 
Taste (Ava Delaney #5)

By Claire Farrell

Edited by Lynn O'Dell

Someone is hunting down the people she's promised to protect, but Ava's taste for battle is slowly disappearing. She's losing the people in her life, one by one, and without them, her inner light can only weaken. But the British Vampire Association have decided to take over Ireland, too, and to give the entire country a fighting chance, Ava must work with the Council and their secret weapons, and let the world see her true face. A sea of blood can't wash away the deaths that will come, but Ava will make sure everyone gets what they deserve...

Smashwords Edition

March 2013

Copyright © Claire Farrell 2013

Claire_farrell@live.ie

Cover art © Renu Sharma | www.thedarkrayne.com

Licence Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

# Chapter One

A high-pitched scream filtered through my dreams, sending me into a mild form of shock. Heart racing, I jumped out of bed, scrambled in the dark, and smacked right into a hot, naked body. I shoved, still not fully aware, and a crashing sound followed by a string of swear words finally woke me properly.

"Peter?"

"Just go, you lunatic. Every bloody night," he muttered as I ran out of the room.

It wasn't every night, and Peter didn't always get injured. But Emmett's night terrors had grown in frequency, and I knew we would have to deal with his past eventually.

I found Emmett standing at his bedroom window, his palms on the glass, eyes wide open but unseeing. As I approached, his mouth opened wide. He screamed again, an endless, hopeless cry, but the clumps of hair at his feet were what bothered me most.

I took his hands gently. I doubted he was aware of my presence, but as I laid him on the bed, he clung to my arm. I held tight to a modicum of hope that I was next to him in his nightmare world, too.

Peter's son might have been freed from Hell, but he didn't have the power to talk about what had happened to him, so he relived his past in his dreams. I didn't have a way to help with that. At least, not yet.

Peter limped into the room, wearing a T-shirt and shorts.

"Sorry," I whispered. My waking abruptly tended to be unpredictable.

"How is he?"

The screaming had stopped, but Emmett's slim fingers still clutched my arm.

"He took a good few clumps off his head. Could have been worse."

Peter nodded. Sometimes Emmett hurt himself against the walls. Once, he'd tried to claw out his own eyes.

"I'm going to speak to Gabe," I ventured.

"No."

"Peter, I have to know if the other children are going through the same thing."

"He's normal. He's fine. Of course he's going to have nightmares. He'll get over it."

"But he might need help with that."

He sighed wearily and sat on the edge of the bed. "I don't want him near those children. He could be dreaming about one of them for all we know."

Shivering, I ran my fingers through Emmett's newly shorn cowlick. Luckily, his hair was thick because even cutting it short hadn't stopped him from pulling handfuls from his scalp.

"I'm not planning on taking him there, and Gabe won't do anything to hurt him. You know that." The fae deal I had tricked Gabe into agreeing to had all but guaranteed that fact. "Besides, he might have other news."

Peter grunted and stretched out next to Emmett. "Maybe. Go back to bed. I'll stay with him tonight."

I didn't move, and Peter's breathing slowed a couple of minutes later. Dawn streaked watercolours across the sky before I was able to doze again.

Emmett awoke as if nothing had happened during the night, expressing surprise at our appearance next to him yet again.

"You had another dream," I told him.

He made a face. "What did I do this time?"

"Just pulled out some hair."

He rubbed his scalp and winced. "Stings." He pushed Peter. "Peter. Dad! Wake up."

"In a minute," Peter mumbled.

"Come on," I said. "We'll get the breakfast started."

Emmett followed me downstairs. "He promised to take me out today."

"Yeah, I know. He's just tired. You have all day. Don't worry."

I made him some eggs, and while he ate, a knock at the door interrupted him from telling me all about the things he was going to do with his dad that day.

I answered the door to see Mrs. Yaga. "I know it's Monday, but kinda early for the rent, no?" I said.

"I thought you would be up. Come outside with me. We need to talk."

We stood together at my front gate, relishing what was probably the last of the sunshine for the year. The vampires were all slowly returning from hibernation and warmer climates, a sure signal that summer was well and truly over.

"What's up?"

My landlady cocked her head to the side and stared up at me. "I'm getting complaints about the boy, Ava."

"What? Oh, come on!"

"I know, I know. But tenants complain, and I deal. You understand. His nightmares are still bad, I take it?"

I sighed. "Getting worse, actually. But it's not his fault, and you know that. They all know what's going on. What kind of grump would complain that a child who escaped from Hell is kind of freaked out about the whole thing?"

She held up her hands, walking stick and all. "They're concerned. About him, about you, about the safety of the cul-de-sac. They don't know what he can do, or why he's here. They're genuine concerns, Ava."

I glared at the houses, wondering who had complained.

"Stop," she said as if she knew what I was thinking. "I worry, too. You're strong, but others here are not. I don't want them to be harmed because the spotlight is on you and yours."

I thought of little Dita next door, whose scary boginka grandmother had abused her own daughter for something to do. So, okay, maybe Mrs. Yaga had a point. "What happens now? You want me to move?"

She looked taken aback. "Of course not. You're here for a reason. My, but you're a mother bear about that child. I must warn the others not to confront you." Her brown eyes twinkled.

I knew she was teasing me, but I couldn't relax. "Well, what am I supposed to do then? He doesn't know what's happening to him."

"I don't have answers, Ava, but you know the nightmares will continue until you find out what's in his head, what he can't say."

I stared at the ground. "I can't make him do anything."

"What's going on?" Peter asked from the doorway, a cup in his hand.

"I was telling Ava that the nightmares will never stop unless you make Emmett confront his fears," Mrs. Yaga said. "They could get worse."

"They did something to him," Peter said, "specifically to stop him from talking. Confronting his fears isn't that simple."

"Maybe it's time to reunite him with the other children who were in Hell with him. Maybe they could—"

"Not a chance," Peter said sharply. "The worst thing for him would be reliving what happened to him. We're supposed to be protecting him."

"And that includes protecting him from himself," Mrs. Yaga said, but she shook her head. "Today's not the day." She turned to me. "Keep an eye out, Ava. I have to help all of these souls."

I watched her stroll away. There was nothing I could do for Emmett, not without his father's permission. And judging by his pissed-off expression, Mrs. Yaga had only gotten Peter's back up.

I held up my hands. "Don't look at me."

"You're all in it together."

"Don't start, Peter. You're going to have to face up to it at some stage. I'm going to go see Gabe, whether you like it or not. I need to know if this is an Emmett thing or a Hell survivor thing."

"Fine. If it makes you feel better, go ahead. But don't expect Gabe to help you after what you did to him." He turned and walked back into the house.

Okay, so forcing a fae deal onto the angel hadn't been very fair, but he totally deserved it, and if he had to protect my human friends to stay healthy himself, then that was a pretty fair trade-off. I followed Peter into the kitchen, bathing in the glow of his fury.

I was pretty confident that Gabe would do anything in his power to abide by the deal he had mistakenly entered into, but I still felt a pang of apprehension every time Emmett left my home. He wasn't ready for a real school, but Peter had begun to take him places: sightseeing, normal kid stuff, anything that would strengthen their still tentative bond and prepare Emmett for a real life. Dita was his only playmate, but Carl helped him with reading and writing, something he already knew a little of, thanks to Helena.

"Where to today?" I asked Peter, ignoring the urge to chew my fingernails and count heartbeats.

Peter made a face. "Taking him to see some family. Yvonne's idea. Still plenty of aunts, uncles, and cousins on her side of the family."

"That might be good for him. Maybe someday he'll see his grandfather, too."

Peter snorted at the mention of his father. "Let's hope we don't get down to the last resort."

The scar on his chin deepened, and I realised something wasn't right. Again. "Everything okay with you?"

"Yep," he said tightly.

The next hour was spent with Emmett begging his father to hurry up and Peter drawing out the getting ready process as much as possible, partly to annoy his son, but partly because Emmett's maternal family made him uncomfortable. That was understandable given that, for a long time, most of them mistakenly assumed Peter had murdered Emmett, Emmett's mother, and even his grandparents.

"Be good today," I said automatically as Emmett shrugged on his jacket. He had a whole new wardrobe, and a little colour in his cheeks, but still, a melancholy look in his eyes lingered.

"I'm always good," he said indignantly.

I narrowed my eyes. "Oh, really? So who cracked an egg on Dita's head last week?"

He giggled. "She was teaching me about food fights. Anyway, Anka said it would make her hair shiny, you know, once Dita stopped crying about it."

"Meanie." I couldn't resist grinning back. The kid was the sun as far as I was concerned. We all orbited around him, even Carl, as much as he hated to admit it. Emmett and Peter had been living with me for mere months, but my life had changed completely.

"What are you up to today?" Peter asked me.

I fixed Emmett's collar, much to the boy's annoyance. "Maybe get a little work done, once I check on Gabe and make sure he's still keeping his end of things the way they should be."

"Does that mean they're following us again?" Emmett blurted, a frown wrinkling his forehead.

"They're keeping you safe. Don't worry. The Guardians are only there in case anything happens. You're safe with them." As long as Gabe remained trapped into protecting the humans in my life.

"Try not to get into trouble," Peter teased as he brushed my cheek with his lips.

Emmett hugged me, and when they left, I watched them from the window. Emmett chattered animatedly to Peter. Peter was becoming a constant in his son's life, and for that, I could only be grateful.

I did get a little work done on my computer before heading to Gabe's bar. My life was getting back on track, and if it wasn't for all of the paranormal politics, things could have been almost perfect.

The bar was empty except for Gabe behind the counter. He was drinking a beer, a solemn look on his face.

"You're late," he muttered when I took a stool.

"What's with you?"

He poured out another drink. He appeared wan and tired, unusual for someone who wore a mask every day.

I grew concerned. "Seriously, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What did you want this time?"

"Just making sure everything's going as planned. Any news?"

He shrugged. "Fionnuala sent Reuben to see the BVA in an attempt at a late reconciliation. She reckoned it wouldn't be as safe for any other species. He left yesterday. I haven't heard from him yet."

I didn't like the idea of a vicious ancient vampire being the spokesperson who tried to keep the peace with the British vampires intent on grabbing control in the UK and Ireland. "Isn't anyone afraid he'll join them?"

Gabe rubbed his eyes. "He's a consultant here. His life is comfortable. What more could they offer him?"

"Children for lunch? Who the hell knows? But Daimhín wants to be Switzerland. She's not going to take the Council's side if something happens."

"If something happens," he repeated. "And you. Do you have news for me today?"

"Rebels are under control, Eddie's privately trying to muster up some support for his cause, and I have some questions for you about the children."

He clenched his jaw.

I shook my head. "I'm not blaming you for anything. Not today. I just need to know what to expect with Emmett. Have the other kids been having nightmares or anything? Any strange behaviours?"

He laughed softly. "Strange. When we're discussing a house full of special children. Yes, there have been strange behaviours. There have been nightmares. They've been in Hell, Ava. Of course there have been nightmares."

"Well, what are you doing about it?"

"Ah." He slammed his glass down. "This isn't about them. What's wrong with your child?"

"He's not mine," I snapped. "And there's nothing wrong with him."

"Ava..."

"Fine. I'm a little worried about him. He's having some kind of night terrors, and Val told me they're given something in the market, something that stops them from talking. I think he needs to talk about it, but I don't know..."

"He'll forget. He's a child."

"What if he doesn't? What if all of them are affected by their time there? What if this is a mess waiting to happen? This whole thing has been a time-bomb since you decided to keep the children for yourselves."

He pushed away from the bar, looking wearier than ever. "The entire world is a mess, Ava. You can't clean up all of it."

"But we could prevent some of it."

His eyes narrowed. "Perhaps it's too late."

"Did something happen?"

He shrugged. "There have been arguments. Some fights. The other children are unperturbed, so perhaps it was a normal thing in the market. I admit I was concerned by the viciousness of it, but as Fionnuala has taken to saying, we will have some fierce Guardians in the future."

My stomach turned. "Not if I have anything to do with it."

"Ah, yes. Here they come. The empty threats again. Face it. You are tainted, you have no power, and there is nothing you can do."

I smiled. I would prove him wrong. I would prove all of them wrong. There were lots of things I could do.

# Chapter Two

I awoke during the night to an empty bed. I threw on a jumper and checked on Emmett. He was sound asleep, so I headed downstairs. I found Peter sitting at the kitchen table, cleaning and polishing knives.

"What's wrong?" I asked, putting on the kettle.

"Who said anything was wrong?"

I glanced at the clock. "You're in my kitchen at three in the morning with a stack of daggers in front of you. Obviously, something's wrong."

He leaned back in the chair and stretched, one knife still in hand. "Go back to bed, Ava."

"Did something happen today? With Emmett's family?" I turned back to the kettle, but a dark thread of doubt wound its way into my heart.

"No. Nothing new anyway. They want normality for him. Same as you."

"So what's with the 'tude?"

He heaved a sigh, threw down the dagger, and rubbed his eyes. "I wasn't prepared for this."

I gestured around the room, panic gripping my insides. "This, this?"

"You, Emmett." He shook his head. "Living here, being a dad again, giving up everything I've known for years. I wasn't ready. Some days it's hard to adjust. Some days..." He slowly rested his palms on the table as if he might explode with any sudden movements.

"Some days what?"

"Some days I look out the window and wish I was out there. Some days I'm so fucking bored that I want to kill... just for something to do." He gazed at me with wild eyes, wild and despairing. Not a good combination.

I moved closer to him, keeping my eye on the daggers. "It doesn't have to be one extreme or the other." When I straddled him, he didn't react in any way. I gripped his cheeks, forcing him to look at me. "What is it you need?"

He grabbed my backside, his fingers kneading me. "I don't know. And that's what scares me." He ran his hands up my spine and rested his cheek against my chest. "I don't know what's going to happen to me. To Emmett. To any of us. I don't know how to hold in what I am. I don't know how to fake it." His voice shook.

I kissed the top of his head, caressing the back of his taut neck. I didn't have the words to make him feel better, and his frustration rolled off him. It was hard for him to fit into the little box I had created for him, but Emmett had to come before his urges. Emmett had to be number one, or the kid would be lost. I knew what it was like to fake it. I wore a mask most days. I would pull Peter through anything if he let me.

"There's a lot coming our way," he whispered.

"But not today."

He raised his head to look at me, and I wanted so badly to heal the pain in his hazel eyes. But what ailed him was complicated, and sometimes talking didn't help. When I kissed him, it was different. Not him taking something from me. Not aggressive. Not dominant. Deeper, softer. He showed me his vulnerability for the first time, letting me share it.

He carried me up to bed, and my hope sparked again.

***

I waited until he had fallen asleep to put away the weapons, counting like a prayer.

He didn't mention it the next morning, but he spent the day outside with Emmett and Dita, and every now and then, I caught him staring into the distance. Each and every time, my stomach dropped.

My imagination went into overdrive, so I waited until Carl came over before I went to see Eddie as I had planned.

"Keep an eye on him, okay?" I warned Carl at the door.

"What's going on?" He looked better lately, as if his body had finally begun to heal. Sometimes the scar tissue never healed.

I shrugged. "I don't know. He's going stir crazy, probably. Being here, not being out there."

Carl's expression turned stern. "You mean he's getting agitated because he can't hurt something. Ava, I don't like this."

"What's not to like? We all go through things, Carl, and we're all still here because we have each other to help us through the bad days."

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm worried he'll take it out on the wrong person. Maybe he needs to work off some steam." He gave me a pointed look. "Before it's too late."

I frowned. "What? Let him go back to what he's been doing since Emmett was taken from him? Making enemies everywhere? He has his son to think about now."

"You're making enemies."

I grinned. "But I'm making bigger allies."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we'll see where that gets you. Eddie's getting antsy, speaking of allies and enemies."

"Yeah, well, I get held up here sometimes. I haven't been to the sanctuary all week either. Anything strange at the bookshop?"

He shook his head and moved into the living room to sit down. "Marina's been in and out. Doing something witchy, I suppose. Sometimes I think I can smell it. Ever since..." He shook his head. "I'm pretty sure she's using magic at his place."

"Black magic." I shivered. "Gross."

He raised a brow. "Because Helena told you so?"

"Don't talk about her like that. She helped me. She helped Emmett in Hell. It's not her fault that her children and husband were stolen from her. I don't blame her for anything she did."

"She tried to use you. You keep forgetting that bit."

"Everyone tries to use me. It's figuring out what they want me for that's the problem."

"You have issues," he said. "You can't live life expecting people to use you."

I stared at him blankly, and he threw his hands up in the air. Carl was like a brother to me, but he aggravated the crap out of me half the time.

He sighed. "We seriously need to deal with this self-esteem thing. Stop trusting people who admit to using you."

I had a feeling we weren't talking about Helena anymore. "Well, whatever," I said. "I believe her about Marina. There's something way wrong there."

"You think Helena never used black magic?"

"She said she was Wiccan. That's not black magic."

"She might have been Wiccan in theory, but she stole years. That's time, Ava. Life. Can't do shit like that without using black magic."

I made a face. "Stop trying to taint my memories, please."

He grinned, a flashback to the old Carl. He was the most resilient of all of us. No matter what he went through, there was a light-heartedness inside him that couldn't be snuffed out. "Go see Eddie. Calm him down. He's as paranoid as you."

"Funny. You gonna work with Emmett?"

"Yeah, I've been thinking of new stuff to try. I'm actually enjoying it. Maybe I should have been a teacher."

"Okay, sir. Try to make sure Emmett learns something other than filthy limericks today, yeah?"

His neck and ears turned red. "One mistake and it's forever held against me."

I reached up to ruffle his hair. "Get a haircut, old man."

"Bitch," he muttered, and I blew a kiss at him as I walked away.

On the way to Eddie's bookshop, I remained hyperaware. It had begun for real when Emmett arrived—that tense, permanently on edge feeling—and it hadn't shown any signs of dissipating. I constantly watched out for ways the boy could harm himself, even ridiculously impossible ones.

I held my breath as I entered the bookshop, preparing to be assaulted by the typical salt and smoke scents of magic. The Keeper of Gods watched as I approached the counter, his keen blue eyes taking in my mood.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, sounding as if he already knew, which wouldn't have surprised me.

"Nothing new," I replied, picking up an old book and flipping through it. I made a face at a particularly nasty-looking demon and dropped the book in a hurry. "Light reading?"

He shrugged. "Bedtime stories help me sleep. Where have you been?"

"You know, watching over the boys and all that. Any news?"

"Yes, actually. You need to keep in touch more regularly. It wouldn't do for you to get cold feet now."

"From my own idea? No chance." A shiver ran down my spine nonetheless. Making a deal with Eddie Brogan to take down the Council had been brave, but not necessarily smart. "So what's the news?"

He smiled, brimming with excitement. Unusual for Eddie. "Turns out I'm not the only one irritated by the Council. You can add consultant number two to the list."

"Who? Reuben?" The creepy old vampire knew Eddie well, but I hadn't assumed they were friendly.

"Reuben's gone. I doubt he'll be back," he said dismissively. "Not until there's a clear victor either way."

"Between who? The Council and us, or the Council and the BVA?"

"The vampires. I would bet he's been called into service by Winston. The British vampires need all of the ancients they can get their hands on."

"Do or die," I said. "Daimhín reckons she needs to keep out of the way, too."

"She hasn't lived this long by making foolish decisions. But no, I'm talking about Elathan. He's on board with a fresh start. Bad blood between him and Fionnuala, you understand."

"Elathan? The demon who was kicked out of Hell?" The one Esther always called hot.

He rubbed his nose. "Technically, yes. He's extremely old, one of the last of his kind actually. He's been displaced a number of times by those who aren't comfortable with his power. He's a little bitter, and we can use that."

"I'm not comfortable with his power either. What is it he can do?"

Eddie's smirk made me squirm. "He's a little too persuasive. Technically, he's a consultant only so they could keep an eye on him. He isn't permitted to use his techniques. He's strong-willed, a decent warrior, and he has connections. He has nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Or regain, as the case may be."

My heart thudded. "He wants to go back to Hell?"

"No, no. The fae sent him there long ago. He was one of the original fae. A different bloodline. When Fionnuala's ancestors invaded, he was sent to Hell because they didn't know what else to do with him. Of course, he made enemies in Hell, too, and eventually, he was spit back out. The Council had no choice but to deal with him. That was a long time ago, and Elathan's an expert at keeping under the radar. If I know the Council, they've already forgotten what he can do. Which works for me."

"What is it you want?" I blurted. "What do you get out of this?"

"Power. Power is all I need to get what I want. I'm a man of simple tastes, Ava. I don't need a lot to survive."

I thought of his sparse bedroom, how the only decoration was a painting of a woman. There was nothing else to mark it as his, aside from the living book of magic hidden in his drawer. I believed he didn't want a lot, but the things he wanted weren't necessarily safe for the rest of us.

"You're not planning on enslaving the world or anything, right?"

He laughed, his eyes gleaming. "I don't need to do that. I just need a little bit of power."

A shiver ran through me as a cold breeze blew against the back of my neck: Maeve, one of the spirits he had trapped to use for his own needs.

Eddie straightened, looking annoyed all of a sudden. "If you don't have any news, then you should get home. Wouldn't want to leave your boys unprotected."

I wasn't about to volunteer the fact that they weren't there. Eddie had a knack of making the most innocent sentence sound like a threat.

***

That night, Emmett crept into my room in the middle of the night and shook me awake.

I pressed my hand against his forehead. "You okay?"

He nodded, but there was pain in his eyes.

"Can't sleep?"

He shook his head.

"Want a hot chocolate?"

"Yes, please."

We managed to sneak downstairs without waking Peter. I made us some hot chocolate and waited for him to talk.

"The woman came to see me," he said at last, licking chocolate from his lower lip. "Maeve."

"Oh." I sat up straight. "Is she okay?"

He shook his head again. "I think she's sad. Or maybe angry. She keeps saying it's dangerous to help him. That it's getting closer to the end. She scared me."

I wrapped him in a hug. "She didn't mean to scare you. She's just worried about me."

"I'm worried, too. Don't do dangerous things, Ava. Stay home with me. We'll be okay. We'll forget about everything else."

"Emmett, I need to keep you safe."

His forehead creased into a frown. "But who will keep you safe?"

"I can take care of myself, but there are people who will help me. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing, Emmett. I have a plan. There isn't anything that I can't get myself back out of. And when I'm done, we'll have a normal life."

I wanted him to believe it so badly. I wanted to believe it.

I hoped I could pull it off before Eddie finally played his hand.

# Chapter Three

Emmett moped around for a couple of days, forlorn for reasons he couldn't quite explain. To cheer him up, Peter decided to take him to the pictures for the first time.

"It's huge," Peter told him. "You'll love it."

"Can you come?" Emmett asked me hopefully.

"Not today. I need to visit the sanctuary. Bring them some of the treats that you haven't stolen yet."

He grinned. "I'm a kid. I'm supposed to eat junk. So Dita said."

"I'll be having words with Mouthy Dita. Don't you worry."

He giggled. "She also said you're not scary at all."

I raised an eyebrow. "I hope you told her she's wrong."

"Nah. I agreed with her." He ran out of my reach, still giggling.

"Peter, your son's bothering me," I said in a singsong voice.

"God, would you two ever give it a rest," Peter said, but he was smiling.

"I should head on anyway," I said, but I pulled Peter aside before I left. "I probably should have mentioned it before, but when I saw Gabe last, he said there have been fights amongst the children. Bad ones."

"Kids fight."

"No," I said. "Not like normal kids. Like... warriors. Animals even. Pick an adjective, but it's definitely not going to be normal or childish."

"You're worrying too much again."

"And you're not worrying enough."

We glared at each other for a few seconds.

He picked me up then, surprising me. "Stop nagging," he muttered as he nuzzled my neck.

"Let me down, you big bully." But I didn't struggle. I ran my hands along his biceps, wishing we could have one uninterrupted night.

As if he were reading my mind, he said, "We should get Carl to mind him for a night. We could go somewhere, do something. And I don't mean kill things."

I burst out laughing. "You're a strange man, Brannigan."

He let me down with a growl. "You know you love it."

Our eyes locked, and he shifted uncomfortably. "You should probably get going then."

I sidestepped out of his way. "I'll just say bye to Emmett."

Emmett was busy packing a bag with little things I had bought to cheer up the inmates in the sanctuary: magazines, books, chocolate, nail polish, whatever they asked for or I could think of to brighten their day a little. They were trapped, and although the place was safe, it was probably dull.

"Thanks," I said, taking the bag from Emmett.

"S'okay. Think I could go with you some time?"

I thought about it. "Maybe, if your dad said it was okay. You might not want to, though. Kinda close to... you know."

"Yeah, I know. I was just curious."

"Have fun today," I said.

"Be careful, Ava," he said, sounding a little like me.

I grinned. "I'm always the careful one around here. Take care of your dad for me. Make sure he doesn't get himself into any trouble."

Emmett giggled, and my insides warmed at the sound, which never got old. Peter surprised me at the door with a long kiss.

"What's that about?" I asked when he finally let me go, not that I was complaining.

He shrugged. "Nothing."

We gazed at each other again. "Okay then," I said, bemused.

"Ava," he called as I walked down the street. I glanced back, shielding my eyes from the sun.

"Be careful," he said. There was something in his voice that I hadn't heard before.

"I will." I couldn't stop smiling as I walked away.

I went shopping to pick up some more things for the gang. Esther was having a hard time between struggling to fit in, controlling the instinct to dominate, and still feeling upset over the reasons she had to go into hiding. Her brother's betrayal and the violent murder of the mother of one of the children she'd tried to rescue had cut her deeply.

Worse, Gabe had been clear that the Council wanted Esther in custody. Bullshit charges, probably, but she wasn't safe outside.

I wanted to help Esther feel better, and I knew I hadn't been visiting the sanctuary as often as I could have. I kept getting distracted by Peter and Emmett, and being with those in hiding was a little depressing.

My phone rang, and when I saw it was Shay, the nosy policeman, I didn't know whether to be happy or annoyed. "You rang?"

"Ava," he said in his lovely lilting voice, but it sounded tighter, harder than normal.

"You okay?"

"You ready to tell me the truth yet?"

"Truth about what?" I held my breath.

He groaned. "Not you as well. I've been looking into a lot of things. There's some freaky stuff going on in this city. More than I expected."

Walking along Henry Street, one of the major shopping areas in Dublin's city centre, I reached out with my other sense, the one that let me see energy. Lots of non-humans around.

"You got that right," I said.

"This isn't funny." He sounded mad.

"Of course not. Sorry. So is this a specific lecture, or just whatever pops into your head as you go?"

He laughed, and the tension fled from his voice. "I don't mean to lecture. But it's frustrating when I point out things that don't make any obvious sense, and everyone around me refuses to acknowledge it. Especially after a little lady like you comes along and fills my head with questions."

"Never been accused of being a lady before. Are you okay?"

He sighed. "I'm in some trouble with the seniors. Orders from above. Possible suspension."

"For asking questions?"

"For refusing to accept no for an answer. I need to know what's going on, Ava."

"You really don't," I said softly. "But maybe keep yourself out of trouble. Dangerous people pull the strings around here."

"Ava—"

"I have to go. I'm sorry, Shay." I hung up before he could protest.

I felt terrible for him. I had dragged him into this, revealed half-truths, and refused to let him know anything else. Now he was in trouble for it. I had no idea how to make his problems go away without dirtying his life with the kind of drama I constantly had in my own. I didn't want another Carl on my hands.

But even Shay's phone call couldn't disturb the contentment I felt. Peter would be okay. That was important, like a sign from the universe telling me that anything was possible, that we could all find our own little pieces of normality and happiness.

I was still in a good mood by the time I got close to Folsom's place. I was swinging my shopping bags and looking forward to seeing Esther's face when she saw some of the treats I had brought specifically for her.

Then the smell hit me, and I wanted to throw up. I stopped walking, my brain catching up to my nose as I realised the truth.

Death.

My stomach in my mouth, I ran toward Folsom's home. A million fears ran through my head.

There he was. My feet froze to the spot as I covered my mouth in horror. I was too late. Approaching the gate slowly, I gazed up at the small figure strung up against the bars, his body hideously twisted and broken.

Folsom. Dead. Covered in dried blood.

I retched, unable to stop myself. The goblin had been a good person, risking himself to protect those who needed help, and his life had been ripped away.

I pulled out my phone and rang Gabe.

"Who did it?" I practically screamed at him.

"What?" He sounded completely confused, and I felt a faint sense of relief.

"Folsom! Who did it?"

"The goblin you've been visiting? What about him? Ava, what's happened?"

The concern in his voice broke me. "They killed him," I whispered, an aching in my throat making it impossible to raise my voice. "Someone murdered him."

"Ava, look around you. Is anyone there? Be aware. I know you're upset, but this could be about you."

"No, it's not... nobody's close by. He's been here a while. You really think this is about me?"

"Of course. You haven't been making friends, Ava."

My stomach somersaulted. "I... Peter and Emmett are out today. They're going to the cinema."

"Which one?"

I told him, and he tutted.

"I'll call the Guardians," he said, "and warn them to keep a close eye on both of them. Carl and your grandmother, too. That policeman you suddenly seem to be fond of, also." He hung up.

I rang Peter, but he didn't answer, so I texted him, tears standing in my eyes.

Of everything I had seen, everything that had happened, Folsom's death was getting to me the most. Maybe it was because his body was so small, maybe because I knew that his swollen, gnarled fingers couldn't have done much to defend himself, or maybe because he was an innocent soul only trying to do the right thing. Why couldn't they have left him alone? Whoever they were.

My fingers shook so much I could barely type out a readable sentence on my phone. I attempted to text Shay, too, to warn him without revealing too much, but I had no idea if he would pay any attention.

Next, I rang Carl.

"They killed Folsom," I blurted. "Are you safe?"

"I'm fine," he said. "Should I come? Do you need me?"

"I... I need to get him down."

"Get him down? Are you at his place? I'm on my way."

"Wait, Peter and Emmett are out. Should I... what should I do?" I sucked in a breath, trembling all over. I was helpless when it came down to it. I could only protect the person standing next to me, and I couldn't be next to everyone I cared about all of the time.

"The Guardians are watching over Emmett. Wait there." Carl hung up.

I had to get Folsom down. That was all I could think about. He couldn't be dead because of me. I had been standing strong for so long now. Between the deals and the children and Emmett and everything else on my shoulders, I had made sure I carried on. But Folsom's death was breaking me. It was the final straw. The people against us pushed and pushed, and we had already gone past my limit.

I climbed the gate, completely forgetting about my fear of heights. I winced at how tightly the wire ties had been knotted around his limbs. It took all I had to rip them, and Folsom's small body dropped into my arms as if he were sleeping. With him over my shoulder, I climbed down, carried him into the garage, and laid him on the table. I sank to the floor next to him, my hands still shaking. I was unable to look at his body directly. I tried to count, tried to fill my head with anything but how he looked. Nothing worked.

Carl finally arrived.

"I should never have let you come," I told him.

He leaned his walking stick against a wall. "It's fine." He looked over at Folsom's body and let out a great whoosh of breath. "This is bad."

"He was tied to the gate. They left him there, displayed him, so everyone would know."

"Know what?"

"Not to make waves, I assume. Poor Folsom. What am I doing, Carl? People keep getting hurt or having to hide once I come into their lives."

He eased his way to the floor and wrapped an arm around me, holding me close to his side. I leaned my face into his shoulder, wondering how he always knew how to make people feel better.

"It's not your fault, Ava. He made the choice to stand up for what was right, but it wasn't his fault either. It's their fault. The people who murdered him, they're the only ones who deserve any blame."

"I need to tell them. Everyone downstairs."

"Go ahead," he said.

"What if someone comes? What if someone comes for you?"

"Why would they?"

"Gabe said—"

"Gabe doesn't know," he said firmly. "I'll come down with you if you want."

"But the steps—"

"I don't care. Ava, we'll go down together. I'm not leaving you alone when you're like this. You're kind of freaking me out."

I made a weird noise, and he shook his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound... let me come with you. Please."

I nodded, unsure of myself still. I had been happy, but...

We made it down the stairs, but as we prepared to enter Folsom's sanctuary, my stomach turned.

"I'm scared to tell them," I admitted when Carl questioned my hesitancy.

"I'll tell them," he said, pulling me to him for a hug. "It's okay. Everyone else is fine."

I nodded. Tears sprang to my eyes again, tears for one brave goblin who had tried to keep his wife's spirit alive by doing something that would have made her proud. I led Carl through the door.

As soon as the others saw my face, they knew. All of the people there depended on Folsom, on that one soul who made sure they survived.

"We're so sorry," Carl said. "He's gone."

A couple of people wrapped their arms around the person next to them, clinging to each other in their sorrow. Some wandered away to mourn in peace and probably contemplate their uncertain futures. I didn't know all of their names, hadn't spoken to every single one of them, but I felt the pain of each and every one.

The part-fae twins hugged me, and a vision flew in front of my eyes, thanks to Lucia. Two hooded figures. Tall, broad. I prayed one of them hadn't been Aiden. I glanced at Lucia, but she shrugged almost imperceptibly, her pale eyes full of sorrow. She had known, and she hadn't told. She couldn't, not without risking everyone in the sanctuary. Folsom had been the sacrifice to keep the rebels safe.

"What happened?" Val was the only one brave enough to ask the question.

I shook my head. "I don't know yet. He's... his body is upstairs, but I don't know who did it or why."

"You know why," Val said. "He was brave. He didn't bring them down here."

I thought of his broken body and nodded. "He was definitely brave."

"We'll all want to say goodbye," Leah said softly. The teen looked as though the world weighed heavily on her shoulders, and I wished I could give her freedom. "He wanted to be buried under the tree behind his home. It's where his wife was laid to rest. He mentioned it to me only a couple of weeks ago." She looked away, scraping her top lip with her teeth.

"I'll see what we can do," I said. "It has to be safe."

"An hour would be enough," Val said. "We've enough fighters to protect ourselves for that long."

I nodded, swallowing past the lump in my throat. "I'll try to organise something. We need to go, but I'll be back. Try not to worry."

"I'll keep them calm," Esther promised.

When Carl and I got back upstairs, my phone rang. Gabe.

"I couldn't make contact with the Guardians on Peter and Emmett, so I went to find them. They had already come for the boy," he said breathlessly. "We fought them off, but more could come. We're on our way to you. Peter says it's the only safe place."

"Do you need me to meet you? Is everyone okay?"

"We'll find you there." He disconnected.

I retched again. "They were attacked. They're coming here. He didn't say anything else. I don't know if they're okay. We need to cover the body if Emmett's coming here. We need to—"

"Calm down." Carl laid his hand on my arm. "Sit. I'll deal with it. I'll speak to Gabe about the funeral, okay? You don't have to worry about that."

"Go back down when you're done. I'll follow you when they get here. I need some air," I mumbled, stumbling outside. Everything was falling apart, and I had no control over any of it.

I waited by the gate, desperately counting, needing something to make sense. Peter's car pulled up, and he parked at an angle. I ran to open the doors, and I almost fell over when I saw the bruise on Emmett's cheek. I had to stay strong for him, but a violent rage brewed within me. I couldn't allow my enemies to pick off the people in my life. I had to fight back. I had to fight first. We had to stop being victims to higher powers.

"Inside," Gabe said.

I lifted Emmett and ran with him. I heard the others following, but I hurried down the stairs, not pausing for anything. The four of us made it down the stairs, but I couldn't take any chances. We hurried into the sanctuary; I kept checking behind us. There was nothing, and nothing made sense.

Esther ran to greet us. "What happened?"

I shook my head. "I don't know."

"Let them sit," Carl said.

We all moved to take seats around the long table in the common area. Peter and Gabe had been injured, too. Nothing serious, but my heart hardened. Emmett sat next to me, and I held his hand as tight as I could without hurting him.

"Two humans tried to take Emmett," Peter said.

"Humans?" I asked. Then my heart fell. "You mean shadows, right?" Had they been the figures from Lucia's flash of a vision?

Gabe nodded. "I saw it. They were cloaked with darkness. I arrived as these two were trying to fight them off. They were as strong as any of our Guardians. Very disturbing."

I gritted my teeth. "Coyle."

"Possibly," Gabe admitted. "I'm certain both were controlled by demonic entities. Neither man survived the attack, but we hurried here."

"Couldn't risk anything else," Peter said. "I knew this place would be more secure than home."

"Mrs. Yaga—"

"This is more secure," he insisted.

I knew he was right. "Why now? Why not me? I mean, it would make the most sense to take me out first."

"You've made it clear that doesn't work," Peter reminded.

"Well, this has to end," I said. "Where's Coyle? I'm going to remove his head from his body."

Gabe made a frustrated sound. "He's supposed to have left with Reuben. Fionnuala made a last-minute change. We still haven't heard from either of them."

"Let me guess, Gideon's gone off the radar, too." I could tell by his expression that I had guessed correctly. "Shi... sugar."

Peter rolled his eyes. "So he's stuck here. Emmett's stuck here until we find Coyle."

"You're both stuck here until I find Coyle," I corrected.

"Don't even start," he said. "There's no chance of me sitting in here hiding when people are out there trying to take my son."

"I doubt they want your son," Gabe said. "Not that he isn't... pleasant, but it seems more like a distraction. That's what worries me. Distraction from what? Perhaps someone watched you in order to find Folsom and sent the humans after the boy to cause mayhem and confusion."

"Does that make Folsom a distraction?" I asked. "Or a punishment?"

"Maybe both," Val said. "But who would have anything against him? I mean aside from whoever wants to find out what he's been hiding. They could only know if they were spying on us. They could only know if they were involved in the slave market because that's when everything came to light."

Gabe ran his hands through his hair as if he wanted to yank it out. "We shut that down."

"We all know that somebody powerful was involved," Carl said. "It couldn't have been so easy."

Val replied, "He's right. They gave us what they didn't particularly want. Not enough children, not enough guards, and then the death of anyone in the Council's cells waiting to be questioned. Pretty clear messages."

Esther nodded, tapping her fingers on the table. "This is important. Maybe the distraction is because they're setting up the slave market again."

"Or taking the children back," Carl said.

I nodded. "You said it yourself, Gabe. Some of the kids are vicious, and you haven't even dipped into what they can actually do. Maybe somebody wants to take them back."

"Or steal them for themselves," he said pointedly.

I ran my finger along the brand around my wrist. "Maybe this means we're getting too close to something. To the truth maybe."

"Enough speculation," Peter said. "We need to do something."

"Like what?" Cam said as he strolled into the room. "Hello, cousin."

Gabe all but fell out of his chair. "You!"

"Small world." Cam took a seat. "You can't do anything until you have an answer to at least one of your questions. Speculation can get you killed."

"Do you have answers?" Gabe leaned across the table, his eyes fierce. "Or are you here to cause problems?"

"I'm atoning," Cam said pleasantly. "Something we have in common. I'm sad that Folsom's time has ended, but there's always something larger afoot."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Esther snapped. "He enjoys the sound of his own voice. Ignore him."

"Are you okay?" I asked Emmett when I felt him shiver.

He nodded, but his eyes turned cold. "I wasn't going to let them take me, Ava. I wasn't going to leave you."

I hesitated, unsure of his mood, but I patted his hand. "Of course not. It's over now. You're safe here."

"I need to fight," he said. "What if they come to the house? Dad's right. We need to fight them."

"Hold on a second," Peter said when I glared at him. "I definitely did not mean you. You're staying here, where I know you'll be safe."

Esther sighed. "I'll watch over him if we're both going to be stuck here."

"You both should stay here." I gestured at Peter and Carl. "Gabe can't watch all of you."

"That's the problem." Gabe cleared his throat. "There were Guardians watching over Emmett, but nobody was around when the attack happened. That concerns me."

"Who has control over the Guardians?" Peter demanded. "Specifically?"

"Koda and Fionnuala have the ultimate say, but—"

I interrupted Gabe to ask, "So one of them called off the Guardians?"

"Not necessarily," Gabe said. "They could be dead. They could have been slacking. They could—"

"Stop making excuses for them," Esther said. "The whole thing stinks. Oh!" Her eyes lit up. "Robbie might be able to find out."

"The tech guy?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah," Esther said. "He's, um, been doing me some favours."

Gabe rubbed his palms against his eyes as he sucked in a breath. "Do you have any idea of how dangerous that is? Who could be watching?"

"Like Peter keeps saying, we have to do something," she protested. "Robbie's not in danger, right?"

Gabe shrugged. "Probably not. He's just a human." He caught my glare. "Ahem, no offence," he muttered. It kind of tickled me that he was on his best behaviour all of a sudden, but in a way, that proved how seriously he took the latest situation.

"If something's up with the Guardians, does that mean we can't attend Folsom's funeral?" Carl asked.

"His funeral?" Gabe sounded confused, as if we were going to ditch poor Folsom in the nearest dump.

"Yes, his funeral." I frowned at the angel, daring him to argue. "He wanted to be buried behind his house. We're all going, so you have to make sure nothing bad happens."

Gabe rubbed the bridge of his nose before nodding. "Fine. We can do that."

"What next?" Peter asked. "What exactly are we aiming for here? I mean, we can't stay down here forever. There has to be an end. So when is it?"

I looked at Gabe. "You need to find out where Coyle is. Remember, if one of my people gets hurt, so do you."

"I'm fully aware of that," he said, a sardonic smile on his face. "But I can't summon people who don't want to be found. There's not a lot I can do when someone goes to ground."

"You can look," I said. "Where's Lucia?"

Val called over the twins. Kate followed Lorcan as closely as Lucia. Cam tensed at Kate's presence.

"Any useful visions?" I asked Lorcan.

Lorcan shook his head. "Nothing new. It's getting a little suspicious. We've been wondering about it for a while, but it's as if someone, or something, is blocking her. She sees a little, but nothing particularly useful."

Except the hooded figures. If someone could block images, perhaps they could project them, too. That person could give Lucia the one vision that could have revealed everyone if she had let Lorcan know, the one vision that could have led to more deaths. My heart rate quickened.

"Who could do that?" I wondered aloud.

"They're out of the ordinary," Cam said. "It's impossible to say."

"Fae?" Carl asked. "Is that a fae thing?"

"The fae have a million and one uses, depending on their pedigree," Cam explained. "No useful answers there either."

"Do you have to be so negative?" A growl erupted from Esther's throat. Her patience had already worn thin.

Cam shook his head. "Not negative. Realistic. No point wasting your time thinking about something that doesn't have a concrete answer."

Gabe stood abruptly, his eyes still on Cam. "Your sense of justice has changed dramatically, cousin. Much like your appearance."

Cam laughed as if genuinely amused. "Change attacks even the most virtuous, or so it would seem."

"This is getting us nowhere," Gabe said, turning to me. "If I have to protect your humans, I need to figure out what's going on. I'm leaving."

"I'm going, too." I frowned as almost all of my friends got to their feet. "Alone."

"It's too risky," Peter began.

I held up my hands. "I need to check on people. The cul-de-sac, my grandmother." I swallowed. "Oh, crap."

"What?" Peter asked warily.

"Shay called me before. Said he was in a bit of trouble at work for asking questions. You don't think..."

"The other Guardians are still in place," Gabe said.

I looked at him. "Yeah, but for how long?"

"Come," he said. "We'll deal with it."

I glanced back at my friends and Emmett, hoping they would be okay. Most of them looked sullen at being left behind, but Peter's eyes flashed with anger.

I nodded at Gabe. "Let's go."

When we reached the top of the stairs and were safely in the centre of the garage, Gabe held my arm and refused to let go.

"This is important," he said, answering the question in my eyes. "Stay away from Cami'el."

"Cam? It's not like we're best buddies. What's your deal?"

"Have faith in me on this one, Ava. You cannot trust him under any circumstances."

"He told me the truth when nobody else would."

"About yourself? That will always be guesswork. You're a hybrid. A mongrel. You have bits and pieces, so you'll always be unpredictable. He told you something important, yes. Something possible, yes. But ask yourself why." His grip tightened. "I can't explain. I physically cannot give you a reason. That should make you worry. That should tell you there are bigger things going on."

"There's always something bigger going on," I hissed. "What about my grandmother? She was told to punish me to make me hate evil. Or did he really mean for me to hate humans? And Peter..." I shook my head, unable to continue.

"What about Peter?" he asked urgently.

"Look at you, getting me to argue over Folsom's body like this." I bit my lip to stop the sob that desperately wanted to jump out of my mouth.

"You're upset." He sounded astonished.

"Of course I'm upset. I have a heart!"

"Well, yes. But Folsom died a hero. You understand that, don't you?"

"Nobody even knows his name," I protested. "He died for nothing! He wasted his life."

"You're trying to change things. You now have yourself a martyr."

I slapped him across the face and left the garage, but he caught up with me.

"I won't let you strike me a third time," he warned.

I flipped him off, unable to speak.

"Ava!" He gripped my shoulders to stop me from walking away. "You have to be stronger than this. You can't let something like this ruin everything."

"As if you care. You don't want us to win."

He stared at me through that impenetrable mask of his. I hadn't a clue what was running through his mind.

"If I'm forced to be on your side, it had better be the winning one," he said. "Come to me when you want to talk tactics. When you're ready to be an adult about it. A warrior. A leader."

