 
# Awakening

### Ava Delaney Original Series Volume 1

## Claire Farrell

### Contents

Copyright

Thirst

Thirst

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Taunt

Taunt

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Epilogue

Tempt

Tempt

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Epilogue

About the Author

Reading Order

Books by Claire Farrell:
**Copyright © Claire Farrell**

Book cover image provided by Yocla Designs

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**Licence Notes**

* * *

All Rights Reserved.

 Created with Vellum

# Thirst

By Claire Farrell

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A Paranormal / Urban Fantasy Novella

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Ava Delaney calls herself a hybrid—a living, breathing human who happens to have vampire poison running through her veins. The only thing greater than her thirst for human blood is her capacity for guilt. She does her best to avoid the human world, for everyone's sake.

When Ava accidentally enslaves a human while saving him from a vampire, she realises she has to look for help setting him free. Despite her misgivings, she expands her world but finds herself dragged into a possible vampire civil war. With the help of some new friends with ambiguous loyalties, she tries to find a way to keep her human, and herself, alive.

At approx. 45,000 words, Thirst is the first in a series of six paranormal stories.
**Copyright © Claire Farrell**

Book cover image provided by Inga Marchuk @ Dreamstime.com

* * *

**Licence Notes**

* * *

All Rights Reserved.

 Created with Vellum 

# 1

The scent of fear mixed with fresh blood stopped me in my tracks. My fangs slid out rapidly—too many missed meals. Feeling like a monster, I made an effort to retract them and sniffed the air again. Definitely human, definitely in trouble.

I closed my eyes and listened to my senses, the extra ones I usually ignored, relishing the opportunity to indulge. In my mind, I sensed rather than saw the streets around me. Nothing but darkness filled with the occasional red throbbing of a human heart.

Probing further into the dark, I found the injured human's presence easily. He stood in an alleyway nearby, his pulse calling to me—strong and loud. An emptiness appeared, too close to the human. A void in my other sight screaming supernatural. A dead, soulless vampire stalking his prey, tantalised by the scent of fear.

Just like me.

That's why the guilt always hit me so hard. If I didn't help then it meant I was as bad as the vampires. I couldn't conquer the thirst, but I could keep my humanity, even if I did my best to avoid humans.

Sometimes I interfered and helped humans escape from prowling vampires. It had never been a big deal, usually over before anyone got hurt. The vampires never realised what I was because they didn't believe someone like me could exist. The humans never realised they had almost been slaughtered by a mythical creature _they_ didn't believe could exist.

Adrenalin coursed through my body at the thought of confronting a vampire with a bleeding human. I had to calm down, or the vampire would hear my heartbeat a mile away. I took fourteen steps. A good number because one plus four equalled five. Five was safe. Unlike six. Too many sixes scared me. Fourteen more steps. Relief. My pulse slowed.

Too human to be stealthy, I embraced my clunky stride. Swallowing my fear, I walked into the alley as if I owned the place. Fourteen steps.

A dark cloud blocked the moon, leaving me pretty much sightless. I rested my hands on my hips and waited, hoping I made a believable vampire. My eyes didn't adjust to the dark straight away, but that racing heartbeat drew my head in the right direction, hiding my lack of night vision. My eyes focused in time for me to see the vampire's surprise. He drew back from the human's throat, revealing a gaunt face with concave cheeks and desperate eyes that glittered with hunger.

_Nineteen, twenty, twenty-one..._ I thought I had long grown out of counting people's heartbeats, but there I was using my fingers to keep track of every batch of forty-one. Almost as good as fourteen.

The vampire kept his eyes on me, his dark hair slicked back behind his ears. In life, he might have been handsome once, but not anymore. Most vampires were ugly. Death did that to you.

Hoping to intimidate him, I looked him up and down. He hadn't yet noticed anything off about me, and I counted on the human's stench covering me until I got him away.

The vampire watched me but didn't make a move. He had already tasted the human, but I could tell the wounds were shallow. He was still at the taunting stage vampires seemed to like so much. As cruel as cats, they enjoyed playing with their food. My insides tensed with anticipation. Faking confidence, I tapped my foot five times while I stared him down. He licked blood from his lips with slow, careful movements.

_14, 28, 56, 112..._ I hoped I wasn't mouthing the numbers I doubled in my head.

Mr. Vampire finally relaxed, but his hand remained on the human's chest, keeping him pinned. I stayed mute and prayed the human would stop making those cornered animal noises. They provoked _me_ , so I could only imagine what they did to a real vampire. Creatures without a soul, vampires didn't bother trying to control their instincts. However, they were smart enough to rein in their impulses in order to survive. Although this one didn't seem to be particularly clever. He still hadn't noticed my heart beating.

"Share?" The vampire spoke at last, his voice hoarse. I raised my eyebrows and tapped my foot another five times. I didn't know _that_ much about vampires, so I tended to trust my instincts and hope for the best. It's worked so far.

"He's yours?" the vampire asked, his voice holding a more respectful tone. He thought I was above him on the pecking order, I realised.

"Yeah, he's mine," I said, meaning it. I gestured toward the human. "Come here."

The human pushed aside the vampire as if he were made of cardboard. I tried to act unsurprised when he trotted to my side like an obedient puppy.

The vampire bowed his head. "Apologies. I didn't smell a bond on him."

I shrugged and turned to leave, my anxiety growing. I had already seen the strange query spark in the vampire's eyes, as if he noticed my own eyes lacked the red tint that his held—or maybe he realised he could hear another heart beating. Unsurprising, considering how much my heart rate had increased since the still-bleeding human moved closer to me.

I grabbed the man's arm and dragged him out of the alleyway after me. Thankfully, he didn't panic and followed me without protest. Most people lost the plot when total strangers bit them, so it was a relief to see he was able to hold it together.

"Run!" I hissed, as soon as we were out of the vampire's sight. Despite his dazed expression, the human sprinted onward, forcing me into a run just to catch up to him.

A forceful sensation washed over me, making me shiver. The vampire knew something was wrong with me, and he was going to follow us. It was as though he'd sent a silent message straight to my brain, letting me know his intentions. Creepy _and_ invasive.

Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted him following us from a distance. His footsteps were completely silent. He didn't even appear to be running, but he was fast, and his face was full of solid determination.

"Shit." His expression scared me more than anger would have. A persistent vampire meant I'd have to keep the human with me until the coast was clear. That could be a problem.

"Hurry! Keep running until we get to my place," I told the human.

He moved faster than I would have believed possible. He also ran in the right direction ahead of me, which made no sense. I was too busy counting our collective footsteps to really consider the implications. We reached my home unharmed, but I was sure the vampire could have caught us easily.

The apartment block I lived in was protected by magical safeguards to ward off unwelcome visitors. I had purchased most of them online, so their authenticity was probably dodgy, but enough of them worked to hide us if we needed it. I hoped.

Opening the front door of my apartment building as fast as I could, I pushed the human man ahead of me. Skidding in after him, I slammed the door shut, praying we were safe. I watched through the door's glass panel with my fingers crossed, trying to ignore the heavy breathing of the human.

The vampire wandered around outside, looking puzzled but not altogether concerned. To my relief, the spells hid us well. When he finally left, he made an outstanding jump upward and out of my line of sight. Letting out a shaky breath, I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against the door. Too close, my existence was meant to be a secret. Lucky this time, but at least the vampire was gone. Relieved, I thought it was all over.

Then I smelled him. The human. The blood on his neck had congealed, but the odour was still there, tempting me. Too close. He did everything to provoke my instincts whether he knew it or not. I whirled around and glared at him, bolstered by anger.

"Get upstairs to my apartment, and clean yourself up. It's on the third...."

He was already heading up the stairs as if he knew exactly where to go. The door to my apartment was unlocked, so I figured he'd find his way eventually. As soon as he went upstairs, I leaned against the wall and sank to the floor, light-headed with weariness, tension, and thirst.

The last thing I needed to do was taste his wound, but that was all I wanted to do. Breathing deeply, I tried not to think about the one time I tasted a human's blood. I focused on sunlight and churches, cartoons and music. Anything that reminded me of being human, but it wasn't working.

The only thing that had ever helped with the thirst was counting. I was never sure if the counting was a side effect of the thirst, or if I would have counted numbers anyway, but as I sat there drumming my fingers in sets of three, I didn't care.

Five fingers, five fingers then four. My nails tapped out the rhythm on the wall. Three sets adding up to fourteen. Because four minus one equals three. Safe numbers to calm my nerves.

At last, the spinning stopped, and I felt more like myself. My breathing slowed; the raw intensity of my thirst subsided. I even stopped drumming my fingers. But I didn't trust myself. I couldn't, not until the human left.

After I had calmed down some more, I followed the human upstairs. It seemed like the vampire was long gone, so I contemplated kicking the human out and letting him fend for himself. He was in the bathroom still, so I waited. I drank a whole litre of milk, hoping it would help with the thirst. I could survive on real food and had my whole life, but I thirsted constantly for blood.

The thirst was the biggest problem in my life. I literally planned my days around it. It was always worse at night. Something about the moon dug the craving from me and gave it a new spark of power. It was like a raw hunger that came from somewhere other than my stomach.

I tidied up my tiny living room until the human strolled back in as if unfazed. I really looked at him for the first time. After ignoring people for so long, I tended to forget how distinctive their faces could be. A handsome man, he had thick blond hair and clear blue eyes—a poster boy for healthy living. Over a foot taller than me, he was built to be touched. I wasn't technically attracted to him, not really, but the miniscule wounds on his neck drew me in straight away. I found myself wandering over to him, entranced.

My mind went blank. His blood would taste like heaven. I could take it easily. My eyes fluttered upward, stilling him with one look. His heartbeat slowed as my gaze turned darkly seductive. My tongue snaked out of its own accord, curling up to moisten my top lip. He inched forward, drawn by an unseen force. I felt like a predator: powerful and sexy. The compulsion to count vanished. I curved myself against him, my eyes widening at the contact. He stood there as if the way I was behaving was completely normal.

I moved as close to his neck as I dared, right on the edge but unprepared to jump. The man smelled so good that my mouth watered again. He was as calm as if we had just been walking a dog, not running for our lives from a vampire. I had an insane urge to straddle him and lick his neck, but I stepped back thanks to the warning signals going off in my head.

I ran to the window and shoved it open, my own behaviour making me frantic. Hoping the fresh air would clear my thoughts, I stuck my head outside. It had been a long time since I was quite as close to a human for more than a couple of seconds. My body cried out for me to respond to him in the way I was supposed to, but I wouldn't. I had enough guilt on my shoulders. I couldn't deal with any more.

His hand on my back sent a shudder running through my body. For a second, I arched against him and almost purred. But then I remembered the last time I felt good when a male hand touched me. I pulled my head back in and pushed him away as roughly as I could.

He stumbled backward, knocking over a lamp and falling awkwardly against a wall. The thud of the impact made me wince, but he smiled at me with empty eyes before getting back on his feet. It was eerie.

He hadn't spoken at all, and for the first time I realised something wasn't quite right. Although grateful he wasn't asking me hysterical questions, I had to admit I should have expected some sort of a response. I had been so busy flirting with disaster that I hadn't paid enough attention to how weird he was acting.

"What's your name?" I asked, trying to fill the awkward silence that weighted the air. Although he seemed comfortable, I was tense enough for both of us. I realised I was wringing my hands together in a steady rhythm and moved them behind my back, self-conscious of the nervous habit.

"Carl. What's yours?" He responded easily enough, but the tone of his voice was blank and emotionless.

"Uh, Ava. Listen, you're probably wondering what the hell just happened out there—"

"I'm not."

His calm was disturbing, and I trembled all over. He might as well have had a flashing sign saying blood donor hanging around his neck.

I kept expecting the man to lose the plot and act like a normal person would under the same circumstances. He was behaving as though being bitten by a freakishly strong, strange man and pushed around by a freakishly strong, strange woman were perfectly reasonable things to happen.

"You're amazing," he said. I shook my head, his words knocking me even further off-kilter.

He shot toward me, intimidating me with his height. Cornered, I panicked. The sudden sense of alarm I experienced made it harder to concentrate on not doing anything stupid—like draining Carl dry.

Logically, I knew I was stronger than him, but I was raised to understand men were supposed to be stronger than women. It was hard to see him as a victim when he was heading for me with intent on his face. Holding my hands up in front of me, I backed away. He pushed them out of the way, rushing forward to grab my waist and press his lips against mine.

His tongue forced my mouth open. There was nothing sexy about it. It was sloppy and rushed and unattractive. But the pulse in his neck was so temptingly close, I almost put up with the kiss. On the edge of a dark line, I stepped back, retreating firmly onto the side of human.

The girl in me got pissed off at his roughness. It was a good distraction from the thirst. I shoved him, slapping his face hard as he stumbled back. He rubbed his jaw, but the dopey, languid smile never left his face. I resisted the temptation to slap him on the other cheek just to make it even.

"You need to go home now, Carl. Forget about tonight, and mind yourself. And don't even think about doing that to me again unless you want a broken nose." My voice was steadier than I felt.

He frowned at me, his forehead wrinkling as though trying to figure something out.

"I want to stay with you."

His voice was interesting, quite high in pitch for such a big man. It had a nice tone, and I wondered if maybe he was a good singer. I realised I was staring at the pulse ticking in his neck instead of his face. To my absolute horror, he inclined his head, offering me his throat.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, backing away because the strings holding me together were already stretched as far as they could go.

_He's willing_ , whispered a little voice inside. _What harm is one little sip?_

I shook my head vehemently, trying to silence the urges. They hadn't always been this loud. I doubted one little sip would be enough anymore.

"I'm... not sure." His eyes were confused again, the colour dulling as he answered.

"Okay, time to leave." I wanted him as far away from me as possible.

Gripping his arm firmly, I held my breath so I couldn't smell him; I led him to the door and pushed him out into the hallway. It was hard enough to stop myself licking his neck without him offering it to me on a plate. I slammed the door after him and waited to hear him go downstairs. He didn't. I peered through the peephole and saw him still standing there, motionless. His face was slack; he was just... waiting. It was like someone had switched off his brain.

"Sod him," I said under my breath. I stalked over to the alcove that passed as a kitchen and rummaged around for some bread. After shoving some slices into the toaster, I fidgeted around my kitchenette, slamming press doors even amounts of times and then scrubbing at a clean plate until the toast was ready. I slathered on lots of strawberry jam then sat on an armchair in the adjoining living room and munched away, the sugar soothing me a little.

His pulse outside the door was enough to keep me on the edge of my chair. I drummed my fingers as loud as I could, but the beating went on and on, louder and louder, until I felt like screaming. My head pounded as the thirst intensified, my entire throat feeling like it was caked in dust. The gnawing in my stomach had grown into something I couldn't ignore.

I got up to look through the peephole again. He stood in the exact same position.

"Get out of here, Carl!" I shouted at him before storming into the bathroom for a shower. The water helped drown out the sound of the blood pumping through his veins and made me feel a little more human. I had to get rid of him—that much I knew. His reasons for sticking around niggled at me; the abnormal blankness on his face bothered me even more. It wasn't natural.

After I showered, I went back to wandering around the flat. After a few minutes of pretending Carl wasn't there, I relented and opened the door again. I had to figure out his game.

"Why are you still here?"

He shrugged, his eyes unfocused.

"Where do you live? Are you sick or something?"

He shrugged again. He tilted his head to the side, exposing his neck once more.

"Oh, crap," I said, slamming the door and retreating in a hurry. I spent the next couple of hours lying on my bed with music blaring until I fell asleep.

The first thing I heard when I woke up the next morning was a slow thud, thud, thud. It took me a few minutes to realise it was him. Still there.

I went to the door and opened it, exasperated beyond belief. Carl looked like he hadn't moved all night. His face brightened when he saw me, but dark circles cushioned his bloodshot eyes. He yawned then, looking completely exhausted.

"Why won't you go home?" I asked, startled by the whine in my voice. He stared back at me.

"Sit down." I meant in my apartment, but he sank to the floor. Not a good sign.

"Leave, and don't come back," I ordered, testing out a theory. He cocked his head to the side and looked at me with puppy dog eyes.

"What the hell? Just come in, before someone sees you." I glanced out into the hall to see my slutty next-door neighbour smirking at me from her doorway, her dressing gown opened just an inch too far.

"Lover's tiff? At least you finally found a man," she said, tossing her honey-from-a-bottle coloured hair. She winked provocatively at Carl—who didn't notice—then went back inside, leaving the stench of overly sweet perfume in her wake.

"Come on," I said, majorly annoyed at my neighbour.

Carl followed me into my apartment; straight away, I felt suffocated by his presence. My flat wasn't large, but it seemed miniscule with him there, as though he filled up all of the free space.

Pacing up and down, a rush of thoughts came to me at once. Vampires could enslave people, enthral them. What if I had somehow done that to Carl? I hadn't done it before, but I was as unnatural as the vampires; who knew what I could do?

When I was younger, I had been desperate to learn about my origins and snuck lots of books on vampires home from the library. They were supposed to be fiction, but I was pretty sure a lot of it was accurate. My grandmother caught me and flipped out about it before I could finish them, but from what I read, vampires had abilities. Mind control being one of them. Maybe I could do the same thing—or something similar.

I was infected with vampire poison while still in my mother's womb. Born an oddity, I was a human-vampire hybrid with a soul. A conscience. Guilt. And major thirst for human blood. With that kind of conflict, I should have had a split personality, but instead I was just a tad OCD.

Acting like a normal person ended badly for me, so I made the choice to hide from humans and vampires. My grandmother had made sure I remembered the legacy my mother left me. _Nobody can know_. If vampires didn't find out how I was created then they couldn't do it again. I thought I was the only one, which made me a fluke—or a freak. I hadn't tried to test my limits, so I was never sure what I could do.

One thing was clear—Carl wasn't going away. He did whatever I told him to do—anything except leave—and he acted like he was a willing sacrifice or something. The more I considered it, the more I was sure the whole mind control thing could be done. But I didn't know _how_ it was done. I always assumed it had something to do with biting humans.

I definitely hadn't bitten him. But he was still there, not moving, waiting for me to command him. I stared at him, not having any idea what to do. If I didn't know how I caused it, how could I fix it?

# 2

"Why don't you try to get some sleep?" I suggested. "There's some stuff in the fridge, If you're hungry. Help yourself."

Remembering how he had spent the entire night outside my flat without moving, I decided I needed to be more specific.

"Listen Carl, look at me. You have to take care of yourself without me telling you to. Anytime you're tired, sleep. You're hungry, eat. When you're thirsty, drink. Whenever you need to use the bathroom, go find it. You get dirty, clean yourself. If you're in danger, save yourself. Even if the danger is from me, okay? I'll be back soon."

We had spent the entire morning in the same apartment, and now I was ready to eat him alive. Literally. A bit of fresh air and some space would do me good. I locked him into the flat, unwilling to risk him following me. He wasn't happy about being left behind, but it was for his own good.

It was a bright winter's morning, and the streets were relatively empty. I grabbed a sandwich from the nearest shop and made my way to the park. A woman bumped into me, and my fangs shot out straight away. I retracted them, but being so out of control rattled me.

"Wish I'd let the damn vampire eat him," I muttered to myself, scaring an elderly man who was passing by.

I sat on a cold bench in a quiet corner of the park. It was nice not being close enough to a human to want to bite them. But I still worried about Carl. I had to get rid of him—to protect him from me. I would never hurt him on purpose, but I had come too close to crossing the line to ever trust myself with him.

I shivered; both from the cold and the niggling insistence I had to call someone for help. I was out of my depth and didn't exactly have a list of people to turn to. Only one person knew the full truth about me, and that caused the distance between us. She hadn't treated me well, yet I grew up craving her love and acceptance—no matter how much she failed me. She was my only familial link, the one my mother charged with my care, the one who could have loved me but didn't.

At twenty-five, I could now stand as her equal. I could defend myself. But the thought of asking for her help made me feel like a child again. She'd always wanted to cure me, as if I was diseased. Facing the idea of asking her advice cut deep. I didn't want to prove her right, but I had nobody else in the world to turn to; I ensured that when I ran away and made a life of my own, intentionally alone. The choice was out of my hands; I had to put pride aside to help Carl.

My stomach churning, I held my mobile phone to my ear and waited for a familiar voice to answer. One word threw me back into my past. The silver crosses, the holy water baths, the daily prayers to God for cleansing. The mistake I made that forced me to leave. One hello from Nancy, my grandmother, and everything I bottled up threatened to break loose.

"Hello?" she said again, her voice impatient. I hesitated, already regretting the call. I wasn't sure what to say, or if she'd even want to hear from me. Our relationship has always been strained at best.

"Ava?" she whispered. I swore silently. How on earth did she know it was me? I cleared my throat, stalling as always.

"Uh, yeah, it's me."

"Ava," she repeated, relief washing the tone of her voice, much to my surprise. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm all right."

"Do you know how long I've been worrying about you? Seven years. Seven years, Ava! Without a phone call or anything! How dare you do that to me?"

I sat back and let her words roll over me. The familiar anger in her voice was almost comforting. I ran away when I was eighteen, after an intimate moment with my first serious boyfriend almost turned into a bloodbath. Too ashamed to go back home, I did what I could to make money and finally got a place of my own. I didn't go far. I settled for a rough area she wouldn't be caught dead in.

"Granny," I interrupted. "I need your help. I've... done something. I don't know what to do to fix it."

Her intake of breath was sharp. But her voice became brisk and business-like. "Is there a body?"

My insides curled up in shock. "No, I haven't... I don't hurt people, okay?"

"Then what is it?" Her voice was too calm for my liking.

"There's this guy, Carl. I don't know him or anything. I just happened to be around. I, uh, smelled something. A vampire attacked him last night. I helped him get away, but now he won't leave me alone. I think I've done something to him. I don't know what, but he stood outside my door all night, waiting for me."

"Is he stalking you? Have you called the police?"

I almost laughed. I could only imagine the police trying to deal with Carl. "It's not like that, Granny. He's not himself. It's like he has a spell on him. He thinks he's my slave or something."

"Is that a bad thing?" The amusement in her voice loosened me up completely.

"I'm freaking out here! I can't be around him; he keeps offering himself to me. His neck, you know? I'm scared, Granny. I don't know what to do. It's like he's trying to get me to bite him. I can't control myself; you have to help me. Please, tell me what to do?"

A couple of tears rolled down my cheeks. My hands shook again. I had to have the worst of both sides: the weakness of humanity and the overwhelming thirst of vampirism. I sniffed noisily, overwhelmed by self-pity and frustration.

"You could come and stay here. I could help you control it."

I brushed away my tears, angry at her words. "How? You gonna make me kneel on the floor and pray for my sins? Didn't work before, remember?"

"There's no need to be a smart mouth." Her voice trembled a little. The way we reverted back to our old relationship annoyed me. Her, the victim. Me always having to apologise for the way I was born.

"I'm sorry. This is hard for me, okay? I can't go back there. You know that. I have to figure this mess out." I tried to swallow my bitterness for Carl's sake.

"You can't do it alone. If you're asking me for help then you're in big trouble, that much I can tell you. If you won't come here then I can give you a name and address. There's a man I've come across who knows about things like this. He might be able to help you. Will you go see him?"

I nodded obediently before remembering she couldn't see me. "Yeah, okay. I'll see him. Thanks."

"Before I give you his details, I need you to promise me something."

"What?" I said warily.

She took a shuddering breath. "I want you to keep in touch with me. I want my granddaughter back. And I need you to remember you _are_ human. Not a vampire. Not a demon. Not evil. I'm sorry it took me so long to realise that. You have a problem, yes, but it isn't bigger than you. You can do anything you put your mind to. Remember that when the thirst kicks in."

She moved on briskly, giving me the details of the man she knew and telling me to be careful. She hung up before I could thank her.

I quickly typed the man's contact details into my phone before I forgot them. Peter Brannigan. I was pretty sure the address was in a nice part of town. I imagined Brannigan to be a middle-aged librarian living with his cats. I wondered how my grandmother had even come across him and if he was the real deal, or yet another con artist.

The entire conversation with her had been surreal. I sat and stared at my phone for a few minutes, completely overwhelmed. The day before, I had been sure I would never talk to the woman again. Yet there I was, listening to her talking about my thirst like it was nothing.

I was born in my grandmother's house, shortly before my mother died from a vampire's bite. She refused to go to a hospital, saying _they_ would find me. Whatever she said convinced my grandmother that not only did vampires exist but that her grandchild would be a hybrid version who needed to be kept hidden. My start in life was a secret. That was rule number one in our family, so it was strange for my thirst to be acknowledged by my grandmother in such a relaxed manner.

I only remembered her telling one person the truth about me. That woman had appeared to be the real deal. She was the one who told us vampires hadn't been able to turn humans in over a century. She warned us that secrecy was imperative, and she even tried to mend the damaged relationship between my grandmother and myself. She disappeared before she could finish the job.

I knew I had to go back to the flat, but I figured if I brought food then Carl's scent might not hit me as hard. I unlocked the door and dumped the food on the table, keeping a careful eye on Carl. He had been asleep on the sofa and was stretching lazily, giving me a charming smile.

"Hungry?"

He nodded eagerly. I gave him some of the food and took the rest, standing at the counter to put space between us. It was nice being close to him without feeling compelled to bite him. It was almost normal. I had company for dinner for the first time in seven years. I nearly smiled.

I wasn't sure how being enthralled worked, if his brain worked properly, if he'd even remember all of this later. But I decided to treat him like a normal person as much as possible. Just in case his mind was still his somewhere in there, and he was freaking out internally.

"Is there anyone who might be missing you, someone I can ring?"

Carl looked up dreamily, shook his head slightly, and went back to devouring his food.

For someone who had spent almost seven years spending as little time with humans as possible, I was strangely disturbed by Carl's lack of chatter. I found myself waffling away to make up for the quiet. Twinges of guilt snapped at my insides when I thought of his worried family.

"Carl, if you're freaking out and scared and can't, you know, express it? Then I want to say I'm not planning on hurting you. I'm trying to figure this out. Promise."

He looked back at me solemnly.

"Talk to me, it's weird when you don't. What age are you? Do you have a job? Family? Anything like that?" I wasn't used to making small talk; I hadn't a clue how to initiate conversations. Especially with a complete stranger I'd accidentally enthralled.

"I'm... twenty-seven. Engaged. Live with her. Maria. I work... in an office, accountancy." He scrunched up his nose and squinted, like he was trying really hard. _Oh, God, what have I done?_

"Engaged. Wow. You must be planning the wedding, yes?"

He put his fork down and looked thoughtful. He seemed to make a conscious effort to gather his thoughts and speak to me properly.

"She is. I don't want to." A pained expression settled on his face.

"Don't want to plan or get married?"

"Get married. We're together ages. It's what you're supposed to do."

"I'm pretty sure you're supposed to do what makes you happy."

He looked directly at me, clarity in his eyes. But it passed within seconds. His eyes dulled again, and he went back to his food.

"Don't worry, Carl. I found someone who might be able to help sort out our little problem. Then you can go home and forget all about me."

He shook his head. "No, thanks."

I was afraid of that.

"Whatever it is you're feeling, it isn't normal. This isn't what you really want. And it's dangerous for you here. _I'm_ a danger to you. So you need to go. Okay? Trust me, you'll thank me later."

He smiled blankly at me. It was frustrating trying to talk to him, so I gave up. "Go watch TV or something for a while."

I finished my food and went to lay on my bed, thinking about what to do next. I could visit the man my grandmother recommended, Peter Brannigan, but we might not be back by dark, and I didn't want to risk that vampire seeing us again. He was bound to return; I saw how curious he had been.

I decided it would be better to leave as soon as it got bright the next morning to avoid trouble. Vampires couldn't handle sun light, so daytime meant protection. Unfortunately, during winter, there weren't that many daylight hours; I had often spotted vampires out and about just before dusk. My biggest problem, however, was spending another night with Carl.

I had been okay while we were eating, but now I wasn't doing anything in particular, my ears kept zoning in on his pulse again. I began to imagine what he tasted like. I clawed at my clothes, bit at my knuckles and struggled to stay still, wondering if it felt anything like a junkie's withdrawal. Carl knocked at my door right on cue as though he knew how I was feeling.

"I'm trying to sleep. Go away!" I shouted at him, my voice bordering on hysterical.

I had to keep him away from me. He was all too willing to be a victim. I reminded myself he had a family somewhere, people who would miss him if he didn't come home. I remembered my grandmother's words.

_I'm bigger than my thirst; it doesn't own me_. I repeated that sentence in my head over and over again until I dozed off.

My dreams were all about Carl. He was in the alleyway again, pinned against a wall, his eyes wide with fear. But it was me holding him there, my eyes that glowed red. It was me nipping his neck and licking his wound slowly, sensually.

I awoke crying, my stomach growling with hunger, my heart racing with need. I heard him move and prayed he wouldn't come near me because I was way too close to the edge. I stayed awake, pretending to read, until daylight came. I was counting on Peter Brannigan to solve all of my problems.

I showered, dressed, and then stuffed myself full of cereal and toast, hoping to get out of the apartment without killing Carl. I sent him into the bathroom to get washed up.

"Don't even attempt to shave," I hollered at him through the door. The last thing I needed was for him to cut himself on a razor. I nibbled on chocolate until he was ready.

"We're going to see a man called Peter," I told him. "He's going to help us. You'll snap out of it, and everything will go back to normal." I didn't add what else I was thinking—hopefully he could help before I tore Carl's throat out.

Carl moved toward me suddenly, catching me unaware despite my edginess. He held my arms and moved close to me. My heart pounded with anticipation. I lifted my face and nuzzled against his chest, inhaling his scent and relishing the feel of his heartbeat against my cheek. I realised I was licking my lips again when he jerked his head down and brushed his neck across my mouth.

My fangs shot out rapidly, shocking me into action. My head fought against my instincts, and I pushed him away as hard as I could, even as my mouth opened to bite him. I stumbled backward, losing my balance as Carl fell to the ground. I lay there panting, half afraid to move.

"We have to get out of here," I muttered, the thirst almost blinding me with its intensity. The angry girl inside hadn't been much help this time, and my head felt like it might explode.

"It's okay, Ava," Carl said, moving close to me again.

"No, it really isn't. Don't come near me!"

He stopped moving straight away, to my relief. I wasn't able to control the thirst. It would always get the best of me. It was like an animal trapped inside me, wild and feral. I'd never tame it. I needed help.

I had no choice but to reach out and find it.

# 3

I shuffled up the driveway to Peter Brannigan's house warily, not knowing what to expect. My grandmother hadn't given me much information other than his name and address, and the assurance he could help me.

Carl strolled along beside me; being outside in the fresh air made it much easier for me to avoid sniffing at him like a hungry wolf. I felt a lot more human in the daylight; the thirst was weakest in the afternoon. The sun wasn't particularly good for me, but I was pale-skinned and red-headed; the same could be said for anyone with my complexion.

Peter's house was in a nice area with lots of families, dogs, and unnecessary seven-seaters. Safe from the other world; the one most of his neighbours didn't believe in. Even safer than the world I lived in, with its dirt and crime. Going from my home to Peter's was like passing through a portal into another dimension. Strange, that the person who could help me lived in the middle of a suburb.

Uncomfortable about suddenly welcoming so many humans into my life, I hesitated at the door. I glanced at Carl who stood too still, staring at me with emotionless eyes. I screwed up his life, so I had to fix it. I rang Peter Brannigan's doorbell before I could change my mind.

A man answered the door, and I found myself appreciating his appearance. He wasn't pretty like Carl, or as tall, but something about him seemed so safe and solid that I wanted to tuck myself under his arm and be protected.

He was young enough, maybe thirty, but his eyes were old and weary. Combined with the long scar across his chin, I just knew he'd seen more than his fair share of trouble. He had cropped sandy brown hair, and hazel eyes that stared into mine until I flushed with heat. I realised I had been so busy crushing on him that I hadn't even heard his heartbeat or smelled his blood. I figured he must be Peter's son or something.

"You looking for someone?" he said, his eyes flashing between myself and Carl. I was sure I didn't imagine his eyes lingering on me.

"Uh, yeah, sorry," I said, getting my head together. "I'm Ava. I was given this address and told to look for a Peter Brannigan. I have a, uh, problem I need some help with." I hoped I didn't sound like too much of an idiot.

He stared at us both for a couple more seconds, his eyes sweeping over me appraisingly once more before he nodded, his face unreadable.

"I'm Peter. Come on in."

As soon as I stepped over the threshold, a bright light zeroed in on me, accompanied by a loud alarm.

"What the...?"

Peter's expression turned to horror and then rage as he lifted his arm. I stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before realising he had hit me. Hard. My brain signals finally caught up, and white hot pain seared through my jaw.

I tried to sit up, only to see Peter fling Carl off his back like he was possessed. He jumped on me before I could react. Pinning me to the ground, his face contorted with anger making him look psychotic. I was too shocked to struggle. The siren stopped, but I was still seeing lights.

"What did you do?" he snarled. "Force some sorcerer to make a talisman that lets you move around during the day?" He shifted until one knee held down my arm while the other leaned too hard on my throat.

"What? No! What are you talking about?" I gasped for air, panicking when I realised his position was cutting off my air supply. "I can't breathe. Get off me!" I swatted at him ineffectively, unable to take a good swing.

"Yeah right, bloodsuckers don't breathe. Who sent you, bitch?"

His eyes darkened, and I slowly realised he would be happy to see me die right there on his floor. I struggled against him, frantic, and grabbed at his shirt sleeve until it exposed Celtic symbols tattooed on his biceps. My eyesight blurred from the lack of oxygen; I was too panicked to find his weak spot. Just in time, Carl pulled him off me and tossed him aside easily, much to my relief. I sucked in air too quickly for my lungs to cope with, setting off a minor coughing fit.

"Don't hit Ava again," Carl said sternly, pummelling Peter in the stomach repeatedly.

_Good minion._

I managed to shut the hall door so none of the neighbours could see the scuffle then crawled over to the men, my head still spinning from being punched in the face.

"Stop now, Carl," I said. He did, but Peter jumped toward me again. Carl grabbed his shirt and pulled him backward before he could reach me. I tried to act like I hadn't just shrieked like a teenage girl.

"Just hold him like that for a minute," I told Carl, my heart pounding hard. "I'm sorry Peter, but he's going to keep hitting you if you keep attacking me. It isn't his fault. Like I said, I have a problem I need help with."

Peter snarled at me, his face twisted with hate. He spoke a few words under his breath in a language I wasn't familiar with, smirking slightly. I couldn't understand what he was saying, but his face fell in surprise when nothing happened.

"Look," I said, getting as close to him as I dared. "I don't know what just happened, but I'm guessing you think I'm a big, bad bag of scary. Well, I'm not. At least, not exactly. I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to be left alone. But I need help with that. This big guy pinning you down? He's Carl. I think I accidentally made him my servant or something. I need it to stop. Like now."

Peter's gaze pierced mine. For a second, I was hopeful, but the hateful sneer he sent my way snapped me back down to earth.

"Please," I said, my voice shaky.

"Why would I help you?"

"Because Carl here keeps offering me his neck, and I'm getting thirsty. If you have any kind of compassion, you'll help him out."

"So drink then. That's what you do, right?" He sounded so scornful and cynical, I felt my hackles rise.

"None of your business, is it? Point is, I don't want a servant. I want Carl gone. Can you help or not?"

"Get off me," he told Carl, perhaps feeling his lack of macho at being held down in his own hallway.

"It's okay, Carl. Let him go. He'll be good." I hoped.

Carl nodded and let go of Peter, who immediately stood up and tried to tower over us. I was still too wiped to even bother standing up.

"I don't know who gave you my address or why you're really here, but you need to leave. Now."

"You're not going to help," I said, seeing the look on Peter's face. I had no idea how to spend another hour with Carl, never mind another night.

"Why the hell would I help out a vamp? I don't know how you're managing to get around during the day without frying, but the alarm doesn't lie. Get out before I blind you with holy water."

"I've done nothing wrong, all right?" My panic made me defensive. He was supposed to help us, not freak out on me.

"Yeah, except enslave this poor sod," he said, gesturing at Carl.

"That was an accident!"

"Leave." He clenched his fists, his jaw tautening with anger. I knew better than to waste my time reasoning with hatred. I was on my own. I couldn't believe he was ready to let Carl die. I had been so sure he would help me, I hadn't even imagined what I would do if he didn't.

Carl and I walked home together in silence as I thought about Peter and wondered if I could have handled it better. I wiped away a few tears of frustration and tried to figure out my next move, but there was no Plan B—Peter Brannigan had been my only hope.

As soon as we got back to my place, I dove into my freezer for some ice. My face hurt like hell. I winced as I held a towel full of ice cubes against my cheek, sorely regretting not getting a punch in. I heated up some leftovers in the microwave and once again made Carl sit as far away from me as possible. My jaw made it hard to eat, but I had to chew through the pain if I wanted Carl to survive the rest of the day.

Carl kept looking at me anxiously. "It's okay," I said, sensing he was worried about me as part of the whole vampire-minion bond thing. "Everything's going to be okay," I told him, but I didn't believe it. I kept forcing food into my mouth, swallowing hard to get it past the lump in my throat, surprised by how emotional I felt.

A knock at the door soon interrupted our meal. I was so depressed I didn't even remember to look through the peephole. As soon as I opened the door and saw Peter Brannigan standing there, I backed away in horror lest he punch me again. His lips curved upward with a grim sort of amusement. I put on my game face and acted as snarly and vampire-like as I could. It was kind of hard with a swollen face.

"What do _you_ want?" I said, crossing my arms and letting my fangs show purposely for one of the few times in my entire life. He took a step backward in disgust. I retracted them hurriedly, not having the energy to keep scaring him. He waited a few seconds then came closer again.

"I followed you home," he said, looking over my shoulder into my apartment. "Big lunk's still alive, I see."

He brushed past me and came inside, glancing around the room and picking up a book I had left on the coffee table. Carl watched his every move.

"Come on in then," I muttered, shutting the door.

"Tiny place."

"Yeah, well, we can't all live in a big house with a white picket fence. Wouldn't do my reputation any good. So, did you want something in particular? Or were you just passing through and felt like hitting something?"

His eyes narrowed. "I wanted to see where you live so I could kill the whole nest. But I see you're a loner."

"You came to kill the whole nest and decided to knock first?"

"Well, I knew there had to be humans here too."

I didn't tell him he would never have found my place if he meant to do me harm, thanks to some of the protection spells scattered around my home. Instead I shrugged and sat down to try and eat the rest of my food. Peter smelled really good, and I was hungry. Best thing for me to do was distract myself with human gluttony.

"Lunch for two? How sweet," Peter said, but he was frowning. I wondered why until I realised that vampires probably couldn't eat human food. I waited for him to speak, but he was too busy inspecting the room like he wanted to buy the place. He came across as cocky, but I caught an underlying scent of fear. A couple of minutes later, he had calmed down significantly.

"Listen, I don't know what your game is, but it isn't fair to leave the big fella in the middle of it, seeing as he has no control over his actions."

I snapped my head up to meet his eyes, afraid to hope. He sounded deadly serious.

"You're going to help me? Really?" I said, still cautious.

"Not you. Carl. He's human. I help humans. They deserve it."

I lowered my head. "Of course," I murmured. I didn't care about his attitude, helping Carl would in turn help me.

"I have to warn you; any sign of you misbehaving, and you're dead. I've killed vamps before. Doing it again won't be a problem for me, all right?"

I nodded, but I was thinking: who _is_ this guy? "So do you know what I did? How I can fix it? Is there a spell I can do or something?"

"I'm not sure how you managed to do it accidentally, but I have a friend who's in the know," Peter said.

"What?" I couldn't believe it; he didn't have a clue either. "You're supposed to be the man in the know. What the hell is this? You trying to set me up or something? Got a buddy who wants to punch a girl too?"

To his credit, he looked momentarily ashamed, but then shook himself out of it. "I'm a hunter. I go after bad things. I'm not all up on the facts on vampires, all right? I know a good bit, but it isn't like we have a friendly little chat before I stake them, you know? But the man I mean, he runs a bookshop. If _he_ doesn't know then I'm betting one of his books will help. You want to see him or not?"

I chewed for a few minutes. I had nothing to lose, not really. He thought I was a full-on vampire, sure. But he didn't know that things like holy water and silver crosses didn't affect me, so even if he did attack me again, he might do something that wouldn't hurt me. If I could run then he wouldn't catch me. Besides, I had to do something about Carl.

"Okay," I said at last. "I'll see your friend. But remember, if you hurt me then Carl will hurt himself trying to help me out."

Peter nodded, giving me a quick smile that jerked my insides upward. I was pretty disgusted with my reaction. Only I could be attracted to a man who hated my guts on sight.

"Can we go today? I mean now so we can get back before dark?"

"What's the rush?"

I cleared my throat and glanced over at Carl who was on the edge of his seat and glaring at Peter. "I really need this to be sorted out as soon as possible. I'm having some... trouble, being around him."

"You feel like you're gonna bite _me_?" Peter said, his eyes too bright as he rubbed his wrists, drawing my attention to the small crosses tattooed on them. I wondered if it was a form of protection but pretended not to notice.

I shook my head. "Nah. Just him. Guess he must taste nicer than you or something."

Peter wrinkled his nose in disdain. I almost felt bad for freaking him out.

I remembered my manners and decided I should at least attempt to be hospitable, now that he was helping us. "Want some food? It's just leftovers."

"No, thanks. I'll just sit and wait until you're both ready."

He sat on the sofa next to Carl and tried to make small talk with him. Carl was _not_ in a forgiving mood. I couldn't help smiling to myself as he rebuked any attempts at conversation. Not that he was able for a discussion now he was pretty much mind controlled by me.

I crossed the room to get some milk out of the fridge and drank until I felt full. I had always turned to milk as a replacement for blood. Peter kept watching me until I was so nervous I spilled some. Cleaning up, I willed my hands to stop shaking. I had to trust Peter, but I couldn't help wondering if I was about to run into a trap. I could only hope for the best. I wiped the counter in fourteen strokes. My normal routine helped me calm down.

"You two ready to go?" I asked, as soon as I felt less rattled.

They both stood, Carl towering above Peter. Even as my thirst-driven instincts screamed out for Carl, I couldn't help focusing on Peter instead. Apart from the punch he had given me, I was pretty sure he was my type. If I allowed myself to have a type, that is. He had nice lips, but little reminders of another man with nice lips stopped me from staring at Peter too much. The ache in my jaw helped.

"Okay, let's go see the wizard," I mumbled under my breath.

# 4

On the way to see Peter's friend, I tried to trail behind both men—determined not to get too close. Peter glanced around and slowed his pace, unwilling to keep his back to me. I couldn't help sighing as Carl joined him, both of them surrounding me with the heavy scent of testosterone that made it hard for me to think straight.

Peter kept looking at me as if he were waiting for me to burst into flames. When nothing untoward happened to me in daylight, he moved on to glaring at complete strangers. Suspicion darkened his eyes—everything he thought he knew about vampires had been proven wrong by me, as far as he was concerned.

"I'm the only one who does this," I said, trying to reassure him. I got a scowl for my trouble. Carl bumped against him, getting between us and making me hide a smile.

"Who is this contact of yours?" I asked Peter, trying to make conversation.

"A businessman," he said, without looking around. "He knows a lot about... supernatural things. He's helped me out a few times."

The bookshop wasn't too far from my house. I realised I had passed it by before. It was an independent seller with lots of old books, specialising in the occult. The shop had very few customers, yet it seemed to thrive. It had been around for as long as I could remember, but I had never gone inside.

As soon as we stepped through the doorway, I felt the power in the air. It emanated from a man standing at the counter and ran right through me, making me shiver. Peter hadn't told me the man knew about supernatural things because he was one himself. It surprised me that Peter was comfortable with any supernatural element—he was so intent on hating me.

I didn't say anything, but I suspected the man was a big player in the supernatural world, and that intrigued me. You wouldn't have known it to look at him. He was small and wiry, with a crooked nose, ginger hair and lots of freckles. He had huge blue eyes that seemed so earnest, I might have felt safe in his shop—except for the strange cold sensation on my skin.

The shop itself was small; most of the books were old, and the most interesting thing in the place was the owner. To my surprise, Carl took a step behind me and gripped my arm. I wondered if he felt something in the air too, but Peter moved toward his contact with a friendly smile on his face and distracted me from Carl's reaction.

The man smelled like magic and strength to me, similar to the smoky smell when a lit match is blown out mingled with the sharp, salty tang of the sea. Goose bumps appeared on my arms as the man looked me over. Something seemed to push against my skin, an invisible hand searching for something.

He greeted Peter like an old friend and then looked at me again, this time with a huge grin. My skin warmed up as whatever it was backed away. I smiled back at the man, determined to show I hadn't noticed a thing. Playing dumb was just about the only card I had.

"This is Eddie Brogan. He might be able to help you," Peter said, but his voice sounded almost forced.

"Oh, with what?" Eddie asked, his voice lilting pleasantly.

"Eddie, this is Ava. She's a vampire. She's here to ask you for help." Peter really enjoyed delivering that line, and I fidgeted nervously in the silence that followed.

Eddie's eyes snapped back to me, narrowing as he looked me over once again. "A vampire in daylight, Peter?"

"I know. She isn't talking."

Peter scowled in my direction, but Eddie stepped closer to me, his eyes full of curiosity.

"You look too young to have been dead for at least a century," he remarked.

"I haven't been," I blurted out, confused.

"Isn't that funny? Considering humans haven't turned into vampires in at least that long." His voice was soft, but I felt like I had been tricked into revealing something I shouldn't. "Your name's Ava, is it?" Eddie asked me, not unkindly.

I nodded, feeling like a shy schoolgirl all of a sudden. "This is Carl," I said, gesturing toward the tall man who hadn't moved an inch from my side since we entered the shop. "I, uh, I seem to have accidentally made him my... minion. Somehow." I honestly couldn't think of a better word.

Peter snorted derisively. I ignored him.

Eddie nodded with understanding. "That you have. He's threaded very tightly to you. So you want to cut the threads, is that it?"

"Yeah, or whatever. I just want him gone, before... I want him to leave me alone, okay?"

Eddie stared at me, and I felt another odd sensation roll over me. I tried not to react, but it was so invasive I couldn't stop myself from taking a step back to try and shrug it off. As soon as it stopped, I felt something cold brush against my hands, like something else was there with us.

Eddie nodded finally, as if deciding something. "I'm going to take a break now. Would you three care to join me for some coffee?"

He put a closed sign up but didn't bother locking the shop door. Eddie escorted us into a small backroom with a makeshift kitchen. He brewed some coffee, but I couldn't help glancing at Peter with concern. Eddie wasn't at all what I had expected. Peter shook his head slightly, so I looked away. I knew I disgusted him, but a little camaraderie would have been nice.

Nerves got the better of me. Back in the shop, I had been able to count books if I got jumpy. The backroom was so sparse that I needed to count heartbeats again. It was that sort of thing which got me into trouble in the first place.

Eddie sat down at last, having placed cups in front of us all. Both Peter and Eddie stared at me like I was supposed to do something. I glanced at Carl, but his eyes were closing, apparently taking my instructions to take care of his needs literally. I sipped the coffee to give myself something to do as an uncomfortable silence draped over us. The coffee was surprisingly good. Eddie noted my appreciation with some satisfaction.

"Enjoying it?"

"Yes, it's delicious. I thought it was instant." I realised Peter's mouth had dropped open, and I frowned at him in confusion.

"What?"

He shook his head. "You really like it?"

"Uh, yeah. Don't you?"

He frowned at Eddie. "What the hell is she?"

Eddie gave a low chuckle. Fury burned up inside me, drowning out the panic.

"What's in this? Poison?" I slammed my hands on the table, livid at the idea and disgusted with myself for being so naive.

Carl stood up abruptly, startling everyone. He glared at Eddie who signalled toward him and made a low noise. Carl fell back down, his anger forgotten. Still hot with fear and rage, I got to my feet instead. Ready for a confrontation, ready to fight my way out.

"It's all right, child. It isn't poison, but it _is_ magic. It won't harm you. Don't worry. I just had to make sure your intentions were purer than Peter suspected."

I sat in my chair, my concern for Carl the only thing stopping me from lashing out. I was sick of being tested. They couldn't just help Carl and let me go on my merry way. Everything had to involve suspicion.

"I'm sorry," Eddie said, his voice soft and velvety.

An unexpectedly sudden bout of drowsiness caused my eyes to flutter and almost stay closed. I struggled to clear my thoughts through the haze. I sat up straight and forced myself to be more aware, trusting Eddie less and less.

"I'll help you, Ava. I see exactly who you are now. I see it all. The only problem is, the vampires see it all, too. Their seer is a pain at the best of times." He waved his arm vaguely in the air.

"Seer?" I had no clue what he was talking about.

"Aye. I'm sorry, Ava, but your problems just got a lot bigger. They know you're coming."

"How could you possibly know that?" I asked, mystified.

I took note of the furtive glances exchanged between Eddie and Peter.

"I have eyes everywhere, so I know for certain they'll be waiting. Or worse, they'll come looking."

"Looking for me? Why? What did I do?"

"Not what you did. It's what you are, pet." His words were kind, but I couldn't allow myself to soften for a second. I couldn't let the vampires find me, find out how I was made. All I wanted was Carl gone and life to go back to normal.

"What she is?" Peter asked, staring at me like I might grow horns. "What _is_ she?"

"Later, Peter," Eddie said. "So, tell me what happened. With Carl." Abruptly, he was steely eyed again. As observant as a bird. It was unnerving.

"Nothing happened. Not really. I could smell him. His fear."

"Wait, you can smell fear?" Eddie's mouth curved upward.

I bit my lip, wondering if I said too much again. "Uh, yeah. I went to see what was going on. A vampire had him, was toying with him. He asked me if Carl belonged to me, and I said yes. Told him to come over to me. Left with him. I didn't notice until later that he was obeying everything I told him to do. Everything except leave me alone, that is."

"That's part of it," Eddie said. "He can't until you let him go. He'll keep trying to serve you until then."

"You know how to fix it?" Peter asked. His expression was grim; I wondered what he could be thinking.

Eddie rocked in his chair, his eyes closed. He hummed a tuneless song. I glared at Peter, blaming him for taking me to see a lunatic. He put his finger to his lips and nodded toward Eddie. I glanced at Carl who had fallen asleep in his chair, his coffee untouched.

"It's as I thought," Eddie said after a minute. "You claimed him. He wasn't opposed to it. A vampire bore witness. Now he's yours. Don't you want him?" His voice changed again; his tone felt like a cool palm on my hot forehead.

I shook my head slowly. "No." My voice was a cracked whisper.

"Why?"

"I don't want anybody. Nobody's safe around me." I felt compelled to speak. I didn't want to answer him, but I couldn't help myself. I sensed Peter staring at me intently, but I could only focus on Eddie. I was unable to break eye contact with him. My panic was dulled by whatever he was doing to me. I felt like my body was spinning around, and I gripped my chair to brace myself.

"Who sent you to Peter?"

"My grandmother." Peter made a noise, but it sounded so very far away. I could have sworn I was floating around the room, but my eyes were still latched onto Eddie's.

"And if I tell you how to free Carl, will you do it?"

"Yes."

"Even if it hurts?"

"Yes." My answers were whispers, and Peter leaned in closer to hear me.

"Do you want to harm Carl?"

"No. But I might not be able to stop myself."

I still couldn't look away from his eyes; they were big black pits of nothingness, and I was sinking into them, freefalling. A cold hand on my shoulder brought me back to the room. Shuddering violently, I gasped, not quite sure what had happened. Glancing around, it was clear nobody else was there, but I knew I felt a hand touch me.

"Is she okay?" Peter asked, more concerned than I would have expected. Eddie ignored him.

"Ava. You have bound Carl to you. The only way to revoke it is to persuade the witness to reject your claim."

"The witness? You mean the vampire who attacked Carl in the first place? But how? How will I find him?" I asked, already worrying.

Peter snorted. "Surely a vamp knows where vamps hang out."

I refused to look at him. "Yes, of course," I said, unwilling to share how little I knew about vampires.

Eddie smiled, but his eyes were full of pity. "I'll give you directions to a bar. Vampires visit regularly as do their followers. You may find information there."

"Thank you."

"So is that it? Can I go now?" Peter said, his voice sarcastic. His eagerness to leave left me cold.

"You sit down," Eddie said. Although his tone was as low and calm as before, I shivered as though he shouted. His presence was overpowering.

"Perfect, just perfect," Peter muttered, but he sat down right away.

Eddie ignored Peter and returned his gaze to me. The blackness was gone, but I was afraid to look too deeply in his eyes. He scared me. I had to be on my guard around him.

Peter looked at me warily, but I had no time for his problems. Night was coming. We had to leave quickly. I shook myself, aware that heavy magic had finally lifted.

"We have to get going. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Possibly. Peter, wake Carl up, and take him outside for a few minutes. Ava and I need to chat about something a bit more personal."

Peter reluctantly dragged Carl up out of his seat.

"No, I'm staying with Ava," Carl said. His hesitation made me even more suspicious of Eddie.

"It's okay. I'll be out in a minute." I watched him follow Peter outside, my heart sinking at the emptiness in Carl's eyes.

Afraid of being alone with Eddie, I acted snappy.

"Can we hurry this up? I want to get all of this over and done with as quickly as I can."

Eddie smirked at me. "I know you don't like to be around people, but if you were used to it then Carl wouldn't bother you so much."

"I was used to it before. Didn't help my ex much."

"A mistake. We all make them." He confirmed my suspicions. He knew more about me than he should.

"Some mistake. I bit him and drank his blood, Eddie. I could have killed him."

"But you didn't. Stop thinking about what you might have done, and concentrate on what you have done. You've helped out a few humans, right? Carl can't be the first. I'd say that balances out an indiscretion or two."

I shook my head in disgust. "That isn't how it works."

"Isn't it? We'll see. Hold on for a second. I want to show you something."

He left me alone and was gone long enough for me to get scared. The persistent cold gasp of air on the back of my neck kept me on edge. I couldn't see anything, so I searched with my other sense and noticed a faint wisp of pale white energy right next to me. There was definitely something with me, but I had no idea what it could be.

Eddie returned with a small velvet box in his hand. "This is for you," he said, handing it to me. "It might help."

I opened the box, revealing a silver filigree cross. I touched it hesitantly, half-expecting it to burn me after the things I had been thinking about recently concerning Carl. But it felt cool against my fingers. I started, almost certain I saw a flush of crimson cross the surface for an instant. I glanced at Eddie quizzically.

"It's okay," Eddie said. "It won't hurt you, although it might hurt a real vampire. Poor little mix that you are. You have it bad, don't you? The thirst?"

I nodded, my eyes welling up with tears. He patted my shoulder sympathetically.

"You know what I am?" I asked, almost hesitant to hear his answer.

"I know more than that, petal."

"So what am I?"

"You're neither vampire nor human, that's for sure," Eddie said.

I bit my lip. "Do you know my grandmother? Is that how you know about me?"

"Nancy? I know her well. She came to me some years back and told me all about her little Ava. She's not the woman you once knew. May I?" he asked, unclasping the necklace.

I let him drape the chain around my neck. It was long enough to be covered by my clothes if I tucked it in. Its touch was surprisingly cool. Refreshing. I felt it lean against my skin as if it were sinking in. Calm drifted over me almost immediately. The dry ache in my throat subsided. Relief.

"Oh, wow," I murmured, stretching lazily.

"Feeling better?"

"Are you doing that?" I asked.

"No, it's the cross. It's a talisman of sorts. It'll help you with the thirst. Keep your mind focused long enough to get Carl out of your way."

"And you just happened to have this lying around?"

His smile was sudden but genuine. "Something like that."

I was overwhelmingly grateful, but even as the cross dispelled my thirst, I realised I hadn't craved Eddie's blood for a second. Curious.

Aside from that, the cross worked. I could already tell it was exactly what I needed. I could feel it: the magic working its way into my veins, quenching the thirst, and soothing that raw hunger in my gut. For the first time in years, I relaxed and knew what it meant to feel human. Maybe Carl could survive his visit with me after all. That thought alone brought a lump to my throat, and I realised just how tense my adult life had been.

"And look, Ava. See the cross? Four tips plus the body make five. Safe. Touch it when you need strength."

His smile was kind, but I blushed anyway at the thought of him knowing about my little quirk. I could only figure my grandmother had told him. My number obsession had bothered her almost as much as my vampire-like tendencies.

"Don't forget, you're heading to vampire territory now. It won't be safe for you. You have to be on your guard. Aware. There isn't much time; they know you're around, and the cross won't work for long. So be careful. And trust Peter. He's a bit gruff, but that's to be expected after what happened to his family. He can be narrow-minded sometimes, but he's a solid one."

I touched my bruised face self-consciously. Eddie tutted.

"That was unfortunate alright. I have just the thing." He took a tub out of a cupboard and wiped some of the contents on my face. It felt slick and oily, but my face tingled nicely, the freshness of the pain dissipating.

"Didn't Carl help you?"

I nodded. "He offers himself to me too. How do I make him stop?"

"It can't be helped, I'm afraid. Part of the thrall is to give you what you need, whatever that might be. Go on now, little one. It'll be dark soon. Visit the bar tomorrow in daylight. Get information before you go again at night. Be wise."

He pressed a piece of paper into my hands, directions to the bar. I glanced at the name but had never heard of it before. I thanked him again, less in fear of him but still wary. He didn't accompany me to the door, but the strange presence did. I pushed the door open and stepped outside, my stomach turning a little at the drastic change in atmosphere once I was away from Eddie's magic.

Outside, Peter and Carl stood together. They stopped talking as soon as I approached. I fidgeted awkwardly, knowing Peter wanted to leave. For the first time I was able to stand next to Carl without wanting to feed on him, but all I could think about was making Peter stay.

"Uh, thanks for bringing me here," I said to Peter, fidgeting under his gaze.

"Did he give you the address?"

"Yeah, it's some place called the Black Rose. I don't know it, but his directions are pretty clear."

"I know it," Peter said. "I'll pick you two up tomorrow, okay?"

"Oh," I said, surprised. "You're going?"

"I said I'd help. I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Early," I called after him, hoping he'd hear me. He raised an arm in answer and kept on walking away. I admired his behind for a few seconds before I remembered Carl, who was still standing there aimlessly.

Carl and I walked back to my place. For once, I was thankful for his silence because I had so much to think about. At least now I had a purpose and a chance to help him.

That evening, the cross worked its magic. Somehow, it masked Carl's scent or at least dampened my reaction to it, even when he offered his wrist to me. I was able to shrug off my instincts with little effort. I couldn't believe how relaxing it was. It made me feel almost human.

An undercurrent of need remained, but, for the most part, the temptation was easy to control. I was still bothered by Carl's behaviour, though. He was compelled to do it, but it irritated me that he wasn't even trying to survive. As soon as he dozed off that night, I rang my grandmother.

"What's the deal with Eddie Brogan?" I barely let her say hello.

"What? Ava? You know Eddie?" Her voice was thick with sleep.

"The man you sent me to, Peter, he took me to Eddie. After he'd attacked me, that is."

"Oh, Ava, didn't you tell him I sent you?"

"No. Look, that doesn't matter; tell me about Eddie. Can I trust him? He gave me something; it's helping me. I'm not so thirsty now."

She caught her breath. "The cross? It works?"

"How'd you know about the cross?" I seemed to be out of the loop on every single thing. My self-imposed exile meant I had to ask questions at every turn. I was eager to catch up.

"When you left, I bought books at his shop. I suppose I ... well, I sort of hoped you'd be there. You used to sneak those books all the time."

"Go on," I said when she hesitated.

"Well, he spoke to me one day, and I found myself telling him all about you. He said he could help you with the thirst. He showed me the cross, said it was for you. But—"

"But I never came back." I chewed it over in my mind, wondering if he had forced her to talk the way he had with me. "Did you tell him everything? About my mother or anything?"

"I'm not sure... I just don't remember so well."

"It's okay. You've told me all I need to know. I'll ring you next week."

I hung up before she could invite me over. I wasn't nearly ready for that. I mulled over the day's events. Eddie opened up more questions than he answered. Even though his talisman had worked, and Peter seemed to trust him, I still felt like I shouldn't. That led me onto thoughts of Peter and how nice it would be if he didn't completely hate me.

I couldn't sleep that night because I kept thinking about Peter, not Carl.

# 5

The first thing I did when I woke the next morning was touch the chain around my neck to make sure the cross was still there. As soon as my fingers touched it, a sense of security eased the tension in my muscles. For the first time since Carl showed up, I felt really relaxed in bed and ended up dozing off again. A loud knock on my bedroom door a while later woke me properly.

Bleary-eyed, I practically fell out of bed trying to see what was going on. Peter stood outside my bedroom door, eyeing me with a smug grin.

"Thought you wanted to be early?" he said, clearly delighted he caught me unawares.

"Shut up," I croaked as I shoved past him. "Lemme shower. Put on the kettle."

"Face is better I see," he called after me.

I checked in the bathroom mirror and sure enough my face was almost totally healed. A shadow of a bruise remained, but it was so light that a touch of concealer would cover it.

"Who is that guy?" I muttered, wondering what else Eddie could come up with.

I took a quick shower before heading into the kitchen. Peter and Carl were both sitting on the sofa eating sloppy breakfast rolls in silence.

"One on the counter for you," Peter said, his mouth full.

I glared at him suspiciously, but he seemed in good form, so I figured it was worth trying out the food. I was pretty hungry, even with the chain around my neck. The food looked greasy but tasted delicious. Peter raised an eyebrow as I wolfed it down.

"Quick metabolism," I told him, my cheeks flushing. I had always had a huge appetite. When I was a kid, my grandmother went through a phase of trying to starve the demon out of me. It didn't work. I got so hungry that I bit a kid in school. My fangs hadn't grown yet, but it scared her enough that she went back to feeding me properly.

"Why are you here so early, anyhow?" I asked Peter after a few minutes, breaking the awkward silence.

Peter crushed the greasy wrapper from his food and stood to throw it into the bin.

"Figured we need some sort of plan before we go storming vampire bars," he replied.

"So how are we working the bar?"

He sat back down next to Carl, who had fallen asleep again.

"Think he's okay?" Peter asked in concern.

I shrugged. "Can't be great. He nods off a lot. I sort of ordered him to take care of his needs, didn't mean it quite like this."

To my surprise, Peter laughed out loud. "What?" I asked.

"If he starts taking care of all of his needs in public, I'm holding you responsible," he said, waiting for me to catch on.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment as it dawned on me what kind of needs he was talking about. Peter laughed heartily again at my expression.

"Don't be twelve," I said, trying to look serious.

"Okay, okay," he said, making an attempt at sobering up. "So, he does whatever you tell him?"

"Just about," I said.

"I wonder if he understands what's going on. Must be awful to have no say in anything you do." Peter grimaced in disgust. Then he caught my stare, and a glimmer of regret flashed across his face.

"So, yeah, the bar," he said. "I know a girl who works there. Where did you find Carl?"

"An alleyway off Herbert Street." I could never forget that detail.

"We can ask her who hunts there. It would help if you can describe the vamp."

"That's it? We ask some girl and go home?" I said, unconvinced that counted as a plan.

"Pretty much. If we let it be known we're looking for him then he might not be as pissed off at us when we confront him," Peter said.

"Seriously, is that all we're doing? Doesn't seem like much of an effort. I mean, she might not even know who we're on about." It sounded like he was looking for an easy, happy ending. I couldn't see that happening. Not with my luck.

"Who knows? It's possible she might not know who we're talking about, 'cept this chick knows everyone."

"Can she be trusted?" I didn't like the sound of a human who knew so much about vampires.

"Nah." Peter relaxed; talking about things he knew for certain seemed to make him more comfortable around me. "She works with vampires and lives, she's gotta be up to something dodgy somewhere. She's no worse than anyone else, but she's a little too fond of vamps, if you know what I mean."

I didn't. "Don't you trust anyone?"

"Not even for a second."

I shivered at the cold glint in his eye. I was supposed to be the monster, but Peter was scarily black and white. "What happened to you?" I blurted, unable to help myself.

He cleared his throat and stood abruptly. "Wake up sleepyhead over there, and let's get going. I want to catch Becca when she opens the bar."

That was it. Conversation over. Even on the way to the bar, Peter was deadly silent. It was across town so we got a taxi. He decided he had to sit in the back, squashing me between himself and Carl. It was awkward, packed up that tightly with two men, particularly after being alone for so long.

Now that the thirst itself was subdued, thanks to the cross Eddie had given me, other unwanted feelings came to the surface. Even the pressure from Peter's leg against mine made my whole body heat up. By the time we got out of the taxi, I was practically having hot flushes.

A flood of traumatic memories hit me when I took in our surroundings. It had been a long time, but I had been there before. A fancy restaurant stood across the street, but I knew it had once been a small community hall. One frequented by a so-called cleanser who had encouraged my grandmother to let him beat the devil out of me. I hugged my arms close to me, trying to block out the past.

"You know that place?" Peter asked when he noticed me staring.

"Once upon a time. When it was something else."

I couldn't take my eyes off the restaurant, but all I saw was my grandmother telling a strange man I had a demon in me. I begged her not to leave me with him, even then I could smell the badness coming from him, but she pushed me aside and walked away—even as I called her name.

Carl linked my arm, distilling the memory and giving me an excuse to look away from a place that had haunted my early teens. As if he knew I needed reassurance, he smiled down at me, his eyes clear and focused for a change. I smiled back automatically, wondering when I had started looking people in the eye again. Peter caught my attention as if he wanted to say something but shrugged instead and led us to a decrepit building at the end of the street.

"Doesn't look like a bar to me," I remarked.

"It can't, or else every human in the area would be in there, plus all the under-aged kids. Nightmare. The only ones who are welcome are vamps and their volunteers, but Becca knows me so we'll be okay as long as we don't start anything."

I grimaced at the term _volunteers_. I might thirst after a bit of blood now and then, but the thought of regularly taking advantage of people like Carl made me feel ill.

"The real entrance is down that side street," Peter continued, pointing ahead. "Let's go, and let me do the talking. I'm not exactly popular around here, but they'll listen to me. Keep the giant quiet."

I took a tight hold of Carl's arm and followed Peter around a laneway that led to what should have been the back of the so-called bar. It smelled rank and was covered in colourful graffiti. I lingered behind, full of nerves, but Peter strode ahead with confidence. I couldn't help but watch him admiringly. I was sure he had once been charming, and I wondered what had happened to make him so cold.

A short blonde exited a doorway and threw a black sack into one of the bins ahead of us. Peter headed directly to her, and I guessed she was the infamous Becca. She had the body of a teenager, but when she turned, I was shocked to see that her face hadn't aged nearly as well.

"Hey, Petey," she squealed in a little girl's voice. "Haven't seen you for a while. Where you been?"

She hugged him tightly, fitting easily under his chin. Glancing at Carl and me, she sent a dark look my way. I tensed up—she didn't smell entirely human.

"How are you, Becca?" Peter asked.

"I'm as fine as always, can't you see?" She giggled loudly at her own joke.

I gripped Carl's arm tight, all of my instincts warning me to be cautious. Carl's body had tensed too, which only heightened my own wariness.

"Of course I can, hot stuff. Listen, I need a favour," Peter told her. I hadn't seen this side of Peter before and wondered how sincere he was being.

"Oh, yeah? Wanna come in and have a quick one? A drink I mean," she said, her eyelashes fluttering like mad.

"Yeah, I'm thirsty as hell. This is Ava and Carl. Okay if they join us?"

Becca looked us over, her mouth widening into a smile that never reached her eyes. "Double date? No problem. Come on, before the cleaners get here."

We followed her through a small door that led into a huge dark room. As my sight adjusted, I saw the walls were all dark wood panelling. The air was filled with must and dust, and the faint scent of blood—cleaned up blood. I shuddered and let Carl pull me toward the bar. Becca gave Peter a shot without asking before turning to Carl and me.

"What can I get you two lovebirds?"

"Uh, just juice for us," I said. "Please," I added, trying to smile sweetly. Her quizzical look convinced me I'd failed miserably.

"So," she said as she poured a drink for me—completely ignoring Carl, as if she knew he wasn't all there. "What can I do for you today?"

"We're looking for information on a vamp who hunts Herbert Street. You got any idea who's over there?" Peter asked.

She bit her lip and looked thoughtful. I was certain she knew exactly who he meant, but Peter waited patiently while she pretended to think really hard.

"I'd say that would have to be one of Max's boys. I think that's his territory. What do you want with one of them?" Her tone was breezy, but her body had tensed up, which made me suspicious. Her eyes drifted to mine and narrowed briefly.

"Ah, that's complicated. I need to ask him something is all. Nothing major, no hassle. Any way I could find out who exactly I'm looking for?"

"With no name? He'd have to be a regular here," she said with a sly smile.

She was obviously stalling, which irritated me, so I butted in, hoping to annoy her into talking properly.

"He's small, very thin, kinda pretty with chin-length dark hair. A little scruffy, looks like he could use a good meal. Ring any bells?"

She glared at me, and the look in her eyes grew so intense, her irises seemed to darken and change before me. When she spoke again, her voice suddenly sounded a lot more grownup. "That could be anyone," she snapped. Turning back to Peter, she smiled. "But it might be Arthur; he's been in talking about a redhead he saw. She the one?" Her eyes turned greedy, and my stomach flipped over with worry.

"Could be," Peter said with a shrug. "Any chance you could let Arthur know we need a favour from him? We'll be back around, once the place fills up a bit."

"Of course, darling, anything for you. I'll let Arthur know all about you. As long as you aren't going to bother Max," Becca said, reaching out and placing her hand on Peter's arm.

"Nah, it's nothing to do with Maximus. No need to get him involved," Peter said, stretching languidly away from Becca's touch. He seemed relaxed, but I could hear his heartbeat racing. "We only need Arthur for ten minutes, tops."

"Well, you take care of him, okay? I don't need Max to get angry and take it out on me." She gave a knowing laugh and touched her neck. It was covered with a scarf. I really didn't want to know what was under that scarf.

"Don't worry, Bec. I'll make sure you're safe."

"Oh, I don't want to be safe, darling. You know that." Her eyes darkened again until I was sure they glinted red. She gave Carl a hungry look, and I sincerely hoped I didn't stare at him like that. She focused on me again, and I involuntarily leaned backward, wanting nothing more than to get out of the filthy pub and away from the freaky bartender.

"Thanks a lot, Becca. Take care of yourself, we'll be back later, so don't forget to let Arthur know." He smiled at her, but as soon as he turned away, his face tightened, and he gestured toward the door.

Becca waved us off and got back to work but gave me one last filthy look as we left. I gulped in fresh air outside, more than relieved to be out of that place.

"What the hell is she?" I hissed at Peter.

He gave me a condescending look. "You're one to talk."

I felt a little jab of hurt at being compared to Becca, and then anger that I still hadn't proved myself in his eyes.

Seeing my irritation, he carried on. "Okay, she's half gone. She was obsessed with being young and somehow persuaded an old vampire to try and change her. It didn't work, obviously. Looks like they're still trying."

"How do you know all this?"

"I ask."

"Okay, fine. So she wants to be young or whatever. But what does the vampire get out of it? I mean, I know he gets her blood, but he also has to give his, right?"

Peter cocked his head to the side. "That isn't how it happens," he said slowly. "Vampires were only ever created through the poison in their saliva and fangs. They don't need to exchange blood to do it."

I nodded, feeling stupid. The books I'd read had said a blood exchange was necessary to create a vampire.

He looked at me, eyes full of curiosity. I waited for him to question me, but he let it go.

"She's a volunteer. The vamp does it to keep her on side. If they do it regularly enough then she manages to carry some of the vampire poison in her body. It affects some parts of her and not others. You understand?"

"Eh, no."

"Look," Peter said, his tone impatient. "She's still human, obviously, but she's kept enough of the poison in her system to keep her body young, that's all. Vampires leave her alone because she's a volunteer. Her vamp likes having some guarantees around when he wants a quick snack. Plus, a volunteer lasts a lot longer than someone who's been enthralled. Or so I've been told."

We both looked at Carl, who was shuffling his feet and lagging behind us, then exchanged worried glances.

"All of this vampire stuff is too complicated for words." I was way out of my league and tired of having to have everything explained to me.

Peter raised his eyebrows. "Shouldn't you know more about it than me?"

He still thought of me as a real vampire. Maybe a stupid one. I wasn't interested in filling him in, so I avoided the question.

"Anyway, do you think she was telling the truth? About this Arthur vampire, I mean. Is it him, and will she tell him?"

"I reckon she thinks it's him, but whether she tells him or not... well, your guess is as good as mine. Becca does what works for her, and she's careful. That's why she's still alive. She didn't like you, by the way."

"Yeah, there's a lot of that going around. I had a feeling she knew about me, like she was expecting me."

Peter rubbed the cross on his wrist as he considered this. "Maybe. There's no telling with her. She's different when the poison is fresh in her system."

"And did you see the way she looked at Carl?"

Peter nodded. "Like he was dinner. She completely ignored him apart from that. I suppose she's used to entranced humans in her bar."

I didn't want to see that woman down any dark alleyways, but I decided it was something best left to myself. I was unwilling to let Peter know I was a coward.

"By the way, kinda pretty?" he said as we queued up at a taxi rank, raising his eyebrows quizzically. It took me a minute to realise he was referring to my description of Arthur.

"Oh, shut up. I just meant he isn't as wretched looking as most vamps I've seen."

I couldn't get a read from his expression, but I knew he had to be wondering about me. It was pretty obvious I was something very different to the creatures he was used to.

"So what next? We come back after dark?" I asked to change the subject.

"Probably. You can see if you recognise your witness. Who knows? Maybe he'll approach us first."

We got a taxi back to my place because it was well protected, although Peter informed me that most of the charms and spells I had purchased were junk made to rip people off.

"I'm not exactly up on the latest witchcraft," I told him, feeling defensive as he tutted at yet another useless talisman.

"Where on earth did you get all of this junk?"

"Online." He gave me a 'you've got to be kidding me' look. "Really," I insisted. "I buy and sell things online, that's how I make money. Sometimes I come across this kind of thing, and I keep it instead of selling it on."

"So what, you're a vamp who makes her living on eBay? Now I've seen everything."

I couldn't help blushing; I knew I made a pretty naff vampire.

He wandered around the flat, immediately picking out all of the hidden talismans.

"How do you know where they're hidden?" I said, cross he was so comfortable in my home when I was on the edge of my seat in his presence.

"That's part of my job. Finding things. God, this really _is_ crap," he scorned, picking up an alleged ancient artefact. "I'll have to recommend a few merchants to you. Although I admit the stuff that actually works is pretty good. Maybe Eddie would sell you a couple of things."

I fingered the cross around my neck, possessive despite knowing it wasn't mine to keep. "I don't know whether to trust him or not."

"Me either. But I've never known him to harm an innocent."

"Guess I should stay innocent then," I said, before realising what it sounded like. My face grew hot. Peter moved away from me, looking as awkward as I felt, and continued his assessment of my protection spells. I was technically borderline innocent, but he really didn't need to know that. The more time I spent with Peter, the more of my naivety I accidentally revealed.

# 6

Once the tension showed no sign of dissipating, Peter announced he was going to get a car. As he left, he muttered something about not being able to bear squashing himself into a backseat with me and Carl again. I chewed my nails in agitation while he was gone, worrying he wouldn't return. I lay on my bed and wondered about how much being my man slave was affecting Carl. Peter said the enthralled didn't last long, but I didn't know if that was because they kept getting drained or worse—their brains couldn't hold up to the mind control.

The good thing about worrying about Carl was that it distracted me from other things. Like what Eddie was, the fact he knew my grandmother, and his enigmatic mentions of a seer. Then, of course, there was the little fact I was planning on walking straight into a vampire bar and pretty much demanding that a hungry killer do me a favour.

"Ava," murmured Carl, startling me out of my reverie.

"What's wrong?" I said, turning around to look at him. "Oh, shit."

With a dopey grin etched on his face and a sharp kitchen knife in his hand, Carl stumbled toward me, blood flowing steadily down his neck. I froze as he shut the door behind him, closing us into the bedroom together. The scent of his blood hit me, and all of a sudden, I was ravenous.

"Please, Carl, go away. You don't know what you're doing!" My fangs shot out—I couldn't help it. The cross around my neck had eased my thirst for a while, but an open vein in front of me undid all of its good work. Despite my pleas, Carl kept coming at me, not stopping until his body loomed over mine on the bed. I didn't know what to do, so I closed my eyes, put one hand over my mouth and screamed, pushing at him frantically. I felt his blood drip onto my fingers. Warm, vital, and oh, so tempting.

_I'm bigger than this._

"Get away from me!" I yelled, managing to push him back with my knees. It gave me enough space to roll over, and I hoped the blood wouldn't accidentally fall into my mouth. I was tempted, though—so much fresh blood, right there, going to waste. I ached for it, but I knew that if I started, I wouldn't stop.

"Come on, Ava," Carl said, pulling me over and onto my back with ridiculous ease. He was unnaturally strong, and the more that I backed away, the more he pushed.

Tears poured from my eyes as I fought wildly against the urge to lap his blood off my fingers. I clamped my clean hand over my fangs as hard as I could, and hit out blindly with my other arm. I connected, but Carl didn't falter for a second.

He pinned my arm down and struggled to pull my hand away from my mouth. It took all of my strength to resist him, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I gave in.

"Please, stop!" I let out a sob, unable to understand why he wasn't obeying me. Carl was turning out to be the worst minion ever.

Just as I felt my resolve weakening, Peter burst through the bedroom door, his eyes wide, probably in disgust at seeing my fangs. I knew he was going to kill me, and part of me wanted him to. I couldn't fight anymore.

Carl was still struggling to force his blood on me as Peter grabbed his shoulders and wrestled him to the ground. I tried to lie still and ignore the sounds of both men fighting—I needed to get a grip on myself and contain the thirst. My entire body shuddered with fear. I had been seconds away from giving in, seconds away from becoming the monster everyone already thought I was. I counted the cracks in the ceiling, finding comfort in the numbers.

A hand touched my shoulder. Faster than I could think, I was huddled in the corner, my back against the wall.

Peter stared at me, confused and maybe even a little concerned. "Are you okay?" he asked, holding his hands out toward me like he didn't know what else to do.

I nodded but stayed put.

"Ava, what are you doing?" he asked, his tone gentler than usual.

I realised I was multiplying out loud. I shook myself out of traumatised little girl mode and tried to act normal.

"Where's Carl?" I asked, hoping he would ignore the tremble in my voice.

"Knocked out on the floor. Don't worry, he's okay. I'm going to clean him up. Maybe you should... take a minute." He almost sounded friendly. That was a first, but I was too numb to care. If he had arrived a minute later, he would have caught me feasting on Carl—I was sure of it.

I dragged myself into the bathroom and locked the door. Gazing into the mirror, I saw a tired-looking girl with messy, unnaturally red hair and a complexion that was too pale to be real. My blood-shot eyes were rimmed with pink, and my cheeks were tear-stained. I scowled at my reflection. I was so weak that I couldn't even protect myself against a human with no control of his brain. It was ridiculous. I took long, deep breaths, but my hands wouldn't stop shaking.

After a few minutes, I reluctantly joined the others in the living room. Carl smiled innocently at me, but all I wanted to do was hit him hard. Peter stared at me, his expression unreadable.

"Carl, go take a shower," he ordered. I nodded my agreement and moved across the room to get out of Carl's path to the bathroom.

"You feeling okay yet?" Peter asked when Carl left the room.

"Of course," I lied.

"That was pretty intense back there," he continued. "I heard you screaming. I didn't know what to make of it. Then I saw... well, it wasn't what I expected."

"Yeah, so are you ready to go?"

He walked over to me, didn't back off even though I did. He touched my chin lightly and studied my face. "What are you, Ava?"

My skin felt like it was burning. I didn't want to drink from him, but I wanted _something_. That's why I had to push him away, before I made a mistake.

"What happened you, Peter?" I said as coolly as I could manage.

His face hardened. "Yeah, I'm ready to go. I'll wait by the car until you get Carl sorted," he said. Leaving me with Carl was his petty punishment for my words.

As soon as he left, my pulse raced with fear. I didn't want to be alone with Carl again. But Carl acted like nothing had happened. I tried not to look at the bandage on his neck as I ordered him downstairs to Peter's car. I headed for the passenger seat of the dark green Cordoba, surprised by how much my hands were still shaking.

"You're in the back," Peter said. "Carl, up front."

I was just happy he was letting me forget what had happened in my apartment with Carl, so I got into the backseat without any fuss.

Maybe it was nerves, but I couldn't help giggling to myself, especially when the radio came on playing show tunes. Peter growled something incoherent and switched the station. Within minutes, Carl had fallen asleep again, so I was left alone with my thoughts.

The streets became familiar as we drove. More memories. I kept flashing back to my grandmother crying about the devil inside me. Of me standing awkwardly beside her, not knowing what to do and accused of being a heartless demon. I was nine.

That time, the man she turned to for help had been true evil—the source of many nightmares. I had bitten him and told him my vampire father would kill him. That was after he made me eat salt for an hour one day. He laughed out loud and told me there were no such things as vampires. Granny refused to believe he wasn't helping, but he was just another in a long line of conmen who inevitably disappointed her. That was when I went through a stage of wanting to be a _real_ vampire. Stupid kid.

Big contrast to how I felt as we drove to the vampire bar. My whole body twitched with nerves. There was too much going on—my thirst for Carl, my attraction to Peter, and the fact I was going to willingly show myself to true vampires. Even counting Peter's steady heartbeat wasn't enough to calm me down.

"Maybe we should leave Carl somewhere. It might be too dangerous for him," I said.

"Nah," Peter said. "He'd do himself more damage looking for you."

"We could go back and lock him in at my place."

Peter shook his head. "He'd probably knock himself out trying to head-butt his way through the door." He glanced at Carl's sleeping form. "Poor bloke won't last much longer, you know."

I knew. Carl wasn't doing well. An offhand comment from me could bring him a lot of harm. I had no idea how to mind control someone properly. Thinking of his bandaged neck, I wondered if some part of me was telling him to offer himself on a plate.

I fidgeted with the cross around my neck. If I hadn't been wearing it, Carl would be dead, of that I was certain. I owed it. And Eddie, I realised grimly. I had a strong feeling Eddie didn't help anyone unless there was something in it for him. I couldn't help remembering what he said about the vampires expecting me.

"What's a seer?" I asked.

"Something like a psychic, I suppose."

"So, they should already know all about me, then?"

Peter shook his head. "Not necessarily. They can't pick and choose what they see. But whatever they see is still valuable. Why?"

"Just thinking." Eddie had told me they knew I was coming and for the first time, I realised that might mean they had seen what I was. I had a theory about myself. I reckoned my making was a fluke, a mistake. Otherwise there would be lots more like me running around.

"Why can't they make new vampires anymore?"

Peter didn't bother trying to antagonise me into admitting what I was. Progress. "Something to do with genetics, I suppose. Humans evolve to fight threats to their existence."

"What, like an immunity or something?"

"Exactly. A vampire's fangs contain poison so it's an attack on the system. Maybe enough humans were bitten to start developing a way of fighting back. We've evolved somewhat, and whatever it was that allowed the change doesn't seem to exist anymore." He gave me a knowing glance in the rear view mirror. "Although maybe that means something different exists."

"So, if someone went around killing all the vampires that exist in the world, that would be it? No more vampirism?"

"Suppose so," he said, but he didn't sound excited at the prospect.

For one wild minute I dreamed about paying the world back by wiping out all of the vampires in existence. Then I snapped back into reality and realised I couldn't win a fight with a human, never mind a vampire.

Peter parked the car one street away from the bar. "I'm parking out here, on the main road. If it all goes wrong, run to the car. Tell Carl the same. Don't wait for me."

"Yeah, right, like I'm going to leave a human alone with vampires," I said, rolling my eyes.

He turned around to face me, his hazel eyes more intense than I'd ever seen them. "Look, in case you haven't figured it out yet, what I do is hunt evil. All kinds. Then I kill it. I've been doing it for eight years, so yes, if it all goes wrong, don't wait for me."

His eyes were like ice—I couldn't help shivering under his stare. I didn't doubt him at all. He even scared me.

"I mean it, Ava. If anything goes wrong, get that lunk out of there. I can't trust either of you to take them on, so leave it to me."

I was sort of offended by that remark but knew he had a point. "Alright, already. So, what's the plan?"

"The plan is you stay cool, and let me do the talking. We go in, don't look anyone in the eye. I'll speak to Becca and see where we go from there. Don't worry. If he isn't around then we'll come back tomorrow."

"Fair enough. Listen, Peter, thanks for doing this." He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're helping Carl, not me, but I'm benefiting too whether you like it or not."

He shook his head slightly, a bemused look on his face. "Actually, I'm not sure who I'm helping anymore."

He gave his bottom lip an absent-minded lick with the tip of his tongue. I let loose a little sigh.

"What?" he asked, his lips curving upward into a huge grin.

"Uh, nothing," I said, barely getting out a word. I shook Carl's shoulder a little too hard, startling him awake. We both followed Peter to the same side street again.

The place looked different at night. The darkness created lurking shadows and a general creepiness that spooked me. As we followed Peter to the door, I realised there were people in the shadows. Couples. The scent of fresh blood reached my nostrils, letting me know exactly what they were doing. I touched the silver cross but kept it hidden under my shirt, I didn't want anyone to know it didn't affect me.

I heard a couple of soft moans and automatically edged toward Peter. He was the closest thing to normal in my life. He gave me a quick smile, probably an attempt to reassure me, but my instincts still told me to run.

Peter pushed open the door, letting a stale odour engulf us.

"What is that stench?" I whispered to him.

He frowned at me. "That's how vampires smell. It's more intense when there's a whole bunch of them together."

"Oh my God, do I smell?" That would be pretty embarrassing.

He gave me a rare genuine smile. "No, actually. You're a pretty rubbish vampire, to be honest." He laid his palm flat against my chest, and the tenor of his voice changed. "And look at that. You even have a heartbeat."

He inched closer to me, letting the door swing shut. Carl stood behind me, forgotten. "Seriously, Ava," Peter said. "What the hell are you?"

Not thinking about what I was doing, I touched his cheek and relished the heat of his skin. "I'm a big, bad, scary vampire. And don't you forget it."

To my surprise, I heard his heartbeat thunder in his chest. I stepped backward awkwardly, bumping into Carl, and the moment was lost.

Peter turned his back to us and strode into the bar like he owned it. Carl and I scurried after him, but not before I tripped clumsily through the doorway. In the corner of the room, three steps led up to a higher, more private section that had a view of the entire bar. We sat there, and I finally felt comfortable enough to look around.

The room still managed to look musty even with all the lighting. There were large red halogen bars on the ceiling emitting an unpleasant glow, while the walls flickered with tacky electric candles.

Human musicians huddled together in a corner. They had the same blankness in their eyes that Carl now possessed, thanks to me. The singer, on the other hand, had to be a vampire. She looked repulsive, but her voice was amazing. Sultry, deep, and sexy, her voice was the focus of the room. Even Carl stared over at her, despite having the attention span of a gnat. Seeing his fascination, I wondered if a real vampire would have the power to take Carl from me. Although that would solve my problems, it wouldn't help Carl much.

The clientele were a mix of human and vampire. Some of the humans were enthralled, sitting or standing obediently beside their masters, while others were there willingly, the stench of their sweat tinged with fear. Maybe they were adrenalin junkies, or maybe getting bitten felt really good.

I spotted Becca at the bar. Her scarf was gone, and she stroked the puncture wounds on her neck at every opportunity, her eyes wide with anticipation. All of the vampires at the bar looked her over, but none were obvious in their need. They controlled themselves a lot better than I ever could, even with the cross around my neck. I wrinkled my nose in self-disgust.

The vampire odour was becoming more noticeable; I couldn't understand how Becca put up with it night after night.

"It's the smell of death, you know," Peter said, startling me.

"What?"

"That smell. It's because they're dead. They rot unless they feed. They can't function without a regular supply of blood. They degenerate."

"Why do these people come here? Knowing they could die?" I asked, baffled at the idea of humans willingly giving themselves to vampires. I couldn't see anything attractive about the concept.

Peter shrugged. "There's something for everyone in this world. Maybe they want to die. Maybe they want something else."

"Is it a sexual thing?" I whispered. My weakest moment had come in an intimate setting.

Peter grinned. "You really are clueless. Vampires can't do it unless they just fed."

"Why?" I leaned closer to him, extremely curious.

"Because... there's no blood supply, nothing to stimulate them unless they've taken warm blood from a living person, and even then it doesn't last long. It's the only time they really feel. They're dead, remember?"

"So, why do all the myths make it seem like a seduction?"

The smile dropped from his face. He gestured toward the other tables. "To make it more attractive. To cover how repulsive it all really is."

"How come you know all of this?" I asked, fascinated.

"How come you don't?"

I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't take the chance. He didn't trust me, but if his job was hunting evil things then I wasn't surprised. Becca interrupted us before I could speak.

"Nobody's in tonight, Petey."

"You sure?"

She batted her eyelashes. "'Course I'm sure. You want a drink?"

"No, we'll be on our way."

"Come back soon," she said, ruffling his hair. I couldn't help feeling angry as she stared me down, but the red tint in her eyes bothered me so much, I dropped mine first. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to be a monster.

"Why are we going already?" I hissed at Peter when she walked away.

He jostled Carl, who was trying to doze off. "Because people have noticed us, and there's more than one vampire in here getting interested in you, so move. We're out of here."

I took one last look around the room and saw he was right. A number of vampires stared right at me, more quizzical than angry, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up nonetheless. I hurried after Peter, feeling safer when he was within touching distance. He knew what he was doing. I didn't. I had to pull Carl after me; he was too busy staring around the room to hurry.

As we approached the door some of the vampires stood up as if to follow us.

"Oh, shit," I muttered, then held my breath. The bar went silent, and I had the suffocating feeling that there was a target on my chest. To my surprise, Peter stopped and pushed me ahead of him, glaring right at the vampires. Carl gripped my arm and pushed me closer to the door. My stomach lurched, but they all sat down, and we hurried through the door. We made it out of a vampire bar alive. But we still didn't have what we were looking for.

# 7

Once we were safely outside, I took a deep breath. "That was a waste of time."

"Don't worry. We'll come back," Peter said, leading the way again.

"Hey, how come those vampires left us alone back there?" I asked him as I beckoned Carl to follow.

Peter shushed me and darted his head around. I was about to ask him what was wrong but suddenly realised how quiet it was. No heartbeats. No couples. Just the three of us and a feeling that someone else was there. Someone with no heartbeat.

A figure in black jumped noiselessly from somewhere above down to the alleyway a few metres ahead of us. I screamed and grabbed Peter's hand. His palm was large and warm. I expected him to shrug me away, but he kept his eyes on the figure before us. After a second, Peter squeezed my hand and slowly let go, taking a half step in front of me and Carl.

"I hear you've been asking about me," said the figure. I squinted until my eyes adjusted to the dark and realised it was the vampire who had originally attacked Carl.

"It's him," I whispered.

"You Arthur?" Peter asked loudly, his voice steady.

The vampire nodded, his lank hair falling over his eyes. "I remember you," he said to me.

"Yeah, um, hi," I said, unable to think of anything less lame.

"You're an interesting one," he said. His voice was dry and raspy, even though I smelled blood and could tell he had just drank from someone. He took a step toward me.

"Stay back," Peter ordered.

Arthur looked surprised but obeyed. "As honoured as I am you've bestowed a visit on little old me, I've things to do. Get on with it. What do you want?"

"You witnessed something between these two," Peter said. "She claimed him and now wants to undo it. She needs you to reject the claim."

"Really," said Arthur, the corners of his mouth curving into a mocking smile. "And I benefit how?"

Peter hesitated. "I don't know. If you're lucky maybe I won't end you."

I gasped, but Arthur threw back his head and laughed. "It's true what they say about you," he said. "All brawn and no brain. But forget you. It's her I'm interested in."

I put my hand on Peter's arm to silence him. His face was red with rage, but I could sense his fear.

"Can you help me?" I said, taking a cautious step forward. Arthur flew toward me as fast as lightning, gripping me and pulling me away from Peter before I could make a sound. My feet never touched the ground. Arthur held my gaze as he swept me further into darkness. Peter swore as he and Carl ran after us, but I shouted at them to stop. They both skidded to a halt as I carefully took Arthur's hands from me. The faint odour of decay and the thundering of Peter's heartbeat made me skittish, but something about Arthur felt kindred.

He gazed at me in wonder for a moment, then bent his head and pressed his ear to my chest. I looked helplessly at Peter who seemed as stunned as I was. Carl relaxed. Even he could tell Arthur meant me no harm.

Arthur stepped away from me at last, his eyes watering with bloody tears. "It's true," he whispered. "You're alive. But how?" He gripped my shoulders tightly. "Tell me," he urged. "How did he do it? Are there more?"

I shook my head, wondering who he was talking about. "Just me. And I need help first."

Arthur frowned. "If I help you, will you come with me? To see the head of my coven? He's interested in you. I didn't understand when I first saw you, but now I get it. This changes everything."

"You'll help me?" I asked, hope surging through me.

"Only if you help me. I need more blood. He'll let me have a bigger share of the quota if I'm the one who takes you to him. Come with me. Without those two," he said, gesturing to Peter and Carl who were slowly approaching us.

"Ava," called Peter, his voice a low warning.

"It's okay," I called back. I didn't want to go with Arthur, but he seemed to know what I was. I was desperate to know more about myself and just as desperate to help Carl, so it didn't seem like a bad deal. "What am I?"

"You have many names," he whispered. "Let me take you home."

"If you help me get rid of Carl, I'll go willingly." I ignored Peter's frustrated grumbles and shook Arthur's hand. He looked into my eyes and nodded his agreement.

"This is ridiculous, Ava, you can't go with him!" Peter shouted.

