Pleasures Untold

Pleasures

untold Lisa Sanchez

OMNIFIC PUBLISHING DALLAS

Copyright © 2011 by Lisa Sanchez All Rights Reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. Omnific Publishing P.O. Box 793871, Dallas, TX 75379 www.omnificpublishing.com First Omnific eBook edition, February 2011 First Omnific trade paperback edition, February 2011 The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Sanchez, Lisa. Pleasures Untold / Lisa Sanchez – 1st ed. ISBN 978-1-936305-59-9 1. Vampire   —  Fiction. 2. Witch   —  Fiction. 3. Romance   —  Fiction. 4. Slayer  —  Fiction. I. Title 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Cover Design and Interior Book Design by Coreen Montagna Printed in the United States of America

For Martha: You scared me at first. You really did. But, then I discovered how beautiful you are, both inside and out. And now you’re near and dear to my heart. Love you, girl.

Chapter 1

for the love of…someone just shoot me now, please.” I groaned, Oh,eyeballing the line of over-processed, identically dressed sorority

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girls waiting to get into Fire and Ice along with us. Why I’d agreed to let my roommates drag me to this hellhole I’d never know. Scratch that. I did know. I was trying to be a good friend. You know, scoring brownie points and all that. And really, what the hell were brownie points? Screw the point thingies and just give me the damn brownie already. Being a good friend always made me hungry.

My roommate, Taylor, had walked in on her boyfriend this afternoon while he was getting pelvic with some other girl. Douchebag! She’d decided a night on the town would work as well as a Band-Aid. Drunken frat boys weren’t my panacea of choice. If I’d caught my man with his pickle in someone else’s jar, I wouldn’t be going out on the town. Hell, no! I’d be eating my weight in Ben & Jerry’s, listening to angry chick music, and conjuring up pictures of the low-life bastard I could deface. But hey, that’s just me. I glanced over to the bright, neon red and blue sign reading Fire and Ice, shook my head and sighed. I didn’t do the club scene. Well, I did, but not like everyone else, and yeah…not a soul had a clue. I liked it that way. Safer for me. Safer for my friends. Nausea, intense, sweaty and sickening, rolled around my gut as I took in the serpentine line of scantily dressed co-eds waiting to get in. Halter top, halter top, tube top, dental floss? What the hell am I doing here? I glanced down at my outfit and frowned. My black corset top, red plaid mini skirt, and Docs were way out of place in this line. Standing in a sea of over-processed Barbie dolls who wore nothing but tight jeans, backless tops, and heels, I looked like a corndog amidst a platter of filet mignon. I’d been lured into the lions’ den, a lamb to the slaughter.

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I swallowed thickly. Crap. Why do my hands always get sweaty when I’m nervous? Swiping my palms across my skirt, I pushed back my feelings of insecurity. Yeah, I was uncomfortable, but I’d deal. I’d been through tougher shit than this and come out on top. A few nasty looks from a bunch of nameless plastic Betties weren’t going to keep me down. Right when I’d convinced myself the night wouldn’t suck total ass, the tip of my boot caught on the lip of the sidewalk, and I accidentally bumped one of the Barbies as I passed by. As I’m sure you can imagine, things took a nasty turn when she decided to open her mouth and insult me. A scorching pair of blue eyes burned a hole into my flesh. “What the hell are you doing here? The freak club is down the street, vamp girl.” Her thin, outstretched arm was slathered with copious amounts of body shimmer, and topped off with frosted pink fingertips. She pointed a dragon-lady nail across the street and away from the club. Under the bright light of the nearby streetlamp, she looked like a cross between a glittering mirror ball and a Barbie someone bedazzled the shit out of. Fuming, I stopped walking, closed my eyes, and counted to ten. The palms of my hands cried out in pain as my fingernails dug into their soft skin. The Barbie’s high-pitched, snotty voice ruffled my senses, immediately putting me in defense mode. “Just ignore them.” Taylor grabbed my hand and yanked, trying to pull me toward the end of the line. My feet remained anchored to the pavement, and I glared at the nasty source of my irritation. If I could have channeled Superman’s laser vision at that moment, you can bet your ass I would’ve. Girlfriend would have been a charred piece of toast. Extra crispy. I sighed and shook my head as I continued to stare down the blonde uber-Betty. Who the hell was I kidding? As tempting as it sounded to zap my assailant into a pile of ash, I knew I never would. My conscience wouldn’t let me, and neither would my oath. “Yeah…please…ignore us,” Nasty Betty continued, giggling with her group of exact replicas. “Freak!” Her words blistered across my skin like acid, setting my flesh on fire and my blood to boiling. I wrenched my hand away from my friend and took a step toward my plastic aggressor, fully intending to unleash my wrath. I wasn’t the little girl who ran away crying after being bullied anymore. Yeah, I’d taken an oath, the same oath my mother took when she was young, and her mother before her. Vampires, demons, and undead dirtbags were fair game as far as doling out magical spankings went. Your average, everyday 2

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asshole? Sadly, they were off limits. But that didn’t mean I’d swallow random bullshit from mindless, affected sycophants. I might not smite humans down with my magic, but I sure as hell could tell them off. Confrontations sucked ass: plain and simple. Girls like Nasty Betty were the reason I kept people at arm’s length, avoided relationships, and stayed to myself. A person can only ingest so much crap before they put a foot down and say, “Enough!” After a childhood riddled with Nasty Betty types, I knew how to hold my own. I was fully capable of defending myself and could be downright scary if I wanted to. Glaring at my affected heckler, I opened my mouth to unleash a nasty barrage of obscenities when Taylor cut me off, stepping in front of me with her arms crossed over her chest. “You know…” Taylor stepped back, placed her hands on her hips, and gave my attacker a haughty once-over. She scrutinized her for a good long while, the air surrounding us thickening with tension. “For someone who looks like a bush pig, I wouldn’t be so quick to insult other people. Now rack off.” Jessica, who’d remained silent through the entire snipefest, let out a loud snort and covered her mouth to muffle her laughter. Taylor’s colorful Aussie slang came out whenever she was upset or angry, and Nasty Betty had done a bang up job at getting under her skin. After the hellish day she’d had, Taylor’s accent was thick and husky. With her brows furrowed, Taylor turned on her heel and grabbed my wrist, pulling me toward the end of the line once again with Jessica trailing close behind. I yanked my hand away, frustrated. “I’m perfectly capable of dealing with Nasty Betty and her vicious band of skanks, thank you very much.” My voice was filled with venom, and the muscles in my neck and shoulders ached from tensing. Still reeling, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and struggled to pull myself together. God. What I wouldn’t give for one night of fun where I wasn’t forced to defend myself against closed-minded idiots. Taylor clamped her hands onto my shoulders and gave a squeeze. “Believe me, I know you are.” The normally smooth skin between her eyes creased with worry. “But friends stick up for one another, and you were there for me this afternoon when I needed a shoulder to cry on. I figured I’d return the favor. God, Martha. You’re not mad, are you?” Gazing at her long brown hair, chocolate eyes, and exotic good looks, I’d never understand why her boyfriend needed to cheat. Taylor was beautiful, a good friend, lovely both inside and out. 3

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I took a deep breath before answering her. “No,” I said with a loud exhale. I wasn’t mad. I was irritated. She’d stolen my thunder. I didn’t want Nasty Betty, or anyone else for that matter, thinking I was incapable of fighting my own battles. Of course, neither Taylor, nor the rest of them knew just how insignificant a verbal throw down with Nasty Betty was in comparison to the other battles I’d fought over the years. Still, it was nice to know I had friends who’d stick up for me if I needed them to. I plastered a fake smile onto my face and gave Taylor a pat on the arm before staring off into the distance. It wasn’t until the past few months I had anyone to call friend. Growing up with special abilities pretty much labeled me as a freak from early on. No one wanted to befriend the girl who talked to ghosts or banished the demon living in their closet. Nope. If you got too close to me, my “crazy” might rub off. Crowds parted like the Red Sea whenever I came into a room, and a constant stream of whispers, giggles, and complete douchebaggery followed me wherever I went. Haters! Thank God for Jess and Taylor. The line to get into the club slowly crept forward. My quest to remain aloof, above the bullshit, lasted all of two seconds. Unease slammed into me, sending an odd tugging sensation whirling throughout my gut. Someone was watching me. Only, instead of the usual creep factor that came with being watched, I experienced a bevy of unsettling sensations. A warm rush of comfort enveloped me. The feeling was so familiar. It left me more than a little unnerved because I’d noticed the same sensation on and off for the past several weeks. I turned, looked around, taking in my surroundings, and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Huh…weird. The strange tugging persisted until I heard a loud shriek coming from a few feet ahead. Nasty Betty and her flock of carbon-copied minions were making a spectacle of themselves with regard to their ids. I didn’t care for Betty in the least, but I had to give credit where credit was due. Girlfriend had cajones. The doorman — a beefed up, bald guy with no neck and an ass-load of tatts — towered over her like a skyscraper. Betty didn’t seem to notice — or care. She laid into him like a regular shmoe, and it was definitely a sight to see. “Seriously, assface? Do you know who I am?” Beefy Bald Guy pegged her with a hard stare and waved his hand in Betty’s face. “Enough! No id, no entry. Read the sign.” He jabbed a fat finger through the air, motioning to the rectangular square on the side of the building. Giant black and white lettering shone plain as day under the yellow lighting from above. “No id, No Entry.” 4

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Betty lost her game for a moment and stood with her mouth open, obviously flustered. “But…but…” “Save it,” the doorman snapped, cutting her off. “Quit wasting my time and step aside.” Betty narrowed her eyes and glared at the doorman. If looks could kill, Beefy Bald Guy would have been dead, ten times over. “Whatever, loser.” She jutted her chin out, slapped on a scowl, and stepped aside, all the while complaining to her loyal followers. I couldn’t fight the large smile that emerged. For once, the universe had been kind to me, doling out a spanking toward my unwanted bully. The line slithered forward, and I paused in front of Betty momentarily after presenting the doorman with my identification. I cast her a sideways glance and raised an eyebrow. “Karma’s a real bitch, isn’t it?” And with a triumphant smile, I strode through the entrance, enjoying the sound of her frustrated shrieks of anger. Jessica gave me a nod of deep approval and winked. “Damn, girl, you totally owned her. You are so the shit.” Yep. I was the shit. I didn’t bother to wipe the smug grin off my face as we made our way through the crowded club toward a table near the back. It wasn’t often I had the upper hand when faced with pretentious hecklers, and I fully intended on savoring every last drop of my small victory. Gloating felt good. Damn good. My butt was in its seat for all of two seconds before a new song blasted over the speakers. Taylor shot out of her seat like the damn thing was on fire. With arms flailing, she shouted over the obnoxious music. “Oh, hell, yes…I love this song. Let’s get out there.” Visibly excited, Jessica stood up and craned her head in my direction, motioning for me to follow. Oh, hell, no. I didn’t flinch and remained seated. “You coming?” She flashed me an expectant look. Blond, five-footseven, and a whopping size two — Jess was my polar opposite. Dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a slinky black top, and strappy sandals, she looked like she belonged with the Barbies and their crowd, not with me. The contrast between her dark clothing, fair skin, and blond hair was striking, and for a brief moment, I felt a twinge of jealousy. Topping out at a whopping five-foot-five, I was pale and thin except for my boobs which, like the rest of the women on my mother’s side, were positively ginormous. My mahogany locks were layered, the longer pieces 5

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sweeping past my shoulders and across my forehead, keeping my face partially hidden and safe from unwanted attention. I suppose my wardrobe choice had something to do with the negative attention I regularly received. Taylor was always telling me I dressed like the poster child for Hot Topic. Whatever. I liked my style. I was no Barbie girl. I looked like the girl who ate Barbie for breakfast. I pegged her with a look of you’ve-got-to-be-effing-kidding-me. “Um, that would be a definite no.” I was most certainly not a dancer. The few times I subjected myself to ridicule on the dance floor were few and far between, and had always been when someone forced me to do so. There was no way I’d do the bump and grind thing if I didn’t have to. Hell. To. The. No. I just wasn’t that type of girl. Don’t get me wrong…I love music. Although the stuff that was played at the clubs was, in my opinion, lacking. And besides, my body just didn’t move like everyone else’s. When I tried to sway my hips, it looked more like I was having some kind of fit than any kind of dance. Spastic. Jess made a loud pssh sound and rolled her eyes. “C’mon, Martha. It’ll be fun.” She thrust her hand at me again and nodded in the direction of the dance floor. I shook my head, remaining firm in my decision. Girlfriend needed to get a clue and get over it. There was no way in hell I’d willingly step foot on the dance floor. Jessica stood between Taylor and me, indecision clouding her thoughts as her head whipped back and forth, teetering on the edge of whiplash. Amped up and ready to boogie, Taylor tugged at her arm, wanting her to follow. “C’mon, Jess. Hurry up.” The massive crowd of writhing bodies behind them sent my stomach churning. Oh, for the love of…“Go,” I said to Jessica, shooing her away with my hands. “Really. I’ll be just fine. I promise.” She glanced toward the massive crowd then back at me, her mouth opening, ready to protest again when I swiftly cut her off. Criminy! “Yes.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m gonna go trolling anyway.” I stood up and patted my bag. Her blue eyes flashed wide for a moment. She gave me a nod, letting me know she understood and mouthed a quick “be careful.” I watched her follow Taylor into the mammoth crowd, relieved they hadn’t made a bigger stink about my not dancing. Those two were nothing if not persistent. To the select few of us who were aware of the existence of otherworldly creatures, it was a known fact that demons and vampires patronized popular clubs and bars, as the drunken partiers were easy prey. 6

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Okay, stop. I got a bit ahead of myself there. Better backtrack, as I’m sure you’re wondering what the hell I’m talking about. Dying to know what’s in my bag? Brace yourself, peeps. I carry a wooden stake with me wherever I go. Uh-huh. That’s right, baby. Ten inches of smooth, polished oak, with a nice grip and a wicked ass point. It irritates the crap out of Jess and Taylor because I’m always checking to make sure Chuck’s with me. Yes…you read that right. I named my pointy weapon Chuck. The damn thing’s saved my life more times than I can count and deserves some recognition, so keep your opinions to yourself, please. Shortly after Lucian murdered my mother, when I was a child, I vowed to avenge her death. My mother and my grandmother were murdered by a blood-sucking, undead, harbinger of death — a vampire. Naturally, I was pissed about this. Actually, pissed really didn’t cover it, but for now, it would do. As I grew older and my strength and powers matured, I took to policing the local hot spots for demonic activity. So yeah, I did the nightclub scene…just not like everyone else did. My mission was simple: kill every vampire, demon, and underworld bastard I came across, because one of those fuckers just might be Lucian. I wasn’t about to let anyone else suffer the heartache and loss I went through as a child. My mission was altruistic and self-serving. I was a damn freaking saint. Curious as to how my roommates found out about my witchy mojo? Jess is a long story. She and I weren’t always close. Not by a long shot. Thankfully, opinions change, and she got over her problem with me quickly after I helped our friend, Ryann, reverse her boyfriend’s deadly curse. We’ve been tight ever since. As for Taylor, well…she walked in on me using magic to tidy up the apartment and from that day forward, has begged me for maid service ad nauseum. Her room was as messy as Jessica’s. So yeah…both my roomies knew I had power. They also knew I killed the creepy crawlies that lurked in the dark, the ones ready to end your life in a moment’s notice. But that was all they knew. There were some things a girl needed to keep to herself. And those things just might keep everyone else safe. Switching gears from friend mode to demon hunter, I grabbed hold of my bag and pulled it over my head so it hung across my body, and made my way over toward the bar. Along with levitation, telekinesis (the ability to move objects magically with my mind), and a kick ass power surge, I possessed the ability to alter or glamour the appearance of objects — people included. No surprise, this was an ability my friends liked to take advantage of whenever we went out. 7

