run, too."

Jess frowned. "Really?"

"And then there's the children's home. Remember I told you I went to Hell? Well, a lot of the children we brought back with us still live in the home. We haven't found their families, if they're even still alive, and the kids spent so long in Hell that it isn't really safe to throw them out into the world again. So they stay in this place that's... okay, it's kind of horrible, but there's a lot of land, and they get fed and have, you know, sunlight and stuff."

"Are you sending me to live there or something?"

She looked so horrified that I laughed. I regretted it when her cheeks flushed with colour.

"Of course not," I said hurriedly. "I just thought maybe it would be interesting for you to meet these kids. If you stick around, you'll end up spending time with them in the new school."

"Dad won't let us stay here that long. He'll figure out a way to get me out of here."

"Let me deal with your dad. Do you want to go? I just thought maybe..."

"I'll go." She brought a spoonful of cereal to her mouth. "When?"

I smiled with relief. If Parker turned out to be staying in the home and I took him out of there, she would trust me about a million times more than she did. And if he wasn't, she wouldn't be disappointed because she hadn't expected it in the first place. Ava Delaney, Mistress of Manipulative Strategy.

I was going to drag Leah along and kill two birds with one stone. And Phoenix probably wouldn't kill me for poking around in government business.

***

Peter held his car keys out of my reach. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

I glanced over my shoulder at where Jessica and Leah were standing by Peter's front gate in awkward silence. So the instant-besties plan hadn't worked out.

"It's a genius idea," I insisted.

"Are you ready to go back there?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I snapped, then I relaxed. "Sorry. Yes, I'm fine. I'm more concerned with overly tall mini-me over there. She needs something good to happen, and this could be it."

"And if this mysterious boy isn't there?"

"Then I'm going to have to hire you and Val to find him for me." I gave him my best smile. "Friends and family discount, right?"

He rolled his eyes. "I suppose I owe you that much. So how would the new kid be for babysitting duty?"

I flinched at the idea of Jess losing her temper around Emmett. "Never going to happen," I said sharply.

Peter looked almost hurt, but I couldn't clarify without having everyone worry about Jess's presence in the cul-de-sac. I knew how unfair that was, but I needed them to give her a chance first.

He held out the keys. "Don't hurt my baby."

"Thanks." I took the keys then hesitated. I couldn't think of anything else to say, so I turned my back on him. Dealing with Peter would stay on the backburner for as long as I could hold him there.

I shook the keys as I passed the girls. When I sat in the driver's seat, his cinnamon scent overwhelmed me, and it took me more than one go to stick the key in the ignition.

"You're super anxious today," Leah piped up from the backseat.

Jessica gave me a pointed look. Teenagers were supposed to be self-absorbed. I had to know all of the observant and interested ones.

"I'm fine," I said. "I haven't been to the home in a while. That's all."

"Some of them saved her life," Leah told Jessica, "when she was trying to save the world and all."

I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't trying to save the world. But yes, they did help us when it was over. I don't even know who."

"We'll find out," Leah said.

"You're way too excited," I said. "We need to take you out more."

"Well, duh." She grinned. "Jess, you seem nervous, too. There's nothing to worry about, you know."

"Everyone's nervous the first time they see the special kids who lived in Hell," I said wryly. "But they're pretty normal." I started the car.

"If you say so," Jessica said. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you... is there a chance I could use a computer and email some people? It's the only way I can contact them. I don't know if they have access yet, but you said a lot has gone back to normal in the UK, right?"

I nodded as I turned out of the cul-de-sac. "Of course. I would have offered already, but your dad made it sound like you didn't have anyone to contact."

She stared at her feet. "We fell in with a group, but we had to leave them. Before I was sold off, I had given their location to him because I thought he was a soldier and he would help them. But he didn't."

I winced. "And the same thing happened to them?"

"Kind of," she said. "A policewoman who had taken charge of everyone was sold, too, and we escaped together with another girl. I'd like to know how everyone is doing. If they're safe or whatever. I'd like to let them know we're safe, too. They were kind of the closest things to family I ever had, so..."

"Yeah, of course." Every time she revealed a little more of her life, I felt sorrier for her. She had been through more than most girls her age. Then again, so had kids like Leah and the ones living in the children's home. "You and Leah must have a lot in common."

Jess turned to look at Leah. "Ava told me you were in hiding, too."

Leah nodded. "I was in the slave market in Hell as a baby. Val was a guard there, and she broke us out to keep me safe. I was worth money, I suppose, because we kept having to run all of the time. Then we ended up in the sanctuary with other people. When the sanctuary wasn't safe anymore, Ava brought us to the cul-de-sac." She grinned. "It was way more dramatic at the time."

I smiled at her in the mirror. "I can't pretend to know exactly what either of you have been through, but at least you both know you aren't alone."

That seemed to break the ice. The girls chatted as I drove. Of course, they talked about things like death and war, but maybe someday they would move on to nice, healthy, shallow subjects.

As we drew closer to the children's home, my fingers tightened on the steering wheel. I wasn't worried about seeing the children again. I was freaking out because I was going to the place where I had almost died, the place where Gabe and Eddie had been killed. The place where the world had opened itself up to demons. The place Esther had been seriously harmed in. The place Carl had tried to die alongside me. That place sucked. The memories sucked. I didn't want to go back.

My breathing grew heavy. I was being drawn back into my own horrific memories, and I wanted to run away screaming.

I pulled through the gates and saw the bodies strung up on the walls again. I licked my dry lips and exhaled slowly, trying to calm down. As I turned into the driveway, my eyes found the scorched grass that marked the path Eddie Brogan's dead wife had taken when she was summoned. I saw her stab herself in the stomach in order to kill whatever had replaced their baby. My eyes watered as I remembered his face, the pain in his expression. He had taken so much from me and other people to get to that point, and the object of his devotion had stopped him. I doubted anyone else could have killed him. It had to be love, and that made it all the more depressing.

I stopped the car, killed the engine, and tried to get a grip on myself.

"Ava?" Leah whispered after a moment.

I squeezed my eyes shut, counted to five, then let go of the wheel. "Out you go," I said as brightly as I could manage.

We got out of the car. A sharp wind gusted around us, giving more weight to the memories.

"Well, here we are," I said in a shaky voice. "Let's go inside and take a look around, shall we?"

I had prepared a story for whoever was in charge of the children, but Alanii met us at the door with a smile. Esther's friend no longer hated my guts. She would understand.

"Yo," she said. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Keeping busy," I said. "What about you?"

"These kids have been keeping me hopping," she said. "I got assigned to the place a week ago, and I swear I haven't slept since."

"I can imagine. Is Esther staying with you?"

Her smile fell. "No. I assumed she was with you." She glanced over her shoulder. "This isn't the place."

"Of course. I thought it was about time I came around. These kids saved my life, after all."

"That was crazy," she said, shaking her head. "Hi, girls." She gave Jessica a curious look.

I ignored it. "These two are probably going to end up in the school with this lot, so I figured maybe an introduction was in order. And Leah here can have a kind of sensory overload around a large number of people, so we're trying to work her up to spending time at school."

Since Alanii was new at the home, she wouldn't know that Leah had pretty much overcome that problem already. As long as everything remained calm, she could deal.

Alanii gave Leah a doubtful look. "Oh, okay. Why not? Want me to show you around?"

"That would be great!" I shepherded the girls inside after Alanii. "Let me know if you sense anything out of the ordinary," I whispered to Leah.

She gave me a knowing look. "And the sensory overload should trigger in about five seconds, Ava."

"Hold out as long as you can, but don't hurt yourself if it goes wrong."

She nodded. She was in on the plan, but I didn't want her to push herself too hard, either.

"Come see the changes we made in the dorms," Alanii said. "We still have more to do, though. It's a work in progress."

She led us upstairs. The hallways had been painted some pastel colours, which was nicer than the white. The dormitories had some personal items that made the place look slightly homier, but it wasn't nearly enough.

"What do you think?" Alanii asked.

"Um, looks better," I said.

Alanii showed us to a common area next. A few children huddled around a television. "Normal" toys and activities filled the room, but most of the things looked untouched.

"How have they been behaving?" I asked.

"They're quiet for the most part," Alanii said. "But when they're wild, they're really wild."

Leah fanned her face with one hand.

"Maybe a little fresh air would help," I said.

"We've lots to see outside," Alanii said enthusiastically as she led us back outside. "So we're trying to turn the place into somewhere they always have something to do. The basketball court was set up a couple of days ago. No interest yet, but the school is going to have a proper PE teacher, so we're hoping that will help get them wanting to play."

"That's good," I said. "I mean, you can't just pile new stuff into the place and expect the kids to know what to do with it all, right?"

"Exactly," Alanii said. "We've been arranging for tutors to come and prepare the kids for the school. It's going okay, but I'm hoping the actual school will have more benefit to them. I mean, they're sick of seeing these walls. It'll be good for them to have another place to go."

"How close are you to the school being ready?" I asked.

"Another couple of months. They'll be introduced to the place before the summer, but the school officially opens in September. Some of the teenagers won't be attending, and a couple of the younger children are too much of a risk to have around large numbers of other kids, but it'll come together in the end."

"And the werewolf cubs?" I asked.

"Three will be attending school in the new year," she said. "They need time to adapt to their new lives, so they'll be starting later than the rest. I'm hoping it will work. It'll be difficult for them at first, but we have high hopes."

"Werewolf cubs?" Jessica asked in a doubtful tone.

"No exclusions," Alanii said.

"How's the mood around here about the school thing?" I asked.

"A mix of excitement and nervousness," Alanii said. "In a few years, there'll be supernatural schools all over the country, maybe even mixed schools. I'm looking forward to the integration, now that we've gone public."

"There's been some backlash, though," I said. "Any idea on how you'll all handle that?"

"We'll—"

"I don't feel good," Leah said weakly. "There's something..." She widened her eyes at me.

"Alanii, could you possibly take Leah back to the car while I run back inside and find the kids who helped me?"

Alanii hesitated before nodding. "Of course. Take your time."

"Jess, you might as well come with me and meet them," I said. "Leah, you did good. Take a breather, and I'll be back before you know it."

I grabbed Jessica's arm and jogged back inside before Alanii could change her mind. Something was happening in there, something only Leah could sense, and I wanted to see it before anyone could hide it from me. I trusted Alanii, but I wasn't sure where her loyalty lay when it came to the children's home.

"Shouldn't we get back to Leah?" Jess asked.

"Not yet." I closed my eyes and reached out with my senses. A bunch of energies had gathered in one room. "Hurry!"

I ran, followed by a rather confused Jess, until we burst into the dining room. A large group of older children, led by a smirking Noah and his girlfriend, were facing off with a tall boy whose face was half-covered by a hood. He was practically backed into a corner, and his hands glowed with flames.

"Holy shit," I whispered.

Noah's girlfriend made a sharp movement with her hand. The air seemed to vibrate and spin in front of her, then the hooded boy was pressed even harder against the wall. His arm jerked with the movement, and a flicker of fire shot out, singeing the girl's shirt. She swore and slapped at the fabric. Noah took a step toward the boy.

"Parker?" Jessica asked in a shaky voice.

Before I could stop her, she was running. Noah raised his fist, but Jess got there first and punched Noah in the nose. Noah's girlfriend immediately prepared to blast some magic at Jess. I ran, but Parker pushed Jess behind him and held up his arm. His fire flamed in a kind of shield as the magic hit.

Jessica's eyes burned red, and Parker's eyes were pretty glowy, too. Noah jumped to his feet, his gaze cold and dark on Jessica.

"Enough!" I shouted.

Jessica made a weird hissing sound and pushed Parker against the wall. The carpet smoked as Jessica leaped forward, colliding with Noah.

Noah's girlfriend prepared to use magic again. Parker's fire burned brighter.

"No!" I yelled. I dove into the tussle on the floor, separating Jessica and Noah, who were attempting to tear lumps out of each other. I was so not good with teenagers.

"Stop this! Instantly!" Phoenix's voice sent chills down my spine.

Noah rolled away from the fight, but Jessica still reached for him. I pinned her arms and called her name, but her eyes were blood red and unseeing.

Parker knelt beside us and pressed his hand against her cheek. She flinched when he called her name, blinking hard as the red seeped away. He pulled back, leaving her cheek red from his heat. His hood had fallen down, revealing a mixed heritage, acne scars, and a serious crush on Jessica.

"Ava," Phoenix said warningly, "care to explain what's going on here?"

Jessica seemed calm enough for me to let her go. "Be cool," I whispered.

I stood and turned. Phoenix was standing next to an embarrassed Alanii and sheepish Leah, his expression unreadable.

"Hi," I said. "Just some... growing pains."

His eyebrows arched.

I remembered I was supposed to be angry with Phoenix for hiding Parker and not even giving me a heads-up. "So," I said, "kinda weird we found Parker right here, eh? Singed rugs and all."

"I came to speak to him today," he said. "He hasn't shown signs of fire before."

"Strange things happen when someone is provoked."

"Provoked!" Noah snorted. "He started it."

"What are you, ten? Give it a rest, Noah," I snapped.

"He's a freak," Noah said scornfully.

"I've got news for you. We're all freaks. Nobody cares." I gave Alanii an apologetic smile. "Sorry I didn't tell you the full story. I wasn't sure if he was here, and I didn't want to get her hopes up. Leah, you doing okay?"

She nodded, but her gaze was on Jessica, who was still trying to settle down.

I turned to Noah and his friends. "Ganging up on one person is the coward's way. You have enough going against you already; don't be arseholes. And magic isn't supposed to be used like that, so quit it." I sighed and turned back to Jess. "Control the temper, Jess. It isn't helping you or him." I gestured at Parker. "And kid? You don't know me, but I'm not your enemy. And fire inside a building is pretty much the ultimate safety hazard. Try not to burn Jess to a crisp the next time you need to flash the flame around."

Parker nodded, looking ashamed.

"You all need to accept that you're going to be meeting new people," I said. "Most of you are a little different. You can't act like immature idiots every time something new comes along. Do we understand each other?"

Noah shrugged. "You haven't been around. You don't know what it's like."

"I know that there are enough people out there who have a problem with us without us turning on each other." I finally worked up the courage to face Phoenix. "We need to talk. Right now."

To my surprise, he gave a little nod before directing Noah and his friends out of the way. He did give them a promise of future punishment, though.

"I'll get these three a snack," Alanii said. "You and Phoenix can go to the office. It should be empty right now."

Phoenix gestured for me to follow him. I widened my eyes at Leah, who subdued her giggle when Phoenix gave her a sharp look.

The office was basically a cupboard with filing cabinets. There wasn't a lot of space, so I was pretty sure we weren't about to scrap it out.

"Were you planning on stealing him?" Phoenix asked.

"I was planning on taking him back to his guardian," I said. "That's the plan here, right? Reunite these kids with the closest thing they have to parents?"

Phoenix shook his head. "The boy is unstable."

"He's not yours." I put my hands on my hips. "And you knew we were looking for him. You knew he was here, and you didn't say a word."

"I didn't know for sure."

"Bullshit! You knew, and you didn't tell me. Why?"

He looked exasperated. "I already told you about the paragon. I can't allow these children to run around unchecked. A kirin? They indulge in the temptations from their own fire."

"That kid's too ashamed of who he is to indulge in anything. You didn't see him. He didn't attack. He only used the fire to protect Jess."

"What if he decides to attack next time? Or the time after that? And that girl is out of control."

"I can handle her." I hope.

"That isn't the point. The paragon is just waiting for the chance to interfere. I'm protecting the boy by keeping him here."

"You're protecting yourself. And what's with the register?"

He groaned. "Do we have to do this now?"

"Yes, actually, we do. I'm taking that kid home with me, and I'm still trying to decide if you're someone I should trust."

"You said you trusted me."

"That doesn't mean I should!"

His glare chilled me, but I couldn't back down.

Finally, he gave in. "We need to keep track of the people in this country. We already had databases, but the register is just one step further. Anyone who enters the country is now supposed to declare their heritage to us—human or not."

"And do the 'nots' have their children taken from them?"

"There was one case. One!" He held up his hands. "It's not what you think. There was a child who had certain gifts. His parents were unprepared and asked us to take over. He was a danger. People began to get hurt, and we removed him from the situation. That was all."

"Where is he now?"

"Not... here."

"Phoenix!"

"He's been cared for and taught control. I'm not my mother. I'm not using these children. But the safer they are to be around, the safer they are from the likes of the paragons."

"I don't like this."

"And I don't like the thought of that boy being around my children. He caused an unstoppable fire, Ava."

"To help captives escape from Guardians. If we had met him then, we would have called him an ally. He's not going to hurt anyone. This isn't a home for him. He's not meant to be here."

"I want to speak to him first."

"Before he leaves with me? Not a problem."

Phoenix's lips twitched. "You speak as if I have no choice."

I held out my hand. "Hi, I'm Ava. I do the right thing even if scary fae try to stop me."

He shook my hand then held it a moment longer than I was comfortable with. "You trust him? Even after the trouble we just witnessed?"

"Somebody has to trust these kids. Lorcan could be one of those boys out there. Another time, and he might have been. Do you think kids would have accepted Lucia without question? Do you think Lorcan would have stood by and let them bully her?"

"If he convinces me he isn't a threat, the boy can leave with you."

I took that as the best compromise I was going to get, and we went to find the others. Alanii was chatting with Leah, while Parker and Jessica sat together in silence. Jessica gave me a guilty look that soon turned accusing.

Phoenix sat in front of Parker. "You haven't spoken before."

Parker scowled, but his eyes held a placidity missing from Jess's. He was a normal kid who had been thrown into extreme circumstances. Maybe I had a soft spot for troubled kids, but I couldn't imagine that boy willfully harming an innocent person.

"Did you think they would ask you about Jess?" I asked.

I had just been guessing, but Parker looked at me with surprise then nodded.

"It's her," Jess whispered. "We found her, and she took us in. She's safe, Park."

His conflict played out in his expression. That kid couldn't keep anything a secret.

"The witch left me here," he said, revealing a hint of a Scottish lilt. "She said she needed me for something, but she never came back for me. I knew she really wanted Jess, so I didn't talk to anyone. The others wanted to know what I could do. That's what was happening before. They've been at it since I got here."

"I'm surprised you didn't send the entire place up in flames," I said. "You must have a lot of control."

Phoenix ignored my smug look. "Do you have any family?"

Parker ducked his head. "My grandfather died on the way here. We haven't gotten in touch with my mother since the vampires began to take over. She's probably... probably..."

"I'm sorry," Phoenix said. He actually sounded as though he meant it.

"My dad promised to take care of Parker," Jess said. "He promised."

Phoenix stood. "As long as he stays with his guardian, he can go from here. Ava, you can take him home. Alanii, I'll deal with the paperwork."

Phoenix left us abruptly, and Alanii and Jess went to help Parker pack his things. He thanked me profusely, seeming like a different person from the scared teen who had been backed in the corner.

Noah found me before we left. "So he gets to leave?"

"He has a guardian," I said, feeling guilty.

"You?"

"No. Somebody else."

"But he's going with you. You're going to protect him."

"He's going to stay... close by."

"And the rest of us are still stuck here," he said.

He walked away, shoulders hunched. I wished I could take every single one of them with me.

Chapter Eleven

Adam glared at me. "And if my daughter had been taken on the street like a criminal, would she be stuck in some children's prison, too?"

I winced. "I didn't take Parker. I didn't take anyone. The children in that home came from the slave market in Hell. They don't know what else to do with them. There's a natural witch there, one with uncontrolled magic. Obviously, somebody thought Parker was out of control because of that fire—no offence, Parker—and that's why he was put in the home. They didn't know any better. We're not the bad guys here."

"I thought you weren't involved," Adam said nastily.

"I'm not, but I feel responsible because I brought them out of Hell. An effort has been made to get those kids back to their surviving families, but when some of them were taken, their entire families were wiped out. They've spent a lifetime in Hell, and they don't know how to be out here. Not yet. We can't expect a brand-new government to just unleash those kids on the world right away. It's not going to work."

"New governments have a way of doing exactly what the old governments did."

"I just don't think that's going to happen. We had it bad here before. There was the Council and their Guardians and their quotas and their rules. But we also had corruption and deception and treachery. Me and Phoenix and everyone else in this cul-de-sac, and more besides, took it upon ourselves to right the wrongs and change everything."

"Am I supposed to look at you and that fae lunatic as heroes?"

"No, I'm saying we have good intentions. There's a fledgling government in place right now, and they're doing their best to make changes, but it's hard to force change. We have to acknowledge that and give them a chance. Parker was taken before the change. Most of the problems were created by people who aren't even alive anymore. You have to cut me some slack here. I don't have any power outside of my own territory, and even that was hard fought for. I took Parker out of the home and brought him here. Why are you so mad at me?"

"He needs to be angry at somebody," Jessica said. "And the ones he's really angry at aren't here. You're just in the way."

"Do not talk for me, Jessica," he snapped. "And I'm angry because I'm sick of hearing about this new government from somebody who is obviously trying to convince herself that the PR isn't a lie." I opened my mouth to protest, but he turned to Parker and talked over me. "Parker, I'm glad to see you. And I meant the promise I made to your grandfather, but if you cause a fire, they'll take you back to that so-called home. You have to do as I say for now."

Parker nodded. "I won't go back there. I'll do anything to stay away from those animals."

I sighed. Noah and his friends probably weren't the most well-mannered teenagers in the universe, but they had been through a lot. I had a soft spot for the little shits. Well, and I had the same feeling about Parker, which was probably why I had wrangled him out of there. That and the fact I was trying to bribe Jess and Adam into liking me. It didn't seem to be working, though.

Realising I wasn't going to get through to Adam, I got to my feet. "I'll let you lot catch up. I'm gonna head home. If you need me, you know where to find me."

I went into the kitchen and asked Carl to walk me across the road to my house.

"My head's actually gonna explode," I complained when we left his house.

"Meh. At least it isn't being ripped off."

"Give it time. First vampire, remember?"

"Why would he kill you?"

"He doesn't need us anymore if he's making beasts out of his blood. I don't know why nobody thought of this sooner. It makes perfect sense. His DNA creates. Why not a deformed version of a vampire?"

"He sounds like a creep. If he's so old, is he falling apart? Like the beasts, I mean," he said, sounding excited. "Daimhín's bad enough, and she's pretty old. But the first?"

"That's if he's even alive. I mean, this could all be some vampire horror story they tell to keep us afraid. What do you think of Adam anyway?"

He laughed. "He's a little uptight. He doesn't swear or drink or smoke or do anything but frown disapprovingly at me. I'm looking for excuses not to be in my own house."

I nodded. "Even Jess can be a little much sometimes. I'm pretty uncomfortable around them, but she seems to like Leah. I thought maybe she could make some friends at the children's home, but they were picking on Parker when we got there, which apparently means they must die."

He snorted. "Obviously."

"I don't know. What have we inflicted on the world, Carl? Even Emmett... I mean, the children all seem to have serious psychological issues even before their 'gifts' go awry. What if we've created a generation of misfits who'll never find a way to fit in?"

He grinned. "You found a way."

"I'm being serious, dumbass!"

"Their problems come from a situation we didn't create," he said. "We saved them from it."

"We disturbed everything they know. What if we made it worse for them? I sometimes wonder if we did what's best for them. That's all."

"I understand," he said. "Have you heard much from Esther?"

I shook my head. "I've been pretty occupied with Jess and Adam, though. Is there news?"

"Not really. But I'm worried she left the hospital before she was supposed to and—"

I laughed. "Look who's talking."

"Hey! That was in everyone's best interest, okay? Esther's injuries aren't healing. She gets these awful migraines, and I heard that she sometimes shifts without meaning to. All hulk style."

"Stop gossiping, for a start," I warned.

"I'm not a gossip. I'm worried about her. She's so vulnerable after everything that happened, and I'm afraid she's not taking care of herself."

"Why?" I stared up at him as we stepped into my living room.

"I've been talking to Quinn." He sighed. "I don't know how much she says is true, but the new alpha has ideas on what being an alpha means, and he's ready to punish Aiden. Except Aiden's gone into hiding, so apparently, it's some fucking stupid rule that Esther has to take the punishment or lose honour. Or some such crap."

"What? She didn't tell me that!"

"She didn't tell anyone that. Quinn heard it from the shifters."

"What in the actual fuck is Aiden doing letting Esther take his punishments for him? What is the punishment anyway?"

"Only shifters know," he said. "Have you met this alpha yet?"

"Mac? Just in passing. Sounds like he's old-fashioned."

"And pissed off. Rumours are already spreading that he's hated. No matter what we say about Aiden and his methods, he was well liked and respected as an alpha."

"Do you think Aiden will try for alpha again?" I asked.

"He shamed himself. He can't. He won't ever be accepted by the shifters as a leader again. I'd be surprised if he's even still in the country."

"What if Esther tried to take over?" I asked eagerly. "Would she have a chance?"

"If Aiden's problems didn't stain her, then maybe, except her injury makes her appear weak. An alpha has to be physically strong, and mentally, for that matter. The alpha has to have the strength of will to control the others without violence, although the violence is apparently a bonus for some of the alphas around the world. It would work out excellently if Esther could lead them here, but Aiden's circumstances were exceptional, and right now, Esther doesn't measure up."

"How do you know all of this? I hope you haven't been quizzing Esther all this time."

"I haven't, I swear." He sighed. "I've been reading up a lot about the shifters. Now that I can look at Eddie's books without him hiding things, I've learned a lot more. People have been donating books, too. It's kind of amazing really."

"You've been to the shop?" I hadn't dared.

"Yes," he said softly. "And I think it would be good for you to come with me sometime. Maybe there's something about this first vampire or the werewolves or something interesting. There's a lot to learn."

"Breslin has a ton of literature and records, too. I haven't looked at them, yet."

"You need to face all of these things someday, you know. Including the bar, Ava."

Gabe's bar had become Finn's bar, and I wasn't ready to walk through the doors again.

"I can't," I said. "I just can't face it."

"I'll be with you. I'll hold your hand and pass you tissues when you cry."

"Why would I cry?" I demanded.

He smiled. "Because you care. Somehow, you manage to care about strangers, and sometimes even the bad guys, and that means you care about everyone who has ever been a part of your life. You care about Gabe, who did the right thing in the end, whether you like it or not. And I know you care about Eddie. I know that underneath it all, he cared for you. He was your Yoda, the one who led you down the right path, and—"

"No," I said bitterly. "He led me down the paths that would benefit him."

"And he could have killed you," he said. "He could have allowed Marina to kill you. But he didn't. You told me what happened. I can read between the lines. He used her when he could have used you. He kept you alive. In his own little way, he was good to us. Yes, he was absolutely psychotic and overcome with power and pain, but there was a spark of humanity left in that man. You saw it, and you focused on that part of him. I'm going to do that, too, because it's the only way I can deal with any of this. The person who helped us turned toward the darkness, and we did what we could to stop him. We didn't kill him, Ava. We didn't force him to be there. We didn't open the veil or start a war or summon demons. We didn't cause his death, so you need to stop feeling guilt over that."

"But what if—"

"We all made choices that we have to live with," he said. "And I know you did the right thing. The deaths aren't on your shoulders, Ava. You have to believe that."

I wished I could.

Chapter Twelve

I dreamed of fire and smoke and a voice calling my name. I sat up, heart pounding, and looked around in the dark. I was alone, but I felt something nearby, a presence.

"It's just Jess," I whispered, even as I jumped out of bed to get dressed.

My heart was racing so fast, I almost passed out, but the dizziness eased as I ran into the hallway. I checked on Jess. She was asleep, curled into a ball on the bed in my spare room.

I was drawn downstairs and to my front door. For a second, I expected Phoenix to be standing there, but there was nobody—only silence in the darkness. The moon was waning, and I shivered as I stepped outside, blinking against the steady rain.

A tall, broad man at the mouth of the cul-de-sac lifted an arm and waved at me. He looked a lot like Gabe. I caught the scent of something familiar, and I was running before I could even think.

I called Gabe's name, but the man stepped under a streetlight, and the black hair turned to gold. I skidded to a halt, confused. A beautiful man approached me, a kind smile on his face. He wasn't Gabe, but he smelled like him.

"I don't understand," I whispered. "Are you an angel?"

The man was beyond gorgeous. I looked for signs of a mask, but that was his true form.

"My father was an angel once," he said in a voice that felt like treacle melting all over me. "But not me."

I stared at him blankly. He was blond and blue-eyed. Inhuman. His father was an angel. That made him... who?

He raised his hand. "Come, Ava Delaney. Come to me."

My feet moved forward jerkily. He was calling me, and I was obeying. As much as I longed to reach him, a voice in my head screamed for me to stop. My feet didn't obey. I pushed through the tangled magic yanking me forward, shook it off, and broke free. I took a step back. The beautiful man looked pleased.

"Who the hell are you?" I demanded. "What are you doing here?"

"You don't recognise me? Well, I suppose we've never officially met. I like to think of myself as your father. After all, I made you what you are."

I counted rapidly in my head, struggling to control my breathing as my heart thundered. "Seth?" I had expected him to be old and decrepit. Why did he smell more like an angel than anything else?

His smile widened. "See? You were made to know me. I'd like you and the girl to join me, Ava. I thought I would come here tonight and see you with no... distractions." He glanced around the area. "I've heard you have quite the ragtag army on your side."

"How are you...? You can't be here. I'm—"

"I know," he said. "You're untouchable, and this place is protected. You've come a long way in a short time. I have a lot of pride in you. Hiding away your entire life, flying under the radar, and suddenly, you appear. Within a year, you take down a government, end a war, expose us all to the whole world, and become someone important. I could use that kind of ambition."

I took a deep breath. "Why are you here?"

"To see you. Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt anyone. I just want to talk. It's time, isn't it? For us to finally meet. I'm going to take the girl, you see. You... you are different. I see what they meant now. But she's young, easily swayed. I've been watching her for a while, waiting to see if she was worth my time."

"You can't have her," I said. "I won't let you take her."

"Take her?" He laughed. "She'll come to me. You'll see that soon enough. If you came with us, you could watch over her, protect her from the kinds of beings who like to follow me."

"What do you want with her, with us? What the hell is it that you want, vampire?"

He smiled even more broadly, exposing wickedly sharp teeth. "I want balance. I want to repay my father's family for the wrongs they did. I want to know what it is about two female babies that made archangels protect them from me. I'm very interested in both of you for that." He shrugged. "A thirst for knowledge is my biggest fault, they tell me."

"Who tells you? Who are you working with?"

He sniffed the air. "It's true. You really did visit Hell. And you managed to get out of there without the right person realising you were just under his nose. I'm impressed, and I wonder how much farther you could have made it if you hadn't stopped at the slave market."

"I'm going to kill you," I said. "You're not going to expect it. You're going to think it isn't possible, but I'm going to kill you and every one of those beasts you created with your blood."

"Ah, the formula." He wore a pleasant expression, as if I hadn't just threatened his life. "It's a tad crude, but it's a good way to gain power quickly. Don't you think? Of course, I'm the only one who can actually control those 'beasts,' as you call them. Have you ever seen a beast under my control?" He shook his head. "Of course, you haven't. You wouldn't be standing there if you had."

"No, but I've seen werewolves destroy a beast in seconds," I spat. "I'd like to see that one again."

"Werewolves." His upper lip curled into a sneer. "Despicable creatures. Somebody should put them out of their misery. Perhaps it will be me. Unless you're by my side to stop me, of course."

"By your side to do what? You're talking and talking, but you still haven't gotten to the point."

He flexed his fingers. "I have many reasons and ways to use you. My question is this: if you can open one gate to hell, can you open them all?" His smile reappeared. "And does that mean you can open one to Heaven, too?"

"Heaven?"

"What kind of damage could a being like you do to the angels hiding away? Especially with a certain dagger you're rumoured to possess."

My head spun. Nobody had told me the dagger wasn't just for vampires.

"On the other hand," he said, "would we even need to open a gateway? After all, if you can transport beings from one realm to the next, why couldn't you do the same for Lucifer? In theory, you could free him from Hell and lead him straight into Heaven. Now that's something I'd like to see. But our first step is to release him from his binds. He's trapped in the innermost circle of Hell. I believe we could find a way to not only reach him, but release him, too."

"Yeah, that's right on my to-do list. Along with kicking a puppy and stealing candy from a baby." I snorted. "You have some balls to come here and expect me to release the fucking devil. That's one magnificent ego you've got there."

He frowned, and his blue eyes sparked with red, a little like Jess's. I took a step back, expecting him to attack.

Somebody called my name.

I looked back to see Val walking toward us. I felt a little flicker of something, then Seth was gone, and the sky seemed a lot darker. The rain beat down heavily, as if it had been holding back in the presence of one of Lucifer's children. I suddenly felt a little sick. If Seth thought of me as a daughter, that meant he thought of Lucifer as my grandfather, and there was no way I was going there.

"What was that?" Val asked. "It was faster than I would have believed possible. Leah woke me, but she couldn't tell me much."

"That was Seth." I peered into the darkness to see if I could spot him. "He came to tell me he wants me to free his devil-daddy from Hell's jail. Nice of him, eh?"

She made a growling sound. "He came here, walked right inside?"

"Not inside. Just... there." I pointed at where he had stood. "Right outside. He didn't come to harm anyone. He just wanted to talk." I groaned. "Shit, I have to call Phoenix."

"Why?"

"Seth kind of threatened the werewolves. And he said he's the only one who can control the beasts. We've seen them wild and crazy, but he can make them do what he wants. We really don't need that to happen."

"We need to prepare ourselves," she said. "Why does everyone want to let dark beings into this world?"

I shrugged. "He's been watching Jess, he said. So he really has been following them. I was starting to think that Adam was some sort of psycho."

"You and everyone else who has met the man," Val said. "I'll wake Lucia and see if she knows anything that will help us."

"Leave her. She gets scared to look when nothing happens."

"She has to get over it. Particularly for this."

"She's not doing great, Val."

Her eyebrows knitted together. "I know that. All I can do is not let her lie down and give up. You don't understand her." She walked away, leaving me wondering if she knew Lucia much either.

I went over and to Carl's place. It took him a couple of minutes to answer my knock.

"Wake up Adam," I said as soon as he opened the door. "I'll be back with Jess."

"What's wrong?" he asked sleepily.

"Got a visit from Seth!" I waved and ran back to my house.

"Fuck."

I called Jess's name as soon as I made it through my door. When she didn't respond, I grabbed my phone and ran up to her room. She wasn't there. My heart stopped for an instant until I heard a sound from the bathroom.

"Christ, Jess!" I pressed my palm over my heart in a bid to stop it from popping right out of my chest. I walked over to the bathroom door and spoke through it. "Something happened. I'm going to ring Phoenix. Run over to Carl's house, but do not, under any circumstances, leave the cul-de-sac."

She mumbled something that sounded like an acknowledgement, and I ran outside again, dialling Phoenix's number. He answered as if he had been wide awake. I wasn't sure if he ever slept.

"Hey, it's me. Ava, I mean. Seth was here and made a vague kind of threat about the werewolves. Can you check on them?"

"I'll be right over," he said hurriedly.

"No, go to Icarus. Let them know there's a threat. Keep the sanctuary ready for them in case that's an option. Seth claimed to be able to control the beasts, and I'm worried that... well, I'm just worried. I'll explain everything later. Right now, I need to quiz Adam on everything he knows."

"Good luck," Phoenix said. "Are my children safe?"

"As far as I know. But if you want to persuade them to stay with you, then go for it."

By the time I made it back to Carl's, pretty much the entire cul-de-sac had congregated in his kitchen and living room.

"Okay, everyone relax," I called out as I was bombarded with questions. "Seth showed up, but he just wanted to talk. He couldn't come inside."

"What did he want?" Carl asked.

I looked at Jessica and Adam and blew out a breath. "Me and Jess. Mostly Jess." I shook my head. "I don't know what happened. I was asleep, then I felt like I had to go outside, and there he was. But he looked more like an angel than a vampire, so I was confused and—"

"What did he say?" Adam asked.