"It's fine," I said. "He's my own kind, right?"

Arthur jerked his head around, but it wasn't enough of a warning. My body flung backward as a vampire barrelled into my midsection, winding me. On the ground, I barely made a sound as his hands wrapped around my throat. Without thinking, I grabbed my cross and pressed it against his wrist before he could crush the bones in my neck. Surprised, he let go, his skin sizzling. Peter and Carl rushed at him as I lay there struggling to catch my breath, but Arthur got to the vampire first.

He wrestled him to the ground, only lifting his head to shout at Peter.

"Get her out of here! I'll find you. Just go!"

Peter and Carl helped me up and made me run to the car, despite my pleas to stay and help Arthur. If he died, I'd have no options left.

"Get in the car Ava," Peter said, pushing me in the back seat.

None of us spoke for a few minutes, but Peter's heartbeat was racing again. I kicked the back of his seat in frustration.

"We should have stayed."

"Are you stupid? That vampire tried to kill you. Did you want to die?"

"We outnumbered him," I protested.

Peter muttered to himself and put his foot on the accelerator. He kept glancing in the mirrors, probably looking for a speedy vampire who wanted me dead.

"Where are we going?" I asked, finally realising we weren't heading for my home.

"To see Eddie." Peter shut down after that and didn't speak for the rest of the journey.

The bookshop was closed for the night, but Eddie had the door open before we could knock on it. He ushered us in, highly agitated. We followed him into his tiny back room. Eddie put the kettle on and mumbled to himself. Peter gnawed on his nails, and even Carl seemed on edge.

Eddie made coffee and sat down, looking straight at me but seeing right through me. I watched, fascinated, as his lips moved silently. Then he shook himself, and his eyes focused again.

"Nobody is hurt." It was a statement rather than a question.

"What the hell happened?" Peter said. He sounded angry, but I could still sense his fear.

Eddie shook his head. "Things are happening too quickly. I didn't expect it. An assassin was sent after her."

"You could have warned us," Peter said, sounding petulant.

"And you could have warned me when you brought Nancy Delaney's granddaughter to my place for a visit," Eddie shouted. The air crackled around him, and the hair on my arms stood up.

Peter looked me over in horror. "Nancy? Nancy's your grandmother?" he said, appalled. I was sure he thought it was a shame a nice old lady like Nancy had an evil being for a grandchild.

"No matter," Eddie said. "Things just became more complicated. I don't know how they knew so soon."

"Who knew what so soon?" Peter said.

Eddie took a deep breath. "Ava, Arthur's maker is an ancient called Maximus."

"Yeah, Becca told us that," Peter said.

"Becca? Hmm, maybe it was her words... never mind that now. Ava, I'm sorry, but the vampires are on the brink of civil war. Your appearance just changed the game."

"Me? What can I do?"

"Maximus believes you're a daywalker. A living vampire. A daywalker could destroy all of the vampires without a battle. You could tell Maximus how you were made, so he could create an army of daywalkers. To protect him, kill his enemies in daylight, and help him overcome Daimhín."

"Daimhín?" I asked.

"Another ancient. She's the oldest vampire in the country and the one with the largest coven, so she rules over the other covens. It's by her say so that they don't drink their fill. She assigns quotas for each coven, and it's up to the head of the coven to decide who feeds and who doesn't."

"Why do they have quotas?" I interrupted. "Arthur is starving, why?"

"I told you, a lack of blood hurts them, punishes them. The quotas are set by the Council to protect the human race and to keep the vampires in check," Peter said, his face pale and taut with tension.

"The Council?"

"Focus, Ava," Eddie said. "Maximus wants to change who allocates the blood, possibly even fight the Council on the quota. Not good news for humans. I'm certain that assassin was sent by Daimhín to kill you before you could tell Maximus how you were created. How were you created, Ava?"

His voice changed, making my senses go on alert. It seemed so simple to me, the way I was made. But if I told people, and that caused it to happen to more innocents then I would feel guilt I never had before.

"You can tell me, Ava," he said coaxingly.

I thought about it, I even opened my mouth to speak, but the idea of Maximus's vampires attacking pregnant women and stealing their newborns was incomprehensible. My mother told my grandmother I could be taken, but I was never told how she knew or why Nancy believed her. I only knew it had to be a secret.

"No," I said, gritting my teeth. It physically pained me not to answer him.

"Good," Eddie said.

Another test. Great. I wished there was a way to skip past the bit where I had to keep proving myself.

"What do we do?" Peter asked.

Eddie shrugged. "She's on their radar now. They'll look for her."

A chill ran down my back. Once again I was totally screwed.

"You said I was already on their radar."

He nodded. "True, but they've acted quickly. They've already found you once. I doubt the assassin was mere coincidence. Daimhín doesn't want someone like you in her domain, she must be worried."

"I agreed to see Maximus," I reminded everyone. "If Arthur helped with Carl. I pretty much promised."

Eddie shook his head. "Either Daimhín will kill you, or Maximus will use you. You need to keep away from vampires."

"I can't hide forever, and Carl needs Arthur's help too, remember? They'll find me, regardless. What do I do?"

"You could fight," Eddie said. Although his voice was sad, his eyes were happy. I didn't have time to figure it all out.

"So I'll fight," I said.

Peter snorted. "You squeal like a schoolgirl anytime you're attacked. Come on! You're helpless!"

I glared at him before turning to Eddie. "Can you help me?"

"There's a lot you need to know. Holy water and a silver crucifix might do nothing to you, but a stake in the heart will kill you all the same. A vampire can drain your blood or snap your neck like a human's, while a human can set you on fire and send you to hell just like a normal vampire. You have to be extra careful, but then again, you might have some abilities they don't have."

"Like what? Catholic guilt?"

Eddie smiled. "This is one of those rare occasions when I don't know the answer to everything."

"How do I find Arthur and avoid that assassin? Assuming they're both still alive."

"You're not seriously considering making contact with that greasy vamp again, are you?" Peter said, barely containing his disgust.

"I don't have a choice. Look at Carl!"

Carl had fallen asleep again, and a large gob of saliva was dripping down his chin.

"I need him gone. For his own good. You saw what happened earlier." I held his gaze until he looked away.

"Arthur is your only option, it's true. But the assassins will keep on coming. Daimhín needs to ensure the secret isn't revealed, or she'll lose her advantage," Eddie said.

"Arthur said he'd find her," Peter said, his eyes narrowing.

Eddie nodded. "Be that as it may, Maximus won't let her go easily. It'll be hard to get her back if he takes her."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here." I wasn't about to let them decide anything for me. "I need to sort things out with Arthur. There's nothing I can do about that. I'll deal with the other stuff later."

Peter threw his hands up in the air and walked out of the room.

"Spoiled git," I muttered.

"He'll get over it," Eddie said. "I don't think you realise how risky this is, Ava."

"I have to get Carl back to normal. He cut his neck today and tried to force his blood on me. It's only a matter of time before I give in."

"Maybe drinking blood wouldn't be the worst idea."

"Are you kidding me?"

He shook his head with a small smile. "It's natural for you. Maybe it would help you fulfil your potential."

The greedy look in his eye made me shiver. I could have sworn I felt a hand ruffle my hair. Peter came back into the room before I could think of anything else to say. I gripped my cross tightly; it had helped save my life and Carl's, maybe it would help me against Eddie too if I needed it.

"Okay," Peter said, his face grim and determined. "We can do this. But we need a plan. Weapons. Protection. We have to go in prepared this time."

He looked set to carry on making his speech, but Eddie held up his hand for silence. He retreated into his own little world again, looking but not seeing. He blinked then gasped. Right before someone banged on the shop door.

"Nobody move," he whispered.

Somebody knocked sharply on the door while all of the front windows were pounded on. I sat still, frozen in fear until the sound of smashing glass made me jump to my feet.

"Ah, it's Maximus," Eddie said, nodding. "Daimhín is much more discreet."

I must have looked as petrified as I felt because Eddie gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Ava. They can't come in."

"Do they need to be invited?" I asked.

He laughed humourlessly. "Not at all. But this building is very well protected. You can't leave tonight. None of you. Wait until daylight. Until then we can decide what to do next and get some sleep."

"So, what? They're all going to come after me now?"

"Pretty much," Eddie said.

"But there's two sides. Like, they're enemies?" I asked.

Eddie nodded.

"I'm in the middle then. I think I'll get out of the way and let them stomp on each other."

Peter stopped pacing long enough to think about it. "Sounds like the makings of a plan. Maybe you aren't as clueless as you look after all."

"Nice to see you two agreeing on something," Eddie said. "Maybe you can come up with something a little more concrete while I go clean up the mess out there and sort out where you're all sleeping for the night."

Peter and I sat together in silence for a few minutes, trying in vain to ignore the jeering that rose up when Eddie entered the shop. Purely to give myself something to do, I woke Carl up.

"We're going to sort everything out, Carl. You'll be back home soon."

He shook his head and jutted his chin like a defiant five year old. I couldn't help sighing and wishing I was free of him.

"I wonder if he has any family," Peter said.

I shrugged. "I've tried talking to him about them, but he won't say much. He thinks he doesn't want to go back, but he's supposed to be getting married. We have to get him home before his fiancée gives up on him."

"Not going," Carl said, so loud that Peter and I jumped.

"See what I mean?" I said, wondering what was going through Carl's head when he sat there staring at nothing. "What about you? Do you have any family?"

Peter grew cold again and refused to answer. The silence unnerved me. I pretended to type my name on my legs. Then I switched the letters for numbers and counted out my name in the order it appeared in the alphabet. Added the numbers swiftly, my breathing growing steadier each time.

"What is that?"

"What?" I had almost forgotten I wasn't alone.

"That... thing you do, what is it?"

"I'm just messing about with numbers in my head."

"You mouth them, sometimes whisper them. What are you, some kind of math freak?"

My face grew hot. "No, it relaxes me is all."

"Oh."

I wished I could hide my face. My habit had always been embarrassing, but in front of Peter, it made me feel exposed. My grandmother had often acted like I was doing it purposely, just to annoy her, but I couldn't help it. It had eased off around my ex-boyfriend, but once I left, my nervous habits had only increased.

"Peter, what's the Council?" I asked, desperate to change the subject.

"It's a group of beings who... oversee things, pretty much," he told me. "They make sure no single species has a major advantage and step in to prevent wars. They enforce a quota on the vampires so they never become strong enough to go on any major rampages. It works—since they took charge, humans have stopped believing in things like vampires."

"What about humans? They don't prevent those wars."

"Human wars rarely have any real impact on the supernatural world, but a supernatural war could destroy mankind. The Council protect humans as much as they can; I honestly don't know why."

"They protect humans, but they allow vampires to feed on them?" That made little sense to me.

"They enforced a quota," he reminded me, shrugging. "They're supposed to keep a balance, not mollycoddle one species alone."

I let the information soak into my brain. Maybe I could find a way to make use of this Council.

"I'm sorry about hitting you that time," Peter said, interrupting my thoughts.

"That's okay."

He hesitated before speaking. "Everyone I've ever loved has been murdered by something —not human. The alarm went off, and I had to attack."

"It's fine. I'm not exactly innocent, right?"

He gazed at me. "You're not what I expected."

"So what's the plan then," I said, changing the subject in the hope the atmosphere would lighten up.

"It's your idea. What were you going for?"

"I don't know. Maybe arrange to meet up with both sides at once, then, when they're busy battling it out, we kidnap Arthur and make him sort out the Carl situation."

He burst into infectious laughter. "Ava, that's the worst plan ever."

I frowned. "I've never had to come up with a plan before, okay?"

"It just might work," Eddie said, sneaking into the room and making us both jump.

"Are you serious?" Peter said, disbelief etched on his face.

"Always. Poke holes in it."

Peter relaxed. "How about it's so obvious a child could see through it?"

"Therein lies the beauty."

"Maximus might show, but how do we get Daimhín there? If she knows where Ava is, she'll go after her. She isn't about to meet up somewhere all civilised. Actually scratch what I said before, Maximus won't either."

"Then we plant a seed," Eddie said with his eyes closed.

I felt that strange presence in the room again. Ignoring it, I piped up. "We could let it be known that I'll be at a certain place and see if they'll race to get me first."

"I suppose I could let it slip to Becca," Peter said. "Although, if that was Maximus outside tonight, he'll be back no matter what we say or do. And we'll have to talk to someone with Daimhín's ear too."

A look passed between the two men, I didn't know why, but it made me uncomfortable.

"Shouldn't be a problem," Eddie said.

"But what's to stop them from tearing Ava apart anyway? She could get hurt by accident."

"Surely you don't care about that," Eddie said with a calculating glint in his eye.

"Of course not." Peter glared at Eddie. "But still, there's no way we can kidnap a vampire. I mean come on, let's be realistic here."

"Why not?" Eddie said. "You've killed worse than a vampire. Ava is part vampire, and the thrall can give Carl above average strength."

"Killing something is a bit different than kidnapping an evil being and making him talk without attracting the attention of warring vampires."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Eddie said.

I yawned loudly, barely able to keep my eyes open.

"You need to sleep," Eddie said.

"Maybe we should go home." I was reluctant to fall asleep at his place.

"They're still outside, waiting. They'll be there until dawn approaches. Best to get some sleep now and figure things out in the morning. Come on, I'll show you to your room."

He stood up. Evidently, the discussion was over.

"Let's go, Carl," I said, nudging him. "Beddy byes."

Carl and I followed Peter out of the room and up a narrow staircase. I was surprised to see upstairs resembled a real home. A nicely furnished one. Thick lush carpets covered the floor, and the walls displayed watercolour paintings. Eddie led us to the very end of the hallway and opened the last door.

"This is where you'll be sleeping for the night. Sorry you have to share. There's a bathroom right next door."

He said goodnight and left us to our own devices. The room itself was moderately large and furnished in gold and plum velvet. A little too heavy for my taste, but I appreciated the effort that had gone into it. A large double bed sat in the centre of the room. A small lounger was in the corner, and the rest of the furniture was dark mahogany.

Peter shifted his feet, obviously ill at ease. I realised there was one bed for the three of us. Hesitating, I looked at the lounger, thinking I might fit on it.

"You can have the bed, Ava."

"Oh, it's okay. The lounger looks like my size. You two can share the bed. I mean, if you're secure enough in your manhood and all that."

"Funny. Just take the bed. I'll have the lounger, and Carl can sleep on the floor or something."

"Carl, get into bed," I ordered. "But even look at me during the night, and you're on the floor. Got it?"

Carl shuffled over to the bed. Peter shook his head and tried to relax on the lounger. I threw a blanket and pillow at him.

I sat on the bed and took off my boots. It had been a long day, and I wasn't sure I was going to make it through many more of them. The sick part was something inside me wasn't scared; it welcomed the idea of death. I was so tired of merely existing, but I couldn't see a way of truly living. I had a purpose, I reminded myself as I watched Carl get comfortable on the bed. I wasn't going to give up without a fight.

I inched over to the window, half-afraid to look outside.

"Shit," I whispered, seeing half a dozen vampires in full view. Who knew how many were hidden.

"Don't worry. They'll be gone in the morning. Worst case scenario is you never leave your home at night," Peter said.

I threw him a scornful look. "Sure, _that's_ the worst case scenario."

He sat up and spoke earnestly. "We'll get this fixed, Ava. Don't worry."

"Easy for you to say. I've never been in a real fight. I haven't a clue how to defend myself."

"Maybe tomorrow, I'll teach you a few moves," Peter said and yawned.

"Eddie said you've killed worse than a vampire. What's worse than a vampire?" I asked.

"You don't want to know."

"Sure I do."

"Go to sleep, Ava."

I sighed and lay on top of the bed. Carl was already snoring under the blankets. He needed as much sleep as a newborn baby. That couldn't be a good sign. I lay awake for ages, listening to the comforting sound of Peter's steady heartbeat.

I had been about to solve my problem with Carl when an even bigger crisis was thrown at me. Clutching the silver cross, I mentally thanked it for saving me and wondered how Carl had ever seemed like the biggest problem imaginable. One group of vampires wanted to use and enslave me, while the other just wanted me dead. Even with a half-baked plan, I couldn't see any possible way to get out of the mess I was in.

# 8

Carl woke me the next morning, looking pitiful and claiming he was starving. Bleary-eyed, I stared at him until I realised he hadn't eaten in a long time.

"All right, I'll go hunt and gather. Wait here. And don't wake Peter."

I got up but paused to look at Peter for a minute. His face was completely relaxed and utterly handsome—devoid of frowns and glares, he looked five years younger. I felt a little pang as I wondered what had really happened to him. Losing his whole family must have affected him badly. For an instant, I wished our lives were normal so I could get to know him better.

Heaving a sigh, I left the room, knowing it wasn't meant to be. We both had too many issues to deal with. The fact I could probably do to him what I had done to Carl didn't help.

The chilly presence followed me out of the room.

"What are you, then?" I mumbled, half to myself.

"Ava?"

I jumped about a foot in the air. Covering the yelping sound I made, I greeted Eddie with a false smile.

"Hi, um, Carl's hungry. I was going to go out and get him something."

"No need for that. Kitchen's this way. Sit with me while I finish making breakfast. It's still early, but I thought we all needed a good meal to start the day. Before we get into anything else."

I followed him into a cosy intimate kitchen. There was a small table surrounded by four chairs near the door, but I was too absorbed by the smells coming from the old-fashioned cooking range to be interested in anything else.

"That smells delicious. Need any help?"

He shook his head. "Sit at the table; I'll pour you some coffee. Did you sleep well?"

"Okay, I suppose. As well as anyone would knowing there's an army of vampires outside waiting to tear you apart."

He smiled. "It wasn't quite an army." He sat across from me. "In fact, I believe you would be more than a match for any of them."

"But not all of them," I said. "I doubt I could take on even one of them, anyway."

He hesitated then leaned forward. "If what I've heard is true, daywalkers are strong, stronger than vampires even. But they must drink."

"I thought I was the only one."

He leaned back. "The one who ruled before Daimhín created one. He passed on the knowledge to Daimhín as he lay dying, murdered by his own child. She had that daywalker murdered and swore to never allow another to live. There have been others, most are killed in the womb or not long afterwards. Some escape for a while, but almost all are found out in the end."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked in wonder.

"I have my ways. Just remember what I said. You have untapped talents inside, and that's what Daimhín's afraid of. Use them. I've been waiting for a daywalker to come along for quite some time now."

"We smelled food," Carl said behind me. Eddie held my gaze for a few seconds longer, enough to make me feel uncomfortable. He stood up abruptly and gestured toward the chairs.

"Sit. Breakfast is just ready. I hope the room was comfortable," he said, heading back toward the cooker.

"Yeah, great," Peter said, sitting down and giving me a penetrating look. "You okay?"

I nodded, but I really wasn't. As the men chatted pleasantly together over breakfast, all I could think about was having hidden talents. I wasn't sure if drinking blood to somehow unleash some kind of special power that _might_ exist was something I was prepared to do. I didn't doubt Eddie's words, something told me he knew very well what he was talking about. What I doubted was my ability to handle the consequences.

"Have you thought anymore about what you're going to do?" Eddie asked. It sounded innocent enough, but I knew he meant giving in to the thirst. I half-expected him to ask for his necklace back.

I glared at him, unable to hold back my distaste. I got the impression he wanted to use me for his own gain. I just hadn't figured out what that was.

"You already know what I'm going to do," I said, venom penetrating my tone.

"Ava, chill," Peter said.

"You might like kissing his arse, but it isn't my idea of fun," I snapped back. I turned to Eddie, deciding to set him straight. "And you. Don't think I'm stupid. You're a little too interested in what would happen if I drank blood. You're not all that invested in Carl's safety. Or mine for that matter. So maybe it's time you spat out what's really in it for you."

He stared at his plate for too long. I stood, ready to leave.

"Sit down." Eddie didn't shout, but his voice reverberated around the room, shocking me into obeying. The force of his will washed away and angered me all over again.

"I apologise," he added. "But you need to watch that attitude. It won't get you anywhere and you, little girl, owe me. You'll listen to my advice if you know what's good for you."

"Eddie, go easy on her," Peter said. Eddie held his hand up abruptly. Peter choked, his eyes widening in surprise. He grabbed his throat, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly.

"What are you doing to him?" I didn't know what to do. Eddie was more powerful than I had guessed, but Peter was turning purple. "Stop it!" I shouted, jumping to my feet again. Carl followed suit, but I pushed him back down, afraid Eddie would pick on him too.

Eddie rolled his eyes and gestured with his hand. Peter gasped a couple of ragged breaths.

"Now," Eddie said, an irrepressibly smug smile on his face. "I'm a lot older, wiser, and more powerful than you. Don't piss me off. This is your only warning."

Peter threw a horrified glance my way. I swore under my breath. I knew being around other people was a mistake. Someone always got hurt, or worse, turned out to be a major arsehole.

I leaned my elbows on the table and nestled my head in my hands. 14, 28, 56, 112, okay. All I had to do was persuade a hungry vampire to help me get rid of Carl, spark a vampire world war and manage to survive it all without being struck by lightning or getting offed by a moody as yet unknown entity with super powers called Eddie.

I sighed wearily and looked up at Eddie. "What exactly is it you want?" The odd presence I kept feeling blew on the back of my neck as if urging me to play along, except I wasn't sure whose side it was on.

Eddie grinned as though things hadn't gotten as tense as hell. "I don't want a thing, Ava. Not yet. But the time will come when I'll need you on my side. And I want you to be ready." He leaned forward and whispered to me. "Or you'll be no use to anyone."

A shiver ran up my back at his words and the darkness in his eyes, but I fired back a defiant glare, unable to let myself show he was intimidating me. One corner of his mouth curved upward.

"Why don't you three pay a visit to Becca," he said after a moment of tense silence. I'll work on Daimhín's crowd and get back to you. I know you could call, Peter, but I'd rather do it myself." He smirked at Peter who lowered his head.

None of us argued. We left, subdued into silent obedience. In the car, I sensed Peter's frustration, but I was curious.

"Who is he calling?" I asked.

"Nobody important. Maybe it was a mistake to go to Eddie," he muttered.

"We've no other options. Well, you do. But me and Carl? We're stuck."

"I've never seen him act that way before."

I shrugged. "What else can he do?"

"I don't know. I never knew he could do... what he did back there."

I pushed at Carl's long legs in frustration. There wasn't enough room in the back for him to sit comfortably without digging his knees into me.

"Oh, screw this." I climbed into the front seat, ignoring Peter's protestations. "I can't sit next to him back there!" I shrieked.

"But you just had breakfast!"

I glared at Peter. Of course he would assume I meant I couldn't control myself. In fairness, I couldn't, at least not without the help of the cross around my neck.

He glanced at me worriedly, barely paying attention to the road.

"Are you going to bite me, Ava?"

I snorted inelegantly. "Your blood doesn't appeal to me. Get over yourself. Where are we going anyway?" I said, desperate to steer the conversation away from things about Peter that might appeal to me.

"To Becca's house. It's her day off, so she won't be at the bar. She might know something about Arthur and that assassin. I mean, we've no idea if Arthur is alive, or undead, or... whatever."

"Shouldn't we go back and get some—I don't know—weapons or something?"

"It's only Becca, Ava. Don't overreact." I was almost certain I heard him mutter _such a girl_ under his breath.

"Besides, it's near Nancy's house. I thought you might like to drop in to her, say hello, have some tea."

He pretended to concentrate on the road, ignoring the choking noise I made. I hadn't realised Becca's place was close to my grandmother's home.

"I don't think we'll have time for that."

"Sure we will. Won't take long, and she'd like to see you." He turned to me, his eyes softer than usual, making my stomach quiver. I knew there was nothing between us, but I frequently needed to catch my breath when he looked at me.

"I can't." I couldn't hide the ache in my voice, but I really couldn't go see my grandmother. I wasn't ready to face the past. Not yet.

"I know you had it bad before with Nancy. So I'm sorry I was so hard on you at first. I thought you were something else. I don't know what you are, not really, and I don't exactly trust you, but I still shouldn't have treated you like that," Peter said, conflict clouding his expression.

"Really kills you to admit when you're wrong, doesn't it?" I said, trying to keep my voice light.

I could see him trying not to smile. I relaxed in my seat, for the first time feeling like we were on even footing.

"I tried to find you, you know," Peter told me after a few minute's silence. "Years ago. You never told me your surname, so I didn't connect you with Nancy until Eddie said it. Nancy hired me to look for you, but I couldn't get a trace. Guess the charms on your apartment building didn't help, eh?"

"I didn't want to be found," I said, baffled at the idea he had been looking for me on my grandmother's behalf.

"Yet you stayed so close to home," he said, trying to draw me out. I pretended he hadn't spoken.

"How come she hired you anyway?"

"I deal with things people don't believe in."

"What, like me?" I said, my tone wry.

"Occasionally. I'm good at finding bad."

"Gee, thanks."

He shrugged carelessly, but I noticed the look of pain that fleetingly crossed his face. I was intrigued, but he wasn't going to open up to me. I wanted to know more about him, his life, and whatever tragedy that had befallen his family, but I wasn't used to face-to-face contact. I didn't know how to talk to people properly.

"We won't stay long at Becca's. We can leave the giant in the car. Looks like he's sleeping like a baby again."

"Think he'll be okay?"

"Nope."

"You don't have to keep helping us, you know. I get the feeling you're sort of forced into it. But it's my mess. And it's gotten a lot worse. So if you need to head on without us, I totally understand."

I bit my lip, wanting him to stay. It was nice having the company.

"You're never gonna help Carl by yourself," he said with a teasing smile. "Someone has to keep an eye on you two. You seem to be getting on okay though. You know, with that drinking blood problem."

"Yeah, the thing Eddie reckons will solve all our problems. I'm doing okay with it. Mostly thanks to something Eddie gave me."

"Is it hard?" he asked. "Feeling thirsty all the time?"

I nodded, thinking about the sleepless nights I'd spent listening out for heartbeats and imagining what I could do to their warm-blooded owners.

"It's never good. And I've no idea what makes Eddie think it will help me out to just do it already. That's not going to end well."

"Have you bitten anyone since, you know, before you left Nancy?"

"No," I barely managed to speak. I had forgotten he would know all about me.

"He was okay, Ava. Wesley, I mean. You didn't hurt him, and he hadn't a clue what happened. You didn't have to leave."

I was flung back into the past at the mention of his name. My only boyfriend, one I had craved. I was attracted to Peter and lusted for Carl's blood, but with Wesley, it was the whole package. I could barely keep my hands off him, and I ignored the warning signs. Blood lust was so deeply coupled with attraction that I couldn't see straight.

And then I made my mistake. Alone together, we decided to take the next step. He was sweet and loving, and I was crazy about him. In the darkness, his kisses made me feel sure we were doing the right thing. Every touch, every kiss, every heartbeat was just right. But as our bodies moved together in a perfect rhythm, I lost control. One second I was throwing my head back in unbridled ecstasy, the next my fangs were shooting out and zoning in on his neck.

Wesley had cried out as soon as my fangs sank into his skin, but he was still enjoying himself. The pain hit him a couple of seconds later. Too late. Rich, spicy blood had already flooded my mouth, so much better than his touch. Mesmerised, I had lapped it up in a strange sort of frenzy. Warmth had rushed over me, and my body had rocked in orgasmic waves even as he desperately tried to get me off him.

Finally, his screams had disturbed me. I released him and looked up in surprise. The fear in his eyes had been plain to see. I knew the monster he saw before him, recognised the blood-stained animal that had feasted on him. I was my own worst nightmare.

Horrified with myself, I grabbed my clothes and fled. I kept running until I couldn't anymore. That took a long time; I must have been fuelled up on adrenalin or something. I rang my grandmother, Nancy, but her first words were—"What did you do?" I knew I couldn't go back home ever again.

"Ava?"

Peter's voice broke through my memories. I shook myself, realised my eyes were wet and quickly brushed them with my sleeve. I still couldn't go back, no matter what Peter said.

"Ava." He seemed reluctant to speak. "We're here. Carl can stay in the car, let's go see Becca."

# 9

Becca lived in a narrow block of apartments not so different to my own. It was nicer than my place though. My own street always seemed to be covered in perpetual darkness even on sunny days.

"She's up on top," Peter said, squinting as he looked upward. "Lift or stairs?"

"Stairs." No way was I risking being stuck in a lift with Peter. Plus, I couldn't chance leaving Carl alone for too long if the lift jammed. I was becoming fond of him, as though he were a pet I was babysitting for a friend. Odd to have around, but I suspected I might even miss him once he left.

We ventured up the stairs in silence.

"Number 6b," Peter informed me.

I gulped. Six was never a good sign. My gut reaction intensified when we reached the apartment and saw the door was wide open. Inside, most of the furniture had been toppled over.

I sniffed the air. "I smell blood."

Peter put his finger to his lips and gestured for me to follow him. He crept past the wide open door, glancing left and right. His heart thudded loudly in his chest, distracting me.

"Wait here," he whispered and headed toward what might have been the bedroom or bathroom. The place was brightly coloured, a dramatic contrast to the bar, but something bothered me. I couldn't figure out what had triggered the warning signals in my brain.

I jumped with fright as something crashed to the floor in the room Peter had entered. I heard him yell and raced after him. He was on the ground, Becca on top of him. Her face was covered in blood. My stomach did a flip as I realised it was Peter's blood.

"What the hell?'

She whipped her head around at my words and showed her teeth. Her eyes were so red that I had to double check to see if she had fangs. She didn't. But her very ordinary human teeth were covered in blood from where she had bitten Peter's shoulder. He was too dazed to struggle.

"You crazy bitch" I shouted as I lunged at her. She barely had time to get to her feet before I collided with her. We rolled on the floor and crashed into the corner of the bed. She was quicker to recover than me and pinned me down. It took less than two seconds for me to get scared at the sheer force of her strength. I could barely move. I was getting pretty sick of everyone pinning me down with such apparent ease.

Becca wrapped her hands around my neck, moaning with excitement as my heartbeat raced.

"You... monster," I said, gasping and desperately pinching at her hands to no avail. My air supply was depleting rapidly, and her fingers were making a good effort at crushing the bones in my neck. Not again. Peter was still prone on the ground, Carl wasn't around, and I was on my own.

I tried to buck her off me, but she gripped my waist tight with her knees. I kept moving as much as I could to distract her while I desperately reached out with my hands for something to use as a weapon. Under the bed, my fingers brushed against something cool and metallic. I struggled to grip onto it but finally managed to take a firm hold. I pulled, but it was stuck on something. Black dots marred my vision; I knew I hadn't long left. With one last blast of adrenalin, I pulled as hard as I could and felt a release. I swung into the air and realised I was holding a hair straightener.

My heart sank as it barely connected, but the wire managed to whip around into the air, the prongs of the plug connecting with her eye.

"Ow!" She howled with pain, letting go of my neck to instinctively touch her eye socket. Blood seeped from her eye, but I didn't care. Air slammed into my lungs making me want to retch, but I concentrated on tackling her. The back of her head smacked to the ground as I held her down. Peter stirred behind me, but I couldn't turn to check on him. Becca was much stronger than me, and I knew I couldn't keep her pinned for much longer. I had only one weapon—my fangs. They shot out, but I hesitated, unwilling to commit.

I felt cold air blow on the back of my neck and heard one word whisper in my ear.

"Bite."

Excitement flooded through me. I shuddered as I sank my teeth into flesh. Her skin tore easily. She tasted funny, but her screams of pain and fear encouraged me to keep going. Instead of lapping, I sucked and dug my fangs deeper into her arteries. I relished the feeling of pure raw energy flowing through my system. As she weakened, I became stronger.

"Ava, stop it!" Peter shouted, but his words were dull behind the wall of power I was creating. Becca's heartbeat slowed, and the humanity inside pulled me away from her.

"Oh, God," I said, horrified, even as I licked her wound and the blood from my chin.

I covered my mouth and looked up at Peter, appalled by how little I regretted what I had done.

"Is she okay?" he said, pushing me out of the way to check her pulse. "Why did you do that?"

"You told me to bite her!"

"You wish."

I remembered the cold presence I felt and realised he was telling the truth.

"Shit," I murmured to myself. "Eddie." The cold air turned into a sharp blast of icy protest against my neck. I rubbed it hard, trying to warm up again. "Okay, sorry."

"What are you on about?" Peter snapped. Becca was too pale, but I could see her shallow breaths, hear her slow heartbeat. Everything was louder, clearer, more intense than before. The first time I had bitten someone, I barely drank and was so freaked out afterwards I could have sprouted wings and not noticed. This time I had drunk my fill. Satiated for the first time in my life, I now saw colours on a whole new spectrum. Performing the act of a dead creature had made me feel more alive than ever.

"Her wound is healing," Peter said, in awe. "Did you do that?"

I shook my head, unable to stay calm. "She bit you. What the fuck, Peter?"

He shivered noticeably and backed away from Becca—and me. "She jumped on me from behind, almost knocked me out. Then she bit me and banged my head off the ground. I must have passed out or something. I woke up and you were on her." He wrapped his arms around himself, his face pale. "You're all scary as hell, I hope you know that."

Carl burst through the doorway, ready to save us, presumably. He looked from me to Becca, and I bit down a wave of nausea.

"Carl, you watch Becca. Don't let her leave. Or bite anyone," I said, needing a minute away from everyone.

I headed to the bathroom to clean my face. Looking at myself in the mirror, I noticed a pale red gleam in my eyes. I had to sit on the side of the bath to settle myself. My entire body buzzed with excess energy. I'd done it—but not because I couldn't help myself. I looked at the silver cross. Red swirls of colour skimmed the surface. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see. The hit of adrenalin had faded away, and I was left with a funny, shaky feeling.

I almost killed Becca—but she might have killed me if I hadn't fought back. She was crazy strong, stronger than me until I fed on her. What on earth had possessed her? She might be human, but she was acting like more of a vampire than I was. Even her blood tasted funny.

I left the bathroom and looked around for a reason not to join the others. Remembering Becca's red eyes, I inspected her kitchen. A serious lack of food, but plenty of chilled blood.

"That's just weird," I said to myself.

The cold presence blew gently on the back of my neck as if in agreement.

"Ava! She's awake," called Carl.

Becca was awake all right, and mad as hell.

"Get your slave off me!" she spat, reminding me of a hissy cat.

"He's not my slave. What's with all the blood in the fridge, you freak?"

"Blood?" Peter said. "What the hell's wrong with you, Becca?"

"I need it, okay? Look, Petey, let me go. I'll be good, promise," Becca said, the whine in her voice making me angry. She gazed up at Peter, her eyes wide with innocence, but the dried blood all over her chin ruined the effect.

He looked away in disgust.

"Why did you attack Peter? Did you know we were coming?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't have to answer your questions, bitch."

Carl shoved at her. It was like having a guard dog, only better. She seemed to be offended that he was the one containing her.

"I don't feel good," she said in a tiny, pitiful voice. "You drank too much, you silly cow."

She _was_ pretty pale. "I know," I said, beating down panic. "Answer a couple of questions, and I'll take you to hospital."

"We can't take her there. She might bite someone," Peter said.

"Just give me a drink," Becca snapped.

Peter recoiled in unconcealed horror.

"I meant one from my fridge," she amended, but she looked thrilled by his reaction.

"Okay, Peter go and get some." I told him, seeing I had to take the lead this time. "Don't heat it up."

Becca glared at me but didn't argue.

I sat on her bed. "Spill, Becca. We'll feed you if you do."

She rolled her eyes with disdain, but when Peter returned with a bag of blood, her face lit up. She licked her lips greedily. "They told me to watch out for you. I was supposed to hurt you if I could. 'Cause I can go out during the day."

"Give her the blood," I said. She ripped it open and gulped it down, barely pausing to take a breath. Her eyes rolled upward with pleasure when she drained the last drop.

"Why are you drinking blood, Becca?" Peter had a funny look on his face, like he was barely holding it together.

"No choice." She sighed softly, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Ava, I changed my mind. She looks like hell. We have to take her to the hospital. Fuck the blood bags. She might need a transfusion," Peter said.

"I don't. Just give me another drink, and I'll be fine."

He got one, threw it at her, and stormed out of her flat.

"What did they do to you?" I asked her, disgusted by how eagerly she was drinking. I hoped I didn't look like that to Peter.

She shrugged. "They're turning me into one of them."

"That's not possible," I said, scoffing at her delusions.

"It is now. There are these Spanish vampires, yeah? They kept testing on people, trying to turn them, trying to figure out how to trigger the change. Finally it worked on one guy. The rest all died."

"They figured it out? They can turn humans into vampires?" So _not_ good.

"Yeah, but it's pricey. Max reckons I'm a good candidate, so I get an injection every week—he bites me daily. I haven't changed yet, obviously, but I'm close. I can feel it. I'm so thirsty now. I think I'd die if I didn't drink blood.

"Have you even tried?" I said.

She ignored me. The whole thing was insane; I couldn't believe the vampires were actually testing on people like that. Worse still, it sometimes worked.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

She laughed without humour. "Like hell. But it'll be worth it. So what the fuck are you then? What's all the fuss about? You have fangs; you must be closer to the change than me. Damn."

She actually thought I was like her. Sick to the stomach, I was glad when Peter returned.

"Ava, I have to go."

"Can I get up now, Petey? I'm sleepy." Becca's heartbeat was still slow. I almost felt guilty.

"Let's get out of here, Ava," Peter said.

I nodded. Becca couldn't be trusted. I picked her up, surprised by how easy it was, and laid her on the bed. She was already dozing off.

"Wait a second, Becca. Is Maximus coming after me?"

"He wants you real bad," she said dozily. "People in the day. Vampires at night. Someone's gonna get you."

"You tell Maximus to come get me himself. I'll be at the bookshop, you know, the one with the smashed windows." I was pissed off, but her eyes had closed, so I wasn't sure if she heard me.

"Let's go," I muttered, avoiding Peter's eyes as we walked downstairs. "First thing I'm doing when this is all over is get self-defence lessons. I keep getting hopped on." I tried to laugh, but Peter didn't respond. I sniffed the air and bit my lip.

"I'm driving," I told Peter at the car. He didn't argue. That scared me more than anything. "Think she'll be okay?" I asked him, just to get him to speak.

"Who cares?" He moved to get in the backseat, but I stopped him.

"Wait," I said. "Carl, get in."

I looked up at Peter, almost too embarrassed to speak. "Don't freak out, but your shoulder is still bleeding a little. It's kind of distracting, but I think I can close the wound. Will you let me?"

He hesitated, then nodded. I held him still and inched closer to his shoulder. His blood didn't call to me like Carl's did, but it was blood, so it was going to entice me in some way. I ran my tongue over the slow bleeding gash on his neck, feeling his pulse thud. He tasted a lot nicer than Becca, sweeter. His scent reminded me of cinnamon. I licked again and again, as the skin gradually knot itself together under my tongue. For whatever reason, I could fix him.

He pushed me away from him roughly. I realised then how close I'd been to him. We were both panting. Droplets of sweat rolled down his temples.

"I need a drink," he muttered.

# 10

I followed Peter's directions and drove us to what turned out to be a tiny pub.

"You can't drive for shit," he mumbled under his breath as we left the car.

"It's been a while, okay?" My ex-boyfriend had taught me, but I hadn't driven since. "Isn't it a bit early for this?" I asked, more to distract myself. Since I tasted Peter, his cinnamon scent had overtaken my nostrils completely.

"Never too early for a shot after being fed on," he replied.

He knocked back four shots then chased them with a beer.

"Feel better yet?" I asked.

He glared at me. "I've been bitten by a human, watched you go into a little vampiric frenzy and almost kill someone, and then you licked me as if you wanted to..." His cheeks flushed red. "And, apparently, there are vampires and humans galore after us. What the fuck are we supposed to do now?"

"Well, we could get shit-faced drunk, or we could man up and deal with it," I snapped back.

"Option A it is," he said and ordered more shots. "Want one, Carl?"

"You can't give him alcohol!"

"Why not? Look at the size of him. He can take it."

"I dunno, it's like giving alcohol to a kid or something. Stop it!"

"You really need to lighten up," he said and downed another drink.

"What do we do now?" I asked him, trying to get him focused on reality.

"We drink. And if we're smart, we forget all about things that go bump in the night. Even if you're one."

"We have to do something, Peter."

"What we have to do is face facts. Life is shit, and then you die. Some of us sooner than others. And if you're really unlucky, some psycho bitch will bite a chunk out of your neck."

I tried to get him to focus—even catching him up on what Becca had said about the experiments in Spain, but he brushed it off. Two hours of constant moaning later, and he could barely stand. "That's it, we're going," I told him when he knocked a glass into my lap.

"Spoilsport," he muttered but followed me anyway. I hoped even he was fed up with his whining. Carl held him up long enough to make it to the car without toppling over.

"I'm driving, you idiot," I said, guiding him away from the driver's seat. "Both of you, in the back, now." I felt like a harassed mother, something I would never be. In the car, I drummed on the steering wheel. Peter had lost it. He was supposed to be this big hunter or something, and he couldn't deal with having his shoulder licked by a girl.

"My house," Peter said, slurring his words. "Safe." He closed his eyes and was soon snoring. It took me a long time to drive there. Not only did I get slightly lost, I was pretty sure a car was following us. I wanted to get it off our trail, so my driving grew even more erratic. Eventually, the car disappeared from the rear view mirror. I breathed a sigh of relief and tried to remember where exactly Peter lived. I wanted to be inside before anyone else came looking for me. I also needed to work out how to make sure Carl and Peter stayed safe if anything worse happened.

Both men were asleep when I pulled into Peter's driveway. I decided to work on Peter first seeing as it was his house. I figured one of the keys linked with his car keys would fit his front door. I struggled to help him out of the car, but once he untangled his legs from under the passenger seat, supporting him to his front door was fine. I felt strong, part of the after-effects of drinking Becca's blood.

One of the keys fit into the door, but no matter what I did, it wouldn't turn.

"Is there some knack to this or what?"

He looked at me blankly for a few seconds before pointing downward. A thin slot was on the bottom of the door. "Card key. Wallet," he mumbled and gestured to the back pocket of his jeans. I tutted and reached into his pocket, avoiding his eyes.

"Seriously paranoid," I muttered as I flipped open the wallet. I instantly paused because the first thing I saw was a photo of a smiling toddler with large hazel eyes, just like Peter's.

Peter snapped the wallet out of my hands and found the card key himself, his fingers shaking. He bent down to feed it into the door but fell over. I tried not to laugh as I helped him back up. He stumbled into me, forcing me back against the door. This time I held his gaze and listened when his heartbeat sped up. He smelled like stress and alcohol. It was hardly romantic, but nobody told the butterflies in my stomach. He brushed my hair from my face with a surprisingly gentle touch.

"I don't get it," he said. I waited for him to elaborate.

"Peter?" said a woman's voice in a quizzical tone.

Over his shoulder, I saw a woman approach us. She was around thirty and beautiful, with very defined features and short, glossy, chocolate brown hair. Becca had been a fake, overly flirty piece of trash, but this one was three steps above me on the ladder and provoked an unfamiliar twitch of jealousy. Then I remembered the photo of the cute kid in Peter's wallet and put two and two together.

I side-stepped and distanced myself from Peter automatically. The woman glanced at me then back to Peter with the most disappointed look on her face. She called his name again, but he blatantly ignored her. Mortified, I figured my best bet was to move on quietly and leave them alone, so I tried to slip away.

"Where are you going?" Peter's voice was cold and brash.

I shuddered at the unpleasantness of his tone. "I'm going to get Carl. Make our way home."

"No, you're not. Go get him and come in."

His abruptness put my back up, but I knew he was right. We had to make some sort of a plan before the vampires woke for the night. I always knew when, that one point in time when they all collectively opened their eyes. It was the moment I became more alive too.

The woman raised an eyebrow. I glared at Peter before storming off.

"Wake up, Carl," I hissed, taking my frustration out on him. He took it mildly which infuriated me even more. I twisted the cross in my fingers as we hurried to the house. Night was going to come quicker than usual, I could tell.

The alarm went off as soon as I stepped past the hall door. I tensed, remembering the last time, but Peter was busy muttering in the corner. The sound stopped, and the crazy look on Peter's face disappeared. I shut the door behind me, wondering how long I was going to last with his mood swings.

He led us into the living room. The woman wasn't there.

"Where's your girlfriend gone?" I asked.

"Who? Oh, her. Home."

He turned his back on me and left the room, mumbling something about making a phone call. When he returned, he vibrated with anger, but at least he wasn't as hopelessly drunk.

"Maybe you should have a rest," I suggested.

"Can't. I spoke to Eddie. He contacted Daimhín's day assistant and told her he could hand you over to her."

"Day assistant?" I asked.

"Yeah, someone who does whatever needs to be done when she can't," Peter said.

"Why would someone want to work for a vampire?"

"Maybe she pays well. Hey, Carl, why don't you go fix yourself something to eat in the kitchen."

Carl pottered off. "Thanks," I said. "He needs to eat a lot, for a human."

"Whatever." Peter's dismissive tone forced me to realise we were back to square one. "Maximus is bound to turn up at Eddie's place again, so let's hope Daimhín's there when he does."

"They should just attack each other, right? Nobody else needs to get hurt?" I didn't want to risk a human life just to pit one set of vampires against the other.

"Maybe, if we're lucky. Next problem is Arthur. You sure you want his help? Not getting attached to old Carl there?"

"I want him to go home," I said, surprised Peter had to ask. "He won't even tell me where he lives, so I can let his family know he's okay."

"Aren't you sweet?"

"Get over yourself, Peter Brannigan." I had about enough of his sarcasm for one day.

He held up his hands and exhaled loudly. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm just pissed off at... everything. Let's forget it for now and concentrate on staying alive, okay?"

I shrugged, upset by his attitude, and worrying he wasn't really contrite but was merely saving his angst for later. He pulled out a drawer in his desk and beckoned me over.

"You and Carl are going to take some of these, just in case. We may need to use them to take on Arthur. He's kind of fascinated by you; I don't think we'll need to threaten him. But just in case."

"Who are you, Buffy the Second Coming?" I said, running my hands over finely sharpened stakes, silver handcuffs and what looked like bottles of holy water.

"Hilarious. If we work together, we should be able to take Arthur without anyone getting hurt. Theoretically."

He took out two stakes, a couple of bottles of holy water, a pair of handcuffs, and a long, thick silver chain. "Keep these in your bag, and give Carl some holy water. It's the only thing he can't do something stupid with."

I stuffed the lot into my bag. "Thanks."

"I need some sleep. Do what you want until I wake up. Then we're off." He turned abruptly and headed up the stairs leaving me feeling cold. He had sobered up once his girlfriend had shown up, but then his mood had turned even sourer. I was sure he was in trouble because of my problems, and he didn't need any more.

I waited a few minutes, thinking things through, then headed into the kitchen. "You're going to make yourself sick," I told Carl. I sat down next to him. "I'm going to need your help tonight. Bad people are coming for us. Will you help me get one of them alone? He owes me a favour."

"Of course."

I gave him some holy water and wrapped a long silver chain around his neck. "Keep this on," I warned him. "If anything gets a hankering for your throat, this might put them off. And take this stake. I swear, Carl, if you hurt yourself with that thing, I'll kill you. Only use it against a vampire if you really need to, okay? Can I rely on you?"

He nodded, turning the stake over in his hand.

"Hide it in your sleeve or something. Like this." I helped him and carried on, suddenly feeling shy. "Carl, I know the real you is in there somewhere, and I'm guessing you know a little of what's going on. I wanted to say, I'm sorry, okay? All of this mess is my fault, and the only way I can fix it is by putting us in danger again. I don't know what else to do. It'll be over soon. I promise."

He was listening, but I wasn't sure he understood me exactly. I sighed and got to my feet. I figured I had given Peter enough time to fall asleep.

"Come on, we're going."

"Is Peter okay?"

"Yes, but he's staying here this time."

Carl nodded although he looked disappointed. We left quietly, making sure the door was closed securely behind us. I sniffed the air, scenting the faintest smell of blood, then moved on quickly with Carl.

"You sure you don't want to tell me where you live, Carl?"

"With you."

"Nah, I meant before that. Where's your family? I could let them know you'll be home soon."

He ignored me. I had a feeling he could resist the thrall in some ways.

The plan in my head was clear. Do it all myself and stop the others from being hurt. I couldn't forget the horror in Peter's eyes when he saw Becca and me drinking blood. He had done enough. Carl didn't even know what he was getting into. It wasn't fair to include him, but I had no choice. It was the only way I could break the bond.

I figured it was time to see Eddie. As soon as I walked into his bookshop, he knew. He could tell exactly what I'd done. And it made him very happy. The cold presence blew urgently against the back of my neck, but I already knew I was signing a deal with the devil.

"You're back," he said, not bothering to cover up his smugness. "And feeling better than ever?"

"Not exactly."

"You did feed?"

"I had no choice. I didn't do it because I'm bloodthirsty, okay?"

His eyes softened. "It was the right thing to do. How can you help anyone if you aren't strong? There's no shame in what you are, Ava. You aren't evil. You have gifts, and if you let yourself, you might do some good in the world."

"Good for the world? Or good for you?" I wasn't afraid of him anymore. My time was running out, and I hadn't much to lose by pissing him off.

"Maybe they're not mutually exclusive."

"Yeah, right. Look. You pretend you're going to give me to Daimhín tonight. Becca told us Maximus himself is coming for me too. Let them duke it out while I get Arthur alone, so Carl can go home unharmed."

"And then?"

I sighed, more weary than I ever thought possible. "Then someone has to win. I can't hide forever."

"You can't let them take you, Ava. I won't let you. I've waited too long for this."

"If you could take them on, you wouldn't need me, would you?"

He stared at me. My head become light as his eyes darkened. It would have been so easy to fall into the emptiness. I struggled against it, smiling in triumph as his forehead creased in confusion. I shrugged off his power with ease in the end.

He moved in closer. "See what you can do when you let yourself be who you really are?"

"It's not who I am," I said, fierce in my belief. "I'm Ava, _not_ vampire. Remember that one, Eddie bloody Brogan."

"You don't have to fight everything," Eddie said.

"Feels like I can't stop fighting. It's okay, Carl," I added hurriedly, seeing Carl preparing to strike out at Eddie. He knew I was upset, and that reminded me of something.

"Eddie, Carl seemed to know I was in trouble earlier."

"That can happen, yes."

"But it wears off, right? After the whole bond business is done?"

"Probably." He raised his hands to quieten me. "That's not important right now, Ava. Let's talk about tonight. I can't help you much. I can't directly harm the vampires, but I can try to keep Carl safe. For a while at least."

"A while?"

"Power isn't unlimited. I'll do what I can for as long as I can." His expression darkened, and some of the books fell off the shelves.

"Sorry. How can I hurt Arthur? Without killing him I mean? I need to get him away from the others so he can help us. I don't want to go too far by accident."

"Silver will contain him. But if it penetrates his heart, he'll die almost instantly. Holy water will hurt but never do enough damage to kill. Fire is lethal, but you need a lot of it. Breaking bones, even the neck, will hurt and take a long time to heal, but completely removing the head from the body will kill them," he told me, no emotion in his voice.

"Fine. That's fine," I said. "I have what I need. I can do this, right?"

"Of course you can. But you might need this." He rummaged under the counter and took out a heavy wooden box. It was covered in engravings. He put on a pair of gloves and opened the box, retrieving a small silver dagger. He handed it to me gingerly, handle first.

It was heavy in my hand and felt surprisingly warm. Vibrating with power, it gleamed sapphire blue when it touched my skin. The very tip of the blade was curved. I touched it lightly with my finger and jumped with alarm as even the briefest of touches resulted in a few drops of blood falling from my finger. What had really startled me was the heat that came from the blade.

"It's ancient," Eddie said, looking at it longingly. "It's made of fire and light, metal and magic. It works perfectly against vampires. It's powerful, so don't lose it."

I put it into my bag, ignoring Eddie's exasperated sigh. I sucked on my finger to stem the flow of blood. As soon as it left my lips, Eddie grabbed my hand and peered at my fingertip. I pulled my hand away and took a step backward. Carl tried to move forward, but I got in his way. He actually had something to lose.

"It's true," Eddie said, his mouth widening into a rapturous smile. "You healed yourself, didn't you?"

"Not really." The cold presence was frantically sweeping across the back of my neck.

He gripped my shoulders tight. "Ava, don't let anyone know about it. You don't want to make yourself more attractive to Maximus, trust me."

I rubbed my face, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "It's never happened before today, why now?"

"Maybe you never licked an open wound before. Or perhaps you did and didn't stick around long enough to see what happened next." He smiled slyly. "Perhaps it's linked to the blood you've drank. It's not really healing, rather accelerating the normal cell re-growth."

He moved away, taking his time and picking up the books that had fallen when he got angry. "Or perhaps you're just special."

I exchanged a look with Carl. Something about Eddie set him off on alert every single time. It was like he was hearing something I didn't.

"Yeah, sure, special," I said, forcing a laugh. "Anyway, back to tonight. Should we find somewhere to hide?"

Eddie faced me, his eyes stern and cold. "I made a promise, Ava. I'll be handing you over tonight."

"Don't you think—"

"No. I don't. No discussions. I'll cloak Carl, but you need to be seen. Prepare yourself. Perhaps you'd like to have a nibble on Carl while you're waiting."

He left the room with a smile on his face.

"Don't even think about it," I snapped at Carl.

Rancid fear had been simmering inside me all day. Now it was boiling over. If we could surprise Arthur by getting to him from behind then we had a chance. Being handed to vampires didn't seem to leave us with any hope. I wasn't sure what would happen to Carl if I died, but I couldn't trust Eddie to keep him safe. I wanted Peter's advice, but it was better for both of us if I kept my distance.

Carl and I sat in the shop's back room together, mostly in silence. I had an awful sensation that I was waiting for my doom.

"Carl, I might die tonight. If I do, can you do me some favours?" I said, hoping he could take in what I was saying.

"You won't die. I'll do anything for you," he replied. I didn't doubt his belief, but I knew our chances weren't great.

"I don't know if our bond will break," I said. "If it doesn't, and I die, I want you to run. As fast as you can to someplace safe. Either this place, or mine. Or even to Peter for the night. Don't let them catch you."

"I won't," he said.

"And. If you could. Tell my grandmother? About all of this, except maybe leave out the bit when I drank Becca's blood."

Carl smiled and nodded, but I had no way of knowing if he really understood me. Just in case, I lowered my voice and leaned closer to him. "If things go right, and the bond breaks? Get out of there. Don't stick around. Just leave, and forget me. Never look back at any of this. And no matter what happens, don't trust Eddie. Not ever."

He shook my hand solemnly. I hoped he would remember my words when it mattered.

# 11

Night came too quickly. The moon cried out to me, the blood in my veins answered her call. I didn't know how to prepare for death. Eddie joined us, keeping our silent vigil until it was time.

"I'd like to say a prayer," he told us not long before it was time for vampires to wake. He lit some candles and placed a cracked black bowl on the table.

"Blood. Love. Sacrifice. Accept our offerings, and protect our souls. Connected and ready to serve. Fill us with power, and watch over us." He cut his hand, letting the blood drip into the bowl. I touched the cross, but it wasn't necessary. Eddie's blood was wrong. The colour, texture, and smell repulsed me. Once again, I was filled with curiosity about who he was—and exactly who, or what, he was praying to.

"Do you offer?" he asked Carl who nodded, strangely interested in the proceedings. Before I could stop him, he sliced Carl's palm and squeezed his hand until his blood fell into the bowl. Eddie held his hand out to me. Hesitant, I placed mine in his cool palm. He swiftly cut me and drained some of my blood into the bowl.

"Give me the dagger," he said. I glanced at him as I handed it over. His jaws were slack. He reminded me of a puppet on a string as his arms moved jerkily around. He spoke in a language I wasn't familiar with. Guttural sounds that stirred something within me. Fear slowly dissipated, only to be replaced with something else. Courage, perhaps? Or merely foolhardiness.

Eddie kissed the knife, his lips blistering at once. He stirred the blood in the bowl with the dagger. A blue light flared up from the liquid, making me jump backward in fright. Eddie spoke one more word, and the light vanished. He lifted the knife, shook it once, and then offered the bowl to me.

"Drink," he urged.

I hesitated. Freaky hoodoo stuff wasn't my thing. Neither was drinking my own blood. Eddie's hadn't looked too delicious, and I didn't need to know what Carl's tasted like.

"Just drink it," he said, pushing the bowl into my hands.

I shook my head, but his eyes darkened, and the room vibrated. The cold presence brushed against my hands, so I raised the bowl to my lips and slowly took a sip. I had to close my eyes to stop my head from spinning. It didn't taste like blood. It tasted like... sunlight. Warmth. And power. Most of all, power. I tipped the bowl to drain the lot. Pure heat rolled down my throat, completely destroying the panic inside me.

Eddie placed his palm against my forehead and pushed until I resisted.

"Flood our sister with spirit. Let the Keeper of Light stay safe to lead us on through the storms ahead. Make the Warrior of Flame return."

My eyes shot open. Eddie's were black, but flickering flames reflected in his eyes. I glanced at Carl who was staring at me like I had turned into a shooting star or something. Then it was over. Eddie broke away, and the tension snapped. The room lit up, and my skin tingled.

"It's time," he said, handing Carl a small pouch. "Keep that in your pocket. You won't be seen until the power runs out."

"What about this?" I gestured to the chain around my neck. "When will this run out?"

Eddie patted my shoulder and gave me the dagger, still dripping with our blood. "It already ran out. I can't sense any of the magic anymore."

I hadn't felt a real longing from the thirst since Eddie had given me the cross. It couldn't have run out already. He smiled reassuringly and gave a little nod, as if he knew exactly what record my mind was playing.

"Come." He bade us to follow him.

This time I stuck the dagger in my belt and promised myself I was getting a kick ass sheath for next time—if there was a next time.

I took a deep breath as I stood next to Eddie at the front door of his bookshop. Every cell in my body hummed in anticipation as darkness fell.

"They're here," Eddie said at last. I already knew. I swallowed my fear and held my head high as a group approached the bookshop.

"No further," Eddie shouted.

The vampire in the very centre of the group held up her hand. Those around her halted. One made me catch my breath. No more than thirteen, she was different to the others. Vampire, but not. Her sad gaze penetrated mine until hers flickered back to the central vampire who stepped forward into the glow of a streetlight, allowing me to take a good look at her. She had short grey hair cut tight against her head. A tiny woman, she looked no more formidable than me. Her wrinkled skin gave her a harmless look, but her eyes were fierce.

"Is this she?" Her voice was quiet enough, but it carried over my skin until it felt like I was shrivelling up.

"Yes," replied Eddie. For an instant, I imagined I saw a wisp of something ahead of me, but it disappeared almost immediately. I felt two forces in the air, Daimhín's and Eddie's. Both having a silent battle unbeknownst to everyone else. "Is my debt paid in full?"

My head jerked toward Eddie in surprise. He ignored me. I bit my lip as a lump formed in my throat. I had been used. I turned back to the vampire, unable to look at Eddie for a second longer. I desperately tried to figure out how this affected our plans, but I couldn't concentrate—I was too scared.

Daimhín inclined her head. "As soon as you hand her over for execution."

Eddie pushed me forward. I was completely alone until I felt Carl's presence behind me along with someone or something who gently left a cool kiss on my cheek. I found it comforting. Carl squeezed my hand, and my heart slowed a little. Daimhín's face was expressionless. She stared at me until another voice spoke from a roof behind her.

"I think an execution might be a tad over the top."

Daimhín's face creased in disgust as a figure jumped down, followed by a number of others, one of whom I recognised as Arthur.

"Here _I_ am, hunting her down, and this disgraced oddity hands her over to you. I. Saw. Her. First."

I guessed he was Maximus, not that it mattered. His hair was long, and his clothes flamboyant. He obviously wanted to be noticed. He probably knew Daimhín was there and went out of his way to make a cool entrance. I wasn't impressed. Neither was Daimhín, judging by the fire in her eyes. She kept her voice steady.

"I claim her. Leave. You have no business here tonight."

"Oh, but I do," he said, sneering as he sauntered closer to her. I could almost see her hackles rise.

"I won't repeat myself again, Maximus. Go."

His eyes glinted as he entered the light of the street lamp. He licked his protruding fangs as he looked me over.

"Don't even think about it," Daimhín said, sounding like a mother talking to a bold toddler.

I gripped Carl's hand behind my back, unsure of what to do next. Arthur approached but was still some distance behind Maximus.

Maximus ignored Daimhín and headed straight for me. Closer now, I could tell he had once been handsome. A strong jaw line was now covered in mottled skin, and the long hair was a distraction from the many blemishes on his face and neck. Yet he moved as though he were God's gift to women.

Quick as a flash, Daimhín was in front of him, blocking his way. Carl pushed me slightly, getting me out of their path.

Both vampires squared up to each other. It was almost comical—one very tall, flamboyant old man against a tiny, shrivelled looking old woman. But then she sliced him across the face with her fingernails, and it wasn't close to funny anymore. He howled with pain as she tore strips of skin away then responded by punching her so hard, she flew backward straight through where I had been standing. Eddie managed to dodge out of the way in time. He ran inside and locked the door, abandoning Carl and I to our fate.

Daimhín was flung against the wall, her head cracking against the brickwork. It didn't slow her down. She made a furious noise of rage and ran straight at Maximus, knocking him to the ground. I watched his coven, expecting them to help him, but they hesitated. Daimhín's vampires took the choice away by following her lead and hurling themselves at the enemy. I couldn't even pick Arthur out from the brawling crowd.

"Crap. What now?" I muttered.

A hand clamping around my mouth stifled a scream that would have surely been shrill.

"Hush," Peter whispered, his lips brushing against my ear. "Follow me."

I grabbed his sleeve and followed him willingly, relieved beyond measure. Carl and I scurried after him as he led us down a laneway. He made sure no one was following us before launching straight into a lecture.

"What the hell did you think you were doing? Why did you and Carl run off? This isn't the plan! Handing yourself straight over like that, you could have been killed!"

"It was Eddie's idea," said Carl. Peter jumped and looked all around.

"Oh, right, Eddie shielded Carl so he can't be seen," I explained.

"Wait," Peter said. "Eddie decided you should leave me behind and walk straight into the path of ancients?"

"Not exactly," I admitted. "Just the bit about the ancients."

Peter ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. "I can't believe you brought Carl into this alone."

"I know it sounds stupid, but he has to be involved, so I thought the fewer people getting caught up in this, the better."

"You're an idiot," he said. "So, what was the next part? How were you planning on getting Arthur away from the others?"

I shrugged. "Distract him somehow..."

"You two seriously need me around. Luckily, I have my car and a brain in my head. Let's go nab us a vampire."

# 12

"You sure this is going to work?" I whispered to Peter. "I mean, we can't even see Carl."

"Yeah, but you can hear his heartbeat and smell his blood. That little nick on his hand is going to be like a radar for you _and_ the other vampires, so we have to be quick."

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as we watched vampires tear chunks out of each other using just their teeth and fingernails.

"We don't stand a chance," I said.

"Want me to do the next bit? You can drive if you like."

"No, I can do it. Keep the car running."

Deep down, I was desperate to go home and forget about the whole thing. I got out of the car, re-pierced the small wound on Carl's hand and led him toward the vampires, trying not to wince at the blood and lumps of flesh flying everywhere.

"There he is," I whispered, finally spotting Arthur.

"Yeah, I got him," Carl replied, sounding a lot more confident than I felt.

Peter had been right. I knew exactly where Carl was. I followed him as close as I dared without being seen by Arthur who was finishing off a small female vampire. As he ripped off the vampire's head with a grunt, Carl began to softly call his name.

Arthur's head jerked around, bloodlust in his eyes. He hopped up and ran toward Carl before I could blink. Just as fast, I sped after him, delighting in the sense of freedom. I was faster than ever, from Becca's blood and possibly Eddie's spell.

Arthur ran right into Carl. I hadn't expected him to lock onto Carl without even wondering why he couldn't see him. I sped up, terrified I was going to be too late.

Arthur threw back his head and tried to sink his teeth into what I assumed was an invisible Carl's throat. He flew backward as if burned. I smiled, remembering how I had wrapped a silver chain around Carl's neck. Arthur's hesitation was perfect. I clamped the silver handcuffs on to his wrist and mine. He whipped his head around in confusion and tried to back away, but I held him still.

Changing his mind, Arthur launched himself at me, his jaws wide. His face contorted in pain and a howl emitted from his throat as Carl wrapped his chain around Arthur's neck, making it easy to lead him to the car. I was beginning to think we might make it when the cold presence I kept feeling blew so hard, my hair fell over my face.

I turned around and realised one vampire had spotted us. He eyed us warily then put his head down and ran. I snapped the handcuff off my wrist, not even pausing to notice how easy it was.

"Run," I whispered. "Don't let them see the chain."

Carl managed to hurry on with Arthur without holding out the chain, making it look like Arthur was running away.

I slipped the silver dagger out of my belt and waited. It didn't matter whose side the vampire was on, I had to stop him. He was on me in seconds, rushing at me so hard, he ran straight into the dagger. I used his strength against him. Too late, his eyes widened as he felt the blade sink into his skin. He didn't even cry out, but the red tint disappeared from his eyes, replaced by fear. The knife burned him from the inside out. Every vein under his skin glowed before his entire body burst into flames that quickly burned out into dust.

"Holy shit," I muttered, trembling at the intensity of the flame and how quick the whole fight had been. Then pain shot through my arm, and I realised his fingernails had sliced deep into my flesh before he died. I quickly licked the wounds and didn't wait to look at them heal.

Slipping the most awesome dagger in the world back into my belt, I turned to run back to the car. Peter had gotten out and was helping a now visible Carl shove Arthur into the backseat without him biting anyone. They didn't even see the petite brunette race toward them. I sprinted after her, my lungs burning with exertion, but she reached Peter before me and hurled him over the car.

She jumped after him, preparing to snap his neck, but I managed to grab her hands first. I pulled her away from Peter, but she shrugged me off and ran after him again. He kicked out, knocking her back into me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her back. He pulled a stake from his sleeve and aimed it directly at her heart. She leaned forward then pushed all of her weight backward, smacking me in the face with the back of her head and knocking us both back down to the ground.

Dizzy, I grabbed her hair and tried to toss her to the side, but she squirmed around and clawed my face. Blood dripped from scratch marks on my cheeks. Peter kicked her in the face, barely missing mine as I pushed her off me and tried to get up. Once again she went for Peter, this time clawing at his leg and pulling him to the ground.

The dagger burned at my side, but in my panic I couldn't get it free.

"Ah, screw it," I said and used my fangs instead. I sank my teeth into her shoulder and tore away a chunk of flesh. I spat it out in disgust, but it was enough to get her away from Peter.

"Keep out of the way Peter!" I shouted at him, fearing I would bite him by mistake. Time slowed down, and I planned every move ahead of time. The vampire freaked out at my speed as she struggled to land a hit. Finally, she managed to elbow me, the force of it knocking me a few steps backward.

The vampire faced me, her mouth a snarling mess of fangs. She ran for me, swiping with her nails, but I took my time, ducked at the last second, and then threw myself upward with a punch driven by all of my strength. She fell against the car. I didn't wait. I drove my fist against her face one more time, hearing her nose break in a satisfyingly bloody crunch.

She howled with rage. "Bitch!" she screamed as one of her fangs fell away. My face stung, but hers was completely swollen. Rage gave her the strength of an army. She swung her fist at me twice. This time I wasn't quick enough and ended up on my back, dazed. The dagger clattered to the ground. I managed to grab it as she jumped on me and sank her teeth into my chest.

Peter ran to my aid, but I was already driving the dagger into her skull as hard as I could. She spluttered then collapsed on me. Peter hauled her off and dug his stake through her heart, but she was already burning. The dagger shone in my hands, the blade going from bright red to a cool blue. I gripped it tighter, feeling its power shooting through me. I felt like it belonged to me.

"Where the hell did you get that thing?" Peter asked.

"Later." I jumped up. "Come on, let's get out of here." We both jumped into the car where Carl was struggling with Arthur. If I hadn't ordered him to do it, he wouldn't have had the strength.

I took over, trying not to pass out from the pain in my chest. Peter forced his foot down on the accelerator and sped off, the wheels squealing in protest. We had gotten away, but I couldn't relax yet. I still had to deal with Arthur. He seethed with anger but kept his distance, and I knew he had seen what my dagger could do.

"Sorry about this, Arthur," I said out of politeness. "But we had to do something to get you alone with us."

"Let go of me," he said, trembling with rage.

"We will, but we need your help first. Remember?"

"You promised. You made a deal."

"I know. And I'm sorry about that, but things have gotten way too complicated." I winced with pain and shifted in my seat. Vampire bites _hurt_.

"He'll destroy me for this."

"Who?" Carl asked.

"Maximus, you idiot. I left the battlefield. In his eyes, I'm a deserter. All because of your petty problem." He tried to sound angry but came across more vulnerable than anything. I felt sorry for him.

"We'll take you back. As soon as you help us. Nobody will even notice you left."

I ignored Peter's irritated sigh up front. "Please, Arthur. I don't want this. Help me."

He stared at me for a long moment. "Fine. Then you let me go."

"Of course." I nodded with enthusiasm.

"Is he yours?" Arthur stared hard at me.

"No!"

"I agree. There. Let me go."

"What? That can't be it," I said in surprise.

"It is. Let me go, please."

"But that's just lame." But then I felt a jerking pain in my stomach and a sense of loss so deep, I wanted to cry.

"What did you expect, fireworks? Let me out of the damned car, half-breed!"

I looked at Carl. His head was bowed, and his body shook violently.

"Carl? You okay?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, he's right. It's done." Carl looked at me, eyes full of pain. I couldn't bear it. His pain or mine.

"You can go," I said, opening the car door and pulling Arthur out after me. I carefully took the silver chain off his skin, wincing as it sizzled. I unlocked the handcuffs and was immediately thrown against the car. Arthur's fangs shone in the moonlight. He snapped his head toward me, his hand on my throat. I was in too much pain to struggle. I expected more and took one last glance at the world—but nothing happened.

Instead of hurting me, Arthur whispered, "Trust none. They watch you now."

He sped away, leaving me gasping for air. Peter was still getting out of the car.

"I'm sorry. He was too fast."

"It's okay," I said. "He didn't hurt me." I licked my fingers and rubbed the wounds on my chest and face. My nose was still bleeding, but the scratches healed quickly. The wound on my chest stung like crazy, but it too healed, albeit more slowly. It left a noticeable scar behind.

In the car, Carl's head was on the dashboard, sweat rolling down his face.

"Carl, are you okay?" I said, feeling frantic. "Could he die?"

Peter shook his head, but his face was pale; he wasn't sure.

"I'm okay," Carl said. "It hurts is all. I need to lie down."

"We could go back to Eddie," Peter said.

"He sold us out!" I snapped.

"We've no choice. He might know what to do."

Peter drove back toward the bookshop, but the fight wasn't over. The street was drowning in blood.

"Keep driving," I urged, afraid we wouldn't get away after everything.

As we drove by, I saw Maximus turn on Arthur. Arthur backed away, holding his hands up. I half-expected him to roll on to his belly. Maximus flew at Arthur, and they both smashed through a window. A half second later, Maximus rushed back outside with Arthur's head in his hands. I looked away, guilt pouring over me. We caused it. Even though he was a vampire, I had felt a sort of kinship toward Arthur. And I wanted to know what his last words to me meant.

"I'm taking us to Nancy's house," Peter said, interrupting my thoughts.

"What? No way."

"There's nowhere closer. I can't drive around all night."

"Fine." I felt too miserable to argue. I curled up in a ball, feeling a persistent ache in my stomach.

"Sorry, Carl. Can't get you home until morning. Just in case." Peter's voice was gentle, and that worried me more than anything.

"'S'okay," Carl mumbled.

I was almost afraid to look at him. I didn't know if he was scared or hated me, but I knew he was in pain because of me.

The reality of the last few days exhausted me, and I dozed off in the car. I was in the middle of a dark dream when Peter shook my shoulders to wake me up. "Ava, quick. Get up," he whispered urgently.

My eyes flickered open to see Peter looking distraught.

"I'm sorry, Ava. Something's happened here."

"What? What's wrong?"

"We're outside Nancy's house, but her front door is torn down, her windows are smashed... I don't think she's here."

I jumped up, pushed him aside, and ran into my grandmother's house for the first time in years. I sucked in a breath. Everything looked the same except the furniture had been tossed around.

Peter came up behind me. "Is she here?"

I shook my head. "No, I can't smell her. There's blood. Not much, but it's there. They took her earlier, maybe yesterday. Oh, God, what have I done?" I sank to my knees.

"Who took her?"

"I don't know! Does it matter? It's all my fault no matter who did it. I'm systematically screwing up the lives of everyone around me without even trying!"

"Come on, get up," Peter said. "Freaking out isn't going to help Nancy."

I took a deep breath, wiped a few tears from my eyes, and got to my feet. "Yeah, you're right. I've stuff to do. Look, thanks for everything. You didn't have to help, but you did. I owe you. I have to go now, figure this out. Could you make sure Carl gets home safe?"

"Yeah, sure, but I'm not going to... I mean, I know Nancy. I have to help too," Peter said, his forehead creasing with stress.

Carl limped into the room. "I'm going to help you too."

"Are you two stupid? You could die! You're both human, and you've nothing to do with this crap. I've gotten you both into enough trouble as it is!"

Carl crossed his arms stubbornly. "I'm not going while you need help. What happened with me was an accident, and you did everything to fix it. I'm not going to walk away until it's over."

"Carl, you don't know what you're talking about. It's the bond. You're still feeling it."

"I'm not, Ava," he said, his voice firm and steady. "I'm sticking around because I want to."

"Same here," Peter said.

I glared at them both, but they were unfazed. "You can help me figure out what happened, but that's it."

"Whatever," Peter said. "Let's go."

"Where?" Carl asked.

"My place. We'll figure out things from there."

As soon as we got to Peter's house, he made some phone calls—leaving Carl and me alone in the kitchen. We made sandwiches and coffee and faced each other warily for a while.

"You feeling okay now?" I asked.

He nodded. "A little shaky. It felt like something was ripped out of me back there."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "It's okay. Thanks for looking after me when I was all... brainless."

"Do you remember everything?"

"Not everything, more like flashes. I remember the other vampire. I was looking for a taxi home after a night out. This guy asks me for the time, and next thing I know, I'm up against a wall being nibbled on. Then you walked up, and all of a sudden, I had to follow you. All I wanted was to do what you said. And, you know, other stuff." His ears and neck flushed scarlet.

"It's okay," I said. "You had no choice."

"But I wanted it. Even when I tried to be me, I still wanted it. I keep thinking about when I tried to—"

"Don't worry about it," I said firmly, not wanting to acknowledge it happened.

He scratched the back of his neck. "But you really fought it. You could have just killed me and gotten rid of me that way. I don't know what to make of the whole vampire thing, but you're not bad."

It was my turn to blush. "I had a little help. Eddie gave me this," I showed him the cross. "And it made it easier for me to stay normal."

"Doesn't matter. You still tried not to hurt me."

"I promise we'll talk about this, just not now, okay? Want to call your family or something?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I probably should."

"What are you going to tell them?" I asked as I handed him my mobile phone.

"As little as possible."

"I'll give you some space," I said and headed into the other room.

"Where's Carl?" Peter asked as he flipped through a book.

"I gave him my mobile to call his family."

"If you avoid the world, what do you need a mobile for?"

"My business. Sometimes people want to make phone contact. No big deal."

"Hmm. Okay, look at this map," he said, marking it with a pen. "My best guess is this is where Nancy is."

I looked askance at him and waited for an explanation.

"Fine. I rang someone who works for Daimhín. She said no way did they take Nancy. Rang around a couple more sets of eyes. One said there's an old lady amongst the volunteers who aren't really volunteers at Maximus's place. This is where I've heard it is."

"You know someone who works for Daimhín? How do you know they can be trusted?"

"I just do. Besides, it makes sense for Maximus to take her. He wants you, probably reckons you're human enough to be persuaded if they take someone you love."

I bit my lip. Maximus was pissed. He had killed Arthur who was completely loyal to him. What would he do to a little old lady? After everything she'd put me through, she was still my grandmother, and according to Peter and Eddie, she had changed.

"Don't worry," Peter said, putting his hand on my shoulder. "We'll get her out of there."

"I can't say I ever really loved her, Peter," I said, reluctant to speak the truth but needing to get it off my chest. I sat down and avoided his eyes. "But I don't want to see her hurt. If I'm honest, I barely know her. She wasn't exactly a cuddly, loving woman, you know?"

He sat next to me and squeezed my hand briefly. "I get it. But she isn't like that anymore."

"You don't know," I said, shaking my head. "She had all these rules and secrets but no explanations for most of it. She wouldn't even tell me about my parents, or what really happened when I was born. And the things she did to me, Peter, how she made me feel. I've hated myself because of her. She couldn't just accept me. She couldn't just love me. I was a lonely, scared little kid, and I was born this way, I didn't choose it."

His eyes widened, and I wondered if I'd said too much, but for once, I didn't care. I needed to talk to someone. "Part of me thinks she deserves to be punished... but not this way, not like this. This isn't right. If anything happens to her, it'll be my fault. I don't want that."

"It's okay to feel all of those things, Ava," he said. "When I first met Nancy, she was in a bad way. She blamed herself for everything. She regretted a lot of things. I know she made mistakes with you, but almost everyone who's introduced to this other world loses the plot in some way. Except maybe Carl."

I laughed, relieved he was taking the conversation in a lighter direction. "Yeah, he seems at ease with everything, doesn't he? I can't believe he's volunteering to stick around. I was him? I'd be running away, screaming like a little girl."

"And you do it so well."

I punched his shoulder lightly. He clasped my fist and held my stare a little too long. I mentally counted rapidly, anything to calm down my racing heart. Carl interrupted us before things could get any more awkward.

He burst into the room in a temper and threw my mobile on the sofa.

"Everything okay?" Peter said, inching away from me.

"Yeah, it's cool. So when are we going to get Ava's grandmother back?"

Carl's fists clenched tight; I wondered what his family were like.

"Peter thinks Maximus has her. He reckons he knows where."

"I'm pretty sure, actually."

"We going now?" Carl asked.

Peter shook his head. "We should get some sleep first; let you heal up a little. You still don't look the best. Then maybe head over during the day. There'll only be humans there."

"Humans?" I said, surprised.

"Yeah, they tend to use bodyguards during the day. No problem to us."

I squirmed. "I don't like the idea of humans getting hurt."

Peter's face darkened into something I didn't like. "They deserve it if they work for evil. I'm wrecked. I'm heading to bed. We'll talk more in the morning. There are spare rooms upstairs, so take your pick."

"I'm going to sit up for a bit," I told them before they headed upstairs.

I tried to relax, but all I could think of was my grandmother. Maximus could spend the entire night torturing her while I had a good night's sleep in Peter's house. If I waited, she would probably suffer and judging by Peter's black/white morality issues, the bodyguards would almost certainly get hurt, too. I had enough on my conscience. The more I sat there thinking, the more certain I became. I was going alone. To offer myself in exchange for my grandmother.

# 13

Once again, I found myself sneaking out of Peter's house. I originally planned to call a taxi, but I had forgotten my mobile. I decided to run and look out for a car on the way, but changed my mind when I realised I was running fast. Very fast. Determined, I pushed myself harder and harder, to the quiet outskirts of the city. I found my way to Maximus's place easily. It was as though I honed in on his location.

He lived in a fancy mansion-sized building on a small but well-kept estate. I should have guessed. The exterior decorating made me want to puke, all overdone fountains and played-out colours. I was surprised by how unafraid I was. I had worked myself up into a fit of anger that was keeping me going. If I was entirely honest, part of me was too tired to care if I lived or died.

Two vampires stood outside the house and clocked me with surprise clear on their faces.

"I'm here to see Maximus," I said. To my relief, my voice stayed steady. They let me pass without speaking a word.

The front door opened before I reached it. A young girl dressed in a stereotypical slutty maid costume greeted me. Puncture wounds on her neck were barely healed. I stifled a shudder.

"Follow me," she said in a sweet voice. I wanted to cry for her. She was someone's kid.

She moved purposely slowly then gave a neat little curtsey and held open a door for me. I made my way into the room, recognising Maximus straight away—even if I hadn't, it was obvious who was in charge. He was the one reclining on an old-fashioned chaise longue, fawned over by the others. One vampire sat closer to Maximus than the rest, his blond hair caressed by Maximus's oversized hands.

"Come in, come in," Maximus called out, as if I were an old friend. He rose to his feet and knocked the blond vampire aside carelessly. That vampire scowled behind Maximus's back, hatred in his eyes.

"I really didn't expect to see you so soon," Maximus said.

I stepped closer to him. "You have my grandmother?" I said as boldly as I dared.

Maximus grinned and tossed his hair. "I do, indeed. But enough about that—"

"Let her go, and then we'll talk."

Maximus frowned. I obviously wasn't acting the way he wanted me to. Judging by some of the other vampires in the room, he was used to those more docile than I.

"I don't want to," he said, surprise making his voice high. I noticed the blond vampire roll his eyes, and a couple of others shook their heads in disgust—maybe Maximus wasn't a popular leader, after all.

"Then I won't talk." I shrugged and put my hands in my pockets so he wouldn't see them shake.

For a couple of seconds, I expected him to attack. His chin shook, and his eyes narrowed as he looked at me, but then the smile returned. "I think you will, young lady, but I don't mind humouring you. Bring out the old woman."

He stared me down as two vampires left the room. They weren't as thin as Arthur, but they seemed as obedient as Carl had been. Either vampires could control other vampires, or else they were terrified of Maximus.

The duo soon returned with my grandmother. I cried out at the state she was in. She had aged dramatically since I last saw her. She had been spry my whole life, but now she looked unbelievably frail. Tears formed in my eyes as I noticed dried blood splattered on her clothing and one side of her face. One of her eyes was bruised purple. Her face lit up with hope when she saw me, but the spark died almost as quickly.

"Let her go." I spoke through clenched teeth, ready to fight, but not willing to risk my grandmother being hurt. Our past didn't matter anymore—I wasn't about to let the vampires have her. Especially not Maximus.

"She's a feisty old lady," Maximus said, wandering over to her and lifting her chin. "I'd like to keep her." He turned to gauge my reaction with some satisfaction.

"If you want my help then you won't piss me off. Don't give me a reason to look for revenge." I glared at him, his arrogance making me stubborn. He wanted me to join him yet he threatened my family? His mistake.

Some of his vampire cronies rose to their feet and hissed their disapproval. Maximus laughed heartily, joined by his blond sidekick, as if they enjoyed the show.

"I'll let her go as soon as you tell me all about yourself. This little old lady knows nothing, it seems." He said it lightly, but I could feel his irritation and guessed my grandmother had been as stubborn as me. My chest swelled up with pride and gratitude as I realised she kept my secret.

"She's practically senile," I said, trying to sound scornful, bluffing in the hopes at least one of us would get out of the building alive. "She probably doesn't even remember who I am. But still, she's family. Let me send her off safely. If she calls me from a friend's place, then I'll do what you like. Me for her. What do you think?" I sauntered around the room, touching vases as I spoke. Maximus flinched each time. I picked one vase up and pretended to let it fall. Maximus cried out in horror. Imagine, a vampire attached to old pieces of pottery and glass.

"Whoops!" I put the vase back down and smiled sweetly at Maximus. "Well?"

"Fine," he said, charging past me to inspect his possessions. He pouted, probably because I wasn't begging, and I realised that everything had to be dramatic for him. I couldn't help wondering how he had become the coven leader when he seemed more concerned with getting attention than anything else.

"Get her out of here!" he shouted at the closest vampire to him who bowed her head and edged away from him.

"I need to say goodbye first," I said, stalling. "This is the last time I'll see her."

"True enough," Maximus said. The reminder seemed to cheer him up.

My grandmother swallowed a sob. I was only glad she had the peace of mind to keep quiet.

"Back off," I snapped at the vampires who held her. They moved away without argument. Maximus launched into an insulting tirade against them for not standing their ground. I saw it as an opportunity.

I grabbed my grandmother tightly then quickly slipped the dagger from the sleeve of my coat under her top to her waistband, hoping no one would notice. "Stay safe," I said.

Her chin quavered. "I love you, Ava. I'm so sorry for everything."

"I know. It's okay. I'll be okay. Go to Peter, call me, and let me know you're safe. Don't worry about me now." I didn't believe her, but I wasn't as scared anymore. I was sort of resigned to the fact something bad was going to happen to me. At least I had helped Carl; that counted for something.

Maximus gestured idly toward us. "Take her to her desired destination. See she makes it alive." He sounded bored, and I wanted to hurt him—force him to take our lives seriously. A couple of vampires grabbed my grandmother's arms and led her away. I watched her leave and felt completely alone.

# 14

Maximus grabbed me from behind and sniffed my skin with a moan.

"Daylight and humanity. It's all over you, my dear. You'll be so useful. I reward loyalty, you know."

"Like Arthur?" I said, remembering how Maximus had repaid his loyalty.

Maximus threw me to my knees, enraged. "Don't speak to me of that name," he shrieked, hysteria in his voice. I was surprised by how easily he became unbalanced, not what I expected from a vampire.

Maximus lifted his arms, closed his eyes, and made a show of breathing deeply. He then sat down and relaxed with a smile. I attempted to get to my feet.

"Do not move!" he screamed at me, his face convulsing with anger. "Stay on the ground like the dog bitch you are!"

One of the vampires kicked me back down, not holding back. I grunted loudly, winded, amazed by the sheer force of strength. Maximus smiled happily again. He was completely psychotic, I realised. I wasn't going to survive for long, no matter how valuable he thought I was.

"Now," he said, as if nothing had happened. "Why don't you tell me all about yourself?"

I shook my head. "Not until my grandmother calls."

Tutting, he folded his arms. "I don't have time for that," he whined.

I eyed him, wary, waiting for him to do something unpredictable.

He smiled suddenly and looked all too pleased with himself. "I'll just have to tease it out of you."

He jumped to his feet. Before I knew what was happening, he kicked me hard in the stomach. He lifted his foot to strike again, but this time I was ready. I grabbed his leg and tore a chunk of flesh and cloth away with my fangs. Someone grabbed me back by the hair as Maximus howled in frustration and pain, his cry a major exaggeration. The blond vampire's eyes gleamed with excitement as he punched me in the face whilst the others held me still.

After my nose had broken noisily, they threw me forward onto the ground. Gasping with pain, I curled up into a ball as kick after kick rained down on me. My face, stomach, and back burned with pain as Maximus and his crew enjoyed their sport. It felt like an eternity, but finally, everything faded to black.

I awoke to something ice cold dripping onto my forehead. I was completely alone in pitch blackness, but I could sense it was daylight. The irritating drip persisted. I struggled to move my head away, but I was pinned down by something heavy. My arms were tied above my head, and it was cold in the room.

After a couple of minutes of futile struggling, I prayed for the intense pain of the night before so unconsciousness would claim me again. My arms ached, and the rope was so tight that my wrists burned with pain. The dripping was the worst; my head ached from it, but I couldn't even move a centimetre to ease the relentless pain.

After an hour, I was sobbing, and by the time a couple more hours had gone by, I felt like I was going insane. I couldn't relax for a second, unsure when the vampires or their human servants would come back—if they ever did. I shivered with a chill, and each movement felt like another kick in the stomach.

My arms had gone thankfully numb, but I had a persistent fear they weren't there at all. My head pounded until I wanted to scream, but my throat was so dry, nothing more than a croak came out of my mouth.

I was exhausted, mentally and physically, but the waiting was the worst. It was so dark, I was so alone, and I couldn't sense a thing. I wept for what seemed like hours. Each minute was both hopeful and devastatingly anticlimactic as I waited for something to happen, someone to come, somehow for it all to end. I couldn't see a way out.

Night came at last. I sensed the vampires awakening. The doors of the room opened, flooding the place with light that burned my eyes. A figure approached me. My eyes were too screwed up from the light to see who it was, but I recognised the voice.

"How lovely to see you, my dear," Maximus said. "Did you have a nice rest?"

I kept my eyes closed. I couldn't manage speaking.

"Get her out of here, take her into the main room, and quench her thirst."

I wasn't thirsty. I wasn't anything anymore. I wasn't sure if I was alive. Hands grabbed at me roughly, setting me free and carrying me off. The light was too much for me to bear. My arms still existed. I could tell by the sudden burning pain as blood rushed to my fingertips.

I was barely conscious by the time they lay me down on a flat surface. My breathing sounded funny, harsh and jerky. I remembered my nose had been broken, but the thought drifted idly around in my head.

"Are you ready to talk to me now?" Maximus said, pacing up and down. "Your grandmother didn't call, I'm afraid. Perhaps she had a heart attack on the way."

I heard his words, but they flitted about my brain, never quite holding down in the one spot. They sounded slow, like they moved up and down a spectrum of sound, each one echoing until all of the words had been heard. His voice bounced around my brain until, finally, I understood.

"Get her a drink, I said!" Maximus shouted, sounding furious. I drifted off only to be woken by a warm splattering of liquid on my parched lips. I licked then opened my mouth willingly, letting a stream of blood fall down my throat until I choked on it. The flow stopped, and I coughed for a minute then licked at my lips steadily. Eventually, I even managed to open my eyes, feeling less broken than before.

"There she is," Maximus said, standing by my shoulder, rubbing his hands together in delight. "Nice to see you back with us, my dear. Now, can you talk?"

At first only a dry, dusty sound came from my throat. Finally, I managed one word as Maximus eagerly leaned over me to hear.

"Granny."

He tutted. "I told you, she's gone. Now, tell me about your creator. Do you know his name? Do you remember what happened?"

I nodded slowly, feeling like every cell in my body was aching.

"Tell me!"

"Fuck... you."

I could barely hear myself, but apparently Maximus got the message loud and clear. He thumped hard on my stomach. My body jerked of its own accord as blood gurgled up into my mouth. I leaned my face to one side and let the blood flow out of my mouth and down my cheek. I was going to die.

Maximus picked up a scalpel, but I didn't have the energy to panic.

"Don't you think she's had enough?" the blond vampire said. "We need her alive, remember?"

Maximus squared up to him, his nostrils flaring. The blond didn't back off, but he stayed silent as Maximus shouted in his face. "I decide when she's had enough!"

He returned to the table, smiling brightly, and carefully drew the blade along my stomach, cutting away my clothes, a little piece at a time. He sliced my skin, lightly at first, then piercing jabs that jolted my whole body. I closed my eyes, ignoring the pain. I heard Maximus scream with fury, but I felt a cool breeze against my cheek and retreated into myself.

His voice grew distant as I concentrated on good things. Crushing on Peter, Carl volunteering to stick around and help me, the sun on my skin, chocolate, and the colour of daffodils in spring. I smiled and sensed Maximus going into a rage. He could hurt my body all he liked, but my mind was safe, locked up in my own world. I drifted away again, and this time I didn't expect to wake back up.

"Ava!" A familiar voice brought me back into the world. I groaned as pain hit me as hard as a wall. "Jesus! Look at her!" It was Peter.

"Not possible," I tried to say, but my mouth was too swollen.

I opened my eyes and saw a vague shape ahead of me, but my vision was blurred and scarily bad.

"You went too far, Maximus," a woman's voice said. A figure leaned over me and poured more liquid into my mouth. Blood, tasting wonderfully citrusy. I instantly felt further away from death. My vision cleared, but the figure was gone. I blinked at the ceiling, focusing on the lights, and listened instead.

"It's nothing to do with you," Maximus was saying.

The woman hesitated, as if waiting for him to apologise. When he didn't, she spoke again, her voice harsher this time. "I'm leader for a reason. Do I need to put manners on you yet again? I want her out of here."

I tilted my head and saw a group of people a few feet away. Daimhín, Eddie, Peter, Carl, and even my grandmother. My head swirled in confusion. How was that possible?

"She's mine," Maximus said, his tone sulky.

"I claim her," Daimhín said.

"Why? To kill her?"

"Probably," Daimhín said. "But Eddie here has an interesting proposal. I'd like him to talk to the girl right now."

Maximus made an infuriated noise but didn't stop Eddie as he approached me along with Peter.

"Ava," Eddie said under his breath. "Daimhín is willing to take you from here. All you have to do is agree to work for her."

I shook my head slightly. From one monster to another, how was that making it better? Eddie made a frustrated sound, and Peter moved closer to me.

"I know what you're thinking," Peter said. "But my rule is this, do what keeps you alive right now and figure out the rest later. We'll think of a way out, but for now we have to do what we can to get you out of this mess. Listen to Eddie this time."

I stared at Peter, but I felt numb. I didn't know what was right anymore.

"She said yes," Eddie called out.

"Did she really?" Daimhín asked. I couldn't tell if she was happy or disappointed. I couldn't work for the one woman who wanted me dead. At least Maximus needed me alive, whether he had the self-control to keep me that way or not. I gazed at Peter pleadingly, but he shook his head.

"Yeah, she agreed," he told them all.

I heaved a weary sigh, my chest spiking with pain.

"Let's get her out of here then," Daimhín said. She lifted me carefully and carried me past my grandmother and Carl. She seemed physically okay, but Carl had a bloody bandage wrapped tight around one wrist. It barely registered that I must have drunk his blood.

Daimhín carried me to her own car, giving me the chance to take one last look around. A whole fleet of cars had been parked outside; it looked like she'd brought along an army. Maximus didn't dare challenge her. He just stood there swearing instead. I knew the others were following, but only my grandmother was allowed in Daimhín's car.

"Drive to her apartment," Daimhín ordered. The woman in the passenger seat inclined her head and gave me a quick glance. I realised she was Peter's girlfriend. Daimhín's assistant? I blacked out before I could process the thought.

# 15

I woke in my own bed. Aching all over, I licked my lips and tasted blood. I tried to sit, but my entire body protested so I gave up.

"You feeling okay?"