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I’d been pumping out a steady stream of Jimmy Choos, Manolo Blahniks, and magically enhanced boobage for the past three months. Who needed Dr. 90210 when they had me around? My powers also gave me a sort of sixth sense. I perceived most evil when it was near, though some I really had to focus to pinpoint. It didn’t help that the greater the evil, the more capable that evil was of masking its presence. Young vampires and lesser demons were easy to pick out of a crowd, but it was the monsters who roamed the earth for centuries that were most capable of eluding me. Damn, filthy bastards! I took a seat at the far right end of the bar and turned, peering out into the massive crowd. Dozens of bodies, hot, writhing, and slick with sweat, gyrated and swayed to the relentless techno beat blaring from the club’s speakers. Nothing. I felt…nothing. Crap. What the hell? Normally my “spidey sense,” as Jessica often referred to it, went off like crazy. Why would tonight be any different? I chewed on the inside of my lip, my tongue playing with the L-shaped backing of the tiny diamond stud just below my lip-line. I’d switched out the silver ring earlier in an effort to look softer, if that was at all possible. As I stared into the crowd, I felt someone’s eyes on me again. The warm, tugging sensation I’d felt on numerous occasions recently slammed into me with gusto, along with the feeling that everything and everyone around me moved ten times slower than normal. A ripple of warmth rushed through my veins, setting my skin on fire while simultaneously sending a chill rocketing up the length of my spine. Never. I’d never felt anything like it. Whatever the feeling was, it was very intense. Slowly, I turned my gaze to the left, looking over my shoulder toward the far end of the bar. My breath caught, and it was in that exact moment that everything changed. My life as I knew it would never be the same. Standing behind the bar to the far left was a man (later I’d find out otherwise) who appeared to be in his early twenties. Tall, deeply tan, with short, dark brown hair that looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, and a face that could only be described as angelic, he was easily the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on. He stood with his back against the bar, ignoring the thirsty party-goers. With his arms folded casually against his chest, he burned a hole into me with his heated gaze. Holy…Stunned, I looked away as a shockwave of desire ping-ponged around my chest and zapped a straight line down to my hoo-hah. My mouth went dry. He couldn’t possibly be looking at me. Hell, guys didn’t stare at

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me like that — ever. I shifted in my seat and fanned myself with my hands. Had they jacked up the heat in here? Why was it so damn hot? God. Those eyes. I felt them boring into the side of my face, the intensity of it melting my superstructure into a gelatinous mush. Clearly, I was imagining things. Determined to prove my body’s reaction wrong, I stared out into the crowd, willing my “spidey senses” to get their shit together and zoom in on an underworld dirtbag so I could do my thing. My body, evidently, didn’t feel like cooperating. The sensation remained, becoming even more intense with every second that passed. Shit. Swallowing hard, I chanced another look over my shoulder to see the handsome stranger walking toward me. All the air in my lungs left in one swift whoosh, and I was sure I’d need a fresh set of panties asap. This guy, whoever he was, was hot. He had the smooth, commanding gait of a powerful predator. Bad boy was capable of murder and all kinds of delicious mayhem. If I was certain of anything, it was that this guy was bad. Really bad. He had my heart racing, my blood pumping, and my panties all tied up in knots. The faint memory of my great-grandmother’s voice popped into my head. Close your mouth, Peanut, before you catch a fly. I slammed my jaw closed. Drooling over the hot bartender wouldn’t do me a damn bit of good. Guys like him didn’t go for girls like me. The heavens broke out into song when he opened his mouth, and I was sure I’d never heard a more perfect voice. “What can I get you to drink, beautiful?” His tone was deep and rich, with a hint of an accent — Latin maybe, though I wasn’t sure and didn’t really care. I was sure, however, that I wanted him to speak again, regardless of what he said. He could recite the alphabet in Cantonese for all I cared, just so long as he spoke. Mr. Oh-So-Easy-On-The-Eyes was altogether too much. Not only did he look and sound heaven-sent, he smelled like a warm summer day: woodsy, fresh, and cool. Eau de Sex as far as I was concerned. Sticky sweat covered my palms, and I fidgeted some more on my perch, a warm flush inching its way across my skin for all to see. I was running on complete overload and was sure I’d end up a molten puddle of goo at any moment. Holy hell. What is wrong with me? My body’s response to him up close was a thousand times stronger than it had been when he stood across the bar. My heart jumped around

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in my chest like a yippy dog begging for a bone, and I found it increasingly hard to breathe. The attraction I felt for him was raw, powerful, and for sure unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I definitely experienced lust at first sight, because I wanted nothing more than to hop over the bar, peel his clothing off with my teeth and hop on pop. Get a grip, Martha. You don’t know this guy from Adam… Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a black button down shirt, the man oozed sex. Hot sex, and raw, carnal pleasure — all things I knew nothing about. Why is it so friggin hot in here? The first few buttons of his shirt were undone, and boy, oh, boy, did my eyes ever feast themselves on his sun-kissed, muscled-up and, might I add, lickably smooth chest. His long sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off his well-toned forearms. I ran my tongue over my bottom lip, fighting the overwhelming urge to lean forward and lick the golden skin encasing his muscular arms. If he tasted half as good as he looked, I was in for one hell of a ride. The pleasant sound of his chuckling yanked me from my fantasy. Curses! He caught me checking out his goods! I looked up to answer him and was lost. The rest of his body was nothing in comparison to the large pair of caramel brown eyes holding my gaze. His deep golden stare was nothing short of mesmerizing. The corners of his mouth turned up, and he raised an eyebrow. “I see my boyish good looks have stunned you into silence.” “Oh…I…uh…” Shit. I stumbled over my words, my tongue feeling as though it were too big for my mouth, my brain on complete lockdown. “What did you want?” I bit my lip and ran my hand along the smooth surface of the bar, desperately trying to hide the fact that I felt like a complete moron. I’d lost control, gave into a hormonal shame spiral, and drooled all over myself the moment I saw him. What the hell was wrong with me? I never lost my cool around guys. I never lost my cool around anyone. But then again, no guy had ever looked at me the way the hot bartender looked at me now. Who was he? “I just thought you might be thirsty. You are sitting at a bar, after all.” He tapped his knuckles on the polished wooden surface before me. Duh, Martha. Idiot… Prickly heat crawled up my neck and onto my face. “Sorry,” I said with a nervous laugh. Okay, I was more than nervous; I was nauseated. This 10

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guy, whoever he was, had my hormones spewing forth at regular intervals like Old Faithful. Desperate to save face, I dug around in my bag to procure some money. “I’ll, uh…I’ll have a Coke.” At twenty-one, I was old enough to drink, but never did. Alcohol induced stupors weren’t exactly helpful when fighting demons. I needed to keep a clear head, and left the Jaeger bombs for the Barbie types. With a slight nod and a wicked grin, the handsome bartender went about getting my drink, his eyes never leaving mine as he completed his task. And what lovely eyes they were — warm, like melted chocolate, both sinful and inviting. A girl could get lost in a pair of eyes like those. He slid my soda across the counter a few moments later. His smirk clued me in to the fact he was fully aware I was, indeed, eye-fucking him. “My treat, cariño.” He gave me another panty-dropping grin before leaving to help someone else. I downed the soda, regretting my decision to hold off on the tequila. Liquid courage was just what I needed. Holy sh…Who is he? And wait… Cariño? What did he just call me? As I spun the ice filled glass on the smooth surface of the bar, I couldn’t help but think that maybe a night out on the town wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Latin bartender guy was smoking hot. I didn’t have a damn clue how to interact with him, but the attention was a welcome change. Most guys treated me like I was invisible. As I was about to take a sip of my drink, a cool tingling sensation slithered up the length of my spine, setting the tiny hairs on the back of my neck on end. Bingo. Evil alert! I turned just as Jessica sidled up to the bar, a bit red-faced from dancing and fanning herself. Panicked, I narrowed my eyes and shouted over the loud music. “Where’s Taylor?” There was some seriously evil mojo wafting through the club, growing stronger and larger by the moment. I needed to get to work, but wasn’t about to take off until I knew both my friends were safe and accounted for. Jess cupped her hands over her mouth, forming a makeshift megaphone and shouted, “She met a hottie.” She angled her body away from me and pointed toward the far end of the club. 11

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My heart jumped into my throat. No! Taylor, flushed and smiling, was walking toward the bathrooms with a preppy looking frat boy, who, along with a pair of skinny jeans and a fugly shirt, possessed an aura reeking of moral depravity. “Shit!” I set my glass down on the bar and hopped off the stool. I had to get to her before it was too late. Wigged out, Jessica grabbed hold of my arm and yanked. “What? Martha? What is it?” I didn’t have time to spell it out for her. The so-called “hottie” Taylor found was most definitely a demon of some sort, vamp most likely, and if I didn’t get to her in time, Taylor was in serious doo-doo. I ripped my arm from her steely grip. “Stay where you are,” I shouted over my shoulder. Darting in and out of the bustling crowd, I raced toward the corridor leading to the bathrooms and rear exit. Before I could reach them, a large swarm of over-processed sausage jockeys descended onto the dance floor, blocking my view. I lost sight of Taylor and her unworthy companion, and was stopped by a wall of pissed off, holier-than-thou skanks led by none other than Nasty Betty herself. I scowled. “How the hell did you get in here?” I did my best to push past Nasty Betty as she stared at me with an icy glare. I was certain, after her missing id debacle, that I’d been spared her annoying presence. Betty sneered at me like I was road-kill or something equally nasty she needed to scrape off her shoe. “Please, freak. The question is: how did your sorry ass get in here?” You can bet your ass I wanted to throw down with Betty and her nastier-than-shit attitude. But Taylor’s life was more important, and she was running out of time. “I don’t have time for your pathetic crap. Move!” Aggravated and pissed off she’d wasted precious time, I slammed the heel of my boot down onto Betty’s strappy sandaled foot with everything I had. No surprise, she let out a vicious shriek and doubled over in pain while I made a break for the exit. God, I love my Docs! A few people crowded the narrow hallway where the bathrooms were located, but Taylor was nowhere to be seen. I threw open the door to the women’s bathroom, pounded on several of the stalls and hollered for my friend. “Taylor!” I received several snappy responses, but nothing from my roomie. 12

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Crap… I repeated my actions in the men’s bathroom, disregarding the drunken idiot hanging onto a urinal with one hand, while he whizzed all over the floor. Blegh! Men are gross! “Taylor!” Dammit! I got the same result as the women’s restroom: a whole lot of nada. The creep must have taken her out the back exit. The dull ache in my chest reinforced what my mind had been trying to deny. Taylor wasn’t just up shit creek with no paddle, she was floundering about with no boat, no oar, and no life vest. Preparing myself for a fight, I unzipped my bag and pulled out Chuck. That bad boy had dusted more vamps than I could remember, and I wanted it in my palm, ready at a moment’s notice. A zing of power swept through me as I gripped the weapon in my hand. Without hesitation, I stepped out the back exit and shouted into the inky darkness. “Taylor!” I heard a muffled whimper in the distance, and I took off down the dark alley toward the source of the noise. The alley came to a dead end, the only light coming from the full moon above, making it near impossible to see my surroundings. Thankfully, I had my magic to help with the piss poor lighting. Extending my empty hand out before me, I cast a spell summoning light from the lamps lining the streets opposite the alley. “Adeo mihi oh benevolens lux lucis.” A bright, luminescent orb formed just above my palm, growing larger and brighter, and rising up so that it illuminated the entire alleyway. My blood boiled as I took in the scene before me. Taylor’s undead man-candy held her against the brick wall of an adjacent building by her throat, her precious Manolo Blahniks dangling a good foot off the ground as she desperately fought to free herself. My vision tunneled, my body and mind shifting into ass kicking mode. “Let her go.” With teeth clenched and adrenaline pumping through my veins, I widened my stance in preparation for the fight that would inevitably ensue. The plasma-challenged monster manhandling Taylor was gonna get the beating of his undead existence. And oh yeah, I was gonna enjoy it. No one messed with my friends. The vampire sneered and gripped Taylor’s neck even tighter as it mocked me. “And who do you think you are? Buffy? You gonna slay me, little girl?” Dressed like an Abercrombie model in strategically ripped skinny jeans and a striped button down shirt, the vamp was definitely a looker with blond hair and steely blue eyes. More than likely he’d been a major player back 13

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when his heart still carried a beat, and was now using his good looks to attract women for an entirely different reason. I swallowed hard, and adjusted my grip on Chuck. If the bastard thought I was scared, he was sorely mistaken. I’d taken down an Alû demon a week ago. Those bastards were leprous and oozed poisonous goop from their open wounds. Preppy fang boy was a piece of cake in comparison. “Actually, I’ve always been more of a Willow.” I threw my arm out, using my magic to slam the vampire against the same brick wall he’d pinned Taylor against. The unexpected force of the blow caused the vamp to lose his grip on Taylor, who fell to a heap on the filthy pavement. Gasping for air, Taylor scrambled out of the way as I stalked toward the vampire. “Kiss your ass goodbye, fang face,” I shouted. Just as I reared my arm back to plunge Chuck into the vampire’s chest, a low chuckle carried across the breeze. A hard blow to the upper back knocked me off my feet. I lurched forward, crashing into a nearby pile of trash. “Martha!” Taylor screamed. I shot up off the pavement, mentally cringing at the filth I’d just climbed out of. “Get out of here,” I shouted, while looking up into the surly face of another hungry vamp. Shit… “Fang face?” Vampire Number Two mocked. “You couldn’t come up with a better insult for my boy than ‘fang face?’ I’m almost embarrassed for you.” His lips pulled back into a sneer revealing a pair of fangs that looked more like tusks as he stalked toward me slowly. The second vampire was tall, muscled up, and sported a closely shaven hair cut. He looked like a linebacker, and it occurred to me for a moment that he’d probably been a football player in his former life. Regardless of who or what he’d once been, I didn’t want to become tomorrow’s headline by dying in a dark alley behind a nightclub. I wasn’t ready to kick the bucket just yet. I raised my arm ready to drive Chuck into his cold, dead heart only to find he wasn’t in my hand. He’d flown out of my grip during my rendezvous with the pavement. Frantic, I searched the ground for Chuck, who, to my utter dismay, lay several feet away near a dumpster. Oh, for the love of… Vampire Number Two glanced over at the stake, and then to me with a sinister smile. Knowing it was either him or me, I took action. I dove toward the dumpster and reached my hand out for Chuck, willing him into my grip as I came into a crouch with the wooden spike pointed upward. 14

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Fully prepared to stake my undead opponent while it attacked me, I was shocked to see another creature seemingly fall from the sky. What the hell? Is it raining vampires? Taking advantage of the element of surprise, the new player on scene opened his mouth, revealing a set of deadly fangs. Wasting no time, he ripped a huge chunk of flesh out of my attacker’s neck, before tearing its head off. The vamp exploded into a pile of dust. Holy…Vampire. The new player was a vampire, and he’d taken out one of his own. Shocked into silence, I looked up from the pile of dust that had been the linebacker vamp, into the eyes of my mysterious helper, and wasn’t prepared for what I saw. “You?” I gasped. My stomach seized up and bottomed out while loud warning bells sounded in my head. Danger…danger, Will Robinson! Danger! The hard bodied, sex-on-a-stick bartender from Fire and Ice stood towering above me, elongated fangs glistening in the dim light. Apparently still on a high from his kill, he stared down at me, eyes wild and chest heaving. He was a vamp? A cold sweat broke out over my skin, a deluge of uncertainty and doubt momentarily flooding my mind. How had I not sensed his supernatural presence? Pretty Boy was a conundrum, a red-flag situation. I gripped Chuck tightly in my hand, anticipating the need to send this new vamp packing straight to hell. If I hadn’t sensed this guy’s — this creature’s —  “otherness,” then that meant only one thing — he was old, really old. And he probably possessed a great deal of power if he could mask his presence so easily. “Hey.” A low, gravelly voice grumbled from behind us. “Get me down from here. She’s all yours!” Taylor’s attacker remained pinned to the side of the building where I’d left him. It was obvious he thought the bartender vamp would set him free if he gave up any claim he thought he had on me as a snack. Tough Guy wasn’t so tough after all. I made a face and gave him the middle finger send-off. Douchebag! The bartender turned on his heel and sauntered toward his undead comrade like the entire situation was no big deal. Who the hell is this guy? As he neared Taylor’s attacker, he paused briefly, picking up a discarded piece of metal pipe. “Sorry, mi hermano. Didn’t mean to leave you hanging.” With a wicked sneer he rammed the metal pipe into the vampire’s chest, turning him to dust.