"I'm not a leader. I'm just a person who's sick of what's going on. We're trying to survive, Gabe. That's all. We're holding on by our fingertips. I can't let them come after these people again. If that had happened to Emmett, we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now."

"If it was the boy's body in that garage, you'd be too busy trying to stop Peter from setting fire to the world," he said. "What were you going to say about Peter before?"

"He... I... the policeman your Guardians are supposed to be watching over, he knew Peter. He knew him from... back then. He knows there's something going on."

"So why are you protecting him? Why not tell him the truth?"

"Because it brings trouble. Anyone who knows can't hide. Once you know the truth, you can't ever unlearn it. It's permanent. I can't be the person who does that to him."

"It might protect him."

"Or make him a target. Shay's a good person. Being around us will taint him, too. Carl and I found him to ask about the night Emmett was taken. In case there was something that could help find Emmett."

"And this was before Emmett showed up in your lap? Interesting."

"A little too interesting," I said. "Shay told us that Peter kept talking about a light, something that protected him from the demons. After Peter's uncle visited him in the hospital, he forgot all about it. Never mentioned the light again."

"So?" But he looked uncomfortable.

"So Peter doesn't have an uncle. And a light protecting him? I'm supposed to think that's not connected?"

He looked away and took a deep breath. "I don't know why Peter was spared. I don't know why you, of everyone, were protected. I don't know what it's building up to, but I know, without any doubt in my mind, that there are people you cannot trust. We all have our roles, but our priorities can be easily swayed. Not all of us do as we are supposed to."

"We're back to Cam? How is he different from you?"

He wheezed out a breath, and I felt his anger. "I have to go. I'll send people to deal with Folsom's body, so try not to kill them if they startle you. Go check on your pets."

"Fuck you." I stalked away more angry than upset. Folsom was gone, but it wouldn't be for nothing.

I wasn't going to be the arsehole who used his death to further their cause, but I wouldn't let him be forgotten. Worse was the fact they had come after Emmett and Peter. They hurt the boy, marked him. They had to pay. The only way we could protect ourselves was by being fiercer than our enemies. If only I knew exactly who those enemies were.

Shay finally texted me, asking what I was on about, so I told him to watch his back.

I rang Nancy to ask if she was okay. My grandmother snapped at me on the phone, a sure sign that she was fine. I would have to bite the bullet and visit her eventually, but not on that day. I didn't have the energy.

That left the cul-de-sac: Anka, Dita, and Mrs. Yaga.

Having to explain I had possibly brought trouble to the cul-de-sac scared me even more than my grandmother.

# Chapter Four

I gazed at my feet, feeling like a bold child.

Mrs. Yaga was mightily pissed. "So you not only bring a child from Hell here, you also lead enemies from the Council to us?"

I preferred her sweet little old lady routine.

She stood up straighter, her eyes flashing with anger. "And they killed him. For helping you?"

I nodded. "They tied him to the gate. Probably as a warning."

"Animals." She swore. "If they come here..."

"Call me. I'll deal with it, I swear. I understand that you want me to leave, but—"

She tutted. "Leave? Nonsense. You can help protect the place."

"But I have to watch over the sanctuary. With Folsom gone—"

"With Folsom gone, the hidden need to be moved. Had you found an alternative hiding place before he died?"

I sat on the edge of the pavement at the mouth of the cul-de-sac, wearier than ever. "He was still working on it."

She nodded. "You need everyone together. Safety in numbers. There needs to be trust; the wrong person could cause havoc. Are you sure where the attack came from?"

"I'm guessing it had to do with the market. They went after Emmett." I swallowed hard. "Which makes it obvious to me."

"Or obvious that they wanted to hurt you. Distract you."

"You're not the only one who believes it was a distraction. From what, I don't know."

"I don't have to tell you what your weaknesses are." She patted my arm gently. "Stay strong. The boy is fine."

I nodded. "Hurting me may be an added bonus. I'm pretty certain someone in the Council was... is involved with the slave market. I'm sure one of the Guardians infected the humans with shadows."

"Shadows?"

"I've seen it a couple of times before. We think it might be some kind of demonic possession. The first time I really spoke to Esther was when a shifter, a Guardian, attacked her. She knew him, but he was suffocating with these shadows on his soul. Made me want to vomit, exactly the same effect the Guardian I suspect has on me. Another time, it was Peter. The shadows tried to attach themselves, but they couldn't because he was protected. Then there was one more."

I hesitated, and she stared at me expectantly.

"With Peter, I realised I could burn the shadows away the same way my dagger burns up the poison in a vampire's bloodstream. I figured I could kind of soak them up myself and cleanse them from my own body. I had some kind of compulsion to destroy them. Anyway, a human came at me one night, totally gone to the shadows. He tried to kill me, and I knocked him out to get rid of the shadows. It worked perfectly, except it was too much for him, and he... and he died."

She nodded. "When you did this, cleansed the shadows, were there any after-effects? On you?"

"I think I got a nosebleed. No big deal."

She gazed at me. "Get nosebleeds often?"

"Occasionally. Everything has its price."

"That's true, but the price can sometimes be bigger than our body can deal with. Do you understand? You can't keep hurting yourself."

"I'm not hurting myself. I'm helping."

"If you're bleeding, then it's possible your body is rejecting it, that you don't have enough power. Too much human." She smiled. "The one thing you've never been accused of."

I sighed. "A nosebleed isn't going to kill me, Mrs. Yaga. Can we get back to the point?"

"Another thing to leave for another day." She clenched her hand, and I realised she was missing her walking stick. Her eyes looked different, too; the deep brown hid shards of white. "So you believe a Guardian is involved with these shadows, how?"

"He's a demon. He provokes the same reaction in me as the shadows do. I think he's doing something to somehow pass on the shadows and infect people. I haven't figured it out yet, but I figured he was finding some way to transport demons or something."

"To take you down?"

"Maybe. I threatened him, and nothing's happened since, but there's a complication. Or at least there was. Esther's brother is a good friend to this Guardian."

"The alpha? I've heard rumours, but no matter, shifters are loyal regardless. Strange that he and his sister haven't been reunited."

"She's not ready. She's still hiding in case the Guardians pick her up and take her to the cells." It had been a while since Esther's and Aiden's beliefs and morals had converged onto the same path. "Same with Val and the rest. All good fighters, all needing to hide away."

"It may seem like a waste, but their time will surely come."

"I have to deal with the Council first."

"I'm on your side," Mrs. Yaga said. "I will be a friend to you, but I need your help. When the time comes, the cul-de-sac may need your protection. Can I count on you?"

"Of course," I said, but I was confused. Mrs. Yaga was plenty strong. I doubted anyone would get into the cul-de-sac without her say so.

"How is Peter?" she asked.

The rapid change of subject made me dizzy. "Not great. I don't know how long they'll be able to keep him down there, but it's safer for everyone. Less distractions for me."

"You need to go to Brogan. Make sure he feels involved. You need to play your role with him."

"Why are you helping me? What's in it for you?"

She appeared confused. "Why does anything have to be in it for me? The sooner you deal with this, the sooner you can be the person you were always meant to be. I'm happy to hurry that along before I get too tired."

She dismissed me, and I knew I had to go back to Eddie.

On the way, I tried to think of options, ideas, suspects, anything. The more I learned, the more things looked connected, but how were the shadows connected to Emmett? From Esther to Peter to me to Emmett, we had all been attacked by the shadows. We were all in somebody's way, and I feared I had been asking the wrong questions all along.

It all fell back to the Council and my suspicions that someone important was involved in the market. There were too many empty patches, too many ideas I couldn't tie together neatly. Every theory ran into a brick wall; every suggestion left an empty thread hanging.

When I opened the door to Eddie's shop, I sensed a darkness in the air. Something thrummed against my skin as soon as I stepped over the threshold. It reminded me of the living book of magic that Eddie kept hidden in his upstairs room, a book I felt sure answered at least one of my questions.

Marina stood across from Eddie at the counter, and I hesitated to speak in front of her. If the sensation running through the air was any indication, Eddie was allowing Marina to mess with his creepy book of mojo. I didn't want her to know anything about my problems.

"Oh, you can tell me," she said, sticking out her chest when she noticed me falter. "He'll tell me later anyway."

I glanced at Eddie, and he nodded, but also rolled his eyes.

I explained everything as briefly as possible: that Carl, Peter, and Emmett were hiding, that the Guardians had vanished, that Folsom had been murdered, and that a lot of people wanted revenge.

"Good," Eddie said. "Vengeance will give them strength. Something concrete to fight for. Everyone needs a cause. There's never been a stronger one than revenge. Peter is proof of that."

I stared at him, suddenly suspicious. "This has nothing to do with you, right? You didn't have him murdered to make him a martyr, to create a lot of angry rebels?"

"Of course not," he said, but I didn't like Marina's grin. "Although that wouldn't have been a bad idea. It will be easier to spread whispers now that the Council are unmerciful, that they will take out unarmed creatures who haven't harmed a soul. Folsom was a nobody in the grand scheme of things. There are a lot of scared nobodies out there." His eyes gleamed. "This is exactly what we needed. Silly move on their behalf."

"And they are, exactly?"

He frowned. "I assumed the order came from the Council, but perhaps not."

"Either way, Folsom's dead. That means the rebels have to move."

"I could help with that," Marina said. "I'd love to see what you have hidden away."

"I bet you would," I snapped. "The less people with access, the better."

"But the numbers are growing," she pointed out eagerly. "Any one of them could be a traitor."

"Then they'll get a taste of my fist in their mouth." I turned to Eddie, deciding to ignore the witch. "They may come after you, too."

"They could try," he scoffed. "I have more protection than I need. In fact, maybe we should turn this place into a new sanctuary. A headquarters for the cause. Hiding in plain sight."

Marina clapped her hands. "Perfect idea."

"Yeah," I said. "Maybe. Have to figure out how first, right?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," he said, but there was a nastiness to his grin.

I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. "I should head on then. I have a lot to do."

"Like what?" Eddie asked.

"Like figuring out what the hell is going on before anyone else gets hurt."

I left in a hurry, but on my way home to gather some things for Emmett, I got a call from Yvonne, Emmett's aunt and Daimhín's day assistant.

"She's requested a meeting this evening. It's important you be there."

I sighed. What now? "Fine. I can show up for a few minutes."

"Do me a favour. Tell Peter to bring Emmett to my place tomorrow. I have something for him."

"He can't."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I resisted the urge to hang up. "Someone came for Emmett today. They're in hiding."

"In hiding? Where? Who came?"

"Not sure who. Can't tell you where."

"You little..." She sucked in a gasp. "This is all down to you. I hope you're happy."

"What?"

She made a strangled sound. "You brought this trouble to them. The sooner they get away from you, the better."

She hung up, leaving me shaken. She had voiced my own thoughts. I decided not to go back to the sanctuary until after I had spoken with Daimhín. Then I could spend some time with Emmett and make sure he was okay. Then I could relax for five minutes.

I had to locate a new sanctuary, make sure Eddie didn't uncover it, and find a way to protect everyone at the same time. It seemed impossible.

By the time I made it to Daimhín's place, I was determined to hurry, to ensure that Eddie never got his hands on the people I had promised to protect.

Daimhín's place was unusually heavily guarded. When I was shown into the living room she normally hosted visitors in, I was surprised to see Rose, her human pet, kneeling at Daimhín's feet and holding her hand. Rose was as pale as usual, but her eyes were worried, and that in turn scared me. She normally acted as though she were invincible under Daimhín's care. If she worried, it was time for everyone else to panic.

"Sit," Daimhín said, her usual calm demeanour nowhere in sight.

Rose kissed Daimhín's knuckles and left us alone for one of the few times since I had met the Irish vampire queen.

"Something wrong?" I asked, taking a seat on the couch.

She nodded. "Reuben hasn't contacted the Council."

"So Gabe tells me."

"Then it's as Eloise saw it. He won't return. Whether he joined them willingly or by force, he won't set foot here as a friend again. That is warning enough."

"What do you mean?"

"There are signs that something's coming. Eloise has been seeing a lot of darkness and blood. Gideon is untraceable, and with Reuben's disappearance, I fear the worst. War is coming, Ms. Delaney. The problem is that both sides need me as an ally. Both sides will be quick to punish. I am stuck."

"Do what I do. Get out of the way and let the big guys stomp all over each other."

Her lips curved upward. "Is that what you did? To myself and Maximus? Perhaps I'm too hard on your lesser intelligence."

I gave a weak laugh, trying to relax. "So are you telling me which side you're picking? Or are you going to leave?"

"Do I have a hiding place here?" She stared at me keenly. "Do Eddie Brogan's plans include me?"

I looked away, unsure of how to answer. "I don't think you'd fit in there," I said at last.

"Ah, so there's some kind of moral testing," she said scornfully. "Only certain breeds are welcome. Is that it?"

I frowned, thinking of Mrs. Yaga. "No testing, but if you're going to want to eat half the residents, it probably wouldn't work out."

"I can bring my own snacks." She showed her teeth. "What's the end game, Ms. Delaney? To kill us all? Eliminate any species that offends you? Rid yourself of all of the leaders so you can take their jobs?"

"No." I leaned forward. "I want things to be fair. It would be nice to give everyone a fighting chance."

"You mean give humans an excuse to hunt us all down," she said, but the fight seemed to have left her.

"Like I said, a chance."

"I like how things are." She frowned. "I am comfortable."

"I think Gideon was proof of how dangerous complacency is for you."

She jerked her head up. "You are different lately. Cockier."

"Not cockier." I smiled. "I have to take bigger risks now that I have something to lose."

"Lots of somethings," she said, snarling. "And you'll risk them all to aid Eddie?"

"I won't risk any of them."

"If I've heard the rumours, then it's a guarantee that the Council have," she warned.

"They don't see me as a real threat."

"I wouldn't be so sure." She sat back. "I think a holiday would be a grand idea. Keep out of all of the battles and see where I stand when the dust settles. Whatever the British vampires are sending our way, it's going to be intense, concentrated. Watch out for dense areas, places that the Council have a hand in. They have Reuben's information, after all."

"Thanks," I said, surprised at her helpfulness.

"I'm not exactly impressed with the way the BVA are handling this. Winston's always got up my nose, and now he makes demands of me, acts as though I am lesser than he. I am ancient. I am a queen. I do not bow down to him. I do, however, want to survive, so leaving is now on the agenda."

"Don't suppose you're taking Yvonne with you?"

She smiled. "I don't plan on solving any of your problems, but if you're still alive at the end of this, I don't see why our working agreement has to change."

"Maybe I'll go part-time," I said with a grin. "Aim for early retirement."

"You've been so much more trouble than you're worth."

"So people keep telling me. But what's coming? Vampires? Beasts?"

"They likely have Gideon's information. I think it's safe to presume in this case."

I gave a low whistle. "An army of beasts."

"In Dublin city," she reminded. "Wreaking havoc on all of those precious humans of yours. There may not be a country to return to. There may be nothing sustainable here again."

"Nobody gets off lightly. Not if they're anything like Becca." My stomach turned at the idea of an army of creatures like her near the people I loved.

"There are worse things than an army," someone whispered from the doorway. The child vampire watched us through pink-tinged eyes, a doll clutched in her hand. "The darkness will rise and swallow us whole, if you let it."

Eloise fled before I could question her.

Daimhín sighed wearily. "She's confused, hiding every time she sees. If you have any sense, you'd stay hidden, too. Better yet, take your humans and leave. Keep out of the battles. Survival is important for everyone, after all, and no matter how I interpret Eloise's visions, it seems that Ireland's end is near. Leaving is the best option for everyone."

"Can't do that either."

"That conscience must cause you a lot of trouble."

I nodded. "Just a tad."

"Well," she said, getting to her feet. "This is likely goodbye. If I left Jules behind, would you babysit?"

"Hell no." I rubbed the scar on my hand that had come courtesy of Jules's fangs.

She sighed. "Eloise would never forgive me. She takes great pleasure in caring for that wretched animal. How I wish I had given her the puppy she asked for a century ago." She walked toward the door. "Beware. Any vampires who don't leave will side with Winston and his crowd. Don't go too hard on them. They're trying to survive."

"This feels like a final goodbye."

"If the beasts get out of control, we're all dead." Her eyes narrowed. "But you're not going to let that happen, are you?"

I clenched my jaw and shook my head. I definitely wasn't going to do that.

# Chapter Five

I called Gabe with an update. He didn't sound surprised by Daimhín's reaction to the situation.

That niggled at me. "Why aren't you more worried about the whole 'army of beasts' thing?"

"We weren't prepared last time," he said. "This time we know more. Besides, we have our own pack of monsters. They haven't had a good fight in a while."

He hung up before I could ask him more, so I hurried back to the sanctuary. My phone rang on the way there.

"Someone was here," Carl said, sounding panicked. "Someone came inside while you were gone."

"What? What happened?"

"Someone came into the sanctuary uninvited. We have to move, Ava. We have to get out of here."

"Hold on! Just keep calm. I'm almost there, okay?" I hung up.

Swearing, I ran, wishing I hadn't wasted so much time. If anyone got hurt...

I didn't pick up any fresh scents as I ran through the gates, couldn't hear a heartbeat or sense any energies around as I descended the stairs, but I felt something as I passed through the doorway. The lock to the sanctuary was broken. We would never be safe again. We had to move.

They were all in a panic, milling around with a dozen conversations going on at once.

"There she is," someone cried.

I was ambushed by too many bodies. Too many scents. Too many heartbeats. I panicked, gulping down my natural response. A firm hand grabbed mine and pulled me out of there.

"Back up," Cam called out. "Everyone just back up for a minute." He glared at me. "Don't even look at Kate if you're thirsty."

I was too busy calming myself to argue. "What happened?" I asked after a couple of seconds, glancing around at everyone.

"Someone came in," one of them said from somewhere in the back of the overexcited mob. "Leah sensed them."

"I dealt with it," Peter said, and the crowd parted for him. Streaks of blood striped his shirt, and he held a bloody knife clenched tight in his fist.

I ran to him, checking him over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he practically growled.

"Emmett?"

"Carl pulled him into one of the rooms as soon as Leah gave the warning. He's asleep now."

"Peter dealt with it before anyone else could react," Val said with a grudging respect. "He's a decent warrior."

Peter raised a brow at the half-hellhound female's compliment. "Thanks."

"Best you're gonna get," I said. "So who was it? And how did they get in?"

"My best guess is a half-breed," Esther ventured. "Definite shifter blood in there, but I don't know him. I should know him. Anyone with shifter blood is supposed to declare themselves to Aiden."

"Unless we're not the only ones hiding secrets," Peter said.

"He stank of magic," Lorcan said. He held his twin sister's hand tightly. "Fae magic."

"What the hell?" I asked. "Why send one?"

"To spy?" Cam suggested. "Or as an assassin. Either way, they're bound to send more."

"Come on," Peter said. "Show her the body."

They led me to a room that had been used as storage. A sheet-covered figure lay on the floor.

"Waste of a bloody sheet," Peter muttered as he pulled it back to expose the dead person's face.

I didn't recognise the guy, but the hooded cloak around his shoulders looked similar to the ones worn by the people in Lucia's vision. The would-be attacker or spy was pretty young, and I wondered why. Why us? Why one? Why everything? The more I answered, the more questions I discovered. I couldn't imagine a day when I would find all of the answers.

Seeing something in his hairline, I knelt down. I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to get a better look at his scalp. "There's a tattoo there. Some kind of swirled markings." Perfectly symmetrical circles and curved lines covered both sides of his scalp, running behind his ears and down his neck.

"Raven," Val muttered, leaning over to see.

"Huh?"

She pointed at her own tattoos, the intricate and pretty designs from her neck up into her hairline. "Raven. I met her in the market. Nicknamed her Raven for her hair. The word went around among the guards that she was born from a long line of magical tattooists. She can imbue tattoos."

"With fae magic?" Peter asked.

"Any magic," she replied. "But it would explain the sense of fae about him."

"Any idea what the tattoo itself means? Or where we can get in touch with Raven?"

"Somebody bought her." Val's hand hovered over her weapon. "After she tattooed me. It was a long time ago. I have no idea who took her or where she is now, and she may have taken a different name when she left the market. I'm positive this has been done by either Raven or an apprentice of hers. This is her work."

"I've never heard of her," Esther said. "But..." She frowned as she trailed off.

"What is it?" I asked.

She screwed up her nose and squeezed her eyes shut. "Now that Val mentions it, I have seen similar tattoos. I didn't know they were magical, but I've definitely seen similar ones. I never thought anything of it before."

"Where?" Peter demanded. "Where did you see these tattoos, Esther?"

"At Headquarters," she said in a low voice. "People who work for the Council. Guardians. A particular circle. I... at least one is a shifter. I thought it was just... I thought it was harmless."

I exchanged a worried glance with Peter. It might not have meant anything. It might have meant everything. The tattoos ran all the way down to the back of the dead man's neck, and I turned his body over to see how far they went.

"Look." I pointed at a sideways S in a circle. "A slave market brand. Just like Val's and Emmett's."

The tension ratcheted up a notch as we put two and two together.

"This pretty much confirms the worst," Esther said. "Only problem now is finding out who is involved and who is innocent. Almost an impossibility with most of us stuck down here."

I exhaled loudly. "There's worse news. The Irish vampires are fleeing. Rumours of a beast army on its way."

"How the hell are we going to get everyone out of here and into another location if there are rabid beasts running around at night and some kind of dodgy assassins during the day?" Peter demanded.

"I'll think of something," I snapped. "It'll have to be daytime. We've a better chance against this than beasts. You don't need to tell me it's risky because we don't have a choice. We're gonna have to work fast. Find somewhere temporary. Somewhere I can keep everyone hidden."

"Screw that," Esther spat. "I'm not staying hidden if we're being invaded. Not now. Not after this."

"Remember last time? The whole almost dying thing? Forgotten that already?" I glared at her.

Esther glared right back. "How many strong fighters are down here, Ava? Val could absolutely destroy a beast all by herself. The twins are helpful in half a million different ways. And Peter? He's crazy enough to scare anyone off."

More voices piped up, offering to defend our territory. I didn't remind them how scared they'd all been five minutes previously at the idea of one loner sneaking into the sanctuary.

"Fine. You scary fighters defend this place while I go figure out another option."

"Need help with that?" Peter asked.

I shook my head. "I have an idea. I just need someone's permission first. After that, we have no choice but to deal with the possible army coming our way. Daimhín told me the beasts would be sent directly into dense areas of the city. I mean, it's possible they've been adjusting this formula. They might have managed to train the beasts. Even so, the things will still be crazy for blood. I can't imagine the vampires figuring out a way past that in such a short time. That's what makes the beasts so dangerous, after all. So we need to get people armed and dangerous if they're going to stand a chance."

"What? Humans?" Cam asked.

"Yeah, humans. We can't let them get picked off one by one this time. This is how we gain allies. By fighting alongside them."

"But... humans." He sounded disgusted.

I wanted to punch him in the face. I was developing some seriously violent urges in my old age. "It doesn't matter how many times you say it, Cam. It still means the same thing. Humans are the one thing almost every supernatural creature on this island needs to survive. It's about time the underworld started protecting their food." I smiled as ideas came to me. "We're going to be prepared. The BVA are not going to take us over. And when it's all done, we'll take what should already be ours."

"And what then? Set up a new council? Leave everyone to their own devices?" Cam asked. "You're an idiotic child, Ava."

I stuck out my tongue, unable to resist tormenting him a little. Peter laughed, and Cam strode away in disgust.

"He does that a lot," Val said in a low voice, much to Peter's amusement.

"So can I depend on you lot to keep it together this time?" I asked, only half-teasing.

"You know I can always handle some killing," Peter said, his eyes darkening.

"Scary man," I whispered.

We rejoined the group in the communal area. "We may have to miss the funeral," I told the others.

That brought a whole ton of protests down on my head.

"Okay," I said, holding up my hands. "Maybe it's worth the risk."

"You don't understand," Leah said. "He was like a father to us. A friend. We have to say goodbye. It wouldn't be right any other way. We just... we're sick of hiding away in fear. This is one thing they shouldn't be able to take from us."

I nodded. "Just know it'll be dangerous. I'll go now, but make sure someone guards the entrance at all times. No slacking. I have a lot to do. Someone work on a list of stuff we'll need for the move. Pack up as much as you can carry, but make sure you're prepared to ditch it if you have to. Someone has their eye on us. We have to be extra careful."

The crowd dispersed as almost everyone found something to keep them busy.

"You look exhausted," Peter said as he walked me to the exit.

"It's been the longest day of all time." I yawned.

"Don't come back tonight," he said. "Get some rest before you do whatever you're about to do."

I nodded, but I couldn't imagine sleeping with so many unanswered questions on my mind. I glanced over his shoulder. "Take care of everyone while I'm gone, but Emmett is your personal priority. Don't forget him in the heat of the moment."

He closed the space between us and slipped his hands around my waist.

"He's safe, Ava. I'll organise people to keep watch at the door constantly. We can protect ourselves for one night."

"I hope so," I whispered, but he kissed the words away and pushed me out of the sanctuary.

Next stop: Mrs. Yaga. She lived in a bungalow in the same area as the cul-de-sac, but I hadn't known that when I moved there. The base of her magic began in her home, and the hairs on my arms rose as I knocked at her door.

"I want to bring them all to the cul-de-sac," I said when she answered her door.

She stared at me blankly for a couple of seconds before inviting me into her house. She led me into a living room filled with comfortable chairs and cabinets stuffed with brass ornaments. The place appeared pleasant and safe, but some deep instinct warned me to beware.

I took a seat on her couch. "It'll take a while for me to figure out how to make a proper safe house for them, but the cul-de-sac could be secure for the time being. Plus we have some excellent fighters, better than me, and—"

"You're a terrible saleswoman." Mrs. Yaga sat in a chair across from me. "Bring them if you wish. But where are you going to house them?"

"I was hoping you could help with that."

"How many are there?"

I shrugged. The numbers changed frequently. "At least thirty. That includes some of my people."

"It will take a lot of work. I'll need to find new accommodations for the occupants and up the protection. It will require energy that I just don't have anymore. I'll need to eat. It will take a lot of extra power. Especially once the beasts arrive, if they ever turn up."

"So... what? You want me to buy you dinner?"

Her gaze locked onto mine. "No, Ava. I need to feed from you."

"What are you talking about? My blood?"

She laughed harshly. "Hardly. I need your essence. Your power. Did you never find out what I am?"

"What are you?"

"Short answer would be a hag. Traditionally found on your chest, sucking the life out of you as you sleep." She grinned, as if remembering. "Of course, I only take a taste these days, just enough to carry on for a little while longer. But you... you could give me enough to take care of all of your refugees."

I stared at my feet, rapidly thinking it over. Was that what she'd wanted me for all along? Would she take too much? Kill me? Sweat trickled down my back as thoughts of a certain succubus jumped into my head. Would my landlady control me? Poison me with her own essence?

"Oh, don't be shy," she said. "I'll only take a little. You still need to be able to fight, after all."

"I don't think—"

"Do you want my protection or not?"

"Fine," I said sullenly. "But take too much, and I'll have to kill you."

She sniggered, a secretive little laugh that said I knew nothing. "Of course, my dear." She got up and came over to sit beside me. "It won't hurt much."

I closed my eyes and felt her gnarled hand touch my chest then run up to my neck. She clenched her nails into my neck, and my eyes shot open. Her mouth gaped wide as if her jaw had come unhinged. Her skin sagged, unable to contain her large rotting teeth any longer.

My lips fell apart automatically, and a pale wispy light flew out of my mouth and straight into hers. My pores opened, leaking light, and I wanted to vomit, wanted to flee, but I was paralysed by her touch. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. My mind turned inward in blind nightmarish panic, and I was convinced I was dying. I felt life leave me. Felt my soul ripping away. Felt my body sag with every spark of light that left it.

Her eyes brightened, the brown gleaming and shimmering. She made sounds of pleasure that turned my stomach. Then she was gone, moving away from me, and the strange sensations ended.

I choked a little, struggling to catch my breath. My lungs were on fire. I tried to speak, but only emitted a croak.

"You won't be able to speak for a few minutes," she said from the corner.

I found her in the shadows. She was licking fingers that seemed impossibly long. I couldn't make out her face, but I saw her eyes, electric and white in the dark.

"Thank you, Ava. That was revitalising. I'll get started on the preparations. Give me two days, and then you can bring them here. You may leave."

I got to my feet and almost fell back onto the couch.

She apologised. "Perhaps I took a little too much. You should rest for a couple of hours."

I stumbled out of her house and found my way home, feeling as though I were high, floating with a weightless body. By the time I reached my cottage, the light-headedness had passed, but my knees struggled to hold me up. Inside my home, I came close to collapsing. I tried to crawl up the stairs on my hands and knees, gave up, and lay on the couch instead. The last thing I did was touch my neck, but there were no wounds from her nails.

# Chapter Six

After waking early, I rang Gabe, still unsettled by the way I had practically died in my sleep. "Any chance the funeral can be arranged today or tomorrow?"

"Why?" he asked with a suspicious tone.

"Because I'm moving them all. Soon. Someone got in the sanctuary."

"What!"

I held the phone away from my ear at his yell. "Okay, Shouty, settle down. Peter dealt with it before I got there. They thought the intruder might have been a half-breed. Esther sensed some shifter in him, and the twins felt fae magic, but..."

"But?" He sounded impatient.

"But he had tattoos on his scalp, under his hair, and Val reckons the tattoos were imbued with fae magic, something that can be done by a kid who used to be in the slave market." I sighed. "Esther thinks a couple of people who work for the Council have these same tattoos. Then there was the brand on the back of his neck. Slave market markings, same as Val and Emmett. So we're back to that idea again."

He was silent for so long that I asked, "Are you there?"

"And it got in? By itself?"

"Yeah, I think the lock is broken now. It could be the reason Folsom was murdered, because his protection is gone or something. I don't get it, but that's not even the point. We have to move them now."

"Moving that many wanted people will be difficult," he said slowly.

"I know, but we've no choice. If the beasts came... if they got into the sanctuary... I can't let that be an option. We can't afford to wait around for somebody else to sneak in, particularly if the Council are involved. So do you know anything?"

"My hand wasn't involved in this. I'll suffer if your people are injured. I'm not that masochistic, Ava."

"Have you heard anything about this tattoo artist? Or some kind of group within the Council's staff?"

"I haven't. I'll dig up whatever I can, but this is all news to me."

"Maybe you haven't been paying enough attention," I said. "This is big and twisted, Gabe. I can feel it. We're uprooting trouble, but the people in the sanctuary need this funeral, so we're doing it."

"If you insist," he said. "I'll organise it for tomorrow. Be ready for my call. It has to be brief, I'm afraid."

"That's fine. They just want a chance to say goodbye."

"They?"

"Okay, I do, too. But I want them in safety before the beasts come."

"You're really this concerned about the BVA?"

I exhaled loudly. "Abso-fucking-lutely. This is real, Gabe. The vampire queen and her seer are running scared, so don't doubt that this is happening. The beasts will go after anything even remotely like you and me. Don't forget that. Be careful."

"I'll need to know where they all are," he said. "Your humans. In order to keep an eye on them."

I hesitated, still afraid to wholly trust him.

"I can stay with them," he pointed out. "You might feel safer if you bring me to them and refuse to let me leave."

"Possibly."

"I'll get organised around here. Try to get all of your humans in the one place if possible."

Shit. That meant my grandmother, who was not exactly easy to be around, and a policeman who didn't even know about the supernatural world. How was I going to pull that off?

And what if Mrs. Yaga needed more energy to protect my friends? The thought of letting her touch me—letting her take from me—made my skin crawl.

I called Shay and asked him to meet me at my house in a couple of days. I would think of something to tell him before then.

Nancy, my grandmother, would be difficult. The last time she had been in possible danger, she refused to come with me, instead choosing to stay in a hotel. If there were beasts coming, I didn't want her to be anywhere with lots of people unless I was there to protect her. I might have felt anger and bitterness toward her, but a tiny part of myself couldn't let her be harmed, no matter what she had done.

I headed to her home, dreading the conversation. Her reactions were unpredictable, something I was beginning to blame on her age, and I wasn't sure if she would come with me, or if I could have her near me for any length of time without murdering her. I was only partly joking about that.

A familiar sick feeling came over me when I reached her neighbourhood. It had been my neighbourhood, too, but the place never managed to feel like home to me. There had been too many wrongs done to me there, too much isolation and rejection. It would always be a place that made me feel uncomfortable at best and paralysed me with fear at worst.

The door was ajar when I got to her house, and my stomach dropped to the floor. Not again. Please, not again. No more dead bodies of people who couldn't defend themselves. I couldn't take any more.

I sniffed hesitantly, but detected no death. There was... something. Different scents that I couldn't explain. I found Nancy in the living room, knitting rapidly.

"Oh, hello, Ava," she said brightly.

Her out-of-character attitude completely freaked me out. "Your door was open."

"Did you leave it open again? Aren't I always telling you to close it after you?" She shook her head and the clacking of her knitting needles grew faster. "The child will be the death of me," she whispered.

I shifted from one foot to the other, feeling ridiculously juvenile. "So I came to tell you something, and—"

Her head shot up, her eyes narrowing coldly. "What did you do this time?"

"Me? Nothing. It was the vampires. They—"

She made the sign of the cross. "Don't say that word in this house. You know the rules. Go to your room."

"My what? What are you on about?"

"No answering back! Get out of my sight."

"Nancy, what the hell are you..."

I caught a scent then, something I hadn't smelled in over seven years. My breath hitched in my throat, and I froze. There was no escape. The past had just caught up with me.

The front door slammed, and a voice called out, "I have your tea, Nancy."

I turned in shock as Wesley walked into the room. He faltered when he saw me, a half-dozen emotions flitting across his face in rapid succession. My own mouth had dropped open, and he let a plastic shopping bag fall to the floor.

That broke the spell. Both of us bent to pick it up, our fingers touching briefly. I took a step back in horror as my throat ached with a thirst I couldn't satisfy. Not now. Not again. Not with him.

I turned away from my ex-boyfriend, the one I had been tempted to drain, the one I had run away from, the one who had changed my life in a dozen separate ways. My hands trembled; I couldn't think straight. Between my grandmother acting crazy and my ex walking into the room as if the past seven years hadn't happened, I couldn't get a handle on what was going on.

"No funny business, you two," Nancy said, peering at us. "David, put on the kettle. There's a love."

"David?" I gazed at my grandmother, still struggling to catch up.

"It's okay," Wesley said under his breath, touching my arm briefly. "Why don't you give me a hand?"

He escorted me out of the room, and after a second, I heard Nancy's knitting start up again.

I made it to the kitchen before losing my mind. "What's going on? Why are you here? And what the hell is with her?"

He stared at me blankly for a couple of seconds. "You don't know?"

"Do I look like someone in the know?" I shouted.

He held up his hands. "I thought you were here because you knew. It's dementia, Ava. A couple of years ago, she was told she was likely in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Lately, she's gotten worse. It's been a pretty rapid decline, actually. We've been trying to figure out how to get in touch with you. She never said... my mother's been taking care of her mostly. I help out when I'm home. And I'm home for good now. I owe it to you to keep an eye on her."

"Owe it to me? How could you possibly owe me anything?" I stared at him, aghast. I could have killed him back then, a man who had only ever been good to me. He had been the first to treat me like a person. The only one to see through the weirdness and awkwardness and appreciate the person I was underneath. I had repaid him by sinking my fangs into his flesh.

He glanced away as if ashamed. When he looked back at me, his dark soulful eyes reached inside me, found my teenage heart, and squeezed it until it skittered in my chest. "I don't fully remember what happened the night you left, Ava. It was a blur, but I must have hurt you terribly, and I'm so sorry. All I remember is how scared you looked. I can't forget that one thing. If there's anything I can ever do to make up for it, name it."

"You didn't hurt me, Wes," I said, my voice shaking. "I hurt you."

"There wasn't a mark on me." His voice lowered. "But there was so much blood. I should have been more careful. I knew the things that had happened to you. I knew you needed to be looked after. I should have known better than to rush you like that."

I blinked a couple of times. Had I healed him? I had spent all of those years assuming he hated me, and he had been thinking the same thing about me. It came back to me in a rush, how delicately he had treated me, how he was the direct opposite of Peter, who expected me to take care of myself or he would leave me behind where I fell.

I laughed, a tinge hysterically, unable to stop myself. "I literally can't deal with this right now. This is insane. And bad, really bad, timing. Nancy. She's sick? Is there something I should be doing for her?"

"She needs stability," Wesley said, watching me carefully. "She needs patience, love, and comfort. She's struggling a lot. When she's lucid, she's upset about something she doesn't want to share. When she's not, she gets distressed because she thinks she's back in the old days. Probably because of... well, you know how it was."

"So how do we fix it?"

He reached for my hand, but I put it behind my back. "You can't fix her," he said softly. "There's no cure for this."

Frowning, I shook my head. "There has to be."

He cleared his throat. "Ava, people don't survive Alzheimer's. It doesn't happen."

I waved a hand. "That's ridiculous. She's not going to die from some... some... I can't leave her here. There's stuff going on that's... well, dangerous. They could come here, and I can't leave her in this house, at risk."

"Do you need me to take her back to my mother's place?"

I bit my lip, thinking hard. "How would she react around a lot of strangers, do you think?"

"Honestly? I think she would be terrified. It's hard to tell, but I know it's gotten a lot worse this year. She's scared a lot. She mostly won't say what it is, but she seems to be constantly waiting for something bad to happen."

Since I had come back into her life.

He shrugged. "I can take care of her, Ava. We can all help her."

"You would do that? No questions?"

He looked hurt. "You know I would."

"No, I don't. I knew a boy." I looked him up and down. "You are most certainly not a boy."

He grinned, and it was a flashback all on its own. I had loved him once, loved his dark skin and darker eyes, his mellow voice, and how different we were. He was warm, happy, and content and able to deal with people so easily. He had been the one to teach me how to act around others. I wore a mask to outsiders but could be myself with him. I used to think we were two halves of a whole. Those days were over.

"Something bad is coming," I said, attempting to keep my voice even. "Something dangerous for everyone. In the meantime, someone will guard your house if she's there. If anything unusual happens, you contact me immediately. She has my number saved in her mobile." I took a deep breath. "This country's going to be involved in a war, Wes. You need to prepare yourself."

"Are you in the army or something?"

I winced. "Kind of. I'll be in touch unless your house number has changed."

"No, nothing's changed. It's been great to see you again, Ava." He reached out to hug me.

I panicked and backed away. "Yeah, I... I'm glad you're well. Nancy told me you had emigrated."

"I didn't find what I was looking for, so I came back."

I exhaled, only then realising I had been holding my breath. "I need to go. You should be safe in this neighbourhood. It's quiet here."

He looked confused, but I swept out of the room, my insides trembling.

Too many confusing memories. I couldn't think straight.

# Chapter Seven

On the morning of Folsom's funeral, rain poured down heavily, washing away blood and guilt. I hadn't told anyone about my grandmother or the hag, and I tried to push them both to the back of my mind.

By the time Folsom was put into the earth, the rain had stopped, and the air felt fresh and clean. I felt different, too, determined not to have to watch another funeral.

We buried the goblin under a willow tree, the branches caressing the ground, protecting what lay beneath, the rain-drenched leaves dripping as if crying. My eyes felt wet, but I did not cry. Not on that day. Tears were a waste of my energy. Sadness and regret were a waste of my time. I needed strength, maybe anger. More importantly, I needed focus.

The people from the sanctuary huddled around the makeshift grave. One, the small man whose brother had committed suicide in the Council's cells and who I had only come to know as Ry, spoke on behalf of everyone. He said the most beautiful words, but I couldn't concentrate on them. I was too busy watching, waiting for something to come.

I had refused to allow Emmett out in the open to be a sitting duck. I couldn't help it when we made the move, but I wouldn't risk it twice. Peter had remained behind with him.

Carl moved closer to me, and I could tell he was worried.

"You doing okay?" he asked when I stepped away from the crowd.

I kept an eye on the perimeter. I wasn't the only one. "I'm okay," I said, avoiding his eyes.

"Come on. There's something eating you. Tell me what's wrong."

The rain began to fall again, drizzling onto my face. I blinked away the moisture. "I went to see Nancy. She's going senile, Carl. I can't bring her here. Not like she is. When I was there, she acted like I was a teenager again. It was spooky."

"So what are you going to do?"

I turned to check on the mourners. Lucia had her arms linked with both her brother's and Val's. Kate, the young woman who spent most of her time with Cam, stood as close to Lorcan as she did to the angel. Leah stood apart, her hands shoved into her pockets and her hood pulled so far over her face that I couldn't see her eyes. The teenage girl hadn't ever had a chance at being normal. I would have loved to offer it to her. And Esther... Esther mourned many things.

"Someone else was there," I said at last. "At Nancy's place."

Carl gazed at me. "Sounds ominous."

"Not really. Just a blast from the past."

"Who?"

"My ex." Numbers ran through my head, and I squeezed my lips together to stop them from shooting out of my mouth. I shrugged. "Wesley."

"Wow."

"Yeah. And he said he'd take her to his house."

"He knows everything?"

I shook my head. "I told him there was something dangerous happening, and she needed to be someplace safe."

"And he went along with it?"

"That's the kind of person he is, or at least was when I knew him." I rubbed my eyes, trying to control the panic that crept around my head. "He thinks I left because he hurt me. All these years, and he didn't have a clue what really happened. He wasn't hurt. I must have... must have healed him or something. Weird, eh?"

"That's one word for it. You okay?"

"Just odd, seeing him out of the blue. He looks the same, except broader. And his hair's different." I smiled. "It was kind of nice to know he's okay."

"I get that. I hope Maria feels the same way about me some day."

When I glared at him, he winced, but the fight left me in an instant. "Tell me what's happening."

"Look at me. I've disappeared again, and I don't have an excuse to give her." He glanced around. "I can't keep doing this to her. It's not fair, and it's not workable. The only way she and I could maybe last is if I told her the truth, and I can't do that to her. Even if I could tell her, how would she react? I'm a completely different person now. I'm not the man she fell in love with, and I'm stuck in this. She doesn't have to be."

"I'm sorry."

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and held me close. "We're some pair, Ava."

I opened my mouth to say something when a blood-curdling scream sliced through the air. One of our warning systems.

"Get them downstairs," I yelled at Carl as I took out my dagger.

He moved without a word, already knowing the drill. The six of us with weapons circled around the retreating bodies, making sure nothing got by us.

Ten figures—cloaked, faces covered, weapons in hand—jumped over the gates and ran straight for us, just like the one who had entered the sanctuary. I would have bet anything that they were all tattooed. Maybe they had slave brands, too.

Esther stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. She seemed more like herself than I had seen in a while.

She glanced at me, a wry smile on her face. "Ready?"

"Now's the time," I called as the figures came closer.

A growl to the left alerted me to the fact Val was changing form. The approaching figures slowed at the sight of the hellhound, and I chuckled under my breath. Gabe and his own personal Guard came up behind our attackers. We surrounded the intruders, but they wouldn't give up without a fight. I could respect that.

"Gatecrashing is rude," I whispered to the one closest to me, right before my dagger connected with his throat. That one fell, and I moved on to the next one, jumping out of the way of Val's mace before it crushed a third attacker's arm. Another attempted to trip me up but was taken down by one of Ry's arrows. He gave me a thumbs-up and aimed elsewhere.

"Don't kill every one of them," I called out as Esther and Lorcan both took down one each.

Lorcan's face was blood-splattered and determined, and Esther's had hardened. We were all set on protecting our own. That was our best chance of winning any battle that came our way.

"I have one," Gabe said, holding a slumped figure. "Finish off the rest."

So we went to work.

***

Val pinned the bald man on the same table where Folsom's body had lain. He was thin and pale-skinned, with a spiralling tattoo on one side of his face. It wasn't exactly the same as the other fighter's, but I could see the similarities in the turn of the curves and the shading. So far, he had refused to speak.

"What is he?" I asked.

Gabe glared down at him. "I don't know. That's the problem."

"I'm still certain the tattoo is Raven's work," Val said. "No brand that I can see, though."

"Still no getting away from the fact that they're part of a team. Why come here?"

"Assassins," Val spat. "Why else attack innocents?"

"But how did they know to come today?" I glanced at Gabe, who squeezed his eyes shut. "Gabe? How did they know?"

He opened his eyes and gazed at me steadily. "I purposely informed the Council I needed extra protection today. I needed to know for sure. There's no going back now. There are traitors amongst us."

The attacker came to life. "You're the traitor. Hiding what we need." His voice wasn't his own, and his eyes bubbled for a couple of seconds before exploding in a bloody mess.

We all stepped back in disgust as the assassin's entire body fizzled as if soaked in acid. He disintegrated into a disgusting blob on the floor.

"Well," Gabe said. "That was interesting."

"That's one way of putting it," I said. "What the hell was that?"

"Some kind of safeguard." Val sounded furious. "To stop him from talking, possibly."

"Weird," I whispered.

"This has become a lot more complicated," Gabe said. "I may be in danger."