I tried to look around without moving my head. Carl sat beside my bed, big black bags under his eyes. His stubble was turning into a proper tawny beard. I tried to speak, but no sound came out. I rolled my eyes instead. It was a stupid question, anyway.

"Hold on. I'll get help."

Like I was going anywhere. My eyes closed again, but before I could lose myself completely, voices filtered through the film of pain around me. A cool breeze blew on my neck, clearing my head. Opening my eyes, I saw Eddie holding a blood bag over me. I tried to mouth the word no, but he ignored me. I was terrified of being overwhelmed by the thirst. I didn't want to feed the built-in addiction I was carrying around with me.

"Take this quietly, Ava. You'll heal faster this way. All of the damage is on the inside."

I opened my mouth obediently as he carried on speaking, his tone hypnotic.

"We've been forcing it down you for days now. You've been unconscious for that long. We couldn't take you to the hospital because your fangs wouldn't retract. Besides, a human doctor can't fix a supernatural being."

Days. How many days? Not that it mattered. I was alive. I hadn't expected to get out of Maximus's place alive.

"If you took some fresh blood, from the source, you would heal up much more quickly," he said. "They won't let it happen until you agree, though. What do you think?"

I shook my head as hard as I dared, glaring at him. The bagged blood didn't taste quite right, but it was better than knowing someone in my life cut themselves open to feed me.

I slept after I drank, but the pain wracking my body was less excruciating than before.

When I next awoke, it was night. My grandmother sat by my bedside, wide awake and alert. She looked better than the last time I'd seen her, but she was pale, and her head was still noticeably wounded with a deep cut. The bruise around her eye had turned yellow and somehow that looked worse to me.

"Come 'ere," I mumbled. She leaned over me like I was about to say my last words. I raised my hand to my lips as slowly as possible then licked. She cocked her head, looking first confused and then disturbed as I pressed my wet fingers to her wound. I watched it heal rapidly. She felt the area with cautious touches, her eyes widening as she realised what I'd done.

"Wow."

I nodded carefully, surprised to find my body wasn't as stiff as before.

"You were very brave, Ava. I was so proud. I'm sorry I let myself be taken. I mean, I opened the door to a bunch of vampires without even realising it."

"Doesn't matter. I was screwed either way. They would have gotten to me somehow. Better to go to them than wait in fear for the rest of my life."

I cleared my throat. It felt better. I sat up, careful not to move too fast. I was in my own bedroom, but everything looked different. I couldn't put my finger on why.

"So what happened when you left Maximus's place?"

She looked away and frowned. "The vampires drove me to Peter's house, but they wouldn't let me call you. Peter was frantic. Eddie was already there. They were all trying to figure out what had happened. Eddie decided we could only beat Maximus's coven by using someone bigger and better." She pulled her arms around herself, as if guarding herself from her memories.

"So, it was Eddie's idea?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "He organised a meeting with Daimhín, but she warned him not to go near the coven during the day or she'd be forced to act against him. He persuaded her it would be better to use you than let Maximus keep you. She thought about it and said she had a few jobs for you, if you were willing. We had to wait until night again. It was awful."

"Looks like everything's all figured out for me."

"Oh, don't worry, Ava. Peter said as soon as we got you back, we'd figure out how to get you away from Daimhín safely. We've all been discussing it while you were unconscious. I'm glad you have so many people ready to take care of you."

I avoided her eyes. I remembered it differently. My grandmother didn't seem to notice.

"Daimhín actually seemed reasonable," she continued. "For a vampire. The other one though, he's crazy. I thought he would kill me for breathing too loud."

"Yeah, he seemed pretty unstable to me too. Listen, I'm tired, so go get some sleep, okay?"

She nodded then kissed my forehead. When she left, I tried to think. The cold breeze was gentle now, as delicate as a kiss on my cheek.

"Thanks," I said out loud, then felt stupid.

I was still worried about Daimhín. What if she wanted me to murder babies or something sick like that? Although, she was more in control of herself than Maximus. He was ridiculously unbalanced. Being away from him was looking like the better option. But if I was around him, there was more chance of me getting my own back.

Peter and Carl visited me soon after, Carl carrying a bunch of flowers. I eyed his still bandaged wrist in concern. Peter asked me how I was, but I wasn't in the mood for pleasantries.

"Did you set me up?" I asked him.

"What? No!"

"So it's a coincidence that the infamous day assistant that everyone's been talking about just so happens to be your girlfriend? A fact I discovered after you told Daimhín I'd work for her?" My voice shook with anger. The idea he might have betrayed me consumed my thoughts.

"It's not like that," Peter insisted, shaking his head.

"What's it like then?" I said.

"I don't have to explain myself to you." His eyes turned hard, and he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"He wouldn't do something like that," Carl said.

"Don't even talk to me. Look at what you did," I said, pointing at his wrist.

He fidgeted, looking bashful. "You needed help, and I could give it, so I did."

"You could have been killed. Cutting yourself in a room full of vampires. What were you thinking?" I couldn't believe how reckless he was.

"I'm not like Peter. I helped you the only way I could. I'll leave. I'm sorry." Carl hurried to the door, but I called him back. He hesitated, ready to run.

"Wait, Carl. I... thank you. For helping me." I felt guilty for not allowing him to have his hero moment. He gave me a meek smile then hurried off, leaving me alone to sleep again.

I was woken a while later by someone gently shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see Daimhín, accompanied by her assistant, Peter's girlfriend. I glowered at that one, feeling just as betrayed again.

"I wanted to pay a visit to my newest employee," Daimhín said, her cold face as unreadable as stone. "How are you feeling?"

"Alive. Sort of."

"Did you tell him how you were created?" She got straight to the point, but after Maximus's theatrics, I appreciated her bluntness.

I shook my head slightly. "No, of course not."

"Even while you were tortured?" She was persistent, but for once, I was sure of myself.

"He would have stopped torturing me if I talked," I reminded her.

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"Whatever. I didn't tell him anything. I don't tell people that stuff," I said.

"Good. I still have an advantage over him then. I have you."

"I thought you wanted me dead." But she was in my home. That shouldn't have been possible if she wished me harm.

"I do, in theory," she said. "But if I think a daywalker will be useful, I keep them. Like a pet."

"I'm not a pet." I was furious by the nonchalance in her words.

She inclined her head. "Probably not. I've been looking for you for quite some time, and now you're working for me. Strange how things work out." She laughed. "There are occasionally things I'd like done by people like you. I think you'll enjoy the first job, actually."

She smiled so suddenly, I wanted to flinch. I did my best to keep still. Daimhín was not someone I wanted to show weakness in front of.

"What's it like?" she asked.

"What?" The quick change in subject confused my already dull thinking.

"The sun. It's been a long time. What's it like for a vampire to walk in the sun?"

"I'm not a vampire either," I said, my teeth clenched.

"No, I suppose you're not. Not really. Ms. Delaney, it's crucial that no vampire learn how you came about. The world is better off without this knowledge."

"As are you. I mean, you stay in control, right?"

"True," she said, nodding her head. "But it just so happens that the greater good and my goals coincide for once. Let's keep it that way. You stay loyal to me. And I'll stay loyal to you. I don't want you around me so often, you know. I'd like to keep you away from vampires, full stop. But if I need you, you have to come running. That's the deal."

Her icy blue eyes pierced through me. I had the sudden fear that she could read my mind. The way the corner of her mouth curved upward into a smirk didn't help.

"If my family and the people around me stay safe from your kind then we have a deal."

Daimhín inclined her head slightly. "I hear you have the dagger."

The air tightened. "What dagger?" I bluffed.

"Now, now, I can't take it from you. I'm surprised you can touch it. It burns the poison from our bodies, purges us of the very thing which animates us. I suppose it works differently for you."

The cold presence was back, carefully breathing on my arm as if to keep me calm. After everything, I was happy to have it around.

She sniffed the air. "Is there something here?"

The cool air grew icy on my arm. "What?" I said, knowing full well what she meant this time.

She glanced around the room, more curious than concerned. "No matter," she said, at last. "As for your family and friends, they'll be safe from me, but are they safe from you? And if you don't feed, how can you protect them?"

"I don't have to feed," I hissed.

"You're not feeding yourself with the blood," she said. "It's the poison in your blood stream that craves it. The poison can't strengthen you if you don't feed it."

"But I don't kill people. I don't eat them either!" I had to make sure she knew I wasn't like her.

She surprised me by laughing girlishly. She leaned forward conspiratorially.

"Tell me. Do vampires count as people?"

I stared back at her, unsure of what my answer was to that.

She relaxed back into her chair, suddenly looking more like a school teacher than a ruler of vampires.

"Let me tell you about your first job."

# Epilogue

The sun beamed down on my face. It seemed poignant that the sun was out in all its glory on the day I was sent to complete my first job. Humming to myself, I tried to gather my confidence together, the only thing I lacked. Maximus's torture had taken more out of me than blood and pain. It had taken three weeks, but physically, I was fully healed apart from the scar on my chest. It itched sometimes, but I would take that over torture and death any day. Mentally was another story, one I wasn't particularly ready to deal with.

I took short, quick strides, counting fourteen at a time as I wondered at how much one short month had changed my world. I was more aware of the vampire side of me, I was in the employment of the head vampire in Ireland, I was back in touch with my grandmother, and I wasn't so scared of humans anymore. Seclusion didn't seem like the best idea any longer, but there was still fear. I had opened myself up to so many people—I was afraid of being hurt by them.

Life wasn't perfect. My grandmother and I weren't exactly close, but at least I could call her and know she wouldn't howl at the moon about it or call me Lilith for my trouble. I wasn't sure if we could ever be close, but we were working on rebuilding our relationship. Admittedly, she was the one making the effort, but as far as I was concerned, she was the one who had screwed things up in the first place.

Carl was having problems adjusting to his normal life, so I was keeping out of his way—and away from the memory of his blood. He didn't talk about it much, but I sensed he was having a hard time dealing with it. I still felt the occasional ache after our bond was ripped apart. I didn't want to ask how it was going for him.

Peter had gone off my radar for the most part. I didn't know if I could trust him. Between him bringing me to Eddie in the first place, agreeing on my behalf to work for Daimhín, and possibly being the boyfriend of Daimhín's day assistant, I wasn't sure what to think.

The loose ends made me panic. Besides knowing I had a lifetime of "favours" to do for Daimhín, I owed one to Eddie, too. He could collect at any time, and I still wasn't sure who he really was, or if he was keeping an eye on me. Even Arthur had warned me to trust no one, but his warning was too vague to be of any real use.

Thinking about everything unsettled me. I swallowed down an anxiety attack and concentrated on making it through the day. I held my cross and counted to fourteen as I waited for a set of traffic lights to change. Even though the magic had worn off, I still felt something in the silver. It comforted me, and I was sure it had to have some remnants of power remaining because the thirst was nowhere near as uncontrollable as it had been despite the fact it had been fed while I was badly injured.

The cold presence was still hanging around. I didn't have a clue what it was, but I was sure it had tried to warn me of danger, and for that, I was grateful.

I slipped my hand in my pocket and felt the warmth of the dagger. Eddie hadn't asked for it back, and I wasn't going to hand it over voluntarily. I still felt a huge sense of ownership. It was overflowing with power; I would be nothing without it.

I reached my destination all too soon. Wrapped up in my own thoughts, I hadn't realised how fast I had been walking. Taking a deep breath, I walked through the gate and straight up to the bodyguards at the front door. Adrenalin buzzed through my veins, but I hoped I wouldn't have to hurt the humans.

Two tall, bulky men stepped in my way. I gripped the dagger tightly, remembering my instructions to leave an obvious message.

One of the men laughed scornfully. "Are we supposed to be scared of that little butter knife?"

"No, you're supposed to be scared of these," I hissed, letting my fangs show freely.

The man paled and ran, not loyal enough to risk being bitten. The other hesitated even when I got in his face. I groaned inwardly then kneed him in the groin. Hard. He jerked backward without a sound. I watched with some fascination as his face turned white, then red and finally purple. Wheezing, he toppled over, clutching at himself, no longer a threat to anyone.

I kicked the front door open with ease. I'd been fed a lot of blood while I was healing, courtesy of Daimhín's kitchen. I didn't ask questions. It was better that way. I was off the blood, but I still felt the after-effects. I was faster, stronger, less likely to count heartbeats to keep calm.

I looked around quickly, expecting more bodyguards, but either Maximus was extremely lax or extremely cocky. I knew which one I was going for.

I followed Daimhín's very specific directions and found Maximus's underground bedroom. It was a windowless basement dressed up to look like it had been furnished for royalty. Pretentious to the last.

Maximus lay on satin sheets in a bed that could probably fit six people. As soon as I saw his sleeping face, rage bubbled up and threatened to explode out of me. He had taken my grandmother, scared me, hurt me, made me think I was going to die, almost killed me, and only let me go because a more powerful vampire wanted me instead. He was spoilt, petulant, needy, and unfair. He had no loyalty to his own kind, and he was completely unstable.

I hesitated. The world was better off without him—but a final death was too good for him.

I could take him.

Hurt him. Make him suffer. Make him plead for mercy. Daimhín would never know, probably wouldn't care either. I stood over him, contemplating, dagger in hand. Then, as a cold breath chilled my neck, I realised I couldn't do it. I could never be like him, even if I wanted to.

I'd been having nightmares since I left his house. I woke up screaming most nights. Alone and scared. He had marked me in his own way. Daimhín's first job for me was the final death of Maximus, but I would have done it anyway. Or I'd never have a good night's sleep again.

Trembling, I raised the dagger then stabbed him in the heart, knowing a feeling of satisfaction that couldn't be topped. His eyes shot open and looked straight at me. He tried to rise up against me, but it was too late. His blood went on fire inside his body, bloody vein by bloody vein. He gasped with pain, unable to make a sound beyond a choking noise as his throat burned with the rest of him.

He stretched out his arm before collapsing backward, his body slowly turning to ash. A permanent death. A true death. It was over, all over. And I was the last sight he saw. It was over so quickly, it barely seemed real.

I couldn't stop shaking as I left the building. I wanted to set the whole place on fire, burn the lot of them, but Daimhín had warned me not to harm another vampire. I was Maximus's punishment for trying to mutiny against Daimhín. The others would heed his death as a warning.

By the time I got to the end of the road, I was sweating profusely and had to sit down. I kept expecting him to be there when I turned around; it was like my mind was taking its damn time realising he was really gone.

I jumped with fright as my mobile rang. It was my grandmother.

"Is it done?"

"Yeah, he's gone. Burned in his bed."

"Poor soul," was the dry reply. "And you? Is it better?"

"I feel... numb. But glad, too. Glad it was me. I'll feel better as soon as it sinks in." I hoped.

"I wish I'd been there. To see it."

"Well, it's done now. Back to normal." Until the next job. But I couldn't think about that. Not yet.

"Why don't you come over? I'll make you tea."

I thought about it. After killing something in cold blood, I needed a bit of normality, a bit of humanity. "Tea sounds good actually," I said. "I'll be there."

I hung up and left to have tea with my grandmother as any human might do, but my smile was grim. I had no idea what the next day would bring—but at least I was alive.

# Taunt

### Ava Delaney #2

By Claire Farrell

Edited by Red Adept Publishing Editing Services

* * *

All Ava wants to do is forget about the vampires, but they won't leave her alone. Between her failing business, angry landlord, disloyal friends, and vampire stalkers, life is starting to feel pretty stressful. When Ava finally deals with her biggest problem, she is caught up in the chain of events it triggers and taken along a path she can't escape from.

Ava has to figure out what exactly is her biggest threat: the humans, the vampires, the Council—or her true heritage.
**Copyright © Claire Farrell**

* * *

Book cover image provided by Konradbak @ Dreamstime.com

* * *

**Licence Notes**

All Rights Reserved.

 Created with Vellum 

# 1

I knew my grandmother was speaking to me, but all I could focus on was my old bedroom, the carpet still stained with the blood and tears of a child. Bad memories had rushed to the surface as soon as I stepped into the room; so overwhelming, my breath caught in my throat.

"Ava?"

I snapped back to the present. "Sorry, what?"

My grandmother frowned, familiar impatience fleeting across her face. "I was saying we could get a new bed, but the old one would do for now. You could move in straight away. What do you think?"

She stared at me with expectant eyes, apparently waiting for me to jump at the chance to move back in with her. Every cell in my body screamed, "No way, not ever." We had come a long way in a short space of time, mostly out of necessity, but that didn't mean I wanted to live with her again.

"I don't know. I'm not sure that's the best idea right now." Holding my breath, I waited for her protests.

"Of course it's a good idea! No point in renting all by yourself when I've an empty room here. You don't even have a real job, Ava." She shook her head, feigning disappointment, as if that was our biggest worry.

"Besides," her voice softened a little as she took a step toward me. "You were almost tortured to death, Ava. You _need_ to be taken care of." She smiled, and I could see she wasn't worried, certain I'd cave. She carefully avoided the fact that I did have a job, just not a paying one. Being in the employ of the most powerful vampire in Ireland against my will didn't have that kind of perk.

"Look, Nancy," I began, trying to remind her of the serious distance between us.

"Stop calling me Nancy!"

"Being back in touch has been nice and all, but I'm not ready to live here again. Not after... everything. It's way too soon for me. I mean, we were meeting up for tea, then suddenly you're moving on to me living here again?"

Her eyes narrowed, sending me back to my childhood for the briefest instant. She'd never been a patient woman; a lot of her actions had been questionable, to say the least. My grandmother did her best at the time, but even now, it took a lot to look the woman in the eye. After seven years of freedom, I wasn't ready for her methods of curing me.

"Oh, here we go." Her mouth tightened into a thin line that made her look as cruel as I remembered. "Pity me. Poor Ava wasn't loved. How about you think of someone else for a change, and stop bringing up the past? I had to live with a monster! What was I supposed to do?"

She might as well have slapped my face. Her apologies meant nothing, after all. Feeling my chin tremble, I shook my head. "I'm not bringing up the past, being in this room is. The fact that you think of me as a _monster_ is a pretty good reason for me not to stay."

"Wait a second, let's just talk about it." The anger in her eyes turned to worry. "I thought we were over all of this. I protected you; I kept quiet when those vampires took me. I thought that would change things, prove to you that everything's different now. I'm your only family, so why can't you let us have a fresh start? I took care of you when you needed me, why can't you give me this?"

"I'm sorry I made you think we could skip past it like nothing happened. But look at you, even now, after _everything_ , you still think I'm bad. You still think I'm wrong. I don't understand you. Why would you even want me to live with you?"

"Can't you see what it was like for me?" She clung to my arm. "How scared I was?"

"How scared _you_ were?" All of the emotions I'd pushed down flooded upward as I shrugged her off. I half-turned and lifted my shirt as a reminder. "Try and remember how scared _I_ was, for a change." She turned her head, unwilling to look at the scars she'd allowed a faux-religious conman to inflict before I reached my tenth birthday.

"There's obviously nothing to talk about then. You've made it pretty clear nothing's changed." Ignoring the lump in my throat, I left the room. I'd given her another chance because deep down I was desperate for family, desperate to belong. I should have known it wouldn't work out, it never did.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"It's fine," I said without looking back. "I get it, I do." I didn't enjoy being reminded of the past either. Our secrets weighed heavily on both of us. My mother giving birth to a child that was more vampire than human hadn't been easy for anyone, but I was almost certain it didn't automatically make me a monster. _Almost_.

As I left her house, I realised I had expected too much from my grandmother. After a seven-year separation, the couple of weeks we'd spent together had me thinking she'd mellowed with age, that she could be there for me and provide unconditional love. Some things would never be true, no matter how much I wished for them. She still relished the martyr role; I would always be her burden.

Determined to get the woman out of my head, I trudged through an unexpected rainstorm and arrived home dripping wet and shivering. My slutty next-door neighbour stared from her doorway as I opened the door to my flat. I ignored her and her freakishly strong perfume, and raised the volume on my television when I heard her male companion arrive. She went through men like I went through cartons of milk, and she wasn't quiet about it.

I couldn't afford to heat the flat, so I curled up under my duvet and eventually dozed off. Nightmares plagued my sleep. Over and over again, I saw Maximus rise up and strike against me. I woke up shaking, my cheeks wet with tears. He was dead. I killed him, but I couldn't let the whole thing go. The idea that he would somehow come back for me remained a constant torment.

Agitated, I counted and multiplied until my heart stopped racing. Once the blood Eddie Brogan fed me while I had been injured wore off, my anxiety returned. Although I'd feared feeding an addiction to blood, my thirst hadn't overwhelmed me in a while. My nervous habits had been the problem instead.

The sky darkened, and I sensed the vampires awakening. I went to my window and sighed; already they were hanging around outside my home. I had first noticed them three days before standing in front of my building in pairs. Every night, they came and stood where I could see them, watching, waiting, keeping me on edge.

I reached out with my extra sense and observed the world on another level. A world full of red pulsing, dotted with something... _other_. Even in my own apartment building, I saw a shimmering presence I couldn't explain.

Right outside my building were some conspicuously empty pockets. They had no spark of life, no flash of energy, no light of soul; they were nothing. That's how I knew they were vampires.

Frowning, I leaned on my windowsill and watched. The pair stood outside, silent and idle for hours, conspicuous enough to convince me I was supposed to see them. But why? If they belonged to Daimhín, this could be her way of reminding me I worked for her. I still hadn't come up with a way of getting out of that one. I shivered, unable to dispel a sudden chill. Next time I saw her, I had to ask, just in case they didn't belong to her.

I made a cup of coffee and, returning to the window, I noticed the vampires had been replaced with a different pair. I sipped my drink and stared freely at them, knowing they couldn't see me—and knowing that if they couldn't see me, they meant me harm. The magical safeguards around my building guaranteed that kind of protection from the uninvited who harboured ill intent.

I thought one looked familiar, but I couldn't be sure. Like all vampires, they had mottled, wrinkled skin that looked as though the blood had been completely drained. To me, most of them looked alike.

The vampires shifted uncomfortably, as if they could sense me watching. I knew I was safe from them for now; there were even more magical forms of protection on my building than before. Eddie had reassured my grandmother that he had tightened my defences, but a niggling doubt made me wonder what else he did. As far as I was concerned, he sold me out to the vampires in the end, so I could never trust him. I still didn't know what kind of supernatural being he was, or even what he was capable of. In some ways, I feared him more than Daimhín.

Shortly before dawn, the vampires sprinted away. I blinked, and they were gone. I couldn't begin to figure out what was going on, and I was too exhausted to try. Sleep claimed me as soon as I lay down.

Yet again, my dreams brought to the surface everything I had felt while being tortured. Lack of control was the one thing that overwhelmed me the most over the last seven years. Being left helpless by a vampire's torture methods went a step beyond my coping limits.

Alone and afraid, I trembled in the dark. Clutching the cross that had once magically numbed my thirst, I whispered pointless prayers to whatever entity was out there messing with me.

A gentle breeze caressed my cheek, each puff a cold, soothing hand against my skin. The presence had followed me around for a while and comforted me every night. I trusted it only because I had to trust _something_ or I'd go completely insane. What I really needed was for life to go back to normal, back to me avoiding humans and vampires as much as possible. Back to me staying out of trouble.

That was too much to ask for.

When a call on my mobile showed the name Daimhín, I was tempted to ignore it. I didn't dare, even though it was daylight, so it couldn't possibly be the vampire equivalent of a queen.

"Miss Delaney?" said an unfamiliar female voice.

"Yep."

"This is... the day assistant of Daimhín. I've been asked to inform you that your presence is required on Friday evening. I'll text you the location."

"Day assistant. Right. And if I'm busy?"

Her hesitation vanished, and her voice turned ice-cold. "Then someone will come and get you. It wouldn't be pleasant, so I advise you to turn up, Miss Delaney. Of your own accord."

"Fine. I'll be there. Hey, wait. Know anything about the vampires hanging around outside my place?"

She paused; I held my breath, half-hoping she would say yes. At least then I would know.

"I haven't heard anything about it." She hung up and sent me the text straight away. The assistant bothered me as much as Daimhín. I couldn't tell if she was lying about the vampires. I was pretty sure the woman was in a relationship of some kind with Peter, and he was the one who had told Daimhín I had agreed to work for her. More betrayal I didn't want to think about.

One of the non-life-threatening downsides to working for Daimhín was that it meant less time spent on my own business. Rule one of earning a reasonable income by buying and selling esoteric relics online involved maintaining a solid, reliable presence. The supernatural world had been a major factor in the deterioration of my business relationships. Feeling weary, I turned on my old laptop with a plan to make up time for whatever errands Daimhín had planned for Friday.

A loud knock at the door soon interrupted a grovelling email. I regretted opening the door the instant I saw the look on my landlord's face.

"Hello, Mr. McGreavy. How are you?" I gave him my cheeriest smile despite my expectance of a bad attitude in return.

He glared and lifted his shoulders, trying to tower over me. When I first came to view my home, he'd interviewed me in his flat where I'd seen plenty of old photos of him. He had once been a handsome man but had apparently eaten his weight in fast food until grease began to seep out of his pores.

"Where's the rent, Delaney?" His squinty eyes almost disappeared under the enormous frowning brow.

"I told you already, you'll get it in a few weeks. I'm still waiting to get paid." Total lie. My business had pretty much gone to hell while I'd dealt with accidentally enthralling a human and trying to avoid being picked up by two warring vampire clans. Recovering from Maximus's torture, I'd not only lost days, but also money, sales, and a couple of regulars to boot. Catching up proved a struggle. I had no chance of making the rent anytime soon.

"I'm still waiting, too. You have until tomorrow." McGreavy sounded really happy about that, the greasy sod. My slutty next-door neighbour could always charm her way into an extra couple of week's leeway. Wait. Maybe I could too.

I'd been thinking about what I did to Carl, spent some time concentrating on where the power came from to stop me from doing it again accidentally. Instead of shutting off any supernatural ability I might have, I had begun to explore the possibilities. It was time to find out if I could use my persuasive side on purpose.

McGreavy turned to leave, satisfied with his intimidation of me. I grabbed his coat sleeve, forcing him to stop. He tried to pull away and frowned at my hand, perhaps wondering why I was so much stronger than him. I stared right into his eyes and let that other part of me show, not the fangs or the aggression, but the seductive willpower that had worked so well on Carl, whether I wanted it to or not.

"I need more time," I said, my voice soft and slow. Different. Something pulsed on the surface of my skin, but I ignored the sensation and concentrated, kept thinking about how he should feel and tried to force the feeling toward him.

McGreavy's face contorted with anger then, all of a sudden, let it go. I could hear his heartbeat slowing down; the rhythm calmed me. His loose jowls slack, he stared back at me and nodded.

"Can you give me an extra month to pay?" I thought about pleasing me and pushed the notion toward him, willing him to accept it.

"Yes," he said with a fervent nod. "Of course." He leaned toward me as if to steal a kiss; I backed off, alarmed.

"Um, cool, thanks!" I closed the door on his surprised face. Risking a look through the peephole, I watched his features screwing up with confusion. Pleased with the results, I stifled a giggle as he stumbled away.

Cold air blasted the back of my neck. Apparently, the spirit wanted to show its displeasure.

"I had no choice, I can't pay him," I protested, but the words sounded dead, as if even I didn't believe them. The presence blew directly in my face, making me blink.

"I'm sorry," I amended, hoping it sounded sincere. I hated myself for forcing Carl to do my bidding by accident. What made my landlord any different?

I sat, humbled, and the guilt kicked in, sucking the exhilaration away. I decided to give Carl a call and check up on him. My reasons were selfish; I wanted to know he was doing okay, that I had done right by him after all.

"Ava? Is that you?" Carl's familiar voice was completely absent of the dull, brainless tone he'd taken on while entranced.

I opened my mouth to answer when a hysterical-sounding woman screamed at him in the background.

"Shut _up_ , Maria. I'm on the phone!"

"Um, sounds like a bad time, I'll call you back sometime." I hurriedly hung up just as his fiancée, Maria, screamed at him again.

I hoped they weren't still fighting because he had gone missing for a couple of days. The relief she felt when he returned home had quickly turned to anger, particularly when he continued to visit me. His visits had dropped off, and I assumed he had gone back to his own life and taken my advice to forget about my world.

Not for the first time, I wished _I_ had the luxury of returning to a normal life.

# 2

I spent Friday afternoon working, but my appointment with Daimhín never left my mind, pushing everything else out of my head. By the time I got ready to leave, I was running on nervous energy.

Getting ready mostly consisted of putting on silver bracelets and the cross-shaped talisman Eddie had given me. I still had possession of the special dagger he had pressed on me before a fight. I had no intention of returning it. I had adjusted my favourite coat so I could carry the dagger in a number of different ways; I wasn't letting it out of my sight if I could help it.

Daimhín's home was much more discreet than Maximus's had been. Her guards were scattered around the building and well-hidden except for the obvious emptiness in my other sight. Her tastes were muted, designed to be forgettable, just like her. I wished _I_ could forget all about Daimhín, but she wasn't about to let me.

One of her followers led me into a cosy living room where Daimhín sat surrounded by vampires, and even a human or two. Daimhín signalled for the others to leave. As they all trooped out, I couldn't help noting her vampires weren't exactly starving. Most of Maximus's vampires had been gaunt and hungry looking, not to mention less than loyal.

"Sit down, Ms. Delaney." Daimhín's low voice was still commanding enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

I sat on the chair furthest from her and waited. She smoothed her linen trousers, her outfit as understated as her slow yet precise movements. The leader of Irish vampires, Daimhín was pretty ordinary looking, apart from her burgundy eyes; even her skin wasn't as sickeningly parched as the other vampires.

Feeling a little queasy as I wondered what she had in store, I fidgeted under her stare. I crossed my fingers and hoped it wouldn't require a murder. She wasn't likely to be pleased when I refused.

"I have work for you," she said at last, each measured word a perfect enunciation. "Nothing problematic. I'd like you to accompany one of my children. He's been undergoing a punishment set by the Council for some time now. Tonight will be his first feed. You are to accompany him. Ensure he doesn't lose control."

I stared, my mind blank. "What?"

"Is this a problem?" Her pleased expression sent my whole body on alert. I sensed her testing my limits, first with Maximus's death and now with a potential vampire feeding frenzy.

"No problem," I said, surprising her.

"Good." She glanced at the door and raised her voice. "Rose, come back in here." Rose turned out to be a short, chubby human in her late thirties. She greeted me with a pleasant smile; I wondered why someone better suited to a school run was hanging around with a vampire coven.

"Rose." The sudden sweetness in Daimhín's tone was a dramatic change from the norm. "Tell Zion to release Jules from the cage and bring him here."

_Cage?_

Rose beamed back at Daimhín then obediently trotted away. I couldn't think of anything to say to Daimhín, who proceeded to stare at me expressionlessly. The more time I spent with the vampire, the more freaked out I became—it was impossible to read her intentions. I could have thanked Rose when she returned, followed by two vampires.

A vampire with the largest afro I had ever seen led the smaller one into the room by the hair and shoved him toward Daimhín. He landed in a ball at her feet.

"Good evening, Jules." Daimhín's lips twitched as though she were covering amusement.

Jules looked up at her; his long, blond hair covered his eyes, so I couldn't see his expression. I stared at his hollow cheeks—so like Arthur's. Although I had said yes to accompanying this vampire to his first meal in who knows how long, I had really intended to do him harm. Now he reminded me of Arthur, the vampire I had taken Carl from, and a little of the kindred feeling I had experienced with that vampire reappeared.

_Crap._

"This... _lady_ will be joining you for dinner tonight. See that you mind your manners."

Jules turned toward me and flicked his hair from his eyes with a jerk of his head. His eyes were free from the scarlet tinge that signalled a vampire. My own eyes had gained a tint of red once or twice after ingesting blood. I wondered how long he had gone hungry to have such pure green eyes.

"Of course, _you_ may join his meal, Ms. Delaney. The Council hasn't set a quota on you," Daimhín continued. I'd heard a few things about the Council, and I fully intended to steer clear of them. The less they knew about my existence, the better.

"Um, yeah, that won't be necessary," I said, unable to tear my eyes from Jules. Curiosity spread across his face as he sniffed the air.

"Do what you like," Daimhín said. "Jules... Jules! Look at me. Go upstairs, and get cleaned up. We don't need you running the streets looking like a castaway. Hurry up. Ms. Delaney, you may wait outside until he's ready."

Dismissed, I wandered outside the gates. I was unimpressed with my latest assignment. I couldn't watch a vampire harm a human and not step in. On the other hand, a major part of my core didn't want to see a vampire go hungry either. It didn't feel fair, but I knew how seriously screwed up of me it was to think like that.

I needed to stay on Daimhín's good side, particularly when things were on such an uneven kilter. I didn't know what to do and, this time, I had no one to ask.

Jules leapt in front of me, surprising me. He smelled slightly less repulsive, and his eyes sparkled with excited energy as he bounced on the balls of his feet. I felt jittery just looking at him. If his skin hadn't been so grey and dried up looking, I might have seen a teenager standing there.

"Let's go," he said, and moved on without looking back. I wandered after him but soon found I had to run to keep up. He jogged for at least twenty minutes in what seemed like a totally random direction. My dread built with every step; I didn't have a clue what to do next. Jules came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the street and looked all around, reminding me of a dog following a scent.

This was it—decision time.

Jules rotated, one slow step at a time, his fangs already showing. He tensed, then raced past, knocking me to the ground in his urgency.

"Shit." I jumped to my feet and sprinted after him, trying to catch up. He got out of my line of sight within seconds. I had messed up already. Closing my eyes, I concentrated hard, using my other sense to seek out Jules, to find that pocket of emptiness screaming, "Vampire."

A scattering of voids dotted the nearby area. I decided to go after the closest one, the one moving away. Fast. If I hurried, I might catch him, but not before he approached a pulsing red source of fresh blood.

Snapping back to reality, I sped up until I caught a strong whiff of his odour. I couldn't see him anywhere. Puzzled, I paused, then realised he must be inside a building already.

I spied the open door just as a woman screamed. I had never heard such terror come from a human's mouth. I stormed into the building faster than I could have imagined and found myself in an ordinary-looking living room, ordinary apart from the cowering woman in the corner.

Jules crouched over her, and I could see why she looked so scared. His fangs glinted in the light; his eyes were giddy with need. He grabbed a handful of her hair and smacked her head against the arm of a chair to knock her out.

Arms outstretched, I jumped toward him without thinking, catching his fangs with my hand before he could bite down on her skin. I could only yelp in pain because he swung his arm around and whacked me hard in the face even as we both tumbled through the air. Rabid with hunger and utilising a scary amount of strength, he rolled me over and dived on top of me. I grabbed his hair to stop him from biting me again, but he pulled himself out of my grasp with ease. The blood from my hand distracted his attention from my arteries, just in time.

His eyes intensely focused, Jules grabbed my hand tightly and lapped at the wound even as I punched him in the head. He shifted his body, seeming to barely notice the blows. He sucked harder, a harsh moan coming from his throat.

I frantically tried to worm my hand away from him. Suddenly, two vampires approached and separated us by kicking Jules in the face until he let go of my hand.

Even as one vampire held him steady, Jules looked around for me with a creepy sort of eagerness. I didn't think he even noticed the other vampires, he was so intent on getting back to me. Judging by his expression, my blood didn't taste half bad. Great, something new to worry about.

The two vampires belonged to Daimhín; I remembered seeing them both at her home. I wasn't scared, but I _was_ worried. They stared me down, giving me a few seconds to get off the floor. I couldn't bring myself to lick my wound, not in front of them, and especially not after Jules had slobbered all over it. It stung badly, just like the bite I'd gotten on my chest. I still had the scar from that one.

"You're to see Daimhín tomorrow evening," the vampire holding Jules said, never taking his eyes off my hand. "As soon as the sun sets. Don't be late."

They escorted Jules outside, leaving me alone with the unconscious woman. I didn't wait around for her to wake up but, after listening to her heartbeat for a minute, I called an ambulance, just in case. Who knew what her story would be, but people would likely assume she'd been attacked, robbed, and probably hallucinated the bit about the fangs.

I hurried home alone, sick to my stomach at the thought of facing Daimhín again. Things hadn't gone according to plan—not at all. First, I had let Jules run off without me. Then when I saw he was about to feed, I got in the way. I had a feeling letting him taste me wasn't the best plan I'd ever had; it was lucky two of Daimhín's boys had turned up in time.

Wait. Why _had_ they turned up? I realised with a groan that they must have been following us the whole time. Not good.

Making it home unharmed, I ignored the vampires outside and ran into my building to clean my hand. Fourteen times. Overkill, maybe, but I was under a lot of stress, and fourteen was a safe number.

My only source of income was crumbling around me, my grandmother was putting pressure on me to act like the past never happened, and all of the people I thought might be my friends had either disappeared or else weren't all that trustworthy after all.

Counting, safe numbers, and my normal routine were the only things keeping me together. I was a bag of nerves all over again, worse, probably, now that I knew what was out there in the world.

Convinced it was finally clean of vampire saliva, I tentatively raised my hand to my mouth and licked the bite marks. The blood didn't stop flowing. The wound didn't heal.

The cold presence, or spirit, as I'd taken to calling it, drifted across my face, either trying to tell me something or to reassure me. I could never tell for sure.

The wound bothered me, it should have healed. I'd managed to heal my wounds a number of times.

"Maybe it's stress," I said out loud. I couldn't deal with any more surprises.

The next evening, after passing by a number of leering vampires outside my home, I headed for Daimhín's place again. I was so paranoid about being jumped on by my stalker vampires that I kept the dagger hidden under my long sleeves so I could easily grab it. Mostly, I felt secure if I could touch it. It stayed by my hand in case Daimhín decided she needed to punish me. If she wanted to end my life, I could at least take one of her vampires down with me.

Rose let me in and accompanied me to Daimhín's living room. I should have worried about dealing with Daimhín, but I was just thankful my hand had finally stopped bleeding.

"Chin up, love," Rose said, looking sympathetic. Even Daimhín's pets knew I was in for it.

Daimhín didn't clear the room this time. Jules sat at her feet and began panting like a dog when he saw me. His eyes were a scarlet red; he had obviously drunk his fill, somehow. From Rose perhaps, as her cheeks lacked the natural flush of the night before.

My interest grew when I saw a familiar vampire sitting next to Daimhín. Petite and pale, the intriguing child vampire's eyes bore light traces of pink. She stared right at me, but I couldn't find a child-sized vampire intimidating, even if I probably should.

"Last night didn't go very well." The look on Daimhín's face told me she had gotten what she wished.

"Really? I thought it went great." I scowled at Jules and hid my bitten hand in my pocket.

Daimhín leaned back in her seat and glanced at the child vampire. "Yes, well, at least we know for certain what you are _not_ capable of. I've been thinking of another use for you. Courier work, the occasional debt collection. Can you oblige?"

"Uh, sure. Where and when?" Finally, something that wouldn't test my morals.

"Now." Daimhín moved to the mantelpiece; it appeared as if her feet only skimmed the surface of the carpet. She opened a large jewellery box and took out a square brown package. The child vampire's eyes widened slightly. I took a step forward, then thought better of it; Jules's fangs were out again. He licked his lips, still staring intently at me. I held his gaze and experienced an odd sensation, like cold raindrops on my skin. I shivered a little, and he looked puzzled.

"That's enough, Jules," Daimhín said. Jules didn't respond, and Daimhín turned her attention to me.

"I need you to deliver this tonight. Wait for his instructions. Send them to my phone by text, do _not_ return here. The person you're looking for is known as Gabe. Don't worry, he isn't a vampire."

I shrugged, hoping she wouldn't see how relieved I felt. Delivering a package was fine with me, especially if the recipient wasn't a vampire. I took the package, listened to her directions, and headed for the door.

"Try to get this job done," Daimhín said. "Don't get yourself bitten on the way." Jules let out a hyena laugh. I glared at them all, not feeling like backing down, especially because my hand still stung, and I hadn't been able to heal the wound yet.

"Oh, by the way," I said, ready to run with my fingers gripping the handle of the door. "My place is being staked out by vampires. Yours?"

Daimhín smirked as if mildly amused. "Not mine. But I'd drink some blood if I were you. Just in case."

"No, thanks." I opened the door too roughly and semi-slammed it behind me, feeling better for the petulance of the act.

I considered running to the delivery point but, without human blood, I wasn't half as fast. I walked, the whole time feeling an imaginary pair of eyes on my back.

I rang Peter, even though I was still mad at him. He hadn't contacted me at all, and it bugged me more than I wanted to admit. After the way we had left things, we were overdue an important conversation. I needn't have bothered trying; he didn't answer. I put my mobile back in my pocket, shifted the dagger so I could keep a tight hold, and counted how many steps it took me to get to my destination.

The drop-off point turned out to be a small, cosy nightclub. It was slowly dawning on me that otherworldly beings ran most of the businesses in town. I supposed it made sense; creatures like vampires couldn't exactly work ordinary day jobs.

The club itself was modern and clean; a live band played unobtrusively in the background. Huge comparison to the dank vampire bar I'd visited before. There were lots of free tables and only one person working behind the bar.

The aroma in the air was strange and lovely. Something attracted me, but it was too mingled with scents of magic and other things to figure out exactly what it was. I sat at the bar and waited for the bartender to notice me until a new, familiar smell distracted me.

Glancing around, I saw Peter Brannigan sitting next to a man who had short horns on his forehead at a table in the corner. Peter looked as serious as always, focused on his companion. Not the least bit pretty, his gruff appearance still managed to stir something in the pit of my stomach.

Peter met my eyes and shook his head as if to say, "Leave it." I shrugged and turned away. I wasn't going to force him to talk to me, but I couldn't deny the little twinge I felt at seeing him.

The bartender was short, blond, and looked to be in his mid-thirties. Slim and covered in tattoos, he wore a short-sleeved shirt that exposed his inked sleeves. I gawked at a dragon on his forearm that seemed to move.

"What can I get you?" he said, moving his arms behind his back.

"Um, I've a package for some guy called Gabe. You him?"

He threw back his head and guffawed loudly. "Some guy called Gabe," he muttered, shaking his head. "Hold on, babe. I'll see if he's out back."

I glared after him, wondering what was so damn funny. I couldn't stop myself from sneaking one last glance at Peter, but he had already left. Without speaking to me at all.

I leaned my elbow on the bar and sunk my chin into my palm with a loud sigh. The appealing smell became more concentrated, and I sniffed the air appreciatively, smiling to myself.

"You have something for me?"

I jumped, startled, and gazed up at the single most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. Tall, broad, and muscular, his obvious strength gave me the urge to expose my belly. Figuratively speaking. His thick hair was coal black, his eyes a deep, dark, chocolate brown. He grinned, and I shook my head slightly, trying to focus.

"Yeah, are you Gabe? Daimhín sent me."

"I am Gabe," he said, like it was his title or something. His voice slid over me like a silk sheet, and suddenly I was imagining him wrapped up in one.

My cheeks flushing, I handed over the package. "I've to wait for a reply."

He opened the package right there, revealing wads of money. A lot of it. He read through the accompanying note then glanced up and down my body appraisingly.

"You may tell Daimhín that you will not suffice. Not even as part payment."

I stopped ogling long enough to listen. "Excuse me?"

"Daimhín wishes to exchange you in order to clear a long-standing debt. You won't do."

"Are you for real? Show me that!" I snapped the note out of his hands before he could stop me. He exchanged a bemused glance with the bartender who was chortling behind his hand. I ignored them and read the note.

I couldn't believe it. She had actually tried to sell me to some randomer.

"Of all the... I don't believe this shit." I was sick to death of vampires and everything else. "Well, you can't have me," I added, pointing at Gabe.

"I don't want you," he said, sounding like he was talking about a drink or a bar of chocolate. "But tell her I'll consider Eloise."

"Screw you," I said, turning to leave, ready to hit something.

"In your dreams." The cockiness of his words turned me cold, no matter how pretty he was.

"Stupid supernaturals with no damn morals. I'm not a _thing_! You can't all keep thinking I'm... ownable." My fingers curled into fists as I stormed out, ignoring the laughter that followed me.

Daimhín was pushing it. How dare she try and _sell_ me? I worked for her, albeit reluctantly, but she did _not_ own me. I stayed furious most of the way home, too angry to pay attention to anything going on around me. My fingers trembled as I struggled to text Daimhín's phone to let her know what happened at the bar, remembering to mention Eloise, whoever she was.

The cold presence returned and blew on the back of my neck. I glanced around but couldn't see a thing. On alert, I convinced myself I was being watched.

I tried to use my other sense to feel if anyone was around, but I was too agitated. To err on the side of caution, I assumed a vampire was out there and sped up, multiplying the numbers of my birth date together in my head to keep me calm. I tried to use my other sense again, peering into the night on another level. Instead of the emptiness I'd been expecting, a bright, white light burned into my brain. Whatever was out there, it wasn't a vampire.

My stomach turned when I came close to home and remembered the vampires who kept a constant eye on my building. When I turned onto my street, I saw two of them and stiffened, goose bumps rising on my arms. Neither of them approached, but I couldn't relax until I had made it within the safety line of the magic surrounding my apartment. Relief flooded through me when each vampire looked a little puzzled as I disappeared before them.

Feeling lucky, I trudged up the stairs. Being away from home at night wasn't doing me any favours. If I could find a way to leave Daimhín's workforce, then I'd be right on it. The vampires outside could attack me any night, but they didn't. The anticipation kept me on edge.

I caught his scent a half-second before I noticed him. Carl rose when I approached. With a bag at his feet and a solemn look on his face, it seemed like he had been waiting there for a while.

"Carl? What's wrong?"

His eyes were red-rimmed and unhappy. I felt sick, expecting the worst. It hadn't been that long ago when Carl was compelled to follow me around, going so far as to wait outside my door all night. This was all too familiar.

"I'm sorry, Ava, but can I stay with you for a few days?"

# 3

"Spill," I said, and took a sip of coffee.

Carl stared at his cup and acted like he hadn't heard me. We sat in my living room with me waiting for him to tell me what was going on. He definitely wasn't enthralled, but I couldn't help feeling nervous. I sniffed the air a little too much. A little too appreciatively.

"This is embarrassing," he said, avoiding my eyes. "You spent all that time trying to get me out of here, and I come running back first chance I get."

"Carl, why _are_ you here?"

He looked at me with pleading eyes. "Don't get mad. Look, before I... I have to explain something, confess something, actually."

I felt a chill and shivered; he looked so worried, it couldn't be good.

He ran his fingers through his hair, cleared his throat, and gathered himself together. "Okay, here's the thing. When everything was going on, you know, me being bound to you and all, I think I... well, I know I had these moments of clarity."

"What do you mean?" _Don't say it._

"I think maybe, sometimes, I could probably have... controlled myself a little better. Around you, I mean. A couple of times, I think I knew what I was doing and didn't try to stop it. There were times when I fought against the magic to get my own way. I made it harder for you. On purpose."

I bit my lip. It wasn't anything I hadn't suspected, but hearing him say it made me angry. I had gone through hell, I didn't want him to say he could have prevented it.

"Not the really bad stuff," he added hurriedly when he saw my expression. "I mean things like when you would tell me to leave, I could have done it."

"So why didn't you?"

"I didn't want to go home. You have to understand, Ava. I didn't plan any of this. None of my life, really. Nothing is how I expected it to be, and I know I'll never do anything worth mentioning. I'm an accountant in my girlfriend's—sorry, my _fiancée's_ —father's business. I've been working there for years, but I'm still not any good at it. I don't even care. I mean, I never wanted to be an accountant; he just gave me an easy option, so I took it."

I shrugged. "It's just a job, Carl. You can still do other things."

"It's not just that," he said, his voice getting louder. "I'm getting married to someone I'm not even sure I'm attracted to. I'm just plodding along, letting everyone else take care of the big decisions. And I'm bored. Of everything. This isn't how it was supposed to be."

He took a sip of his coffee, but still refused to look at me. I had no idea what to say. Where did I start?

"Anyway, I went on a lad's night out until Maria rang me to come home for some work emergency. What kind of accounting emergency can't wait until Monday? You know?"

He gazed up at me, looking like a little boy who needs to be reassured. Resisting the urge to slap some sense into him, I gave a quick nod, and he carried on, "So I leave, start walking home while I look out for a taxi, and this guy attacks me. He's crazy strong, and I'm thinking, 'Wow!' Not, 'this is weird.' Not, 'I'm scared.' But, 'Wow.'" He shook his head, looking surprised by the memory.

"You looked scared," I said, remembering his face in the alleyway when Arthur had him pinned against the wall.

"It _was_ scary. But mostly? It was exciting. Then you came along, and everything happened. A lot of it's a blur until the bond broke, but then I stuck around and, Ava, kidnapping that vampire was probably the most exciting thing I've ever done in my life. I keep remembering how alive I felt." With every word, he became more animated.

"Almost dying made you feel alive?" I saw the look in his eyes and knew he believed it to be true, but I couldn't understand it.

"Yeah. Alive and excited and really... doing something for a change. No more plodding. But then I got home, and Maria and her Dad kept nagging me. My parents joined in. All I could think about was what I know, that vampires are real. If I told any of them, they wouldn't believe me for a second. It's like a really cool secret, but all I want to do is talk about it."

"Is that why you're here? To talk?" That would be easy.

His face flushed red. "Not exactly. I sort of walked out on my job. And Maria. Everyone's pretty pissed at me."

I groaned. "Why on earth did you do something like that?"

"I couldn't handle how dead it made me feel. I'm not meant for that life, Ava; I'm not. When I was bound to you, I loved the excitement. That's why I didn't leave, even when I could have. I know it sounds crazy, but I had a taste of something amazing, and I can't face going back. I need to change things. Can I stay for a bit? Just until I figure things out?"

"I figured you had a death wish, but this is just stupid," I said, but I couldn't bear to dash the hopeful look in his eyes. Besides, it might be nice having some company again. I had to admit that breaking our bond had made me suffer; having him around eased the empty feeling a little. Perhaps he still felt the residual effects of the bond. The least I could do was give him some time to see if it wore off. "Maybe a few days then."

He tried to hug me, but I pushed him away and looked at him sternly. "If I start craving your blood again, you have to leave straight away. Okay?"

He nodded, looking so confident I doubted he had even considered what he would do if I said no.

"You're going to have to sort yourself out, though. No more stupid shit. You have to go home sometime, and surely you realise that being in danger isn't exactly a good route to happiness." As if I knew anything about it.

"Okay," he said, but I had a feeling he wasn't listening. I didn't want to push it; I owed him for accidentally bonding him to me and nearly getting him killed.

"Wait, you might not want to stay here. It's not exactly safe right now," I warned, remembering my night-time stalkers.

Carl grinned. "What, from you?"

I shook my head and tried to ignore the sick feeling in my gut. "For a few nights now, I've noticed some vampires hanging around outside."

"Outside?"

"Yeah, look." I led him to the window and pointed out the pair of the vampires keeping watch.

"Who are they?" he asked.

I stared out at them; I had no idea, and that scared me. "I'm not sure. Daimhín's saying they aren't any of her doing."

"You could always ask Peter or Eddie if they know anything," he said.

I ignored that. "They haven't done anything yet. They just wait, and stare, and act creepy in general."

"Not exactly stealthy." Carl frowned at the duo.

"Which might be the point."

Carl glanced at me. "Think someone's keeping an eye on you or trying to intimidate you?"

I exhaled loudly. "Does it matter? Point is, be careful after dark."

"I will, don't worry." He smiled, bouncing back as always. "So, what now? Want to watch something with me?"

"I have work to do," I told him. "Make yourself at home." I paused before I left the room. "Hey, Carl. You heard much from Peter?"

"A little, why?"

I shrugged. "No matter." So, it was just me then.

I hid in my room and tried to get some work done, but I couldn't get my head straight. I pushed the laptop away in agitation. Peter had been in contact with Carl. Not me.

I rang his mobile, unsurprised when he didn't answer. I left a message for him to ring me back, this time because I needed his advice on Daimhín, Gabe, and the stalker vampires, or at least that's what I told myself. Giving up any pretence of working, I gave Carl a blanket and went to bed.

Tossing and turning, it took me hours to fall asleep. Yet again, I dreamt of Maximus. This time I was back in his torture chamber, screaming, watching my blood paint the walls. He kept laughing as he sliced my skin with his nails. Nobody came, I was on my own. Then Maximus grabbed me and whispered my name over and over. I struggled helplessly until the walls weren't red anymore, and I realised it was Carl who held me.

I tried to push him away, but he wrapped his arms around me until I stopped gasping for air. Whispering to me, he stroked my hair, but the rapid thudding of my heart drowned out his words. I counted until the room stopped closing in, and I could breathe easier. I realised I'd been counting aloud and hid my face in my hands, mortified.

"Ava, look at me. Does that happen often?"

"Not really," I said, my throat aching with each word.

"You were screaming your head off. I thought you were never going to stop."

"I'm sorry." My voice was dull and low with shame that he had seen me at my weakest.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, I'm worried for you. Talk to me, what's going on?"

I saw how earnest his eyes were and knew he wouldn't judge me, but I wanted to contain everything I felt, to push it down where I wouldn't have to deal with it.

"Nothing," I said.

"Nothing. Look at you! You're shaking."

I shook my head and moved further away, suddenly aware of how close we were sitting. His eyes only held concern; since we had broken the bond, he treated me like a sister.

"I'm fine," I repeated, hiding my trembling hands behind me.

"You're obviously not fine. What's happening?" His voice soothed, broke down that defensive streak, made me feel like maybe it would be okay if I talked about it.

I wrapped my arms around my waist, mentally counting his heartbeat this time. "It's just... I can't let it go. I thought once the job was done, that'd be it, I'd be fine. But he's in my dreams every night. Maximus. It feels so real, and I can't escape. I can't look after myself; I just lie there and wait for someone to rescue me. But no one ever does."

I shook my head, not entirely sure what I was trying to say. I had never vocalised my fears before. "I thought it was over, but they're still out there, waiting for me. Every single night. And I can't stop them."

"You've gotten the better of lots of vampires, Ava. You've nothing to be scared about," he said.

A shudder ran through my body. They always won in the end. "You don't get it," I said. "I'm not as strong as them, and I'm outnumbered. It's like, I have to be like them just to survive. I have to drink blood to take care of myself, to be strong enough to defend myself, but that makes me the same as them. To scare off the monster under the bed, I have to _be_ the monster under the bed. That's sick, right?"

I saw his pity again. I hated it. He came toward me, but I held out my hands, ready to push him away. He backed off. "We'll help you. Me, Peter, everyone."

"Peter? He won't even _talk_ to me. I saw him, and he totally avoided me. He won't answer his phone either. I'm not even going to get into the crap with Eddie, Daimhín, and my grandmother. I can't trust _anyone_."

"You can trust me," Carl said, and I could tell he believed it. "And Nancy was beside herself when Maximus had you. I know Peter's tough to read sometimes, but he cares. I'm sure he does. Even Eddie, why would they beg Daimhín for help if they didn't?"

I gave him a wry smile. "To get me working for her. All part of their master plan." I felt better, angry rather than scared. I liked angry me best. Carl looked confused, so I shook my head. "Never mind, I'm tired. Thanks and all, but I need some sleep."

He hesitated, but I turned my back to him, and he left me alone.

Two days later, Peter still hadn't called, so I decided I was done with him, no more trying. The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became, and the more Carl seemed to get in my way. The flat felt tiny again, just like before, except this time, Carl was determined to talk to me. About everything.

Question after question about how I was feeling, my night terrors, what we could do to make it better, why the vampires stood outside every night, what we were going to do about them—it drove me mad because all I wanted to do was forget about all of it. Finally, I told him through tightly clenched teeth that he should go visit Peter or Eddie, or anyone that wasn't me.

Once Carl left, I tried to get back to work, but he had completely distracted me. I paced up and down the room, trying in vain to come up with a long-term solution to Carl's problems. I passed the window, paused, and looked back out, wondering if I was seeing things.

I wasn't. Becca. Outside my home—just like the vampires had been.

"That's it." I ran down the stairs and hurtled toward Becca who was visibly startled by my sudden appearance. She held out her arm. Her hand was red, almost burned-looking, and it shook noticeably as she waved a crucifix in my direction.

"Back off!" she screamed.

I rolled my eyes and showed her the cross around my neck. The colour sapped from her face, and she backed away, letting the crucifix fall to the ground. I supposed she had a reason to fear me. After all, I had almost drained her dry the last time we met. She looked the same, still pale, blonde, and nasty with a freakishly young body and old face. Her eyes glinted red in the sunlight, a chilling reminder of the bagged blood in her fridge.

"I see you've found a new vampy sugar daddy." I gestured to the vicious-looking bites on her neck.

She grinned, vacantly. I knew she faked her confidence; I did the same thing on a regular basis. "Now that Max is gone, Gideon's taken me as his own."

"Who's Gideon?"

"He's in charge of the coven now," she said, her grin faltering.

"Suppose that has to be an improvement."

She tried to slap me, but I dodged her hand easily. "Don't talk about Max!" Pink tears slid down her cheek. "He was good to me, okay? This is all your fault anyway. If Max hadn't been so obsessed—"

"I don't need to hear his life story, Becca," I said, although I was surprised that she actually cared about Maximus; he had been severely unbalanced. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She blinked fast. "I'm supposed to keep watch during the day. And make sure you know about it. He's coming to get you." She lowered her voice. "If you thought Max was bad, you know nothing. Gideon's in a hurry, so you better watch out. I'm hoping he waits until I turn so I can come after you first."

"Scary. I take it this Gideon bloke is the one who's been sending vampires to stalk me." I tried to balls it out, but I was rattling inside.

Becca laughed. "You've no clue what he's sending after you." She looked so satisfied, I knew I should start worrying.

"And yet I don't care," I said. "But if I see you outside my home one more time, I might just get a little thirsty." I looked around to see if the coast was clear then gave her a quick flash of my fangs. It kind of amused me that she was comfortable around the vampires yet feared me. I got a little thrill from the look of horror on her face, but as I strode back inside, I felt true panic. I didn't know Gideon but, if he was worse than Maximus, then I was in trouble.

I rang Carl briefly to warn him not to come home after dark. He promised he would be careful, but I obsessed about Gideon all evening. His vampires hadn't attacked me yet, but they were making their presence known each and every night. I needed a plan of action for when they finally attacked. I had to do something, protect myself in some way.

I decided to chance my arm and call Daimhín. She wouldn't take the call, so one of her humans acted as a go-between. I asked for help, for some kind of protection because I worked for Daimhín, and a rival coven had it in for me. As soon as I heard her laughter in the background, I knew I was on my own. I had no clue what was coming, but I expected the worst. Evil was on its way, and I had no means to stop it.

# 4

The following morning, I awoke to a text from Daimhín's day assistant. After a night of terrifying dreams, the text was the last thing I needed. I had strict instructions to pick up a payment from Eddie at the close of working hours and bring it straight to Daimhín as quickly as possible. I knew Eddie was in debt to Daimhín, but it hadn't occurred to me that she might involve me in his repayments. I didn't want to face her after she'd refused to help me, not to mention, her trying to sell me, but I had little choice. I didn't want two covens after me. Again.

Carl wasn't in the living room; the blanket I left out for him hadn't been touched, and he hadn't called. For all I knew, he had been taken by the vampires. Hopefully Eddie had seen him. If Carl was really interested in the supernatural world, then Eddie's shop would be his first stop.

I kept watch for Becca, but she didn't show so I didn't have anyone to take out my bad mood on. It was partly her fault that I had such a bad night; her words gave my nightmares new details.

I hadn't been to Eddie's place since he locked me out and left Carl and me to fend for ourselves against a bunch of vampires. I dreaded seeing him. I knew he was powerful, but I had no clue what he was capable of, so confronting him was dangerous. Dealing with him was as frustrating and unpredictable as dealing with the vampires.

I walked fast but constantly felt like there was someone behind me. Becca's words had worked their way into my brain until they were all I could think about.

I opened the door to Eddie's shop and stifled a groan. My day had just taken a turn for the worse. Eddie was there, but so was Peter. I didn't particularly want to deal with either of them.

Eddie smiled, but I felt a chill pass over my skin. His shop often made me feel suffocated, and this time was no different. Magic hung in the air, but there was something else too. The longer I spent there, the more accustomed to the differences I became.

"Was Carl here?" I asked before Eddie could speak.

"What are you, his mother now?" Peter said. Only Peter could give me attitude when I walked into a room practically snarling.

I narrowed my eyes, then repeated the question, directing it at Eddie.

"You just missed him," Eddie said. "What can I do for you?"

I sighed with relief; at least Carl was safe. The big oaf.

"You owe Daimhín. I'm here to... speed up the repayments," I said, keeping my voice as level as possible. It killed me inside to do her bidding, but I didn't have much of a choice.

Eddie scowled, and a few books flew off the shelves which I pretended not to notice. "Of course," he said through clenched teeth. "Wait here." He left the shop and went upstairs, leaving me with Peter. The tension between us spiked a couple of notches; I pretended to look at the books to avoid looking at him.

"So," he said, after a few minutes of awkward silence. "How do you like working for Daimhín?"

Enraged, I twirled around to face him. "You better be freaking kidding me, Brannigan. Yeah, I love it, Peter. I love having your idiot girlfriend text me orders, especially when her idiot boyfriend is the one who got me into this mess in the first place and won't even take a call from me when I need some bloody help." I stalked toward him. "Oh, and I _really_ enjoy being followed around by vampires and their groupies every night and day. Do you know what's even better? Do you know what I like the _very_ best? Getting pawned off to creepy bartenders, like I'm for sale." I gestured wildly, letting all of the junk in my head spew right out of my mouth.

"Hurry up with the damn money, Eddie!" I hollered before Peter could reply. I wouldn't have heard him anyway, my head pounded so hard with rage.

Eddie hurried back, speechless for once, and handed me a thick envelope. I grabbed it and whirled around, ready to leave.

"Wait," Peter called after me.

"I have to go," I hissed through clenched teeth. I reached for the door, but it slammed shut before I could grip it properly.

"Open the door, Eddie." My head felt like it was going to fly into orbit; I barely clung to my sanity. Barely.

"I'm sorry, Ava," Eddie said. "I need to speak to you for a moment."

I bit my knuckle and took a breath. Turning around, I tried to stay calm. "What do you want?"

"This is important," he said. "I heard you shout at Peter. You said vampires are following you. Did you mean Daimhín's coven?"

"No, Maximus's. Well, Gideon's now. Whoever the hell he is."

Eddie frowned. "When you see Daimhín, ask her for protection."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, tried that. Got shut down."

He rubbed his chin and thought for a second. "Maybe you worded it badly. Tell her you're marked, and you need her to go to the Council. Tell her to openly claim you as one of her own. It's time."

"What? Be part of her coven?" Trust Eddie to come up with another way for me to be tied to a monster.

He shook his head. "No, just under her protection. Say it to her, that's all you have to do. Trust me, it's important."

"Right, sure," I said, but the cold presence that followed me around blew gently against my cheek, as if in agreement with Eddie. Could I trust it?

"Is that it?" I asked, this time angry because taking Eddie's advice always linked me tighter to the vampires. Plus, he had a habit of knowing exactly what was going to happen, but he didn't like to warn a person first.

Eddie hesitated, then nodded and let me go.

I fumed all the way to Daimhín's place. Sneaky and sly, Eddie never did anything for me that didn't end up helping him more. Peter bothered me more than Eddie. He made it sound as if I chose to work for Daimhín, like I could actually be happy about it.

The sky darkened before I arrived at Daimhín's home. Rose showed me into the empty living room; the dark circles under her eyes made me worry for her health. She told me to sit and wait for Daimhín.

I fidgeted, nervous, and my fears only increased when Jules entered the room. He flitted about, as edgy as before, and my senses made me hyper aware of his movements. He sat across from me and stared with a creepy grin on his face. Once again, I felt like something cold had dripped on my skin. Jules leaned forward, his face a mask of concentration. I automatically leaned backward.

"He's just a child." I started and looked over at the child vampire, who had spoken from where she stood by the door. Jules remained focused on me.

"What do you mean?" I asked her, unafraid. She moved closer.

"He's one of the youngest vampires here; he isn't... right."

"You look pretty young yourself," I said, unsure of her meaning.

She laughed, a pretty little laugh, and might have passed for human were it not for her arid skin and pink-tinged eyes. "In vampire terms, I'm old enough."

"But he isn't?" I ventured, keeping my eyes on Jules.

"Maybe a century old. One of the last. The final few decades of breeding produced a poorer quality of vampire. Like Jules. So unpredictable that the Council can't possibly blame their coven leaders for their actions." She danced around the room as she talked, her voice so soft I barely heard her. "Genetics changed; they're still changing. Perhaps a new breed will turn up, a worse one."

Becca's story about some kind of formula that could turn humans into vampires came to mind. "Is that possible? A new breed?"

She stopped moving and stared at me. "Very." She smiled at Jules like a doting parent. "He's trying to control you, you know."

"What?" I glared at Jules, but he was still concentrating.

Her voice went softer. "He bit you, didn't he? Tasted your blood. I wonder what that was like." She licked her lips. "Now he tries to use his power over you. She believes he isn't powerful enough, but I know that's not it."

"Then what is it?" I asked, holding my breath.

"Something else," she said with a brief smile. "He's just a weakling. Daimhín has no use for him. Not like Gideon. I dislike _him_ ; he was always cruel when he lived here."

I froze but, before I could respond, Rose returned, a fresh wound glistening on her neck. She wobbled a little at the door, and Jules was finally distracted from me.

"Eloise, you're not supposed to be here," Rose said, but she avoided the girl's eyes. The child vampire slipped out behind Rose, leaving me with a head full of questions. Gabe had mentioned Eloise. Why would he want a vampire? And Gideon. He'd been a part of Daimhín's coven?

"I'm supposed to take the money from you," Rose said. "She's still having breakfast."

I made a face and handed the money to Rose while making sure I kept my eyes on Jules, although he was now more interested in Rose. I grabbed her arm before I left.

"What are you doing here? Why don't you leave? I can help you," I said, unable to stop myself.

She frowned. "I want to be here. There's nothing else out there for me. I'm taken care of, all in exchange for something my body can make at any time. I'm something special here. Who the hell are you?"

I flinched at the harshness of her tone. "Kill yourself then," I muttered and left.

I couldn't get Rose or the child vampire out of my head. Rose had been so adamant that her life was better than mine. Was my existence that sad? And Eloise... so unique, so strange, but more importantly, she hinted at some interesting things. What had Gideon to do with Daimhín? And was she the one encouraging Jules to try his charms on me? I went over the conversation in my mind, trying to grip onto something definite, something that made sense.

Outside my home stood a pair of vampires I had seen a number of times. I slowed down because they both turned to face me. On alert, I inched toward the threshold, the line where the magic guarding my building began.

One took a step toward me. I sped up. They both moved toward me; we all knew they could catch me, but they let me get past the line anyway. I slammed the front door behind me and took some deep breaths, but it wasn't enough. My head was a mess, and the ground kept shifting beneath my feet.

Still unsettled, I headed upstairs, but stopped short. Carl stood in my slutty next-door neighbour's doorway; he leaned over her with a familiar look on his face. Her hand was on his chest, and he trailed his thumb along her throat. For a second, I just stood there, open-mouthed. He was supposed to fix things with his fiancée, not hook up with randomers on my doorstep.

My neighbour turned her head slowly, a seductive smile on her lips. "Evening," she drawled, and I wrinkled my nose at the overpowering scent of her perfume. His neck and ears burning red, Carl abruptly stepped away from her.

"Can I speak to you for a minute, please?" I asked Carl, barely containing the growl in my throat. He followed me into the flat; I slammed the door behind him and took a deep breath.

"What are you playing at?" I hissed.

He flinched. "I didn't do anything wrong, Ava. Am I supposed to ask your permission before I speak to people now?"

"Oh, come on! Really? That's the best you can do?"

He relaxed on the sofa with a smug look on his face. "I don't know what you're so uptight about."

I clenched my fists. "You're supposed to be sorting your life out, Carl. Not complicating it. I didn't let you stay here so you could have an early mid-life crisis. Go and fix things with your family, you idiot!"

"You're not my freaking mother. I don't need you to tell me what to do. The whole point in me leaving was to make my own decisions, and I'm sorry, but you do _not_ get to tell me who I can talk to."

"She's a skank!" My voice went shrill.

"Why do you care? I don't want to fight with you. I'm going to go find somewhere else to stay because this is just a ridiculous conversation. If I wanted a row, I'd have stayed at home."

"Go on! If I had known what a screw-up you were, I'd never have tried so hard to keep you safe!" I pushed past him and locked myself in my room, pacing as I listened to him gather his things. He hesitated outside my room, then obviously thought better of it because the front door slammed soon after.

I knew he thought I was acting like a crazy person, but I had reached my limits. I should never have let humans into my life; it caused one problem after another, and it all began with Carl. I desperately wanted to go back to how things were before I'd met Carl, before I'd let him and Peter and Eddie ruin my life even more than I had. I stayed awake all night, still thinking bitter thoughts as the first rays of the sun pierced the sky.

I heard a gentle thud, thud, thud, and felt my mouth water. Rubbing my eyes with the palms of my hands, I rocked to and fro as the thirst came back in full swing. First the pulsing in my apartment building. Then the heartbeats of strangers outside. My stomach growled; my throat ached. I clung to the cross around my neck and counted heartbeats, but nothing calmed me.

I gave in to my other senses and explored the world in that extra place, the one humans can't see. I didn't even know if vampires could see it. I lost myself in a wonderland of pulsing and throbbing—of walking meals. Any one of them could satisfy me. I stayed like that for hours, in another world, a darker one.

I knew I had stayed for too long when a shudder ran over me, and my senses found empty pockets amongst the living energies. Vampires, risen from the sleep of the dead. The lack of life chilled me, so I stopped looking and realised how dark it was outside. I couldn't remember my last meal, but I hadn't the stomach for solid food.

I stared out my window and watched the pair of vampires who would be staking out my home for the next few hours. I was on my own, I realised, and I always would be. My grandmother wanted to avoid her guilt, Carl wanted to avoid his ordinary life, and everyone else either used me or wanted me dead. The vampires would never stop coming after me, I thought with a shiver as I gazed at the pair outside. I had no hope, no friend, no protection, and no options. I didn't know what to do, so I went to bed and ignored the ringing of my mobile phone.

# 5

I stared at the spreadsheet on my computer screen and wondered how the hell I could ever manoeuvre myself out of the red. Money had become one of my biggest problems, and the fact that Daimhín had yet another job for me to do that evening meant I couldn't get much work done.

She had been strangely specific with her instructions: Be there at such a time, walk down a certain route. It made me suspicious, but I didn't exactly have choices anymore. The only reason Daimhín let me live was so I could work for her.

All day I'd had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. It felt like my enemies were closing in, and I was holding a flashing sign over my head that read, "Get me now."

I followed the directions exactly and found Folsom, the goblin who owed Daimhín money, after retracing my steps at least five times. I finally realised he was the owner of a small garage half-hidden behind large iron gates. Yet another businessman.

I knocked at the cottage next to the garage, but there was no answer. With a twinge of apprehension, I realised I would have to go into the garage itself. As I approached, I heard lots of banging and swore when I thought of the amount of tools and weapons that could be housed in a garage.

If Daimhín wanted to get rid of me, this isolated place would be perfect. Nobody knew where I was; nobody would notice if I didn't make it home. I knew she wanted me out of the way, but she had been biding her time for some reason. Between waiting for her and Gideon, I couldn't stand the anticipation anymore. I wanted to get it over and done with, whatever was coming.

I banged on the shutters and waited until they opened. Folsom took his time. I couldn't help staring at him. He looked like a short, old man but, every now and then, when I blinked, I saw an ugly little creature who was very obviously not human.

"What do you want?" he asked, suspicion colouring his tone.

"I'm here on Daimhín's behalf. I've to pick up something for her."

"Get out of here, half-breed, you're not on that bitch's business."

I sighed, already tired of him. "Look, I'm in a hurry. We both know you owe Daimhín money. I'm her... debt collector. So, divvy up because I don't have all day." My skin prickled; I didn't know what goblins could do, if anything.

"Don't make me get my axe out to you!" he shouted.

"Jesus, do you have to be such a cliché? Give me the damn money, already!"

He looked like he was preparing to jump me, so I crouched on the balls of my feet and showed my fangs. Total bluff, but he bought my fake bad-ass-ness.

"Thank you," I said when he finally handed me a bag. I practically had to pry it out of his hands to check the money. "Is this all of it?"

He nodded, but he refused to meet my eye.

"If it isn't, I'll just be back tomorrow. Maybe Daimhín will show up instead."

He muttered under his breath, grabbed the bag, and went back inside. I followed him in and watched as he piled more money into the bag. His fingers were gnarled and crooked. I wondered how well he could work in his garage when he clearly struggled to fill a bag with money. Folsom grumbled and threw the now full bag at me.

"Thanks so much," I said sweetly.

"Don't come back, half-breed!" he shouted after me as I walked away.

"Oh, shut up, you old windbag," I called back, annoyed by his rudeness. It was totally because I was a hybrid, the bigot.

I hurried to Daimhín's place to drop off the money. Folsom hadn't been out to get me, but I wasn't safe yet. On the other hand, maybe I was being paranoid.

"Bit late tonight, aren't we?" Daimhín said, as I was about to leave. Something in her cruel smile made me pause. She was a sly one, I could see that, and her actions put me on alert, whether I needed to be or not.

"Just a tad," I said. "Oh, by the way, I was told I should ask you for protection again. Officially. Because I'm marked, and I'm working for you. So you need to go to the Council, right?"

She bared her fangs, but I refused to flinch. After a couple of tense seconds, she nodded. "Of course." I could see it killed her to say it, and that meant it was significant. I felt a brief flash of gratitude toward Eddie.

I left Daimhín's place with the same gut feeling that something was going to go wrong. The sky darkened quickly during the winter, and people didn't hang about in the cold, which left the streets pretty deserted. There were some stragglers here and there, so I figured I was safe enough. The vampires probably didn't want their evil deeds publicised, but I kept a close hand on the silver dagger in my pocket.

A cool breeze blew the back of my hair gently, but something in the sensation told me it was the cold presence rather than the wind. Someday I would have to find out what exactly it was, but for now, I was grateful for the company. And the warnings. The presence blew insistently on my ear a full minute before the vampire ran at me.

He dashed in my direction, baring his fangs. I faltered, knowing people were close by. Right before the vampire reached me, I dodged out of his way, hoping he would run off and leave me alone. I've never been that lucky.

He turned back, grabbed my throat, and pushed me against the wall. I kneed him in the groin. It didn't hurt him, but he stepped back and seemed to just... wait. So did I, if only to take his measure.

He lashed out at me a couple of times, pulling back every time. Was he testing me? I thought of Daimhín's expression and wondered if he belonged to her. We skirted around each other, neither of us committing. I didn't want to tire myself out if he was playing with me. I tried to lead him off the main street, away from humans, before he managed to get a taste of my blood and turn crazy with lust.

Circling me, the vampire tore at my arm with his fingernails before I could duck out of the way. It hurt; I reacted by punching him hard in the face and then pulled back toward the shadows, suspicious of his intentions. He wiped blood from his nose and stepped around me, pretending to attack, then retreating.

My body buzzed with adrenalin, but I wasn't scared. I kept a calm head, preparing myself for the real battle to begin. He rushed me again, and I spun around, trying to elbow him. He took the blow and grabbed on, managing to wrap both arms around my neck and pin me to him.

I struggled against him before wising up and taking a second to plan ahead. I pushed backward with all of my weight, veering him off the path. My weight set him off-kilter, and he let go to balance himself. Determined to finish the fight, I grabbed him by the hair and pulled him fully into the shadows.

He called out a name. I froze, but nothing happened. As if realising he was alone, the vampire lost the plot and went for me like a rabid dog. This time he didn't hold back, and I barely avoided his snapping fangs.

Already angry from the altercation with the grumpy goblin, I kicked him hard in the gut, sending him flying. He jumped up, undeterred, and ran at me again. I dodged his attack easily. I was quick, smart, and he became too aggravated to make a good move. He was stronger, but I managed to use his strength against him to buy time, avoiding most of his strikes.

I didn't _need_ blood to survive; the thought soared through me, filling me with confidence.

It became clear that this would be a fight to the death. His attacks were ferocious, and I was fed up with defending myself. It was time to fight back.

Determined to give it everything I had, I tackled him, but he overpowered me and sent us both toppling over.

We grappled on the ground, him aiming for my throat. I held him at bay, using my legs to give me space, but he almost bit off my fingers. I let him throw me on my back, then I rolled over, wriggling away.

I leapt to my feet, and he ran back at me so quickly, he didn't notice the dagger until it was too late. His speed and strength helped me stick the dagger into his heart as far as I could. The dagger shone electric blue, then lit up every vein in his body as it burned the poison from within. I looked away when he screamed in agony, but I could feel the heat of the flames close to my skin. I heard the dagger drop to the ground amongst a mound of ashes that quickly blew away. It was over.

I won. Without blood, without counting. I had stayed calm, and I won.

I picked up the dagger and carelessly shoved it into my pocket. A flash to my left caught my eye. I heard a loud cracking noise and flew backward, unable to understand what had happened.

Then the pain came, burning hot in my stomach.

Humans dotted the streets; I could hear their whispers like thunder, yet that was quiet compared to the beating of their hearts. I pressed the wound, and blood drenched my fingers. The pain stopped. Not a good sign, but I was too tired to think about it.

My eyes closed by themselves; my whole body felt weightless. Not right. Feeling strangely empty, I struggled to open my eyes. Ignoring the dizziness, I rolled over slowly. I got to my knees first. Slow and steady. The blood still flowed; I could see a puddle on the ground, but I had to ignore it, had to move, couldn't bleed out—not right there on the ground.

I managed to push myself to my feet. I staggered on, trying to remember who lived close by, because I needed help. I pressed on the wound again, wondering why it didn't hurt. It felt slippery; I concentrated on that because all I wanted to do was lie down and sleep.

I kept going, trying to stay upright. My vision blurred at the edges, and I had no idea where I was headed. I just knew I needed to keep moving. Then I heard my name. Someone grabbed me, held me tight. Peter.

"I... I think I've been shot," I managed to croak. Of everything that could happen to me, this was the last thing I expected.

He nodded. "I know, she warned me something would happen. I've been ringing you, come on. We've all been looking for you. I'm taking you to the bookshop."

"No," I moaned. "Not him. I need to go home."

"Trust me, Ava," He ushered me along.

"I can't." I wanted to, but everyone felt like the enemy.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" He sounded frustrated.

"On silent," I said through wet lips.

"It's okay. We have to hurry, come on."

I let him help me along but, after a couple of steps, I coughed, and blood poured out of my mouth.

"It's fine," he kept saying over and over again. "It's fine."

He eased me into his car and sped off. I was afraid to speak because I could taste the blood in my mouth, and after a couple of minutes the pain cut through the daze.

"It's hurting now," I said. "Think that might be a good thing."

He glanced at my wound. "We need to get the bullet out. Looks like it's healing over it."

"Can't be. I can't do that."

He shrugged. "I've seen you heal wounds before."

"Not anymore. Never works. Need to spit now."

He glanced at me, then opened the window. The breeze cooled the sweat on my face as I spat a glob of blood outside.

"If the skin heals, the bullet will be stuck inside. You're not healing properly on the inside, so we have to get it out." His voice shook.

I shivered, unwilling to think about what that might mean. No chance of a hospital, or even a doctor, and painkillers had never worked on me before.

I gave a little cry of pain when Peter pulled over outside Eddie's place. He pushed Eddie out of the way and helped me inside, half carrying me up the stairs. I gripped his coat and pressed my face against his chest to keep from screaming. The pain worsened, and the blood kept bubbling in my mouth.

Peter laid me down, and I chanced taking a look at my stomach. It was covered in blood, but the wound didn't look so bad.

"I'm sorry, Ava," Peter said, his face paler than usual. "I might have to hurt you."

I bit my lip and nodded. I had no choice.

"I have something that might help her, but it'll take at least twenty minutes to work," Eddie said.

Peter pushed him out of the way. "No good. She could bleed out by then; look at her."

He poured cold liquid over my skin as I fell in and out of consciousness. I heard Eddie whispering, but I was losing my grip on reality; his words meant nothing to me.

I felt Eddie clasp my hand; Peter used my own dagger to try and open the wound and force out the bullet which had buried itself inside. I tried not to scream, but I couldn't help it.

"Stop, just leave it," I whimpered, as the hot pain intensified. My fangs shot out, piercing my lip. Blood dribbled down my chin. Eddie wiped it away gently with a wet cloth. It felt like Peter was stabbing me with tiny hot pokers; I couldn't look at him, I just wanted him to stop.

"I'm sorry, I have to do this." The panic in Peter's voice swept over me, and I knew it was more serious than I thought.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked, feeling the fear in the air.

"The surface wound is healing fast, but you have to be bleeding internally. The blood... your mouth... it's not right. The bullet's stuck somewhere it shouldn't be. If I don't get it out, you won't make it. It'll take too much time to get to a hospital; you've already lost so much blood. I have to try."

I closed my eyes and nodded. I had to trust that he knew what he was doing.

Peter used the dagger again to widen the wound. Sweat rolled down my face as he finally used his fingers to stretch the wound enough to let the knife slip behind the bullet and push it out. It felt like hours; hot, probing, jagged pain surged through my body as he struggled with the bullet. I tasted metal in my mouth, saw the room fade in and out of colour.

"It's done," he said at last, looking paler than I probably was, and held up the bullet. "Silver. Lucky you're not a vampire, Ava." Taking a look at all of the blood I'd lost while he cut me, he shook his head. "Lucky you're not a human either."

I gave a shaky laugh and stopped crushing Eddie's hand. He pushed Peter aside and set to work cleaning my wound, using something strong-smelling to patch me up. I saw his hands move swiftly to stitch, but I stopped feeling every little pain. Peter lifted me slightly so Eddie could wrap a clean white bandage right around my midriff. A sharp pain ran right through me, and I grabbed hold of both men. Something slid out of my mouth and fell to the floor with a light thud. I heard a shriek, realised it was me, and lost myself in the darkness.

I awoke in the bed to Eddie and Peter whispering by the door.

"Shut up." I licked my lips. "You sound like bees. Annoying."

"You okay?" Peter asked, his face still pale.

I nodded. "Achy. Not as bad."

"I gave you a couple of things that should help. You had some kind of a reaction; maybe it was the bullet, maybe the ointment I used, I'm not sure." Eddie looked puzzled. "You'll be fine as long as you take it easy. No fighting."

I made a noise. "No problem." I tried to stretch and decided that was a bad idea.

"Blood?" Eddie asked.

I scowled at him in answer.

"At least you're feeling better," he said, sighing.

I closed my eyes and listened to the comforting sound of Peter's heartbeat. "I'm thirsty, though; I think I need to eat soon."

"Eddie, cook something for her. I'll stay with her," Peter said.

Eddie looked me over. "You sure you want to chance that?"

Peter nodded, and Eddie left. Peter turned to me, his expression deadly serious. "We need to talk."

# 6

Daylight streamed into the room. Confused, I stared at the window. "How long was I out?"

"Twelve hours, maybe? Eddie said it was something he gave you. Helps heal, but it's so painful he thought he should help you sleep through it."

"Would've been nice to be asked."

He shrugged. "You would've said no."

I stretched. My limbs felt stiff, and my gut definitely hurt, but I felt okay, all things considered. Maybe a little too okay. "He didn't give me blood again, did he?"

Peter shook his head. He looked exhausted. He wasn't a fan of the blood-drinking, so I doubted he would lie. "Do you remember what happened?"

I felt dizzy and closed my eyes again. I tried to remember, but everything was dim, as if a shadow covered my memories. I struggled to sort through it all. Vampire. Gunshot. Peter. Silver bullet. None of it made sense to me.

"Why were you there?" I asked, suspicion making my words sound harsher than I intended.

"Yvonne warned me something was going on. Something to do with you," he said, helping me as I struggled to sit up properly. I glanced around for my coat, feeling panicked knowing the dagger was away from me, but it hung safely on the back of the door, hopefully with the dagger still intact.

I turned my attention back to Peter. "So, who's Yvonne? Your girlfriend?"

"Yeah, well, no, actually, but she's Daimhín's day assistant, if that's who you mean."

"Right, of course."

Fishing in his pocket, he pulled out his wallet to show me a photo I had once spotted, a little boy who looked a lot like Peter. Peter's heart rate sped up, and I felt my own anxiety increase alongside his.

"This is my son. The woman you're talking about is his aunt. I was in a relationship with her sister. I lived with her family. Now they're all dead. I think it's time we cleared up a few things."

"You don't have to—" I stopped when I saw the look in his eyes.

"Yes. I do. You keep assuming things half right, and that's dangerous. For you."

"What are you talking about, Peter?" My voice croaked, and I felt vulnerable sitting wrapped up in bandages while he finally let me in.

He hesitated. "I didn't think this would be a conversation I'd have with you. I thought you were one of them at first, then I got to know you and saw that you were about five hundred shades of grey." He grinned suddenly. "I still don't get it."

"I don't get it either, Peter. What's with you? You knew I didn't want to work with Daimhín, but you still sent me into that mess, then I find out you're all cosy with her personal assistant. You avoid me for weeks and suddenly you're all white knight when I get shot. What's going on?"

"You're right. I screwed you over. I wanted you to work for Daimhín. I wanted you involved. I needed your help, but I didn't trust you enough to tell you why. Yvonne works for her because I pushed her into it; I wanted her to look for information on who killed her family." His expression turned dark. " _My_ family. These people, these _creatures_ , they don't talk to humans, but if you're in with someone important, then you have a way of finding out things, you know?"

I stared at him, sickened. Now that he was actually being upfront, I was afraid to hear it.

"I need you to understand now," he said. "Who I am, and what I'm prepared to do. You need to know. You're right about some things; I _did_ get you into a lot of this mess. When we first met, I changed my mind and decided to help you because Eddie said you could be the one to help me."

I frowned. "I don't understand. How could Eddie know that?"

He smiled, but his body tensed. "Eddie knows a lot of things."

I felt like I was peeping through somebody's window, but I needed more. Part of me wanted to hurt him, but part of me wanted to understand him. "What _happened_ to you, Peter?"

He closed his eyes while he spoke, rushing his words like he couldn't stop. "Everything I do is about my family, Ava. _Everything_. Lisa and I were too young when we had Emmett. I remember thinking my life was over. I didn't appreciate what I had. I ended up moving in with Lisa's parents. Yvonne hated me; she couldn't wait to leave once I stuck around. She still hates me, actually," he added with a humourless laugh. "Her parents were great to me, though. Treated me like one of their own, even though they thought I messed up their daughter's life."

He paused, and I wasn't sure if he wanted me to speak so I stayed silent and waited.

"One night, Lisa and I were supposed to go out together, but Emmett had a temperature. We argued about it because she wanted to stay home with him. I thought we should still go; we hadn't had any fun in a while. Even her parents said he'd sleep it off. I went out anyway; I was twenty and didn't have a clue. But I stopped sulking after a while and went home to apologise."

His fingers gripped his wallet tight, his knuckles white. "The lights were out. I thought that was weird. Then I tripped over Lisa's dad's body. He and his wife, lying together; I found out later their necks had been broken. I wasn't like this then. I was terrified. I swear, I almost lost my mind right there."

He shook his head and rubbed his cheeks before continuing. "I went upstairs. I don't remember walking, just that I got upstairs and saw Lisa. She was slumped against the wall outside Emmett's room. Her eyes were open, her throat slit, and her blood all over the walls."

He let out a shaky sigh. "I didn't touch her. I needed to find my son. I knew I wasn't going to see him alive; I just didn't want him to be alone. He was just a baby. He couldn't be by himself." His voice cracked, and I thought my heart might break for him.

"I did see him alive, just for a second," he said. "A monster had him. A real monster, a green scaly demon like something you'd see on television, just lifted him out of the cot. I froze, didn't move a muscle. It was like my brain couldn't understand what it was seeing." He shook his head, looking disgusted.

"What happened?" I asked, unable to help myself. Entranced by the story, I saw the real Peter crack through the shell of hate surrounding him.

He looked at me with empty eyes. "Then everything went black. I woke up in an ambulance. Emmett was gone. Nobody believed me about the demon, and they all thought I had killed Lisa and her parents. But there wasn't a speck of blood on me, and the time frame was all off. Still, Yvonne wouldn't talk to me, not even after they took me off the list of suspects."

His laugh was humourless. "At first, I thought I was really insane. Demons? Right. Then I dug around, went places, met Eddie, asked stupid questions, and found out there was this big bad world that couldn't be explained away."

"So that was it? Nobody found him? What about the demon who took him? What was it?"

His jaw clenched. "Not even a trace, not a clue, not a hope of finding what happened to Emmett. Nobody can tell me what the demon might be, doesn't exist, or so they say. But I've been looking ever since. I wouldn't leave Yvonne alone until she let me prove it to her. She wouldn't stay in her parents' house again, so she rents it to me. We only speak to exchange information and try to find a way of getting to whatever took Emmett."

I ran everything through my brain as quickly as I could. "He was alive when you saw him, though. Could they have him still?"

He shook his head, looking more broken than I could put into words. "I'd do anything, _anything_ , for that to be true, but there's no hope anymore. Why would they want him? I just hope he didn't suffer, that it was quick. It's been eight years now. You know, when I found out that these things were real, I went crazy, tried to kill as many of them as I could. I didn't think. I was mad with grief; if I had been at home, I might have stopped it."

"You would have been killed, too, Peter."

He stared into the distance like he had forgotten I was there. "Eddie helped me then, made me see there's a smarter way. That's why I owe him."

I wanted to tell him how sorry I was, but I had a feeling it was something he couldn't hear.

I closed my eyes and thought it over. I was right about him using me, setting me up. What had happened to his family was heartbreaking, so I could understand his motives. I still wasn't sure what Eddie wanted with Peter, but if I could help this man get some kind of closure, then I would do it willingly.

"Why did you tell me this, Peter?" I asked, confused by some of his words.

He moved to the window and stared outside. "I'm not the man I used to be. I've used people without thinking twice. Look at you. You're constantly trying to be the best you can be, but Eddie and I have helped mess up your life completely. I've felt differently about a lot of things lately. I lost my heart a long time ago, Ava, lost any compassion I might have had. I stopped asking for help and just took what I wanted. Sometimes I wonder what they would think of me now, if they would even recognise me."

"I'll help you," I said. "If I find out anything at all, I'll let you know. That's not... I would do that."

"Thank you," he said. "Maybe I should have explained it to you before, but I just couldn't find the words. You have to understand who I am. If I thought murdering a million innocent people would lead me to that demon, I would do it. I'll do whatever it takes to make them pay. Do you see? Do you see what I am now?"

He looked me right in the eye and let me see through his pain and bitterness. I knew he would do whatever it took, but that didn't make him a bad man. I couldn't blame him for feeling the way he did, and at least now I had a why. I couldn't think of Peter as bad, even when I should. He let me know, in his own way, that I could never really trust him, and I appreciated it, despite how much it hurt to accept.

"I've had such trouble with you," he said, almost smiling. "You're part of what I hate, yet you're nothing like them. I feel like we could have been friends, but we only spend time together when something life or death is going on."

"I am like them," I admitted. "I'm thirsty again. It's like, the more stressed out I get, the more like them I become. I feel like there's this darkness in me, and it's getting stronger. I do things, and I don't even know why. I don't trust my own emotions half the time."

"It's the world we live in, Ava. Spend any amount of time here, and it blackens your soul. Ten years ago, I couldn't have ended a life. Now I don't think twice about it. What does that say?"

I got out of the bed to stretch. "It says that we have to make hard decisions sometimes. Right and wrong doesn't seem as clear anymore to me."

He stared out the window again, lost in a memory.

Eddie returned with food. I felt better after eating. My wound was healing nicely, and the pain had toned down. Eddie was right about taking blood. It would help me recover quickly, but I still battled against that kind of thing. I wasn't going to willingly drink blood if I could help it. Eddie told me I was being stubborn to spite myself, but I had to stay human in my own mind.

"What do you think is going on?" Peter asked Eddie. "Since when do vampires use guns?"

Eddie frowned, deep in thought. "A volunteer might have taken the shot."

"I bet it had to do with Gideon _and_ Daimhín," I said, standing to stretch again.

"How do you know?" Peter was back on form, his past pushed into the background.

"Daimhín's been acting strange with me, and Gideon's been sending vampires, and even Becca, to stalk me. To freak me out. Besides, Gideon used to be part of Daimhín's coven."

His brows furrowed. "All we know is Yvonne overheard Daimhín talking about you on the phone. She made it sound like you were going to be attacked, so Carl and I looked for you."

"Carl?"

"Yeah, he's staying with me now," Peter said. "We split up to find you, but we never expected you to get shot."

"Maybe it's a test," Eddie said. "Should they ever come up against you in the future, they'll have a better idea of what you can do, isn't that right?"

"Funny you should say that," I mused. "There's this vampire in Daimhín's place. He's tried to put me under his thrall. Plus, he bit me. I keep feeling like they're trying to see what has an effect on me or something. Daimhín's been giving me weird tasks. She sent me with that vampire for his first feed after a punishment by the Council. Harsh, by the way. She sent vampires to follow us, so she was watching to see what I would do. It's like they all want to know how I'll react."

Peter's sat up straight, a determined expression on his face. "You said this vamp tried to beguile you. Did it work at all? Did anyone stop him?"

"It didn't work; one of the other vampires told me what he was doing. When he bit me, he acted like he enjoyed it. A lot. I didn't expect that." I shuddered. The idea of Jules drinking my blood freaked me out. The memory of his eyes filled with desire for my blood was enough to make me want to go home and lock my doors.

"That's sick." Peter's face paled.

"He liked your blood. How odd." Eddie sounded fascinated. I wanted to snap at him, but a loud bang startled me.

"Someone at the door," Eddie muttered. "I haven't opened the shop yet. Stay here, I won't be long."