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Holy Mary, Mother of…As he turned and moved closer to me, I threw up my arm, placing an invisible barrier between us. He didn’t need to come any closer, and I…I needed to maneuver myself into a better fighting stance, or I was toast. I stood from my crouched position, and my jaw dropped in disbelief. The bartender vamp struggled momentarily, and then crossed through my barrier of magic. Not good. My mouth went dry, and I gripped Chuck tighter in my hand, widening my stance. If this guy wanted a fight, I was all for it. Bring it on, bad boy. His amber eyes bore down on me, setting my skin on fire. He didn’t look like he wanted to eat me, but that didn’t mean anything. Vampires were the douchebags of the underworld — consummate liars. “I’m not going to hurt you, cariño. There’s no need to fear me.” His voice was like a lick of satin brushing against my flesh. My skin pebbled, my breath caught in my throat, and it wasn’t from fear. Disgusted with myself, I shook my head, drowning out the unwanted effects of his voice with something stronger: my voice of reason. No need to fear him? Is he for real? “You can mask your presence and you just walked through my barrier like it wasn’t even there. You’ll understand when I say that has me just a tad nervous? Not to mention, you just decapitated one of your own kind, and staked another. I have no idea what that’s all about. You’re a vampire. I’m a human. I think I’ll err on the side of caution and assume you want me dead.” Sexy bartender vamp shook his head and graced me with a pantydropping smile. “Mi niña, hermosa…I’d sooner walk into the sun than harm a beautiful creature such as you.” My heart danced the cha-cha in my chest. Get a grip, Martha. It doesn’t matter one bit how sinfully hot this guy is. The fact that your knees feel weak when he looks at you holds no bearing on the situation at hand. You are not affected by this vamp. You’re not. Really! “Uh-huh…” Clearly this handsome creature thought I was an idiot. If this thing thought I’d let my guard down because it staked its own kind and wooed me with those come-sex-me-up eyes, it was seriously mistaken. Him telling me I was beautiful had no effect on me whatsoever. Well…maybe it had a little effect — but dammit, I wouldn’t give in. From my experience, vampires were greedy, malignant creatures that thought nothing of destroying their own kind if it led to obtaining what they desired. Lies and manipulation were second nature to them, and I’d be damned if I was going to fall prey to it. Besides, who’d ever heard of a good vampire? There simply was no such thing. 16

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“No,” I shouted, and stepped back. I needed to back away, to separate myself from the strange pull I still felt toward him. Vampires were vile, evil creatures hellbent on taking lives, not saving them. This one was no different. I was sure of it. Full of apprehension, my body hummed with unreleased adrenaline. Why I wasn’t attacking the pretty vampire, I had no idea. Something held me back. This creature, whoever he was, had come to my rescue. Why? It was clear he was old and extremely powerful, evidenced by the ease in which he broke through my magical barrier. He could have taken me out easily, but he hadn’t. Then of course, there was the pesky little fact I sensed no evil coming from him — quite the opposite, actually; I felt a magnetic pull toward him, a strange familiarity I couldn’t explain. I was completely disconcerted, and that was something that didn’t happen very often. His woodsy scent filled my senses as he stepped forward. He was so close I felt the warmth of his breath on my face. Reaching up, he brushed a stray lock of hair out of my eyes, his fingertip lingering on the side of my face, stealing my breath away. Part of my brain shut down. You know… the part that told me this guy was a demon, a monster who shouldn’t be trusted. My over-eager, sex-starved libido shut it down, locked it up and threw away the key. His penetrating stare was like a sensual caress. “You’ll learn to trust me, cariño.” The smooth cadence of his voice enthralled me, and though I continued to grip Chuck in my palm, I made no effort to retreat as he moved closer still, his face mere centimeters from my own. Holy…Why am I just standing here? God, he smells so good. This man, this vampire had power, and a lot of it. Even more disconcerting was the fact he had power over me. He’d tapped into some strange new magic, harnessed the ability to make me forget myself, and all I stood for. I was so far gone, he could’ve pulled out a machete and hacked me to pieces, and I would have stood there smiling, a bumbling fool incapable of speech except that of short monosyllables. Bewitched by his very presence, the pounding of my heart was the only thing I heard until Taylor’s voice rang out into the night. “Martha?” Taylor’s voice sailed through the night, riddled with fear. “Is it over?” I can’t be sure, but I think there was a moment, a quick instant where his cool façade faded, and his glorious face fell. Most likely I’d imagined the whole thing. With the way my night was going, nothing would surprise me. 17

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Aware that we were no longer alone, the mysterious vamp took a step back and inclined his head toward me. “Another time, then,” he whispered. Awestruck, I watched as he levitated off the ground and disappeared from whence he came. I stood agape, staring up into the dark, feeling like a dimwitted, tonguetied, hormonal mess. It was several moments before I regained my wits. “I seriously doubt that,” I shouted into the night air. I’d never before come across a vampire who was immune to my magic, let alone one that could levitate. This vamp, whoever he was, was something different altogether, and that made him someone to be wary of. The sound of frightened whimpering tore my focus from the sky. “Taylor.” I ran to where she crouched behind a nearby dumpster. “C’mon.” I helped her up, placing one of her arms around my shoulder, so I could support her while she walked. Her face was red and puffy from crying, a stream of black mascara trailing down her tear stained cheeks. “Let’s get Jess and go home,” I said and led her back into the club through the rear exit. Thankfully, Jess had listened to my hasty instructions and remained at the bar. Her hands shot up to her mouth as she saw Taylor, and I make our approach. “Oh, my God…what happened? That guy…he was…he was — ” “A vampire,” I said, cutting her off. I treated them both to a heated stare that clearly said, “listen, and listen good.” I positioned them both so that they sat on barstools facing me. “Do me a favor, both of you? From now on, when we go out, please let me make sure any guys you meet aren’t a member of the undead before you get cozy with them.” Chagrined, Jessica nodded grimly, while Taylor burst into a new round of tears. “I’m so sorry,” she cried. “Please. Can we please just go home?” I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Between learning her boyfriend was pirating random booty on the side and then being attacked by vampires, Taylor had seen better days. I brushed a stray piece of hair out of her eyes and gave her arm a quick pat. Touchy feely wasn’t really my forte, but I wanted to comfort her in some way. “Sshhh. It’ll be okay, Taylor. I’m sorry if I came across harsh. I just don’t want to see you hurt, that’s all.” “There!” I heard a loud, whiny voice shout from behind me. “She’s the one.” Oh, for the love of…My stomach dropped at the sound of the familiar voice. You’ve got to be kidding me… 18

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I whirled around to see a wall of Betty replicas and a bouncer standing before me with Nasty Betty in the center, her arm extended, pointing at me. Betty cast me a haughty glare and focused on the bouncer. “She’s the one who assaulted me. I want her thrown out. Now.” She tossed her blond hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms, eyeing me with obvious hatred. Touché. Round one went to Betty. A familiar pair of eyes burned a hole into my back as I was escorted from the club by a beefy no-neck, with Jessica and Taylor in tow. I had no idea who the mysterious vamp was, but I was certain I’d find out, sooner rather than later.

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Chapter 2

rest of the week sucked major ass. TIhespent most of my time consoling a majorly freaked out Taylor who’d

decided all men were evil and deserving of Chinese water torture. When I wasn’t comforting her, I was thinking about him: the sexy bartender vamp from the club.

By the time Friday night rolled around, I felt like jumping out of my skin. I was exhausted but full of anxiety, so sleep didn’t come easy. I spent several hours tossing and turning, the handsome face of my mysterious vampire savior always at the forefront of my mind. Who the hell was this guy, and why had he helped me? Why hadn’t I sensed his presence? And dammit — why on God’s green earth was I attracted to him? He was an abomination. A vampire, the epitome of everything I hated. All it had taken was one slick smile and a few flowery words, and I’d gone all soft. What the hell was wrong with me? Exhaustion finally won out, and I slowly drifted to sleep. Vaguely aware that I was dreaming, I felt a deep tugging at my heart as my subconscious took over, pulling me back to my childhood when my mother still lived. “I like it here, Mama,” I said as I shoved my eight-year-old legs under the covers of my great-grandmother’s bed. Her sheets felt silky soft, and smelled like comfort. “Why do we only visit Great-Grandma once a year?” My mother sat with her back resting against the large headboard of the four-poster bed while she brushed my long, stubborn locks into submission. I’d just taken a bath and was getting ready for bed. I didn’t normally go to bed so early, and I wasn’t particularly happy about it. “Because, my sweet, it isn’t safe,” she said while working on a particularly nasty snarl.

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“Ouch!” I yelped and leaned forward in a vain attempt to escape my mother’s determined hands. “But why is it dangerous, Mama? You always say that, but I don’t understand.” “I’ve told you why, Ainsley.” She sighed and pulled me back so that I was once again sitting upright. Parting my damp locks down the center, she began the tedious process of French braiding my hair as she continued to speak. “There is a bad man who is very angry with your great-grandma. If he finds us here with her…well…I don’t even want to think about what he would do.” I wasn’t used to hearing my mother’s voice full of fear, and it frightened me. “Is the bad man the one who killed Grandma Antonia and Grandpa Connor?” I turned my head (making it difficult for my mother to carry out her work on my hair) so I could look at the picture frame sitting on the nightstand to the right of the large bed. I’d never met my grandparents. They looked so young and happy in the picture, and I felt sorry that I’d never get to meet them. By a simple twist of fate, my mother had been away at boarding school when they were murdered, a fact that had saved her life. Looking at my grandmother’s picture, I was once again stunned by how much she looked like my mother, or rather, how much my mother looked like her. As with all the Campbell women, my grandmother, Antonia, was beautiful with flaming red hair, blue eyes, and the face of an angel. She’d also possessed an incredible amount of magical ability. “Yes,” she said as she finished up with the first braid, curling the very ends around her finger into a corkscrew. “Lucian is very dangerous, and that’s why we must keep you hidden from him.” I swallowed hard, and my body shook. That answered my question as to why my mother had placed a glamour spell on me to change my hair from red to mahogany, and my blue eyes to brown. She’d changed her own appearance as well before we arrived for our visit. The thought of Lucian hurting my mother or stealing me away was more than I could take, so I tried not to think about it. Great-Grandma’s house was safe. It had to be. I closed my eyes and relished the feel of my mother’s hands as she began braiding the remainder of my hair, gently tugging at the small sectioned off pieces while she meticulously wrapped each strand into the braid. “Lucian,” I said, repeating the name aloud, committing it to memory. “Why didn’t Grandma use her magic to stop him?” My mother sighed as she finished braiding my hair, and turned me so that I faced her. “Baby, she did try to stop him,” she said and took hold of my hands. “Lucian is a vampire, Ainsley. He’s very old and possesses a great deal of 21

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dark power. Had he not taken her by surprise, she might have stood a chance against him.” My mother’s face held a mix of emotions that left me confused. She looked angry, yet there were tears in her eyes. Acknowledging the look of confusion on my face, my mother wiped at her tears, gave me a half-hearted smile, then pulled me in for a tight hug. “You’ll understand better when you are older. In the meantime, remember the rules: no using magic while we are here.” “But why?” I whined. I hated not being able to use my abilities and was more than a little upset by the rules that had been forced upon me for the past week. Barbies weren’t very fun to play with if you couldn’t charm them to dance on their own and dress themselves. I had a terrible time trying to shimmy those tiny pants onto their plastic legs. Boring! My mother gave me a stern look of warning. “Because, Ainsley. One of Lucian’s strengths is the ability to sense others’ power. He’s very attuned to our family’s magic. If you were to wield your abilities or do any kind of spell, it would be like standing outside with a megaphone announcing our location to him. We can’t take that chance. Do I need to do a binding spell like I did when you were younger to keep you from doing magic?” I pulled my knees into my chest so that I could rest my chin on them and frowned. “No! I understand, but I don’t like it,” I complained. “Why the frown, Peanut?” A warm familiar voice filled the room, and my frown instantly faded. “Grandma!” I leapt off the bed into the arms of my favorite person. My great-grandmother, Aileana, was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, and the most powerful to boot. Her once flaming red hair was now a shining gray, and it flowed past her shoulders and down her back in long gentle waves. Her blue eyes were bright, her smile as warm as the sun, and I loved her deeply. She’d been baking and smelled of cookie dough and vanilla. Delicious. She slipped a warm cookie into my hand discreetly, as my mom had a thing about eating sugar at night, not to mention, I’d already brushed my teeth. Insisting she’d tuck me in for the night, she shooed my mother from the room. “Fine, then,” my mother said, moving over to where I stood on the edge of the bed so she could kiss me goodnight. “Sleep well, baby girl. I love you. Make sure you finish that cookie before you lie down.” She flashed me a knowing smile and left the room. Great-Grandma sat down on the bed and reached out, patting the bedding, indicating it was time for me to lie down. “Want to talk about it?” she asked me as she turned the lights off with a slight flick of her wrist. 22

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I watched with wonder as she looked up to the ceiling and with a wave of her arm, created the illusion of a starry night, complete with crescent moon and scattered clouds. My great-grandma was awesome. “I just don’t understand why you get to use your magic, but I’m not allowed to,” I said while staring up at the magical ceiling, disappointment tainting my voice. “I know it’s hard for you to understand,” she said, running her fingertips across my forehead. “Lucian has made things rather…difficult, for all of us. He’s angry with me, and because of that, he wants to hurt your mother and you. I’m so very sorry about that, Peanut. You must remember, he’s always watching, and one little spell from you while you are here would be all that it takes to alert him to your presence.” My teeth clattered together as a cold chill shot up my spine. “Why is he angry with you?” I couldn’t imagine anyone being angry with my great-grandma. She was the most wonderful person in the world and, in my opinion, could do no wrong. “That, my dear, is a long story, and one better left for another night. It’s time for you to go to sleep.” She leaned down and kissed me on the cheek, giving one of my braids a tug as she moved to get off the bed. “Sweet dreams, Peanut,” she whispered and quietly exited the room, closing the door behind her. “Goodnight, Grandma,” I called out softly, and rolled over, fighting off the drowsiness that threatened to pull me under.

y Surrounded by the warm cocoon of my grandmother’s bedding, sleep held me under until my mother’s scream pierced the night. The sense of dread I felt as my bare feet touched the cool, wooden surface of the floor overwhelmed me. Why was my mother screaming? I heard my grandmother’s voice cry out in desperation. “Arabella, no!” Tears flooded my eyes as I ran to the door, gripping the brass handle and yanking it open with as much force as my sixty-pound body would allow. My mother needed me, and I was going to help her. Running down the long hallway, I stopped short at the top of the staircase looking down into the large living room below. Time as I knew it seemed to slow down immeasurably as I took in the horrific scene. The events following seemed to play out in slow motion, much like you see in movies. “Mommy!” I screamed and began my descent down the stairs, determined to save her from the man who held her captive. 23

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The intruder who grasped my mother appeared to be kissing her on the neck, while for some odd reason she made no attempt to struggle. His long, white hair draped across my mother’s chest, making it hard for me to see his face. A cold chill shot up my spine making the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Paralyzing fear stole my breath away. Why was my mother letting the strange man kiss her like that? Who was he? Lucian? My great-grandmother stood in the far corner of the room with a large book in her hand, chanting strange words over and over. Her left hand extended up, fingers straining toward the ceiling. Looking up, I saw another man with long black hair, struggling to get down from where my great-grandmother had pinned him with her magic. Upon seeing me, she dropped her book and shouted, “Ainsley! No!” My grandmother’s frightened cry pierced my ears, and the slow motion loop I seemed to be stuck in ceased, and several things seemed to happen all at once. The man who’d been kissing my mother’s neck turned to look at me, causing me to stop dead in my tracks, having only made it halfway down the stairs. His mouth and chin were covered in blood, and his eyes…his eyes held a mix of rage and a maniacal sense of satisfaction. Upon seeing me, the bloodied man let loose his grip on my mother, letting her fall to the floor with a resounding thud. Looking at her, I saw a large portion of the flesh on her neck was missing. Blood pooled around her on the floor as it seeped from the gaping wound. She lay motionless, and I found myself screaming, though it felt as though no sound escaped my lips. Just as the evil man sneered and took a step toward the stairs, I heard GreatGrandma’s voice shout a spell. “Temarius meus lacuna. Absum quod existo tutus!” I blinked and was no longer standing in my grandmother’s home. With hot tears still streaming down my cheeks, I found myself standing in the center of a strange room. Dimly lit, the only light came from the moon that shone through the nearby window. Taking in my surroundings, I saw I stood in what looked to be a small bedroom. A twin-sized bed covered in fluffy pink bedding lined the far wall. A worn, cream-colored easy chair sat opposite the small nightstand that flanked the bed. Turning to scan the rest of the room, I found it full of playthings. Dolls, both large and small, filled several wicker baskets, and a large tub of Barbie dolls lay at the foot of the bed. It was obvious this room belonged to a girl. “Grandma?” I called out, desperately trying to catch my breath in between sobs. I didn’t know where I was, and I needed to get back to my mother. Who was that man that hurt her? Could it have been Lucian? I hadn’t done any magic, so how could he have found us? 24

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“Grandma?” I called out again, hesitantly taking a step toward the door. Where was I? A man’s voice, deep and comforting, filled the room. “Sshhh, little one. You are safe here.” I turned and saw a tall man standing near the window, the light from the moon shining on his beautiful face. Where did he come from? He hadn’t been there a minute ago. “Who are you?” I said. I had no idea who this stranger was, yet I was oddly unafraid. Whoever this man was, wherever this place was that my grandmother sent me, it was safe. I felt it in my bones. Looking up at his warm brown eyes and tanned skin that reminded me of my mother’s favorite coffee drink, I watched as he took a step forward and lifted his hand. He looked down on me with a warm smile. “Forget,” he whispered, and then there was nothing. “No!” I woke from the dream gasping for air. Launching myself upright, I frantically reached over to my nightstand where my journal rested, fumbling in the dark for the pen that I knew lay next to it. “Damn stupid eyes. Why won’t they work right?” I grumbled, frustrated at the inability of my eyes to adapt to the absence of light. Willing the lights on with my magic, my hand finally found the wayward pen, and I quickly opened my journal to record what little I could remember from my dream. It was the same vision I’d been having since the night Lucian murdered my mother. Once just an intermittent nightmare, the dream had tormented me nightly for the past three months. The events of that fateful evening had been burned into my psyche, allowing me to recall in my dreams every detail about what happened. Every detail, that is, except for the face of the mysterious man from the room. A pair of warm, brown eyes were all I could remember — and they haunted me with their promise of safety. Closing my eyes, I did my best to drown any and all outside thoughts from my mind and focused all of my energy on recalling the details of my dream. That face. If I could just remember what he looked like. “Ugh,” I growled, glancing down at my journal. Nothing. I remembered nothing save what I’d already recorded over and over the past few months. I rifled through the worn pages that I kept to journal my dreams; each entry was near identical to the last. Aside from the horrible picture of my mother lying dead on the floor and my memory of the strange room I’d been sent 25