"I'm more concerned about everyone else, to be honest," I said wryly. "Someone thinks you're a traitor. Someone knows you are."

"Someone is playing a dangerous game," he replied, his brow furrowing. "I wonder what exactly they know. How many are involved. From here on out, we can't trust a soul."

"Thank feck we're moving on from here," I said. "I'm not comfortable about how that journey might go down. Can we trust your vehicles now?"

He shook his head. "Afraid not. What I don't understand is where these attackers sprouted from. They're a secret group, obviously, but who's responsible for them? They can't have come together just for us, so what have they been trained to do? And just how long has it been going on?"

"Erossi's always been a bit of a dick," I said.

"But he's too cocky to hide his own dedicated group of warriors," Gabe said.

"Unless he's playing everyone," I suggested. "Val, do you think we can walk the entire group out of here without getting anyone killed?"

"Only if we leave now."

I nodded. "Go tell them to move. We'll take a look outside and see if there's any sign of anyone else approaching."

"This is dangerous, Ava," Gabe said as he followed me outside.

"Life is, apparently. Gabe, is there anything you can do for degenerative-type diseases? Could a miracle work on an old person, for example, someone who's having trouble with their mind?"

"What kind of trouble?"

"Alzheimer's, that kind of thing."

He shook his head. "I can't undo something like that. It's a part of aging for a lot of people. Once you reach that stage, it's too late."

"Yeah, but it has to be fixable. You have to be able to heal it. You work miracles, for fuck's sake."

"What's going on with you?"

"My grandmother."

"The one you don't care about."

I made a face. "Shut up. She's losing her mind, thinking she's in the past, and Wesley told me that she gets distressed when she remembers me. I think our past is hurting her."

"Wesley?"

I cleared my throat. "Someone I used to know. Is it possible that what happened before... that she's reliving the worst bits?"

"Very possible. But like I said, there isn't a lot you can do for that kind of thing."

I sighed. "What's the point of living in a world with magic if stuff is still incurable?"

He looked away, flexing his fingers in a way that reminded me of Peter. "Everything comes with a price. I'm going to check out the front. You take a look at the boundaries and make sure nobody's hiding out."

I watched him walk away, surprised at the difference in his attitude since I'd stood up to him. Well, tricked him, technically. He had begun to treat me with a kind of respect, to act more... human. But half the time, he still seemed massively depressed. Maybe we were a bad influence on him.

I skirted along the boundary walls, sending out my other senses that I used to pick up on energy. I caught sight of some red, pulsing humans in the distance and a stark white light at the edge of Folsom's property. Within the grounds, I saw nothing because the magic guarding the place shrouded the things I could usually access. The lock was gone, but the cover remained. Interesting.

I climbed onto the wall in an attempt to see the grounds clearly. There was nothing out there except Gabe pacing at the gate. His shoulders had drooped, and he appeared to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.

I couldn't help wondering if he was trying to figure out some way to betray us. But if my people were hurt, he suffered, too. That was the only reason I was putting any of my trust into him. I basically had him by the balls.

Val reached the door of the garage and glanced around, so I hopped off the wall, miraculously not spraining anything, and jogged over to her.

"They're getting ready to leave," she said. "We'll need to hurry. Keep the children in the middle and let the fighters move around the edges of the group. If we leave soon, there won't be enough time for anyone to organise a decent attack on us."

"I agree. Think we're ready for a fight? I know you and Esther have been trying to train everyone to defend themselves, but things are different in the heat of the moment."

She shrugged. "Feelings are strong right now. The problem would be the weaklings trying to get involved to avenge Folsom."

I thought of Emmett, of his expression when he'd said he would fight. "That can't happen. Gabe's out front. I'll lead them out, and you take up the rear. Peter and Carl can keep a close eye on Emmett and Leah."

"And Lucia."

I smiled. "And Lucia. Gabe's Guard, Esther, Lorcan, and anyone else you think could make a difference can stay on the outer edges. Just make sure nobody gets left behind."

She nodded, her honey-coloured eyes focusing on the group as if contemplating on who could fight and who needed protection. I could count on Val.

The group didn't fit in the garage, so we took them outside in batches while I lectured them on staying close to each other.

"Anyone weak, injured, and young—" I gave Emmett a pointed look. "—is to stay in the centre of the circle with Peter and Carl. Anyone Val says can fight should be on the edges of the group. Gabe and I will be at the front. Val and Cam will keep to the rear. We'll move quickly and quietly, and nobody does anything without permission until I say you can relax. Understand?"

They stared at me, some with curiosity, others with respect, a few with open hostility. Mrs. Yaga wasn't ready for them, but I had to at least get them inside the cul-de-sac, where I knew there would be some protection. Folsom's security was slowly dying with him. I wouldn't make that mistake again.

I had called Mrs. Yaga to hurry her up, and she promised to try, but I wasn't sure where we would possibly hide all of these people. While I waited for everyone to move out of the garage, I called Shay.

"No," he said. "I'm keeping away from you until you decide to tell me the truth."

"Don't be so immature," I said. "This is important."

He hesitated.

"Please?"

"Oh, for the love of... Ava, you're becoming a problem." He tried to sound gruff, but I heard the laughter in his voice. "I'll try to make it over. But I'm not promising anything."

"Good. Stay safe." When I hung up, I noticed Peter staring at me, so I walked over to him. "If anything happens, and you see a chance, get him out of there," I told him. "I wish you could have taken him in your car, but it's kind of well known."

He nodded, looking grim. "Don't worry. We'll get there in one piece."

"I freaking well hope so." I glanced at the crowd and got a nod from Val. I raised my hands to get the group's attention. "Everyone! Let's head out. We'll be safe very soon."

We headed through the gate: Gabe and me in front, Val and Cam at the back of the group. I kept glancing around to check on Val, throwing out my extra senses and desperately listening for any sound that might be a warning. The people remained deadly silent. Not everyone could walk fast, which was frustrating, but we couldn't let the group separate. I wasn't prepared to have two groups, one stronger than the other.

It took us an hour to walk from Folsom's place to the cul-de-sac. An hour in the open. An hour in which anyone could attack. My heart raced every time I heard a heartbeat out of place, or a scent I couldn't identify attacked my nostrils.

"So far, so good," I whispered.

"Too quiet," Gabe said. "I don't like it."

"Better than teeming with enemies. Don't forget what'll happen to you if any of my people get hurt."

"Have I told you lately that I hate you, Ava Delaney?"

I laughed softly. "Not in the last few hours."

"Someone follows," Val called from the back. "A ways back, but they're there. We need to up the pace."

"See?" I said to Gabe. "This is why I'm keeping the hellhound."

"You heard the lady," Cam yelled. "Hurry!"

"Don't run!" I ordered. "We can't afford a freaking stampede over someone who's tripped up. We're almost there. If we can just make it to the—"

We were in sight of the cul-de-sac, in actual sight of the place, but figures blocked the road.

"Holy shitballs," I whispered. There were at least twelve, standing in three rows. They spread out as we approached. "Crap. Don't get surrounded." I glanced at Gabe. "How do we do this?"

"Fight until we're the only ones standing, I should think." But he winked at me.

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "Everyone, push back. Val, Esther, you're both up with me. Gabe, get your Guard and stay back with Lorcan. Protect them. Watch out for whatever's coming up behind us."

Gabe seemed surprised that I wasn't including him, but he moved obediently. I caught sight of Emmett's terrified face, and I smiled for his benefit. "See you in a minute, kid."

Peter chewed on his lip. I knew I could use him by my side, but Emmett needed him more.

I moved forward with my chosen two to confront our adversaries. The four in the front row ahead of us seemed to relax as we approached.

Esther moved closer to me and hissed, "Those are Guardians, Ava. Guardians!"

My heart sank.

Esther raised her chin and called, "Think about what you're doing! Hiding who you are to attack us. Are you ashamed? Are you cowards?"

One stepped forward and shrugged off his hood. If he had any tattoos, they weren't obvious. He looked at us with just a hint of regret. "This is how it has to be, Esther. Tides are changing."

I didn't recognise him, but the pain in Esther's expression reassured me she knew exactly who he was.

"Shame on you," she said.

"Shame on you for deserting your family," he snapped back, throwing off his cloak to reveal muscled arms with biceps covered in swirling tattoos. Two depicted intricately designed daggers that, at least appearance-wise, kicked my dagger's arse.

Esther let out a pained sound of anger that turned into a growl. She threw off her jacket, but she didn't bother stripping off the rest of her clothes. She bent over for a couple of seconds. When she straightened, the growls deepened as her clothes ripped away from her rapidly expanding muscles. Coarse dark hair covered her entire body. I blinked, and she was bear.

Val's process of shifting was different. The little bumps that ran from her forehead down her spine grew into horn-like structures and her back and shoulders expanded outward, but her clothes appeared to shift with her, which was kind of cool. Her change was both less and more dramatic than Esther's. She grew in bulk, but the look of murder and rage in her red-tinged eyes was the most chilling. Our enemies had seemed less than concerned when they first confronted us, but some of them noticeably flinched from ferocious-looking Esther and Val.

Licking my lips, I twirled my dagger and cocked my head. I could not show fear. Hopefully, my decision to come out with only two others would make them think we had nothing to fear.

"Ready, ladies?"

When they growled their assent, I charged straight into the first line of warriors, Val and Esther following my lead. I ducked under the first attacker's arms, swinging behind him and slitting his throat before he could turn. He dropped, but I was already running for the next one. The others were quick to react, one heading straight for the people I was supposed to be protecting.

We were vastly outnumbered, but a yell from the cul-de-sac distracted some of the assassins. I recognized the voice of Mrs. Yaga. I prayed she would do her soul-sucking trick on at least one of them, but I was too busy trying to catch the ones hell-bent on getting to our group.

Ducking and diving, punching and kicking, I couldn't stop for a breath. I half-choked one warrior, pushing him straight into another who approached. They collided and fell to the ground in a heap. I chased down one trying out a sneak attack. Another got in my way, and I stomp-kicked his ankle and knocked him off balance. I ran toward Emmett and the others.

Gabe's Guard had their hands full fending off a couple of sneak attacks from the assassins Val had noticed following us. At the sight of the action, a number of the so-called rebels separated from the cluster and fled, but the slowest were hacked to death by a lone attacker before I could reach him. Peter stepped forward with a grunt and swiftly dealt with the killer who was still too close to the group.

"Get back to Emmett!" I screamed, but then I was thrown into the air. Strong hands gripped the back of my neck and my backside before flinging me to the ground. I landed heavily on my arm, momentarily losing my knife, but I kicked out at the scarily large shrouded figure who descended on me as I scrambled to my feet again.

"Ava!" Lorcan cried.

"Stay back!" I shouted before a mighty punch in the mouth sent me flying back on my arse again. I spat out blood, shaking my head to clear it. I exhaled in a dumb-sounding oof as someone jumped on me and wrapped his hands around my neck.

I struggled to breathe, reaching out for my dagger blindly until my fingers brushed against beautiful magical steel. Gripping the handle, I shoved the knife right in the warrior's crotch. It didn't matter that I didn't make it sink, or that I didn't hit hard enough to do major damage. That strike hurt him. He fell off me with a howl, and I leapt to my feet, barely swinging around in time to cut through a fighter about to jump on my back.

I heard a shout to my left, and Peter ran toward me. I was going to kill him.

"Duck!" he yelled, and I dropped to the ground as a fighter swung a sword right where my neck had just been.

Maybe I would thank Peter before I killed him.

He joined in the fight, and we soon cleared the path. All that lay in our way were some dying fighters. At Mrs. Yaga's feet were three corpses, all sucked dry. The look in her shining white eyes terrified me, making me glad I hadn't seen her in action.

"Everyone inside!" I shouted.

Esther and Val stayed to patrol the entrance until everyone was safely in the cul-de-sac.

Peter had a massively smug grin on his face, so I grabbed his shoulder and punched him in the jaw, knocking him flat on his arse.

"What the hell, Ava?" he hissed as he held his face.

"I told you! How many times did I tell you? Never leave Emmett alone!"

He jumped to his feet. "You needed help!"

"Bullshit! You just wanted to hurt something, you big eejit! Anyone could have gotten to him while you ponced about trying to act like the big man." I shoved him, ridiculously annoyed.

Carl nudged me. "We should probably take this into safer territory."

I glared at Peter, chest heaving, growing more annoyed by the fact he didn't even care. "Arsehole." I stalked into the cul-de-sac, wanting to strangle the man. "Everyone okay?" I asked, trying to ignore the people staring at me as if I were a complete raving lunatic.

"They're all okay," Gabe said. "That was interesting."

"Don't start."

"I meant the way you ladies fought. They completely underestimated you three, and Val is something special."

"I told you. Where's Mrs. Yaga?"

He rubbed his temples. "She needed a couple of minutes alone. We'll wait here until she's ready."

Emmett ran up to me, but I stopped him and held him at arm's length. "I don't want to get you messy."

His eyes shone. "That was amazing!"

"Told you there's nothing to worry about. I can protect us from whoever comes at us."

"No! I meant the way you hit my dad. You're strong!"

Gabe's laugh turned into a cough at my glare.

"Oh, Emmett. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "He didn't listen. He should have. Serves him right."

"That's not really the way it's supposed to work," I said.

Mrs. Yaga returned, her eyes almost completely brown. "I requested that the tenants accept some refugees into their home in exchange for a strong fighter staying there, too. Most agreed, given what I hinted may be on the way, but some chose to be relocated. It will be a tight fit either way."

"It should be temporary," I told her, "just until I can figure out some way of protecting them again."

"Hiding underground is no way to live," she said, gazing around. "Anyway, there are fourteen cottages, including yours. Some have more room than others. Now comes the time to figure out who goes where, without leaving anyone unprotected. The cul-de-sac can only do so much, and if something gets through, we need to ensure all are safe."

"Yeah, of course. Peter, Emmett, and Carl can stay with me. If we need to make room for anyone else, that's fine. Did Anka stay?"

"Yes. She thought little Dita would be safer close to you than anywhere else."

I nodded. "Val can stay with them. She's the best fighter we have. She'll need Leah with her."

"Cam!" I called out. "Come here."

He walked over to me, a grimace on his face.

"I need you to check our numbers. Some of them ran. Some died while trying to run. We need to know how many are still with us and who can fight. We have to split up, and there needs to be at least one fighter in every home."

He nodded. "They didn't trust that you could protect them. They were waiting for their chance to run."

"Well, thanks a million for the heads up."

His gaze turned scornful. "I owe you nothing."

We spent the next hour trying to figure out the best ways to place everyone. One of Gabe's Guard chose to stay with us, but the others left as soon as they could, rattled by the idea of choosing a side. Anka and an older resident called Margie had made casseroles, and the remaining residents seemed happy to invite strangers into their homes.

Still thinking of Cam's words, I went around to each cottage later, making sure everyone knew how to contact me and how to raise the alarm if anything happened.

How to survive.

# Chapter Eight

Facing Peter was tough. We were both mad at each other, leaving Carl stuck in the middle. I ended up sitting out on the gate just to get away from the tension inside the house. I shouldn't have hit him, but he had left Emmett. No matter what I said, he didn't listen.

The cul-de-sac was quiet. Everyone was settling in, excited to be in real homes with windows, probably, and the residents were getting to know their new guests. Margie was positively ecstatic to be involved with real live rebels.

I shivered a little, hoping I was doing the right thing. People kept coming at us, blind-siding me. Someone had their own undercover notification system. We were in their way and inviting danger to stalk us in our sleep. I thought of all of the dead bodies that had been outside. Mrs. Yaga and Gabe had organised their removal, but that couldn't wipe the images from Emmett's brain. Things were spiralling out of my control so quickly I could barely catch a breath.

Yvonne had been right. I brought trouble with me. Even Gabe was screwed because of me. He couldn't go back to the Council. He knew too much about both sides of the coin, but not enough to protect himself, to protect any of us.

I heard the door open and caught Peter's cinnamon scent.

He came closer. "Does this mean we're even for the first time we met?"

I scowled, but he grinned at me, and I knew all was forgiven. He stood behind me and rested his chin on my shoulder. I leaned against him, and he wrapped his arms around me.

"You were right," he said. "I should have put him first. But there were so many of them. If one of you died, they were coming for us anyway, you know?"

"I know. But you would never forgive yourself if something happened to him while you were a couple of feet away."

His breath hitched. "It can never be the same again, can it?"

"That's a good thing." When he didn't answer, I jumped off the gate to face him. "Seriously. You can have a long and happy life now, Peter. So can Emmett."

"You know what's coming, Ava. If it's an army of them, chances are we won't survive. This won't be the last thing. There will always be something."

"But he'll always have you protecting him. That's your mission now, Peter, to get him to adulthood."

"I know you care about him, but you can't depend on him like this."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I snapped.

"It means what it means. He's your priority, but you barely know him. You can't base everything on him surviving."

I closed my eyes. "I'm not. It's important to me that both of you survive. That both of you have a relationship. I care about both of you. I want what's best for you."

"You sure about that?"

I stared at him, but he refused to look at me.

"What's with the enigmas, Peter? If you want to say something, spit it out. Stop hinting around it."

He sighed. "Nothing. Can we just act like we won something today?"

I relaxed. "Of course we can. How did Emmett take... seeing that?"

The line in his forehead deepened. "Didn't blink twice. Makes me think he saw worse things in the market."

I shuddered. "I hate that he saw us like that. I hope he isn't scared of Val and Esther now."

"Are you kidding? He has a new appreciation for the fairer sex. Good thing Dita isn't some kind of a shifter, or he'd be her shadow for the next few months."

I laughed. "I don't think she would protest."

"I'm gonna head in and pop open a beer with Carl to celebrate."

"Okay, I'll follow you in a minute."

He stepped onto the porch and looked back at me. "That was pretty amazing earlier, Ava. It's like you've finally found your own style. You're a natural." He opened the door and went inside.

A natural at what? Killing things? I didn't want that. I had only wanted to keep Emmett safe. I kept thinking of Mrs. Yaga's words about making a choice, deciding to step away from the fights. But then I thought of her soul-sucking tendencies and wondered if she was the best person to listen to.

I saw a figure leave a cottage a few doors down, and I waved.

Kate, a human woman who had somehow gotten herself caught up in our world, approached me with a smile. "Hey, I wanted to feel the air for a bit." She rubbed the pretty blue-black skin on her arms as if to demonstrate.

"Feels good, right?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "After what we've been through, yes. Are we safe here?"

"Safer than anywhere else. Nowhere is a surety, but we're together, and we've enough strength to give us a fighting chance. What else can we ask for?"

She smiled wryly. "Freedom?"

"How did you end up in the sanctuary anyway?"

"It's kind of a long story. Turns out my family secrets weren't so secret after all, and Cam came to save me. He needed me to find Leah, actually. Or to make sure I didn't tell anyone else anything about her. We found Leah with Val, ended up on the run, and finally found safety in the sanctuary." She shook her head. "But that wasn't ideal."

"Is Cam with you?"

"Yeah. If he stays."

"Think he won't?"

"Track record," she said softly. "He tends to check out when you need him."

"Maybe this time will be different."

She shrugged. "Maybe. Um, any idea which house Lorcan might be in?"

I grinned, and she looked away, obviously embarrassed.

"Don't be shy," I said. "I'm a huge fan of Lorcan. He's two doors that way. Val and Leah are next to me if you need them. I don't know how long we'll be here, but we might as well all get friendly."

"I'd love that. I'm, um, just gonna..." She twirled around a little, super girlishly, and I couldn't help laughing.

"Go have fun. Tell the twins I said hi."

She practically skipped away, and it made the chilly feeling in the pit of my stomach warm a little. Something had been bothering me; I wasn't altogether sure which problem it might be, but hope, love, and friendship still existed.

I went inside after a while, satisfied that nothing else was going to happen. Carl and Peter were laughing together in the living room, while Emmett was busy in the kitchen drawing away, his tongue sticking out with the effort.

"You doing okay, kid?" I asked him. "Hungry?"

"I'm good. Look." He added one last flourish to his picture and held it up for me to see.

I gasped. He had drawn me leaping into the air with a knife in my hand. The dagger was coloured blue, my hair fire-engine red. I stood amidst a field of bloody bodies.

I swallowed hard past the lump in my throat. "Emmett... what I did was not a good thing."

"You saved us," he said, adding a few more touches to the picture.

"Yeah, but killing is wrong. Hitting your dad was wrong. I would rather anything but this."

He gazed up at me. "You had no choice. It's okay if you have no choice."

I hesitated. "Is it? What makes you say that?"

He shrugged and looked back down at his picture. "Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. If you want to stay alive."

I knelt next to him, ripping myself apart over the look in his eyes. "Is this about you, Emmett? About the market? Did you have to do bad things to stay alive?"

He shook his head. I tried to hug him, but he didn't respond.

"Emmett, talk to me."

He looked at me then, hazel eyes full of pain and anger, fear, and desperation. "I can't."

"No matter what you did, you're still the same Emmett to me. It's okay. It's going to be okay."

He wrapped his arms around me with surprising strength, and after a couple of seconds, I felt him sob. My heart ached with wanting to heal his.

After a few minutes, he pulled away. "I'm hungry now," he declared.

The four of us ate together, but something hung in the air, a tremor of words unsaid. Carl had to think about Maria and what he wanted to do with his life. Peter had to worry about Emmett and what would happen next. Emmett was trapped in the pain of his unspoken past. And I was unable to help any of them.

The high from the battle had left me hours ago. The thought of how close we had come to disaster unnerved me. I could have died. Peter could have died. Worse, Emmett could have died. It hit me, what Peter had been talking about. The thought of Emmett dying felt like the end of days. I couldn't imagine what carrying on after that would feel like. I caught a mere taste of what Peter must have gone through, and I understood him better than ever.

I kept thinking that keeping Emmett happy would fix everything else somehow. It wouldn't, and I had to face up to that. I watched him all evening, saw how he smiled, but not with his eyes. The day had changed something in him, maybe forced him to recall feelings he wanted to bury. The only way to help Emmett was to help him face his past so he could begin to heal from it.

I dreaded to think about what he had gone through. Part of me didn't want to know. I vowed not to tell Peter any of what I suspected about Emmett, just another item on the long list of things I hid from him.

After Emmett went to bed, Peter and Carl stayed up, joking and laughing together. I sat with one ear open, waiting for one of Emmett's night terrors, but heard nothing.

I went upstairs to check on Emmett and found him sitting on his bed, his knees pressed against his chest.

"Hey," I said. "What's wrong? You sick?"

He shook his head, and I noticed his fingers were trembling. His heart thudded loudly against his ribcage.

"Want to talk to me?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I was scared today, Ava. I wasn't brave. I wasn't strong enough to help you. Dad was, though."

I snorted. "I didn't need his help. Seriously? You think I needed his help?"

He smiled, but it was a weak one. Not very Emmett-like. "I was afraid you were going to get hurt, and it reminded me of my dreams."

"Your dreams or your night terrors?"

"I don't know. It just reminded me of stuff. I didn't... I didn't like it. But it was exciting to see you, too. I wanted to be there. To be like you."

I didn't know what to say, so I just patted his hand.

"Does that make me like Peter, I mean, Dad? Yvonne said I'm like her sister... my mother, I mean."

"I think you're like Emmett, which means you have bits of both inside you. You can choose what you want to be."

"I felt sad when I was at Yvonne's house. There were so many people there, and they all knew me, but I didn't know any of them. I didn't recognise them. They kept talking about my mother, and I'll... I'll never see her, never know her. I don't know. I just thought that was sad."

"It is sad, Emmett. And I know what that's like."

He looked at me questioningly, forgetting his own sadness in his interest.

"My parents died on the night I was born. It makes me sad that I'll never know them, too. But it makes me happy that I know you." I nudged him, and he surprised me by wrapping his arms around me.

"I love you, Ava."

Startled, I tightened my grip on him. "I love you, too," I whispered.

He lay down, and I stroked his hair until he fell asleep. Feeling a million and one different things, I went downstairs and joined Peter and Carl.

"He asleep?" Peter asked.

I nodded. "He was a bit upset though. About today. I think he's glad to be home."

"Home," Peter echoed.

Carl cleared his throat as I snapped my attention to Peter. What was that tone of voice supposed to mean?

"Today was pretty wild." Carl sounded nervous. "Any thoughts on who sent them?"

"Someone who knew exactly what we would do," Peter said. "Which means someone talked."

"Or else we're exceptionally predictable," I snapped. "Nobody talked. They know us, and they have power. We don't have the upper hand here."

"Tell all of those dead bodies that," Peter said, a smile curling his lips. "If that didn't tell them who's boss, then I don't know what will."

The tension finally broke, and we spent the next two hours speculating on who was involved and what they actually wanted.

"I hope Shay stops asking questions," I said. "If whoever sent those fighters after us is the same one who is in charge of the gardaí then he's screwed."

"He's a big boy," Peter said. "He can handle himself."

"I have a question," Carl said. "What the hell is your landlady? Because I'm going to have nightmares tonight."

My cheeks grew hot. "She's kind of a hag."

"And you've known this for how long?"

"Not long. Just since I kind of let her take a little energy from me." I winced as they both glared at me.

"Are you serious?" Peter demanded. "Actually serious? You let that thing take from you? Did you see her?"

"I tried not to look too closely," I admitted. "And you're the one who introduced us, remember?"

"I wanted you to have a place to live, not become a hag-donor, Ava!"

I rolled my eyes. "It was no big deal. I had a nap, and I was fine. She needed a little extra power to defend the place, that's all."

"Bullshit."

"It's not the point anyway. She's helping us. That's all that matters. We have to stick together, no matter how annoying some people are." I gave Peter a pointed look.

This is getting out of hand," he said. "Too many people. Too many loose ends. I don't feel comfortable with this setup."

"What do you—"

"Okay, that's it," Carl said. "Get out of my new bedroom and go to bed. This circling around the real problem crap is bugging the shit out of me, so cut it out."

"Sorry," Peter and I said in unison, and then we glanced at each other and burst out laughing. If Carl was lecturing us, we had to be bad.

We headed to our room, the air well and truly cleared. Peter held my hand as we walked up the stairs, and in bed, we talked for a while.

"They can't all stay here forever," he said.

"I know." I shivered as his fingers trailed across my stomach. "But this is working for right now."

"I don't think it was Koda. But I'm pretty sure he runs secret operations. I mean, that's what I was, after all."

"That puts a black mark against his name. All of them have agendas, right? Any of them could be doing worse things than this. They're in positions of power."

"Yeah, perfect for corruption."

"Even the vampires are deserting the sinking ship," I said. "Maybe we should, too."

He sat up to look at me. "You would leave?"

"No. I couldn't leave now." I sighed. "But sometimes I wish I could disappear and let them take it out each other. Eddie wants to involve Elathan in this. I mean, the dude got kicked out of Hell."

"Esther seems to like him."

"Which makes me want to separate them forever," I said, smiling.

"Can't control everything."

"I know. Unfortunately. Do you think if—"

A knock on the front door interrupted me. My heart racing, I glanced warily at Peter. He jumped out of bed and got dressed. I followed suit. By the time we got downstairs, Carl was up, too.

I answered the door to see Gabe standing on the porch, looking physically sick.

"It's started," he said. "The army's arrived."

# Chapter Nine

One beast had been seen. Just one. That didn't mean more wouldn't come.

"They called me to say at least one beast was spotted in a housing estate along the east coast," Gabe announced to a living room crammed with interested people. "Reports of unconfirmed deaths so far."

Peter raised a brow. "Thought you were on the shit list."

Gabe shrugged. "We're still recovering from the last beast. We need all of the bodies we can get to finish this."

"And if more are coming?" I asked.

"We may not hear about it until it's too late. The other Council members are hiding out in the headquarters. They aren't taking anyone else in."

"Horrible sods," I said. "Anything more specific than near the coast?"

"Not yet," he said. "Wait for more news before you leave."

"I'm going with you," Val insisted.

"No," I said. "Wait here in case this is some kind of screwed-up trap. I mean, what better way to get us out of hiding, right?"

"She's right," Gabe said. "Until we can confirm it ourselves, it's best if most of us remain here."

I thought of having another battle with a beast. Becca had been formidable. I barely survived against her. "Lorcan, Lucia, any ideas?"

The twins held their palms together, Lucia's eyes fluttering from side to side as she saw. There was a look of surprise on her face as she nodded, and I realised it was because she hadn't had a real vision in a while. Part of me had wondered if it had to do with Helena's death, but maybe that someone was managing to block her visions was more realistic.

Lucia let go of her brother and slipped her hand in mine. While he described where to go, Lucia secretly showed me a male running along the back gardens of identical houses. He reached the street, passing a sign that would help me find the exact spot. I blinked rapidly, focusing on my real surroundings as the vision clouded. Val stared at me, frowning.

"How long do I have?" I asked.

"Maybe two hours," Lorcan replied.

I glanced at the clock. "Doesn't leave me much hunting time before he goes to ground when the sun comes up. I'll leave now. If I'm not back by the afternoon..."

I heard cries of "Good luck" and "Be careful" as I left, but I was too busy trying to think of Becca's weaknesses, of ways I could cut the hunt short. I had gone over those fights with Becca a million times in my head, cursing myself for how inexperienced I was, how slow, how naïve.

How scared.

"Ava, wait," Val called. "You need more."

"More what?"

She handed me her heavy broadsword. "More power."

Peter gave me his keys, and I ran out to the car.

I drove toward the coast. The housing estate I headed for wasn't particularly large, but I figured the creature had come by sea and desperately needed to feed. Part of me worried that it was a trick, that one beast had shown up in that remote area so an entire army of them could unload elsewhere while I was busy. As if the BVA worried about my strength. If I ever saw Gideon or Reuben again, I was totally going to drive stakes through their hearts. If even Daimhín, who quite frankly terrified me, was running scared, then what the hell was I doing running toward the trouble?

At least it was only one beast.

So far.

I drove as fast as I could, but the end came too quickly for my liking. Peter didn't use a GPS out of some kind of testosterone-related stubbornness, so I had to use a map. I took at least twelve wrong turns before finally finding the right estate. I had four hours before sunrise. Four hours before a creature like Becca would disappear, truly die in the light. If that happened, I wouldn't find them, and the fight would continue to the next night, risking even more lives. I couldn't afford to let that happen.

It had taken me quite a few tries to make a fight with Becca last long enough for me to get the better of her. Back then, some of my energy had been stolen from me on a regular basis by a greedy succubus. Remembering only made me nervous. Facing large numbers of trained fighters earlier hadn't exactly left me in the best shape of my life. I was tired. I was sore. I hadn't been training as frequently. I wanted to go home. And yet, I had more to lose, more reasons to keep fighting.

I sent out my other senses as I drove down streets that looked exactly the same as the one in the Lucia's vision. Finally, I found the right sign. No beast. I left the car, needing the breeze to help me catch a scent. I sensed him before any signs of him appeared. My entire body went on edge, every hair standing on end, a million goose bumps plumping my skin.

On alert, I paced beside the sign, waiting for him to appear. My other senses caught his otherness coming at me in waves of deathly aggression before my nose smelled his decay. He approached me slowly, still on two legs. Becca had been practically four-legged by the end. This one seemed a lot newer.

His mouth opened, displaying rows of oversized fangs, and I knew he was almost exactly like Becca. Blood stained his skin, purpling at the edges of his mouth, and he panted as he approached, probably catching my scent.

"Here, beastie, beastie," I whispered, apprehension shuddering through me. An eagerness to hunt swiftly followed the fear, a well-hidden desire that only surfaced when I needed to destroy something dark and dangerous.

His head jerked upward, and he sniffed the air. I planted my feet in preparation for his attack, but he made a howling noise and ran.

Away from me.

I chased him, disgusted that I hadn't attacked already, then I realised he could easily have been trained into leading me toward a trap. Well, maybe not easily, but the vampires had to have improved their formula over time. They hadn't been able to naturally turn a human into a vampire in a century. Their first attempts at a synthetic formula had proved unwieldy, but maybe they had found a way to control the creatures that the Irish supernatural world had taken to calling beasts.

I ran faster, determined to end the fight before sunrise, but the beast kept fleeing, not even attempting to face me. Aggravated, I upped my pace, keeping an eye out for a way to cut him off.

Finally, I skidded to a stop, took aim, and fired my dagger at him. It struck him nicely in the shoulder. He howled with pain and turned, trying and failing to reach the dagger with his short T-Rex arms as he circled like a dog chasing its tail. I made the most of the distraction and, using the sword Val had strapped to my back, I swung as hard as I could, embedding the blade into his neck.

He let out an unholy roar and yanked the sword out of both his neck and my grip, but sadly, he didn't collapse to the ground as I'd hoped. I knew I should have practised using a sword more often. He lost a finger against the sharp edge but didn't appear to notice. He seemed to have completely forgotten about the dagger in his back.

I swore, jumping from one foot to the other as he came at me, fangs on full display. Becca's saliva had been full of a paralysing agent. I had the scars to prove my inadequacy when faced with her bites, and I knew I could never allow that to happen to me again.

I barely avoided his fangs as he barrelled toward me, but I used his significant weight to keep him moving. I jumped on his back, and he fell to the ground. I yanked out the dagger and was thrown off him just as quickly.

I rolled over as he made to grab me, but he gripped a hank of my hair and pulled sharply. I groaned at the pain of concrete connecting with my spine as I was thrown onto my back.

Again, I was left struggling to get out of his reach, but the sword was once again within mine. I gripped the hilt with both hands and whirled around, lopping off his head in one smooth motion.

Panting, I cleaned the sword and strapped it to me again. I dragged the body and head into a grassy area. If I left it in the darkest edges, then maybe nobody would notice before the beast disintegrated in the sun. But in the end, I couldn't make myself leave the stupid body in case some kid found it. In case it didn't disintegrate like Becca. In case of half a dozen other reasons that popped into my head whenever I made to move toward the car.

I sat in the cold with the pieces of beast, staring at my phone in case word of more of the creatures came through. There was only silence. Shivering, I kept the body company and contemplated my life choices. I was a killer, but I didn't want to be, especially not when Emmett was around to know what I was doing. More and more often, events in my life left a bad taste in my mouth. How could I ever give the kid a normal life when this was expected of me?

When the sun began to rise, I wanted to dance for joy, but the body took its time disappearing. As soon as it no longer looked like a body, and even before the dust flew off into the wind, I was on my feet and running back to the car.

I wanted to go home. I needed to make sure everyone was safe, but most of all, I wanted to get into my own bed and sleep.

A little more than halfway home, I had to stop and take a nap. Whether from the fighting or the donation to the hag, I was exhausted, plain and simple. I needed to be at the top of my game if I wanted to survive.

I slept on the side of a motorway, blissfully unaware of cars driving past. I dreamt of nothing at all, and that made me happy when I awoke.

Fog surrounded the motorway, leaving me cold, but at least I had survived the night. Aching, I stretched as much as I could and headed home, picking up some food on the way. I was starving.

I made it home by late afternoon and gave the basics of what happened while I ate. Everyone was interested in coming up with easier ways to kill the creatures the vampires were sending, but I was exhausted again. I knew I would be living in the dark for a long time if a whole group of the things arrived.

After my second nap of the day, I woke up, showered, and tried to feel optimistic. The first fight had gone well, but again, it had been merely the first fight.

"I think he was a young one," I said for the umpteenth time.

"So... what? After a bit of experience they become killing machines?" Gabe asked.

I thought about how to explain. "They're more connected. When they first change, they're a little confused. Becca would sometimes look at me as if she remembered things, but then she'd be completely feral the next minute. The one last night didn't seem as desperate for blood. It seemed like... it seemed as though he was trying to survive. Like survival was more important than his bloodlust. He wanted to outrun me rather than fight me. Becca was like that, but not at first. At first, her motive for killing was solely to find more blood."

"So they evolve? Become more intelligent?" Gabe asked.

"They learn. But Esther reckoned it was possible that Becca was storing up blood in order to mutate again," I replied, feeling ill. "The bigger question right now is why they sent only one? Why not all of them?"

"Maybe they only have one," Peter said.

"Or maybe he was a test. Or a decoy," Carl suggested.

"Send the weakest in to see how we handle it? Or to lure us into a false sense of security?" Esther said. "Or perhaps testing the reactions of the beast itself. Seeing how long it survives, or maybe trying to figure out if it will obey them even when faced with victims."

Rubbing my cheek, I tried to feel wide awake. The fatigue was from more than the fight or from donating to Mrs. Yaga. It was me being weary of the life I led. "Does it matter?" I asked. "Either way, more are going to come here. When they've picked us off and fucked up the country, the BVA are going to swoop in and take over, just like they've taken over Britain."

"If we can fight them off, Britain might stand a chance," Esther said, her eyes gleaming. "They weren't prepared. The vampires took everyone over there unaware. We've had prior warning. We can change everything. Britain need numbers, communication, and hope. We could give them all of those. We could put the BVA back in their box."

"It's more than time for vampires to be wiped out," I said. "But we have enough going on here, remember? We can't fight every battle."

"Maybe we won't have to," she said. "This could be about gaining new allies. Maybe we'll convince English rebels to join the fae and whoever else is fighting against the vampires underground. Technically, that's what they are now—rebels. Maybe the Féinics thing can be bigger than just us."

I sighed. "One thing at a time. I don't have the energy for this."

I walked outside, chilled by the number of people who needed help. Peter came out behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned my head against him, relieved to be home.

"It's spiralling," he whispered. "And Emmett's in the middle of it all."

I froze. "Nothing will touch him here."

"Not yet."

I realised I was pinching his hands and released him. I was afraid to look at him, afraid to hear what was on his mind, so I went back inside and did my best to avoid him.

Emmett was playing in the kitchen with Dita while Anka made sandwiches.

I moved to help Anka. "You don't have to do that."

"You're protecting us. Everyone. The least I can do is make some sandwiches." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

I took her shaking hand in mine. "You're safe. You and Dita both. Safe."

She gave me that watery smile again and continued buttering bread. "We can't run forever. Nobody can. What will come will come. Nothing we can do about it. We're safer here than anywhere else. I know this." She gazed at me. "So why am I so terrified?"

The children looked at Anka, then at me, so I clenched my jaw and tried to appear unconcerned.

"Because you're a mother," I said. "That's your job. It's my job to make sure you're worrying about nothing." My smile was no stronger than hers, but she hugged me briefly.

But Emmett's eyes had that look in them again, the one that told me he wanted to fight.

I winked at him. "It'll all be over soon."

But I was secretly thinking we'd only had a taste of what was to come.

# Chapter Ten

I sat up most of the night, waiting for news of another attack. Gabe accompanied me, as did Carl, Esther, Val, the twins, and Peter. Gabe had assured us we were safe during the day from whomever on the Council or their staff wanted to get rid of us, because everyone was so busy running around like headless chickens. The night was once again dangerous. We didn't know when a beast would come, when a group of ancient vampires would attack, or when whatever the BVA were up to finally occurred.

"There's a boat anchored off the coast," Gabe said, getting off the phone. "Suspect. Fionnuala wants to send Guardians out to investigate."

"Pointless," I said. "If they're going to invade, they're already on their way. Sending a couple of Guardians onto a boat full of beasts would be suicide in any case."

"She's probably desperate." Esther picked at her nails aggressively. "She'll sacrifice anyone to save herself."

I paced the room. "Why won't they just attack already?"

"Last night was probably a mistake," Peter said. "If they're moored on some boat, one might have escaped the figurative leash and went hunting."

I resisted the urge to count heartbeats. "We know they'll be in Dublin, so maybe I should be out there."

"What if you're ambushed by ten or twenty of them?" Gabe asked.

"If ten arrive, I'll be out looking for them anyway. We can't let them run riot around the city. Seriously, don't you remember how much destruction Becca caused?"

"I remember it clearly," Gabe said. "She was uncontrollable. No use as the weapon Maximus or Gideon intended."

"So maybe they've learned something since Becca," Peter said. "Ava's right. This is different. I just don't know if it's a good or a bad thing."

I rubbed my temples. I was getting a headache from all of the possibilities. "Either way, I'll have to be out there. Let's hope Becca's fears haven't been bred out of these things."

"If you want to stay in the city, I will go with you," Val said, and everyone turned to look at her. She gave a wicked smile. "If anyone's equipped to deal with a beast, surely it's me."

"I'd definitely rather have you on my side," I said, and we exchanged knowing grins.

"I'm up for it, too," Esther said, cracking her knuckles. "I'm bored with sitting around."

"You could come across Aiden," Peter said, staring her down. "Think you can handle that?"

She made a scornful sound. "I can handle anything." But her voice wasn't completely steady.

"I'm prepared to go, too," Lorcan said.

I shook my head. "I'd rather you stayed with Lucia. That way, if there's news, you'll be able to pass the word on."

"Her visions haven't been reliable," he protested.

"She's all we have. Besides, we need people capable of defending the cul-de-sac, too."

Peter's eyes narrowed. "You think something will come here?"

"I'm thinking the beasts are going to scatter. The power here could attract them. I don't know for sure, and I don't want to take the chance. We've no idea what kind of info the BVA have, thanks to Gideon and Reuben."

"I'm going," Peter said.

"Emmett," I replied, ignoring the look on his face.

"I'm going," he repeated more vehemently.

"Cam's here. Lorcan's here. I'm here. Emmett will be fine," Carl said. "You might need Peter. You're a good team."

I closed my eyes and exhaled loudly.

"I can stay or be out on the streets," Gabe said, "but I'll have to send the last member of my Guard back to headquarters."

"Shit. We need more fighters." I glanced around the room. "We need to arm everyone in the cul-de-sac. And I mean everyone, even the children. I'm not leaving anyone completely defenceless. Mrs. Yaga will be here, so hopefully..."

"There are a couple of people who are good enough with a bow," Val said. "They don't have practice on moving targets, but if they keep watch from the upper floors of some of the homes, then maybe we'll stand a chance."

"Too few of them to cover enough ground," Peter said. "And a still target is a completely different story than a beast running for someone. Ry's the only one who knows what he's doing, and he didn't get much practice underground."

Everyone looked so solemn that it left an ache in my chest. Some of us would likely die, and all of us knew it. The more people we left behind, the less chance we had of surviving out in the dark.

"The Council want to bring you in, Ava," Gabe said softly, and everyone's attention turned back to him.

"To arrest her?" Esther exclaimed, looking shocked.

He shook his head. "To ask her to fight for us again."

"Idiots," I said. "As if I need to be asked to fight for my own survival."

He shrugged. "You know how it is. They want to be kept in the loop. They would prefer it if you went to the places they want you to go."

"And what did you tell them?"

A ghost of a smile teased his lips. "I told them they could find you out in the field." He cocked his head. "But we should regroup there if more beasts come. To best coordinate an attack. We could use the Guardians."

"They didn't do much good last time," I muttered. "No offence, Esther."

She waved a hand. "It's fine. I know it. We didn't take it as seriously as we should until it was too late. It was all a competition. Gabe, can I contact my Circle?"

"You're not a Guardian anymore, Esther," he said. "Technically, they should take you in. This is why I can't force my Guard to remain here. Too risky. They should really arrest you on sight, too."

"So should you," Peter said sharply.

"I'm too afraid of Ava to do that," he said with a smirk.

I couldn't help but laugh. "That'll be the day. Think they'd speak to you, Esther?"

She shrugged. "We were a family once."

Her words hung in the air, and I knew she had to be thinking about her brother. Still a Guardian, still a Consultant to the Council, he had hung her out to dry, and she had no idea why.

"It might be worth a try," Carl said. "Reaching out when the country is in danger is kind of the time to re-evaluate what's going on in your life." He gazed at me, and I glared back.

"I'm getting out of here," I said, jumping to my feet. "Someone call me if there's any news. I need to get out there. I need to be ready."

"I'll come with you," Val said.

I nodded. "We'll patrol the city to see if maybe we can figure out weak spots. It's getting late, so I don't think anything is going to happen. We'll contact you if we spot anything out there. Lucia, keep an eye out for me."

Lucia reached for Val. Val's big hand squeezed Lucia's tiny one, and we left.

"You're getting close," I noted. "With Lucia, I mean."

"You've met her," Val said. "She's special. She needs as much protection as any of them."

"I know." I met her eyes.

Val was protective rather than destructive. She had sworn to protect Leah, but I knew she would do anything to protect Lucia, too.

"I need her silence," she said after a moment. "Is that strange? She calms me. I need that more than I like. We communicate, but sitting with her helps sometimes."

"Not strange," I said, although I had once thought of Lucia's silence as creepy rather than calming. "There's no darkness in her at all. Sometimes I need that. She calmed me when I might have lost myself. I'll always be grateful to her."

"I'm thankful to know her. I only hope this world doesn't corrupt her."

"It won't. She and Lorcan aren't like the rest of us. In a good way."

After a few moments, she said, "I'm keen to see more of the city. It's been a while since I've had free rein."

"I'm so sorry. I forgot you've been a prisoner as much as anyone."

"I wasn't unhappy," she said, sounding surprised. "As long as I have a job to do, I'm fine. But I would like to see the day when all of them are free to come and go. Leah's young; she deserves the chance to have a real life. The twins have never known freedom. These are things I would like to change."