When he left the room, Peter looked at me curiously. "They don't like the taste of vampire blood; it's strange that he enjoyed yours."

"Maybe I taste different."

"Could be. Perhaps the way you were made has something to do with it."

I bit my lip. I wanted to tell him, see what he thought, or if he knew anything about it, had ever heard of it happening before. I wanted to know exactly what my grandmother had told him about me.

"Did she tell you how it happened?" I asked.

He looked surprised. "Who? Nancy? No. She wouldn't say."

"I want to tell you." The cold presence blew so hard, my hair whipped across my face.

"Don't," he said, his eyes widening with surprise. "What the hell was that?"

I shrugged. "Something that's been following me around for a while. Keeps me on the straight and narrow."

He opened his mouth to say more, but the door burst open, and a group of broad-shouldered men trooped in. As they grabbed me, I realised they weren't human.

"What's going on?" Peter asked, but he didn't try to help as the men tied my hands behind my back. It didn't feel like rope, but I couldn't see.

Eddie followed them, apologising and begging me not to struggle.

"Ava Delaney, you are under custody of the Council," one of the men said. "My Guardian Circle has been tasked to transport you safely to the cells to await your trial."

"Trial? What the hell?" I struggled weakly, but they were too strong, and my stomach still hurt from the bullet.

Peter looked helpless, while Eddie called after us and told me he would see me soon. Like that was reassuring.

The Guardians half-carried me out to a black car with tinted windows. They pushed me into the backseat, and we sped off. I tried asking questions, but they ignored me, so I eventually gave up. I watched the city pass by, as my stomach churned with anxiety. I didn't know what to do; even if I managed to run, I had a feeling I wouldn't get far.

Two hours later, I was sick of looking at fields and actually felt happy when the car finally pulled in to our destination. There were no buildings around, and for a few minutes I felt certain I was about to be executed.

Two Guardians led me across a field until we reached a mound. One man waved his arm, and the ground opened up below us. We moved briskly underground and then through brightly lit white corridors for what seemed like an hour.

"Where are we going?" I asked, but the men continued to ignore me. I already hated the Council. My stomach and chest burned; I needed more rest before walking so far.

The further we moved, the less chance I had of escaping. We passed no one, and all of the white corridors looked exactly the same. None of the doors were marked, so I had no clue how the Guardians knew where to go. We could have been walking in an endless loop for all I knew.

Finally, we reached the end of a hallway, and I was pushed into a shower room. A towel, a bundle of clothes, and some toiletries were neatly laid out. I showered quickly, removing my bandage gingerly. The wound was healing well, but it still looked awful. A clean bandage was amongst the toiletries, and I wondered how they knew to include it. I did a sloppy job of bandaging my wound, but it had to do.

As soon as I stepped back outside, the Guardians took hold of my arms again. I was led into another room and pushed past numerous cells, all containing sleeping forms. The cell walls were almost see-through, but they shimmered with a distinct magical energy. We stopped at an empty cell; one of the Guardians freed my arms and snapped a metal bracelet on my wrist. It hummed with magic and made me feel a little nauseous.

"This is your tag," he said. "Don't try to remove it if you want to keep your arm."

He pushed me inside, made a sweeping shape in the air, and walked away, leaving me trapped in a translucent box with a private toilet and no sink. It looked like there was nothing keeping me inside, but when I reached out my hand, something shocked me backward.

"No point trying that," a voice to my right said. "Can't be opened from the inside and can't be used against the Guardians. It's pretty perfect, actually."

I glanced at the adjoining cell. A teenage girl sat serenely on a narrow bed with her legs crossed under her. "It's almost bedtime," she said.

"What _is_ this?"

"You should probably lie down now. It hurts to fall."

I had no idea what she was talking about, where I was, or why I was there. Unable to form a complete thought, I sat on the bed. I heard a hissing noise, and all of a sudden found it hard to keep my eyes open. As I succumbed to sleep, I wondered if the spirit had been warning me against the Guardians, or against telling Peter the truth about myself.

I woke blurry-eyed and confused. As soon as my focus cleared, I saw the young girl staring at me and remembered where I was.

"Ah." My mouth felt dry and sticky.

"You're awake," she said, her large blue eyes curiously flat.

"Mmm." Words weren't easy.

"You're different from the rest," she noted.

I blinked. She looked human herself. I tried to close my eyes and search outward, but something dulled my extra sense. I caught a brief glimpse of something blue, something human but not, and felt like a wall fell on me so I stopped in a hurry. I touched my stomach, still padded by a bandage. The pain was manageable, but I wouldn't forget it in a hurry.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay," I said. "Got into a fight with a sneaky vampire."

An alarm sounded, and I felt the occupants of the other cells stir. None seemed as awake as the young girl. A shaft in the wall opened and displayed a tray with a bottle of water and some food, along with a bag of blood on the side that I did my best to ignore. I drank the water willingly, feeling a little more normal again.

"I'm Leah," the girl said. "What's your name?"

"Ava," I replied, feeling more curious about Leah than anything else. "Are you on trial, too?" She didn't answer, so I ate a little food and looked around, wondering where I could put the leftovers.

"They clear out the cells while we sleep, just leave it on the floor."

I did as she said. "Leah, why are you here?" I persisted.

She stared at me with sad eyes. "They don't know where else to put me."

I hesitated and searched her eyes for something that might explain the statement, but then I felt drowsy again and lay down. I hadn't felt tired a few seconds before; out of nowhere, I could barely open my eyes. I struggled against the sudden fatigue but lost myself eventually.

I dozed on and off for an age, although it could have been seconds for all I knew. The girl was wide awake each time I opened my eyes, but the rest of the cells seemed still.

After a time, my head cleared long enough for me to sit up again. I looked at Leah, hoping she could answer the question that wouldn't form clearly in my mind.

"It's the food," she said. "It keeps everyone compliant, but you seem to be fighting it better than most."

That made sense. At least, the first part did. I wasn't feeling like I was able to fight it at all. I decided not to eat the next meal that arrived.

The silence was eerie; the Guardians didn't check on us, and Leah was the only one alert. I could barely see the occupants of the other cells; they all lay barely moving on their cots. I began to get my thoughts together, but I still didn't have any idea of what was going on. Or what would happen next.

"Where are we?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. My words slurred together a little, but I felt much better than before.

"The holding cells. This is where everyone goes before they see the Council. They don't stay long, but I'm not sure where they take them once they leave here."

I noted the paleness of her skin. "Exactly how long have you been here, Leah?"

She shrugged and turned away. "Dunno."

"What... what are you?" There was no way of asking the question politely.

She looked back at me, and her eyes widened. "I'm human. What are you?"

I laughed. "I've no idea." I couldn't stop laughing, and I must have scared Leah because she lay down and pretended to sleep.

I lay on the bed awkwardly. Whatever Eddie had given me for pain had worn off, but I tried to think things through. There were no windows, so we were either underground, or they needed to house nocturnal beings. I guessed underground. The Guardians had mentioned me going on trial, but for what? Fighting with vampires? Working with them? I cursed Eddie for not telling me more about the Council when he had the chance.

I caught Leah sneaking a look at me. "Aren't you lonely?" I asked.

She sat up and bit her bottom lip. "Nothing lasts forever."

I tried asking her why she was in a holding cell. She refused to answer, and I got tired of pushing. Maybe I was interested because it distracted me from my problems. Still, Leah claimed to be human, and she wasn't an adult, so what did the Council want with her?

No food came for a while, and I almost felt back to normal.

"They must be taking you outside," Leah said, but her voice had a tremor to it. She had been biting her nails, and I could sense her agitation. She paced her cell like a caged animal, looking up and down the hall over and over again.

"I wonder if they're taking you to trial today," she said, her voice trembling still.

"Maybe," I said. Leah's frantic nail-chewing ramped up until even I was on edge. Soon, a group of Guardians came and, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Leah wring her hands together anxiously.

"Let's go," one said. "You've got a visitor."

They released me from the cell, and Leah spoke under her breath. "It was nice to meet you, Ava."

I didn't have time to wonder at her words because the Guardians let me out. To my surprise, they took me in the opposite direction from the one I'd arrived and led me upward into an ordinary looking building interior. I inhaled deeply, the fresh air a welcome relief.

The Guardians pushed me into a small room that held only a table and two chairs. I waited for a long time, my mind going into overdrive now that I was away from the suffocating cell. I tried to open the door, but it was locked from the outside. I could hear some heartbeats close by so I knew I was still guarded. Maybe they thought I could actually find my way out of the maze of identical hallways.

I tried to use my other senses again, but it was like my abilities were smothered by some kind of heavy magic. It didn't smell like Eddie's magic, but it clung to my skin, leaving a clammy sensation. The spirit hadn't come near me since the Guardians had taken me, and I had to wonder if something was stopping it.

I hadn't eaten in a while, so I could only blame my hunger on the sudden burst of happiness I felt when the door opened, and Eddie walked into the room bearing coffee, food, and painkillers.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked after he had redressed my bandage, tutting the entire time at the bad job I'd done. I held up a small green pill warily. It stank.

"Just take it. It's strong, so it'll last a few days. By then you should be fine. The wound is healing nicely, although not as well as it might."

I ignored the hint about blood and swallowed the tablet obediently, wrinkling my nose at the taste. He handed over the food and still warm coffee.

"Thanks," I said after I devoured everything he set in front of me.

"You shouldn't eat their food," he warned.

"Yeah, got that. So, why are you here? Why am I here?"

"From what I can gather, your existence has been brought to the attention of the Council. Gideon has made some accusations, and the Guardians took you in for an immediate trial. I've been with the Council for hours discussing this." He pinched the bridge of his nose, and I realised how tired he looked. "I'm speaking for you at the trial, and I've persuaded them to give you a pre-trial hearing. We need time to counter the accusations, and the hearing will give us a chance to find out exactly what the vampires are up to."

When I raised an eyebrow, he placed his palms on the table. "I know we aren't always on the best of terms, Ava. But this time, you need me. They trust me; they'll at least listen to me before making their decision."

"Decision on what?" I felt like I had missed something huge.

"Whatever it is you're being accused of. I have an idea, but we'll see at the hearing. You would probably have been charged by now if it wasn't for me."

He looked like I should be jumping for joy. Instead, I felt like I'd been thrown into a cesspit. Every single time I thought I was over the worst, something even worse happened. Eddie was my only link to the outside world and, for that, I supposed I had to be grateful.

"Um, thanks, I guess. For helping me with whatever the hell is going on. So, what, you people have actual trials?"

Eddie frowned. "More like 'us' people now, Ava. We _are_ civilised. Really. We have laws and courts, different from humans, of course. Our kind could never be tried by humans. It wouldn't work. We have a system and, if you know how to play that system, you'll do fine."

I sighed. There was never a straight path to the end. "So what now? What happens? What do I do? Should I try running?"

He shook his head vehemently, his face paling. "Never try to run from the Council, Ava. You'll never know a moment's peace again. Let's just see what happens first. In a few days, you'll make your first appearance. I'll try to get some time to figure out how Gideon plans on playing this one. _I_ speak, Ava. I take care of this. If you go running in all guns blazing..."

"I get it, Eddie. I'm not crazy."

"Depends who you ask." He smiled, looking almost fatherly for a second. "We'll take care of this, Ava, but you must know something. They're accusing you of being a daywalker."

"So?"

He caught his breath. "That isn't a good thing, child. Gideon's effectively outing you here. There's no going back now, Ava. This is your world, but not everyone will welcome you. They're concerned with upsetting the natural balance. I might not be able to convince them that you aren't a danger."

"How could I be a danger? I'm not even as strong as a vampire!"

He leaned forward and looked me in the eye. "Trust me when I tell you how serious this is, Ava. After this is over, you and Nancy are going to sit down and have a conversation about your family. I'll make sure everything is explained, I promise. But for now, let's focus on what's important here—making sure the Council doesn't find you guilty."

I tried not to panic. The Council was one thing, having an actual conversation with my grandmother was quite another. I decided to take his advice and concentrate on the bigger picture.

"Fine, it's a big deal. So if this Council finds me... guilty of stuff, then what happens?"

His eyes narrowed. "Then, Ava, then they'll sentence you. They could imprison you for eternity. They could execute you. You have to understand how serious this is."

I opened my mouth to protest, when the door opened, and a Guardian demanded Eddie leave. Eddie glared at the Guardian, slowly rose to his feet, then gazed at me for a few seconds before leaving. The door slammed shut, leaving me alone.

My thoughts spun rapidly, never giving me a chance to relax. I was screwed, royally screwed. Councils, trials, executions—I could disappear, and nobody would know what happened. By the time the Guardians came to return me to my cell, I wanted to throw up. At least when the vampires wanted to kill me, I had been able to fight back in some way. Now I had to sit around and wait and see if the whims of complete strangers would kill me or cage me.

Two Guardians led me back into the stark white hallways that led downward. They never spoke, but their fingers pinched into my arms as though they hated me. I was lost within minutes; even if I managed to break free of the Guardians, I would probably end up running through white corridors for the rest of my life.

A loud siren screeched, and it sounded as if all hell had broken loose. The Guardians threw me onto the ground as a loud bang in the distance rocked the walls. My head smacked against the floor; I lay where I fell, weighed down by two large men who pretty much knelt on my back.

They muttered to each other rapidly in an language I had never heard, but I could sense their fear. They stank of it. I had no idea what was going on, but they seemed to realise the alarms weren't anything to do with me and finally eased off a bit.

"Yeah, thanks for that," I snapped, as they pulled me to my feet. The men pushed me against the wall and kept me pinned there until the lights went out. The dark was claustrophobic, suffocating. There was no light at all, only myself and two strangers in a hallway.

One of the Guardians had a small torch and managed to provide a tiny light. "Come," he said. "This way."

They led me through a doorway I couldn't even see and left me alone in the dark. I heard them lock the door behind them. I couldn't see a thing, so I inched my way around the room as carefully as possible and found a chair.

The lights stayed out but, in the distance, I heard shouts. After a while, I heard the sound of footsteps running on the other side of the door. I eventually dozed off in the chair. I awoke some time later with a sore neck and a rumbling stomach.

As soon as the door opened, I jumped to my feet. Some tired-looking Guardians led me back to the cell, passing by white walls that now had cracks running through them.

"Redecorating?" I quipped, but the group ignored me.

The floor was covered in dust and plaster. Leah's cell was conspicuously empty, and her tag lay bent apart on the floor of her cell.

I laughed out loud. "Wow, did the kid break out? Some Guardians you lot are."

One of the Guardians growled in my ear and grabbed me by the scruff of the neck. He threw me onto the bed and stormed off. The remaining three double-checked all of the cells. The rest of the inmates were sleeping as usual; they'd probably slept through everything.

I lay on the bed and waited, only to laugh again at the idea of Leah managing to not only escape, but to find her way out of the maze. No wonder she had been restless and agitated.

A part of me was sad. I was totally alone without her, even though we had exchanged few words. The next time food was dropped, I didn't eat, although I felt half-starved. I banked on Eddie returning with some real food.

I wondered about Leah. It was better than thinking about my own problems, but I couldn't avoid them forever. My stomach hurt, and I almost regretted not drinking blood like Eddie had advised. Once again, I was out of my league. I couldn't see a way out. I didn't know their laws; I didn't even know what I was being charged with.

I sorely regretted not slapping Becca for her part in this. The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that I had been set up for something.

I understood why Gideon would have it in for me, although when I had been at Maximus's mansion, it hadn't seemed like his coven members were particularly loyal. Daimhín couldn't seem to make up her mind about me.

I could defend myself against a lot of things, but my own heritage wasn't something I could easily explain away. After all, I knew little about it myself.

My grandmother had told me the bare minimum, that my mother had been pregnant when she and my father were attacked. He died, but she had managed to make it to my grandmother's house. She gave birth to me and died soon after explaining to my grandmother that I needed to be hidden, for both our sakes.

I had no birth certificate, not a real one anyway, and I'd spent most of my life pretending I was normal. I didn't know exactly what I was, why I was created and what it meant for my future.

For the first time, I really regretted my grandmother's relative silence regarding my creation. She told me the same few sentences anytime I asked, but she never went into details. I hadn't liked to push her on something that obviously gave her pain.

But I had a lot of questions; like how my mother knew exactly what would happen to me, how she knew I would be different and need protecting. The weirdest part was how my grandmother was persuaded to believe her, to hide me away, stay away from hospitals and, most important of all, take part in illegal activity by procuring a fake birth certificate to get me into school.

Remembering what Eddie had said about having a conversation with Nancy, I sat up straight on the bed. Now that I had time to think about it, he had sounded like there was something I needed to hear.

Before I could begin to wrap my head around the possibilities, some Guardians returned, this time with a new prisoner. A small man was carried in, kicking and screaming, his dark curls sticking to his forehead. I couldn't understand what he was saying, but the faces of the Guardians were blank, completely devoid of emotion.

The man was already tagged, and he tore at it frantically. When the Guardians stopped moving outside an empty cell at the end of the room, the prisoner changed tactics and clung to the nearest Guardian instead. "I won't!" he screamed. The terror in his voice sent shivers down my spine. One of the Guardians peeled the man off his colleague, carried the prisoner inside the cell, and pinned him to the bed.

The man stopped squirming and lay there. I could hear his panting clearly. Satisfied, the Guardian turned to leave the cell, but the man beat him to it and tried to run. He was struck over the head by one of the Guardians, and they dragged him by the feet back into the cell. He clawed at the ground, his eyes wide with fear. I stood on my bed trying to see what they would do.

They gathered around him, punching and kicking as he screamed out in pain. I couldn't stand it.

"Stop it!" I yelled, and they all turned around to look at me. The man, his face swollen and bloody, caught my gaze and nodded. Then he ripped open his sleeve with his teeth and put something into his mouth before the Guardians could stop him.

I watched as his body convulsed, and blood poured from his eyes and ears. He collapsed to the ground, and the Guardians all left the cell. I fell off the bed in shock. As the Circle passed my cell, I heard one of them mutter something about a cleanup crew.

For the first time, I truly feared the Council.

# 7

I didn't eat at all on the day of the hearing. I wasn't just nervous; I had gotten myself into a knot of twisted anger and hate at the unfairness of it all. I had been left to mull things over for too long, and that time had given me an embittered perspective.

Before the hearing, I was given a cream linen dress and told to wear it with nothing on my feet or in my hair. I had to walk to the hearing barefooted, my hair swinging around my face. In the dark, they led me to an outside structure that resembled a three-sided marquee.

It was so good to be outside, to feel fresh air on my skin; I almost forgot to be afraid. The wind whipped around my ankles as we crossed the grass but, under the marquis, it was warm, well-lit, and protected—no wind, no cold, nothing except still air and eyes filled with animosity.

There were few people at the hearing. The Guardians led me to a ring of scorched earth in the centre of the marquis.

"What's this about?" I asked, not expecting an answer, which was lucky, because I didn't get one. The Guardians pushed me into the circle then quickly retreated. I flinched as a ring of flames lit up around me. Eddie had told me not to run, as if he had sensed me mentally preparing for the worst possible outcomes. Now I couldn't fight my way out without getting burned. Great.

A number of people entered the structure. Once again, I tried to use my other senses, but I couldn't let myself go; there was still some sort of block. The suffocating frustration made me panic, and I resorted to counting rapidly in my head.

I watched Eddie arrive and hoped he would stand next to me and tell me what was happening. He stopped to speak with a stocky woman and a tall, muscular, chocolate-skinned man. Two other men appeared to be listening to the conversation, although they stood apart, and I realised I was missing a heartbeat. One of the men looked ancient, older than Daimhín even, his dried-out skin and lack of pulse declaring him a vampire. I couldn't make myself look at the other man; my skin crawled, but I had no idea why.

All four strangers sat together in a row of chairs to my right. Eddie approached me briefly, but only to tell me to be quiet and let him talk. I fidgeted with the tag on my arm until a female Guardian standing behind me hissed for me to stop.

A few minutes later, a group of vampires stormed in like they owned the place. I glared at the blond vampire who had helped torture me along with Maximus, sending seething hatred in his direction. By the way the others fawned over him, I guessed he was Gideon.

Gideon grinned at me while the others heckled and laughed. Bristling, I stared back at them, daring them to come closer. I badly wanted an excuse to fight.

"Forget about them, they're just trying to get a rise out of you." This time the Guardian's voice was softer.

I looked around to see that she was a dark-skinned woman with almond-shaped eyes and corkscrew curls pinned back into a loose bun. "The Council will be here shortly," she informed me, then looked away. Of all of the Guardians I had come across over the last couple of days, she was the only one who had voluntarily spoken to me.

Before long, a number of Guardians led four people over to my left.

"Here's the Council now," said the woman behind me. My mouth dropped open as I realised one of them was Gabe. He was part of the Council?

Gabe glanced at me as he passed, but his eyes were blank and his face was expressionless. He was followed closely by a haughty-looking man with blond hair and bluish lips. I had no idea what he could be.

"That's Gabe and Erossi," the female Guardian whispered. "The other two are the important ones, Fionnuala and Koda. Stay quiet unless they ask you to speak, and you'll be okay."

An old man who looked almost transparent passed by next. He smiled at me, but his eyes faded in and out of colour so much that I felt dizzy. A woman, Fionnuala, I assumed, followed him. Tall and slim, she held the attention of the room. I couldn't get a read off her either. I was surprised at how dependant I'd grown on that extra sense and how frustrating it was to not be able to use it. Gabe and Erossi sat in huge chairs, while the older man, Koda, knelt before them, and Fionnuala perched on a stool. It didn't look official to me, but the air was taut with a tense atmosphere. I just knew I would do something wrong.

Fionnuala stared directly at me for a few moments, and no one spoke. I squirmed, uncomfortable, but she kept looking, finally cocking her head to the side like an inquisitive little sparrow.

"We are here for the hearing of one Ava Delaney, accused by the vampire coven now led by the one known as Gideon. You are Ava Delaney?"

I nodded.

"You use a surname? A human title?" Her eyes narrowed, and her tone was one of accusation.

"Yes, of course."

"The accusations are serious, and include murder and treason. How do you plead?"

"Uh... not guilty?"

"Indeed. You have only just appeared on the grid, so your word is unworthy. We, the Council, were granted our positions in order to keep peace and balance amongst the otherworldly creatures in this country. We are few enough that the actions of one can upset the whole. The rules are clear; _it_ is a danger and must be disposed of. Immediately."

"It?" Christ, I couldn't help myself. "I'm a person!"

She wrinkled her nose as if discovering a bad smell. Maybe I did smell bad to others, just like the vampires gave off a noticeable stench to me.

Eddie stood—about time too, I thought—and spoke in a high, regal sort of voice. It all seemed very dramatic. "I speak for her."

Fionnuala sighed. "Of course you do."

Gideon let out a scornful laugh that was followed by titters from his followers.

Eddie ignored them. "The accusations made by that creature are false. Fionnula, I demand a trial. This girl has done nothing to warrant execution, or even imprisonment for that matter."

She glared at him, like he was daring something she had forbidden. The human woman beside Eddie nodded. The black man did the same.

Fionnuala glanced at Gabe, who inclined his head slightly. "Fine," she said. "In a week's time, the trial will begin. If you speak for her, arrange her testimony. As should the vampires," she added, narrowing her eyes at Gideon.

"What do the vampires accuse her of?" the transparent old man asked.

"Koda, we accuse her of instigating war, deliberately exposing us to humans, murder, treason, and the worst charge of all, being a daywalker." Gideon waved his arms around.

A gasp rose around the room. And no wonder, Gideon had made it sound like I was a mass murderer or something. It seemed like Gabe and Eddie were the only ones who didn't react.

Koda looked me over with a small smile on his lips. "This little thing managed all of that? Very well. This better be good, Gideon."

"This creature betrayed us. She murdered a few of our number while we were busy settling a dispute with another coven. She came into our home under light of day and murdered our leader. A few nights ago, she killed again, publicly. She carries a dagger, one that kills us almost instantly. She is a threat to us; she must die."

"A weapon like that is uncommon." Gabe folded his arms. "Next we'll hear she's some sort of ninja assassin." He rolled his eyes as if bored.

"Perhaps she has a vendetta," Gideon said, ignoring the laughter at Gabe's remark.

"Why have we not heard of this one?" Fionnuala's hair sparked around her. "She has hidden in the shadows, perhaps she was underground. _Perhaps_ she is a Féinics."

"You are too paranoid, Fionnuala," Eddie said, but the way his heart raced gave me pause. "She fights for no rebel cause; remember, she was raised by a human."

"Then why does she fight at all?" Gideon sounded like he was enjoying himself.

"Hold on a second," I protested, almost forgetting about the flames and running straight through them. "You all attacked me first. Maximus kidnapped my grandmother and tortured me to find out how to make an army of people like me. You tortured me too, you dick!" The lack of sleep didn't do me any favours. Eddie gestured wildly, urging me to sit down.

Fionnuala's frown deepened, and I felt something malevolent in the air. Thunder rolled in the sky until Koda touched her shoulder gently.

"I'm sorry. She means no disrespect. She's recovering from a recent... injury and is still on painkillers. What she means to say is she was justified in defending herself. Gideon's coven did kidnap her grandmother," Eddie covered. "They tortured Ava to force her to reveal how she was created and only let her go when Daimhín interfered and took Ava into her employment."

"Hold on, she's Daimhín's employee?" Koda asked, leaning forward with interest.

"Yes," Gideon butted in. "They both should be punished. They have upset the balance. Daimhín probably created her. The mongrel changes everything just by existing. We can't let her go around destroying our kind. It's not like we can create any more of us." Wow, Gideon totally sold Daimhín out.

"Wait a minute!" I jumped when I heard Peter's voice from the other end of the marquis, I didn't realise he had attended, or even that he would have been allowed. "Gideon's been injecting humans with a formula meant to trigger the change, just like Maximus before him. That's against the law. That's what's upsetting the balance. Ask him about that!"

The Council collectively appeared interested, but Koda was the one who spoke. "Bring me proof, Brannigan. Then I can do something about it." He stared meaningfully at Peter, whose face grew determined.

"Why did you kill Max? In daylight, without a fair fight?" Erossi asked.

I shrugged. "Daimhín told me to do it that way. He deserved it anyway."

"For kidnapping your grandmother or torturing you?" Gabe looked at the other Council members. "We should speak on this."

After a long whispered discussion, Koda spoke for the other Council members.

"This case is more complicated than we first anticipated. Therefore, we are allowing one full week for both sides to bring forth a full and detailed account of each incident."

Gideon leapt to his feet. "We don't need a week, Koda!" For the first time, he lost the cocky look on his face.

"I don't care what you need. This is what you're getting. Both of you," he added sternly, looking from me to Gideon.

"But she'll remain in custody?" Gideon asked, almost pleadingly.

"No, there's no reason for that. She will remain under the custody of one of our consultants; therefore, we know she will be back for the trial."

Eddie got to his feet. "Of course, Koda. She can stay with me, and I'll keep my eye on her and make sure she arrives on time."

Unsure if that was a better solution than being imprisoned, I glanced up at Eddie. He had lost the stress line on his forehead so I figured the hearing had gone better than he expected. Or at least, no worse.

The Council all stood, Fionnuala declaring the proceedings over. Most of the observers left, each of them making sure to get a good look at me. The circle of fire died away, setting me free, and the remaining Guardians dragged me back to the building. They were rough about it, even though I was allowed leave.

One of them, a broad-shouldered man with glassy black eyes, pushed me into a room and followed me in. He stood by the door and waited.

"This is the bit where you let me go," I said, more than ready to leave.

He kept his focus on me, and I could have sworn I felt insects crawling all over me. A wave of nausea hit me when I tried to look into his eyes again. Wrapping my arms around myself, I kept as far away from him as possible and waited for Eddie.

The door opened after a couple of minutes, but only so someone could hand in my clothes. The Guardian threw them at me. "Change," he said, and I dropped my things to the floor in fright. His voice did something to me, something bad, and he knew it.

With trembling fingers, I picked up the clothes, realising too late that he planned on watching me dress. Humiliated, I avoided his eyes and threw my clothes on as quickly as possible. I felt myself withdraw, felt numbers come to the tip of my tongue. I shook myself mentally. No more scared little girl.

I looked the Guardian in the eyes, ignoring the shuddering awfulness in the blackness, and made a scornful noise. The smirk dancing on the corners of his lips vanished.

"I hope that was more thrilling for you than me," I said. "I'm sure the next time we're alone will be far more exciting."

He gripped my shoulder and pushed me outside the room. I expected to come up out of the ground, but the headquarters of the Council seemed to be a warren of entrances and hidden rooms. Finally, we made it to a set of double doors that led outside. Glancing around, I saw we were surrounded by unfamiliar countryside. Without a word, the Guardian released the tag from my wrist and waited in front of the doors. I stood a few paces away from him, shivering with cold, until Eddie and Peter pulled up. I got into the car without a word.

My favourite coat lay on the seat, and I gathered it in my arms, smiling when I felt the comforting shape of the dagger. I looked back at the building, seeing it now looked like a disused barn. The black-eyed Guardian still stood in front of it, staring at the car.

"Exactly how much trouble would I be in if I went back to murder him?" I was only half-joking.

"Guardians giving you a hard time, huh?" Peter asked.

"Something like that." I wasn't about to tell him I had to undress in front of one of them.

"Ava, don't even joke about something like that. It's big trouble you're in. Don't you get it?" As usual, Eddie had to put a damper on the one thing keeping me going. Revenge.

"I know I'm in trouble. They're all freaked out about the daywalker thing. How come?"

"They don't know what to do with you." Eddie's words sparked a memory. Leah had pretty much said the same thing about herself. "It isn't often they're faced with the likes of you," he continued in his pleasant lilt. I almost liked him when he spoke that way; it made me forget what he was capable of.

"The likes of me? What _is_ the likes of me?"

Eddie sighed. "That's what they're trying to find out. You have to understand, the Council is ancient, made out of necessity. The rules are archaic, mostly. You have to fit in, or know how to play the rules. Lucky for you, I consult, so I know the rules."

"I shouldn't have to play by the rules. I'm not in the wrong!" The whole thing frustrated me.

"But you see, that's the thing. By the rules, you _are_ in the wrong. Lack of knowledge is not an excuse. They have to make their point with you. I think I'll be able to talk them around; they won't put up much of a fight." I sensed his tension. There had to be a but coming.

"But..." I tried to help.

"But, I can't do much about your genetics, and that is your biggest problem. That is the one thing that could kill you." The strain in Eddie's voice was obvious. "I'll play it down, but I'll be the only one."

We all fell silent. I gazed out of the window, seeing plenty of nondescript fields. I had no idea where we were, or even what time it was. Being in a windowless room had screwed up my system. I thought over the hearing. It had been a mess of confusing phrases and opinions.

"Féinics," I said, remembering. "Fionnuala called me a phoenix? What was that all about?"

"Fionnuala's paranoid about rebel sects. That's not your concern; you have plenty of other things to worry about."

"The other stuff is bullshit, if you ask me," Peter said.

"What do you mean?" I had done the things they accused me of. Well, mostly, but in context, I had had no choice.

"None of it fits. Anyone else apart from you, and the charges would have been laughed at. Vampires sort this stuff out amongst themselves. Fionnuala should have locked Gideon up for wasting their time. So why did he even take up the charges against Ava?"

"To bring up the daywalker issue," Eddie responded.

"Exactly. He wants her out of the way, or maybe as a distraction. It'll take any steam off his arse about the human testing he's been involved in." Peter sounded confident. I didn't doubt his theory too much. Gideon had looked altogether too smug at the hearing.

"You know, Eloise kept dropping hints that make me think I'd been set up somehow," I said, drumming my fingers on the dagger. It sparked blue at my touch.

"Who's Eloise?" Peter asked.

"The child vampire," I told him. "Gideon was one of the vampires who helped Maximus, when they... when I was there. Thing is, there was a whole lot of atmosphere between Maximus and his coven. Most of them were barely obeying him; it was a bit unsteady. I don't get why he would want to avenge Maximus, or whatever; he didn't exactly seem to like him. Plus, Gideon used to be part of Daimhín's coven."

"This is making more sense," Peter said. "Maybe Gideon wanted his own coven, maybe he left Daimhín because he knew there was no chance of promotion."

"Or she sent him away," Eddie butted in. "Perhaps he gained too much favour within her coven, or perhaps she sent him out to spy on Maximus."

"I'm betting on that one." Peter's voice rose in excitement. "Gideon leaves Daimhín to spy on Maximus and stirs up shit in the coven. Maximus is put to sleep, so Gideon takes over and gets a taste of power, maybe thinks Maximus was on to something all along. Maybe he's using Ava to take down Daimhín in a way that keeps his hands clean."

"But remember who ordered Ava to kill Maximus," Eddie said.

"The same person who made us leave Ava with Maximus for an entire night. The one who made sure she had reason for revenge. And what came of it? They pushed Ava to her limits and found out blood heals her rapidly." Peter looked around at me. "Has this whole thing been a set up?"

I was lost in a swirl of memories and conversations. Some barely remembered recollections were connecting and becoming more concrete.

"Arthur told me not to trust anyone. I think he was right. All of these bullshit jobs have been like tests, like they're all seeing what I can do, what I can withstand. They're looking for my weaknesses, seeing what they can set me up for. And I've been the idiot who let them have a front seat."

"Perhaps it would be wise to play down your injury," Eddie said slowly. "If anyone asks, it was a flesh wound. No penetration. The silver bullets could have been a test, too."

"Yeah, that too. I mean, the vampire kept pulling back at first. I couldn't understand why he didn't just go for it." I groaned. "I am so bloody stupid. Daimhín gave me directions straight to Maximus's room. It wasn't locked; there were very few guards or humans around. It was too damn easy, and I was so grateful, I didn't even think twice to consider how suss it looked. I just wanted him dead. And they banked on that."

The car swerved a little. "Sorry," Peter said. "This is our fault, Eddie. We got her into this mess, and they just ran with it. We have to fix this."

I swore inwardly. How could I not see everything that was right in front of me? I was so glad for the chance to get rid of Maximus that I let myself get tangled further in the schemes of a couple of vampires. I saw everything through new eyes and wanted to scream at my own stupidity.

"Daimhín never wanted to kill me, did she? She just wanted Maximus to think that, to push him. Gideon was probably whispering in his ear the whole time. And his vampires, they didn't do anything to me for a while, just followed me around, intimidated me. Becca and Daimhín tried to make me afraid of them so I was on edge. They provoked me until I reacted, and I fell for it!" It was all so obvious now that I could see the big picture. Daimhín hadn't saved me. She'd used me to get her own way, and now I was going to die for her.

"Pretty good plan really," Peter said. "If Daimhín had killed Maximus, she would have had to face the Council and explain herself. That nearly always brings up other deceits. This way, she has her coven, and her biggest opponent is dead; their coven is smaller, and her own little bitch is in charge of them."

"Except he isn't really her bitch anymore," I reminded him. "He sold her out, too, at the hearing."

"Bet Daimhín didn't expect that," Peter said. I gave a little laugh, but I wasn't amused. They were all a bunch of devious animals, and I was stuck in the middle.

"Investigating Daimhín will also keep the Council busy." Eddie sounded thoughtful. "Gideon might be smarter than we thought."

"He keeps the Council busy for a while. Why? To do what?" I wondered aloud.

"Did you see how pissed he was when I brought up what he's doing to humans?" Peter said. "I reckon there's something happening with that. Something big. He needs the Council to be distracted. Maybe they're already suspicious, and he wants them on a bigger trail. Or maybe he wants Daimhín caught up in this trial to do something under her nose. I bet it's to do with the formula they're injecting in humans. If we could get some of it and show the Council, they would have to investigate him fully."

"Keep out of that, Peter. It's none of our business." Eddie's voice rose in anger, but I didn't understand what Peter had said to provoke his rage.

"The Council should know he can't be trusted," Peter argued.

"There's nothing we can do about that." Eddie raised his hands. "Let's figure out how to battle the accusations against Ava."

"What's the point?" I said. "I can't change how I was made."

Eddie looked at me. "Ava, they'll ask you about your heritage, your creation."

"I won't tell them anything," I said stubbornly.

"You won't have a choice. The truth may be revealed before you're ready for it." Eddie's eyes softened. "Prepare yourself for surprises, Ava. The Council has a way of exposing the truth."

"We'll see." I folded my arms, unwilling to discuss it. I'd gotten tortured to try and make me reveal my heritage; it hadn't worked. I hadn't gone through that only to reveal all to the next group of supernatural beings who asked.

"Don't worry, Ava. I'll figure this out for you. I'll make sure you stay safe." Eddie sounded kind, but I knew he wasn't as unassuming as he sounded. I wasn't sure what his idea of safe was, but it definitely wasn't parallel to mine.

# 8

As soon as I stepped into Eddie's shop, I felt trapped. I was under his custody; I couldn't leave, couldn't get away from him. That sucked. Peter had driven off as soon as we got out of the car but arranged to meet us the next day. Being alone with Eddie was instantly uncomfortable. A lot of unresolved tension wedged between us.

"I need to sleep," I said. "I didn't get much... back there."

"Understandable. Head on up to your room."

I raised my eyebrows, disliking the word _your_.

"Goodnight, Ava. We'll sort this out tomorrow." He gestured toward the stairs.

Once upstairs, the cool presence returned, and I was surprised by my relief. It breathed softly on my cheek as I lay in the giant bed, staring at the ceiling, too stressed to fall asleep.

Everything was spiralling out of control, and I couldn't keep a handle on any of it. Being around people, having to adhere to supernatural rules I didn't know existed, and trying to keep up with all of the underhanded drama and backstabbing overwhelmed me.

My biggest problem was lack of knowledge. I knew hardly anything about the supernatural world, and it was about time that changed. Maybe if I learned a few things, I might figure out just what to do next.

The next day dragged until Eddie closed the shop, and Peter and Carl turned up. All four of us gathered around the shop's counter and sipped coffee.

"You okay?" Carl asked me. I shrugged. Nothing truly awful had happened to me, but I couldn't say I was okay; well, at least I wasn't dead.

Carl scratched the back of his head, and I remembered the last time we spoke had turned into a big row.

"Sorry about before," I said, knowing he was unsure whether to bring it up or not.

"It was my fault." He shook his head. "I felt like shit when I heard what happened to you. Maybe we shouldn't try living together again."

I returned his grin and felt better. The air between us had been cleared.

Peter snapped his fingers. "Okay, Brady Bunch, can we get on with things now?"

"Don't start. I could be put down like a dog in a week's time. I think I have a right to take a minute to—"

"You're not going to be put down!" Peter interrupted, but he didn't sound so sure.

"Yeah, right. Like this Council gives a crap about what's right and wrong. There was a girl in the cell next to me. I think she escaped, but she was just a kid. How can they keep a kid there?" I mumbled, half to myself.

Peter and Eddie exchanged glances. I wondered if I was counting aloud. I wasn't sure why I had fixated on Leah. Maybe because I felt indignant on her behalf, and it was better than focusing on my own stuff.

"And that kid vampire who follows Daimhín around. Who turns a kid into a vampire? What kind of scummy things am I dealing with here?"

"It's going to be okay," Eddie said, trying to reassure me.

"Oh, yeah, I should listen to you. You sold me out the last time I listened to you."

He waved the air as if to brush over the fact. "That's not how it happened. We planned on handing you over, remember? Paying off a debt was just a handy bonus."

I looked at him in disgust. "Is that an apology? Christ." I leaned my head on my hands. I had no idea what to do next. If Eddie was my best bet, then I was screwed.

"Alright," I said, swallowing back an insistent wave of panic. "Tell me."

Eddie looked confused. "Tell you what?"

"Everything. The Council, their rules, how their trials work. Everything you should have told me before that might have kept me out of this mess. Right now, I need facts. I need to know what I'm going to do. I need to know what my chances are."

"You're right," Eddie said. "I should have told you more. I honestly didn't expect them to entertain Gideon."

Peter slammed his cup down. "You knew about him?"

"I knew he was up to something, but I thought Ava could handle it."

"Are you kidding me?" Peter's expression said I couldn't handle anything.

Eddie took a step closer to me. "Maybe you should give her a bit of credit."

I was about to open my mouth to tell them both to shut up, but Carl beat me to it. It was amusing to see how startled they were; they had gotten used to him falling asleep and being incapable of taking part in conversations.

"Give it a rest. This isn't helping Ava. Let's figure this out, okay?"

I rested my hands on the counter, needing to get the conversation back on track. "Eddie, what's going to happen? After the trial, how do they make their decision?"

"It depends on Gideon, and how big a case he makes against you. If you could discredit him, then the attention would turn from you. The biggest problem is what you are, but if we can distract them from that, it could go in your favour."

"So, let's do it," Peter said.

"Do what?" Carl asked.

"Discredit Gideon. We know he's involved in illegal human testing, so we need to get our hands on some of the formula and pass it on to the Council. Plus, we can always try and come up with an actual defence for the other stuff." Peter's excitement grew with every word; it was as though he relished the whole thing.

"How on earth are we going to get our hands on that formula?" I asked, incredulous that he thought it was a viable idea.

"Becca."

I made a face. Becca was a pain in the arse. "Well," I said. "You get right on that, and good luck. But, maybe in the meantime we should figure out a defence. What rules have I broken?"

Eddie cocked his head. "Technically, you could have gotten away with it, but Gideon is claiming you have ulterior motives for all your actions. He's saying you didn't fight in self-defence, but rather to instigate a civil war amongst vampires."

I made a disgusted noise. "They were on the brink of that already."

"Peter told me you think that maybe this is a distraction," Carl said. "Using the trial to get everyone focused on you, so Gideon can get away with the human testing."

"That's a good possibility," Eddie agreed. "But we won't know what his final move is until the trial. We might be able to use the rules against him, if we're imaginative. Besides, the Council has never been keen on the vampires. That's why the quota is enforced. If we can persuade them you're more human than vampire, they might feel obliged to protect you. Or at the very least, that it isn't their place to judge you."

"What about Carl?" I asked.

"What about him?"

"I was only trying to help him, and I got both covens on my back, then they kidnapped my grandmother," I said. "Surely that has to count for something."

"I could be a witness," Carl said.

Eddie seemed to think about that.

"Besides," I continued. "They've taunted and provoked me, practically forced me into a fight this time. Daimhín knew, I know she did, and she did nothing to help me. They can't seriously get away with all of that, can they?"

Nobody seemed to want to answer that one. Finally, Eddie spoke in a gentle voice. "We'll do our best to make sure that won't happen."

"Why are you helping me?" I asked, more abrupt than I intended.

"I've told you before, it's in my best interests to make sure you're relatively safe. I don't want Gideon to win and, as a consultant to the Council, I have the authority to help you."

"Alright, tell me about the Council members then, and the others, the consultants. One seemed human," I said, changing the subject.

"Yes," he said, nodding. "She's a witch, but quite human. The other consultants include a shapeshifter, a vampire, and an outer-level demon."

I glanced at Peter, but he seemed unruffled. I wasn't. "Wait a second, a demon?"

"Working together, at least on a surface level, avoids wars." Eddie carried on as if I hadn't spoken. "The four members of the Council are Gabe, Erossi, Koda, and Fionnuala. You already know Gabe," he said before I could ask a question. "Erossi is an immortal; he represents many immortal creatures, particularly those like him and those from the sea."

"So, what, is he a God?" Carl asked.

Eddie snorted. "He wishes. He merely lives forever. He's the only immortal who was interested in taking the job. He isn't anything special." I tried to hide a smile; Eddie sounded pretty jealous.

"Next is Koda, the eldest member of the Council. He is an ancient Dryad, the last of his kind in this country, although he represents a vast range of species. His time on this earth is coming to a close, that much is clear. He's more sympathetic than the others, although Gabe is particularly vested in the outcome." He hurried on, possibly seeing me want to question him further. "That leaves Fionnuala, an old fae. She's the head of the Council and likes the sound of her own voice, but she's very powerful, as are most of the fae. She's one of the few fae controlled enough to be on the Council."

"You need to win her over," Peter warned me.

"I don't know how easy that will be," I said, doubtful.

"Twist the rules enough to make her get on your side," Eddie advised. "She would respect that."

"I shouldn't have to twist the rules. The rules should be protecting us, not vampires."

They all stared at me. "What?" I said. "I'm not a vampire, so don't go looking at me like that, okay?"

"We know you're not like them, Ava," Carl said. "But maybe if you were more like them, then their rules would protect you too."

"I don't know," I said, feeling more frustrated than ever. "What did I even do wrong?"

"Okay," Eddie said. "They're saying you tried to start a war and that because you're a different... species, you're a danger to the balance. One species openly attacking another is not acceptable."

"But I've avoided all of them my whole life. Why would I want to instigate any problems?"

"Exactly," Eddie said. "They won't have proof to back up the claim."

"Maybe Nancy could give evidence, too," Carl suggested.

"We could ask," Eddie said, concentrating with his eyes closed for a few minutes.

"So, wait," I interrupted. "Let's skip ahead a bit for a minute. What exactly happens at the end of the trial? Who decides what happens to me?"

"The Council hear from the consultants. They each give an opinion, and then the Council takes some time alone together to discuss their final decisions. They take into account what would be best for the greater good. Therefore, even if they found you innocent of Gideon's accusations, they could potentially find you to be a threat. I am almost certain this is what Gideon is really going for here," Eddie said, shaking his head.

"And if Daimhín gets some of the blame attached to her along the way, all the better," Carl added, anger flaring in his eyes.

It was a lot to take in. I didn't have many options. Yet again, I was between a rock and a hard place, but this time I had no way of sliding away unscathed while the others knocked themselves out.

"I'm screwed, right?" I looked at all three men and knew they thought the same.

"No," Peter insisted. "We'll figure something out. They can't get away with the things they did. You only killed Maximus on Daimhín's orders, and you were pretty much provoked into fighting this time around. The maddening thing is why the Council is willing to take this seriously."

"Doesn't really matter. Besides, I'll always be something different, no matter how well we prettify things," I reminded. "Someone was bound to get snippy about me eventually, right?"

I tried to smile, but the atmosphere in the room kept me mired in disillusion. I knew they had to be thinking the same things I was. I was doomed, no matter what we did. The cold presence made itself known, as if it knew I needed comfort. Even though the sensation was cool against my skin, I felt warmth drift through my body. My optimism grew, and I decided I wasn't going down without a fight. It wasn't over yet.

"Look," I said. "I know this is a tight spot, but I'm not giving up. Not after everything. There has to be a way to fix this."

Peter suddenly grinned, looking years younger. "Of course there is. Koda gave me that look, like he's very interested in what Gideon's getting up to. If we can do anything to implicate Gideon further, then he's going to be on your side, maybe even persuade the others to throw out the charges."

Eddie shook his head. I shivered, unsure why. "That's not a good idea," he said.

"What's not a good idea?" Peter asked, baffled.

"Going after Gideon. There's no point. They were prepared to skip the trial for this. The real problem here is Ava's heritage. The other stuff doesn't matter, not in the long run."

"You give up then," I snapped. "Not like it's your life we're talking about, is it?"

Needing air, space, something, I stormed out of the bookshop. Mostly, I wanted to forget about everything. I stood outside leaning against a wall and watching my breath frost the air.

Peter followed me out. "It'll be okay."

"Nah, it won't. Not really. Like Eddie said, I can't change who I am." I shook my head, trying to shake the melancholy that kept trying to swallow me. "I need time to think."

"Know what I need?" he said.

"What?"

"A drink. Want one?"

I grinned. "Aren't I under house arrest or something? Besides, alcohol doesn't affect me so much."

He pushed against my shoulder. "Well, if you're under the eye of one of the Council, then you can't get into too much trouble. And maybe he can come up with a drink that has an effect on you."

"Eye of the Council? You mean Gabe? Are you mad?"

"Why not?"

I was already in trouble, and maybe I would figure out some semblance of a plan if I had some time away from the intensity of Eddie's place.

"What about Eddie?" I asked.

"I'll text Carl, get him to follow us over without letting Eddie know where we are. It'll be fine."

I giggled, the tension making me giddy. "I feel like a teenager sneaking out of the window or something."

"Did you ever do that?" he asked as we headed for Gabe's bar. I knew he was trying his best to cheer me up, and I appreciated it.

"Me? Nah, I was too much of a wimp. Don't tell me, you did it all the time."

He gave me a cheeky wink. "I never hid it, just walked out the door. My dad was pretty laidback about that sort of stuff."

"What about your mother?" I couldn't help being curious about his past.

"She died when I was a kid. I can barely remember her. Probably best she didn't see what I grew up to become." The smile dropped from his face.

"Where's your dad now?"

"He moved to Spain with his girlfriend when I became a father myself. Said I didn't need looking after, and he deserved a bit of sun. We talk sometimes, but we were never close. My girlfriend's parents were more like parents to me than my own."

"That's so sad," I blurted. "Sorry," I added, seeing Peter's expression.

"It's alright. I'm just surprised you can call anyone else's life sad; I mean, you didn't have it easy, right?"

"Let's not go there. Although I seem to have a knack of attracting particularly messed up crap."

He smiled again. "That you do. I was thinking, maybe Gabe might give us a hint at how things will go during the trial."

"Maybe. What _is_ Gabe, anyway?"

"Angel," Peter muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me?" No freaking way.

"Yeah, I know," Peter said, but he didn't look happy.

"Hold on. Angels are real?"

"Why is that harder to believe than vampires?" he asked.

I was still in a little bewildered world of my own. "And _Gabe_ is one?"

"Yes, Ava." He walked faster.

"But... but, he's an arsehole!"

Peter laughed, his sudden sombre mood forgotten. "Yeah, well, like anything, the myths get things a little wrong sometimes."

"Wow," I said, still shaking my head in disbelief. "That's screwed up."

"You're part vampire. I thought you would have taken this better."

"I never really considered good things being real."

"Who says they're good?" was Peter's glib reply. "Come on, it's cold; hurry up."

"Don't forget to text Carl," I reminded, speeding up. But all I could think about were angels and my own wonder.

We walked mostly in silence after that, Peter giving me time to let things sink in. I vowed to learn more about the world I'd spent my life avoiding—if I managed to survive the Council's judgement.

Still early, Gabe's bar was full. We had to queue up, and I suddenly felt self-conscious. Usually it was because I wasn't human enough, but this time it was because I wasn't supernatural enough. I could smell the difference in the air; it made a burst of adrenalin ride through my body, keeping me on edge. We weren't in danger; my senses just seemed to be excited by the thrill of otherness in the air. I didn't know what anyone was or what they could do, if anything, but Peter's humanity stood out like a sore thumb.

The bouncers at the door regarded me for a couple of seconds before letting us in. One seemed about to protest, but the other held up a hand and then waved us through. The bar was different than before with an electric atmosphere.

"It's kind of cool here," I said.

"Yeah, the angel's hideout is always the coolest place in town."

"What's your deal?" I asked, as quite a few customers sent wary glances Peter's way. Even more gave him a wide berth.

"I get away with more than I should." He grinned. "I'll tell you about it sometime. Now, let's get a drink down us and think of how we're going to work Becca."

He sounded light-hearted enough, but he had to be thinking about the last time we had paid Becca a visit. I wanted to talk about it, but he was already calling over the bartender, the one with the moving tattoo.

"What is he?" I whispered.

"Fae," he replied. "He's okay, for a faery."

"Hey," the bartender said, noticing me. "What's up, Red? Nobody trading you today? Aren't you supposed to be in jail or something?"

"Leave it, Finn," Peter said, but his tone was friendly.

"What can I get you?" Finn asked.

"Usual for me," Peter said. "But how about something a little... special for Ava here?"

Finn smiled knowingly. "Wonder if I have anything special enough. Let me guess, can drink all night without slurring her words?"

I tapped my fingernails on the bar in agitation. I hated when people talked over me like I wasn't there. "I really doubt you have anything special enough."

Finn laughed and walked away, calling over his shoulder, "We'll see, little lady, we'll see."

Peter looked around. "You see Gabe anywhere?"

"Nah, I think I'd smell him. I'll let you know if that happens."

"That's sick."

"Whatever, it comes in handy when—" I doubled over and dry-retched

"Jesus, Ava. You haven't even had a drink yet."

Bile burned my throat. There was something in the air, something dark and malicious, something that made me want to run. Something familiar.

I quickly scanned the room, looking for the malevolence I could almost taste on my tongue. The air was clammy, as if something hovered over us in a sticky mist.

"What's wrong?" Peter touched my arm, but then I saw what I had sensed.

A pretty woman stood across the bar talking to the object of my attention. Chocolate-skinned and black-haired, she laughed merrily at something he said, but an object gleamed in her companion's hand. Anger, confusion, and fear, his emotions were so strong, they sent a rush of adrenalin shuddering through my body.

He moved his hand backward, gaining traction even as I leapt to my feet and ran over to them. He swung his hand toward her. The whole bar went silent as if time stood still, but they all watched me run. Before I had taken a second to think, I jerked his arm backward. Too late, he'd already grazed her, but I couldn't stop to ponder the implications of that. I struggled to get him to the ground; he was strong and enraged. The scent of blood filling the air was distracting, almost human, but not quite. I did my best to ignore it, determined to stop the man from doing any real damage.

He fought, struggling to throw me off, but he was weak enough that I was able to wrestle him to the ground. His long brown hair stuck to his face with sweat. I could hear screams and shouting in the background, but nothing prepared me for the bright light that suddenly filled the room. Wincing, I rolled away from the man and covered my eyes. After a second, I tried opening them. Gabe stood over us with streams of white light surging from his body.

He glared down at me.

"I was trying to help," I muttered, my eyes still half-closed. The light suddenly disappeared amid a lot of groaning from most of the bar.

I jumped to my feet and went over to the young woman who lay on the ground holding her side, a look of shock on her face.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Peter grabbed my arm and pulled me aside. Glancing behind me, I saw the man raise his knife, but at the last second he drove it into his own heart. He shuddered violently before dropping to the ground, dead.

"What the hell?" I whispered amidst more screams.

"How did you know?" the woman asked me, and I realised I recognised her as one of the Guardians from the hearing.

I shook my head, not sure what had happened. I'd reacted without thinking, as always. The Guardian examined her wound, suddenly more sure of herself than before. "It's nothing, just a shallow cut, it'll be gone as soon as I phase."

_Phase?_ I glanced at Peter, who shook his head slightly.

"Thank you," she said. "It could have been worse. You grabbed him just in time."

I shrugged and moved through the gathered crowds back to my seat, carefully avoiding Gabe's stern expression. Peter followed, giving a low whistle. Looking back, I saw Gabe and Finn help the young woman into the back room. Some others, their faces grave, carried the body through another door.

"What happened?" Peter urged, his voice low as he looked around.

"I smelled fear." I didn't know how else to explain it. The blackness in the air that turned my stomach terrified me.

"Esther was scared? She didn't seem like she even noticed the knife until he was on the ground with it."

"Esther's the girl? No, not her fear. His. He was terrified and angry and just a black ball of emotion. He was suffocating in it." I'd never felt anything so strong before.

"You sensed all that?"

"Not exactly. I smelled it. Kind of. I know, it's weird, but it's definitely a scent. I can sense things, see things sometimes, but I have to concentrate. But the smells come even when I'm not concentrating. That and the sound of his heart racing. He was really freaked out. I'm not sure what was going through his head."

Peter's eyebrows furrowed, disbelief crossing his face, but he didn't argue. I think we had both reached a point where anything was possible.

Finn came back out to the bar and handed me a large glass filled to the brim with a liquid that sparkled.

"On the house," he said. "For avoiding a murder."

"And providing a suicide?" I said, snarkily. "You're welcome."

He raised an eyebrow, then leaned toward me. "I dare you to drink this down in one go."

I glanced at Peter, who was grinning. The whole bar had gone back to normal, as if a man hadn't just stabbed himself and died in the centre of the room.

"Is this a good idea?" I asked Peter.

"Probably not. But if you're game, drink up."

I sniffed the blue liquid. It was sort of fruity smelling. I picked up the glass and eyed it. It didn't look like it would kill me.

Finn was already chuckling when I lifted the glass to my lips and took a hesitant sip. Not bad. I tipped the glass and horsed the entire contents down my throat before slamming it down and giving a little hiccup.

"Finn! What did you do?" a woman shouted from behind us. Finn laughed out loud, but it echoed in my ears, too loud and harsh.

My vision getting hazy, I looked at Peter. "This is screwy," I mumbled, feeling like my tongue had just grown too big for my mouth. The drink rested in the pit of my stomach, burning hot. My tongue sparked with fire, or so it felt.

"Finn, that was shameful," Esther exclaimed. Finn didn't look ashamed, not that I could see him properly.

"S'okay," I tried to say. I stood slowly and deliberately, feeling like my whole body was heavier than usual. Peter began to laugh, louder when I stumbled.

Esther said something, but I couldn't hear very well. The walls started turning upside down, and so did my balance. I landed face first on the floor. There was more noise around me, then everything went dark.

# 9

I woke up groaning. My head pounded; it felt like someone had chopped the top of it right off. It reminded me of my time in Maximus's home, and I squeezed my eyelids together, hoping the nightmare would end soon. Something cold slapped my forehead, and I opened my eyes with a start.

"It's okay," Esther said as she squeezed a wet rag and dampened my forehead again. "You'll feel better soon; Gabe cleaned out your system."

I didn't even want to know what that meant. Looking around, I saw a strange room and panicked. "Where am I?" I asked, sitting up too quickly and feeling it. "Ow." I pressed my palm against my temple, hoping to push the pain away. I touched my bandaged stomach tentatively. It stung, and I wondered if I might have opened the wound when I fell.

"It's okay. This is the back room of the bar. You've only been out about an hour."

"An hour? I have to get back." I tried to sit up again and winced.

"Chill. You're in Gabe's place. There's no rush. My brother's out there questioning everyone. Trust me, you'd rather be here."

"Your brother?"

"Aidan. He's a consultant for the Council."

"Oh, him. What... you're not human, are you?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Is that a problem for you?"

I laughed, but it came out too harsh and made me cough. Esther handed me a cup. I sipped it and held her stare. "I can't exactly talk about not being human."

She nodded as if satisfied. "We're animal shifters. I turn into a bear, so I can't really claim to be human. I work for the Council, too. Do you remember me?"

"I remember. You were at the hearing. What exactly do Guardians do every day?" I meant, aside from watching women undress.

"We're the equivalent of a police force, pretty much, so when one of us is attacked, there's a scene."

"Wow," I said, swallowing hard. "Are you... arresting me?"

Her face brightened, and she burst into bubbly laughter. Seriously – a were-bear? "You saved my life! I owe you big time."

"Don't worry about it." I took a sip of water to avoid saying anything else.

"Sorry about the trial." She bit her lip. "If there's anything I can do..."

"It's fine," I said. "Nothing anyone can do right now. Wait, you got stabbed, are you alright?"

"Oh, that was nothing. I healed almost as soon as I phased." She pulled her hair back into a clip, and I almost laughed at the idea of her turning into a bear in such a tiny room.

"Handy trick. So, what's been happening out there?"

She grinned, her eyes crinkling in amusement. "Gabe made Finn carry you back here while Aiden went alpha out there. Finn was mostly afraid you'd puke on him, or that you'd wake up suddenly like a tranquilised tiger and bite him or something."

I rolled my eyes. "As if."

"I know, right? That drink, though, I can't believe you knocked it back!" She sounded impressed.

"Why? What was it?" I could barely remember tasting it.

"They didn't tell you? Idiots. It's a fae drink. Their form of a shot. Except it's really potent for everyone else. You had a crazy reaction to it, you were mumbling and drooling and—"

"I get the picture," I interrupted, embarrassed. I'd never been drunk before. "Is Peter gone?"

"He's waiting in the bar with some human. Tall, blond, very cute?" She paused, waiting for me to fill her in.

"That's Carl. He's, uh, he was my... well, I sort of enthralled him by accident a while ago. That's what started the mess I'm in," I admitted, cringing.

"He's the one? I wouldn't have let that one go," she joked. I smiled back at her, feeling totally at ease.

The door opened, and one of the consultants from the hearing walked in. He strode straight over to Esther and embraced her. "How are you feeling?" he asked, looking her over quickly.

"I'm fine." She pushed him away. "Aiden, this is Ava, she stopped it from being a lot worse. Ava, this is my big brother, Aiden."

I nodded at him, feeling wary, but something in his eyes made me feel like there were no secrets behind them.

Aiden shook my hand. "Thank you. I owe you a favour. Speaking of which, Peter tells me you might be safer away from Brogan. If he doesn't have your best interests at heart here and, seeing as you saved my sister, I can make other arrangements for you." His eyes narrowed. "After that, I can't help you."

"It doesn't matter. Really." Better the devil I knew, I decided.

Esther put her arm around me. "But at least let me help. I owe you my life."

"No more projects, Esther," her brother said under his breath. She glared back at him.

"Um, should I go now?" I asked, trying to escape the tension between them.

"I have a few questions first," Aiden said, and sat next to me. "What exactly happened earlier? Nobody else, not even Esther, knew anything was wrong until you flew across the room."

I bit the inside of my cheek, quickly figuring out exactly how much I should reveal to someone who worked for the Council. "It's hard to explain. I kind of... felt his tension. He was so angry and scared that I couldn't help looking, and I saw a knife in his hand. I _knew_ I had to get over there."

"You sensed the fact that a respected Guardian was about to attack one of their Circle, even though nobody else noticed a thing?" He sounded sceptical, but I couldn't explain it any better.

"A respected Guardian?" I tried to change the subject, but I wanted to know the full story, too.

Aiden's jaw tightened. "He was one of ours. A shifter, a Guardian."

"A were-bear?"

"No, a fox. I've no idea why he attacked Esther." He looked troubled, as though the world rested on his shoulders. "I need to finish up out there; I'll let Peter know you're awake." He left without a backward glance.

"So, you're like those other Guardians then, those men?" I couldn't resist wrapping my arms around myself; the more I learned about Guardians, the less I liked them.

Esther stared at me for a minute, like she was trying to read something on my face. "Did something happen?"

"Nah. I should probably get going. Eddie's going to be pissed. I kind of snuck off." I blushed, knowing I sounded like a kid who was going to get in trouble with her parents.

"Oh, wait," Esther said. "Give the poison a chance to get out of your system. You're probably going to be wobbly for a day or two. Aiden might want another word with you, too."

"I've told him everything I know. I can't help what I can do."

"Hey, no worries. He's just doing his job. And like I said, if I can do anything to help you, I will. I pay back everything I owe." She smiled, but I couldn't help wondering what Aiden meant by _projects_. "More water?"

I nodded, and she rose to open a fresh bottle. "So," she said, handing it to me. "What's the deal with you and Peter Brannigan?"

"What do you mean?" Though my question was genuine, my heart started racing anyway.

"He always works alone! I don't think he's ever said two words to me before, and now he's running around with you and Carl, who is hot, by the way, even though he's supposed to be this scary—"

"Well, he's not," I interrupted, feeling my face burn.

She leaned back and smirked all the more. "Come on, there has to be something going on."

"There isn't," I insisted. "A couple of weeks ago, he wanted me dead. But then he helped me with Carl, and we're getting on okay sometimes. No big deal."

Her eyes narrowed. "You don't know what he does, do you?"

I shook my head. "All I really know is that his family was murdered, and that's how he learned about people like us." I stopped talking because I realised I didn't actually know what he did when he wasn't helping me. He hadn't been generous with the details.

Esther shivered dramatically. "He scares me. He hates all of us. He tolerates my kind because he knows we can control ourselves, and he respects Aiden. But I can see the disgust in his eyes when he looks at us. The Council hired him, you know."

"To do what?" I asked, fascinated.

Esther bit her lip, and my stomach filled with dread. "He works freelance, does all sorts of things, but the Council hired him to be a hitman. He gets away with it because he's human and can't be brought up before the Council. But it's dangerous; I only know because Koda warned us to ignore Peter if we found him in the middle of something dodgy."

She pulled her knees up toward her and waited for my reaction. I wasn't sure what to think. I could see why Peter would do that job. After all, hadn't I been Daimhín's own personal hitwoman when it came to ending Maximus's life?

"I guess that makes sense," I said after a minute.

"It's one of those secrets everyone knows, but nobody talks about. But I thought I should clue you in, seeing as you're running around with him. Watch your back, you know? It was Brogan who got him the job; he came up with the idea in the first place."

My own eyes narrowed then. Of course he did. "Eddie's supposed to care about Peter, and he gets him a dangerous job like that?" I was fuming. "Esther," I said, remembering the reaction to Peter in Becca's bar. "Are vampires kind of edgy around Peter because of the hitman deal?"

Her eyes widened. "No, that's just a rumour as far as most vampires know. People are scared of him for a couple of reasons. One, he doesn't care if he lives or dies. A suicidal human is just as dangerous as a sorcerer or demon. Two, he's pretty bad-ass. He is just so bloody determined and vengeful that he won't fall until the fight is over. He put on a damn scary display a few years back that made everything in this country think twice before taking him on. Maybe you should ask him about it sometime."

"What about Eddie?"

She shuddered. "I can't bear him. He used to be on the Council."

"What? Really?"

"Yep. Erossi has his place now."

"The immortal?"

Esther nodded fervently. "That's him. Eddie used to speak for the immortals, but there was a big incident before I was born, something major involving Eddie. It was an embarrassment; he was shamed and forced to leave the Council. They gave him a seat as a consultant to pacify him, and nobody talks about it, just little whispers and rumours."

"Any idea what happened?"

"None, it's all very hush-hush. Some people reckon he'll get back on the Council one day."

I thought about this. "Wait, who did you say he represented?"

"The immortals." Her tone said, " _Duh_."

"Eddie? He's immortal?" I asked, gobsmacked.

Her mouth widened into an "o" shape. "You didn't know?"

"Eh, no! What the hell is he?"

"I'm not totally sure, but it's something to do with keepers and knowledge and sleeping gods and some such crap. I don't know. A lot of these creatures have very longwinded histories; I can't keep up."

"What about you?"

"Me? I was born this way. Respectable family, then Daddy married beneath himself. We were pretty happy until Mama died when I was little. Unexpectedly too, so she never warned him she could shift into animal form. He got the fright of his life when Aiden started doing it in his teens. It became this big family secret, but when I started doing it too, he knew he had to do something about it."

"What did he do?" I was riveted.

"He found out what we were, then paid some other shifters a lot of money to take care of us. Eventually, we settled in and learned what we were doing. Turned out Aiden is this hard-core alpha figure, which ruffled a few feathers. After lots and _lots_ of shit, he took over. First as head of the pack who took us on, then he stepped up to keep all of the shifters in line. Some of them were practically feral, yuck!" She made a face. "The Council saw what he was doing and offered him a seat as a consultant. Daddy had left us a bit of money to keep us quiet so he could wash his hands of us completely, and here we are."

"How old are you, Esther?"

"Twenty-one." She made a face.

"That's pretty young for all of that Guardian responsibility. Are you happy?"

"Pretty much. I mean, it's kind of cool being the alpha's little sister. In this world, people look up to us. When I was growing up, my dad pretty much thought of us as freaks." She rolled her eyes, but I sensed her hurt.

"I can relate. That sounds an awful lot like my grandmother, Nancy. She kept trying to cure me when I was a kid."

"Do you mind me saying? You don't smell like a vampire. What exactly are you? Everyone's calling you a daywalker. You don't smell much like a vampire, and I always thought a daywalker was something mythical, you know, a vampire that wasn't affected by the sun?"

I couldn't help smiling. "You probably know more about it than I do." I remembered she might know more than me about lots of things. "Hey, there was a girl in the cell next to me, Leah. I think she escaped. Do you know anything about her?"

Esther shook her head and changed the subject. I had a feeling she knew something about Leah but didn't want to say anything. That piqued my interest even more. Esther had given me a lot to think about, yet all my mind concentrated on was Leah.

Esther crossed her legs and stared at me. "So tell me more about this formula that helps humans turn into vampires. I thought Peter was crazy, but looking at you... well, anything's possible."

I leaned back and thought for a second. Where to start? "I'm not sure how much you know about what happened to me, but both Daimhín and Maximus were after me. So I decided to step out of the way and let the two of them deal with each other. Becca runs the Black Rose bar, and she was a volunteer. We went to speak to her to find out about Maximus."

"Okay..."

"So Peter and I get to her place, and she attacks him, bites his shoulder. I fought her, but she was scary strong, so I bit her and drank her blood." I bowed my head in shame at the revelation and hurried on with the story. "Her fridge was full of bagged blood, and Peter left because he was freaked out. I asked Becca about the blood, and she told me there are vampires in Spain who had perfected a formula. They had tested it on humans until it worked, and a human was turned."

"Spain?" gasped Esther, horrified. "It actually worked?"

I nodded. "Apparently so. Anyway, there were vampires outside my home every night after Maximus died. Then once, during the day, I saw Becca again. She told me the vampires were sent by Gideon, and he was after me. I asked her why she looked like shit, and she said Gideon had taken over Maximus's job and was experimenting on her, just like Maximus had. She pretty much told me he's getting the formula from Spain."

Esther whistled. "That's screwed up stuff. If that's true, there will be war. Literally. Not many species would be happy with the vampires increasing in numbers. It took long enough to squash them in the first place." She shook her head in disbelief.

"Yeah, well, I reckon that Gideon's on the exact same path as Maximus. I think he wants more numbers so he can defeat Daimhín and earn himself the largest blood quota. Or get rid of the quota altogether. Except he's planning on changing humans using that expensive formula rather than waiting for me to dish the dirt on how I was made."

She shook her head slowly. "That kind of makes sense, Ava. Pity you've no proof. That blood quota is a huge bone of contention for the vamps over here. What about you? You're not part of the quota yet. How come?"

I frowned at her. "I don't drink blood. At least not if I can help it. I don't bite people."

"You bit Becca."

I glared, trying to contain my anger. "That was different; I had no choice. She was about to kill me."

She held her hands up. "Hey, I'm not judging. The rules are different around here, you know. If you have a problem with biting, maybe you could ask the Council about the bagged blood. If you work for Daimhín, they may end up associating you with her coven and giving you a quota, too. She would just acquire the blood from the vampire's blood bank, so it's no big deal, not really."

"Vampire's blood bank?" Okay, now I had heard everything.

"Yes," she said, smiling brightly. "Daimhín makes sure her coven supplements their diet with non-fresh blood. They don't like it, but it keeps them going when they run out of their share of the fresh stuff."

"Then why are some vampires starving while the coven leaders grow fat?"

She looked taken aback. "Ava, we can't control the ins and outs of each coven. They keep to themselves, particularly when it comes to dividing up the blood quota. There's nothing we can do."

I remembered Arthur and became annoyed. "If you can arrest me for defending myself, then you can ensure vampires don't get so crazy with hunger that they'll attack anything and not be able to stop. I had to do a job for Daimhín, escort some vampire who had been starved for months along to his first meal. He was shit-faced crazy, Esther, he couldn't control himself at all. Tell me how that's okay. Something has to be done about this stuff," I persisted.

"Wow, and that's all it took for you to start campaigning for vampire rights," Esther said, covering her giggles with one hand to her mouth.

I paused, open-mouthed with shock, as her words sank in. Why _was_ I so hard-headed about vampires like Arthur?

"I'm not... I mean, I'm not going to be a vampire cheerleader or anything, but some of this stuff doesn't seem fair. Then there's that kid vamp, the young girl with Daimhín, she doesn't seem like a vampire at all."

"Daimhín's kid _is_ different," Esther said.

"How so?" I asked, instantly curious.

"As far as I know, she's their seer. They turned her because she was psychic. There are some supernaturals who hunt down special children specifically to turn them or use them." She didn't sound sad about it. Was that why Gabe wanted Eloise, to hear the future?

"Wait, Daimhín hunted down a psychic kid specifically?" I couldn't stop my body from tensing.

"Not Daimhín personally. Trackers, probably demons. People pay good money for that sort of thing. They probably told the vampires about the child, and the vampires obviously waited until the girl turned thirteen before turning her into a vampire," Esther said.

"Why thirteen? I mean, not that it's the most screwed up thing in the whole story or anything."

"Yeah, I know," she said, nodding. "Apparently, thirteen is the year a psychic is at their most powerful. It's the year a shifter first changes, too. Something about that age draws in otherworldly power, so Daimhín must have wanted to make sure she stayed thirteen forever. I'm not sure how long she's been with Daimhín, but she's definitely not like the other vampires. She rarely leaves Daimhín's side, for one thing."

"And her eyes aren't as red as the others, so she must not drink as much blood, yet she doesn't look like she's starving."

"Yeah, well, Daimhín would hardly starve her little pet. I can see why you would feel sorry for that vampire," Esther said.

"It's not like any of us have chosen this life."

"Well, some vampires did, back when it was possible to choose. At least, that's what Reuben told Aiden."

"Who's Reuben?" I was beginning to feel confused by all of the information she threw at me. Esther was the chattiest non-human I'd met so far.

"He's another consultant to the Council. He's a vampire, but he's incredibly old, so needs very little blood. Plus, he's learned to control the savageness of his nature. It comes with time, or so he says."

"If he's learned it, then surely he can help them control it. If they can come up with a formula to turn humans again, then they can figure out how to ease the thirst."

"Are you asking for them or for you?" she asked gently.

I blushed. I supposed it was a big concern because it affected me, too. "How long do you think we'll have to stay in here?"

"Ooh, nice subject change." She patted my shoulder and opened the door to look outside. "Almost empty. Peter's chewing the ear off my brother right now. He's going to spend the night in the cells if he isn't careful. So, any more questions while we're hanging around?"

I thought about it. "Do all countries have their own Council?"

"Not all. Most of the war-torn countries have no ruling committee, which is why they run rampant."

"I thought human politics and wars didn't have anything to do with the supernatural element," I said with a frown.

"They don't, but some of the human wars have been instigated by supernatural beings. Some demons in particular flock to war and strife; they thrive on it. But many countries have a Council-type leadership, or else share one with a number of countries. Also, there are higher powers, a step above the Councils. They rarely interfere, though. In fact, none have in my lifetime. I'm not even totally sure they still exist, to be honest."

"My head really hurts now." I pressed my palms against my temples.

We chatted for a few more minutes before Peter and Carl joined us. Esther liked to gossip, so I didn't have to contribute much.

"How are you feeling?" Peter asked me, trying to keep a straight face.

"Great, no thanks to you."

"Sorry, but at least it took your mind off things for an hour or two." He looked pleased with himself.

I made a face. "Yeah, only because I was unconscious. Is Eddie going mad?"

"Gabe talked to him. He probably won't murder you now."

I wondered what had Peter in such a good mood, then realised that he enjoyed the drama. I could live without it.

"Maybe you two could persuade Ava to let me do her a favour," Esther said, but her eyes were fixated on Carl.

"You could always give her a few hints on dealing with Gideon," Peter muttered.

"You have no proof, Peter. I told you already," Aiden said, surprising all of us except Esther with his presence.

"I know. But how do we get it? What kind of proof do we need? I mean, Gideon set up a whole trial against Ava without any proof at all," Peter kept going.

"But he has witnesses," Aiden reminded him.

"So does Ava!" Peter insisted.

"Actually, I don't," I said. "I'm the only one who was there when I killed Maximus, I was the only one when I was attacked by that last vampire, and I'm the only one who heard from Becca's mouth about the injections coming from Spain and the fact Gideon's crowd was after me. It's my word against theirs."

Peter rubbed his face, looking tired all of a sudden.

Esther looked on sympathetically. "We want to know about the formula, too, but you know we can't help you without any evidence."

I wasn't looking at the door when it opened, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. That nauseous feeling swept over me again, and I turned around slowly, half expecting to see the dead shifter returned to life.

Instead, I saw a Guardian, the one with black eyes, the one who filled me with an abnormal amount of horror when I looked at him. The darkness seeped from him and made me want to vomit. I couldn't fathom how the others were so unaffected by his presence.

"Need me for anything else?" he asked Aidan, but he looked in my direction. I glared back at him, unwilling to let him see how much he intimidated me. I had gotten the same feeling from the dead shifter. It couldn't be a coincidence.

"No, that's fine. Head home, Coyle. Get some rest." Aidan grinned at the Guardian like he was his greatest friend. I winced when he put his hand on the man's shoulder. If they were friends, then I couldn't exactly tell Aidan about the way Coyle made me feel. I had no proof or theories, I just knew there was something about Coyle that reminded me of the shifter right before he attacked Esther.

I felt better as soon as Coyle left, but shaking that unexplainable fear was harder than it should have been.

The shifters chatted with us for a while, but all I wanted to do was go home. They hadn't figured out why one of their own attacked Esther, and Aiden periodically asked me questions about the incident. It was like he kept expecting my story to change. It had, but not in a way I could put into words that he would understand. I wanted to go back to my own home, but it was Eddie's place I had to return to that night.

# 10

Aiden drove me back, then distracted Eddie long enough for me to go to bed without having to deal with him. I spent most of Saturday morning avoiding Eddie, but the growling of my stomach soon sent me skulking downstairs and into the shop.

"What on earth are you doing behind the counter?" I asked, astonished to see Carl instead of Eddie behind the till. Eddie smirked at me from the bookracks.

"I told you I left my job. I needed work, so Eddie offered me some work. Cool, eh?"

"Cool?" I leaned with my palms on the counter. "Are you completely mad? You cannot trust Eddie! You have a life. A _safe_ life, Carl. Go back to it, and stop all this nonsense. I don't have the energy to worry about you right now."

"That's rather judgemental of you, Ava," Eddie said, but he didn't sound upset or angry. Not that I cared.

"Give me a break for a change," Carl shouted, his nostrils flaring with anger. "I'm not a child. We've already had this conversation. I know you had to look after me for a while, but you don't anymore. In fact, by the looks of things, you need more looking after than me."

"You arsehole!" I called over my shoulder as I stormed off, my hands itching to slap him. Eddie followed me into the back room and calmly made some coffee.

"Why don't you take it easy, Ava? This isn't your biggest problem. In fact, this isn't your problem at all."

"Why on earth did you give him a job?"

"Would you rather he asked Daimhín for one? Because that was his plan. He's trying to help you. Can't you see that? He doesn't know what else to do. He isn't Peter; he doesn't know his way around. He's trying his best. Maybe you should take help where you can get it."

I made a disgusted noise. "He isn't trying to help me. He's acting like a child pretending to be a superhero or something. That isn't what this life is. There are no heroes, and he'll end up just like the rest of us."

Shaking with anger, I sank into a chair and folded my arms. I wasn't even sure if I was angry because I was scared for me or Carl. Maybe it was guilt. After all, he had only been dragged into this world because of me. Who said Arthur would have killed him? For all I knew, he would have taken a quick drink then altered Carl's memory of the incident. Not for the first time, a little twinge of guilt said I had done the wrong thing by Carl after all.

I let out a whoosh of air and tried to calm down. "Look," I said. "Just tell him you made a mistake, that you don't need any help here."

"But I do need help," Eddie said, keeping his back to me. The cold presence blew over me in continuous ripples. I ignored it. It was time for me and Eddie to talk.

"I don't trust you for a second," I told him. He didn't respond. "For God's sake, Eddie. At least try to explain yourself."

He whirled around. "Explain what, Ava? The fact that I've protected you every step of the way? Put my reputation on the line to help you? When are you going to grow up and stop being so ungrateful?"

My hair blew all over my face, and everything in the room rattled as his anger grew. I steadied myself, preparing for a bigger backlash of power. Morbid curiosity made me want to see exactly what he could do.

Eddie lifted his arms, filling the air with a major scent of magic. I stood my ground and pushed out my other senses, feeling his power. I saw it clearly. He was blessed with it, but not born with it. It wasn't part of him, yet he held it tight. Stolen power.

I pushed further than ever before, past the walls I'd never dared climb. I moved onto yet another level, and the world gained a new light. I blinked a few times, getting used to the change. Then it all became clear. I saw what could only be described as souls surrounding Eddie. They were stuck to him, clawing at his sleeves with translucent fingers.

My eyes widened in shock and fear, but I couldn't move to save myself. They were all over him, open-mouthed with silent cries. Of everything, that was the last thing I expected to see. Of everything, it was the one sight that horrified me most.

I watched as he gathered up energy that leaked from the souls and forced it against me. It drained from the souls in vivid colour, but flung toward me a murky grey. On this level of being, I managed to use my other senses to put up a barrier against him, sickened by what fuelled his strength. The defence was automatic, instinctive, and useful. This was a new playing field, and I had the best toys.

The barrier flinched as the force hit. It trembled, but didn't shatter. Eddie frowned with confusion and gazed at his hands, his disbelief almost comical. I realised I was the only one who could see the barrier. My otherworldly sense could keep me safe; for the first time, I truly explored the potential of my unnatural gifts.

I felt strangely excited by the idea that I was using a hidden talent, and I was even more thrilled by Eddie's surprise. A dull shuddery feeling inside echoed around because of Eddie's power, or at least, the source of it. I held up the barrier, seeing Eddie trying again.

I actually grinned as I felt my own power surge through me. I never knew I could use it in such a tangible way. I'd never tried to figure it out before, never stretched the limits, never indulged in it for long. I had never seen the beauty of it.

Eddie's arms moved again; the souls wept silently as he sucked their energy to him. I ached for every one of them, even as their power was flung toward me. The barrier held, but then, I hadn't expected it to falter; I knew my strength was capable of withholding against whatever Eddie controlled. He and his actions mystified me. He gained some strength from them, but surely he already had some kind of power in order to contain the souls in the first place.

Sweat rolling down his forehead, Eddie panted and leaned against a counter. The danger gone, I lowered the barrier hesitantly.

"What the hell was that?" I hissed, for the first time feeling confident that I had the upper hand.

"I could say the same thing to you."

"I will never trust you, Brogan. Not ever."

He shrugged. "You will. I know it. You'll know what you need to know at the right time, and you'll see where I'm coming from, and why I've done everything I've done. Stop fighting me, Ava. We're on the same side, I promise you. If you work with me, I'll help you with the Council, and I'll keep an eye on Carl."

"What about Peter?" I asked.

"I would never hurt him. I need him, too."

"Conveniently forgetting the time you tried to choke him?"

He shook his head and spoke earnestly. "I was merely proving a point that time. You don't know, and you refuse to just take things as fact. I can't explain every little action to you in incredible detail. This is how it is; that should be good enough for you."

"Well, it's not good enough! Of course it's not! I have to know why. I have to! Why I'm like this, why these things happen, why all of this is happening!" Everything in my heart was a question and always had been. I had never known enough.

"If I thought you could handle everything, then you would know everything. Now is the time for you to focus, not worry about a million irrelevant things." Eddie slumped into a chair. "Trust me for now. I swear to you that I'll protect Carl. But only if you help me whenever I need you to, no questions asked."

My stomach churned. Once again, my actions were being tied to Carl's safety. How on earth could I keep protecting him? Why should I? Even after everything we had been through, I barely knew him, yet I kept risking everything for him. I felt like he was my younger brother, even though he was older. He just seemed so silly and impulsive that I couldn't rely on him to look after himself. But the favours to Eddie were stacking up.

"I hate you," I said, and got up to leave the room, but before I walked away I felt almost certain I saw a glimmer of sadness cross his face. I hesitated for a second, then joined Carl in the shop. I waited while he served a rare customer then faced him.

"Okay, I'm sorry," I said. "I was being a bitch, but I still think you should go home to your family, to your fiancée, to your safe life. It's crazy for you to risk a chance at normality for this shit." I gestured around us and hoped he would understand, but the frown on his face deepened.

"Just because you think normal is good doesn't mean the rest of us have to. You think I'm warped, but you're the one who can't be happy with what you are! How dare you talk down to me about wanting something different when that's what you're all about? Whether you like it or not, I'm in this. I'm helping, and I'm a part of something, so suck on that one, Ava Delaney."

I stepped back, shock widening my eyes. He lowered his head immediately, his temper over. "Look, I'm sorry. But I'm a grown man. I make my own decisions, right or wrong. Don't try and take that away from me. Not again."

I held up my hands, signalling defeat. Things had been so much easier when Carl didn't have a mind of his own. "I don't want to fight. Just promise me you won't trust Eddie."

"I already promised you that once. I've kept that promise, don't worry," he said, his eyes steely and determined; all of a sudden, he reminded me of Peter. That made me sadder than I could have imagined.

"You sure? I mean you took a job here."

"Yeah, of course I did. Look at all of these books. It's a treasure trove of knowledge. I've already picked up a couple of things that might help you out, just trust me on that one."

I couldn't hide my smile. Staying mad at Carl was impossible when he was so eager. "What did you find out then?"

"I need to read up a bit more but, I swear, I'll be of some help this time."

"You helped me last time, remember?" I said, referring to his cutting himself open in a room of vampires to give me blood. I still hadn't forgiven him. It was pure luck that tasting his blood had satisfied my craving rather than provoking the addiction further. I could stand close to him now, but it might have turned out very differently. Every day, I waited for that to change, as I knew it would eventually.

"I might have helped a little," he said, picking up some books and stacking them on the shelves. I helped him with the books, mumbling thanks, and exchanging a look with him that said more than words ever could. We were connected in a way that couldn't be achieved through hours of talking; even though the bond had been cut, some of the threads still held tight.

As Carl had told me, the books in Eddie's shop were extremely informative. Whenever Eddie spent time in the shop, I ignored him and picked up a book instead. I still wasn't sure how to deal with the new knowledge; I wasn't even sure if there was anything I could or should do about it. My best bet was avoidance, and my ignoring tool of choice was a book on hell spawn and demons. Pretty interesting reading, though the images were a little disturbing. I picked up bits and pieces of information and wondered how much was fact and how much fiction.

Peter dropped in while Carl and I were in fits laughing about something silly. Peter's stern expression sort of dampened the mood. A wave of nausea hit me, milder than before. Maybe I was coming down with something, and the dead shifter had nothing to do with the black-eyed Guardian named Coyle after all.

"How are you today?" Peter asked, still looking like a rain cloud hung over his head.

"Fine. Stuck here, of course."

"You ready to make a plan yet?"

I exchanged looks with Carl. Peter could suck the fun out of every day with ease.

"I've no idea where to start," I muttered, and fingered the book I'd been reading, while I contemplated ignoring Peter as well. I didn't want to think about the trial. I didn't want to think about what the outcome might be. As if to hint at me, Carl took the book away and put it under the counter.

"I do," Peter said. Big surprise there. "Esther seems pretty smitten with you, Ava. She's said a couple of times that she wants to help, and I think you should let her."

"Shouldn't she be busy trying to figure out why one of her own tried to kill her?" I said, annoyed at Peter's insistence that everybody drop everything to join our cause. I also found it strange how little impact the incident had on everyone around me. It was like they had all forgotten how to react to something awful. Even Carl seemed to be oblivious to near-death experiences; he hadn't even asked me how I was feeling after being shot. The wound had already healed, but still, it felt oddly inhuman of them not to be more concerned.

"There are plenty of others willing to take on that job," Peter said. He might have been talking about cleaning up spilled milk. "I reckon Esther needs a distraction from that. Eddie's all about dealing with the trial. I figure we can deal with Gideon in the meantime. Let's not make it easy for him."

"So what do we do?" Carl asked.

Peter's eyes gleamed. "Aiden won't help, but I get it. He has to be seen as neutral. But Esther's only a Guardian. She has access to information we don't, and she can easily keep an eye on Gideon's coven without raising suspicion. We just have to persuade her to help out."

"Oh, is that all?" I couldn't see Aiden allowing Esther to help, especially if it risked her job.

"If I can give her a reason to help, then all she has to do is warn us of any deliveries or suspiciously secret transactions going on. Then we intercept one and take the goods to the Council."

I gaped, realising he was serious. "Okay, what if there are no deliveries before the trial starts? What if we intercept a delivery, and it isn't the formula? How do we even know if it's the formula? And how can we even prove that it was headed toward Gideon? Never mind the obvious problem with _secret_ transactions."

Peter stared back, his jaw twitching. "Good questions," he said, although it looked like it killed him to say it. "I'm going to work on Becca, see if she can be persuaded to rat on the vampires. It won't be easy, but I'll keep at her. Maybe I'll find a way inside the building, and try to track down concrete evidence."

"You can't break into the home of an entire vampire coven. You won't make it out alive!" Carl's impressed face belied his words.

"Daytime. Human guards. No problem." Peter's mouth twisted into a cruel smile.

I closed my eyes. Peter would hurt humans. He wouldn't think twice. I couldn't let him do that. "I could go with you, maybe distract the humans while you sneak around. Or the other way around."

"You can't get involved in any of this, Ava. You're in enough trouble. We can't risk it. You stay here, and keep out of trouble."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he carried on as if I didn't exist. I knew with certainty then that he planned on going in fighting.

"Esther wouldn't ignore any evidence I find, and I'm pretty sure she, or one of her team, could keep an eye on Gideon's bank accounts. That kind of information would have to be hacked, but that wouldn't be a problem. If money is being sent to Spain, then we'll know there's a loose link that we can play on."

I waited, praying he would say he was joking. Peter looked so optimistic all of a sudden that I didn't have the heart to tell him it was completely stupid. Carl decided to gently imply it instead. "You know, that's going to take a _lot_ of refining."

Peter glared at him. "Do you two have anything better to do?"

Carl and I exchanged glances. Actually, we didn't have anything better to do and, if I was going down, I didn't want enough time to worry about it.

"What about Eddie?" Carl said.

Peter lowered his voice. "We don't tell him anything. We're going to give Ava a fighting chance, no matter what he says. Worst comes to the worst, Ava could try and influence Becca's mind, or maybe one of the live-in pets, to force them to help us.

"No way," I said, straight away. I was not messing about with anyone's mind. Never again.

"Get over it. It's not a big deal," he said, surprising me because he hated that part of me.

I glared at him, unwilling to back down. Peter stared back at me for a few seconds with a disturbingly cold look in his eyes. Finally, he relaxed, but not before a bead of sweat rolled down my spine. Something wasn't right.

Peter waved a hand. "Fair enough. I'm going to pay Becca a visit. See if I can get her to talk to me."

"She's not going to help us," I warned.

"I won't know if I don't take the chance. I'd take you with me, but you kind of bring out the worst in her." I made a face. I hated being stuck with Eddie.

"Maybe you could call Esther," Carl said. "Ask her if there's anything she can do to help with Becca."

"Worth a try, but Becca's still human, so it's not exactly her jurisdiction. I'll let you both know if I have any news.

I thought about Peter's plans when he left, and soon realised what I had to do.

"Carl," I said before he left that evening. "Can I trust you?"

"You know you can."

I took a deep breath. "I can't let Peter go near Gideon's coven. Most of the people there are innocent, but he'll hurt them anyway."

Carl looked taken aback. "He wouldn't."

"Carl. He wants to get a job done, and he doesn't care who gets in the way."

"He's being a friend, Ava."

"Just trust that I know what I'm talking about. I need your help. I'm going to the coven to see if I can find out anything. They won't expect me. I can sneak in, have a quick look around, and be gone before anything can go wrong."

"But Ava, what exactly are you looking for?" He sounded concerned, so I took a moment to think about it.

"I'm not sure. I just want to go in there so Peter doesn't have to," I admitted.

Carl frowned. "Ava, Peter's idea is stupid. He'll see that himself when he gets a chance to think it through. You can't go over there. You don't even know what you're looking for."

"I don't know what else to do," I admitted. "We have to do _something_. This is bigger than the trial; Gideon shouldn't get away with any of this. Imagine what would happen if all of the vampires got their hands on that formula, the amount of people who would die." I shook my head. Gideon had dragged me into his mess, and I wanted out of it. Nobody seemed willing to go after him, and somebody needed to.

"Hey, I get it. I want to stop him, too. Maybe if Esther speaks to Becca herself, she might help. If she saw her, she'd know there was something very wrong there. Maybe that would be enough, and nobody would have to break in," Carl suggested.

"Peter probably will anyway, and end up locked away himself. Could you maybe call Peter and see if he can persuade Esther to tag along, as a favour to me?"

Carl made the call, and Peter arranged to visit Becca with Esther the following day. It was a small relief. I hoped the visit to Becca would go well enough, and Peter would drop the idea of breaking into Gideon's home.

That night, I asked Eddie if I could take some of his books to the spare room I was using. He said it was okay, but he handpicked them himself without a word. He turned off all the lights and pushed me toward the stairs before I could choose a book on my own. I knew being around him was going to be difficult, but I hadn't expected there to be quite so much tension in the air.

That evening, I sat in Eddie's spare room and tried to read the books, but they seemed more of the fairy tale variety than the genuine kind. I debated ringing my grandmother, but I remembered what Eddie had said about me being told the whole truth. My phone shook in my palm, and I put it down. I decided the whole truth could wait for a few days.

# 11

The next morning, I awoke early. I dressed quickly and went downstairs before Eddie got up so I could get a chance to read one of the more authentic books that he kept steering me away from. When Eddie finally showed his face, I slid the book back under the counter and pretended I hadn't been doing anything. He narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything about it, although he stayed very close to me for the next few hours.

"You can help out today, Ava," he told me. "Give you something to do."

I shrugged, pretending I didn't care, but inside I was swearing. I wanted to be free to think about the trial and Gideon without Eddie breathing down my neck. Eddie was so against us trying to do things another way that it kicked off a brand new wave of suspicion. I knew he needed me for something, but he wanted the trial to go his way for reasons I hadn't figured out yet.

"Why don't you get some breakfast upstairs?" he asked, at last.

"Not hungry," I told him, although my stomach was rumbling pretty loudly.

"You could always make yourself a cup of tea or something. The air in here is so drying." As soon as he said it, the moisture was ripped from the air; my throat dried up instantly. The more he tried to get rid of me, the more obstinate I felt.

"I'm okay, Eddie," I said with a bland smile. "It's fine in here."

He frowned and was about to speak again when Carl breezed into the shop carrying a bag.

"Morning, Ava," he said cheerily. "Hi, Eddie. I know I'm early, but I thought I'd have breakfast with Ava before we opened up."