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to, I remembered nothing else that happened that fateful night. The man from the room remained unrecognizable and completely out of reach. With a labored moan, I chucked my journal onto my nightstand and peeled myself out of bed, painfully aware of the fact that it was only a few minutes after seven in the morning. As it was Christmas break and class was out, I really didn’t have to be up so early. Coffee. Coffee was definitely a priority — and maybe chocolate. Yeah, a chocolate filled croissant sounded good. My stomach gurgled in agreement, begging to be fed. As thoughts of caffeine and sugary pastries filled my mind, I ambled over to the shallow recess in the wall disguised as a closet. I was no clothes whore. That lofty title went to both of my roommates. But still, a bigger storage space would have been welcome. A long mirror hung on the back of the door, given to me by Jessica. Apparently, inspecting yourself from every angle before you leave the sanctity of your room was the only way to go. Yeah, okay. I so didn’t understand, and when I’d asked her what it was that I needed to check, she’d looked at me like I had three heads instead of one. “Duh…to make sure your butt looks okay, and to avoid any displays of gratuitous back fat or muffin tops. Geez,” she’d said with an exasperated sigh and turned to check out her own butt in the mirror. Muffin tops? I hadn’t had the heart to tell her I had zero clue what a muffin top was, and kept my trap shut. As far as her derriere went, it didn’t matter how many times I told her that her butt looked fine — she never believed me and continued inspecting herself at length. I looked at myself in the mirror and frowned. Smashed and rumpled from sleep, my hair looked like a rat’s nest, my long wispy bangs hanging in my eyes, which were puffy and full of sleep. Train wreck! The black tank I slept in rode up high my stomach, showing a good amount of my blinding white flesh. Yeah, I might live in sunny California, but I didn’t do the tanning thing. My flesh didn’t bronze up like most people’s. Nope. I went from white to lobster red in five minutes flat. As I glanced at my belly button, a fleeting thought raced through my mind of what it would look like with a piercing. The thought left as quickly as it came. Pasty and pale wasn’t attractive, and besides, who would ever see it? My eyes trailed down further, taking in my favorite pajama bottoms, a pair of black shorts with tiny purple skulls all over them. Hmmm…I thought, narrowing my eyes. Turning slightly, I looked over my shoulder at my butt. How do you know if your butt’s too big? 26

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“God.” I shook my head and grimaced. “I can’t believe I just did that. I’ve been around Jessica too long.” Looking at myself in the mirror it was hard to remember the girl I once was. For as long as I could remember I’d been sporting dark, mahogany locks, and, as I grew older, an unusual sense of style. True, Lucian definitely wasn’t looking for someone with my physical attributes, but would he recognize the real me after all this time? Would I? A nagging sensation tickled the back of my mind, refusing to go away. I glanced over my shoulder, my stomach in knots. Why, I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like there was anyone in the room with me. Jessica was at her parents’ house and Taylor was probably still lying comatose in her bed. I knew I was alone, yet the fear remained. I was about to break the rules set down years ago by my grandmother. Never reveal yourself. Never break cover. Your safety depends on your ability to remain hidden. What I was about to do was clearly illicit, yet I couldn’t find it in me to stop myself. I was alone, dammit. Who would ever know? Focusing on my reflection in the mirror, with a sweeping motion I raised my arms up and over my head, ridding myself of the glamour spell I’d worn for so long. The person staring back at me in the mirror was a complete and total stranger. My flaming red locks cascaded down past my shoulders in perfect ringlets. Reaching up, I gingerly tugged on one of the stands, pulling it straight and watching in wonder as the curl bounced back into place. The contrast between what my hair really looked like as opposed to the “scene” hairstyle I usually sported was staggering, though not unpleasant. This new hair, or should I say, my “real” hair, was more like that of my friends, and a twinge of envy crept over me. Though I was comfortable in my skin, or at least though I tried to convince myself I was comfortable, there was a part of me that really wanted to be just like my roommates. They’d never had to put up with even a fraction of the bullshit I did with regard to my appearance. What would my life have been like had I been given the chance to just be me? I’d never know, thanks to Lucian. Bastard! My face, every bit as pale as it was moments ago, was the same, yet altogether different if that made any kind of sense. The set of eyes looking back at me from the mirror were the same tired eyes that stared back at me daily, except they were now a brilliant shade of blue as opposed the hazel color I’d grown used to. Free of the thick makeup I usually wore, my skin was fair, almost luminescent, and altogether lovely. 27

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A strange feeling swept over me. A hunger. I longed to shed my disguise — to be who I really was. I ached for freedom — freedom from the dark threat that constantly loomed over me. And deep down, I craved a connection. I desired the same thing every twenty-one year old woman did. I wanted to be seen. Really seen. I wanted to be desired, to be cared for and loved for who I was. What I wanted…was to be normal. How that would ever be a possibility for me, I didn’t know. True, my friends knew about my magical abilities, but they didn’t know I was hiding. And what they didn’t know just might save them one day. I gave a deep sigh and frowned. “Life sucks.” The sound of Taylor emerging from her room tore me from my thoughts, and I glanced in fear toward the door, my nerves easing when I saw it remained locked. I was safe, and the truth about my identity would stay safely hidden, even from those I cared for. With a stab of regret, I focused on my reflection in the mirror, once again sweeping my hands up and over my head, placing the glamour charm back on myself, retreating again into the safety of my alter ego.

28

Chapter 3

“

believe you are eating that,” Jessica said, eyeballing my chocolate Ican’t croissant with a mixture of what looked to be both longing and contempt.

“Well, I can’t believe you’re eating that,” I quickly retaliated, grimacing at the small brown lump in her hand disguised as a bran muffin. “Blech… how can you stomach that garbage? It looks like it’s hard as a rock, and I’m sure it tastes much the same.” You’d never catch me eating that whole grain health crap. If it looked bad, it probably tasted bad, and life was too short as far as I was concerned to not enjoy the little things in life. Give me food that tasted good, calories and fat grams be damned. “Whole grains are good for the digestive system.” She shrugged and took a bite of the object in question. “Suffering from irregularity, are we?” I couldn’t hold back the snicker begging to escape, and laughed out loud. She’d walked right into that one.

Jessica scowled. “Whatever, snag. It’s low in calories, and I’m watching what I eat. Not all of us can throw down chocolate filled pastries, or lattes made with whole milk, and still look great. Some of us have to practice restraint.” “You can have whatever you want,” I scoffed, thinking she was utterly ridiculous. Jessica was a walking toothpick and could easily afford some extra padding. “Here,” I mumbled with a mouthful of pastry, and held up my Venti Caramel Machiatto with extra caramel toward her. “This shit’s good. Try some.” I’d been craving the sugary drink ever since I woke, and was beyond happy when she’d agreed to meet me at the local coffee house. The craptastic week I’d had, coupled with last night’s frustrating nightmare, had left me in desperate need of normalcy. Caffeine and conversation was just what the doctor ordered.

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She held her hands up, warding off my sugary drink. “God, no! Dairy is the devil. If I so much as sniff the contents of that cup, my ass will expand.” I rolled my eyes and made a face. Jessica could talk for hours about the perils of fanny inflating foods and how they should be avoided at all costs. I didn’t care if it made my ass expand — I planned on enjoying every last bit of my croissant. Sitting back in her chair with a frustrated sigh, Jessica grabbed hold of her unsweetened iced tea and proceeded to fiddle with the straw idly. “So what exactly happened at the club last Friday? I tried asking Taylor all week, but she was still so freaked out, I don’t think she was making much sense. She said the hot bartender you talked to in the club fell from the sky and cleaned house.” She took a sip of her tea and set it back on the table, waiting for my reply. Impatient, she gave me a look that said get on with it already. “Well?” I chewed on the inside of my lip, restless under the weight of her stare. I’d yet to come to terms with everything that had happened, and wasn’t entirely comfortable talking about it. “Taylor had it right.” I watched Jessica’s eyes grow wide with shock. “What? How is that possible? You were sitting at the bar, talking to him. How did you not sense him?” Jessica’s surprise at my inability to put a finger on the handsome bartender’s undead nature, matched the shock I’d felt when I learned the truth. The revulsion I still felt. Slumping back into the chair, I took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before I answered her. “He’s old. That’s the only explanation I can come up with as far as why I didn’t sense his true nature. The older the vamp or demon is, the stronger they are, and more able to hide their identity.” Disgusted with myself for being weak and failing to recognize the bartender for the creep he was, I fiddled with my now empty coffee cup, turning it between my thumb and first finger. “Oh, God,” she said, her face scrunching up, her skin paling. “That’s creepy.” I nodded, eyebrow raised. “Yeah, tell me about it. Whoever this guy is, he’s powerful too. He broke through my magical barrier like it was made of toilet paper.” That right there told me he was someone to worry about. I was no slouch in the magic department. Jessica leaned forward and shouted across the small table. “Vampires can wield magic?” “Dammit, Jess. Sshhh.” I glanced around the room, then pressed my finger to my lips, signaling her to zip it. Gen pop didn’t know about the 30

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darker beings roaming the planet, and I wasn’t in the mood to explain. “Do you think you can keep it down, please?” Ronald, the lanky barista who manned the espresso machine, eyed us with morbid curiosity. How much had he heard? Skittish and afraid of his own shadow, Ronald had always been uncomfortable around me, a fact I liked to take advantage of every now and then. Though I never used my abilities to harm innocents, I was known to have a bit of fun with it every now and then. Especially with people who were foolish enough to make assumptions without getting to know me first. Stupid, judgmental bastards! I eyed Ron with a maniacal glare and let out a low hiss. With a wicked grin, I swiped my finger across my neck giving him the universal signal that he was done for. His large, buggy eyes threatened to pop out of their sockets and pingpong across the room. The poor schlepp stood frozen with fear behind the espresso machine, one hand holding a container of milk haphazardly under the steamer, not paying attention to what he was doing. Unable to control myself when it came to needling Ronald, I decided to have a bit more fun. With a flick of my finger, I used my magic to cause the milk to explode up and out of the small silver receptacle, covering him in a shower of hot, sticky mess. I hissed once more for good measure, sending him squealing into the back room and out of sight. I turned back to face Jessica, unable to contain my smug grin. Wienie boy was fun to mess with. She, in turn, shook her head and cast me a reproving frown. “Having fun torturing the help? You know, it’s bad ju-ju to mess with people in the food industry. You could end up with all kinds of nasty funk in your beverage. I’d quit it with the torture if I were you.” I scrunched up my nose, my imagination running wild. She’d made a good point. “Oh, sick.” I was fairly certain Ronald was a member of the 40-watt club, and lacked the brain capacity to realize he could mess with my food and beverage, but I really didn’t want to take that chance. I knew she was right, and resolved to do my very best not to scare the tar out of the poor boy every chance I got. Crap. Trips to the coffee house were going to be a lot less fun, that was for sure. I picked up the last piece of my croissant and popped it into my mouth, disappointed that there was none left. “So…you never answered my question,” Jessica prodded in a much softer tone. “Vampires can use magic?” 31

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I sighed. Girlfriend was tenacious. If I didn’t give her something to chew on, she’d never let it go. “I’ve been told there are those that have magical abilities, but up until last night, I’d never come across one,” I lied. My mind wandered briefly back to the conversation I had with my mother the night she was murdered. One of Lucian’s strengths is the ability to sense others’ power. He’s very attuned to our family’s magic. A shiver shot up my spine at the thought of my mortal enemy. On top of being a soul sucking, life-ending monstrosity, he also possessed the ability to wield magic. If he was powerful enough to take out my mother, I knew my quest to destroy him was going to be difficult. I hated lying to my friend about what I knew, but I didn’t see any way around it. The less she knew about my dark past, the better. “Good morning, ladies.” I looked over my shoulder to see Peter, the friendly bossman of the coffee house. He stood to my right, a bright red Santa hat on his bald head, a newspaper under his arm and hands full of empty coffee cups. Tall, with a medium-sized belly and a friendly smile, Peter was just a good guy all around. “Morning, Peter,” Jessica said with a smile, while I greeted him with a small wave. “Is there anything else I can get either one of you? Peppermint hot chocolate, maybe? It’s our holiday special.” With all that had happened in the last week, I’d forgotten Christmas was fast approaching. Vampire attacks and mysterious undead bartenders tended to suck the holiday spirit right out of me. I held up my empty cup, and Jess shook her head and smiled. “Paper?” He motioned to the large stack of papers under his arm with a nod of his head. “Sure,” I said, reaching up and freeing him of the newsprint he was unable to hand me, as his hands were full. With a nod and another smile, Peter sauntered off behind the counter, leaving Jess and me alone once more. A sick feeling of dread covered me the moment I unfolded the paper and read the front-page news. “Oh, for the love…criminy,” I muttered under my breath with a frown. “This is why I never read the paper. So I can avoid seeing disturbing shit like this.” Jess leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. “What?” 32

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“A student’s gone missing. Listen to this,” I said and read the fine print aloud. “College senior, Deanna Foster, was reported missing after a night out with friends. Deanna was last seen exiting local nightclub, Fire and Ice, Friday night with a dark haired, twenty-something male.” My eyes darted further down the page, taking in the pictures that accompanied the article. “Oh,” I exclaimed. “It’s Nasty Betty’s friend.” I shoved the paper toward Jessica and pointed to a picture of Betty (or Edie, as the paper showed her name to be) and her minions posing outside the club. Alongside that picture was one of her missing friend, a petite brunette with a friendly smile. Jessica continued reading aloud where I left off. “Local heiress, Edie Van Walldenberg, was overcome with grief upon discovering her good friend, Deanna, was missing. She was quoted as saying, ‘I just can’t imagine what kind of monster would do something like this.’” I rolled my eyes but kept my trap shut. I could imagine plenty of monsters that would steal away innocent women, and do much more, for that matter. Whoever, or should I say, whatever took her, probably bled her dry and dumped the body somewhere where it wouldn’t be found. Not wanting to scare Jessica even further, I kept my guesswork to myself. Jessica looked up from the paper, eyebrows knit together in shock, clearly distressed by what she read. “Oh, God. Do you think it was a vampire that took her?” She dropped the paper onto the table like it was the spawn of Satan. I pursed my lips and shrugged. “Given what happened with Taylor, I’d say it’s very likely. Vamps usually frequent bars and nightclubs looking for food, more often than not, bringing it back to their coven to share. My bartender vamp took out two of the local undead last week, but who’s to say there weren’t more trolling around looking for a meal?” As much as I disliked Betty and her band of minions, I certainly didn’t want to see any of them wind up as a midnight snack. Jessica paled, her vibrant blue eyes darkening as they filled with horror. “She’s probably already dead. Isn’t she?” I stared at her, stone-faced and unwilling to confirm her suspicion. I hated being the bearer of bad news. Besides, it wasn’t like I knew for sure if the poor girl had been slaughtered. For all anyone knew, Deanna could have found the man of her dreams and gone off for a fun filled week of boozing and horizontal refreshment. Things didn’t always have to take a morbid turn. Well, at least I hoped they didn’t. God, I hoped they didn’t. 33