"We're getting there. I just don't know if life will ever be safe." I sighed. "It feels as though once this world touches you, you can never escape. I was doing okay before... well, maybe not okay, but at least I felt safe some of the time. Last year, I didn't know any of you. I didn't know any of what was wrong. I collided with this stuff, and now everything keeps escalating. I can't see where it stops, where I can get off."

She glanced at me, and I realised it was the most truth I had spoken over the last couple of days.

"The only end is death," she said, frowning. "There will always be something coming. There will always be anger and pain. Only you can choose what you deal with. You could have walked away at any time. You've told me your story, Ava. Your choices brought you here."

"So I only have myself to blame?"

"No, you've made choices, and you decided to be a voice. You chose to help, to make a difference. The world is made up of small choices, small voices. Each one counts."

I stared at her, surprised. "That was... thanks, Val."

She smiled but kept her eyes on the road. "Where do you suggest we go first?"

"Maybe the main shopping streets. Lots of pubs and clubs and drunken life to pick off. If I was the BVA, I would cause mayhem in places like that. I would send beasts in all different directions to cause distractions. And when everyone was busy struggling to figure out what was going on, I would attack hard and swift at the centre of control."

"You mean the Council?"

I nodded. "They have to take down the Council to win. That's just it. As long as the Council survives, so does their power. I've been thinking about this a lot because the vampires want to do what we want to do—take down the Council and assert themselves—except we aren't going to risk innocent lives to do it. We can help people, make them respect us and want to join us."

"So if we clear out the beasts, people won't react as badly when we destroy the system?"

My heart hurt again. "Change the system for the better, I think."

"Are there leaders amongst us?" she asked. "Ones who can run all of these creatures in an unbiased way? Even you have priorities. You would always side with the humans."

I stopped walking. "Shit. There's no neutrality, is there? I wish there was a way to give the humans a voice of their own."

"Involve them?"

I fell in step with her again. "They won't survive an army of beasts without knowing they need to defend themselves."

"That could cause mayhem, Ava, hysteria, panic. Vengeful humans convinced a shifter or vampire murdered one of their loved ones, whether it's true or not."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "Then the new Council would take care of that. Look, we're a long way away from the details, but that's my dream."

"You've seemed different this week. Worn out."

"I am. I'm fed up of the constant fighting. Emmett's watching me do this, thinking killing is okay. What happens when the war is over? When there's no need to fight? Will he be like Peter is right now?"

"It would be easier for you if you didn't care," she noted.

"Ha. No shit. But who wants easy?"

She grinned. "Most people."

I showed her all of the places I reckoned might be at risk, mostly ones with a good deal of active nightlife. They could be the disaster spots.

She pointed at an apartment block. "What about those places? Lots of humans packed together."

"There aren't tenement buildings anymore. I mean, it's not twenty people to a room. But, yeah, some places like that house a lot of people, and I know Becca liked housing areas the best. They're the easiest, the least protected."

"A lot of people are going to die," she said, her voice tight.

She didn't have to tell me. I already knew.

# Chapter Eleven

Three beasts came the following night. As I expected, they turned up in different locations. I went after the first beast with Val, Esther, Gabe, and Peter. Annoyingly, she fled from us, leading us further away from my home.

Gabe got news of the second one near the Council's headquarters while we were on the chase. "The Guardians are going to deal with it," he said. "Let's concentrate on this one. If we get the job done in time, we move on to the second."

"Fine," I said. "I'll cut her off, try to lead her back here."

I was off before anyone could disagree, but Val followed me, calling her plans out to me as she ran. We worked together to push the running beast in the direction we needed.

Peter, Esther, and Gabe cut her off, and when she turned back, she had to face Val and me. The beast froze to the spot, and when I took a step in her direction, she suddenly leaped toward a building. I was on her before she could get away, dragging her to the ground.

Most of the fight was me keeping out of the way of her fangs while Esther batted at the beast with massive claws, but the beast's returning strikes weren't violent enough, and I wondered if she was a decoy or a reject. She had managed to slaughter five people before we found her, but perhaps the blood wasn't enough to help her recover after whatever journey she had been on to get that far.

Peter gutted her with a sword, and the beast whirled around, dragging him with her. She went into a mini-frenzy, getting too close to biting Esther. Gabe pulled his bright light trick, and the beast whimpered, trying to bury her head in the ground.

"Neat," I said as Val lopped off the head of the beast. "Do that light thing again."

Gabe glared at me, fatigue showing in the creases outlining his eyes.

"Right. Next," Esther said, wrapping the shirt Gabe handed to her around her shoulders.

Gabe stepped away and made a phone call, and his face paled as he spoke rapidly under his breath. Esther had fully dressed by the time he returned to us.

"The Council are still dealing with the second. Apparently, it's on the run now, but there have been human reports of a third."

"Where?" I demanded.

"No exact location. Inner city."

"North or South?" Peter asked.

"I don't know. They didn't think it was as important as the one near the headquarters." Gabe sounded as frustrated as I felt.

"Can the Council handle the second?" Esther asked.

"They've sent everything out to it. Everything that isn't guarding the rest of the Council, that is," he said grimly.

"Fuckers," Peter said.

I sniffed the air. "It's almost dawn. It's too late now. They'll all disappear. Is it possible there were more than three?"

Gabe shrugged. "It's possible there were no survivors to alert us."

I hunkered down, breathing hard. "I need a location, Gabe. An exact one, in case it comes back tomorrow night. If it survives, it'll want more. It makes the most sense to return to places that haven't posed a challenge." Something tingled along my skin as the first signs of dawn brightened the horizon. I knew the beasts were sleeping, but it would be night again, and they would reappear.

"We should go," Gabe said. "There's nothing we can do here. Not now. Not yet."

We headed back to the cul-de-sac in silence. Once home, I went to bed and fell asleep almost immediately.

Peter woke me early the next morning. "You need to see the news."

I ran downstairs and collapsed onto the sofa as a news report came on. Bodies, lots of bodies, filled the screen as a familiar place flashed into view.

"Those are the flats where Moses lives," I cried, wincing at the sight of the bodies being carried out and the solemn-faced people lining up to guard the fallen. I recognised the brethni, the hive-minded race of males who lived in a warehouse near the drug dealer, and I realised they must have helped the humans. The drug dealer had called them good lads. Maybe he had been right. The reporter spoke of criminal activity as if that could explain the massacre, as if average criminals drained bodies of blood.

"I don't understand this," I whispered. "Peter, Moses told me that the people are under the thumb there. That someone high up is keeping him dealing. If he makes money, the flats are left alone. Why didn't whoever's in charge protect the people who work for them?"

"Because nobody gives a shit about humans," he said bitterly, wrapping his arm around his son. "Those people didn't stand a chance."

"It could come back," I said. "There are a lot of people living there, lots of blocks, lots of flats, lots of families. It's packed. That place would be the perfect feeding ground. How many flats just like those are in Dublin? How many people sitting there waiting to be killed? We can't leave them with nothing."

"They're calling it a gangland crime," he said, nodding at the television. "Nobody will sympathise. They'll say all of the scum are killing each other off."

"I'm going," I said.

"To do what? It's daytime. The beasts won't be back until after dark, and they may not show up there again."

"Peter, I need to talk to the people, tell them how to protect themselves."

"Are you serious?"

I stared at him in shock. "Of course I'm serious. You heard Gabe last night. They didn't even tell us about that third beast because they knew it was in a human area. Because it wasn't in an important area. Those fu... fools only care about themselves, about what they can get out of this. They aren't going to protect anyone. They've made that clear."

He smiled, and his entire face lit up. "This is why I... this is why we're all here with you, Ava. But the Council might try to stop you."

I made a face. "Let them. But maybe don't tell Gabe what I'm doing until it's too late to stop me."

"Want me to come with?" he asked hopefully.

"Nah, get some rest. I'll need you tonight. Call me if you hear anything new." I looked at the television again, remembering all of the bodies. "You know where I'll be."

I dressed then walked to the flats, feeling a sense of déjà vu so strong, I wobbled. The flats were dark and dank, but the occupants didn't deserve to be picked off. Nobody did.

As I approached, I felt the commotion before I heard or saw it. A lot of people gathered together: camera operators, news reporters, police. A young garda tried to stop me from going into the flats, so I stared at him, my will taking over his. I hated to do it, but it was a special circumstance. He let me pass without any further fuss, and I looked around for Moses.

The flats were a mess. The playground was destroyed, completely torn apart. Blood streaked the wall of the left block. Old women wept, young men bellowed their outrage, and in the middle of it all, there he was: Benny, aka Moses.

The drug dealer stood apart, smoking a joint in full few of the gardaí. When he caught sight of me, his face turned purple. He strode toward me as all eyes watched. He gripped my shoulders and shook me, but I let him, keeping my gaze steady on his.

"What the fuck is happening?" he shouted around the joint, keeping it in his mouth with what surely had to be a lot of practice.

"You're fucked, that's what," I said calmly. "I'm here to help."

He relaxed slightly. "I wasn't here last night. Most of my people were with me. We were told we had a meeting with the big guys, but they never showed up. I came back to this." He waved an arm.

I glanced at the people with pity. They had been sitting ducks. "Quick version is that the British Vampire Association has taken over the UK. They're trying to move across the water by sending humans who have been given a formula to turn them into vampires, except the mutation is more feral, far more lethal, than an ordinary vampire. It can't get enough blood, can't stop until it's satisfied."

"And let me guess, it's never satisfied?"

"Yep. That recent serial killer? One of these things. Except there are rumours an army of them are on their way. Last night, there were three. We took care of one, the supernatural police tried to take down a second and failed, and nobody told us about the third until it was too late. I saw the news. I'm so sorry."

He ran his hands through his hair, his face paling. "Fuck. Fuck this shit, Ava. They make us work for them, and then they can't even help us survive? If it wasn't for the lads in the warehouse, more would have died here. They protected everyone when they heard the commotion, but the thing ran before they could finish it off."

I glanced at the shadows where I sensed some of the brethni huddling together. I nodded at them, and I felt the hum of their recognition. I hadn't made the best first impression on them, what with Peter stabbing their leader and all. "Why are the police here? And all of the cameras?"

"Ah, typical shit. Think we're going to war down here. As if a few pigs could stop anything." He shouted the last sentence.

"Relax, Moses. Listen, it might come back tonight. It might bring friends. They pretty much die in the sunlight, and I can't pick up their energy or their scent. I can only follow them at night, and I'm not magic, you know? So I need you to be able to fight back."

"We have guns," he said, patting his hip.

"Dunno if that will work. Maybe a shot to the brain would do it, but I haven't tested the theory."

"Well, what do you know?" he asked impatiently, looking around.

"I know they're strong, and they can jump so high they might as well be flying. They're fast, and they don't hurt easy. They hate silver and crosses. If you have any super religious people around, make sure they're holding crosses."

"The parish priest is here," he murmured. "Could the old fart help out instead of just fucking praying over everyone?"

"Maybe," I said, thinking hard on what Anka had told me about devotion and religious symbols. "He could maybe bless the crosses, and everyone could hang them up on doors and windows. We could keep everyone inside a couple of flats, and then whoever can fight could guard the others. That would be easier than having everyone spread out everywhere. They won't be picked off first, put it that way. What else? Oh, yeah, their bite will paralyse you. As long as their fangs are embedded in your skin, you're screwed. Don't let them bite you under any circumstances. And chopping off their head will pretty much do the job."

He rubbed his unshaven jaw. "Lads! C'mere. Ava, say it again while I round up the Holy Joes."

A group of hard-looking men surrounded me, and I told them what I had offered to Moses.

"What the fuck?" the youngest one said, staring at me as if I were crazy.

"Shut up and listen," another said, slapping him on the back. "She's the one with the fangs, isn't she?"

"Show us your fangs," a third said in an excited voice, nudging the figure next to him.

I leapt at him, pinning him to the ground as I let my fangs free. They all froze. The one beneath me gave a little whimper and pissed himself.

"Seriously?" I said, wanting to swear as much as Moses. "That was nothing. These things are ten times faster than me. Stronger than me. Harder to kill. If I freak you out, then you're completely fucked."

"We'll be ready," one of the men said, reaching out to help me to my feet. "And if we survive, I'll buy you a pint."

I grinned. "You're going to survive. All of you lot against one little beast? You can handle it. Just don't do anything stupid like get bitten." I lifted the leg of my jeans to show my scars.

A couple of the men whistled at the sight of them.

"Why are you helping us?" one asked, looking awestruck despite his broad shoulders and the gun carelessly shoved into the waistband of his jeans.

I frowned. "Because I'm not a monster."

I spent the day with Moses, spreading the word and figuring out what their best form of defence was.

"Parish priest is still avoiding me," Moses said and nodded at one of his group. "Find Father Fat Fuck and get him over here right now." His gang member ran off to do his bidding.

I shoved Moses hard. "Snap out of that. He could help."

"That'll be a first."

The priest was pretty rotund, but he hurried over to us, his face sweating. He seemed to have taken the word that vampires existed pretty well.

"We need silver crosses," Moses said.

"As many as possible," I said. "Silver in general works well, Father..." I was pretty certain his name wasn't really Father Fat Fuck.

"Father Ryan," the priest said, putting out his hand. "What about non-silver crosses?"

"I think they'll work," I said, giving his hand a quick shake. "It's worth a try. Can you take a group of people with you to stock up on the likes of holy water and crosses from the church?"

"I don't have a way to bring a large supply of holy water," he said. "I have a lot of salt stored that could be used in sanctifying water here. But wouldn't it be easier and safer to bring everyone to the church? Surely we'll all be safe in a house of God?"

I shook my head. "I don't know if the building affects them in any way. Besides, it's too spacious, too much room to be overrun by these things. There are too many entry points, and I'm not willing to test any theories on whether a Catholic church can keep vampires at bay or not."

The priest nodded. "I'll find what I can, but I think I'm best served keeping the people calm and helping with their grief. If I can lead them in prayer then—"

"Oh, shut the fuck up," Moses snapped. "This is war. Our people are being slaughtered. Your poxy prayers aren't worth shit to me."

Father Ryan faced Moses calmly, but a muscle ticked in his jaw. "My prayers may be worth little to you, Benjamin, but they're worth a great deal to our Father in Heaven. He'll protect us on this day. Not you. Who supports the church? Who keeps it going? The people in those flats do. Even the non-believers help us keep the parish going. If you have a problem with that, take it up with them, but I'm needed here, whether you like it or not."

I stepped between them before they got even further out of hand. "Look, this is serious. We need protection. The best way to protect people is to lock them up in those flats and make the place so secure that nothing can get near them. If they need the priest to find some kind of peace, then so be it, but we definitely need Father Ryan to come up with as much holy water and silver and crosses as he can. They're defenceless right now. Whatever problem you two have with each other, put it aside until this is over."

The priest nodded, and Moses grunted his acquiescence a moment later. Father Ryan organised a run to the church, and he seemed in his element as he ordered Moses's goons around.

Finding enough silver for everyone was a problem, but Val, Peter, Esther, and Gabe arrived with reinforcements. Gabe and I left the others to distribute the new goodies.

"Pretty nice stash you got there," I said as we walked up the stairwell of the closest block of flats so I could show him the layout.

"You said you wanted to arm everyone," Gabe said. "And it was too late to make you think about what you're doing here, so I raided the Council's armoury. What was left of it anyway."

"You stole from the Council?" I asked, impressed. I had never wanted to hug him until that moment.

"Just taking what's needed, especially since they refused to allow my personal Guard to come. This was my second choice. We'll be giving them back," he warned the crowd around us. "And don't worry," he added to me. "Everyone at the cul-de-sac is armed. Mrs. Yaga is close by. Lorcan and Cam are there. They're well protected. Besides, it's not a big enough place. They want places like this. They need it to gain their strength."

"I think that's what they're doing," I confided. "Getting full to prepare for the big battle."

"The Council expect you to deal with their beast tonight."

"Well, the Council can go fuck themselves sideways. I'm taking care of whoever needs it most. And it's not them."

He grinned. "I'll be sure to pass on that message verbatim."

I laughed. "Please do. Take a picture of Fionnuala's face while you're at it."

He glanced around. "There are a lot of TV cameras here." We stood on a balcony, watching out for more arrivals. People were bringing their families, determined to stick together in the flats, knowing they had a way to defend themselves.

"Good. Maybe they'll get a view of what's really going to happen this time. No more of the usual bullshit. We need this, Gabe," I said urgently. "Humans and supernaturals need to stick together. There can't be any hiding anymore. It's too risky for everyone."

He didn't look at me. "You can't change too much at once, Ava. It's too much upheaval."

"Life is an upheaval right now, thanks to the vampires. If it had been dealt with in the beginning... sorry, I'm not blaming you. I'm frustrated it came to this."

"So am I," he said. "I'm not against what you believe in, but I need to make it through this, too. This isn't my battle."

"And yet here you stand."

He nodded. "I've always made bad decisions. Why break a lifetime habit?"

"That's the spirit." I slapped him on the back. "Let's go chat with the drug dealers."

He shook his head, looking truly baffled. I saw Peter joking with one of Moses's men, and I ran back down the stairs to speak to him.

"How are you feeling?" I said.

"Good," Peter replied. "Itching for the dark. I feel like beating my frustration out on something."

I rolled my eyes. "I keep saying there's something wrong with you."

He took my hand and led me down the grotty stairwell. "That's the only reason we work."

My lips twitched. "We work, do we?"

"Better than most, I'd say. I've missed working with you."

I felt a tingle run down my spine. "I know. But Emmett—"

He sighed. "Not tonight. Did Gabe tell you the Council want you dealing with their problem?"

"Yeah. Bloody cheek of them. The shit is going to hit the fan, and I don't want to deal with their crap as well."

"They could give us fighters."

"Some of their fighters have recently tried to kill us all," I reminded him.

"Yeah, but this is war. Allies change. We go with it to survive."

"This feels like the end." I shivered.

"It's not the end. This isn't even the beginning. This is just... purgatory."

I giggled. "Again I say, you're a strange man."

He pulled me to him for a kiss, and my spirits rose again. "This isn't a problem," he whispered. "We can deal with this crap."

"We should probably make nice with the brethni," I said, glancing over Peter's shoulder to where they had gathered. I didn't want the brethni to accidentally change sides in the middle of battle.

"Do we have to?"

"Don't be such a baby." I took his hand. "Come on."

I led him across the communal area. "Thanks for helping out," I told the one I assumed was the leader. "You didn't have to."

"Of course we did," he replied. He looked like a strung-out loser, but under the mask was an alien-looking creature with pink eyes, grey skin, and a forked tongue. Under the mask was a creature who could repair its own wounds.

Peter rubbed the back of his head, looking sheepish. "About before..."

The brethni bristled as one. The leader said, "You insulted us, threatened us, attacked us, and worst of all, called us liars."

"Yeah, I did all that, but when your kid is—"

"We do not care. We're here to help our neighbours."

Peter's cheeks reddened. "You know what? I—"

I stepped between them. "Okay. Maybe we should be looking at the bigger picture here. We're being attacked by powerful beings trying to invade the country. The powerful beings already in this country are never going to help us. We help each other to survive. Only way there is."

The brethni regarded me with caution and a little scorn. "So you say."

"You're just like us," I said softly. "Forgotten. Underestimated. Now's the time to make yourself heard."

As one, the brethni thumped their chests, and I took a wary step back.

"Ava!" Moses called out. "A little help here."

"We should go," I told the brethni leader. "Good luck tonight."

I walked away, pulling Peter along with me. We gathered around the priest and the people who had gone with him to help carry the supplies.

I picked up a large silver cross. "Wow. This can work, but we need to move quickly. Father, can you bless the crosses with holy water? And maybe douse the windows with holy water, too. We get everyone inside the bottom few rows of one block of flats, and the rest of us keep guard on the outside. People, start sticking the crosses to the doors and windows whatever way you can."

"What about the back balconies?" Moses asked. "Second row up has a big glass window at the back of every flat."

"Try to squeeze everyone into the bottom row. Make sure they have protection at every window though," Peter said.

I turned around, thinking fast. "Moses, get people moving. Make sure they're wearing their silver jewellery and that everyone is armed."

His eyes narrowed. "I don't trust some of the young lads with a weapon," he murmured under his breath. "All right, people. You heard the woman. Get your fucking arses on the move. Now!"

Everyone got to work, but night rapidly approached. A trickle of panic kept running through my veins, telling me that we wouldn't be ready in time, that some small forgotten window would go unguarded, that everything would fall apart before it began.

A news crew wandered over, somehow avoiding the police barrier.

"Excuse me?" the reporter called, getting in my path. "Can you explain to us what's going on here? Is this some kind of signal? Are you expecting another attack? Do you live here?"

I brushed her out of the way and spotted a familiar face amongst the police. I ran to barriers, calling Shay's name.

He flinched away from me, sending goose bumps across my arms.

"What's going on?" I asked. "You okay?"

"Don't, Ava," he said, his voice so angry it shook. "I know, okay? Peter told me. About you."

I glanced around at Peter, who rapidly turned away to chat to a surprised-looking woman on his left.

"Right," I said. "So it's like that, is it?"

He stared at me, unmoving.

"You know what, Shay? Fuck you. And if you have any sense at all, get these idiots out of here before they get killed."

He straightened. "What are you talking about?"

"What the hell do you think I'm talking about? Last night was nothing compared to what's coming tonight. I'm protecting those people over there. You lot are on your own."

"Ava, I—"

I let out a gasp as something ran over me. No, it couldn't be. It wasn't dark yet. I ran back toward the flats and screamed, "Everyone inside! Right now! They're coming!"

The last of the people were pushed inside the flats, packed together so tight that I knew a breach would mean a massacre. Groups of Moses's men, the brethni, and my friends waited outside, surrounding the flats. I held up a hand, and there was only silence. I could feel them coming. More than before. They needed to feed. After that, they would destroy.

I ran back to the news crews and made sure the cameras were on me. "Tell people to protect themselves! Tell them to fight back!"

The first beast appeared as a couple of the reporters chuckled together. I turned and watched as it leapt onto the roof of the flats. It climbed down, swinging from one balcony to another like an overgrown monkey. I didn't know what size the thing had been as a man, but it was huge.

I glanced back at Shay, sorely tempted to let them all be picked off to punish him for judging me so harshly.

"Val!" I yelled. "With me for a minute."

She ran over, eyes on the sky as the beast dropped down close to us. Too focused on the cluster of beating hearts, it didn't glance in our direction.

I let him get close, too close. Val made a sound of alarm, but I ran, calling for her to follow. I flung one end of a silver chain at her. She gripped it, nodding as we caught up to the beast. He whirled around, fangs snapping as we circled him. He focused on me as Val pulled the chain tight, trapping him. We hauled him to the ground and tied up his limbs as quickly as possible, struggling to keep out of way of his swinging fists and kicking feet.

We dragged the feral beast closer to the cameras, making sure they had a good view of his mouth full of fangs. He snapped as if he could already taste their blood rushing into his mouth.

"This is the serial killer!" I called. "This is what's going to come to your neighbourhood and try to drink your blood. It's not a vampire, not really, but it was made by a vampire. Everything exists. Anything you've ever heard of? Anything you don't believe in? It probably exists. And they're all around you. There's a supernatural governing body. They even have their own police force, but they aren't protecting you tonight. Nobody human." I panted from the strength it took to hold onto the beast, even with Val's help.

"Any time now, Ava," she hissed at me.

I gazed at Shay's pale face. "This is your serial killer, except this time, it's a war!" I raised my voice to ensure everyone heard me. "We're being invaded by the same vampires who are currently taking over Britain. They're sending these things here to do the same to us. But we can't let them. We have to fight back!"

A flurry of questions were thrown at me, but I ignored them all and carried on. "Silver hurts them. Religious symbols can harm them if enough faith is behind them. Removing their heads kills them. Their bite will paralyse you. They are stronger than you. Stick together and fight back. If you're not human, help your human neighbours anyway. For once, we're all in this together, and if nobody's going to come to our rescue, then we have to save ourselves."

I took a deep breath, fighting against an ache in my throat. "The people helping out the humans in those flats over there are so-called rebels. The Féinics has risen. They've come out of hiding and risked their freedom to help protect this country. Do the same. If you're watching... do the same before we're all screwed."

"What are you?" a woman asked, one of the few reporters not freaking out.

I flashed my fangs, and the crowd took a few steps back, faces horrified and shocked. "This is what I am." I glanced at Val. "Ready?"

She nodded grimly, and we both let go of the beast. He leapt forward, straight for the camera, and we yanked him backward by pulling at the silver chain around his neck. He made a strangled sound, his eyes bulging. With one final, desperate tug from Val, we removed his head from his shoulders.

I grabbed the chain and walked away, leaving the beast's body where it lay. Shay called my name.

I glanced back. "That's how you kill a beast."

"You're going to be in so much trouble for this," Val said.

"I know."

"Gabe is going to destroy you."

"I know."

We joined Peter and Gabe on the pavement outside the stark set of flats. The walls and paths were almost exactly the same lifeless colour, and I wondered if the blood stains could ever truly be washed away from the memories of the people who lived within the buildings.

"There's a lot coming," I said. "This is going to be a long night."

"Ava," Peter said.

"Not now," I snapped and walked through the permanently open gates to speak to Moses, who sat on the bonnet of a parked car. "Everyone inside and armed?"

Moses nodded grimly. "Cool trick."

"Val's pretty strong."

"Think it was wise to let the whole fucking world know, Ava?"

I shrugged. "We'll soon find out."

He laughed and shook his head. "Crazy bitches all around me. I'm kinda hot for your new friend though. I bet she'd be rough—"

"Don't even. Get ready, Moses. Almost time for you to fight for the flats."

"We'll destroy the fuckers." He grabbed a joint from the man next to him and eyed my dagger. "Need something a little stronger?"

"I've had bad experiences with guns," I said. "And this baby never needs reloading."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"Be ready to fight dirty when you run out of bullets," I teased. "Some of them are here," I whispered, running forward to get a better view.

Five came into view, one by one, two on the ground, three leaping from the balcony of the farthest block away to the next.

"They're better than Becca," I shouted. "Smarter. Don't hesitate. Never give them a chance to plan ahead."

I heard a roar behind me and knew Esther was ready. Gasps from Moses and his gang let me know that Val was preparing to go hellhound. I took one last look at Peter, and he nodded, the only one who looked eager to battle. Gabe's grim smile as he gripped his sword set me further on edge. One each. We couldn't let them get into the flats or hurt those foolishly watching.

"Get these people to the church," I shouted at the police.

The night was just beginning. I couldn't guarantee the humans would be safe in the church, but they definitely weren't safe on the side of the road. Two beasts approached, salivating, but watching us all carefully. They bided their time, trying to figure out the easiest marks. We couldn't give them a choice.

The beasts were both male, huge, muscular men who were probably terrifying even before they turned. The leader of the BVA had chosen wisely.

Inching closer, I tried to zone out the voices behind me, the running footsteps, and the panicked hearts racing. They were all distractions, all unnecessary. But if they distracted me, then they definitely distracted the beasts.

One monster's head kept turning as if he had scented something delicious and could barely stand to be in the one spot when there was so much blood running away, so many racing hearts nearby. I knew we couldn't keep everyone alive, but if we could just let the majority walk away unharmed, it had to count as better than a loss.

I thought perhaps we were still at the taunting stage. The vampires were testing out tactics. I had a terrible feeling that they had plenty of beasts to play with, so many they could afford to lose five or ten. Or more.

I clamped down on my thoughts and released my fangs, jumping from one foot to the other, bouncing with adrenalin and energy. I was no longer tired, and I knew that some part of me recognised that I was doing something I was supposed to do. I was made for battle, whether I liked it or not.

I stretched out, drawing attention on myself. I sensed Val behind me, ready to fight. Peter's scent was provocative; his lust for battle drove me, too. I glanced to my left and caught the expressions on the faces of those standing there, all pale, all determined, all ready to fight to the death.

Time stood still. So I kept moving, right to the beasts, right to the test. We couldn't be beaten, or the British vampires would never stop coming for us.

I sped up as I got closer to the beasts, surprising both of them. I ran straight past them before they could understand what I was doing, but as I ran, so did the people behind me, and the two beasts were surrounded by five beings determined not to let them live.

The other beasts began to climb down, howling as if encouraging their pack, coven, or whatever they called their brethren.

The fight began.

# Chapter Twelve

I took on the less distracted creature since I was the one with most experience. He swung at me, not so wildly but with a spark of intelligence in his eyes. He had been a fighter before being turned into this creature. He moved more lightly than seemed possible, circling me as though he would never tire.

I stood still, closed my eyes, and concentrated with my other sight. The fight could slow and calm me if I tried, but when I swung into attack, I would be wilder than he was. I would beat him that way, by being unpredictable and disorganised.

My opponent swiped at me as I ducked around him, barely catching my jacket with the tips of his claws. Peter crept up behind him, while the other three worked on the second beast. The third landed, and Val ran to deal with him, her mace swinging above her head as her battle cries chilled my blood.

The beast caught Peter's scent, as Peter had obviously known he would, and a switch flipped in the creature's brain. The animal could have been Becca, the way he zoned in on the source of human blood from pure instinct. All he wanted was to drain Peter, and even Peter faltered at the sheer force and speed coming for him.

But I was faster. I was smarter. I had done it all with Becca.

I drove my dagger so far through his right cheek that the tip pierced through the left one. I jumped clear as Peter sank his favourite sword through the beast so hard that its spinal cord snapped. The beast dropped to the ground. Peter stomped on the creature's forehead, crushing its skull, and I ripped out my dagger in time to swing around and slice another beast in the face.

I tripped the next one, shoving against him as he faltered, and he fell to the ground heavily. I checked my friends. Gabe and Esther had moved on to the last one, while Val fought hers.

The new beast jumped to his feet, and I ran back a little, trying to draw him away from the humans, but he didn't pursue me, instead diving straight toward the bottom row of the block of flats being guarded by Moses's gang.

Swearing, I ran straight after him, but more beasts landed.

"Ava, we've got this!" Moses shouted, his steady voice belying the scent of fear coming from him. He raised his arm and shot the beast twice in the head without hesitation. The beast stumbled, and Moses's gang rushed to make sure the creature was really dead.

I hesitated only briefly before diving back into the fight. More had come, and the air already stunk of death and gore.

One caught me solidly in the jaw before Peter and Val joined in, ready to back me up. We had to hold them off until dawn. That was all.

The fight became bloody and sweaty. Occasionally, a scream would rise up as someone got caught in the fangs of a beast before anyone could help.

I panted, exhausted from the adrenalin surges as much as the fighting, and did my best to stop the slaughter from becoming too much to bear. I ran to the humans, seeing a decapitated beast still connected to someone's arm. The man lay on the ground, barely moving.

"You have to take the teeth out of them if they get bitten," I shouted, yanking the head and flinging it at a beast trying to tear out Esther's heart. While he was distracted, she destroyed him by ripping bones from his body. I swallowed hard, rubbing the human's arm as he moaned on the ground.

A door of one of the flats opened, and a group of women ran out, holding up various household objects that doubled as weapons.

"Fuck this shit," a young brunette said. "We're not hiding away when we can help."

"Get back inside," Moses screamed at them.

The brunette glared at him. "Back the fuck off, Ben, you chauvinist pig. These are our flats, too."

He looked at me and shrugged, but the corners of his mouth lifted into a grin.

"Take the fangs out," she told me. "Got it."

Cracking glass echoed through the flats, and all of us froze for an instant. The brethni raced as one to the back of the block, and I followed in case the beasts had broken through the barrier.

By the time I got there, the brethni had three blood-stained beasts fleeing from the building. The brethni had shrugged off their human forms, their arms twisting into grotesque clawed weapons.

I joined them, and we finished off the beasts quickly, the brethni tearing chunks of flesh away with ease.

"We dig," the leader told me solemnly.

"I don't doubt it. Maybe hang about here, just in case. Call out if you need help."

Their pink eyes glowed red. "We won't need help," he hissed.

I nodded and sprinted back to my friends. We were outnumbered, shots rang out in the night, and the scent of blood was intoxicating. I raced through the fight, desperately trying to reach Peter before the two beasts surrounding him removed his head from his body.

"Trying to hog all the glory?" I asked as I jumped on the back of one of the beasts.

"Gotta find some way of getting your attention," he said, sweat trickling down his face. He brushed his arm across his temple, swung his sword around and barely missed me as the beast spun with me on his back.

"Jesus, Peter. Aim that at the other one!"

I heard him laughing as we both got back to work.

"Gabe!" I screamed and pointed. At least ten of the creatures were running down the road in the same direction the police had taken the bystanders.

"I'm no use if I do this," he warned me. "That'll be it for me."

"The church!" I shouted, ducking out of the way of a kick. "Humans are hiding in there, including Shay. If the beasts make it inside..."

"Fine," he called back. "But follow me if anything else comes, or we'll all be dead."

"I'm watching out," I said, but I doubted he heard me as he jogged after the group.

He kept his distance because they would crave the light in his blood. I prayed he would make it. He would tire after using his light, and if more came after that, he wouldn't be able to defend himself.

The beasts apparently realised they weren't getting into the flats easily, so they all zoned in on the farthest flat as if they had gone hive mind on us. They took down two humans, flinging them aside as they smashed the windows. Steam emanated from their hands, which were burned by the holy water and silver crosses.

The occupants were ready. Father Ryan threw a glass bottle, and it shattered in the face of the first beast, causing it to howl with pain as holy water burned its eyes. A teenager pointed an aerosol and lit the spray, and the flames flew toward the beasts.

I punched the air. "Fucking brilliant idea!" I screamed at everyone and no one, but more beasts trampled their flaming companion to get to the humans. They grew frenzied, not caring about the danger anymore. They were too close to the blood.

Some of the brethni returned to help. Those brethni, Moses's gang, and my friends cut away at the edges of the group, the gang's guns forgotten as we grew desperate. The people in the flat used fire or holy water and held up crosses as a last resort. The creatures' self-preservation instincts had vanished, and for a long moment, it appeared that we might win against their singular focus on blood.

It didn't last long enough. The remaining beasts snapped out of their momentary madness and fled after the ones who had headed in the direction of the church.

"I have to go find Gabe!" I shouted. "Stay here in case more come!"

I ran after the retreating beasts. The church was lit up, blood-curdling screams from inside ripping through the air. The beasts I followed ran inside when the light faded, and I hurried after them, surprised by the scene. Gabe had freaked out the beasts, and as they lay whimpering in pain, the humans took care of the rest. The beasts I had followed weren't affected by the light, and I could see Gabe lying on the altar.

"Holy water!" I screamed. "And if anyone has any hair spray or deodorant and a lighter, fucking blast them with it!"

What happened next was a blur. The last few beasts were desperate to survive, although the church seemed to unsettle them. I fought as best I could, but not all of the humans could help. Some huddled in corners, while others lay injured in pools of blood. But more of them than I expected helped me fight. A few used police batons, and a couple managed to trap a beast in a corner with a heavy bench and some holy water. They took longer to kill the beasts, took way more risks than a human should, but we slowly gained the lead.

I killed the one I fought and turned, seeing Shay about to be eaten. I used the silver chain again, pulling the beast back toward me.

"Let me," Shay said, his face grim.

I shrugged and kicked my sword over to him. I ducked as he took a swing, and he managed to behead the beast in one shot.

"Used to chop wood a lot," he said wryly, dropping the sword as if it stung his hands.

"Yeah." I sank into a seat. "That would do it." I dried my face with my sleeve, clearing away all of the blood and sweat as best I could, grimacing as I suddenly felt all of the injuries I had chalked up during the night. "I should head back," I said, struggling to take a breath, but I jogged up to Gabe.

I kicked his foot. "You okay, angel?"

He groaned. "I need to sleep for a month. And you owe me a dozen favours by now, Delaney. That stunt you pulled with the cameras was particularly annoying. Don't think I'll forget it."

I laughed. "No time for lectures, Gabe. Gotta go see if all the beasts are gone."

"Isn't it dawn yet?"

"Soon. Very soon."

"Ava," Shay said as I walked outside.

"No time," I said sharply. "Wait for dawn before you call for help. Just in case."

"I'll come with you."

I stopped walking. "No, you won't. You wanted to know everything, you idiot man. Now you do, so you have to deal with it. Get back in there and make sure those people don't die before an ambulance gets here. You prepare those who aren't injured in case another beast gets past me. And you keep an eye on Gabe, too."

"Is he really an angel?" he asked, eyes wide with awe.

"Yeah. Goodbye, Shay."

"Thank you, Ava," he shouted after me.

I waved and ran faster. The gang were dealing with one last beast when I got there. Left alone, it was as wild as Becca, and it didn't want to escape anymore. It wanted to destroy.

"Just hold it down," I said. "Dawn's here in..." I spun around, holding out my arms as that sensation ran over my skin again. The beasts were gone. Until the next night.

The following hour was crazy. Trying to get people to the hospital, trying to figure out how many died, and having to deal with the fear and confusion as the bodies of the beasts disintegrated in front of everyone was too much for me. Esther moved between the flats and the church in full organisational mode. One of the women had given Esther some ill-fitting clothes as a thank you; they laughed and joked together as if they had known each other years, as if they hadn't just suffered through an attack by blood-thirsty abominations.

The brethni leader approached me. "Fewer than ten losses all told. You did well. You and your people."

"Truce?"

"As long as you keep your human in check."

Scratches on his chest healed before my eyes. "Did you lose many?" I asked.

"Not enough to harm the group. I would call the night a success."

"Me, too," I said.

Moses wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me in the air. "We did it," he said, his face a pulpy mess.

I struggled out of his arms. "You were supposed to get into that last ambulance."

"Ah, I'm grand. We ran out of bullets too soon, but getting in the middle of the scrap felt better anyway."

Father Ryan joined us, beaming. "Didn't I tell you, Ben? Didn't I?"

Moses rolled his eyes. "They all think they can get away with anything now. Yeah, you did all right."

"Still more to do," the priest said. "We need to clean up those flats, fix the windows, and—"

"Maybe get some rest as well," I said. "We don't know if the same thing will happen tonight."

"You think there are more?" the priest asked.

"I don't know. That's the problem."

"We'll help with repairs," the brethni said.

"We better get moving then," Moses said, and he put his arms around the shoulders of the brethni leader and the priest, leading them toward the ruined block of flats.

I joined Peter, Esther, and Val. "We should get out of here. We're in the way, and we need some rest. Just in case."

"Shay told me some hospitals were hit last night," Peter said. "But locals turned up to help. Human and other. Good night's work, I'd say."

"That's amazing," I said. "They believed me?"

"Looks like it," Esther said. "Gabe's been taken by the Council."

"Let's hope he takes the flak for my big mouth," I said, grinning.

Val cracked her knuckles. "The Council won't let that go."

"Yeah, well, they have more shit to deal with than just me. I thought that went amazingly well. Did you see the humans? Even in the church, when Gabe used his light thingy, the beasts were all crawling on the ground, and the humans destroyed the fuckers. It was beautiful."

Peter laughed out loud. "You're an idiot sometimes, Delaney."

"And speaking of idiots," I said sharply. "Thanks for telling Shay I'm a creepy freak."

"I didn't," he protested. "I told him the exact truth. That's what he wanted."

I made a face. "Yeah, well, I've saved his life now. So he can suck it."

Peter reached out to take my hand, and I leaned into him, daydreaming about a nice hot shower and a clean bed to sleep in.

"I need a bath," Esther said. "I have so much blood on me that I can't even tell what's mine. The drug-dealer was kind of impressive though."

"Once they put the guns down," Val said. "They wasted too much time and energy trying to aim."

"I'm still cheering inside about the fire trick," I said. "I never even thought about fire."

"They're probably lucky they didn't set the flats on fire though," Esther said.

"The brethni were pretty good, too," Peter admitted. "They didn't have to fight alongside us."

"I'm more impressed by the fact they didn't stab you, to be honest," I said. My phone rang before he could reply.

It was Anka. Sobbing. "Ava, we need you. We've been trying... it's no use. Come back now." She hung up.

"Something's happened," I whispered, and we all ran for the car.

# Chapter Thirteen

Peter drove dangerously fast, but inside, I screamed at him to drive faster. My mind imagined a million and one things as we pulled into the cul-de-sac.

The twins waited on the street, their expressions even more solemn than usual.

"Two of those beasts attacked us early this morning. Along with a vampire," Lorcan said.

Lucia looked at me with such pity that I imagined both Emmett and Carl were dead.

"Where are they?" Peter asked.

"Dead," Lorcan said. "We managed to kill them in the end."

"In the end? Who..." I choked up. "Who was hurt?"

"We didn't expect it," Lorcan said. "We didn't think anything could get through to us."

"Lorcan," I whispered, "what happened?"

Esther wrapped an arm around me as the twins led us into Anka's house.

Lucia took my hand, and I saw. Flashes of darkened images. Two creatures sneaking around the back of the houses. Leah asleep and Lucia seeing them too late. Mrs. Yaga trying to defend the cul-de-sac, two creatures biting her even as she stole life from them. Lorcan, Cam, and Carl attacking the things. Mrs. Yaga lying on the ground, still alive, but unable to move. A vampire running toward the children whose faces peeked out of a window, away from anyone strong enough to fight. Emmett and Dita screaming as Carl killed the vampire in front of them. Just in time.

"The vampire went for the children," Lorcan was saying.

"How did it find the place?" Peter asked. "How did it get in?"

Lorcan cleared his throat. "We shielded the place, and something tore away the magic. Something far stronger than us. Mrs. Yaga came as soon as she could, but she was already injured."

"Maybe Gideon told them where to find me, and they were purposely sent here. Maybe Reuben told. Coyle's missing, too," I said. "It feels like everyone I know has been hit."

"That would mean someone is leading them. It would mean that vampire led them here," Esther said.

"To find you," Peter whispered. "To find you."

I gazed at him in horror, but he refused to look at me.

"What do we know?" Carl asked, fury in his eyes. "We know that there are a secret group of assassins connected with the slave market, and we know they want to kill us. We know somebody led the beasts to us. Both are connected."

"And we know that someone on the Council is involved," Esther said. "But that doesn't make sense. That would mean someone from the Council is working with the vampires."

"Reuben, most likely," Lorcan said. "He's missing, and he's a vampire, so that makes sense. But that's the only thing that does. Could this ancient vampire really have orchestrated everything? If he's gone off the radar, how would he even know everyone is here?"

"I'm going to check on Mrs. Yaga," I said, standing to leave. Lorcan was right. Not much made sense anymore.

Cam was trying to heal the hag when I entered Anka's bedroom, but I could tell by his frustrated mutters that it wasn't working very well.

"I'm done for," Mrs. Yaga said, but she smiled at me. "We were a good team, Ava. You would have been proud to see it."

I nodded, unable to think of one thing to say. She appeared even smaller than usual, lying on Anka's bed. Anka was still crying, whether from the fight or the fact our landlady was going to die I wasn't completely sure.

Mrs. Yaga was in bad shape, and her body reminded me of Folsom's—small and broken. I swallowed past the lump in my throat; I was about to lose another person in my life, another team member.

Bruises coloured her wrinkled skin, and her eyes were glassy. Her arm appeared to be broken, and when she moved, she winced with pain.

"How did this happen?" I asked.

"They came for me. I killed them, but I got hurt. When I came here, I wasn't strong enough to protect anyone. There was something else out there, something battling the magic even as we all fought. They caught us by surprise. That's how this happened."

"I'm so sorry," I said.

"Don't waste your time, boy," she snapped at Cam, waving him away. "Ava..." She beckoned me over to the bed. "We need to talk before I go. I need you to make sure you take care of them for me."

"You... we can get you better."

"I can't hang on anymore, Ava. I'm tired. I need to sleep. Promise me you'll take care of Anka and Dita for me. You told me once that you'd protect the houses. Don't let me down."

Anka sobbed in the corner at the landlady's words.

"Of course," I said, my voice trembling.

"Good, good. Promise me one other thing."

"Anything."

"Oh, hush. Never promise anything to a hag."

"Take from me," I said. "I won't... I won't say no. You'll feel better, right?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. It's time for me. I'm ready, as long as you fulfill your promises. The second one... the second one is a promise for you. Choose your own path, Ava, the one that's best for you. You're the one soul who has come to me that I haven't yet helped. I'm sorry for that."

"I will," I said. "I'll be fine. You have helped me. You just haven't realised how much."

"Be careful, child. The vampire wasn't alone. Whatever was out there, tearing down our protection, is a force you can't beat into submission. There's a lot of power against you."

"I know. I'm sorry this happened."

"It's my time." She turned to Anka and smiled. "Can you sing it for me? You know the one. Sing me to sleep."

Cam and I left the room. As we walked downstairs, I heard Anka's surprisingly beautiful voice singing the saddest song, a song that made me want to lie on the floor and cry my eyes out.

"I warned you this would be dangerous," Cam said when we made it to the kitchen. "You aren't prepared for what you're up against."

"We don't have a choice anymore," I said, hugging myself.

When the song was over, Anka joined us, her face at peace. "She's gone. She's passed on." Her mouth widened into an O. "We're not safe anymore. Her protection is gone with her."