"He said Jess is going to go with him willingly and that he wants me to free Lucifer from Hell, maybe even direct a path for him to get into Heaven."

"You can do that?" Adam sounded horrified.

"It's not like I've ever tried," I snapped.

Carl laid his hand on my arm. "Easy."

I tried to calm down but couldn't. "I've no idea whether it's possible or if he was just fucking with me. But let me tell you this: when it comes to the big-ego ancients, he's king of them all. He thinks he knows exactly what's going to happen because it's what he wants to happen. And you were right, Jess, I'm pretty sure he's been watching you for a while now. He admitted the beasts are here because of him, and he reckons he's the one they obey. So make of that what you will."

"Are we in danger?" Margie asked. Her hair was still in rollers.

"I don't know," I admitted. "If he was going to attack us, then surely he wouldn't have given me fair warning, but I'm more concerned with the fact that I did what he wanted me to do. That's what bothers me the most. That and the fact he's threatened the werewolves."

"Is—" Lorcan started.

"Yes," I told him. "Your dad is checking on them. Adam, can Seth come out in the day? What are his weaknesses? And is it true my dagger can kill angels? Because that's news to me."

"The dagger was created for holy war," Adam said sullenly. "It kills who it has to kill, whatever your hand decrees. Whoever gave it to you took a mighty gamble."

"But the dagger doesn't do much to a beast," Carl said.

"They weren't created when this dagger was," Adam said. "I don't know about Seth's weaknesses, if he even has any. Why do you think I'm so afraid of him? We hear he can do things that others can't, but I'm sure he's happy for unfounded rumours to make their way around the world. He's never had to fight his own battles. He's always had the protection of the vampires, and now even the beasts, if what he says is true. If he takes Jess, I'll..." He shook his head. "Why can't he leave her alone?"

Peter shook his head. "Maybe it's time to use the sanctuary again."

"I mentioned that to Phoenix," I said. "We could hide the young werewolves there for a time."

"We need to hunt down Seth," Val said fiercely. "I don't like the way he works. He should have attacked us when he had the chance."

"He'd rather take us," I said. "And I can't hunt him. I have to wait for him to come to us, which he probably realises." I groaned. Everything always backfired, even the bloody good stuff.

"What are you on about?" Peter said. "We hunt him. We find him. We kill him. Then it's over, and we can all go back to whatever we were doing before."

"I can't!" I cried.

"Why the hell not?" he shouted. "I'm sick of you keeping secrets from us. What the hell is so important that you can't help us find the threat that's creating these bloody beasts and dropping them on the unsuspecting public?"

The way the others stared at me made it clear that they had all been wondering the same thing.

"Listen," I said. "I tell you what you need to know. Mrs. Yaga's will was clear. This place is protected because it's neutral. If I go wiping out entire species, then we'll lose our protection. I can protect, but I can't attack. Not anymore."

"That's bullshit, Ava," Peter said. "You choose what you do. And if you're not hunting down this fucker, there's something wrong. There's something you're not telling us." He frowned. "Or is he controlling you now?"

"Oh, get a grip," I snapped. "You're being ridiculous."

"But he's right," Lorcan said. "Why would you not want to go after him?"

I glared at him. "I just explained that. I have to wait for him to make a move so this place stays safe. Discussion over." I stood and stormed out of the house.

Carl followed me. "Take a moment to cool down," he said once we were on the porch. "I know you must be scared."

"Scared? Scared? I just faced the man who killed my parents. And I stood there... I stood there, looking at his stupid perfect face and being totally unable to do a thing about it without compromising the safety of everyone who lives in Mrs. Yaga's houses."

"They're your houses now," he said. "Maybe we don't need to be protected all of the time."

"Are you kidding me? We get rid of one threat, and then look what pops up—the first freaking vampire of all time. Except he isn't rotting away, and he isn't out of control, like I expected. He's actually quite polite, and he can rouse me from my sleep and lure me outside to have a nice chat with him. What if he can do more?"

"If he could, surely he would have," Carl said in a gentle voice. "You won't lose yourself."

"You lost yourself to me, and I didn't even know what I was doing," I said, shaking inside. "He's had lifetimes of practice. More than that. He knows what he's doing, and he acts like he doesn't even have to force me. He acts like me and Jess will just give up everything and go with him willingly. Why would he believe that? What if he knows something we don't?"

"Ava, I know you," Carl said firmly. "He doesn't. I know what you're capable of. You would never give up and go with him."

"Even if it meant..." I shook my head. "He's not gone. He's said his piece and given me lots to think about. That's what he came for, to make me wonder, to make me think. What if..."

"There's always a 'what if.'" He looked behind him. "I'll leave you two alone."

I didn't have to turn around to know that Peter had joined us. Carl went inside, and Peter came over and stood next to me.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm just worried."

"Emmett's safe. There's no need to think that—"

"I'm worried about you, Ava." He stepped in front of me and gripped my shoulders. "I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want some vampire to come and take you away from us. I'm afraid you'll sacrifice yourself to save everyone you know, but that would just fuck up everything else."

"I don't see what else I can do. Jess is my first... I have to help her. She's like me. I can't just let her... oh, I don't even know anymore."

"We're all here with you," he stated firmly. "We'll figure out who Seth has working for him here. We'll work out what move to make next. All of us."

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. His lips brushed my cheek, and I pressed my face against his shoulder. He was willing for more, but I wasn't ready to confuse already muddy waters. So I hugged him and breathed deeply, trying to calm the rattling in my brain that said I was way out of my league. Again.

Chapter Thirteen

My friends worried all night, and Adam grew more panicked by the hour. The only thing stopping him from leaving was the fear that Seth was waiting right outside. By morning, Phoenix had organised a meeting with the Senate. They wanted me to attend and discuss everything I had learned. Not that it was much. When it came down to it, Seth had just made a lot of vague hints and threats.

When Shay stopped by to pick me up that evening, I considered taking Jess with me.

"I mean, this involves her, too," I told him. "She's a big part of this."

"So why are you hesitating?" he asked.

I threw on my jacket. "No offence, but I kind of don't want the Senate to see her. Aside from the fact that I don't want her to walk into Seth's arms as soon as we leave, I don't want the Senate to make her a target. You don't understand, Shay. When the old Council first heard of me, they threw me in their cells and voted on whether they should terminate or imprison me. I was lucky they needed my help. I don't want Jess to go through any of that."

"Do you really think that I would let anyone do that to a teenage girl?"

"You might not have a choice. Phoenix told me about the paragon."

His expression brightened. "The paragon hasn't done anything to make us think he wants us to harm our own."

"Remember what we're dealing with here. When it comes to power, there are no guarantees. I'm not sure if I trust your new government yet, Shay. I mean, I really like this idea you had of joining supernatural and humans together in those police partnerships or whatever, but don't ever think that you're safe. Look at how the last governments fell. It could easily happen again."

He smiled. "While I appreciate your concern, I'm not worried about what could happen when there's a threat right on our doorstep. Seth is powerful, so what happens if he decides to use that power here?"

"Life would suck," I said. "But more importantly, the beasts could invade again, and I'm afraid for the werewolves this time. Seth wasn't actively involved before, or the beasts would probably have been harder to get rid of. We can't let it get that far again."

"Come on." He walked to the door. "Let's go. We've a long night ahead of us."

I followed him out to the car, looking all around in case an angel-like vampire was lurking in the shadows. But as Shay drove away from the cul-de-sac, I relaxed. "Any idea who's going to show up tonight?"

He shrugged. "Daimhín and the shifter alpha, for sure. Me, Phoenix, you."

I made a face. "Get on with it, Shay."

He laughed softly. "Okay, a succubus could show up. A siren. A representative for the, uh, little people."

"What the hell does that mean? And I'm ignoring the succubus."

"Apparently, those who have been exiled mostly stick together, and they thought it would be funny to call themselves the little people, particularly as one of them is half-giant."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I can't tell if you're winding me up or not, Shay."

"I'm not. I swear. You'll see what I mean soon enough. Anyway, not all of the representatives can turn up tonight. Some are in London at a conference. Elathan is... wherever the wind takes him. Not everyone can make it to meetings called on such short notice. You'll meet them all eventually."

"Anyone to watch out for?"

"Uh, the shifter, probably. He's not the most gracious of winners, put it that way."

"Yeah, I've heard about him. He wants Esther to receive Aiden's punishment because he can't find him. He's a dick."

"Settle down. Oh, and the human rep from Dublin is coming. He might be one to avoid, too. Got a massive stick up his arse. He can't stand to hand the responsibility to anyone else, but thinks it's beneath him to converse with the little people." He smirked. "I really need to stop saying that."

Grinning, I looked out the rain-flecked window. The streets of Dublin had suffered from the wars and attacks, and there were rumours that violence was on the rise, but it was still home to me. The boarded-up windows and graffiti had always existed in the areas where I had lived, but those elements had spread to places once considered tourist attractions. Nobody wanted to visit us anymore. We—okay, I—had started something that had rippled outward, and I couldn't take that back.

"I can't say I'm looking forward to this," Shay admitted as we neared the meeting house.

It was an old human theatre that had been abandoned because it had been so costly to repair. Phoenix had snapped it up with his mother's money to provide a more public meeting place. He was doing anything he could think of to keep government dealings out in the open. Except for the register, a little voice whispered in my head.

I turned to Shay. "Wait. Why are you dragging your heels?"

"I'm not everybody's favourite human."

"I thought they had accepted you."

"As much as they can. The human reps think I'm trying to take over their territory. The supernaturals think I'm trying to put humans in charge of everything. I can't win. If it wasn't for Phoenix and Elathan, I would have given up by now."

I snorted. "I can't believe Elathan's the reliable one now. Sending him out on tour as an emissary and everything. You do know that he got kicked out of Hell, right?"

"I've heard a few variations of the story." He pulled into the parking lot across the road from the theatre. "And I'm not sure I believe any of them."

"When's the witch returning?" I asked.

"Not any time soon if Phoenix can help it. He's not comfortable around her. I'm not surprised, given his history. But I'm a little confused as to why he won't let her near the children's home."

"He just needs to trust her," I said. "Or maybe he doesn't want the kids to be seen too much, either."

"I heard you broke one of them out. You're braver than I am. I saw the fire that kid caused."

"I just wish I had known about Jess before it came to that."

"You're not responsible for what happened to them before they reached you. And you're helping them now. You can't do everything."

I shrugged. "But I feel guilty sometimes. I caused a lot of damage to people I'll never even hear of. While we were fighting, so were many others. I just wish I knew if I could have done things differently."

"Nobody can tell you that, Ava. You just have to make the best of the consequences."

He got out of the car and trotted around to open my door. The chivalry always embarrassed me, and I was pretty sure that was part of his reason for doing it. The rain hadn't let up, so we ran across the road to the shelter of the theatre.

I stepped inside first. The theatre smelled musty and strange. "I bet this place is haunted," I whispered.

"Don't say that. They'll come up with a representative for the deceased next. I'm not sure I can handle that."

Laughing, I followed him down the stairs and onto the stage. A large table and some chairs had already been positioned for the panel. Spotlights lit the area. Shay and I sat next to each other. Facing the rows of empty seats out there made me uncomfortable, but so did the idea that somebody could easily cut through the backing behind me. And that wasn't even taking into account the dark shadows and curtains at the sides of the stage.

"This is not the most relaxed I've ever been," I said.

"You get used to it. We're hoping to allow the public to sit in and watch us when we hold meetings. Not this kind of meeting, but normal ones. More normal ones. I don't know."

"Just so you know, this is the perfect place to be assassinated."

He sighed. "We just want people to know that we're open about what we're doing."

"Hey, I get it."

Someone cleared his throat. The vampire queen and her entourage entered and made their way down the steps.

"Please don't sit next to me," I whispered.

Zion, Eloise, and Jules chose seats in the front row. Eloise smiled up at me, looking like a child, apart from the decay in her skin.

Daimhín continued onto the stage and took the free seat to my right. "Good evening, Ms. Delaney." She nodded at Shay. "Human."

I frowned. "His name is Shay."

She gave me a pointed look. "I'm aware of his name. Where are the others?"

"We're early."

"How unfortunate. So, Ms. Delaney, you met with the very first vampire and survived. What was he like?"

"Beautiful."

She and Shay looked at me as if I were crazy. I shrugged. More people entered the theatre, most of them with friends or bodyguards, like Daimhín.

"I think we're doing this wrong," I whispered to Shay. "Remind me I need backup next time."

He nudged me into silence then stood to greet Phoenix and a tall, broad, gruff man with down-turned eyes and a scar running from the corner of his mouth to his left ear.

"Ava, I don't think you have been officially introduced to Mac," Phoenix said politely. "He's the new alpha of all shifters in Ireland."

"Oh," Mac said, glancing at me. "This is the one. I'll be paying you a visit someday soon, girl. Have the bitch ready for me." He stepped behind me to take a chair at the opposite end of the table.

My skin crawled as I choked down a scathing response.

Phoenix sat to the left of Shay. "Vega can't make it, but James and Willow are on their way in. They have a few words for each other before they join us." He caught my eye. "I believe you already know the siren. You had dealings with her sister, Illeana, before she passed. Or so she tells me."

"Callista's back?" I asked.

Phoenix nodded. "She's quite popular, I believe."

I released a low whistle. "You should hear her sing."

Mac cleared his throat. "And Layla?"

"The succubus is running late, I'm told," Phoenix said flatly. "We have refreshments if anyone—"

"My boy will handle that." Daimhín clicked her fingers, and a twenty-something-year-old man ran from the back row up to the stage and grovelled at her feet.

"Rose's replacement?" I whispered more nastily than I had intended.

Daimhín looked at me for a long time. "Who?" she said at last.

Cold bitch.

The sounds of a heated argument caught my attention. I saw a man and a woman pushing each other out of the way to get down the stairs. The pair stopped halfway down to argue more vehemently. Behind them was the Jessica-Rabbit-esque figure of Callista. A group of people followed her as if in a trance. Callista flicked her long blond hair over her shoulder then strode past them as if nothing was awry. I sneaked a glance at the men around the table. All of them, without exception, were gazing at the siren. Mac's mouth had even dropped open. Daimhín gave him a look of disdain.

I tried to avoid looking into Callista's eyes as she swayed down the last few steps, but she came over and stood in front of me, a broad smile on her face. I rose and let her embrace me while desperately trying not to wince or cringe or fall madly in love at the contact.

"I'm so glad to see you again," she enthused in a husky voice. "I've heard about everything you did, everything that went on. I'm so glad I know the truth now. That everyone knows. You've freed us, Ava."

Mac snorted.

Callista either didn't hear him, or she ignored his derision. "We must catch up."

Phoenix moved down a place to allow her to take the seat between him and Shay. Both men made a concerted effort to stare straight ahead.

The disagreeing pair finally made it up onto the stage. The man looked to be in his late forties. His greying hair was cut tight, and hard lines grew deeper around his eyes as he argued. He wore an expensive-looking suit under his raincoat. The woman was younger and plumper. Her chin-length brown hair was plastered around a face marked with laughter lines. She gave the impression of being fierce and welcoming at the same time.

"James, Willow," Phoenix said, "meet Ava. Ava, James is our human representative this evening, and Willow is..." He sighed. "I'll let her introduce herself."

James barely nodded at me before taking a seat beside Mac.

Willow leaned over the table to shake my hand. "So good to finally meet you, Ava. I've heard so much about you that I feel we already know each other. We have a few shared acquaintances, although, some have passed. I knew of Folsom, and Ry was an old friend of mine. For too many years, I thought him gone. Little did I know, he was still nearby. I represent those who are not in large numbers here. And those who do not feel they're well-represented by their species' born leaders." She glanced around the table. "I suppose you could say I—"

"Have a ragtag band of mongrels and rejects," Mac growled. "Good riddance to the lot of them."

"Ah," I said brightly. "It sounds like you represent me and my people. Good to know."

Willow smiled broadly. "Excellent. So... are we waiting for Layla this evening or just getting on with things?"

"We'll begin," Phoenix said. "Layla's aware."

Daimhín's "boy" brought out a tray of drinks and snacks. For Daimhín, he simply offered his wrist. I caught the scent of his blood and squirmed. I tried to close my ears to her slurping sounds.

"So," James said, "what are we here for this evening?"

"Ava had a visit from the first vampire," Shay said. "It could have important repercussions for the entire country, so we decided to meet and discuss the possible outcomes."

"Indeed," Daimhín said as she released her boy's wrist. "I'd like to know everything that was said, down to the last detail."

I heard the concern in her voice. Seth was a risk to all of us.

"It's kind of weird," I said.

Mac snorted again. He was so annoying. Phoenix gave him a sharp look before nodding for me to continue. God, I missed Gabe and Eddie sometimes.

"I woke up and felt compelled to go outside," I said, trying to remember exactly how it had happened. "I knew what I was doing, but I also knew I had to go outside. So I stepped out there, and in the dark, I saw a figure at the mouth of the cul-de-sac. For a second, I thought he was an angel." I shook my head. "He stepped into the light, and I didn't recognise him. He didn't look like a vampire. He was beautiful, like, seriously beautiful."

"He didn't have the"—James waved his hand around his face—"skin thing?"

Daimhín released a low growl that I was pretty sure nobody else heard. Even the shifter didn't react, which was odd.

I tried to remember everything about Seth. "He looked perfect. He wasn't threatening. He said he only came to talk. He wants me to join him, along with the girl I've taken in. He thinks he can use us both. He's been watching her for a while, apparently. And he knows everything about me. Somebody's been keeping him well informed."

Mac made a sound of disgust. "Look to your right for that answer."

Daimhín stared him down, but she looked completely unconcerned by his accusation. "I think you'll find you're wrong. This queen won't give up her seat for anyone, least of all the first. Consider this: what will happen if he can compel vampires to do his bidding? And controlling the tainted on top of that? Our previous wars are nothing compared to that outcome."

"That's the other thing," I said. "His blood created the beasts. He as much as admitted it to me. If he's gone, so are they, but while he's here, he can control them. He told me he's the only one who can. Why would he even need vampires around if he can make more powerful creatures who are completely obedient?"

Daimhín stiffened. "Perhaps he misled the vampires in the UK into thinking they had the upper hand because he wanted them to be wiped out. What else is in the formula, Ava?"

"We didn't have a scientific discussion about it, Daimhín. All I know is that his blood is involved and that we can't take another beast attack. Not now. I mean, the lot of you can barely sit in the same room together."

"She's right." A lone woman stood on the stairs, and I realised I recognised her. She ran a brothel that had once come under attack by a disgruntled wife. "We're not united, and we can be destroyed."

Phoenix rose to his feet. "Layla, this is Ava."

"We've met," the dark-eyed succubus said coolly. She took the last empty seat next to Willow. "It's nice to see you again."

Yeah, right.

Mac cracked his knuckles. "We might not be in each other's pockets, but you're all forgetting about the werewolves. No beast attack here is going to happen without their help. That much I can tell you. And speaking of the werewolves, it's about time we took them into the pack."

"They have their own pack," Phoenix said.

"One pack of many is stronger than two smaller packs," Mac said.

"If you believe you can beat the alpha werewolf into submission, go ahead," I snapped. Mac's upper lip curled into a nasty growl, but I ignored him and continued. "Seth threatened the werewolves. He knows plenty that we don't. And we don't know what could happen if the beasts start acting like an army."

Phoenix nodded. "The werewolves act as a pack and on shared instinct, but they work best against uncontrolled forces. Their strength and partnership stands for them. Outnumbered against beasts who all have the same goal? I'm not so certain."

"And Seth isn't full of emotion," I said. "The best way to tear apart the werewolves is to destroy them emotionally. The werewolves have a weakness, their need to protect their own. I saw Icarus once when he thought his mate was under threat. If you want to rip some werewolves apart, you hurt their mates and offspring. Seth hasn't been around for this long without learning a trick or two."

"Ava wants us to move the vulnerable werewolves to the sanctuary," Phoenix said. "We don't technically know if the place is secure from Seth, and the werewolves are reluctant to separate."

"And what if that's exactly what Seth wants?" Layla asked.

"I'm happy to hear better ideas," I said.

"But what was the point of the conversation with Seth?" Willow asked. "He wanted to threaten the werewolves, yes, but did he say what he wanted with you?"

"Yes." I stared at my hands. "He wants me to free Lucifer from Hell."

Chapter Fourteen

The arguments buzzing in my ears reminded me of the old Council. I knew it wasn't possible for me to like everyone involved, but James and Mac were both chauvinistic pigs, and I didn't have the energy to get started on the vampire queen and the succubus. I didn't even know there were enough succubi to need a leader, but apparently, certain other similar species, such as the sirens, had old epic feuds that meant they couldn't share responsibility with each other. The species they did represent were varied, but few groups were large in number. The major supernatural factions in Ireland were the fae, the shifters, and the vampires. Everything else was a potluck.

"If we get rid of the tainted nephilim, the first vampire will disappear," Mac said.

"Are you kidding me?" Shay's face had turned bright red. "You want to banish the woman who pretty much saved the country and a teenage girl who has never harmed anyone?"

Mac held up his hands. "Now, now. Nobody said a word about banishment. I'm talking death here."

"Too messy," Daimhín said. "We don't know how the tainted nephilim die. They could take us all down with them. We would have to send them out on a boat or something and torch it when it's far enough away from shore. Or we could—"

Shay jumped to his feet. "If you think I'm going to stand here and discuss murder, then—"

I pulled him back into his seat. "Forget it. It's not even worth it. This is the man who has his heart set on punishing Esther because her brother pissed him off."

"Somebody has to take the punishment!" Mac roared. "That's our way, and it's not going to change because a pack of pansies are in government."

James's eyebrows arched. "Pansies? Are you a child?"

I covered my face as insults began flying. The meeting descended into the equivalent of a playschool food fight. The more they argued, the messier things became. I rose to my feet and whistled loudly until they all shut up.

"I'm going to deal with the first vampire," I announced. "And you lot are going to help me. We need to track him down, but we need to find out how to hurt him, too. Research is our greatest weapon at this stage, and I need all of your help. Can you do that without killing each other?"

"I'll question the vampires," Daimhín said after a moment. "Somebody must know where he is. I'll find out who is protecting him, and I'll dole out their punishment."

"We'll arrest them," Shay said firmly.

Daimhín gave him a toothy smile. "Of course we will, human."

"She's right about Seth being protected," Mac said. "But he can't be working alone, either. There's still plenty of trouble on the streets. Maybe my shifters will find out if there's a voice organising it all."

"If he doesn't look like a vampire and has lived so long, then he must have some kind of money, right?" James asked. "I could use my contacts to find out if any big players have rolled into town and picked up some property maybe."

"My ladies will pay closer attention to gossip," Layla said. "If this vampire needs more beasts, he must be recruiting from the humans. We'll use our charms to force confessions if we have to."

"I'll take a few shifts at Finn's bar," Callista said. "The customers will be so desperate to impress me that I'll hear all sorts of secrets." She smirked, and I had to look away. "Some may even be true."

"I can help with research," Willow said. "There are a couple of ancient beings I need to call on anyway. I'm a little rusty on my lore. I could use a refresher course."

"Great," I said. "Now I need to get home and make sure the first vampire hasn't eaten all of my friends."

"I'll drive you," Daimhín said. "We need to talk about some personal issues."

I looked at Shay, but he just shrugged. So I said my goodbyes and left the theatre with Daimhín. She had arrived with two cars, obviously in preparation for a private meeting with me. As we walked across the street, I kept scanning the area as if I would see Seth standing in plain sight.

"Wait!" Mac called out. "I need a word with you."

I rolled my eyes and turned to face him. "What now?"

"Just a friendly warning about the she-bear you're hiding. Now, I see you have a protective streak. Fine with me. But know that if you put up a fight, Esther won't be the only one hurt. You understand? When the shifters come for her, I won't be able to control their bloodlust if anyone gets in their way."

"Fuck right off," I snapped. "If you want Esther, come get her yourself, you big coward."

He growled at me, but Daimhín held up her hand and said, "Not now, shifter!"

They squared up to each other for a few tense seconds until the shifter grinned. He glanced at me. "See you soon, tainted bitch." He walked away with his hands in his pockets, whistling loudly. Arsehole.

Daimhín calmly watched him leave. "Don't get used to his presence. He won't last long as alpha." But in the car, hidden from everyone else, she lost her patient mask. "What are we going to do? Seth will take over everything. And if he has two tainted nephilim—two!—I don't know how I'll recover from this. Oh, it's just one thing after another lately. Why can't I have a century or so of peace like the old days?"

"One: calm down. Two: calm down. Has Eloise seen anything yet?"

"Oh, you know how she plays. She denies it, but she's probably already certain how this will pan out."

"Keep an eye on her. Or maybe I can talk to her."

"No! Certainly not! Besides, you have your own seer."

"Running empty on our end, too. Does that mean something, you think? Could he control what a seer... sees?"

"I have no idea. I've never had dealings with him personally. I know my master did, and he was terrified of the first. I don't think we can discount anything at this stage."

"Are we in this together?" I asked, feeling awkward. "I mean, are you planning on selling me out to appease him, or are we on the same page about getting rid of him for good?"

She hesitated a beat too long. "It's not that I want to work with him. But if he dies, then so does our last chance to reproduce."

"Look at what reproduction has done for you lately," I said angrily. "Jules and beasts. Those days are over. Deal with it, Daimhín."

She glared at me. "There's no need for arrogance, Ms. Delaney." She smoothed her linen trousers over her thighs. "As long as you oppose him, I will do the same. We can never be allies, but sometimes we share a purpose. If you side with him, I'll make sure somebody ends you. I seem to recall you don't do well against bullets."

I forced a laugh. "Really? Funny how I'm still breathing then, isn't it?"

She sniffed. "Confidence doesn't suit you."

She leaned out the window and beckoned Zion. He walked over, got into the driver's seat, and started the engine.

"We're taking Ms. Delaney home."

We rode in silence. When the car finally slowed to a stop outside the cul-de-sac, she looked at me. "Is it possible?"

"What?"

"This... thing about Lucifer being freed. Is that something you can do?"

I sighed. "I have no idea what's possible anymore."

I got out of the car, and Zion immediately drove off. Half of the residents were waiting for me with umbrellas shielding them from the downpour.

"Okay," I said. "I take it we're doing this on the street. The meeting was a mess, but the vampire queen is ridiculously worried, so I'm thinking we need to do the curfew thing. Maybe Seth can live in daylight, but I don't think so. Well, I'm hoping he can't. So at night, we stay indoors. But we're back to keeping watch. If you see or hear anything unusual, sound the alarm. Nobody watches alone. If he can mind-control us, then we need to be extra careful."

"What happened at the meeting?" Carl asked.

"The usual. The shifter thinks it'll be easier to kill me and Jess than to deal with Seth. But everyone has a job to do. They're all on the lookout for information, so that should make our lives easier. On a similar note, the shifter alpha plans on coming here to take out Esther. Anyone heard from Esther?"

She wasn't staying in the house I had transferred into her name, which made me believe she was hiding with Aiden. Everyone shook their heads.

"We have to warn her," I said. "He's a mean prick, that one. I doubt he's going to come here while he thinks Seth is stalking the place, but we'll have to deal with him eventually."

"We need to leave," Adam said.

Parker appeared to be holding him up, and the seraph was shaking violently.

"I'm telling you," I said. "This is the safest place for Jess."

"I'm not running anymore," Jess told her father. "Ava's going to help me. You're not well, so she's going to train me instead. And when we find out how to kill Seth, we'll do it. Okay, Dad?"

She spoke to him as if he were a child, but he nodded obediently. She caught my eye and shrugged. I wasn't sure if I was the best person to train a teenage girl, but she had no one else.

"Carl, set up the watch system," I said, then I sneakily gestured to Margie to check on Adam because he seemed feverish again. "Everyone else get some sleep. We've a lot of work to do tomorrow."

Once the crowd had wandered off, Peter asked, "How are you doing?"

I looked at him as if he were crazy. "I'm fine, thanks."

"I can help with the girl. We could work together, and—"

"Thanks."

"We're going to be okay." He took my hand and squeezed it. "We've been through wars. One measly vampire isn't going to take us down."

I blinked some rain out of my eyes. "He's not really a vampire, though. You would think vampires would know a lot about him, right? Daimhín said she'd question her vampires, but she's an ancient. Why doesn't she know more about him?"

"We'll find out the truth, me and you. We could go check out that vampire bar again." His eyes flickered with excitement. "Just like the old days."

I smiled. "Those days aren't so old. You should take Val, instead. She'll put the fear of, well, Hell into them."

His face fell. "Okay. I will."

I looked over his shoulder and saw Lucia waiting for me. "I have to go talk to Lucia," I told Peter. "I'll see you in the morning."

I felt his eyes on my back as I walked away from him. I knew I wasn't giving him what he wanted, but I couldn't help expecting him to turn back into old Peter. I was terrified of old Peter. Old Peter had more of a hold on me than new Peter ever would.

"You doing okay, Luce?" I asked the mute fae.

She motioned for me to follow her, and we strolled toward the mouth of the cul-de-sac. For a moment, I worried that she was under Seth's control, but then she stopped walking and held out her hand. I glanced around to see if anyone else was watching. We had kind of promised to stop sharing visions in that way, partly because it made Lorcan feel left out, but mostly due to the effect the visions had on me.

I swallowed hard then placed my hand in hers. I squeezed my eyes closed when I felt the pressure of her fingers, and then I was somewhere else entirely.

The sky was dark, but a full moon provided some light. We were standing outside the cul-de-sac. I could see my body on the ground. I was alive... barely. There was a healing cut across my nose, but the rest of my body looked newly broken. My other self reached out with a shaking arm, face distraught.

Looking around in the vision, I saw Jess walk confidently up to Seth and take his hand. Sticking out of the back of her jeans waistband was my dagger. She didn't look at my dying form as she strolled away with the first vampire.

"No!" I fell out of the vision and realised I was lying on the concrete inside the cul-de-sac. "It can't be." I swiped at my wet face, and my hand came away bloody.

Lucia knelt next to me. Her dress was flecked with what I assumed was my blood. She shrugged, a pitying look on her face.

"It doesn't have to happen that way." I spat out some blood and rose to my feet. "We can always change your visions."

She took my hand again. I wasn't prepared, but it didn't matter much. That time, there was nothing, only darkness. However, I sensed the presence of others in the vision, though they seemed to be hidden or blocked. Frowning, I let go of Lucia's hand. She gave me a meaningful look.

"Wait," I whispered as realisation hit me. "Those are other visions. Hidden by someone? But the first one was as clear as anything. Do you think you were meant to see that one? Or that your visions are being manipulated?"

She shrugged again and helped me back to my house. I felt weak and shaken, but more importantly, I felt the wrenching pain that had come from seeing Jessica desert us and leave with Seth. Lucia tried to take me into Anka's house, and I pulled my hand from her grip.

"I'll be okay," I told her. I wasn't in the mood for a lecture, and I didn't want to explain what we had just seen. I couldn't let anyone know what might happen. "Don't tell Lorcan," I whispered. "Please, Lucia. Don't make them look at her any differently. She's just a kid. There's hope for her."

Lucia's eyes filled with worry, but she nodded, and I knew she would keep our secret. I just didn't know what I was going to do with it.

***

The next morning, I got up bright and early to drag Jessica out of bed.

"What are you doing?" she mumbled, pressing her face into her pillow. "You're worse than Dad."

"You were right last night," I said. "It's time we trained together. We might be fighting side by side someday, so we may as well figure out how to work as a team. We'll work on a few things, and when we feel a little confident in each other, we'll pick two opponents and try to kick their arses."

She looked up at me, her face creased with pillow marks. "Not Val."

"Hell, no. What do you think I am, crazy? Maybe Peter and Lorcan will do. Don't be afraid to fight dirty."

She smiled sleepily. "But Lorcan's so pretty."

"Then you're definitely fighting Peter." I perched on the edge of her bed. "How's Parker?"

"He seems okay. I don't know." She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. "He's special, Ava. I never really had friends before the war. Dad didn't let me talk to people. I was on my own all the time. And then I made some friends, but when Dad told them about me, we had to move on. And then I met, you know, him." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I thought he was amazing, and he acted as though he might like me. But it was all so confusing, and I'm not used to people. I can't read them."

I nodded. It sounded like a confession, and I didn't understand where she was going with it, or what the story had to do with Parker.

She stared at her hands. "So when he kissed me and asked me to sneak out with him, I did. And he took me straight to the vampires. He didn't just hand me over, either. He hit me like he hated me. He had stolen my first kiss, but he hated me all along."

"I'm so sorry, Jess."

She wiped away a stray tear and cleared her throat. "I was okay. I kind of found my strength in that place. I made friends for life, too." She shivered. "Most of the girls died, but not all of them. And when I saw those werewolves, I knew I had to get back to my dad, no matter what. So I did, and we moved on until Parker saved us from a gang of beasts. The beasts were working together, and it was terrifying, but they were scared of Parker's fire."

"Go, Parker."

She grinned. "I was still nervous because of what happened, so I was kind of cold to Parker at first. But then we starting travelling with him and his grandfather, and we got close. But he's never tried to kiss me or do anything, and I finally get how it's supposed to be. He's sweet, and he gave himself up to keep Dad and me together. Even though he's scared of the fire inside him, he used it to free people."

"You like him."

"I... I think so. I mean, how do you know for sure? What if I'm just grateful that he helped us?"

That was something I couldn't even figure out for myself. "Nobody can tell you how you feel, Jess. But when you thought he was being hurt at the children's home, you were pretty fiercely protective yourself. That came out of a good place, I think."

She shrugged. "What happened before made me doubt myself when it comes to this stuff. I don't even know if he likes me."

"For now, just know that you both care about each other. Don't stress over the big stuff. Let it come naturally. Or not, as the case may be. You have plenty of time, Jess."

"How do you juggle all of those men?" she whispered. "I can't handle one."

I glared at her, and she burst into laughter.

I shook my head. "Not funny. I'm going to punish you in training. I hope you know that."

But her laughter was a beacon of hope. She could never leave us to join up with Seth. She got up to get dressed, and I went downstairs to make breakfast.

We talked about all kinds of things while we ate. She told me more about her journey, about witch's luck and a little cottage on the moors and how her life had been in her early years.

I felt sorry for her, even as I saw similarities to my own life. I had been afraid to care about her because I had lost so many people. But maybe being afraid to care was worse than losing them all.

Chapter Fifteen

"Outside on the road or in my back garden?" I asked Jessica when she was ready to go.

She made a face. "Back garden, of course. Your neighbours are nosy."

I grinned. "Yeah, but it's too early for most of them. Garden it is, but we'll be moving onto concrete at some stage. I'm a big believer in training the way you'll be fighting, and you're unlikely to fight Seth in my back garden. But it'll do for a start."

"What kind of training are we doing?" she asked.

The morning was chilly, the grass frost-tipped. Streaks of pink and orange highlighted the sky. At least the rain had stopped sometime during the night.

"Tackling, wrestling, basic moves." I shrugged. "We'll know what we need to work on when we get started."

"I'm a little nervous."

"I won't hurt you."

She shook her head. "I'm scared I'll hurt you."

"I think I'll be okay, Jess."

"But what if I lose my temper?"

"Yeah, you're kinda supposed to lose your temper."

She stopped walking and stared at me. "What?"

I met her gaze. "Listen, Jess. Me and you... we have these gifts. And we might think they're more like punishments, but if they can help us, if they can give us an advantage, then you can bet your arse we're going to use them. I spent way too long being afraid of myself. We're going to skip right past that stage for you."

She shoved her hands in her pockets. "Why were you afraid of yourself?"

Holy crap. The sharing part sucked. "Take a seat." I gestured at the crappy plastic garden chairs. "I grew up being told I was a monster, that I was bad. I thought everything different about me was something to fear. So I hid away from the world and thought that made us all better off. But you can't hide from yourself, from who you're supposed to be. It'll always be lurking, always waiting to jump out on you when you least expect it."

"Is that what happened to you?"