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Jessica waved at hand in front of my face. “Martha? I’m right, aren’t I? She’s dead.” She sat back in her seat, her pale skin nearly translucent. “I don’t know if I can deal with all…this,” she said, pointing to the newspaper. “Vampires, demons, faeries…” She sat rigid in her seat, shaking for a moment, unable to get the words out as she was so overcome with emotion. “God…” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Ignorance is bliss, as far as I’m concerned.” I frowned. That was most definitely the wrong thing to say. After a quick glance around to make sure we were free of eavesdroppers, I leaned forward and let her have it. “Don’t talk like that. It’s better to know what’s out there so you can make smart choices and know what to avoid. Case in point…last week. You can’t just go off with any old Tom, Dick, or Harry at a club. You never know if your handsome Dan will turn out to be more than what he seems. Better to let me have a look at ’em before you let anyone take you anywhere.” Oh, boy. I was on a damn roll. I leaned forward even further and jabbed a finger through the air just under Jess’s nose. “This brings me to another point. Why would you or Taylor, or any girl for that matter, willingly go off, alone, with a stranger? I don’t care how good looking the guy is, just because he’s human doesn’t mean he’s not a total creep!” Unphased by my mini tantrum, Jessica smiled at me and rolled her eyes. “You really are green when it comes to dating and men, aren’t you? Have you ever really been attracted to anyone before, Martha? I mean, really attracted. Like weak-in-the-knees, can’t-catch-your-breath-becausehe’s-so-damn-gorgeous, you-can’t-think-about-anything-but-having-yourlips-on-him attracted?” The shmexy bartender vamp’s face flashed behind my eyes as I sat, silently shaking my head. I wasn’t about to admit he had me weak in the knees, or that his intense gaze nearly sent my heart into cardiac arrest. Paramedics! We need a crash cart here! Charging to three hundred…Clear! Hell, no. I’d never cop to harboring an attraction for the enemy. Moreover, I wouldn’t have gone off with him, alone. At least, that’s what I was going to keep telling myself anyway. Jess relaxed into her seat and shook her head. “Ah, Martha, Martha, Martha.” She heaved a theatrical sigh, then began speaking like a Kung Fu master. “My little grasshopper. Soon. Soon, I will teach you the ancient art of flirting, and you will no longer be a virgin to the ways of love.” Ha, ha. Someone thought they were funny. I balled up my napkin and chucked it forcefully at her face. Girlfriend had lost her ever lovin’ 34

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mind. “Whatever, skank. God!” I sat back in my seat and crossed my arms, contemplating what I knew I had to do. My conscience demanded action, even though I knew it would cause me nothing but grief. “This day is totally going to take a turn toward the crapper,” I grumbled. Jessica peeled the napkin from where it had fallen into her lap and chucked it onto the table. “Why do you say that?” “Because,” I said, grimacing, “I can help find Deanna. Or at least what’s left of her. All I need is something personal of hers, and I can scry for her location. This unfortunately means I’m going to have to pay a visit to my favorite person, Nasty Betty.”

y

After a quick trip back to the apartment to retrieve a still spooked Taylor, we headed over to Greek row, the hoity-toity, vomitous area of town where Edie Van Walldenberg made her home. Surrounded by large oak trees, with ivy crawling up the western side of the house, and a lush garden in front, the Delta Phi Nu sorority house was reminiscent of one of the Barbie Dream Houses I used to play with as a child. All it needed was a hot single guy named Ken to come waltzing out the front door to be complete. “Hot diggety! Would you look at that,” Taylor exclaimed, her eyes devouring the perfectly muscled-up frat boy who exited the house. I’d obviously spoken too soon. Humph! Ken! “Come on, then. Let’s get this over with.” With an eye roll and a huff, I exited the vehicle, which sat parked behind a local news van that looked to be filming just outside of the sorority house. Missing sorority girls made for hot news stories, and the local station wasted no time in tapping in on the hype. A local newscaster stood jabbering away on the front lawn, wearing enough hairspray and product in his hair that if a tornado blew through his coif would be the only thing left standing. Sidestepping the camera crew, we walked up to the entrance and in through the open front door. Just like its exterior, the inside of the Delta house was bathed in Pepto Bismol pink, from the walls to the dozens of flowers flanking the end tables and the drapery. The carpeting and furniture were a shocking white in contrast. I grimaced. The house was sickly sweet looking and way too girly for my taste. All that was needed was a life-sized tub of frosting and the place could have doubled for Candy Land. Queen Frostine (Edie Van Walldenberg) sat in the center of one of the couches, surrounded by several of her carbon-copied sycophants. 35

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She cut off one of her loyal followers mid-sentence with a sharp wave of the hand the moment she saw me. Her eyes narrowed into thin slits, making her already pinched face appear even more sour. “What the hell are you doing here?” Her nasally voice took on a high-pitched screeching tone, and she scowled at me like it was her main reason for living. “After the week I’ve had, the last thing I want to look at is your face.” Bitch… I bit my tongue and kept my trap shut. Hell, I didn’t really want to be looking at her face either, yet there I was, being the bigger person. GreatGrandma would’ve been proud. Reining in my temper, I took a deep breath and somehow held it together. I couldn’t help find Deanna if I got into a smack down with Queen-Bitch-Of-The-Year. “We’re here to help,” I said calmly through gritted teeth. What I really wanted to say was something more along the lines of, “How ’bout you shut your pie hole for two seconds and give me a break. I’m here to help your friend, poser.” Yeah…it was a good thing I’d reined myself in. Edie raised a sculpted brow and sneered. “And just how do you plan on helping?” She latched onto a throw pillow, hugging it tightly. Dressed in a pair of black yoga pants and a strappy tank, Edie looked beat up from the feet up. Her red, puffy eyes sagged, making it obvious she hadn’t been sleeping. Despite the fact she was mean as hell to me, it was slightly comforting to see her grieving for her missing friend. Maybe she wasn’t a complete and total bitch after all. “Do you have a staring problem, freak? Quit looking at me.” Taylor stepped forward with a gasp. “Why don’t you drop the tude,” she said, shooting her the evil eye. “God! What’s your damage, anyway? We’re offering to help find your missing friend. Martha’s special. She can — ” “Taylor.” I interrupted her before she went any further. I shook my head, letting her know she needed to zip it. Nasty Betty didn’t need to know the intimate details of my magical abilities. Haughty, rude, and, no doubt, disbelieving, she’d likely use anything Taylor said as ammunition to blast me with. She did a fine job bashing me on her own without help from anyone else. Edie swiped a stray lock of blond hair out of her bloodshot eyes and sniffled. “What? She can what? Be a freak?” Yep, total bitch. Guess I was wrong. I rolled my eyes, groaning inwardly. Evidently, Edie thought herself too good for my help. Whatever…I didn’t need her. I’d find another way to get what I needed. Hag… 36

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“Forget it, Taylor. Let’s just go.” I turned on my heels and strode toward the front door, needing to put as much space between Edie and myself as possible. If I hung around any longer I was liable to lose it and turn her into a toad. Neither my conscience nor my oath would allow that, so getting the heck outta Dodge seemed the best idea all around. I lingered at the door for a split second, wondering where the hell Jessica was. She’d been missing since well before my snipe-fest with Edie. After a final glance back at Edie, I hot footed it out of the house, desperate for some fresh air. “What a total beeyotch,” Taylor said, trailing a few feet behind me. She muttered nice and low so only I could hear her. “That one’s got her grundies in a knot.” My lip curled up into a smirk. I had a good idea of what “grundies” stood for in Australian slang. We passed Tornado Hair and his television crew entourage once again on our way back to the car. Seriously, that ’do would withstand a nuclear holocaust. Unhappy I’d come away empty-handed, I chewed on the inside of my lip trying to figure out where to go from there. I’d just have to find another way to get my hands on something of Deanna’s. How I was going to go about doing that remained a mystery. Thankful we’d left the car unlocked, I gripped the handle and yanked the door open. “Hey…wait!” I turned and saw Jessica high-tailing it out of the house and down the walkway, sporting a satisfied grin. “Where’d you go?” I asked, slipping into the front passenger seat of the car, while Taylor climbed into the back. Jessica flashed me a smug grin and held up a blue hairbrush. “I took a little tour of Delta house while you were chatting with Miss Snag Hag. And wouldn’t you know it, I ended up in our missing girl, Deanna’s, room. I figured something she used every day would work best. Was I right?” She handed me the brush and then walked around to the driver side door. “Yep. This will work perfectly,” I said, smiling back at her as she climbed into the vehicle. By snooping around and snatching Deanna’s brush, Jess had solved the problem of how to locate our missing girl. I was all kinds of proud. Jess placed the key into the ignition and smiled. “All right, then. You totally owe me, cuz I am so the shizz.” 37

Chapter 4

still at the club,” I said, having located Deanna on the map that lay She’sbefore me. I sat back against the edge of my bed with a sigh and

“

tucked the crystal necklace I used to scry with safely into my shirt. Something strange was up. The police went through Fire and Ice with a fine-toothed comb and came up empty. Deanna Foster’s body, whether alive or dead, had not been at the nightclub during the search. At least not anywhere Hanaford Park’s police department had looked.

Taylor scrunched up her face and held up a hand. “Hold up. I’m confused. The police didn’t find her, and they searched the place thoroughly. Maybe she’s not ten feet under. Maybe she took off on a mini vay-cay with one of the bartenders and came back today.” Leave it to Taylor to see the brighter side of things. Her brain didn’t automatically assume the worst in situations, and that was one of the things I loved most about her. She was a silver lining kind of girl. I, on the other hand, was not. “Or maybe someone moved her body around to keep it hidden.” Taylor’s jaw dropped, shocked by my stubborn realism. “God, Martha. Hopeful much? Don’t you think there’s any chance that she’s still alive?” I didn’t have the heart to answer her and kept quiet. Jessica pushed off the carpet and began pacing back and forth. “Well… if she’s still at the club, then that means whoever took her hid her in a place they knew the cops wouldn’t find her.” Jessica leaned more toward my type of thinking. She didn’t take things at face value and she wasn’t the most trusting of people. The expression she wore said it all. She thought Deanna was dead and gone, just like I did. “I think you’re right.” I snatched up the map along with Deanna’s blue hairbrush. I stood up from where I’d been sitting, and walked over to

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my desk to retrieve my bag. After placing the map and brush inside and making sure Chuck was within easy reach, I slung it over my neck and opposite shoulder. “So what are we going to do?” Jessica asked. She walked over to the edge of my bed, sat down, ran her hands through her shoulder length hair, and sighed. Having her support meant a lot to me, but there was no way in hell I was letting her get caught up in this mess. Our little jaunt to Sorority Row was her last stop. I’d hunt for Deanna by myself. “We,” I said, circling my hand around in front of me, “aren’t going to do anything. I, on the other hand, am going down to the club to look around.” Jessica shot off the bed and glared at me with arms crossed. “There is no way I’m letting you go by yourself.” She threw her arms up in frustration. “And besides, it doesn’t open until later tonight. How do you expect to get in?” Clearly, the stress from the situation had muddled her brain. “Um… hello? Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?” I flicked my wrist, and Jessica found herself floating two feet off the floor. I gave her a pointed stare. “I think I’ll manage just fine.” Placing her hands on her hips, she let out a low grunt and frowned. “Show off.” I rolled my eyes and let her down. Taylor piped in from atop my bed. “She’s right, Martha. The idea of you going back to that club alone skeeves me out. We’re coming with you.” She looked like she might toss her cookies at the mere thought of returning to the scene of her attack, yet she sat staring at me, resolute in her decision. Taylor was nothing if not stubborn, and I loved her all the more for it. I groaned. Damn, they were stubborn. “Okay, fine. This is how it’s going to be, and I don’t want any arguments.” I waited to continue until they both nodded in agreement. “You two can come with me to the club, but you’re waiting outside in the car. I can’t properly look for Deanna if I have to worry about you. Are we clear?” “Crystal,” Jessica replied with a smile. “Yeah. No drama,” Taylor answered, looking slightly relieved. She shoved herself off the bed and followed Jessica and me out of the room, grumbling under her breath.

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Hanaford Park was a small town, making the drive to the club short. I instructed Jessica to park on one of the many side streets that lined the main strip where Fire and Ice was located. After reminding them once more to stay in the car, I made for the alley behind the club where Taylor had been attacked. As it was daytime, and I had zero skills in the fine art of breaking and entering, I figured the back entrance was my best bet. As I approached the rear exit, I reached into my bag pulling Chuck out. Vampires didn’t normally move about during the day. Vitamin D challenged, they couldn’t risk exposure to the daylight. The threat of bursting into flames kept them indoors and away from the fatal effects of the sun. I wasn’t taking any chances, though, and felt much better having a weapon in my hand. The air surrounding the rear exit was thick and charged with electricity. Magic. Someone powerful had been there recently. The sexy bartender vamp’s face took a front row seat in my mind, and I shook my head, effectively squashing any and all thoughts of him. Yeah, he’d broken through my magical barrier and levitated, but that didn’t mean he’d been skulking around the rear exit of the club performing magic tricks. Besides, I had yet to come across a vamp that could withstand the harsh rays of the sun. There was no such thing, and his sexy ass was relegated to the dark indoors. I lifted my hand toward the door, only to let it drop to my side in frustration two seconds later. Someone had placed a protection ward on the door. “Crap,” I muttered under my breath. I wasn’t dealing with your average run of the mill demon or vampire here. Whoever placed the magical barrier on the door possessed a great deal of power. I’d come across several protection wards in my time, some more powerful than others. But this one, yeah…it was by far the strongest. How the hell was I going to get in? I knew better than to try and force my way through. Fools who attempted to break through protection wards always ended up dead. My great-grandma didn’t raise no fool. With a loud and rather profane curse, I turned, heading out toward the front of the club. I made it all of five feet in front of the entrance when I sensed the same electrical charge that filled the air near the rear exit. To my utter, freaking dismay, the front entrance was a no-go as well. Whoever cast the spell wasn’t messing around. He or she didn’t want anyone getting into the club. This, of course, sent all kinds of unsavory thoughts firing through my brain. Deanna was inside. I was sure of it. My guess? She’d been sucked dry and shoved into a wall somewhere and holed up so no one 40

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would find her. Yep, the thought was morbid, sick, and entirely unsettling. Unfortunately for me, I was used to it. I ate unsettling for breakfast on a regular basis. With a frustrated sigh, I walked quickly back to the car, climbing into the front seat with a loud huff. I jammed Chuck into my bag and crossed my arms over my chest. “Let’s go.” Jessica knit her eyebrows together and frowned. “I take it you didn’t find anything.” I pursed my lips, my eyes focused on the windshield. Ashamed of my weakness, I couldn’t look her in the eye. “I didn’t even get in.” The words felt like acid in my mouth as I formed them, burning my tongue, and choking me. “Someone placed a protection ward on both entrances. Someone more powerful than me.” Admitting I couldn’t get past someone else’s magic was a staggering blow to my ego. I sighed. “With no windows and the only way in through the doors, there’s no way anyone is getting in until those wards are removed, which I am guessing will be tonight before it opens.” “All righty, then,” Jessica said, merging into traffic. “Looks like we’ll be back tonight at ten.” Taylor groaned from the back seat.

y I shouldn’t have been excited. I mean, really…I was going to the club in search of a missing girl who’d more than likely met her Maker. But my body? Yeah…it didn’t give a damn about the absentee co-ed. My pulse quickened and a flush crept over my skin the minute we walked through the entrance of Fire and Ice. As I followed Jessica and Taylor toward the back of the club where the tables were located, I found myself scanning the bar looking for him. I shook my head in disgust. I had no business thinking about him, let alone entertaining thoughts of speaking to him again. He was a vampire, for crap’s sake. I killed vampires; I didn’t lust after them. Well, at least, not normally. There was also the fact I had no idea if he’d even be working. And really, when did vampires start pulling day jobs? Still, it didn’t stop my eyes from searching. God, I was pathetic. Being the idiot that I am, I’d actually made a fuss earlier over what I was going to wear for the better part of an hour. After changing my outfit a whopping five times, which was completely unheard of behavior where I was concerned, I finally found an ensemble I was comfortable with. 41

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Taylor and Jessica stared me down like I’d grown a second head, and kept flashing me looks that said, “Who are you and what have you done with our friend?” Donning a black, pinstripe garter dress, (yes, it was from Hot Topic. Whatever!) and a pair of blue, graffiti print boots, I even let Jessica help me with my makeup again as I hadn’t a clue how to do the “girly girl” thing. Like I said before, I was pathetic. “What are you looking at?” Taylor asked as we found a table and sat down. “Nothing,” I lied. “Just scanning the area.” There was no way in hell I was going to admit I was looking for Mr. Off-Limits. I gave a nod in the direction of the dance floor. “Why don’t you two go dance while I look for our missing girl. And for crap’s sake, stay together!” They both nodded and made their way onto the dance floor, Taylor sticking to Jessica like glue. I was relatively confident there wouldn’t be a repeat performance of last week’s events. My girl had learned her lesson. With my friends occupied, I set about my task of searching for Deanna. I figured I’d start with the areas of the club I was familiar with first. I’d make my way toward the right rear end of the club, where the hallway that led to the bathrooms was, then I’d hit the opposite side of the building where the offices were located. Both bathrooms were a bust. There were no signs of struggle, nor was there any of the tell tale signs or signatures of magic having been done. The same went for the small utility room that also occupied the back hallway. Aside from a very angry couple who I’d inadvertently treated to a “coitus interruptus,” there wasn’t a damn trace of Deanna. I made my way back out to the main portion of the club, cutting through the dance floor so I could keep tabs on Jessica and Taylor, who were still joined at the hip and dancing up a storm. I smiled and walked on until a warm rush swallowed me whole, stopping me in my tracks. It was him. Looking over my right shoulder, my eyes found what they’d been searching for all night, and it wasn’t the missing girl. A pair of penetrating eyes locked onto mine, rendering me immobile and stealing my breath away. For a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the club. There he was in all his glory, standing motionless behind the bar, watching me. Gone was the playful demeanor he exhibited when we’d first met. The expression he wore now was deeply serious, bordering on severe, and yet, with his tanned skin, messy bed-hair and muscular build he was still the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. 42