"Don't worry," I said. "There's plenty of protection still around."

"Yet it did not help us last night, Ava. Something still got in. Without Mrs. Yaga..." She shook her head.

My insides churned. The exact same thing had happened with Folsom. The exact same thing. "I need to get out of here," I murmured. I rushed outside before anyone could stop me. I couldn't face any of them. Not one.

Someone called my name, but I ignored it and left the cul-de-sac. I heard footsteps behind me. I picked up the pace, but whoever had followed me was persistent.

Finally, I turned. Carl. I knew he would say the right things. He thought he wasn't strong, but we had all been leaning on him in one way or another.

"It's okay," he said when I wrapped my arms around his midsection. "Let it out, Ava."

"Everyone who tries to protect them dies."

"Look at me. Emmett needs to see you right now. He's waited up. He saw—"

"I get it," I said, taking a deep breath. "I'll stop freaking out."

"There's nothing wrong with freaking out, Ava. You might want to know that you've been on the news, well, constantly, since last night. The country is going crazy. Reports of all kinds of things. Everywhere."

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I shouldn't have."

"What are you talking about? I'm proud of you. This is what we needed. I even... I talked to Maria. I told her a lot of truths. She saw you on television and recognised you. She's all over the place, but she sounded a little relieved. As if that was finally a good enough excuse for her."

"This is some domino effect, Carl."

"What happened at the cul-de-sac was not because of you telling the truth. You warned people, gave them a chance to defend themselves. If I was anyone else, I would be grateful for that."

I shrugged, unable to think of a coherent answer. "I'm tired. I think I should rest. This isn't over."

"No, it isn't. There were more in the country last night. They flooded in, if the reports are right. A lot of people died, but not as many as would have if you hadn't been the early warning system. My point is that nobody made it easy for those who attacked us, and everyone knows it was you and the rebels out there fighting for us, not the Council."

I tried to smile, but I couldn't. Everything felt wrong.

He led me home. Peter was pacing the living room when we got inside. Emmett flung himself at me, and I held him as if I had been away for years. I let out a relieved breath, feeling as though I was really home.

"Dita and I watched you on the news," he said excitedly. "We saw you. It was—"

"Emmett, go get some rest," Peter said. "Carl, give us a minute, okay?"

Carl stared at Peter, his eyes narrowing, but he nodded and left us alone. Emmett reluctantly did the same.

Peter paced for another while, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, his forehead furrowed in thought. "I can't... this isn't what we signed up for. Emmett could have been killed."

"I know," I said. "Next time, I won't take all of you with me."

"No, that's not..." He took a deep breath and finally looked at me. "Someone tried to either kill him or kidnap him. The hiding place we took him to was attacked, so we had to come here. We depended on this place being safe. He was almost killed here, too."

My throat closed up, and I sank into a chair, knowing my secret fear was about to catch up with me.

"He isn't safe, Ava. Not with you. Not here. There's a war going on. A war. I've just got him back. I can't risk it."

"What are you... what are you saying, Peter? Spit it out."

"I'm taking him out of Ireland," he said calmly, as if he had been practising telling me. "I'm taking him away from you."

My mouth opened and closed a couple of times as I gazed at him pleadingly. I shook my head, but a scream shocked both of us.

Emmett ran from the hallway, where he had obviously waited to listen, and threw himself at Peter, fists swinging. "I won't let you! I won't go with you!"

Peter stood there in shock, letting his son pummel him.

I wrapped my arms around Emmett and carried him over to the couch. I sat down with him in my lap. "What are you doing?" I whispered. "Emmett, stop it."

He clung to me, his arms around my neck. Emmett turned to glare at his father, his eyes a perfect image of hate. "I. Won't. Leave. Ava." He clenched his teeth, and he looked different. Older. Scary.

My heart raced, and I exchanged a worried glance with Peter. "Emmett, calm down," I said firmly. "That's not how we act."

"He wants to take me away," he whined, finally sounding like a little boy. "Are you going to let him?"

"I don't have a choice." Tears sprang to my eyes as I fought against the lump in my throat. "He's your father. I'm not... I'm not anybody."

"You could take him," Emmett said viciously. "You could kill him, easy."

I set him on the floor and pinched his shoulders with trembling fingers. "Don't ever say that again! Never again, Emmett."

He gazed at me with innocent eyes.

"That's not how we do things here. Your father loves you. He loves you, Emmett. He wants to keep you safe. People keep dying around me. Do you want to die?"

He shook his head, his ire leaving him. Peter's face was white as chalk, and he went into the kitchen. I didn't blame him. I wanted to leave, too.

"Unless somebody is trying to kill you, you can never raise a hand to another person in any way. Do you understand me?"

He nodded, chastened.

"I... the way you're acting... he's right, Emmett. You need to get away from this. I don't want you to leave, either of you, but I can't protect you. Not like this."

"I'll be good," he said in a panicked voice, clinging to my arm. His eyes filled with tears, and my heart ached at the sight. "I'll be so good, Ava. I promise I'll never do it again. I promise."

I hugged him, wondering if it would be the last time, wondering when Peter planned to leave. But more than that, I wondered what else was going through Emmett's head. His reaction had been unexpected.

"Get some sleep now, okay?" I said gently. He nodded, giving me one of his rare smiles, and I watched him go up the stairs before I joined Peter in the kitchen.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Do you see?" He whirled around to face me. "Do you see what you're doing to him?"

"Me? What the fuck am I doing? I'm the one who calmed the kid down. You're the one who's taking him away from the first place he's ever felt safe!" I covered my hands with my eyes. "I need to sleep. I can't... I just need to sleep."

I heard him leave after I went up to bed. I had expected it, but my stomach still churned when the front door slammed. Carl returned a few minutes later, and he hesitated at the bottom of the stairs. Hoping he would leave me alone, I clung to the sheet until I heard him move back into the living room.

I didn't want to talk to anyone.

# Chapter Fourteen

I awoke to agitated voices coming from downstairs. I brushed my teeth and washed my face before going down, hoping to free my head of the fuzziness. It didn't work. I needed more sleep.

And chocolate. I definitely needed chocolate.

And possibly a Peter-shaped punching bag.

"What now?" I asked when I shuffled into the kitchen and turned on the kettle for some coffee.

Gabe, Esther, Val, Carl, and the twins sat squished around the table, all of them glowering at each other.

"Gabe here wants to throw you to the Council," Esther spat.

"Oh, is that all?" I muttered. "Where's Emmett?"

"He and Dita are colouring in the living room," Carl replied.

"Anka okay?"

"She'll be fine," Val said. "She's busy cooking and organising."

"Organising what? Oh." I realised too late she meant the funeral. Another one. In the midst of a war. Soon we would be doing as we did in Hell: leaving bodies behind. That still haunted me.

Gabe shook his head. "I am not going to throw her to the Council."

"Well, that's a relief," I said, and I yawned, wide and unladylike. "Anyone see Peter?"

"He stormed off," Carl said. "Anything we should worry about?"

I ran my hands through my hair. "Nothing much. He said he was taking Emmett away, and the kid basically threatened to kill him." Silence loomed. I made a face. "Yeah, well, the kid has been in Hell most of his life. Whaddya expect?"

Gabe looked uncomfortable. "The Council want to see you. To regroup."

"Who needs regrouping? Pretty sure we're winning," I said lightly, but I turned away and pressed my palms against the counter.

"Ava, last night was them gathering strength. More will come, stronger than ever," Gabe said, but his voice was kinder than usual.

In fact, he had been a lot nicer to me lately. Everyone had. No, not nicer. That was the wrong word. Everyone had been deferring to me, as if there was a silent message going around that I was in charge. I didn't want to be in charge, but somehow, it kept being me coming up with ideas, me putting myself at the front of everything. And that was why Peter was taking Emmett away.

There was always a price to pay.

"I don't think I should be anywhere near the Council," I said.

"They're not angry," Gabe said. "At least, not all of them. Honestly? The PR on this alone has been amazing. I mean, amazing. We've been getting reports of other beasts around the country being defeated by humans and supernaturals. People are actually working together, Ava. You did it."

"I did nothing. I can't believe anyone listened. I mean, I can't believe they thought I was telling the truth. I assumed it would end up as one of those myths. Some kind of..." I waved my arm, losing the thought.

"Shay made a statement," Carl said. "In his uniform."

"Which was hot, by the way," Esther said, winking at me.

"He made it sound as though he were speaking on behalf of the police force," Carl continued. "Because he was with the same gardaí who were at the flats with you. They gave exclusive interviews, eyewitness reports, all kinds of legit crap. Wear a uniform, and people believe every word, apparently."

"Let me guess, the only interviews were with the people who were at the flats and stuck in the church," I said, grinning.

"At first, yeah," Carl replied. "But then reports started coming in from everywhere, and some Chief Superintendent made a statement, too. Nobody can ignore it now. Everyone's talking. It's crazy out there, Ava."

"You're famous," Esther said.

"So did I balls up or do a good thing?" I asked, confused.

"That depends on who you speak to," Gabe said, glaring at Esther. "Come to the Council with me, Ava. It's a war. We're all on the same side in this."

"So they can arrest her?" Val asked in her low voice. "Throw her in the cells again, just as they did to Leah?"

"I won't allow it," Gabe said.

"And what if they want to arrest both of you?" Esther asked. "What if this is a trick?"

"They can't let Ava stay underground," he said simply. "They need her to fight."

"I can't go until Peter comes back," I said. "In case... I just can't."

"Somebody get that idiot back here," Gabe said. "We don't have a lot of time. We've heard rumours that even more are coming tonight. Vampires, too. Last night was but a taster."

"Where did the rumours come from?" I asked.

Gabe's smirk was annoyingly smug. "The BVA aren't the only ones capable of buying off traitors. We're confident that we'll hear plenty in advance."

"I think there were more vampires around last night," I said, remembering. "That's the only thing I can think of to explain how the beasts ended up where they did."

"Are they truly trainable, I wonder?" Gabe said. "Able to follow a master?"

"They seem in a better state than Becca," I said. "She was falling apart by the end. Her hair, her skin. She decayed. Most of the new beasts have been male and in good shape. Large, strong. But not as strong as Becca. They're too contained. Yeah, they have lapses, but they aren't as uncontrollable as Becca, which is almost better for us. I reckon they were fighters even before the formula. Plenty of them seemed able to concentrate, despite the massive amount of walking blood bags around them. This is a big plan. A well thought out plan."

"You don't take over a country with anything less," Gabe said. "We need to speak to the Council, Ava. Convince them to cover more areas with Guardian protection. I've managed to keep a Guardian near your grandmother and one close to Shay Whelan. He might be important. He's been heard now. It'll be harder for those in charge to shut him up. This might have saved his life."

Or dragged him further into trouble. "I'll get ready to leave, but I'm not going until Peter's back. I need to speak to him."

When I finished getting ready, Peter still hadn't shown up, so I made the rounds around the cul-de-sac, making sure everyone felt safe, but still remained on their guard. Anka had Mrs. Yaga laid out in her bedroom, but the body was going to be burned in the cul-de-sac. A flaming sending-off. Anka said it was tradition. I didn't want to be there, but I would have to stand strong. That was what Gabe had said, anyway. He became impatient, following me listlessly as I chatted with the people.

"It gave me chills when I saw it on the news," Ry said, clasping my hand. "If only you had come along earlier."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when the beast attacked," I said.

"No, no. That's not what I mean. I meant came along to us earlier. You've helped change our lives. We were lost before."

I shook my head in confusion. "Um, yeah. I should keep moving, make sure everyone's doing okay."

He smiled at me. "We knew we wouldn't all survive, Ava, but you've given us a better chance."

As Gabe led me away, I felt weird. Lots of different things were happening, but I felt something happening to me, and I wasn't quite sure what that was.

"We should get serious about training," I said. "More practice would go a long way."

"Let's hope they won't need it. Maybe they won't if today goes well. This meeting with the Council needs to be friendly," Gabe said. "Be your usual self by all means, but try to compromise this time. We need them."

"And they need us. Is anyone else coming?"

He hesitated. "I didn't think it would be safe. Someone involved with the Council still wants the people here to be taught a lesson."

"Think it's Reuben?"

He frowned. "It looks likely, but why would Guardians be loyal to him? He was tolerated rather than liked. We still don't know who to trust, and we're not forgetting that. We're just getting past this one, rather large, obstacle before we deal with it. But keep an eye out. You're the one who keeps telling me how everything is connected. Let's not forget there's a chance someone in the Council will turn traitor and publicly side with the BVA."

"Why would anyone want to side with Winston and his loony crew?"

"A better offer than they have now. More power, perhaps. Reuben was likely the first, but he may not be the last."

"Who is most likely to be unhappy?"

"Elathan is unhappy to be under a fae. Eddie is obviously unhappy with the Council in general. I no longer trust the witch. Erossi would never say no to more of anything. There's always the chance that the BVA will leave Ireland alone once they've taken us over. They could promise to leave one person in charge in their place."

"No more Council. That could suit anyone."

"Exactly."

"Shit. Why can't anything be easy?"

He laughed. "Says the queen of complications. I think you were right to be concerned about your boy. And the other children."

"Yeah. This morning was a little unnerving all right."

"So he's leaving then?"

I nodded, my throat getting annoyingly tight again. "They're both going."

"I'm not trying to anger you, but can you handle it, Ava?"

I glanced at him and saw he was concerned, so I shrugged. "I'll keep pushing, if that's what you mean. No giving up."

He sighed, with relief, I thought. "Good. Honestly, I feared that would be a step too far for you. Too much for you to handle. I'm glad you're not that kind of female."

I raised a brow.

"One who collapses for the sake of their heart. You're stronger than that. I'm glad of it."

I wasn't so sure. "How come you've been so helpful lately?"

"You have a power over me that nobody else has. How am I to know you wouldn't harm one of your humans just to punish me?"

"Are you serious? Goddamnit, Gabe. I would never... you're an idiot!"

He grinned, and I shoved him to make my point.

"Our agendas lead to the same outcome," he said. "Me coming out of this alive. The humans might be your soft spot, or you might be lulling all of us into a false sense of security. You might be smarter than all of us realised."

I couldn't tell if he was joking or just fucking with me. There was a lot I couldn't tell about Gabe. My phone rang, and when I answered, I heard my grandmother's voice calling my name over and over again.

"Nancy? Are you okay?"

There were a few muffled sounds, and Wesley came on the phone, apologising profusely.

"Sorry, she's been having a bad day. She saw the news and freaked out. She's confused about keeping secrets."

"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry. I should have warned you."

"So it's true? All of it?"

"Yeah, it's true."

He sucked in a breath. "So you bit me? That's what happened that night?"

"I'm sorry, Wes. I can't deal with this now. I promise you, when this is over, we'll talk, and I'll explain more."

"Of course. I saw... stay safe. I still care about you." He hung up.

My head spun with confusion. Everything was catching up to me, and I didn't know what problem to deal with first.

Peter returned soon afterward, that determined look back on his face.

"We need to talk," I said, but Gabe interfered.

"We need to see the Council," he insisted.

Peter glanced at him, ready to bark back, but then he deflated and nodded. "Go. We'll talk later or in the morning."

We briefly touched fingers as Gabe led me away. I looked back over my shoulder, but Peter wasn't watching me leave, and my heart cracked a little.

I was quiet in Gabe's car as he drove me to the headquarters. I didn't want to be there, didn't want to be near anyone who had even the slightest chance of being the one person we were up against when the BVA went away.

"No need to be nervous."

I glanced at Gabe before realising my knee was jumping up and down. "Not nervous. Annoyed."

"That might be worse," he teased.

"What the hell do they want with me anyway? We all know we hate each other. Why can't they leave me out of their stupid meetings?"

He sighed. "It's on days like this that I truly realise how young you are, Ava. Stop acting like a sulky teenager for five minutes and tell me what's really bothering you."

"It'd take more than five minutes." But I grinned at him.

"He might not leave," Gabe said. "Whatever he thought this morning, you are the child's safest option. Who is going to fight harder for him than you? But if he leaves, I can't protect either of them. You understand? The deal can't carry on as is."

"I know." I resisted the urge to kick something. "He's right to leave. I have brought trouble. I don't see where it ends. As soon as I get close to having room to breathe, something bigger comes along. Everything seems like the worst thing that could happen, and then, whoops, here comes something with even greater potential to be monumentally life-changing."

"Nothing continues forever. And really, you're usually the one saying it's urgent and a huge deal. Your concerns are mostly petty."

I gazed at him in disbelief.

He cocked his head. "Granted, this war we seem to be in is a pretty big deal."

"How are we doing? How did the rest of the country do?"

"While you were sleeping?" he said. "You seem tired a lot lately."

"Not eating enough, probably."

"Well, it didn't go too badly. Given the circumstances, anyway. In fact, it probably went a lot better than either the Council or the BVA expected." He smirked. "That showed them."

"Who's a teen now? So on a scale of one to ten, how pissed are they that I blabbed to the entire country?"

"It wasn't just you," he said. "You started the ball rolling, of course, so that puts you in their crosshairs. But there's been a surprising amount of others revealing themselves to the people around them. In fact, a certain brothel of succubi have reportedly been making a fortune since last night, once they began advertising the truth."

"Typical."

"You're safe today," he said, pulling in at last. "But don't expect that to continue on for too long afterward."

We got out, me trailing behind him as we walked up to a barn. Two Guardians stood outside, one of them raising a brow at the sight of me, but they let us pass. Gabe used an old-fashioned key to open the door. We moved in a downward spiral through repetitive white hallways.

"They're really hiding out," I commented as we went through yet another door only to walk down another hallway.

"Fear," he replied.

"You could hide out with them," I said.

"And miss everything?"

Something told me that was the exact thing he would have done if I hadn't tricked him into a deal with me. But I hadn't expected so much devotion to the cause, and I wondered if he might be secretly enjoying himself. "I think people will like you better for this," I said coyly.

He made a noncommittal sound, but I saw the barest smile curve his lips.

We finally found the right meeting room, and I hoped Gabe planned on leading me back out of there before dark. Everyone's eyes trained on me when we entered the room, and I noted the varying reactions.

Eddie had a small smile on his face, Marina didn't seem at all affected by the attacks, and Elathan looked curious. Aiden and Erossi appeared angry, Koda calm, and Fionnuala looked even more hateful than usual. I was surprised to see all of the Council members and Consultants—except Reuben. His absence was a reminder that nobody could be trusted.

Gabe gestured for me to take a seat to his right at the circular table, with Eddie to my right. Fionnuala sat directly across from me, and her eyes bored into me as if she thought they could physically stop my heart.

Erossi sneered. "So it finally arrived."

I couldn't wait to get rid of him. "Let's skip the crap and get to the point for a change," I snapped, ignoring Gabe's sigh. "What do you want?"

"Watch your words," Erossi said.

"Why? Everyone knows you're all too cowardly to do anything, hiding away down here while the rest of the country fights for their lives." I rose to my feet, unable to stop my voice from rising.

Erossi stood too, leaning over the table to glare at me. "You haven't seen a thing yet."

"I'm terrified. Truly. Is that what you wanted me here for? Can I go now? In case you haven't heard, I have people to help protect. A war to fight."

"Oh, sit down. Both of you," Koda said wearily. He didn't look well, but he hadn't deteriorated so badly that I would think his death was as imminent as Lucia had shown me recently. I tried to work out that puzzle as I took my seat.

Erossi hesitated for a couple of seconds before sitting down. I tried not to laugh. It probably wouldn't be appropriate, and Gabe was already nudging me under the table.

"Ava, we saw what you did last night," Koda said, "or at least some of it. We're glad you were able to control the beast situation, but did you really have to go to the media in such a way? There are better ways to deal with that sort of thing." His voice was calm, but his expression didn't look particularly unhappy.

"Yes. Yes, I did. You lot weren't doing anything to help. What was I supposed to do? Walk away and let them all die? Pretend like nothing weird was happening?"

"That's exactly what you should have done!" Fionnuala shrieked, and my hair went static. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but I couldn't let that intimidate me.

"Okay, Team Stupid, you know that when the beasts are done with the humans you'll be next, right? The only way, and I really mean the only way, we can protect ourselves from the BVA is if the entire country is prepared to fight back. And guess what? Now they are. And an even bigger guess what? Now we're winning." I gazed at their blank faces, then muttered, "Fuckwits," and sat back down.

"She's right. Forget about the words she uses and listen to her point," Gabe said. "We destroyed a large number of beasts. Humans managed to take down some of the beasts. Do you not recall the destruction a single one of these creatures caused us? If this was allowed to get out of hand, we might never recover."

Fionnuala looked disgusted, but Koda nodded enthusiastically. "It has been interesting to see the reaction," he said. He looked at me. "I can see why you have respect for the humans now. They fought hard, if what I've been hearing is true."

"It wasn't just the humans!" Fionnuala lost her temper yet again. The room chilled, and I waited for the real sticking point to come out. "She was with rebels. People we need to either arrest or put in captivity."

"Was Esther harmed?" Aiden asked abruptly, surprising me.

I stared at him, trying to figure out his angle. "She's fine. She fought hard. She saved a lot of people from death last night."

He nodded, his eyes grateful, although that simmering anger still rolled from him. No shadows though, and I couldn't understand that. How could he and Esther be so very different? The shifter alpha confused me almost as much as Gabe did.

"They will hit back harder next time," Elathan said. "They won't give up after one night of small battles."

"That's true," I said, "which is why I need to get back out there."

"We need you to keep fighting," Koda said.

"That's what I'm trying to do."

"We need you to do it in our name and to coordinate with our warriors. If last night was the vampires trying to figure out our defences, then we are in for a world of trouble."

I exchanged a glance with Gabe who shrugged.

"As you said, Ava, we need to work together," Eddie said. "You could use more warriors on your side."

"Only if they're useful. I mean, if they're hanging around here to guard people who have the power to defend themselves, then they might as well be hanging upside down from a tree for all the use they'll be to me. We need to get out there, and not just fight, but slaughter these things. We need to be respected by the vampires. They have Gideon and Reuben on their side, and—"

"We don't know that for sure," Erossi interrupted.

I continued as if he hadn't spoken. "—that means they know possible weak points, entry points, places you neglect or are desperate to protect."

"This is going to be tougher than any of us expect," Gabe said. "They will send everything our way just to overwhelm us. They know we can handle a certain amount of problems. But multiply that by a factor of a hundred, and who knows?"

"We need to use the children," Erossi said.

"Are you fucking crazy?" I exclaimed. "Children? Against monsters?"

"They are powerful," Eddie murmured.

"You'll seriously use children as shields? There has to be another way. How many Guardians are there? How many volunteers can we round up? How many humans will get involved? There has to be an alternative. Those children need to be protected, not used."

"We need to release the hounds," Gabe said, a weird smile on his face. "Right, Fionnuala?"

She glanced from one face to another.

"There are none," Elathan said. "They were destroyed, were they not?"

Fionnuala licked her lips. "There are some. Enough to destroy an army? Probably not. But enough to make a difference if we should need them."

"Enough what?" I asked, completely confused. The only hounds that came to mind were hellhounds, but surely they didn't mean that. Although a gang of hellhounds on our side would come in very handy if Val was anything to go by.

"We're talking about the werewolves," Gabe said. "The fae controlled the werewolf population in the past to cut down the vampire population. It was a long time ago, and the werewolves were supposed to be destroyed, but the fae kept some hidden."

"I've heard the rumours, but I thought they were wiped out. So... what? They're shifters?"

"They're closer to the beasts than to shifters," Aiden said, sounding insulted.

"Come," Fionnuala said, getting to her feet. "It's time to visit the werewolves and their keeper."

# Chapter Fifteen

A thrill of nerves ran under my skin as Gabe laid his hand on my lower back to guide me out of the room.

"You're going to want to see this," he whispered.

"I'm actually shaking," I responded. "Is this as dangerous as it feels?"

"Depends how on the ball the keeper is."

"Who's the keeper?"

"I have my suspicions. We'll soon see."

Leading the way, Fionnuala swept down a white hallway. Halfway down, she stopped abruptly and laid her hands on a wall. A portion of it pushed aside, revealing a tunnel.

"You kept them here?" Erossi sounded horrified.

My eyes widened when Fionnuala stepped inside the tunnel, torches on the sides lighting up as she passed. The tunnel had been hollowed out from rock and earth, but there was no apparent method of stopping the whole thing from collapsing on top of us. A trickle of sweat rolled down my back as we followed her into the winding tunnel. The path grew smaller and more confined. I didn't like enclosed spaces, and I found it hard to breathe.

"Always a treat seeing you people," I said just to make a sound other than boots scuffing on dirt and stone.

Gabe squeezed my shoulder, and a sudden flare from a torch almost burned us both.

"Bitch," I muttered.

We walked for another fifteen minutes before a howl had everyone slowing to a stop. I bumped into Aiden ahead of me, and he glared back at me, his eyes shining yellow in the low light.

"Keep walking," I hissed, but I turned to make a face at Gabe. That howl had been wild.

Finally, we came to a massive, solid iron door that resembled what I'd expect to see covering a giant safe. Fionnuala turned the wheel, and the door opened slowly. The new passage led into what looked like an underground prison. We entered and strode down a narrow walkway lined with iron-barred cells, and I sucked in a breath at the state of the naked people the cages contained. The men were all alone, but many of the women had a child with them.

They stared at us, the children hiding behind their mothers and peeking out from behind bare legs. The men jumped at the cage bars, feigning attacks. Aiden rolled his shoulders, his heartbeat racing.

We kept moving, and the space grew wider. A tall figure came out of the darkness, and my pulse sped up, but Fionnuala reached out to him, and I realised she knew him.

She touched his arm affectionately, but when the light hit his face, I stumbled, and only Gabe catching me stopped me from keeling over. I knew his face. Knew it well. His long black hair was streaked with platinum, but he looked almost exactly like Lorcan. I knew the fae didn't show their age, but this fae and Lorcan could have been brothers. Gabe shook his head at me, a silent message not to reveal anything, but even I wasn't that stupid.

This was the keeper of werewolves?

"He is their trainer, their keeper, and their caretaker," Fionnuala was saying. "He controls them, and they will never go against him."

I caught sight of a heavy whip strapped to his belt. "Hold on a second," I said. "Are you breeding them?"

"Accidents happen," she said primly.

I took that as a yes. "But what for? I mean, why keep them here like this?"

"They're wild," Aiden said. "Uncontrollable. They're a threat to everyone, even themselves."

"Then why breed them? The vampires haven't been able to multiply in a century. What's this in aid of?"

"Oh." Fionnuala waved her hand. "You can never know what will come along." But her cruel eyes found mine, and I saw a threat hidden in their depths.

"If they're uncontrollable, then how can we use them?" Eddie asked.

"Their keeper can control them enough to use. They need guidance in a battle, to ensure they know which side they're on, but I'm sure we can figure something out."

She pulled the Lorcan-lookalike aside and whispered to him. He glanced at me, his green eyes widening in horror. A platinum streak of hair glowed under a flaming torch, reminding me of Lucia.

Everyone spoke amongst themselves, so I wandered around, glancing into the cages. A couple of the werewolves stepped back as I approached; others went crazy at my presence.

"They could be useful," Aiden said.

"Slaves," I whispered back, feeling terribly sad.

"Better these than the children."

I wasn't even sure anymore. Slavery was wrong, no matter who was enslaved.

The fae male approached us, running his long, slim fingers across the bars of the cages. All of the werewolves stepped back, eyeing him carefully, some with more respect than others.

"You are to assist me," he said in a smooth voice. "But know who is in charge."

I made a face. The snobby fae couldn't possibly be related to the twins.

"How am I supposed to help with this?" I asked loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Her?" Erossi demanded. "How can she possibly help?"

"She's strong," Fionnuala said. "And she can bring some chained ones into battle. She'll be at the heart of the battle, so we wouldn't want them to suddenly come across her, and oh, I don't know, mistakenly think she's an enemy."

I glared at Fionnuala. "I can handle it."

"Ava, no," Eddie and Gabe said in unison.

Those two in agreement was unsettling. I raised an eyebrow at them.

"They're natural enemies of vampires, Ava. Think about the danger," Eddie said.

I gazed at the nearest werewolf and stepped closer to the cage. I put my hands on the bars and studied the male. He looked strong. He held up his chin, and underneath the scruff and dirty facial hair, I saw good eyes that watched me with more than a little intelligence.

"Hi," I whispered.

He regarded me for a couple of seconds before launching himself at the bars. Fur sprouted from his face, and claws slid through the slits as I stepped out of his reach.

"Wow," I said, fascinated by the change.

His blue eyes had blackened except for a ring of yellow around the pupil. I had thought he looked wild before, but the change made him positively feral. There was no humanity in those eyes. His body was covered in fur, but he could walk on two legs or four, a little like Becca had in the end. His claws were vicious, but the brawny strength and breadth of his chest were what would scare me in a fight.

"Don't tease them," the fae yelled at me.

"I'm not. I just needed to see." I moved closer to the cage again. The werewolf had calmed. "I want him, I think. To go with me."

A whimper came from a few cages down, and the werewolf's head jerked in that direction. I hurried to the cage and saw a female with a baby in her arms. She glared when I got close, keeping her baby as far away from me as possible.

"This is awful," I said. "They aren't just wild. They shouldn't be in cages. Not separated like this."

"They'll kill each other when it's a full moon," the fae said, following me. "A male will fight another male to the death at any time of the month, but when the moon is full, a male will even destroy a female. He'll mourn her afterward, but when the control is lost, there is nothing that can be done."

"So lock the males away during the full moon, then," I said.

He hesitated, glancing at Fionnuala. "It's not my decision," he said under his breath before walking away.

"If you've quite finished playing with the puppies..." Gabe murmured. He led me away, gripping my arm so tightly I had no choice but to follow.

But when I looked back at the werewolf, he was still trying to catch a glimpse of the female, and I had to wonder what was really going on in that dungeon.

"When will they be ready?" Fionnuala was asking as we joined the group again.

"A couple of days," the fae replied. "It might take a while for them to adjust above ground."

"They'll be fine," she said briskly. "Get them ready as quickly as possible."

"It will still take a day," he insisted.

She held in a sigh. "Fine. Delaney, can you hold the vampires and their pets off for one night?"

I shrugged. "With enough help, yeah. That depends on you lot."

"As Gabe keeps telling us, working together will win the war."

I narrowed my eyes. "As long as there won't be any so-called rebel arrests, we should be fine."

Her lips pressed together tightly, and I could see it absolutely killed her to agree.

"You able to fight tonight?" I asked Gabe on the way out.

"I don't suppose I have much choice," he said, smiling.

I could almost imagine his smiles were genuine, that he actually cared about what was right. "Maybe you should stay at home. My home, I mean. Help keep an eye on things."

"I'd rather keep an eye on you. The Council will never forgive me if I let you run riot around the country."

"Shut up."

When we finally came up into white hallways again, I was desperate to leave. The Council always made me feel grimy, as if being around them tainted me even more than I already was.

"We need to make some kind of a statement," I announced when we gathered around the table again. "Like, hold a press conference or something. Tell people about the kinds of places that might be attacked. Let them have the chance to defend their own territories."

Fionnuala rolled her eyes, but Erossi said, "Of course. I should be in charge of this."

"Try not to sound so full of yourself if it's you," I said.

Eddie and Gabe muffled their laughter.

"Is there time?" Koda asked. "Darkness is coming earlier and earlier, it seems."

"There's always time to warn people," I insisted.

While Erossi organised the conference, the rest of us discussed where we should place fighters.

"We need to protect the coastlines," Gabe said.

"Yeah, but what if they're already here?" Aiden said. "We could be separating our defences in the wrong ways."

"No matter what we do, we're taking chances," Eddie said. "It will fall down to the little people in the end. The tides only turn if enough stand together."

I nodded at his words. "As long as the Guardians are out there defending and not standing around waiting for something to happen. Communication is key. We need to know where the attacks are coming from as quickly as possible. That's a huge point. Some of us can cover a lot of ground. If we can keep moving, keep backing up the weak spots, we can make it hard for the BVA to come at us in strength."

"I can't imagine they will scatter their own troops," Fionnuala said. "It would make more sense to send an army and force their way across the country."

Gabe frowned. "But then where do they start? In less defended areas so they can pick off people on the way, or will they force their way into the main cities, ensuring everyone else bows down?"

"Have they ever done anything like this before?" I asked. "And how did they actually take down Britain again?"

"By slaughtering those in charge," Koda said grimly.

"Which is why you all are hiding out here," I said, finally understanding. "Surely, if you fell, someone else would pick up the slack. It wouldn't all fall apart, right?"

They looked so confused, I wanted to laugh. They thought of themselves as indispensable. If they only knew my plans for them...

"They took over the main centre," Aiden explained. "Esther said they hit at the heart, and the rest of the country didn't know what was happening. They used force and surprise, and they won easily."

"This time, they don't have surprise, but they have force," I said. "My best guess is they'll head for this place then. So you all shouldn't be here."

"We can't abandon the headquarters," Fionnuala said sharply. "It's too important."

"Then what? Wait for them to come to you?"

"We'll defend this place as best we can if they do," she said. "But it's your job to make sure they don't get this far."

I groaned. "We're going around in circles here. If they attack, last resort is the werewolves, right? So don't bother defending. Protect the city itself. Make this place unattainable."

"She knows nothing of tactics," Fionnuala said.

"In case you've forgotten, she led a force that controlled the attack last night," Elathan pointed out. "I have more faith in her than you."

She scowled at him. "I will remain here, no matter what happens. I care not for the city."

Bitch. "Right," I said. "Looks like I'm off to fight your battles again. If any of you want to man up and join me, feel free. Eddie, if you have any spare mojo, I have a lot of people who could use it."

He glanced at Marina, who shrugged. She had been strangely quiet. "We can probably help just a little," he said.

"I'll come," Elathan said, sounding interested all of a sudden.

"And I'll keep in touch with you," Aiden added. "I can contact most of the Guardians within minutes. It'll be easier if you all communicate through me. I can have Circles heading your way any time."

"Great," I said brightly. "That's a start." We headed out to the car.

I ended up in Gabe's backseat, squashed between Marina and Elathan. Eddie sat in the passenger seat, looking absolutely delighted with himself.

"Of course I can help," he told me. "The effects will only last a couple of days, but I'm sure your home will be protected long enough."

"The entire cul-de-sac," I reminded him. "And the property the children the Council stole from the slave markets are staying in. And the flats I told you about. I told Erossi to tell people to set up evacuation centres in churches or schools, but preferably places that are a bit more secure. If we could get anyone with magic to throw up a few spells that might dissuade some vampires,that could really make a difference."

"My coven can assist," Marina said.

Eddie frowned. "We'll take care of as many places as we can, but there is no possible way we can secure the entire city in two hours. There's little we can do for anyone further out. The rest of the country will have to take care of itself."

"I know," I said. "But we can at least try. And Elathan? Don't even look at anyone crooked. I don't trust you. At all."

He laughed, a lovely sound that almost helped me forget he had once been thrown out of Hell. "Not to worry. I have no interest wasting my time on petty matters the Council seem so concerned about. No offence, Gabe."

Gabe made a noncommittal humming noise, but his knuckles turned white.

"Arrests and that sort of thing?" Elathan continued. "Not my bag. I'm happy to jump into this scrap though."

I shook my head, completely confused by the fair-haired, dark-eyed Elathan. People didn't make enough sense anymore.

Gabe drove all of us to the cul-de-sac so the witch and Eddie could throw a little protection over the area. I wasn't comfortable with them having free rein there, but without Mrs. Yaga's protection, I didn't know what else to do.

Esther was extremely pleased to see Elathan. "Um, Ava? I think he would be an excellent teammate for me. His skills sort of back up my own. You know? Right? You know?"

"Oh, for the love of... he is not boyfriend material. You know? Right? You know?"

She stuck her tongue out at me, and I pulled her into a tight hug.

"Be good," I said. "Organise the people because I need to speak to Peter."

"Sure thing, boss lady," she teased.

I strode into my home before I chickened out. Peter was sitting on the sofa. Carl had already gone outside to see what was going on, and Emmett was in Dita's home, so it was just me and Peter, a rarity of late.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. They wanted to use the children, but now they're using werewolves instead. Not tonight, maybe tomorrow though."

He whistled. "Werewolves? If the stories are true, you need to keep away from that."

"Um, they kind of... I'm going to be in the middle of the werewolves, actually."

He rubbed his eyes and swore. "Are you serious? This is what I'm talking about, Ava! You get yourself in the most impossible of situations, and you look at me like I'm a bad person when I warn you."

"Stop," I whispered. "Just say it already."

"I'm leaving tomorrow," he said bluntly, then he let out a breath. "It's good for me, and it's good for Emmett."

I shook my head a little, not wanting it to be true.

He reached out a hand. "You keep telling me to put Emmett first. Well, here I am, putting him first. It's too dangerous here right now. And the way he acted earlier... maybe his relationship with you isn't so healthy anymore. Maybe this, watching you, all of the madness combined is not helping him deal with what's happened to him."

He got up and paced the room. "I think this is the only way."

My lips trembled, but I forced the words out. "Where are you going?"

"To see the last resort. I called my dad, and he seems fine with us coming over there. I'm not sure he understands what's going on, but I have to get out of here. I need Emmett as far away from this stuff as possible."

I licked my lips, feeling as though all of the moisture in my body had been leeched away. "Are you ever coming back?"

"I hope so. But we might not. I'm sorry, Ava. I can't even ask you to come with us. Not with the way things are."

"I couldn't leave even if I wanted to," I whispered. I tried to think of life without the two of them. Of waking up every day on my own, and I felt sick again.

"So you have to make him realise he has to come with me. I can't deal with him throwing temper tantrums all the way to Spain."

"I've already told him," I said.

But he kept talking as if he didn't hear me. "I mean, this is because you've bonded too closely with him. He can't handle it now, and it's your fault, so you have to fix it. You have to."

"Peter!"

He looked at me then for the first time, his face a mix of confusion and irritation.

"Stop ruining it," I said. "This could be goodbye, either way. So stop fucking it up by acting like a dick already."

He grinned suddenly and reached for me. "I don't want to go," he said.

"I know."

"But I have to."

"I know, stupid."

"I want to come back."

I pulled away. "You're doing what I asked you to do, taking care of him. That's what you're supposed to do. Now I have to go. Will I be able to say goodbye to him tomorrow? Before you leave?"

He nodded.

I slipped out of his arms and went outside, glad he didn't follow me. "We need to move on to the next couple of places," I called out to Eddie.

He nodded and began to finish up the ritual with Marina.

"Who's staying here?" I asked Val.

"Peter and me," she said. "I need to take care of Leah and Lucia."

"Then I'll come with you," Lorcan said.

I bit my lip, not wanting him to be seen. "That won't work. You need to stay close to Lucia. After last night, this place needs more protection. Gabe, Esther, Elathan, you're all with me until we have to split up. Maybe we shouldn't split up." I stared into the distance, suddenly very unsure of myself.

"Ava, can I talk to you for a minute?" Esther asked, pulling me away from the group. Once we got out of hearing range of the others, she said, "Listen to me. I know they're leaving, but you need to keep your head together."

"Your brother's been asking for you, and I'm pretty certain the werewolf keeper is related to the twins. My head is just..."

"Okay, I can see why that might rattle you, but we're fighting a war. Yes, we're going to bump into people we might not want to see, but tough shit. We have no choice."

"I know. I'm afraid of making a massive mistake. Like last night almost became. It's getting late, and I—"

"Don't even think about that kind of thing. It'll mess with your head. You did the right thing by everyone last night. People are watching a press conference held by an immortal being right now, this very second, Ava. That's huge. It'll go a long way toward us surviving. The entire country."

"Are you safe with Elathan?" I asked. "And I mean, a mature Guardian Esther answer, not a horny schoolgirl Esther answer."

She fluttered her eyelashes at me. "I'm safe. I promise. What are you thinking then? What's the plan?"

"Aiden said he'd keep track of where the Guardians are and wherever sightings pop up, so we can deal with things as quickly as possible. I'm thinking we need to separate. If you and Elathan are cool together, you could cover a certain amount of ground. Gabe can drive Eddie and Marina around, let them put their freak on as many places as possible, and if anything shows up, they can handle it."

"What about you?"

"I'm going wherever I'm needed," I said. "I'll be quicker alone. Less distracted."

We went back to the others, and I told them the new plan, but not many of them looked convinced.

"Shouldn't we group together in case a large wave comes through?" Elathan asked, sounding less light-hearted.

"No, we need to pick them off, guerrilla style. We're Irish. It's in our blood." I smiled. "If word comes that they're focusing on one area, then we'll all end up together anyway. I think they'll try a different tactic. That's what I would do."

"And exactly how much tactical war experience do you have?" he asked smartly.

"Enough," Gabe said. "We all know what we're doing."

"Great," I said. "Esther and Elathan, I think you two should head to the flats again. At least drop in and check on 'em, make sure they're set up for another round. After that, move along to other flats and estates in the city until you get a call. Be prepared to leave the city on short notice though. I might ring Shay and see if I can keep an open line with the gardaí, my own line. Everyone, keep your phones close. If plans change, you need to be on it. Gabe, drive Eddie and Marina around until we need you."

"Where will you be?" he asked me.

"Running alone. Tomorrow I'll be with some werewolves, so I'd like to make the most of the peace tonight."

# Chapter Sixteen

I still had no real idea what I was doing. I just knew I needed to be alone. Too much had happened in the last few days. I was spinning away, unable to catch my breath.

When everything was over, people would resent me: Peter, for putting Emmett into danger; Carl, for forcing him to be honest with the people in his life; Gabe, for making his life the least comfortable it had ever been; Val, for taking away her and Leah and Lucia's safety. The list went on. I could feel the pressure of them relying on me, making me feel ready to burst and splatter us all with my ineptitude, but most of us had nothing left to lose.

The worst part was that when the war was over, we were preparing ourselves to instigate yet another. It occurred to me that Fionnuala had played the werewolf card to show us what they had on their side in case we ever got out of line. As they had warned me in the tunnels, I was part-vampire. I could easily be a natural enemy to the werewolves.

The children and the werewolves were two issues I would have to deal with sooner or later—all caged against their will, ready to be used whenever the Council desired. It couldn't feel right to those in charge unless their hearts and consciences really were non-existent.

Who was I to talk? I had made a deal with Eddie Brogan and a black magic witch. I was pulling fallen angels, hellhounds, and the demons Hell didn't want along with me. I was pushing the uncontrollable creatures into being in charge when the dust settled. But none of that sat right with me for even a second.

I made my way east, determined to be close to the coast if all hell broke loose. I would fight to the end, knowing I had done my best. Eventually, the war would run right over me.

I shivered at the morbid thoughts attacking my mood. I had to get home. I had to. I still needed to say goodbye to Emmett and to Peter, properly. I couldn't give up. Not even if I wanted to.

I kept going, more determined now that dusk approached. It had been the longest day of all time. I'd had a couple of hours sleep, tops. I had spent the entire day running around like an idiot, and I was back out in the night ready to fight a war again.

A car drove past, squealed to a stop, and reversed so the occupants could get a better look at me.

"It is her," one of the women shouted shrilly. "It is."

I ignored their pleas to look around until the driver shouted, "Show us your fangs, love!"

Tickled by the phrase, I obliged, and the car fell silent.

I stood there, staring at them, until the female in the passenger seat slapped the driver in the arm. "I told you it was true!"

I shook my head in disbelief. "Get off the streets," I said. "Weren't you listening? It's getting late. Bad things come out in the dark."

"Don't worry, love," the woman said. "We're all prepared. Got silver, crosses, stakes, the lot."

"You're going to need a lot more than that." I gave them directions to Moses's flats. "Go there if you're running away. Tell them I sent you."

They laughed as if it was a joke, and I hoped they would survive the night. I hoped they took the threat seriously.

As the car drove away, I took out my phone and rang Shay.

"I need you to keep me informed," I said before he could even say hello. "It's important that you let me know if you hear of any sightings."

"Of course," he said. "I'm in a riot van at the moment actually. The back is full of people armed to the hilt. We have a system going. It isn't exactly official, but we couldn't sit at home and wait."

"Just let me know where I'm needed," I said. "I have contact with, um, basically the supernatural version of you. In fact, I'll give you a number. Ring and tell him I told you to call. Exchange info with him, and it might work a bit more smoothly. Try not to act as though he's the scum on your shoe, even though he isn't actually human, all right?"

"Ava, don't. I didn't mean to... I was in shock, and I handled it badly. The way Peter told it made it seem like... listen. It doesn't even matter. You're right. I was wrong. I hope you can forgive me."

I heard cheers and whistles in the background and rolled my eyes. "I don't even care, Shay. Just do what I asked. I'll text you the number."

I hung up, feeling as though I had dealt with another thread: Shay and Aiden connecting with each other. I hoped it would make it easier not to step on anyone's toes.

A thrill of excitement ran through me at the idea I was bringing my two worlds together. As long as they didn't collide in a mass of blood, spit, and hellfire, we would be okay.

Dusk approached, and goose bumps rose on my skin. It was time. I remained permanently on edge, my senses reaching out as far as I could manage. Before I could find anything, my phone rang. I answered with a harsh greeting.