"I suppose it did, but it made me wake up. It's not easy to accept who you are sometimes, especially if you aren't the world's idea of normal or right. But if you're not comfortable in your own skin, then what's the point of trying to live up to somebody else's ideal?"

"Me not killing everyone isn't an unreasonable ideal," she said grumpily.

"I thought I couldn't control myself, too. I thought that if I let go, everyone else would get hurt. The shame was pretty bad, but the fear was something else. I learned to deal with it in my own way, but it wasn't a solution. I let the fear of myself control me, and that's just as bad as letting my thirst control me. Eventually, Carl came along, and I knew I needed help. I fell in with this crowd of misfits, and I haven't looked back. The only reason I've survived this long is because I used those gifts I have. Most of them, I didn't even know existed when I was your age."

"So I could change?" She swallowed hard. "I could... get worse?"

"It's not what you can do. It's how you use it. If you're a... a fire-breathing dragon, that sounds bad, right? But if you're a fire-breathing dragon who uses fire to warm people who might die of exposure, then that's good. That's great. It's not so black and white, and we can't define ourselves by other people's measuring sticks."

"I'm not a fire-breathing dragon, Ava."

"Then what are you?"

"I'm a... a bomb waiting to go off. The countdown is always on, and nobody can stop it. How does that help anyone? Where's the good in that?"

"Well, if that bomb could destroy the very first vampire before he takes over and kills everyone, and oh, yeah, stops him from making more of those beasts, then voilà. The good in the bad."

"But what about afterward?" Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "What if the bomb keeps going off, and I can't stop it?"

"What if you can?" I leaned closer to her. "Okay, Jess. Look at me. I drink blood. I mean, not regularly, but I want to drink blood. Something inside me craves blood. It's part of who I am. It makes me feel strong and tough and amazing. It makes me feel alive. It's like a drug. Growing up, I had never even heard of tainted nephilim. I had no idea who I was, and that craving for blood almost consumed me. When I was your age, I had a boyfriend. I loved him. I still care about him. I was a little older than you are now when we decided to sleep together for the first time. I had been hiding from my true self for so long that, faced with something new, I lost control and bit him. Then, I ran away."

"Did he die?"

I shook my head. It was so hard to talk about Wesley sometimes. "Recently, I found out that I actually healed him, too. He didn't have a clue what had happened between us. The point is, I panicked and ran for nothing, all because I was afraid of myself. And later... not so long ago, actually, I had to face up to this addiction. It was always there, and I learned to manage it. It wasn't bigger than me once I faced it, but when I hid from it, it grew into this monster I couldn't control. Do you understand?"

"You want me to face it? You want me to lose my temper?"

"How else are you going to get used to it? It's easier to control something when you know the steps. When you aren't used to how it feels, you panic, and it spins out of control. I promise I won't let you hurt anyone, but I don't think you will. In fact, I'm certain of it. I get a feel for people, Jess, and it's not anger I feel in you. It's fear. It's a lot easier to run from your fears. Your dad's been doing that your entire life."

"I'm scared."

"I was, too. And I made mistakes, but I have a functioning life now and friends that I'm no longer terrified I might freak out and bite. I'm not saying I'm perfect or that I have it all figured out, but I've realised that the things I can do exist for a reason, and just because somebody told me they were bad doesn't mean I can't use them. Losing your temper might be the one thing that saves your life someday. Don't be afraid to use it when the time comes."

She chewed on her thumbnail and drew one knee up to her chest. "I've almost lost fights because I've been so scared to lose my temper that I hesitate too long. Or hold back too much."

"So you need to learn balance. That's not as hard as it sounds. Me and you, Jess. We'll figure it out together. But maybe don't tell your dad. Just in case."

She giggled. "Definitely not."

I rose to my feet and held out my hand. "Come on. It's time for us to see what you can do."

After a moment's pause, she grabbed my hand. "I'm ready."

We ran through the moves her father had taught her first. They were fine, but she didn't have much idea of how to fight dirty.

I danced around her, panting. "I mean, if you can make them stamp on Legos in their bare feet, then you do it. You use everything around you. Even if it seems lame. Even if it seems cowardly. Everything can help you. Everything is a weapon."

"What are Legos?"

"Holy crap, you've had no childhood. Now, attack me!"

"I was kidding!" She stepped forward and kicked at me.

I blocked it easily. "You're letting me see your moves before you make them. Stop making it so easy for me."

She brushed some hair out of her face. "I'm trying!"

"Are you?"

"Ava, I said I'm trying, okay?"

I ran at her. She swung a fist, but I ducked out of the way by skidding onto my knees. Without hesitation, I grabbed her ankles, and threw her onto her arse.

I leapt out of the way. "Try harder."

Her face turned red. As she got to her feet, I ran behind her and kicked her backside, sending her onto her hands and knees.

"Ava!"

I checked her eyes. Still green. I needed to be way more annoying. I should have woken up Peter. He was far better at being irritating.

She ran at me, head down. I shifted out of the way, sticking out my foot to trip her. She stumbled and yelled with rage. I burst out laughing. She turned to look at me, and I saw red flecks in her eyes.

"Come on, Jessie," I whispered. "Come get me. If you can."

The challenge sent her running at me. She threw a punch. I ducked and got kicked instead. Nice. She had a lot of force behind those twig legs. I threw myself on my back and kicked out with both feet, connecting with her stomach and at the same time realising how freaking much I was enjoying myself.

She let out an oomph and fell onto her back. She lay so still that I got up and knelt next to her. Her face was pale. She was obviously winded, but her eyes had turned bright red.

"You okay?" I asked hesitantly.

She boxed me in the cheek. I backed away from her flailing fists. She came after me, wearing a determined expression, as if I were the only person on earth, and I needed to be eliminated.

"I thought you were going to get me," I taunted, whipping out a hand to slap her face.

Growling, she picked up a plastic garden chair and threw it at me. I moved out of the way, and the chair slammed into the wall.

I made a sad face. "Poor chair."

She screamed and rushed me. I held my ground, ready to see what she was made of. She tackled me, lifting me in the process, and ran a couple of yards before dumping me onto the grass.

I rolled over, laughing. She grabbed my hair and dragged me across the ground. I kicked her, but she acted as though she didn't even feel it. She climbed on top of me and pinned me down. She reared back, obviously intending to head-butt me, so I got in there first, moving my head forward so she would connect with hard bone instead of my nose.

She howled with frustration as I pushed against her. I freed one arm and pinched her until she let go. I twisted to the side and elbowed her in the face. Before she could react, I tackled her and rolled her over so that I was on top.

I pinned her wrists together and wrapped my hand around her neck. "You're dead," I said past my fangs. "You didn't control your actions, and you lost the fight. Strength isn't everything, Jess. You need to be smart. You need to know your moves and to have ones you make on instinct. You need to be aware of everything your opponent is going to do, and if you can, beat them to it."

The red faded from her eyes, and she stopped struggling. "I'm no good at anything!" Her lower lip poked out, making her look like a pouty little kid.

"You lost control and brought it back," I said. "I'm proud of you. Besides, I'll be covered in bruises tomorrow. You really are strong."

I stood and held out my hand. She smiled and took it, then kicked me in the groin. I doubled over, sucking in a breath, then stomped on her ankle. She cried out with pain.

"Totally worth it," she said with a grin.

"That's all that matters, you devious little brat."

We both hobbled inside together. She slapped me on the back and went to the kitchen for some water. I headed into the living room to look for a hairclip. I glanced out the window and saw a figure in my front garden. I moved closer. Parker was walking away, through my front gate, his shoulders drooping.

I opened the door and ran out after him. "Hey, Parker!"

He slowly turned to face me. His dark brown eyes were sad, and I knew he would end up back in the children's home if I didn't do something about it. I caught up to him on the road.

"Were you looking for Jess?" I asked.

"Yeah, then I thought it was too early, so..."

"We've been up for ages," I said. "We were training out back. Pity you didn't hear us, or you could have joined us. You might have liked seeing Jess lose her cool and kick my arse only to gain her control again. You both have that in common, right? Being afraid of what you can do. I told her this morning that we all have shit we're not proud of, but if we don't face up to it, it beats us."

He cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable.

"Come on back to my place," I said. "Jess could use the company. She's bored with me, and she told me you were close on your travels."

His eyes brightened a little. "She said that?"

"It's not a lie, is it?" I clapped him on the back. "You're welcome in my house anytime, Parker. This is where you live now. Nobody's going to take you away."

"It doesn't feel like home. I don't belong here. My grandfather wasn't ever here. There are no memories of him. I thought it would be easier that way, but it's not. It's harder. I wish I could go home."

"Hey, if you really want to go home, we can find a way. But Jess has to stay here for a while. Until we deal with Seth."

"And if you don't?" he asked. "Will she be here forever?"

"I thought you knew Jess," I teased. "When she makes her mind up about something, it happens."

He smiled, and I knew I had him.

"Come on. Jess is probably scrounging for food right now. Let's go join her, and you can help me give her an education on childhood. She's severely lacking in the fun stuff."

"I know," he said. "It's pretty sad."

We strolled into my house together and found Jess in the kitchen. She grinned broadly when she saw Parker.

"Hey," she said. "I didn't know you were here."

I saw the way they looked at each other, and my heart did a little sigh. "He's here to babysit you for a few minutes," I said. "I just need to pop across the road for something." Neither of them so much as glanced at me. I cleared my throat. "I said a few minutes, okay?"

Jessica turned to me, seeming confused. I was pretty certain she'd forgotten I was there.

"Never mind," I said, smiling. Innocent teenagers rocked.

I headed over to Peter's house. I knew he would be awake because Emmett had discovered the joy of early morning cartoons, and Peter liked to watch them with the boy to pretend he was young again. It was a thing.

Peter answered the door, his hair all over the place. He looked a lot younger first thing in the morning, kind of innocent even. "What's wrong?" He moved me out of the way to scope out the street.

"Nothing." I shoved him back onto his doorstep. "I think we should have a barbeque today."

"Today? Hello, it's supposed to rain."

"We'll figure something else out if it rains."

He frowned. "Yeah, well, food things are Carl's strength. Go tell him."

"I will, Grumpy. I just wanted to tell you first."

He gave me a lazy half-smile and leaned against the doorstep. "Why's that?"

"I don't know. I just needed an excuse to get out of my house, and you're the only one who's ever up this early. Jeez."

"What's wrong with your house?"

I smiled. "I'm giving the newest lovebirds in town a minute or two alone."

He stared at me. "Tell me you're not talking about the teenagers. You don't leave teenagers alone, Ava."

"You ruin everything. Not every teenager is a version of teenage you, you know."

He smirked. "They wish. So what's with the party idea? Doesn't seem like the time to party. We've a lot of work to do."

"And we can't work and eat at the same time?"

He folded his arms. "Spit it out."

"Parker doesn't feel like this is his home."

"That's because it's not. He's staying in a stranger's house."

"Yeah, but it's Carl. He makes friends with everyone he sees. He still goes for drinks with a taxi-driver who drove him home one night five years ago."

"So... what, you feel sorry for the kid now?"

"Yes! Don't you? And everyone's so stressed that I thought maybe doing something together would bring back the family vibe to the place."

He moved closer to me. "There are easier ways to bring family vibes to the cul-de-sac."

I tried my best not to smile. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, I mean, Emmett feels like he lost his family, and you're not rectifying that for him." He gave me puppy-dog eyes, which looked kind of terrifying on his hunter-scarred face.

"Don't try to be cute," I said. "It never works."

"It might be easier if you told me what would work." He grinned.

"You're ridiculous."

"And you're dragging this out for too long." He rested his hands on my waist. "You want us back. You want to be a family again. You were happy with us."

I had been, and I was tempted. I laid my hands on his, my head bent. Maybe I was cutting off my nose to spite my face. Maybe I had been angry for too long. But I was in a different place than I had been before, and I was sick of making important life decisions in the face of death.

"Peter, I—"

Emmett came running into the hallway. "Is that Ava?"

I pushed Peter's hands away and reached for his son, instead. I couldn't look to see Peter's reaction.

Emmett came barrelling into my arms. I hugged him tightly, relishing the clean smell of his hair. It was growing out again, albeit with a few thin patches here and there, but his eyes were bright and happy.

"What are you doing here so early?" he asked, refusing to let me go.

"I was talking to your dad about having a barbeque today."

He frowned. "That's Carl's job."

"See?" Peter smirked.

"I just wanted you and your dad's opinion on it. I didn't mean to take you away from Transformers or anything."

"On a break." He shrugged. "Dad thinks it's a good idea. Don't you, Dad?"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Fine. It's a good idea. We'll be there."

"Think you could help Carl with it?" I asked. "And Anka. I'll take Emmett and Dita to my place, and—"

"Shut up," Peter said. "I'll help with your stupid barbeque, even though I have more important things to do."

"Cool," Emmett said. "I'll go get my stuff."

I leaned over and kissed Peter's cheek. "Thanks, Peter," I said shyly.

A wave of sadness passed over me. Once, I had yearned for him to accept me, but since he had, I had firm suspicions that it was just too late.

Chapter Sixteen

"Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea," Peter said as he leaned against my front wall.

Emmett was on the other side of me. I had wrapped my arm around him, gaining comfort from him in a way I couldn't from anyone else. The rest of the cul-de-sac people were standing around, conversing with each other and eating from Carl's bounty in the rare bout of dry weather.

"It's been all kinds of relaxing." Surrounded by Emmett and Peter, I allowed myself to feel content, almost like part of the family again.

Peter gestured at Adam. "He doesn't look very relaxed."

"He doesn't understand us. He wants us all to hide and feel scared all of the time. He doesn't get how good we are at that. So good, we can relax at the same time."

"And he doesn't realise this is all part of your defiant act. Screw you, first vampire. We ain't scared." Peter grinned. "Adam's going to take that girl and run a mile if you're not careful."

"She won't leave without Parker," I said, watching the two teens partake in some harmless flirting. "And he seems the wisest out of the three of them. He hates it here, but he knows it's safe, so he puts up with it. Everybody wins."

Somebody started playing Ry's old fiddle. That brought a tear to my eye.

"Hey," Peter said softly, "don't get upset."

I blinked away the tears as best I could. It wasn't just the memory of Ry. It was all of them, all the ones we had lost. Nobody had been safe. And by hiding a girl being chased by the very first vampire, I was inviting trouble yet again.

Emmett squeezed my arm. "I'm gonna go play."

I watched him run over to Dita and pull her hair. Little shit. She shoved him then ran off with him giving chase.

"I can't tell if they're being evil or cute sometimes."

"Let's go with cute," Peter said. "We've enough to worry about."

I blew out a sigh.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked.

"That whole thing of wondering if we're doing what's right or just being plain stupid."

"It's just the life we lead. Someday, it'll be different."

"Someday," I echoed. "I wish someday would hurry the fuck up."

"We're getting somewhere with the research. I'm pretty sure Seth's not a daywalker. I wish we could find someone who was around when he was being created."

"I suppose I could crack open Hell and have a chat with the Big Daddy down there. Doubt I'd make it back here, but still."

"Don't even joke about that. It's gonna be dark soon."

I stared up at the sky. "Looks like it."

A car trundled into the cul-de-sac and parked outside the twins' home.

"Phoenix," Peter said in a disgruntled tone.

"And Shay," I added, seeing two people get out of the car.

They made their way toward the party. Phoenix stopped to hug Lucia, who looked delighted to see her father. Lorcan offered his hand, and Phoenix shook it soberly. Shay found Emmett and patted him on the head then exchanged a few words with him.

"Politicians." Peter snorted. "Let's wheel out some old people and newborns for them to fawn over."

I punched his arm.

Shay reached us and nodded at Peter. "When are you going to send Emmett to the club?"

"I'm not sure if boxing is the right thing for him," Peter hedged.

"He'll make new friends and have a good way to release his tension. What's the big deal?"

"I'll think about it," Peter said. I could taste his lie, but I wasn't completely sure what his problem was.

Shay gave me a weak smile. "Sorry about that meeting. It got out of hand."

I shrugged. "Nah, I'm used to it. But Mac told me he's going to come here for Esther. That's not going to be pretty."

He looked around. "Is she here?"

"No idea where she's staying. She's keeping a low profile because of Mac."

"I'll talk to him."

I curled my upper lip. "Ugh! Don't bother. He's too desperate to punish somebody to listen."

Phoenix joined us. "I wanted to give you an update on what we've found out."

Shay frowned. "We wanted to give you an update."

"An update already?" Peter's sardonic tone made me shiver. "Quick work."

All of a sudden, I really wanted to be anywhere but next to those three. I stepped out of the little pinned-in semi-circle they had created around me. "I think some of the others might want to hear this."

I ran off, wondering when I had turned into such a massive chicken. I gathered Carl, Val, Lorcan, and Adam to hear whatever Phoenix and Shay had to say. I missed Esther. The place was getting way too testosterone-y.

"We've been researching, too," Carl said. "What have you come up with?"

Shay nodded and said, "Daimhín's been looking into the likeliest vampires in her domain to have defected to Seth. Some have gone into hiding, and that says it all to her."

"Unsurprising, really," Carl said. "From what I've been reading, Seth is practically a religion to many vampires. That's probably why they agreed to create the beasts in the first place—to please him."

I wasn't convinced. "Vampires are pretty much in it for themselves."

"That's true," Carl said, "but think about it. They were created by Seth. He's the sire of all sires."

"Except for Lucifer," Peter added.

Carl pointed at him, looking excited. "True, but Lucifer is a fallen angel. The vampires can't relate to that. They can relate to this supervillain first vampire as a godlike creature though. He's made from the same thing as they are. He's just a little angelic, too. Lucifer took a human and created the first vampire. That vampire populated the earth with his own kind. Sure, they aren't the same quality, but it's close enough for them."

"Why didn't Daimhín tell us any of this?" I asked.

"Because she's not in on it," Carl said with a grin. "She thinks of herself as their ultimate ruler, like that master she's always whining about who led the way before her. She was always part of a clan, a line of leaders. She wasn't the lone vampire on the street feeling like nobody was on their side but their original creator. I mean, Daimhín's terrified of the tainted, but vampires who follow Seth covet them."

I made a face. "I suppose it makes a weird, upside-down kind of sense."

"To a species who can never reproduce, Seth must be their only hope," Shay said.

"Okay, so he's their god-religion-all-father-whatever. Great. How does that help us?"

"It doesn't," Shay said in a grim voice. "It means the vampires who follow him will be crazy. They'll do anything to please him. Anything at all. We'll have to watch out. So will Daimhín."

"It'll do her no harm to feel as vulnerable as the rest of us," Peter said. "Can we track down these missing vampires?"

"Daimhín gave us info on their pets," Phoenix said. "In the daytime, we might be able to pursue them to find out where the vampires are hiding. It won't be easy, of course."

Val nodded at Peter. "We can do this."

"I'll send someone over with the relevant information tomorrow," Phoenix said. "But there's more. There have been more emergency calls lately. But when our people arrive, there's nothing going on. In the rare cases when there is, everyone is already dead. It looks like the work of the beasts, but it's been so controlled so far that we aren't sure. But the rumours will spread. People will panic."

"Chaos," Adam said. "He's inviting chaos, so he can walk in unseen."

"He can't just walk in here," I snapped. I was so sick of Mr. Pessimistic.

Adam squared his shoulders. "You know nothing."

Shay cleared his throat. "There are other rumours. People have reported hooded figures causing riots in the streets, instigating violence but rarely taking part."

"You think it's the assassins?" Peter asked.

"Possibly," Shay said. "They've re-banded before under Reuben. Why not under an even more powerful vampire?"

"I've been waiting for that," Val said. "It makes the most sense. He needs to gather allies in this country. With two tainted nephal here, he could make it a base. I doubt his intentions are as clear as he pretends."

"There was a media report in Spain last night," Shay said. "They called Ireland the Devil Country."

"Isn't that just great?" I asked. "The formula to create beasts originated over there. How can they talk about us? The new human government is so going to blame me for destroying tourism. Again." I looked around at their solemn faces. "Oh, come on. You don't really think—"

"We don't know for sure," Phoenix said. "Two nephilim were born here in a very short period of time. That must have some significance."

Darkness fell. Some of the guys piled the wood and made a bonfire. A half-hour later, Emmett raced over and pulled on my arm, panting as he tried to spit out words.

"Calm down," I said. "What's wrong?"

His eyes were wide with fear. "It's bad, Ava. It's really bad!"

"What's up?" I asked. "You break something?"

"He's here!"

"Who?" I asked dully, already knowing the answer.

"Seth! They wanted me to warn you. This is just the beginning. He won't stop until he has what he wants."

"Who told you that?" Peter asked.

Emmett pointed toward the mouth of the cul-de-sac. "Them."

We all looked to where he pointed. For a second, my eyes couldn't adjust to the darkness. I walked around the bonfire to see more clearly. I heard a sound, something almost like an explosion, and the mouth of the cul-de-sac burst into flames.

I stared in horror. Two crucifixes, each holding a body, were attached to a wooden sun. The entire tableau was all aflame.

"What the hell?" I whispered.

I saw movement to my right. Jessica was headed right for the fire.

"Jess!" I ran toward her.

Her jaw was slack, her eyes half-opened. She was following some compulsion, a voice the rest of us couldn't hear. I reached her and grabbed her arm. She swung out and hit me. I flew back, barely avoiding landing in the bonfire.

I was vaguely aware of shouts and screams. I scrambled to my feet, ran for Jessica, and tackled her to the ground. She fought back, but Parker appeared and helped me. He grabbed her hands and whispered her name pleadingly. I heard sounds all around me, people running into action, but I focused solely on Jessica. I couldn't let him have her. I couldn't let her walk away.

I slapped her cheek, begging her to look at me. But it was Parker who broke through the haze.

After too many tense minutes, she stopped struggling. "What's going on? What's happening?"

"Take care of her," I told Parker as Adam reached us. I ran with the others to the mouth of the cul-de-sac. Peter and Carl were doing their best to extinguish the fire from inside our perimeter of neutral territory.

"We need to get them down," Shay shouted. "We need to help them."

"They're dead," I stated flatly.

He looked as though he was about to run right outside, so I gripped his arms and made him stay still. "If Emmett saw them, they're already gone, Shay. You can't go out there."

His face creased with pain and anger. "What do I do?"

"Just make sure no fire brigade comes out this way. Phoenix, check on the emergency calls." I moved as close to the fire as I could, trying to see past the flames.

The burning stack of wood was huge, but farther on the other side, I saw a lot of people. One of them waved at me. I shoved my middle finger up in the air in response. And then they were gone, and the heat of the flames beat me back. I tried not to look at the two bodies, but it was hard to avoid them. They were the main event, the highlight of the show.

"Why?" I whispered. "Why is he doing this?"

"He'll do whatever it takes to get what he wants," Val said.

That shook me into action. "The kids—"

"Already inside," Val said. "Everyone's safe."

Except for the bodies on the weird pyre, I wanted to scream, except for them.

***

Jessica was curled up into a ball next to Parker on Carl's sofa. Adam sat in a chair, looking helpless.

"I'm sorry," she said when she saw me approach. "I'm so sorry."

The anguish in her eyes was almost physically painful to me. I knelt at her feet. "What are you talking about? None of this is your fault."

"If I hadn't come here, that wouldn't have happened. If I hadn't come to you, then—"

"Then all of this might be happening to people less equipped to deal with it," I said firmly. "Powerful figures are working with us, Jess. The entire country is going to stand by your side. Yes, there will be a few of Seth's believers making a hack of things, but as long as you're safe, he doesn't get what he wants."

She stared at me, her green eyes wide with fear. "I don't even remember what happened," she whispered. "I don't know what he did to make me try to get to him. I'm weak. I can't fight back against him."

"That's what he wants you to believe," I said. "But you won't be fighting alone." I glared at Adam, daring him to contradict me. "Nobody fights alone around here. We're a team, a family. And as long as the rest of us are around, you'll never make it into Seth's clutches, no matter what he does to you."

Parker squeezed her hand, concern written all over his face. He was a lovely kid, I decided. Dependable. "She's right," he said softly. "It doesn't matter what he tries, we'll be there to stop him."

"Who were those people?" she asked. "The bodies in the fire."

I sucked in a breath. "One of Shay's units. A pair of agents sent out to investigate an urgent emergency call. They walked right into an ambush, apparently. They never had a chance. The rest of the men under Shay are now determined to help us get rid of Seth and his buddies. Don't you worry."

"Those poor people." She shook her head. "What a horrible way to die."

"They were already dead," I said, my voice cracking. "Their spirits came to Emmett to warn us."

"The little kid?" Jessica blinked a couple of times. "He must have been scared."

"Everyone is scared," I said. "All of the time. If there wasn't some vampire after us, we would be scared of something completely different. It's okay to feel scared. Just don't let it consume you. Don't let it eat you up."

She fidgeted with her sleeve. "I'm kind of tired. I just want to sleep if that's okay."

"Yeah, of course. Parker and your dad can stay with you if you want."

She nodded, and I left to check on the others. The night had been crazy. We had managed to put out the fire, but we couldn't call anyone to pick up the bodies out of fear of Seth ambushing them, too. We were stuck until morning, and even then, the hooded assassins could be lying in wait.

Val and the twins were standing outside of Anka's house.

"Kids okay?" I asked when I reached them.

"All asleep," Val said.

"Even Emmett," Lorcan said. "Best not to wake him."

"Let me know if he has a nightmare," I said. "It might freak him out to wake up in a strange place."

"Peter's with him," Lorcan replied.

"Oh." That surprised me. "Well, good. That's great."

I spotted Shay standing alone at the mouth of the cul-de-sac. His sleeves were rolled up, his shoulders hunched. He had managed to pull the burned structure within my territory. As I approached, I saw that he had taken down the bodies and laid them on the ground. Their bodies were damaged by the fire, but the female was intact enough to tell how young she had been.

I stood next to him. "I'm so sorry, Shay."

"They were the only pair who were actually excited to work together," he said in a husky voice. "I had high hopes for these two."

"We won't let this happen again."

He looked at me, his face drawn and tired. "How can we stop it? I thought I could make a difference, but since I started, all I've seen is violence and death. There's so much suspicion and hate." He shook his head. "How do we change that?"

"One day at a time," I told him. "I think we should hold a press conference and explain exactly what's going on. People have the right to know what's happening out there. That's what turned people against the old governments—all of the secrets and lies. We need to be different."

"You'll help?" he asked, almost pleadingly. "You'll do this with us?"

"Shay, my hands are tied. I can't tell you everything about me, but I can't influence anyone. I'll do what I can, but I can't be part of this government. Nobody would want a tainted nephal speaking for them, anyway. You talk about suspicions. My kind are the biggest rejects the whole world over."

He gave a small smile before his gaze found the bodies again. "I'll have to tell their families. Will you come with me?"

"Do you think it's a good idea?"

He shrugged. "I'd like the company."

I nodded. "Okay, I'll come with you. We're all in this together, right? You should do something for these two. Honour them in some way and give the rest of the units something to work toward."

"There'll be a lot of anger over this. They may not all trust each other, but this makes it personal for them all."

"Good. We need a little anger. He's not going to get away with any of this." I pounded my fist into my palm. "Not now. Not ever. We've fought back before. We'll do it again. Next time, we'll be prepared for him."

Shay surprised me with a hug. I had said what he needed to hear, the words that would get him through the rest of the night. We all needed that—somebody to tell us the things we wanted to hear, whether we believed them or not.

Chapter Seventeen

After dawn broke, an ambulance and a fire brigade entered the cul-de-sac without incident. Shay hadn't left the bodies. He looked absolutely devastated, as if he'd finally realised that the supernatural world was full of danger that he could never win against. I stayed with him until the bodies were escorted away. He was faltering on the edge of something. I was faintly worried that he would become another Peter and decide that vengeance was the only way to deal with pain.

"I'm going to see the families now," he said gruffly. "Can you come?"

I had expected a little more time, but if that was what he needed, then I would be a friend to him. "I'll just make sure everyone is okay, and then we'll leave, okay?"

He didn't answer, just stared out at the morning sky.

I found Carl in his kitchen. "I'm going with Shay. He's not doing so well, and I'm worried how he's going to react. Maybe helping the families cope with their grief will help him in turn. Can you organise shit around here while I'm gone?"

"Of course." He wore the same grim expression he had all night. "Ava, be careful. He's going to push us. He's going to do everything he can to make you face him. You know that, right?"

"What can I do?"

He placed his palms against the counter with his back to me. "I have no idea. If we could find where he's hiding then... just give us time. We'll work it out."

"We're running out of time." I left him and joined Shay.

"Are you okay to drive?" I asked warily as we headed to his car.

"Yes." Without elaborating, he climbed into the driver's seat.

I got in and waited for him to start the car before I asked, "Who are we seeing first?"

"The human family," he said in a clipped voice. "Then out of the city to the supernatural family."

I couldn't gauge his mood. I had never seen him like that before. I didn't know what to do for him. I cleared my throat. "It could get worse before it gets better, Shay. He's targeting more than me and Jess. You could be in serious danger, too."

"Let him come," he said bitterly. "I want to look him in the eye."

"No, you don't. Stay with us. You can sleep on my sofa. Or Peter's."

"And what about everyone else? What about the millions of people who don't live in your little cul-de-sac, Ava? Are we going to leave them defenceless?"

That quietened me. People were dying because of my choices.

Soon, I started recognising the passing streets. "We're going to Moses's place."

"I did him a favour. I pushed for that girl to get on the unit. And now look at her. Dead and gone before she even got a chance at life. I had talked about what a good idea it would be to have someone from an under-privileged area on the team. I killed her, Ava, just as surely as that vampire did."

"This is all on Seth. She happened to go to that scene with her partner. You said yourself there have been lots of bogus emergency calls. This was why—to have them eventually go into the real thing, unsuspecting and unprepared. That won't happen again. It was a horrible price to pay for that lesson, but the rest of those agents have learned it."

He puckered his mouth as though there was a bad taste in his mouth. "This isn't what they signed up for."

"Then what did they sign up for? They signed up for this when the sun was missing, for fuck's sake. They knew it wasn't safe. They knew they would do and see crazy things. This is the life, Shay, and they signed up for it willingly."

"They never saw this coming."

"I know. And I'm sorry."

We arrived at the estate Moses lived in. The atmosphere was cold and wary, just as it had always been. Teenage girls wearing school uniforms and carrying schoolbags shouted insults from one block of flats to the next. When they noticed us getting out of the car, they fell silent. Shay's and my turning up so early in the morning wasn't a good sign. News spread quickly, and by the time we reached the right flat and knocked on the door, many people had crowded on the balconies in silence.

I caught sight of Moses and shook my head slightly. He held back, but his drawn expression said he understood why we were there.

An older woman answered the door, a toddler in her arms. She smiled at me in confusion before she caught sight of Shay's face.

"No," she whispered. "Don't tell me. I don't want to know."

"Can we come in, Mrs. Corcoran?" Shay asked in his policeman voice.

She said no, but she stepped aside anyway.

Shay shut the door behind us. "Is your husband here?"

She nodded and dumped the toddler into my arms. "I'll get him up out of bed. Go sit down... anywhere."

The toddler observed me with grim eyes as I took him into the living room. We all sat on the couch, the boy in my lap.

Shay stared at the child. "That's Layne's son."

"Layne?"

"Layne Corcoran. Younger than you. Youngest of the lot of them in the unit. The most eager. The most enthusiastic. Only child. Her parents take care of the little fella while she works. While she worked." His voice cracked on the last word.

I hugged the boy because I couldn't hug Shay. He had walled himself off. I had never had to tell a family that one of their own had been stolen from them, never witnessed the true aftermath of the pain our way of life left behind. My heart beat fast in my chest.

The boy stuck his finger into the side of my mouth and pulled. I was so surprised that I just stared back. He gave me a sudden, toothy smile, and my heart threatened to explode. He had no mother because of us. Because of me. I had to deal with Seth, no matter what the rest of the Eleven said about it.

"He likes you," Mrs. Corcoran said when she returned with a tall man.

The locks of his hair were a shocking white, the rest of it a steely grey. He looked confused, as though he couldn't possibly think of one reason why we might be there. "I saw you on the telly before. You must have a very, eh, very exciting life."

I squeezed my eyes shut as the pair huddled together on one armchair, waiting for their world to be broken around them.

"I'm sorry," Shay said. "Layne passed away last night in the line of duty. There was nothing anyone could do."

Mrs. Corcoran licked her lips a number of times, her fingers going to her mouth as if she held a cigarette between them.

Mr. Corcoran cleared his throat. His eyes were full of unshed tears. "Can we see her?"

Shay hesitated. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Oh, Jesus." Mrs. Corcoran rocked back and forth. The child reached out for her, but she ignored him. "What happened to her? What happened that we can't see her?"

"We don't know exactly what caused her death," Shay said. "Only that it was quick. She didn't suffer. Her body was burned afterward in a fire. That's why you can't see her."

The lies fell easily from his lips. We didn't know how exactly the pair had died, but I couldn't blame him for pretending.

Mr. Corcoran stood and looked around, seeming anxious to do something. He took the child out of my arms. The boy squirmed then laughed, but otherwise there was only silence in the room.

"Her partner," Mrs. Corcoran said abruptly. "She worried about him. Was he there?"

"He passed with her," Shay said tightly. "No survivors."

The woman clenched her hands together. "At least she wasn't alone. I'd hate to go alone. I always think it would be better with someone by your side."

I wanted to tell her that they had gone in peace, that they had even warned us first, but I didn't think it would help. It might even make her want to see Emmett. So I kept quiet.

"I'm very sorry for your loss," Shay said, getting to his feet. "Layne had a lot of potential. I had high hopes for her. If there's anything you need, please call me personally." He dropped his card on the coffee table. "Someone will come to you later today to help with the arrangements."

"The arrangements," Layne's father stated. "Oh."

"I need to go... see the other family," Shay said. "You won't be alone in this. Layne was part of... we'll all grieve her passing."

He led me out of the flat, his hand gripping mine. He was barely holding on.

Outside, we were surrounded by people. I waved at Moses, who made his way through the crowd. He escorted us down to his flat, ordering the people to give us some space. "Must be bad," he said around a cigarette as he unlocked the door. "It's only me!" he called out. "Ava and Shay are here."

We stepped inside the warm flat and followed him into the living room. I stared in shock at Esther, who was sitting on Moses's sofa.

Once I found my voice, I cried, "What the hell are you doing here? Where have you been? We've been worried sick! Is Aiden here? Are you okay?"

Esther held up her hands. "Apart from dying of second-hand smoke, I'm fine. Moses said I could stay. Nobody will look for me here, and it'll keep the shifters away from your door. I haven't seen or heard from Aiden. I have no idea where he is."

"Doesn't matter." I eased down into the seat next to her. "Mac has his eye on the cul-de-sac. He even made a big-mouthed threat. But we've got bigger problems."

"What's going on?" Moses asked. "Ma! Make tea or something." He screwed up his nose. "And toast. White bread. None of that wholegrain shite." He shrugged. "She's trying to be healthy like Esther. It's fucking annoying."

Esther rolled her eyes. "Why are you here, anyway? Is something wrong?"

Shay took a seat and cleared his throat. "Two members of our unit were killed by Seth last night."

Her mouth widened into an O. "I'm so sorry, Shay."

"Ah, jaysus," Moses said. "Layne's ma and da must be in bits. I'll send me ma down with dinner for them later. Poor bastards."

"We've to go to the other family next," I said, wondering how I was going to get through more grief.

"What's going on?" Esther asked.

I briefly explained the situation to her.

"I'm coming back," she said. "If Mac thinks I'm there anyway, then I might as well be."

"It's a bad time," I said.

"I can help. And I can't run forever. Besides, I'm safe in the cul-de-sac, right?"

"Yeah, until Mac decides to send someone who thinks he's just taking you out for a talk. The person wouldn't intend you harm, but you would follow them out of safety. It's a loophole." Or someone could change his intentions, like Jessica and Adam. The cul-de-sac wasn't as untouchable as I had been led to believe.