Eddie made a face and gave up, mumbling under his breath about me not being hungry as he walked away.

"Thank you so much," I said, pulling Carl into a grateful hug. The effects of the blood bond were still there because I always felt better when he was around. The door opened, and Peter walked in carrying steaming cups of coffee and looking even moodier than the day before. I grabbed the bag out of Carl's hand and delved in.

"Oh, my God, I'm half-starved," I moaned, reaching for a breakfast roll.

"I forgot you eat like a teenage boy," Carl teased.

"Yeah, yeah." I hoisted myself onto the counter. I unwrapped my food, took a bite and let out a little happy moan.

Carl and Peter exchanged bemused glances.

"Leave me alone," I said. "Eddie's been following me around all morning, trying to see what I'm up to. I couldn't even get anything to eat."

"What were you doing?" Peter asked.

"Just reading a book; he's doesn't seem to want me to read half the books here. They're just books. I don't know why he's so interested," I complained.

"Maybe there's something here he doesn't want you to see," Carl ventured.

"I've seen enough, trust me."

Peter took a sip of his coffee and inched toward me casually. "Like what?"

A familiar sick feeling churned my stomach, and I put my food down. I couldn't pass it off as nothing anymore. With a sinking feeling, I watched Peter carefully. I was used to things feeling off in Eddie's shop, but this was altogether too familiar. "Never mind," I said at last.

Peter looked vaguely disappointed, but he didn't press the issue. After a moment, the sick feeling eased off, but I was no longer in the mood for food.

"So, anyway," I said. "I'm supposed to help out here today. Eddie's idea of a punishment, I suppose. Peter, you still on with Esther?" I hoped I didn't sound too eager.

"Yeah, unless Aiden is keeping her locked indoors in case she gets attacked again."

"That was weird, wasn't it? In the club, I mean," I added.

Peter frowned. "It was, actually. Shifters always stick together, and they keep themselves in control when they bunch together like that. They never turn on their own, especially not in public. That's what _I_ don't understand about it. If they have problems, they keep them locked in. Sometimes shifters disappear, but it's done following their rules. I've been thinking about what happened, and it makes no sense. I've never heard of a shifter harming himself. Not like that."

"Esther was pretty shocked, too," I said. "But she didn't seem too upset by it."

"They don't experience emotions like humans," Peter explained. "The animal side keeps them pragmatic about certain things. The danger was over; therefore, there was no real reason for her to stay scared or upset by it."

"That's strange," I said.

"She's nice, though," Carl said, his face brightening. "Maybe Becca will warm to her, too."

"I really can't see Becca giving us information freely." Becca wanted to be a vampire; she would hardly rat on the others.

"So we make her," Peter said, his expression turning ice cold. We finished our coffees in silence. I felt sick again and knew it had something to do with Peter. The spirit blew gently on the back of my neck, and I realised I had the means to find out if there really was something wrong with Peter.

As we sat there, I sent out my other sense, knowing the others would never realise what was happening. I felt Eddie's presence upstairs then returned to the shop. Many sensations around me, not human, not vampire, something different. I wondered if it could be the souls I had seen Eddie take advantage of. On a whim, I tried to find the spirit that followed me around. I couldn't see a thing.

I swooped my other sense over Carl, everything fine and normal there. Then I turned to Peter. Red pulses, normal. I pushed harder, moved onto that other plane and saw something that wasn't quite normal, something that sent shudders of apprehension through my body. A dark shadow clung to Peter, swallowing his inner light. It held tight, not quite able to seep into his soul.

I'd often had the instinct to drink blood, but now I had another instinct, one that compelled me to cleanse Peter of the darkness. Without thinking, I jumped off the counter and crept up to Peter, staring into his eyes and probing around him with my other sense. I had always assumed it was a vampire talent, yet I felt bound to battle darkness with it. It made no sense, but I didn't have time to consider it.

I kept exploring, ignoring Carl when he called my name. I had to find where it attached itself. I felt the darkness very definitely now, cobwebbing itself to Peter's soul. Anger flared within, I had to kill it, whatever _it_ was.

Unsure of myself, I acted on a gut feeling and, ignoring his bewildered expression, I placed my hands on either side of Peter's head. I pushed against him, not with my body, but with that other something I had inside me. I felt warmth bubble up from my stomach, into my arms and through my hands. The energy, if that's what it was, moved from my fingertips into Peter, burning whatever linked the web of darkness to him.

It reacted wildly and latched on to me instead. I took a deep breath and inhaled the black shadow. I saw it clearly, tasted the bitterness, choked on the pain of it.

The cold look left Peter's eyes; I could feel Carl pulling me away, but I couldn't let go. Not until the shadow was all gone. Only when Peter's light shone through did I let go and fall back into Carl's arms, knocking us both to the ground. I left that shadowy level of existence and lay on the floor of the bookshop. I panted with tears rolling out of my eyes. My nose felt wet. I wiped it, and my hands came away crimson.

I curled up, pain wracking my body as the shadow I had absorbed was burned up. My veins lit up under my skin, and I wondered if I was dying. The thought drifted over me but didn't stick.

I gasped loudly as Carl grabbed my arm and touched the flaring lights that shone through my skin.

"What is this?" he cried out. "What's happening? I'll get Eddie." He moved to lay me down on the floor, but I gripped his wrist.

"Don't," I hissed. "Not him." Eddie probably already knew.

Carl nodded, trusting me completely. The burning stopped, the nausea cleared up, and I managed to take a look at Peter. His skin was grey and sweaty; he didn't make a sound—not the best sign. He had his back to the counter and shook almost as much as I did.

I stared at the ceiling and touched the floor beneath me, drumming my fingers to ground myself. I counted aloud, not caring that Carl and Peter could hear me. After a few crazy minutes of lying on the ground, I knew I wasn't losing my mind or my life. I finally sat up, helped by Carl who did his best not to freak out at the sight of the blood all over my face.

"Are you okay?" I asked Peter. He shrugged, speechless.

"Please tell me if you're hurt or anything." I moved toward the counter so I could lean against a solid surface. Peter was the solid object of choice, but he didn't look particularly welcoming.

"What did you do to me?" he asked, disgust in his voice.

"I reckon she saved you from something pretty bad," Carl said. "I saw it. It was... unlike anything I've ever seen. All of this black smoke just poured out of you and into Ava. Her skin turned black, then it turned white, like something lit up inside her. Like the vampires when she sticks them with that little knife. It scared the _crap_ out of me."

"You saw it?" I asked, relief sweeping over me. It made more sense when I wasn't the only one who could see something.

Carl nodded again, and I thought he might throw up.

Peter looked at me. "Do you know what it was?"

I shook my head, exhausted. "I can sense things. It's like I have another pair of eyes that see energy or something. It's how I found Carl, actually. I have to concentrate on using it, though. Sometimes I feel like something is off, and that's how I know I should use it. One of the Guardians, the one we saw at Gabe's bar, he makes me want to throw up when I see him. There's something screwed up about him."

"Coyle?" Disbelief coloured Peter's voice.

"Yeah, him. I had that same sick feeling in the bar before that shifter attacked Esther. Do you remember?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "You almost vomited. I remember that now."

"Yeah, well, it was the same feeling. Then I started feeling it around you and, just now, I thought I'd... take a look." I fidgeted with my sleeves. "Sorry, but I needed to know. I saw Carl as normal but, with you, there was like a web of darkness over you, sticking to you. It was like it tried to get into your soul. I've no idea what it was, but Carl's right about it absorbing itself into my skin. Then something in me just burned it away. It hurt, but it's gone. Definitely gone." I hoped.

Carl helped me to my feet, then pulled Peter up, too.

"Did you feel any different today?" Carl asked him. He had no trouble believing anything I said.

Peter shrugged. "I felt like I was coming down with something, maybe, nothing serious. I don't know what the hell she's talking about, though."

Carl put his hand on Peter's shoulder and spoke in a firmer voice than I'd ever heard from him. "She's telling the truth, Peter. Something got to you." He let that sink in, then turned to me. "Shall I get you something? To clean up?"

Carl hurried off without waiting for an answer, leaving me alone with Peter. I felt like we were back at the beginning, back to when we first met. I half-expected him to punch me again.

"You feeling okay now?" I ventured.

He rubbed his face and looked everywhere but at me. "Yeah, I better go meet Esther." He left without saying goodbye.

Carl came back with a wet cloth and basin of water. "Maybe you should use this in the back room, if anyone comes in... hey, where's Peter?"

I grabbed the cloth and wiped my face. "Gone. He has to meet Esther."

"Damn, I forgot. Peter's off to save the day." Carl bit his lip, then slammed the basin on the counter, splashing water everywhere. "I have to go, watch the shop for me, please. You're a star, see you!"

He was gone before I could form a question. I finished cleaning my face and took Carl's place behind the counter. Just when I thought I knew myself, I proved I'm even freakier than I ever expected.

Eddie showed himself, a suspiciously innocent look on his face. The incident hadn't exactly been silent. What had he been doing? My frown only deepened when I sensed his bliss. Smug happiness rolled off him, but the spirit spun around and around me. Another warning. This time I was tired enough to listen.

"Where's Carl?" Eddie asked, and I realised he carried two cups, one for him, and one for me.

"He didn't say. I'm taking his shift. You wanted to give me something to do."

He smiled pleasantly, but I did my best to keep out of his way for the next few hours, despite his insistence that he stay in the shop with me. He found the book I'd been reading and put it back on the shelves without a word. I made note of the shelf. As soon as Eddie turned his back, I went to retrieve it. I couldn't find the book, no matter how hard I looked.

I whirled around in frustration and saw Eddie watching me with an amused look. I forced a smile and sauntered around the bookracks, as if I were only perusing the shelves out of boredom.

Esther and Peter arrived together later that evening. Peter did his best to avoid my eyes as Esther related her experience with Becca. Not good. Becca wouldn't talk.

"But what did you think of _her_?" I asked.

"She looked awful." Esther frowned. "But if she won't talk, then we can't point the finger. I believe something is going on, so I'll do my best to convince my Circle we need to look into it. Illeana is a siren; she'll be the most help here, I think."

"Why are you bothering that creature?" Eddie demanded.

Esther shivered noticeably at his voice. "Council business," she said, but her voice was small and pitiful. "It's my duty to prevent trouble."

He opened his mouth to argue, but the door opened and interrupted him.

"Carl!" I ran to him, horrified. He grinned through a split lip, as though his face wasn't swollen, bloody, and bruised. My mouth watered in spite of myself.

"What happened?" Peter asked, sounding as confused as I felt.

"Bring him into the back room," Eddie said. "I'll close up and get something for his wounds."

"Don't get mad," Carl said, and my stomach sank. Not a good statement when it came from Carl.

I narrowed my eyes as he settled in a chair in the back room. "What did you do?"

"I went to see the volunteers. At Gideon's place. I told them Becca had convinced me that volunteering was a valid lifestyle choice."

Peter whistled, but hot rage burned in my ears, silencing the growing thirst. Why on earth did I bother trying to keep him safe when he insisted on running headfirst into trouble?

"What happened?" Peter asked, moving aside to let Eddie into the tiny room.

"They welcomed me with open arms, and we had a nice little chat about volunteering and the possibility of being turned into a vampire, at least, until one of them recognised me and got suspicious. Then, they kicked me out... _after_ they taught me a lesson." He tried to wink, but his eye was already half-closed.

Esther gasped. "You poor thing."

I gave a little snort. Poor thing, my arse.

Carl laughed, although the smile turned into a wince when Esther dabbed at his face with something Eddie handed her. I hoped it stung. Bad.

"Anyway," he said hurriedly, seeing my expression darken. "They told me it's possible to become a vampire, but you have to take a lot of tests first. Most people don't make it past that point. Besides Becca, there have only been two other possible candidates. One lives with the coven, the other doesn't. The formula arrives a couple of times a week, one of the volunteers usually collects it so they can feed the vampire who delivers it."

"Pretty good, Carl," Peter said, giving him a nod.

"Wait, there's more. Becca needs the formula more often than the others now. She's been picking it up from the delivery vamp so he can inject her and bite her straight off. The deliveries have been bumped up over the last fortnight—just for her." He relaxed in his chair, looking satisfied.

"Is that enough for you?" Peter asked Esther.

"I can work with that." She lifted Carl's shirt to tend to a wound that was still bleeding. His scent filled the air, deliciously citrusy. My throat ached. As my anger lessened, my thirst grew. I panicked, unable to remember how to control the sensation.

"I have to get out of here," I said, sweat rolling down my forehead.

Eddie took one look at me and shouted at Peter to get me outside. The disappointment on Peter's face was like a jab to the gut, but I let him drag me out of the room. As soon as I was away from Carl, my heart stopped racing so fast. Peter kept pulling me until we got outside, and I was able to suck in deep gulps of fresh air.

"I'm sorry," I said, little more than a whimper.

"Get in the car," was all he said.

Peter led the way in silence. I cursed my overt reaction to Carl's blood. I had been completely unprepared for the sudden need.

"You feeling okay now?" he asked, after a few minutes of us sitting in the car.

I shrugged. "I was fine once we got outside." I hesitated. "I wouldn't have hurt him."

He looked over at me for a few seconds, but I couldn't face him. "I know," he responded.

"I don't know why I..." I heaved a sigh. "I just panicked."

"It's a small room," he said. "Too many people. Too much stress and nervous excitement. He's not scared of you. He'll be fine."

"Too bad he isn't scared of me." I remembered how stupid Carl had been. Even if they weren't vampires, the volunteers were supporters of creatures who didn't value human life. It had been an idiotic move on his part.

"Don't be so hard on him," Peter said. "He did good. Now we know we have to keep a close eye on Becca. It's all working out."

I stared out the window. "We gonna talk about earlier?"

"Probably not."

I glared at him. "We have to find out what it was."

He rubbed the tattoo on his wrist. "And we will. When all of this is over."

"I think I'm scared." I didn't even mean the trial, although that was a weight on my shoulders. I meant of black shadows and dodgy Guardians, of Eddie with his trapped souls, of my thirst, and even of Peter. I was terrified.

Peter's hand found mine and squeezed. I wrapped my fingers around his and watched people go by, feeling comfort from his solid warmth. I knew he would be around until the trouble ended.

"Becca cared about Maximus," I said, letting go of his hand. He pulled it back to his body as if nothing had happened.

"So?"

"She cried about his death. He really meant something to her. Gideon took over by fooling Maximus, probably by working with Daimhín to help me kill him. Becca's the only one who acted loyal." I frowned, wondering how she could care about such a creature.

"If she cared about him that much then she should hate Gideon, so why is she his pet now?" Peter said.

"Maybe she doesn't know the full story. Maybe we need to make sure she knows it."

He started the car.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"We're going to your place so you can pick up some of your stuff. Valid reason for you to leave Eddie's place, right? On the way back, we might as well pay another visit to Becca. Let's test out your theory."

I felt like hugging him. I had hated being away from my small flat for so long.

Peter was pretty quiet on the drive over, but it wasn't as awkward as things had once been between us. Still, I tried to make conversation.

"What's with the tattoos?" I asked, as his sleeve bunched up to reveal the cross on his inner wrist.

"Protection," he said gruffly.

"Tattooed crosses work?"

"Yep. As long as the ink is blessed. Mostly, it psyches out the vampires when they see it."

"I can imagine," I said, thinking of how I always reacted to it. "What about the other tattoos?"

He cleared his throat. "Which ones?"

"How many you got?"

"A few." His lips curved upward.

"Okay, what's the one on your arm mean?"

"It's an old Celtic inscription. It's supposed to protect your soul."

I thought about the shadow that had clung to Peter's soul. Although stuck fast, it hadn't sunk in; I wondered if the tattoo could have really protected him from harm.

There were no vampire followers outside my home when we got there. My landlord wasn't around, and my neighbour wasn't peeking out of her door. Bliss. I got inside and almost squealed with joy. I sank into my favourite chair and made a happy sound. Home.

I opened my eyes to see Peter smirking at me, but I didn't care. "I'm going to shower," I told him. "Make yourself at home. Make sure that kettle's full," I added as I headed to my bedroom.

For the first time, I was glad of the communal hot water because there actually was some in the taps. I removed my bandage carefully. I felt glad I wasn't human when I saw how well it had healed, despite everything. Feeling ecstatically happy, I washed my hair with _my_ shampoo and soaped my body with _my_ shower gel so I smelled like myself again. I dressed, then towel-dried my hair as I joined Peter in the living room. I turned on the kettle and combed my hair, still finding joy in the most mundane of actions.

"You're looking very chirpy," Peter said, his eyebrows rising.

"I hate staying with Eddie. I love being home. Plus, no more bandages for me." I headed back into the bathroom. I found my moisturiser and spent a whole minute rubbing some onto my face. My skin loved me for it, and every familiar action brought me peace. The aching thirst vanished completely.

When I returned, Peter was hovering by the counter, standing by some cups.

"It's okay. I'll do that." I moved past him in the kitchenette, the sudden proximity setting my skin on fire. I chanced a look at his eyes and saw they were flaring with the same intensity I felt. He wasn't looking at me like Ava, the would-be vampire or Ava, the daywalker. He was staring at Ava, the woman, and that sent a shiver down my spine.

"I take sugar," he said, and I gulped. I wasn't even sure why. I moved toward him again, expecting him to step aside. He stood his ground, and I had to reach over his shoulder to grab the sugar from the press. As I leaned away from him, I caught his scent. Instead of my mouth watering, my whole body suddenly heated up with longing. My cheeks flushed red as his body followed mine, closing the space between us.

Scared I might drop it, I rested the sugar on the counter. I looked up at Peter, not recognising what I saw in his eyes. Still he moved, his body finally touching mine. I let myself lean against him, not even thinking about it.

He slid one hand across my waist, then looped his finger through my waistband and pulled me close with ease. I gripped the counter to steady myself as his other palm cupped my cheek, his thumb resting on my lips.

I froze, too scared to move in case I broke the spell. He licked his bottom lip, his eyes flickering from mine to my mouth. I barely covered the deep sigh my body couldn't contain. He moved his face closer, leaning his forehead against mine, our noses barely touching.

My heart raced even as his did. I realised I was holding on to him just as his heart began to skid rapidly along in his chest. I relished the effect I had on him and felt my stomach flutter at the notion. His eyes were heartbreakingly soft and young, the way he would have been if life hadn't screwed him over.

Holding his gaze, I lifted my chin. Braver now, I felt ready to take a risk, but a bang on the door interrupted everything. Just like that, the mood snapped; Peter moved away, avoiding my eyes. Frustrated beyond belief, I answered the door without checking and regretted it instantly when I saw my landlord standing there, his piggy eyes squinting with anger.

"Where's the money, Delaney?" he demanded.

"You said I had some time," I said as quietly as I could. At least I hadn't screwed up his mind for all time.

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind. Hand it over," he roared. I backed up slightly and could tell by the gleam in his eye that he saw that as a victory.

"I don't have it," I muttered, mortified that Peter was witnessing the scene. "You said I had time. Why would I have it now?"

"Don't be a cheeky bitch. I need that money! Now!"

"Whoa, back the fuck up there," Peter said, stepping between us. His jaw was tight, his tone low and scary. "There's no need for that crap."

McGreavy paled and stepped back, his hands in the air. "I don't want no trouble, I just want my money."

"Come back in a couple of weeks. If she doesn't have it, I will," Peter said firmly, then slammed the door in my landlord's face. I peered through the peephole and saw him muttering to himself, as if debating whether to let it go or not. With a sigh of relief, I saw him head down the stairs. I leaned my forehead against the door and covered my cheeks with my hands, wanting the ground to swallow me up.

"Ava?"

I turned, but Peter was too close, blocking my way.

"What was that about?" he asked, reaching out for me. I blocked his touch, feeling too exposed and little. He flinched visibly, but I ignored it and sat down.

"I'm behind on my rent is all. He said he would give me a few more weeks to pay." I didn't tell him I had made McGreavy say it.

"I thought you were doing okay," Peter said, sitting as far away from me as possible. Even then, I felt a chill emanating from him.

"I was. Until the whole thing with Maximus. It screwed up a lot of deals because I wasn't around to work or delay anything or even get in contact with anyone. I'm behind on everything, but I'm catching up," I lied.

"You need a lend? Something to tide you over?"

My stomach turned. I definitely did not want to take money from Peter. Things were messy enough. When I declined, he looked as if he had taken it as a personal insult. I couldn't win.

"We should head on to Becca's place," he said, standing abruptly. "Get whatever you need to bring to Eddie's and come out to the car." He left without looking back. I felt like crying. Every time we started getting comfortable around each other, we'd either have a tense and sexy moment, or a tense and misunderstood one.

As we drove to Becca's flat, I tensed up even more, remembering how Peter had reacted the last time we went there. Granted, I'd been in full-on attack mode, but he hadn't handled it well.

We headed straight for Becca's flat and knocked on the door. After a minute, she opened it and then tried to slam it shut again, but Peter stopped her. She rolled her eyes in resignation and let us in without much comment.

"What now?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

"Christ, you look worse than earlier," Peter blurted out. Becca scowled, but she really did look terrible.

"Is that what you came to say?" she said, her sarcasm hiding her fear.

"No," I said. "You need to tell us everything you know about the formula."

She lounged on her sofa and lit a cigarette. "Or not."

"Remember what happened last time I paid you a visit?" I asked.

She made a face, and her fingers trembled around the cigarette. She grinned suddenly, and I noticed that her teeth looked different. Not fanged, just different somehow. Her eyes were redder than before, and her heartbeat was incredibly slow. With a pang, I realised she was very close to death. Whether she kept living or not was another issue.

"There you go again with the threats," she said. "And you make out they're the monsters?"

"That's enough." Peter took a seat across from Becca. "It's time to do the right thing, Becca."

"Oh, and I'm doing the wrong thing right now? Says who? You and your daywalking girlfriend? Bullshit, Peter. I'm not hurting anyone, you sanctimonious prick." She stubbed the cigarette with angry stabbing motions.

"I thought you cared about Maximus," I said.

She glared, her eyes glittering. "Don't talk about him. You don't know him. He was _special_."

"Yet you hang around with Gideon now." I shook my head with an exaggerated sigh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She sat back, but I could see the spark of interest in her eyes.

"You do know that he helped set Maximus up, right? I mean, he was never loyal to Maximus anyway, and the dust had barely settled before he took over. He was a little too on the ball. He made sure nobody was around to protect Maximus." I waited, but she stayed silent, and I lost hope. I glanced at Peter, but he wouldn't look at me.

Becca rubbed her forehead so hard, it left a pink dented mark. "He destroyed all of Max's precious things. Max kept his human belongings for so long that they turned into artifacts. Gideon. That traitorous—I knew it!" She slammed her hands on the coffee table, and it collapsed, startling Peter and me. She got up and paced the room, shaking her head every now and then. When she finally whirled around to acknowledge us again, I was ready for her to lose the plot completely.

"I need that formula. If it stops now, I'm screwed. I can't even take it late. I'm going to keep taking it, and then I'm going to make sure I repay Gideon for everything he's done." She sat back down and closed her eyes. Her arms looked floppy and weak, like she was suddenly out of energy. When she opened her eyes again, they were watery and dazed.

I decided to keep asking questions until she answered. "I want to know about the testing going on and the formula the vampires are using. Do you know what's in it?"

Her words slowed. "I hardly asked, I don't care."

Peter sighed. "Where do they keep it?"

"They don't keep it. They use it straight off. It doesn't keep, or they don't want to get caught with it. I don't know."

"Can you get us some of it?" Peter asked.

"No. Only a tiny bit arrives. I need every drop." She sighed and rubbed the back of her head against the chair.

"Why would you want to turn, Becca?" I asked. "Last in, first out, especially when the quota gets a little tight."

"Yeah, well, the way I hear it, there won't even be a quota for much longer. I ain't worried, love."

Peter and I exchanged glances. Was Gideon honestly planning on staging a rebellion against the Council?

"I'm tired." She yawned. "I need a lot of sleep these days."

"We should go," Peter said, and headed for the door. He held it open for me and hesitated as I passed him by. I heard him tell Becca she could come to him if she needed help. I looked at him quizzically when he joined me, but he pretended not to notice. I wondered if he was being soft or if he had another plan.

We got back into the car and drove back to Eddie's place.

"So what do you think?" I asked.

"It's screwed up. She's all over the place. She was the same earlier, up and down. I think you got to her about Gideon though. I might just be able to persuade her to speak to the Council about him." He kept nodding like he could hear her already.

"She doesn't have long left, Peter. I'm sorry," I said, hesitant to ruin the mood but wanting him to know.

"She barely looks human anymore."

"Do you think there's a chance? That she'll turn?"

"Maybe. But I'm more worried about what she'll turn _into_ ," he replied.

I gave him a pointed look. He clarified, "What I mean is, vampires were made from a type of human that doesn't exist anymore. Technically, because our bodies have adapted enough to ward off their poison, we're a new variation, and we don't know how the poison will react with our systems. I'm concerned that she'll turn into something we don't know anything about."

"I'm sure she won't." I tried to sound confident, but he was right. Technically, we didn't know what we were dealing with. But if anything had gone wrong in Spain, then surely they wouldn't be selling the formula to vampires abroad. Not unless they _wanted_ it to go wrong. I bit my lip, worrying.

"Hey, it's okay," he said, noticing my concern. "It'll be fine."

"We all keep saying that, but nothing's fine. That was some screwed up stuff in Eddie's shop, and yesterday he tried to attack me. I swear, it looked like he was using people's souls or something. Then the thing with Esther and the shifter who committed suicide. Lots of strange things are happening. It seems like something bigger is going on while we're hung up on the little things."

The worry flooded out of me; I couldn't stop it. Peter pulled over sharply, and cars behind us beeped at the lack of a warning.

"Wait," Peter said, turning in his seat to face me. "Back up. Did you say Eddie attacked you with _souls_?"

"He tried to. Somehow I managed to block it, but don't ask how." I held out my hands. "I know it sounds crazy, but that's how it felt at the time. I saw something, and I was convinced they were souls."

"You said the darkness was on my soul. How would you even be able to see a soul? Vampires can't do that, how can you?"

"I don't know! I don't know why I used the word _soul_ even. It just made sense to me."

He puzzled over it for a few seconds. "If it makes sense to you, then I believe you."

"Don't think I'm evil anymore?" I asked with a laugh, but I was only half joking. I held my breath, waiting for his answer.

"I don't care what you were born as," he said. The kindness in his eyes calmed my nerves. "You try to do good, and that's what counts."

I shivered, but in a good way. The air sparked with tension again; the sensation felt perfectly normal. That was partly what I enjoyed about Peter's company; he brought out the human in me.

"I suppose we should get back to the bookshop before Eddie spontaneously combusts. I've had about twenty missed calls from him today," Peter said, but he didn't move.

"Okay."

He studied me until I squirmed in my seat. He laughed at my awkwardness and took pity on me. "I'll make sure people are watching Becca from now on. We don't want to miss any of these deliveries. I reckon there'll be one before the trial. If we can't persuade Becca to help, then we'll just have to catch them in the act."

I liked the sound of that.

# 12

We made it back to the bookshop before Eddie's head exploded. Peter explained what had happened at Becca's to Carl and Eddie before leaving to brief Esther, who had already left.

"I'm sorry about earlier," I told Carl, my face roaring red.

He smiled, nonplussed. "It's cool. I should have warned you or something."

"You okay anyway? Looks like Eddie did a good job on your face." Carl's face was already a lot better, thanks to Eddie's bag of tricks. He couldn't sort out the lisp, but at least Carl's eyes could open.

I couldn't relax around Carl. I no longer craved his blood, thankfully, but I was embarrassed by how weak I'd been when he needed me to be strong.

"You're being stupid," he said, and made me look at him. "You didn't do it on purpose."

"I know." I shrugged. "You did good today. You probably made Esther help me. But don't do that ever again," I added before his ego swelled even more.

He laughed and elbowed me gently. "It was fun, though."

"You're so sick." I hated the way he linked danger and pain with a good time.

"Oh, I can't believe I forgot. That chick, Yvonne, came here looking for you. Daimhín wants to speak to you. I told her you were with Peter, hope that's okay," he said, looking worried all of a sudden.

"It's fine. She'll probably call him instead. I have absolutely no intention of going to see Daimhín. I'm not going to lie for her at the trial, and I can guarantee you that's what she wants."

"Probably. So, what now?"

"Now?" I sighed. "We wait, I suppose. Peter said he was going to get someone to follow Becca, to make sure we don't miss the next delivery. They have frequent deliveries because they pass on small batches, so we could be lucky enough to get our hands on one before the trial."

"How do the deliveries arrive? Plane, post, courier, what?"

"Um, I don't know," I admitted. "We kind of got overexcited about the little stuff."

Carl frowned. "That's not like Peter."

I blushed; we might have been distracted.

"We're hoping Esther comes up with something, I suppose. And that I can escape from Cell Block Eddie once I have to move." I pushed past him to wander amongst the book shelves. "Hmm, there's a lot of interesting stuff here."

"Yes, there is," Eddie said, startling me. "But unfortunately, this isn't a library. Sit down for a few minutes, Ava. I want to discuss the trial with you."

I heaved a sigh and obeyed, feeling like an irritated teenager with an overprotective father.

"I believe the trial will go as planned for the most part. You may be called upon to give your version of events, but that doesn't always happen. Still, it's better if you're prepared. Go over what happened, make sure it's clear in your mind. Don't exaggerate or over-sensationalise. Be honest, concise, and... try not to be rude."

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"You can be abrasive when you feel threatened. It's better if you come across as non-threatening as possible, make them see you as vulnerable."

I glanced at Carl, but he looked like he agreed.

"I am who I am," I said, affronted. "I can't help how I come across."

"Stop acting like a spoiled teenager for a minute, and think about the trial. It isn't just the trial. This is your introduction into the world. Think of yourself as a debutante; you have to make the right impression. If the trial problem goes away, then there will be many interested in watching you. If they consider you a threat, you're in trouble. Do you understand, pet?"

He looked so earnest that I felt like trusting him, throwing my life into his hands and saying, "Yes, please, manage me." I shook myself out of that in a hurry, fearing he was trying to cast his will or whatever on me once again. His unnatural power terrified me. I would always be wary of him, even when his eyes were as soft as a father gazing upon his only daughter, even when I desperately wanted to trust him.

He took my hands, pleading with his eyes. "It's not like the world you know, Ava. The rules are old and need to be followed. You need to show them you're capable of doing as you're told. You've lived on your own for long enough; it's time for you to join the rest of us now."

I wasn't sure why I felt so sad. Tears rolled down my cheeks. Surprised, I choked back a sob and brushed the tears from my face with my hands.

Carl rushed over and put his arm around me. "What's wrong?"

"I have no idea," I said, looking at my wet fingers as though they were stained with blood instead of tears.

"She's not feeling her own emotions," Eddie said, turning away from us.

"What does that mean?" I asked, looking up at Carl, who looked as confused as I was.

"I've long suspected you could absorb emotion," Eddie said after a pause.

"Excuse me?"

"Similar to an empath, you feel what others feel. You say you smell emotions, and I believe you, but I think it stems from you actually feeling what is in the air around you," he elaborated.

"I don't get it. How is that possible?" I asked. Carl edged away from me noticeably. I frowned, seeing Eddie's words as just another way for me to be alone.

"Anything's possible," Eddie said with a calm smile. "I now believe the thirst was hard for you to control because you were also struggling to control emotions that weren't yours. Today, for example, you were in a small room during an emotionally charged situation. There were all sorts of feelings flying around. They overwhelmed you, and the thirst took over."

"I'm not sure—"

"It's true," he interrupted. "I'm not sure if that should be known at the trial, at least not publicly. Maybe we'll be forced to relate it if your lack of control comes up. It would be a simple task to introduce you to an experienced empath who could help you find the control you need to get by in life."

He was beginning to sound like a motivational speaker, and I felt a spark of hope. "Okay, say it's true. How on earth would anyone else's emotions get in the way and have an impact on my thirst?"

"You maintain control over your thirst constantly. Once Carl was thrown in your path, you were fighting to control both aspects, anger, fear, any number of emotions, plus the desire to drink blood. It was too much because you weren't prepared for it." Eddie sounded matter-of-fact, but my thoughts raced.

I thought about incidents that might back up his theory. I glanced at Carl, whose neck and ears had turned bright red, and wondered what emotions I'd absorbed from him.

Then Arthur, maybe that would explain the kindred feeling I felt around him; he had felt it first, and I absorbed it. It would explain the incident in Gabe's bar, barely. And Peter... well, I'd think about Peter another time.

I felt my whole body go loose as the tension drifted from me. Maybe Eddie was right, and I wasn't in control of myself; it wasn't the thirst, it was everyone else around me. That didn't sound right either.

I shook my head. "No, can't be. I don't feel everyone's emotions. I thought maybe Arthur, yeah, but none of the other vampires."

"Arthur was a young vampire, maybe a hundred-years-old. I believe he was one of the last to be turned. Perhaps he still retained enough of his humanity to affect you. The others have been dead a long time; their systems would work differently."

I shrugged, thinking it still wasn't likely.

"If it was true, would it be considered a good or bad thing?" Carl asked.

Eddie smiled wryly. "Depends on who you asked," he said, enigmatic as usual.

He hung around for a while and insisted on teaching me how to use the till. I got the feeling he didn't want me to have time to think too much. Still, everything he had said about emotions rumbled around in my head for a while. It made me look at everything differently. How could I ever trust my emotions if I was feeling everyone else's?

The biggest question was _why_ I could sense other people's emotions.

The next few days passed slowly. Sometimes Peter or Esther dropped in, but never with an offer to take me anywhere. I felt like I was going stir crazy. Carl tried his best to cheer me up, but being around Eddie drained me emotionally. I constantly wondered if I could trust him, and where his power really stemmed from. It was wearisome.

Esther brought little news. She was doing her best to keep an eye on Gideon's coven and Becca. She was still trying to persuade her fellow Guardian, Illeana the siren, to find out about Gideon's bank dealings. Carl and Becca had both made her determined to put an end to Gideon's plans.

Being stuck inside while everyone else worked on my behalf depressed me; I began moping around Eddie's premises like a gloomy ghoul. My time was running out, and I was the only one sitting around waiting for things to happen.

The cold presence kept trying to make itself known. At first, its cooling breezes were soothing, soft touches on my skin that could only be called pleasant. But as the days went on, it became apparent that the presence, whatever it was, was becoming annoyed by my moping. Eventually, I received one final icy blast in the face that woke me up big time.

"Alright, already," I muttered, rubbing warmth back into my cheeks. "I'll cop on, jeez."

"Who are you talking to?"

I whirled and frowned when I saw Gabe. Alone in the shop during Carl's lunch break, I hadn't even heard the door open.

My mouth gaped open in shock. Anger was the only thing to cover my nervousness. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that," I snapped.

"Still a virtue of kindness, I see," he said.

"Don't even speak to me," I responded haughtily.

"I need Eddie anyway, not you." He stepped away, and I watched his form with interest, remembering he was supposed to be an angel. He glanced behind him and caught me staring. A smile curved his lips. Quick as a flash, he was before me, leaning over the counter. I stared up into his eyes, seductive and yet calculating.

"Eddie's upstairs," I said, hoping he would either go up there or go away.

"And you're all alone then," he said in a smarmy sort of way, his fingers dancing across the counter to mine. I pulled my hand away and hid it behind my back.

"Not for long," I hissed. "Why don't you go away?"

"I'm happy here. I find you extremely entertaining."

"Well, I find you extremely annoying, so back off. What kind of angel are you, anyway?"

He flinched, but covered it well. "You speak of angels today. So I'm upgraded from 'some guy' then? Lucky me."

He leaned further over the counter and lifted my chin, too rough, to search my eyes with his. His scent made my mouth water. Desire stirred in the pit of my stomach. Such a beautiful creature, but the more I looked, the less of a human I saw behind his irises. His true form tried to shine through, and I smiled.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"That your human form is beautiful. Pity it isn't real." My smile turned triumphant as I watched the charm fall from his face. He backed up and glared at me.

"Maybe I will go find Eddie after all," he said. He walked off, leaving me feeling chilled. I wrapped my arms around myself, completely thrown by the encounter.

"That was stupid, Ava," Peter said. I jumped about a foot in the air.

"Christ, will everyone stop sneaking up on me?"

"Sorry, where's Carl?"

"Gone to lunch. Wait, what was stupid?" I asked, frowning.

"Antagonising someone on the Council. Don't forget he's going to be voting on whether you live or die. Charm him; don't piss him off."

I made a scornful sound. "Charm him? You sound like Eddie. I can't fool people into liking me, Peter. I wouldn't know where to start. This is me, like it or not."

He shook his head in apparent disappointment. "Sometimes you have to play the game, Ava."

"Oh, well, now we have that out of the way, I might as well go to bed. Day is done."

"No need to be snarky. I came over to tell you that Esther managed to get the siren to help her out. She found out there are huge, and I mean huge, like millions, in transactions being sent to Spain by Gideon."

"Millions? Where the hell did he get millions of euro?" I couldn't understand it.

"Their businesses are fluid; they learned to keep it that way so a recession or market crash wouldn't screw them right over. Plus, they're all connected to vampires in other countries. Money has a way of making money, you know?"

I wished it was that easy. Even having my laptop at Eddie's place wasn't saving my business. I had no idea how I was going to pay my rent. Not that it would matter if the trial didn't go my way. Biting down on the panic, I tried to concentrate on the business at hand.

"How do you know so much about these things?" I was frustrated at my own lack of knowledge.

"I've been at this a while. Besides, people talk to me." I realised he was really enjoying himself and wondered if that's why he helped me, because it was his idea of fun.

"What next?" I asked, ignoring how disappointed that thought made me feel.

"We have proof he's paying them, but we haven't proved what he's receiving in return. The Council already watches any official shipments from other countries, so they have to be getting the formula another way. Constant deliveries would be suspicious, and vampires don't risk regular travel, so it has to be something unorthodox. Also, frequent vampire travel is something that catches the Council's eye. I think we need to watch Becca very carefully. We can't afford to miss out on the next shipment," he said, his eyebrows creasing into a deep frown. "It's going to be tiring, I know, but the trial is tomorrow night. Can you stay awake until then? To help follow Becca?"

"Me?" My face brightened.

"Of course _you_ , who else? Esther is following her now, but I'm going to take over soon. I really think this is our last chance. I've been asking around everywhere, and nobody knows a thing. That kind of hush-hush is near impossible, and we already know Becca's deeply involved, so I'm banking on her coming through for us. You up for a stakeout?"

"Hell to the yeah," I said, getting my coat on. We left before Gabe finished with Eddie. It seemed like the best time to escape.

# 13

A thrill of excitement ran through me as we walked to the car. I glanced at Peter and saw he was the same, hyped up by something actually happening. We drove to Becca's place, nodded to Esther as she drove away, and settled down for a long wait.

"There are some drinks and snacks in the back and an all-night cafe down the street for coffee or the bathroom. If you need to sleep, let me know."

I raised my eyebrows. As if I could sleep. "Yeah, you too."

"I'm just saying, Ava. Esther told me earlier that Becca hasn't been leaving the house in daylight."

"That makes it easier. Think the sun is affecting her?"

"Maybe, makes sense, right? She might go off for a ramble in the middle of the night, so we have to make sure we pay attention."

"No worries." I relaxed in my seat, keeping my eyes on Becca's building up the road. "Hope she doesn't recognise your car."

"Even if she does, she badly wants that formula. I don't think anyone would stop her." He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel with the rhythm of the song playing on the radio.

I tried to stay calm, but millions of random thoughts whirled around in my brain. I was losing control of my life, felt everything I knew slipping out of my fingers. I was floating in the ether and depending on Becca to pull me back in. Depending on other people never worked out in my experience.

"What if nothing happens tonight?" I bit my lip to stop it from trembling.

"It has to." Peter's voice stayed strong. Good thing, too; any hint he didn't believe it, and I would have lost the weak hold I had on my panic. "She needs that injection. Soon. I reckon Gideon's been holding out until the last minute, just in case. He probably thinks Eddie wouldn't let you out of his sight the night before the trial."

I tried not to, but I found myself thinking about the trial. I couldn't see a resolution. We all knew we were grasping at possibilities. Even if the Council went after Gideon, they still had to pass judgement on me. At least one member hated me; at least one hated the man who spoke for me.

I remembered the man in the cells, the one who had taken his own life rather than face the Council. Out of everything, that image was stamped on my mind. An unpleasant death by his own hand had been preferable to the Council's judgement. Fear slithered around my heart, leaving me hiccupping with cold dread.

"This could be the last thing we ever do together," I blurted.

He raised his eyebrows in question.

"If the trial goes... badly, this could be the last time we actually spend time together."

He opened his mouth then closed it again and nodded. "Maybe so."

"I want you to know I'm grateful. For your help. With everything." I watched his jaw twitch. I needed to lighten the tone. "And that I forgive you for hitting me when we first met." He turned to face me, ready to protest, but he saw my amusement and stopped.

"You're getting way too cheeky for your own good," he said, but the tension had broken. "It's weird how things happen," he said after a while.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you had told me a month ago I'd be here with a part-vampire chick staking out a human who is pretty much a part-vampire chick, too, I wouldn't have believed you for a second."

I nodded. "I wouldn't have believed there would be so many humans in my life, or that I'd end up in court because of a vampire."

"Nancy keeps calling me about you."

The swift change in subject made me roll my eyes. "She must not think I'm going to die then, or else she would be ringing me."

He smiled. "She's trying."

"Let's not talk about her," I said, feeling my good mood slip away.

"What do you want to talk about?" He shifted closer to me. I ignored him and kept looking at Becca's place. "I have a good feeling," he said. "I think things will work out."

I felt his eyes on me, like he wanted me to look at him, but I couldn't. I physically couldn't make myself look at him because I was afraid of what I would see in his eyes. How it would make me feel, what it would make me do. I didn't want pity affection, not from him.

I gulped as the tension sizzled in the air, possibly a figment of my imagination, but that didn't make the sensations any less real to my body. I caught my breath and decided we needed a little space. I definitely needed some air.

"I need a coffee," I announced, and got out of the car before he could respond. Exhaling loudly, I jogged down to the cafe. I pushed open the door, but out of the corner of my eye I spotted Becca running out of her building and off down the road. I sped after her on foot. Hearing Peter start the engine, I pulled my mobile out of my pocket and rang him. Panting into the phone, I let him know I would follow her on foot in case he lost her.

She cut through a park as soon as she could. I kept my distance, scenting her in the air; I was in no hurry to make my presence known. I followed her for at least half an hour, surprised by her stamina and speed. The formula must have been doing something crazy to her system. I had to ring Peter to make sure he was following us because Becca kept running through places a car couldn't follow.

Eventually, she slowed near the beach. She walked along the retreating tide line. I followed her over hilly mounds of sand mixed with grass. There were many people around, couples in cars mostly.

Becca found a deserted spot, sank down on the sand, and just waited. Every now and then, she inched her way along the sand, away from the tide and people. She moved to a barrier that blocked cars from going further along the beach and rested her head against it as if she had dozed off.

I called Peter and told him to pull into the old car park that overlooked the sea. I kicked sand from my feet before I pulled them into the car.

"She won't see us here," I said.

"I can barely see her," he complained.

"I can. It's pretty cold out there; I don't think sitting on the sand is going to do you any favours. She'll probably leave soon, right?"

"Not unless this is the delivery point," he pointed out.

"Only one way to find out," I said.

We sat together in apprehensive silence as we waited for something to happen. Becca just sat there on the sand. It was kind of creepy. The place was notorious for drinking teens, learner drivers, and amorous couples, so there were enough cars to keep us from appearing too conspicuous. Not that Becca even bothered looking around her, she just stared at the sea. Nobody bothered her, but I had a feeling she could handle herself even if someone had tried.

"This is weird," I said, realising that nothing was going to happen any time soon.

Peter shrugged and changed the radio station, flexing his arms as he did so. "Maybe we should walk around a bit," he said. "Just in case we have to chase her."

I arched an eyebrow. "You mean in case I have to chase her."

He smiled lazily. "I'm not that slow."

"Sure you're not, old man," I teased.

A rare, bright smile flashed across his face, and he stepped out of the car to stretch his arms and legs. I did the same, sick of his car. Becca was far enough away that she couldn't hear us, but not so far that she could disappear on us.

I sat on the bonnet of the car and let the cool sea breeze whip my hair around my face. I could already taste the salty tang on my lips. The scent in the air was beautiful; for a few minutes, I felt content.

"Not a bad way to spend your last night of freedom," Peter said, sitting next to me.

I relished being free. I recognised the feeling and bottled it in my mind to save for later. I would probably need to remember this. I let myself lean against him, enjoying the way his sturdiness held me.

"She looks like she's turned to stone down there," I said in exasperation. "Do you think she's waiting for the delivery here?"

He shook his head. "Not a clue. You cold?" he asked when I shivered.

"No," I replied. I wasn't cold, not really. Something about the night felt different to me, maybe because it could be my last one. My pent up anxiety coloured the world, but even counting wouldn't fix things.

Becca stood and moved closer to the water, as if she had seen something. "Do you think we should get closer? Make our way down there, maybe?"

"If you like. At least we'll be moving."

We ended up crawling in the sand until we had a better, yet still discreet, view. I was close to hysterical and had to bite down on my sleeve to stop myself from laughing. Peter pushed me gently.

"I'm never bringing you on a stakeout again," he said under his breath.

I hiccupped. I might never do anything again. As if he had the same thought, he looked at me with dismay. My fingers sank into the sand, and I straightened my back, gasping for air, trying to push my emotions back down. Peter rubbed my back, and I shook my head, pulling away.

"I'm not... I can't," I spluttered, trying to say goodbye without saying goodbye.

He hesitated, his hand frozen against me. I turned and pulled him into a hug. He embraced me for a few seconds before pushing me back and making me look at him. I shook under his fierce gaze.

"I told you, Ava. Everything is going to be okay. _You_ will be okay. It's not over, and you're not allowed fall apart. Not now, not tomorrow. You won't let them see this, because this isn't you. There's a reason the vampires have it in for you. They're afraid. They should be. You'll never stand in line. Remember that. Own it. They can't break you. Not the vampires. Not the Council. This isn't _over_."

The fire in his eyes lit something inside me. I grinned back at him, feeling all of those confused pieces click into place. I was scared most of the time. I never showed it. I always pushed back. It wasn't over. Not yet.

"Too right it's not."

I glanced over at Becca. Pulling back, I put my finger on Peter's lips in warning. We both watched her. She waved out at the sea. Peter and I looked at each other, baffled, but then I saw it.

I spun my body away from Peter to get a better look. A figure was in the water, slowly rising up as he walked toward the shore. Vampire. On his back was a bag, presumably containing a waterproof package.

"What the hell?" Peter whispered. "Did he walk under the water? Swim? All this way?"

I shuddered at the idea of all those tons of water bearing down on him. Vampires didn't breathe, but it had to be confining. I wondered if he really could have come from Spain.

"This is how they're getting past the Council," Peter whispered. "Who knows how long this has been going on? Random spot, hand over to a human. Nobody knows a thing."

The vampire approached Becca. I held my breath, taut with anticipation. The vampire seemed to be spitting out water as he walked, and he stretched out his arms like they were sore. I wasn't surprised.

Becca held out her arms, as if to embrace him. He knelt down, pulled the bag off his back, and took something out. Becca knelt before him, blocking my view. I couldn't see what he did to Becca, but I guessed he injected her with a dose of the formula. He stood, grabbed her roughly, and sank his fangs into her neck. Partly to feed, partly to ensure Becca had a dose of his poison in her system.

I gave a little gasp, but Peter hushed me, fascinated by the proceedings. Becca's moans filled the night air. They could have been a randy human couple to a casual bystander. The needle, an act of a drug addict. There was a reasonable explanation for everything.

After a couple of minutes, the vampire let go and pushed Becca away from him, then he walked through the sand as if he knew exactly where he was going. Looking a little disoriented, Becca stumbled after him.

"What should we do?" I whispered. "If we follow them to Gideon's, we've as good as lost them."

"We confront them then. Try and persuade Becca to rat on the others. If we hold that vamp, it'll open up some questions about how he got here and why. The Council doesn't allow foreign vampires to travel to Ireland freely, not without a pass. Come on," he said, his heart racing noisily.

I followed him warily. Catching a vampire was a lot harder than killing one, but we'd done it before. This time _Becca_ was the unknown; we didn't know what a fresh dose of formula would do for her.

As we closed in on the pair, a blinding light shone on us.

"Halt," demanded a voice. A group of Guardians surrounded us.

"Not now," I muttered.

"It's time for you to prepare for your trial," one of them said, looking rather happy about it. I looked around in a panic; Becca and the vampire were getting away. I couldn't leave it now, not after everything.

"Esther!" Peter called out. Esther ran, pushing between the Guardians to get to us.

"I'm so sorry," she said, pity etched on her face. "Gabe called you in early."

"Never mind that," I said. "Becca got the delivery."

A Guardian snapped a tag on my wrist and began to lead me away. Peter held Esther's arm and tried to speak to her in urgent tones, but I was pushed into a Guardian jeep and driven away immediately.

Disappointment sank into my stomach like a dead weight. I had been so close, yet I was still on my way to the trial and totally unprepared. I hadn't expected them to come for me so soon, and now I wouldn't even find out if they confronted Becca.

Dejected, I sank into the backseat and avoided the eyes of the Guardians. The long journey back to the Council's court was over within seconds, or so it seemed. I was thrown into the same room as before and told to wait. There was nothing else I could do.

# 14

I changed as the Guardians watched, not leering this time, just seeming impatient.

"Let's go," one said, as soon as I was ready. Again, I had to wear the same plain dress, my hair loose and my feet bare. Yet they let me keep the cross around my neck. It physically hurt when they took my clothes, thus carrying the dagger away with them.

Trembling with nerves, I shuffled after the Guardians, the anticipation chilling me beyond measure. I had no plan, no way out. All I could do was stay strong and hope for the best, the best being a miracle.

This time, the marquee-type structure was much bigger. Lots of people gathered outside. Many looked human, but others could have stepped out of the book on hell spawn. They all watched me with interest, some of them with cool hatred in their eyes. They leaned forward, waiting to see a spectacle, a dead woman walking.

Eddie was already waiting for me when the Guardians forced me toward the ring of scorched earth. He made a frustrated noise and ran his fingers through my hair.

"Jesus, Eddie," I snapped, pulling away from him.

He held his hands out in front of me, placating me. "Please. It's wild you look. We need you innocent, helpless. Are you still wearing the cross?"

I instinctively threw my hand up to my chest. I nodded, staying silent as the reality set in.

"Let them see it. Let them see you aren't so dark that the light burns you, Ava."

I had no idea what he was talking about. He was jumpier than usual and muttering half to himself, but I let the cross dangle in clear sight. I looked around, seeing no one I recognised. The flames lit, trapping me.

After a few minutes, Aiden, giving me a brief, curt nod, led the rest of the consultants in. That set up a loud rumbling in the crowd, and I looked around in a panic, wondering what was happening. They were merely discussing things amongst themselves, but it felt like they were accusing me of something.

The Council members themselves entered the room slowly, speaking to a number of people on the way in. Gabe avoided my eyes, and I knew I was doomed. I hadn't even gotten proof of the formula; there was nothing left for me to do but face my punishment.

Gideon once again made a grand entrance, followed by some of his coven. He was so smug, it would almost have been worth it to step up and smack him one. Daimhín followed a few minutes later, with some of her coven members gathering around her. She had been ordered to attend, or so Eddie informed me. The child vampire stared at me with dark, blank eyes. Her empty expression told me nothing.

"Poor kid," I muttered. Maybe she already knew the outcome.

Eddie shushed me as Fionnuala stood to speak. "As usual, there will be no violence in this court. Speak in turn, or speak not at all."

The way she said it made me think there was real meaning behind the words. A putrid scent filled the air, but then it suddenly changed to a fresher smell, like daisies and grass.

"We will begin," she said and sat on the ground. The room stilled, everyone quieting so they could hear each word. Many of them plonked themselves on the ground randomly, and I spotted Carl with my grandmother clinging to his arm.

Gideon rose from his seat. "Our first charge is the death of our coven leader, Maximus."

Eddie leapt to his feet. "Ordered by Daimhín who had seniority over Maximus."

"Truth?" asked Erossi, sounding bored.

Daimhín looked long and hard at me then nodded. "Truth."

"First charge dropped," Koda announced. "Daimhín and her coven must reduce their blood quota for a month and face the wrath of their seniors."

Daimhín bowed her head, but she didn't look too worried. I wondered who her seniors were and what they could do to her. Lowering the blood quota would only affect the youngest vampires, I realised, feeling furious at the idea.

Gideon stood once again. "Our second charge is the same as the first. She may have been requested, but she had no right to act on behalf of a vampire against another vampire."

"Poor judgement," Koda conceded. He looked at me. "Your reason?"

Gideon laughed. "Surely no reason exists that would clear her?"

"We'll be the judge of that." Fionnuala narrowed her eyes at Gideon, staring him down.

Eddie stood to speak, but Koda waved him away. "I'd like to hear from the accused."

I looked at Eddie, who nodded. I took a deep breath, trying to think straight. "Maximus wanted to use me to take down Daimhín," I began, purposely avoiding how he planned on doing that.

"Lies." Gideon sounded sure of himself. I had to ignore that.

"Daimhín wanted to kill me. I was just trying to help Carl," I pointed at him. "I didn't want to get involved in any of this mess. But Maximus kidnapped my grandmother, so I had to go to him and trade places with her." I exhaled loudly, remembering. "Maximus and his coven tortured me until Daimhín arrived and offered me a job. If I accepted, then I would go free. When I healed, his death was my first job. I'm glad he's gone because he was a monster."

The Council muttered together, as did the rest of the room.

"Can the humans approach?" Koda asked.

Carl led my grandmother to the front of the room.

"What say you?" Fionnuala sounded stern.

They exchanged glances, and my grandmother spoke first. "It's true, all true. They would have murdered us. Ava saved me."

"And me," Carl added.

"That particular vampire was well within his quota limits. Besides, didn't the accused enslave you?" Gideon asked Carl, refusing to meet his eyes, as if he wasn't good enough to converse with properly.

"Yes, but she saved me first!" Carl insisted, almost shouting.

"She saved you in order to make you her slave? Interesting. And isn't it true that even this old woman, this _grandmother_ , isn't it true that she herself raised this half-breed as a demon? That she was afraid of... it? Maybe now she's still scared, scared of telling the truth.," Gideon said, his face as smug as ever.

"That's ridiculous," Nancy snapped, her cheeks burning red with anger. "I'm not scared of my granddaughter. Of vampires like you, maybe!"

"Oh, really? May we introduce a witness?" he requested, looking up at Fionnuala and smiling sweetly.

Koda shook his head, but Fionnuala said yes. I glanced at Eddie in confusion, unsure of what was going on. The door burst open, and two vampires walked in. They held an old woman by the arms. Her eyes were wide with fright, and in an instant I knew her. Helena, the one person my grandmother had told about me. The woman who had told us part of the reason I should be kept a secret—because no vampire had managed to turn a human in over a century.

My heart sank as I realised Gideon's game. My grandmother must have had the same realisation because she made a gasping sound. How had he found her?

"Tell them what you told us," Gideon said, pushing Helena forward.

She kept her eyes low. "The old woman was terrified of her granddaughter. She wanted me to cleanse her of the evil demon inside her. I could not."

She lifted her eyes and looked straight at me. "That's all I know."

I gave her a small smile letting her know it was okay. She hadn't told them anything else. Koda looked at Fionnuala expectantly. She nodded. "Truth."

"I'll say I'm guilty to that charge, if the Council guarantees Helena goes free and unharmed. The vampires can't touch her again," I said loudly, my voice steady.

Helena thanked me with her eyes, but my grandmother seethed with anger. I shrugged, not knowing what else to do.

"Agreed," Fionnuala said, and nodded at the Guardians.

They started to lead Helena back outside. "I could not cleanse the demon because there was none!" she shouted over her shoulder.

"Next charge," Fionnuala demanded briskly as though Helena had not spoken. Two Guardians led my grandmother and Carl away from the Council.

"We accuse this creature of instigating a civil war between vampires," Gideon said, lazier than before, as if he had already won.

"Counter?" Koda said.

"I don't know anything about vampire politics," I said before Eddie could speak. "I've been avoiding the supernatural world my whole life."

"Still, she had to know what her actions would achieve," Gideon said.

Erossi shook his head. "She's not clever enough for that. This charge shall be forgotten."

"Fine." Gideon ground his teeth. "Murder again, for the lone vampire she attacked. In front of humans, no less."

"Explain," Fionnuala demanded.

"They kept following me around, trying to scare me. Even had humans stalking me. One told me Gideon was coming for me. One attacked me, sort of, kept trying to antagonise me or something. After we fought, somebody shot me. Obviously another vampire."

"Lies," Gideon hissed.

"Oh, shut up," I said. "We all know this is part of your big, stupid plan. Give it a rest already. I know Spanish vampires are turning humans, I know you're buying the formula, and I know you're testing it on humans, too. So, stop with the holier-than-thou attitude, alright?"

"Proof?" Fionnuala said, but the colour drained from her cheeks.

I shrugged. "Nothing that your Guardians don't already know."

"This is ridiculous," Erossi said. "We don't have time for this nonsense. Either Gideon proves the half-breed acted with intent, or the half-breed proves Gideon is playing a bigger game. No more accusations that cannot be backed up." His voice rose until the hairs stood up on the back of my neck.

Eddie held up his hand. "I should point out that she requested assistance and official protection from Daimhín. Yet none was received, obviously."

Koda made a noise and addressed Daimhín, "You did not come to us regarding the girl. Why not?"

Daimhín glared at him, her rage barely contained. "It must have slipped my mind. I hardly expected such a fuss to be made over her actions."

"This child is new to our world and has probably made some bad choices, but most of them were accidental," Eddie said, sending a pointed look in Daimhín's direction. "There are others with more cunning who have used her to meet their own ends."

"That's amusing coming from you, Brogan," Erossi sneered, his haughty face looking prim.

The anger rolled off Eddie in hot waves. I feared he would ruin both our chances of survival. Before he could react, the murmuring rose to excited chatter. Peter stalked in, pulling Becca along beside him. Esther and an astonishingly beautiful brunette followed him.

"What is this?" Erossi snapped.

Esther ran ahead of Peter. I risked a glance at Gideon and covered my smile at his agitation. He jumped up with one final accusation before Esther could speak. "Our last accusation is that the half-breed is a danger to our world. A danger to all of us. She is a daywalker, an unnatural being who upsets the balance. This must be dealt with!" he shouted, the words spilling out so fast that they joined together.

Eddie groaned and whispered, "Now it is spoken, it can't be undone. Even if Peter proves something against him, it's too late; they'll have to judge you on your heritage."

My heart beat louder as the room buzzed with the new turn that had been taken. Some of the observers cried out for judgement. Danger sparked in the air; one wrong move could lead to disaster.

Esther had to shout to be heard. "Council members! After a tip-off—"

"What tip-off?" Gideon sounded scornful, but there was fear in his eyes.

Esther stared him down like he was dirt under her shoe. "The humans you surround yourself with have been happy to fill in the blanks, vampire." She turned back to the Council. "After a tip-off, one of my circle, Illeana, discovered that Gideon and his coven have been sending large transactions of money to the Spanish vampires."

"How large?" Koda enquired.

"Numbers ranging in the millions of euro," Esther replied.

Daimhín jumped to her feet, surprise obvious on her face. "That is clearly against the strictest of rules." She pointed at Gideon. "This will be dealt with by our own." Her words carried weight; Gideon bowed his head and trembled under her gaze.

"This involves us, too," Esther insisted. "It's an external matter now."

"Carry on, Esther," Fionnuala said, massaging her temples.

"Peter Brannigan and I apprehended the delivery of a new formula. A foreign vampire gained illegal entry into this country and passed it on to one of Gideon's volunteers. This formula is said to aid the transformation of humans into vampires. The Spanish have allegedly already succeeded."

"This is not good," Koda said.

"Proof, Koda," Fionnuala chided.

"Here's your proof," Peter said, pushing Becca forward. She was deteriorating rapidly. Her skin was pale and clammy, her heart barely beating. Her eyes had turned scarlet, and she appeared dazed. She'd had her dose of the formula, for all the good it would do her.

"What is this?" Erossi wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Absolute proof. This used to be the pet of Maximus. He began injecting that formula into her on a regular basis. When he died, Gideon took over, increasing the injections. She drinks blood and is... well, she isn't doing well. Look at her. She's agreed to tell us everything she knows about Gideon's reprehensible actions. A Spanish vampire is currently being contained in the cells, ready for questioning. He delivered the formula and entered the country without a pass. With this woman's testimony, I believe we have a solid case against Gideon and his contacts in Spain."

I almost did a little dance. Peter and Esther had sorted out Becca in my absence. Arresting the vampire was a bonus.

Fionnuala gestured for the formula to be handed to her. She turned it over in her hands, but her interest didn't spark until Becca was led to the Council. They observed her with worried glances and a rapid exchange of whispered words. They took a few moments to ask Becca questions, but the rest of us weren't permitted to hear. The secrecy puzzled me.

Daimhín spoke once more. "This is a complete violation of our rules. Gideon must be punished."

The questioning finished, and Fionnuala nodded her agreement. "This human has confirmed what has been said. Gideon must be tried. His coven cannot retaliate. This half-breed is free of all but the last charge. Daimhín, do you claim her as one of your own?"

She frowned, but nodded. "She is my employee, therefore I take responsibility. If she survives."

"Then she should be paid a wage," Peter demanded, giving me a sneaky wink.

"Indeed," Koda said, barely suppressing a smile. "All employees must be paid."

Daimhín gave a curt nod and sat back down, looking entirely unimpressed. Nothing had gone the way she had planned, and now she was stuck with me. However, I knew that if I made it out of the Council's clutches, hers would be almost as bad.

"Take this human to the cells. She needs to be examined further," Fionnuala ordered. Two male Guardians led Becca away but, as she passed me, I felt something shift. My skin crawled as I listened to her heartbeat. Thud... thud... nothing. Yet she still walked.

"Wait!" I shouted and moved through the flames, but it was too late. She was already turning. Her eyes grew wide as she clutched her chest, everyone near her backing away at the guttural sounds emitting from her throat.

Every single person in the vicinity froze and stared at Becca. She gagged, then opened her mouth wide as her fangs emerged. I watched in morbid fascination as she threw her head back and shrieked like a banshee, saliva dripping from her mouth. She didn't look like Becca any longer. Nor did she look like a vampire.

The shrieking stopped, and she snapped her head around to take in the room—faster than a vampire. She hacked out a hoarse sound that sent shivers down my spine. The silence in the room was overpowering. Everyone watched in morbid fascination, waiting to see what would happen next.

She crouched low, her lips curved back to reveal a full set of fangs. A Guardian broke out of the spell and took a step toward her, but she leapt onto his shoulders and ripped off his head with one twist of her hands. He probably hadn't even seen her jump; his head was flung across the room into a crowd of people.

Someone screamed, and everyone moved away from Becca in a single mass. I ran straight for her, reaching out my arm, but she looked me right in the eye, gave a little howl, and ran outside, knocking over half a dozen people in her path to block me from following. Some Guardians pulled me back to the circle of flames I had just passed through without a burn.

"We have to go after her!" I shouted, but most of the room was too stunned to move.

"Find her," Koda demanded at long last, but she was gone; I knew that. They hadn't acted quickly enough. And she wasn't like the other vampires. Who knew what kind of destruction she might cause? I gazed at Peter, who looked as horrified as I felt.

"They'll take care of it," Erossi said of the group who had run out of the room after Becca. He ignored the Guardian who had been beheaded, even as a number of workers cleaned up the mess. The body was carried away without ceremony.

"Now to the last charge," Koda said, his voice trembling. "The issue of a daywalker in our midst."

The others took longer to gather themselves. Finally, Fionnuala nodded. "I would like to inspect her." She gestured toward me. The magical flames disappeared, not that they could harm me after all, and the Guardians escorted me to Fionnuala. I knelt before her, and she placed one cool hand on my head. I closed my eyes, feeling dizzy, until she finished whatever she was doing.

"That's enough," she said, her voice suddenly hoarse. "She's blocking me."

"I'm not," I whispered.

"I would like to inspect her, too," Gabe said, and curled his finger to call me over. I stepped toward him apprehensively.

He placed his hands on my shoulders and made me kneel before him. I gazed up at him, but he didn't meet my eyes. Instead, he lifted the chain around my neck and fingered the cross. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the other members of the Council. A hushed silence fell over the proceedings.

Gabe lifted my chin with one fingertip and peered into my eyes. I felt naked before him, like he could see every bit of me, under my skin, into my heart. Eddie wanted me to be vulnerable before them, and now he had his wish. I couldn't look away from Gabe; I felt trapped in his gaze.

My skin warmed, and Gabe's eyes turned white. I exhaled heavily when the light poured out of him. It slid into me, wrapping me in ribbons of heat, and I felt him probing my mind. I panicked and fought back, resistant to the last, pushing him away until the probing stopped. Gabe made a choking noise and stepped back, letting go of my chin. He blinked, and his eyes were back to normal, but loud gasps behind me made me take my eyes from him.

They all stared, everyone in the room. I looked down at myself; my skin had lit up from within. A question rose to my lips, but Gabe dismissed me back to the ring of flames before I could give it voice.

"I'd like to hear from everyone, I think." Fionnuala's voice wobbled.

"We claim her as our own, a daywalker," the vampire consultant said. Fionnuala nodded her acceptance of his claim, but a frown remained on her brows.

"I disagree," Gabe said, standing up. I glanced at Eddie, but he didn't seem surprised at all. "She is no daywalker."

Erossi arched a brow. "How can you be so sure?"

Gabe let out a sigh and kept his eyes on me. "Because my brother attended her birth."

I searched his face for an answer to that statement, but he looked away and addressed the rest of the Council. " _We_ claim her as our own."

Fionnuala stood and raised her hand. "All spectators must leave. Now."

Internally, I was freaking out. How could they carry on so calmly when Becca had turned into a monster in front of their eyes? How could I stand there so calmly when Gabe had said something so huge?

After a few minutes, where everyone except for my friends, the Council, the Consultants, and the Guardians were ushered out of the room, Fionnuala sat down again. "Speak on, Gabe. What is this about?"

He stared at me before sighing and rolling his eyes. "I know what she is."

"We're waiting," Fionnuala snapped, but she twisted her robe in her hands. I held my breath, sensing the gravity of his words.

"She is an impure nephal. Not yet matured, but a nephal all the same. Or rather, would have been if Seth had left things alone." He shook his head, his mouth twisting into a grim smile.

_What. The. Hell?_

"Here?" Fionnuala sounded horrified. "That can't be! What are the odds?"

"It's of no matter," Erossi said. "We need to make a decision. If ever anything upset the balance, it is this creature."

"She _is_ the balance." Gabe's words were low, but there was a finality to them that I didn't understand. In fact, I didn't understand anything they were saying.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Fionnuala glared at me.

"Tell you what? I've no clue what the hell is going on!" I snapped back, impatient at being the last to know something they all seemed familiar with.

"She is ignorant," Gabe said, but this time his look was pitying.

"What's going on?" I whispered to Eddie.

"I warned you to prepare yourself for surprises," he murmured under his breath.

"We have other issues to deal with," Gabe said. "It's time to end this madness."

"Madness?" Erossi snorted. "This is worse than we first thought."

"No," Koda said softly. "This is much, much better. Think, Erossi. Think of what this could mean."

"I _have_ thought." Erossi's haughty tone turned urgent. "I see what you don't."

Koda waved his hand dismissively. "A vote?"

Fionnuala nodded. "Consultants, what say you?"

"She is harmless," Eddie said. Aiden stood and claimed me as friend, not foe. The other consultants said they had no problems with me living. The witch wished me imprisoned instead. It moved onto the Council members themselves.

"I don't wish her to live," Erossi voted.

"I am keen to see what she brings to our world," Koda proclaimed.

"We wish her alive," Gabe said, and he gave me a sweet, unexpected smile.

Fionnuala was the decider. "After much thought, I believe she is more useful than dangerous. We will need more numbers soon."

Once they made their decision, it was over too quickly. I was left dizzy and flustered, not knowing what was happening. Most of the court cleared out quickly, ready to settle the Becca situation.

Eddie took my hand and led me over to Gabe. "Speak to her," he demanded before calling my grandmother to join us.

"What were you talking about?" I demanded, fidgeting like mad.

"I don't have time for the whole saga," he said. "You should be nephilim, but you're an impure breed."

"I don't know what that means!" My fingers trembled.

"It means you're not a daywalker, you're not a vampire, and you're not even human. Not really. Your father was human. Your mother was not."

"What are you on? Of course she was human," I said. I looked at my grandmother and faltered. "She wasn't?" I felt so confused. My grandmother shook her head and refused to meet my eyes.

"What... what was she then?" I was afraid of the answer. "What's going on?" My voice caught, and it seemed to bring out a softer side to Gabe.

"When Lucifer abandoned heaven, he took some of his supporters with him. Without heaven, they lost their divinity and became wretches. He decided to punish God by adding a new predator to earth, one the humans couldn't fight. Seth became the first vampire, and he made followers of his own. To balance it out, Michael rewarded seraphim with a life on Earth. They took human forms and performed the opposite job to vampires. They gave energy and light instead of taking it away." Gabe looked at my grandmother with a strange gleam in his eyes.

"When the seraphim bred with humans, they created nephilim—giants, warriors, those who would overthrow the darkness. But Lucifer sent Seth to destroy the seraphim. Their blood called to him, and he swam in it. Then he discovered that he could taint the nephilim... in the womb."

I wanted to vomit. I wanted to hear the rest of the story, but what I read between the lines terrified me.

"His mission sent him all over the world, hunting down seraphim before they reproduced. Seraphim went into hiding because Seth was the dealer of death. He still creeps in the shadows, trying to find the light. He takes the tainted nephilim after their birth and sends them to live in the darkness. There are few seraphim now that the vampires have stopped multiplying, and the numbers of nephilim have dwindled. There were wars, and many were destroyed in the battles." Gabe's face darkened. "Your mother was a seraph who chose a female form. Seth came for her, but my brother was on his heels and helped hide you and your grandmother."

With a heavy heart, I turned to look at Nancy. She knew it all and had told me nothing. Everything was a lie.

"So what's the big deal then?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm still not one or the other, not much has changed then."

Gabe pressed his lips together and shook his head. "The big deal is unpredictability. The nephilim were made for war. Heaven's soldiers who could walk the earth with their power intact. The impurity changes the extent of the power and who it can be used against. You still haven't matured; you could be a danger to either side. Or both. Or neither."

"Are there more like me?"

"I'm sure there are," he said, surprising me. "The seraphim go to ground; they hide. Who knows what's out there?"

"My mother was an angel?" I couldn't quite grasp it.

"Yes. She was a special entity. We have always regretted letting her go." He really did look sad. I remembered the cold presence. Could it be?

"Is she...? I mean, she's dead, but she's an angel. So can she communicate with me? Like a ghost, or a spirit, or something?" I asked, hope blooming.

"No, Ava. She's gone. I promise you she's well, but she can't come back here. But you have her light, I saw that plainly."

I hiccupped. For an instant, I had had her back, only for her to be taken away again. So the presence following me wasn't my mother. Maybe I was glad; that spirit had witnessed my lowest moments. The story tumbled around in my brain until I recalled one idea. The angels stopped interfering when the vampires became impotent.

"Um, in case you haven't noticed, the vampires just started reproducing again."

He nodded. "We'll have to take measures, of course. Ava, we will speak again, I promise, but right now I need to deal with whatever that monstrosity is."

He touched my chin like before and stared into my eyes. He nodded and swept away, leaving me standing there with Nancy and Eddie.

I turned on my grandmother straight away. "How could you not tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Ava. But I told you what you needed to know," she said.

"You didn't think I needed to know about my own mother? That I might not be the only one? You told me all about the bad stuff, Nancy. Why not any of the good?" My voice became shrill and hurt my ears, but I couldn't calm down.

"You'll understand, if you would just listen, let me explain."

"Ava, listen to her. Now is your chance to learn." Eddie put his hand on my shoulder, but I slapped it away. If I started on him, then the fire would truly start.

"I doubt it," I spat, and left.

I might be free, and my enemies might be punished, but those closest to me had hurt me most of all, and I had no idea how to begin dealing with the knowledge of my true heritage. Only one spark of hope remained. I had my mother's light all along.

# Epilogue

I sat in my armchair and twisted a silver bracelet around my wrist. Sometimes I considered getting tattoos like Peter, but I figured a bracelet was as much protection, without the pain. Jules enjoyed the taste of my blood enough to make protection necessary; I didn't want to get bitten again. If what Gabe had said was true, then enough of my mother was in my DNA to make me appealing to vampires. I didn't believe anything I was told anymore, so it was good I had learned that lesson the hard way.

I rubbed the scar Jules had caused until Peter turned up to get me. "Ready?"

I nodded and walked past him before he could ask me any more questions. I'd been numb for a fortnight. Lost.

Peter and Carl had turned up on my doorstep to talk to me the night before. Carl brought me the book Eddie hadn't wanted me to read. He said I might find it interesting, but I knew I couldn't look at it yet.

Both men had seemed concerned. I hadn't answered my phone for days, hadn't done much of anything for days. I didn't quite know where to begin.

They claimed they had come to warn me about Becca. Still on the loose, she'd managed to go on a bloody killing spree. The Gardaí called her a serial killer; apparently, the whole country was on high alert. The Council had requested my appearance again, so Peter said, and he offered to drive me there.

"Have you spoken to Nancy?" he asked when we got in his car.

"Nope."

He hesitated. "You should."

"No." My voice stayed firm, no trace of the quivering in my heart. I had let her get away with a lot of things, but this was one too far.

"This will be fine," he said when the silence between us became too much for him to bear. Peter only knew how to handle aggressive Ava. "You're not in trouble, or they would have sent the Guardians to collect you."

I shrugged. I didn't know what my purpose was, and I felt so lost I didn't know what to figure out first. I'd spent my life making allowances for my misdeeds because of the badness born into me, but the good had been there all along. Now I had answers to my questions, yet I wasn't ready to hear them. I wasn't anxious or thirsty, so counting didn't help soothe the aching in my chest. Maybe time would.

"Are you okay?" He laid his hand on mine. I pulled it out from under his and wrapped my arms around myself, ignoring his question. I didn't know what kind of answer I could possibly give. Maybe feeling numb was okay.

Peter knew the way to the Council's meeting place, I noted. It was far from the cells or where court was held. He led me underground to a place that smelled refreshingly earthy, despite being encased in white plaster walls. Yet again I wondered just how much of the country was being used for otherworldly purposes.

We passed scatterings of Guardians, all expressionless, yet the scent of their fear assaulted my nostrils. A number of them flanked us until we reached the room where Koda and Gabe waited. They sat together at a table with a number of obviously non-human beings behind them. Not Guardians, yet they guarded the pair.

"Take a seat," Koda said. "Both of you."

I sat as far away from the others as possible. I felt as though the proximity would taint me further, as if I could become any more of a mongrel.

Koda and Peter exchanged glances, and I realised Peter already knew why we were here. I braced myself for something I probably wouldn't want to hear.

"It's good to see you again, Ava," Koda said, his voice gentle and his appearance dizzyingly translucent. "It's just a pity it isn't under better circumstances." When I didn't answer, he cleared his throat. "Let's jump straight in, shall we? We've searched for Becca but haven't been able to bring her in yet. A number of Guardian Circles, the vampires, and the shifters have been seeking her out. There have been casualties."

He bowed his head, and Gabe took over. "The problem is, we don't know what she is or what she can do. We've already witnessed her bring death during a trial that's been blessed by Fionnuala. That's unheard of." Gabe shook his head, looking weary and tense. "She's gone beyond vampire; this is something we've never seen before. The formula the vampires have been using creates a mutation, an unstable one. We ran tests on the formula and are working in conjunction with Spain's leaders to shut down the dealers. The vampires are dealing with it amongst themselves, but we don't know how many disasters like Becca are running around." He shook his head in disgust. I stared at him, wondering how many disasters like _me_ might be running around.

"Maybe you all should have acted quicker then," I said, keeping my chin high. "You were warned. You've only yourselves to blame."

"We have laws and rules we must follow, child. You know nothing of our world." Koda sounded insulted, but I didn't care.

"And you know nothing of doing the right thing. Why the hell am I here?" I scratched my arms, feeling suffocated by my own skin.

"She's strong and fast, and her blood thirst appears to be insatiable," Koda carried on, ignoring my worsening mood.

"But what's that got to do with me?" I asked, resisting the urge to scream to the heavens.

"Ava, we realise you've had a difficult experience with us, but we'd like to hire you," Koda said, and for a second he appeared to be completely solid.

"As a Guardian?" I brightened; that was a purpose.

"I'm sorry, Ava," he said, his voice softer than before. "Your kind doesn't have a place with our Guardians. We'd like to hire you, but off the books."

"Like Peter?" I asked, my chest tightening.

"Similar to Peter," Gabe confirmed.

"I'm not a killer," I said. Well, only when I had to be.

"We want you to bring Becca in. The Spanish leaders would like us to run tests on Becca, to figure out this formula and its potential. However, she's dangerous; it's understandable that an incident leading to her death might occur." Koda laid his hands on the table. I didn't like the look in his eye.

I frowned. "So what you're saying is, you want me to find a human who's been experimented on and turned into the equivalent of a vampire on steroids so you can cage her and test her further?"

"We need to figure out how many there could be out there, how many vampires are using this same formula. Maybe we can reverse the effects. We won't know until we take a look at her DNA." Gabe sounded sincere, but something in his tone, the way he held his body, sent me on alert.

"Where you gonna keep her? One of your cells? She's a victim. Why are the victims always the losers around here?" I hated Becca, but I couldn't get the thought out of my head. Vampires and demons ruined people's lives all the time, yet they never suffered for it. They were never truly punished.

Gabe's lips twitched. "If you want to change things, then you'll have to get involved _around here_. So, do you think you can handle that?"

I glared at him, sick of people trying to play me. "If all of your trained dogs can't take her down, what makes you think I can?"

Koda looked surprised. "You're part nephilim," he said. "You are a warrior."

I laughed. "Really? Because I wasn't a warrior before he used that word on me. What's changed?"

Peter inched closer to me. "Just listen to them, Ava. Look at how many vampires you've killed without any training. Imagine what you could do if you tried." He sounded excited, as if he didn't remember how much I had struggled to gain the upper hand in a fight.

"I fluked out on most of them! I drank blood. I can't go there again." My chin shook; he knew better.

"We'll send you blood donations," Koda said. "We can offer you humans, bagged blood, anything you like."

"No!" I shouted, and jumped to my feet. It was back to the same thing. To outdo a bad thing, I had to be bad.

"Please, Ava," Gabe pleaded. He held my gaze and, for the first time, sounded trustworthy. "She's murdered dozens of people, more every day."

"Why can't you do it?" If they wanted me for being part angel, then surely a full angel would do the trick.

Gabe bowed his head. "I'm not a god. On Earth, I'm not fully functioning. I wasn't created here; you were. We can't find her, and we can't trust the vampires to bring her in. For all we know, she's holed up in one of their buildings. We'll send you the blood, but you don't have to take it. It'll be your choice. It isn't just Becca, although that's particularly urgent. In future, we'd like you to work in an undercover capacity, finding people, picking up traitors, using your special talents to pinpoint problems, that sort of thing. The money's good, and we'd like a chance to see what you can do."

Gabe looked very pleased with himself. When I arched my eyebrow, he changed his tack and laid my dagger on the table before him with no discomfort. "You can hold a weapon created for a nephal warrior in the first Holy War. That's proof enough for me that you're one of Heaven's soldiers. When the time comes for you to make a choice, we need you to be on the right side."

I thought about it. I didn't want to work for the Council. I had enough trouble working for Daimhín. Then I glanced at Peter and remembered his son. If I was out there, working, I could pick up information for him. Peter needed closure, and I had my own theories about his son, especially after hearing Eloise's story. I'd been just getting by for long enough; I needed a purpose to keep going. I needed to _feel_ something again. I wanted to prove to myself I could be less like the vampires and more like my mother, given the chance.

For now, I would be willing to take on the job. Becca was running around murdering people, most of them innocent bystanders. She acted like she still feared me, so maybe the job was right for me. I wasn't afraid anymore.

For a long time, I had felt like I couldn't trust my own body. Now I knew a thing or two, and I had plenty of opportunity to learn more. Ignoring my heritage, ignoring the supernatural world, none of that had worked, and dipping my feet in had only led to trouble. No, I had to get involved, learn everything I could about them and myself, and make a better life. For me.

If I worked from the inside, there was a chance I could find out more. So many things were bothering me—Eddie, the souls, the cold presence following me, the shadow that stuck to Peter and the were-fox, the mystery of Leah and the victims, so many victims of this world. This was my chance for answers, my chance for change. My chance to find myself.

"I'll take the job," I said. "For now."

Gabe handed me the dagger and, as my fingers clasped the handle, I felt whole again.

# Tempt

### Ava Delaney #3

By Claire Farrell

Edited by Red Adept Publishing Editing Services

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There's a monster running around Dublin, and it's up to Ava to catch it. The pressure's on, and she's becoming as cynical as Peter. But when a demon marks her friend, and a possible threat from England spells war, Ava's left with a huge choice to make. The lives of one or many.

With a little help, Ava has the chance to win all of her battles... if the darkness doesn't take her over first.
**Copyright © Claire Farrell**

* * *

Book cover image provided by Konradbak @ Dreamstime.com

* * *

**Licence Notes**

* * *

All Rights Reserved.

 Created with Vellum 

# 1

Blood dripped down her chin so slowly it felt as though time itself had come to a standstill. She stared at me, face contorting, managing to appear even uglier than the last time I had seen her. Her lips drew back, revealing her stained teeth. Fangs really. Oversized, misshapen mutations of teeth.

Hearing the growl deep in her throat, I took the warning and matched her crouch. I tried to concentrate, knowing she had already drunk her fill and would be even stronger than the times she had slaughtered entire Guardian Circles with ease.

Becca let the drained body in her grip slump to the ground. She slunk toward me, deceptively slow and awkward. I'd chased her before, knew how fast and agile she could be.

She lowered her head and gave me what might have been a grin. Time to play.

"You're coming with me, Becca," I said, readying myself. "The Council can help you." Not that I believed it.

She made a sound that could have been either a laugh or a derisive snort. Turned into a monster by the vampires, Becca was further away from human than they were. A mutation that had become a nuisance to every species of being in the country, Becca was wanted under lock and key. I wondered if she had any idea that death would be the better option. For the hundredth time in the last few weeks, I reminded myself why capturing her was the better choice, although it still didn't make much sense to me.

A jerky movement from Becca caught my full attention. Knowing she had blocked herself in by feeding in the small closed-in space behind a large building, I took a confident step toward her. She had moved too far into the city, made it too easy for me to zone in on her.

I kept a tight hold on the dagger hidden in my sleeve, ready for her to pounce. Waited for her to make a move.

She dashed to her right and managed to scale an eight-foot wall using her bare hands and feet as I watched open-mouthed. She somersaulted over the barbed wire topping the wall and disappeared into the lot behind the neighbouring warehouse.

"Shit!" I had no hope of climbing the flat wall and actually managing to keep the skin attached to my hands, so I headed for a drainpipe further along the building instead. If I got up high enough, and close enough, I might have a chance at getting over the wall. If I didn't fall and break my legs...

I rubbed some heat into my numb fingers, then jumped, gripping with my knees as I tried to haul myself up the pipe.

"You had her, Ava. Why didn't you go for it?"

I refused to look down and kept inching my way up the pipe. A vampire could have jumped it; an angel might have flown. I hadn't inherited any of the good stuff.

"Not now, Peter," I hissed through my teeth.

I sensed him gesturing in annoyance behind me, but I was too busy hanging on for dear life to care.

"I'm going around the other way. I'll try to cut her off with the car. Be careful."

His footsteps grew faint as I came level to the upper windows with a grunt. Glancing below as my body swayed of its own accord, I seriously considered climbing back down. There would be nothing to grab onto once I let go of the drainpipe. Lots of the older buildings in the city still had bars attached to the windows, but the business estate was too modern for fire safety hazards.

Taking a deep breath, I swung my leg out and edged myself onto a windowsill, unwilling to look down again. Heights had never been my strong point, but hunting Becca meant I had to take chances.

Counting like crazy in my head, I inched my way across the ledge and swung my leg again, almost missing the next window. I pressed my forehead against the section of brick between two windows and clung to the wall, my feet barely stable on each ledge. Sweat rolled down my back as I fought to keep my balance, my hands feeling impossibly slippery all of a sudden.

I steadied myself at last and moved along to the last window without any trouble, but the racing of my heart never slowed. The gap to the security wall that Becca had jumped over was further than the spaces between the windows, plus it was a little lower than the ledges, and I knew a mere step across wouldn't cut it. Even if it did, I still had to contend with the spiked barb wire on top of the wall.

Unable to believe what I was about to do, I bent my knees and swallowed hard. Multiplying rapidly aloud as if praying, I jumped hard and fast, pushing my body, willing myself to make it without tumbling to the ground.

Both of my feet landed on the tiny barb-free surface of the wall, but all of my weight moved onto my toes, and I swayed dramatically. One foot slipped off the edge, and I scrambled, grabbing the barbed wire to balance myself. The pain didn't kick in until I was sure I wouldn't fall. Then, the intense stinging came, almost as bad as a vampire bite. I had no time to nurse the ribboned skin because Becca was likely long gone.

Unless she happened to get distracted by a human or two.

I stepped over the barbed wire carefully but still managed to get my trousers caught. Pulling a patch clean away, I jumped from the wall, landed badly, and tumbled to avoid the worst of it. For a few seconds, I sat on the ground, trousers ripped, hands bleeding, and wondered what the _hell_ I was doing.

Shaking my head, I took my time linking to my other sense and viewed the world another way, on a different level. Becca should have been long gone, but I saw her mangled essence nearby, gaining ground on some pulsing lifelines. She wasn't the nothingness that made a vampire stand out on that plane of sight, but she wasn't anything close to a human, either.

I got to my feet and broke into a jog, a little unsteady, but sure of where I was heading. I pushed myself through the empty lot, passed the lifeless body of a security guard, and finally found Becca crouched atop the empty security hut. She stared upward at an open window in an adjoining apartment building.

Hunting. Her only weakness. She couldn't pass a source of human blood without stopping.

I ran noisily, so she must have heard me, but she didn't react. I made it to the hut just as she leapt upward, and threw myself at her. Catching hold of her ankle, I sent us both crashing to the ground. Quickly recovering, Becca lashed out with a fist, connecting with my jaw. I had flashbacks of the first time I met Peter and blinked on cue to see her come at me with an open mouth.

I rolled over, balancing my palms on the ground to kick out at her chest, sending her flying. We both got to our feet at the same time and danced around each other. I waited for her to make a move, but she didn't. She just kept her eyes on me, wary even in the intensity of her glare.

I had never seen a vampire with eyes so red. Pure scarlet orbs signalled the deaths of many innocent people, as well as a few not so innocent beings. In mere weeks, she had racked up a number most vampires would envy. If any of the vampires stopped toeing the line and followed Becca's lead instead, anarchy would ensue. Reason Number 537 why I was on her trail.

Remembering my purpose, I rushed toward her, trying to work up some outrage at the damage her misplaced loyalty and vanity had caused, but she was more than ready and wrestled me into the centre of the road, her fangs snapping. Her jaws were strong and backed with an unusual density, and I couldn't afford to let her clamp down on me.

Still, I could tell she held back. Perhaps an old memory from life made her cautious, but she didn't come at me with the ferocious fervour the Guardian Circles had reported. They were the supernatural equivalent of a police force, yet they hadn't figured out a way to deal with Becca. For all the mistakes I had made, I knew I should be dead already. I also knew she could tear me apart without warning. I had no idea what it was she feared about me, and even less of a notion as to why I hadn't managed to take advantage of her hesitation yet.

Gripping the dagger, I pulled away from her, darting in and out, puzzling her. When she stopped batting out at me, I slashed across her face with the dagger. The wounds weren't deep enough to be fatal because the Council wanted her alive, but deep enough to hurt. Deep enough to enrage her, I realised too late.

She put her head down and barrelled her way at me, connecting with my stomach so brutally, she forced a wheezy _oof_ sound from me. She lifted me over her shoulder, ignored my frantic blows on her head and back, and kept running until she slammed me into a wall. Harsh pain drove through my back and chest. Winded, I made sure her mouth stayed well away and flashed my own fangs for good measure, startling her enough to create some space between us.

We both eased off but, not for the first time, the thought occurred to me that the Council didn't need her alive. That I might not have a choice. If it came down to my life or hers, I'd pick mine every time. I shifted the dagger free, letting the glowing blue blade gleam in the moonlight. It was a beautifully dainty weapon, but every vampire seemed to instinctively know to avoid it. When Becca saw it, she didn't seem bothered. In fact, she looked more worried about my fangs.

Taking a chance, I flexed my wrist and threw the dagger. It spun in the air and struck her in the shoulder. She howled with pain but, as I suspected, it didn't kill her instantly. Real vampires were consumed by the blade, their dark poison burned away by the dagger's light. The blade wasn't a serious threat to Becca. It hurt her, but she didn't die. Something we had in common.

But a cross might do her some damage. One had burned her before the change. I asked Peter about it one night, but he hadn't been able to explain why a symbol of faith had evoked such a severe reaction.

Deciding to test the theory, I edged closer to her, unwilling to let her keep the dagger she was about to pull out of her shoulder. I grabbed the weapon first, whipping it out in one swift movement, and backed away as thick, black blood oozed from the wound, bubbling nastily. Becca screeched and rushed me, but I held up the cross that hung around my neck and pushed it against her fingers before she could grab me. She cried out again, and I heard the sizzle as the metal burned into her skin.

She limply held out her hand but carried on with the attack. Her fangs were still fine enough to bite me, but for a split second, I lost my concentration and wondered if my grandmother saw me as something like Becca.

The kick came before I realised she had moved. I was on my back within half a second, and she leapt on me, teeth flashing.

The cross came to my aid again, but Becca handled the pain, suddenly intent on the pulsing in my neck. I hit her forehead with the blunt handle of the dagger, then rolled, elbowing her in my attempt to get away. She grabbed my leg and sank her teeth in, puncturing my skin through my jeans.

Instantly, my scrambling stopped. I felt my life ebbing away, as if I were watching my own death from somewhere above. Excruciating pain seared through me; I couldn't move to defend myself. My entire body began to shut down with paralysis, but I still felt the pure torture of Becca's teeth connecting with my skin. I wanted to curl up and wait for the pain to go away, but I couldn't move, and the agony didn't fade at all.

Far off, I heard the squealing of tyres and vaguely remembered we were in the middle of a road. Great, the car might finish me off quicker.

A dark green car ran right over Becca, barely missing my ankle. She let go of me with a shriek as the wheels pulled her along with the vehicle. I could only close my eyes and savour the relief of the pain drifting away. With Becca's fangs came agony, once she let go, the throbbing dissipated quickly.

"Are you okay?" I scented Peter's aftershave and almost wished a car really had run over me.

"Where?" I rolled and tried to stand, but I was too shaky. Feeling slowly came back to the rest of my body. I preferred the numbness.

"She's gone. Ran off. What the hell, Ava?"

I raised a palm. "Not now. Help me up. Her poison screwed with my whole body."

Peter took my hand, reached for the other, and pulled me to my feet, ignoring my moans of pain. His fingers trembled as I met his eyes. His face was rigid with livid fury, and I knew he was scared. Peter always acted angry the second he felt afraid. One thing we had in common.

"Get in the car," was all he said.

I limped over to the car, not bothering to argue about giving up before sunrise. I was in bad shape, not the worst I'd ever been, but definitely not in a condition suitable to capture Becca. Or to win an argument with Peter Brannigan.

I stared at the empty streets as he drove me home, hating the way Becca had made my hometown a no-go area. Concealing a groan, I tried to look bored as Peter pulled into a checkpoint.

A young Garda approached the car, shining his torch in at both of us. "There's a curfew," he reminded us.

"I was just driving her home," Peter said. "I took a bad shortcut. You know how it is."

"Actually, I don't," the Garda said, his lips tightening. He leaned over, resting his arm on the roof of the car as he peered inside. "Licence?"

I snapped my head around and stared at him. After the night I had just had, I wasn't in the mood to go easy on anyone. Narrowing my eyes, I sent a persuasive thought his way. I felt as though I were floating, and the Garda blinked a couple of times before muttering under his breath and heading back to the checkpoint to wave us on.

I sensed Peter shaking and knew it was only a matter of time before he exploded. As soon as we pulled away from the checkpoint, he smacked his hand on the steering wheel in annoyance.

"What the hell was that?"

"I'm tired. I want to go to bed."

"There was no need to do that to him, no need at all."

"He was shining his stupid torch in my face. The idiot's going to get himself killed if he keeps that up. I was doing him a favour."

"He's just doing his job, Ava."

"Don't even get me started."

He heaved a weary sigh. "Since when do you do that to people? And it's not just that. I'm talking about the whole screw-up with Becca tonight, too."

I shrugged. "She's pretty strong."

"No. Not that, Ava. I'm talking about your head. The stupid mistakes you're making. This isn't you. Are you trying to get yourself killed?" His voice was low and scary, but I was past caring.

"Of course not. You try and fight her, see how far you get."

"Don't be a smartarse, Delaney. You know what I'm talking about. You've been like this for weeks now. Ever since the trial, and we're all sick of it."

I threw my hands in the air. "Oh, well, as long as you all are happy bitching about me, you—"

"Stop that. You're worrying the people who care about you, and you know it. You've closed yourself up since the trial. You won't talk. You won't deal with whatever's bothering you. All you do is track Becca. Then, when you come across her, your mind isn't even there."