"Ava, we heard there's a disturbance at the port," Shay said. "I'm about to call your contact, but I wanted to let you know first."

"Don't bother calling me unless nobody else can deal with it. I'm on it though. I'll let you know if it's anything." I was about to hang up when I heard a sound in the distance. "Hold on a second," I said to Shay.

I sent out my other sight to figure out what was coming. I saw two energies that might be beasts, but they were too fast. It didn't make sense. Then a sound made me see everything clearly. "Oh, crap," I said. "They're in a helicopter."

"What?"

"Two of those things. In a helicopter. It's not coming this way. I don't know where it's going."

"Where exactly are you right now?"

I told him, and he said he'd get on it. He hung up, and I imagined him calling everyone with the news. I remembered the private jet I had travelled in with a couple of members of the BVA before. They had money. Enough for a fleet of helicopters? Possibly.

I ran in the direction of the helicopter, despite knowing I could never catch it. Other energy forms popped up in my view, only some of them the vampire's beasts. For the first time, I began to look forward to being paired with werewolves.

A nothingness came into my line of sight, closely followed by a beast. I hid in a doorway, trying to figure out what was going on. Definitely a vampire, but why were they so close to the beast? Or rather, how?

They both passed me by, running at speed, but the beast glanced around, and I saw his face was covered with a silver muzzle. It snarled, but the vampire urged it forward, pulling at a silver chain with gloved hands. The beast's feet were chained together to make sure it couldn't get a good pace going.

I followed from a distance, texting Shay to let him know what I had seen so he could pass the info onto Aiden. The beast kept howling, freaking out at my presence, but the idiotic vampire remained oblivious, and I guessed she was a young one. They were less perceptive.

The vampire stopped at an apartment building and kicked open the door. I was there before she could release the beast, my dagger all nice and glowy in my hand.

She snarled at me, but she obviously picked up something different about me, because she backed off. Her hand reached to release the beast. Kicking the beast out of the way, I threw myself at the vampire. But the beast thumped me in the back, hulk-smash-style.

Covering my groan, I rolled out of the way of the beast, pulling the vampire on top of me. She was no fighter, and it was easy to use her as a handy shield while the beast pummelled at us. She screamed, and I gutted her with the dagger, rolling out of the way as her body burned. The beast stared, his head cocked to the side. I made the most of the distraction by severing his spinal cord. I had been practicing that move. He lay twitching until I put him out of his misery.

It was going to be one of those long nights again. I felt it in the air, tasted it on my tongue. I fished my phone out of my pocket while I ran in the direction the vampire had originally come from.

"Any news?" I asked Shay when he answered. "Just took one down, but he was still muzzled, so I'm not sure it counts. The vampire leading him wasn't a trained fighter. Strong, but clueless. Probably a younger one."

"No concrete sightings as of yet, but Aiden said he has enough people close to the port," Shay said. "Only vague info on the helicopter. Watch yourself, Ava. They have a plan. Make sure you're not too close to the middle of it."

"I'll be fine," I said. "Wouldn't it be handy if they were all hiding out in a warehouse I could set on fire?"

I heard excited voices in the background and the word "helicopter." Shay told me to call him back in ten minutes.

Aiden rang me first. "Guardians have a sighting. The helicopter dropped out two of the things, just like you told that garda. You vouch for him, by the way?"

"Yeah, he'll hear the human side of the story tonight, I reckon. Work with him, and we should be able to handle this. Did he tell you they're muzzling the animals now? That's how they're leading them around."

"Yeah, he did. Any word from Esther?"

"She's with Elathan."

He made a choked sound. "He'll be able to take care of her anyway."

"She can take care of herself," I said.

"So you're alone? Nobody else with you?"

"No, I sent them out. Why?"

"Just be careful is all."

I hung up and kept moving, trying to find something, anything. I found a gang of teenage shifters. Little idiots on the streets on a night like that.

"Shouldn't you be at home?" I asked snappily, and the five of them glanced at me in surprise. One, the smallest one, tried to square up to me, and I burst out laughing. He looked furious, but I couldn't help it.

"Run along home before something bigger comes along and eats you," I said, shaking my head.

Then I felt it. Something coming. The shifters sensed it seconds after I did.

"Run," I whispered, but they didn't. Stupidly stubborn little idiots. "Get out of here. I mean it!"

"Tony, let's go," one of them said, backing away. His friends gathered behind me until I felt like kicking their arses.

"Leave," I shouted, as a beast came running down the road toward us. Her face was covered in blood, and a broken muzzle hung from her neck. "Somebody left the gate open," I said, half to myself, and ran to meet the thing.

Fuelled by fresh blood, she threw herself at me, and the force of her weight sent us both skidding along the road. When I tried to get to my feet, my entire back felt as though all the skin had been torn away.

The shifters surrounded us, snarling and snapping, ready to join in the fight. They didn't shift, and I vaguely wondered if they were still underage or just didn't want to strip in the street.

The beast swung at me, walloping my face so hard, my head snapped back and blood flew out of my mouth. I released my fangs and bit a chunk out of a hand that got too close to my face on the beast's attempt at a second swipe. The beast howled, and the shifters kicked at it.

"Get out of here," I shouted as the beast stomped on me.

It leaped over the heads of the shifters. Jumping to my feet, I ran after the beast, but the shifter kids followed. The beast and I tussled again, and the shifters managed to grab her, pulling at her limbs, their eyes bright with adrenalin. Making the most of the situation, I ran the sword Val had loaned me through the beast's neck. She gurgled for a few seconds, but a second strike straight through the skull finished her off.

"That was so fucking cool," a blood-splattered teen cried.

I whipped out my phone and rang Aiden. "Hey, I need someone to come and pick up a gang of shifter kids. One's called Tony. Yeah, I'll hold them here. No worries." I reached out and yanked back the only one stupid enough to make a move to run. I gave Aiden directions and forced the kids to sit on the curb while we waited. I didn't have the heart to leave them alone in case another beast found them.

I decided a good old lecture was in order. "You just made me rat on you to your alpha." All of their faces paled. "Do you realise how stupidly dangerous that was? You could have been killed. While I'm babysitting you lot, innocent people could be dying because I'm not there to stop it. Have you ever—"

"We did a good job though," one of them said, grinning cheekily.

"Yeah, thanks for the help, children," I said, unable to keep from grinning back. "Now it's way past your bedtime."

We exchanged banter until a riot van came by a half-hour later. A garda leaned out the window, eyeing the dead beast with disgust. "Heard you needed help with some delinquents."

"Ah, they helped kill a beast, so I'd say that gets them off the hook."

The gardaí guided the teens into the back of the van. I followed at a distance for a few minutes, just in case they had any trouble with beasts or teenage shifters.

I called Shay. He had a few reports of attacks, but they were all being handled already.

"Weird night," I said. "Too many drips and drabs."

"Yeah, I expected more tonight. Aiden's been telling me stories. Don't know whether to believe half of them."

"I take it the riot van came from you."

"For the kids? Yeah, we were closer and—"

Rapid voices in the background and static interrupted him.

"You anywhere near the city?" he asked.

"Not really. I can be soon enough."

"Get this. Beasts coming up from the ground in a park of all places. Aiden said you're needed pronto."

"Like, tunnels? Where exactly am I heading?"

He gave me vague directions, so I thanked him, hung up, and called Gabe to figure out what was going on.

"Maybe it's some abandoned tunnels," he offered. "I've had no reports of the Council's headquarters being breached."

"This is weird."

"Yeah. I'll meet you there unless something else pops up."

Gabe asked me to meet him at the park, deep in the city centre. I ran there and waited for him outside the entrance. I heard no disturbance and saw no signs of a beast.

When he arrived, I said, "Thought there was supposed be an attack here?"

He frowned. "Me, too. Check your info. Mine can't be trusted."

I gave Shay a quick call. "You sure about this place?" I asked him.

"Aiden was pretty adamant that it's hot. Something about a playground being the doorway."

I hung up and told Gabe what Shay had said.

"So where's the action then?" he asked, still frowning.

"Should we go in?"

"What? Underground?"

"If we have to."

He swallowed hard. "Not sure that's the greatest idea. We'll go to the entrance though and see if anything else is coming through."

"Someone had to help them for this to happen," I whispered as we approached the playground. The sand had been moved aside, revealing a hole in the ground. I could see something coming in my other sight, and I realised the beasts were still underground. That made less sense.

"Get ready," I said, feeling something right under me.

The grass erupted as a clawed hand shot up and clutched my ankle. I tripped, knocking Gabe out of the way. The earth collapsed beneath me. I scrambled at the edges, reaching for Gabe's outstretched hand as I kicked my way out of the beast's grip.

Grassy earth kept tumbling, forcing Gabe back onto solid ground. I slid halfway down, frantically trying to climb back up. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw an old tunnel, but it wasn't the pristine white surface I had come to expect from the Council's many passageways.

The fallen earth blocked the way of most of the beasts, but some were free to clamber over each other to get to me. One yanked me on top of the rubble, and I was forced to fight hand to hand, choking on dirt and earth.

"Ava!" Gabe called out.

"Get ready to catch me," I cried, coughing on soil I kept managing to swallow.

I fought off one beast only to face two more. The others grew closer to breaking through the obstruction keeping me safe from their fangs. I knew I couldn't fight them all at once, so my best bet was to hold off the first couple, then haul myself out of there.

I heard Gabe shouting at somebody and assumed he was on the phone. I slashed out with the dagger and kicked beasts away, but one finally broke through the fallen debris, its arms reaching out as the mob of beasts at its back pressed against it. It grabbed my hair, catching me off-guard. I twisted and sliced with my dagger, cutting off some of my own hair along with a few of the beast's fingers.

Before the trapped beasts could free themselves completely, I quickly killed one foe, dodged the next, and scrambled up the side of the tunnel. A hand pulled me back down. I would never reach the top without getting bitten.

Falling, I narrowly avoided my attacker's fangs, fighting hard in the small space. The closer quarters were more to my advantage than the beasts', and I somehow managed to break its neck. I pushed the body against the side of the destroyed tunnel and climbed higher. Hands grabbed at me as the beasts cleared away more of the debris, but I kept kicking and punching, doing whatever I could to get out of there and reach Gabe's outstretched hands.

Fangs sank into my side, which immediately went numb, and my eyes widened in shock.

I hadn't gotten the chance to say goodbye to Emmett.

Gabe gripped my hands, and his mask slipped enough for me to see his fear. I was screwed. He got a good hold on me, but the paralysis was already creeping up my chest and shoulders.

"I can't hold on," I whispered, feeling my arms go numb.

"Close your eyes and use my light, Ava. Use it!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, but I could still see golden lights shooting out of him. They warmed the parts of my body I could still feel. I knew I was dead weight hanging from Gabe's fingers, pulling him down, too. I struggled to think, to use the light, control it somehow. I remembered the time Gabe and I had helped Carl, how the light had been part of me, too, and I tried to emulate that emotion. But I needed a weapon.

With the last bit of my strength, I pushed hard with everything I had. I was on a different plane of existence, using magic that didn't belong to me, turning what was pure into pain, and it worked.

I heard screams from below and felt myself being hauled upward. I couldn't speak, but I could still open my eyes. I saw rays of intense light shooting out of me and into the beasts. Their eyeballs exploded, and blood ran from their ears.

They never stopped screaming, not even when Gabe let go of my hands and the light faded away. He kicked away the beast that had been hauled up with me. It fell back down, screaming, screaming in my ear with a sound that never ended.

I sensed my skin wrinkle from the amount of blood I'd lost, but as soon as the numbing stopped and I began to feel again, I realised I was okay. I hadn't lost that much after all. My legs had been bitten, and my side was a mess, but I was alive. My face was wet, and when I wiped at it, my hands came away bloody.

"You saved me," I whispered.

Gabe knelt next to me. "I told you I've always been one to make bad decisions."

Before I could speak again, a couple of gardaí showed up. Detectives, I figured, by the vests they wore. Two of them came over to the hole and shot every single one of the remaining beasts in the head.

"They were already dying," Gabe whispered to me, and I glanced at him, trying to say thank you. But then I realised he was pissed.

"Where were you?" he demanded of the gardaí.

"We were told to keep away, that this was already taken care of by your crowd," one of the gardaí said.

"This was a total fucking setup," I whispered hoarsely, struggling to find my voice. I spat blood out of my mouth in disgust.

"I hate to say it, but it looks that way," Gabe said. "Reports of deaths, yet there was nothing going on when we got here. No signs of any kinds of struggles before we arrived."

"Well, it wasn't our side," the garda said calmly. "Need any more help? An ambulance maybe?"

"Nah, I need to get back to it," I said. But when I tried to sit up, I failed epically. "This is ridiculous."

"If you could help me carry her to my car without injuring her, I could take her home," Gabe said. "She'll be fine after a few hours."

"I don't have a few hours," I grumbled.

"You're no use to anyone with half your side gone," Gabe snapped. "And I can't help you now you've stolen all of my juice."

"I can't control it!"

"Maybe we should get you two out of here," the garda said, exchanging glances with his colleagues.

"Fine," I grumped. "And tell Shay thanks a fucking lot for sending me out here."

I wasn't altogether certain if it had been Shay sending me to my death, and I really didn't care. With the paralysis fading, I hurt way too much. My side would heal, but I had wanted to stay out all night, just in case.

"It's late anyway," Gabe said when I was deposited into his backseat. "You wouldn't have missed much."

"Pity I couldn't have missed that fiasco," I muttered. "I could spit. Literally spit."

"Not in my car," he said. He drove as fast as possible without careening all over the road, and his tension mirrored my own.

"Thanks, Gabe."

He glanced at me in the mirror, worry plain in his eyes. I tried to shrug, but it took too much effort, so I lay as still as possible and concentrated on how good Gabe smelled. I liked to imagine it was the light inside him. But he was fallen. Maybe that made a difference.

"Gabe?"

"You shouldn't speak."

"How come you weren't sent to Hell? I mean because you're a fallen angel."

He sighed. "This doesn't look like Hell to you?"

When we arrived at the cul-de-sac, Gabe leapt out of the car and banged on Anka's door because he still couldn't carry me. I didn't know how he had managed to pull me out of that death trap.

"Ridiculous night," I mumbled, feeling dizzy.

Val ran out of the house, closely followed by the twins. When they saw me, they winced, and I knew it had to look bad.

"Take me anywhere but my place," I whispered urgently. "I don't want Emmett to see this."

Val nodded, and she and Lorcan carried me to the cottage Cam and Kate were staying in with Margie.

Margie clucked sympathetically as I was carried onto her sofa. "Did yourself some fierce damage," she said, shaking her head.

"I'll pay for any... stains or whatever," I said breathily.

After that, life got dark for a while. I could hear voices buzzing around me, but the whole healing thing was taking a lot out of me. Or at least I hoped that was my problem.

I heard Peter's voice and struggled to open my eyes. "You're not leaving yet, are you?"

"Not yet," he said, his voice softening. "Heard you got yourself into a bit of a scrap."

"No big deal. You should see how it turned out for the other—" I winced with pain.

"Do you need—"

"Nope. Not at all."

"Eddie's on his way to patch you up. Think you can hold on for a while?"

"Hold on to what? Nothing bothering me. I'm a little tired though. Can I nap?"

He brushed my hair out of my eyes, and I smiled gratefully.

"You should definitely sleep," he said. "Busy day later. Busier night. Need you in top shape."

His smile was the last thing I saw.

# Chapter Seventeen

I awoke to something burrowing its way out of my stomach.

"Oh, holy crap!"

"Hold her down!"

Iron hands pinched my shoulders and legs, keeping me in place while whatever was eating me kept going. I squeezed open an eye and saw some of my friends surrounding me.

Val gripped my arm. "Stop struggling," she said firmly.

"What's going on?" I asked, and then my head flew off into the distance. "Ooh." I lay back in a daze.

"Eddie gave you something for the pain, but it's made you kind of loopy," Carl said, and his grin went wide... like beyond his cheeks wide.

I wriggled my entire body to scratch an itch on my lower back, and everybody seemed to sigh as one, except it echoed until it thundered in my ears. "Ouchy."

Carl couldn't hold in his laughter.

I frowned at him. "Loud."

I looked down and saw Eddie leaning over my midsection, lighting a black candle on the table next to us.

"It's Evil Eddie," I squealed.

Carl covered his mouth and left the room.

Eddie sighed impatiently. "Does anyone have the power to silence her for five minutes? Any means possible."

As he straightened, I caught sight of the jagged, ugly wound in my side. I leaned over and vomited on the floor.

Everything got noisy again, and somewhere in between the arguments over who had to clean it up, I fell asleep.

***

The sun streamed through the window the next time I awoke, and I realised I was in my own bed. I tried to sit up, and my side was extremely stiff and sore. Pulling away the covers and lifting a blood-soaked vest, I saw a bandage strapped over much of my side and stomach.

I lay back down and sighed, feeling uncomfortable. The night before was screwed up in my head, but I felt as though I should be angry at someone. I just couldn't remember who. Hearing voices downstairs, I decided to investigate. Plus, I was half-starved and intent on ignoring those nasty blood cravings that had haunted me for the last few days.

It took me a while to get to my feet, but once I began walking around, I felt a lot looser, and the pain eased a little. Something itched under the dressings, and I rubbed at the bandage, but it didn't help. I put on a dressing gown and shuffled downstairs, feeling extremely grumpy.

In my kitchen, Carl, Eddie, and Esther had gathered around the table, but I ignored them to scavenge for food. I wasn't sure what I thought of the fact everyone on the planet had decided letting themselves into my home was acceptable. Peter was conspicuously absent. Carl shoved a delicious-smelling wrapper in front of my face, which led to temporary forgiveness.

"Got you a breakfast roll earlier," he said, grinning.

I whipped the food out of his hand and tried to sit on the counter. I changed my mind at the serious pain the action provoked and leaned against it instead. Carl poured me a cup of coffee while I ate, and I realised people were staring at me.

"What?" I asked with my mouth full.

Eddie shook his head. "Are you feeling better at the very least?"

"Yeah. What happened again?"

"You got into a fight with a bunch of beasts," Esther said, staring hard at me.

"Yeah, I remember that. Some fucker set me up. I meant after that. What's this?" I pointed at my side.

"Had to draw out the poison," Eddie said. "Cleansing paste, just in case. You were pretty badly hurt."

"I was fine," I insisted. "I just needed to sleep."

"You were totally high," Carl said. "Eddie gave you painkillers, and you were off your head. Funniest thing I've ever seen."

I shrugged. "Must have been some strong stuff."

"Fae made," Eddie said. "It was the only thing I could think of to stop you from ripping at your wound. You kept trying to scratch it, so I feared something was stuck inside you. I still don't know what was wrong with you."

"Where's Gabe?"

"He's trying to find answers," Esther said.

"From who?"

"The humans," she said. "They're the ones who passed on the message to you, right?"

"Yeah, but it was your brother who..." I bit my lip, thinking hard. Shay had mentioned Aiden's name. Said I was needed badly. But before that, Aiden had made sure I was alone. "He asked if you were with me or if I was alone," I said.

"He wouldn't," she said, looking scared. "You can't think he would—"

My glare silenced her. She shook her head and left.

"Don't be hard on her," Carl said. "Not her fault her brother's a prick."

"So you think it was him?"

He made a face. "Who else? The problem is the connection between him and the BVA. How can we prove it? What if his orders came from above? And if Reuben is the big bad we've been looking for, then why would Aiden follow him?"

"You're up," Peter said from the doorway. "Can we talk?"

I nodded, grabbed my coffee, and followed him upstairs.

"You okay?" he asked when I sat on the bed. He stood at the end, looking uptight and annoying.

"Suppose. You?"

"I'm going before dark."

"Are you... really, Peter?"

"Can't wait until after dark. What happened to you last night? That pissed me off, and I can't watch it happen again."

"Gabe helped me."

"Gabe should be one of our suspects! The Council will be the death of you, Ava. I'm not waiting around for that to happen. I need to get Emmett out now."

"You think he'll be happy in Spain?"

"He'll get some sun. And he'll get to know his grandfather." He made a face. "Still not sure if that's a good thing or not." He cleared his throat, rubbing the tattooed cross on his inner wrist.

"What?"

"Yvonne's coming with us." He squinted a little as if he expected me to throw something at him.

"What? I mean... why would she be going?"

"She wants to spend more time with Emmett, and he needs a woman around. He likes women better than men. She can help get his mind off you."

I scowled at him.

"She's coming on one condition," he said, looking away again.

"And that is?" My mind came up with a million reasons I didn't like.

"Nothing that affects us," he said firmly, and I stared at him in surprise. "Leave it, Ava."

"Fine," I practically shouted. "Everyone keep telling me what they want me to do, and I'll do it."

"Relax." He came over and plonked down next to me. "So tell me about last night. Before the bit where you were a raving lunatic, I mean."

I thumped his stomach, and he laughed.

"It was a long night. I deserve an off moment."

"Gabe said you were in a bad way. That your nose was bleeding, and your ears... sounded nasty. He didn't think you were going to make it."

"I can't remember much about it." So I had reacted as the beasts did. Was that because my body couldn't handle using Gabe's power so forcefully, or because I was the kind of thing Gabe's light was meant to destroy?

"You look a lot better today," he said, and I rolled my eyes. "What?" he asked. "You're always complaining we act like you haven't been hurt. I'm saying you look like you're not."

"It hurt," I mumbled. "And I was scared. I can't do everything by myself."

He took my hand, stroking it with calloused fingers. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"I'm not. You might have fallen into the pit of hungry beasts with me."

He smiled. "I wouldn't have chickened out and needed to be saved by an angel, of all things."

I kicked him and groaned. "How am I supposed to fight when I'm so sore?"

"You suck it up," he said. "Should I bring Emmett up to say goodbye?"

It was really happening. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I had been holding them in for a while, but he seemed shocked.

"I'm sorry," he said. He wrapped his arms around me, but when I moved to kiss him, he pulled away. "I'll be right back."

He returned a few minutes later with Emmett. He checked my face. I had dried the tears. Peter left us alone together.

"I don't want to go," Emmett said as soon as his father was gone. "You're hurt. You need us to protect you."

"I'll be fine in a little while," I said. "Listen, Emmett, your dad's right. It's not safe here, and if anything happened to you, it would kill me. My heart would break."

He glared at me sullenly, but when I pulled him to me for a hug, he let out a sob that ripped my heart in two.

"I don't want you to go," I whispered. "But I need you to be safe. And I need you to be happy. Can you at least try?"

He nodded, wiping away tears with his sleeves. "I want to hate everyone," he said, hiccupping another sob. "But I'll try. Only for you."

We hugged again; I didn't want to let him go, but I had no choice. Who would be next to leave me? But maybe it was time for me to push them to safety.

A while later in the kitchen, I asked Carl, "Any chance at all of you going with them?"

He seemed startled. "What?"

"Would you go with them? To be safe? To not get yourself killed here because of me."

"Shut up, you headcase." He squeezed my shoulder and left the room.

I couldn't stay easy, but it was a good distraction from the pain I was in. Between needing much more sleep than usual and the whole getting bitten thing, I wasn't exactly on top of my game, and I really needed to be.

Too soon, it was time for Peter and Emmett to leave. They were going to meet Yvonne at the airport and fly to Spain together. One happy little family. The one thing I had always wanted for Emmett. The one thing I wanted to destroy as I watched them walk away.

I kept swallowing, hoping to keep down the bile. It felt so wrong to see them leave, so wrong for them to not be with me anymore. Carl kept a firm arm around my shoulder as we waved both Brannigans off. They had driven out of sight before he let me fall apart.

"You have about an hour to be a girl," he teased. "Then you have to get ready to meet the werewolf king."

"That's not funny," I said. "Everyone is leaving me, and I just can't... I can't..."

"I'm here," he said, looking at me funny. "But if that's not good enough..."

"Shut up." I wrapped my arms around him. "Thanks for being here, but like you said, I don't have time to act like a normal human being. For fuck's sake."

He kissed the top of my head. "Go. Distract yourself. But I'll keep a hidden supply of chocolate, just in case."

I smiled as I walked away, but the heartache hurt worse than my shredded side. I went to Anka to see if everyone was okay, and Dita flung herself at me, sobbing her little heart out.

"I'm going to miss him," she cried.

"You'll see him again," I said.

"Promise?"

"You think I won't see him again? Don't even think about that being an option, because it is so not."

She smiled and wiped her eyes. "He was a stupid, bossy boy anyway. I don't even care if he's gone."

"Well, that's the spirit, I suppose."

"He seemed upset," Anka said, drying her hands as she came into the hall.

"He'll get over it. Right?" Anka was the only real mother I knew, so I took a lot of cues from her at times.

"He'll adjust, but this might always be the place he thinks of as home."

Home. I'd had a home once. I still had a family member who needed me. "If anyone's looking for me, tell them I'll be back before dark," I said. "I need to do some things."

I left Anka's house and made my way to my grandmother's home. Nancy's place was empty, and I actually forgot until I walked up to the gate. I had to turn back, go around the corner, and find my ex-boyfriend's house.

His mother answered the door, her face falling when she saw me. She plastered on a fake smile, but it was too late.

"I just wanted to see if Nancy's okay," I said, suddenly embarrassed.

That very human family didn't want much to do with the likes of me. I had known it even before I knocked on the door.

"She's in the living room," she said abruptly. "Go on in to her."

I hobbled in to see Nancy, but she seemed terrified when she saw me, mumbling about monsters and vampires and blood and angels. I didn't stay long. I was making her suffer, even if I didn't want to anymore.

# Chapter Eighteen

Gabe and Eddie were waiting impatiently when I returned to the cul-de-sac.

"What's with the welcome party?" I asked.

"We need to pair you up with the werewolves," Gabe said. "One of our vampires-turned-traitor informed us there's a huge battle planned for tonight."

"You expect me to help the Council after last night?"

"This is bigger than the Council," he said.

"And if it's just another trap for me?"

"It's not," he said firmly. "And even if it were, the werewolves could turn the tide for us. It's worth it."

"Thanks a bunch," I snapped. "Save a chick's life, and you think you can throw it away then?"

"You talk to her," he told Eddie. "She's impossible!" He jumped in his car and slammed the door, sitting there like a stroppy teen.

"What on earth is going on with you two?" Eddie asked in an amused voice. He was always happy when I had nobody but him to turn to. "Come inside and let me check your bandage. It's due a change."

I brought him into my living room. Emmett was gone, so it didn't make much of a difference.

I winced as Eddie lifted the bandage, then bit down on a yell when he cleaned the wound.

"It's, well, I wouldn't say healing nicely, but it's not as nasty as before," Eddie said, screwing up his nose.

"Right. Got anything that will stop the pain for a night?"

"It hurts already?"

"Extremely."

"I can try to numb the area some more, but there's not a lot more I can do for you. I'm not a miracle worker, and the wound is seeping. You haven't been taking care of yourself lately. You're run down, and you refuse the one thing your body needs to repair itself quickly."

"But can I fight?"

"Tonight? Probably. But expect to crawl home afterward."

"Peter's gone," I said to change the subject.

He rummaged in his bag and took out a jar of ointment. "I did hear a rumour. You seem to be dealing with it well."

I glared at him, feeling an unusual urge to pout. "Why wouldn't I?"

"No reason. I wondered. That's all. I have something for you. Something for you to wear in case the werewolves become a little too interested in you."

"What?"

"Wolfsbane. It's a repellent, basically."

"I'll be okay. I don't think a repellent would quite cut it. So who tried to kill me last night?"

"Are you asking if it was me?" he said sharply.

"Is that what I should be asking?"

He taped on a fresh bandage with a smirk. "Of course not. We're partners, are we not? Have you heard from your boss recently?"

"Who, Daimhín? No, she's hiding. Or holidaying. One or the other."

"I wondered which side she would stand on."

"She went neutral. Figured it was safer. Which it probably was."

"For her," he said in a stern voice. "Not a wise choice for the rest of us. We could have used her vampires."

"We have werewolves," I said in a little girl's voice.

He smiled. "Who knows if they even fight? We haven't heard much of these werewolves."

"Why are they caged up like that? It's creepy. And who is their trainer? Does he live there? With the werewolves?"

"He's Fionnuala's son," he said. "He embarrassed her years back, and he was sent away. Turned out he was training werewolves all along. I wonder how long he's been locked away with them. He must be very... loyal."

I frowned. The more I learned, the more questions I had. Our world frequently unsettled me.

"Are you ready to leave?" he asked softly, almost affectionately.

"Suppose. Not much choice."

He stroked my hair, and I froze to the spot.

"Stay alive," he said. "I'll need you."

I hurried out to Gabe's car and let myself in. "Thanks a bunch for leaving me with Creepy Eddie."

He made a dismissive sound. "Don't you mean Evil Eddie?"

"That, too. What's the freaking plan then?"

He shook his head. "The plan was to bring you to the werewolves. I don't know anything else. I don't want to know anything else. I don't want to be involved in any of this."

"What's up your nose?"

He waved me off. "Shouldn't you be giving orders to people?"

"I dunno. I have no idea what's going on. Where did the vampire say the fight was going to be?"

"At the headquarters," he said. "They've given up what they've tried so far, and now they're going straight to the source."

"As if the Council had anything to do with keeping them at bay. I never get credit for anything."

"Not today, Ava," he said wearily. "I don't have the energy for this."

"So what should I tell everyone then?"

"Tell them to meet us there if you want. We'll need the backup. Make sure they're ready to leave before it's over in case the Council get their act together and start to make arrests."

"What about the humans?"

"Let them defend their own tonight," he said. "No sense in them being slaughtered for a group of people who don't care about them."

"They're coming after you, too," I said, suddenly realising. "Is that what's wrong with you? That you're on their shit list?"

"Does it feel like a good night to die, Ava?"

I shrugged. "Last night felt like my night, Gabe. What do I know?"

"I thought you were going to give up for a moment there. I thought you were about to let go of my hand."

"I couldn't do that."

"It might have been easier. The pain would have stopped soon."

"You helped me," I said. "You didn't have to. You could have saved yourself a lot of hassle if you didn't."

He stared out the window. "Go tell your friends to meet us at the headquarters if they're interested in joining the fight. I can't imagine they will."

"Elathan has to be there, right? I think Esther will go, too. Maybe Val."

"But not the twins," he said, the corner of his mouth curving upward.

"Definitely not the twins. Not on this night."

"If tonight is the night. If it is the night to die, I want to say it's been interesting knowing you."

"Likewise. Hold on, and I'll go talk to everyone."

"Hurry."

I left his car and ran around the houses, asking everyone to gather together on the street so I could give them all an update at once. They took the news as grimly as I expected.

"So if anyone wants to fight, they can, but don't feel like it's a requirement. This place needs fighters, too."

"I'll come," Lorcan said immediately.

"I'm sorry," I told him. "I need you here." He looked impatient, but I had an extra reason for keeping him at home. I didn't want him near the fae until I figured out more about Fionnuala and her son. "Esther, you up for it?"

She nodded, but she seemed low.

"Hey," I said. "We're all alive. Let's keep it that way. Don't get distracted. Elathan might need you later." I winked at her, but her smile was weak.

"I can come with you," Carl said, despite knowing how I would answer.

"No," I said anyway.

"I don't know," Val said. "I don't know if it will be safe to leave Leah. Or my hosts."

"It's totally up to you," I said. "But maybe I'll feel better if you stay here. There'll be other fights. We don't want the Council to learn all of your tricks."

In the end, only Esther came with Gabe and me. I was kind of relieved, but I did fear that things would get awkward between Aiden and Esther if they crossed paths. Or between Aiden and me when I tried to pay him back for almost getting me killed.

The Guardians seemed surprised to see me when I arrived, and Gabe gave me a secret smile.

"I didn't discuss last night's events with anyone," he said. "Rumours of your demise have been repeatedly exaggerated." Gabe led me straight into a meeting room just below ground.

Fionnuala almost fell off her chair when she saw me. "You're alive?"

"Oh, didn't you know?" I said as I took a seat. "I come back to life. Resurrection is one of my superpowers."

Esther smothered a giggle and sat next to me. Coyle stood by the far wall, and I ignored the nausea he provoked. He left the room abruptly, and I wondered if he was going to warn Aiden to keep out of my way. Lucky Aiden, if so, but I made a mental note to ask Gabe when Coyle had resurfaced.

"We were told you died last night," Koda said. "I'm glad to see those whispers were false."

I stared back at him, wondering if he was being truthful; I thought he just might have been. "Thanks," I said. "So where are my werewolves?"

"Can't believe you get a pet," Esther whispered, and I elbowed her in the ribs.

Gabe took a seat on the other side of me. "Yes, where are her werewolves?" He raised his voice, drawing attention from the entire room.

"Well, we didn't think—" Fionnuala began in a prim voice.

"But you said," Gabe interjected. "And now you know."

They exchanged icy glares. It was nice to be around someone Fionnuala approved of even less than she did me.

"We're running out of time." For once, Erossi didn't sound cocky, and I wondered if that was because the BVA were after him, or because I was alive when he thought he had killed me already.

Gabe had been right a long time ago. There were too many possibilities when it came to the Council. They were too unpredictable for me to work out without more evidence. For the billionth time, I wondered how I had come to be involved in so much crap. And I tried my very best not to think about Peter or Emmett.

"How can we be sure she won't join the rest of her kind?" Fionnuala asked in a snooty voice.

"There are very few trustworthy people in this room, but I happen to be one of them," I replied, trying to sound just as snooty. "And they are not my kind."

"I'm having second thoughts about this," she said as if I hadn't spoken. "I don't trust her with our weapons."

"It was your idea," Gabe said. "May I remind you of that?"

"Yes," Koda added. "It was your idea, Fionnuala. Why the change of heart?"

"The creature reminded me of her personality," she said, a look of disgust on her face as she stared at me.

"I'm not so keen on you either, Thunderstruck. But let's get on with it, shall we?"

"Time's running out," Koda said, but he seemed unconcerned. Was tonight his night to die? "Someone bring her through the tunnels if they won't come to us."

Fionnuala started to stand. "This is—"

"As you wanted it," Gabe said firmly. "Come, Ava. Let's go meet your team for the night."

I grabbed Esther's hand, determined she see for herself. We hurried into the hidden tunnel and walked briskly to the werewolf cells.

Esther's pulse raced in the darkness. The cages, the werewolves, the enclosed quarters all horrified Esther, but her fingers squeezed mine a little tighter when she laid eyes on the infamous trainer.

"Once I let them out of the cage they will be pure animal," he warned. "I'll need the rest of you to leave because the change means they are uncontrollable. They are beasts."

"We saw one change the last time," I reminded him as the others made a hasty retreat.

"That wasn't a complete change," he said. "They can't in those cages. Be prepared, little one."

I nodded. "So what do I do?"

"Both of us will bring two werewolves each on silver chains," he said.

"Only two?"

"Two is enough for anyone. The longer they are in close proximity to each other, the greater the chances of a dominance battle."

"And... what if they want to eat me?"

He leaned over and sniffed my neck, his nose brushing against my skin. I froze, my throat drying up. "Interesting. There is a scent that will pique their interest. Who chose you for this task?"

"Your mother, apparently. You're Phoenix, right?"

He rubbed his chest, a little agitated. "That is my name."

"How come you never tried to find Helena again?"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Who?"

I stared at him, seeing only blankness in his eyes. "Never mind." Was I wrong? Or was there something wrong with him?

"I will try you with one wolf," he said. "If you survive that, you may survive the night."

He opened the cage containing the same werewolf I had requested. He held a whip alive with magic in his left hand, and the werewolf cowered in the back corner of the cage.

"This one is strong," he said. "I figured we would start with a good werewolf, seeing as you requested him." Phoenix stepped forward and tried to chain the werewolf.

The werewolf stopped struggling to stare at me, murder in his eyes.

"Hey again," I said softly, feeling only pity for the creature. He looked like a feral human, and I could only imagine what his true werewolf form looked like.

Phoenix jerked the werewolf out of the cage, pulling the chain he had attached to the collar. The collar hung loose, and I opened my mouth to mention it when a sound rumbled under my feet. It took me a couple of seconds to realise the noise was a growl coming from the werewolf's throat. Uh-oh.

The growl grew into a deafening roar, and as the werewolf reared back, his body rapidly growing fur all over. Phoenix ended up on his knees. The other werewolves moved to the backs of their cages, and I took a few steps backward too.

The creature's fingers grew into obscene claws, and his back hunched over, forcing the man onto four legs. His legs and arms ballooned in size, his skin and fur tight over the bulging muscles and popping veins. A magnificent tail swished from side to side, and the man's face finally turned wolf-like slowly, agonisingly. His nose lengthened and darkened, fur covering it in its new entirety. His teeth outgrew his mouth, reminding me of Becca, somehow. His ears pricked upward, and even his neck expanded rapidly.

I felt tiny and irrelevant before the creature, and when he reared up again, I realised he was well over seven feet from snout to tail tip. The thing was huge. And I was supposed to walk two of them? I didn't rate my chances.

"You need to dominate him," Phoenix called over the constant roar of the werewolf.

"Um, how? He's gigantic!"

"By being his boss." He yelled at the werewolf, "Down, Icarus!" He whipped at the werewolf a number of times before the wolf lay down. He was only slightly less terrifying that way.

"Icarus?" I asked, raising a brow.

"I like to name them," Phoenix said, a dot of pink marring one cheek. Interesting.

I had drawn the werewolf's attention by saying his name, and I wondered just how intelligent they were. "Icarus," I repeated, keeping my hands at my sides. "I'm Ava. I'm not very interested in dominating you or anyone else, but we have a battle to fight tonight. If we lose, your little lady and baby will be murdered, or worse. You know that, right? But if we work together, we might all survive."

Phoenix sighed. "That won't work with him. Not coming from you."

"I wouldn't judge so quickly," I said, observing a keen intelligence in the werewolf's eyes. "I think we understand each other better than you would expect."

The wolf stopped growling, and Phoenix let go of him. Icarus stood and walked over to me. I tried not to freak out and run, fearing that might provoke him.

"You in?" I asked him. "Can I accompany you and a friend to tonight's battle?"

The werewolf kept coming. I held my breath. He brushed against my hand and sat next to me.

To my surprise, Phoenix grinned. "I and my friends here would be happy to escort you."

"You like them? Treat them like people?"

"I do what I can," he said. "Better me than any other. I'm sorry for the theatrics earlier. I had to be sure we could trust you."

"And if you couldn't?"

"You may have had a nasty run-in with a hungry, wild, uncontrollable werewolf."

"So does that mean you were joking about not knowing Helena either?" I asked hopefully.

"No. The name feels familiar when I say it, but I'm not sure why. We fae have exceptional memories. In fact, many of us royals deal with memory magic."

"That's very interesting, Phoenix," I said, meaning it. "Feel like winning a war tonight?"

# Chapter Nineteen

As I strode outside holding onto the chains of two werewolves, I felt invincible.

"This is a kick," I told Phoenix, but he had reverted into the sullen creature I had first met. At least while his mother was around. She watched us together, her eyes on the werewolves, and I made a show of struggling with the animals until she turned away as if satisfied.

"This is amazing," I mouthed to Esther, but her smile was strained.

Her eyes drifted around as if searching for something. Her brother, probably. Maybe it was wrong of me to help keep them apart. Maybe I should have pushed them back together, but I didn't know if her brother was a danger to her or not. After all, he was a good friend of Coyle's, and I remained convinced that Coyle had something to do with Esther's stabbing on the night she and I officially became friends.

I was hopped up on nerves and excitement despite all of that. I was still stiff, but my side felt numb. I would likely burst my stitches, but if all went well, we could be facing our last battle for a while. I could live with the pain.

"Phoenix and I should patrol," I told Gabe. "You and the Council members might want to step inside, unless you're going to fight."

When Fionnuala, Koda, and Erossi were escorted inside, Gabe and the consultants remained in the yard. Marina stood close to Eddie, a weird gleam in her eyes. Phoenix and the werewolves visibly relaxed once Fionnuala was gone.

"Gabe, you're still wrecked," I said, a bit concerned. "You should hide out, too."

"I feel safer out here," he said wryly. He glanced around at everyone. "Which is a shocker, considering."

"Where's my brother?" Esther asked.

Gabe jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Inside. Guarding, apparently."

Esther found my eyes, an apology written all over her face. She knew Aiden avoided me for a reason. I shook my head. There was no need.

"Gabe, are you sure of your info?" I asked. "If we're all gathered here, and the beasts rampage elsewhere—"

"Trust me. They're all directed here tonight. Yes, the odd number may break free and run loose, but the humans can take care of them. They've proved themselves already. This is our night, Ava. They're coming for us to do exactly what they did in the UK."

"He's right," Phoenix said. "This is their best chance of success. Scattering attacks amongst the humans won't win them a country."

I blew out a whoosh of air. "I hope it's that simple. Phoenix, let's take a look around."

When he nodded, I said goodbye to Esther and Gabe. "Be aware," I warned them. "Night will fall soon."

The werewolves were like gigantic sniffer dogs, their heads whipping back and forth as they took in the scents on the air.

"What will happen when the beasts arrive?" I asked Phoenix.

"You should release the chains using the safety latch before they rip your arms off," he said in a dry voice.

"You really don't remember Helena?" I asked. "No kids, no wife, not even Folsom? How about a sword that lights up... kinda green? Writing on the blade."

"My sword?" His eyes opened wide. "That was lost many years ago. How do you know about it?"

"I'm pretty sure you gave it away." I stared at him, checking for some kind of recognition. But there was none.

"You keep speaking in riddles," he said, looking frustrated. Yet, he also appeared used to feeling frustrated.

"Sorry," I said. "I expected somebody different."

"I get that a lot," he responded a little sadly.

He had to be old, older than Helena, who had stolen years to keep her body able to search for her children, but he looked the same age as the twins. Not that they looked their age either. But the more I looked at him, the more differences I spotted. He had the same sloping nose, the same cleft in his chin, but his eyes were harder, bitter, and something about the way he moved reminded me of a predator.

"You get on with Fionnuala?" I asked as we were led by the werewolves along a hedge.

He seemed surprised by the question. "As well as anyone could, I suppose. We are family."

"I like to think of family as the people you choose to have in your life. So if the werewolf thing fails, can you do anything else? To protect yourself?"

He smiled. "I have more werewolves."

"You're gonna let more of them out?"

"If I have to. It's getting them back in the cages that's the trouble," he admitted. "Fighting off an army is not going to be the hardest part of my job tonight."

"Now I feel sick."

"Don't worry. The werewolves will only attack those I tell them to."

I laughed. "So don't piss off the trainer?"

"Something like that. People think they are wild, but they are also loyal, and they trust me. They've been locked away for a long time. They need to run and hunt and fight. But tonight may trigger something in them, turn them against me, if only temporarily."

"You're taking a big risk then."

"It's a chance I'm willing to take," he said. "I'm tired of being locked away, too."

"You could leave," I said. "See the world. Maybe take your werewolves with you."

"I can't do that. They're not really mine, after all. At least they're safe here. A long time ago, they were hunted and almost wiped out. Violent things cause fear, and fear leads to desperation. Desperation can easily lead to death."

"Yeah, I get that."

"And you. What's your story? Who did you anger to have you stuck on werewolf duty?"

"Why? Is this your punishment?"

"Sometimes I think it must be. I just wish I could remember what it was I did."

"I was born," I said. "Apparently, that's all it takes to piss off your mother."

He surprised me by throwing his head back and laughing—Lorcan's laugh. He seemed surprised by the sound himself. "It's nice to be outside again."

A shiver ran across my skin. "It's time," I said. "The vampires and their beasts have awakened."

"You can tell?"

"I can definitely tell. They could come at any time. Should we go back to the others, or will it be safer for them if we keep the werewolves out of their reach?"

"We should stay close, but meet the vampires ourselves and let the others pick off the stragglers who manage to get past us. Don't forget, Ava. Safety latch. As soon as the vampires approach. The werewolves will know what to do. It's what they were born for."

"We're all born for something, eh?" I watched him carefully as we returned to the others.

Small groups of fighters were scattered around the area, ready to defend in any direction, but I had a sinking feeling there would never be enough of us. Phoenix and I kept our distance, standing apart with the straining werewolves, their muscular backs rippling with the need to run.

"Are you injured?" Phoenix asked, surprising me.

I glanced at my side. "I got bitten. I've been numbed up to my eyeballs, so it should be okay for a while."

"Why are they relying on you to win this battle?" he asked. "Surely anyone can do what you do, an uninjured fighter even better. No offence."

"None taken. Honestly? They're willing to lose me. But I had a kind of connection to the first beast. She had this thing... like she was afraid of me sometimes. She was different from these beasts. Maybe she was the prototype or something because she was reckless. These aren't so much. They weigh up their chances more."

"You're not a Guardian," he stated.

I laughed. "They wouldn't have me. I'm tainted. A mixed breed. Your mammy doesn't approve."

He raised a brow. "Tainted? Not good enough to be a Guardian, but good enough to die for them? I can see why you dislike them."

I grinned up at him. "Who told you that?"

"You wear your heart on your sleeve," he said. His werewolves yanked at their leashes as they strained forward. "Something comes. Watch out." He signalled the others, and everyone silenced as one.