"He's not that clever," she said. "I'll deal with Mac later. First we have to handle—" Her hand flew up to her forehead. She squinted and her face turned ashy.

Moses rummaged in a handbag on the coffee table and pulled out some tablets.

"What's happening?" I asked, terrified by the obvious pain Esther was in.

"It's like a migraine," Moses said, "except worse, apparently. Happens every now and then."

After a few moments, the episode passed, leaving Esther sweating and weak. "Damaged goods," she said in a cracked voice. "Some shifters my family turned out to be."

"Is there anything the hospital can do about it?"

"Nope. I'm lucky to be alive, they reckon. What's a little pain?" She sipped from a glass of water Moses brought her. "It's just something I have to live with. They have no idea what's causing it. Sometimes I shift without meaning to. It's embarrassing. It's part of the reason I've haven't come back."

"But she's grand about wrecking my gaff," Moses joked.

His mother carried in a tray of tea and toast. Esther thanked her, earning a pat on the shoulder.

"Shay, you should eat something," I said.

He hadn't looked away from his hands the entire time we had been in Moses's flat. He hadn't even asked if Esther was okay. That was unlike him. He shook his head.

"Do you want to give me the address of the second family?" I asked. "I can... I can visit them myself."

"I have to be the one." He stood. "We should get going."

I exchanged a worried look with Esther before following Shay outside. Moses walked ahead of us, clearing a path. I spotted a group of women huddled together and crying.

At the car, Moses squeezed Shay's shoulder. "It means a lot that you came here yourself to tell us. We were all real proud of her."

"It would have meant more if we had saved her." Shay shivered and got into the car.

I looked at Moses and shrugged. "Keep an eye on the family. It hasn't sunk yet, I don't think."

Moses glanced at the car. "That's going around. Take care of yourself, Delaney."

"Will do. And don't let Esther come back. I'll hold off the shifters."

I got into the car and waved at Moses as Shay drove off. I expected another journey full of silence, but he began to talk almost as soon as Moses was out of sight.

"Anthony May," he said. "Otherwise known as Anto. Big family. Lots of brothers. Expect noise. Well-respected family. He's the youngest son. The mother didn't want him joining the unit. This isn't going to be the same."

"I can handle it."

He glanced at me. "Maybe I can't."

"Ah, Shay."

He pulled over and laid his head on the steering wheel. "Is this all it'll ever be, Ava? Death and sadness?"

"No," I said, leaning over to put a hand on his shoulder. "Sometimes, it's new beginnings and adventure and friends and making a home and family out of the dirt we live in. It's making a better world for kids like Layne's son. When he grows up, he'll never have to fear the creature who murdered his mother, because we'll have dealt with it."

"Will we?"

"Seth has killed enough mothers," I said in a cold voice. "He's had his day."

He sat up and looked at me, his face strained. "I forgot. He killed your parents, and I forgot. I'm sorry."

"I didn't know them. I have one crappy photo of them together. Jessica doesn't even have a picture of her mother. She's grown up hearing that her father cut her out of her mother's womb while the woman was still alive. Seth has done enough. It's time he got what he deserved."

"You're right." Shay swallowed hard and started the car again. "Let's get this over with and get back to work."

The May family lived a good distance away. Their neighbourhood was nice, their house large. The garden was well kept, and the curtains in the windows looked spotless. Somebody cared about the home.

The door opened before we could ring the bell. A young girl, maybe eighteen or nineteen years old, immediately began screaming off a list of names. She slammed the door in our faces. I looked at Shay, bemused.

"Don't worry about it. It's normal." The corner of his mouth curved upward in a semblance of a smile. "For the May family."

The door opened after a few minutes. Two young men stood there, their faces grim.

"It's about Anto, isn't it?" the taller one said.

"Is the whole family home?" Shay asked.

The tall one nodded, and the other stepped aside so we could enter. Shay gripped my elbow and directed me into the living room. The teenage girl, an older couple, and four more young men were arranged around the room. They were all fair with sandy-coloured hair, but the mother's was the lightest. The men were looked similar. I imagined Anto had probably looked the same.

"I'm very sorry to tell you that Anthony passed in the line of duty last night," Shay said.

Three seconds of silence passed before the mother began to wail, and the rest of them began talking at the same time.

"What happened?" the father demanded. "What happened to Anto?"

"The very first vampire killed him and his partner last night," Shay said. "They didn't have a chance."

"I knew it was a bad idea, sticking him with a human partner." The mother crossed her arms over her chest. "I knew it, didn't I? I said it all along."

"Don't be stupid, Ma," one of the young men said. "He said she was the best of the bunch."

"She had a baby," the girl said sadly. "Poor little baby."

"Oh, no," Mrs. May said. "She was a nice girl, all the same. Just, you know, one of them."

"Anto was crazy about her," one of the brothers said, laughing. "He was going to ask her out, but he was too chicken."

Shay ran his hands over his face. I worried he was close to breaking.

"He would never ask out a human," Mrs. May said primly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Mr. May said. "How are the Corcoran family? Do they need anything?"

I cleared my throat. "It might be a good idea for the two families to grieve together." I couldn't resist adding, "Even if they are human."

"Of course," Mr. May replied. "We should go see them. Do they have any other children?"

Shay shook his head. "She was all they had. There's just the grandson now."

The family began a discussion of how they would help the Corcorans, immediately turning their grief into something completely different.

Shay said over the noise, "Someone will come over and discuss the arrangements. Let me know if you need any help. I'm truly sorry for your loss."

"Wait," one of the brothers said. "Where's this vampire?"

"We're working on that," I said as Shay abruptly left the room. "He doesn't have long left, trust me."

I followed Shay outside. He was standing as if frozen outside the front door.

"I'm not cut out for this," he said. "I thought I'd be doing some good, but all I do is give people bad news, break their hearts. It's too much. I can't be this person."

"You help," I said, puzzled by his attitude. "How can you not see that?"

I hugged him, not knowing what else to do. He leaned against me. He was too human. He cared too much. And the rest of us were too used to death.

Chapter Eighteen

I returned home to find Phoenix at my kitchen table, which was covered in documents.

I squinted. "Uh..."

"Sorry," he said. "I came back to talk to you, but you were already gone. I thought of something and got lost in the paperwork." He didn't sound very apologetic.

I took a seat. "I went with Shay to tell the families."

He dropped his pen and leaned back in the chair. "I didn't realise. How did it go?"

"Awful. Shay's not taking it well, either." I gestured toward the papers. "What's all of this?"

"Transcripts of phone calls to the emergency line. And whatever info that could be found on the callers."

I picked up a piece of paper, and my eyes were drawn toward a paragraph that had been crossed out. Reading the lines, I sighed. It was documentation of an emergency call Jess had made while she and her father were being chased. "This call was from Jess. Poor kid."

"Yes, but look at this." He pushed more papers toward me. He had highlighted dates and times all over the page.

"Okay, but I've no idea what I'm looking at."

He jabbed a finger at the page. "Most of the calls were made in a specific post code, in a relatively small area north of Dublin, mostly from public phones in places like pubs or restaurants."

"Didn't anyone who picked up the emergency calls notice this at the time?"

"Lots of nightlife. So it's a busy area." He looked a little sick.

I took a seat. "So we're thinking what, exactly?"

"That Seth used vampire volunteers to place the calls, and perhaps some of them were too lazy to leave the location they live in. The calls are clustered too close together to be a coincidence."

"And if Seth meant it to be a sign? If he's calling us to him?"

"We'll go in daylight and talk to the volunteers of whichever coven runs the area. It's a lead. It might be a poor one, but it's still a lead."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Maybe Daimhín will have something by tonight."

"I've had people looking out for Fionnuala's assassins, anyone with those tattoos. It's going to be hard to sort the real thing from bogus reports."

"Not many people have seen the real thing." I frowned. "I wish we could get our hands on Aiden."

"He's gone. He has no ties here. He has to have fled. The shifters have turned against him, even those who once helped to break him out of the Council's jail cells. It would be too dangerous for him to stick around."

"But Esther's here. He thinks he can get back what he once had. I wouldn't be surprised if he were still in the country. I don't think he can leave behind the glory days so easily."

"More fool him. He has a chance at a fresh start. Anyway, I'm almost finished. Sorry for taking over your kitchen."

I waved a dismissive hand. "Take as long as you need." Even though you have a house and an office, I might have added.

I headed over to Carl's place to check on Jess. She was there with Parker and Adam.

She jumped to her feet when I entered the living room. "Any news?"

"Not so much. Everything okay here?"

She and Parker nodded, but Adam just stared into space.

"You doing okay there, Adam?" I asked a little nervously.

He didn't look at me. "Nobody will let us leave. She's not safe when we stop running."

I snapped my fingers in front of his face, but he had gone into an almost catatonic panic mode. "Jess..."

She smiled. "I'll stay with him and Parker. You don't have to worry."

"About what happened," I said. "That's not typical of living here. Well, sometimes things get crazy, but that's usually when there's a war of some kind going on."

"I'm sorry about those people," Parker said. "I'm staying inside because I don't want to remind anyone of what I can do."

"Those people were brave even beyond the end," I said. "And don't worry, Parker. Nobody would link you to that kind of behaviour. Seth is emotionless. We have to think like him to predict what he'll do next, and I don't think that's possible for anyone with half a heart. I'll be back around later. If you need anything, just shout."

I went to Anka's place next. She was making cookies with Leah, Dita, and Emmett.

"Hey," I said. "Smells good in here."

"Keep working while I talk to Ava," Anka told the children. "You're doing a great job."

Leah gave me a look that said she knew how serious things were. The younger kids waved at me and carried on, the previous night probably mostly forgotten in their childish minds.

Anka drew me into the hallway. "Are we safe?"

"Yes, as long as you're in here, you're okay. You saw it last night. They couldn't come in, couldn't do anything to us."

"That was a threat."

I sighed. "I know. I'm going to handle it as best I can. This new government is doing most of the leg work."

"But it's always up to you to clean up the mess. What does this man want? And why now?"

I leaned against the wall. "Adam reckons it's my fault, that I called Seth out when I took everything public. I just wanted people to be protected, to know that there was a way to fight back when the beasts came. I didn't think about the first vampire or being tainted or any of that crap. I just thought about saving somebody on that night."

"He was already after that girl. She found you. What if more come? I think that's why Seth is here. He sees you as a beacon. If there are more of you and you gather to make an army of your own, what's left for him?" She patted my shoulder. "I must get back before Emmett puts salt in Dita's batch. Be safe, Ava."

That hadn't occurred to me before—an army of people like me. That would give us something pretty close to invincibility, if Daimhín's reluctance to kill me—just in case—was anything to go by. I shook off the thought. I didn't need or want an army. I didn't want power.

Next up was the twins' home. In there, I found the twins, Peter, Val, and Carl.

"Nice little gathering you have here. Can anyone join or do I need a handwritten note?"

Carl left his seat by the table and hugged me. "How did it go?"

"You know." I shrugged. "What's going on here?" I took a seat next to Lorcan.

Peter pushed a pile of books my way. "Research. Lucky you."

I made a face and opened a book, but I couldn't face reading the words. "Phoenix said most of the emergency calls were made within a small radius in North Dublin."

"The vampire queen should know more," Val said.

I nodded. "I'm planning on asking her to interrogate some vamps, but maybe I should take a look at the area today, before the vampires wake up and start warning their slaves that the vampire queen has been asking questions."

Val said, "I would be happy to go with you."

I glanced at her. "Let's see if we pick up anything here first. Maybe Phoenix will get more info from his paper explosion in my kitchen."

Lorcan raised his head and stared at me.

"I got home and saw him there. Don't blame me." I cleared my throat. "So Anka said something funny to me just now."

Everyone turned to me. I already regretted bringing it up.

I folded the corner of a page and earned a slap on the hand from Carl. "She said some things about an army of people like me, and I got to thinking, what if more of them come here looking for me? Jess did, and she's just a kid."

"What if somebody led Jess here?" Carl asked.

I frowned. "Like Seth?"

"Maybe. Maybe something a little... different. It just doesn't make sense to me how the two of you were born here, and the two of you were hidden. What if there's more to this?"

Everyone fell silent. Some of the others went back to the books, desperate to find some paragraph that would give up Seth's kryptonite.

"How's Shay?" Peter asked. "He doing okay?"

I shook my head. "Looks like it's all sinking in now. This world. The things that have to be done. I don't think he was quite prepared for last night." I yawned. "Neither was I. He's gone back to work. He said he didn't want to go home when he could be helping. I'm not sure what he's doing, but if it keeps him busy when he needs it, I guess it's a good thing." I made a face. "The families got to him. He's too soft for this life. He's a garda. He needs to get used to sadness."

"It happened in front of him," Peter said. "And he couldn't do a thing about it. That's not usual for him."

"He's right," Carl said. "This must be tough on Shay. He had to watch his people burn and know that he could never arrest their murderers."

"Let's hope he gets to watch the killers die then." I yawned again. "Seriously, I need to sleep. Val, wake me if you want to go hunting volunteers with me."

She nodded and waved me off. When I got back to my place, Phoenix was still there.

"I'm just going to sleep for a bit," I told him.

He followed me into the living room. "Fine, I just need to tell you this first."

I sat on the sofa with a sigh. Then I laid my head on the side of the couch and listened to him talk. He didn't get past the first sentence before I conked out.

***

Phoenix woke me a couple of hours later. "Ava," he whispered. "Val is here to go somewhere with you."

I gazed into his eyes before abruptly sitting up. "Shit. I thought it was dark for a minute." My dreams had been screwed up, and when Phoenix woke me, I had been convinced that I was too late to a battle.

"Still daylight," Val said from the doorway. She looked uncomfortable. "Are we heading out, or do you need more sleep? I can go alone. Or with Lorcan."

"No, I'll go with you." I stretched. "Just give me twenty minutes."

I ran upstairs to have a quick shower and change. When I came back downstairs, Val and Phoenix were sitting in total silence.

I raised my eyebrows. "Okaaay... Val and I are heading out to check on those emergency calls. Any specific streets or hangouts we should visit?"

Phoenix found a clean sheet of paper and wrote down some names. "One is a pub. Supposed to be a place that turns a blind eye to the whole blood-sucking lifestyle. It might be a good place to start."

That reminded me of another bar. "Cool, thanks."

We borrowed Peter's car and got on the road. He was way less possessive about the thing lately.

As I pulled out of the cul-de-sac, I said, "This is probably a complete waste of time, but I feel like I need to be doing something."

She didn't reply.

"There's somewhere I'd like to go first. Is that okay?"

She shrugged.

"This journey would go a lot faster if you decided to speak today."

"I'm thinking." She sounded surprised. "I didn't realise you needed to fill every gap in conversation with inane chatter."

"I don't. I'm just nervous."

"Ava, where are we going?"

I sighed. "Gabe's bar. Finn's bar now. It's the first time I've been since..."

"Oh. Perhaps one of the others would be a more... sympathetic companion."

"I don't want sympathy," I snapped. "Or pity. Or a knowing look. Shut up, Val. You're a crap conversationalist."

To my surprise, she laughed. "You've become too predictable."

I ignored that. "The bar is a neutral hub of information. If anything is going on, Finn will know about it."

"The bartender?"

"Bar owner, now. The siren said she would find out more, but I want to see Finn's reactions to my questions."

I couldn't imagine walking into the bar and not catching Gabe's scent. As we approached, sweat ran down my spine. I didn't want to go in. If I did, everything would feel more real, and I didn't have time for more emotion. But I needed Finn.

"This is the place where I got info on that tattoo artist," I said to fill the silence and distract myself from the impulse to run. "I really thought it would be Raven."

"Just Raven's apprentice," Val said. "I'm almost certain Raven escaped somehow. I'll find her someday."

"What's the deal with you and Raven? Is this something that could upset Lucia? Because if so—"

"Raven is in my past," Val said. "I'm free because of her. Leah is free because of her. A lot of people would not be free if she hadn't helped us back then. She gave me strength that I had been too terrified to wield. She gave me... more than I can ever thank her for, and she paid too high a price for it."

I pulled into the parking lot, but left the car running. I gripped the wheel, taking deep breaths for way too long.

"Oh, let's get on with it," Val said, stepping out of the car.

I turned off the engine and followed her. When we reached the door, I barely hesitated before walking in. The place looked the same. Even Gabe's scent lingered, though faint enough that few would catch it. I saw Finn at the bar and made a beeline for him. He hadn't seen me yet. I wasn't sure what his reaction would be.

He came around the bar and hugged me. Shocked, I patted his shoulder nervously. Fae didn't hug, especially not when mongrels were on the receiving end.

"I'm glad you came at last." He pulled away from me. "You were with him when he... and I wanted..." He cleared his throat. "What can I do for you today?" He led us to the bar where we took our seats.

"I suppose you've heard about Seth," I said.

"That's all anyone is talking about. Is he really here?"

I nodded. "I saw him."

"Then it's true that he killed some of the new agents last night?"

"Two," Val said.

Finn glanced at her nervously before turning back to me. "And you want to know what exactly?"

"If you've heard any rumours we could use," I said. "Someone's been making prank emergency calls, most of them coming from North Dublin. We're thinking vampire volunteers. Is there a coven you know of in North Dublin? Large enough to be useful to Seth."

"There is one, but it's not a large coven," he said thoughtfully. He wrote something on the back of a beermat. "This is the territory they own. They're pretty low ranking. Their volunteers should be around during the day, but most will be sleeping."

I took the beermat from him and shoved it into my pocket. "Thanks. What's the word on the street? General opinion on what's going on?"

"Oh, you know how it is," he said. "Some of 'em hero worship him; others don't believe in him. Some are terrified; others are eager to see the new government fail as they deal with him. It's a mixed bag."

"What about the assassins?" Val asked. "Has there been talk about them? About people with their tattoos?"

I looked at Val. "Her tattoos would be similar but not exactly the same. Can you keep an eye out for anyone sporting something magically similar?"

He nodded, staring at Val as if surprised. "Anything else?"

"If you hear anything that might be useful, let me know," I said. "This vampire is the source of the formula that creates those beasts. It wouldn't be a bad thing to pass that info around to the right people."

He smirked. "The panickers. The big-mouthed ones. Don't worry. I'll keep an eye out. I always do. It's hard not to soak up rumours and gossip in this place. You should come in one night, you know. Callista's signed up for a few shifts."

I looked around the room. The memories I had expected to haunt me weren't present. "Yeah, maybe."

Val and I turned to leave. Before we reached the door, Finn called my name. I looked back questioningly.

"Good luck killing the first vampire." He grinned.

I nodded and returned his smile. That was exactly what was going to happen.

Chapter Nineteen

Finn had been even more specific than Phoenix, but we checked out the broader area first. We found a park and wandered through it.

Val sniffed the air, looking bored. "I thought Phoenix said this was a busy neighbourhood."

"There's a line of nightclubs and pubs a couple of streets away. The place is dead during the day."

"Interesting choice of words."

"This could be a wild goose chase." I kicked a stone. "Why would they lead us here?"

"Perhaps Seth didn't realise the humans weren't as obedient as he liked to think. People are lazy when it comes down to it. It was just a phone call. Perhaps many of them assumed it wouldn't make a difference where they called from. Why go out of their way when they can do the exact same thing from here?"

"I assumed he was there when they called."

"More likely the assassins were there, if they didn't call by themselves on their own time." Val sniffed the air. "The assassins have had quite a few leaders now. Maybe they're disbanding and doing their own thing." She stopped walking and spun around in a circle. "There's definitely blood around here."

I couldn't smell anything, but when she strode off the path and into a copse of trees, I followed. Then I caught a scent, too: dried blood, urine, and alcohol.

"This might not be what we think it is," I murmured.

I heard a moan, and Val gestured for silence. A homeless man lay huddled under some blankets, a few empty cans scattered around him. His neck was grimy and badly shaved. There was a definite bite mark there.

"Hey," I said. "Are you okay? Do you need some help?"

His eyes opened slowly to reveal confusion and fear.

"We're not going to hurt you," I told him.

He shook his head and started crawling away. Val leaned down and gripped him by the collar of his coat. She hauled him into a sitting position against a tree. The stink of fresh urine filled the air. The poor chap was terrified of us... or rather, of Val.

"Val, can you get a coffee and a breakfast roll from that shop we passed on the way?" I asked.

She grunted in response then turned and left.

I knelt in front of the man, holding my breath. "Do you need me to take you to hospital or a doctor? That cut on your neck looks painful."

With trembling hands, he pulled the blanket up over the wound. He moved his head from side to side, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Do you have somewhere to stay tonight?"

"No," he croaked. He licked his dry lips.

"Okay, give me a minute." I pulled out my phone and called Moses. "Hey," I said when he answered. "Do you know of anywhere I can take a new friend of mine to sleep tonight? Somewhere he can have a shower and a hot meal?"

"What are you up to?" Moses asked. "Where are you?"

"The Northside. Not too far from town." I gave him my exact location and smiled reassuringly at the man.

"There are a couple of places out that way. Best one's in the city centre, but it's first come, first served. Not a lot of beds, but plenty of food and hot water. Want me to call in?"

"Would you? That'd be great."

"I'll see if I can cheat the system for you." He hung up.

I nodded at the man. "My friend is looking for a place you can stay."

He stared at me then licked his lips again. "Never make it in time. They always push me to the end of the queue."

"Let's see them try tonight, eh? What's your name?"

"Lar. Everyone just calls me Lar."

"Who bit you, Lar?" I asked softly. "Who hurt you?"

"I was dreaming." His eyes grew wild again. "It was impossible."

"Anything's possible. If somebody bit you, you can tell me. I'll make sure they don't hurt you again."

"They bring me things. They make me drink. Then they bite to see if they can taste the alcohol. They said I'm more alcohol than blood." He laughed sharply. "They think that's funny."

Val returned, and Lar clammed up again. She laid a bag and a large cup of coffee at his feet. He looked from her face to mine and back again. Then he reached for the bag and greedily dove in. There was definitely more in there than one breakfast roll. I looked at Val, and she shrugged. I tried not to laugh.

Lar opened the breakfast roll, pulled out pieces of sausage, and shoved them into his mouth. He smiled, displaying his brownish-yellow teeth, then lifted the coffee and sipped.

"You're nicer than the others." He looked worried. "Are you going to taste me now?"

He looked a little ill. I felt worse.

"No," I said firmly. "Nobody is allowed to taste you, Lar. Where are they? Where are the people who hurt you?"

"They come out of the pub. Sometimes they don't see me, and I follow them." He gestured to the left. "There's a house two streets away. It looks deserted, but they go in there at night, and nobody ever comes out. Sometimes they bring girls with short skirts. They're too young to drink, you know." He nodded sagely. "They think it'll be fun, but they go in that house, and that's... that's it."

I exchanged a worried glance with Val. I knew by her expression that she was as interested in finding those vampires as I was. My phone beeped. Moses had texted me with an address.

"Lar," I said. "We're going to take a look around. We'll be back to take you somewhere safe for the night, okay?"

"You won't come back," he said cheerfully. "Not if you're looking at that house."

We walked away. I heard the sounds of his slurping up his breakfast for several yards.

"What do you think?" I asked when we were out of earshot.

"I think that a lot of things have changed, but almost everything stays the same."

"Is he crazy, or are there girls in that house?"

She looked at me pityingly. "You think they're still there? In the coffee shop, there was a missing-person poster. I think he was right, at least in part."

"We need to ask questions."

"Let's start with the shop. The woman behind the counter is annoyingly chatty."

We strode toward the corner shop. The place was empty apart from the clerk behind the counter. Val pointed out the missing poster. The face of a pouting teenage girl looked back at me.

"Can I help you?" the clerk asked brightly.

"I'm wondering about that poster," I said, pointing. "The girl's missing?"

She waved her hand. "Oh, don't worry about that. The manager put it up there to shut the mother up. You know what it's like." She smiled conspiratorially. "These girls want attention all of the time. Posting selfies online, looking for drama where there is none. Then they blow up and run away to be special. They leave their families waiting for them to come home, and we have to look at their faces all day, whether we like it or not."

I stared at her, taken aback.

"So this happens frequently?" Val asked.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Yes, attention-seeking teenage girls tend to be runaways."

"What if she's been hurt?" I demanded. "What if she's lying in a—"

"Then she probably asked for it," the woman said nastily.

The only thing that stopped me from punching her in the face was my complete shock at her attitude. I took Val's arm and led her out of the shop.

Outside, I had a new thought. "You know, the girls could be vampire volunteers."

She shrugged me off. "Don't you start victim blaming."

"No, I mean unwilling volunteers, as in they don't know what they're really volunteering for." I cringed. "If they're going to a pub frequented by vampires, they probably already know what's in there. Everyone knows now, right? But maybe they assume it's all romantic and stuff, but it goes bad, and then they're stuck. And because they're teenage girls, maybe girls who act a little wild, people assume that they ran away. We need to find that girl's mother and ask her some questions."

"I thought we were here to question the volunteers?" Val asked with a hint of a smile in her voice.

"We are! I just want more information first." I started walking down the street.

Val caught up to me. "And is that before or after we take a homeless man on a trip?"

"Shut up. It's just one of those days."

"You're coming back to life."

I stopped and stared at her. "What?"

"This is what you need to be doing, Ava. You should be out on the streets, trying to help people and getting involved."

She was right. I felt better than I had in ages. I was taking control of a situation instead of waiting around until it came to me. Screw the Eleven. Ten. Holy crap, I was one of them. They were me. I couldn't do that. I couldn't turn into the person who had to sit around and discuss the outcomes to death. I needed to act. I needed my life back.

We came across a group of women and one man. They were pushing prams and about to head into the community centre.

"Hey," I said. "We're looking for a woman whose daughter went missing recently."

The women feigned puzzled looks.

The lone man sighed. "They're talking about Carrie Matthews."

"Oh, yes," one of the women said. "And her lovely daughter, Crystal."

The other women giggled. I exchanged a confused glance with Val. Was there something in the water?

The man stepped forward with his pram. "I'm Jack. I live nearby, and I can show you were she lives."

The women murmured some half-hearted protests as they watched us walk away with the man.

"You'll get used to this place." He cocked his head to the side. "Actually, you won't. You just learn to live with it. They don't like Carrie. Or Crystal. They're blow-ins."

Val looked at him as if he had two heads. "Blow-ins?"

"They've only lived here for five years," he said wryly. "So they don't belong. And they're both attractive. Apparently, that's not allowed."

"Know them well?" I asked.

"We're neighbours," he said. "She usually keeps to herself, but she's obviously devastated. What do you want with her?"

"Just chasing down information about her daughter's disappearance," I hedged. "Is she okay to talk about it?"

"She's probably desperate to talk about it to anyone who'll listen." He frowned. "That's her house up there." He pointed.

Two teenage boys were busy throwing things at Carrie Matthews's front window.

"Bastards," Jack said. "They won't leave her alone, and their parents don't give a shit." His baby began to whimper. He shushed the child absentmindedly and pushed the pram a little faster.

When we reached the house, Jack slapped one of the boys across the back of the head.

"I'll sue you," the boy snapped. "You fucking arsehole."

"Hurry on, then," Jack said. "And leave that woman alone, or next time, I'll deck you."

"Yeah, yeah," the boy jeered once he had crossed the road with his friend. "I'll have you, I will." He walked backward to show us his middle fingers.

Before I could blink, Val had run across the road and grabbed both boys by the scruffs of their necks. She began to shift, her shoulders and back rising as the horns embedded in her skin extended. Her eyes reddened, and I smothered a giggle at the expressions on both boys' faces.

"Oh, don't worry," I told Jack, who had huddled protectively over his pram. "She's a pussycat underneath it all."

He glanced at me with widened eyes, but he didn't say a word.

Val dragged the boys back over to us. "You're going to apologise to this man," she said through gritted teeth. "Then you're going to knock on that woman's door and beg for her forgiveness. You're going to offer to do jobs for her until she gets sick of you. And I'm going to come back and tear you limb from limb if I hear you've forgotten what I've told you. Do you understand me?"

A dark stain appeared on the crotch of the mouthy boy's trousers. The other looked too shock to speak.

Val shook them. "Do you understand me?"

They nodded. She let go and took a step back, clearly enjoying herself.

The boys muttered an apology to Jack then ran into Carrie Matthews's garden and knocked on the door. Jack spun his pram around and quickly made his escape.

"Val," I said, shaking my head, "excessive much?"

"Not at all," she replied.

We followed the boys to the house and reached it as the door was opening. The woman who answered looked utterly surprised when she saw the entourage on her doorstep. The boys made their apologies and their offerings, just as Val had ordered. As soon as they had set a time to return for work, they gave Val a fearful glance and ran off.

The woman was beautiful. Her dark hair was short and stylish, and her cheekbones were amazing. I couldn't tell her age, but she definitely didn't look old enough to have a teenage daughter.

"Carrie Matthews?" I asked.

I could still sense Hell steaming from Val, and Carrie was watching my companion closely, probably because the half-hellhound still had red in her eyes.

"Calm down," I muttered.

Val pretty much deflated. She moved back a little until she was almost behind me.

"Ms. Matthews," I said, "we're here to ask you about your daughter."

Carrie's hand flew to her mouth. "Are you with the police?"

I shook my head. "We sometimes work with the new government, but Val here is a private investigator."

Val shifted on her feet. "I'm a finder." When Carrie looked confused, Val sighed and conceded, "It's pretty much the same thing."

I struggled to maintain a straight face. "We were in the area, looking into a different matter, but we were wondering about connections with your daughter's case. Could we maybe ask you a few questions?"

"Is here okay?" she asked nervously. "I'm not sure..."

"Here is fine," I said. "How long has Crystal been missing?"

"About six weeks. Last week was her seventeenth birthday. Everyone thinks she ran away, but we were close. We just had one little fight. She stormed out and never came back. She doesn't have many friends. She tried, but they always turned on her. She's the odd one out, so I didn't even have anyone to call when she left. I had no idea where to look. And then the police called her a runaway. They won't even help me!"

I gave Val a pointed look. She was supposed to be the "finder."

Val cleared her throat. "Did she ever go to the pub near the park?"

Carrie sucked in a breath. "I think so. She wants to be a grownup. We all did at that age. She wears short skirts and flirts and posts pictures of herself online, so everyone thinks she's trouble. Whatever happened..." She shook her head. "She's a person, just like anyone else, and she doesn't deserve anything bad to happen to her. The things those girls at school did to her... and everyone around here is just oblivious to the way their little darlings act. They can't see past the clothes, but Crystal's a great kid. They think they know everything, but they judged her without even knowing her." The woman's voice edged on hysterical.

"Maybe we should come inside," I said gently. "I could make you a cup of tea, and then you can tell us all about Crystal. Would you like that?"

She nodded and opened the door wider. Her home was small but well kept. Pictures of her daughter papered the walls. I felt awful. It was as if her daughter was all she had. And Crystal was gone. We entered the kitchen, and I started filling the kettle.

"Private investigators," Carrie said as if just realising what we'd told her. "I can't afford to pay you."

"You don't have to pay anything," Val said. "We came to you."

I decided not to announce I wasn't actually working as a private investigator. Telling the woman I was a landlady wasn't going to instil much confidence in my investigative skills.

"The world has changed," Carrie said. "There are so many more things to be worried about. When Crystal never came back, I was afraid she had gone into town and been caught up in one of those riots you hear about. She would never survive. She wasn't a tough girl. Not in that way. She was bullied in school, beaten up, and the one time she hit back, she was suspended. How is that fair?"

"It's not," Val said. She sounded pretty compassionate... for Val.

"Have you been to that pub?" I asked Carrie. "Do you know the kind of people who frequent it?"

"Old men, mostly. I haven't been. But Crystal said all the girls at school went every weekend."

"Have any others gone missing?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Just my baby. It's always her. She's the unlucky one."

"What did you argue about?" Val asked. "The night she left. What was the argument over?"

"A boy," Carrie said sharply. "I saw her with a boy. I didn't see his face, but he looked older—a man, really. I was on the bus, so it was fast, but I saw him push her. What kind of man does that?"

"Where was this?" I asked.

"Oh." She furrowed her brow. "It was near that abandoned house, the one that has all of those squatters. I went there after Crystal left, but they wouldn't talk to me. The police said they spoke to them, but I got the feeling that they're not taking this seriously. Crystal was too old, and the rumours were that she was wild, too." She broke out into sobs, putting her face in her hands. "She was a baby. My baby. She wasn't wild. She was just a little girl trying to fit in."

I swallowed and vowed to find out what had happened to Crystal Matthews.

Chapter Twenty

I set a brisk pace as we started back toward the park and the abandoned house.

"People! They are amazingly shit to each other. What is wrong with people?"

"It makes them feel better about themselves," Val said.

I hadn't expected an answer. "How? How could putting someone else down make anyone feel better?"

"Perhaps they're happy it's not them. When you talk about Seth, how evil he is, how demented, don't you feel glad that you're not that way?"

"Please stop talking, Val."

She snorted.

When we reached the abandoned squatter house, I turned to her. "I don't think Seth is here."

"Neither do I."

"We need to use Crystal as a cover story."

"Who is the investigator here? And what was that about anyway?"

"People are more comfortable with terms they're familiar with. Everyone knows what a private investigator does, or at least, they think they do. A finder sounds weird and foreign, and that will put people off."

"Huh." She glanced at me. "We're not exactly getting a lot of interest. Do you think that's why?"

"Of course. And you need a name for this business, something that appeals to both sides of the fence and makes it obvious you're sympathetic to humans and supernaturals."

"Like what?"

"Okay, supernaturals don't use surnames, but humans can't comprehend that in anything other than a celebrity. So why not use your full first name and Peter's surname together? When supernaturals see Valeria, they'll know it's not a run-of-the-mill human name. Brannigan tends to evoke all kinds of emotions, but it's common enough for humans to deal with."

"You seem to be overthinking this."

"Or neither of you are thinking ahead enough. One of you needs to think of this as a business and not a calling. Peter's head is stuck too far up his own arse to pay attention, so it'll have to be you. You have to cater to two different worlds. Make two different types of business cards if you need to, but—"

"Business cards?"

"Sweet Jesus! I'll organise your business cards and letterhead."

"Letterhead?"

I ignored her. "I'll have something simple designed then have copies printed. Shit, I miss my old work. Martin Breslin takes care of all of the landlady crap, and I hired Carl to work on my accounting. You know what? I'm going back into business properly. I have this opportunity to learn about real artefacts. Why not go whole hog? So if you find anything useful on your quests, you know who to talk to."

The confusion in her eyes said I'd clearly just had a conversation with myself.

"Never mind," I said. "You did better than I expected with Carrie back there."

"What do you mean?"

"Well..." I hesitated, trying to think of a way to say something that would be sort of insulting without her actually getting insulted. "You were... soft with her. Sometimes, you need to step away from the 'grr' side of your nature. People need a little empathy when they're telling their problems to strangers. Peter's too stiff and gruff to be sufficiently sympathetic, and people tend to look to the woman for that. You need to be the one they can talk to."

"I'm not sure I like where this conversation is going, Ava Delaney."

I held up my hands. "Sometimes, you're going to come across people who want to talk to someone non-threatening. You have to learn to be that person when you need to be, and I was just saying that you did a good job back there."

She frowned.

I patted her on the shoulder. "Let's go round up some volunteers."

The abandoned house was large and derelict. There was no way it housed an important member of the vampire race. We checked around back and found one large door.

"I'll go in this way," she said. "You enter from the front. We'll clear the first floor and hopefully not lose too many of them."

I nodded and ran around to the front of the house. The door wasn't open, so I searched around for a spare key. I finally found one under a fake stone in the yard. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. Wincing at the creaking sound, I eased the door shut and pushed the bolt home. If anyone ran, he'd at least make some noise.

Filthy carpeted stairs were situated right in the hallway, and I spotted three doors on the ground floor, one open, two closed. I almost lost my shit when Val stepped lightly through the open door. I gestured at the stairs, but she shook her head and pointed at one of the closed doors.

We had a silent argument for a moment before she angrily jabbed a finger at me then at the stairs. So we weren't great at taking commands from each other.