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So this was what Jessica had been talking about earlier. The instant kind of attraction that propelled even the smartest of women to commit grand acts of stupidity. I closed my eyes, shaking my head. I wasn’t that kind of girl. I refused to be that girl. Snap out of it, Martha. You are here to find Deanna. Tapping into a reserve of willpower I didn’t know I possessed, I looked away and continued on through the busy dance floor toward the offices. The butterflies swirling around in my stomach continued their flight, and I knew he was still watching me. And for as much as I tried, I couldn’t contain the smile that emerged. I liked his eyes on me, which was a revelation that was altogether scary. No guy had ever brought about this type of reaction in me before. And he was no ordinary guy. He was a vampire. And I loathed vampires. I hurried down the corridor on the left side of the club where the offices were located. Both doors were locked, forcing me to magically pick them so I could continue my reconnoitering. Much like the bathrooms, the offices revealed no signs of struggle and had no lingering stamp of magic. So far my search for Deanna was coming up short. Doing my best to appear inconspicuous, I exited the last office and ventured further down the narrow hallway until it dead-ended. My only way out was to either double back the way I came or travel up a set of stairs to my right. I opted for the stairs. I’d climbed all of three steps when a jolt of electricity shot up my spine. The baby fine hair covering my body stood on end, and a low level hum vibrated through me. Bingo. Magic. Much like before, the air was thick and heavy, with the electrical buzz that only magic left behind. Slowly, cautiously, I climbed the remaining steps, which led me to another hallway with a single door waiting at the end. I’d hit the jackpot. I was one hundred percent certain what I’d find. Well…okay, maybe more like ninety-nine point nine percent sure I’d find Deanna Foster waiting either alive or dead behind door number one. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out Chuck and crept forward, my senses on high alert. I lifted my hand slowly toward the door and received a nasty shock that singed the tips of my fingers, causing me to howl in pain. “Ow…crap!” The ward on the door was strong. Even stronger than the ones outside had been. This cemented my belief that Deanna was in the room. “I wouldn’t try that again if I were you.” 43

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I froze. My senses were magnified, on high alert. If a pin dropped on the opposite side of the club, I’d have heard it. Adrenaline rushed through my veins. I hadn’t heard anyone approach, which meant only one thing. There was a vampire or demon behind me. Gripping Chuck tight in my hand, I whirled around and stabbed my silent enemy, driving the wooden stake deep into his…shoulder. Oh, God. No. No. No. I missed the chest area altogether. Not good. If I don’t move fast, I’m a goner. I fought to hold onto the weapon as my arm trembled and shook. Using my body as leverage, I stepped back, preparing to yank the stake from its body by brute force. A strong hand came to rest over mine that still gripped the end of the stake, and I looked up, gasping in shock. Him. I’d stabbed him. Holy Mary, Mother of… “Wha…but…I…” The ability to form a coherent sentence left me as I stood open-mouthed in front of the handsome creature who had saved my life the week before. I was no expert with regard to etiquette, but was fairly certain it wasn’t good form to repay the person who previously saved your life by stabbing them. With feet glued to the floor, I stared up at him in horror, waiting for him to end my life. With a slight grimace, he tugged on my hand, which still held the stake, and slowly, pulled the offending piece of wood from his shoulder with a frown. “Your aim could use a little work, cariño.” He swiped Chuck across the leg of his pants, cleaning off the blood and handed me the weapon with a smirk. I blanched and took a step back, gripping the stake in my hand. “You think this is funny?” I wasn’t amused at all. Nope. I was pissed, confused, horny as hell, and I wanted some answers. Who the hell was this vampire? Why wasn’t I able to sense him, and why did he affect me the way he did? I glared at him, burning a hole into that beautiful face of his with my anger-filled eyes. “I could have killed you. I could kill you yet,” I added, and raised the stake up again as if to strike. Truth was, though he saved me the week before, I had no idea what his motives were. No, I didn’t feel any danger from him, but that didn’t mean diddly. His ability to mask his presence so easily left me more than a little worried. This guy was powerful and definitely someone to be wary of. The threat of being staked again didn’t seem to faze him. He was the very picture of calm. “Put your arm down, cariño.” He motioned to my raised limb, which automatically dropped to my side, much to my dismay, and completely against my own will. 44

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I wriggled my arm in vain, pissed when it wouldn’t budge. “Hey,” I protested loudly. He glanced down at the gaping wound in his shoulder, then back at me, his expression serious. “No. I don’t think this is funny. If you’re going to defeat your enemy, you need to work on making your mark. And I’d prefer it if you wouldn’t use me for target practice in the future.” “I…uh…” Every coherent thought I had seemed to ooze out my ears as I stood before him. Defeat my enemy? Make my mark? Isn’t he my enemy? No…he can’t possibly be my enemy. Not when he makes me feel… The sweetness of his breath wafting across my face as he spoke, along with the sultry sound of his Latin accent, thoroughly mesmerized me. Dressed in a tight black T-shirt hugging the muscled contours of his chest, and black slacks, he exuded an air of confidence and raw masculinity that was staggering. I stared up at him, confused, red-faced, and mute. He scrutinized me with one eyebrow raised, and I melted under his stare. Those warm caramel eyes of his were really too much. Flecks of chocolate and gold rimmed the edges of his irises, each gorgeous orb surrounded by a thick fan of black lashes. The corner of his mouth turned up. “What are you doing up here? My apartment is off limits to the public.” His admission sucked me back into the here and now. My eyes grew wide. “Your apartment?” I pointed my finger toward the door and jabbed as I spoke. “You live here?” There. Finally! I had my voice back. He looked at me like I was a few tacos short of a full platter. He shifted in place and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes. I own this club, and make my home above it.” His admission was an unexpected revelation. Well, hey — at least I’d know where to find him from now on. Focus, Martha… I glanced at the front door of his apartment, and then back to him. “So it was you that warded the doors then.” It was a statement, not a question, and an easy deduction. He lived above the club, and possessed a great deal of power. That left one pressing question. Why? What was he hiding? Deanna? All the evidence pointed to him, but there was just something… something about him seemed off, different than the usual undead dirtbags I dealt with. Where they bombarded me with auras that were intrinsically evil — he did not. 45

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I threw daggers at him with my eyes. He hadn’t answered my question. In fact, he stood smiling down at me with a smug grin that sent my temper flaring. I failed to see the humor in the situation. Pretty Boy needed to man up and spill what he knew. “Well? Did you or did you not ward the doors?” “Yes.” I narrowed my eyebrows and scowled. “I see you are a man of many words.” He gave a small chuckle and readjusted his stance. I noticed the stab wound in his shoulder had miraculously healed, though his shirt still looked like it had seen better days. “Care to elaborate?” I asked, leaning back on one leg and crossing my arms with a huff. “What is it that you’re hiding?” A dead sorority girl? His midnight snack? The laundry list of possibilities was endless. He took a deep breath, his smile fading into a frown. “A problem.” Nice. Another clipped answer. What was it with this guy? He brushed past me, gliding toward his door like sex on wheels. He mumbled something under his breath I couldn’t make out and ran a hand through his messy hair. I shot forward, stepping in front of him. I wanted answers and he was going to give them to me. “What kind of problem?” If he gave me another one liner, I was seriously going to stab him again. With a sigh, he shook his head, clearly aggravated with my persistence, and brushed past me once again, releasing the protective ward, opening the door. He leaned against the wall and crossed his feet at the ankles before throwing his arm out, motioning for me to check things out. I stepped past him, cautiously peering into the darkened room, unable to see anything. “This kind of problem,” he said from behind me and snapped his fingers, magically filling the room with light. I gasped. Suspended in air in the far corner of the room was Deanna, magically bound, gagged, and violently struggling against her bonds. A quick glance was all I needed to make up my mind. Sexy or no, bartender vamp was going down. I turned, arm raised and ready to strike again, certain I wouldn’t miss my mark twice, only to have Chuck fly out of my hand and into that of Mr. Off-Limits. Acting on instinct, I backed away, which unfortunately resulted in me standing in the center of his room. Dammit! Panicked, I spun in a 46

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circle, my eyes frantically searching for another way out. Escape was essential. I refused to end up a vampire buffet. Shit! No windows. “Easy, cariño. We need to talk.” He stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind him. Shaking and disgusted with myself for being attracted to a creature capable of such monstrosities, I stared at him with hate filled eyes, unwilling to comply. “Monster. Let her go!” His eyes traveled briefly to where Deanna hung trapped and struggling, and then to me. He shook his head. “You don’t want me to do that, cariño.” “Why the hell not?” Pretty Boy’s brain must have oozed out his ears. If he thought I’d stand idly by while he snacked on Deanna, he was out of his ever-lovin’ mind. His magic might be stronger than mine, but I was scrappy and fast on my toes. His eyes never left mine as he raised an arm and pointed, Chuck still in his steely grip. “Look at her, cariño. Really look at her, and then tell me you still want her freed.” Addled, I hesitantly turned my attention back to Deanna once more, and was shocked by what I saw. A set of blood red eyes stared back at me with a look of pure, unadulterated hatred and…hunger. She wanted down, not because she was afraid, but because she wanted to drain me. Deanna was a newly turned vampire, and she was hungry. How had I not noticed from the start? Mr. Shmexy Bartender Vamp had my emotions way out of whack. I needed to pull myself together right quick. An entirely new set of questions barreled into the forefront of my mind. Why would he sire a new vampire and then hold it captive? His actions made zero sense. Unless, of course, he was playing some kind of sick game and planned on bringing some poor unsuspecting fool up here to be Deanna’s late night snack. If that was the case though, why was she magically bound and gagged? Wouldn’t it be easier to just let her roam about free? I turned to back to face him, my eyes full of confusion. “What the hell is going on here?” He stepped forward and pegged me with a warm set of eyes. “I told you we needed to talk. Let me introduce myself. My name is Xan.”

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“

softly to myself. God…finally — finally, a name. I thrilled Xan,”at Imywhispered newfound knowledge, though I wasn’t quite sure why. It wasn’t

like I had time to enjoy the sensual way his name rolled off his tongue, or savor the delicious tingling sensation that traveled up and down my spine at the mere sound of his voice. I was no expert by any means when it came to the laws of attraction, but I was pretty sure this wasn’t your run of the mill situation. The gravitational pull I felt for him wasn’t normal. And he was most certainly not your normal guy. I didn’t know who he was or what he was up to. And, much like a snowball that didn’t stand a chance in hell, there was no way I was going to let him know the kind of effect he had on me.

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back on my heel. “Okay, Xan.” I sounded like a snippy bitch, and I didn’t care. “Mind telling me what the hell is going on? Who are you, and why do you have a newly turned vampire dangling midair in your apartment?” The corners of his mouth pulled into a seductive smile. “Mmmm…so many questions. You’re feisty, strong.” He paused for a moment, devouring me with his eyes. “I like that.” One minute he stood across the room, the next he was before me, his face mere inches from my own. All masculine, his scent was intoxicating. A heady mix of summer sun and cool water with just a hint of woodsy freshness, it filled my senses and left me wanting more. There was something else as well — an odd familiar feeling that I recognized at once but was loath to admit. Comfort. Just being near Xan made me feel comforted. This, of course, was a contradiction in terms. Vampires by nature were not comforting creatures.

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I swallowed hard and stood my ground. I wouldn’t back down. I would show no weakness. My traitorous heart? Yeah, it had other ideas. Refusing to go along with my head, it thundered away in my chest, each treasonous beat clearly audible to Xan and his superior vampire senses. “Well,” I choked out, my body tense from his nearness. “Do you plan on answering any of my questions?” My palms felt sticky, and a weird swirly sensation whirled around in my stomach. A small laugh escaped his perfect lips. “Yes, cariño. I plan on answering all of your questions. Your stubborn persistence has left me no choice. Patience, little one.” He reached up and brushed a stray piece of hair out of my face, his fingertips blazing a gentle trail of sweet fire in their wake. My head warred with my body’s knee-jerk reaction to lean forward and close my eyes, delighting in his touch. My body won out. I simply had no control over myself when I was near him, and I was completely disturbed by it. With his eyes closed, Xan leaned forward and breathed in my scent, before backing away. A set of razor sharp fangs glistened under the dim lighting as he smiled. “Mouthwatering.” He moved to sit down on his leather sofa and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, motioning me to join him. Flashes of the two of us splayed out on the couch, limbs tangled in the throes of passion flooded my conscious thoughts. Whoa…I shook my head and stepped back. “I think I’ll stand.” I needed to keep a clear head, and that seemed impossible whenever he was near. Keeping him at a distance felt like the smart thing to do. He stared at me, indifferent to the fact I was still standing, and spoke. “A new coven has moved into the area. I have a feeling last Friday’s attacks were just the beginning of what’s to come.” The playfulness he’d exuded moments before was gone, the tone of his voice dark and serious. “A new coven?” He had my full attention. This was what I needed to know. I studied him for a moment, rationalizing the need to keep him around if for no other reason than to pump him for information. “Yes.” He wore a grim look on his face and the muscles in his jaw tensed up as he spoke. “I’ve sensed a new power in this region. Not to mention, there has been an increase in the number of attacks around the club and surrounding area. The encounter you witnessed last week was not the first. And it’s not only humans that are being targeted. This new coven is taking out vampires as well.” My eyes widened in shock as I let the information he gave me roll around in my head. More attacks? There hadn’t been anything in the paper, 49

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but I suppose that didn’t necessarily mean anything. Especially if Xan had stopped them. Besides, if I were your average joe who didn’t know about vampires and demons, and was attacked by one, I’d probably think I’d lost my mind. I couldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to report that kind of assault. What was more upsetting, though, was the fact that he said this new coven was taking out their own kind. Aside from Xan’s attack on the rogue vampires the other night, I’d never heard of such a thing, and it left me with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. He sank back into the sofa, crossed his feet at the ankles, and draped an arm over the side. “Vampires don’t play with their food,” he continued. “They won’t turn their prey unless they have good reason. Nor do they take out their own kind as a general rule. Not unless they are trying to establish dominance.” “So, what you’re trying to tell me is that this new coven is trying to establish itself as the—” I totally busted out the air quotes, “—‘Big Bad’ in town?” He placed a finger on his nose. I’d hit the mark. He leaned forward again, those warm mocha eyes capturing all of my attention. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you. Whoever is leading them is very powerful and very dangerous. I found this one,” he said, nodding his chin in the direction of Deanna, “feeding on a homeless man last night and brought her back here since I’d seen her face in the paper. If someone is attacking my patrons and turning them, I want to know who it is. She’ll lead me to her maker.” I bit down on my lower lip. If he was trying to scare me by telling me there was an evil power player in town, he was doing a terrible job. I’d seen my fair share of monsters and killed almost all of them. I shook my head. “I’m not afraid. And I’m not going to sit back and let this keep happening,” I snapped, looking over my shoulder toward Deanna. “I’m taking this new coven down, one-by-one.” I jabbed a finger in the newly-turned vamp’s direction. “Starting with her.” Pissed off and full of determination, I reached out, willing Chuck from Xan’s steely grip. The wooden stake sailed through the air toward my outstretched hand and then suddenly, stopped midair. Xan’s magic fought against my own, his hand reaching out for the object I desired. I cast him an icy glare. “Stop that!” I reached forward again, fingers straining for my weapon to no avail. The stake wouldn’t budge and remained frozen in midair. I clenched my teeth and worked up a sweat straining for my weapon, but it was no use. The damn thing remained just as it was, painfully out of my reach. 50

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Xan didn’t flinch. Damn him…he didn’t seem flustered in the least. “No. We need her.” His voice was so calm it was irritating. My arm sliced through the air as I pointed to the newbie vamp. “We need to destroy her. That’s what we need.” Determined to destroy Deanna, I struggled once more against the stronghold of his magic, trying to will Chuck into my capable hands so I could carry out my task. His magic was stronger than mine (which I have to say, pissed me off to no end), and I lost my tenuous grip on the stake. It went flying back into his hands. Goddammit! Xan stood up and took a step forward. “Cariño, she’ll lead us to the coven. Her sire’s blood flows within her veins. She will instinctively go to him or her. We cannot destroy her.” I couldn’t believe my ears. Seriously? Was he telling me he was going to set her free? Let her loose in the city where she could run wild and feast on any Tom, Dick, or Harry that she pleased? Hell to the no! I narrowed my eyes and clenched my fists, ready to throw down with anyone or anything that got in my way. “We are not setting her free. She’ll kill. I won’t allow it. There has to be another way.” My jaw ached from gnashing my teeth, and my head pounded like someone had cleaved it in two. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this angry. I hated the fact that his magic was stronger than mine. I hated the fact I was so drawn to him. And most of all, I hated the fact he was a vampire. The first guy I’d ever felt an attraction for and he turns out to be a vamp. Just my luck. Xan moved away from the couch, shoving Chuck into the back pocket of his pants and took a step toward me. His hands were upturned, his expression insistent. “There is no other way. No innocent will come to harm. I assure you.” “She was innocent,” I snapped, pointing to Deanna who continued to growl and thrash around in her magical bonds. “You sure as hell didn’t save her.” His head jerked back, and he grimaced as though I’d slapped him. Before I knew what happened, he stood so close I felt his breath on my face. “Malagradecida! Ungrateful girl! That’s because I was busy. Saving you!” Wild eyes bore into my own as he stood before me, chest panting in anger, jaw clenched and fists balled up at his sides. The force of his stare was more than I could manage, and I crumpled under the weight of it. Why did he affect me so? I never broke, never backed down. Until now.