A rumble started, a slow vibration under my feet. I soon realised it was the four werewolves, all growling together. They pulled at the leashes, and my shoulders burned from holding them close to me. I kept my fingers close to those safety latches Phoenix kept mentioning.

Phoenix moved forward and away from the others. I followed, my entire body trembling with apprehension.

"Be ready," Phoenix whispered as we jogged.

I reached out to see the world. Phoenix was a pleasant green energy, just like the twins when they held hands. The werewolves were more human than other, red and pulsing, apart from the rage. I could taste their anger and aggression, and it spiked my heart rate. Pockets of nothingness sped toward us.

"They're here," I murmured. Even counting couldn't help my nerves. I had done a good job of keeping people's spirits up, of convincing them I wasn't worried so they didn't need to be. But I couldn't do it anymore, and my body shook incessantly.

"Calm down," Phoenix said. "You're agitating the werewolves." His green eyes shone with an eagerness to fight.

"Can you make them go after the beasts? My dagger can kind of take care of the vampires with no trouble."

He nodded, and my favourite werewolf let out a howl.

"Now, Ava!" Phoenix cried.

I pressed the safety latch a split second before Icarus ran. If I hadn't, I would have been dragged along after him. Or more likely lost an arm. The other three wolves followed his lead. They didn't look like wolves at all. They looked like huge, loping monsters, deadly creatures ready to pull off some heads the first chance they got. At least, that was what I hoped would happen.

I pulled out my dagger.

Phoenix looked at it. "That... looks familiar," he muttered, rubbing his chest.

I didn't wait to hear more. I ran after the werewolves. He was behind me all the way, but I sensed he could easily go faster.

The beasts, only two of them so far, ran toward the werewolves. They faltered when they saw the wolves, obviously unsure.

Phoenix pulled me to a stop. "Watch this," he said like a proud father.

The werewolves slowed and sniffed the air. The first one, my Icarus, made a sound that had the others running after him. For a second, the beasts appeared to consider fleeing, but then all six creatures ran at each other at full speed.

"Come on, Icarus," I whispered.

"His mother died in childbirth," Phoenix said as if in a trance. "I cared for him like he was my own child."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, my fingers tapping rapidly against the hilt of the dagger.

The monsters collided, and it was magnificent.

Icarus piled into the largest beast. They rolled over and over across the ground. Icarus ferociously ripped chunks of flesh from the beast's body and flung them away without pausing. The other three werewolves attacked the second beast, and I didn't see it again.

Icarus and his foe stopped rolling, and the beast made a frantic attempt to crawl away, fingers and claws digging into the dirt. An inhuman roar erupted from Icarus's throat. He went in for the kill. His jaws clenched around the back of the beast's neck, and he shook rapidly, viciously removing the beast's head from its shoulders.

"Holy crap," I whispered as the wolves devoured their kill. "Holy mother of..."

"I know," Phoenix said. "I know. Stay away from Icarus. Don't get too close after this. As much as I... you can never trust them during their bloodlust."

"No problem. I have no intention of getting near that mess."

"There can be no survivors to this," he said urgently. "The fae made a deal with higher powers a long time ago. We were supposed to wipe out the last remaining werewolves. This was never meant to happen, and we can't afford it to be known."

"The beasts were never meant to happen either," I reminded him. "I think we're all on equal territory. And, hey, your mother wanted to kill me for being tainted. I'm totally on the side of the furry dudes."

Phoenix frowned, as if he were about to say something else, but the werewolves dropped the bodies they were munching on and glanced around, the growling turning into a terrifying snarl.

"Phoenix?" I said in a small voice as I scanned the surrounding area with my other sight. "I think we might need more werewolves."

He took one look at my face and ran, leaving me with the killer werewolves.

An army was heading our way. There was a great chance we were well and truly screwed.

# Chapter Twenty

Numbers fell off my tongue as I ran after the werewolves. An army was coming. There were hundreds of beasts, maybe more. The energies kept merging and splitting, leaving me confused.

It occurred to me that I didn't want to be in the way if Phoenix was letting the werewolves loose on the world. But I couldn't run back or forward without getting in the middle of everything. Yet I still had to fight. The werewolves couldn't possibly take care of all what was headed our way.

I decided to remove myself from the situation until the first collision was over. Phoenix had maybe fifty werewolves. Probably less could fight. I saw figures in the distance, and I decided to climb a tree.

"Careful, Icarus!" I called out.

He paused, glanced back at me, then ran ahead. The four werewolves knew what was coming, but they didn't fear it. They spread out and waited for the fight to come to them. They stayed so close to me, it was as if they guarded me. A few speedy beasts arrived first, and the werewolves destroyed them, eating the kill with no injuries to our side. But ten beasts at a time came, then twenty, and the werewolves struggled.

I was about to climb down when the rest of the pack finally appeared, their howls forcing the vampire-made hybrids to a stop. The confusion on the beasts' faces was almost funny, but the carnage when pack met army wasn't. Not even a little.

The werewolves ate their way through the beasts. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have stood any kind of a chance.

I jumped down, falling to my knees when the last few stragglers passed me. I chased them and heard Phoenix call my name urgently.

"I'm here," I cried out, waving my dagger.

He caught up and ran with me. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I didn't think about you being in the middle of this. The others are following. Pick off the injured. Let the werewolves do the rest."

The ease in which I followed Phoenix's orders surprised me. Most of the people in my life looked to me for leadership, but there I was, giving it away to Fionnuala's son of all people.

Cars and trucks drove up behind us, followed by groups on foot. The vehicles tore up the grass, and all kinds of people bundled out, many of them shifting into animals. I saw a bear down the line and waved. I was pretty sure I saw a panther, too, and I tried not to hope he would be accidentally eaten by a werewolf.

"Come on," Phoenix said. "Stay with me. You're one of the few who can keep up."

I couldn't get over how excited he was to kill and maim. He relished it, delighted in it, and I got worked up alongside him. I forgot about giving up the fight, forgot how tired I was; all I cared about was destroying our enemies.

Phoenix had a sword, not as pretty as Lorcan's, and he kept it in his left hand. His right hand stayed on his pocket. A couple of the vehicles kept going, ramming into as many enemies as possible as the passengers fired with crossbows. I wished Val was with me. Peter. Lorcan. Everyone. I wished they could witness it all.

Phoenix and I got ahead of everyone, and I prayed one of those deadly black arrows didn't hit either of us. For a second, I wondered if Phoenix kept me to close to him because nobody dared to aim near Fionnuala's son, but that might have been paranoia. I ran as fast as I could, exhilarated, only pausing to finish off still-moving creatures lying on the ground. The werewolves had made a massive dent in the BVA's army, but they had only met the first wave, and I was ready to end some vampires.

Phoenix wove through wounded and dead bodies, stopping occasionally to lop off a head if the beast seemed dangerous. But soon, we began to jump over injured werewolves, and my heart sank. We might still lose.

Phoenix didn't stop, leading the way still. We came across tussles and fights, and it was time for us to really get involved, to start making a difference. Phoenix would throw a non-returning boomerang that looked as though it were made of glass, kill or injure a beast, attract a group's attention, and then it was on us to battle our way out.

As I stabbed and weaved, bit and clawed, broke bones and stomped on necks, I realised I was enjoying it too much. My pain and stiffness disappeared. Everything I had been going through vanished from my mind. Getting rid of my problems, one monster at a time, was satisfying. I beat out my aggression and anger over Peter leaving with Emmett, over him taking away my one chance of ever living a happy and normal life.

Way ahead of everyone else, Phoenix and I were the first to come across the vampires.

"Watch this!" I shouted at Phoenix as I threw my dagger straight into a vampire's chest. She kept running, burning up even as her limbs moved. I rushed her and pulled out my dagger while avoiding her swiping fingernails in her last desperate effort to maim before falling apart completely. Phoenix laughed, still throwing his glass kylies and swinging his sword. It was a game for us, and we got into a pattern of working together.

We made it to the end of a line and leaned on each other, panting hard. I gazed around the field, seeing people fighting everywhere.

"This is carnage," I whispered.

"It is." He frowned. "Where are all of the werewolves?"

"Scattered." I pointed. "Look!"

Our side had separated into groups, but nobody had been paying attention to where we had come from because there was another wave coming straight at us from behind.

"From the back!" Phoenix roared, and as some heard the call, they passed it on.

We would never make it back down the field in time, but we at least made sure most of our people knew what was going on. Phoenix blew a high-pitched whistle that had me on my knees, covering my ears. Groups of werewolves came from all directions, obviously having followed retreating beasts.

Phoenix grabbed my hand and pulled me after him. "It's not too late."

We ran together, holding hands like teenagers. Except our love was a battle, our relationship a war, and our kiss, death. My heart felt like it might explode at any second. We had been fighting for hours. When would it end?

I was covered in blood. My arms were sore and slathered with scratches and bruises. Phoenix was bitten by a beast, but I decapitated the thing before he could lose all feeling in his arm. One long scratch across his nose marred his features, but other than that, he seemed as fresh as when we started.

We dove straight into the centre of the battle again. The werewolves circled the battle, ready to catch anyone cowardly enough to run. Many did try to escape, despite the howls of the werewolves.

I was tripped by two vampires, and a beast stomped on my hand as I reached for my dagger. The whipping sound of two arrows reached my ears, and both vampires fell. I rolled out of the way of the beast as two fae attacked it. Phoenix helped me to my feet and made me see a healing witch. I let her strap up my broken fingers as I downed a bottle of water that a passing Guardian handed me, but I couldn't wait for anything more. I waded back into the fray.

Esther appeared and knocked out a vampire who was about to jump on my back.

"Thanks," I gasped as I returned the favour.

She tried to pat me on the back with her paw, but the force caused me to sink to my knees.

Elathan pulled me back to my feet. "Wouldn't do to die by being trampled after all of this," he said, raising his bloody scythe. He pushed away from me and sliced off a vampire's head with a joyous war cry. Many of us enjoyed ourselves too much.

Marina stood on the back of a pickup, one of the few vehicles that had not been overrun. She cast black magic all around, her eyes a dark mask, her arms raised to the heavens as if calling for power. Lightning cracked in the sky, and I shivered at the sensations in the air. She chanted in foreign words, her voice sounding masculine somehow. She let out a shriek, and the vampires closest to her burst into flames. Marina's hair appeared to be made of flame, and blood ran down her arms. She writhed as if in ecstasy before collapsing.

I kept moving. The largest part of the war was over. The last battles were one on one. Whoever had the best individual fighters, the most determined warriors, would win it all.

# Chapter Twenty-One

"Don't give up on me now," Phoenix panted.

"My lungs are about to collapse," I huffed out.

"Not much longer," he urged. "Get down."

He flung one of the weapons from his pocket straight at me, barely missing me as I dropped to the ground. Behind me, a beast fell comically slowly, and Phoenix stepped over me to crush its skull with his foot. He took his weapon back and hauled me to my feet.

He brushed his thumb across my cheek. "You're covered in blood. It will be unlucky if a werewolf eats you because you smell so strongly of enemy."

We fought and defended, slashing and ending the lives of many stragglers. The BVA was rapidly running out of army, but the survivors kept fighting, determined to put us down.

But we were on our land, our territory, and we would defend it to the last.

A monstrous-looking beast jumped on Phoenix's back, forcing him to his knees. I grabbed the creature's hair and yanked his head back, revealing his chunky throat. Phoenix held on to the beast's legs, and the thing gave an inhuman shriek as I twisted and ripped the head from the body.

Phoenix grinned at me, but my face fell as I noticed a bear in the distance battling a vampire while three beasts approached. I ran as fast as I could, sprinting hard, but I didn't make it in time. The beasts attacked as one, and Esther fell beneath them.

I screamed her name. A flurry of bodies joined in the fight before I reached them. I barrelled my way into the middle of the battle, determined not to lose yet another friend. The bear's eyes rolled in her head. I removed a beheaded beast's fangs from her shoulder as the fight carried on around me.

She shifted into human form as the last beasts died. The warriors around me yelled their victory, but Esther's eyes didn't open. Elathan reached us and ripped up his shirt to stem the bleeding from her various wounds. Gabe reached my side and attempted to aid the demon, but the warriors who had helped Esther surrounded her, refusing to let any of us touch her again.

A blonde with cool grey eyes glared at us. "We'll take her back to care for her injuries before it's too late."

"Can we even trust you?" I demanded.

A sneer curved her lips. "We're her Circle, her family. We won't let her die on this field."

I had seen them at Gabe's bar once or twice, but my fear kept me paranoid.

Gabe touched my arm. "I'll go with them," he promised. "I'll make sure nothing happens to her."

I glanced around the field; I was plainly still needed. "Fine. I'm holding you lot responsible for her."

The Circle worked quickly, forcing their way onto one of the vehicles and carrying Esther as if she were precious.

"Come on," Elathan said as I stared at the retreating vehicle. "We still have work to do." He heaved his scythe over his shoulder, looking as if he were enjoying himself almost as much as Phoenix.

I scanned the battlefield, but I couldn't see Phoenix, couldn't find him anywhere.

"Ava!" Eddie called from Marina's side.

I ran, narrowly dodging an arrow from my own team. "Fuckers," I muttered, reaching Eddie.

"We need someone along the edges," he said. "Some are escaping from the heart of battle."

"Sure I'm not needed in—"

"The battle's almost over," he said with some satisfaction. "We've won, Ava. We just need to stamp out the threat completely. It sends a better message."

"Think they'll come at us again?"

He shook his head. "It would be foolish. But if they did, the outcome might not be the same, so reinforce that message, pet."

Shaking my head, I ran as fast as I could along the outer edges of battle, following those who had fled. They were all exhausted, with most of them injured, so despite my own pain kicking in, not many of them caused me any trouble apart from sprinting away.

I kept going, moving and running and keeping every problem out of my mind. The battle had been the best distraction of my entire life. I made it back onto the field, but people were leaving, taking the injured back to the headquarters and clapping each other on the back for a job well done.

Elathan waved me over and walked with me toward Eddie. "The Circles who didn't fight are going to clean up the field," he said. "They'll make sure everyone is dead and patrol the surrounding areas for anyone in hiding. We won, little tainted one." He nudged me multiple times.

"I will slap you," I said. "I don't care if you got kicked out of Hell."

He guffawed, light on his feet and appearing as though he could fight for days.

"Any news about Esther?" I asked Eddie, who sat on the back of a truck.

"Nothing yet," he said. "It seems the night was a success. We lost people, of course, but their losses were far greater. We'll be short on Guardians for a while. Seems like the perfect time for a revolution."

I groaned. Not what I wanted to hear while it felt as though my limbs were about to fall off. "I need a rest first."

"Take your rest," he said. "You did well tonight. You and that fae worked well together. Perhaps we can use him to get at Fionnuala."

I bit down on my response. "Dawn's coming. I need to get home."

"I'll find out what happened to Esther," Elathan said. "I'll make sure she's fine."

"Thanks." I started to walk away.

"Ava!"

I turned back to look at Eddie.

"This has been the most important night of your life," he said, "whether you know it or not. Your actions, the Council's actions, all of this will change everything." His eyes shone with his dreams of power and change.

My deals were catching up with me too fast for my liking.

# Chapter Twenty-Two

I felt sick at the idea of Esther being in the hands of the Council, but both Elathan and Gabe had promised me they'd take care of her. I didn't need to hang around, but I wanted to speak to Phoenix again. I hadn't been certain at first, thinking he might be exactly like Fionnuala, but he reminded me of Lorcan too much for that. He was a little bloodthirsty, but that didn't mean he wasn't a good person. After all, he had been trapped as much as those werewolves.

Phoenix was nowhere to be found, and no one I asked had seen him, so I headed for home before dawn, covered in muck and blood and who knew what else. I hadn't made it halfway home when a growl stopped me in my tracks. I couldn't imagine the BVA having more beasts up their sleeves.

"Oh, holy shit," I whispered as I turned to face the werewolf behind me.

The hair on the scruff of his neck stood straight up like a cat's, and his growl turned into a vicious snarl.

"Icarus?" I said in a shaky voice, thinking I recognised his eyes. I saw a leash hanging from his neck. "Where's Phoenix?"

I moved closer to him, and he bared his fangs. I held my hands behind my back. "It's me again," I said. "You remember me, right? Please, for the love of everything, remember me, Icarus."

I might have stood a chance against him if my side wasn't bleeding again. If I could stand up straight. If my eyes would stay open. But the way I was, I couldn't fight my way out of a paper bag. Maybe I should have taken Eddie up on his offer of wolfsbane.

But Icarus let me come closer, and the baring of those nasty teeth stopped as I whispered his name. He panted, his fur matted with blood. When he moved, I noticed he had a limp. I picked up the end of the leash, flinching in anticipation of him trying to eat me for dessert. The hair on his back flattened, and the snarl died down to a warning growl.

"Let's go find your trainer," I whispered, hoping we wouldn't see anyone on the streets.

I took him back the way I had come, and we traversed the battlefield in case Phoenix had died, and I missed it. We finished off a few survivors on the way, mostly other beings who had joined the BVA's side, some of them Irish.

We found Phoenix, alive and almost well. He had been looking for Icarus. The relief on his face when he saw the werewolf made me want to cry.

"You found him," he said, shaking my hand.

"He found me actually. Any news?"

"Nothing yet. No numbers, no official word from anywhere to say if we've won or lost or if this is even over."

"I'm going to keep thinking we won. It's kind of nice."

He laughed. "Yes, it is. I believe your friend is awake. I wasn't involved much in what happened after. The werewolves were my responsibility, but I heard people talking."

"Will they let her go?" I asked anxiously.

"Is she a prisoner?"

"She used to be a Guardian, but they tried to make her do something terrible. She's been in hiding ever since. It wasn't good."

He took my hand, and a thrill of electricity ran up my arm. "I will ensure she makes it back to you. For your help during the fight. And for bringing my lost boy back to me."

I gripped his hand, refusing to let go. "Phoenix, somebody tampered with your memory. I know it's going to sound fucked up, but you had a wife and kids. You made a sanctuary for them with a goblin called Folsom, but you went missing, and somebody took the kids for the slave market, saying something about a deal. Your wife tried to find them, and they made it back to each other recently, but she passed away and—"

"Are you mad from the bloodlust?" He dropped my hand in disgust. "What are you rambling about? Nobody could tamper with my memory. I would never forget things like that."

"The twins are hiding with me. They're half-fae. A boy and a girl. If you looked at them you would know."

He stormed off. "Lies!" he shouted over his shoulder.

"If they're lies then, why do you look exactly like him?" I shouted. "And you said yourself you didn't remember what your punishment was for."

He faltered, and I held out Icarus's leash when he turned back. "You forgot something," I said in a meek voice.

"Tell me you're lying," he said darkly. "Tell me this is a little game you're playing."

"Ask my friend, the shifter. Ask Gabe. They've seen the twins. They know what they look like. The first time we met in the tunnels, Gabe told me to shut up about it, but I can't. They're my friends, and they're beautiful, and I want them to be happy."

He shook his head and took the leash.

As he walked away I called one more thing out to him. "They have your sword."

He shuddered, but he kept on walking. I went home, weary of everything.

Carl, Val, and the twins had waited up all night in my living room.

I walked in and collapsed on a chair, unable to take another step. "That was a war," I whispered. I covered my face and sighed because I didn't know what to do with all of the emotions running under my skin.

After I took a moment, I told them what had happened, trying to keep it light, but the death seemed to have trailed me. "I need to shower," I said. "To change this stupid bandage. And to eat."

"Go get cleaned up," Carl said. "I'll make you the biggest breakfast you have ever seen."

I tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a sob, and everyone exchanged worried glances. I stood in the shower and washed the battle away. But Esther was still hurt, still away from me. As was Gabe. And then there were Phoenix and the werewolves. Worse was the way I had enjoyed myself on the battlefield.

By the time I finished the shower, I felt completely drained, and my wound hurt badly. This life was going to kill me. Sooner rather than later. But if I didn't fight, who would? Except why did it always have to be me? I didn't have the energy to keep going, and yet I didn't have it in me to give up either.

I patched myself up as best I could and stared at the damage in the mirror. I was covered in scratches and bruises. Not normal bruises. Deep, blackened purple bruises that stretched across my skin as if they were growing. Yet another back tooth was loose. I had a black eye. Three of my fingernails had been ripped off completely, and my broken little finger was twisted at an angle. I was racked with pain, but I had gotten off lightly, thanks to Phoenix having my back. Fionnuala had probably accidentally saved my life by pairing us together. There had been so many dead on the field, but hopefully more on their side than ours. I couldn't believe Eddie's propaganda, not yet.

I dressed, tied up my wet, knotty hair, and went downstairs where I could smell delicious things cooking. Carl dropped a coffee in front of me when I sat down.

"Thanks," I said.

"It's only because you look like shit. I feel bad for you," he said.

I laughed. "Cheers to you, too, fuckface," I replied, feeling a little better. "I'm so sore, it's unreal."

"Sounds like it was tough," he said.

"I'm just glad most of you weren't there. I'm kicking myself for letting Esther go."

"People get hurt in a fight," he said.

"I should have been there," Val said, joining us in the kitchen.

The twins trailed in behind her. Lucia sat next to me and made an attempt to patch up my hands, covering my ugly nail-free fingertips as gently as possible.

I shook my head. "No, Val, you shouldn't have been there. The Council have her now, but someone made a deal with me."

"Oh, Ava!" Carl cried. "Not again."

"No, it's not like that," I insisted. "I brought home a werewolf—long story—and he promised he would bring Esther home in return."

"And you trust him?" Lorcan asked, looking confused.

My face flooded with heat. I couldn't keep the secret anymore. "Uh, he's fae, and it was a proper deal. And, um, well, I think he might be related to you, actually."

Lorcan sat down, frowning. "Explain?"

"Okay, don't get mad. But there have been some things I haven't actually told you yet."

His face tightened, reminding me of his father's cool haughtiness. "Such as?"

"Such as the fact I've thought for a while now that Fionnuala might be related to you, too."

"Fionnuala. The Council member?"

"Yeah. I also think she wants me dead, but that's beside the point. Ages ago, I heard that her son was this really important fae, and that he disgraced himself and was exiled somehow. I also heard from Folsom that the Féinics, as in the sanctuary, was named after the fae who came up with the idea. Apparently, he wanted to create a safe space for his family, but he disappeared. Helena told me your father disappeared."

"I feel like you're telling me ten different things."

"Well, that's because I am, but they're all the same thing really. Anyway, we were brought to meet the werewolf trainer, and he turned out to be Fionnuala's missing son whose name is Phoenix."

"Are you serious?" he asked. "So did you talk to him? Is he trapped?"

"Kind of." I winced. "He doesn't remember anything except his sword, which sounds an awful lot like your sword. And there's also the fact that he looks like your double."

Lorcan sat back in the chair, looking winded.

"I'm sorry to throw this at you out of the blue, but—"

He waved a hand for silence. "I might have reached my tipping point already. Please don't tell me anything else."

"Fionnuala had him trapped with the werewolves all this time?" Carl asked.

Lucia gasped and leaned over the table to grip my hand. An image of Phoenix flashed through my mind, and I nodded. She gripped Lorcan's hand, but he was looking at me.

"Did she just show you?" Lorcan asked.

I nodded, my face burning again.

"I knew it!" Val said.

"Any other revelations anyone would like to spring on me?" Lorcan said snappily. "Apparently it's the day for it."

"I think I'm done for now," I said, feeling giddy. I hated the secrets, hated how heavily they weighed upon my shoulders. I was happy for everything to be out in the open.

"Peter called last night," Carl said. "Just to let us know they arrived safely."

"Good. I mean, that's great." I tried to smile, but it was a pretty poor effort.

"It is great," Carl said firmly as he served food to all of us. He took a seat and dug in. "And as soon as Esther gets back, you'll feel a lot better."

"Right," I said, trying to swallow a mouthful of scrambled egg, but it tasted like sawdust all of a sudden.

"Are we still at war?" Val asked.

"I've no idea," I admitted. "I'm sure the Council will figure it all out today. Maybe they'll make peace or something. And then it's on to the next one for us." I dropped my fork and massaged my temples. "Maybe Peter had the right idea. Getting out of here, I mean. All that comes our way is death and danger. I'm tired of it."

Carl stared at me keenly. "Of course it's an option, Ava, but could you have lived with yourself if you had left with him and that came last night?"

"One person doesn't make much difference," I said.

"How do you know? How do you know you didn't kill a beast who would have had the potential to murder Esther last night? How would you have felt then?"

"All right, dickhead. Be gentle, why don't you?"

"That doesn't work with you," he said, stabbing a sausage. "And you feeling sorry for yourself never works. So snap out of it."

"Fine. Jesus. Have we heard from anyone? Where there fights outside of the main battle?"

"Some, but last night was mostly quiet," Val said. "We watched the news and made calls, but there was very little out there. The humans actually celebrated."

Carl nodded. "Shay kept us informed. He wanted to get involved in the fight last night, but I wouldn't tell him where it was."

"Good. It was brutal. Humans would have been targeted first. So many came at us." I shook my head. "And the werewolves. You haven't lived until you've seen a werewolf eat through a beast. If they turn on us, we're fucked."

"I'm divided between wishing I had seen it and feeling sheer gratitude that I didn't," Carl said.

"I've never seen anything like it. And the Council members hid away for the entire thing. And not just hid. They were surrounded by Guardians. They had protection from people who could have been useful outside. Gabe was the only one who stood with us, except for most of the consultants. Aiden hid away, probably guarding the precious Council."

"This is why people will take your side if it comes to that," Val said. "They want to follow someone who's crawling in the dirt alongside them. The days of the Council sitting in their golden thrones a million miles away from disaster are over. They have ruined themselves with this."

"How will people even know?" I said.

"Word gets around," Lorcan said, coming back to life. "Secrets never remain hidden forever. The humans will pick the side of the ordinary girl with red hair who showed them how to kill a beast. They don't see a monster when they look at you. Not even with the fangs."

"I had people in a car ask me to show them my fangs," I said, giggling at the memory. "Can you imagine? All of these people accepting this kind of madness without question, and yet my own grandmother is haunted by her memories of me. She's terrified of me, and I'm not even sure why."

"You're her conscience," Carl said offhandedly. "She looks at you and sees the wrongs she did. It's not about you. Not really. It's about not being able to forgive herself." He cleared his throat. "That's my take on it anyway."

"I wish she could forget me," I muttered. "I told Phoenix the truth, by the way. He didn't believe me, but maybe he'll think about it. Maybe you could see him if he stands by his deal and brings Esther back to us."

"He might have to fight Aiden for her," Carl said. "I don't think her brother will give her up so easily. I reckon that's what setting you up was about."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I think maybe there's a chance he did it to get her away from you."

"He would side with the BVA, the ones who attempted to rip this country apart to keep his sister away from me?"

"Maybe he thinks you're keeping her here, poisoning her mind against him."

"He's doing that all by himself. I thought I saw him on the field last night, but he didn't help Esther, so it couldn't have been him. I mean, there could be lots of the same shifters. Except I think Esther is the only bear. Whatever his reason was, I can't let it go. He knows. He knows who the traitor is, and he's standing by them. For all we know, he's the only traitor. And yet I can't do anything because he's Esther's brother. It's a mindfuck."

"Deal with the things you can change first," Lorcan said. "Maybe we'll hear from Gabe today."

"Yeah, you should get some rest," Carl said.

I agreed, so after eating, I went upstairs to sleep, but voices kept filtering upstairs.

"She's not going to fall apart," came from Carl.

"I'm not saying that," Lorcan said. "I'm saying she needs a break. Or good news. Or something."

I fell asleep with Val murmuring in a low voice. I dreamt of horrors.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

Carl woke me mid-afternoon.

"I'm sleeping," I grumbled.

"I can see that," he said. "But Gabe's downstairs. He needs to talk to you."

"Fine," I spoke into my pillow. "Give me ten minutes."

Carl left, and I took those ten minutes to make myself look a little less deceased before I faced Gabe.

He was waiting for me in the living room when I went downstairs.

"How are you?" he asked.

"How's Esther?"

"She's fine. As far as I know."

"What does that mean?"

He frowned. "They won't let me see her. They keep making excuses, but I haven't been allowed near her."

I groaned. "Great. What's going on anyway? Are we done?"

"Representatives from the BVA are on their way to deal with us. We'll know soon. But personally, I believe we destroyed the bulk of their army. If they send more, they'll lose ground in their own land. I think they overreached and played their hand too soon. You were right, Ava. They couldn't fight two wars at once."

"And we were lucky enough to have some werewolves."

He exhaled loudly. "Yes. We were very lucky that someone decided to break the rules a long time ago. But there may be repercussions from that, too. Everything's unstable right now."

"So it's the perfect time to rebel," Carl said.

"Not quite yet," Gabe said. "Let the Council deal with the BVA for good. See if the war is really over. Let's see what we have to work with. Many died last night. Great fighters died."

"We killed a shitload of the other side, too," I reminded him.

"That's true. But each of our deaths costs us a lot more. We're a small country. We have a small defence force. If the BVA come again, or if something bigger comes at us, we may be in danger."

"There's no reason for any of that to happen though. I think we've made a good name for ourselves right now."

"Yes, as trouble starters," he said with a smile. "The honesty has begun to spread. Other countries may take action. You've started something that you don't have the power to finish. Everything has repercussions, in one way or another. Whether it's down to going public or the werewolves or what you plan next, someone will come to put us in our place eventually."

"And we'll deal with them one at a time. How's Phoenix?"

He seemed surprised by the question. "I haven't seen him. I figured he was locked away again. You looked taken with his werewolves."

"They were a great asset, put it that way. It kind of felt like having Lorcan by my side. So he's Fionnuala's son then. Phoenix, I mean. And he's somehow lost his memory."

Gabe shrugged. "I know nothing for certain. I can only deduce the truth from the things I've learned, just like you. He is a double for the boy," he said, gazing at Lorcan until the half-fae squirmed in his seat.

"And he's good," I said. "He's not cold like Fionnuala. He treats the werewolves with respect. I like that."

He groaned. "Don't tell me you want to free the werewolves now."

"I don't know. Seems wrong to have them caged up and bred like animals."

"They are animals. They can't be controlled!"

"Then what was last night? Phoenix seemed well able to control them, and frankly, one of them found me wandering the streets and didn't eat me, so that makes me think highly of them. Your Council members couldn't say the same, figuratively speaking."

"In the middle of battle, that would have had a different outcome," he said firmly.

I remembered Icarus and his three packmates waiting beside me when the battle began, and I couldn't agree. "Well, whatever. I should probably warn you that I blabbed to Phoenix."

"Oh, Ava. I can't take you anywhere."

I grinned. "I know, right? He didn't believe me anyway. He's probably in shock. So is Lorcan because I told the twins everything, too."

He glanced at Lorcan warily. "They aren't going to storm the headquarters or anything crazy, are they?"

"No. Just help me destroy the headquarters. We'll think about doing it when you're not inside."

He made a face. "How generous. So how was last night for you? What did you think?"

"I think the BVA messed up so bad it's laughable. These ancients live so long, see so many mistakes being made, and they still let their egos do the talking. Of course, I wouldn't be saying that if Fionnuala hadn't unleashed the hounds. But they definitely underestimated us. It felt good to fight like that, but now I never want to do it again. I'm too sore."

"Are you badly injured?"

"I can walk, so I'm fine. I just feel like sleeping for a week or two, that's all."

"I've been talking to your policeman," he said after a minute.

"Shay?"

"Yes. I think he might be useful in the coming months. If you press ahead with your foolish plans."

"You keep saying they're foolish, yet you keep helping me," I pointed out.

"You suckered me in. I have no choice. That's my story, Delaney, and I'm sticking to it."

"I think I'm starting to warm to you," I said. "You've been much less of an arsehole lately."

"What threats of violence and death will get you," he said sharply. "Back to the garda. If you are determined to rebel, a human consultant would be handy. Think about it, coordinating between both worlds, melding them together successfully. It would strengthen our territory, for starters."

"And it would automatically bring more numbers to our side," I said. "We probably should start talking about who would be in charge. Once it's done, I want out."

"You don't mean that," he said dismissively.

"Gabe, I'm serious. This is too hard. I don't want to fight until I'm old. In fact, I'd prefer not to die fighting either. Seeing how Folsom and Mrs. Yaga ended up made that sink in. At some stage, I want peace."

"You have to fight for peace. It's a sad truth, Ava. If you want something bad enough, you have to be prepared to do things you don't want."

"Such as?"

"Going with me to the Council meeting later. Perhaps if you're more involved you will—"

I interrupted. "I could learn more about them and figure out how to—"

"No, no! Stop it. I mean it might make you see how hard it is to run a country, and perhaps you'll have second thoughts about this rebellion business."

"Or I could figure out a way to get Esther out of there."

He frowned. "What if she doesn't want to come back?"

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Look at what she is: a shifter, a Guardian, sister to an alpha. Her life has been based on loyalty. You heard that fighter before, dismissing her loyalties. That's something that could take hold of someone like Esther."

"Look, I know she's young, but—"

"They will overpower her," he said sadly. "That's how they work, Ava."

"She's stronger than you think. She knows the right thing to do."

"All I'm saying is to prepare yourself for disappointment. You should still come to the meeting. See for yourself what is going on. Eddie will be there. Between the two of us, I'm sure we can keep you out of trouble."

"You mean not let me do anything fun."

"That, too." He smiled. "I'll send a car for you later. I'm interested to see what the BVA have to say."

After he left, I hung out with Carl in my living room. We flaked out in front of the television because I didn't have the energy for anything else.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asked.

"I won't be any good for a fight no matter how much sleep I get today. I can barely stand up without crying like a baby."

He grinned. "Hey, you did a good job last night. You deserve tonight off."

"I should probably still do a run around."

"And get yourself killed?"

I shrugged. "Feels weird to sit at home if anything's going on."

"How do you think I feel?" he asked bitterly.

"Don't be like that. You know I need this place protected. I know I can trust you. You're the only person that I can count on, Carl. I can't let you disappear as well."

"Ava, he didn't have a choice."

"I'm not talking about it," I said firmly. "I know what I have to do. He knows what he has to do. We don't need to discuss every second of it."

"But if you want to talk..."

"I get it," I said. "My biggest concern right now is Esther."

"She'll come back. I mean, you made a fae deal to get her back."

"Yeah, but there was no end date on that deal. I'm not sure how long we have. If Aiden gets to Esther..."

He shook his head, concern written all over his face. "They are family, Ava."

"I know, but is she safe with him? Whatever he's involved in, whoever he's involved with, is Esther safe? I keep thinking back to that night in Gabe's bar. She knew the shifter who attacked her. He was a Guardian. I think they even dated briefly. The shadows made him want to kill her. So I ask myself why. What could Esther possibly have done to deserve that? It only ever comes back to Aiden."

"That's true," he said. "So what's Aiden into?"

"He wants rid of me. That's a given. Somebody wants rid of Esther, but he could be working with that person. For a minute there, I thought this was all his big plan, but why would he want to keep Esther with him if he had tried to kill her? He can't be working alone. So does he know they want rid of her? When I try to remember his reactions to me accusing Coyle of things, he seemed genuinely clueless, but I wasn't that suspicious of him then, either. I feel like I'm missing a big part of the picture. How do the shadows get inside people in the first place? And why? To get rid of people who are in the way? What connects everything together? I have so many questions. It's driving me mad."

"We all have questions," he said. "Me and you more than most. Yeah, to everything you just said, and then there's Peter. What Shay told us about the light, and Peter obviously losing his memory, and—"

"Shit," I blurted. "We should probably talk to Shay about that stuff again, right? I mean, now that he knows things he previously discarded could be true, he might have a different insight into what happened back then. And we need to make sure he never tells Peter about the light."

"Maybe," he said slowly. "But do we need to know? I mean, Emmett's back. He's okay. The market closed. It's over, right?"

"It's not over until everyone pays. Peter's always going to want revenge. If we could figure out the answers to our questions, maybe we could bring Peter a little peace."

"Or drive him insane," Carl said wryly. "Maybe we should leave well enough alone."

I clenched my hands into fists. "Now when have I ever been able to do that?"

He snorted. "Never. This is your conscience speaking, Ava. Sometimes you have to let things go."

"Sometimes, things are too important to let go. Don't chicken out on me now, Carl. I've spent way too long failing to keep you out of my business without you giving up when I need you."

"What can I do?"

"Keep reminding me what's important. It's not about power or who's in charge. It's about making sure the shit stops happening to people I care about. And making sure it doesn't happen to anyone else ever again. Do you think Fionnuala took Phoenix's memory? Her own son?"

"Who else could it have been?" he asked. "If a powerful fae knew her son's memory had been tampered with, she would kick up a major fuss. But if she's the culprit, if she's somehow involved, then she's going to hide him away in case somebody he knows sparks a memory, right?"

"So she probably took the twins," I said slowly. "And she brought them to the market? She's the one who's involved in the market?"

"Leaps and bounds," he murmured. "Why would she do that to her own blood?"

"Because she doesn't see the twins as her own blood. She looks at me as a mutant. Half-fae don't exist to her. Maybe she thought her son would be better off in her care, hidden away from what he really wanted to do with his life. Helena mentioned a deal. She didn't know what the deal was, but the people who came for the twins mentioned one. Could Phoenix have made a deal?"

"To put them in the slave market?"

"No. That can't be right. To keep them alive, maybe? I don't know. I need more info. We need Phoenix on our side. That's the one thing that's missing for us—a powerful fae. The fae hold the most cards here, right? Fionnuala could be our downfall. Phoenix is the next best thing."

"Ava, don't mess with the fae if you can help it."

"I can't help it. We have the twins, but we need someone who can go up against Fionnuala. Destroy her. Picture what would happen if I tried to attack her. She'd strike me with lightning or some shit. But imagine her all-powerful pissed-off son going up against her, especially with that werewolf pack behind him."

"Never get mixed up in family business. You keep doing that. You're the one who will get burned in the end."

"I'm the person nobody will miss," I said. "No matter what happens, I'll always be the one who gets burned. If this all ends badly, I'll get the blame. If it goes well, but people are still unhappy, I'll get the blame."

"You could follow Peter to Spain. I would go with you."

"And bring the trouble with me? That's why he left, Carl. Because trouble haunts me. Everyone has a piece of me. I'm the one who will pay."

"You need a break. A week away. Things are happening too quickly. You're not recovering as well from your injuries. I'm afraid for you, Ava."

"So am I," I whispered. "A wall's coming up. I can feel it. I won't be able to escape forever. Any luck I have will run out eventually. You need to sort out your life. Figure things out with Maria. You care about her, but you're here. You're always here for me."

"That's not the same thing," he said, his ears turning pink. "It's hard to be around her. Even now, when I try to call her and talk to her, she gets all shrill, and I can't stand it. At least with you, I feel useful sometimes. I mean, the things we're involved with are life-changing for everyone."

"You're life-changing for Maria," I reminded him.

He stilled. "If I talk to her properly, things can never be the same for us. One way or another, I can never go back to the old life. If she's willing to risk the danger, I'll still be the person putting her in danger. If not, she's gone for good. I'm not ready to say goodbye forever, but I'm not ready to risk her life either."

"She deserves the choice herself. Imagine what it's like for her right now, always wondering where you are and who you're with. Except now she's wondering if some kind of monster is tearing out your heart, if you'll come home still able to walk, if you'll ever come home. It's not her fault she can't understand how this place makes you feel."

He leaned his head in his hands. "I was this close to letting her slip away from me. I haven't been using the walking stick as much. I've been feeling alive. I want to be a part of something, a part of this."

"You have to make the choice. Either go back or cut the strings. You're the only one who can decide. I can't make you do one or the other, and I'm sorry I've always pushed you into what I thought was best. I can't make anyone do anything."

"Is this about Peter?" he asked. "Is this—"

"Don't talk about him anymore," I said. "I'm tired of thinking about them. What they're doing. They're never going to come back because life with me will never be safe. So I'm letting go. I'm trying to let go."

"He was doing better," he said as if I hadn't spoken. "In every sense of the word. I felt him changing, but it's hard to change. It takes a long time. Trust me, it hurts to change. But that's what he was doing. For you."

"You're the one who kept lecturing me about the whole thing," I protested.

"Yeah, because I saw you falling too hard for the idea of a ready-made family. I didn't want you getting hurt, but you got hurt for a reason I never even expected. He did the right thing. Leaving was the right thing for Emmett. I'm sorry you had to stay behind with us."

I hugged him. "I'm not sorry I stayed. I'm just sorry this place isn't safe enough for anyone else."

"We'll be okay," he said for the millionth time. "Life will work out somehow. We're still young. We've lots of battles to fight."

"But I'm so tired of fighting, Carl."

He held me tight, but the feeling of emptiness in my chest never went away.

A little later, I sought out Lucia and found her alone. She stared at me solemnly as I worked myself up to the question.

"I need you to do something hard," I said. "I need you to think back to the night you were taken from your mother. I need you to try and remember the faces you saw. I need you to show me who was there."

She frowned and looked away, her eyebrows furrowing together.

"It's okay," I said, feeling bad for trying to force her to remember her nightmares.

She clutched my wrist, and an image of a woman flashed before my eyes. She was tall and willowy, just like Fionnuala, but I didn't recognise her. The brunette held the same arrogance as the Irish fae, the same haughtiness that seemed to come naturally to them, but she wasn't Fionnuala, and that messed up all of our latest theories. I wondered if we would ever find out the truth.

# Chapter Twenty-Four

The car arrived to take me to the meeting that evening. I had seriously considered ignoring Gabe and going out to patrol on my own, but I was curious enough to find out what exactly the Council were up to. Besides, the fact was that no amount of painkillers could numb the pain I was still in. I kept taking them, terrified to stop in case there was a new spectrum of pain I hadn't discovered yet. Carl hinted at the idea of my drinking blood, but there were some doors I wasn't ready to open again.

It wasn't dark yet, so I thought maybe the Council wanted to discuss their options before the BVA arrived. To my surprise, the car didn't take me to the place I had come to know as their headquarters.

I panicked. I slid across the backseat and whipped out my dagger. I gripped the driver's hair, yanked his head back, and held my knife to his throat.

"What the fuck is going on?" I hissed, drawing blood when he jerked too much.

The car swerved. "I'm not... nothing! I was told to pick you up and bring you to the meeting tonight. That's all! I don't know anything else. I swear!"

I held him tighter. "Where's the meeting?"

"Some house in Kildare. I don't know. I just follow instructions."

"Were you told to drive me home afterward?"

"Yeah. I've to wait outside for you. Seriously, I'm not—"

"Fine," I said. "But if anything happens, my friends will come find you."

"Jesus," he said, touching his neck. "I'm so fucking sick of this job."

"You and me both, buddy. Hurry up, and let's get this over with."

He swore under his breath for the rest of the journey, and I couldn't exactly relax either. No matter what happened, something else would come after me. Chances were I would never know why.

We drove out of Dublin and into a rural part of Kildare. The Council really liked the countryside. I remembered Fionnuala saying she didn't care for the city.

The journey seemed never-ending, but we finally pulled up to a driveway of an estate house. Two Guardians attempted to search me at the gates, but Gabe came out of nowhere and told them to back off.

"Come on," he said. "There's been a change of plans."

"Should I be leaving?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that. It isn't the BVA who are here with us tonight. There are some representatives of those who are fighting back against the BVA in the UK. They want our help ridding themselves of the BVA for good."

"So they're rebelling?"

"Technically, the BVA are the rebels, but yes, our neighbours are rebelling. They need us."

"Surely they have more people than we do."

He caught my eye. "But we have experience in dealing with whatever the BVA sends out."

I nodded. "You mean we have werewolves."

"Exactly. But nobody will use that word. Do you understand me?"

"Fine. Whatever. Let's get this over and done with." I still wondered why I was there and what the secrecy was about.

We went inside, and even I had to take a second to appreciate the beautiful interior of the house. "Who owns this place?"

"Fionnuala. She wanted to meet here to make a good impression."

"Holy shit. She must be loaded. How much do you people get paid?"

He frowned at me. "That's rude. You were raised without any manners at all, weren't you? How is that even possible?"

"Oh, shut up. You all are stinking rich, and I'm struggling to feed the strays who keep following me around." I laughed at the sheer self-indulgence of everything around me. "She should put some of this cash into all of the potholes down the road."

"Please, act like a grown-up at the meeting," he said, sounding extremely put upon.

Not that I cared. Fionnuala had way too many luxuries. What kind of money paid for it?

We sat around an antique dining table covered in a lace tablecloth and cream candles. I felt like a scruff in my well-worn jeans. Fionnuala entered the room, wearing an evening dress and accompanied by Phoenix. I stared at him in surprise. His freshly-pressed suit was a long way from the decapitating and bloody angel of death he had been on the battlefield. He looked back at me blankly, as if he had never seen me before.

Aiden strolled in next. Gabe sitting to my right and Eddie to my left both kicked me under the table when I started to stand. Aiden seemed pleased with himself, and I wanted to punch the smug look away.