I crept upstairs. There were four bedrooms. Most of them were empty. The last contained a lone girl asleep on the bed. I put my hand over her mouth and shook her awake. Her eyes popped open then widened when she focused on me.

"Let's go downstairs with the others," I said softly, removing my hand and taking a step back. "I have questions for you all about a missing girl."

"Are you police?" she murmured.

"We work with them." It wasn't fully a lie. I did stuff with Shay all of the time.

She was surprisingly obedient. Then again, she frequently obeyed the whims of vampires, judging by the marks on her neck. She led the way downstairs, where we met Val coming out of the room she had searched.

I stopped in front of the last closed door. "You first," I told the girl. She was younger than I had first thought. Not Crystal, though.

She smiled at Val—maybe the vampires were overdoing the obedience training—opened the door, and stepped into the room. Six people were sprawled on chairs, eating snacks. They did double takes when they saw us. Two men leaped to their feet.

I held up my hands. "Nobody freak out. We're just here to ask some questions."

"About what?" one of the men asked.

From the expressions on some of their faces, they all recognised me, maybe Val, too. Only some of them had visible bite marks. Yuck.

I glanced around at each of them, trying to figure out who was most likely to do something stupid. "There's a teenage girl who went missing a little over a month ago."

They all relaxed. That obviously hadn't been the kind of question they were expecting. So what else were they hiding? Seth? Something just as bad?

"Have any of you seen her?" Val asked.

They all shook their heads dumbly.

"That's funny," I said, "because we hear you frequent the same pub as she did and that the last time anyone saw her was right outside this house. In fact, it wasn't the only time she was seen near this place."

The youngest male was good looking in a scruffy, brooding sort of way. He was avoiding my gaze, so I homed in on him.

"That she was seen with you, actually," I bluffed.

His face flushed. "I didn't..." He shook his head. "I didn't do anything."

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Alex."

"Alex, do you know Crystal? Have you ever spoken to her?"

He looked around then whispered, "No."

"You were seen with her," Val said.

"Yeah, okay, I talked to her. She liked me. That's all. She was just a kid. I told her to—" His eyes grew wide. "I haven't done anything."

I glanced at Val. She gave me the tiniest nod. We needed to separate Alex from the pack.

"You won't mind if I take a look around then, will you?" I smiled brightly at the group. "We need to tick a few places off our list, make sure her mother knows she's getting her money's worth. You know how it is."

There were a couple of mutters but no big protest.

I nodded at the young man. "Alex, why don't you show me around then? Val, you ask the rest of our questions. This won't take long."

Alex shoved his hands in his pockets, mumbled something, then staggered out of the room as if something weighed heavily on his shoulders. I followed, still smiling, as he led me upstairs.

He walked through an open door and kicked a jacket lying on the floor. "Bedrooms."

"Do you live here?"

"I suppose."

"Been here long?"

He shrugged. "For a while."

"Crystal was pretty."

He looked panicked. "I didn't do anything."

"But someone did. What did she want from you, Alex?"

"She just wanted a friend. Protection. People were giving her a hard time, and she was scared. She thought she could find help here. I warned her not to come. I told her it wasn't what she thought, but she never listens, you know?"

"I know," I said. "She came anyway, didn't she?"

"She was so stupid! I told her I didn't want to see her again, and she still came. They told me she did. And then—"

"And then what?"

He clamped his mouth shut and stared at me.

I tried a different tactic. "Where are your bite marks?"

He flinched.

"Somewhere I can't see? That sucks. Vampire bites hurt."

He shrugged, barely able to look at me.

"You don't have to let them bite you. There are other places to stay."

To my surprise, his eyes filled with tears. "I have to stay now. She ruined everything. I was going to leave, but—" Fear spread across his face. "Please stop asking me questions."

I nodded and did a quick search of the rooms. There were no girls hidden in the wardrobes, no vampires asleep under the beds.

"One more question, and then we'll join the others," I said. "Is there a basement?"

He flinched. "We don't have a basement." But by the nervous twitching of his eye, there was something.

I squeezed his arm. "I can help, Alex. I promise."

We went down the stairs and back into the living room. Without actually telling me anything, he had told me enough to get him into trouble.

Val looked at me. "Anything?"

I shook my head. "We should go to the next place on the list." I waved at the group. "Thanks for your time."

As we headed to the door, someone called out, "I bet that freaky old man in the park killed her."

The others burst into laughter.

I turned back. "What, really?"

"Yeah," the oldest said. "He's a creep, always looking, always following people around. He's crazy, making up stories the whole time. He probably killed her and threw her body in the canal."

"Thanks for the tip!"

I was pretty sure they would watch us from the windows. We crossed the road to the park.

"I'm pretty sure she's there," I told Val. "I reckon she's still alive, but they're hiding her with the vampires."

"Why?"

"Food source? Some kid who doesn't want to volunteer, so they use her because they can. I've no idea. That kid, Alex, he was full of guilt. He was going to leave then suddenly couldn't. He said Crystal ruined everything. I think he's staying to make sure they don't kill her."

"How noble," Val said dryly.

"He's scared. People do what they can when they're scared. It isn't always enough, but at least it's something."

Val shrugged. "Peter's going to kill you if that man takes a piss in his car."

I laughed. "He'll have to catch me first."

***

After dropping off Lar at a homeless shelter, we returned to the cul-de-sac and updated everyone. I left a message on Shay's voicemail about Crystal. Distraction always worked to yank me out of a bout of depression.

But I brooded about Crystal for a long time. The police hadn't done their job, the community hadn't done their job, and a teenage girl was likely suffering for it. Nobody had noticed that most of the prank emergency calls had come from the same place. I wondered how many things were going to get brushed under the carpet because people assumed there was a supernatural explanation for everything.

That evening, Daimhín stopped by. Val and I met her outside.

"I want you to come with me," she announced. "To question those idiots."

"I was there today. Their volunteers weren't the most helpful in the world, but they're definitely hiding something. A teenage girl, for one."

Daimhín looked confused. "Seth is more important than a teenage girl."

"Everyone is important," Shay said, walking over to us. He looked exhausted, but I was relieved to see him.

"Hey," I said. "You got my message."

"Yeah. I just had to stop in to see Peter first. You were talking about the volunteers. Is that where you're going tonight?"

I nodded. "While Daimhín is questioning the vampires, you and I could look for the girl."

"No," Daimhín said. "He can do as he likes, but I want you with me while I question them. I want them to see what I have."

I rolled my eyes.

"It's our best chance to get the girl out of there."

"Peter and I will go," Val said. "I identified myself to the mother as a private investigator. Now it's time for Peter and me to finish the job."

Daimhín rolled her shoulders. "Fine. As long as Ava stands by my side, I don't care."

"The police force can deal with the search," Shay said.

"Shay," I said gently, "it's pretty obvious that you just don't have the numbers yet. Peter has a lot of experience. And Val's more than capable. Trust me. Use them. Use whatever resources you have until everything else gets back on its feet."

He ran his hands through his hair. "All right. But we have to stay involved."

"I don't think Seth is staying in the house with the volunteers," I said. "The place is a shithole. Finn told me the coven is insignificant, and the number of volunteers validates that. So where would the vampires sleep?"

"Underground, most likely," Daimhín said. "There has to be a basement of some kind."

"That's what we thought," I said. "But there's no visible entrance."

Daimhín frowned. She was wealthy and the leader of a strong coven. She had no real clue what it was like for the smaller covens struggling to get by. "An underground bunker nearby then. The entrance may not be on the property."

"How could they afford to build something like that?"

Daimhín smiled. "They couldn't, but there are already many secrets hidden beneath our feet in this country. There are long-forgotten tunnels, for example. This coven could be using a space that nobody else remembers, something that's been built over, perhaps."

Frowning, I tried to come up with a likely possibility.

"What if it's in the park?" Val asked. "That might be why that poor old man was being bitten all the time. He's in the way."

"We'll find out," Daimhín said sharply. "And pass on the message. We must go. I'm hungry. I haven't stopped for breakfast yet."

We all took a step away from her.

She growled. "Let's go, Ms. Delaney. They can follow in their own car."

I got into Daimhín's limo and nodded at Eloise. I ignored Jules, who was panting again. Zion was driving, and I wondered why the vampire queen wasn't making more of a show of force.

Daimhín was silent at first. I wondered if she was scared that Seth would show up.

"I doubt he's there," I said.

"Of course not," she snapped. "Living with squatters. How can they shame themselves so?"

"Maybe they haven't had enough of a quota to be strong," I said.

"Since when is that an excuse for anything? They could easily have found rich volunteers, working volunteers. It's despicable when vampires allow themselves to sink so low."

Wary and uncomfortable under Jules's staring eyes, I listened with half an ear to her ranting. I still had a scar on the palm of my hand from when he had been half-starved and I had gotten between him and a feed.

When we arrived at the abandoned house, I let us in with the key I had stolen. In the living room, the vampires were feeding on the volunteers. Most of the volunteers looked moderately relaxed, but Alex was squirming under a vampire's grip.

"That's enough," I snapped.

For the first time, the vampires became aware they had company. For an instant, they looked terrified of Daimhín, but then some realisation must have hit them because, one by one, smirks replaced the fear.

"Lucky us," a female vampire said. "The queen deigning to pay us a visit."

"You know why I'm here," Daimhín said in the coolest tone imaginable. Even I shivered, and it wasn't directed at me. "Explain your treasonous actions to me."

"Treasonous?" a man said and laughed. "Obeying our maker is the opposite of treason, is it not?"

"I am your queen. Vampires are already on thin ice in this side of the world. We're lucky to have a say in the new government. I will not allow you to threaten everything I—"

"And that's the problem," the woman said. "You think we're lucky to bow down to humans and the like. Seth thinks we should be bowed down to."

Daimhín looked upon them scornfully. "Who would bow down to the likes of you? Dirty, filthy animals. Barely a coven. Barely vampires. You bring shame to our species, and I will drive you from this country with my bare hands."

The anger in her eyes made me nervous. Eloise watched with interest, and Zion stood by the door, ready to destroy at his mistress's command. Jules was overly interested in the volunteers.

Daimhín's mouth curled into a sudden, disturbing smile. "I haven't tortured anyone in a while. And Ms. Delaney over here owes our kind a favour. Who would like to talk, and who would like to have the words cut from their veins?"

"You're a bit outnumbered," the man said, but his voice was shaky.

"You think this is all I brought?" Daimhín cocked her head. "This is all I need, but it isn't all that's with me." She glanced around. "Seven of you. Two may live. Decide amongst yourselves who will die first. I have a lot of time on my hands tonight."

"No," the woman said. "Seth will—"

"Seth?" Daimhín took a seat on a grubby chair. "And he is where, exactly? I don't see him rushing in to defend his loyal... subjects."

The woman sneered. "He'll pay you back."

"We shall see how much you're worth to Seth. Not very much, I'll wager. Just good enough to provide volunteers willing to make prank phone calls. Although, not good enough to send those volunteers out of this location to avoid detection."

The woman screamed and broke the neck of the human at her feet. Alex scrambled away from the group. I grabbed him just before his vampire caught up with him.

"He's mine now." I pushed Alex behind me. "Wanna fight me for him?"

The vampire glanced at Daimhín then sat back in his seat.

I gripped Alex by the collar. "If you don't want to die tonight, you had better do what I say." I dragged him outside to where Val, Peter, and Shay were waiting.

"Do you know where Crystal is being kept?" Val asked him.

He shrugged. "It's not here. It's in the park. Some old place underground. It's creepy. It's where they sleep."

"Can you show us?" Peter asked.

Alex nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"Great," I said. "While this lot are busy, you're going to help this nice policeman get Crystal back where she belongs." I tapped him on the back of the head before shoving him toward Shay. "And keep away from vampires in future."

When I went back inside, one of the vampires was dead. Daimhín was a quick worker. She didn't even have a speck of blood on her. Zion nodded at me. He practically trembled with his lust for violence. I scented blood and saw Jules straddling the dead human and feeding with great gusto.

"Getting anywhere?" I asked, trying to keep my disdain from showing on my face.

"We haven't even started yet," Daimhín said.

Eloise flitted over and laid her hands on the shoulders of a vampire. "This one knows it all."

The female vampire cowered, shaking her head. "No! He'll rip me apart."

"No, no," Daimhín said. "That'll be me."

"Just tell us where Seth is and what he's doing," I barked, more than ready to get out of earshot of Jules's slurping.

The female's eyes widened. "He doesn't tell us that. We've to wait here for him in case he needs us. That's all I know."

"Liar, liar," Eloise sang.

"The seer has spoken," Daimhín said, leaning back in the chair as if completely at ease. "Would you care to elaborate?"

One of Seth's vampires leapt at the female, clawing at her face as he struggled to bite down on her neck. Zion was there in an instant. I didn't see the move, but suddenly, the vampire was hanging lifeless in Zion's hands. Zion dumped the body onto the floor and took a step back. The female vampire shivered in her seat, her skin peeling away from her face where the male had scratched her.

"Now," Daimhín said in a warning tone, "tell us everything you know."

Chapter Twenty-One

Police lights flashed through the windows.

"This is going to get interesting," I said, relieved I wasn't going to be taking part in some kind of weird torture party.

Daimhín glanced at the window and shrugged. "What do I care?"

"Humans tend to be against torture, even when it's happening to vampires," I told her. "Shay is out there, remember? You need to keep the less violent mask on for the Senate's sake."

"How tedious." She looked at the remaining vampires. "I suppose they could be kept in the old Council cells."

I straightened and stared at her. "That's still a thing?"

"We haven't found a suitable method of detaining the more... colourful species. The crimes will be... let me see." She held out her hand and counted on her fingers. "Treason. Murder of government officials. Kidnapping."

"Kidnapping?" one of the vampires blurted. "What are you talking about?"

"So you haven't been keeping unwilling snacks in your sleeping area?" She frowned. "Why do you think you're hearing sirens right now? They've obviously found someone... more than one, isn't it? Keeping humans trapped against their will is strictly prohibited. Don't you remember the rules? You'll have time to consider them. Ms. Delaney, perhaps let them know outside that we're done here."

I left, wondering if she ever planned on torturing them or if she had been using me to save face. The vampire queen was a complicated woman.

Outside, I spotted a couple of ambulances near the park. Shay was jogging toward me, a delighted smile on his face. He lifted me and swung me around.

"We found them!" He set me down and cleared his throat. "Sorry. It's just nice to have a win every now and then. The girls are malnourished and probably seriously low on blood, but they're alive. They're going to be okay."

"Crystal?"

"She was among them. She seemed relieved to see us. Peter stayed with her and Alex while Val went to fetch the girl's mother. We're notifying the other families."

"What are you doing to do about Alex?"

"He helped. I won't forget that. He's going to be taken in for questioning, but I'll make sure he has a safe place to go afterward." He nodded at the house. "They ready?"

"Yeah, Daimhín said to take them to the old Council cells. It might keep them out of Seth's way, now that I think about it."

"You think he'll be pissed about this?"

"Hell, yeah. We just cleared out an entire group of his followers."

He spoke into his walkie-talkie. Less than two minutes later, a swarm of people flooded into the building behind us.

"The new unit?" I asked.

He nodded. "Raring to go. It's not Seth, but it's a step in the right direction. And we've cleared up some cold missing cases, apparently. What's not to like?"

"This is what you're here for." I squeezed his arm. "Reuniting families and taking down the bad guys. That's why you do what you do, right?"

"It's a tough adjustment when the bad guys are mythological characters who don't play by the rules."

"Yeah, but the vampire queen just arrested misbehaving vampires instead of ripping them apart. That's progress."

The vampires were hauled out of the house. They fought back and suffered for it. Vampires weren't in anyone's good books, although, Daimhín had earned a few brownie points.

"We're done here," she said, following Shay's team outside. "It's time to finish questioning them. I believe they aren't aware of Seth's current plans, but they may end up with something useful." She got into her limo, leaving me stranded.

"You coming?" Shay asked me. "Might get interesting."

I shook my head. "I'm not involved in this. That man, Lar, might have some info, too. He's another victim."

"Don't worry. Val already told me. I'll have someone with him before he leaves the hostel in the morning. I had better head on. The others are still over in front of the park. Make sure you get a lift back. Seth's still out there, remember?"

I nodded and walked with him toward the park. Val saw me and waved.

Shay went straight to the nearest police car. "See you later, Ava."

Val caught up to me. "Peter's pulling the car around." She was practically beaming.

"I take it everything went well on your end."

She nodded. "Her mother came. They went to the hospital in an ambulance together. It felt... good. It made me wonder if Leah has a mother."

"We could try to find out, but most of the children who ended up in the slave market lost their mothers. I gave Phoenix all of the research we had on suspicious kidnappings and murders, but it's been harder than we expected. Still, there's always a chance for Leah."

Peter's car pulled up beside us and rolled down his window. He gave me a wide grin. "You missed the fun, Delaney."

"I had my own good times. Wow, you look happy. Get to punch someone?"

He patted the steering wheel of his car. "Nah. Now get in before I ditch you here for being such a smartarse."

Laughing, I got in the car. Val went around and climbed in on the other side. I stared out the window, constantly watching for Seth, as the other two filled me in. Why hadn't he come for us when we were out in plain sight? What if he was at the cul-de-sac? In my excitement about finding Crystal, I had forgotten that was a possibility.

"We're going to get somewhere now," Peter said. "Don't worry, Ava. Everything is going to work out."

And if it did, we totally deserved it.

***

The phone rang a lot the next day. The vampires hadn't given out more than tidbits about Seth, only confirming things we already knew: He was a night-walker. He thought he would be more powerful with a tainted army.

Tainted. What a name. Jess and I were classed as the same type of being, but we couldn't be any less alike. We had different strengths and weaknesses, and our personalities were polar opposites. I knew precious little about her. I had no idea how she would react in a real fight. And thanks to Lucia's vision, I got uncomfortable whenever she was out of my sight.

"Jess!" I shouted up the stairs. "Are you dressed yet?"

"It's early!"

"We have a busy day ahead. We're tracking down the first vampire, remember?"

I wanted Jess to know how we worked, how the team played together. I needed her to take part in the process because it was as much about her as it was about me. We were in it together, and if she saw that, then maybe she would be safe from Seth's thrall.

We went over to Anka's place for breakfast. Leah, Dita, Val, and Lucia were already there.

"Is this place for women only or what?" Jessica whispered.

"No, now shut up." I pushed her ahead of me, ignoring her grimace.

"Good morning, Jess," Anka said. "Have a seat, and I'll get you some food."

Jessica gave me one more worried glance before reluctantly taking the empty chair next to Leah around the crowded table. I sat between Lucia and Dita and watched Leah try to make conversation with Jessica. Jess replied to direct questions, but she had a weird look of terror on her face. Strange kid.

"What's on the agenda today?" Anka asked.

"The kids are going to have a lesson with Carl." I caught Jessica's eye. "Including Jess and Parker. Then, Val's going to organise a training session. Jess hasn't been part of something like that before. She could benefit from it, and she'll learn what to do when the alarm sounds."

Jess looked confused. "Me?"

"You and Parker," I said then thanked Anka for the plate of food she set in front of me. "We went through wars, remember? We didn't just sit around and wait for something to happen. We trained for it, prepared ourselves. That's needed all over again."

Anka finished serving and took her seat. "And then?"

I shrugged. "Research. Maybe a visit to... Eddie's old shop."

"Who is Eddie?" Jess asked.

I cleared my throat. "Someone we used to know. They turned his bookshop into a kind of a museum. Anyone can go in there and read. It's a useful resource. And Shay will probably have some information for us before the day is out. The volunteers will be chattier than the vampires, I'm betting."

"I wonder if Seth knows what happened last night," Anka said.

I shivered then shook my head to let her know I didn't want to discuss it right then. Lucia patted my arm.

After breakfast, I shuffled the kids over to Carl's. Adam looked on disapprovingly as Carl began his lesson for the day. Parker was the only kid aside from Dita who had ever been inside a normal school before, so Carl had his work cut out for him. But mostly, I wanted Jessica to see what I had seen in my friends: a chance for family of our own making.

As I jogged back to Anka's, my phone rang. It was Finn.

"So," he said. "Rumours. Wanna hear the ones about you first?"

"What rumours?"

He practically cackled. "Somebody's spreading the word that you're a serious stud, Delaney. You've gotten half of the Senate willingly eating out of your hand."

"Oh, fuck off."

He chuckled. "I told them Peter Brannigan would never stand for that, but everybody wants to believe what they want to believe."

"Don't make me come down there and punch you in the face."

"You should make an appearance as a favour to me," he said, his voice rising with excitement. "Bring all of those men in your life. Keep everyone guessing."

"How many times do I have to tell you to fuck off? There is nobody in my life. I have friends. That's it."

"Sure. Friends." He laughed again.

"Is there a fucking point to this call?"

"Yes." He cleared his throat. "The word is out that a certain garage has hired a new apprentice. He's a little old to be an apprentice, and his arms are covered in those swirly tattoos, the magical, glowing kind that gets covered up when he notices anyone watching him."

I froze to the spot. "What's the story with this garage?"

"Just your typical garage. Dave runs the place. He's human, but he does a lot in the supernatural world. His wife isn't human, and she introduced him to a lot of colourful customers."

"Did she introduce him to his staff, too?"

"That remains to be seen. I'll text you the address. If you want to check it out, go for it. If not, no skin off my nose."

"Thanks, Finn. Almost worth the verbal torture. Anything else?"

"Everyone's talking about the arrests last night. I heard you set a vampire on fire for calling you a mongrel."

I barked out a laugh. "Let that rumour fly. I didn't get into any trouble last night. I was an observer only."

"Yeah, well, prepare for a backlash. Who are the vampires going to turn to now that their queen is against them?"

"Their freaking god," I muttered. "Thanks for the heads up, Finn."

"No bother. Makes my nights a little more interesting. I'll be keeping a nice blue fae drink cold, just for you."

I was about to tell him to fuck off one last time when he hung up. Shaking my head, I let myself into Anka's place. Lorcan and Peter were in the living room, playing on a game console.

"Finn called," I said. "Vampires everywhere are pissed about last night. Could be bad."

Peter shrugged, his eyes never leaving the screen. "Meh. They're always pissed about something."

"There's been a sighting of a possible assassin working in some garage as an apprentice mechanic."

"Where?" Lorcan asked, then swore loudly, his Liverpudlian accent thickening as he struggled with the game.

I rattled off the address Finn had texted me. Peter dropped his controller. Lorcan shouted for joy.

"What?" I asked.

"That's my garage." Peter pointed at his chest. "My mechanic."

"What are you on about?" I asked. "You own a garage?"

"No, but I might as well. My baby is always in there. We practically share custody of her. I'm going over to chat with that motherfucker and see what the hell he thinks he's doing, hiring assassins to work on my car."

I smothered my amusement at his indignation. "Yeah, okay."

"I'm coming, too," Lorcan said. "Too many women in this house. Carl's still busy. I have nothing to do until training."

"You could research or—"

"Ava..." He drew out the word, sounding like a teenage boy.

"Wow," I said. "Go. I don't care. Is the garage open yet, Peter?"

He checked his watch. "Dave will be there by now. Let's go."

I turned to leave, but Lucia appeared and stood in my way. Frowning, she gestured at herself, and I realised she wanted to go, too. The four of us loaded into Peter's car.

"Don't worry, baby," he cooed, patting the dashboard. "It's just a visit."

As we approached the famous garage, Peter said, "I'll do the talking. We'll get it done a lot quicker. He knows me."

"That doesn't mean he likes you," I muttered from the backseat. Lucia patted my arm. I held my breath, waiting for her to force a vision on me, but nothing happened, to my relief.

A scruffy-looking man came outside when we pulled into the lot.

"That's Dave," Peter said, practically humming with excitement. He rolled down his window and beckoned the man over. "Dave, I'm here on official business."

"For fuck's sake, Brannigan. What now?"

"I hear you hired a new apprentice."

The mechanic frowned. "Yeah, so?"

"Isn't he a bit old for that shit?"

"Better than a flighty kid. He said he needed a fresh start, so I gave him a chance. That against the law now?"

"No, but he might be one of those people who've been roaming the streets starting riots."

"Nate? Doubt it."

"We need to question him."

The mechanic glanced behind him. "You owe me for this, Peter."

"I'm a loyal customer who's kept you in business for years. We just want to ask him some questions. Is there anywhere we can talk? You know, somewhere without anything around that can be used as a weapon."

"The office, I suppose, unless you feel like using a pen as a weapon."

"You never know," Peter said. "Call him in there. We'll be there in a minute."

Dave nodded. "He's a good worker, Brannigan. I want to keep this one." He wandered away.

I leaned forward in my seat. "If he was ever an assassin, we can't let him roam free."

"It could be an average tattoo," Peter said. "How likely is it that one of Fionnuala's assassins went straight? Come on. Let's just check this out and get home. I want to see how Emmett does in training today."

"Stop trying to make him violent," I snapped as we got out of the car. "He's book smart."

"It's possible to be both."

"Not when you make learning sound boring and fighting sound like the most exciting thing on the planet. And why not let him box at Shay's club if you want him to learn how to defend himself?"

"He doesn't need to learn to fight against human kids if he's not going to a human school."

I decided not to dignify that with an answer. Inside the office, the apprentice took one look at my face and started shaking. He knew me. He had to be one of the assassins.

"No." He held up his hands. "Please. I'm not doing anything wrong. I left. All I want is a normal life."

Peter and I exchanged a bemused glance. Lucia took a seat in a chair. Lorcan stood by the door.

As Dave left, he glanced over his shoulder. "Remember what I said, Peter."

Peter ignored him and nodded at the assassin. "Let me see those arms."

With a sigh, Nate rolled up his sleeves. Those swirly, glowing, circular tattoos covered his arms.

"What are you even doing in a place like this?" I demanded, trying to tamp down my anger. We had been attacked by his kind far too many times for me to have any kindness left for the likes of him.

"I didn't have a choice in the way I was raised," he said, his hazel eyes narrowing. "I remember living in darkness with a lot of other children until I was taken to a beautiful woman. She told me she would be my mother, and she sent me to live with others. We trained every day, and when we got old enough, we were given these." He held out his arms. "That's when I got stronger, more flexible. It was amazing and terrifying, and the training continued. Then, one day, we were all taken out of that place and told our mother needed our help. We had to fight for her. So we did."

"I remember." I couldn't keep the anger out of my voice, but Nate didn't seem to notice.

"We had to fight so many times. There was so much blood, so many victims who didn't fight back. I saw them, looked into their eyes as they died, and I felt... I started having nightmares, doubting myself. Then we heard our mother died. A vampire gathered us. I couldn't stand it anymore. So I ran and hid, and I kept hiding. I figured I needed to find a way to live. Eventually, I found this place and begged for help. I don't hurt anyone. I just want to be happy."

"Seriously?" Peter scoffed.

Lucia touched my hand and nodded. She believed him.

"Where are the others?" I asked. "The rest of your... brothers or whatever?"

"All over." He shrugged. "Waiting, I suppose. I rarely see them. They hate me because I ran. That's the worst sin, worse than letting mother die. We were brainwashed, don't you see? Most of them still are. But they need a leader. We were taught to fight, not to think for ourselves. They probably follow somebody else now."

"Last you knew, they were following a vampire. How do you know that changed?"

"I just know." He stared at his feet. "Some have come to ask me to return. Others have left as I did. I won't tell you where they are. They aren't hurting anybody. I don't really care if you kill me." He looked at me, his eyes full of pain. "At least then the nightmares will stop."

I shivered. Emmett could easily have ended up as one of those men. We had pushed the schedule along a little faster, but we had no way of knowing how many of those men had started out as innocent children stolen from their families and kept in the slave markets. Life would be a lot easier if everything were black and white.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lucia and I sat on my garden wall to watch Val's training session.

I sighed. "I thought this wouldn't be needed anymore." The last few days had been extreme. A lot had happened, yet I felt as though I were spinning my wheels, getting nothing accomplished. "I don't suppose you have any visions for me."

She shook her head vehemently.

"You don't have to protect me from what you'll see. You won't hurt me."

She stared at me, her eyebrows arched. She had the whole sarcastic look down to a T.

"Fine." I gave her a sly look. "Hey, if you aren't going to be our seer anymore, then what do you think about moving in with your dad?"

Scowling, she thumped my arm.

I grinned. "It'll be so much safer. You won't have to suffer through all of our boring drama anymore, and you'd get to—"

She raised her arm and waved frantically. I reached up, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her hand to her side before Val could see. She gave me a self-satisfied smirk.

"Rat," I muttered.

Adam strolled down the path with Carl, his eyes on his daughter. I wondered what he was thinking. I couldn't let myself trust him, and the way he had acted about Gabe still niggled at me. He had to know more than he was telling.

"See you later," I told Lucia before jogging over to Adam. He made as if to walk away from Carl and me, but I gripped his arm. "Right, I've been understanding long enough. Now it's time to tell me everything you know about angels and vampires and Jess and me and every other fucking thing. You have to know more, and there's a big-arse vampire out there thinking of ways to torture us into submission. A day's training won't beat that, Adam. If you want to survive, then tell me everything you bloody well know."

He looked disgusted. "Do you have to be so vulgar?"

I cocked my head. "It's the meaning behind the word that counts, not the letters it uses, so why say..." I looked to Carl for help.

He shrugged. "I'm out. You've dragged me into your disgusting, uncouth world, and now I can't see a way past the madness."

"If two words mean the exact same thing, why is one okay to you and the other not? Seriously, Adam, I'm trying to keep your daughter safe, and all you're worried about is my language?"

He ignored Carl's laughter and asked, "What do you want to know? What is it I have to give you people?"

"Tell me about the angels," I said. "The interference, why Jess and I made it away from Seth with help. Why not every child? Why us?"

"I made a deal with an archangel. That's the big secret. They needed a warrior. I could raise one."

"But why?" Carl asked. "Why would you need a deal? Why haven't they interfered to protect every child? We don't understand."

"We were losing a war that nobody even knew about," Adam said flatly. "And I was willing to go the extra mile for the cause, so they sent me their blessing."

"So they somehow got Seth off your back long enough for you to cut Jess out of her mother's womb," I said coldly.

He flinched. He wasn't as cold as he made himself out to be.

"I'm sorry that happened to you all."

He looked me right in the eye. "My wife was dying. The bites were horrific—black and gaping." He turned a little green. "I don't know how she survived. There must be something in him or in his blood that prolongs life. She should have been dead. She was just a human, so fragile. She kept begging me to save the baby, even when I told her I had lied to her about everything, when I told her who I really was.

"So I begged for help, but they apparently thought they had helped enough. There was no saving her. And I had grown fond of her. More than fond. She was a good person, kind. It's soothing to live with somebody who treats people with respect and care. It was strange for me to be on the receiving end of genuine affection. For a while, I thought we might escape our fate."

"Is it fate?" I asked. "Is it already set in stone?"

"I think it's fate," he said. "I think we're set upon these paths. Maybe we were meant to come back here all along. Jess was born here, but farther south, more rural. But it was here that everything happened."

"But why were both of us born here, of all places?"

"We were your replacement, I suppose," he said. "When your story changed, I was needed."

I frowned. When exactly had my story changed? I wasn't even a decade older than Jessica. Something was missing, some vital piece of information.

"Jess is the last," he said. "They couldn't send any more seraphim to earth because the vampires' numbers kept dwindling. And when Jess was in the womb, soaking up that monster's power, I knew I could stop it from getting worse and give her a chance to break free without being tainted. She could have been a nephal. Pure and strong and respected. But I hesitated. I didn't want to hurt my wife. In the end, I killed her, though. I should have done it earlier, but I... it's hard to..." He shook his head.

"Have you talked to Jess about this?" Carl asked. "Have you told her what it was really like for you?"

"No," he said adamantly. "I can't tell her these things."

"Don't you think she has a right to know?" I asked. "Don't you think she might like to hear about her mother?"

"I can't talk about her." He looked miserable. "I can't say the words, not to Jess. She sometimes reminds me of her, and I can't bear to..." He wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Get over it," I snapped.

"Ava!" Carl admonished.

"No, seriously. It isn't just about him. That kid has grown up wondering if anyone ever truly cared for her. She could do with some good news. She could hear all the wonderful things about her mother. I never had that, Adam, and I'm telling you now, it would have helped, especially when I was a teenager. I was lost. I had no idea who I was. You could give her this big gift and let her know exactly where she comes from." I glared at him. "Better yet, let her know how much her own father cares about her."

He stared at me for a few seconds before turning on his heel and stalking off.

"That was a bit harsh," Carl said glumly.

"He's a total diva," I said. "He's all up in his own misery, so far into it that he can't see Jessica's. It's that kind of thing that will drive her into Seth's arms."

He made a weird sound through his nose. "That's not going to happen with all of us around."

I tried my best not to look in Lucia's direction.

***

Later, Shay arrived with news. He parked at the mouth of the cul-de-sac. Peter, Carl, Lorcan, Val, and I walked out to meet him.

"We've been questioning people, but we're not getting any big leads, so we're going to do a press conference to warn everyone about what's been going on. Like you keep saying, Ava, it was the secrets that tore down the old government."

"That's great." I leaned against his car.

He gave me a charming smile. "I'm glad you said that because we want you in on it."

I glared at him as the others laughed. "No."

"People want to see you," he said. "You started all of this."

"I'm not a performing seal."

"Every night that goes by puts us at more risk. We need to call out this vampire before he turns half the country against us. The vampires are threatening to rebel. And yes, they have pitiful numbers right now and have to answer to Daimhín first, which isn't the smartest move they've ever made, but what if they gather supporters again? We have enough enemies. The supporters of people like Fionnuala will be happy to look elsewhere for leadership. If we don't nip this in the bud then—"

I held up my hand. "Laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?"

"I keep warning him," Peter said. "He never listens."

"Okay, so what do we have?" Lorcan asked. "How can we draw him out?"

"Ava has to do it," Val said. "He wants the tainted. If she stands against him, it will sway opinion."

"But not necessarily for the better," I retorted. Then, I sighed. "Fine. We'll do the thing. But remember last time. And the time before that. I'm not good with cameras or people. Or questions."

Carl patted me on the head. "You'll be fine, shortcake."

I elbowed him in the ribs. "One of you is coming with me. The rest stay here and watch out for more Seth tricks. Do not let Jess outside. Or Adam. Or Parker. Just... keep everyone inside until we get back."

Shay gave me a charming, slightly smug smile. "Thanks, Ava."

I growled in response. I hated being played.

***

Lorcan came with me in the end. Val wanted to, but her responsibilities weighed too heavily on her shoulders. I thought it was time Lorcan made some public appearances anyway. With his newly shorn hair, he looked more human than fae, making him seem accessible to most of the population.

"This politics gig must be like a family business," I said on the way to the press conference. Night was falling, and the air was chilly, but that wasn't why I kept shivering.

"Must be," Lorcan said. "I wonder if magic was, too."

"That would be cool to find out," I said.

Lorcan shrugged. "I've already asked Leah. She can't find any... witchery about us."

"She hasn't seen you two cloak yourselves."

"What's that like?" Shay asked.

"You'll likely see sometime," Lorcan said. "Ava has a habit of getting us into trouble and keeping us there."

I glared at him. "You all brought your trouble right over to me."

He smiled. "And we're very sorry about it."

I thought about kicking the smart-arse, but we had already arrived.

"The theatre again?" I made a face. The place creeped me out.

"Phoenix's idea. He likes the setting," Shay said. He sounded as though he complained about the choice of venue, too.

Inside, the place was in an uproar as people ran around trying to set up cameras to cover the entire stage. The smaller table had been replaced with a long one.

"I hate this," I murmured. "Lorcan, please don't leave me."

He laughed and held my hand. Phoenix approached us. He glanced at our clasped hands before greeting us. I pulled my hand free and looked the other way while the father and son chatted. I felt awkward, so I moved to find a seat. I chose a chair at the end of the row, figuring it would offer the fastest escape should the need arise.