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I’d really put my foot in it this time. My temper had gotten the better of me more times than I cared to admit — this being one of them. Crap. I looked down at the floor, unwilling to meet his heated gaze. I felt like an idiot for letting my mouth run when I shouldn’t have. Truth was he had saved me and Taylor last Friday. As much as I hated to admit it, I’d been taken off guard, and if he hadn’t shown up, I might not be standing in front of him now. Instead of thanking him, I’d insulted him. I needed to make it right. I swallowed hard, looked up and prepared to eat crow. The fire that darkened his eyes just moments before had died down to a smoldering burn. The soft lighting in the room bounced off the gold flecks rimming his chocolate irises like fireworks. God, for a guy, he had the most beautiful eyes. “Look,” I said, struggling to focus. “I’m sorry. I…” Apologies were not my forte, and I fumbled with my words. My chin fell forward, and I looked at my feet for a moment, trying to muster the courage to just be done with it already. I looked back up, and my body relaxed the moment I saw his face. The tic in his jaw had disappeared, and the veins in his neck were no longer pulsating, ready to burst. Satisfied he no longer looked as though he wanted to snap my neck, I tried again. “Look. I know I put my foot in it. I’m — ” Xan’s finger cut me off mid-sentence as it came to rest on my lips. “Sshhh. It’s forgotten already.” “But…” His finger stayed in place, making things like speaking near impossible. I frowned. He dropped his hand and raised an eyebrow rose, daring me to defy him. A wide, crooked grin emerged, and I could see in his eyes he knew he’d won the small battle. A flush crept over my cheeks, and I nodded in response. What in God’s name was wrong with me? Even the slightest touch from him sent my body into over-drive. I was pathetic. Moreover, I needed to get my head checked. What the hell was I doing chit-chatting with a vampire? Letting him touch me, and on the mouth no less? My eyes flickered over to the newborn vamp that hung suspended in midair before returning to Xan’s. I needed some reassurance no one would die if we set her free. I was way out of my element. Normally, my instincts with regard to vamps and demons were to stake first and ask questions later. My willingness to set this one free, even temporarily, had me baffled.

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As if he were reading my thoughts, he gave me a terse nod. “You have my vow. No innocents will suffer at her hand.” Despite the fact that my head was crying out, begging my foolish heart not to trust him, I answered with a quiet, “Okay.” I cringed on the inside. What had I just done? Xan looked visibly pleased. “Good.” He stepped forward, cupping my cheek in his hand. Those impossibly warm, brown eyes of his drank me in while his thumb ran back and forth, ever so gently across my cheekbone. My pulse spiked, and my knees turned to rubber. The moment was incredibly tender, and altogether too short, in my opinion. Long, meaningful stares and tender touches should last at least ten minutes, if you ask me. Maybe even longer. He closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose. When he reopened them, the sexual charge that radiated between us was gone. Mr. Serious was back, and he was all business. “You should go back downstairs before your friends start to worry.” I gasped, stepping away from his touch. Apparently, hot vampires with sexy accents not only made me act like a pathetic girly girl, but they made me forget about my friends as well. I held my forehead in my hand and fought the urge to smack myself for being so stupid, for getting caught up in Mr. Shmexy Vamp and his dreamy, caramel eyes. I could only hope Taylor and Jessica hadn’t gotten into too much trouble while I’d been away. The dynamic duo had a knack for finding trouble and placing themselves right smack in the middle of it. “Come.” He grasped onto my wrist with one hand and placed the other on the small of my back. Little sparks of electricity flowed from his hands, radiating a delicious warmth where his skin made contact. He gently ushered me to the door. “I’ll set our new vampire free after the club closes tonight. She won’t have time to hunt as dawn will be approaching, and she’ll want to take shelter in the safety of her coven. I’ll follow and take her out before she goes in.” It sounded like a solid plan, except for one little detail. I whirled around to face him. “You mean ‘we.’ I’m coming with you.” I stepped through the door into the narrow hallway outside his apartment. There was no way he was going to free Deanna without me. If there was a new power player in town, I needed to make sure I had a hand in taking them down. The chance the leader of the new coven was Lucian was slim, but it didn’t matter to me. I was still going. With or without Pretty Boy’s permission. 53

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He shot me down quickly with a shake of his head. “I’d prefer you to stay out of this.” I was just as fast. “I prefer steak to Hamburger Helper, but I can’t always afford it. We don’t always get what we want.” I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest, daring him to argue with me. “I’m going.” A low moan came from deep within Xan’s chest, and he ran his hands through his hair several times. He shook his head before throwing his hands up in exasperation. “Terca niña! Goddamn, you’re stubborn.” Curse my whacked out, pathetic body. The minute he spoke his native tongue a warm rush of pleasure made a beeline straight to my cherry, and my thighs went up in flames. This is so wrong… I was totally disgusted with myself. Here he was yelling at me in another language and all I wanted to do was jump on top of him and savor his delicious brown skin with my tongue. I didn’t act this way — ever. I needed to get a hold of myself, join a twelve step program and kick him like a bad habit. Absolutely no good would come with getting mixed up with a vampire. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, centering himself before meeting my gaze once more. His expression was one of controlled frustration. I knew that look well. I often had a frustrating effect on people. With my lips pursed, I glared up at him, unwilling to back down. The muscles in his jaw flexed. “Fine then. You may come — but fuck…” He jabbed a finger at me. “You’ll do as I say. Is that clear?” I made a pssh sound. Who the hell did he think he was — my father? I didn’t take orders from anyone, and I damned sure wasn’t taking them from a vampire. “I don’t answer to anyone. You are not my parent.” Just great, Martha. You sound like a five year old. He peered down at me, his control cracking. He ran his hand along the back of his neck before looking away. With a low curse, he snapped his head around to look at me once more. “No, I’m your…” he started to say and then stopped, turning away from me as if he’d caught himself saying something he shouldn’t. Interesting. He was keeping something from me. I closed the gap between us and got all up in his grill. “You’re my what?” I pressed. Pretty Boy snapped his full lips shut and shook his head. His eyes said it all. He’d tell me nothing else.

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Overcome with curiosity over his near slip-up, I kept pushing. “You’re what, Xan? You know, you still haven’t answered most of my questions. Why are you helping me? How is it that you can wield magic?” He waved me off with his hands. “Patience, cariño. All in due time. Just be back here at four.” Patience. I huffed, frustrated, and stared back at him. I was the least patient person on the planet. Telling me to be patient was like telling a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet he had to wait thirty minutes before he could dig in. I didn’t like unanswered questions, and Xan had left me with quite a few. Trusting him went against everything in my nature. He was a vampire and my sworn enemy. Yeah…he’d taken down two of his own kind to protect me. And as much as it pained to admit it, I was thankful. I was also quite positive my efforts to conceal my feelings for him were in vain. He had to know the enormous of effect he had on me both physically and emotionally. I was putty in his supernatural hands, and thank God, he’d never used it against me. My mind wandered back to my childhood, remembering a beautiful puzzle box I used to play with while visiting my great-grandmother. Mesmerized by its unique beauty and its strange and intricate carvings, I sat and played with it for hours, trying desperately to unlock its mysteries and always failing. Xan held the same allure as the box. He was beautiful and confusing, and held the promise of something more — all the while remaining locked and set apart. Unattainable. What was even more disconcerting was the fact that he awoke something in me I secretly feared would never surface: my desire. I didn’t like being attracted to someone I didn’t understand, someone I knew nothing about. Unable to tear my eyes from his, a jolt of electricity shot up my arm when he took hold of my hand, placing Chuck gently into my palm. “Try to work on your aim, cariño,” he said with a wide grin, and stepped into the hallway with me, closing the door behind him.

y With cheeks ablaze, I made my way back down the stairs and through the hallway that led back to the main area of the club, with Xan following close behind. It took all of five seconds before Jessica accosted me. “There you are! We’ve been worried sick.” She held up one hand. “Hold on a sec.” She 55

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turned, lifted herself up onto her toes and waved her arms through the air like a wild woman. “Taylor! I found her!” I looked past Jessica into the massive crowd, and my stomach dropped. Taylor’s worried face tore at me as she dodged and weaved her way through the cramped dance floor to get to us. I felt a pang of regret for having left them so long without any word as to my whereabouts. With Taylor by her side, Jessica turned back to me and started in again. “Where the hell have you been? Taylor and I thought you…Oh,” she said in surprise as Xan suddenly appeared behind me. Taylor gasped, a desperate choking sound, and took a step back clutching her neck. White as a sheet, she looked like she might unload the contents of her stomach right at our feet. With lips trembling, she turned her attention to me. “Martha?” I was an insensitive ass. Plain and simple. The last interaction she’d had with Xan was in the alleyway behind the club after she’d been attacked. As far as she knew, he was one of the bad guys trying to bleed her dry. I stepped forward, grabbed her hands and forced her to meet my eyes. “It’s okay, Taylor. I promise.” I stepped to the side and held out my arm. “This is Xan. He helped us last week, remember?” She probably didn’t, but that was okay. What was important was that she knew he was on our side, one of the good guys. My eyes traveled over him for a brief moment before refocusing on Taylor. It felt odd, unnatural, referring to a vampire as one of the good guys. I could only hope I wasn’t making the biggest mistake of my life. My instincts had never led me astray before, and I was banking on them now. Taylor wasn’t convinced. “But he’s…he’s a…” She stepped forward with wide eyes and mouthed the word “vampire.” Xan gave a low chuckle, but said nothing, instead focusing his attention on me. A warm, tingling sensation skimmed every inch of my flesh, and I flushed under the weight of his sex-charged stare. I shook my head, determined to get a grip on my raging libido. “This one’s cool. Really, Taylor. Trust me,” I said, trying my best to reassure her. She made a small noise reminiscent of a squeak, and crossed herself like she would if she were in church, but kept her trap closed. Xan brushed past us, and it took every ounce of willpower I had not to whimper at his absence. I’d grown unusually accustomed to his electrifying presence. 56

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He gave a slight nod. “If you’ll excuse me, ladies.” His eyes lingered on me for several seconds, a heady mix of danger and something that looked an awful lot like I’m going to have you naked and writhing beneath me floating behind those golden irises of his. The corner of his mouth hitched up, turning my knees to Jell-O, as he walked to the edge of the dance floor. He turned his head and tossed me a quick, “Later, cariño,” over his shoulder. Confused, frustrated, and horny as hell, I watched as he stepped into the thick mass of gyrating bodies, and was swallowed whole by the crowd. “Oh…my…God.” The sound of Jessica’s voice tore my eyes from the empty space Xan once occupied. I spun around and got an eyeful of Jessica standing open-mouthed, her jaw nearly scraping the floor. Her expression was a mix of shock and incredulity, with a heaping mound of what-the-fuck thrown in for good measure. Feeling a bit like a germ under a microscope, I raised an eyebrow, uncomfortable with her scrutiny. Had I popped a boob? I looked down. Nope, the twins were still leashed and covered. What was up with her intense stare-down? “What?” Jess opened her mouth to say something and then slammed it shut. She took a deep breath and started over. “I knew this day would come, but with a vampire? Martha, I have to say, I’m shocked.” I glanced over to Taylor who stood with her hand over her mouth, apparently stunned into silence. Frustrated, I turned back to Jessica. I hadn’t a clue what she was saying. What day would come? Was she peeved with me for talking to a vampire? I’ll admit I was a bit weirded out by the situation myself, but if I could deal with it, she should be able to. I crossed my arms over my chest. “What the hell are you talking about?” Jess took a deep breath and sighed. “Do I have to spell everything out for you?” She pointed a finger toward the bar. “Xan…the sexy bartender vamp…the guy who just called you sweetheart…you want to have sexy times with him.” What the…? My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Sexy times?” What the hell were sexy times? And sweetheart? Is that what he’s been calling me? Since when did vampires refer to humans as sweethearts? Happy Meals on feet, walking blood Popsicles, those were names I was used to. But sweetheart? “Oh, my God,” she said and slapped her forehead. She sliced her hands through the air in frustration. Apparently, I was a dumbass. “Martha! Sex. The horizontal mambo. The wild monkey dance. You want to ride his disco stick.”

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My head snapped back the moment the words disco and stick left her mouth. “What? I do not,” I shouted, doing my best to feign shock and disgust. I did want Xan. I wanted him badly. I just didn’t know what to do about it, and I sure as hell didn’t want my friends to know. Evidently, heartache and verbal abuse from one roommate wasn’t enough. The cosmos had it in for me, prompting Taylor to throw in her two cents as well. “She’s right, Martha. Don’t even try to deny it. It’s all over your face. You want to get jiggy with him.” Oh, for the love of…I pegged her with a hard shut-the-fuck-up glare. “No, I do not.” I scowled at Jess just as she started to open her mouth again. Girlfriend knew better than to mess with me when I was frustrated and zipped her lips. Besides, it was better to put up a strong front than to let them know exactly how deeply Xan affected me. Cluing in to my obvious displeasure, Taylor threw up her hands in surrender. “Geez, Martha. You don’t have to get all butt-hurt and embarrassed about it. I mean, he’s a hottie, for sure. I’m just surprised. You normally dust vamps; you don’t usually fall for them.” I’d listened to all the mushy talk I could stand. “Enough, you two,” I shouted. “Can we just leave now? Please?” I wasn’t going to have this conversation with them while we were at the club. In truth, I didn’t want to have it at all. My love life, or lack thereof, was not something I wanted to discuss with anyone. Ever. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who wanted to bail quickly. Taylor flashed me a look that plainly said “get me the hell out of here,” and made a beeline for the exit. Jessica and I followed a few steps behind as she started in with a very animated rant. Whenever Taylor got really upset, her Australian slang came rushing out at high velocity, tonight being no different. She spoke with her hands, throwing them this way and that. “And I’ve had enough of this hell hole. Last week I got attacked, and tonight… tonight some asshole asks me if he can give me an Aussie kiss. Blegh!” she groaned. “Stupid no-hoper! He was ugly as sin — all hairy and shit like a bunyip!” Her blistering diatribe went on and on — and on. She was talking so fast I only made out half of what she said, and understood even less. I tapped Jess on the shoulder and leaned in close. “Do you know what she’s saying?” She smiled as we followed Taylor out of the club and shook her head. “Nope. Not a word.”

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We giggled to ourselves as we listened to our Australian friend go on and on and on. “ — and somebody should take his pathetic ass out to woop-woop and beat the tar out of him.” She stopped abruptly, turning on her heels to face Jessica and me, an expectant look on her face. She placed her hands on her hips. “You know what I mean?” Jess and I looked at each other, and then back at her. “Yep,” we said in unison.

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was three-thirty a.m. when I reached the entrance of Fire and Ice. The Itclub didn’t close until four, and there were still a few stragglers making their way out of the building and into waiting cabs. I stifled back a yawn and tried not think of how tired I was.

After leaving the club earlier, the girls and I had gone home to our apartment, with everyone ending up in my room. Neither Jessica nor Taylor had wanted to sleep alone. I couldn’t blame them. Hell, after everything that had happened over the past week, I hadn’t wanted to be alone either. I can’t tell you how nice it was to finally have friends to share with. Friends who didn’t think I was a freak. Even after they’d found out I was attracted to a vampire. I didn’t want to think about my new attraction and shook my head trying to clear it. Thank goodness I hadn’t had to play twenty questions with them. I’d never have survived it. Mentally worn from everything that happened recently, the girls had zonked out not long after we got home, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I should have tried to get some shut-eye myself, but there was too much on my mind. Or should I say, there was one person on my mind, who took up residence in every waking thought I had: Xan. Determined to stay focused on the task at hand (finding Deanna’s coven), I did my best to push aside my confusing feelings about Xan, locking them away for another time. Of course, this was easier said than done. I took a deep breath to help clear my head and moved for the entrance when a terrible sense of unease grabbed me metaphorically by the balls and squeezed. A familiar and very unwelcome voice accosted my ears. “Ugh, you have got to be kidding me.”