Coyle followed Aidan, and the typical sensation of wanting to vomit came over me. Both of them stood behind Fionnuala's seat as if guarding her. The seats on either side of her remained empty, and Phoenix ended up sitting across from Gabe.

"When did Coyle come back?" I whispered to Gabe.

"Not sure exactly," he replied under his breath. "Apparently, he escaped when Reuben betrayed us."

"Escaped, my arse," I hissed. "I bet he never left."

"Our dealing will soon start," Fionnuala announced. I didn't trust her sly smile.

"When will our guests arrive?" Phoenix asked.

"Shortly. But first, I wanted us to congratulate each other on a job well done. Word has come to me that the BVA have retreated fully. Only a few of their animals remain. I'm sure they will be picked off during the night by our patrols."

I watched as people who had hid away clapped for themselves. I bit the inside of my cheek, while Phoenix's face tensed. He didn't clap. I was dying for another chance to speak with him.

Glasses of wine were poured, and I finally realised that the meeting was a dinner. I was having dinner in Fionnuala's home.

After fifteen minutes of listening to Council members self-congratulate, I was relieved when the guests arrived. Dark-skinned figures entered the room quietly, startling most of the people around the table. They all looked so similar—and perfect—that I wondered what they were. They took the empty seats and were soon surrounded by female guards. All of the guards looked tough, but beautiful. That gang was all about the aesthetics. The features were androgynously angular, the figure slim, and I struggled with the compulsion to ask what they were and what they could do.

"We thank you for the invitation," one of the figures said in a female voice.

"I am aware of your struggles," Fionnuala said, snapping her fingers.

Bowls of soup were placed in front of each of us. I made a face at mine, as distrustful as usual.

"Eat," Phoenix murmured. "There's nothing wrong with it."

I gazed at him, but he refused to catch my eye. Annoying fae.

"We have struggled," the original speaker agreed. "We were taken unawares. Of course, you had prior warning. We only had hearsay and half-truths. My kind weren't in attendance when the BVA pulled off the massacre on our ruling bodies. The chaos that ensued, coupled with the monsters they unleashed, made it a struggle to maintain communication, never mind organise a decent effort against the vampires. Others have joined their side. It's impossible to know who to trust."

"This is a problem for us also. We were fortunate enough to put together a plan of attack quickly. I have watched footage of the violence that occurred last night. It was heart-warming to watch our noble servants fight to protect us."

Gabe squeezed my leg. "Don't. Even."

I wanted to scream. Were we all just her walking, talking slaves to be used however she decided?

Phoenix caught my eye and shook his head very slightly. I got the message. It wasn't the time. The fact that he tried to help me gave me hope that he would still help Esther, that there was still a chance of him coming to terms with his memory loss.

"Indeed," the person was saying. "And we hear you have a secret weapon. We would like to use such a weapon to free ourselves of the problems Winston has brought. There are still many fae over there, desperately trying to win their freedom. There have been... games." The visitors all shook their heads in disgust. "Fights to the death purely for the vampires' amusement. I feel tainted just thinking about it."

Fionnuala looked at me at the word, "tainted," and a weird gleam grew in her eyes. "Of course we will share our weapon with you. In fact, my son will travel with you, along with a team of our best Guardians. He is the only one who can wield the weapon, but perhaps his assistant will join in to spread the effort across the country."

Everyone turned to me.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" I blurted. "That's why I'm here? To be farmed out again?"

Gabe whispered something to me in frantic, hushed tones, but I was too worked up to listen.

"I am nobody's assistant. I'm nobody's property. No, I will not go to England to sort out somebody else's mess. I'm not doing anything on the Council's business again. And neither should he. What kind of sick fuck are you, Fionnuala? First you take his memory, and now you're sending him off to be killed? You're wrong in the head."

I threw down my napkin and stood. "This is it for me and the so-called Council. Don't bother me again. If you send anything after me or my people, I will kill it. Again. Try me. I'm in the mood." As I passed Fionnuala, I leaned over her, holding my dagger out to Aiden and Coyle with a threat burning in my eyes, daring them to come closer. "Enjoy it while it lasts," I whispered to her.

High on nerves, I shoved her crappy guards out of my way and hurried outside. I found my driver sneaking a drink with the other drivers. He swallowed in a hurry when he saw me, choking out a hurried cough.

"Just hurry up," I said and strode to the car without looking back. I heard footsteps behind me and whirled around with my dagger drawn.

"Put the dagger away," Phoenix said. "Never threaten me in view of anyone who works for the Council unless you're as stupid as you look." He laid his hands against the car, blocking me as if he threatened me, but his voice was too soft. I knew what murder looked like in his eyes. He wasn't against me. Not yet. "You made an enemy of my mother back there. That wasn't clever."

"She was already my enemy. Are you seriously going to do her bidding?"

"I'm going to do whatever I have to. Don't worry. Your friend is fine. I'll have her back to you as soon as I take care of this business."

"Are you going to meet your children, too?"

He frowned. "I honestly don't know whether you're deluded or a troublemaker. But I would remember if I had children."

"Then you shouldn't be afraid to meet them," I said. "If it'll prove you right."

He smiled, reminding me of Lorcan once again. "You're a determined little thing, aren't you? Perhaps when I return, but you should know, you will never be safe as long as she's angry with you. You should apologise, for your own sake."

"She was trying to send me with you to have an accident. Seriously, Phoenix, do you not know your own mother? Except you do, don't you? That's why you stuck close to me on the battlefield. So nobody would dare take a shot at me without risking hurting you." A tic in his jaw convinced me I was on the right track. "Look at the money she has. Where does it come from? Because she's way richer than anyone else I've met. And that makes me think a lot of things."

His eyes narrowed. "We've lived a long time. We've made deals and accumulated wealth."

"She took your children from your wife, Phoenix. It's you. It has to be you. You look exactly like him. And Folsom... Folsom named the sanctuary after you. The rebels and their hiding place are named for you. He was killed, and I'm starting to think your mother ordered his death. The place lost its safety because it has no ownership. The people who hid there are victims. They're there because they're terrified of beings like your mother. She won't let the children from the slave markets go. Go see those children, the ones she wanted to fight for her instead of the werewolves. You have to—"

"I'm going to England," he said. "The people need to rid themselves of the beasts. The vampires never do well with power. They've proven it time and time again. They're too greedy, too self-indulgent. If I do anything right with my life, this will be it."

I shook my head. "You could die, and my friends will have never met their father."

"So you say." His stance turned threatening, and he gripped me by the throat. "They're watching. You should leave now." He sniffed the air delicately. "You're bleeding."

He strode back to the house. On the way, he said something to my driver that had the man scurrying to the car. I stood there, panting and pressing my hand against my side, until the driver cleared his throat.

I got into the car and was driven home in silence, but all I could think about was Fionnuala and the hold she had over everyone. I didn't know anything for certain, but something in my gut said my theory made the most sense. That she had to be the one to watch.

I had to kill her before she got to me first.

# Chapter Twenty-Five

As Fionnuala had predicted, the last few random beasts were picked off by patrols, both supernatural and human. There was no desperate need for me, so I went to bed early, worn out by the meeting at Fionnuala's home. I ignored the throbbing pain in my side in favour of sleep.

The following morning, Esther returned, earlier than promised. She hobbled out of a car on crutches, grinning as everyone piled out of the cottages to greet her. The car drove off rapidly, but I didn't recognise the driver.

I hugged her as tight as I could without injuring her. Or me, for that matter. "They let you go?"

"Not exactly," she said grimly. "Look, people. I need to sit down before I fall on my arse. Out of the way."

Laughing, everyone backed up and let her get inside my house. She collapsed on the sofa with a groan. "Oh, it's nice to be back," she said.

"What happened?" Carl asked.

The remaining rebels had a knack of gathering together in small spaces, and that day was no different. Nearly everyone in the cul-de-sac gathered in the hallway, living room, and kitchen of my home to hear what happened to Esther.

"I woke up in my old house. Coyle was keeping guard by the door. I wanted to leave, but he wouldn't let me. He said it was dangerous out there. I was still a little out of it on painkillers. Aiden came in and gave me a big sob story, tried to tell me how dangerous you lot are and how I've been wasting opportunities."

She shook her head. "I was so tired and sore that I couldn't even have an actual conversation with him. Anyway, last night and early this morning, there was a different guard keeping me there. Someone I don't know."

"Both Aiden and Coyle were with Fionnuala last night," I said. "Something must have been going on this morning, too."

"I woke up to a bang. The door swung open, and the guard was pulled through, and then I thought Lorcan came in, but it wasn't... wasn't him." She looked confused for a few seconds. "He carried me out to a car, and he gave me a cup of something. It cleared my head, and I remembered him from the battle. He asked me if I needed medical attention and if there was anywhere I wanted to go. I said here, and he told me that was the right answer."

"I made a deal with Fionnuala's son," I said. "He promised he would get you back here because Gabe wasn't allowed to see you, and I was worried. I mean, you're free to leave here, Esther, but we had to know you had a choice. We didn't know where you were, or if you were okay, or—"

"No, I'm glad," she said. "I felt drugged, and Aiden wouldn't answer any of my questions. He kept saying there's a reason for everything, and the problems were coming from you, Ava." She smiled wryly. "No offence."

"None taken. So are you okay? Better?"

"I don't know. I feel like crap, but I haven't been able to shift either."

"They didn't let you shift to heal quicker?"

She shook her head slowly. "No. If I could do that now, it would be great."

"You'll have more space in the back garden," I said. "Everyone else out front. No peeking."

Some of her admirers booed me. Esther was probably the most popular person in the cul-de-sac.

While Esther's change into bear form helped her heal a little, I called Eddie.

"Esther's back."

He laughed. "Is that what all the commotion is about? How did you steal her?"

"I didn't. She just turned up here."

"Really? How interesting. And do you feel better after your tantrum last night?"

"Yes, actually. Now we all know where we stand, right?"

"Good," he said. "Because we need to get busy."

"What do you mean?" My stomach turned at his enthusiasm.

"We still have a Council to take over. This is the perfect time, while they're distracted with the problems across the water."

"Um, I don't think—"

"Well, I know. Some of the Guardians, including Aiden and Coyle, are heading with Fionnuala and Phoenix to deal with the BVA."

"Hold on a second. Fionnuala is going?"

"Yes, didn't you know? She's our toughest opponent. With her out of the way, we could—"

"She's out there gathering support, allying herself with the British. How did I not see that before? And what have we done? We're not ready. Not even close."

His voice went cold. "Ava. We can't wait around. We have support. The sooner we gain control and take those children, the better."

A chill ran down my spine at the memory of his intentions. Dealing with him had been a mistake.

"Whether you want it or not, the true war is coming," he said. "It won't be an open battle either. We're smarter than the BVA. But now is the perfect time. No werewolves, no ruling fae interfering. There will never be a more perfect time than this."

"Esther and I are still healing up," I protested. "We need more on our side."

"So we rally some support. You made a good show on the camera, Ava. That will go a long way toward our cause. Our time is coming. Be ready." He hung up.

I felt sick. He was hungry for power. I wasn't ready. All I had were a group of rebels and defenceless people. I had people who needed protection. How many of them were ready for a war? And my heart was gone. I didn't have much left to give.

Esther felt better after she shifted into bear form to help the healing process. She wasn't completely back to normal, but she relied on the crutches a lot less. We tried to update her on what had been going on and what we knew until I received a text message from Gabe.

Angry fae coming your way. Watch out.

"Lorcan, Lucia, keep inside. It could be Fionnuala, and I don't want her to see either of you."

"I'm sick of hiding," Lorcan said, but I pleaded with him with my eyes until he rolled his and agreed to stay indoors.

"No matter what happens," I persisted. I knew he was mad at me, but I had to ensure the twins' safety. I hadn't gone through all the trouble of freeing them from the English vampires only to send them straight into slavery with the Irish fae.

I stood guard at the entrance to the cul-de-sac, accompanied by Esther and Val. But every couple of minutes, I heard footsteps, and when I looked around, someone else had come to stand with us.

"I might cry," I whispered to Esther.

She made a weird bear sound that might have been a laugh.

A lone car drove down the road after half an hour of us standing around like statues. Just one car gave me hope. If Fionnuala wanted me dead, she would probably bring more people with her. The car's windows were tinted, so I couldn't see who was inside until the driver's door opened. My driver from the night before threw a scornful glare my way as he got out and opened the passenger door.

Phoenix stepped out to gasps and mutters of disbelief from the people behind me. He seemed a little startled by the reception, but he strode over to me, barely giving the bear and hellhound a passing glance. "You were expecting me?"

"Heard a rumour a pissed-off fae was on the way."

"Ah. The angel. We had a chat, and he told me what you're doing here."

"He did what?"

"Oh, relax. I didn't give him much of a choice. Besides, I doubt he revealed all of your secrets. So these people here, these are the ones you're protecting?"

I nodded. "But as you can see, we're kind of a team." I turned back to give the gang pointed looks. "Whether I like it or not."

"I'm going to England today," he said, staring at everyone as if soaking up every detail.

I grew uncomfortable. "Good luck."

"I'll likely need it. You've gotten under my skin, little tainted child. The things you've told me won't get out of my head. I've decided to learn for myself. I've been in the dark for far too long, and I've already discovered some disturbing truths." He glanced around anxiously. "So where are these children you claim are mine?"

"They're not children anymore," I said. "And I'm making them hide in case your mother tries to enslave them again."

His expression softened. "You care for them. That's what's wrong with you. Blinded by feelings. Let's get this over with. Let me see them and settle this once and for all."

"Carl, can you bring out the twins?" I said without taking my eyes from Phoenix. "And Phoenix, don't freak out. It's going to be strange."

He stood there, his waist-length hair glimmering in the sun. He watched Carl walk to Anka's home. Anxious murmurs roamed through the crowd of people.

"I brought food," Phoenix said abruptly. "Driver, unpack the car."

I gazed at him quizzically, and he shrugged. "The angel told me taking care of so many people can be expensive. I cleared out my mother's kitchen. Giving back to the community."

"Even a rebel one," I said with a smile. He hadn't changed, not really. What was under the surface still remained.

His head jerked a little, and his mouth opened, fear and confusion in his eyes. I didn't have to look around to know he had seen the twins, but I turned anyway. They walked toward us slowly, holding hands, their eyes focused on the man who might be their father, the man who didn't remember them.

"What is this?" Phoenix muttered, rubbing his chest. "A trick? Magic?"

"Come on," I scoffed. "You see him."

"I see... I don't know what I see. An impossibility." He took a step before freezing. "They're not fae?"

"Their mother was human," I told him.

"This can't be," he said, striding straight for Lorcan. He gripped Lorcan's cheeks as if searching for something. "This can't be," he repeated.

"Lorcan, show him the sword," I said.

Lorcan obliged, and the blade lit up with green script.

Phoenix looked as if he might vomit. "How can this...? How is it...? This has to be a trick!"

He gripped Lorcan by the scruff of the neck, shook him once, then let go. He gripped Lucia's throat, a little roughly I thought, but she calmly lifted her hands and laid her palms against either side of his head. Her fingers trembled, but she didn't let go, even when he tried to jerk away. Lorcan held him still, and a hush grew over the place.

I walked over, ready in case Phoenix struck out, but he didn't. He sagged under Lucia's touch, deflating. On his face was stark pain for all to see. Lucia's eyes moved rapidly, and I wondered what she was showing him. When she let go, she collapsed, but Val was there to catch her.

Phoenix sank to the ground, holding his head as if injured.

"What did she do?" I asked.

Lorcan shook his head. "When we touched him, we could... we could feel the blank spaces in his head. She pushed forward our memories of him. I didn't know that was possible. It's so strange, Ava. We were linked together, all three of us. That doesn't happen. Not like that."

Phoenix turned and vomited, and we all took a step back.

"Help me get him inside," I told Lorcan. "And somebody help that lazy git carry in whatever Phoenix brought for us."

Everyone moved at once, on edge from the tension. Phoenix was paler than usual, sickened in some way. I hoped what Lucia had done wasn't too much for him. Her glimpses often overwhelmed me, so I could only imagine how Phoenix felt.

He let us half-carry, half-drag him into my house and sit him at my kitchen table. He laid his head in his hands, his expression distraught. Lucia sat close to him, but not touching. Lorcan kept well away, and I hugged him briefly, feeling his panic. The last time they had met a parent for the first time, she died soon afterward.

I made tea as people began to bring in the food from Fionnuala's kitchen. Some of it was extravagant, but there was plenty of decent meat, something we needed a lot of.

"Divide it between the houses," I told them. "Make sure everyone has equal share of basics and luxuries."

Phoenix lifted his head to look at me.

"Thanks for the stuff," I said, embarrassed without really knowing why.

His eyes glazed over. "What did they do to me? What magic is this?"

I sat down. The explanation was obviously going to take a while. "They showed you their own memories. Not their fault you forgot. What exactly did you see?"

"Me. Me with children. A wife. A normal family. Like humans. I was acting like a human. I saw myself. Saw the happiness on my face. I'm so confused. I don't remember it. But they showed me living it. This is impossible!"

"I know it seems odd that you wouldn't remember your own children, but—"

He shook his head vehemently. "It's more than that. I'm one of the oldest bloodlines. I can't be with a human. I was promised at birth. My marriage will someday cement two strong families. There's no way that I could—"

I was shocked. "You mean an arranged marriage?"

"I suppose you could call it that. I'm betrothed to a member of the oldest fae family in England. I would remember turning my back on everything that gives my family name honour and respect."

"Is it possible that somebody cloaked your memories somehow? Made you push your family into a space in your mind where you couldn't find them again? Is it in any way possible?"

"It's possible. Anything is possible. But it's unlikely. Someone would need my say so to do that. They couldn't force it on me."

I sat back in the chair, feeling as though he had bitch-slapped all of us.

Lorcan looked furious. "You wanted to forget us? You wanted this? Did you get tired of playing with humans? Wanted to get back to your pure-blooded fiancée?" He sounded so disgusted that I felt another crack in my heart.

"There has to be an explanation," I said hurriedly. "Lorcan, there has to be. As far as I know, he's a decent person. Now and back then. He might not remember, but he set up the sanctuary so you two and your mother would have a safe place to stay. What happened next might not have been his fault."

"Why would a decent person want to forget his family? What kind of man would do that?" he snapped back.

Lucia seemed to curl up in a ball on the chair, curving herself as far away from Phoenix as possible. Val took a seat next to her, wrapping her arm protectively around Lucia's shoulders. Lorcan stood alone, his rage a tangible force that nobody dared touch.

"What happened next?" Phoenix asked in a quiet voice. "What happened to the... to my family?"

I cleared my throat. "I just have bits and pieces that I'm still trying to put together. Folsom says you set up the sanctuary with him. Helena, their mother, said you vanished off the face of the planet. Gabe told me you were a powerful fae, next-in-line after Fionnuala. He said you embarrassed her and were exiled."

"That's about me. What happened to them?"

I blew out a breath. "People came in the night to take the twins. A woman was with them and mentioned some kind of deal to their mother. They beat Helena, and when she woke up, the twins were gone. She couldn't find one person who remembered either you or your children. She never gave up. She kept searching."

Lorcan pushed himself further away from us. "We were taken to the slave markets for years until the vampires bought us. We were their slaves for decades. Until Ava came. Ava, Val, and even Esther helped save us from that life, and we've been here in Ireland since then, hiding from everyone."

"And the woman? Your mother?" Phoenix said dully.

"She found me when I was younger," I said. "Heard I was the kind of being who could get someone into the slave market. She befriended me, but she disappeared. I was on trial before the Council, and she was brought in as a witness. She got away free after that, but it turned out she had originally disappeared after she asked the wrong questions. She was dragged down to the slave markets herself, but that was long after the twins had already left. She was hidden in the sanctuary when I found it, and I was able to bring the twins to the sanctuary, but she died shortly after meeting them again."

"No happy ending," Phoenix said, still in that empty voice.

"Their story hasn't ended yet," Carl said, and I could see he thought little of Phoenix.

"He's right," I said. "For whatever reason, you were separated from them. Now here they are."

"But I don't know them. I don't remember them. And I'm not the person they remember either. The man they showed me was warm and loving, carefree. I am none of those things."

"Maybe they brought out the best in you," I shouted. "Get a hold of yourself, Phoenix. Do you need more proof or something? They're your blood, and they're in danger from your mother. Surely you can—"

"So why did I allow someone to take my memories? What loving person would do that?"

"I don't know," I said sullenly. "But it isn't the point anyway. You have a chance to make it right now."

"I don't know how." He got to his feet. "But I'm going to find out. If I disappeared, why did my mother not protect them?"

"All four of you were hiding from her," I said slowly. "Don't you understand? You loving a human was forbidden, the highest treachery as far as she was concerned."

He cleared his throat. "That's not the only problem. A betrothal is a sacred thing. A life tie. I'm still supposed to marry a fae."

I winced at Lorcan's sound of scorn. "Okay," I said. "But that's just an extra reason for what happened in the past. You left her, left your old life, to make a new one in secret. When you suspected your time was running out, you stole a pocket of Hell to hide your family in. To hide people unfairly on the run from the Council. You were a good person, Phoenix. I know you were."

He sat back down again. "She wouldn't let me leave. That doesn't surprise me now that I say it aloud. It's been a long time since I've involved myself in family matters. In fae matters. In Council matters. I remember that we kept to ourselves, always making sure everyone knew we were better than them. But I got to know people, and I learned that wasn't true."

"Helena was a witch," I said. "She helped heal somebody in your life, and you fell in love."

"Helena," he whispered, as if testing it out on his tongue, breathing out each syllable as if it would burn his lips.

"We need you to remember," I urged. We needed Phoenix on our side. Desperately.

"I don't think that's possible," Lorcan said. "We can show him what he missed out on, but I don't think he'll ever truly recall it himself."

"But he knows it's true, right?" I asked in a panicky voice.

"I know that you believe it's true," Phoenix said. "But it's harder for me to grasp. I don't remember any of it. Not even a hint of it. Seeing it was like a dream. I know my mother, and the things you say about her make sense. I can recall her condemning people for little reason, for reasons I openly argued with her about. But it all feels like so long ago now. I barely remember that time in my life."

"Phoenix, please."

"I don't know," he said, staring at the twins. "They look like family, but surely they would spark a real memory. Surely I would know my own blood with more certainty than this."

"Do you trust us?" I asked. "I'll make any deal you like because I know it's the truth. The only way you'll know for sure is if it comes from Fionnuala. I'll help you find the truth. I'll do anything so the twins can have their father."

I held out my hand.

"Stop making deals!" Carl said. "Does he trust us? You mean, do we trust him?"

"I trust him," I said.

"Somebody please knock some sense into her," he snapped.

"What? We're right. It's all true. How can this backfire if we already know the truth? He's here for a reason. He wants to understand; I don't see how that isn't obvious to everyone else."

"Because he gave up his memories voluntarily, Ava. Maybe he got tired of playing happy family and decided his race is the superior one after all. He's Fionnuala's son. He was raised by her. There's not much chance he isn't a stuck-up dick. Look who his mother is, someone who's been intent on seeing you die since the first time you met."

Phoenix held out his hand, and I took it. "No deal," he said. "But I'll find out the truth one way or another. I need to know why I was exiled. No matter the reason, I can't recall it. Someone must know. Even if she doesn't tell me, someone else will. I need to know the missing pieces to the story. I've never been happy, Ava. Yet, these two showed me a happy version of myself. I want to know what went wrong."

He looked at the twins. "You may never forgive me for what I've done, and we may never understand each other, but I am intent on finding out what happened to all of us. If you are my children, I will protect you."

"We're your enemies as long as you stay by Fionnuala's side," Lorcan said fiercely. "We are the rebels fighting to overthrow your mother. Understand that before you claim to provide protection."

I failed to disguise my groan. Big mouthed half-breed.

Phoenix caught my eye. "Fighting against her while you fight for her? All of this is about you being a traitor?"

"I never asked to have anything to do with the Council. They keep forcing me to fight for them. It's not my fault they can't take care of themselves. All I know is that I can't sleep at night when I work for them because of the things they do to keep their power. Go see the children they've taken. Let Esther tell you what happened when she tried to save a baby. Go listen to Gabe when he tells you how the children are reacting under the Council's care. I can't associate myself with those people and still feel good about myself. I can't walk around knowing that people like this are hiding away for nothing." I glanced around. "Leah, where's Leah?"

Somebody pushed the teenage girl forward. She looked up at Phoenix shyly.

"This girl has a power," I said. "So the Council hunted her down and locked her in the cells. Why? So nobody else could have her. A child in those cells? Are you serious? You call me a traitor when they're betraying everyone on this island. And Ry... Ry, come over."

Ry strode over to us, wearing a sullen expression. He tried to look taller, but he came across as vulnerable, and that was the way I needed him. "Ry's brother was brought into the cells when I was there, too. He committed suicide, an awful suicide, rather than face the Council's judgement. Their unfair judgement."

"And why were you there? Why were you in the cells?" Phoenix asked.

"Because I'm tainted," I said bitterly. "And I killed a vampire who wanted to create an army using me. But his second-in-command, the one who accused me, set the first beast on us. Even though the Council knew what he had done, they let him go free. Guess what happened next, Phoenix? He switched sides, and we had a war to fight. If it wasn't for Gabe stepping in, at best, I'd still be in those cells."

The people around us began to pipe up, telling their stories, the pathetic reasons the Council wanted to arrest them: being from the wrong family, rumours, minor issues that didn't require a trial to deal with. It went on and on, and I wiped my eyes, realising they were wet.

"My mother was taken to the slave market," Val said at last. "She was raped by a hellhound and died giving birth to me. I escaped from the market with Leah, and everyone's been hunting us since then."

"She came with us to Hell," I said, "to rescue the children from the slave markets, but the Council took them from us and refused to let us return the children to their families, which is interesting considering we all believe someone from the Council is involved in the markets in the first place. The human police are told what to do; drug dealers and criminals are told what to do. That much power can't come from anywhere other than the Council."

"You're all rebels because of this?" Phoenix asked in a quiet voice.

"No," I said. "They're all terrified because of this. They were hiding in the sanctuary you created. When Folsom was murdered, the sanctuary lost its protection. That's why they're here. While on the way here, some secret group of tattooed assassins tried to kill us all. Some of those assassins were Guardians who have been trained secretly for some purpose we haven't figured out yet. The one who protected this place was murdered while saving these people from beasts who were led here by a vampire, specifically led here, which means somebody on our side flirted with the enemy for a vendetta. So now we have nothing. We have no choice. The only way we survive is if we fight back, even if that means that people like you and Gabe stand against us. We have to change how things work. We have to. Look at the twins. They were slaves to the vampires because of their gifts."

"What gifts?" he asked.

"Lucia's a seer. She doesn't speak, but she shares the images with Lorcan, and he speaks for her. Lorcan can cloak both of them, and they can put a different kind of cloak over a small area. When they lived in England, somebody stole a piece of Hell for them, and Lorcan reinforced the protection. That same someone left your sword with them in the dead of night."

"I can't explain the sword, but my great-grandmother was a seer. My people say that the seers are blessed, gifted by our long-dead. She was a direct link to the other side, to those who took an interest in our future. A fae seer is considered special."

"But we're half-blooded," Lorcan said bitterly. "So we don't count at all."

Phoenix took Lucia's hand hesitantly, and he reached out for Lorcan's. "I'll do my best to discover the real truth," he said. "And until then, you have my protection. Take it."

I could tell by the shudders that ran through their bodies that he had made a deal with them. I breathed a sigh of relief. Two less people to worry about.

"I must leave," Phoenix said. "Before someone notices I'm gone. Are you sure you won't join us in England?" he asked me.

"My place is here. I can't let the Council distract me again."

"Pray Icarus returns with me," he said, getting to his feet. "I am going to play both sides, Ava, before I can tell where I belong. I'm not sure where my place is. Not yet. Keep an eye on these two. I want to speak to them when I return. And you, follow me outside." His eyes flashed at me, and I felt as if I were being held to the spot.

I obediently trotted outside after him. He led me to the mouth of the cul-de-sac, away from prying eyes.

"You've spun many a tale today," he said in a low voice.

"I've told more truths today than I ever have," I said.

He grabbed my wrist and yanked up my sleeve to see the rest of the brands scarring my skin. "How did this happen?"

"I made a deal with Lorcan. Took me a while to figure out how to do what I promised."

He ran his finger across the brands, right up to my inner elbow. At first his touch tingled, but he pressed until it stung. He wrapped his hand around my inner elbow, his fingers digging into my skin until I winced.

"This is nothing," he hissed, his eyes darkening. He hovered his palm over my chest. "You've played with my heart. If I discover you lied to me, I will take yours. It won't be the werewolves you'll need to fear. Do you understand me?"

I nodded, and he left, leaving me shaken. I went back inside. Everyone was overexcited, but I didn't like the look on Lorcan's face.

"Do you think he'll tell his mother what we're doing?" Val asked.

"I'd like to think he wouldn't, but does it matter? We all suspect each other of something. I'm keen to see how it turns out."

"I don't like him," Lorcan said harshly. "I can't stand him."

"Give him a chance," I said, taking his hand. "Let him have one chance to prove himself. He made a deal with you, didn't he?"

He nodded. "For all that means. He chose to let us go. To forget all of us. My mother's last words to us were of the guarantee that we had our father's love. That if he lived, we would be safe. Ava, I don't feel very safe."

"Me either, but when have we? While he's gone with Fionnuala, I suppose we can up our game a little, try to figure out who will be on our side when the shit hits the fan. We have a lot to do."

"No more hiding," he said. "If Lucia and I have his protection, then I want to be out on the streets with you. Taking part in everything. If I can take the blame, and he can save me, we might all be okay."

"Stop planning for failure." I squeezed his hand harder. "We're on the winning team."

"I keep thinking there's no winning team," he replied. "I keep thinking that we're fighting for a world we will never see."

I shivered. "Don't say that, premonition twin."

"We haven't seen anything," he said. "That's what scares me. That there is no future for us."

They all left after that, leaving me alone to mull over everything. I could relate to Phoenix. His family had been stolen from him. My idea of family had been stolen from me. I ignored the ringing of my phone and stared into space, trying to figure out our next step.

Carl interrupted me, holding out his mobile. "It's Emmett," he said. "Talk to him."

The phone was in my hand before I could protest. The sound of Emmett's voice instantly had me welling up.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "Is it over? Can we come home now?"

"I'm fine," I said. "The first fight is over, but I still have a few more things to do. I hope you're enjoying yourself."

"It's okay. I miss you."

"I miss you, too. I—"

"Ava?"

"Peter."

He sighed heavily. "Carl told me what's been happening. I'm sorry I—"

"I have to go."

"Wait," he said harshly. "Just wait a minute. I need to say something first."

I blew out a sigh. "What?"

"I need to say... to say thank you. Thank you for helping me be the man I always meant to be. For helping me be the father Emmett needs. I couldn't have done it, couldn't have walked away, if it wasn't for you."

"No problem," I squeaked out. "I need to change my bandage. Give Emmett my love."

I hung up before he could argue. I threw the phone on the table. It slid, went over the edge, and landed on the floor, the screen cracking.

"Sugar," I hissed. "I mean, shit! I meant shit!" With a little scream of rage, I swept my arms across the table, knocking everything to the floor. I took joy in the destruction, in the way everything cracked and shattered like my heart had been threatening to do since Peter and Emmett left.

When there was nothing left to break, Carl wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

"I can't," I whispered. "I can't do this right now."

"You have five minutes," he said. "And then I'm getting a barbeque started outside. We're all going to eat together and celebrate the fact we won the war against the beast. We're going to relax and joke and remember everyone who isn't here. We're going to be with friends and family and remind ourselves how lucky and happy we are."

He held me as the tears poured, as all of my hopes swam away, and then he shoved at me. "Now clean this mess while I fire up the grill."

I calmed down as I cleaned. I swept up every cracked shard, kept them all together, and threw them away. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief and went outside where Carl attempted to use up some of the food Phoenix had brought us. I secretly thought that had been sweet of Phoenix, to do something kind for people he didn't trust, but everyone else had formed a very different opinion of the fae royal.

"Does this mean that Lucia and Lorcan are a princess and prince of sorts?" Kate asked innocently as we all ate on the street in front of the houses.

Lorcan snorted. "Disowned royalty? Not sure that counts."

"If Fionnuala and Phoenix both died, I think the fae seat would go to the twins," Esther said, screwing up her nose. "There's some kind of birthright clause on the fae seat."

"So all we need to do to get on the Council is murder Fionnuala and Phoenix? Sounds easy," I said snarkily.

Lucia wrapped her arm around my waist, and I flinched, but the image was of Phoenix, covered in blood, but alive, taking the werewolves home. I exhaled loudly, glad that he would live.

That served as a reminder that someone on the Council would soon die. The question was how?

"I think you can get him on our side," Carl said. "I think he wants to be pushed. He came here with a gift. He came here even though he didn't believe what you told him. Those aren't the actions of a man with complete disbelief, a man who isn't willing to listen to the idea it might be true. Maybe he's lonely. Maybe he wants a family."

"I think he is a little lonely," I said. I recognised in him what I saw in myself, and I was beginning to think that was why we got along. "He treats the werewolves like family. Icarus is a werewolf he took care of from birth. He's warm with them. Different. When he's around Fionnuala, he's as ice-cold as she is."

"Which only means he's capable of putting on an act," Lorcan said.

"He reminds me of you," I said. "That can't be an act. That's you growing up like him. Like the good parts of him. It gives me confidence."

"You always clutch at straws," he retorted.

"That was mean."

"I'm feeling mean. He deserted our mother, and she died after living a life alone. I don't know how to get over that. I don't know why we should."

"You need to get Dita a dog," I called out to Anka, desperate to change the subject. "Lots of scraps."

She came over, Dita following still upset.

"Maybe she would do well with another little friend," Anka said, patting Dita's head.

"Hey," I said. "It's okay, chicken. Dita, Lorcan's mad at his dad. What do you think he should do?"

Her face lit up at being involved in the conversation. "Family is important," she said shyly. She had a kid crush on Lorcan.

"So are friends," Lorcan said, nodding. "And sometimes it's hard to forgive."

"You're the only one you hurt when you don't forgive," she said. "That's what Mama always says."

I grinned at Lorcan.

He shifted uncomfortably. "You're probably right, Dita. So how do you think Emmett's getting on in the sun?"

"He'll forget his sun cream and get burned," she said. "And then he'll come home."

"He may like it there," I said. "He might want to stay there forever. Maybe you could visit him sometime for a holiday."

"I'd love that. Do you think so?" she asked her mother.

"We'll see," she said noncommittally, glaring at me. "Dogs and holidays. Are you crazy?" she muttered under her breath when Dita ran over to Leah. She had latched on to the teenager since Emmett left, and I was glad they both had someone relatively normal to talk to.

Some of the people began to sing, and someone brought out a guitar. Carl joined in, revealing a decent voice, as I had always suspected.

It felt like a party, but there was something mournful, and I realised it was more like a wake. We still had to say goodbye to Mrs. Yaga. We wanted a better goodbye for Folsom. We were starting down a dangerous path.

"I think it's time to say goodbye to Mrs. Yaga," I told Anka.

"She wanted to be burned," she said. "We should let most of the ashes go free. There is one place she loved. A private orchard of hers. Her solicitor told me about it."

"Her solicitor?"

"Yes," she said, frowning. "Who do you think prepared her will? She told me once to call him if anything happened to her. So I did. He said that when she's been burned, I should call him again. He's the executor of her will."

"Oh, crap," I whispered. "She could give the houses to someone who will sell them. We might have to leave."

"It's true," she said. "I have no idea what would go in her will. I mean, she is one of the older creatures. She had a long time to accumulate and possess. I don't know who she would pass any of it down to. She had no family that I know of. She was the last of her kind, too."

"Maybe we shouldn't burn her then."

"I think we'll be okay until the deeds change hands," she said. "And also, I was thinking about Phoenix. If he's the one who created the sanctuary, wouldn't his being alive be protection enough? He stole that space, and he entrusted it to Folsom, but now that the goblin is dead, wouldn't it revert back to Phoenix?"

"I have no idea. I'll need to talk to him about that when he gets back."

"Let's say goodbye to Mrs. Yaga," Margie said after eavesdropping. "It's a perfect night. The danger is away. This is our best chance for a peaceful goodbye."

I hugged her. She had been good to me and everyone, despite not being part of our fight. "Anything you say, Margie."

We all mutually agreed to burn Mrs. Yaga's body. We took her to her final resting place, holding candles, although some of us remained on alert. Constant vigilance was a necessity.

Anka led us all in a song that I recognised as the one Mrs. Yaga had requested on her deathbed. I thought of Folsom, of Mrs. Yaga, of Helena, too. We all thought of the loved ones we had lost, whether by death or distance. I let a tear fall for each of them, Emmett and Peter, too. I doubted they would ever return to me, and I couldn't blame them, but I missed them with everything I had left.

Carl, Esther, and the twins stuck close as if sensing I needed them, and as the flames lit the night sky, we all turned for home. The biggest, most dysfunctional family on the planet.

# Epilogue

A drug dealer, a policeman, and an angel walked into a bar. Specifically, Gabe's bar. He led them to the counter during happy hour. Finn, the fae bartender, poured them all drinks, but he looked miserable. Neutral ground, but he could tell something unusual was going on, and that had gotten his back up. That, or the fact nobody would tell him what exactly was going on. Then again, the garda and the drug dealer didn't know either.

"Let's get a comfortable seat," I heard Gabe say, and he led them both to the table in the corner. I shifted over, so they could sit down. Lorcan, Lucia, and Carl were with me. Esther and Val were back with the others, providing the best protection we had.

"What's going on?" Moses asked as he took a seat. Shay seemed as though he wasn't going to sit, but he finally did.

"I'll leave you to chat," Gabe said.

"Seriously," Moses said as Gabe walked away. "What the fuck is this about?"

"War," I said. "And picking sides."

Moses and Shay exchanged glances. "Thought the war was over," Moses said. "Was on the news and everything."

"That's a different war," Carl said. "Next one is a little more underhanded."

Lorcan cleared his throat. "Who helped you with the beasts? Who told you about them?"

"Ava," Shay said in his soft lilt. "She told us. She helped us. You know this already."

"That's kind of the point," I said. "I'm a nobody. Technically, I'm a rebel now, I suppose. Kind of like the sound of it." I smiled at Carl, and he grinned right back.

"The supernatural governing bodies and their version of the police did nothing to help anyone. Not humans, not others," Carl said. "They hid underground and let us deal with it. If it wasn't for Ava blabbing..."

Shay nodded. "A lot more of us would be dead."

"You would have lost the war," Lorcan said.

"You're English," Moses said. "How come you're on our side then?"

"He was a slave," I said in a quiet voice. "A slave to English vampires. When he and his sister were kids, they were sold to a slave market. Just like Peter's son. Just like a lot of people. Months ago, I forced the Council to come with me to... um, Hell to take the children home. Instead of giving them to their families, the Council kept them for themselves. They even spoke about forcing the children out to fight against the beasts. We've been protecting people who are being persecuted by those in power. Gabe over there is part of the Council, but he's willing to help us."

"Help you do what exactly?" Shay asked.

"Take down the Council. Create a new ruling power. Change... everything."

"You know our story," Moses said. "Someone owns us, just as much as they own the kiddies in those slave markets."

"Yeah, and we think that person is on the Council," Carl said. "We think that person is involved with the slave markets. The police, too."

"You're saying that, at the root of everything, is a powerful, but corrupt, being," Shay said, closing his eyes. "And you want to shut them down."

"Exactly," Lorcan said. "But we need help. Support. We need to know that if we do it, people will work with us."

"We want humans and supernaturals to work together for good," I said. "The Council let vampires have their choice of humans. The vampire who consulted for the Council turned sides, even though the Council were letting him kill a virgin every month. Imagine what they'll offer to get him back on their side." I didn't know if they would do anything to get him back on their side, but I didn't care.

"I don't know if I can risk it," Moses said. "If they come after us—"

"You're not running scared, are you?" Carl scoffed.

Moses glared, his mouth twisting into a cruel smile. "This from a posh D4 head who was probably born with a fucking platinum spoon in his mouth. Some of us have to graft for what we have. Some of us don't have a life of luxury. We're not even fucking free."

"And I'm not even from Dublin four," Carl protested. "And what difference would that make anyway?"

"Yeah, yeah, you and your wannabe Yankee accent," Moses retorted, but his eyes glittered with humour.

Carl's face, neck, and ears turned bright red. "The drug dealer is giving me grief over my accent? I can barely understand you and your thick, common as muck—"

"Is this actually happening?" I asked Shay.

He grinned. "I can arrest both of them if you like. I'd rather fill out the paperwork than listen to this."

"I'll shut up if the dealer does," Carl snapped.

Moses grinned at me. "Go on. Keep convincing me, woman."

I raised a brow. "You know deep down that you'll never really be free if nothing changes. Listen, you're all human. The twins and I are only part-human, and we're despised. Hated. You're at the bottom of the pile, even lower than us. The Council don't rate you highly enough to hate. It's time to take back our place. To stop being food for older beings."

"But what can we do?" Shay asked. "How can we possibly change anything?"

"One person can make a difference," Carl said. "But if we can work at getting support, so that when the time comes, we're all on the right side..."

Shay inclined his head. "I know a lot of my crowd aren't happy with the way things are. Everything we've ever gone through looks different now we know the real truth of this world. We've been talking about the night those monsters came. How few of you helped us. We saw clips on the news, of the so-called major battle. Where did all of those people come from? Why couldn't they have helped us? And, Ava, we're all pissed at being used to set you up like that. I swear to God, none of us knew what was happening."

"I know," I said. "But that's what they do. They use people and act like nothing happened. I could easily have blamed you lot, but I know what they're like. Aiden set me up to get me away from his sister."

"Who's his sister?" Moses asked.

"Esther. You remember her, right?"

He grinned sleazily. "How could I forget?"

I thumped his arm, and he laughed loudly. "Ah, come on. Give a man a break."

"The point is, even his sister is disgusted with how they act on top. She's witnessed some horrible things. She's against the people she used to work for. One of them is risking his business and life to help us. And even the main one's son is acting as though he wants in on our side. They have money, big houses, all kinds of shit, and when the country needed their help, they hid underground and let us all suffer. Except we didn't. We dealt with it by teaming up."

"Never back down," Moses said under his breath. "Where do they get the money?"

"I'd say some of it comes from criminal activity," Shay said. "Too many big crimes go unpunished for it to be a coincidence. Word comes from above, and it all goes away."

"Live to scam another day," Moses added.

"I reckon some of it comes from the people they chase into hiding," Lorcan said. "A lot of the people with us came from families that were once rich or powerful. Families that were taken down by the Council, one way or another."

I nodded. "And then there are the deals. The supernaturals deal in favours. If the Council gave out a favour, imagine how much money it would cost to pay them back."

"It's not just the money and power," Carl said. "They hate mixed races like Ava and the twins here. They're terrified of them. They wanted to kill Ava as soon as she popped up on their radar."

"But they're not all bad," I admitted. "It's just they're so old and unwilling to change."

"We need, like, a backer," Moses said. "I mean, if I get involved."

I cleared my throat. "Well, we have one. Only problem is that he might be worse than the Council if he got some power."

"So we double-deal," Moses said lightly. "Make sure he never gets any of the power."

"That's what I'm hoping for," I said. "But with this one, we need to cover all of the bases. He's a Keeper of Gods, for starters. He has power from them that he's refusing to give back. He has a way of trapping souls to him, using their power. I don't know what for, but we need his support right now."

"He sounds scarily dodgy," Shay said.

"Yeah, but it's easier to shift change when everything's already in an uproar than it is to change centuries of rules and laws. Don't forget—those children are still kidnapped. Missing children, just like Emmett." I knew that would appeal to Shay.

He raised his eyebrows. "So we could take them home to their families?" he asked. "Close the cases?"

"Of course," I said. "But I should probably mention that these children are special in some way. That's why the supernaturals want them. We might need to work with them for a while once they get home."

"Have a support system," he said. "Community liaisons. Simple."

"So let me get this straight," Moses said. "You want us to pretend to work with a scary supernatural so he'll help us get rid of other scary supernaturals?"

"Pretty much," Carl said. "That's the basic plan, anyway."

"So when the cards fall, who gets the power? Who's in charge?"

I shrugged. "Whoever wants it enough, I suppose. Maybe a big committee of people. Different races, different backgrounds. The people who have been stood on and disregarded all of these years definitely need a choice. Those in power now can't keep getting away with bleeding the country dry. We have to fight. We have to stand together. Yeah, I know it won't be perfect. We kind of have to learn to live with the beings who feed on humans, while enforcing our own rules, too. It could get complicated, but fighting back and standing up for what we all believe in is important. Individually, we're the smallest pieces on the board. Together, we stand a chance."

"So if we agree we want in, then what happens?" Moses asked.

I grinned and held out my hand. "Then I'll say, welcome to our first war council."

###

Thank you for reading Taste (Ava Delaney #5)—for more information, check out Claire Farrell's blog or email the author.  Sign up to be notified of new releases.

Traitor (Ava Delaney #6), the final book in the series is due for release in June 2013.