Willow caught up with me before I could sit. "So nice to see you again," she said. "And we're going to be live on air. Isn't that exciting?"

"Shit," I muttered. "They can't edit me out then."

She gave me a confused look and walked away to take a seat on the far end of the table.

Callista came over, looking as beautiful as ever. "Relax," she said, smiling down at me. "You'll be fine. No nerves, okay?"

Nerves weren't my problem. Finding a way to call out Seth without making him come to kill me was my problem. I had no idea how to deal with ancients. I often embarrassed and ridiculed them accidentally—and sometimes on purpose—but I was trying really hard to silence that perverse side of my nature.

I pouted until Lorcan came to sit next to me. Phoenix and Shay sat in the centre, Callista between them.

"What's the deal with you and my dad?" Lorcan asked.

I didn't know how to answer that question, so I did what any mature adult would do. I deflected. "You're calling him Dad now?"

He shrugged. "I like the sound of it sometimes. I don't do it to his face, though." He smiled. "He piss you off or something? You were all awkward back there."

"No. Just keeping out of the way."

"Out of the way of what?"

"Father and son bonding." I faced front. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to concentrate really hard on not throwing up."

Predictably, Daimhín and the succubus were the last to arrive. When they took their seats, a young fae was charged with the job of prepping us on what we were supposed to say.

"I didn't realise there was a script," I muttered.

"There's always a script," Mac growled. "Nobody gets to say what they want."

I smirked. "Sounds like a challenge."

The press conference began. It was majorly boring at first. Then the journalists started in.

"Why was there such an urgency to hold a conference tonight?" a young female reporter asked. "Is there something going on? More threats of war or—"

Phoenix cleared his throat. "There have been updates. We've heard the assassins who formerly worked for Fionnuala and then Reuben have re-banded, possibly under new leadership. Some have left their associates and are trying to live productive lives, however. It's a positive sign for the future."

"And why is Ava Delaney here?" an older male reporter asked. "What will she be speaking about tonight?"

Shay stood. "There's a new, or rather old, threat in the country. As Ava is involved, we asked her here to tell her side. But before that, we should congratulate her and Daimhín for playing strong roles in helping us find and rescue the missing teenage girls we managed to reunite with their families this week."

"Is that a sign of what's to come?" somebody asked. "Are supernaturals taking our children? Why hadn't anyone looked for the children before? How did this get so far without anyone noticing?"

Shay kept his cool. "It's a sign that we're already working together, supernaturals and humans, to solve crimes. These girls were teenagers, some of them adults, in fact. We'll be looking into the problems behind the lack of searches, and we'll definitely work on how consistent the force is working together throughout the country."

"What about the rumours of one of the new units being burned alive? Is it true that this was caused by another supernatural within the partnership? Are we sponsoring these new agents only for them to turn on each other?"

"No," Shay said sharply. "That's not what happened."

Phoenix took over. "There were casualties brought upon us by the new threat. We'll let Ava Delaney take over from here. I'm sure she has a lot to say."

I got to my feet slowly. "Um, first of all, I can't take any credit in the rescue of the missing teenagers. One of the vampire volunteers and a homeless man provided enough clues to, um, Valeria Brannigan Investigations, a new private investigation service, to come up with enough evidence for Shay's agents to, um, check out. Oh, and Valeria Brannigan Investigations consists of a human and a supernatural working together, so... go team." My arm jerked out of its own accord in a weak version of a fist-pump. "Proof that works."

The reporters gave each other stunned glances. I had warned everyone I wasn't good at public speaking. I cleared my throat, standing on my toes to look more authoritative as I desperately tried to remember what I was supposed to say. Lorcan's undisguised mirth didn't help.

"Um." I looked at Phoenix.

He was staring at me. I needed to count really badly. Please, not in front of the cameras. For an instant, I wished Carl and Peter were with me. But they were home, relying on me not to screw up.

I rubbed the back of my neck and tried not to look anyone in the eye. "So, um, as some of you probably know, I'm not like most people. My father was human, my mother was an angel, and the very first vampire killed them both. Before she died, my mother escaped and gave birth to me. I was tainted because of the first vampire's bite. If I hadn't been, I would have been a nephal, one of heaven's warriors on earth, apparently." I cleared my throat again. "And I'm not the only one. A girl... came to me for help. She's like me, and the first vampire is after her. He's here, in Ireland, and we've discovered that his blood is the base for the formula that creates the beasts."

I shifted uncomfortably. Then I decided that since I had already embarrassed myself, I might as well just throw everything out there. It couldn't get much worse. "The first vampire is called Seth, and he's currently recruiting followers. Some of them were responsible for the kidnappings, by the way, so maybe we should be thanking Seth, too." I saluted the camera. "Thanks, Seth. It was really great the way your evil deeds led us to freeing those girls."

Some of the journalists laughed nervously.

I moved out from behind the table. "The deal is this: the first vampire is causing friction, and that's bad enough, but if we kill him, then no more beasts. Ever. He's the only one who can create them. He's the only one we need to kill. It's true that he was responsible for the deaths of one of the new agent pairings. Layne Corcoran and Anthony May made an excellent team. They were a credit to their unit and our new way of life. I guess Seth isn't a fan of good teams. He's scared, and he's making threats. He wants to create his very own army and trample us under his feet. I say this: not gonna happen. If he wants to take me or the girl under my care, then he had better come for us himself because we will not be cowed by his threats."

"If he was watching right now," a reporter called out, "what would you say to him?"

I looked directly into a camera. "I'm not scared of you, Mr. Ancient Vampire, and I have plenty of reasons to want you dead. I'm not hunting you anymore, you little fucking coward. If you want me, come get me, and then we'll see what the tainted are made of. Keep running around the streets, making your little threats and causing petty crime all you like, but know this. We see you. And we'll see you dead."

I stared triumphantly into the camera. I had done it. I had my moment. I had called out the very first vampire. I let myself feel a moment of victory.

And then I saw the beasts.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Silence.

Then screams.

"You had to open your big mouth," Lorcan said, getting to his feet.

"You armed?" I asked.

"Of course."

Zion ran onto the stage and leapt onto the table in front of Daimhín. Both of them bared their fangs, eagerly losing themselves to that animalistic nature the vampire queen usually tried so hard to control.

Callista and Layla were surrounded by the males, even James who looked as though he had never even been in a fistfight before. Typical. Shay was on the phone. I caught his eye and held up my dagger. He patted his hip in answer.

Phoenix was looking at me, a weird gleam in his eyes. I bit my lip, trying to hold in my grin. Fighting the enemy brought out something different in both of us.

I climbed onto the table to stand beside Zion. His red eyes shined as he acknowledged my presence, and I had no doubt that we were on the same team. I took one last glance at Shay.

"Call Peter!" I shouted. "Warn them to watch out!"

The beasts had entered through the two doors at the back of the theatre. They slid across the seats, more contained than I had ever seen them. I thought it was a pity we had no werewolves in attendance. The journalists, cameramen, witnesses, and everyone else were piling onto the stage, desperately trying to get out of the beasts' way.

"The fire door!" Shay yelled. "Mac, check it. If it's clear, let Willow know. She can start guiding people out of here."

I held my dagger tightly, took note of where my allies were positioned, then jumped off the stage and into the seating area. Two or three of the beasts tried to sneak around the stage, but I cut them off. The wildness and desperation were gone from their eyes. Lorcan had followed me down, and across from us, Zion and Phoenix moved to protect the other side of the stage. The vampire queen stood in the center of the platform with Shay. Behind them, some shifters were in the process of transforming. Curiously, Mac remained in his human form. If the wall of protection we had created held, the defenceless would survive the attack.

I shouted at Shay, "Keep them inside! Seth could be out there, waiting for runners."

Shay nodded and snapped out orders.

"Ready?" I asked Lorcan.

He nodded. "Let's go."

The closest beast broke ranks and rushed toward us. I crossed in front of Lorcan, jumped on the back of a chair, and stepped across a couple of rows of seats to get behind the oncoming beast.

I released my chain belt as I jumped back to the floor, ready to wrap it around the beast's neck. The creature turned and grabbed the flying chain with massive hands. I yanked the beast to me as I kicked. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lorcan attack the second beast. More howled, but they stayed back. Some were foaming at the mouth, making me wonder how long Seth could keep them in control.

The beast I grappled with opened its mouth wide, revealing long fangs. Some of the other beasts crept away from the pack. One drew its claws along the wall, creating a drawn-out screeching sound. While I was distracted, the closest beast took the opportunity to attack.

Barely in time, I gripped its neck and pushed, kneeing it back against the wall in my desperation to finish it off before the others reached us. It pushed back hard. In one abrupt move, I let go and sidestepped out of its way. The beast leaped at empty space and fell onto some chairs. I put my knee in its back and, with one swift slice of my dagger, released its blood, staining the cream-colored seats red.

The creature made a choking sound, so I stabbed it in the back of the head. I moved on to meet the crowd, not far behind Lorcan. The shifters jumped into the fray, crossing the rows and separating to help. I spotted one beast making its way through the middle. Its eyes were firmly focused on the people milling about onstage.

I used my dagger to slit my hand and draw blood in the hopes of gaining its attention. When I was midway down the aisle, the beast caught the scent and changed direction, tripping over seats in its impatience. It resorted to pulling chairs off the metal rests and flinging them out of its way in its frustration and bloodlust.

All around me, people were fighting. The coppery smell of blood hung in the air, but all of our fighters were still on their feet.

To avoid the flying chairs, I skidded across the floor and tackled the beast. I managed to knock it down... on me. The weight almost crushed me. Swearing, I struggled and got tangled up in its legs.

I began slashing with my dagger, which only sent blood in my eyes. "Fuck!"

A hand gripped my shirt and hauled me up. I swung out blindly.

Phoenix caught my wrist. "What team are you on?" he murmured, letting me go.

I managed to laugh as I wiped my eyes. He pulled my hair to force me to duck as he swung a sword and beheaded the beast before it could rip out my throat.

"Come on," he said. "We'll have more fun at the back."

I shook my head at his sick sense of humour, but I followed him. Most of our fighters were settled in front of the stage, ready to defend the humans and weaker supernaturals. Phoenix and I ran behind the team of beasts to pick them off as they gave in to their desperation. A high-pitched scream threatened to burst my eardrums.

Then someone shouted, "More in the back!"

"Shifters, backstage!" Mac roared.

Lorcan moved closer to me, Zion on his heels. Daimhín was busy ripping apart a beast with her claws and teeth. She was pissed, yet she somehow managed to make decapitation look like a relaxing hobby. The smarter beasts steered clear of her cold fury.

We separated and took on one beast each. Three had made it onto the stage, but I was confident the pile of people up there could fight off so few of them.

The beasts appeared organised, spreading out to create more chaos. They were young, not yet decaying, and none of them bit their own lips in their desperation to spill blood. Seth really did have some kind of effect on the pack.

I picked up one of the broken seats and swung it at one's face. It ducked at the last second and brushed off the strike. The beast pulled up and turned on me before I could blink, swinging out with one massive clawed hand. The palm caught me across the shoulder and shoved me against some chairs. I hissed as something sharp pierced my shoulder. The new crimson flow caught its attention. The beast's eyes and mouth went wide as it sought the source of the blood. I punched it in the face and earned some grazed knuckles for my trouble.

The beast went blood crazy. That made it better and worse. It was slower to react to my strikes, but it no longer seemed to feel any pain. Shay shouted something.

In that split second, another beast came out of nowhere and crashed into my back, squashing me between two gross beast bodies. The one in front of me growled and aimed at the beast behind me, desperate to keep its kill to itself. I ducked, barely avoiding getting my head punched off my shoulders. I elbowed the one behind me in the crotch and stabbed the one in front in the stomach, then leapt over a seat to get some space. The pair shoved at each other in their attempts to get to me.

I jumped onto the backs of two chairs and balanced precariously as the two scrambled to beat each other to me. It seemed as though everyone was fighting, and either I had lost my ability to count or more beasts had come from somewhere. Sensing eyes on me, I looked up into the rafters. A hole had been torn in the ceiling. A golden-haired man stared down through the opening with an awful smile on his face.

"Seth!" I roared.

The two beasts grabbed my legs and pulled. I fell, whacking my back against a chair. I groaned as a piece of metal jabbed my shoulder blade. I lost sight of Seth in my attempt to roll out of the way of the beasts' grasp. I got to my feet and swung out at one of the beasts. I missed and attempted a kick. One creature seized my leg in mid-air, and the second snatched my other leg out from under me. I twisted my upper body and wrapped my arms around a seat back. Holding on for dear life, I struggled as the beasts tried to rip me apart.

Finally, I let go and let momentum do its business. The beasts fell back against a row of broken seats, pulling me with them. One let go of my leg, but the other held on tight. With my free leg, I kicked hard to keep the second beast off me. I bent my other knee to get closer to the clutching beast, gripped the back of a chair that seemed to still be secure, and pulled myself forward until I was kneeling on top of the beast. I stabbed it in the face.

The second yanked my hair and pulled me away. I yelled and grabbed the beast's arm. I forced it backward until I heard a crack. I let go and shifted positions, but the beast was just as fast at recovering. It snarled and snapped, its fangs barely missing my neck. I leapt to my feet and swung my elbow around, connecting with the beast's throat.

I ran to the broken seats then abruptly came to a stop. I braced myself as the beast collided with me. I spun and wrestled the beast to the floor. Gripping its ears, I whacked its head against the broken metal posts sticking up from the floor. After four tries, its skull finally cracked open, and the metal sank into its brain.

When I glanced up, Seth was gone, so I ran toward Lorcan. I jumped over a row of seats to sink my dagger into the back of the neck of the beast he was fighting. Lorcan finished the creature off. We helped the others with the rest of the beasts before joining the last of the fight on the stage.

"Seth was here," I said, panting. "There's a hole in the roof. He was watching everything."

Thinking I saw golden hair out of the corner of my eye, I pushed through the crowd. I knew he was there somewhere. He had to be. An odd smell filled the air, something familiar I couldn't quite place.

"Ava!" Shay called.

"He's here," I cried. "He's in here." I ran backstage, keeping an eye on the rafters.

Shay's unit had barricaded the fire escape. The door rattled as something outside hit hard, trapping us inside. Something was wrong. Then, I smelled smoke.

"Fuck!" I shouted for what seemed like the millionth time.

I ran back onto the stage in time to see the middle seats burst into flames. People brushed past me, knocking me back in their hurry to get away from the fire.

I found Shay and grabbed his arm. "Your people blocked the fire escape. Something's trying to get in."

"The fire's out of control," he said, but he sounded calm. "We'll have to face what's out there."

"Keep the humans back until we can—"

An unholy scream rose from backstage. Shay and I dashed toward the sound. Feeling a gust of wind, I realised the fire escape was open. I turned to say something to Shay, but he had gotten lost in the crowd. People were screaming, and I wasn't even sure why.

I made my way to the front and found the shifters and Shay's units fighting beasts at the door. Then, a scream came from inside. I followed the sound, but I couldn't see a thing. Black smoke hung heavy in the air. I was barely able to breathe.

Something caught my attention near the ceiling. A woman dangled from a rafter. Before I could react, she dropped, screaming, right into the flames. I ran for her, but an arm wrapped around my chest and held me back.

"That's what he wants," Phoenix said. "We have to get out of here."

The woman's screams had stopped. I felt nauseated. I smelled burning flesh and saw beasts attempt to climb to safety only to slip and fall into the fire with sickening howls. The roof began to collapse. If Seth was up there, I hoped he fell in, too. No such luck.

Phoenix forced me back away from the flames and toward the fire door. The beasts had gone. People were squeezing through the small opening, desperate to get away. Once everyone was out, the shifters barricaded the exit against the remaining beasts inside.

"I don't get it," I muttered, looking back at the building even as Phoenix led me firmly away. "What the fuck was the point?"

"To see what we can do," Phoenix said. "More importantly, to see what you can do. What you're willing to do."

"I have to find him."

"We'll scope the area, but first, we need to get these people out of here," he said.

Some had been injured, but most were frightened. Phoenix let me check out the area, insisting on coming with me, but Seth was long gone.

"I hate that vampire," I said as we made our way back to the crowd. Reinforcements had arrived but far too late.

"Okay," Shay said, approaching us with Lorcan by his side. "There are a few missing."

"What? How?" I asked.

"Some of the first ones out through the fire escape vanished. No sign of their bodies yet."

"Anybody know who the woman was?" I asked.

"No. When the fire is extinguished, we'll have a chance to learn more," Shay said.

"For a vampire, he likes to play with fire," I said, sounding grouchier the more upset I felt.

Daimhín stormed over, dried blood creasing in the lines of her face. "He's never going to stop. You have to end him, Ms. Delaney."

"Oh, why didn't anyone tell me it was that simple?" I asked sarcastically.

She glared at me, but I could see she was spooked.

"We can't let this affect us," Shay said. "The funerals are tomorrow."

I had forgotten. "Maybe it isn't a good time," I said.

Shay shook his head. "We aren't letting him stop us. He can't hurt us during the day."

But other people could. I stepped away from the group and called Peter. Everything was all right at the cul-de-sac, so I briefly updated him on the situation.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked.

"One woman died in front of me. Some others are missing. I don't know what happened to them. They could have fled, or they might have been taken. Seth seems to enjoy messing with us. If he had gotten involved in the fight, things might have been worse. I don't understand why he didn't."

"You'll have to be extra careful," he said. "The first part of the press conference was aired, then it cut off. They said it was technical difficulties."

"They should have shown it," I said. "Let people see exactly what Seth is prepared to do. He's going to cause mayhem. More beasts, and these ones were controlled. Mostly. They weren't falling apart like the others. Think maybe there are different versions of this formula? Or did he keep the best specimens for himself?"

"Who knows? You coming back here?"

"Yeah, eventually. I need to make sure everyone gets away safely. I don't feel right. I bet he's watching us right now." I turned in a circle and checked out the nearby rooftops. Nothing. I sent out my other senses.

In the centre of the humans was a life force I had never seen before. It swirled red and white. No heartbeat, but no absence of life either.

"I'll call you back," I said slowly.

I slid the phone in my pocket, careful not to make any sudden movements. I walked back into the chattering crowd, still sending out my feelers. My heart raced as I approached. Seth. It had to be. And he was surrounded by humans and everyone else. I moved faster when I sensed a ripple of horror running through the crowd.

Suddenly, people started running and screaming, stampeding away from something. They pushed against me, and I barely stayed on my feet.

I saw a man jump onto an ambulance. Blood dripped from something in his hand. A woman screamed hysterically.

I gritted my teeth and ran. He crouched on the roof, waiting for me. As I neared, he threw whatever he'd been holding and jumped up onto the nearest building. He raced across the rooftop, leaped, and landed on the next. He was out of sight within seconds.

A tall, muscular body lay on the ground where the crowd had been milling. The head Seth had tossed away landed with a thud and rolled to a stop near the body of Zion, the Irish vampire queen's bodyguard.

Chapter Twenty-Four

I held up a pair of jeans. Lucia shook her head firmly.

I huffed. "Ugh! I have no clothes suitable for anything other than getting bloody in. Help me."

She only shrugged. I delved deeper into my wardrobe, into places I hadn't seen since the day I'd moved in.

I scowled. "I really need to go shopping. Everything's ripped and ragged and stupid."

And it was far easier to fake-worry about clothes than it was to relive the previous night's events. The vampire queen was about to lose her mind, the Irish public were about to lose their faith in the Senate, and everyone in the cul-de-sac had pretty much lost their freedom. Again.

Lucia shoved me out of the way and stepped inside the wardrobe, disappearing behind the clothes.

"You know you won't find Narnia in there." I walked over to lie on my bed.

She shoved her face through the clothes to stick her tongue out at me before disappearing again. I stared at the ceiling. I had promised myself I would go to the funeral to support Shay, but I hated the idea of laying more people to rest. I abhorred funerals. We were too young to keep losing so many peers.

Lucia came out, holding a pair of feminine black tuxedo trousers. A triumphant smile was plastered across her face.

I sat up. "Where did those even come from? Oh..." I stood and grabbed the trousers. I had worn them once, a very long time ago, on a night out with my ex-boyfriend. I had been wearing them when I ran away. I hadn't been able to dump them. I gave Lucia a doubtful look. "I don't even know if they'll fit."

She pushed me toward the bathroom.

The trousers fit. Barely. For once, the boyish figure didn't play against me. When I returned to Lucia, she had found a dark green shirt for me to wear. With a black jacket, the outfit would probably be suitable for a funeral.

I changed and made an effort with my hair, with Lucia's help. Then, we headed over to Anka's. Lorcan greeted us at the door. He was wearing suit trousers, and his hair was neater than usual.

"Are you coming with me?" I asked.

"No, I just felt like dressing up." He rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm going. I think Shay could use our support."

But I had noticed that Lorcan seemed bored lately. He and Lucia had been drifting apart, and although that was healthy, it probably felt strange to him.

Lucia held up her hand.

"You, too?" I asked.

She nodded vigorously and ran off.

I looked at Lorcan. "I didn't think she would want to."

He shook his head. "Me, either."

"Should we stop her?"

He scowled. "She's a grown-up. It's up to her if she stays or goes."

"You okay? You seem down lately."

He shrugged. "I've been thinking about Kate. I hope she's safe with Cam."

"She'll come back someday," I said. "I bet she will."

I wasn't sure that was all that weighed on his mind, but if he was anything like his father, he would talk in his own time. We strolled down to the gate.

"I feel bad for Shay." Lorcan squinted against the spring sunshine. "He's trying so hard to patch everything up."

"It'll come together eventually. It has to."

When he looked at me, his age was plainly written in his dark green eyes. He wasn't so confident any longer.

"Do you want to leave?" I blurted. "Is that what's wrong?"

He licked his lips. "Sometimes, I feel like I should travel. You know what I mean? I've been around this long, and I haven't seen anything yet. I mean, I've been trapped my entire life—first in the slave market, then with the vampires, and the sanctuary, and now here. Sometimes, I want a little freedom. But I can't leave her, even though..."

"Even though what?"

"She doesn't need me anymore. She has Val. They're always together. And she's happy. I'm happy for her. But if she wants to pass on her visions, she has you. If she needs help, she has Val. There's nothing she needs me for anymore. I'm not... not important."

"You are important."

He pushed at the air as if throwing away my reply. "She got the important stuff. I'm the second twin, you know? The translator, the protector. I did the things she couldn't, and that's why I was needed. She has other people for that now."

"If it weren't for you..." I took his hands. "There's more to your life than being your twin sister's voice, Lorcan. There's plenty more you can do."

"Yeah, but can I do it here?" He pulled his hands out of my grasp and gave me a weak smile. "I don't know what I'm thinking. Ignore me."

Peter approached, dangling his car keys between his fingers. "Go easy on her," he warned. "She's feeling temperamental lately."

I smirked. "That's because you drive too fast." I took the keys.

He held my gaze. "You want me to come with you?"

"Nah, I'll be fine. Just stay here and keep everyone busy. Make sure Jess and the others train. If Seth is stepping up his game, we need to do the same. But mostly, they could use the distraction."

"We'll be grand." He patted Lorcan's shoulder. "Keep an eye on her for us."

Lorcan nodded, but his expression had turned grim. I couldn't read him.

When Lucia joined us, I drove us to the church where the joint funeral was being held. There would be a ceremony inside, another in the graveyard, and then a cremation. I felt funny about that, considering what had been done to them, but Shay had told me that the families had decided to keep the remains near each other. Close in life, close in death. It was probably kind of beautiful, but the idea turned my stomach nonetheless.

We were early, but the lot was already packed. The twins and I got out of the car and wandered through the solemn crowd in the front yard, trying to find someone we knew. Lucia waved at somebody. I followed her gaze and saw Phoenix and Callista speaking with a reporter.

"Tactless," Lorcan said.

Willow came over to us. "Ava." She half-hugged me, her gaze on the twins. "Are you joining us?" she asked breezily. "James and I are on our way in."

But she was gone before I could even answer. James followed her, frowning at Lorcan. As countless strangers bustled past us into the church, Lucia stuck close to me, her fingers moving uneasily.

"You okay?" I whispered.

She nodded and gave me a fake smile. I watched Phoenix and the siren approach the steps, nodding and smiling at people I didn't recognise. James and Willow emerged from the doors, arguing again. I wanted to tell them to get a room, but I reminded myself we were at a funeral, something they should have remembered, too.

"That's not good enough," James was saying. "We have to react more quickly next time."

"And get more people killed?" Willow snorted. "We still don't know who that poor woman was or why she was there."

"She was one of the news crew," he replied. "Had to be."

"Then someone would have reported her missing. She wasn't in the building," Callista said in her low, alluring voice.

"She's right," Phoenix said.

"This isn't the place for that kind of conversation," I said, unable to hold in my irritation any longer.

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps she's right, too."

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I turned away. The mourners had separated into groups, all eyeing each other suspiciously. Some were human, others various types of supernaturals. Nobody was crying, and the tension in the air seemed more angry than sad.

"This isn't right," I whispered, shivering at the sensations around me.

"What isn't?"

I hadn't even noticed Phoenix move next to me.

I glanced at him before returning my attention to the crowds. "They aren't sad. They're angry. Suspicious, too. But not sad."

"This should unite people, not divide them."

"What has the media been saying?" I asked.

"The media can't all be trusted. And people will listen to their gossiping neighbours before us now. The old government ruined the trust."

"But they voted. They all had their say."

"Maybe some had more say than others." He pointed. "Here are the cars."

The families were arriving with the bodies, along with Shay who had organised a police escort to honour the fallen. He was taking it all to heart. Not even the rescue of the teenage girls had made him feel better for long. When Shay stepped out of his car, he looked as if he had aged five years overnight.

"He sat up with the remains all night," Phoenix murmured. "It's an old tradition."

"He really is perfect," I blurted.

Phoenix gave me a funny look. I shook my head, embarrassed. Anto's father and brothers carried Layne in first, then Anto. As the coffins passed us, my heart cracked a little. Layne's family still looked shell-shocked, except for her little boy. Too young to understand, he giggled and squirmed in a woman's arms, trying to break free and explore.

I wasn't exactly a churchgoer, and the place was full of unpleasant reminders from my past. But when Shay hesitated beside me with a pleading look, I couldn't turn my back on him.

"Want us to sit with you?" I asked.

He nodded gratefully. I took his hand and walked inside with him. The twins followed closely. The pallbearers had placed the coffins side by side in the front of the church. People went up and laid mass cards on the lids. We sat away from the families but close enough to the front for everyone to see that representatives of the Senate cared.

A few minutes later, Layne's father suffered some kind of panic attack and had to be escorted outside. Shay's fingers tightened around mine. Lucia sat on the other side of me, her breathing hitching occasionally. Lorcan and Phoenix were staring at the coffins. The twins had only just met their mother before she died. Phoenix hadn't even learned of his wife until after her death. Death was at the fore of all of our lives, but none of us had truly learned how to deal with it.

The cameras and reporters were held at bay outside. When the mass began, I stared at the stained-glass images of horror that had always terrified me as a kid. I closed my eyes to the huge crucifix at the front of the church and thought about the people we had lost. If I made sure to always remember them, maybe their deaths would stop feeling so meaningless.

At one point, Anto's mother burst into loud sobs. The men and her daughter all sat up straight, the pride in their expressions hiding their grief. Layne's son had stopped giggling, perhaps influenced by the atmosphere. Shay's hand crushed mine as the priest spoke, and I realised he was angry. He was mad that those people he had trained had already lost their lives. He was mad that Seth was still running around, killing people and tormenting us. He was probably mad that the supernatural world was full of dark secrets and mysteries.

I was angry, too. The world was full of horrors, and we danced with them, whether we liked it or not.

The ceremony was brief. Afterward, maybe half of the crowd left for the graveyard. Moses waved at us. Most of the people in his community had attended, including the brethni. Layne and Anto were obviously loved and respected, and I liked that. They had left good memories in their wake.

The drive to the graveyard was silent. Lucia had grown antsy, and Lorcan morose.

It started to rain, and there wasn't enough room for most of us to shelter after we arrived. So we stood in the downpour, shivering. Lucia wandered amongst the graves while I huddled next to Lorcan, wondering if the chill came from the weather or the location.

"I wonder where they are right now," Lorcan whispered. "The dead. Emmett can see souls, but not all of them. Why?"

"Maybe he sees them when they're on their way to... wherever we end up. I'm not sure I want to know."

After the ceremony, something nagged at me all of a sudden. I couldn't figure out what. I stepped away from the others and spun around in a circle, almost slipping on the wet gravel.

"What is it?" Lorcan asked.

I closed my eyes and reached out, trying to figure out what was wrong. There were more people in the graveyard than before, despite the fact that people were leaving. Maybe there was another funeral.

No! I gasped and opened my eyes.

"Watch out!" I shouted, running in the direction of the new energies.

"What's going on?" Lorcan called after me.

"Lucia!" I roared over my shoulder. "Get back in the crowd."

Hooded figures stepped out from behind the trees surrounding the area. Seth couldn't come for us, not during the day, but half-humans and supernaturals with magically infused tattoos definitely could. And they actually dared, even with the crowd of fighters who were bound to be attending. I had my dagger hidden in the back of my trousers, but I doubted many others were armed. I heard shouts behind me as Shay took charge, ushering the weaker people toward their cars.

I caught a glimpse of the past, the way the hooded assassins had come for us and hurt Mrs. Yaga, disturbing the very balance of the world. I had restored that balance, but if they killed me, it would start all over again. For my friends' sake, for everyone's sake, I couldn't let myself get hurt.

One of Anto's brothers caught up to me, his face a mask of rage. "These fuckers best not think they're going to stress my ma out anymore today," he snarled, rolling up his sleeves.

"Careful," I said. "They're geared up. We aren't."

He let out a harsh laugh. "My brother just died. There's nothing more dangerous than my family right now."

His brothers, his father, and even his young sister joined us, all of them eagerly striding forward to meet the assassins. The fight began in a blast of fists and blood. We tripled their number, so I had no idea what the assassins were thinking by attacking right then. Even with their weapons, they were vastly outnumbered.

One assassin swung, and I dodged, barely avoiding his sword. The blade grazed Moses's arm. Anto's father pounced on the attacker, knocking him down.

I ducked as another assassin tried to behead me. I punched his crotch, spun away from his second, more half-hearted swing, and pulled him into a chokehold. Lorcan came over and twisted the guy's wrist until the assassin dropped his sword. Lorcan picked up the weapon and stabbed the assassin in the gut. I dropped the man and moved on. I used my dagger to slit the throat of an assassin about to bash Anto's sister's head.

A shifter ran past, almost tripping me as she changed forms. A stray fist caught me in the nose. A glass kylie whistled through the air. It cut halfway through someone's arm. He howled in pain and dropped to his knees. Moses kneed the wounded assassin in the face and broke his nose.

Suddenly, the large group of assassins retreated. Anto's brothers jeered. Some of the shifters followed but gave up halfway. I stood there, watching them flee, still confused.

"Everyone okay?" Shay asked, running through the crowd.

I ran the back of my hand across my nose—bloody but not broken. I walked away from the crowd, feeling as though there was something I was missing. Phoenix rushed past me, anxiety rolling off him in waves.

My stomach dropped when I heard Lorcan shouting for Lucia. I ran after him, half-expecting to find her body, but she was gone. She was nowhere to be seen.

Lorcan knelt and picked up a broken bracelet. "This is hers." His voice broke. "She's gone. She's gone. Where is she?"

He looked at me with accusing eyes. I took a couple of steps back. I hadn't watched over her. I had let her run off. And when the assassins came, I hadn't even thought about her. I shook my head, my stomach turning as I realised Seth's game. He had distracted us so he could take Lucia—pure, innocent Lucia, who had seen Jessica willingly walk away with Seth.

Phoenix gripped my shoulders, his fingers sinking into my flesh. I barely felt the pain. I couldn't take my gaze away from the horror on Lorcan's face.

"Where is she?" Phoenix demanded. He shook me hard. "You lost my daughter!"

He shoved me, and I fell to the ground. I sat there, staring at him in shock.

"If she dies... if she dies..." He was shaking so hard, he couldn't finish the sentence, but I knew exactly what he was thinking.

It was my fault. People kept dying, and Lucia could be next. And if so, the fae would do much worse to me.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Phoenix pulled me to my feet by my collar.

Shay was there, suddenly, before I could even think about what to do next. "What are you, crazy?" He pulled us apart, but Phoenix kept that murderous gaze on me.

I staggered a few steps away, wanting to throw up. After everything we had been through, I had allowed Lucia to be taken from right under my nose. How could I have been so stupid?

"My daughter is gone," Phoenix said. He jabbed a finger at me. "And this one held back. We all saw her retreat. This one led them to my daughter, made her a target, and then let them take her."

"So we follow who took her." Shay snapped his fingers in front of Phoenix's face in a vain attempt to get his attention off me. "I'm talking to you! You can't make a fool of everything we've worked for by attacking a woman in front of the people who'll keep you in power."

Lorcan walked closer to us. "It's not Ava's fault. It's my fault. She's my... I should have been there, watching her. I should have—"

"No," I whispered. "It's not your fault, Lorcan."

Shay looked from one of us to the other. "I'll organise the troops to follow. There's a chance we'll catch up." He gripped Phoenix's elbow. "Let's go. You need to look for your daughter."

Phoenix gave me one last withering glare before letting Shay lead him away.

"Lorcan, I'm so sorry." I held out my hands pleadingly, but there was nothing I could say to make any of it better.

"Why didn't she come to me? I don't understand. I could have helped her hide. We could have been safe together. Why didn't she hide?" He shook his head. "I have to look for her. I have to do something."

"We can go back to the cul-de-sac and try to track down where Seth might be hiding. We'll just be in the way here. They have a tactical team. They won't want us to... Jesus, I'm sorry."

He hugged me then, holding me tightly as a sob wracked his body. I suspected he felt the same way about me as Emmett did. I was the person who had brought them home to their families, even if it had been tough for them to adjust. Lorcan was like a child sometimes, and I had managed to lose the one person who had been through everything with him.

"Listen to me." I pulled back and held his face in my hands. "We're going to get her back. Seth did this to force me out of the cul-de-sac. He won't hurt her because then he won't have a reason to call me out. He's trying to fuck with us, and he's not... he's not going to get away with it. I promise you."

"What's he going to do?" he whispered, his eyes glistening with tears.

"If I were him, I'd take Lucia home and keep her out of our reach for now. Maybe he'll force us to go to him. He won't want to fight in case Jess gets hurt. He's going to want to make an exchange."

"So what do we do?"

"I'll think of something. Come on. I'll drive you back."

We headed back to the car, narrowly avoiding another confrontation with Phoenix. Jesus, he was scary. Nobody had ever had the means to terrify me with a look until him. And damn it if I didn't want to please him.

Peter and Carl were waiting outside at the cul-de-sac.

"Shay called us," Peter explained. "We haven't told Val." He and Carl exchanged sheepish glances. "We didn't know how she would react."

I sighed. "Probably the same way as Phoenix. I'll tell her. Don't worry."

"No," Lorcan said. "Lucia cared about her. I should be the one."

"Cares," I said firmly. "Lucia cares about her. You get cleaned up. I'll deal with Val. We have a busy few hours ahead of us, right?"

He nodded but still stood there, looking lost. I caught sight of Margie standing at her doorway and waved her over. She took one look at Lorcan and bundled him under her wing.

"She's good at that," Carl said as they walked away from us. "Taking care of people." Then he pulled me into a hug. "I know how much you care about Lucia. You doing okay?"

I nodded, unable to speak. I stepped out of his arms and turned away to dry my eyes. I couldn't afford to fall apart.

"What happened?" Peter asked when I recovered.

"What happened is that I fucked up," I said. "They attacked us in the graveyard, and I ran into the fight instead of sticking with Lucia. It was just a distraction to take her. Phoenix wants me dead, Lorcan's falling apart, and Val will probably do the job for Phoenix. Seth will be laughing by nightfall."

"Were you the only one there?" Peter asked.

I frowned, confused. "No."