I scowled, mostly because he was right. I could see the worry in his eyes, and that just made everything worse.

"Look, I know you're going through something right now, but you need to focus. You can't let her get that close to you again. Not when your mind is elsewhere. There's something more important going on here, Ava. You have to deal with this first."

I stared out the window. I didn't have an answer.

He tried a different tact. "If you don't catch her soon, the Council could turn nasty. You have to be useful."

"What, like you?" I stared at him, watching his jaw twitch as he tried to control his temper.

"Exactly like me." His voice softened. "And I'm sorry about that."

A shiver ran through me. I preferred his anger. "I'll get her next time."

"Will you? Or will she get you? Will you even fight back next time?"

"I said I'd get her." Every frustrating word of his made absolute sense, but it wouldn't sink in properly. I was becoming a spectator of my own life, I felt so detached from everything. Attaching myself led to pain, to fear, to confusion. My own messed-up emotions combined with the unwieldy consequences of uncontrolled empathy left me absolutely terrified to feel.

"Talk to me, Ava," he said, a note of urgency in his voice.

"Nothing to talk about." I folded my arms and concentrated on trying to make out the graffiti sprawled on the blocks of flats we passed. Too many boarded-up windows. Left to rot. Like so many things.

"Don't do that. Don't shut everyone out. Let us help you get through this." He touched my arm, but I brushed him off and sank against the door. _This_ covered a multitude of things, finding out my life had been a lie, that my grandmother had allowed me to think I was protecting a secret— _one_ _that wasn't even real_ —with my life, that my mother had been something very special, someone I could never live up to. Nobody could help me through _this_.

"Fine," he snapped. "But you're not wriggling your way out of training this time."

I whirled around to gape at him. "I _can't_ train. There's no one able to train me, you know that."

The Council had made it their mission to train me in accepted methods of fighting. That required a partner to spar against. Finding anyone willing to fight me, even sparring, had been surprisingly hard. Scaring anyone who tried to take on the job into giving up had been surprisingly amusing. Eddie had warned me to be docile, but in some ways, the idea I might be unpredictable kept me as safe as Peter. I was slowly earning myself a reputation, whether I liked it or not. People thought I could do something. What that was exactly, I didn't have a clue.

"Stop making excuses. You're training with me until we can figure out other arrangements. End of discussion." He wouldn't look at me, and I saw him taking on that stubborn streak of his, the one that made my life awkward whenever it showed itself. Spending so much time with him lately had been enlightening.

"I can't train with you. You're human. I'll bite." I flashed my fangs, but he ignored me. Getting a rise out of him was harder than it used to be. He was a lot less freaked out by my lack of humanity since we found out my mother had been an angel, of sorts.

"Did you at least learn anything new?"

I tried to think. Even my mistakes sometimes helped. "Her bite did something to me. Sort of paralysed me while she was biting. The pain was worse than a vampire bite but didn't last as long." I rubbed the still-tender scar on my hand.

"At least that's something." He didn't sound impressed.

"And you were right. The cross still hurts her. Won't kill her but could come in handy."

"I'll pass it on." I glanced at him. Exactly how tied in with the Council was he? He had been our go-between most of the time, and I couldn't tell if the Council wanted to keep their distance, or if Peter kept me away from them himself. I wasn't sure if he was my babysitter or their spy. Either way, I wasn't exactly comfortable with the setup. Still, working with him had proved far better than working with the Guardians the Council had tried to lumber me with in the first few nights.

"Something else," I said, remembering. "Don't spread this around, but the dagger doesn't work on her."

He almost swerved, and I steadied the steering wheel, rolling my eyes at his overly-dramatic reaction.

"What do you mean, it doesn't work on her?" He had been counting on the dagger keeping me out of trouble. I could see it in his eyes. He thought I was screwed without it. Maybe I was.

"It hurts her, but not like the vampires. It doesn't burn her; she's not afraid of it. Keep it to yourself."

"You know I will, Ava. But we need to figure this out."

I didn't bother answering, and he tutted his disapproval. I closed my eyes and let the movement of the car buoy me into a relaxed state until we got to my place.

Peter pulled in right outside my building. I stepped out of the car, but he followed and made me face him. I couldn't look him in the eye anymore. We'd had too many intense moments together for me to be totally comfortable with him. His ordinary hazel eyes seemed capable of reading my soul. I wasn't sure he'd see anything good.

He laid a hand on my shoulder. "You can't push us all away. Not when you're like this. Even Carl can sneak up on you. We're worried about you. You're making too many mistakes, and if you don't want to talk to us, we can't make you. But training might help you focus. Help you forget about everything."

I stared at the scar on his chin, wondering for the millionth time what had caused it. Peter's solid presence comforted me, but I couldn't forget how Esther had warned me about him. I could never truly trust him because, in some ways, I was his enemy. Peter made sure I knew he would sacrifice me if it meant getting to the demon who had taken his son and murdered his family. I understood his bitterness, especially now that I had more than my fair share of things to be bitter about.

I had so much I wanted to say, but my weaknesses were my own to shield. I couldn't find the words, so I simply nodded and turned my back on him. He didn't follow, and I was glad.

Although it was dark, no vampires lurked outside my home. The Council had put an end to that drama. I wasn't exactly grateful because, like the vampires, they could turn on me at any time. As soon as I stopped being useful. And I hadn't been particularly useful so far. Becca had been murdering people for close to a month. The papers screamed, "Serial killer," the Gardaí remained baffled, and the members of the Guardian Circles who came across Becca ended up dead, mostly.

I was the one Becca feared, the one who had the least trouble finding her trail. I was the only one who had fought her more than once.

I had no idea why I kept surviving, why I kept finding her, why I was able to do what trained Guardians couldn't. Even the vampires hadn't been able to track her down. I shouldn't have been surprised when the Council called me in to help.

Hunting Becca gave me a purpose, but all of the things I had learned about myself still tormented me. The presence that followed me around had disappeared weeks prior, and I spent too much time alone in my own head. I'd let my business fall apart, but I didn't urgently need the money because the Council's payment had been more than enough to cover my rent for a few months. A whispering voice kept calling me a sell-out.

Opening the door to my flat, I caught a noxious whiff of my slutty next-door neighbour's perfume and hurried inside before I inhaled too much of it. I cleaned my wounds quickly, wincing at the sting of Eddie's special ointment. It worked fast, so I wouldn't need to wear a bandage for more than a couple of days. Swallowing two of his disgusting, but effective, green homemade painkillers, I felt better within minutes.

Changing into a pair of fleece pyjamas and disposing of yet another pair of ruined jeans, I cursed the ridiculous chill of Irish spring. My flat had to be in the coldest, darkest pocket of the city.

Husky noises filtered through the thin walls of the flat. I knew my neighbour was having one of _those_ nights, so I sat by the window and used my other sense to search the nearby world. Touching the supernatural domain with an ability I couldn't explain bordered on addictive. I reached out further every time. I had no idea if the things I could do came from a vampire or an angel. Or if they were my own special brand of strange.

I didn't know who I was anymore.

Miles away, I found Becca alongside a rapidly fading human. I couldn't bring myself to care.

# 2

I experienced a fit of nerves on the way to Folsom's place to pick up the money he owed Daimhín. Her day assistant, Yvonne, had sent me a particularly snippy text at the last minute about the pick-up. Though I knew Peter and Yvonne's story, and even felt sorry for them both, I didn't think I could ever quite trust the woman. Something about her rang my alarm bells. Lots of things about Peter should have done the same but never seemed to make it.

I hadn't come face to face with Daimhín since the trial and didn't know if she still held a grudge. It wasn't my fault that she was exposed and betrayed in a matter of hours. If anything, I should have held a grudge against her, the way she had connived with her vampire progeny, Gideon, to set me up. The fact that he had betrayed her, too, just seemed like sweet, sweet justice.

I didn't think Daimhín would hurt me, not while the Council's light shone on me, but once the Becca situation was sorted, I was pretty sure I became fair game again. I didn't know why Daimhín didn't publicly get rid of me. Maybe it was the dodgy Nephilim thing. Maybe she knew all along what I was, and there was some rule about her disposing of me. Maybe she had other plans for me. Whatever it was, she obviously thought it better to have me working for her than against her.

Folsom's place was shrouded in darkness, except for a tiny flickering light in the cottage next to the garage. Rapping hard on the front door, I waited for some grumpy goblin attitude.

Folsom inched the door open after a few minutes, seemingly surprised to see me.

"You," he said, his breath coming out in a gasp. "Thought you were dead by now."

"Still breathing." I laid my hands on my hips. "Money?"

"Aye, aye, that bitch would send you along again. After last time, I thought for sure I was done with her." He sighed loudly as he struggled to open a locked desk drawer in the dark hallway. His gnarled fingers shook as he finally managed to turn the key. He pulled out a bag and handed it to me, staring right in my face. "Don't worry, 'tis all there."

His prolonged stare freaked me out. "What?"

"Ah, 'tis just you're not what we expected, after all. I take it you're the one taking care of the new beast then?"

His accent was suddenly stronger, more defined. I wondered at that.

"The new beast?" Was there an old beast? "Suppose I am. Have to find her first, though." I played dumb, not revealing that I'd missed my chance at taking care of Becca more than once.

"Not 'round here," he said, his tone abrupt.

I narrowed my eyes. "What's that about? What are _you_ hiding?"

"Nowt, don't start getting on at me now. Go on, I know you've to get back to that bitch. Run along before she thinks I didn't pay up."

I couldn't shake the feeling in my gut that I needed to do something, look around or figure out something, but he was right, I had to deliver the payment. I turned around at the gate and looked back at Folsom, who still stood in his doorway, watching me.

"I'll be back, Folsom. Remember that."

He nodded and closed the door. Hesitating, I gave a quick glance with my other sense and saw... nothing. Folsom's place was a big black ball of nothing. No energy, no life, nothing. Very few people knew about my other sense, so someone having a way of hiding themselves from it interested me.

A bit of dread ate at me because the darkness had a familiar feel to it, one I couldn't place, but I left more intrigued than worried. I was pretty sure Folsom held secrets in his garage—I highly doubted he could actually hold a wrench with those crooked, rheumatoid fingers—but I doubted any of them pertained to Becca. Folsom was probably on edge because he reckoned I worked for the Council.

I hurried to Daimhín's place, eager to get the job over and done. Rose, the loyal human pet, let me in, but she stared at me with pure hatred in her eyes. I didn't get why the vampires attracted so many insanely devoted humans. Rose wasn't enthralled. She served Daimhín by choice. I would never understand it.

She led the way into Daimhín's living room, and I found myself surrounded by vampires. They stared at me, some in awe, others with more anger than anything else. The hairs on my arms stood at the sensation their emotions invoked. The vampires began whispering, and I whipped my head around to make sure none had slipped up behind me.

To my left, Zion nodded at me, his wild hair drawing my attention. If any of the coven were ever sent to attack me, I guessed he would be Daimhín's assassin of choice.

Daimhín stood by the mantelpiece, so still she resembled a statue.

"Ms. Delaney." She cocked her head and gave a little hiss that silenced the entire room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jules creep toward me.

"Jules!" Daimhín's voice was harsh enough to send the warped vampire hurtling backward, where he hid behind the legs of a little girl. Or what had once been a little girl. Eloise stroked Jules's hair and eyed me carefully. I wondered what her pink-tinged eyes saw in me.

I'd learned she was the Seer, the one who first saw me coming. I looked back on her words in a different light since then. I would have treasured a long conversation with her, but she was rarely alone. Someone had once paid a lot of money for a child psychic they could turn into a vampire, so letting her tell the future for free probably wasn't one of Daimhín's favourite things to do.

"I apologise. The children can never behave," Daimhín said, referring to the fact that Jules was merely a century old and one of the last vampires to be turned. He wasn't quite the same quality as the rest of the coven.

I took a deep breath and strode straight over to Daimhín, surprised by the gasps of alarm from some of the vampires I passed. As if I could ever be a match against her. I handed her the bag of money, but she didn't bother counting it. She, in turn, handed me a crisp white envelope.

"Payment... for your services."

"Oh. Thanks." Her change of heart surprised me. I hadn't thought that even the Council's warning would force her to pay me. I turned to leave, but Daimhín stopped me.

"I would like to reassure you, Ms. Delaney. You are not in danger from any of my coven. We respect your attempts at capturing the... creature my child created. I'm only thankful that Eloise persuaded me you were meant to survive. If I had known..." She shook her head. "If you need any assistance, it's here for you. I'm sure my coven will be a better match than that _human_." She spat out the last word as if it tasted bad in her mouth.

"Well, your coven hasn't managed to catch her yet, so I think that _human_ will do fine."

If Daimhín had been human, her face would probably have turned purple with rage. As it was, her eyes narrowed, and her glare sent shivers running up my spine. Her burgundy eyes were filmy, I realised, probably due to her age. Streaks of blue tried to shine through the murky red, something I had noticed with very few vampires. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Daimhín's, then surprisingly, she pulled back, inclining her head in agreement.

"Vampires created this problem, yet we're unable to solve it. The creature is loyal to no one and pauses for nothing. It's strong, fast, and wild with thirst. The only positive note is that this creature is alone, a solitary accident."

"The only one so far," I reminded her. In Ireland, there had been two other candidates. One had been captured on the very same night Becca had mutated. The other hadn't been seen since. Besides that, batches of formula had probably been sent to other covens around the world. They still hadn't been accounted for, and I dreaded the possible consequences. Becca was enough monster for me.

"We haven't come across any others, and Europe is on watch. It will be near impossible for that formula to change hands. I've been in touch with other elder vampires around the world. We're all of the opinion that this was a foolish mistake by an over-eager power hunter. Nothing more. The situation's contained."

I didn't respond, but as I left the coven's home, I couldn't help thinking that her words meant she wasn't taking the possible threat seriously. There could be an army of creatures—beasts—just like Becca. If the vampires themselves didn't investigate the effects of the formula, then we had no chance of preparing ourselves for the repercussions. The vampires were too busy trying to exchange blame and wash their hands of Becca. The elder vampires were simply too arrogant to believe that other vampires might be willing to use creatures like Becca in an effort to usurp the controlling covens. Elder vampires like Daimhín dictated how much blood each coven was allocated; rogue vampires wanting that control back didn't surprise me.

The only reason Gideon hadn't been imprisoned or staked was because the Council needed his help with capturing Becca and providing information on the formula. The Council members weren't exactly forthcoming with new information, and that bothered me a great deal. I didn't even know if the captured candidate was dead or alive. Or the subject of experiments.

Flashes of memories came to mind—a supernatural being in the Council's underground cells, willing to die a horrible death rather than face the Council. My instincts hummed, and I felt a spark of life I hadn't in a while, not since I'd found out my true heritage. Impure nephal. Tainted offspring of an angelic being. The rare earthbound seraphim like my mother could bear warriors whom angels would command on Earth. The tainted could be used as a weapon by light or dark, which was exactly what the ancient vampires didn't want. And exactly what others wanted desperately.

Like others, my mother had been targeted and bitten during her pregnancy. After her death, my grandmother had somehow managed to raise me without drawing attention from the vampires who would have killed or kidnapped me. I had become an unpredictable being universally perceived to be a threat because I hadn't yet matured, therefore, I could still pick a side. Whatever that really meant.

All I had focused on were the lies I'd been told and the mistakes I'd unwittingly made. The task of hunting down Becca had been pushed on me before I could deal with the consequences of my trial. I still hadn't sorted through my feelings.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I almost missed Carl leaving my building. I was still at the other end of the street and assumed he'd come to visit me, so I rang his mobile and watched as he took it out of his pocket then ignored the call.

"What the hell?" I had no idea what that was about. It was definitely Carl. He had been my minion for a time, had healed me with his blood, and even tried to help during my trial. I knew the man by heart.

He had been inside my building. Of that, I was certain. As I let myself into my flat, I inhaled deeply and was sure his scent lingered in the air. If he had come to see me, why wouldn't he answer the phone?

I rang Peter. I wasn't sure why. Something bugged me. Then again, a lot of things were unsettling me of late, and I hadn't been giving anything my full attention. I had a sick feeling that life had been passing me by while I was busy feeling sorry for myself. That had to change.

"Is Carl with you?" I asked when he answered, just to see what he would say.

"No, I think he said he was going to see his parents tonight. Why?"

I hesitated and decided not to make anything of it. Peter seemed to think I had serious ownership issues with Carl, but my overblown concern was part of the remnants of our previous bond. Still, I didn't want another lecture about boundaries. "Nothing, doesn't matter. Do you know a goblin called Folsom? Owns a garage."

"I'm not sure. All of those goblins look the same to me."

I rolled my eyes. "Nice, Peter. I better go."

"Wait! Do you want a training session tomorrow?"

I thought about it. Maybe I could scare him off. "Okay, fine. Where?"

He laughed. "My place, of course. Come over whenever you're ready. Daytime because we're back out after Becca tomorrow night. It's our turn again, now they're short on Guardian Circles."

"Whatever," I said, trying not to yawn. "See you then. Oh, by the way. Daimhín paid me tonight." I laughed at his stutters and ended the call, feeling more alive than I had in a while.

# 3

The following morning, I decided to call Carl when I knew he would be at work in Eddie's bookshop. It still rankled that he worked so close to Eddie, but Peter kept telling me to let Carl make his own mistakes. I was trying, as hard as it might be to watch. For the first time, it dawned on me that Peter might feel the same way when he watched me make mistakes.

"Hey, Ava." Carl sounded chirpy on the phone, and I faltered, wondering if maybe I was mistaken and Peter had been right after all.

"I was just calling to see how you're doing. Any news?"

"Me? Nah, nothing. Working hard, living clean. All that good stuff. But listen, I've been reading up on the whole Nephilim thing. Maybe you should come over one morning and have a look."

"Yeah, maybe." My heart sank. I had been hoping he'd forget about it, but Carl sucked up knowledge like a sponge. Obviously, he was going out of his way to learn as much about my world as he could.

Once he learned I had a name, he had gone into overdrive reading about it. It made me uncomfortable, for no real reason. I had always wanted to know more about myself, and had been given the opportunity, but suddenly my heart wasn't in it anymore. Having to learn about myself in a book felt weird.

Carl and I chatted for a few more minutes until he had to serve a customer, and I had to get ready for my first training session with Peter. The Council had stopped trying to find me trainers or sparring partners. Apparently, the Nephilim-ish titles came with serious respect, and although the Council had tried to contain it, word spread fast. It didn't have much impact on Peter, but I knew all I had to do was act more than a little vampire-like for him to run scared, too.

I knew the Council wanted me trained and fighting-fit, but I preferred my way. No rules, no plan, just keeping on and avoiding death for as long as possible. Actual plans made me panic and jump at whatever my instincts decided felt right. I had lasted long enough to realise I couldn't force the way my brain worked.

All morning, my stomach turned at the thought of being in such close contact with Peter, and I found myself washing down my widest kitchen counter in fourteen swipes. Any more and I had to start over. It took five goes to perfect the ritual, but the safe numbers calmed me enough so I could leave for Peter's house.

Clutching the cross hanging from my neck, I decided I would be the one to make Peter think twice about the training session, but when he opened his front door in his training gear, my mouth watered instantaneously.

"You made it!" He sounded surprised, and I supposed I couldn't blame him. I hadn't been quite there for a while. Phoning everything in, more like. I wasn't sure what was piquing my interest all of a sudden. It was as though I had an aerial that tingled whenever something was going on, and I felt like something was going on all around me.

Eddie had warned that my natural ability to soak up emotional energy might affect my moods, and that paranoid spike might simply boil down to nervousness from Becca-related fear. Whatever it was, my instincts were chomping at the bit to find out more.

"I have a basement." Peter rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Built special. Don't worry. It's not creepy."

I raised my eyebrows but followed him underground. I had never been in a basement apart from the one where Maximus had slept. The one where Maximus had died. Basements had never been common in Ireland, and I wondered what kind of builder concentrated on creating them.

Peter's basement was a little creepy, but still miles better than the last one I'd visited. It was well-lit and had gym mats on the floor, plus some equipment.

I gazed at the mish-mash, bemused. "Why?" I asked, gesturing around the room.

Peter shrugged, his cheeks pink. "Seemed like a good idea at the time. I was angry, kept breaking things in the gym, had to deal with trainers telling me to take it easy. Figured it would be easier to take the real deal back here where I could work in peace. It's my way of relaxing, I suppose."

"And there I was thinking your way of relaxing was killing something. All right then, let's get on with it. See how long this takes."

He made a face and began warming up. I sat on a mat and watched him, enjoying his flexing muscles more than I would ever admit. He took off his t-shirt to wrap something around his waist, letting me get a better view of his tattoos and scars. I'd known about the tattoos on his wrists and biceps, but he had what looked like pentacle-type symbols on his shoulder blades and four deep scars etched across his back like something had tried to claw out his spine.

He turned to grab some tape, and I spotted a scorpion on his hip, flames on his rib cage, and some text over his heart. I tried not to stare too hard. Something about Peter had always appealed to me, and my hormones had been out of whack, so I was suddenly overwhelmed with the sense that I might be the one bowing out of the training session first.

Peter threw his shirt back on and caught me staring at him. "Aren't you going to get ready?" he asked, sounding surprised.

Looking down at myself, I could only shrug. I hadn't even bothered to take off my coat. "I _am_ ready. This is what I wear when I'm outside, so makes sense to train in it, right?"

He shook his head and muttered under his breath. "Whatever you say, Ava. All right, first of all, we'll do some basic one-on-one, see if we can pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses." He moved closer to me, gesturing wildly. My eyes kept tracing the movement of the cross on each of his wrists as if they were hypnotising me. "I've been watching you, so I think I can see where you might need help, but we'll figure it out on the mats."

I opened my mouth to make a smartarse remark about him watching me, but all I made was a heavy gasping sound as Peter rammed his shoulder into my chest, winding me.

I lay on the ground and choked for a few minutes. "What. The Hell," I hissed when I could breathe again.

Peter grinned and plonked himself down next to me. "You take your eye off the ball. That's your biggest problem. Then you look surprised when someone else takes the lead. You're too easily distracted, and your biggest physical weakness is when they grapple you, so don't let it get that far. You need to attack first. That's where your strength lies. Becca's intimidated by you, for whatever reason. Use that against her. Don't wait for her to get brave. Don't let her see you hesitate. Don't let her think ahead. When you're impulsive, you make mistakes."

"Says you. I've heard all about your _impulsive_ actions. Gotten quite a reputation for yourself."

He looked smug at the mention of his reputation. I lay on the ground longer than necessary because I didn't want to wrestle with him, not if it meant feeling the heat of his skin on mine. I shook those thoughts out of my mind and tried to concentrate. I hated when he was right, and I was definitely easily distracted by him, so I counted his heartbeats in a bid to calm myself down.

Peter talked and talked about what moves to make, how to defend myself, a million and one things that I could remember perfectly as long as nobody was hitting me. He made me take off my jacket and warm up. Peter was in shape. I might be strong, but I wasn't as fit as I would like. So when he forced me onto his cross-trainer, I felt as if I might die any second. I had the awful feeling that he was trying to pack as much as possible into one session in case I never returned. If I had to keep moving, I might not have the energy to leave at all.

"All right, come on. Onto the mats. Let's see if you remember anything I said."

Sweat rolled down my back as I eyed Peter's tattoos. The ones on display anyway.

"What do they—" My words were cut off by Peter tackling me to the ground. I tried to remember everything he'd told me, but I was too conscious of his body against mine. Too aware of his pulse against my skin. Distracted, I forgot to count, and he pinned me easily.

He jumped up and circled me with more than a hint of swagger in his step. "Come on, you're not even trying! I'm just a human. What if a vampire did that to you?"

I stood, annoyed with myself, and tried to shake it off. His heart pumped with adrenalin. I could hear it as though my head lay against his chest. I concentrated on counting his heartbeat to distract myself from the testosterone in the air. It didn't work very well.

"Let's go, Ava. I'm a vampire, ready to kill you. I won't leave you alone until everyone you know is dead. What are you going to do?"

He ran at me again, but I was ready. I tripped him, shoved his shoulder to knock him sideways, and planted him on the ground, sitting on top of him to pin him.

"That's more like it," he said, his hazel eyes holding my stare. The heat of his skin melted into mine, and a trail of goose bumps raised on my skin. I eased off my grip as my throat dried, and that oh-so-familiar ache returned. He grabbed my arms and threw me under him, pinning me down and holding my arms above my head with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

"You didn't hold your concentration. Again! What's the problem?"

I gave what could only be described as the shriek of an over-excited teenage girl. "I'm not used to the heat, all right? I don't touch people. It makes me nervous, so get off!" I used all of my strength to push him off me and got to my feet, tapping my fingers against my wrist rapidly.

"I'm sorry, but you have to get past this. Hey, you're doing it again," he said, referring to my habit of mouthing the numbers I multiplied in my head.

"I know!" I wanted to pull out my hair. Anything to feel in control again.

He held up his hands, taking a step back. "Relax. Look, we'll work on other stuff, okay? No more pinning, I promise."

I nodded, feeling more stupid than ever. Peter tried his best to teach me how to protect myself in an actual fight, but I was so stiff and awkward and panicky about my reactions to him that it didn't work very well.

"Ava, what's the problem? This should be fun for you."

"I'm sorry," I blurted. "I've been thirsty lately. I'm afraid I'll get too close to you." I didn't add what else might be a problem. Him thinking I wanted to drink his blood was way better than him knowing I fancied the arse off him, but my stupid hormones couldn't handle it.

His face paled, but he held himself together pretty well. "I know you. You won't hurt me. If you feel... funny, just yell 'stop,' and I'll back off. Deal?"

I nodded, knowing exactly what it took for him to act so cool about it. I was a huge reminder of the things he hated, yet he was willing to get over it, or at least try. I was back to wanting to tuck myself under his arm where it was nice and safe. He looked wary, but he came at me as though I hadn't spoken of my thirst. I relaxed and managed to avoid being put in a headlock or flung to the ground.

"Much better," he said, panting, then grappled me again. The sparring helped. With my pent-up aggression and my confidence in my abilities. I didn't scream once. Peter didn't hold back, and slowly, everything I was feeling melted away with each strike I landed. I felt lighter and lighter as time went on, a huge contrast to the moping I'd been doing at home.

Sweating and claiming he ached, Peter eventually called a halt to the training session, but I was majorly pumped. Once Peter let me at his punching bag, it was as if I had thumped my stress away, yet somehow soaked up new energy at the same time.

"I feel amazing," I said, giddy at how good it felt to move around so much. And perhaps Eddie was right. Maybe getting used to being around humans helped because the thirst wasn't bothering me anymore. Pity I couldn't say the same about my ridiculously inconvenient attraction to Peter.

"Glad one of us does." Peter stretched his arm carefully. "Where are you getting all of your energy? The harder you worked, the more hyped you became."

"I don't know. I just feel good. Better than good, actually. Maybe I needed the exercise." I grinned, mostly relieved I hadn't made a complete fool of myself from being so close to him.

He raised his eyebrows, probably bemused by the change in my demeanour. He was different, too, seeming more comfortable. Fighting together had brought us closer in some ways. Being distant with someone who had saved your life a couple of times was hard.

"Think I can handle a vampire?"

"You know how to handle a vampire. You just need to get your head straight. You have natural instinct on your side, but you also have self-control."

I raised my eyebrows. Self-control hadn't yet showed up on my list of skills.

"Seriously," he insisted. "You hold back a little, even when you're attacked for real. You don't lose it. Vampires completely lose the plot."

"Is that a good thing?" I wasn't convinced.

"Of course it is. It means you're thinking. And it means you always have a little extra juice up your sleeve when you need it. Hey." He lifted my chin. "You're going to be okay." I held his gaze for a little too long. He backed off, just as I knew he would. Comfortable as we were, some things would always be a step too far. For either of us. For a million reasons.

"I should probably go."

He nodded. "Maybe we'll make this a regular thing for a while. Until we can find someone more suitable. I'm not sure I can take this much of a beating every week."

I tried not to laugh. I'd definitely gotten my own back at him in the end. "Whatever you say. I'll see you tonight?"

"Yep." He turned his back to me. "Esther's tagging along."

I bit my lip, realising that wasn't the full story. "I don't need a babysitter."

"That's not what this is, Ava. She wants to see how you do it. That's all." He turned back around, his eyes more earnest. "She wants to know how to track Becca."

"I can hardly teach her that," I snapped.

He held out his hands. "I know. They all just want to feel like they can do something."

"Since when did you start caring about how the Guardians feel?"

"We're all on the same side. At least for now. If she can learn from you, then—"

"I'll see you later." I knew he didn't understand my anger, but that was because he was all about the next step. I couldn't move forward when I had so much on my mind. Aside from feeling convinced one of the Guardians had something to do with the toxic shadows that tried to cling to people's souls, everyone wanted to know my secrets. I was the one person they thought could reveal everything, but I had no answers.

# 4

I lowered my chin until the bottom half of my face was protected by my collar. The drizzling rain slowly dampened my hair, more irritating than anything else. The moon was full, and the night didn't seem as dark as usual, despite the clouds.

I waited outside my building for Peter and Esther, unable to stay indoors for a minute longer. The workout with Peter had driven something, unleashed something, made me uneasy somehow.

I recognised the growl of Peter's car but didn't move until it came to a complete stop in front of me. It bugged me to see Esther in the front seat. I hated that backseat. It reminded me of how Peter used to make me sit there because he didn't trust me not to bite him.

Esther turned around to talk to me as soon as Peter started the car. "I haven't seen you in ages. I've called, but... I guess I keep missing you." Her chirpy voice faltered as if she finally clued in to the expression on my face.

"Ignore her," Peter said. "She's been in a bad mood since I've known her."

Esther grinned, her face lighting up. "She's not so bad." Her face was heavily made up, her hair styled as always. I would never equate a bear to her curvy frame. She didn't look like a fighter, and part of me was curious to see how we would match up in a fight.

"Aiden told me to tell you he was asking for you," she tried again.

I seriously doubted that, but I nodded and tried to smile. I liked Esther, I really did, but she was so confident in herself, despite her past, that I couldn't help feeling inadequate around her. She knew exactly who and what she was, and she wasn't afraid of it. Enter me, and the difference was astounding. Even in appearance, I was the lesser, and my admittedly boyish frame didn't exactly hold up well against her more feminine build. It all might have been fine except I had an awful feeling that the Council had sent her to hunt with me, or rather, to check up on me.

"What happened to your hands?" she asked, eyeing the bandages.

I slipped them into my pockets and slumped down in the seat. "Long story."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Esther fished something out of her stylish handbag. "Here's a list of the manned checkpoints in Dublin tonight."

That might have come in handy every other night, I wanted to scream.

Peter pulled down the glove compartment and took out something shiny. "Here, wear this," he told Esther, and held it out while keeping his eyes on the road.

"Thanks." She carefully took from his hands what turned out to be a necklace with a chunky cross. The way she looked at him disturbed me, as if _I_ had any claim on another soul.

"You a jeweller on the side now?" I muttered.

Esther threw me a bemused glance, but Peter just ignored me.

"Is this going to do something?" she asked him.

"Crosses definitely hurt her. And it won't hurt you to have a little extra protection."

Her laugh was confident, cocky even. "You know I turn into a bear, right?"

His shoulders tensed. "Don't fool yourself, Esther. She's quick. Quicker than any vampire I've ever seen. You might not get the chance to shift."

"Okay, okay. I get it. Safety first." Her mocking tone convinced me she wasn't taking it seriously. I'd quickly learned that Guardians were kind of up themselves, thinking they were the untouchable elite. Shifters were pretty proud, too, so it wasn't surprising that Esther underestimated the situation. The fact her protective big brother was both her alpha and her boss probably didn't help her awareness of danger.

I had expected a little humility from the Council's soldiers when their ranks had been decimated by Becca, but Peter had warned me it only made the others more competitive. Maybe it was good Esther had joined us. She might see it wasn't a game.

We drove for a few minutes in silence before Peter gave Esther a pointed look. "Try not to let Becca get close enough to bite you, or you're screwed. She's after blood, any blood. She's not picky. She drinks from as many people as she can, night after night. It's all she wants. There's no talking, no persuading, no hesitating. She's all about the blood, all of the time."

"So, she's stocking up?"

He pulled over and turned in his seat. "Stocking up?"

"You know, for hibernation. Or another mutation." She touched the cross Peter had given her with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Wait. What now?" I interrupted.

Esther looked back at me. "Blood's her only food source, and it's coming up on summer. Hibernation time for the nightwalkers."

I glanced at Peter for confirmation.

He shrugged. "Back in the day, vampires buried themselves in the dirt during the summer months, after overdosing on blood for weeks. Maybe some vampires still hibernate, but most just go abroad during the summer months. The rest stay put and deal with the shorter night hours, especially because they would have to officially apply to the Council to up their quota pre-hibernation."

"How did I not know this? Wait, you said _mutation_ as well."

Esther nodded. "She's already mutated once. Maybe she's due for another. Some kinds of shifters need to drink blood before they change, but they're the type who stay in their animal forms for a couple of days at a time. Not quite the same."

Something in her voice triggered my suspicion. "You know something I don't, Esther?"

Her face remained blank as she shook her head. I didn't believe her, and I definitely didn't trust the Council. Thoughts of what had happened to the leftover formula and the human candidate who had been arrested still bugged me.

Peter cleared his throat. "We're close to the last place she was spotted. Ava can work her magic and figure out where to go from there. And Esther, don't get in Ava's way."

Esther looked as surprised as I felt, but she nodded. I half-expected her to ask about working magic, but she kept quiet. The focus on her face was a far cry from the giddy girly persona she gave off most of the time. Maybe I had underestimated her, too.

We all got out of the car and stood in a circle, their eyes directly on me. The air was taut with tension and filled with the nauseating scent of anticipation. Trying to ignore them, I focused on seeing that other plane. My skin tingled... but nothing happened.

Esther hovering there made me more nervous than usual. Tracking Becca while people watched always felt awkward. They seemed to expect fireworks and flying unicorns, not me staring into space.

I tried again.

Nothing.

"What's taking so long?" Esther blurted.

I glared at her. "Just wait in the car."

Peter led a reluctant Esther back to the car. I sighed heavily as soon as I heard the car doors close. Their expectations crippled me, and Esther's excitement was stifling. How was I supposed to relax when everyone else's emotions ramped up my own? Eddie had mentioned finding another empath to help me control it, but being out of control was almost preferable to asking him for a favour.

I took a minute to calm down. I seemed to need to do that more often lately. Pretty much everything about me was frayed, unravelling. That made me think about the 'not yet matured' bull. A conversation with Carl about the things he had learned with his research might have been overdue. I had already wasted too much time in the dark.

Sniffing the air, I tried to make out Becca's scent on the wind. For weeks, I had regularly woken with that scent under my nose, so obsessed with it had I been. Tracking her was hard because she literally vanished during the day. We were left with me chasing her scent at night and hoping she would come into the scope of my senses in order to see her essence. Not exactly convenient.

Before long, I resigned myself to the fact I wasn't going to find a fresh trail. Obviously, Becca had already moved on to another spot.

The problem with Becca's movements was the unpredictability. She didn't appear to have a plan, her path was random, and she was so easily distracted that even being chased by me didn't stop her from looking for a new hunting ground. What Esther had said about hibernating—and mutating—had been interesting, but it only served to put even more pressure on me to catch Becca.

Since she had turned into... whatever she became at my trial, she had pretty much left a path of dead bodies in her wake. We might have been able to find her sooner if she left witnesses—or even someone alive long enough to call for help—but she tended to kill in clusters, and it was rare for _anyone_ to walk away.

Deciding I wasn't close enough to find her by scent only, I moved back to my other skill, seeing things on a different plane of existence, except I was going to put my back into it. I'd been pushing my abilities further and further, wearing myself out, but it seemed to get easier the more I tried.

At first, I had only been able to reach one other level. It felt like a web surrounding me, preventing me from moving further. As time went on, the web started to break, and I pushed through to another plane. I could see further, differently than before. The energies of humans and monsters alike were so vivid there, I could almost reach out and touch them. Yet another item on the list of things I badly needed to find out more about.

I stared at the ground and concentrated. My skin tingled, and it felt as if my head were lifting off my body. Soon, a whole other world opened. Esther and Peter's energies pulsed nearby, their heart rates higher than normal. Slowly at first, more and more red pulsing human energies began popping up on my radar, then the empty spaces that meant soulless vampires.

I had started to see other things without trying, energies that I couldn't name. But some types of energy seemed naturally easier to spot, such as human and vampire... and the beautiful glow that marked an angel.

The range of my vision expanded slightly. The borders pushed outward, but it still wasn't enough. Gasping for breath, I pushed harder, feeling as though I were leaving my body.

My ears popped, and everything changed.

I stopped feeling the rain, or the wind, or hearing any noise. Neither warmth nor cold touched my skin, just a disturbingly empty vacuum that closed in on my body. In the distance, I saw shadows moving, but the street where I stood had turned to a murky shadowlike consistency, too.

I moved my leg, feeling as though I were pushing myself through deep water. Not unpleasant exactly, but not a natural kind of feeling for me—too heavy and slow, as if I were weighted down by an unseen force.

I glanced at the car. It blew in and out of a shimmery existence, and although I knew Peter and Esther were in there, I could no longer hear their heartbeats.

I tried to make a sound. Something tacky pressed against my tongue, and no noise came out. Fascinated, I started to try again but was distracted by a movement ahead. I glanced in that direction, and suddenly I was there, on a different street. The movement was gone, and I was nowhere near the car anymore.

Behind was charcoal shadow, but as I stared ahead, I grew accustomed to the different light and realised that everything was coloured a muted burgundy and violet.

Sensing something to my left, I tried to spin around, wavering as a bout of dizziness struck. Again, I was somewhere else. Someone, or something, was nearby, but I had no idea how to find them without jerking my body another mile away.

My head ached. The air was too heavy. Or maybe it was the lack of air. I realised I wasn't breathing, and that shocked me into action. Steadying myself, I tried to move slowly the next time I saw movement. A figure. Of sorts. Looking down at myself, I realised I didn't exactly look like a person anymore, either. Ethereal, I had transformed into a wispy entity on a plane where I didn't belong.

The figure moved on, and I tried to follow its path with my eyes. I practised that for a while, looking around without being sucked across town.

I saw more figures as I explored, and realised I was seeing things I didn't usually notice. One was different to everything else—not empty, but not living, either. Becca's presence was so bizarrely unnatural that it wasn't hard to spot her.

I could zone in on her from far away, whether I wanted to or not. Her presence was a mass of red and black squirming energy that looked as if, given the chance, it might explode in all directions. I badly wanted to see what my own energy looked like to others.

I recognised the surrounding buildings. I stood outside of the city, but still in a highly populated area. The curfew was a blessing. It cleared out a lot of places that would have otherwise been teeming with people. Places I could drive Becca to, if the opportunity arose.

Satisfied I had Becca's location, I tried to step back... and got stuck. Letting go of the other planes had always been easy, but I was held tight. I struggled with it, felt the atmosphere grow tighter against me. Breathing was impossible, and I was pretty sure I needed to breathe no matter what plane I visited.

Panic overrode every other sensation. I was trapped, couldn't move, couldn't help myself. The more I struggled, the tighter the filmy air held me. The hooded figure was in my face before I realised it had moved. I tried to speak, to ask for help. It lay what felt like a surprisingly firm hand on my forehead and pushed.

I fell backward, slowly, still unable move my hands. Suddenly, the world flooded with colour and air again, and I was on my feet right in front of the car.

"Whoa," I whispered, staring at my palms. Trippy. Two drops of blood fell from my nose, an unusually crimson stain marring the white bandage on my hand. Feeling as though I could see everything more clearly, I remembered I knew Becca's exact location.

Making a firm decision to ignore the weirdness, I jumped into the car, hoping Esther and Peter hadn't seen me do anything whacky while I searched for Becca. They looked pretty bored, so I figured I hadn't moved at all.

"Drive, I'll give directions on the way."

Peter wasn't surprised, having been given the same order numerous times before, but Esther stared at me, her eyes sparkling with intrigue.

"How did you do that?" she asked.

"How do you shift into a bear?" I replied.

A slight frown creased her forehead. "Maybe you are in a bad mood, after all."

Peter drove as fast as the limit allowed, and I finally scoped Becca on my normal radar. She kept moving, not stopping to feed. I gave Peter changes in directions over and over again.

After an hour of driving in what amounted to mini-circles, it dawned on me what might be happening. "I think she knows I'm coming."

"How on Earth can she know that?" Esther asked.

I shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe the same way I know where she is. Maybe she has a really good sense of smell. Maybe somebody warned her tonight is my shift. I'm not the psychic."

"Neither am I, Ava. What's with you?"

I might have snapped back, but I caught the worry in her voice.

"She doesn't want to talk," Peter said, silencing us. I just wasn't sure exactly who he was protecting with the statement.

After another half-hour of erratic driving, my impatience got the better of me. "I'm going on foot. I'll try and herd her toward the racetrack. It's still empty."

Peter grunted in reply, but Esther caught my hand before I got out of the car. "Be careful."

I squeezed her fingers and nodded. Peter managed to step out of the car before I did.

"What?" I asked, itching to run.

"I didn't want to say it in the car, but there's something on your forehead." His usual frown deepened as he stared at me. He reached a half-second before me, batting my hand out of the way as he brushed my skin. A little cloud of dust flew away from me, and I jerked back, wiping frantically. Staring at my hand, I saw a weird residue on my fingertips. A deep mauve-coloured texture that had an almost sand-like quality stained my fingers.

"Is it gone?" I felt a little frantic for some reason, as if I had to get every single particle away from my skin as quickly as possible. He frowned and used his clean hand to rub roughly at my skin.

He shook his head, still staring at me in wonder. "It's a bruise. A handprint. That wasn't there when I picked you up." He took another step toward me, and I broke into a run in the opposite direction, playing with numbers to distract me from the overwhelming panic.

Whatever had sent me from that other plane had physically marked me, yet Peter and Esther had acted as though nothing untoward happened, as though I hadn't moved at all. I mouthed numbers in multiples of seven—skipping fifty-six just in case—freaked out by my lack of understanding of the things I dabbled in.

I had grown up using numbers as a way to deal with stress, then with my thirst for human blood, and I was back to using numbers so I wouldn't think about unpleasant things. A point for regression.

I stretched my legs and ran faster, pushing my body past the limits of comfort, mostly due to my leg still aching from Becca's bite. It had healed well, though it was still stiff. I wasn't fit, but my body could do things it shouldn't have been able to do. Once I let go of human fear, I was fast. Really fast. If I fought for my life, I was strong. And if I believed in myself, I was smarter than I acted. Once I stopped caring like a human, the world opened up to me.

As I ran, I made a decision. I wanted to live without fear or regret. I wanted to know myself and more about my abilities.

But I had to beat Becca first. The doubting voice in my head was loud. _How_ could I beat Becca? Last time, she almost killed me. She'd killed better fighters. How could _I_ survive without killing her first?

I kept my eye on Becca using my other sight, but she kept moving. At least if she was running then she wasn't murdering anyone. But how did she know to run? I had acted as though it didn't matter in the car, but it bothered me. Maybe she found herself connected to me as much as I felt connected to her.

Knowing she could somehow sense me helped me drive her toward the racetrack, but so much running had me wheezing, and the ache in my leg increased until a bit of a limp kicked in. By the time I began to close in on her, I was exhausted and running on the fumes of a final adrenalin rush.

I texted Peter to let him know she was close to him. The racetrack was practically abandoned with the country on alert. The entire island had been burdened with curfews, daily warnings, and extended police patrols. With lots of open space and a decent lack of humans running around, the racetrack was the perfect place for a battle, and hopefully, a capture.

Watching Becca's energy move was strange. Sometimes she ran in random directions, and at others, she zoned onto a path like a bullet. Those times were when she spotted a human, like when she caught Peter's scent at the racetrack.

My stomach dropped when I sensed her on the hunt, and I sped up as much as I could. By the time I caught up, the bonnet of Peter's car was all but crushed, and he was swinging a gigantic sword over his head like a madman. His rage was overpowering, flooding me with the same emotion. Score for the empathy.

But Becca wasn't looking at him anymore. Her eyes were on the bear towering over her, the bear in Peter's way. As I closed in on them, Esther swiped a paw and snarled ferociously, but Becca remained unflinching. Peter hesitated, unwilling to risk either hurting Esther or murdering Becca. Either way, the Council would be pissed.

Wrapping one arm around the bear's throat in one speedy motion, Becca swung herself over Esther's shoulder, clung to her back with her knees, and was about to attempt a neck break when I unclipped the silver chain belt around my waist and threw it around her neck. I yanked it back, falling to the ground and managing to take Becca down with me. Esther clawed at Becca, who was too busy twisting and grabbing at me to notice.

"Back off!" I shouted at both Esther and Peter, who came running to help. I couldn't catch a crazy, mutated vampire _and_ worry about other people getting hurt at the same time.

Peter listened. Esther didn't.

Becca let out a howl of rage and reached for Esther, breaking the chain. I kicked Becca aside to give me enough space to jump in front of Esther. I punched Becca in the face, throwing all of my strength and Peter's anger behind it, then screamed at Esther again. She swiped at me with a rumbling growl, so I punched her, too, knocking her back. I ran after Becca, who had fled. Swearing, I caught up to her and kicked the back of her knee to trip her. She fell, and I toppled over her.

We rolled together, my head smacking the ground. I flashed my fangs, and she sort of bounced over me before getting up to run again. I was too sore and exhausted to keep going, so I lay there and watched the stars, my fingers brushing against moist blades of grass, until Peter and Esther caught up to me.

"What the hell were you doing?" Esther shouted, back in human form. She wore Peter's shirt, displaying most of her bare legs. "I almost had her!"

"You had nothing," I huffed back.

Peter grabbed my hands and pulled me to my feet. Doubling over, I wheezed out my next couple of breaths and ignored Esther's griping long enough to sense out Becca's location. She was still running, and I would never catch her.

"What's this about?" I straightened myself, gesturing to her bare legs.

"I didn't have time to undress, so my clothes tore when I shifted." She shoved me in the chest with both hands, her nostrils flaring with anger. "You hit me!"

"My God, you're an idiot," I said. "One thing I tell you to do. One thing." I waved my hands, unable to continue.

"I could have taken her," she insisted.

I made a noise because that was all I could manage.

"Are we going after her?" Peter interrupted. I grabbed his arm to look at his watch. I would never catch up to her before sunrise. I had been running most of the night already, and my leg was killing me. I shook my head.

"Are you kidding me?" Esther was really doing my head in.

"Look, by the time I get remotely close to catching up with her, the sun will be up. Game over." I leaned over again, struggling to slow my racing heart.

"Perfect. We get her during the day. Go track her!"

I carefully debated punching her again. "I can't. Peter, take her home."

I turned to leave, but she grabbed my arm.

"What do you mean, you can't?"

"I'm not a performing seal, Esther. I can't find her during the day. She goes off my radar. Dies. Or whatever. I can't keep up with her long enough to figure it out for sure. If we find her during the day, it'll be a total fluke."

"But—"

I sighed heavily. "Peter, please. Take her home."

"What about you?" he asked.

"I can't sit in a car with you two tonight. Goodbye."

As I walked away, I heard him say something about bringing her back to his place. I was just glad to be out of punching distance. I liked Esther, but I obviously couldn't work with her. I trudged through the grass, a cold breeze blowing across my hands.

"So, you didn't ditch me, then," I muttered, and felt a cool ghostly arm around my shoulders the rest of the way home.

# 5

Going over the sheer disaster of the night before was so depressing, I actually felt excited when I received a text from Yvonne. It could only mean a job, and that would take my mind off the epic failure into which my life had devolved. When I rang her, she briskly told me to collect a payment from Eddie and deliver it to Daimhín that night. My heart sank at the idea of being around Eddie, but it had to be done.

I decided to get over there early, do some shopping, then drop in on Daimhín as soon as it got dark. A rare sunny day, I embraced the sunlight, knowing it was protection. We'd been through a bad winter, and April wouldn't be a scorcher, but a cloudless sky opened up as soon as I left my street, and for some reason, it felt like a blessing.

Walking to Eddie's bookshop, I mulled over the events of the previous night. If anyone had been watching, it might have looked as though I didn't want to capture Becca at all. That wasn't true, but I didn't think I was right for the job after all. I needed help to take her down, and I didn't work well with others.

Esther hadn't helped. She kept pushing me and taking over. Then again, she probably thought the exact same thing about me. Except I was pushing everyone away, and I wasn't even sure why. Everything I had been feeling, or rather everything I had been ignoring, kept coming to the surface in ways I couldn't control. If I didn't hurry up and deal with Becca, people would keep dying. Everything was depending on me doing things right, and that made my throat dry up with a raw, aching thirst.

I stood outside Eddie's shop for a few minutes, gulping air in an attempt to calm myself. The sounds of distant heartbeats buzzed in the air, tormenting me. Closing my eyes, I twisted the numbers of my birth date until I boiled them down to one safe number. Five. That worked.

Pushing open the door, I held my breath as a distinctly citrus scent filled my nostrils. "What are you doing here?" I blurted.

"Kinda work here," Carl said, grinning. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Job. Debt collecting. Making even more friends. Is he here?"

"He's upstairs having lunch. Should be back down in a few. Sticking around?"

I let out a heavy sigh, knowing I should leave from the way my mouth kept watering. Whatever the hell was in Carl's blood tantalised my senses, and for the first time in a while, I had no choice but to grip the silver cross around my neck and hope the thirst would duck its head again.

Still, I needed to figure out why Carl was lying, and the only way to do that was by asking questions. It wasn't stalking. Just some friendly queries. Peter probably wouldn't approve, but he wasn't around to stop me.

"I'll wait," I said when Carl appeared confused by my silence.

"Great! I want to show you something."

Before I could stop him, he jumped over the counter and dove into the bookshelves, picking up a mini stack and carrying them back over to me.

"What's all this?" I asked, fidgeting nervously.

He dropped the books on the counter and flicked through one of them. He shoved it at me, urging me to take a look while he went through the rest of the musty-smelling books.

One word caught my eye. Nephilim. The picture beside it made me gasp aloud. Angels, men, demons, and gigantic warriors with flaming swords covered the page.

"I know," Carl said, looking over at me. "You're a little small. Then again, you're a mongrel."

I made a face, but it didn't stop his laughter. "What's this?"

"You. Or rather, what you were meant to be. In theory. The angels told them what to do, and they took out the demons and kept the gates of hell closed to protect humans."

"Why?" I muttered.

"The angels couldn't bring the battle to Earth, but demons could, by possessing humans. They wanted out of Hell, I suppose. It's really fascinating, makes you wonder how much of history is..." He faltered, searching my face. "Is everything okay?" He scratched his chest absentmindedly.

My mind raced. Big shoes to fill. Huge. "Um, yeah." I waved my hands as if batting away the images. "What's with you? Fleas?"

"Silence, dwarfed giant. Seriously, you have to read this stuff. The Nephilim were born to be warriors. You were practically made to protect people. How cool is that?"

"Except I'm not one of them, remember? Besides, could they actually do anything... useful?" I felt shy all of a sudden that a human who hadn't known vampires or angels existed a couple of months ago could tell me about my heritage.

"Apart from saving the world? The books all disagree, I'm afraid. Still interesting reading, though." He slowly nudged one book across the counter as if I couldn't see him.

I ducked under his arm, grabbed the book, and rushed behind the counter to read it. He stood there helplessly, still scratching, his face flooded with colour. I flicked through the pages, my heart racing.

It was all bad. The book called Nephilim the dark ones, the ones who bridged the gap between Heaven and Hell. In so not a good way. The ones who could end it all. Children of night, of darkness, of Lucifer. The words blurred together in front of my eyes, and my lungs felt as though the air had been sucked right from them. I threw the book away from me as if it burned my fingers.

"It's just one book," he said softly.

"But it's right," I whispered, horrified by the tears in my eyes. "I don't even try to do the right thing anymore."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can feel it," I said, blurting out the secret things that kept me so low. "There's something dark in me. And it's getting stronger. I don't care about anything because when I do, it hurts. Everything's worse when I feel like a human. The thirst, the counting, everything. The only time I rein it in for good is when I act like one of them. When I feel like one of them. I'm stronger when I'm like them. I can't even explain half the things I do. I don't know what's happening to me." His arm was around me before a tear dropped. I let everything out. All of the things I had been thinking just spewed out of my mouth. I was only sure of one thing, that Carl wouldn't judge me for it.

"They said you had a choice," Carl reminded me. "That you could choose. You're never going to choose... the wrong thing."

"I don't even know what's right and wrong anymore. I'm working for this stupid Council who can't even protect children, and I'm certain some of them are the kind of thing I should really be hunting. And I'm working for a vampire queen, for feck's sake. I can't even stop Becca from murdering people, and all I'm trying to do is bring her in for what's going to be more inhumane testing. I forced my will on a policeman the other night. I don't know what I'm doing."

"You're not bad, Ava."

I snorted through my tears and wiped my eyes. "You would never tell me if I was bad."

"I wouldn't lie to you." Our eyes locked, and I remembered he already had. He looked so sure, so steady and honest, that I almost doubted myself. Almost. In the end, he was just another in a long line of liars.

"Yeah, well, what else is in those books, then?" I asked, moving away from him.

He scratched his chest. "There's a couple here,"—he opened two next to each other—"that talk about walking between worlds and dimensions."

"Dimensions?" I grabbed one of the books to take a closer look. "Astral projection? What's that?"

"It's something like when your soul leaves your body to move around elsewhere. This book, though, this is the interesting one. It doesn't mention astral projection, but it talks about the ability to pass between dimensions. I don't understand it really. At first, I thought it was on about portals into another world or something. But the more I read, the less sure I am."

He stared at me, and I gulped at the serious expression on his face. "Ava. It... it talks about being able to pass through the gates of Hell, too, about _opening_ gates."

Before I could react, a door slammed behind us.

"Ava, I thought I heard your voice. Carl, you can head on now. Thanks for your help." Eddie approached me, a wide, but probably fake, smile on his face. "How have you been?"

My shoulders automatically hunched. "I'm here for Daimhín."

He didn't look surprised, but he made a clucking sound. "Oh, dear. I have no cash right now. How about you come here tonight to pick it up? After dark, when the shop is closed."

I hesitated. I knew better than to trust Eddie when he was being agreeable. Finally, I shrugged, not having much of an option. "Fine. I'll be back later. Carl, what are you doing right now?"

Carl's heart rate spiked, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood. "I promised my parents I'd go see them. You?"

"I have some shopping to do," I said, chewing on the inside of my mouth.

"So you're not going home?"

"No," I said slowly.

Carl scrambled to get his things. "Well, I'll see you all soon." He blew out of the shop like a whirlwind. I stood frowning for a couple of seconds.

"You should hurry," Eddie said in a matter-of-fact voice. "That shopping sounded important."

I ignored him, wondering if he knew something, but not wanting to speak to him about anything other than business. I still hadn't forgiven him for lying to me, even though he _had_ warned me I didn't know things I should. But I did hurry. I didn't go shopping. I trailed Carl. All the way to my building. That's when it dawned on me. That thing I hadn't been seeing. Carl was sneaking around with my next-door neighbour.

I impatiently rapped on Eddie's door, stamping my feet to get a little feeling back into my numb toes. As usual, the clear day had been followed by a bitterly cold evening.

Eddie opened the door halfway, pulled me in, and slammed it behind me.

"Little edgy, aren't we?" I began, then slowly turned around to face possibly the oldest vampire I had ever seen. His eyes were covered in the same filmy substance that diluted Daimhín's scarlet orbs, but the redness of his were flecked with dark brown, almost black streaks. His long dark hair was tied back loosely, letting strands fall over his eyes.

I glanced back at Eddie, who tried to look reassuring. It didn't work. Every cell in my body wanted to get away from the ancient vampire. I wanted to pull out my dagger against him. My fingers trembled in my pockets, and my instincts went haywire.

"This is Reuben, the vampire consultant to the Council," Eddie said hurriedly, as if he could read my thoughts. I tried to calm myself, seeing why Eddie had introduced him before I flipped out completely.

The vampire nodded politely, and I realised I recognised him from the trial. Exhaling loudly, I kept my eyes on Reuben while speaking to Eddie. "I have to get back to Daimhín tonight."

Reuben turned and walked straight up the stairs without a word.

"What's going on?" I whispered. "Are you in trouble or something?"

"No, no. Reuben wants to speak to you, that's all."

"To me? What for?"

"Ava, he's very old, and he knows more than most. Be polite to this one. Do you understand? He's not a resident, but he has quite a bit of sway as a consultant. Watch yourself tonight."

Feeling like a scolded child, I threw my hands in the air and followed Eddie upstairs. Everything involving Eddie had to turn into something else, and I was absolutely certain he had planned the meeting.

Reuben was already sitting at the table when I walked into Eddie's kitchen. I sat across from him, eyeing him warily. His lips twitched a little, as though I amused him. To me, a vampire's smile was way worse than his frown.

"Any news on the beast?" he said slowly, each word a dusty croaking sound that sent my nervous system into convulsive twitching.

"Not really." I glanced at Eddie, who kept his back to us.

"It needs to be dealt with soon," Reuben said.

"I know," I snapped. He narrowed his eyes, and I again felt that cold sensation on my skin. Just like the time the black sheep of Daimhín's coven, Jules, had tried to control me. With Jules, it felt like raindrops. With Reuben, it felt like ice-cold waves of water dashing against my skin. Shivering, I gulped hard until the feeling seeped away, but I was left rattled by the feeling he would be able to control me if he really tried.

"I'm doing the best I can," I insisted.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"She knows I'm coming. She keeps running, and I can't keep up."

"Well, no wonder. Look at you. You're puny. Are you even using up your quota?"

Eddie made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort. I sent daggered glares at his back.

"I don't drink blood," I said. "What's your quota like?"

The vampire relaxed in his seat, his lips curving upward. That wasn't reassuring. I waited for his decrepit skin to tear apart at the action. "I get to drain a virgin once a month." He licked his fangs slowly, as if he could still taste blood on them.

I leaned back in my chair. I really hadn't expected that answer.

He cocked his head to the side. "I made my deals in another time. My involvement with the Council has saved me from renegotiation."

I wanted to vomit. I was helping those people?

"Why the distaste?" he asked, a hidden warning in his voice. "Once upon a time, you could be guaranteed that the young were innocent and clean. Pure of blood. Now I have to look a lot harder. Slightly more tedious, but worth it."

"Can't you just use donated blood?" I blurted. "A... volunteer?"

His eyes widened with surprise. "Oh, I do. But nothing is worth that sweet ecstasy at the moment the heart stops. Near the end, the heart is so very desperate to survive, so willing to put up a fight. That gloriously final, traumatic pump makes the search worth it. Trust me, once you taste it, you don't go back, little dark thing." He gave a little moan that made me think he wasn't as controlled as people seemed to think.

I leaned forward, my head thundering with anger. "I'm not dark."

"So you say. I see differently. You may not be consuming your natural diet, but you are using other... gifts. I can smell it on you."

My cheeks burned with shame. I kept thinking I was so much better than them, but there was more to darkness than murder and blood.

He sniffed the air like a hound, his fangs much more noticeable. "I can smell so much more. What a waste." He stared into my eyes, and I felt a hand grip my soul. I touched his darkness, and it left a distinctly sour taste in my mouth.

I shook myself, and pushed my chair away from the table, desperate to get away from the vampire. Everything about him disturbed me.

Eddie laid his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. "Reuben. To the point, please."

Reuben looked away for a few minutes. When he finally looked at me again, the danger was gone from his eyes. "Yes, the point. We need speed on this situation. You need to take down the beast before something worse comes. There are mutterings of interference from others, and the Council can't afford to have this used as an excuse. Drink the blood. Consume it with the kind of pleasure you were born to have. It's the only way you'll stop her. Trust me, you're not strong enough without it."

"I don't believe you," I lied. Shrugging off Eddie's hand, I stalked out of the room before I made a huge mistake. I had to stop pissing off the wrong people every time they terrified me.

Downstairs, I sat behind the counter with my head between my knees, breathing deeply. Counting couldn't help the ache in my chest. Too much pressure. Too many harsh truths revealed.

"Here." Eddie handed me an envelope full of cash. "Calm down, Ava." He pressed his palm against my forehead. I felt him summon power, but I couldn't gather myself enough to stop him. A warm feeling soothed the ache, and the wheezing soon stopped.

"You should hand this over to Daimhín," he said, his eyes full of pity. I hated that I couldn't hate him when he looked at me like that.

The drop-off was pleasantly uneventful, and I spent the rest of the night running the streets looking for Becca. The chase lasted until sunrise. Nobody died.

# 6

For two weeks straight, I hunted, even when it wasn't my shift. I chased Becca, followed her around, kept her kills to the bare minimum. I worked alone because being around others seemed to hold me back. I avoided Peter's calls, knowing he would only give me bad news from the Council. I didn't want to believe I was working with the kinds of creatures who would allow people to be sacrificed to keep an incredibly creepy old vampire satisfied.

I kept getting the urge to call Carl, but every time I broke down and dialled, he either didn't answer or ended the call as quickly as possible. A sense of foreboding kept drawing over me as I realised I hadn't spoken to him properly in a fortnight. The self-pitying haze had shifted a little, letting me see clearly. He had been so eager to talk to me, then suddenly switched to avoiding me. It made no sense, unless he suspected I knew about his little secret.

Still, it wasn't like Carl to be secretive. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. He might have made some stupid decisions, but he tended to be pretty open about them, even when he knew he would be hassled.

I tried calling him again, but it went straight to voicemail. Deciding to bite the bullet, I rang Peter instead.

"Have you seen Carl?" I asked.

He hesitated. "Not exactly. He sleeps during the day a lot nowadays."

"Is he with you now? Wait, sleeps during the day? Doesn't he work for Eddie anymore?"

"I thought so. He's at his parents today, I think." I heard some things fall. "Yep, he left a note. Is something wrong?"

I let out a loud sigh, thinking of Carl's lies. Peter would only say it was none of my business. Maybe he was right. "I don't know. Probably not. Never mind. I'll see you."

"Wait! You coming over today for a training session?"

I bit the inside of my cheek. Not a chance. "I'm a bit busy today. I'll call you when I'm free."

I hung up before he could say anything else. Flipping through the phonebook, I found Carl's parents' number. I had no real reason to call them, except to prove my own point to myself. I rang, had a particularly awkward call, and discovered Carl's parents hadn't seen him in a month.

I mulled it over. Carl was lying to everyone. It worried me because he still had blank moments. They were rare, but there were times when he looked like he had while I accidentally mind-warped him. The pain of the broken bond had been bad enough, but the lingering effects scared me into thinking that maybe little pieces of his mind would never be the same again.

Mentally exhausted, I took a break from the hunt that night, but I was still thinking about Carl the following day when a sharp rap on my door made me flinch. At least I had money if it was the landlord. Still, I never lost that shivery feeling whenever he knocked.

I regretted opening the door as soon as I saw Peter.

"Still busy?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at my unbrushed hair.

"Yes." I stood aside to let him enter. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much. Just a supernatural serial killer running the streets. Oh, and I keep having to waste time watching you have catfights with Guardians, then put up with you ignoring me for weeks."

I rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't call that a catfight. And like I said, I've been busy."

"You punched Esther! And you know the Council is on my back about helping you."

"She swiped me first with her stupidly big bear claw. Besides, I couldn't care less what the Council or their Guardians think."

He grinned suddenly, knocking me off guard. "You won't be happy until everyone turns on you."

"It's not that, and you know it. Look at those people. I told you Coyle had to have had something to do with that shifter who committed suicide in Gabe's bar. I'm positive those shadows are down to him, and he's a Guardian, so who knows how far that goes? Oh, and I met creepy Reuben, the virgin-blood-drinking vampire diva. Things have gotten a lot stranger than I bargained for."

"Speaking of strange, what was with the hand-shaped bruise on your forehead?"

I touched my head self-consciously. I had been wearing my hair over the creepy mark for weeks. It had taken that long to go away. "It's... hard to explain."

"Try me. I have time."

"Well, I don't really want to talk about it. Besides, I'm exceptionally busy worrying about Carl today, thank you very much." I didn't have a clue how to start explaining the bruise, even less of an idea since Carl had filled my head with notions of astral projection and opening Hell.

Peter relaxed on a chair, uninvited. "What now?"

I sat across from him, my voice rising in excitement. "He's a filthy little liar, that's what now."

"Carl? Yeah, right," he scoffed.

"Seriously. You told me he was going to see his parents, but I had already followed him here. Then when I called his parents, I found out he hasn't seen them in ages. Oh, don't look at me like that. I was just curious. Why is he lying?"

Peter sat up straight. "That's odd, but haven't we talked about boundaries? Maybe he's seeing his fiancée again and doesn't want you breathing down his neck, keeping him straight. I know it's not your fault, but you're really going to have to find a way to deal with this leftover possessiveness of your food."

"Oh, ha bloody ha. It's not like that." I got up to find a hairbrush. "I've seen him here. Like, in this building. I think he's coming here to see my neighbour. I don't understand why he's acting so weird, avoiding everyone. He hasn't been... all there since the bond was broken. We need to look out for him."

"And that involves stalking him?"

"Oh, shut up. Just trust me when I say there's something off about him right now."

"Is that coming from your spidey senses? A miniature vampire Seer, perhaps? Or maybe you can read thoughts now."

I threw a cushion at him, which he caught effortlessly. "I can't wait to say I told you so, Peter. I love how you give me so many opportunities. What are you doing here anyway? Aside from bothering me, that is."

He grinned. "Training."

I groaned. "Not today."

"I know you. 'Not today' means 'Not ever, so go away and leave me alone.' Not going to happen. We need to build up your stamina so you can keep up with Becca."

"The only way I can keep up with her is if I drink blood. Apparently, Reuben knows best. That's still not on my list of things to do."

He made a face, but his heart rate remained relaxed. Unlike mine. He glanced around the room, frowning. "Why are you still living here?"

"Ooh, subject change. Um, because it's my home." I moved into the kitchenette because Peter always made me uncomfortable on my own territory.

"It's a shithole. You should get a nicer place."

"I happen to like it here. This place was the first thing I ever did for myself. It's been my home for a long time, and if you don't like it, you're free to leave at any time."

A grin spread across his face as he followed me, leaning on a counter, far too close for my liking. "The things that get you to open up."

My entire body tensed. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Then come hit something. I promise it feels better than talking."

It was my turn to grin. Peter had strange methods when it came to dealing with my moods, but they sometimes worked. "How could I turn down an offer like that? Fine, I'll train. Happy now?"

The smile fell off his face, and his forehead creased into a frown again. "It's not me. Gabe keeps pushing. He's constantly on me about you. You know what he's like."

I folded my arms. "Yeah, a total arsehole. I can't stand him."

He inched closer. "Really? Because you go all gooey-eyed around him."

"That's just me seeing past his mask. Nice as it is, it's just what he wants us to see. Can't trust something that doesn't show their true face, right?"

Peter stared at me until I fidgeted uncomfortably and made an excuse of having to get ready in order to leave the room. I might have put up a fuss, but I wasn't all that opposed to going out. Although I liked my home, I had noticed I seemed to reenergise whenever I left it. Maybe fresh air agreed with me. I refused to believe it had anything to do with Peter.

"All right, let's go," I said as soon as I was ready. "But you're confronting Carl with me."

He rolled his eyes and didn't commit. Exactly what I expected, but it felt nice to make demands every now and then.

We left my flat and had started down the stairs when an overpowering floral scent hovered in the air. My slutty next-door neighbour made her way up the stairs as we descended.

"Do not say a word," Peter hissed, probably guessing she was the one Carl had been seeing. I chewed the inside of my mouth in a bid to keep quiet. I wasn't sure why I didn't like the woman, but something about her always set me on edge.

Although the stairway had plenty of space for all three of us to walk, she managed to brush against both of us as she passed. Looking over my shoulder, I saw her glance back at us with an unmistakably smug grin.

Unsettled, I followed Peter to the car. "Car's looking better," I remarked.

"She's well able for a vampire-monster tantrum," he scoffed.

For some reason, the air filled with tension as soon as Peter pulled away from the curb. Although we had been relatively comfortable around each other beforehand, his heartbeat began to race, and that sent off alarm bells.

"It's getting really hot in here," he gasped, winding down his window.

I did the same, noticing a bead of sweat trailing down his temple. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just... warm today."

I shrugged and stared out of the car window. I watched people walk by, all wearing heavy coats and scarves. "Warm" was probably not the best adjective for the day's weather.

By the time we got to Peter's place, he was fidgeting like crazy and scratching his arm. It sparked a reminder of Carl for some reason. I brushed against Peter's hand as we headed into his home and was shocked by the heat of his skin.

"Are you sure you're not sick? You're burning up." I pressed the back of my hand to his cheek.

"I don't feel sick. Just a bit warm." He very carefully took my hand away from his face. "You go on downstairs and get warmed up. I'll be down in a few minutes."

I pretended to work out a bit, but I found it hard to make an effort without Peter barking at me. When he came down, his hair was wet and his eyes feverish.

I gestured to his long sleeves. "I thought you were hot."

"Cold now. Let's get on with this. Today, I figured we'd practice some moves, and do some cardio. You should try to build up some stamina with daily runs. You seem to recover quickly, so you should be able for a hunt in the evenings if you run in the mornings or afternoons."

"Don't people get rest days?" I mumbled.

"Yeah, humans do. You don't. Not until Public Enemy Number One is tied up."

He gestured toward the mats and did some stretching.

"Think capturing her is really the best idea?" I asked.

"Nope. But it's not up to us." He flexed his muscles to psyche me out. It usually only served to distract me, but that might have been what he was going for.

"I don't like the idea of them testing on her."

He rushed at me and lifted me over his shoulder before slamming me on the mat. "I thought you hated Becca. And pay attention."

"I am!" I jumped to my feet and tried to keep moving. "Yeah, I might hate her, but I think she's suffered enough. I mean, look at her. If we were hunting to kill, this would all be done by now. Maybe. The whole 'taking her in' bit has never really sat well with me."

He threw a punch, but I blocked and kneed him. He surprised me by wrapping his arms tightly around me, although I could see the pain in his expression. I shimmied upward, squirming out of his grip and over his shoulder, but he caught hold of my leg and knocked us both to the ground.

"Stop doing that!" I kicked out at him, but he only laughed.

"Make me," he said, and the look in his eyes made me shiver.

"Can't. I pity your puny human strength too much. It wouldn't feel fair."

He snorted and let me stand. I was determined to stay standing, or force him down. He tried to grapple me, but I avoided his grasp.

"You're right," he said. "It would be over with Becca, but we agreed to a capture unless her death is absolutely necessary."

"Well, maybe we force the necessary," I said, ducking out of his way.

"They could be watching," he warned.

"I hate everyone." I waited for him to strike again. That time, I ducked under his arm and stood on the back of his knee to reach around his neck. He tripped and fell on his face, much to my glee. I kneeled on his back, but he elbowed me off and managed to pin me.

"Christ, I hate this position," I said.

"I don't know. I kind of like it." His laugh was too husky, his heartbeat too fast. I should have known something was up.

"Get up now," I said, catching his scent and realising how close he was to me.

He pulled me up after him, forcing me against his chest. His scent, the pulsing of his arteries, I couldn't help myself. My fangs shot out before I could think. I threw my hands to my mouth, apologising profusely.

"Forget about it," he said, very un-Peter-like.

Pushing him further away, I managed to retract my fangs, then attacked Peter, hoping hitting him would dissipate some of my embarrassment. He bent his knees and lifted me up before I could react to his shift.

"Ugh, why can't I stop you from doing that?"

He let me slide down, but tightened his grip. "Because you don't want me to stop."

The heat in his eyes was my undoing, and I realised too late he had led me backward.

Then, we were against the wall, and his mouth was on mine, and my head was shouting stop, but my body was running straight for him. His cinnamon scent was all over me, his pulse drummed against me, and my body ached for him in every way.

The lately absent cold presence blew all over us suddenly, so forcefully, we flew apart.

"What was that?" he gasped, running his hands through his now exceptionally tousled hair.

"My ghostly friend." I tried to calm the beating of my own heart, tried to forget the heat of his body pressed against mine. I had almost lost control without even considering the cons of the situation. That wasn't me. "Think they were trying to tell us something."

"Yeah," he said, looking thoroughly confused. "Not that I didn't enjoy that, but what the hell just happened?"

My chest heaved. "I have no idea."

"It was like I could see what I was doing, but I had absolutely no control over myself," he said, half to himself.

Embarrassingly enough, I did have control. I had just chosen to kiss him back. "Uh, yeah, me, too. Weird." I tried to laugh. "It's probably just the hunting and everyone freaking out over Becca. It has everyone acting crazy. Maybe we should take a break from this, though. I'm a little thirsty." My voice went high enough for him to see the danger.

"You should eat, right?" His voice was too calm, too nonchalant, considering what I had just told him.

We went upstairs to his kitchen, where I sat at the table while he made me a sandwich.

"We need a better plan," I said as I watched him move and tried in vain to forget about how his lips had felt, how his pulse had ticked against me in a way I had almost forgotten existed. We might have flirted occasionally, but that flash of heat had come out of nowhere.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing's working with Becca. We need to figure out something completely different, or we'll be chasing her for the next five years."

He stopped and took a deep breath. "The only way we'll ever catch her is if we purposely sacrifice someone. I can't see us getting close enough to her otherwise."

"I could be bait."

He turned around. "You can't be bait, Ava."

I made a face. "Why not?"

He took a step toward me. "She won't go for you. I could be bait, though. She's into human blood."

"No _way_."

"Careful, people might think you care."

I stared at him, startled by his proximity. I stood and inched backward because his eyes were feverish-looking again, his heartbeat was absolutely tantalising, and I didn't know how to stop myself.

He closed in, his arms encircling me so his palms reached the counter behind me, all the while holding my gaze. I couldn't break away, no matter how hard I tried. His face dipped toward my neck, and as I felt his warm breath on my skin, I knew I was done for.

Brushing his cheek against me as he raised his face to greet my eyes, he lifted me onto the countertop incredibly slowly, and I couldn't do a thing to stop him. Not that I wanted to. I held my breath as his fingers found their way past the nape of my neck, winding through my hair.

The look in his eyes unsettled me, and I raised my hand to his wrist to pull him away, but he surprised me by stealing one heart-stoppingly soft, lingering kiss, and I forgot about everything except how absolutely _right_ it felt. His heartbeat seemed to slow, and I wasn't sure who grabbed who, but all of a sudden we were in the middle of a passionate kiss—again—and I had forgotten all about being careful. The heat of his lips against mine, the way he ran his hand up my spine... thoughts of anything else flew out of my mind.

The front door slammed, and Carl's voice carried through the room. "You home?"

I pushed Peter away and jumped down, heat burning my cheeks. He just looked confused.

Carl opened the kitchen door and faltered when he saw me. "Oh. Hey." He plastered a smile on his face and went to the fridge.

"Hi," I said, distancing myself further from Peter. "What have you been up to today?"

"Nothing much," he said over his shoulder, rubbing at his chest. "Visited the parents, like you're always telling me to do."

My hands closed into fists, and Peter cleared his throat, but when I glanced at him, he was scratching his arm. Carl stopped moving, as if he sensed the danger, and I tried to focus on the biggest problem at hand.

"How about the truth this time?" I hadn't planned on being so aggressive, but the day with Peter had rattled me.

"Are we really back to this again?" Carl headed straight for the door.

I grabbed his shirt in anger, and to my surprise, it easily ripped. I really was out of control, impulse-wise. Forgetting the argument, I gaped at his chest.

"What the hell is that? Peter, look at this." I stared at the mark in confusion. "Is that a hickey?"

"I'm allergic to her lipstick. That's all," he said, trying to cover up, but Peter wouldn't let him. The mark looked like a love bite except it was raw-red and raised, a little like ringworm. My skin tingled at the sight of it.

"He's been scratching this," I said. "Peter, you've been scratching your arm today."

Peter lifted his own arm and pulled up his sleeve, his eyes wide with disbelief. "I saw this when I was in the shower." He showed me his forearm. It bore a similar mark, albeit smaller and a lot less infected-looking.

I touched it with one finger and jerked away as a stinging sensation shot up my arm.

"This is freaky. Definitely something supernatural." I sighed heavily. "I have to go to Eddie for help again, don't I?"

# 7

The car ride to Eddie's bookshop was awkward. Carl wouldn't talk to either of us, Peter was freaking out and scratching at his arm at every opportunity, and I was completely baffled. I secretly checked my own body for marks but found nothing. I should have seen that something was wrong. Both Peter and Carl had been acting strange. I had just conveniently enjoyed Peter's flavour of strange.

"Could you please stop grunting, Carl?" I asked in frustration. "We'll ask Eddie to take a look, just in case. Stop being such a baby."

"I haven't turned up for work in a while, okay? He isn't going to want to see me."

"What have you been up to?" Peter said.

"I met someone."

I gave Carl a scathing look. "Apparently. Did you really have to go for my neighbour?"

"There's nothing wrong with Alannah. And it's my business. You're not supposed to interfere." Something was off about Carl's tone of voice. It didn't sound like him talking. The more I thought about it, the tighter the fear clung.

I kept a firm hold of his arm as we entered Eddie's shop. I almost walked back out when I saw Gabe standing there in the middle of a conversation with Eddie. Both men looked serious, and I knew it couldn't be good news.

"Probably a good thing you're here," Gabe said. "Last night's team came across Becca. It didn't go well."

"Anyone I know?" Peter asked.

"It was Esther's Circle," Eddie said.

"Esther's dead?" I cried, guilt overwhelming me.

"No, but she's badly injured," Gabe said. "Two of her Circle sacrificed themselves so the others could get Esther away."

"Can I see her?" I asked.

"I'll take you with me," Gabe said. "We need to talk."

I whispered to Peter. "You can deal with the other thing, right?"

"Of course. You be careful," he warned, staring at Gabe with suspicion in his eyes.

"My car's around the corner," Gabe said once we got outside. He laid his hand on my lower back to guide me.

"You mean we're not flying, angel?"

"I'm looking forward to the day you mature, Ava Delaney," he replied.

It felt creepy being alone with him. I couldn't forget about the time at the trial when he'd stared into my eyes and roamed through my mind and soul, filling me with light. He was beautiful, even though his human appearance was an illusion. Peter was right. I _did_ stare at Gabe pretty often. I couldn't let myself forget how cruel he was, how uncaring. I hadn't figured out why an angel was a part of Ireland's Council, but he didn't seem to particularly enjoy it.

"She's at a clinic belonging to the Council," he said, starting the car. "You probably won't be able to see her for long, but she should be able to let you know where Becca was last seen."

"That's not why I wanted to see her," I said.

"It should be," he replied, his voice hard and cold. "Becca needs to be brought in. It's gone on for too long now."

"Capturing her is obviously too risky. Killing her won't be easy, but it's a better solution."

He grunted noncommittally.

"Has the investigation in Spain dredged up anything yet?" I asked, wondering if he had a different story from Daimhín.

"It hasn't even started," he said. "I don't think we'll see justice there, but the vampires know the world is watching now. They should behave for a while, at least. What about you? Any sudden urges to wipe out the entire human race?"

I snorted. "Humans? No. Vampires and angels on the other hand..."

"I had forgotten how delightful you are," he mocked. "I must admit, I've been expecting a visit from you."

"Why? You're not exactly fun to be around," I blurted.

He burst out laughing. "Right you are. I meant I expected you to ask a million and one questions about yourself, your mother, everything you learned at the trial."

"I figure I'll hear anything I need to know," I said, moving as far away from him as possible. "I don't trust you to give me the right answers."

He glanced at me, looking solemn. "I _will_ answer your questions."

I shrugged. I had too many questions. Nobody could answer them all, and I wasn't convinced I even wanted the answers, not after reading some of the books in Eddie's shop.

"Have the vampires accepted you yet?" he asked, the change in subject surprising me.

"That's not something that will ever happen. But Daimhín decided to pay me for the last job I did. She even said she's glad she hasn't killed me yet. Big emphasis on _yet_."

"That's acceptance. In a way. I have a couple more jobs lined up for you, after Becca has been dealt with. If Daimhín hassles you about that, set her on me."

I felt a little confused at the gentle tone of his voice. Maybe he wasn't as heartless as I thought. Although I might have been mistaking the gratitude I felt at being distracted from what had happened back at Peter's home. "Um, thanks."

Gabe pulled onto a quiet street that didn't look as though it could house anything supernatural. When he turned to me, my stomach did a tense little flip.

"Someday, I'll need you to pick a side. If I know you'll be behind me, I'll treat you well. I'll make sure you're looked after. Do you understand me?"

I stared at the blankness in his eyes, wondering what exactly he was hiding. Everyone kept talking about picking sides and paying back favours at some point in the future. What on Earth were they all preparing for?

"I'll bear that in mind." I quickly got out of the car. No way was I committing to things I didn't understand. Again.

Gabe led me into a small building that gave me the impression of a hospital, but a hidden one, like a safe house or something. A receptionist with platinum-blond hair and weird purple-toned skin grinned madly at Gabe and led the way to Esther's room, despite Gabe telling her three times that he knew where it was.

Two large men guarded the room, but Gabe bade them to move. "She has a few minutes," he told them.

The room was empty except for Esther, who lay on a bed with ugly green sheets. Her eyes snapped open, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw me.

"I'm so sorry," I said, hurrying over to the bed.

"It's my fault." Her bottom lip quivered a little. "I really messed up. I thought I could do better than you and Peter. I thought we would be chasing her, but she turned around and chased us instead. Illeana's gone. She was... she was my friend."

She sounded almost delirious, so fast were her words. The siren, Illeana, had been useful for tracking down information in the past. I felt a twinge of regret that a friendly face was gone forever.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, glad she hadn't held the night we hunted together against me. "What happened?"

"I'm fine. They're just taking this too seriously. At the time, though, it freaking hurt. She got her claws into me, bit me. She nearly drained the life out of me. I was in animal form, yet I literally couldn't move. It was terrifying, to have no control. She spat out my blood, Ava. I mean, it's not like she did it for food. That I could understand. But she wanted us all dead. I lost my silver when I shifted, so I was a free dinner. I couldn't talk until a couple of hours ago. They thought I was a goner."

"Where did she get you?"

She opened the buttons of her pyjamas with shaky fingers and showed me a couple of deep wounds on her chest. "They won't cover them because they keep applying some sort of cream every fifteen minutes. I think they're afraid the poison will still take hold." She laughed weakly. "That's all I need."

I self-consciously rubbed my own leg. I hadn't even thought of Becca's poison having an effect on me.

As Esther began to tell me where Becca had been the night before, the door burst open, and Aiden stormed in. I straightened at the fierce look in his eyes when he spotted me, slowly moving away from the bed as his eyes seemed to turn catlike.

"You!" He pointed at me, livid with rage. He came right at me and shoved me against the wall. I didn't object because I knew how worried he was for his sister. Besides, nobody seemed to think of me as someone with actual feelings and pain receptors. Or a girl, for that matter.

"Aiden, stop," Esther said, but he ignored her.

"If you had just done your job in the first place, this wouldn't have happened!"

He pushed me again, but a huge wave of nausea drew over me, and I doubled over in an effort not to puke.

"I'm talking to you! This is your fault!" Aiden shouted as Coyle entered the room. Straightening, I avoided Coyle's eyes and tried to act as if he had no effect on me.

"Maybe so, Aiden, but if you push me again, I'm going to punch you right in the face," I hissed, more annoyed since the dark, angry energy filled the room, probably thanks to Coyle.

Aiden looked surprised and took a step back. Esther whispered something to him, but I was too busy swallowing down the bile in my throat to listen.

"Why haven't you taken care of this yet?" Aiden asked, still vibrating with anger.

"If it was that easy, it would be done by now." I held myself up as tall as possible in front of the gigantic alpha. I wouldn't have bet on winning a fight, but I wouldn't cower in front of him, either. Plus, I was pretty certain he hated that in a person.

"Calm down, boss." Coyle laid his hand on Aiden's shoulder. I glared at the Guardian for a couple of seconds and immediately regretted it. How could nobody else see the rotting decay behind the man's smile?

"I'll see you later, Esther," I said, gritting my teeth. "I have stuff to do."

Aiden and Coyle followed me out of the room, and Gabe got in my way so I couldn't leave.

"You done here?" he asked me, never taking his eyes off the men.

"Yeah, I can make my own way back," I said, needing to get away from everyone.

"Not feeling sick, are you, darling?" Coyle's pleased expression sent goosebumps rushing to the surface of my skin.

"How about you keep out of my way?" I tried to calm my heaving stomach.

"So grumpy," Coyle said, and the laughter was obvious in his voice. My fangs shot out of their own accord, but I didn't care. Aiden held out his hands, immediately exerting his will. No way was I succumbing. I felt it, though, the otherworldly dominance that made him so powerful amongst his own kind. On any other day, I would have backed down under it. Coyle's sickening energy weirdly gave me the strength to stand tall.

"Am I missing something here?" Aiden asked, stepping in front of Coyle.

A legitimate growl came from my throat, surprising me more than anyone. I pointed at Coyle, wishing a long sharp spike would shoot out of my finger and stab him in the eye. "Ask him," I said, and my voice didn't sound like me. "What's the use of being a shifter when you have no sense of what's around you?"

I glared at Gabe before I left because if _I_ knew that Coyle was suspect, he had to know, too. Saying his powers didn't work on Earth was a cop-out, it had to be.

Outside, I inhaled deeply before setting off in a run. I had a lot to do.

# 8

I decided Carl was fine under Eddie's supervision and texted Peter to let him know I wouldn't be back. I couldn't concentrate long enough to deal with what might be going on with Carl. Aiden's anger had pissed me off, but deep down, I knew he was right. It was all on me. People kept dying because I wasn't doing my job. I had to take care of Becca, once and for all.

Once the Coyle-induced sick feelings disappeared, my anger took over and released a rush of adrenalin. Without breaking a sweat, I ran home and prepared. As soon as the vampires awoke, I would hunt.

I took as little as possible with me—my dagger, a silver chain, a silver belt I wore that was better suited to chaining up an animal. Seeing Coyle again had reinforced what I was up against. Evil. The only way to win was to fight fire with fire. I had to face my fears and turn to the one thing I had sworn not to touch. Blood. Reuben had been right about it being the thing to give me an edge on Becca. I had to grow up and stop letting my phobias get people hurt.

The bagged stuff wasn't as good as a fresh source, and I had to admit that Reuben's words had tormented me. I already knew fresh blood tasted good, so how amazing was blood taken from the source at the point of death? The cooled bag in my fridge had arrived, courtesy of the Council, weeks ago. I hadn't had the heart to waste it by throwing it away—or so I told myself—so I had kept it. Just in case.

Working up the courage, I drank as quickly as possible, ignoring the slightly medicinal aftertaste. The blood was cold and thick and pretty unpleasant, but I felt the boost almost immediately. My nerves settled, my senses seemed to clear a little, and I felt stronger. If my stamina kept up, then all would be okay.

Buzzing with excess energy, I skipped around my flat, gearing myself up. Near sunset, I headed to the last place Becca had been seen and tried to follow the faded traces of her scent before the vampires awoke. Like Becca, the trail seemed to just die in the daylight. I couldn't figure it out.

Darkness finally came, and I took full advantage of my other senses. I needed to use them more often, to hone them, to figure out how to push my limits even further. I had no idea if more was possible, but I hadn't hit a wall yet. It all seemed too easy for me, if I ignored the nosebleeds and the part where I'd managed to get myself stuck in another plane of existence.

I thought about my earlier losses of control, with Peter, Carl, and then Coyle. I needed to get used to reining myself in, needed to embrace the things I could do, instead of running away from them. To really push myself, I had to open up. That thought scared me more than anything else, partly because I was afraid of what I might find.

I scanned the city as far as I could without passing into that sticky level again. I kept running and searching, determined to work at it until I found Becca. She seemed to wake slightly later than the vampires. I wondered if someone hid her in the daylight, but she kept her distance from the vampires, while I was watching, at least.

She was further out than usual, closer to the countryside. If she pushed too far outside Dublin city, I would lose her for good. I couldn't see that far, no matter how useful my extra senses were. I needed to herd her back into the city, despite it meaning more possible targets. Tonight had to be her last night of killing in my home city. The rules weren't protecting the people. Maybe it was time I broke them.

I broke into a sprint, surprising a loved-up couple in a doorway, and concentrated on Becca's energy in my other sight. I honed in on her. I could almost smell her, and I didn't falter for a step. I was fully prepared to take care of business, once and for all.

Every inch of my body itched to reach her, to finish it. It was as though something deep inside pushed me straight for her, desperate to reach her. People who had helped me were dead or injured. Who would be next if I didn't fix the mess?

Spring was upon us, and that meant fewer hours for Becca to hurt people, but fewer hours for me to track her down, too. That was if she didn't hibernate, mutate, or travel north for the summer. In every sense of the term, I was running out of time.

Becca tried to move across farmland to get away from me, but not even the stench of manure could cover her scent, or distract me from searching for her energy with my other sight. I wondered if she really could sense me coming for her.

I hoped she did.

I hoped she was scared.

When I finally spotted her, I wanted her to fight. For a split second, I wanted that confrontation. But she kept running, and I sped up, the blood filling me with the same thing that kept Becca going.

When I began to gain on her, she doubled back and tried to get past me again. She looked even more horrific than a couple of nights before. Even if I didn't catch her, I couldn't see how her body would continue to function. She had lesions on her neck and arms. I grinned, hoping they were from bear claws.

"It's time, Becca," I called. "No more running."

She gurgled a few sounds and tried to hit me, but I ducked and lunged at her. A flicker of indecision crossed her face, long enough for me to pound my fist in her mouth, knocking her down. She scurried away on the ground, then leapt to her feet and ran again. At least she ran back toward the city. It would be easier to get transportation when I caught her.

For the first time, I was able to chase her without feeling winded. She ran for miles without stopping, even through sprawling housing estates, without her getting distracted by the many beating hearts. It was the first time I had ever seen her focus for so long, and I wondered what her thought processes were like, if there was any humanity left in her at all.

I caught up with her a couple of times, but they just resulted in our tumbling around for a few seconds before she managed to slip out of my grasp again. I didn't care. I wasn't tired, and I fully intended on following her until daylight. She couldn't run forever. Not in the sun.

Closer to the city centre, a heady yeasty smell filled my nostrils as Becca made a dash toward the Guinness factory. I could never have climbed the flat-surfaced gate without having to use my less than stellar climbing skills on the adjacent walls and buildings, so I sped past the neighbouring church, wishing I could drag Becca in there where there was bound to be at least one gigantic cross.

I reached Becca as she leapt, grabbing her hair and slamming her down on her back. She pulled out of my grasp with an inhuman shriek, alarming a gang of teenage boys out past the curfew. Their shouts distracted me, forcing me to let her run in the opposite direction so they wouldn't see what would surely be a bloody fight.

She raced away, running on the tram tracks and down a long hill toward the train station. Still determined, I followed, slowly gaining ground. She ran along the River Liffey, making weird howling noises all the way, and as I caught up to her, she made as if to jump straight into the murky waters.

Thankful for the curfew that caused the streets to be uncommonly deserted, I slammed her into the bridge, then pulled back when I saw a homeless man watching us. His eyes widened with surprise as he focused on Becca's mangled features. She knocked me down as she sped away.

"Alright there, love?" the man asked, peering after Becca.

I waved at him and hurried after her. I wasn't about to lose her. I kept on her tail, albeit from a distance, passing straight through the city centre. From southside to northside, we ran together, and as she ran an almost straight path, I had to wonder if she knew where she was going.

Finally realising we were heading toward the beach where she had accepted a shipment of the formula, I tried to close the distance. She might have been leading me to more vampires, or straight into the sea, but I wasn't planning on stopping. I couldn't let her hurt anyone else I knew. I'd been moping around for long enough. It was time for me to snap out of it.

My breathing still easy, I pushed harder than before, and Becca kept glancing behind her, looking _panicked_. She had to know what I was doing, that I was changed. It was the first night I had kept up with her for so long. Baring my fangs, I couldn't stop grinning at how she reacted. It made me feel powerful, as if nobody could stop me. That was the problem with blood. It gave me a sense of invincibility that took a long time to wear off.

By the time we got onto the sand, I had a serious amount of bloodlust. My heart pumped loudly, and I felt more alive than ever. I was ready for her.

Until she jumped into the water.

She dove under the waves and didn't rise back up again. I dropped my jacket and boots on the sand to swim after her, but I had to turn back. I wasn't a strong swimmer, and unlike a vampire, I had to breathe. Never mind the fact the water was absolutely freezing. I swore loudly and sat on the shore, wringing wet, just in case she came back. Then, I realised dawn was about to break. She couldn't come back.

"Where the hell are you?" I muttered. The sea puked something small onto the sand, something that caught my attention. Scooping it up with some water and sand, I gazed at Becca's fang, feeling horrified and fascinated in equal parts. The tooth was at least four times the size of my own fangs, of which I had only two. Becca had a whole mouthful. The fang looked ancient, pocked with decay.

I rang Gabe to tell him what had happened as I watched streams of pink and purple cross the sky.

"Stay put until someone gets there." He hung up before I could say another word.

I still sat there, shivering, preparing myself for more conversations I simply didn't want to have. I had learned a long time ago how to fake it, how to get by, or how to be so abrasive that even the chattiest of people stopped trying. Didn't mean I had to like it. Didn't mean it ever felt natural or comfortable. And Gabe was definitely on the list of people I didn't enjoy being around.

"You're wet," he said when he finally turned up.

I gave him a look that silenced him. "She hasn't reappeared. I don't know if she kept going or just moved down the shoreline. Or even if she's still under there. This is all I have of her." I handed him the fang and shrugged, feeling painfully inadequate.