"Did you call Seth and tell him to come and take Lucia?"

"No, but—"

"Then anyone who thinks it's your fault is a fucking moron. Lucia's an adult. It's time people realised she can think for herself. You're not to blame for this, Ava."

I gave Peter a pained look. It didn't matter what he said. Lucia was the fragile, innocent one. Everyone would need someone to blame if anything happened to her.

Carl squeezed my shoulder. "What can we do?"

"We try to track down Seth," I said. "But I'm pretty sure we'll see him again. He can't keep away."

"He'll find us first then," Peter said. "Be careful with Val. She's at Anka's. Maybe you should send everyone else outside."

"Will do." I gritted my teeth and headed to Anka's to break the news to the half-hellhound that one of the people under her care had been taken while under my care.

I met Anka at the door and quietly asked her to take the girls outside. She agreed without questioning me, and that was one of the many reasons I loved having her on my side. I found Val in the kitchen. Great, right by the knives.

"We need to talk," I said before I could chicken out. "The assassins came to the funeral and took Lucia." I blurted the words without pausing.

She looked up at me, the knife in her hand frozen mid-chop. "Say that again."

"I'm so sorry, Val. I should have been more vigilant. The attack was a distraction. Whoever took her did it for Seth. She's currency to him, but that means she's still alive."

She slumped into a kitchen chair.

"You don't want to kill me?" I asked as lightly as I could without my voice shaking.

"A little." She laid the knife on the table. "She badly wanted to go to the funerals today."

I nodded. After a moment's hesitation, I joined her at the table. "I've been thinking about that the whole way home."

Val caught my eye, sorrow wrinkling the corners of her mouth and eyes. "She knew, didn't she?"

"I figure she did. I also figure she knew something else, something that might have happened if she didn't, um, go willingly."

She nodded. "It must have gotten messy. I should have realised sooner that there was something wrong. Not that she would have told me."

"She doesn't reveal a lot of what she sees anymore," I said. "I don't know if—"

"How is Lorcan?" she asked, leaning forward.

"Devastated."

"And Phoenix?"

"Wants me dead."

"I understand the impulse, but he's being foolish. If he hurts you and Lucia returns, she'll hate him for it. You're their family as much as Phoenix is."

I licked my dry lips. "We should go outside before the rest of them think you murdered me."

We headed outside together. Half of the neighbours stood around nervously, plenty of them armed, all of them wearing sheepish looks.

"Val's fine," I said impatiently. "But now we have to figure out what to do about Seth. He'll be back, so if anyone wants to leave, do it before dark. Go far. For now, the cul-de-sac is safe, but..."

"But what?" Jessica asked.

"The last time a landlady was badly hurt, the cul-de-sac stopped being safe," Leah told her. "If Ava died, we'd all be at risk."

"Oh." Jessica stared at me for a long time after that.

We spent the next hour trying to help people leave as quickly as possible.

"Why aren't you packing?" I asked Anka.

"You're not going to let him in," she said. "These are our homes. Why should we leave?"

I walked over to Peter. "You and Emmett should—"

"No," he said. "No more running. Shay's people will come and help us. A fae royal is mightily pissed at Seth. We have the makings of an army to help us if we need it. We're staying with you."

"You're a fool."

He grinned. "A fool for you."

I made a gagging sound. "You need better lines."

"I'm working on them," he called after me as I walked away.

I found Lorcan at the mouth of the cul-de-sac.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I thought they might have found her by now." He stared wistfully at the sky. "It'll be dark soon."

A car drove up, followed by some more: shifters, agents, and more fae than I would have expected. Phoenix and Shay jumped out of the first car. Phoenix made a direct line for me, grabbed my arm and led me out of the cul-de-sac. Nobody said a word in protest.

Two streets away, he pulled me into a laneway and folded his arms, glaring down at me. "Tell me everything you know."

"I don't..." I threw my hands in the air. "You were there!"

"Tell me why you can't go after Seth."

"Look." I took a deep breath. "Lucia probably knew what was going to happen today. I trust that she knows what she's doing."

"And am I supposed to trust what you're doing, Ava?"

I couldn't look at him. "That's entirely up to you."

He gripped my shoulders. "Tell me the secrets you have been keeping from the rest of us."

"I can't," I whispered. "And you said you wouldn't ask me again."

"That was before my daughter was taken." He tipped my chin with a finger to force me to look at him. "You were in a hospital bed when I told you I had found out that you, and your landlady before you, were untouchable. You refused to talk about it. It's time you told me. If you ever want me to trust you, then you need to talk to me."

"And if I can't trust you?" My voice had gotten steadier, thankfully.

"Give me a chance to prove myself."

My knees turned to jelly. "Everyone knows that Mrs. Yaga held protection over the houses. When she died, she passed it on to me. That's the story. That's the big secret."

"But how? Why? Why is nobody questioning you about this?"

I shrugged. "They accept that it's a thing and move on."

"Then why can't you hunt Seth down? Why can't you work with the government? I don't understand what's changed. You used to charge after the things you wanted, and now you let them come to you."

I searched his eyes. The murderous rage was gone, but it had been replaced by confusion—and worse, suspicion.

"Sometimes," I said, "my hands are tied. Sometimes, the way I used to behave isn't appropriate now, not if I want to keep protecting the people in my homes."

"Lucia was in one of those homes," he said. "Surely you can't protect her now."

"I'm going to get her back, but I have to be careful, or we'll lose everything. Seth will come for Jess. He'll try to force an exchange. We don't have to hunt him down because he's going to come to us."

"But who says you have to be careful? Where is this coming from? Tell me what really happened when Eddie Brogan tried to rip the world apart, Ava."

I leaned against the wall. He wasn't letting me go until he understood. He wouldn't ever trust me unless I told him the truth. And maybe I needed to talk.

"You can't speak about this to anyone," I said. "I mean it, Phoenix. You can't tell them anything."

"I won't if you ask me not to."

"Mrs. Yaga was a hag," I said. "I mean, when I first met her, I needed a place to stay, and she was just my landlady, but later, I learned she was a hag. I knew she protected us, but it wasn't until after she died that I really found out what was going on."

He leaned against the wall next to me. That made it easier to talk. And once I started, the words didn't stop.

"Eddie Brogan was only able to do what he did because of her death. In the end, I found out that she was one of the Eleven. Eleven beings with different jobs who joined together to keep a balance in this world. They stopped other dimensions and realms and planes from colliding, basically. Their... group somehow kept the world safe. Mrs. Yaga was the Matriarch, the one who helped lost souls. She was a part of something bigger than Eddie Brogan or the Council. I was a lost soul, according to her, and she kind of... decided that I would be the one to replace her."

"She wanted you to become the next Matriarch?"

"Yeah, but she didn't tell me in so many words. You know how it is. They talk in riddles and think they have endless amounts of time to clear everything up. But she got hurt because she interfered. She stopped being neutral when she took part in my fight. She stood with us, but she died and lost the protection. That's what upset the balance and weakened the veil between worlds. Eddie—maybe he organised it, I don't know—but he knew to take advantage of the balance. It was only then that he could open the book, call forth the demons, and bring his wife back to this world properly."

"But you stopped him."

"Gabe stopped him. And the balance was still wonky. There were only ten. They needed an eleventh."

"And that was you."

"Sort of, yeah. I mean, for one hundred years. That's my payment for the safety of my people... and my punishment for letting the balance die in the first place. One hundred years of neutrality and saving lost souls."

"Will you live that long?"

"I doubt it, so it's a good deal, right? But it's lost if I interfere." I lifted my shoulders. "Everything comes with a price, Phoenix."

"Why haven't you told anyone?"

"They wouldn't understand. They wouldn't see that I had a choice. They'd try to think of ways to free me. I'm not a slave. This is a choice I made."

"A choice you felt you had to make. Does Lucia know?"

I hadn't thought of that. "You never know with Lucia. She's not sharing as much as she used to. And she's doing her best to manipulate her visions. Sometimes that involves a little sacrifice, too."

"Naturally. I'm surrounded by complicated women." He looked down at me. "I still want to blame you."

"I blame me, too."

"What are you going to do if Seth comes tonight?"

I shook my head. "I haven't decided yet. No matter what I do, I lose."

He shuffled his feet. "The sky is growing dark. We should return and work on a plan."

"Yeah, I suppose." I didn't move. I didn't want to go back.

Almost everyone I cared about was expecting me to come back with a solution that would keep them safe. I didn't know if I had anything left. But Phoenix moved away, and I followed him.

"Ava," he whispered, "am I a lost soul?"

I lowered my chin to hide my smile. "I'm pretty sure we all are, in a way."

"If I die tonight, will you take care of my children?"

"Yes. Will you take care of everyone else if I die?"

"What if we both die?"

"You're not going to die," I said. "He doesn't want you or Lucia. He wants Jessica. And maybe me, but we're getting Lucia back tonight. I promise you that I'll do whatever it takes."

"Even put the rest of your people at risk?"

I stared at him, suddenly terrified. "I don't know what I'm going to do, but there has to be a third option."

"Let's hope Lucia saw it in a vision before she went to Seth." His shoulders drooped. He was losing everything, all over again.

On a whim, I took his hand. He whirled me around and pulled me to his chest. He hugged me tightly, almost painfully, but I recognised his need for comfort. I slowly wrapped my arms around his torso. In a matter of hours, he had gone from wanting to kill me to hugging me. That had to count for something, though I had no idea what.

After a moment, he released me and strode briskly away as if nothing had happened. I jogged to keep up.

Back at the cul-de-sac, anyone who could fight was waiting in the street. I noticed Leah on a rooftop, her bow in her hands. That made me think of Ry, the sweet man who had taught her everything she knew.

"Okay," I said. "Seth might come this way, but he can't get in if he means us harm. That tells us everything we need to know. No matter what he does, nobody goes out there, okay?"

"Ava, we can't—" Lorcan started.

I held up my hand. "You didn't let me finish. We're safe in here, but Lucia isn't, and we can't hide away for the rest of our lives. It's time we made our mark on the world. And I'm starting with Seth. If we get rid of him, the world will be a whole lot safer." I shrugged. "And maybe people will think twice about screwing with us in future."

"What are you planning?" Peter asked.

I winced in anticipation of their reactions. "I'm going to try to make a deal."

Chapter Twenty-Six

Adam looked worried, like a mouse stuck in a trap. He paced up and down my living room.

"You're safe in here," I told him.

He didn't even bother to acknowledge me. The others were agitatedly discussing matters, but Jess kept staring into space, an odd expression on her face.

I drew Parker away from the rest of the group. "Make sure he stays in here," I said. "And I need you to do me a favour, kid."

Parker frowned. "Like what?"

"You don't know me very well, but you're the best weapon we have right now. Do you understand me? If you have to, use that power inside of you, Parker. And this bit is the most important. If anything happens to me... if I get hurt, or I die, I need you to send the fire up to protect everyone. Can you do that?"

He stared at me. "What happens if you get hurt or die?"

I sighed. "Then the power around this place weakens and dies right along with me. You're all safe here, and I need to keep it that way. You just need to make it until morning, then Phoenix will take you all to the sanctuary. It's a different kind of protection. Underground, but at least it's safe. You and Jess and everyone can stay there until someone figures out how to deal with Seth."

His eyes widened. "You're really going out there?"

"He has my friend." I squeezed his shoulder. "I might not have a choice. And I'm sorry, but you'll have to step up before anyone runs out after me. Do you understand?"

He didn't respond, and I couldn't read his expression. "Parker, do you understand what you have to do?"

"What about—"

"All you have to think about is watching me and being ready to bring the fire. Are you afraid of heights?"

He shook his head, looking a little confused.

"Great. Go join Leah up on the roof."

He smiled, and his entire face changed. "A grownup is telling me to get up on a roof?"

I grinned back. "Tonight might be exceptional. Take Jess with you if you like. That way, you can keep an eye on her in case anyone tries to pull anything sneaky and take her while the rest of us are distracted." I bit my lip. "I'm counting on you. I'm sorry for the pressure and all, but you're our best bet, and from what Jess told me, I can trust you with this."

"I'll do whatever it takes," he said. "I want Jess and Adam and everyone else to stay safe."

"Go get her then. I'll try to get through to Adam."

I jogged over to the seraph, wishing my life were just a tiny bit less complicated so I could perhaps keep the pressure off the shoulders of teenage boys. "Adam," I said. "Adam!"

He looked right through me.

"Adam, I need your help."

He blinked at me, his eyes cloudy. He desperately needed something to do, or he was going to fall apart on me.

"If we're going to keep these people safe, somebody has to calm them down. You have experience with this sort of thing. I need you to take care of them."

"What?"

"Keep people calm. Stop them from running around like headless chickens. The last thing we need is for someone to panic and hand themselves right over to Seth."

His expression cleared. "You think... of course. No, we can't have that. But aren't you worried?"

"Worried?" I feigned confusion. "About what? Some vampire who managed to piss off the vampire queen and most of the fae in the country? When we have a kid who breathes fire?"

He smiled. "He doesn't quite breathe the stuff."

I plastered on a grin. "We have so many secret weapons that we can save the fire-starter as our last resort. You're not alone, Adam. Jess isn't facing this alone. No matter what happens to you and me, she has plenty of people willing to protect her, to help her. There are no lost causes here."

I left him, hoping he felt more confidence than I did. I kept acting as though I had a plan, but I was going to wing it, just as I always did. And I was preparing to fail. I hoped to at least look the man who murdered my parents in the eye and find closure, one way or another.

Phoenix and Shay were discussing tactics near the mouth of the cul-de-sac.

"You don't have to do anything," I said, joining them. "You only need to keep everyone in the cul-de-sac. That's the plan. Okay?"

"Why?" Phoenix asked. "How does this help my daughter?"

"You let me worry about Lucia," I said. "You worry about Lorcan. He's likely to run out there and get himself killed. He's as valuable as Lucia, whether you like it or not. And Seth might enjoy owning a matching pair. Do you understand me?"

"He wants a seer?" Phoenix frowned. "What makes you think that?"

"Daimhín charges by the hour for her seer. Everyone wants one. Lucia can be helpful." I remembered her last vision and shivered. "And Lorcan's her translator, so he's important. Just keep everyone inside. Seth can't touch them in here."

"What are you planning on doing?" Shay asked.

"Talking," I said. "I'm going to have a conversation and see where we stand. Everyone wants something. I just need to figure out how to appeal to Seth. If I think Lucia is in danger, I'll act. But it's important that nobody gets in my way." I looked around at the people standing in groups on the road. "I reckon the biggest risks are Lorcan, Jessica, and Carl."

"Carl?" Shay asked. "Why Carl?"

"He has this weird thing where he wants to die by my side," I said loudly enough for Carl to hear. "It's pretty sad."

"Shut your face, woman!" Carl called back. "I'm happy to let you go alone. I just enjoy the excitement."

Shay looked at our smiling faces as if we were crazy. "Ava—"

"It's all we have, Shay," I said, averting my eyes. "Don't ruin it."

"Will the vampire queen come?" Phoenix asked.

"She likes to avoid the big fights. It's how she's lived so long." I cast a wry look at the teams Shay had brought. "So maybe pass that little tip to your people over there. They look overly eager."

"It's their job to protect," Shay protested.

"Shay..." I tried to find the words that would get through to him. "You have to understand that this is a whole new world. The old ways don't work. Police protection? Not gonna gel with what's happening. This is a special circumstance. We could start the process of wiping out an entire species tonight. Do you really want to be the government that begins with that? No matter what happens, you can't take all of this time and deal with what boils down as my problem."

"But the beasts," he said. "We can save so many people from the beasts with his death."

"And I'm sure a lot of people once said that about the werewolves."

He frowned. "We owe that bastard for Layne and Anthony."

"And if you interfere, the politics will kill you. When you're not popular, genocide will be thrown into your face. If this country is ever going to repair itself, it needs something good at the forefront. Don't let us drag you down with us."

"He took my daughter," Phoenix snapped. "Do you propose I let him get away with that?"

"Of course not. I'm just saying let's not run in guns blazing this time. Let's see what he wants first." I was lying to their faces. I didn't want them to rob me of the satisfaction of revenge.

That was what it came down to—my needs. Technically, Seth hadn't attacked me or my people. Technically, I was breaking the rules. I wouldn't be neutral anymore, and that's what I had been trying not to tell Parker.

Phoenix stared at me. "If Lucia isn't returned tonight, the power of the fae will be against this vampire."

"That's up to you," I said. "I'm not going to step in the way of anyone. I'm just saying that this specific problem might be best handled by the people who were created to fight it."

"Meaning you and Jess," Phoenix said.

"Meaning me," I said. "Jess is supposed to get her chance when she's old enough, so let's hope he's gone before then, right?"

I left them and went over to speak to Peter. "Watch the giant," I murmured. "You know how he is."

Peter smiled as he waved at Carl, who glared back at us. "Oh, I know. So what's the real plan, Ava?"

"The real plan is making it through the night, I should think." I grinned confidently. "Never thought I'd say this, but fuck if I don't miss Eddie's creepy protection spells. We need a new witchy-type person."

He made a face. "I'm off witches for life. Marina killed the idea of working with them. Eddie didn't help either."

"Technically, he wasn't a witch. He was just... special."

He gave me a serious look. "You're special, too. So don't get yourself hurt, okay?"

"Where are you going to be?"

"With Emmett. So don't make me regret that." His hazel eyes turned warm.

Sometimes, I missed him. I didn't miss waking up in the night to find him cleaning knives in my kitchen or wondering what effect all the alcohol was having on his liver. I didn't miss trying to be the buffer in a father-and-son relationship. But I missed everything else so much that my heart hurt.

"What, no begging to come with?" I asked with a smirk.

A flicker of longing crossed his face. "I know where my place is. My son isn't going to lose me for a second time." He cupped my cheek. "Stay safe. Some of us will be pissed if you get hurt." He dropped a kiss on my forehead and walked away, leaving me wondering if he had really changed, after all.

Val was sharpening her weapons. Everyone else had given her a wide berth.

"I know I don't have to tell you to stay inside, right?" I said.

She looked up at me, her honey-coloured eyes clear and cool. "I'll be ready to fight for her."

"And Leah? Are you going to just leave her here while you get yourself killed?"

Conflict flitted across her expression. "What would you have me do?"

"Let me deal with it. I promise you, if there's a battle to be fought, I want you by my side. But let's just see first. You have other responsibilities."

Pain filled her eyes. "I'm supposed to choose between them?"

"You're supposed to remember that Lucia chose to put herself in a certain position. She isn't waiting for you to save her, Val, but Leah still needs you. Lucia's a smart woman. She doesn't do anything without reason."

"She sees things, knows things. I've told her more about my life, my past. Perhaps I drove her to this."

"Shut up," I said. "Just shut up. That's self-pitying bullshit right there, and I won't have it. Now get a fucking grip before Lucia sees this side of you and decides not to come home."

Her lips twitched. I arched an eyebrow and waited.

"You're impossible," she said after a moment. "Go get her back."

"Thank you."

***

Darkness had fallen. I reached out with my other senses and looked for approaching energies. The cul-de-sac was vibrant. Leah, despite being human, was a cool blue. Parker was, unsurprisingly, a burning flame. Jess's energy was dark and pure at once, and I wondered if mine was similar. Both sides of her fought a battle, seeking to break free, but at the moment, she was contained. Seth might have the power to coax that dark side to the surface. I wasn't about to give him the chance, so I had to act first.

Then the emptiness grew closer, surrounding the purest energy I had ever seen. I had to get Lucia back. She didn't deserve the life she had.

A beautiful man walked alone. His followers stayed in the shadows with Lucia. I remained where I was—at the mouth of the cul-de-sac—confident he couldn't hurt me. Yet. At my word, everyone was staying well behind me, but I knew they were armed and ready should anything go wrong. Hopefully, Parker could stop Seth and his vampires before it got that far.

"Good evening," Seth called out in his melodic voice. "How are you this evening, daughter?"

I snorted. "Some father you are. You don't call. You don't write. What gives you the right to call me your daughter?"

"Killing your parents and making you mine gave me the right." His smile made me want to punch his face in. "Don't shun me now, dear. I've made you who you are. I just want to know one thing. What can you do that's so precious that the angels themselves saved you? I'm curious."

"Join the club." I took a deep breath. "Maybe they just knew you were arrogant enough to want something you can't have."

"That does sound like them. Would you like to have a discussion, daughter?"

"I thought we already were."

"Indeed, but let us get to the heart of the matter. I have something that I'm told is important not only to you but to the entire government. A half-blooded fae princess to boot. How lucky."

"Important to me? Where did you hear that?"

He pouted. "So you didn't make a shortcut through hell to save her? My mistake."

I bristled. "You know, I'm not sure how lucky it is to piss off an entire country."

He waved a hand. "Oh, I haven't pissed off the entire country. Most of the fae would be happy if I cleansed them of the half-blooded embarrassments." He winked. "They're so short-sighted that they don't see what I see in the next generation of mixed-blood warriors, but I'm what you call charming and persuasive. I could make them think of me as the second coming of Jesus if I wanted to."

"Not a little bit vain, are you? All right, cut the crap already. What do you want? I'm just about keeping the anger against you tamped down to a mild roar, so it would be for the best if Lucia is returned to her family... now."

"What do I want?" He almost sounded confused.

"Yes. We're going to work out a deal. You tell me what you want, and I'll see what I can do."

He burst into laughter that made him seem almost ordinary. "And she has learned to play the game. But all I want is the girl."

"You're so predictable." I smiled. "Let's play a game. You give back Lucia, right now, and you can have me... if you can take me."

He chuckled. "You think I won't be able to win a battle against you? I created you. I'm not sure if I admire your bravery or pity your stupidity."

"Yeah, but I'm really tainted. More so than Jess. See, her real daddy cut her out of her mother before the taint could kick in. Me? I was in there for hours with your poison. My mother lasted as long as it took to get me to safety. I'm the one who can, as you said, make a shortcut through Hell. Jess is a kid. She hasn't shown what she can do yet. I'm the safe bet."

"But it'll be so much harder to turn you to my way of thinking."

I shrugged. "If you can't face the challenge, I'll turn my back right now, take Jess, and dig for cover until you forget what either of us looked like."

"Why would you protect her? You barely know the child. Why do you want her?"

I narrowed my eyes. "I will never hand her over to anyone who'll hurt her. And the only chance you have of getting me on your side is returning Lucia to her family."

To my surprise, he nodded and clicked his fingers. Lucia was pushed forward. He reached out and grabbed her, holding her next to his body. Her white hair was bloody, but she seemed fine.

Still, I wanted to reach inside his chest and rip out anything I could find in there. I rose to my feet, knowing I had only a little time before somebody burst out of the cul-de-sac to get to Lucia.

Seth glanced behind me. "Keep the guard dogs at bay." He pushed Lucia toward me.

Without thinking, I ran out to meet her. Seth flew at us, knocking Lucia out of the way and throwing me onto my back with one move.

Flames immediately appeared behind me. Parker. Shouts of protest filled the air, barely audible over the roar of the fire. Lucia was stuck outside with the first vampire and me.

"Run!" I shouted at her, jumping to my feet.

I circled Seth to keep his attention on me long enough for Parker to get Lucia safely inside the cul-de-sac. But Lucia stayed near me. Seth calmly stood there, smiling at me like a crazy psychopath.

Then, he took two steps toward Lucia. I rushed him, pulling the dagger out of my back pocket. I slid the blade across his neck. The resulting wound steamed and smoked. He roared in anger and punched at my face. His fist connected with my cheek.

He followed through with a second strike, but I ducked out of the way. I was fast, but he was faster. I tried to lead him away from Lucia, but he pounced, knocking me to the ground. He gripped a hank of my hair and bashed my head against the ground.

Seth leaned down and sniffed my neck. I felt his fangs against my skin.

"For fuck's sake." I met his gaze as I struggled to hold him at bay. "If that's what you want, just kill me already."

"I'm not going to kill anything I went to so much trouble to create," he said with a thick laugh. "This is all part of the show. She's listening to me, listening to the way I pull her to me. She'll be here soon."

"I'm right here. You don't need her."

"That's not the point." His fangs pricked my skin, making it burn as if he'd injected acid. "Misdirection, daughter. They took you from me and hid you so well that I left the country in search of you. Then I got word about a dark little girl who walked in the day, and I came back for you. But they put something else in my way to protect you. They created that other girl to lure me. They made her for me."

I pushed against him, feeling helpless. "Bullshit."

"Ah, but it's true. I chased her and forgot about you, the real threat. Still, she has her own talents, and she is their gift to me. She belongs to me, now and always, in ways you never will. You may have what I need, but she has what I want, and you might be just a tad more trouble than you're worth. She'll come to me any minute now, and I'll leave you to think about what you've done." He trailed his fangs across my skin. "But I'll come back for you. I always do."

"She'll die in the fire before she could get to you," I said.

"Then you can watch."

He wrapped one strong hand around my neck and raised me up in the air. He held me there, facing the opening to the cul-de-sac. I started to feel dizzy from the inability to breathe. Up on the roof, Jessica came into view. She screamed something at Parker. He shook his head.

Seth tightened his hold. I choked, feeling my eyes bulge in their sockets. The more I struggled, the tighter his grip became. The cul-de-sac's protection was disappearing. I could feel it seeping away.

Jessica took one last final look at me—or at Seth—then she jumped down from the roof and ran, past all of the people I had warned to stop her. They were too busy freaking out to notice. Jessica headed straight for the fire, determination written all over her face. And when she reached the flames, she didn't stop. Parker let her pass unharmed. She had counted on him being unable to hurt her.

Seth dropped me. Lucia ran to where I lay on the ground and held my hand as I sucked in breaths that hurt my throat. I tried to sit up but couldn't. Jessica came closer and picked up my fallen dagger. Seth held out his hand.

"I want to be strong," Jessica told him. "I need to know how to be me."

They walked away together. And I couldn't do a thing to stop it.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I lay on my back, staring up at the stars. I had taken back one friend only to give away a child who didn't know what she was doing. I could have wept. The sounds of weapons clashing and yells of pain and anger filled the air.

"Get inside," I managed to croak to Lucia. "Away from the fighting."

But the fighters avoided us as if we carried some kind of disease. Or perhaps they had been ordered to leave us alone. Lucia sat next to me, holding my hand tightly.

"No visions," I whispered. "I can't handle a vision right now."

She brushed my hair out of my eyes then helped me sit up. A sharp pain wrenched my torso.

"Great," I muttered. "Probably cracked another rib."

I didn't have any energy left. The battle was being fought without me. I wasn't needed, but I had caused it all. Adam was going to kill me.

Lorcan reached his sister and pulled her away from me. Phoenix was there to protect them. Lucia looked back at me with sad eyes, and I shivered at the things she might know.

Carl came over and knelt by my side. "Jesus, Ava. You almost gave me a heart attack. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

I tried to smile. "Same as always."

"We thought he was going to rip your head off right in front of us."

"He doesn't want me dead. Not yet anyway."

He helped me to my feet. A shock ran through me at his touch.

I pushed him away. "Holy... I thought you were over the weird magical side effects!"

"I am. Mostly." He looked embarrassed as he took my arm again. That time, nothing happened. "But it's been crazy tonight, so cut me some slack."

"Panicker," I said through gritted teeth.

The last of the assassins were running. They had done their job of getting in our way long enough to let Seth escape with Jess.

"Fuck me." I hissed as pain rushed through my body again. "Quickest beat-down of all time."

Carl helped me back into the cul-de-sac, all the while lecturing me on terrible plans. Parker and Leah approached, both of them with guilty looks on their faces.

"I'm sorry," Leah said immediately. "You were hurt, and the magic was weakening. I told her about Mrs. Yaga, so she said she had to do something about it, that it's her fight. Then she jumped and ran, and I..." She shook her head. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Why?" Adam roared, running over to us with a sword in his hand.

Val rushed up behind him and took the weapon. He barely noticed. He reached us and raised a hand to Parker.

Carl let go of me and got between them just in time. "Calm down. Take it easy, Adam."

"Why would you let her leave, Parker?" Adam demanded. "You know how she is. Why would you even—"

"She would have been burned!" Parker shouted. "I couldn't burn her!"

"We can fix a burn." Adam's face had turned scarlet. "We can't fix this."

"Adam," I said, "we'll find them."

"And if she doesn't want to come back? If she turns to the darkness?"

"Maybe you should give her a little credit," Carl said. "She did it to protect everyone else, including you. She did what she thought was best in a terrible situation. She's not going to turn to the darkness."

I wasn't so sure. I knew she had made a choice, but I didn't know what would happen since Seth had finally gotten his hands on her.

At that moment, I realised that the protection over the cul-de-sac was still shaky. I felt weak all of a sudden. Had I risked everything for nothing? I had to end matters with Seth then figure out a way to restore the protection. I couldn't rest until then.

Peter approached and looked me up and down. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "I'm fine. I need Anka for a minute, but then we go hunting."

His concern turned into a dark smile, a reminder of the Peter I used to know. "Good plan."

He let me lean on him as we walked to Anka's house. "That was a really fucking stupid idea back there."

"Wasn't so much an idea as a whim."

"You're getting worse."

"I know." I couldn't keep up the brave face for long. "He's so strong, Peter. I'm scared shitless of him."

He faced me. "No, you're not. He's just another being who thinks he's too big to die. You're going to change that, just like you always do."

"What if this is the time it goes wrong?" I smiled wryly. "Even more wrong."

"He's just one man, Ava. He's not the army you've led us against before. He's not the leader you've helped us rise up against. He's one being followed around by a few stragglers."

"He's the first vampire. He's kind of more than a man."

"What do we need to beat him?"

"A chance," I said. "One clear shot at the fucker. But we don't even know how to kill him yet. What if we think he's dead and he comes back to life or something fucked up like that? What if that's how he's lived this long?"

"Then we keep killing him and do it as many times as it takes." He leaned in closer and rested his forehead against mine. "It doesn't matter what he does. We still do what we do, and eventually, it'll click."

I breathed in his scent, comforted by his presence. If I didn't have my friends around me, I would be nothing. They gave me strength when I ran out of my own.

Inside, Anka fussed over me. The rib was cracked, but it wasn't too bad. The whole almost-choked-to-death thing had been the worst of it. I sat on her sofa, holding a cold compress against my neck.

When Shay came in, I told him, "We need Daimhín. We need her to make a stand, along with her vampires."

"We might need more than that," Shay said. "Word is coming in of riots in the city centre, instigated by Seth's people, most likely. Lots of emergency calls." He sat in the chair facing the couch. "We're taking his actions as a threat against the country, Ava. We have to fight back now."

I nodded. "I get it. Any word on where he might be hiding out?"

"Everyone is on it," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm grand. As soon as you have a direction to point me in, just wind me up, and I'll go."

"You want another try? That was terrifying back there." He shook his head. "Do you realise how scared everyone was? You didn't tell us that part of your plan, Ava."

"I didn't even have a plan." I closed my eyes. "I just had me and Parker. He's a handy kid to have around. Is Lucia okay?"

"Looks fine to me. I'm surprised the others haven't given you a tongue-lashing yet. They're all mightily pissed."

"Oh, they're just waiting until the fight is over, then I'll be in trouble. Anyone in particular I need to watch out for?"

"Carl's bitching about you to anyone who'll listen. He was this close"—he held his forefinger and thumb a centimetre apart—"to running through those flames himself. I have to be honest. I thought you were a goner there."

"Maybe I can't die." I tried to force out a laugh. "And I can handle Carl. It's Seth I'm having trouble with."

"So I noticed. Are you sure this is the best way to handle him?"

"So many people have lost everything. I was so late helping the twins in the first place that they only got a few minutes with their mother before she died in front of them. All of that time... wasted. And their father's memories are gone. If Phoenix and Lorcan lost Lucia... I couldn't let that happen to them. And because of that, Jess is gone. I'm not letting Seth take her away from her father. Seth is my problem, and I have to deal with him." Before he realises I've probably already screwed away the untouchable status.

"If he's in this country, causing mayhem, then he's everyone's problem. If we can silence him, perhaps the riots will stop."

I opened my eyes. "Is it that bad?"

He nodded wearily. "We need him gone. We need the riots and looting and bloodshed to end. We need peace."

Carl and Val barged in, arguing loudly. I rolled my eyes.

"She did the right thing," Val insisted. "I would have done the same in her position."

"What are you, crazy?" Carl huffed. "There had to be another way."

"Oh, shut up, both of you," I said. "Go track down Seth and be useful for a change."

"We're always useful," Carl said. "Quinn, Alanii, and the rest of Esther's old Circle are working on it right now. There's a coven of witches trying to do a locater spell, and Daimhín is on her way here. James and Willow are looking at properties that might be suitable, and—"

"And everyone is doing something to help," Val interrupted. "The reporters who were trapped in the church that night have agreed to pass on the message about Seth and his followers, whose actions have instigated another war. Moses is running his own efforts to fight back, and Phoenix is considering letting the werewolves out on the streets."

"One vampire couldn't fight against all of those werewolves," Carl said.

"The werewolves are spread across the country," Shay pointed out.

"And he's not scared of them," I added. "Plus, Seth has more beasts. What if he's trying to turn the assassins into beasts? With those magical tattoos, they could become unbeatable."

"Nothing's unbeatable," Phoenix said, entering the room.

"Seth's pretty tough," I said with a wry smile.

"You stalled," he said.

"She did her best," Carl said, sounding irritated.

"Thank you," Phoenix said, ignoring Carl. "I saw how you distracted him from Lucia."

"You know, she could have—"

"You've fought him now," Phoenix said. "So how much of a threat is he really?"

Carl made a face. "Come on, Val. We need to keep busy. The grownups are talking."

Phoenix looked astonished, even as Shay laughed. When Carl and Val left, Phoenix took a seat at the end of the sofa.

Phoenix nodded at me. "It wasn't a perfect plan, but my daughter is back safely."

"She didn't have a plan," Shay scoffed.

Phoenix's lips twitched. "I did guess. Do you think Icarus and his pack will help?"

"Can't hurt," I said. "But I'm worried about Seth's backup plans. I mean, he has Jess, but what next? Does he leave the country or what?"

"We won't know," Shay said. "Not until we find him. And the Council cells are full of assassins who won't talk under any circumstances."

Shay's phone rang, and he checked the screen. "I have to take this. Give me a minute." He hurried outside.

I raised an eyebrow at Phoenix. "Still want to kill me?"

"Not right now." He nodded at my neck. "Painful?"

"Just a tad. He's definitely stronger than he looks."

"But he didn't kill you."

"He thinks he's my daddy."

"Interesting."

"Not really. He's not anything to me. He killed my parents and Jessica's mother. Neither of us wants anything other than him dead."

"Adam's not convinced of that."

I threw down the cold compress. "He's so scared that he can't be anything other than pessimistic. Jesus, it's tiring just listening to him. I don't know how Jessica has survived this long with him moaning in her ear."

"You don't like him?"

"I don't like the way he's raised her. He's made her feel like shit. I just hope that isn't the part she remembers when Seth's romancing her with his tales of power."

"There are too many people here," he blurted. "Too many connections. Too many ways to hurt one person. I don't think this place is good for my children. I want to take them with me."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you can persuade them to leave. I know you care about them. All of this just reinforced the fact we need to live as a family."

"I can't tell them what to do," I said.

"Can't or won't?"

"Phoenix, don't do that. Don't force people to do your will."

"You mean the way I did with your grandmother?"

My cheeks flushed hotly.

"I apologise," he said coolly.

"But you're not sorry."

He held my gaze. "I want my family. It isn't fair that you get to keep them. Lorcan was angry with me because I was angry at you. Does he... is there something between you two?"

I choked on my own indignation. "Of course not! The twins are my friends as much as Esther and Carl. They're important to me. And I brought them here. We've been through a lot together. Of course we all care about each other. We're a family, too, Phoenix. And you can't destroy that because you're jealous!"

"Jealous? They're my children."

"So ask them what they want! Stop trying to manipulate the situation. Moving pieces around the board. I hate that part of you." I was kind of terrified of his reaction. I winced a little, expecting a backlash.

"That sounds like my mother. Moving pieces around a board to get what she wants." He looked at me. "I don't want to be her."

"You're not her," I said quickly. "I shouldn't have said—"

Shay ran back into the room. "James and Willow came up with something." He told us about a sprawling estate outside of Dublin with a house a prepper had updated. "It's not a bomb shelter. It's more like a place to hide if the shit hits the fan. It sounds perfect for Seth. It's isolated, and there's plenty of space, plenty of dark places to hide."

"So we go there." I sat up, wincing as a needling pain ran through me.

"Daimhín's on her way," Shay said. "We should see if she has anything to say first."

I caught sight of Leah and Parker hanging around outside the doorway. "Something wrong?" I asked.

They shook their heads and disappeared. I made a mental note to keep an eye on them.

"Daimhín won't fight by our side," I said. "She's not going to do it."

"If she wants to keep her position in the Senate," Phoenix said, "she had better do something."

By the time Daimhín arrived, my pain had eased, but my worries had only increased as I brooded over Jessica's fate.

"We need you," Phoenix told the vampire queen. "The Senate must stand together on this."

Daimhín looked a little ill. "He killed Zion as a warning. I can't go against him after that."

"I get it," I said impatiently. "Can he be killed? Has anyone ever claimed to kill him only to have him reappear again?"

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "Do you know how many vampires claim to have killed you? There's no certainty in a vampire's claims of glory. Your little dagger must work against him."

My face heated. "Yeah, it hurts him, but I kind of don't have it right now."

She rolled her eyes. They were bright blue, completely clear of the red patches. She had to be hungry.

Shay jumped in to tell her about the estate that James and Willow had found. "It's been purchased recently," he said. "Can't trace it back to a real person, though. What do you think? Could a vampire hold out there?"

"I considered buying that property myself," she said. "I was outbid at the last moment. It's perfect for the likes of him. But if you go there, be prepared. He'll use humans as shields, any kind of distraction to get away himself. He's not interested in a battle. That's why he's lived so long."

"Did you learn from him then?" Peter snapped.

She ignored his tone and continued. "I'll declare myself his enemy, but I won't trespass on his private property. It's the height of bad manners for a vampire to encroach on another's territory, and I have a lot to do to contain this. He's caused problems for me right down to the lowest of vampires. The story of those teenage girls has done little to calm them. Even Jules..." She shook her head and stood. "I must leave. I don't want to be here if he returns."

After she left, the rest of us continued working on a plan of attack.

"If the estate is that big, we'll never have enough people," I said.

"The werewolves can cover a lot of territory quickly," Phoenix said. "They will be useful."

"My teams will do what they can to follow the werewolves and remove any humans from the situation," Shay added.

"I'm coming with you," Val told me. "I won't sit here and wait."

"What about Lucia?" I asked pointedly.

"She doesn't need a guard dog." She gave me a hard stare. "The sooner Seth is gone, the safer the rest of the world will be."

"I'm coming, too," Lorcan said. "I owe you, Ava. You brought my sister back. And you lost someone who could be a real part of your family. I'll help you get her back."

I looked at Phoenix to see if he would protest. His jaw was clenched, but he didn't say anything.

Leah rushed in, her eyes wide with panic. "Ava! Ava, quickly!"

Alarmed, I jumped to my feet. "What's wrong?"

"It's Parker and Adam. I can't find them anywhere. I think they've gone. We heard you talk about the place Seth might be living in, and Parker ran off, and now I can't find either of them." She swallowed hard. "I'm pretty sure they've gone to find Jessica."

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Lightning sparked in the sky, quickly followed by the cracking of thunder. I shivered in the subsequent darkness, recalling the talents of Phoenix's mother, Fionnuala, weather warden and mega bitch of the millennia. Val and Lorcan stood on either side of me, listening intently for an enemy or a signal for us to move.

Phoenix had taken his werewolves into the woods surrounding Seth's property, and Shay's agents were covering the perimeter. They would all make an attempt to quietly clear our path, but the three of us were still out in the open while we waited.

We had approached from behind the house, through an old, overgrown forest, a werewolf leading us. Each flash of lightning revealed another vampire patrol along the extended driveway. The grounds were unkempt, and the three-storied manor needed a serious amount of renovation, but it was spacious and remote enough to be worth the ridiculous amount of money Seth had spent on the place. I vaguely wondered how well he had been paid for the beast formula.

"The blueprint put an outside entrance to the basement at the south side of the building," I whispered. "If we can just make it there, then..."

Lorcan and Val looked at me. I felt everything they weren't saying.

"Shut up," I muttered, squeezing my eyes shut. Numbers tumbled unchecked from my lips.

Another flash of lightning showed a peregrine falcon in flight. I hoped the vampires wouldn't recognize it as a shifter. As the bird moved overhead, it shrieked a signal for us to move.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the comfort of the shadows, and we began our approach to the house. If we were in the wrong place, we had given Seth a chance to flee with Jessica. And if we were right, he might just kill us all for shits and giggles. But dawn was approaching, and I was betting that Seth was sticking close to the safety of his underground place.

We moved close to the low boundary fence that separated the stretch of lawn from the surrounding forestry. Throwing out my other senses, I caught a lot of empty spaces nearby.

"If Parker sets this place on fire, I'm going to deck him," Lorcan hissed.

A twig cracked loudly under my foot. All three of us froze. No other sounds followed, no shouts announcing our presence. My heart pounded so loud, I was sure somebody would hear it. Voices drifted on the wind, but they were tinged with laughter, not wariness. Nobody knew we were there. Nobody knew the werewolves were stalking the estate. Nobody knew Shay's teams were ready to barge in and make arrests. I hadn't had the heart to tell Shay that there would be no arrests, only deaths. No matter what we did, our two worlds refused to work together.

We started moving again. Thunder rumbled, and the rain began to pour. We almost walked right into a patrol. I shoved Lorcan into the trees, but Val and I were caught. Before the two vampires could react, Val grabbed a dagger from her waistband and flung it at one. The blade flew right in the female's neck. She gurgled and clutched at the knife. Val and I ran toward the pair to finish the job.

A furry figure flew out of the woods and grabbed the back of the second retreating vampire's neck before I could reach him. The werewolf shook the vampire like a dog shaking a rat to death. Blood spurted, and a head flew up in the air. I watched it in wonder, trying to pinpoint the very second when that stopped being weird and gross to me. Val had already ended the injured vampire.

The werewolf trotted toward us, nodding his head as if in greeting. He smelled like wet dog. I fought the urge to laugh hysterically.

Phoenix stepped out of the trees, scaring the absolute shit out of me. I stifled my yelp just in time. He gave me a long, hard look before disappearing again with Icarus.

I regrouped with Lorcan and Val. "We don't have much time," I whispered.

"Then let's run," Val said. "The path is as clear it will get."

We ran between the trees as fast as we dared. A couple of shifters quietly took care of a second patrol that got in our way, giving us the chance to run right around to the back of the house. We easily found the entrance to an old cellar close to the house. A bored vampire stood guard on the path.

"This is it," Lorcan whispered. "Are we saying hello?"

I held up my hands and searched outward again. I found Jessica right away, her essence more confused than ever. I bit my lip, disturbed by Seth's energy.

"Shit," I said, finding two more energies alongside them. "Adam and Parker are in there. We better get inside before Parker sets the whole place on fire."

Lorcan rushed at the vampire and quickly killed her. While he took care of that, Val shifted into her hellhound form and easily busted open the doors to the basement. I ran inside, closely followed by the others. The stone steps led down into a large, wide-open space.

Seth held Adam by the neck. "One step farther, and he's dead," he warned. "You don't dare to come into my home, trespass on my territory. The laws—"

"The laws have changed," I stated.

A werewolf howled in the distance, letting everyone know we were inside.

"Ah..." Seth smiled. "You brought the wolves. I had hoped. That's why my trained soldiers are waiting for their arrival." He cocked his head as a werewolf cried out in obvious pain. "And so it begins. It's not too late for you, Ava. You can still choose chaos and get rid of those filthy binds. You're no freer than—"

"Oh, shut up, you tedious pain in the arse. What are you going to do? Bore us to death? Get to the point already."

With a dark laugh, Seth flung Adam away. The angel hit the wall and slid to the ground, groaning. Jessica didn't run to him. I wanted to throw up. I glanced at her, but her face was a mask. And for the first time, I wondered if my own father had suffered before Seth murdered him. Rage trickled through my veins, and Jess glanced at me as she felt the shift in the air.

The basement doors swung open, and vampires flooded in.

"Parker!" Lorcan called. "A little help here." He swung his sword, and the glyphs glowed green.

Parker, who had been kneeling beside Adam, stood and raised a fire between us and the vampires. Two ran straight through then rolled on the ground, screaming as they burned to ashes. None of the others made an attempt to pass the fire.

"Looks like you're outnumbered," Lorcan said, circling Seth.

Seth laughed. "By half-breeds. And Jessica is worth ten of each of you. Except perhaps you, Ava. Or at least, you in your prime. You've wasted your gifts. Such a pity." He tsked sarcastically.

I whipped out the two daggers Peter had loaned me. I twisted my wrists, moving the daggers constantly as I joined Val and Lorcan in their dance around Seth and Jessica. "Jess, you have something that belongs to me."

"If she can wield it, it belongs to her." Seth smiled indulgently at the girl. "Jessica has a lot of talents I can make use of. They just need the right focus."

"Leave her alone." I was panting because the air was growing thin with the fire slurping up all the oxygen.

We had to finish dealing with Seth before Parker stopped his fire. I looked at his panicked face. If he could stop it.

Seth sidestepped toward Val. She swung her mace, and he ducked. At the same time, he swung his leg in an arc, kicking her so hard that she fell into Lorcan, bowling him over, too. The two jumped back to their feet, wiping sweat out of their eyes.

Enraged, I rushed to help. Jess knocked me aside.

I gazed at her in despair. "Don't do this."

Her lips twitched. "This is what I was born to do, Ava. Watch me do it."

"I told you that you had a choice. You—"

Seth ran at me. I tumbled out of his way and crossed my arms to slash out with both daggers. I barely sliced his arms. He belted me across the face with the back of his hand, and I staggered backward but managed to stay on my feet. Jess shoved him away from me. She was determined to deal with him herself, but Seth seemed to barely notice her.

Val held Jess back from Seth while Lorcan swung his sword, cleaving through Seth's shirt and leaving a thin strip of red. Seth roared and kicked Lorcan away. Val swung her mace again, sending blood and bone gushing from his shoulder. Horrified, Jess backed away.

Taking advantage of his new injuries, I twirled my leg around, aiming for his knee, but he jumped over my foot. He dodged Val's mace and kicked my cheek, knocking me to the ground. He leapt on me and pinned my wrists. When he twisted my arms, I was forced to let go of the daggers. Jumping up and over me, he kicked the daggers away. He ducked under Lorcan's sword on his way to Val.

She head-butted him then roared. His nose crunched, and blood poured. He swung his fist once, twice, then grabbed her mace. He pressed the end into her eye. As she howled with pain, he wrenched the weapon out of her hands. The basement was filling with blackening smoke. Seth knocked out Val and moved on to Lorcan

"Jess," I panted, "you have to get out of here. The fire... you and Parker... run!"

"Dad—"

"No time. Just go!"

Lorcan made another attempt to strike Seth. The vampire ducked and moved quickly out of the way, tripping Lorcan as he went. He turned back and pushed Lorcan's face into the ground. He gripped the half-fae's neck tighter and tighter, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. I leaped for the sword, but before I could pick it up, a blast of fire hit Seth in the back.

With a snarl, he whirled around. Steam rose from his back as his clothing burned, revealing reddened skin. He was hurt, but he was healing quickly.

His handsome face transformed, and his fangs became crooked pillars that his lips could barely cover. His skin grew mottled with patches of green and red, making him look more like something demonic than a vampire. His muscles bulged beneath the remnants of his ruined shirt. He went down on all fours, his eyes on Parker.

Parker sent another fireball his way, but the boy was weakening. The fire was taking too much out of him. Sounds of a fight came from beyond the fire, but I couldn't see a thing past the flames.

My cough turned into a body-racking hack, and that drew Seth's attention. His red eyes fixed on me, and the fear ran down all of my limbs. I knew at that moment that I never wanted to meet Lucifer.

With an animal-like sound, Seth flew at me. I jumped out of the way, and he almost ran straight into the fire. Almost.

He skidded to a stop at the edge of the fire. With a howl of rage, he spun and rushed at me on all fours, his long claws leaving deep depressions in the floor.

I dove for Lorcan's sword. My fingertips grazed the handle as those claws sank into my calves and dragged me away from the weapon. I could hear Seth panting in his eagerness to bite me. I smelled my own blood before I even felt his fangs penetrate my skin. I tried not to scream, but the pain was like no other. Instead of teeth, it felt like nails hammered into my flesh, hot metal searing skin and crushing bone.

He caught my eye as he drank, and I briefly wondered if he was trying to teach me some kind of lesson, but then I saw how cloudy his eyes had turned. I felt myself weaken and knew he was growing stronger by the second.

Another fireball flew at us, but Seth was ready. He released me and rolled out of the way. The fire barely missed me. Then, the ball was absorbed back into the fire as if it had never been there at all.

Seth rushed at Parker, practically drooling in his yearning for more—more blood, more darkness, more death, more chaos. His movements grew sloppier as my blood apparently took effect.

"No!" Jessica screamed.

She moved to stand in the path of the very first vampire, doing exactly what she had been told she was born to do. Her eyes gleaming bright red, she shoved Seth with both hands. He flew across the room and crashed into a pillar. It cracked, and dust fell from the ceiling. Seth calmed a little, growing more human and attractive again. But his face was still smeared with blood, and his fangs didn't quite disappear.

"Impressive," he said. "This is why you're an important part of my army, Jessica. You'll be a leader. A general on the battlefield. A killer of angels, the very beings who ruined your life."

"No," she snarled. "You ruined my life. You've ruined so many people's lives. No more."

My dagger glowed blue in her hands. I held my breath as I crawled toward Lorcan's sword. He stirred and opened one eye. I held my finger to my lips.

Parker threw four more fireballs at Seth, in rapid succession. After the last one, he slumped to the floor, spent. During that time, Jessica swiftly circled the vampire, hitting him, kicking him, and scratching him.

But Seth kept laughing, even when my dagger burned a hole in his stomach. "Keep trying! Maybe one day you'll even succeed."

He was playing with her. As soon as the fireballs stopped, he pounced, catching her off-guard. She fell heavily to the ground, struggling to get away from him. The fire was dying out behind me as Parker slowly lost consciousness. Lorcan's sword glistened as I raised it high, getting a feel for the weight of it. Jessica fought like a wildcat. Seth bit her wrist as she struck him. He latched on as she squirmed, pure terror in her eyes.

"Jess!" I shouted.

She took one look at me, and her panic fled. She drove the dagger into his side, but he didn't seem to notice. He was too consumed with the taste of her blood.

Sweat rolled down my back. The sword seemed to lighten in my hands as I approached Seth. He had killed our families and destroyed our lives. I thought of the photo of my parents I had found and of Jessica's face when she told me she had never had a real home. I thought of every single friend who had died because Seth had unleashed the beasts on the world.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I came up behind the first vampire. He tore himself away from Jessica and looked at me in surprise. I raised the sword higher, and he started to move, but Jessica pinned him into place, fiercely holding on.

I swung the fae sword at Seth's neck. The blade sliced clean through, as if that was what it had been made for. His head flew off his shoulders and rolled into the fire. I watched it burn, the eyes still wide open. His body was melting, turning into some kind of gooey mess. Daimhín had warned me to tear every piece of him apart, so I stabbed his disintegrating body, feeling my guilt and anger releasing with each strike.

"He's dead," Jessica said, sounding as if she couldn't quite believe it.

I stopped, panting, and realised she was right. He wasn't getting back up. I helped Jessica stand, even though I could barely stay on my own feet.

"Gross," she muttered as she looked down on Seth's pulverised body.

"Get Parker to stop the fire before we pass out, too."

She ran over to Parker. My chest grew heavy. It hurt to breathe. Lorcan was unconscious again, and Parker wasn't stirring. I wasn't sure Val's chest was moving at all.

My fingers began to sting. I looked down at the sword. The green glyphs had turned crimson. I dropped the weapon and stuck my fingers in my mouth. I whistled as loud as I could, hoping somebody would come and help us.

I stumbled over to Jess and wrapped my arm around her. "We did it," I whispered.

"Parker," she said hoarsely, weakly slapping his face, "wake up. The fire's killing us, Parker. Wake up before it's too late. Parker!"

She laid her head against his chest. I wanted to cry for her, for her lost future. I wanted to cry for both of them.

Squeezing my burning eyes shut, I stroked Jessica's hair. I couldn't stay awake any longer.

***

"She's waking up," Shay said. "Ava, you okay?"

I tried to open my eyes, but they burned and watered too much. Somebody wiped them with a cloth. I tried again. I saw Val and Shay on either side of me.

"Hey," I croaked. "You okay? What happened? Did everyone make it?"

"Lorcan and the kids will be fine," Shay said.

"I have a headache and a lump on my head the size of a fist," Val said. "But the smoke did little to me."

"How did the fire get put out?" I asked, remembering everything in a rush.

"Parker's heart stopped with the exertion," Shay said. "The fire died with him. The paramedics brought him back. Jessica and Lorcan are still unconscious."

"And Adam?"

"His injuries are a little more serious," Shay answered. "But I think he'll be okay."

"Is Seth dead?" Phoenix demanded. "We saw no body."

I jumped. I hadn't heard him approach. "Lorcan's sword cut right through him. If it weren't for everyone else... Neither Jess nor I could have fought him alone. It was madness, the angels' ideas for that kid." I lay back and stared up at the black sky. I was outside in clean air, but breathing hurt. My lungs felt as though they were full of dirt. Ambulance lights flashed nearby.

"It's over," Shay said.

"Until the next problem comes along." I blinked rapidly, trying to stop my vision from going hazy. "Shay, the new initiative can't do things like this, not unless they want to be just like the old Council."

He nodded. "I know."

"But there has to be a way both worlds can work together."

"I don't know." He glanced up at Phoenix. "I don't know that any of us are right for this job."

Lorcan moaned, and everyone ran over to check on him. After a few minutes, he made a smart remark, and I relaxed again.

It took a lot longer for Jessica and Parker to wake up. I was pretty sure if we had all been pure human, none of us would have survived.

Epilogue

Shay forced us all to spend a night in the supernatural clinic—just in case. Adam stayed there for a few days. He was mostly exhausted, and I was pretty sure that could be blamed on the entirety of his life. All of that stress and running and worrying was over. Jess wasn't a monster, and the real monster was dead.

Back home, I looked through my living room window at a clear sky. The storm was over—at least, that one was. I wondered how many people would come and need me to interfere with the balance in order to help them. I wasn't Mrs. Yaga, and the rest of the Eleven would have to come to terms with that. I needed to set some things straight.

I left before anyone else was awake. I liked the cul-de-sac at dawn. It was quiet and peaceful and mostly felt like home, except the protection was still tarnished. I needed to make sure it stayed a safe place.

I called Mr. Breslin on the way. I woke him, but he seemed pretty alert by the time he let me into the office.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" His thick white eyebrows furrowed. "You are still... new."

"I need to know for sure what's happening with the protection over us, and I can't let them set a precedence of telling me what to do. I should be an equal if I'm part of the gang now. Just because I'm the new kid..." A sudden chill ran down my spine. I was gambling on coming out on top. My luck didn't always hold.

"If you're sure..." He hesitated. "For what it's worth, I think you're right. I doubt Baba Yaga expected anything less from you."

"We killed the first vampire," I said. "That's going to upset some people."

"One thing at a time." He patted my shoulder. "Let's face this battle first."

Nodding, I followed him down the hallway and the stairs. He waited while I stood outside the room again. Sometimes I dreamed of the room, dreamed I was trapped in a crystal in the dark, never able to change the world around me. And maybe that was what Seth had meant when he said I wore my bounds well.

Squaring my shoulders, I stepped into the dark room and approached the crystal. I placed my hand over the surface, letting the magic curl against my skin. There was something good about the feeling. I had been through so much in my life. The oath I had taken, the one hundred years I had sworn, didn't feel like a burden. I wanted to protect my people. But I also needed to protect them my way.

I slammed my hand down on the crystal and instantly found myself sitting in a chair, surrounded by the others. Their presence was clearer. I could focus more, maybe even see shapes, heights, and weights. Maybe someday, I would finally see who the Shepherd really was.

"Again?" Judge sounded pissed. "We're here again, already?"

"Perhaps the Matriarch has something she needs to tell us," Death said.

I could tell he already knew. He was waiting to see what I would do about it, how I would handle it.

"The protection slipped," I said. "I need it back."

"Why would it slip?" Knowledge asked in an accusing tone.

"I killed the first vampire."

A couple of them gasped.

"And a lot of people are very fucking happy he's dead," I snapped, unable to bear it any longer.

"Others won't be impressed," Birth said evenly.

"I'll deal with that when the time comes. I helped my first lost soul. I stopped her from turning to chaos. She's alive. She made her own choices, and I helped her. She doesn't have to run anymore, doesn't have to—"

"And perhaps the angels won't like that," Warden said.

"Then they can come at me, too," I said. "This is how I help people. I'm not interfering for my sake. Sometimes, I have to get bloody to help somebody. Sometimes, I just have to scare the shit out of whatever is coming. And sometimes, I have to figure out for myself how it is I can help someone. I don't have a fucking clue what I'm doing half the time, but I'll learn... as long as you let me do it my way. I can't be bound by these stupid rules, always second-guessing myself and wondering if I'm breaking some obscure stupid-arse ancient law of some kind. I don't want to keep coming here and asking for permission before I make a move. I have to live in my world, and I have to deal with the things that come in a way that actually deals with them. I didn't kill Seth for me."

"He killed your parents," Silence said. "His death doesn't work for you?"

"He killed people I've never met." I took a deep breath. "I am who I am. If you don't like that, then let me go. Break the contract, and we'll all move on. But just remember. You need eleven. You either have to put up with me, or else weaken everything."

"You would do that?" Slave sounded excited. "You would dare upset the balance and risk a demonolatrist calling forth from the darkness?"

"I'll take my chances," I said firmly. "Especially now that I've seen how easily my untouchable status can be taken away. But if you keep me, then this is how it's going to be. I'm going to do my thing without any interference. I mean, if I'm about to unleash Hell on the world, then maybe give me a heads-up, but if I'm stopping an ancient being from kidnapping teenage girls, then butt out of it."

"The last Matriarch—"

"I'm not Baba Yaga. I'm Ava Delaney. And I don't give a shit what any of you think. I did something good, and that's all that matters."

Silence actually laughed. "This is the fresh start we need."

Judge huffed. "You're not serious."

"She interfered," Birth said. "An actual attack wasn't made against her territory."

"A significant threat was made," Warrior said. "Are we supposed to stand by and let ourselves be threatened?"

"We're supposed to be neutral," Judge declared. "This is our purpose."

"We must restore her protection," Warden announced.

"She sacrificed her own protection," Wisdom said. "The natural shifts are dictated by our own actions."

"Then our own actions should reinforce her protection," Shepherd said. "This is important enough to—"

"The Eleven do not—"

"Without her, we are but ten," Silence said. "And how often have we longed for change? How often have we realised how quickly wars would be avoided if we had just stepped in at the right time? This woman is strong enough to keep us above water. We're in a new age, and she could be our voice."

"Interference never leads to satisfaction," Wisdom said. "We learned those lessons in the first turn of our reign."

"We don't have a reign," Warrior said. "We're invisible. Forgotten."

"As it should be," Slave said.

"It's time that changed," Silence replied. "We have mutual needs and desires. We discussed how she could be the hand with which we attend to our will. This is the natural progression."

"It's not the right path," Birth said.

"For now," Knowledge said, "perhaps it is the only path."

"Then we're agreed," Silence said. "We will restore the protection over her territory."

"That's it?" I asked, baffled by the constant turns in their opinions.

"You must report to us regularly," Wisdom said. "We must be aware of your actions, and you must listen to our guidance. As long as this breach against neutrality isn't commonplace, we can pull together."

"Good luck, Ava Delaney," Shepherd said softly. "The reins may have loosened, but we'll be watching you."

"And congratulations," Silence added as the figures around me turned hazy. "His death pleases me greatly.

***

When I got home, I found Jess hanging around outside my front door. She gave me a weak smile as I approached. Immediately, my heart raced with concern.

"It's okay," she said. "Nothing's wrong."

I let us into my house, wondering why she hadn't just gone in and waited for me there. I knew she was staying at Carl's to be close to Parker. And I knew they hadn't even kissed yet. I was so down with the kids that they told me things.

"What's up?" I asked. "Want some breakfast?"

She shook her head. "I need to talk to you about what happened. I was never going to join him. I was just waiting for the right time." She held out my dagger.

"If you can wield it, maybe it really is yours."

"I don't want it, Ava. I thought I wanted to be like you, but this isn't my life."

I took the dagger and shoved it into the belt sheath I had taken to hanging from a key rack. Peter had bought it for me. I had no idea where he got it from, but it was perfect. "I know you weren't going to join him." I filled the kettle and put it on the stove. "I saw it in your eyes. He was too arrogant to see he was being played."

She shrugged. "I don't think he cared. He really wanted you. He was just using me to get to you."

"He couldn't resist the idea of having us both. He thought the younger he found us, the easier it would be to break us. Look at those assassins—all taken as children, all convinced the dead fae who enslaved them is their benevolent mother. Kind of sick really."

"I want to go back," she blurted.

I blinked a couple of times, thinking she meant Seth's house.

"Parker and I have been talking about it," she explained. "We want to go back to England. I made friends there, found people I can trust. We have to ask Dad, but I think, considering everything, he might just say yes this time."

"Are you sure you have somewhere to go?" I asked. "You can really trust these people?"

She gifted me with a broad smile. She looked so young and innocent, her eyes so clear of the red rage. "They're all good people, and maybe we could be of some use over there. You seem to have things handled here."

I drew her into a hug. "You'll keep in touch, though, right?"

She blinked away some tears. "Of course. And we can visit each other. I mean, it's not going to be a goodbye, just a see you later. Okay?"

I nodded. "Of course. It's not a big deal. England isn't exactly the other side of the world. And I could use a holiday every now and then. Where else would I find a little sister to annoy?"

Her eyes softened. "Only the greatest big sisters kill scary ancient vampires for their siblings. I'll never forget you, Ava. You changed everything for me. I think... I think I'm going to be okay."

"So go grab that future you've been looking for."

She beamed. "I'll tell Parker. He wants to look for his mother, just in case she made it."

"Hey, if you ever need help with that..."

She smiled and waved as she ran out of my house. She didn't need me. I had helped her, and it was time for her to move on. And I was okay, too. I had been holding so much guilt over the people we had lost along the way, and it was as though killing Seth had murdered that guilt, too.

***

Jessica, Parker, and Adam left a week later. Half of the people in the cul-de-sac were happy to see them go, but I actually cried. I wiped my eyes with my sleeves before anyone could see.

"Thanks for everything," Parker said. "If you ever need to kill things with fire, just call me."

"Next time I see a spider, I'll for sure let you know," I teased.

Adam waited until the others had gotten into the car before he came over to me. "This wasn't what I expected," he admitted. "But she's alive and free, and I can't ask for anything more."

"Just trust her," I said. "She's gone through a lot. She deserves some peace, and she absolutely deserves to have you on her side. Take care of yourself, Adam."

"It's not true what they say about the tainted." He shook my hand. "Thank you for ending my nightmare before I helped it come true." He headed for the car, only stopping to apologise to Anka one last time.

As the three of them rode away, I felt something shift inside of me. My lost soul wasn't so lost anymore, but the connection between us still remained. That was some consolation.

I had to get back to my real life, whatever that meant lately. I had been surprised to see Phoenix arrive to see them off. I wasn't so surprised when he took my arm and led me away from the others.

"They're coming to live with me," he said.

"But I—"

"My children need me, not you." But his tone wasn't harsh. "It's time my family came home to me."

"Are you... I mean, you're not going to ban them from speaking to me or anything, are you?"

His smile was gone before I could relish it. "This isn't a punishment, Ava. But I need them away from the madness. With me, they have the power of the government and the fae behind them. With you, they'll never reach their full potential because they'll be too busy following your lead. It's time they came home, time the fae accepted them and the government moved on from the beasts."

"But the Senate isn't working."

"It's not," he agreed. "But we'll keep fighting for equality until it does work. I want to know my children, Ava. I want them to come to me when they have a problem. I don't want them jumping into your fights to protect you. They have a childish connection to you. It's not good for them. Don't you see that?"

"What about Val? Lucia's not going to leave her behind." I faltered as I caught the pity in his eyes. "She's going with you?"

"I don't want to separate the connection they have. At least, not yet." He cleared his throat. "And as Leah's guardian, Val will be taking her with us."

"Phoenix." I tried my best not to cry, but I was already way too emotional. "You can't take everyone away."

He brushed a tear from my cheek. "You'll always be a part of their lives. But it's my turn to have time with them. And as for Leah, I'll be her guardian, too. I'll protect her. Nobody can keep her safer than I will."

"Somebody owned her once. What if they come back?"

"Then they'll have to come through me. I promise you that won't be easy. I must go. My children will follow. I wanted to warn you before they came to tell you the news."

My chest hurt. My heart hurt. "So that's it? You're taking them away, and that's it?"

"That's it." He lowered his head and kissed my cheek. "Farewell, Ava Delaney."

I knew he was right. I couldn't keep everyone by my side forever. They had to forge bonds without looking to me for help. But that didn't make it hurt any less. I thought of my friends as my strength, and it was scary to think that I needed them too badly to let them go. But I loved them too much to ask them to stay.

Later, when the twins, Val, and Leah came to me to tell me about their decision, I didn't even cry.

Lorcan could barely look me in the eye. "It's just... after what happened to Lucia, I feel like I need to get to know my father. You never know when you'll lose that chance, and I've wasted so much time already."

"You're right," I said.

"You don't mind?"

"Pfft. Of course I don't mind." The lie almost broke my heart again. "We'll still see each other."

Lorcan looked ashamed. Maybe Phoenix was right, and I needed to let them go before they changed their minds.

"We'll always be friends," I said. "But you don't need to hide anymore. It's time you had a chance to find your own lives."

"I loved living here," Leah said softly. "But now you can concentrate on your work instead of having to worry about us all of the time."

I nodded, trying to smile.

"And you still have to sort out those business cards for me," Val said. "You promised to teach me how to run a business." The half-hellhound smirked. "And it's the least you can do after making up a name and telling it to the world."

"You're a comedian," I said. "Get the hell out of here. Just remember to come back for our family meal every now and then."

Val snorted. "As if Carl would ever let us forget. I don't know why we let the human tag along."

She and Lorcan headed for the garden, followed by Leah who protested that, technically, she was human, too.

Lucia stayed, holding her hands out to me. I took them and closed my eyes, waiting for a vision, but none came. I hoped that meant some peace for a while, but I wondered if she had gone willingly with Seth to save us from some possible disaster or simply to bring her father and brother closer together.

I opened my eyes to see that hers were full of unshed tears. "I'll miss you. But your dad is right. You need a safe place. So get out of here before I cry."

She hugged me briefly, engulfing me in cool innocence. And then she was gone.

***

Later that evening, Peter, Carl, and Esther strode in, laughing and joking and carrying a ton of Chinese food.

"We're having a night in," Carl explained, clearing off my coffee table.

Peter headed into the kitchen with some beer, presumably to make room in the fridge.

"Esther, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I missed you."

"Aw, we missed your little bald head, too." Carl rubbed the top of her skull.

She thumped the side of his thigh.

"Jesus," he groaned, crumpling. He wrapped his arms around her and dragged her down with him.

"Ugh. Ava's right, you are a big oaf." She extracted herself from him, but her cheeks were a little flushed. Interesting.

"Okay," Carl said, pulling food containers out of a bag. "After everything that's happened, we thought we could all use a night to relax and catch up and just... veg."

"And Carl figured you'd be upset with the goodbyes." Peter settled in next to me and handed me a glass of juice. "So we're being your friends. We're being there for you." He cleared his throat, a cheeky smirk on his face. "Unlike some other people."

I shoved him and picked up a fork, but I couldn't stop my smile. "Idiot."

Carl went over to the DVD player and put on The Goonies. Then, he settled in next to Esther.

"You know, Carl," I said, "someday, you're going to have to move beyond the eighties for entertainment."

"But it's the best kind," he said. "We're kind of like the goonies, you know."

"And which one are you?" Peter asked him.

"He's Chunk," Esther said, giggling. That set me off.

"Shaddup," Carl said, grinning madly. "But it's true. We're the underdogs, but we win in the end."

"Nobody dies in The Goonies," I said, sighing.

"That's because it's not real life. If that were real life..." Peter frowned. "Which kid would have died?"

"Peter!" I shoved him. "That's not the conversation I want to have tonight."

"Okay, then," Esther said. "Just how good did it feel to chop off the head of the first vampire?"

It had felt good, but what felt better was later hearing that every single beast had dropped dead. It was as if some spark of Seth's mortality had been in their veins, keeping them going. When it ended, so did they.

"It would have felt better if I hadn't been convinced we were all going to die in a fire," I said. "But it was perfect. It was like... saying goodbye to the past. And Jessica's pure light, despite the chaos in her. I mean, it just goes to show that everyone is capable of anything. We just have to make a choice."

"I wonder what the angels think about it," Carl said.

I shook my head. "I don't even care. They had nothing to do with this." But I wondered if their influence was stronger than I liked to think.

"Forget the angels," Esther said. "I have an alpha on my back."

"He won't get to you," I said.

"I'll have to fight him," she said. "It's the only way the shifters will stop."

"Aren't any of them on your side?" Peter asked.

"Some." She waved her fork. "But it doesn't matter what the new governments say. Shifter rules apply."

"I wonder how Shay will deal with that," Carl said.

"Same as the rest of us," I replied. "One day at a time."

As the night wore on, and the protection over us remained strengthened, I finally relaxed. We had pulled off something amazing, and I had handled my first lost soul. Hopefully, the next one would be less dramatic. But I knew the people in my living room would have my back, no matter what.

I had told Jessica I had to fight myself to believe I deserved a good life, but I suddenly realised that my inner struggle was no longer ongoing. And then I settled back to enjoy the rest of the evening with my best friends.
Thanks for reading Tainted! For more information, check out Claire Farrell's blog or email the author.  Sign up to be notified of new releases or like the Facebook page for more regular updates.

The second story in Ava's new adventures is due for release in 2015 and will feature shifters, werewolves, and paragons, oh my...

Books by Claire Farrell:

Chaos Series:

One Night with the Fae (Free Companion Prequel)

Soul (Chaos #1)

Fade (Chaos #2)

Queen (Chaos #3)

Ava Delaney Series:

Thirst (Ava Delaney #1) – Free

Taunt (Ava Delaney #2)

Tempt (Ava Delaney #3)

Taken (Ava Delaney #4)

Taste (Ava Delaney #5)

Traitor (Ava Delaney #6)

Awakening (Ava Delaney Volume I – Books 1-3)

Uprising (Ava Delaney Volume II – Books 4-6)

Cursed Series:

Verity (Cursed #1) – Free

Clarity (Cursed #2)

Adversity (Cursed #2.5 – Free

Purity (Cursed #3)

Cursed Omnibus (Entire Cursed Series)

Stake You Series:

Stake You (Stake You #1)

Make You (Make You #2)

Short Story Collections:

Sixty Seconds

A Little Girl in my Room

Other:

Death is a Gift (A banshee novel)

Zombie Moon Rising (A Peter Brannigan Novella)

Upcoming Releases:

Ghost Moon Rising (A Peter Brannigan Novella)

Usurper (Chaos #4)

Break You (Stake You #3)

Demon Dog (V.B.I. #1)

Tethered (Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #2)