He examined it carefully. "How can this be?" he asked, turning it over in his hand. "I have people coming. They'll search underwater for her, just in case. If I had to guess, I would say she's gone. We'll figure out where when the body count starts racking up again."

I nodded, then flinched when he threw his coat around my shoulders.

"Good job," he said, still staring out to sea.

"I lost her," I said, my teeth chattering.

"She didn't feed last night. Not even one person died. You might have driven her out of the country. How did you keep up with her this time?" He sounded innocent enough, but I knew what he was getting at.

"I went against my religion. So you're saying she's someone else's problem now?"

His lips twitched. "If she isn't here, then she isn't _my_ problem."

"What about the tests you wanted to run?"

He waved his hand. "Not my idea. I didn't think it was necessary. Here are my people now. Need a lift?"

"Nah."

He acted as though he didn't hear me. He moved to meet the Guardians who had turned up, some wearing wetsuits. I couldn't help taking another look for Becca, but I left the sand before any of the Guardians went underwater. The pull of the hunt was over, leaving me shaky with the after-effects of adrenalin. More than a little anti-climatic.

I left Gabe's coat on his car and began the long trudge home. At least my boots were dry, but my jacket had gotten wet from lying on the sand. My clothes felt as though they weighed a ton, and I was in the middle of an enormous yawn when Gabe's car pulled up next to me.

"Get in," he said.

"I'm wet. And sandy."

"Just get in."

I obeyed, mostly because my adrenalin had peaked and exhaustion had taken its place.

"Your house?" he asked.

"Yeah. I need sleep. I'll take care of... everything else later."

"How are you feeling?"

I looked at him like he was crazy. "Tired. It's been a long day and night."

"Of course." After a few minutes, he continued, "Eddie tells me he hasn't seen much of you lately. How's your grandmother?"

I gritted my teeth. "I've no idea."

"Family is important. To people like you, I mean. The people around you keep you on the right path. Have you learned any more about the circumstances of your birth?"

He just kept on pushing with the reminders of everything that bugged me about my life.

"No," I hissed through clenched teeth.

"Any new skills?"

I sighed loudly and twisted in my seat to look at him. "This your idea of small talk? You don't have to make bullshit conversation with me. I'm quite capable of sitting comfortably in silence."

To my surprise, he pulled over and turned off the engine. He didn't say a word, which was unsettling.

"Do you... do you want me to get out or something?" I hated how confused I sounded, but the angel/man baffled me. I could read most people by their eyes, but he had no emotions at all in his blank orbs.

"I thought you were capable of sitting comfortably in silence." He grinned, and I couldn't resist smiling back.

I cocked my head to the side. "Wait. Are you the angel equivalent of my creepy uncle or something?"

He rolled his eyes and turned the key, then seemed to change his mind. He stared at me for a few seconds as if debating something internally. "Are you loyal to the Council, Ava?"

"No."

He shook his head, smiling again as he started the car. "Next time a Council member asks you that question, say yes."

"I'll try to remember that. So, what now?"

"You sleep, remember?" He checked the mirrors.

"I meant with Becca."

"Keep an eye out for her. Other than that, it's a waiting game."

"Gabe..." I bit my lip to stop its trembling. "Can you see her? The way I do? Is it... an angel thing or a vampire thing... or something else?"

"What else could it be?" He sounded bored. "You see her energy, rather than a physical body, yes?"

"That's pretty much it."

"That's an angel thing. You're bypassing the normal planes of existence. I wonder what you would see in Hell." He brightened at that thought.

"I hope you're joking." My stomach tightened at yet another mention of a place I refused to believe existed. "But you can see her the same way?"

"Probably not exactly the same, but close. Your range seems to be a lot better than mine right now. And clearer." He sounded frustrated, and I wondered what kind of power he had lost out on by being on Earth.

"Can you see what's wrong with Coyle?" I asked.

Gabe's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Do I see what's wrong? Do you?"

"He makes me sick. I can't look at him. If he touches me, I want to run away screaming. There's something dark in him."

"You're from the light. You naturally react to those that are unlike you," he said, but it sounded as though he was trying to brush me off.

"It's more than that. It's not like with the vampires or anything else I've come across. It's vile, and it's like the thing that was in the shifter who stabbed Esther that time. The one who killed himself in your bar."

"You think something was in that shifter?"

"No need to sound so condescending," I said, but I couldn't stop myself from carrying on with the story. "I saw something, or felt it, I don't know. But it was in Peter, too, afterward. He was acting weird, and I saw it. Like black shadows trying to get into his soul."

"Really. Peter has a soul full of black shadows." His mocking tone pissed me off.

"No. I burned them away. But thank you. Now I remember why I can't bloody well stand you."

He looked entirely unconcerned, and I didn't say another word until he pulled up outside my home. I barely thanked him and hurried inside before he could annoy me further. I could hardly stay awake long enough to shower and ended up falling asleep with wet hair. My last thought was of Gabe's annoyingly smug face, and that he hadn't given me back my souvenir fang.

# 9

I awoke to half a dozen missed calls from Peter. At first, I figured they were about Becca, but then I remembered the marks on both him and Carl. The urgency of that situation had paled in comparison to the real danger provided by Becca, and I figured Eddie had sorted it all out with the men.

When I called Peter back, he picked up on the first ring.

"Hey," I said. "Is everything—"

"You need to meet me at Eddie's."

"Um, okay. I'll be over in a while."

"As soon as possible, Ava. It's important."

"Fine," I said, barely concealing my impatient sigh. "I'll be right there."

Grumbling to myself, I left as soon as I had finished breakfast. I wasn't entirely up to seeing Eddie again, but I obviously couldn't avoid him forever, and Peter had sounded freaked out on the phone.

Peter was already at Eddie's bookshop when I got there. Eddie greeted me warily, and I tried to find it in myself to be polite and pleasant. It wasn't easy.

"Where's Carl?" I asked.

"That's part of the problem," Eddie said.

"What do you mean?"

"He's gone," Peter said, looking as if he had earned a few extra grey hairs during the night. "He snuck out of the house while I slept. I've no idea where he is."

"Why do I get the feeling this is the calm before the storm?" I asked, looking at the two stern faces in front of me. "What else is wrong?"

"Eddie knows what the marks are," Peter said. "Mine's nearly gone, but Carl's had gotten worse last night. I wouldn't let him leave, and the mark kept burning him. It was bizarre. Then when I woke up this morning, he was gone."

"Right. So? Don't keep me in suspense."

"It looks as though a succubus has gotten her claws into Carl," Eddie said. "It's not too recent, either. Time's running out for him."

I stared at Eddie for a few minutes before glancing at Peter in disbelief. "A succubus? A... demon?"

"A sex demon," Peter clarified. As if I needed to know that part.

"So what does this mean, then?"

"You might want to sit down," Peter said, looking a little sheepish.

"Take a look at this." Eddie pointed at an open book on the counter. A horrific-looking demon appeared to be sucking the life out of a glazed-eyed human. "A succubus feeds on energy, specifically sexual energy, but other kinds will do. Sometimes they taste, but to survive, they really need the occasional... overdose." He gave me a pointed look. "You remember what Reuben said about virgins? Most species have their own version of that. The succubi mark a human, which makes him theirs, meaning no other succubus can touch that human. They're connected to them, see through them, and call them back whenever they need a feeding. They slowly drain them, eventually sucking all life out of them."

I had an inappropriate urge to laugh. "And you think this is happening to Carl? I think we might have noticed _that_." I pointed at the picture of the demon.

Eddie tutted with frustration. "Ava, this is serious. A lot of beings hide their true face. You know this. Carl's more susceptible to this kind of thing since you messed with his mind. Yes, we know. It was an accident. That's all well and good, but you opened his mind, and now he's more vulnerable to all sorts of things. The succubus makes the human become obsessed with them, forcing them to keep running back to her. Until the human dies, that is."

"What about Peter?" I glanced at his arm, but he wasn't scratching it anymore, and he seemed calmer.

"He's protected. She took a small dose, that's all. Carl has been taken over by her almost completely now."

"Fine. I'll just kill her, then. Just another freaking day's work."

"That's the thing, Ava," Peter said. "We don't know who the succubus is, for one. And for another, she's probably well within her rights."

"We know who she is, Peter. Wait, what? What rights? How can they just go around... oh, crap. Don't tell me. They have quotas, too." I rubbed my temples when I saw Peter nod. How on earth did those demonic creatures have more rights than humans?

I paced for a few minutes while I let the news sink in. Carl was screwed. Again. "Carl's been in my building lately," I said, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. "Not to see me. To see _her_. I've seen him with her before this, before the trial. Yesterday, she brushed against Peter and me. It was only afterward that Peter started to itch."

"Your neighbour?" Peter looked aghast.

I thought I knew why.

"I've been living next to a demon, and I didn't notice." Neither man said a word, and I guessed I had just voiced what they both had been thinking.

"If it's been that long... Carl doesn't have much time left." Eddie's voice softened and held a note of closure that I didn't like. It wasn't over yet.

"Okay. I can't kill her?" I asked.

Eddie shook his head, his face solemn.

"So, what are my options?"

I hated the look in his eyes, the one that clearly said I didn't have any options.

"Ava, I know you care about Carl, but this time you might have to let him go. If the succubus wants him, there isn't much you can do about it," Eddie said. "I like Carl. He's been balancing the books here. If I could persuade the succubus to release him, I would."

"Balancing the books? That's the only reason you can think of to make him worth saving? Because of bookkeeping?" I couldn't keep the tremor out of my voice. They didn't value life enough. They never had.

"You've risked everything for him before. When comes the point where you say enough is enough, Ava?"

"He's my responsibility." I bit my cheek. What I really wanted to do was throw something at Eddie.

"No. He's your friend. There's a big difference, and he's an adult. He could have walked away as soon as you let him go. He stuck around, and the consequences are his to live with."

I glared back. "This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me. I have to fix it."

He sighed wearily. "You don't go around saving rabbits from foxes, Ava. Nature's way, so it is. There's a chain, and humans happen to be below quite a few things. Predators need to survive, too. Humans kill animals for food. It's the same with demons and humans."

"And what about Peter? He was marked, too! Would you just ditch him as well?" I shouted.

"Peter isn't a victim. He won't ever be. His mark had no effect on him. But maybe you should be more worried about the reason the two people closest to you were marked."

"Why, then? Why are the humans I know being targeted all of the time?" His voicing of my deepest fears rattled me.

"Because of you," Peter said. I gaped at him, horrified, even though he had stated exactly what I had been thinking.

"Stop looking at me like that. You made yourself known for being... soft when it comes to humans. They know you have a heart, know what affects you."

"And Carl's been in a position to hear things you wouldn't want anyone else to know," Eddie added.

"What... what do you mean?" I found it difficult to breathe all of a sudden.

"I told you, she can see through him. We don't know how long she's been able to spy, but that had to have something to do with her choice. I've been wondering how word about you spread so fast after the trial, even when Fionnuala ordered everyone to keep it quiet. This might be the answer."

I chewed on my knuckle to keep myself from freaking out completely. Yet again, while I had been worrying about one thing, something completely different had been going on. "Fine. I'll find out," I snapped.

"Where are you going?" Peter asked.

"To find out what the hell is going on."

Peter followed me outside. "Why are you so upset?"

"Are you mad? Carl's gotten a death sentence, and we can't even help him." I didn't mention the vulnerability I had shown to Carl, the things he had found out about me. The things the sex demon probably knew, too.

Peter bowed his head. "Ava. This is Carl. He's always going to get into some kind of trouble. Bit like you really. We'll figure something out in the end. We always do."

"I have some time until Becca shows up again. I'm going to see if there's anything I can do." I turned to leave, furious with myself for being so absolutely blind.

Peter pulled at my arm to stop me.

"What?"

He searched my face before answering. "Need my help?"

"I'll be fine. I'm going to talk to Esther. See if she can tell me anything. But Peter... I told Gabe something."

"What do you mean?"

"Last night, after Becca disappeared, he gave me a lift home, and I told him about the shadows."

Peter narrowed his eyes. "And what did he say?"

"Acted like he didn't believe me. I regret saying anything now. It's been bugging me because he didn't act surprised. He sounded like I was a little kid making up stories or something, but it was like a story he had already heard. Think I'm making too much of it?"

His frown deepened. "I don't know. Be careful around him. I don't trust him."

"He's weird. Like, not a real person. He's like a robot in a human mask or something. I can't explain it really."

"He still needs you. When he doesn't anymore, then worry."

I tried to smile. "That's very reassuring, thanks. If this succubus, what's her name, Alannah? If she's been spying, then she knows about the shadows, about what I can do. Think she has anything to do with Coyle?"

"It's possible. Doesn't mean much until we find out more, though."

I nodded, trying to digest everything. "I had better go. If you see Carl... kidnap him for me, okay?"

His eyes twinkled with amusement. "Not a problem."

I turned to leave, but he called me back again. "Listen. I'm sorry about before. Back at my place, I mean. Blame the succubus."

My cheeks flushed. "Um, it's not... never mind. See you."

I felt his eyes watching me as I broke into a run. I was so full of thoughts of Carl, Peter, and succubi that I made it to the clinic quicker than I expected. I hoped Esther was still there, because I didn't fancy knocking on Aiden's door to find her.

Luckily, the receptionist with purple-toned skin remembered me. She walked me to Esther's room, let me know she was alone, and congratulated me on a job well done with Becca. Good news spread fast. Funny how everyone but me seemed to think it was a result.

Esther looked extremely bored, but brightened when I walked in.

"Hey, I heard about last night," she said before I made it to her bedside. "Great news! It's such a relief to know she isn't out there." She gave a little shudder, but the grin on her face belied her fear.

"She could show up again tonight," I said, confused. "I didn't kill her or anything."

"She ran away, though. She isn't willing to face you, and who cares why? It means she's gone. People are celebrating today. I mean, nobody died last night. Any night she doesn't feed is amazing. It's great news, Ava."

I realised how much people had been living under the cloud of Becca's blood-draining spree. Before, it hadn't quite hit home. If only I had drank the blood sooner. If only I had been more determined earlier.

"I'm not just here on a social call," I said. "I have a problem."

She perked up immediately, as if anything was better than the boredom of sitting in that room. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Are you getting out of here soon?"

"They don't want to chance it yet. So come on, tell me what's going on."

I hesitated. "The thing is... it's Carl. Again. He's been acting pretty strange lately. Yesterday, I saw a mark on his chest. Peter had a smaller version of it. Like a hickey, but all raised and infected-looking."

Her jaw dropped. "Oh, no. I'm so sorry, Ava."

"Hold on, it's not that bad, surely." But her expression made me doubt.

"You're talking about the mark of a succubus, right?" she asked.

I nodded. "Peter's has gone, but Carl's got worse, and now he's gone missing. Eddie's the one who told us about the succubus. He's pretty sure she has Carl for good now."

"That sucks," she whispered.

"We figured out she lives in my building, and that she's been messing with Carl since before the trial. So I thought I'd come to you. See what I can do."

She looked sorry for me. That filled me with more dread than anything else.

"There's not a whole lot you can do. Unless she's exceeded her quota. And if she had, it would be on record. The succubi rarely get into trouble. They keep it low key, so it's strange she's starting trouble with you."

"This really has something to do with me?"

She bit her lip. "Why else would she go for people you know? It's pretty rude, actually."

"I didn't have a clue about her, Esther."

"I wondered why you had no problem living next to her. Have you spoken to her? Maybe she'd do you a favour."

I rubbed my eyes with my knuckles. "I never thought about the people who actually lived in the building," I muttered, thinking about the talismans scattered around it. "Besides, I doubt asking her would help. We aren't friends."

"It's still worth having a chat with her. Perhaps she'll trade."

"For another human?" I couldn't believe Esther's suggestion.

"Not necessarily. Money, work, protection, lots of things have value."

I stared up at the ceiling, feeling even sicker than before. "I think she hates me, Esther. Can't I just threaten her or something?"

"Oh, no. Don't even think about that! She might not get into trouble very often, but those succubi are the moaniest bitches I've ever come across. I do _not_ want to deal with the lodged complaints afterward. Threatening her won't work. She's a stickler for her quota. She makes sure she gets every bit of what's hers. Sucking up to her is literally your only option right now."

"I'm not good at sucking up. What about Peter? Is he in any danger?"

"Nah, not if the mark faded. A temporary mark is usually to get other people going, a little extra something when she's reached her draining quota."

I was sure my face turned purple with embarrassment. "What would happen if she let Carl go?"

Esther shook her head. "She'll choose someone else, and Carl may never be the same again. She's sucking the goodness out of him, his hopes and dreams, as well as the sexual energy. She'll drain him of everything that makes him Carl, and if this has been going on for a while, his time is running out. I'm really sorry, Ava. This might be a 'say goodbye' mission rather than a rescue mission."

"No way." I jumped to my feet, feeling my panic rise. "I'd rather kill her than let her kill Carl."

"You'll be arrested, and Carl will die anyway. And this time, there won't be a trial. Even if you make it that far. Those succubi are all connected. They all know you by sight because she does. If you kill her, they'll all come after you. That's how it is. Keep out of it if you want to live, Ava. I'm telling you this as a friend."

"And what about Carl?"

"Like I said. Talk to her, try and persuade her, make a deal with her. That's how this world works. You've obviously seen how allegiances are built and repaid. You've been working for Daimhín long enough now. Be sensible about this. I know you're hot-headed, but all of this acting without thinking can only lead to trouble. Trust me this one time. You can only plead for him."

"I hate this world sometimes."

She shrugged. Losses didn't seem to affect her the way they did me. "You should probably get out of here. Aiden's coming to visit me at some stage. He's not your biggest fan at the moment. He'll get over it, though, especially if Becca's gone for good."

_If_.

# 10

I had never been so reluctant to go home. Since I knew Alannah was a succubus, a lot of other things had slipped into place. That overpowering perfume was her natural scent. The strange energy I had often seen in my own building was her. Carl was with her, and I couldn't do much about it. In saving him from a vampire, I had managed to throw him in the path of a sex demon. Life was truly bizarre.

I gave Peter a quick phone call to update him on what Esther had told me and how I was going to plead our case. I didn't tell him what Esther had said about Carl never being the same, even if the succubus let him go. Which she probably wouldn't. Alannah and I had never gotten along, and I wondered if she had always known about me.

It annoyed me that people like Aiden acted as if I were the problem when I had never hurt anyone who didn't hurt me first. Maybe I shouldn't have told a Council Consultant/Head Guardian/Shifter Alpha that he didn't know what he was doing.

Still fuming, I remembered the time I had come across Carl and Alannah outside my flat. She might as well have taken a piss to mark her territory. All along, I had been fighting a battle I didn't even know existed. If anything good came out of the situation, it was my new determination to learn everything I could about myself and the other beings around me. I would never again make such a big mistake as allowing a demon to take my friend right under my nose.

Swallowing my anger and fear, or at least trying to, I took heavy steps up the stairwell of my building, knowing full well that I would never feel comfortable there again.

The scent of the succubus filled my nostrils immediately. And Carl was there. Having something to focus on helped me see it clearly. Until then, I had hoped we were mistaken. But I was forced to acknowledge the truth.

I knocked and waited for the murmurs and giggles to stop. When she finally opened the door, Alannah's honey-coloured hair was mussed and her cheeks pink with exertion and heat. I barely controlled the urge to vomit.

A satisfied smile lit up her face when she saw me. Any thought that it might have nothing to do with me was violently murdered with that smile. I stared at her for a couple of seconds, trying to see behind the human mask, but I couldn't push past it. All I wanted to do was tear her apart. When had I gotten so damn angry?

"Well, hello there, neighbour," she drawled.

"Is he here?" I almost fooled myself with the calm in my voice.

"Who would that be?" But she was unsettled. Perhaps she had expected me to go for her throat.

" _That_ would be Carl. Is he here?"

"Oh. Of course he is." She arched an over-plucked brow, waiting for me to react.

I heaved a sigh. "Look. I don't want to do this in the hallway. Can I come in for a few minutes?"

"Of _course_ you can," she squealed in a faux-girlish voice.

I followed her inside. Her apartment was larger than mine, but danker somehow. Stuffy, suffocating. The air was inexplicably heavy. Carl lay on a chair, his eyes half-closed, a smile on his face. He hummed to himself, looking absolutely stoned.

"See? He's so happy with me." She sat next to him and patted his face, but she leaned on him with her elbows digging into his ribs as if he were part of the furniture.

"What do you want?" I asked.

She blinked a couple of times.

"For him," I clarified. "What do you want for him?"

Her mouth opened and closed again. She clearly hadn't been expecting an offer of a trade. "I don't want anything for him. I want _him_."

"Why him? And why mark Peter, too? What the hell is it exactly that you're looking for here?"

She cocked her head to the side but didn't reply. I decided I wasn't leaving until I got answers, so I waited.

Finally, she shrugged. "You know, lots of beings have quotas. Limits. Things that were pressed upon us after years of freedom. Most of them are starving. You can never truly live when you're constantly thinking about your next meal." She frowned as if choosing her next words carefully. "My kind don't murder freely. But to live, we have to take a human life in its entirety. The last drops are the sweetest, the most satisfying, the hardest to resist. Once the mark takes hold, it can't be undone. That other one, the one with a price on his head, I marked him to distract you for a day or two. You really are quite pathetic, by the way. Even with my help, you couldn't get your bit."

I totally ignored the last part. "Why? Why do you care about me?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're just so delicious. And you never die, no matter how many times I take from you."

"You... _take_ from me? I thought you were a sex demon," I said, my skin crawling.

"I am. That's the most intense emotion, the one that we live on. But other emotions are like nuggets, snacks. Maybe _extras_ is the right word. There's no quota, as long as the person survives it."

"So the whole time I've been living here, you've been feeding off my energy?" Then I remembered something. "McGreavy. Did you do that to him? Make him the way he is?"

"He was such a big strong man when we first met. So full of everything. Instead of marking him, I took my time because I like to settle down, and I hate living with my sisters. He was a good source for a while."

"So why is _he_ still alive?"

"Because before I finished with him, you came along. You carry all of these emotions around with you. It's such a feeding ground. I haven't hungered in years. You gave so much, then you made some friends, and things were even better. You know, you're such a little worrier, and all of that pent-up sexual tension... you're really a dream come true."

Her words sickened me. All those years, I'd been constantly drained by a demon and never even realised. No wonder the street we lived on was one of the darkest in the city. The area was slowly dying, and everyone was suffering at the whims of this greedy succubus. "If I'm so bloody satisfying, why are you even bothering with your quota?"

Her nostrils flared. "It's _my_ quota. I get to take it. No point letting it go to waste."

"Okay, but I've lived here for what, almost seven years? Why Carl? Why now?"

"It isn't just _now_. I had you all to myself for so long, and then you had to get stupid and let everyone know you're here. The world is watching you now, and people aren't happy about that. That in itself might have been workable, but then you stopped feeling."

"That's not possible," I mumbled.

"It must be if it's been happening. I've been tasting Carl for ages. He's so easy to take from, thanks to you. And when you shut down like the little ice queen you are, I had to do something about it. So I upped my game and gave you something to worry about. I didn't realise it would be this satisfying, but you're giving me something to live on for years to come. Even now, it's a constant stream of emotion. I can't tell you how much of a kick I've gotten from draining the stuck-up judgemental bitch from next door." She laughed, almost hysterically, and planted a kiss on Carl's cheek.

"If I've done so much for you, then maybe you want to pay me back," I said, still unsure of how to play this, how much was truth and how much was just her trying to bug me even further.

"Not really. Even now, you're feeding me. He'll die. You'll cry for your human toy. As for me? I'll win a jackpot, and you'll be so distracted, you'll keep out of everyone's way. But if you behave, I won't touch anyone else you know."

"I'll move. You won't get to feed on me."

She shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It's too late for him. Besides, there are other empaths out there. They might not be as hardy as you, but you're not the only one of your kind either. The best part is that you can't even do anything to me. I win."

I shook with anger. "If he dies, you better start running. I don't give up on my friends. I don't give up on a chase. I will _never_ let you enjoy your life."

She rolled her eyes. "You don't give up? So you caught the beast, then?"

"Don't act like you know something about it. I've offered you anything you want for Carl, but you're too greedy and stupid to see it. Well, guess what? You just spited yourself. And if I find out you managed to use this to help Becca, I mean, the beast, get away from me, then I really can do something to you."

"Oh, get out, you annoying little pest. And close the door after you. I'm too full to get up."

Her laughter followed me out the door. I couldn't look at Carl lying there, and I couldn't believe I was leaving him behind. But Esther was right, I kept acting without thinking. I had to do things right.

I unlocked my door and looked around my little flat. It didn't feel like home anymore. I had never been protected. For years, I had thought I was cocooned in safety, when really my home contained a secret trap hole filled with an energy-sucking demon.

I sat down and tried to think clearly. I had nothing really. A few contacts, maybe a few favours I could call in. I mostly owed favours. I needed a stronger position in the supernatural world. I needed to be untouchable.

I rang Peter to update him. "Carl's not looking good. And she's been draining me for years. I don't even know how to react to that."

"Maybe it's better to let her put Carl out of his misery. You know he might not recover. As for her, you need to move out. As soon as possible. She could be taking more than just energy from you. She's demonic, so she could have another reason for doing it. Why would she hate you so much if she didn't already know about you?"

I cleared my throat, embarrassed. "I think it's kind of a personal girly thing, to be honest. I think she literally doesn't like me as a person. Anything else is just gravy."

"You should ask Gabe about her draining you. If there isn't a rule against that, then maybe there should be. It doesn't feel right, especially when you're working for the Council. It's like she's taking from them, too."

When we ended the call, I tried to think things through, but instead, for the first time in weeks, I thought about my grandmother. Maybe I was missing out by not listening to her story. If I was going to do everything in my power to protect myself, then I had to know the whole story, as much as it killed me to admit it. I had to reach out and ask for help. From Gabe, Eddie, my grandmother, the shifters, and even the vampires. Feeling more like myself than I had in a long time, I went for a walk and made some phone calls. I couldn't get through to Gabe, but I left a message. I tried to set up an appointment to see Daimhín, but Yvonne told me she'd call me back. I should have gone straight to my grandmother, but I couldn't face her yet, so I went to Eddie instead.

He might be a million times more evil than my grandmother, but I cared more about what she did, so I figured it was easier to have it out with him. I had to be on my guard whenever I confronted him. Knowing him, he would throw the power of a dozen trapped souls at me, but he might see the succubus problem on a different slant after some time to think about it.

He didn't seem surprised to see me. He probably already knew I was on my way. He sent me in to the backroom to make the coffee, while he closed up the shop. I knew it was a big deal. He rarely locked up his business.

We finally sat down together, but it was hard for me to know where to begin. I had so much I wanted to know, so much I didn't want to know.

"I don't want this to turn into some kind of battle," I said. "I just want to have a conversation."

"Of course. We're on the same side, Ava."

I cocked my head. He'd used the kindly father voice again, the one that lulled me into a false sense of security without fail. "Are we? Because you keep growing into this Big Bad no matter how I look at it."

He shrugged. "Bad only depends on your point of view. Did you find Carl?"

"He's with Alannah. She's been feeding on me for years, apparently. She marked Carl to ramp up my juice. So yes, this is yet again all my fault on another level."

"You need to stop internalising all of this guilt. 'Tisn't always about the blame, petal. Things happen, sometimes no matter what you do." He stared off into the distance, a sudden wave of sadness dulling his blue eyes. I knew nothing of his past, but I had a feeling there were some huge stories there.

"I'll stick a pin in the guilt," I said. "How could it affect me, the whole energy draining... weirdness?"

"Depends. It might mean you're a lot stronger than we thought. It could mean you're practically immortal if you've survived for this long. Or none of the above."

"I've almost died a couple of times," I reminded him.

"Yet you pulled through in the end. The boys seem to think that you can't get hurt, you recover so quickly."

"I can get hurt." I held the cup tight, trying to remember what it felt like before I had moved into the flat, if I had been faster, stronger, better in some way.

"I know. Haven't I helped make you better?" He smiled. "The thing of it is, the succubus drained you constantly. She's probably made your other, ah, problems much worse over the years."

"Isn't it wrong for a demon who feeds on mortals to use a... non-human to feed on? Shouldn't there be some kind of law against it?"

"It's unpleasant." He nodded. "Foolish, too. As a particular species, you're not really protected, though. Strength in numbers, and well, you're the only one of your kind who isn't hidden. People will shake their heads at the succubus, but they won't make a move on her for it."

"But Daimhín named me as one of hers. That gives me some kind of comeback, right?"

He smiled. "You're finally getting how we work, Ava. You'll have to take it up with Daimhín, but yes, you could use your connection with her coven to your advantage. Whether she helps you or not is another thing."

"I've been cleaning up the vampire mess that's been plaguing the city. They kinda owe me."

"I hope they see it that way, and at the next conference with the Council, I'll make sure I bring up this issue. It's about time they dealt with the implications of you going public." He leaned forward. "What about Becca? Is there truth in the rumours I've been hearing? The beast is gone?"

"Gone for now," I said, hoping she would never reappear. "I'll be ready for her when she comes back."

"Let's hope she doesn't. In the meantime, you need to find a new place to live."

"I don't know where to start," I said, still reluctant to commit to giving up my home. "How could I not know, Eddie? How could I not feel it, see it, know something was wrong?"

He stared at me for a couple of seconds, and I realised he was wondering the same thing. "Maybe it's because you aren't used to the things you can do. You've had nobody to teach you. You're only working with your instincts. You can't be expected to know everything."

"It seems like a pretty big thing to miss. I don't... I don't have a clue what I'm doing half the time. If there are others like me, surely they could help me figure it out."

"I'm sure there are others," he said. "But you're the only one out in the open here. I don't know how much help they would be. Two mongrels from the same litter might look and act like two different breeds."

"Wow. Thanks for that analogy, Eddie."

He waved his hands. "My point is that they all have different skills. It's never that simple."

"Never is. But I'm ready to learn as much as I can, and I need you to tell me everything you know about me. If someone had just been honest with me from the beginning, most of my problems wouldn't exist. I can't stay blind forever."

The cold presence blew on my neck, and I could have sworn Eddie stared right at it.

"I don't know how helpful I'll be," he said, half to himself.

The breeze picked up, swinging my ponytail. I watched Eddie's face pale.

"Any help would be great," I said quietly, as if nothing untoward was happening.

"I... Maeve! _Is leor sin_! Stop!" He held up his hands, but they shook violently. The presence stopped instantly.

"Who's Maeve?"

He stuttered for a couple of seconds. "What? I... no, nothing. What were we...? Help. Yes. Others would be better at explaining, but I'll try. It's time for me to try."

I gazed at him, wondering what kind of secrets he hid. Maeve. Was that the name of the cold presence? Like many things, I would just have to deal with it later.

"You want to know about yourself? What I know?"

I was ignorant about so many things, and with someone finally willing to speak, I felt ill, as though every emotion pushed upward at once, struggling to break free. I gave a little whimpering gasp, but he didn't seem to notice.

"I wasn't there for your birth. Or your childhood. But I knew you existed. I see and hear plenty, and I knew one of you would one day come to me. I just had to be patient. When Nancy came, I knew there was something about her. Something in her eyes. She had seen things no human should. I could tell. I made her talk to me, and she told me everything. Every detail. The kind of things she would never have told another living being."

I watched him age ten years in front of me and again I feared the answers. What could she have told him to make him look so miserable?

"When Peter brought you here that day, I tried not to get my hopes up. You were a mess, really." He laughed. "Mistakes a child would make. Accidental binding is practically unheard of. If I hadn't been around as long, I could never have helped you. I knew the outcome. Maybe I got a few details wrong, but I knew Daimhín would need you alive in the end."

I opened my mouth with a question.

"Don't ask. You need to understand. There's a presence about you. Whether it's your power, or the protection of another, it warns everyone off. Most beings won't even realise it's there, but I can feel it plainly and see it for what it is. It's intimidating, and that's what got to Becca, even in her mutated state. That's what I need on my side, Ava. That's partly why I could never harm you. I'm of the old stock. I find it hard to resist the temptation to put you in your place. You're so young, yet I find myself wanting to lead you. It's a strange sensation, having children you want to nurture, but at the same time feel the need to control."

The cold presence went absolutely crazy, and my hair whipped all over the place.

"Now, now," he muttered, and I wasn't entirely sure who he addressed. "The thing with you is that you could be the face of something. You'll never be the smartest or the prettiest, the strongest or the most charismatic, but you stand for something. There are plenty of beings who despise the Council. They would follow someone like you into a war, if you let them."

"Eddie, I'm sorry, but I've no idea what we're talking about. What's going on?"

He waved his hand. "Tangents. Nothing's happening yet. You want to know why I didn't tell you about yourself beforehand, yes?"

I nodded slowly, feeling more lost than when we had begun. Everything he threw at me was muddled and confusing. My head began to thud with a heavy ache.

"I didn't think you were ready. And time isn't to me what it is to the impatient. It takes years for a plan of mine to come to fruition. Decades to even formulate a plan. It didn't seem like something that should happen yet. And your ignorance protects you somewhat. Or at least it did at the trial. If they had read you and saw that you knew exactly what you are... well, it wouldn't have looked good, and the outcome might have been a lot different."

"If I had known, I would have done things differently," I insisted.

"Would you? I don't think so. It was all worded very dramatically at the trial, I grant you that. But really, your existence is simple. It's a very good thing to some of us."

"It's just another way to make me the odd one out," I said. "It's being lied to that I can't stand. I risked all of our lives over a lie."

"Ava, can't you see? You believing that lie kept you safer. If Maximus had truly known what he had on his hands... I dread to think what might have occurred. Some things are pre-ordained, and that particular game was played in the only way it could have been. Your grandmother protected you from yourself, whether it was her idea or not."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not here to tell you Nancy's story. That's to come from her lips only. That woman at the trial, Helena, has she been found?"

"Nope. Vanished off the face of the planet. Why?" I had tried to find her after the trial, but just like before, she had disappeared.

"I think she would have been a helpful ally. Let's hope she hasn't changed sides. Her knowledge is powerful."

"What are you?" I blurted.

He paused as a smile grew on his lips. "I'm just a man. I was born, matured, did my duty, and was given a great responsibility. Then, things changed, and here I am."

"Are you ever going to talk in a straight line?" I slammed my hands on the table just to feel in control of something.

"I only do that when I feel like the person is listening," he said in his nice voice, the lilting one. "I tell the truth. I was born an ordinary human, and one day, I'll die."

"I thought you were immortal," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Everything comes to an end," he replied calmly. "Even this conversation."

"Wait!" I said. "Tell me things. About angels and demons. About seraphim and Nephilim. About me."

"Again, there are better people to ask. But I can tell you that the angels are soldiers, but not on Earth. Never on Earth. A good thing or Earth would have been destroyed long ago. Even the fallen are soldiers, and they must live in the darkness—Hell—because the light shames them, or so the tales say. The Nephilim were the only ones who could bridge both sides, and take the war elsewhere. They were useful and precious because they could stand in the dark _and_ in the light without suffering."

"What about the... impure?"

"Your kind is unusual in that they can pick light or dark to live in. They fit in everywhere and nowhere. The impure nephal can visit all without harm, but they can be influenced from birth to be either dark or light. It's a battle to take the impure, which is why it's so strange that you managed to go unnoticed for so long. You could easily have been dragged to Hell as a child. I still haven't figured out that bit," he admitted. "In the past, the surviving impure have been unpredictable, more trouble than they're worth, so apprehension is to be expected."

"What does that mean?"

"It means quite a few beings believe you are a ticking time bomb, one that needs to be destroyed before it explodes and takes out most of the world."

"What do you believe?"

He leaned back in his chair. "I think everything is happening the way it's supposed to. I've been around a while, petal. It takes a lot more than one wee girl to end the world."

"How long have you been around exactly?" I asked, ready to take advantage of his talkative mood.

"A while."

"Decades? Centuries? Please tell me it wasn't B.C. Oh, my God, how old _are_ you?"

His laughter filled the room. "I can't remember exactly. I stopped keeping track a long time ago. I told you. I'm from another time."

"But you said you're human."

He shook his head. "I said I was _born_ human. I was given a gift for being a good boy."

I glared at him. "You can't tell me you were born millennia ago and not give me details. What _are_ you?"

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, as though weighing up the pros and cons of sharing his story. Although there were more important things going on, I had been desperate to know what he could do since the day I met him, partly to understand what I was dealing with.

"I grew up in a time when Ireland was a pagan country. We worshipped the gods, and they favoured us. I wasn't a soldier. I was a sensitive little soul for the age we were in. My father was ashamed. His oldest son was a coward. He wanted to send me away, so my mother, being the sort of woman who could turn any shame into pride, decided it was my path to devote myself to the gods. I trained to be a druid. Of course, we made sacrifices to our gods, and to me then, it was worse than fighting in wars. My older sister made me think of the people as things. Less than animals. As skin and blood and bones. It was the only way to get through the violence."

The corner of his mouth lifted, and he remained silent for a couple of minutes, apparently lost in his memories. "I became a great Druid, well-respected. Then a menace came. Vampires. They preyed on my family's village, took my family and friends from me. The gods granted me vengeance, and I drove the vampires away. After that, life changed. People no longer devoted themselves to the whims of the gods. The gods decided to sleep until another time, devotion and faith being their lifelines. Ogham gave me a special gift. I became the Keeper of Knowledge, the Guardian of the Gods. I held their power, their memories, their immortality. I held it all for the day they would one day return."

He shook his head. "As time went by, the respect was lost. Christianity invaded, sent our ways into the annals of history. The vampires returned, and we were all forced to coexist in one way or another in the end."

"When will the gods return?" I whispered, fascinated.

"When?" It was as though he woke up from a dream. His face creased into a frown, and his voice went cold. "Never. No, not ever."

# 11

I ran to my grandmother's home. Walking somehow seemed inappropriate. I had to know what she knew, the things that made her so sure I was bad, the reasons she lied to me. If, historically, the impure were capable of destruction and pain, then I needed to know why and how—never mind how to not go down that road myself.

When she opened the door, she stood stock still with her mouth hanging open. She quickly gathered herself together and bade me to come inside. The first step into her home sent thrills of melancholy through me, a sensation I could barely stand.

"I need to hear it," I said when we sat down together in the living room that was still heavily decorated with religious ornaments. I avoided the lone picture taking pride of place above the mantel place. The crown of thorns image had always disturbed me.

"Of course," she said, nodding. "I'm... glad you came. I thought you might not..."

"I need information. I need to hear about my mother, the lies, why you treated me the way you did. I need it all. Bad things keep happening when people keep secrets. I need it to stop."

Tears fell from her eyes, shining droplets that ran down her chin and were left to air dry. Anger surged through my body whenever I looked her in the eyes, but as she talked, I had to keep on checking her expression to make sure she was telling the truth. Her heartbeat was already all over the place, which meant listening to it wouldn't give me an accurate reading of how true her words were. I'd been learning a lot about lies lately.

"I should start at the beginning," she said, nodding again. "Yes, it's easier that way. Please don't get angry with me. I can't take it anymore."

I didn't say a word, but I noticed how much frailer she had become since the trial. Seeing me seemed to add a decade to her life. I steeled myself against the pity that kept trying to poke through my armour.

"I loved my son. He was perfectly normal. He had a good heart, and he was my only child. So it probably won't surprise you to learn that I hated your mother, Sarah, on sight. They moved away because I couldn't find it in myself to be nice to her. I know you think I'm an awful person, but there was always something in her I detested. I just knew there was something... _wrong_ about her."

My fingernails dug into my palm in an effort to keep in the torrent of abuse I wanted to hurl at her.

"She was very beautiful, so people loved her, and I was convinced she was going to cheat on David. That and she turned up with nothing, I mean, obvious gold-digger. Except I was wrong. So very, very wrong. I knew she was pregnant, but I fully intended on having nothing to do with her child. Then, she turned up in the middle of the night, covered in blood, and told me David was dead, and the baby was coming."

She wrapped her arms around herself and rocked to and fro. "You can't understand the shock of that, of your child dying horrifically when you weren't there to take care of him. It was so much to take in. Sarah told me she had walked halfway across the country, and she was bleeding heavily. There was a gaping hole in her neck, and the skin around it had turned black. I still don't know how she managed to get to me." She shivered, and I couldn't help mimicking her.

"I said I was going to ring an ambulance, and she went hysterical, started screaming about vampires and demons and a dead baby. She smashed the phone against the wall to stop me. I had no idea what was wrong with her, but then she did something. She showed me her true face, and I fell to my knees.

"I prayed every Sunday, but I never truly had faith, Ava. It's not something that comes easy. People put on a show, but true belief, true faith, that takes a lot. But I believed Sarah. I couldn't deny her that night. She was having contractions, and her neck just wouldn't stop bleeding no matter what I did, but she kept breathing. She said her baby just needed to be born, and then she could sleep. The blood was black by then, thick, I had never seen anything like it."

I gasped. "Then what?"

"Then... then _he_ appeared. The angel. Oh, he was beautiful and terrifying, and I would have agreed to anything right then. She cried when she saw him, begged him to help you. He took her hands and told her everything would be okay, that he had come for her and her alone. He said you had a role to play, that he would protect you until the right time. She... she asked me to raise you, to love you, and make sure you knew she loved you." She shook her head and wiped her eyes.

"When you were born, she held you for a couple of seconds. She smiled as though death wasn't coming. She kissed you, stared at you, and then she just faded away. Her skin lit up like the sun, and suddenly, the light flew into you. The angel looked shocked. He refused to touch you, so I had to pick you up, and you were burning. It was like you stole her light. You didn't. That's just what it looked like."

She grew very still on her chair. "And then he spoke to me, warned me, really. He told me Sarah was wrong, that you would be impure—tainted—and that a lot of demons wanted you, that they could influence you. He made me promise to hide you, to keep you safe, and to make you afraid. He said your path was clear, and I had to make sure you stayed on it or terrible things would happen." She gripped the arms of the chair, her knuckles turning white. "He made me promise not to tell you about your power, but to instil a sense of fear and subordination in you. He swore that was the only way to ensure you wouldn't end the world. I was so afraid. So very, very afraid, Ava." She gazed at me with red-rimmed eyes, silently pleading.

"And then what?" I asked as harshly as possible.

"See? That's it. That's what went wrong. You were stubborn deep down, never born to be that submissive. It took more pain than necessary to quieten you. There were times when I was terrified of you. Once, after I tried to... teach you, you curled up on the ground in a ball, and the light appeared again. It surrounded you so that I couldn't get near you.

"Afterward, he came to see me sometimes, usually in the dead of night while I prayed for help. His words never changed. And I never stopped listening to him. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I could make you pure again, but nothing worked. I didn't understand it, and I didn't do one thing right by you in the end."

I let her words sink in. My first instinct was to feel sorry for her. Going from thinking the other world wasn't real to being saddled with a killer-baby. Or whatever. But I couldn't see myself doing the same thing. No matter what some celestial being told me.

"Did he tell you to bring me to nutjobs for a beating? Did he tell you to freeze, burn, or starve the evil out of me? I just... I just can't find a way to understand any of this."

"Don't you see it? That was the point of it all, I think. He wanted you to hate evil."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You're just saying that to make yourself feel better."

She leaned forward, her hands reaching toward me. "I changed. Don't you remember? When that man... when the last thing happened, I did try. Helena and Wesley both helped me see I was wrong, that _he_ was wrong. He kept coming to see me, and I didn't obey him, so he punished me, too. In your teens, I finally understood that maybe he was wrong, and I tried to be better."

"Until I rang you after I bit Wesley. Until I really needed you. The way you spoke to me, it was like the good years never happened. You killed it all in one sentence. Even when I called you about Carl, your first assumption was that I'd killed someone."

"Please, Ava. I need you to forgive me. I _am_ sorry! I made mistakes, but I raised you. I protected you, I broke the law for you. And when you really did need me, I was there. When the vampires wanted you, I was there. At the trial, I was there. I'll always be there in the end. I'm the only one who really cares what happens to you. Your _only_ family. I'm the only one who doesn't need you for something."

"Except forgiveness," I whispered. "I get that you took things to extremes because of the vampires and angels and all of that crazy stuff. But strip that away, and we're left with a bitter old woman who didn't want her precious son taken away. Did you see her when you looked at me? Because I know I don't look a thing like you or my father."

I paced, my fists clenched, memories flooding my mind. "You never even kept a photo of her for me. You could have given me something huge to hold on to if you had just told me about her. The real her, not just her death. All you did was give me a memory of a dying woman, when she was so much more than that. That's what you should be the most ashamed of. That's what should keep you awake at night."

I made it to the door before turning around. "I've wasted so much time on you. I really wanted you to love me. I really wanted you to see _me_ , not the thing you thought I could be. I could have used a family instead of having to turn to strangers for comfort. I was going to run away with Wesley. Did you know that? But I didn't want to leave you on your own. How pitifully stupid of me."

I walked out the front door with one weight lifted and another weighing heavier than ever. I'd finally had my say, but the reminders of the love I'd lost cut deep. The truth had come far too late to make much of a difference to our relationship. Closing her door was like closing a door on my past. She might be family, but she had a deep-bred distaste for me, and somehow hearing how much she had hated my mother solidified all of the hurt I felt toward Nancy.

A normal person would have loved a child, not abused them. I couldn't accept that her behaviour was explainable or completely understandable. But for the first time in my life, I felt a connection to the mother I had never known. The one who had walked for miles in labour, slowly bleeding to death. The one who had begged for someone to protect me. That idea sparked a warmth in my chest that had never been there before, filling some of the emptiness I carried.

The only time I'd felt that kind of warmth had been with Wesley, until I'd ruined it. I still savoured the taste of pure happiness, and with Nancy's revelations, I had another to keep alongside it.

I had no idea who the angel was, or why he had felt the need to keep reminding my grandmother to basically dominate me like a dodgy animal trainer, but if I ever got the chance to face him, I would have plenty to say.

I wandered the city for a couple of hours, not wanting to go home and feed a succubus with my pain. I had no place of my own, nowhere that I really fit in, but the more I learned about myself, the more comfortable I was in my own skin. The important thing wasn't what they said about me, it was the choices I made. Foolish or not, I cared about people other than myself, and I did my best with the little experience I had. I'd tried to close myself off, but it never worked. I wasn't meant to grow up hating. That realisation was powerful.

I didn't feel particularly inclined to kill anyone, except maybe a certain succubus, and my thirst was pretty much controllable for the most part. Until that certain succubus ramped up the feelings between Peter and me. Empathy didn't come in handy on those occasions. But I hadn't hurt him. I hadn't even bitten him. I could control myself, even when I wasn't so sure.

I found myself heading towards Peter's home. I had no one else I wanted to turn to, and he was always the first person I wanted, no matter what the circumstance. In some ways, he was exceptionally unreliable and cold, but I felt as though he would back me up if I needed him, and that made me feel safe around him. I couldn't remember the last time he had looked disgusted at the mention of my more vampiric side.

He wasn't home, so I sat on his doorstep and watched his neighbours go about their business. So normal and ordinary. Children playing like there were no bad guys. Parents feeling safe enough to let their little ones out on their own, despite murders and a kidnapping happening right in their neighbour's home. If they knew, they no longer cared. People got over the past so easily, why couldn't I?

Peter pulled up and didn't notice me until he was a couple of feet away. He stopped and stared at me for a couple of seconds. I gave a little shrug, and he nodded. He opened the weirdly-secure front door and hauled me to my feet.

"In, before I lose my antisocial recluse reputation," he said.

I laughed, but by the time I sat down in his living room, tears rolled down my cheeks. He didn't say a word, just handed me a tissue and sat next to me. He stayed quiet, and I just sat there crushing tissues in my fists.

"Okay, I'm done being a girl," I said after a while.

"Nothing wrong with girls. Need a coffee or something?"

"If you're having one."

He patted my shoulder and left me alone. I often wondered how he could live in that house. Knowing he had lost everyone who meant anything to him within those very walls was strange to me. I always felt as if there were ghosts in the room, watching my every move.

Peter seemed to do okay, despite suffering through the kind of heartbreak I couldn't even imagine. I wanted to talk to him, to spill everything out, to beg him to tell me how to deal. But his past had affected him, too. That was obvious in everything he did. Even the supernatural beings of the world were wary of him, for those very same reasons.

When he came back with coffee, he sat next to me again and hesitated, as if he wasn't sure what to do.

"Is it time yet?" he asked at last.

"For what?" I whispered, confused by his expression.

"Carl kept telling me you need to stop holding everything in. He reckons you need to talk about stuff, to get your head together. I said you just needed to punch something. I'm guessing I was wrong."

I smiled. "Not wrong, but the same things don't work forever, right? Never mind me. I'm being a wimp today. I've been trying to find out more about myself, and it's a bit... overwhelming sometimes. I've spent so long thinking I was something, and then I find out there's a whole other mess in there, and I don't know where to start really."

"I can listen. I'm pretty good at it." For an instant, the soft Peter came through, the one who cared about living or dying, the one he was before the real world came knocking.

"I just don't know where to go from here. Everything I've ever believed has been thrown upside down. Between vampires and angels and succubi and humans, I don't know whether I'm coming or going."

"What happened today?"

"I went to see Eddie, my grandmother, and that succubus. That's why I came here. I didn't want to give Alannah a filling dessert on top of what she's taking from Carl."

Peter shook his head. "If there was anything we could do..."

"There has to be something. She's been feeding off everything I've felt for years. And I had no idea. My grandmother's been lying to me my whole life. And I had no idea. Eddie's had plans for me since before he met me. And I had no freaking idea. Everything's messed up, and I don't know what to do about it."

"Deal with one thing at a time. That's all anyone can do. What happened when you talked to Nancy? Anything good?"

"Nope. She's like a stranger to me. Her excuse for everything is 'An angel made me do it.'" I burst out laughing. "I mean, come on!"

"An angel? Think that's true?"

I shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I don't even care what the angels want with me. The thing that got me the most was how she talked about my mother. She hated her, and she definitely didn't want to be burdened with me. She kept saying she tried to change, she tried to do better, but who needs to try to treat a child like a human being?"

"What happened to you?" he asked. "When you were a kid. What did she do to you? You both insinuate things, but neither of you get into the details."

"What didn't she do? She said the angel told her to make me afraid, to make me submit, so I wouldn't screw up the world or something. She definitely made me afraid. I wasn't allowed play with other kids, she only sent me to school when somebody called in the social workers, and she made it her mission to take the impurity out of me."

"How?"

His voice was so quiet and soothing that I barely realised I was answering questions.

"Sometimes, she didn't feed me. Other times, she used ice baths or hot wax to try to expel the demon. I don't know. She was convinced there was an actual creature inside me or something. She invited every lunatic to our home, especially the violent ones."

"She told them about you?"

I laughed. "Yeah, right. She told them I was evil, or sick, or needed to be exorcised. That kind of thing. Some people were harmless. It was all pretty words and dramatics. Others were... bad people. I begged her to help me, to make them stop, but she washed her hands of me and let them do their worst. If I'm honest, I've blocked out most of it. Sometimes I get flashes of memories."

His hand covered mine, and the words flooded out of my mouth.

"That first time we met Becca at that vampire bar freaked me out because it was close to one of the places my grandmother took me as a kid. I remember screaming at her to please take me home. I swore I would be good, but she drove off and left me with him."

"Who?"

"A psychopath. The kind that pretends to be a holy man. I forget what religion he pretended to work on behalf of, but he didn't like little girls. He left scars. In all sorts of places. Then, he cut off my hair and sent me home. When she saw me, she knew. She knew he wasn't holy. But she didn't say a word. She never sent me to him again, but what he did worked. I didn't speak for a year, and she pretended we went travelling so the school wouldn't get suspicious." I leaned back, surprised by the memories, by the details that jumped out of me. I touched my back, remembering other things. Things I never wanted to say out loud.

"How could I want her to love me, Peter? Why would I want her to? She let bad people do bad things to me. She couldn't bear to touch me. In school, the other kids, and even the teachers, avoided me as much as possible. What is it about me that's so obviously wrong?"

He shook his head, but I couldn't look in his eyes.

"That woman at the trial. Helena. My grandmother went to her when I still hadn't talked. It's all a bit fuzzy. I remember she did things to me, too, nothing painful, but she was angry. Outraged, actually. She and my grandmother had a huge fight. I remember feeling sad because it meant she wouldn't come back."

"Is that when she left?"

"No. No, she came back, and Nancy told her things about me. True things. And Helena tried to bring us together. It started getting better, then Helena vanished, and I cried for her. Nancy was furious. She was convinced Helena was going to betray us. I wasn't allowed to talk about her again, but I always remembered her. Life was never as bad again. We started to get along a little. She would sometimes go back to her old ways, but it was never as constant. Then, Wesley moved to the neighbourhood."

I smiled, remembering the first time I had seen him. He'd caught me staring, and I felt sure I had made the biggest fool of myself. But he sought me out after that. All of the girls in my class had crushes on him, but it was as though the strangeness in me that repelled others only attracted him.

"Being close to him made me happy. He made a point of being lovely to Nancy, too. He brought me places, made me feel normal, like I fit in somewhere. She obviously saw the change in me because she began to treat me like a person. For the first time ever, I felt happy. I mean, it really was the first time I'd felt it. Then, I screwed it all up and had to leave." I chanced a look at Peter. He was staring at the wall, his shoulders tense.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Me?" He sounded shocked. "I should be asking you that."

"I'm okay now." I realised it was true as I spoke the words. "I'm starting to figure out how to look after myself, I think. I just have to learn how to let go of the past, I suppose. I'll get there."

"You've a lot to let go of."

"Look who's talking."

"Everyone has something." He leaned over and wrapped his arms around me. "You'll get through it. I promise."

Our eyes locked, and my heartbeat sped up, but he got up and moved away.

"About the succubus," he said abruptly. "If we took Carl, what would happen?"

"He'd probably do his best to get back to her. It's like an addiction, I think. He could die," I said.

"Or it might wear off. Going cold turkey, that sort of thing. It might be worth a try."

"It's something to consider. But she would probably come and get him. Or force him to hurt himself getting back to her. I thought you wanted me to give up on him," I added.

"It's not that. It's just... you always act like you have to do things. You don't. You can walk away any time." Something in his eyes made me think he wasn't talking about Carl at all.

"Carl's one of the few people I haven't freaked out. It's not that I have to save him. I want to. I'm trying to set up an appointment with Daimhín to ask her for help. I know, I know, don't look at me like that. I'm having some trouble, so I thought you might be able to put a word in with Yvonne for me. Please?"

He backed away at her name. "I'll try. Whatever good that does. Do you really think Daimhín will give a crap?"

"Probably not. But she might despise succubi and want to get one over on them." I smiled. "It's worth a try. You know what? Maybe I should go back home. Give the demon something to chew on so she doesn't overdose on Carl."

"Sometimes I think you're crazy," he said, but the corners of his mouth lifted.

"Ever wonder where we'd be if life was normal?"

"Probably as bored as Carl was. I'm not so sure I want normal anymore."

"And I'm the crazy one. I should go. Thanks for... everything."

# 12

"I take it you've heard the news," Daimhín said, taking in my appearance with the slightest look of disdain. Compared to her, I was permanently unkempt.

"What news?"

"Nobody told you? I thought that's why you wanted to see me. It hasn't made the human news yet, but a ferry went missing. It was found drifting, completely empty. They're referring to it as the Irish Mary Celeste."

I frowned, wondering at the significance.

She made a little frustrated noise. "The beast. It had to be her."

"No bodies?"

"Maybe dumped overboard," she said. "She hasn't been back, so there's a good chance she's crossed the water for good."

"She'll be back," I said. "If she survived, then we haven't heard the last of her. And if she fed on an entire ferry full of people, she's more than healthy."

"No matter. It's not our problem anymore. I'm glad you're here. I wanted to talk to you about your employment with me."

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something, too," I said, leaning back in my seat, grateful that only a handful of her coven had joined us. I caught the eye of Eloise and got distracted until Daimhín cleared her throat.

"Sorry," I said. "I have a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

I rubbed my cheek, suddenly embarrassed. I felt as if I'd been caught out somehow. "A succubus. Turns out there's one in my building. She marked my friend, and she's been draining me for years. There's a good chance she's effectively been using my friend to spy on me. I've been told there's not much I can do about it. But you took responsibility for me before. Can you help me?"

Her laugh was like a cackle. "I hate those things. Trust you to live in the same building as one. I hope you're not particularly fond of this friend. Succubi don't let go easily."

"Carl. The one I... the one who started everything really. There has to be something I can do. They can't just feed on anyone they like, can they?"

"They usually only feed on humans, which doesn't explain how she's been draining you. It's strange that she's chosen _your_ human—"

"He's not actually mine."

"—because they tend to travel wider than that. Unless you offended her, which... you did, of course. I forget you have the manners of a chimp. I'll send someone to ask politely. Other than that, I have no recourse. I will, however, make a point of mentioning it to the Council. I don't like the idea that she's taking something of mine, especially considering the situation with the beast. No wonder you didn't catch her. As a society, we all needed the beast to be dealt with as soon as possible. If this demon interfered with that, the Council won't be happy." I kept quiet, perfectly happy for her to go with that train of thought.

She stared off into the distance, drumming her fingers on her knee. "Yes, that's what I'll do. She's taking some of your power. I need that. Selfish of her really. You do understand that your human will die, even if she lets him go?"

"No, he can't. He'll be fine. There has to be a way for him to be fine."

"She won't let him go willingly," a voice said from the corner. We both turned to look at Eloise.

"Did you _see_ that?" Daimhín asked harshly.

Eloise shrugged. "Perhaps it was a dream, perhaps a memory. The succubi don't give up what's theirs. Unless it doesn't belong to them." She gazed at me as if waiting for me to understand. I didn't.

"Perhaps you'll get lucky," Daimhín said. "Now, Ms. Delaney, I've decided to keep you on permanently, publicly. Brogan is surprisingly quick to hand over what's mine when you're the one collecting. I don't know why I bother making deals with him. He's never understood the concept of repaying debts." I could have sworn a crooked smile twisted her lips. "And the angel might be fairer when one of his own is around. Your trial was a disaster for my reputation, but if you're seen to be loyal to me, then it could speed up the recovery."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. Actually being able to laugh in front of her was a shock. "That was pretty much all your fault."

"Now, now. It was that traitor, Gideon. I was too trusting of him. It won't happen again. But you. You came out of it shining. It's a critical time. Some are wary, others are interested. Either way, I could use you. With your face associated with my coven, some will be more easily persuaded. Of course, if I'm seen to treat you fairly, the Council might favour me. Yes. There are lots of ways you can help me."

"Why would I want to?"

"Money. Security. Support. Information, maybe."

My ears pricked up at that.

"I've lived a long time. I've learned a lot of things. I know exactly why my day assistant works for me. I'm careful around her. She hears what I want her to hear. Remember that when she tells tales. But I'm willing to exchange some things with you for your allegiance. I don't desire her blood, so she can't give me anything unique. You, on the other hand—"

"Why not?" I blurted.

"Excuse me?"

"Why don't you desire her blood? What is it about some people that makes them..." I shrugged, unable to think of an appropriate word that didn't make me sound like a hungry lion.

Her eyes bulged a little. "You might be the most ignorant creature to pass my threshold." She sighed. "It boils down to a number of things. Personal preference, health, diet, genetics. Something in her bloodline is different, inedible. Some humans are bred to be victims. Just like in the old days."

She gave a sudden smile, lost in thought. I cleared my throat to grab her attention again.

"Yes. You. You have my coven's support, even if they hate you, and I can easily pass on tidbits of information if you please me. I know you have a ridiculous soft spot for those humans. Trust me, my information is worth it. You'll receive a wage, and you'll work regularly for me. Not on a daily basis, don't worry. But enough for you to keep your schedule open for me."

Although her tone was mocking, the lure of information was great. Maybe too good to be true.

"I still don't see why you haven't given any of this information to Yvonne already. If you have any, that is."

She smiled. "You're learning. She's human. She's not a pet of mine. She's efficient, and she keeps me aware of Brannigan enough that I don't have to worry about him. But now I have you."

"Peter? Why would he worry you?"

"He's protected. If the Council ever wanted to get rid of us, I know they would use him. He's connected to you now. He wouldn't risk you to get to us."

"You don't know him very well, then. Peter won't let anything get in his way."

"You sound bitter," she said with a knowing smile.

"Fine." I stood to leave. "You help me, and I'll help you. I can live with that. For now."

"Good. I'll arrange a visit to the succubus."

"Does this mean you don't want me dead?" I asked.

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Oh, I definitely want you dead. I just don't want to be the one to risk it."

Daimhín's parting words replayed in my head. Risk what? Whenever I used my dagger on a vampire, they burned until all that remained was dust on the wind. What if something happened when I died? Something that might injure my killer perhaps. I had a good idea that Eloise would know. If only I could get some time alone with her.

That led me to her enigmatic message. I felt as though I might be missing something regarding Carl and the succubus. Could I have prior claim to him because I had once controlled his mind? But no, the bond was broken, and that meant it couldn't have any more influence on him. There had to be something. All I could do for sure was rely on Daimhín and hope her messenger could persuade the succubus to be sensible and let Carl go.

I was so tempted to burst into her flat and just take Carl away, but common sense prevailed. Or at least a supernatural version of common sense. As I walked home, I watched the world with my other abilities, half-hoping to see Becca so I could take my bad mood out on her.

Everything was normal, at least for my world. Red pulsing energies signalled humans all around me. Empty pockets were the stamps left by vampires. Various other energies appeared in a vague sort of way, but it was as though my senses were more attuned to the things that made up my DNA.

I cut through a park to get home, squeezing through bent bars to make my way past a child's playground. The wind picked up, although the night wasn't as cold as usual, and it took me a few minutes to realise it wasn't the wind at all.

"Hello, stranger," I said before heeding the warning of the presence with me. In my other sight, I saw something strange running toward me and whirled around to face it. It looked like a human. It had a heartbeat. But its energy was screwed up, and I slowly realised why. Shadows. Clinging to the man's soul. Or what was once a man.

He raced at me, fists closed. He was big, burly, and outweighed me by at least a hundred pounds. Not to mention he was more than a foot taller.

I blew out a sigh, realising my latest non-fighting streak was about to come to an end. A couple of days felt like some kind of record. I planted my feet firmly on the ground and hoped I would remember all of Peter's advice. I didn't want to hurt a human, but I needed a couple of minutes to burn those shadows away, and they were embedded so deeply in the man's soul that I wasn't even sure it would help.

The man rushed at me but stumbled when I jumped to the side and pushed him, his weight helping me. His face was distorted, almost unrecognisable as a person. His eyes swam with a misty substance that made me feel sick to my stomach. Not even close to the reaction Coyle gave me, but the man was infected with darkness, more than Peter or the fox-shifter had been. He festered with it.

He ran at me again, swinging his heavy fists. One connected with the side of my head as I tried to block him and grab his face. All I needed was a few minutes of contact with his skin, and I could burn the shadows from his body. I was confident that was all it would take, but the dizziness from the blow he landed convinced me I would have to knock him unconscious to even have a chance at cleansing him.

We grappled, and I cursed the stupid succubus for draining me of any precious energy. I didn't want to hurt the man, feeling sure he was innocent. He had probably been sent by Coyle to distract me at best, and kill me if he could.

Grunting heavily when another punch landed, I decided to use my speed against the man. I dodged around him, hoping he would use up some energy following me, but the shadow seemed to push his body further than humanly possible. I was outmatched... by a human.

I tried to pace myself, tried to think, tried to remember everything I should do, but being attacked by a human unnerved me. I let down my guard for an instant and received a swift punch in the mouth for my trouble. Without thinking, I struck back twice in quick succession. The man's bald head automatically rocked back, but he kept coming, arms swinging.

I dropped to the ground abruptly and used my feet to knock him back. He fell over, and I leapt on top of him and squeezed his throat. Using his bulk, he rolled us both over. I barely managed to escape from under his dead weight.

I was quicker to my feet, and by the time he had gotten to his, I was prepared to jump on his back. Grasping his shoulders, I swung myself up before digging my fingers into his Adam's apple until I managed to grip him with my arm.

He pushed and pulled, and in the end, threw himself onto the ground, me underneath him. I pressed on his neck, listening carefully for his heartbeat to slow. Right before I let go, unwilling to risk his death, he slumped unconscious, and his weight almost cracked my ribs.

Not knowing how much time I had, I carefully pushed him off. Rubbing my hands together, I prayed it would work like last time. Using my other sense, I saw the black shadows weaving around his essence, suffocating his humanity. I lay his head on my lap to keep from grinding his skin into glass or stones, then pressed my palms against his forehead as hard as I could.

The shadows were persistent. They held tight, entwined with his very being. Sweat rolled down my back, and pain racked my entire body, but I couldn't let go. I couldn't let him run around with such evil inside him. I couldn't let him attack anyone I knew.

Slowly, the shadows loosened a little. I kept pulling at them with that unknown power inside me. Every time I felt like I had a grip, they fought to cling even tighter. Finally, one of the shadows seeped away from him and into me. I imagined I heard screams, even though it wasn't possible.

I choked down waves of nausea, but refused to break contact with his skin. Desperation bubbled up inside me. I had to get rid of the shadows. It was as though that was what I was born to do. The fear gripped me as tight as the shadows had to the man lying before me. Too late, I felt his heartbeat slowing dangerously.

"No, no!" I cried out. "Stay with me! Stay with me!"

The last of the shadows left him. My hands flailed as if independent from my body. I burned and stared at the flowing black swirls beneath my skin in disbelief, feeling torment and pain dance around inside me. The light came, highlighting my veins and searing through the corrosive substance that invaded my being with the shadow. I wanted to scream, to run, to hide. But I couldn't.

By the time the pain faded and my gasping breaths slowed down, he was gone. I cradled him for a few minutes, almost surprised by how heartbroken I felt at my part in his death. He had been used by something evil to do something evil. When I destroyed the darkness, I destroyed him, too. And I was still no closer to knowing exactly what the shadows were or what they could do.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, hearing my words fly away on the wind. I closed his eyes then fished my phone out of my pocket to call for an ambulance. I knelt by him, holding his hand, unable to control the shuddering of my body. I didn't want to leave him alone like that.

Not like that.

When I heard the wailing sirens of an ambulance in the distance, I lay his head gently on the ground and ran in the opposite direction.

I couldn't cry. I couldn't think. Killing vampires—who technically were already dead—unnerved me. The death of a human felt much more real. Savage. When I got far enough away, I hid behind a bush to vomit. I dry heaved over and over again, every time I thought of his fading heartbeat, of his glazed-over eyes. If Coyle had sent him, was that what he wanted?

# 13

I spent the next day in bed, mourning the deaths of human men and reading Eddie's ridiculously scary books in an attempt to save another man in my life from a succubus.

No matter what I did, the man's face kept coming back to me. Did he have a family? Friends? People who would miss him? I watched the news on the hour, but saw nothing about a body in the park. Plenty on the Mary Celeste ferry. An empty, drifting boat was something to talk about. Not a nameless man who had died in a park for no good reason.

At least I knew those shadows were gone, same with the ones that had infected Peter. So, how many were there? On a whim, I spied on the succubus with my other sight. No shadows, but her energy was almost as ominous since I knew what she was.

I listened for Carl, comforted by his pulsing presence. If only I could help him. It all might have been worth something.

In the early hours of the morning, a phone call awoke me.

"We have a problem," was all Daimhín said. Immediately, I thought _succubus_ and rushed to get ready to meet her.

I was wrong.

In Daimhín's living room sat a group of vampires I had never seen before.

"Is this it?" a dark-haired male asked in a thick, Liverpudlian accent.

Daimhín sighed, shaking her head at me. "Yes, Victor. This is it. Ms. Delaney, our friends here have a dilemma. It seems our recent beast problem has made its way to Liverpool. The British Vampire Association is insisting we deal with it. These three vampires are their representatives, sent here to resolve the situation."

"Liverpool? There's been nothing in the news about mass murder over there." I eyed the trio with suspicion.

Victor glared at me. "That's because we don't air our dirty laundry in public."

The brunette female next to him nodded. "No point in causing hysteria. We'll deal with this quietly and then forget all about it. It doesn't have to be a big deal."

"If it's not a big deal, then why haven't you dealt with it already?" I knew my question was a mistake the second the words popped out of my mouth.

Victor full-on growled, while the woman looked embarrassed. The third, a bored-looking man with white hair, stared somewhere over my head as though I didn't exist.

"We've tried," the woman said snappishly. "It doesn't discriminate. It's been draining vampires, too. Nasty business. Nobody wants to risk it. You people caused the problem. You can fix it."

"Actually, vampires in Spain created the formula. So technically, they caused the problem," I said, biting my lip when Daimhín hissed at me.

"We need to go to the Council now," the older-looking vampire said. "Cass has already arranged a meeting to see who else they're offering to send."

The female, Cass apparently, nodded. "We accept your offering," she said to Daimhín.

Offering? Great.

"Are you sure this is it?" Victor persisted.

"Positive," Daimhín replied. "Ava will travel with me. Winston, you may use one of my vehicles, along with your colleagues, of course. My own bodyguard, Zion, is already waiting to drive you."

The white-haired vampire nodded his thanks. The trio trooped out, followed by docile humans that I hadn't even noticed when I entered the room.

Daimhín waited a few minutes before gesturing for the vampires and me to follow her outside. A stretch limo waited with the engine running. Another pulled away as we stepped outside.

"Are you kidding me?" I whispered to Daimhín once I was sure the British trio wouldn't hear me. "You're sending me to Liverpool?"

She inclined her head. "If need be. Don't worry. The Council will probably send them packing. They won't be dictated to by foreign vampires. But _we_ can't be the ones to say no."

"Exactly how powerful are these vampires?"

Daimhín frowned. "Winston's the overseer of the British Vampire Association. All of the vampires in Britain are part of the BVA, whether they like it or not. Winston spent many centuries consolidating his power when others were still wreaking havoc like barbarians. Victor is still a muck savage who happened to be lucky enough to have a powerful creator. He hasn't left Winston's side since his rebirth."

"What about the woman?"

"Cass is a liaison of sorts, his voice to the ruling powers. She's managing their bid to bargain their way onto their version of the Council. She's a sneaky one. Be careful what you say in front of her."

"But what do they want?" I couldn't figure out why they would come all the way to Ireland to kick up a fuss.

"Winston's essentially created an army of vampires. He's just waiting for his chance to unleash them on the weakest opponent. He's likely interested in spreading his domain across the water, and we happen to be the easiest mark."

"Why does _he_ have to come with us?" I asked, referring to Jules who kept drooling a little too close to me.

"Because he can't be trusted on his own," Eloise piped up.

Other vampires accompanied us, too, mostly bodyguards. I began to feel claustrophobic.

"Has anyone been to see the succubus yet?" I asked.

"Yes. She refuses. Rudely, too." Daimhín sucked her top teeth, and I could see it pissed her off to be refused by a demon.

"So, what should I do?"

"Own him," Eloise said in a sing-song voice.

"Don't advise," Daimhín snapped at her, but it got me thinking. Could that be the answer? To take him out of the ownership of a succubus, I just had to own him again? Perhaps the original bond had some kind of precedence. Or another supernatural term I had yet to learn.

"Thanks, Eloise." I tried not to wince when she gave me a fanged smile in return.

We seemed to be moving in the wrong direction, but I figured we were heading to neutral territory. Perhaps other entities weren't supposed to enter the Council's domain or some such nonsense. I didn't care. I just wanted the trip over and done with so I could get back to dealing with Carl.

I was soon bored and agitated. The lack of heartbeats and breathing was positively irritating, an unusual side effect of being stuck in a car with a group of vampires.

"Have you ever heard of something infecting people, like gripping onto their souls, and making them do bad things?" I asked, trying to sound matter-of-fact.

" _De_ -mons," Eloise sang.

"Haven't I told you?" Daimhín chided before slapping Jules's hand away from mine. I rolled my eyes and inched away from the dysfunctional vampire family.

I tried to ask more questions about demons, but Daimhín refused to let Eloise answer.

"What about someone using a soul, like trapping it to them?" I attempted to sound like a curious neophyte searching for the strangest occurrences possible.

Daimhín tutted. "That's just one step away from necromancy."

I settled back into my seat and watched Eloise sing lullabies to Jules. Every time I saw him, he acted even stranger than the previous time. Eloise treated him like a doll or a puppy, and I wondered how much of her was as childlike as the day she was turned.

We stopped shortly before I lost my mind. The meeting place was in a closed restaurant. A sleepy-looking shifter was opening the doors when we arrived. We all gathered inside and waited for the Council to appear, the British vampires frequently checking the time in disgust.

By the time the Council traipsed in, the vampires were muttering complaints and throwing dirty glances at each other. I was shocked to see how frail Koda looked in comparison to how he had at the trial. The transparency thing tended to make him look ancient, but the opaque lapses showed tired eyes and a serious amount of wrinkling. Fionnuala and Erossi appeared as haughty as ever, and Gabe just looked pissed.

"What's this about?" Gabe snapped.

"This is about you driving your mistakes onto our territory," Victor shouted, surprising everyone.

"I'm sure you can deal with it," Gabe said sullenly.

"No. We demand you send troops to take care of this," the vampire continued.

"Troops?" Erossi laughed without humour. "We don't need troops. Look what we have." He mockingly pointed at me. I knew there was a reason I couldn't stand him.

Victor flexed his fingers as if in agitation, but when he spoke, his voice was calm. "This mutation needs to be captured and tested. The strain is warped. She drinks blood of her kind... that couldn't have been the plan. The Spanish deny knowledge. She's the only real link we have. As discussed with Daimhín, if we can study her, we can figure out what exactly they've been doing. We're in a much better position for this."

" _We_ can do the testing, once we retrieve the beast," Gabe said

Winston smiled, and it was probably one of the most terrifying things I had ever seen. "Oh, no. If she's on our soil, we decide what happens to her. As you sent her to us, you can help us capture her. But we're keeping her."

I had a bad, bad feeling about that.

"We don't have Guardians to spare," Fionnuala said. "Too many were taken out in the hunt for the mutation. It's too much to ask."

"This has to stop," Winston warned. "If you don't deal with this, we'll take it further. Do you feel like a war in these times? You have until tomorrow night. We'll be leaving then."

"You dare threaten us?" Erossi scoffed.

"There are many more of us. And the higher Councils will take our side. War will come your way, you arrogant fool. Some of us are more than willing to take the fight to you. Remember that. This is not a choice."

"We'll send the girl," Koda said. "She can handle the creature."

"Alone? When our warriors couldn't?" Cass sounded as if her head might pop off her shoulders with shock.

"She knows its movements. She has experience," Koda said tiredly.

"Are you quite mad?" Gabe managed to sound even more irritated than I felt.

Koda rose to his feet. "No more of this. We send the girl. That's all. If you think she can't handle it, assign her some help yourself."

"We can discuss it tonight and give you our final demand tomorrow," Cass said, but there was hatred in her eyes.

I looked directly at Gabe. "I don't want to go to Liverpool." He shook his head slightly, but I really couldn't leave. "I have things to deal with here, things that are urgent. A succubus is killing my friend, I have to—"

"Our final demand will be delivered tomorrow," Winston insisted. He acted as if I hadn't spoken at all.

"Fine," Gabe snapped. "I'm sure Daimhín will accommodate you past dawn. We'll meet again."

The vampires all left, but Gabe grabbed my arm and held me there.

"I'll take you home," he said under his breath. "Are they gone?" he asked a nearby Guardian.

The Guardian headed outside, leaving the room full of tense supernaturals. I shifted uncomfortably, and Gabe's grip on my arm tightened.

"They've left," the Guardian said from the doorway.

"Good. Koda, what are you thinking?"

The Dryad shrugged. "I'm tired, Gabe. We can't afford a fight. Let the girl deal with it. They can't bring a war if we comply."

"We can protect our land," Erossi said, the veins in his neck straining against his skin.

"Now is not the time," Fionnuala said, siding with Koda. "It will happen, but not now. Not over this. We can't afford to lose any more Guardians to this. The girl is no loss to us."

"Great, thanks," I muttered.

Gabe said goodbye to the others and dragged me to his car. He turned the key so violently, I was sure it would break. The wheels squealed as he pulled away and sped dangerously along twisting country lanes to get back into the city.

"Don't ever speak up like that again. Not in front of others and certainly not if you're going to act like you have a choice."

"You can't make me go," I said.

"I don't have time for this, Ava. Do you want to fight in a war? Do you want everyone you know to die, everything you know to be destroyed? Because that will happen. This is an excuse. They're already fishing for a battle for some reason. Problem is, Becca has given a reason for every other supernatural over there to back them up on this. None of us have a choice. We have to be seen to take action."

"But the succubus—"

"I don't care about the damn succubus. I don't care about your human friend, either. All I care about right now is avoiding a war. You're leaving tomorrow. Get your head in gear and deal with Becca once and for all. They want her alive for a reason, but they can deal with the mess that will surely follow. We're here to protect this territory. If you want to survive, you'll have to make hard choices, just like we have by letting Becca go to them. Could you really live with yourself if you could have prevented a war? Do you really think the humans here are equipped for anything close to a war?"

My stomach turned because I understood. One life or many lives. I didn't even know for sure how to help Carl. All I knew was that time was of the essence. He didn't have days left. I had less than twenty-four hours to come up with a solution, and I wasn't even close to a solid, workable idea.

# 14

My fingers shook uncontrollably. "All I need to know is if it could work." I looked up at the two men standing before me, unwilling to accept the doubt in their eyes.

"I don't know if an experienced vampire could do such a thing, never mind you. It could go wrong. Badly wrong," Eddie said.

"It's going to go wrong for Carl if I don't try something. Daimhín called me herself before dawn. A private jet will be ready at midnight. If I'm not there, everyone's screwed. It's not even that. I should go. They need the Guardians here, what's left of them. They're still recruiting replacements. They won't have a decent system in place for a while. If I can deal with this, it might give them time if something else does happen."

"Maybe anarchy's the best thing that could happen to this country," Eddie said. "Starting fresh could work."

"Is he serious?" I asked.

Peter shrugged. "Carl doesn't have time for us arguing about anything besides him. He's going to die. Is there any way she can stop it?"

Eddie tapped his fingertips against his chin. "She has prior claim. If she tried, and managed to make Carl hers again, it might negate the mark."

"Well, good. I'll try it."

"Think about this, Ava. Think how hard it was last time. For both of you. This will be much worse. He's still recovering from that. Now, he's weakened further by this succubus, and you'll be taking his mind again. There's only so many times you can twist someone's mind before they lose it completely." Eddie's face reddened. "When you break the bond, it'll hurt more than before because it will have solidified. He could die when you dissolve your ownership. And that's if you even manage to do it. You've never done it on purpose. You can't control it, and you needed a vampire to dissolve the bond last time. It's very risky. If he dies while bonded to you, you will suffer. That won't help your chances against Becca."

I blushed. "Actually, I sort of did practice with it before. Kind of."

"On me?" Peter blurted, horror clearly on his face.

"What? No! Jesus, are we really back to that?" I was deeply offended by his automatic response.

"Sorry, old habits. But even you have to admit how off you've been lately." He cleared his throat. "Who, then? The copper at the checkpoint that night?"

I shuffled my feet. "Him, too."

"Ava!"

"Okay, don't judge me. I was desperate. My landlord kept coming around for money. I asked him for more time, and he said okay. Then, he changed his mind and came back. I just used my influence a teeny, tiny bit, and got him to go away. It didn't last, and it wasn't a full bond or anything, but it was definitely some of the same thing I used on Carl. I understand it now, and I think I can use it."

Eddie nodded as though my explanation was satisfactory, but Peter had a disappointed look on his face that killed me.

"Why are you so hard on me?" I demanded, unable to keep my thoughts to myself anymore.

"I thought you were better than me." His words hit hard, but I had to push it out of my mind. For Carl.

"If I... own Carl again, can you protect him while I'm gone? Here, where the succubus can't get to him? I won't break the bond until I know he's gotten his strength back up a bit. Don't say it. I already know the longer he's bonded, the worse it will be, but it could be the only thing that saves him. Daimhín's tried, Gabe's not interested, and nobody else sees a way out for Carl. Because he's just a human, and that freaking sucks."

Eddie leaned his hand on my shoulder, and I felt something cool penetrate my skin. It calmed me down, but I shrugged him off, hating when he used magic uninvited.

"I'll take care of him," Eddie said. "I can give him something that'll help him sleep. It'll be the only way he won't go looking for you. I'll keep him safe, but I can't guarantee your actions won't kill him. If you die while you're bonded, he will, too. Remember that, Ava Delaney."

"Do me a favour," I said to Peter.

"What?"

"Stay with Eddie while I'm gone. Don't go near that succubus. Or Coyle."

Peter paused. "Something you're not saying?"

I glanced from one man to the other, wondering how much I could trust Eddie. I got up and paced around the room, trying to figure out what to say. "Yeah. Yeah, there is. I killed a man. A human."

"What? When? What are you talking about?" Peter stuttered over his words. Eddie sat down and waited, but something crossed his eyes, enough surprise for me to be sure he had no clue what had happened.

"It was the shadows," I said, seeing the man's face again. "Eddie, what do you know about demon possession?"

"A fair amount. It's been a while. Is this something I should be brushing up on?"

I glanced at him and saw that, for a change, he was extremely worried.

"I'm not sure. Peter, can you explain to Eddie about the shadows? I need to get moving. Just be careful. I think Coyle sent that man after me. The shadows had totally taken him over. When I got rid of them, he died. I think maybe your tattoo protected you that day, at least a little. This man had no chance. I didn't mean to kill him. I had no choice. I had to get rid of the shadows."

I couldn't look to see his reaction. I left the shop, but instead of going to the succubus, I headed straight for the clinic again. I had already made a phone call earlier that day and found out Esther was about to be released. Coyle and Aiden were supposed to accompany her home—Guardian policy.

"Ava! I'm finally breaking out. Were you coming to see me?" Esther stood in the hallway, looking perfectly made up.

I brushed past her and faced Coyle, barely containing my rage—for me, for my friends, for the man who had needlessly died.

"See, this is what I can't work out," I said, heaving a little as I stared into his eyes. I felt a million creatures grabbing at me, trying to coax away my soul. "Is it me you're trying to kill, or just the innocent people who keep dying?"

He blinked a couple of times, his eyes stormy at the confrontation. "I've no idea what you're talking about, impure one. Shouldn't you be getting ready for a flight out of my way?"

"What's going on here?" Aiden tried to get between us, but I held out my arm.

"So, you're a coward as well," I said. "You can't even be upfront about yourself? You keep sending the shadows, you keep sending the possessions. I'll keep getting rid of them. It isn't a problem."

"Shadows? What shadows?" Coyle smirked, his head cocked to the side. I had the sinking feeling the conversation was going exactly how he wanted.

"Ava, are you feeling okay?" Esther asked.

Aiden scowled at her. "See? She's unstable. I knew I shouldn't have listened to you."

"Are you two blind?" I asked, baffled. "Can't you smell it? Can't you see the shadows at all?"

"Ava, there's nothing there," Aiden insisted.

"Seriously, if this is what passes for a Guardian," I muttered. My eyes rose to meet Coyle's again. "They may be blind, but I'm not. And as long as I can see... oh, my God. That's it, isn't it? I can see! That's why you're trying to get rid of me!"

"I've no idea what the wretch wants with me," Coyle said to Aiden, ignoring me. But his eye twitched. Ever so slightly. And it gave me reassurance. Even when Esther looked at me pityingly. Even when Aiden warned me not to make accusations or threats without substantial proof.

"It's not my fault you're lacking the ability to see exactly what's in front of you," I shouted in frustration. "Send one more shadow to me, and I'll come for you. The shadows don't come back to you, in case you haven't noticed yet. It'll be a lot worse for you."

I stormed off, but Aiden followed me.

"Wait, Ava. You need to calm down. I know you're worried about your human, but you can't—"

"We don't own humans! We don't get to screw around with their lives like they're playthings. A man died the other night because your so-called Guardian sent a demon after me to shut me up. If this is what your precious Council is protecting, then I want no part of it. I'll deal with Becca. Don't worry. But after that, you can all sod off!"

I felt a million times better when I left, rattled and shaken, but better for having said my piece. Too many lives were being treated as pawns, and I wanted everyone to know where I stood. I wasn't meant to be a part of that kind of organisation. For an instant, I considered whether Eddie's ideas on anarchy could work, but again, human lives would be the main sacrifice, and that wasn't worth it.

By the time I made it to my apartment building, it was getting late. I gave Peter a quick call to ask him to bring his car. If all went well with Carl, I would need help taking him to Eddie's place. The bond would push his body beyond its limits, and that might be a step too far for Carl's weakened state. I wanted to take as few chances as possible.

I hoped I wasn't making a mistake, but I couldn't leave the country without trying something, and it was a good distraction for whatever might happen to me next. I had managed to piss off Guardians, shifters, vampires, various demonic creatures, and even the Council. I wasn't in a good bargaining position unless I pulled something out of the bag. And that just might be Becca. I had to tread carefully, but I was clueing into the game, and survival meant more than just living.

The terror I felt as I walked up the stairwell was almost crippling, but it was past time for me to let go of fear. I'd faced Coyle, and he was made of my worst nightmares. The strength was there. I could live with the occasional lapses, the times when I thirsted and messed with numbers to ease my state of mind. But blaming everyone else for the things that had happened to me was tiring. The more I let that instinct slip away, the happier I felt.

The cold presence appeared —Maeve, I reminded myself—as if she knew I needed strength. It occurred to me that I had gotten into the habit of relying on the spirit for silent advice, but once her visits lapsed, I had discovered how to trust my own instincts. When I listened to my gut feelings, things tended to work out, and I had a gut feeling I was about to do the only thing possible for Carl, aside from murdering all of the succubi on the planet.

I knocked on my neighbour's door. When Alannah opened it, I pushed past her and headed straight for Carl. The stench of death was in the air, and I almost lost it, until I saw his chest rise and fall. He was alive, barely.

I knelt beside him, ignoring the foul-mouthed succubus behind me. Alannah pulled at my shoulders and hair, screaming insults, but I opened Carl's eyes and managed to make eye contact with him. I whispered to him, and it seemed as though he knew me, but I couldn't tell for sure.

"Get away from him!" Alannah screamed, the order tinged with desperation.

I held Carl's hazy gaze. "He's mine," I said firmly, and a spark of something appeared. Maybe recognition, maybe magic, but whatever it was, I pushed at it with everything inside me. "You're mine," I repeated under my breath, willing him to understand, willing him to agree.

He croaked out a sound, then in a movement so fast it frightened me, he gripped my wrist.

"What are you doing?" Alannah's whisper was full of horror and awe.

"Taking back what's mine. I had prior claim. Our bond's too strong. He's still mine, and you can't have him. You can't take what isn't yours. You should already know that." I touched the mark on Carl's chest, easing the darkness away, soothing the raised skin. He jerked his head, showing me his neck, and relief swept over me. The first part was done.

I stood and faced the succubus, who still looked baffled.

"This is what happens when you go after what's mine," I said, but I was speaking to all the succubi, knowing they would hear it, knowing they could affect my reputation. "Everyone I know is off-limits. I understand your quota, but it doesn't include those close to me. None of you will feed off me again. It offends me and the people who claim me. You've interfered with the beast, made sure I couldn't take her down. I don't like to kill. I really don't. But I do what has to be done. And I'm not alone. If I find out you've had a hand in the demon possession, I _will_ be back."

She shivered at the words "demon possession," but she didn't look surprised, and I wondered how common the knowledge was among actual demons. It might mean something huge was going on, or it might mean nothing at all. But I was pretty sure I could find out.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a minion to heal, a beast to kill, and some house hunting to do." I helped Carl up, carrying some of his weight on my shoulder. The walk from the building was slow—and noisy, what with the shrieking succubus—but I couldn't stop grinning until I made it to the car.

"He okay?" Peter asked, helping Carl into the backseat.

"Not really. But sadly for him, he probably won't die from having sex."

Peter raised his eyebrows but didn't respond. I was still buzzing from freaking out the succubus.

"It's getting late," he said as we got into the car.

"I know. I'll make sure Carl is settled then head off."

"Ava, I—"

"Don't. Don't say anything. I'll fly out, sort shit out, then come home in a day or so and sort shit out here. I'm sure an even bigger problem will show up for me to sort out by then."

"Always does." He laughed, apparently enjoying the excitement.

Carl was still breathing when we made it to Eddie's place. Peter carried him up to the spare room, even though Carl kept struggling to get to me. It said worrying things about his condition when he couldn't break free, even under the will of a vampiric thrall.

"He's in worse shape than I expected," Eddie said, leading us back downstairs.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked. "If I'm responsible for him, can I keep him alive somehow?"

"That might be beyond your skills," Eddie said. "The bonding went well?"

"Yep. The succubus had a hissy fit, but I warned her off. Hopefully, they'll listen."

"They?" Peter asked.

"All of the succubi. They're all linked... it's a thing. Can you keep Carl alive until I get back?"

Eddie shook his head. "A couple of days at the most. You'll have to be quick. His body can last this way. It's his mind I'm worried about. I'll strengthen him as much as possible, but his chances for survival are poor. He may never be the same again if he lives. Are you sure you want that?"

"That's not up to us. I need to get moving. I can't miss the plane. I've already gotten quite a few angry voicemails from Gabe. Don't want him getting his angel buddies after me."

Eddie rolled his eyes, but Peter pulled me into a quick hug. I inhaled deeply, committing his cinnamon scent to memory. "See you later," he said, letting me go.

"Before you leave," Eddie said. "I'd like to perform a quick ceremony with the dagger, to give you a little more fire-power."

"Nah, I'll be okay. Not so sure the dagger will get much use this time out."

"It could help," he insisted.

"Yeah, but I don't particularly like where your magic comes from," I said, remembering the blood sacrifices and soul power.

"It comes from the gods," he spat, unusually offended.

"Right. Exactly which god would that be?"

"There are many sleeping gods. You know what I am. Do not talk down to me." His voice never raised, but the tone turned dark, and all of the doors and windows in the building slammed violently.

"Always with the drama," I scoffed to hide my fear. I hated when he pulled out his magical tricks. "Did the gods give you your souls, too?"

His eyes narrowed, but I shrugged it off. I didn't have time for confrontations with Eddie Brogan, Keeper of Knowledge—whatever the hell that meant.

"Just... act normal while I'm gone, okay?" I said.

"Maybe you should let him help," Peter said. His eyes pleaded, and I couldn't say no again.

"If it's not too creepy," I said.

Eddie made a tutting sound and swiftly prepared for a ritual. I couldn't help shuddering when he produced the cracked black bowl again. The room appeared to dim. Eddie lit some candles, while Peter and I huddled close together.

Eddie pulled on a pair of gloves. "Give me the dagger, Ava."

I reluctantly handed it over, disturbed by how reverently he looked at the thing.

"Blood. Love. Sacrifice. Accept our offerings, and protect our souls. Connected and ready to serve. Fill us with power, and watch over us."

His eyes gleaming in the candlelight, Eddie raised the dagger and sliced his palm, letting his strangely repulsive blood drip into the bowl. He held his hand out to Peter, who backed off noticeably. Eddie clucked his tongue until Peter let out a weary sigh and held out his hand, wincing as the dagger pierced his skin.

Last again, I shivered at the blankness in Eddie's eyes as I held out my hand. The dagger was quick and sharp, and I tried not to yelp at the sensation.

Like before, Eddie's posture changed and guttural words flung from his mouth in a strange voice. He pressed the dagger against his lips. Peter gasped as blisters immediately appeared, but it was as though Eddie inhabited his own little world.

He stirred the bowl of blood with the dagger and gave an empty smile as the weapon flared with blue light, sparking the fluid.

He held the bowl out to me, urging me to drink. Although still apprehensive, I drank the blood in one mouthful, swallowing hard as the hot liquid tantalised my tongue. I had no idea what the dagger did to change the blood, but it became something else. Pure energy. Life.

Still stunned by the warmth flooding through my body, I barely noticed Eddie's palm against my forehead.

"Let the spirit exist in our sister. The Keeper of Light and Warrior of Flame are still needed here. Keep her safe until the day comes."

Peter made a strangled sound, and I followed his eyes down to my bare arms. My skin was full of light again, and I felt something close to me, something magnificent. I wouldn't be alone when I faced Becca. Hopefully, I wouldn't need blood.

# 15

I made it to the airport with ten minutes to spare. Finding the vampires was another story. After going the wrong way three times, I finally spotted one of the bodyguards waving at me.

"Didn't think you were going to show," he said gruffly.

"Didn't think I had a choice."

He nodded and gestured for me to follow. "Our terminal is this way. We'll need to run. Further out than the human runways, but better than having to mix with humans we can't snack on. Most countries have their own airports dedicated to higher beings like us, but Ireland has always been backwards. You're a little late, but the jet and staff are all still being checked. We don't need to participate in any of that ridiculous human security nonsense, though. As if they could force us, anyway."

I made a noncommittal noise, controlling the urge to slap the chatty vampire silly, and tried to keep up with his long-legged stride. He led me through a door clearly marked "Staff Only," and we raced to the terminal. Any airport staff we passed avoided our eyes, as if they knew what we could do.

Winston and his sidekicks all waited together for their bodyguards to finish checking the private jet. They didn't say a word to me, and that bothered me because I couldn't get a feel for what they were thinking. I was about to get on a plane with a group of strange vampires. It could go badly. Their human companions were nowhere to be seen, solidifying that possibility.

I had never been on a plane before, never mind a private jet, so I was a little excited in spite of myself when I boarded. The cabin was pretty spacious, all things considered. The leather seats looked comfortable enough, and the windows were blacked out.

"Welcome aboard," a perky blond hostess with wounds on her neck said. The jet seemed to be catered solely for vampire passengers, including the meals. She happily offered me her wrist when I took my seat.

Startled by the movement, I stared dumbly at her for a couple of seconds. "Uh, no thanks."

She shrugged and moved on. Cass took her offer, sinking her fangs into the woman's skin. The woman didn't even cry out. She just smiled lazily. The scent of her blood flooded the cabin, and my mouth instantly watered.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, even more when Victor sat across from me. He glared at me, and I spat out the first thing that popped into my head.

"Why are we flying at night if the windows are blacked out?"

"Can never be too safe," he said, then looked as though he felt sick at responding to a question coming from me. The BVA had serious ego problems. "When we arrive, you'll be taken to your escorts. They'll provide a place to stay and show you the main locations the beast has visited, as well as provide some further leads. Capture the beast. That's all you have to do. You'll be provided for as long as you stay there. Take as long as this needs. But don't kill it, or we will consider it a slight on our hospitability."

"I can't stay. I'm in and out. Two days tops. I have to get back."

"To put your pet out of its suffering? Bloody Irish cretins." He made a disgusted noise and took his seat with the others, grabbing the air hostess from Cass's arms in the process. She hissed at him, baring her bloody fangs, but he ignored her, and she leapt to her feet. That side of her was a lot more relatable to Becca. Winston pushed her back into her seat without even glancing toward the incident. Cass flopped in her chair and licked blood from her fingers with savage movements.

"Even dogs can be taught how to share," I muttered. Winston narrowed his eyes at me, and I took it as a warning. Victor flung the hostess to the floor, where she sat looking dazed for a few minutes. A second hostess, a petite brunette, appeared and stepped over her colleague as if she didn't exist.

The blond crawled to the back of the plane and disappeared from my sight. I couldn't help feeling a little rattled.

The plane took off shortly after. I clung to the arms of the chair as I felt the atmosphere change and my stomach flip upward. I didn't particularly like heights, but the feeling that my head might explode sent me into a panic. Indulging in some rapid mental arithmetic, I breathed heavily, causing the vampires to turn in their seats to look at me. I didn't care, I just wanted off the thing.

I stayed crouched low in my seat until the plane landed. It felt as though I'd been trembling in my chair for two days.

"I'm getting the ferry home," I muttered as I stepped off the plane, my legs still shaking. The BVA trio stood apart from me as the waiting car was checked over—paranoid vampires—and I remained on edge because every time I glanced at Victor, he was staring at my throat.

I was so disoriented that I didn't notice much of the car ride, aside from the seemingly endless turns through city streets. The vampires sat together in the back, wordless throughout the journey, while I sat in the front, next to the human driver. His neck had so many bites that I was afraid he might keel over and crash the car.

The limo finally pulled into an empty car park. I stayed in my seat, waiting for something to happen.

Cass leaned forward. "Take your bag and wait here for your escort. We won't be dealing with you any longer. Once you capture the beast, you can return home."

She sat back and stared out of the window as though I were no longer in the car. I gazed at the vampires in disbelief, but when the driver cleared his throat, I shrugged and got out. I had a little bit of money, a passport, and my dagger. I was sorted, no matter what.

I heaved my bag away from the car and watched as the only people I knew in the country drove away and left me alone. Straddling a low wall, I rummaged in my bag for a bar of chocolate and waited. At least it wasn't raining. I was about to give up and find a way home when I sensed something behind me. Yet nothing was there. Or at least, nothing visible.

I switched to my other sight. A weird greenish energy came toward me, nothing malevolent about it. It almost seemed human but didn't quite fit. Understandable, considering the invisibility.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You see me, then?" a surprised voice said in what could only be described as a thick scouser accent.

"Sort of," I said. "Show yourself properly."

A haze crossed my eyes. I blinked, and to my surprise, two slight figures appeared, holding hands.

"That's weird," I said.

A male and female stood before me. He had black hair and dark eyes that might have been green, but it was hard to tell. Her snow-white hair was plaited to her waist. Her eyes were the palest colour I had ever seen. They were both pretty light-skinned, with identically sloped noses, heart-shaped faces, and clefts in their chins.

"Related?" I asked.

"Twins." He released his sister's hand, and I tried to see them on that other plane again. The weird energy had separated into two relatively normal ones.

I frowned in confusion. "You're my escorts?"

He nodded. "I'm Lorcan. This is Lucia. She doesn't talk. Except to me."

They both looked quite young, and obviously not human, but they definitely weren't vampires.

"I'm Ava. I don't have much time, so let's get on with this, yeah?"

Lorcan looked surprised by my words. "Not much time? Have you ever met the beast?"

"Her name's Becca. And yeah, we've crossed paths a couple of times. Many dead?"

He nodded. "Loads. It's kept under wraps, but Lucia's heard a fair bit 'bout it. Come on. I'll show you where you're staying, and then pinpoint a few places of interest on a map."

"A map. Right. Fantastic." That was my help. A walking navigator.

He gave me a funny look, put his arm around his sister's shoulders, and led us out of the car park. I tried to take note of where we were going, but was soon overwhelmed by the sheer number of crowds and strange streets. Although it was late, the city still buzzed, and we were soon surrounded by drunken people. I felt my own mood buoyed by the atmosphere. Lorcan never let go of Lucia, and neither twin made a sound.

We turned down a dark street and were instantly shrouded in eerie silence. It reminded me of that other plane, as though we had stepped into another world. I could no longer hear the shouts and laughter that had filled my ears only seconds before.

"When you said 'except to you,' you meant some kind of telepathy?" I asked, mostly to make a noise.

"Something like that. We're over there." He pointed at what looked like an abandoned building.

"You live there?"

"Yeah. It's where you're staying as well."

"Oh." I was definitely curious about those two.

We walked up the stone steps to the door of an old Georgian-style home. As soon as I saw the number on the door, my blood ran cold, and I stopped short.

"What's the matter?" Lorcan asked.

"I... it's... you live at number 6?"

He stared at me as if I were insane. "Are you okay? You look a little ill."

"I don't... I don't like that number." The last time I had pushed past my number six fear, Becca had taken a chunk out of Peter, and I had almost drained her dry in return. Sixes were _never_ good.

Lucia jerked at Lorcan's arm, then turned the six upside down. I saw then that it was an unhinged number nine, but as soon as she let go, it fell back down, swinging to and fro, taunting me with its evil connotations. I stepped back with a little shriek.

Lorcan covered his laughter well. "Maybe we should get inside, then, eh?"

Gulping hard, I inched by the evil six. We huddled into the dark hallway together, and I struggled to catch my breath. "I have to... I'll be right back."

Cursing myself, yet incapable of stopping, I went outside and yanked the number off the door. I knew I was acting like a crazy person, but all of the drama had finally gotten to me. Shuddering and muttering to myself, I held the number upright at arm's length with two fingers, but still felt as though it were a six, mocking me. I ran down the steps and threw it into an old-fashioned-looking bin, before spending at least five minutes shuddering and wiping my hands on my jacket.

I turned back to the house and saw the shocked pale faces of the twins peering out of the window at me. Ava Delaney, mistress of first impressions.

Heaving an embarrassed sigh, I headed back up the steps and glanced to my right for no reason at all. The road we'd entered from was covered in a weird cloudy substance, and if I squinted, I could see all of those crowds of people outside. We were in Liverpool, but not really, and I was pretty certain the vampires couldn't protect an area like that. Lucia and Lorcan had a lot more to them than I first thought.

Back in their house, both twins kept a straight face when I gave them a sheepish shrug. They lived in a couple of rooms, not much bigger than my own flat. The building was falling apart, but they had made a cosy corner for themselves. Lorcan hurried around lighting candles until a comfortable glow filled the room.

"Are you squatting here or something?" I asked, baffled by the lack of electricity.

"No." Lorcan sat on a mattress on the floor. "The vampires own it."

"And they let you live here?" I kept trying to make sense of the relationship.

"They own us, too. If you need blood, we don't taste very nice, I'm afraid. There are plenty of people nearby, but it would be great if you could use your will to keep them calm before you bite them. I know some of you get off on the fear, but things are crazy enough over here right now."

"Hold on. Back up. I'm not a vampire, so forget all that. But what do you mean, they own you?"

"Aren't you in a hurry?" He grinned up at me.

The conversation moved on to a discussion of the areas where Becca had hunted. She moved around Merseyside, but seemed to return to Liverpool's city centre even when she left the county. We had a huge territory to cover, but Lorcan reassured me that we would find Becca easily the following night.

"How do you know?"

"Someone will tell us," he said simply.

"Like who?"

"It doesn't matter who. We'll hear where she is. It's too late to go after her tonight. You should probably get some rest. You'll have to sleep on the floor, but I put a curtain up to give you a bit of privacy. Tomorrow, you can explore the city a little."

I called home.

"There's not much change," Eddie told me. "I've given him something to keep him going through the night. Hopefully, you won't be long over there."

"I'll try and check back in tomorrow from a payphone. I need to preserve the phone battery, no lecky in the palace I'm staying in."

"Picking up the slang already?"

"Have to fit in. How's Peter?"

Eddie laughed. "Like a caged animal. It's lucky you're not here. Speaking of which, I'm working on finding an empath to speak to you. One might help you from being a walking emotional wonderland."

"Oh." I was flustered by the odd turn in conversation. "I suppose that would be good."

"Last thing. Nancy showed up today. Said it was important."

"Life or death?"

He hesitated. "More like love or hate."

"Then it can wait." I hung up feeling dissatisfied.

I thought I would never sleep on the thin mattress, but I only stressed about home, Becca, and the strange twins for a few minutes before conking out. My dreams were troubled. I kept seeing Lucia, but instead of being deathly silent, she kept screaming at me to listen to her.

My time in Liverpool was definitely working up to be a strange one.

# 16

The next morning, I didn't get up until I heard the twins moving around. After I washed and dressed, I spotted them sitting on the floor, facing each other, palms together. Things were getting too freaky for my liking. I wasn't sure if I should say something or not, so I just moved around a little noisier than normal.

Lucia faced me suddenly, staring at me with her disturbingly pale cloudy-green eyes. I stepped back, startled by her unwavering gaze.

"She killed seven last night," Lorcan said, his voice sad.

"Becca? All in the one place?"

"No. Scattered. The usual."

"Weird. Not how it worked before. Low numbers, too, compared to the biggies she was pulling back home."

Lorcan shrugged. "Maybe she isn't as hungry anymore."

"That still worries me." I kept thinking back to Esther's idea of another mutation. It was a possibility. _Anything_ was possible when it came to Becca. Yet everyone was determined to take her home and tame her. It sounded less like the right idea every single day.

Lorcan had already turned back to Lucia, their palms still pressed together. Lucia's eyes rapidly flicked from left to right, making me feel slightly dizzy. I cleared my throat, but they acted as though I weren't there. Lorcan squinted, his heartbeat racing. Lucia's fingers dug into his hands, and her nails broke the skin.

"Excuse me?" I said, anything to make them stop acting so freaky.

Lucia dropped her brother's hands. He blinked a couple of times, rubbing his palms together. When he looked up at me, he acted as though nothing had happened. "Are you hungry? We can get you something to eat."

"How about I take you two to breakfast?" I said, determined to get some actual information out of them. "My treat."

They looked at each other for a couple of seconds. Lorcan frowned, but they finally agreed. Or at least, Lorcan agreed. Lucia just kept staring at me. She was kind of creepy.

They took me to an ATM at my request—I hadn't had a chance to exchange my euro into sterling—then we headed to a small café near the docks. It was one of the few relatively empty places to eat in, but it looked clean, and that was all I cared about. I was starving, partly from stress.

I ordered huge breakfasts for all of us, thinking it would give us a while together, but the twins seemed hungrier than I was as they wolfed down their food.

"So do you two work or anything?" I asked, unsure of how to start a conversation with them.

"We're working right now," Lorcan said, but he smiled.

"Do they pay you?"

Lorcan shook his head, still digging into his food.

"They didn't pay me at first, either," I said. "The scabby little... anyway, they have to now. The Council kind of made them agree to it."

"You're lucky, then." But his eyes had lit up.

"How about you tell me what's going on?" I said, realising I had to be frank with the twins because they weren't going to volunteer much information.

"The beast is here, and you have to catch it."

"I meant with you two and the vampires. It's weird. I don't like it, so explain please."

He shrugged. "Nothing to explain. We're part fae, and the fae don't like mixing the blood. It's forbidden. I don't know how long we were with our mother, but we ended up on the market at a young age."

"Market?"

"Potentially useful children get sold. It's in the blood. The vampires bought us in case we could do something special. We can't really. Well, Lucia can. She knows things, hears things. That's how we track the beast. She sees random images, important ones, and hears things sometimes. She tells me. So that's why I'm useful. The vampires keep us because they don't want anyone else to have us. And we come in handy every now and then."

"That's so screwed up, I don't even know where to begin. It's slavery!"

"Life is what it is. You just have to make do with what you have," he said, seeming not at all upset.

"Why don't you run away?" I persisted. "Just leave, and be free. You're living in a hovel, when the vampires have private jets and shit. That's ridiculous."

"They would find us. It's not that they want us. They just don't want anyone else to have us."

"I can relate to that one. But isn't there anyone who can help you?"

"We don't have friends out there. The fae won't acknowledge us, and nobody else cares. The vampires take care of us. In their own way. Before them, we were stuck in a place that was much, much worse."

"There has to be a way to leave. You could come to Ireland with me when I go home. I could hide you or something. Anything's better than this. Even their pets are treated better."

"Lucia knew you would think that, but there's nothing you can do. You're one person. You can't change the world."

"I don't even get what that means," I said, grumpy. "You're kind of like me. Mixed, I mean. Except you work better together. Otherwise, it's like half a gift or something, right?"

A flicker of amusement almost reached those sad eyes that resembled green-black marbles. "Something like that."

"Is there a Council here? Guardians? Isn't there anyone to protect you?"

"Do they protect the Irish?" He gave me a knowing look.

"No," I whispered. "Not really."

"We have a Committee here. And Enforcers. There are seven species on the Committee at any given time, and the seats are voted on once in a decade. Whoever has the most power, be that money or loyalty, gains a place. For a decade, those species who don't have a seat connive to ensure they make it next time. The Committee tends to make decisions in a biased way. It's hard to break into it, but the vampires have been trying for the last three decades. If they make it, they'll ally with whoever they feel will help them. What they're doing now, dealing with the beast, that'll help them. They're desperate to trap it."

"Why? To figure out how it's done? To make more like her?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. They've sent vampires to observe the beast, see what she can do, and bigger numbers would definitely help them out. Although, if you don't manage it, they'll be able to lead a war against the Irish, and that would help their reputations. Either way, it's win-win."

"For them." I stared at Lucia. "Does she know anything useful? Like which win-win is less detrimental to everyone else?"

He smiled easily, but his eyes still carried pain. "It's never that simple."

We spent a good chunk of the morning discussing politics and how they affected the little people, like us. The twins were pawns as much as I was, but at least I had a little freedom. Granted, I had been forced into leaving my home on Council business, but for the most part, I did what I liked. I couldn't imagine what it was like for them.

When I called home to check on Carl, Peter didn't sound enthusiastic.

"Eddie's had to medicate Carl more than expected, and he's trying to break free a little. He hasn't eaten much yet. Not sure how to make him."

I got Peter to put the phone next to Carl's ear. I ordered him to eat and to stay put, and I hoped for the best. It might not work over the phone, but Peter told me my voice had calmed Carl a little.

"So, how's it going over there? Vampires treating you okay?"

"They're not treating me at all. They basically dropped me off in an empty car park and washed their hands of me. Two of their slaves—I mean that literally, they actually bought them—are hosting me in a derelict building. It's odd here, Peter. I think the BVA want Becca so they can find out more about the formula, for their own gain."

"There's a slave market in Britain?" He sounded surprised, which I thought a little naïve.

"And Ireland. Kids who are mixed breeds, or show signs of a power, get snapped up. What the hell is the Council for if they can't stop crap like that?"

I waited as the line fell silent. When Peter finally answered, his voice was tight and strained. "Sometimes I wonder the same thing."

After the phone call, I felt empty and alone. I missed home, and it was weird making decisions without having to listen to Peter trying to talk me out of them. Lorcan was nice enough once he got chatting, but the twins were eerie in a very distinct way that I didn't think they even realised.

In the afternoon, we visited parts of Merseyside. Following the trail of death surprised me because it seemed as though Becca darted in and out of places to leave a scattering of randomly placed bodies behind her. Back home, she had fed on anyone she saw. In England, she seemed to be oddly selective.

"Have you seen her?" I asked Lorcan.

"The beast?" He sounded shocked. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

Before dark, we gathered in the twins' home. I wondered what they did for entertainment without books or a television. The building they lived in was so sparse and lonely, it made me uncomfortable to think that their only company was each other. Did they sit together in silence every evening?

"I'm off to the chippie," Lorcan said. "I'd like a last meal before we invite the beast to snack on us."

"You're not going to die." I rolled my eyes, but I only half believed it.

"Are you mad? Of course we're going to die. It's the beast. Lucia and I can't battle that monster. And you're just one little thing. If they wanted us to capture her, they'd have at least provided us with some help. We're dead. The vampires probably want their building back."

He left me with that chilling assessment. And Lucia, who was probably just as chilling.

She stared at me with those almost-white eyes, and I felt as if I had to speak or I would drown in the silence.

"Think we're going to find her tonight, Lucia?" I asked, not expecting an answer.

She ran to me and clasped her hands on my cheeks.

"What are you...?"

I gasped and shut up as a sea of images popped into my head—one after another, too fast for me to cling onto any particular one. One stayed long enough for me to see a woman who looked vaguely familiar, then it passed, only to be replaced by a dozen more. Lucia faded before me, and it was as if I stepped right into one of the images.

A housing estate, late at night. Deathly dark and still, streetlamps flickering. Becca, her face bloodied, her fangs bared.

I saw myself, my expression determined, my stance ready for an attack. When she ran, I ran, too, my dagger gleaming blue in a sudden stream of moonlight. Instead of attacking me, Becca leapt over me, leaving me scrambling to stop. I looked back in horror as she moved for Lorcan. I raced after her, but she gripped him and tore out his throat before I could reach her. I watched myself grab her—Lorcan's blood spurting over me—and slice her throat. The blood and gurgling stayed with me long after the vision faded.

"Holy fuck." I spat, feeling as if there was blood in my mouth. Lucia had let go of me, and I wiped my face. My hand came away bloody. A little blood dripped from Lucia's eyes, too. "Holy fuck."

I cleaned myself off at the sink, breathing deep, unable to stop shaking. It had been as if I were there. I had felt everything. I'd been sure of the cool night air, the scent of blood, the life leaving Lorcan's body.

"Can I stop it?" I asked when I joined Lucia again. She stared at me then sat on a mattress, her shoulders drooping in a picture of pure despair.

Waiting for Lorcan to return, I decided I wouldn't tell him what had happened. I didn't know how Lucia had shared her vision with me. I could only hope it wasn't set in stone. I might not have known the twins well, but I didn't want to watch one of them die. Peter had said catching Becca might ultimately require bait, but I couldn't do that to anyone.

Hours later, I realised one of the images I had seen had been of Lucia as a child. In the arms of a much younger, very terrified Helena.

# 17

"You could just leave me with the map," I said. "No real reason for you two to be out here."

"It's our responsibility to accompany you," Lorcan said, pulling Lucia along.

I walked fast, trying to figure out a way to get rid of them. Through Lorcan, Lucia had revealed the name of an urban council estate where Becca was supposedly about to hunt. I had no way of knowing if Lucia was lying about the estate, or sending her own brother to his death. Either way, I had to be on my toes.

I still hadn't shaken the painful sensation of Lucia's vision. I had absorbed her misery completely. All I could do was hope I managed to keep her brother alive. After all, the vampires wouldn't need half a gift.

We wound through a number of identical-looking streets until I suspected we were completely lost. Everything looked the same.

"We're almost there," Lorcan said, excitement making his voice high. The twins looked only a little younger than my age, but Lorcan sometimes acted like a teenager. His excitement was infectious because my own body felt ready to take off.

The twins weirded me out, but I didn't want Lorcan to die, particularly if his death occurred from my mistake. Lucia would be forever alone in the world if anything happened to him. She couldn't function without him. The odd time he left her alone, she retreated into her silent shell, apart from when she sent me disturbing visions. I saw how useful someone like Lucia could be. Unfortunately, the vampires did, too, and yet still didn't value her.

Lucia kept her silent eyes on me, and the sensation of her stare was like ice chips down my back, as though she silently screamed at me not to let her down.

I just didn't know what she wanted me to do.

A sudden scream, swiftly silenced into a quiet whimper, came from about a street away. I quickly delved into the other planes and figured out Becca's exact location. Lucia's directions had been right on target.

"She's close by. Both of you leave, right now. Just run."

I set off into a sprint, hoping that leaving the twins behind would circumvent the vision. I didn't dare look back at Lucia to see if I was doing the right thing. I couldn't afford to doubt myself.

My feet pounding the pavement, I tried to block the images of a murdered Lorcan and focus on Becca instead. It didn't matter that I was in a strange place. All I had to do was get the better of Becca, chain her up, and drag her arse back to the vampires. I probably should have drunk some blood first, but I figured being away from the succubus would automatically give me a boost.

In some ways, that was a fair assumption. The further away I made it from the succubus, the better I felt, more energetic, less weighed down by a heavy heart. Carl's condition pricked at my conscience, but I could tell he was still alive. The thread between us was stretched very thinly, but I could still sense him out there. I dreaded cutting that thread because I knew it would hurt me as well as him.

I scented the blood before I saw the body—an elderly lady in her hallway, the front door wide open from when Becca burst in. An old woman, maybe somebody's grandmother. Suppressing a twinge of guilt, I backed away, hearing footsteps behind me.

Lorcan. "I can help," he insisted.

"No! Go home! Protect your sister, you idiot!"

"She's fine. I..." His gaze flickered toward to the house again. "Oh."

With dread in the pit of my stomach, I gripped the dagger, slowly turning to face Becca as she stepped over the old woman's body to approach us. This was it. This was the moment. A couple of streetlights flickered. Lorcan gasped as Becca bared her bloody fangs. Steadying myself, I held my breath as Becca lowered her head and ran at me like a bull.

Exactly like the vision, I sprinted for her, except I leapt in the air a split second before she did, aiming my dagger's curved tip at her gut. Our bodies collided, the blade pierced her skin as I twisted it, and her fangs managed to gash my arm, but the pain was fleeting.

Fumbling, I grabbed her hair as we crashed to the ground, but she ripped herself out of my grasp, leaving me with a clump of straw-like hair in my hand. She made a strange howling sound, then got on all fours and leapt away.

"What. The hell." I was too surprised to even follow her, especially when she pretty much crawled over a wall to get away, leaving a trail of too-dark blood in her wake. I had to follow her path to find a patch of grass to clean the dagger. Pulling the remaining hair from my fingers, I turned back to Lorcan. He was paler than usual, and his heartbeat had rocketed.

"It really is a beast," he whispered.

"Looks that way. We better get back to your sister."

"Can't you track it from here?"

I hesitated. "Yeah, but your sister's alone. She needs to see you're okay."

He stared at me as I passed but followed in silence until we got back to Lucia. She sat alone on a bench, rocking herself with jerky motions. I sat next to her.

"She's gone. Any chance of a heads up?"

Her head shot up, and when she saw her brother, she ran to him and gripped his hand, acting as though nothing were wrong. He didn't even notice how concerned she had been, and I wondered how much she really told him, and how much she blocked off to protect him. Seeing her visions had been a horribly trippy experience, but it had definitely helped.

The three of us were shaken for different reasons—Lorcan for catching his first glimpse of the beast, Lucia for seeing her brother's death narrowly avoided, and me for a whole host of reasons. Lucia could help me save people, legitimately help me avoid bloodshed. But I couldn't even take her with me. Then, there was Becca, like an animal on all fours, worse than anything I had ever seen in a horror film.

"What will they do when I capture her?" I asked Lorcan, but really, I was talking to Lucia. "I mean, really. You saw her. There's no taming her. So what exactly are we talking here?"

Lorcan opened his mouth to speak, but Lucia's fingers tightened on his, and he looked at her with surprise in his eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was an urgent whisper.

"We think they'll use her to get ahead. They'll run tests on her first, maybe try to replicate her in a more controlled way, then set her loose on their enemies and let her kill as many as possible. They have the money to invest in her. But there are too many outcomes, none of them good."

"So she needs to die. That's the only way?"

He hesitated, but Lucia nodded fervently. I fidgeted with the cross around my neck while I thought. It didn't feel wrong to me. It felt as though I would be putting her out of her misery and protecting humans at the same time.

"Then, that's what I'll do."

He stepped toward me. "They'll kill you. They'll use this as an excuse to spark something bigger. They'll call it a betrayal."

"Kill me. Probably. Unless they don't find out what really happened."

His eyes widened. "You want us to lie to them?"

"It's the only way. I kill her, but you tell them she crossed the water again. I go home and persuade the Council to claim she gets killed over there the following night. It's the only thing I can think of."

"You don't understand! They won't allow disobedience. They won't kill us. They'll torture us. We can't defy them. They own us!" I expected him to carry on, but he snapped his head around to stare at his sister. They both gazed at each other for a few minutes, and by the way he clenched his jaw, it didn't look like they were in agreement.

I waited for them to decide, hoping they could be brave, even though it might cost them much.

"She says... she says we can help you if you help us."

"How?"

"She says you have to find the Phoenix, that we were never supposed to be here. She thinks the Phoenix can help us, can protect us. The Phoenix hides the slaves and the wanted. If we do this thing for you, then you're indebted to us. We might be part-fae, but we can still hold onto a favour. If you don't help us, you'll suffer. That's how a deal with fae works. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"

"Yes, but... do you mean the Féinics?"

He glanced at Lucia again and nodded. "That sounds better. Right, that's it."

"Wait. Is the Féinics a person? I heard the term before, referring to rebels or something."

"I don't know. It has no face. There isn't a clear image. Lucia's seen bits and pieces over the years, though. All I know is, we're supposed to go to Ireland to be protected. Or we'll die as slaves."

We shook hands on it, and a thrill of energy shot up my arm. Seeing my expression, Lorcan laughed. "Told you."

"Does Lucia see anything else? Is tonight a good night? Because I _really_ need to get home."

"It hides. It fed, so it can afford to. Tomorrow, if we're on time. How will you... kill it?"

We strolled out of the estate, and the atmosphere between us was better than it had been since we first met. Hearing their story made me desperate to help them, and I wasn't sure if it had to do with the fae deal, or just my own fight for the underdog. The twins were undeniably weird, but they were a weapon of sorts, and they had been rejected by their own kind, too. My inconvenient protective instinct reared its head again.

Lucia kept looking at me as though she wanted to tell me something, but she didn't touch me, and I wasn't sure if that was because she didn't want Lorcan to know I saw her visions. Maybe she wanted him to believe she needed him. Either way, I wasn't going to interfere.

"I'm not sure," I said. "My dagger is like weaponry kryptonite to vampires, but you saw what it did to Becca. It made her bleed, but didn't stop her from moving."

"I have a sword," Lorcan blurted, then flushed, sending little pink dots onto the apples of his cheeks, marring his porcelain-white complexion.

"They let you have a weapon?" I asked.

"No. I mean, I don't know. Years ago, we found it in our hallway, like someone came in the night and left it there. It looked old and a bit rusty, but when I touched it, writing lit up on the blade, and I felt... different."

"I think that means it's yours, like it only works properly for you," I said slowly, recalling how I felt when I touched my own dagger. "Maybe the fae didn't completely desert you."

He shrugged. "Who knows what it means. I'm not so sure that I care to find out. We're going to be walking for a long time. I hope your feet are up for it." He looked at my boots doubtfully. They did look a little heavy and bulky, but they were the most comfortable things I owned. Plus, they gave my kicks a little extra oomph.

"You're just changing the subject," I said with a smile.

"Not at all." But there was a ghost of a grin on his lips.

"So, this deal, then. Does it work like that with all fae?" I was curious, but also needed to make sure I didn't unwittingly engage myself in deals with mischievous fae like Finn, the bartender in Gabe's bar.

"From what I've heard, it's similar. Of course, pure fae are stronger. Much stronger."

"What can fae do? I've met a couple, but I haven't actually seen any in action."

Lorcan shrugged. "There are different kinds. Most fae are long-lived, and they all have some kind of natural magic, but it differs after that. They're the main faction in Europe, the ones the vampires are most afraid of because they command the werewolves."

"Werewolves? You mean the shifters?" I screwed up my face in confusion. Esther hadn't mentioned being under the thumb of the fae.

"No, no." He shook his head, and his face lit up. Whether he admitted to caring or not, he was definitely interested in all things fae. "The shifters change into animals, yes. But the werewolves are different. They shift, but they're infected with a madness. Years ago, the fae managed to... domesticate them somewhat and use them as protection against the vampires."

"They don't still do that, do they?"

"There are rumours. Either way, the vampires are more likely to align with the fae because they fear the wolves. People say the werewolves are hidden by the fae, ready for the day the vampires step out of line."

I recalled Becca going on all fours. "Think an army of beasts would be a good match for the werewolves?"

He stared at me, his face paling. "Let's hope we never find out."

"How do you know all of this stuff? If you haven't grown up with the fae?"

His dark eyes seemed to twinkle. "I ask a lot of questions, make a lot of deals. We learned a bit about other species while we were on the market. There were a lot of children there."

"Did they hurt you?" I bit my lip, regretting the question.

"Not really. They needed us healthy, just in case. There were women there—some had grown up in the market—and they looked after us. Only the children who lose their value are allowed to be harmed."

"Where is this market? Who runs it?"

He shook his head wearily. "It was a long time ago. All I remember is that it was underground. Always dark. We didn't see anyone but the women who took care of us. I can't even remember being handed to the vampires. I can't remember getting to the market, or leaving. There're empty spots in my head." He rubbed his forehead, looking stressed. "But we were there longer than most, I remember that."

"How long ago was it?"

"At least three decades. I think they may have taken our memories from us."

My mouth dropped open. "No way are you that old!"

He laughed. "I did tell you the fae age well. We won't live as long as them, but we'll do a lot better than a human. As long as you keep your end of the deal before the vampires get tired of us." I sensed the fear in his voice and wondered what life was really like for them. If maybe they already knew how it ended for them with the vampires.

"I would have helped you anyway," I said.

He gave me a long, hard look before speaking again. "We know. But the deal makes us allies. None of us can back out, no matter how scared we are."

He gave me a meaningful look, and my heart seemed to soften and melt away. They made the deal to trap themselves into performing, not me. A lump in my throat stopped me from talking, and I looked away from the twins. No matter what happened, there were still people willing to put themselves out there to help others. Part of me felt as though helping the twins would give me my humanity back, maybe clear away the darkness I felt hovering over me all of the time. I wouldn't let them down if I could help it.

I was about to thank them when a shout startled all three of us. I glanced around to see a group of drunken men following us. I shrugged and carried on, well used to it, but then I looked over at Lucia. Her eyes were wide with fright, and I got the feeling that we weren't going to walk home without trouble.

"Lorcan," I said under my breath. "Start walking ahead of me with Lucia. If you see a taxi, flag it down. Don't turn back. Don't look around. Just get yourselves home."

"But—"

"Don't argue. Move. Take care of your sister." I glared at him, and he inched away from me, keeping a tight hold on Lucia. I slowed and nodded at Lucia when she looked back at me. She was so child-like, it was a shame that she had to see awful images in her head. If that was how it worked.

As I expected, the men kept following, shouting the entire time. I widened the distance between myself and the twins, hoping to distract the men from them. I could sense their moods. Dark and lustful. I knew they would target the petite, delicate Lucia before me. The shouts rose, and one of the men ran ahead of me.

With two quick strides, I had caught his arm and twisted it behind his back, my foot on the back of his already weakening calf.

"Go home," I hissed at him, feeling my own darkness rage inside me. I checked for the shadows, but there were none. It was just pure human horror. Some of the humans we tried to protect were worse than the things we protected them from. The men were a group of idiots with bad intentions wandering the streets until they found a way to have their idea of fun. They could think again.

The other men guffawed at their friend's predicament, and it gave the twins time to turn a corner and make it out of sight. Breathing a sigh of relief, I let go of the man, who howled dramatically and rolled on the ground as if I had hurt him. I had been very careful with him, despite my anger.

I walked away slowly, hoping they would see sense and go home, but the group were a special brand of idiot. The shouts picked up in volume. I saw a number of curtains twitch in the homes I passed, but all doors stayed closed, and nobody interfered when they saw one woman accosted by five men.

"You people suck," I muttered, hearing footsteps right behind me. I swung around as one of the men lunged. No longer lusty, they wanted a fight. Somehow, they seemed to know I could take it. I launched my fist in the man's face before he could get a hold on me. The shock in his eyes when I broke his nose was pretty satisfying.

He fell on his backside. The man I had already put my hands on limped over as the rest of the group surrounded me.

"She's a paddy and all," he hissed. "A fucking paddy bitch, she is."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously?" My heart rate shot up, and I felt my control slipping. I didn't want to hurt humans, but that gang was asking for it. And by the way the neighbourhood didn't interfere, I got the impression I wasn't the first person they had attacked. Maybe I could give them a fright, or get rid of my own aggression.

"Don't think she knows who you are, son," one of the men said. He was the quietest, the one who walked behind the others, the one I had known to watch from the first second I laid eyes on them. "She will after tonight, though."

They laughed, but their laughter was more excited than amused. They were vultures, preying on the weak, but they had picked the wrong person.

I stayed still as they circled, but I watched that one man, the leader, the one who didn't need to scream or shout to be heard or feared. He was the one without a conscience. I could see it in his energy. It was easy to see him as a monster. Sometimes it was hard to forget that humans had hurt me as much as anything else in my life. The man eyeing me reminded me of the worst kind of human I'd met. Made thinking clearly that much more difficult to achieve.

"You keep looking at me, girly," he said. "Something to say?"

"Yeah. Have a go," I replied, my sweetest smile plastered on my face.

He glanced at the others, a smirk on his lips. He ran a hand through his dirty blond hair. The others jeered in a quietened sort of way. They felt something in the air, whether they knew it or not. Something big was about to happen.

The man walked over to me and threw a lazy punch that caught me in the jaw.

I showed my bloody grin. "Oh... I mean, ouch."

His features flashed with anger, and I knew he was on his way to losing control. But I didn't have time for a fight, I tried to remind myself. Making sure they were all watching, I opened my mouth and let my fangs show.

"The fuck!" The leader zoomed backward in fright, disgust obvious on his face. Some of the others backed away with him. One or two peered at me with interest, too drunk to understand.

The leader got himself together. "Fucking emo watching too many vampire flicks," he said, making them all laugh. His hands still shook. He might have thought my fangs weren't real, or that I had filed my teeth, but he was still shaken. Yet he didn't go away, whether he thought I was helpless or not. He was a bully. An ego who thought he could push around the world. I was getting pretty sick of that kind of attitude.

So I decided to scare them all. Growling, I leapt at one and kicked him in the stomach. A beautifully joyful sensation enveloped my body at his horrified gasp. I spun around and elbowed another in the stomach, leaving him winded. One struck me, catching me slightly on the shoulder. Hissing like a cat, I threw myself at him, and two of the men jumped after me, trying to get hold of me. Their anger and aggression only increased my own. I wriggled and punched, but one refused to let go, somehow managing to heave his weight on top of me. I had let myself get pinned again. But I wasn't afraid.

I was too busy setting the darkness free.

He was heavy, and I couldn't seem to balance myself enough to push him off of me. I made a scary vampire face, and he loosened his grip. I leapt to my feet, enraged. Maybe I was absorbing their anger and aggression, maybe the darkness inside me had come to the fore, or maybe I had finally reached my breaking point. Whatever it was, I was at the point of no return. I convinced myself I was facing a monster. A monster I needed to destroy.

I punched his face, and he stumbled. Advancing on him, I struck again, and he landed on his backside. I kicked him, enjoyed the grunt of pain. I leaned over and forced him to look at me. My fingers digging into his chin, I smiled at him, and he urinated right there on the ground. Licking my fangs, I smelled his fear, tasted his hate, and was readying myself to really hurt him, when I heard footsteps behind me. I whirled around, ready to attack, but at the last second backed off when I scented her.

Lucia. Without fear, despite what had to be a wildly angry look on my face, she touched me. And I saw.

Me. Covered in blood, surrounded by the broken bodies of the men. My eyes as scarlet as Becca's. The image faded, leaving me shaking my head in horror and confusion. That wasn't me. I wasn't that monster. But my fangs were out, and I had been fully prepared to teach the men a lesson. Lucia's touch had been the light in the red rage, a calming presence when I had already gone out of my head with anger.

I looked back at the men before retracting my fangs. "Go home." I used the force of my will in the hope that I could somehow make them all obey. "Stay away from each other, and learn some manners." I barked out the last bit.

They didn't follow us, and I didn't look around in case I was tempted to run back. Lorcan stood in the middle of the road, looking baffled, but I just kept walking, still clinging to Lucia's hand for dear life.

I couldn't speak. I was too close to the other side. I felt as though opening my mouth would release something evil, something I hid, something that kept trying to find a way out.

# 18

"We got you some coffee."

Lorcan left a steaming foam cup on the floor a few feet away from me as if coaxing out an animal. Perhaps he was.

They had been gone all morning, and I figured it was because they feared me. I couldn't exactly blame them. Once again, I didn't understand my own actions. Yet their eyes revealed no fear at all.

"Thanks." I reached for the coffee, and as I did, Lucia bent down and squeezed my hand. I waited for the images, but none came. I gazed up at her quizzically, but she let go and moved back over to Lorcan's side. Sighing, I picked up the coffee and tried to look a little less like a psycho killer.

"We were wondering what you needed for tonight. You said your dagger doesn't work well enough on Becca. What else could you use?"

I took a sip of coffee, letting it scald my tongue, a petty punishment. "I'm not sure. Silver and crosses hurt her. I'll just have to be imaginative. It'll be easier than catching her. You two need to stay home tonight."

Lorcan glanced at Lucia. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"I won't hurt anyone," I said in a low voice.

"Are you upset with us?"

I gaped at him in surprise. "No, of course not. I'm upset with _me_."

"We're sorry about last night. Those men... I mean, we aren't all like that over here." He shifted uncomfortably.

"I know that. Arseholes live everywhere. Years ago, back home, I tried to stop an idiot beating up his girlfriend. Both of them turned on me. Takes all kinds." I shrugged. "But last night. That was my fault. I managed to push the whole situation out of control, and I was fully ready to hurt those men. I _wanted_ to teach them a lesson."

"I don't understand. The vampires called you the Irish Council's assassin. Is it not your job to cause pain?"

He said it so simply, but tears filled my eyes at his words.

"I'm sorry," he said, horrified. "I didn't mean—"

"I had never killed anything until a few months ago, really, when the vampires decided to make my life hell. And now the Council. It's like I'm marked, like I can never be clean again." I shook my head. Letting the words spill out was a strange sort of relief. "Up until a week ago, I had only killed a couple of vampires who really deserved it. Then, there was a human. He was possessed by a demon or something. I took care of the demon, but the man died. I didn't mean it. This isn't the life I wanted."

"You really are like us," he said, but I looked straight at Lucia. For the very first time, I saw her smile, and I knew I would remember it forever. Her face lit up into something beautifully ethereal. She was full of light, full of something pure and good.

"I'm glad I met you," I told her. "And thank you."

Her smile died away, and she grabbed my phone, urging me to take it. The urgency in her eyes made my stomach drop. Carl. I turned on the phone and called home with a heavy heart.

"He's not going to make it." Peter's voice was gruff, but I could tell he was unhappy.

"What's happening?"

"He's sick, feverish. Eddie said it's a reaction to being away from you for this long. He needs contact."

"I can't leave yet."

"Ava, I know. I'm just telling you to be ready for the worst when you come back."

Tears filled my eyes, and I hurried outside with the phone. I'd already let the twins see way too much of the real Ava.

"Can't Eddie do something?" I let the tears fall. Carl didn't deserve to die.

"He's trying, but he wants you to know that there isn't much hope left. Maybe a day, two tops. Last night, Carl freaked out, tried to leave. His body isn't strong enough, but he kept fighting me. He ended up hurting himself. Eddie had to sedate him in the end."

"Oh, my God." I hiccupped a sob. "That was my fault. I'm so sorry."

"How? What happened?"

I bit my lip, wishing I could hide the previous night forever, but I couldn't, so I relayed the story to Peter as quickly as possible.

"Ah. So he sensed trouble, even with you over there. The bond must be really strong." Peter sounded almost relieved.

"I wasn't in trouble, Peter. Those men were."

"Don't start guilt-tripping yourself, Ava. Snap out of it."

I stuttered something incomprehensible.

"I mean it. They had it coming, if you did hurt them. Besides, it's the empathy thing, right? You keep taking in what everyone else is feeling. Those scumbags just screwed with your emotions a bit. Like the succubus did with us."

I wasn't so sure that was what had happened in either case. I quickly ended the embarrassingly weepy phone call, then sat on the steps of the house, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do next, and trying to ignore how homesick I felt. Carl needed me. The Council needed me. Everyone seemed to need me for something. And I wasn't getting anything done. There had to be a way to fix all of my problems.

I moped about for a while before the twins joined me, sitting on either side of me. Being around them was nice, once I got past the creepy factor. They were calm beings, not full of the rage I was, even though their lives had been a lot worse. They made me feel ungrateful, more ready to change myself instead of everyone else.

"I need to get home. Tonight has to be the night," I said.

"A lover needs you?" Lorcan asked.

"More like a brother," I corrected. Carl was family, and I had to be there if he died. I had to be there to try and help him carry on for longer. I _had_ to be there, full stop.

"You know Lucia's reckonings aren't always accurate. Things can easily change."

"Then, I'll have to track her myself. Either way, I'm going home tonight. I'm going to check out ferries and flights. I need to prepare myself, and you need to figure out exactly what you're going to tell the vampires. You could say she escaped in the docks, and Lucia had a vision she left the country, so I jumped on a ferry to track her over the water. If they don't believe you, act like I had you under my thrall. They'll come after me, not you. I still need some help from home, but no matter what, I'm leaving tonight."

I gazed at the shrouded exit, contemplating everything. "Did you do that?"

Lorcan followed my line of sight. "Oh, that. Yes. Sort of. It was already there, we just boosted it a little. Keeps us out of sight, out of mind."

"Think the vampires watch us when we track Becca?"

"Yes. I'm sure of it." He nudged me. "But you're safe in this little part of the world."

I rubbed my nose, wishing I could hide in that part forever. "Any chance of you two doing something similar tonight?"

The twins exchanged looks. "We were counting on it."

"You two are pretty special. I'm not surprised the vampires want you on their side."

"We've been smart enough not to show anyone exactly what we can do," he said, and a shiver of anticipation ran down my spine at the passion behind his words.

Later, I made the phone call I had been putting off. Gabe was the only one I could turn to. I had to take the chance, despite the risk.

"You really are crazy," he said after I told him my plan. "They could start a war over this."

"Not if you back me up. Look, they're going to start problems if they have Becca. And that's another thing. When they realise they can't use her, they're going to turn to the vampires who started this formula crap in the first place. They want in. That much is obvious."

He took in a breath. "You're so much more trouble than you're worth."

"Yeah, well, after this I'm done with you people. No need to worry about what I'm worth anymore."

"Don't be so melodramatic," he scoffed.

"I mean it. I'm going to do the things you lot can't be arsed with."

"Such as?" he asked coolly.

"Um, maybe tackle the slave markets, the missing children, and, oh yeah, the demonic possession that your own Guardians are probably taking part in." I couldn't help getting annoyed. Gabe never failed to rattle me in some way.

"The Council deals with a lot of things you will never even know about," he said. "When you return, come to the bar. I have something to discuss with you, and that's the only place I know where we won't be overheard by the wrong ears."

"Fine. You gonna back me up or not? There are people here taking a risk for me. I don't want them doing that for nothing."

He hesitated then groaned. "Fine. When you return, I'll orchestrate a 'killing' and let the British Committee know we took care of Becca on our own soil."

"She wasn't here tonight." I sniffed the night air. Nothing. Becca's plans had changed since Lucia had seen them. The twins had insisted on joining me, and I had to let them in case I was seen alone on the night they were supposed to be my witnesses. We had gone back to the housing estate from the previous night so I could track Becca's old scent, but the trail went dead right outside it.

I tried not to think about Carl, but his face kept popping into my mind. I had taken him on a dangerous path, and it might be too late for him to find his way back. I had to feel guilt for that. All night, I had been counting. Heartbeats, footsteps, passing cars. I kept breaking down numbers until I had primes. A never-ending litany in my head. I had become certain of one thing. The less I cared, the less I needed to count. My choices were either to have a heart of ice or be crippled with a nervous disorder. Fun.

"When we find her, what do you want us to do?"

"Hide. Run. Your pick. Just don't forget to hide us when the time comes. Hey, Lucia, any thoughts on the outcome yet?"

She shook her head, frowning with the concentrated effort she was putting into listening to whatever sent her the clues.

We wandered for hours, looking for something, anything. We didn't even know if Becca was still in the country. She could have been anywhere. But she had only fed once the previous night, and that, coupled with her injury, made me pretty sure she wasn't strong enough to go far without a decent feed.

It wasn't until a police car sped past, sirens wailing, that Lucia saw something.

"She's been feeding," Lorcan told me. "It isn't close, but if we hurry, we might find a trail you can follow."

The twins were as fast, if not faster, than I was. It felt good to push myself alongside them. They made me feel like less of a freak, and I had the feeling I would miss them once I went home. I knew I let myself get attached too easily, but I couldn't help it.

An hour later, I finally caught Becca's scent. Relief flooded through me, but it wasn't over yet. I still had to catch up to her. I still had to finish her. I still had to kill again. And then, I had to make it home and hope it wasn't too late for Carl. Our link was weakening quicker than I expected, and I knew I only had one chance left.

We closed in on Becca in a quiet part of the country. Quaint stone cottages dotted the area, and the place seemed too quiet for a supernatural battle. I caught sight of her before she noticed me. She watched a lone man shuffle with his terrier in the distance, and I could see her sizing him up, perhaps wondering if he were worth attacking. I voted no on the basis of the ankle-biter alone.

"Keep out of the way, and do your thing when you can," I whispered to the twins, pushing them into a nearby garden. "I'll see you when it's over."

I broke into a run, refusing to take my eyes off Becca again. I couldn't let her go. My heart drumming in my chest, I caught her attention before she made it to her next victim. Recognition flashed across her face, but she was unrecognisable as the woman who had once creeped me out. Her hair was falling out in clumps, judging by the bare patches on her skull, her skin was decaying, actually rotting. Her lips were split open from her fangs, as though she wasn't careful with her bites. No matter how repulsive she looked, I still felt a slight pang of pity for her. She hadn't asked to be what she was. Not that.

"This is it," I called out to her. "I'm going to make the thirst go away, Becca. I'm going to put you out of your misery."

She uttered a harsh cry and fled, but I was ready to chase her. She sprinted for fifteen minutes, and I thought my heart might burst out of my chest. Not from the exertion, but the apprehension of what might go wrong. So many people depended on me, and I had never pulled through for anyone. I had no Peter, no Carl, no Eddie to help. Just me and Becca, the way it should always have been.

Becca went on all fours again and leapt over a railing into a graveyard. I couldn't see her by the time I made it inside, but her scent pervaded the night air, and I knew she was still around.

I felt magic in the air. The peculiar sensation sparked some memories, like the magic at the trial and, curiously, Folsom's place. When I looked behind me, the edges of the graveyard were shrouded by mist. I mentally thanked the twins for their help.

Many of the tombstones were cracked and discoloured. The cemetery was huge, and therefore easy to hide in. I reached out and tried to see Becca's energy. Spotted her. Running away again. I still didn't know why she kept running from me, and I was beginning to regret not taking the possibly fae sword from Lorcan.

Jumping over headstones somehow felt wrong—disrespectful of the dead—but it was easier to catch up to Becca by moving directly over the old graves.

She surprised me by attacking me first. She leapt from a huge granite memorial, knocking me to the ground. We struggled briefly, both trying to get in a few good digs. I sensed she knew it would be our final fight, that it would decide everything. She seemed as determined as I was to end it for good.

She clawed the back of my neck, slicing my skin easily. It stung, but I was too wound up to really think about it. She tried to bite me, but my cross fell along the chain and surprised her. It couldn't kill her, but the pain seemed to put her off balance.

I pushed myself to my feet and kicked her as hard as I could in the face. She flew backward against a tombstone that broke in two from the force of her body. Her density seemed to have changed drastically since she had become... whatever the hell she was.

The impact didn't even faze her. She came at me harder than ever, fangs dripping with blood-tainted saliva, her next strike knocking loose one of my back teeth. I spat out blood as I backed away in a hurry, narrowly avoiding her claws. A fierce warrior, she never stopped moving or swinging. And I had no real idea how to kill her.

She jumped like an animal, and I dropped to the ground to avoid her teeth. If she managed to bite me, I was screwed. Back on my feet, I grabbed her shirt and whirled her around, flinging her into a huge headstone. Her back cracked against it, and she crumpled to the ground. I grabbed her by the hair and whacked her head against the marble, cracking open her skull.

Despite her head splitting open, and a spongy substance leaking out, she kept moving. She grabbed my ankle, pulling me to the ground. I kicked at her with my other foot, but she was like steel. She bit hard on my ankle, and immediately, pain scorched my body. The paralysis happened slowly, from my ankle upward, just like before. The same mistake twice. I refused to stop struggling, but my legs grew weaker and weaker by the second.

"Ava!"

Lorcan had some kind of pole in his hands. He rolled it over to me. Silver. At least on the outside. One end was pointed and covered in dirt. Utilising my last bit of strength, I stabbed Becca through the top of her head. With a disturbing snap of bone, her body shuddered and jerked for a few minutes. Then, she stopped moving. Just like that. Her fangs still penetrated my skin, and her paralysing poison still flooded my body. I couldn't move. But she was dead, really dead.

I lay flat on the ground, staring at the sky. It was over.

Lorcan rushed over to me, eyes full of worry. "Are you okay?"

I tried to point at my leg, but my arm no longer moved. Drowsiness overtook me, and nothing seemed to matter anymore. My eyes closed, and I slept.

I must have only been unconscious for a couple of minutes because the twins still stood above me, silently arguing over what to do next. The feeling came back to my body. I _hurt_. Everywhere.

Becca's body lay a few yards away. The twins had moved me. Her head hung at a funny angle from her body; I had almost decapitated her.

"Gross," I mumbled, startling the twins.

"You okay?" Lorcan looked embarrassed. "I didn't realise she was still hurting you. Lucia took her fangs out of your leg. Some of them were embedded in your skin."

"Ew." I didn't have the energy for long sentences. I looked at the thing I had used to kill Becca, thinking it looked suspiciously like a giant, skinny candle.

"It's part of a massive family memorial at the other end of the graveyard," Lorcan said. "I should probably clean it and put it back. Just in case."

I flexed my limbs, feeling a lot better. "I think I can get up now. Should I bury her here?"

Lorcan looked around. "Isn't it a bit too... sacred for her?"

"She was human once. Maybe this is the perfect place for her."

He shrugged. "I better go find your bag. I dropped it along the way."

"I thought I told you to hide or run away or something," I called after him. He grinned back at me.

"Thanks, Lucia," I said. "She almost took me down with her."

Lucia plonked herself down next to me and just stared. Her gaze wasn't as creepy as I had once thought.

When Lorcan returned, we dug a hole. I pushed past the pain as the urgency of Carl's situation nagged at me. But when the sun rose, it took Becca with it. She didn't burn, but her skin seemed to slowly erode until she was nothing but dust. The rotting stench disappeared with her.

I threw down the shovel in frustration. "That was a waste of time. I need to leave. Will you two be okay?"

Lorcan nodded. "Of course. As long as your side does their part."

"I think he will. He doesn't like being told what to do, either."

"We'll head to the docks and make sure we're seen leaving. There's always someone watching."

"Good. Thanks. And don't worry, I'll keep my end of our deal. I promise."

"We know. We'll be waiting."

On a whim, I hugged them both and caught a glimpse of myself holding the hand of a small boy. I gave Lucia a quizzical look, but she didn't explain.

Going home felt strange. I was so happy to see Peter and Carl again, but I dreaded what I would find, and all of the things I had to do overwhelmed me. I took a ferry and spent most of the journey feeling seasick. Seeing land made my heart cry as though there were something there for me. I hoped there still was.

# 19

"Thanks for picking me up."

"No bother." But the stress on Peter's face was obvious.

"Has the succubus given you any hassle?"

"Nah. She came around once, and Eddie sent her packing. Turns out the rest of the succubi are embarrassed by the whole deal with you and her. Esther told us they've all been warned away from you for now. Everything go as planned?"

I laughed. "Not at all. Becca's going to die over here tonight by the hands of a hero Guardian."

"Pity you won't get the credit for it. You could use the fear bonus."

Trust Peter. He gave me a sideways glance, and I knew something bad was coming.

"What is it?"

His sigh was heavy. "Be prepared, Ava. He's slipping away. We're probably too late."

"We're not," I said firmly, pushing the thought out of my head.

I started to cry when I saw the grim look on Eddie's face. He looked so apologetic, so mournful, that I was convinced it was over. I imagined death in the air, as if I were carrying it around and infecting people with it.

But Carl was still alive. Barely.

I rushed over to him and took his hand. A little tremor went through his wasted body. He'd lost a couple of stone while I'd been gone. He had aged, his eyes dulled, and even though I sat next to him, he could barely move.

"How could this happen?" I whispered.

"It's all been too much, too soon," Eddie said. "Nobody is built to go through everything he has. His mind, his body, it's taken everything out of him. There's no way you can break the bond yet, and we have no way of knowing if you being here is enough for him."

"There has to be something! Have you given him medicine, magic, everything you can think of?"

"Ava. You know I have. I've tried it all. Nothing's strong enough."

"But... I don't want him to die." Only my sniff was louder than my sob. I couldn't rein it back. With trembling fingers, I stroked Carl's hair, noting the streaks of silver running through it. "I did this to him. I'm sorry, Carl."

I caught his eye, those blank empty eyes, and he smiled. He slowly turned his wrist to me, as if to say, "Drink." I couldn't take it.

I ran out of the room, needing to get away from what I had done. I sat in the backroom until Peter joined me.

"It's not your fault," he said. "But if you fall apart, then you're no use to him, and that _will_ be your fault."

I glared at him, feeling the need to punch him in his stupid face, but my shoulders drooped instead. I looked away because I didn't have the energy anymore. Carl had been the first step for me to actually live, instead of just exist. He was dying, and it was mostly my fault, no matter what anyone said. I felt more for him than I had when my own grandmother had been in danger, and it dawned on me that family, _true_ family, was something different than the blood running through my veins.

I took Peter's point, though, and I stitched my messy emotions back together, somehow putting a pin in everything I was feeling. I returned to sit with Carl, holding his hand while he slept, and concentrated hard on helping him. I tried to do things with the abilities I had, hoping they would somehow open up something special. I had healed wounds in the past. Perhaps I could do other things if I really tried.

But nothing happened. Minutes turned to hours, and Carl's breathing stayed shallow. My fear and despair increased, but there had to be an answer. I kept thinking of our last bond, how it had ended, how he had offered me his blood when I needed it. Our bond was stronger this time. I had to be the one who could help him.

"What if he drinks my blood?" I asked Eddie when the sun began to set. I felt as though there were power at that time of day because it was when the dead lived again.

"There's no reason to think that would help him."

"But he's bonded to me. That has to count for something. And I've healed cuts before. There's something in my blood that does it. I'm sure of it."

"Not always," Peter reminded me. "Only when you drank blood."

"I'll drink it, then!" I shouted, startling them both. "I can't just sit here and wait for him to die. He's our friend. We have to try everything."

Eddie looked defeated, as though he couldn't take another second of being around us. But he nodded. "I'll get you some, and we'll try a few things. We'll try and put some life into him."

Eddie left us, and Peter tried to argue with me, but I ignored him and concentrated on Carl. I felt as if looking at him was keeping him alive for another minute, and every second was precious.

"Ava, you need to accept what might happen," Peter began.

"I don't want to hear it."

"He chose to live dangerously. He chose to hang around with us instead of going home. He's an adult, and his decisions caught up to him."

I slapped Peter hard across the face, leaving a red mark. He didn't flinch. He didn't shout. He didn't retaliate. All he did was shake his head and leave the room. I sat with Carl and waited. I willed him to get better, hoping my strength would somehow leech into him, but nothing happened.

The numbers in my head passed my lips rapidly as the minutes wore on. Eddie was taking too long. Peter stormed into the room, rolling up his sleeves. I half-expected him to punch me, but he shoved his tattooed wrist in front of my face. I stared up at him in confusion.

"Bite. Go on."

"Are you... on something?"

He rolled his eyes and dropped his arm to his side. "Carl's my friend, too. You don't even know what he's done for me. I don't want to sit around and do nothing when he needs us. If you think it might help, then take some blood."

"Eddie's getting me some," I reminded him.

"But it's not as good as fresh. We all know that. Just do it before I change my mind. I need to know I tried everything, too."

I gaped at Peter, more touched by his offer than I could have ever imagined or even expressed. "Are you sure?"

He put his hands on my shoulders, and a sense of calm fell over me. "Ava. I'm sure."

I rose, laid my palms on his cheeks, and kissed him right on the lips. He held on to me for a moment before pushing me back with a sad smile. He held out his wrist again. My mouth watered at his cinnamon scent, but I hesitated because I was absolutely terrified. Peter's arm didn't shake. He was like a rock, but my fingers trembled on his pulse.

I glanced up at him, but he had his eyes closed and was humming to himself. I gripped my cross for support, and bit. Peter gasped, and I almost pulled away, but then I tasted his blood, and I couldn't stop. He shifted slightly, and I gathered myself a little, counting for distraction, to keep me human, to know when to stop.

Life flooded into me. The taste wasn't the best part, even if blood made the regular food I ate taste like ash. It was the pure raw energy coming from his veins. I felt more powerful than I had in years. Between being away from the succubus, dealing with Becca, making new allies, and taking some of Peter's blood, I was high with power. But I wasn't close to losing control, and I didn't need to count to stay human. I cared, and for a change, it didn't weaken me.

I pulled away and licked his wound gently, relieved when I saw it heal. Eddie came in with the bags, and he didn't look surprised. I suspected he had taken his time for a reason.

Peter flopped into a chair, his eyes still closed, and I guessed we would have to deal with the consequences another time. I turned to Carl, his skin greying, and bit my own wrist, my stomach turning at the unnatural action.

I pulled his bottom lip down gently and let my blood drip into his mouth. "Drink," I said, and he obeyed because he had no choice. He didn't grimace, or try to drink more. As the liquid passed his lips, I focused on my inner light and tried to will it into him. I imagined I was giving him my essence, that our bond was becoming something different, more powerful.

Eddie laid his palm on Carl's forehead and muttered in an ancient guttural language. The words sounded rough and beautiful all at once. I felt the air shift and realised Eddie was using energy from the souls. I didn't care. Not then.

"Sleep," I told Carl after a while. I closed my own wound and gazed at Eddie, hoping he would tell me something good.

"We tried," he said. "Now we wait."

Peter left the room without saying a word. I hoped we hadn't ruined our friendship, but life and death called for hard decisions and sacrifices. I would never forget Peter's sacrifice, and I doubted he would either. That was the problem.

I fell asleep sitting next to Carl and awoke with a crick in my neck. Carl had a little colour in his cheeks, and I took that as a good sign.

I stayed with him as much as possible because he seemed healthier when I was there, as though I gave him vitality in some small way. I was sure it had to do with him ingesting the blood of the one who owned him. I would deal with what he thought about drinking blood another time. Hopefully.

"I think he's getting better," I told Eddie when he checked in on us. "He's definitely looking better."

"Perhaps."

"Eddie. Is there any way my blood could change him?"

"I don't think so. We can't know, but I really wouldn't imagine so."

"Good."

"The Council announced the death of Becca today. It's all done. Aiden got the credit for it."

"So he's in on it," I said, unsure if I liked that particular turn of events.

"He's a consultant. They trust him."

"I don't. He can't even see what's in front of him." I couldn't wipe the frown from my face.

"You can't judge him for not having the same abilities as you," Eddie said, annoyingly sensibly.

"It's all over," I muttered, feeling as though it was all only beginning.

"Ava," he said softly, in that way of his that signalled bad news. "If the bond continues for much longer, he'll lose himself completely."

"He won't survive the break." I gritted my teeth. "He's not strong enough yet."

"I know. I've been thinking about this. Your blood has helped, but it's come too late. He needs a boost of something to tide him over."

"Like one of your spells?" I asked, suddenly hopeful.

"I doubt any of mine could help him without hurting him later on. But I've heard that true angels can perform blessings. Rarely, but they fill the vessel with spirit, a miraculous recovery."

"True angel? You mean like Gabe? Would it help?" I tried to stop my internal spring of hope from overflowing.

"It might give Carl the strength to survive the end of the bond. He isn't healing properly like this. I can't see him fully recovering until his mind is free."

"Did I do the wrong thing?" I gazed up at Eddie, seeking an answer, guidance, anything. Eddie wasn't a good man in my books, but he knew things, and I needed his knowledge.

"You had to try." His tone was gentle but not exactly encouraging. "The blessing might be worth trying, too. Do you think you could persuade Gabe?"

"Me? No! He hates me. Why would he help?"

"Perhaps you can make a trade."

"I don't have anything." I stared at Carl. Deep down, I knew I would try anything. Anything at all. Or I would always live with the guilt.

"I can stay with him," Eddie said.

"I'll go to the club then. Gabe wanted to see me."

I waited to say goodbye to Carl in private. I didn't believe for a second that Gabe would ever help us.

# 20

The club buzzed with energy, and I realised everyone was celebrating the end of Becca. I pushed my way through the crowds and found a seat at the bar. A couple of people were on duty behind the bar, but I waited until Finn spied me.

"Little Miss Red," he said, smirking. I stared at the moving dragon tattoo with a great deal of fascination. "Why so down?" he asked. "Haven't you noticed it's party time?"

"Is he here?" I looked up at Finn, and the twins popped into my head.

"He is. He'll be on the floor shortly if you want to wait."

I nodded, not knowing what else to do.

"Can I get you anything while you're here? Something potent and sparkling, perhaps?" He laughed loudly at the reference to my passing out the last time I had taken a fae drink, but I couldn't smile.

"Do you know any half-fae?" I asked.

The smile dropped from his face. "There are no half-fae. There's no such thing."

"Sure there is, I saw—"

"There are fae. There are non-fae. There is no in-between," he said coldly, and I saw a whole other side to him. "I'll get Gabe to hurry up."

I sat mulling over his response for a few minutes until I smelled something wonderful, and someone tipped my arm.

"Follow me." Gabe led the way to the darkest corner of the club, shooing a group of people out of the seats. He sat facing me.

"I'm glad you came," he said. "Becca's gone. Everyone's happy. Or at least satisfied. Except for the British vampires, which is exactly how I like them. Now, about that other thing—"

"I need you to perform a blessing. A miracle," I interrupted. "Like now."

His forehead creased, and he sat back in his seat, searching my face.

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's not that simple. And it isn't something you should ask for. It isn't something anyone should ask for."

"What kind of fecking angel are you, anyway?" I stood to leave, but he pulled me back into my seat.

"I told you I can't interfere with the succubus," he said steadily.

"I'm not asking you to do anything with any succubus. He's mine. He's sick. He needs a blessing. He needs anything that might help him. I dealt with Becca, I'm owed something in return."

Gabe's eyes seemed to soften a little, but it could have been my imagination. "He's just a human. Not even an important one."

"He's _my_ human. He's _my_ friend."

"Ownership isn't friendship."

I made a weird, exasperated noise. "I don't want to own him. I just want him to live."

"Why do you care about him? What has he ever done apart from cause you trouble? He's just a human, Ava. They breed constantly. Another will come along."

I slapped my hands on the table in frustration. "Why can't you understand this? He's a friend. More than a friend. He's family. I care about family. You can't replace family, and he won't survive me breaking the bond right now. I need him to be stronger so I can let him go."

"You've replaced your grandmother with Eddie. What's the difference?"

I sputtered my indignation. "I haven't replaced her! And especially not with _him_. Look, even if you don't understand what it means to have a heart, at least help me out. I'll owe you for it. I'll do anything. We're desperate."

"I don't interfere with humans like that. I very, very rarely perform any kind of a blessing."

I drummed my fingers on the table, trying to figure him out. "What was my mother like?" I asked, knowing the change of subject, and the question, would surprise him.

"That's not fair, Ava. Not very angelic of you either." But he smiled.

"I'm serious. My grandmother hated her, very rarely spoke of her. What was she like?"

"Loving. She was made to feel. When she was chosen to stay on Earth, it made her very happy. She envied humans, cared for them in a way most of us can't."

"Would she have helped me?"

"I don't know. Probably. Somehow she managed to love the man who fathered you, and he was human. In that way, you're a constant reminder of her, of how little I understood her. So I won't help. Not for a human. A blessing is valuable. It costs me severely. I can't give them away to a sub-species."

"Very judgemental for some kind of holy being," I said with a snort. "What will it cost for you to give Carl a blessing?"

"A lot," he said firmly.

"Like what?"

He thought for a few minutes. "I need you to stop interfering with Coyle."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I mean it," he said, suddenly insistent. "Don't get in the way."

"So you know about them? The shadows?"

"I know some things, but I need to know more. I won't find out what I need to know if you warn every suspect that you're suspicious of them. Leave the thinking to the brains, little one."

I made a face. "I'm keeping away from the Council. I can't hack this crap."

"Then Carl won't get his blessing. I need these things from you, your loyalty and trust so that I can deal with this situation in my own way. And, as you're so obsessed with it, I want you to deal with the child markets. A... prisoner went missing from our cells. I imagine she was taken to be sold. Dig into that and keep yourself busy for a while." He tapped his chin, looking thoughtful. "Yes, do that. I could use the credit should anything good come of it."

"Anything else?" I asked, feeling a little tremor of excitement for my next job. I had a feeling he was talking about Leah. The way she acted before she disappeared from the cell next to me before my trial made me think she was in on her own escape.

"Two more things. I need information on the rebels, if they even exist. I've heard they plan an uprising. They want to get rid of the Council and inspire anarchy. I need to know what plans exist, and if there's anything to worry about."

"Um, okay." I hoped my cheeks didn't flush too much. It seemed as though my goals and Gabe's were the same, but for very different reasons. The word 'anarchy' sparked my interest in a whole new way. "And the last thing?"

He leaned forward, a new spark in his eyes. His excitement infected me until he spoke two words.

"Eddie Brogan."

I waited nervously for Gabe to arrive, tapping on Carl's hand as I counted in my head. Eddie had commented on the heavy price I must have paid to wrangle a miracle out of Gabe. I firmly reminded him it had been his idea in the first place and secretly wondered what outcome he had expected.

Peter paced and fidgeted incessantly. He still hadn't spoken to me about the blood, and there was no way on the planet I would bring it up first. I tried to ignore how close I felt to him since I had drunk his blood. What drew me closer only served to push him away.

I hadn't been able to stop thinking about Gabe's requests. His suspicion of Eddie was overwhelming. He wanted me to spy on the man whose house I was in, the man who had helped me and my friends multiple times. The man who had lied to me. The man I couldn't trust. The man I kept turning to, depending on. I still didn't know what to tell Peter, if anything, and my nerves were shot at the idea of spying.

I tried to distract myself with Carl. He looked a little better, and he could sit up if I ordered him to, but he was still gravely ill. I just hoped the blessing, whatever the hell it was, worked—and fast.

Peter took my hand away from Carl's, surprising me. "You're going to put a dent in his hand doing that," he chided before dropping my arm as if it stung him. He turned his back and returned to the all-important job of pacing the room.

The tense atmosphere only tightened further when Gabe arrived. All four of us stood around Carl, distrust thick in the air.

We watched Gabe inspect Carl. He placed his hand on Carl's forehead and closed his eyes. His eyeballs moved under his lids as if he searched for something. When he opened them, he looked surprised.

"What did you do to him?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" That frightened me. Had I made him worse?

"There's something... never mind. I can help him. The effect won't last long, but long enough for you to break your bond and allow him to heal naturally. It'll hurt him. True pain that he won't survive without help."

"We know," I said, disliking the reminder. As if I could forget. As if I wasn't already dreading it.

"Fine. Stay back, and you should probably keep your eyes closed."

I couldn't close mine. I had to see what happened. Gabe knelt by Carl, his hands on Carl's bare arm. He whispered, and his skin lit up. At first, it was a barely noticeable glow, but the light grew brighter until my eyes burned from it. I became used to the glare and could see Gabe clearly. Similar to the shadows clutching to a soul, except silvery white, they danced around him, streaming lights that dove in and out of Carl's body. Not at all malevolent, the scene was breathtaking.

Gabe noticed me staring. He beckoned me over and told me to hold Carl's other arm. With his free hand, he entwined his fingers with mine, and white-hot heat spread up my arm. He kept whispering, and slowly, the light passed into me, too. My skin lit up, just like Gabe's. It felt perfect, like one single harmonious moment in my life, never to be had again. A kind of serenity flooded my mind, and I gazed at Gabe in awe.

"Give it to him," Gabe told me. "Yours will be more potent for him now." I wasn't sure what he meant, but I tried. Just as when I had fed Carl my blood, I sensed something leaving me, as if I gave him a part of me. When the light flowed into Carl, his skin looked a little brighter, and his eyes opened. I caught a glimpse of a particular look, a _have I died and gone to heaven_ sort of look, then he closed his eyes again, and a smile creased his lips.

By the time the light faded, my eyes were wet, because it was obvious the blessing had worked, and I felt clean, purer. Carl looked so much healthier, it was amazing.

"Give him a day, then try to release him," Gabe said, rubbing his temples and looking absolutely drained. I felt a little shaky, too.

I gazed at Gabe in wonder, for the first time feeling something positive toward him. Then, he ruined it. "Don't forget you have work to do," he whispered.

"You can open your eyes now," he told Eddie and Peter before he left, saying he needed rest. He looked so pleased with himself at their thanks, but he hadn't done it out of goodness. I knew he had done it for personal gain. He wasn't any better than most of the beings in our world, even if he liked to think so.

Carl awoke later that evening, and he seemed almost back to the way he had been the first time I had made him mine. He no longer had to lie in bed, and he got straight back into that annoying habit of offering himself to me. Peter stuck around and helped with Carl, but we still didn't discuss the blood drinking. In fact, we didn't talk at all. Perhaps that was for the best.

# 21

In preparation for the bond breaking, Eddie left us to buy some "special" items that would help Carl deal with the pain. Carl fell asleep, and Peter watched the shop, so I was soon restless. A draft—or maybe a helpful spirit—opened the bedroom door, and I felt drawn to the landing. Or perhaps I just tried to convince myself it was an invitation.

I moved down the hall and jumped when Eddie's bedroom door burst open. A breeze blew around my neck, and I could have sworn I felt a little push on my back. Hesitantly, because Eddie would probably strike me down if he caught me, I crept into his room, surprised by the small size. The spare bedroom was much bigger.

The room was sparse, some basic bedroom furniture and a desk. Above the desk hung an enormous old-fashioned painting of a woman, the only decoration. I leaned on the desk to get a closer look and jumped back in fright. The surface of the desk quivered beneath my touch. I had the strangest compulsion to open a drawer. I didn't know why, but I couldn't leave the room without looking.

My hands passed over all three drawers, but the one in the middle sent a tingle through my fingers. Something important was in there. I could sense it. I pulled it open to reveal an ancient book. From the outside, it didn't appear possible for a book of that size to fit in the narrow drawer, and I guessed some sort of magic had a hand in that.

The book was living. I didn't know why I thought that, but it wasn't an inanimate object. I sensed too much living energy spiralling out of it. Even touching it sparked something deep inside me. I tentatively slid my fingertips over the cover. Bound in something akin to leather, the edges of the pages were dark brown.

I opened the book, half-expecting it to disintegrate at my touch, but the pages were perfect. More magic, it had to be. That suffocating feeling I so often felt in Eddie's shop emanated from the book. I didn't understand the words on the pages, but it felt like great power. Unwieldy power. The kind I didn't want anyone to have. Least of all, Eddie.

I was desperate to take the book away and hide it. Hearing the bell of the shop tinkle, I realised Eddie could have returned, so with one last lingering look, I shut the drawer and ran back to the spare room.

When Eddie came into the room, I could have sworn he knew I had done something. The way he looked at me, so piercingly, I prayed I wouldn't blush. I hadn't planned on telling Gabe anything about Eddie, but between the intensely magical book, the trapped souls, and Eddie's talk of sleeping gods, I was convinced I needed to keep an eye on him.

It took Eddie a while to prepare what basically turned out to be magical painkillers. I thought he was going to pull out something amazing. Carl would need more than pain relief.

We had to wait for Carl to come out of his current stupor. When he did, he got up out of the bed and glared at Eddie. I had forgotten how much Eddie's home had disturbed Carl the first time we stayed there. I felt sure the magical book had a little to do with it. I couldn't get the sensation of touching the book out of my head.

"I think that means he's up for this," Peter said wryly.

"Try it now, Ava," Eddie said, keeping a wary eye on Carl.

I bade Carl to sit next to me, and I tried to remember what it had been like the first time. The vampire Arthur had broken the bond then, but the feeling it provoked in me was very particular, and I had a sense I needed to grab onto that. In more ways than one, I had to let Carl go.

"Carl," I said softly. "I release you."

Nothing happened.

"You have to mean it," Eddie said unhelpfully.

"I'm aware of that." I stared at Carl. "Of course I mean it."

"He could lose his mind if you don't do it soon."

The pressure built inside me all over again. "I know, Eddie. Carl, I release you."

Still nothing happened, and I began to panic. I was the one who would kill him in the end. "I don't want you!" I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. I felt it then, like a rip deep inside me. I let go of Carl, and he fell back, but I was too busy keeling over in pain to check on him. I lay on the floor, groaning, while Peter and Eddie took care of Carl.

The pain relief worked quickly, and he soon slept again. I wasn't as lucky.

"You okay?" Peter nudged me carefully with his foot.

"Get away from me." I rolled over, feeling as though I wanted to rip something apart. The pain wasn't like a normal physical one. My blood hurt. All of my blood cells burned as one. With a little screech, I dug my nails into the floor and scratched hard.

Eddie touched my skin and tutted. "Fever," he muttered. "Be careful, Peter."

Peter lifted me over his shoulder and threw me on the bed next to Carl. I kicked out at him, and he laughed. "Here comes the wild animal," he teased, but my brain raged. I could literally see a red mist in front of my eyes.

"Oh, Jesus." Peter stepped back in alarm. "You're bleeding."

"She'll be fine," Eddie said. "She'll heal."

"Something broke," I hissed. "Inside me."

Eddie smiled. "I'll bet it feels that way. I need you to get a grip now, Ava. Carl will need all the help he can get when he wakes up. There's still a chance he won't be himself."

"You better not have done something to him," I said, practically snarling. Eddie ignored me and wiped my eyes clean.

"What now?" Peter asked.

"Now, we wait."

Carl finally stirred in the early hours of the morning. I had been staring at the moonlit sky for hours, struggling to keep hold of my humanity. Whatever had happened when the bond broke scared me. I had been too close to losing control. I was angry, angrier than I had ever been, and with the anger came something else, a darkness that didn't sit well. The darkness had been a constant in my life for far too long. I was ready to shed it for good.

A muffled sound from Carl's throat alerted me. His heartbeat raced. It thundered in his chest as though it would drown out all other sounds. My mouth watered, and I thought I might throw up from the shame of it.

His eyes flung open and caught my gaze. They widened further, and he glanced around the room, anxiety stinking the air.

"You okay?"

He stared at me as though I were the stuff of nightmares. "Who the hell are you?"

Oh, holy shit.

I screamed for Eddie, terrifying poor Carl in the process. When both Eddie and Peter ran in, Carl huddled in the bed like a scared child.

"Hey man, you okay?" Peter asked. His face fell when Carl stared back at him blankly.

Describing who we were to Carl proved to unsettle him further, and a deadly fear gripped my heart. What if his mind was gone for good? When Carl slept, Eddie explained that the shock of the bond-breaking had traumatised Carl, forcing him to blank out everything that had happened.

"It's a survival mechanism," he reassured us. "As long as we keep him safe and comfortable, he'll remember things slowly enough for him to deal with."

"Is he going to be okay?" My voice was barely above a whimper, and Peter moved closer to me.

"Only time will tell," Eddie said, before going back to bed.

I turned to Peter, but I couldn't form the words. He didn't speak, either, only wrapped his arms around me and let me lean on him completely.

Over the next few days, Carl's memories returned slowly but surely. He seemed okay, but a constant sadness dulled his eyes. I kept thinking that maybe his spirit had been the thing that had really broken, that maybe I had killed everything that made him himself.

The moment he remembered me was one of the worst times. His entire body shook violently until I left the room. He wasn't prepared to see me again until the following day.

"It's hard to process," he told me. "There are so many images that pop into my head when I see you. I don't know what's real and what's a nightmare."

I bit my lip. His nightmares about me were reality.

After a week, he was less shaky and nervous, but still different. I felt his anxiety all of the time. It never let up, not even when he slept. I wanted to help him... I just didn't know how.

Peter stayed with Carl, who seemed happier around him. He was noticeably more comfortable around Peter than anyone else, and I realised how strong a friendship they had developed. I couldn't help feeling a little left out.

One day, Carl cried in front of me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, terrified for some reason.

"I was so stupid, Ava. What the hell am I doing with my life? I keep nearly dying, nearly losing my mind. I keep getting wrapped up in all of this shit that has nothing to do with me."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't. Don't even say that to me. You warned me, and I didn't listen. When I was with her... I couldn't think of anything else. It was like an obsession, an addiction. Being around her was slowly killing me. I mean, I could feel it happen, but it felt like something I had to do. It felt like it was worth it." He shook his head. "And then you came, and I was trapped again, in the back of my head. I kept trying to break through, but I was in darkness most of the time. I couldn't move, couldn't speak. I felt like I was suffocating. The darkness kept closing in on me, the space was getting smaller and smaller. I could sense that I was losing myself, that I wouldn't ever make it out."

He held onto my hands without even realising it, pinching my skin he gripped so hard. "Then, you set me free again, and I felt like I was on fire. I've never been in so much agony. It was awful. I wanted to die. Then, the darkness came again, and it swallowed me up. I couldn't break free. I kept trying. I couldn't give up, and slowly flashes of light came through. It was like I dug holes in the wall, and eventually, I broke through completely."

"And now?"

He stared at me, his lips trembling. "Now, I want to go home, Ava. I just want to go home. They won't take me back, not after everything I've done. Maria won't even take my calls now. I've screwed it all up, and look where it got me. You know how I feel about you and Peter, but right now, I wish I'd never laid eyes on either of you."

I would have done anything to take that hollow look out of his eyes, the bitterness from his voice. But he turned his back on me and asked me to leave, saying he needed some time alone.

I took the opportunity to go home for a change of clothes. When I returned, Peter was on the shop floor, waiting for me. My heart sank when I saw his face. He moved closer to me and hesitated.

"What's wrong?" I tapped my wrist in agitation.

He held on to my fingers to stop me. "Carl doesn't want to see you." He said it in such a low voice, I hoped I had misheard him. I shook my head, not knowing what to say. I'd done everything I could for Carl, and now he didn't want to see me again.

"I tried to help him. Even when I nagged him to death, I just wanted to protect him. I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Even I winced at how pitiful my words sounded.

"I know. Trust me, I know. I had to watch you leave the country and deal with Becca alone when all I wanted to do was go over there and sort the problem out for you. But I had to let you go."

I frowned. "I came back, though."

He squeezed my fingers. "Don't look at me like that. Please don't look so sad."

I attempted a smile. It didn't quite work. I blamed it on the bond.

"He just needs a break from all of this. You're the biggest reminder of the worst things. He'll get over it."

"I don't think he will. But it's for the best, right? At least he'll be safe away from me."

He didn't answer. I tried to stretch my fingers, but he held them too firmly.

"You can let go now," I whispered.

He did. We faced each other awkwardly. With the immediate danger over, I felt a little embarrassed by how much I depended on Peter, and we still hadn't dealt with the blood-drinking.

"About before," I said.

"We've forgotten about it, Ava. We're not talking about it. Ever."

The coldness in his voice disturbed me, but I knew how much it had cost him to help Carl. I knew how much it was still costing him, even though there wasn't a scar, and I had made sure not to ruin his tattoo.

"I'll go then," I said, feeling at a loss.

"Keep your phone on loud. There's a house up for rent that I think would be perfect for you. It needs a little work, but I could help you."

I narrowed my eyes. "What are the neighbours like?"

He laughed loudly, sounding a little relieved. "You'll have to wait and see."

I left the shop, feeling a mixture of emotions. Becca was gone, and the succubus had been dealt with, but I still had a lot of things to do. I had a lot of things to make up for.

# Epilogue

I rapped quickly on the door, seeing no bell. The sound seemed to reverberate in the air, so quiet was the neighbourhood. The place looked like heaven compared to the hell of my flat, and I couldn't believe Carl had been so willing to throw it all away.

The young woman who answered was tall, pretty, with dark hair and eyes. She pulled open the door breathlessly, as if she had been waiting for someone. Her face fell when she saw me, a stranger.

"Can I help you?" Her tone wasn't particularly friendly, but I put that down to stress.

"Maria?"

"Yes," she said warily, looking at me through narrowed eyes.

"I'm a friend of Carl's." I watched fire spark in her stare and knew I had to tread carefully. "I need to talk to you about him. He's... ill."

"Ill? What's wrong with him? Where is he?" Her anger turned to panic, and I knew she cared deeply for him. I only hoped it wasn't too late for them.

"He's staying with a friend. He wants to come home. He's been... afraid. He had a bit of a breakdown, you see. He didn't want you to see him like that, but I thought you should know that he's been away from you through no fault of his own."

I was almost certain I wasn't lying. I had convinced myself that the succubus had gotten to Carl long before he truly succumbed.

"What are you talking about, a breakdown? At his age? What on earth does he have to break down about? I should be the one breaking down here!" Her voice rose into a shrill cry.

I wanted to run. "Look, all I can tell you is he's pretty much mortified by his carrying on. He ended up with a bit of an addiction, and he's been trying to shake that before he saw you again. He hasn't been doing well. He even lost his memory."

Her mouth gaped open. "Why isn't he in hospital?"

"He was looked after by a... professional. Now, he's recovering. I'm really sorry we couldn't contact you sooner."

"Why didn't you?" she barked. "Why didn't anyone come to me or his family?"

"Oh. Well, I told you. He lost his memory for a bit. It was hard to get anything out of him there for a while. But like I said, he's getting better now. Maybe you could call him? Maybe let him come see you when he's up to it?"

Her stony expression softened. "He's not up to visiting? Is he okay?"

She believed me so easily. She latched on to any reason to forgive him. "He's still quite weak," I said softly. "It's nothing to worry about. He just needs to build up his strength." I played to what I figured was her personality type. "He probably needs someone to take care of him."

"And that isn't you?" Ah. I felt her jealousy in spurts, mixed between gratitude at my telling her about him.

I tried to laugh. "Definitely not me. He's like family, but I'm not the one to take care of him. Don't worry."

We shared a moment then. Two women worried about the same man. Two women with very different places in his life. I was almost certain that once Maria claimed him, Carl would leave my world forever. I couldn't blame him, and I couldn't forget the fear and pain in his voice when he had finally opened up to me. He might not want me around, but I could hardly blame him. I had played an active role in everything that had gone wrong in his life. The least I could do was help him get back to the people who truly cared for him. The people who would never lead him into danger or suffering. It had taken more near-death experiences than I could count, but finally, Carl was seeing the light. It took more than enthusiasm to survive in the other world, the underground one. Only time would tell how much of himself he had lost in the darkness.

As soon as the taxi pulled into the sunny cul-de-sac, I knew I wanted to live there. A direct contrast to my flat, my destination was located in a bright, well-kept area of the city. It didn't look like part of the city at all, and there was a feeling in the air of safety and protection. I guessed the landlady wasn't human. Not that I minded.

A row of sweet little cottages lined the pathway on either side of the street, and I admired them all as I passed. The cottage I was looking for was at the very end. When I saw the number, I laughed out loud. Fourteen. Perfect.

It was a little dirty. It definitely needed a few repairs, as well as an industrial-strength lawnmower, but something about the place drew me. It attracted the sun.

I stood in the front garden while I took in the surroundings. A bit of paint and a lot of cleaning, and the cottage would be perfect. The walls were redbrick, and the paint on the door was peeling, but I felt excited about the house becoming my home.

"Is this my lost soul?" an elderly voice behind me croaked.

I whirled around, surprised that such an old woman could sneak up on me. She was tiny and haggard-looking, her back noticeably hunched. Despite her age, her dark brown eyes were clear and gave her a mischievous air.

"I'm Ava. I'm here to view the cottage."

"That you are. I'm Mrs. Yaga, the landlady. Do you want to take a look inside?" she asked, squinting in the sunlight.

She opened the cottage to let me look around, but she waited outside. The home consisted of two tiny bedrooms, a miniature bathroom, a duck-egg-blue kitchen, a sunny space for a living room, and a sprawling back garden, again with the need for a lawnmower. A thick layer of dust and dirt covered the entire house, but I couldn't wait to get stuck in.

"I'll take it," I said as soon as I went back outside to Mrs. Yaga.

She gave me a crooked smile with more gaps than teeth. "Don't you want to know how much it is first?"

I glanced at the house. It was home. Nothing else mattered.

Two days later, I got on my knees and started scrubbing. Every inch of the house uncovered something about myself, cleared away something bad. All of the guilt and anger and self-pity, I washed it all away, convinced my new home was a fresh start.

I revealed a spotless cottage, and a new me, a me that was more than ready for a start over. It felt as though I had shed a skin. Everything was so much lighter.

Mrs. Yaga definitely wasn't human, and I had a strong suspicion that she and the cottage had something to do with the change in me, but I felt only gratitude. All of my neighbours were a mixture of species and races, and there was something peaceful about the whole area. Security of the entire cul-de-sac seemed tight, and I felt no need to secure my own house.

I had a hard time packing. Leaving the flat terrified me. Change unnerved me. But I had been making some big decisions, and I took great pleasure in packing the blood bags into a cardboard box and dumping them off at Gabe's bar.

"Tell him never to send me this crap again," I told a bemused Finn.

With Peter's help, I moved all of my things to the cottage—without a backward glance—as soon as the place was clean. I barely unpacked because I wanted to paint it first. Peter came through on that count, too.

"You're going to have to stop being so dependable," I teased as we gave the living room a second coating.

He flicked paint at me in answer. "What are you going to do next?"

"The kitchen, I think," I said as I admired my handiwork.

"I meant in life, idiot." More flicked paint.

"I'm going to dump the whole tin over your head," I warned.

"I'll shake myself off in your precious kitchen. Really, what are your plans?"

He looked so serious, I tried to think about everything I'd been conveniently putting to one side. I had a lot to consider, and my stress level automatically began to rise, but I hadn't counted once since I'd found the cottage. I kept that to myself.

"Gabe's got some work for me. I made some friends in Liverpool that I'd like to help."

He faced me. "You're going back?"

"If I have to. I kind of made a fae deal."

He groaned. "Trust you."

"It wasn't like that," I protested. "I want to help them."

"Well, next time I'm coming with you. Drove me mad last time."

I held his stare, wondering what he meant. "That deal kind of fits in with a deal I made with Gabe. I'm going to find an empath to help me with _that_ mess. And I'm going to figure out a way I can be strong without drinking blood."

He raised his eyebrows.

"I mean it," I said vehemently. "I'm never drinking blood again, Peter. _Never_."

He didn't say anything for a few minutes, and I wondered if I had freaked him out. Then, he turned to me with a thoughtful look on his face. "You're already strong. You're going to be fine. No matter what happens."

"Well. Thanks."

He shrugged.

"For _everything_."

His frown didn't scare me. Much. "We're not talking about that."

"Coward."

He stepped up to me, too close. My stomach somersaulted.

"Who's a coward?"

"You are," I whispered.

He took my hands, his paint stained thumbs swirling my skin in circular motions. "No succubi marks on me this time," he said with a half-smile, but his gaze turned serious.

"There were never any marks on me," I reminded.

He grinned, slipping his arms around my waist to pull me closer.

"Besides, she didn't make me do anything I didn't already want to," he said softly. I lifted my face to his, feeling completely at ease for a change. His lips pressed lightly against mine, and the doorbell rang.

He grinned against my lips, and I pushed him away.

"The universe is seriously fucking with me right now," he muttered as I hurried to answer the door, the butterflies in my stomach feeling as though they were on speed.

Esther and Carl stood on my doorstop. My mouth dropped open in shock. Carl grinned, holding up his hands.

"Don't start," Carl said. "I'm more than capable of walking."

I bit my lip. "I wasn't going to say a word," I lied.

"You're early," Peter growled from behind me.

Esther kissed my cheek, then linked arms with Peter, asking him to show her around.

Carl shrugged at me. "Not a bit obvious, eh?"

"Not half. How are you?"

"I'm doing okay. Getting spoiled all round. Mostly thanks to you." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry about before. I needed a bit of time to deal with everything that happened. I didn't handle it very well."

"Don't be an idiot." I hugged him tightly, feeling the residue of the bond affect me with his embrace. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you never spoke to me again."

"I couldn't do that. Who'd get you into trouble?"

I grinned, leading him inside.

"Besides," he continued, "you're like my bossy little sister. You're cranky ninety percent of the time, but I'd miss your constant nagging."

I punched his arm.

"See? We really came over to help out with the painting," he said. "Have a little housewarming together. It's the first time there isn't an emergency going on."

"Don't jinx it," I warned him.

After a lot of catching up, and very little painting, the four of us sat in the overgrown back garden to catch the last of the sun.

"You really need to sort this forest out," Carl said, almost looking like his old self. His face had more lines, his hair had streaks of grey and white that managed to look pretty cool, and his eyes had a sadness in them, but he was still Carl.

"I'll get around to it. What's new with you?"

"I should be back at work soon."

"Oh? With Maria's father?"

He grinned, and he definitely looked like the old Carl. "Not exactly."

"Oh, no way. Eddie again?"

"I need a job. Maria's dad pretty much hates me now. I can't sit at home doing nothing. Don't worry. It isn't for the same reasons as before. I've learned my lesson. And look." He opened his shirt and revealed a massively intricate Celtic tattoo. "Blessed ink," he said proudly. "Like Peter's, only better."

"I heard that, you big lunk."

I listened to the banter between my friends and felt totally at ease for the first time in a very long time. I had finally found a place I could settle down in and friends who didn't judge me, no matter how many stupid mistakes I made. Even Esther hadn't turned her back on me, despite her brother's urging.

A cool breeze blew my hair, and I smiled at the sensation. Maeve hadn't left me for good either. I tilted my head to the sun and closed my eyes, savouring the moment because it felt like a perfect one. Life was never what I expected it to be, but I had made it this far, and it was looking good. I still had humanity, I had friends, I even had work to do that I believed in. Even better, I had discovered that family wasn't always what you were given, but what you made it.

I had spent so long pining for a family of my own, and I had finally found it in a weird way. I'd wasted time looking for acceptance. There were people in my life who gave it freely, unconditionally.

I had a family after all, just a very different kind.

# About the Author

Thank you for reading Awakening. If you'd like to continue with Ava's story, you may want to check out Taken (Ava Delaney #4), available as a single book or as part of Uprising (Ava Delaney Volume II – Books 4-6)

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. Click here for an updated series reading order.

Contact Me:

  *     @doingitwritenow
  *     clairefarrellauthor

www.clairefarrellauthor.com

claire_farrell@live.ie

# Reading Order

**A va Delaney World \- Chronological Order**

**Includes upcoming stories**

  * Zombie Moon Rising – A Peter Brannigan novella
  * Original Ava Delaney series – books 1 through 6
  * Tested – unfinished story available on Wattpad only
  * Tainted – Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #1
  * Ghost Moon Rising – A Peter Brannigan Novella
  * Demon Dog – VBI #1
  * Crucible – A Phoenix Novella
  * Tethers – Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #2
  * Bind – An Esther Novella
  * Tithes – Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #3
  * Relativity - A Lorcan & Lucia Novella
  * Bad Blood - VBI #2
  * Secret Self - VBI #3
  * Crossroads - A Phoenix Novella
  * Magic Thief
  * Faery Dust - An Ember Novella

# Books by Claire Farrell:

**C haos Series:**

One Night with the Fae (Companion Prequel)

Soul (Chaos #1)

Fade (Chaos #2)

Queen (Chaos #3)

Usurper (Chaos #4)

Blight (Chaos #5)

Kings (Chaos #5.5)

Sacrifice (Chaos #6)

* * *

**A va Delaney Series (Completed):**

Thirst (Ava Delaney #1)

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)

* * *

**L ost Souls Series:**

Tainted (Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #1)

Tethers (Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #2)

Tithes (Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #3)

* * *

**V BI Series:**

Demon Dog (VBI #1)

* * *

**C ursed Series (Completed):**

Verity (Cursed #1)

Clarity (Cursed #2)

Adversity (Cursed #2.5)

Purity (Cursed #3)

Cursed Omnibus (Entire Cursed Series)

* * *

**S take You Series (Completed):**

Stake You (Stake You #1)

Make You (Stake You #2)

Break You (Stake You #3)

* * *

**S hort Story Collections:**

Sixty Seconds

A Little Girl in my Room

* * *

**O ther:**

Death is a Gift (A standalone banshee novel)

Zombie Moon Rising (A Peter Brannigan Novella)

Ghost Moon Rising (A Peter Brannigan Novella)

Crucible (A Phoenix Novella)

Bind (An Esther Novella)