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My head snapped around to see Edie Van Walldenberg glaring at me as she hung out the window of an impressive looking stretch limo. Her nasally voice blared at me with a slur. Miss Snooty Pants had been drinking. Her blond hair hung over her shoulders. The longer pieces dangled across her chest, covering the copious amount of cleavage being displayed as she leaned forward. “Why is it that I can’t escape you? Everywhere I go, there you are. It’s just…so…irritating.” Hmph! Nasty freaking Betty. That totally explains the bad vibe. The words bite me kept running through my head, but I decided to keep my trap shut. I didn’t have time to throw down with her. My eyes narrowed as I saw a large hand snake around her front and pull her back into the vehicle. Who was she with? If I didn’t care for her before, I liked her even less now. Deanna, her friend, had been missing for just a few short days and she was already out boozing it up with Mr. High Roller and his uber-sleek limo. A few new words ran through my head: egomaniacal and bitch. I snorted out a laugh. I was a regular damn thesaurus. “What?” I heard her ask the owner of the anonymous hand, looking slightly put out. It was obvious the guy, whoever he was, was talking to her, though I couldn’t hear what was being said. “All right…fine!” I heard her snap. Edie then leaned back out of the window and sneered at me, her face flushed and eyes glossy from whatever it was she’d drank. “Later, loser.” She mouthed the words “Eff you” as the limo pulled away from the curb and drove off. I was happy to see her leave, though I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Remembering that this was Nasty Betty we were talking about, and nothing about her was right, I let go of my worry and made my way into the club. Walking across the now empty dance floor, I was treated to a beleaguered stare from the bartender who ran back and forth behind the bar, cleaning up glasses at a rapid pace. “Club’s closed. Time for you to go home.” His voice was deep and held a similar Latin accent to Xan’s. I opened my mouth to speak and was abruptly cut off. “It’s okay, Gabriel. The lady is here to see me.” My face flushed and a zing of heat rocketed through my veins at the sound of Xan’s voice. The gentle lilt of his accent sent a cool shiver up my spine and made my toes curl. I instinctively turned toward the source of the beautiful sound and became completely undone. Yep, I morphed into a bumbling mute capable of nothing save a few embarrassing grunts and a nod of the head. 61

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Someone shoot me now. Please. Reaching into his pants pocket, Xan pulled out a small set of keys and tossed them to the Latin bartender. “If you wouldn’t mind locking up tonight, my friend?” Gabriel gave a nod and then turned his attention to me for a moment, flashing me a look of suspicion laced with a whole lot of what the hell is he doing with you? “Come,” Xan said, saving me from the bartender’s disapproving glare. He held out his hand for mine. I wordlessly obeyed, placing my hand in his, and a jolt of electricity shot up my arm. My breath caught, and I fought the urge to burst out into song and dance. But I kept it cool, kept my shit together as we disappeared into the back of the club. Though it stung a bit, I couldn’t blame the bartender for his incredulous stare. I didn’t understand what I was doing with Xan, either. Aside from our obvious, and well, blatant differences — him being a vampire and me being a human — there was also that fact that he was drop dead gorgeous, and I was, well, not. Guys who looked like him never went for girls who looked like me. I gave a sigh and mentally chastised myself. The fact that I was even entertaining those types of thoughts when there was a newly created vampire dangling midair in the apartment above was simply ludicrous. I needed to get my head out of the clouds and into the game. Chuck was out of my bag and in my hand by the time we reached the door to his apartment. I gripped it tightly as Xan removed the protection wards that kept what was behind his door safely locked away. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the weapon in my hand and treated me to me a look of affirmation. “Very good, cariño. Always be prepared for the unexpected.” I gave him a small grunt. His approval was not something I needed. Although, knowing I had it was oddly satisfying. God, I needed to get my head checked. I swallowed hard as he opened the door, half expecting a crazed, bloodthirsty vampire to come crashing out and attack me. As Xan willed the lights on, I was relieved to see our captive was still safely confined within her magical bonds. I stepped inside the small apartment, closing the door behind me. When I’d been in the apartment earlier, I’d been too shocked and angry to pay attention to my surroundings and never really got a good 62

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look at Xan’s living space. Though small, his apartment was impressive. Immaculate and masculine, the room was all clean lines done up in shades of gray, black, and white. I felt his eyes boring into my back, and I spun around to see him staring at me, his lips turned down into a frown. Not this again. A bit flustered, I gave myself a once-over before looking back at him. “What? Is it my outfit?” I still wore my boots and dress from earlier, though I’d added a jacket due to the cold night air. “I fight in clothes like these all the time. It’ll be fine. Trust me.” He paced back and forth on the far side of the room, his face a mask of seriousness. “Your clothes are fine, cariño. I’m just…concerned…” He trailed off. “Concerned? Why?” I kicked major ass in the demon department. I was a major asset as far as I was concerned. He stopped moving and eyed me pointedly. “I’ll do all I can to protect you, but if things get…out of hand, I need to know you can handle yourself. I’m not sure you’re ready for this.” Oh, no, he didn’t. His words were like a slap in the face. I’d never had someone doubt my power before. True, there were only a handful of people who knew I was overflowing with powerful woo-woo, but still. His reservations with regard to my abilities sent me reeling. Not ready? The hell I’m not. I’ll show him… With my jaw locked, teeth clenched, and fists balled at my sides, I willed myself off the floor, floating toward him, chin up and glowering. With a flick of my wrist, the small wooden table that sat in front of his couch flew up into the air, splintering into a hundred pieces, and shot toward Xan with the speed of light. That ought to show him… The wooden shards came to a halt mere inches from Xan, who stood motionless, a complacent smile crossing his all too perfect face. One eyebrow shot up as if to say so what. Mr. Magic Pants was completely unaffected by the cloud of sharp, wooden splinters surrounding him, ready to end his life. “You’re very resourceful.” I looked down my nose at him, still hovering several feet above the Berber. “Thank you.” “You owe me a new table.” And just like that, the air of tension surrounding us broke. 63

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The wooden splinters came crashing to the floor as I lowered myself down, and I looked up at him sheepishly. “Oh, crap, I’m sorry. I — shit, I got…carried away.” That was an understatement. I looked down at the pile of rubble that was once his coffee table and cringed. I’d done it again. I’d managed to let my temper get the best of me, acting like a child who was afraid she wasn’t going to get her way. Idiot. He made a show with his hands. “Don’t worry about it. You’re more ready than I thought. Still…I want you at my side the entire time we’re out. Is that clear?” Here we go again… I gave him a huff and shrugged. I didn’t need to be babied. I’d just turned a table into a giant pile of splinters with which to kill him, and he expected me to fall in line? “Look, I — ” He lifted a tan finger. “Hold that thought.” He held out his hand, lifting the scattered pieces of splintered wood off the floor. I watched in awe as they spun around at lightning speed, faster and faster until, with a brilliant flash of light, they finally came to a halt in front of his couch, once more in the shape of a coffee table. I opened my mouth to say something and decided against it, slamming it shut. “You wanted to say something?” He eyed me with a smug look of satisfaction. He had me, and he knew it. Still, I wasn’t about to admit he’d schooled me in the magic department. My pride had taken an ass whooping, and it hurt more than I cared to admit. “Uh…I could have fixed the table, you know,” I said, completely impressed with his skill. I could have too. Just not with the style and ease he’d shown. Oh, yeah — I’d totally be staying by his side. I turned my attention to the dangling vampire in the corner. “So how are we going to get her—” I jabbed a finger in her direction “—out of here without anyone seeing us?” It was a little hard to be inconspicuous when you were traveling with a magically bound, newborn vampire who wanted to drain everyone they came in contact with. “Like this,” he said with a toothy grin, and snapped his fingers. One minute we stood in his apartment, the next the three of us materialized into an alleyway in what looked to be the industrial area of town. Xan was a damn Cracker Jack box — full of surprises. 64

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“Oh…well…okay,” I said, a bit stunned while checking out my new surroundings. Teleportation was a power I’d yet to master, and I was ashamed to admit I was a little jealous of the ease in which he poofed us from one place to the other. Okay, I was a lot jealous, but you’d never catch me owning to it. My face must have read like an open book because he cast me a reassuring smile and chuckled. “Don’t worry, cariño. As you mature, so will your powers. You’ll be popping in and out in no time.” I made a face. What did he know about my powers? “So what’s next, then?” I asked, looking over toward Deanna, who thrashed around like a wild animal, making similar noises. “I know you said she’d lead us to her coven, but I just don’t see it. She’s been listening to our plan the whole time. She knows what we’re up to. Won’t she just run in the opposite direction?” He shook his head. “No. Look at her. She’s too far gone with hunger. The only thought that’s racing through that head right now is how quickly can she score some blood. The dawn is approaching — she can sense it, feel it. That leaves her no choice but to seek out the one who sired her, for protection. It’s instinct.” “Is that what happened with you when you became a vampire?” The question shot out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying, and I instantly regretted it. Did I really want to know what he did, or who he fed on right after he was changed? No! My question was met with silence for which I was eternally grateful. The thought of Xan on a killing spree fueled by blood lust was more than I could bear. In fact, any thought of Xan’s liquid diet sent my head reeling. I knew he had to feed to survive, and I knew exactly what his diet consisted of. I also knew he could have killed me twenty times over the few times I’d been around him and he hadn’t. Xan shifted in place and met my gaze. “I know what you’re thinking, cariño. I can see it all over your face. It should please you to know I’ve never taken the life of a human, nor do I intend to in the future.” The breath I didn’t know I was holding came out in a slow whoosh — my body easing, the tension in my neck and shoulders relaxing. I believed him, though I didn’t know why. Something deep inside of me just knew he spoke the truth. “Come,” he said, motioning me closer to him. “Stand beside me while I set her free so I can mask your presence. We can’t have the new vampire distracted by the sweet smell of your blood, now can we?” 65

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I blanched, moving to his side where he then took my hand in his, lacing our fingers together. A warm rush flowed up the length of my arm and through my body. I’d never felt anything like it before. Pure, undiluted comfort flowed through my veins, and I gripped his hand tighter, wishing the feeling would never end. With his other hand, Xan released Deanna from the mystical ties that bound her, dropping her like a stone to the pavement. A horrific base growling filled the air as she leapt from the ground, nose in the air in search of the one thing that would sustain her: blood. Looking up toward the night sky, she let out a terrifying wail and took off down the street like an animal, hissing in our direction as she passed. Pulling away so I could follow, Xan’s iron grasp stopped me from taking another step. “Wait, cariño. Unless you want to be attached at the hip for the next hour,” he said, holding up our hands that were still intertwined, “I suggest you give her a bit of a lead. We need to keep your scent downwind.” Flashbacks of Wild Kingdom barreled through my head, and for a brief moment I considered rubbing every inch of myself against his muscled exterior to gain his scent. If he said anything, I’d claim fear and desperation drove me to it. I didn’t want to be eaten. While I was all for the idea of keeping my scent safely hidden from the rabid Deanna vamp, I cringed at the thought of separating from Xan. I fought to keep myself from whimpering when he finally let go of my hand, my fingers instantly yearning for the contact that was lost. I had zero problems with being attached to his hip. We followed Deanna for several miles, traveling further and further out into the outskirts of the city, where nothing but large warehouses lined both sides of the street. “We have to be getting close, right? There’s not much else out here,” I pointed out, desperately trying to break the silence that took over during our long walk. There was so much I wanted to ask him, yet I knew it wasn’t the right time. In fact, bad timing was becoming somewhat of a pattern where we were concerned. The few moments we’d been together were spent either fighting off evil vamps or chasing them, leaving no time for small talk. I needed thirty minutes with the guy without the threat of evil looming over my shoulder so I could get some of my questions answered. “Besides,” I said, pulling out my phone to look at the time. “It’s close to dawn. She’s got to find some kind of shelter or she’s toast.” 66

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Xan held a finger to his mouth and stepped in front of me. He bent down into a crouched, defensive posture, reminiscent of an animal ready to attack. Radiating raw power and pure physical prowess, Xan was a sight to see. Heat engulfed me, flowing through my veins as my eyes raked over his powerful frame. I became instantly aware that this man, this creature, this vampire, could not only wield magic with an ease and precision that few possessed, but he could kick some serious ass in hand to hand combat as well. Desire swept through me. I licked my bottom lip before biting down on it hard. Now was not the time to get caught up in a hormonal shame spiral. He looked over his shoulder toward me. “I sense a great power. We’re close.” He pointed toward our wayward vamp darting behind a vacant building that was once a large distribution center. “Get ready. I think we’ve found them.” Time stood still for a moment, the echo of Xan’s words still lingering in the cool night air, when a bright flash of light followed by several popping noises and the sound of unearthly groaning echoed throughout the surrounding area. My stomach twisted as a handful of rank, decomposing bodies lurched into the empty street toward us, the dim light from a nearby streetlamp casting a muted glow off their decaying flesh. I twisted in place, panic surging when I saw they surrounded us from all sides. “Oh, great. Zombies.” I gripped Chuck tight in my hand as I looked into the faces of the ten rotting corpses that simultaneously circled and moved in on us. The only way to take down a zombie was to decapitate it. I know… gross. As there were no stray swords lying around for me to wield, and I lacked the upper body strength to pop their heads off (not to mention, I really didn’t want to get that close), I was utterly useless. This, of course, pissed me off. I raised my hands to blast the zombies with a magical power surge when I was knocked backward several feet by a blast from Xan. “Get back,” he shouted, and turned all of his attention to the problem before us. I shot back several feet, just outside of the brawl, and stopped, standing completely awestruck by what I saw. Channeling his inner Neo, Xan pulled a move straight out of The Matrix, shooting up off the ground in super slow-mo and then spinning around like a tornado, knocking the undead army down as if they were nothing more than bowling pins. “I said get out of the way,” he shouted as he took down a particularly grotesque zombie that oozed what looked like brain matter out of its forehead. 67

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The disgusting remnants of what was once a person rolled like a bowling ball and stopped at my feet. “Blech!” I didn’t need to be told twice (well, ahem, I guess I did) and backed away. Nasty creatures manifested with dark voodoo magic, zombies were nothing short of disgusting. Whoever summoned the mindless beasts had a great deal of power and a blackened soul. “Damn,” I whispered to myself in complete and total admiration of my new vampire consort. Xan was a freaking machine. Using his ability to teleport, he popped in and out of the melee at light speed, snapping the heads off of the zombies like they were made of nothing more than toothpicks. I was so absorbed in the fight taking place in front of me, I didn’t notice the undead puppet that crept up behind me until it was too late. I was knocked off my feet by a powerful blow to the head. I rocketed face first onto the cold hard pavement. That’s going to leave a mark… It took me a moment to regain my bearings, which unfortunately was a moment too long. The walking corpse that yanked me off the ground was particularly gamy, the flesh from half of its face missing, showing a whole lot of teeth and eyeball. One look at the gruesome face in front of me and all I wanted to do was empty my stomach. But as it held me by my neck, its grip tightening by the second, I knew I had to take action. Breathing came before puking. Wasting no time, I staked the undead stink factory in the eye. There was a horrible crunching sound as the wood sank into its decomposing flesh, and a nasty fluid came squirting out all over me. Stunned but not down, the zombie let go of its grip on my neck while it struggled to pull Chuck out of its eye. I fell to the ground, rolled away and promptly puked my guts out. I looked up to see my attacker turning in circles, still trying to pull the stake from its eye, and having no luck. Taking advantage of its weakened state, I willed myself up and off the ground, floating forward, so that I hovered in front of the zombie, and kicked it in the head as hard as I could. I heard someone shouting off in the distance, “Ainsley! No!” I froze, my blood turning to ice. Impossible. There wasn’t a soul who knew my real name, save my great-grandmother. Clearly my earlier swan dive into the cement at the zombie’s hand had scrambled my brains about, and I was hearing things. 68

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I took stock of my handiwork with my undead opponent and all but threw up in my mouth. “Oh…nasty.” The creature’s head was now barely attached to its body, and had a giant gaping hole where my boot made contact. My efforts hadn’t done a damn bit of good. The zombie was still flailing around with Chuck deeply embedded in its eye, the only difference was now its skull was dangling off its neck at an odd angle. I drew a deep breath and pulled my leg back, ready to knock the sucker’s block off when Xan suddenly appeared out of nowhere and yanked me into his arms. “We need to leave. Now!” Before I knew what was happening, we were standing in his apartment. “Holy hell!” Shaking and slightly out of breath, I sank down onto Xan’s couch, feeling dazed and dizzy. It had all happened so fast. “Whoever sent those zombies obviously knew we were coming. Deanna got away. And dammit,” I said, scowling, “I lost Chuck.” That right there pissed me off more than anything else. I’d been fighting with Chuck for so long I no longer considered the weapon a separate entity, but a continuation of my hand. Getting used to a new stake would take time. Time I didn’t have. I waited for Xan to respond, and when he didn’t I looked over my shoulder and saw he stood behind me. His fists were balled up tight, covered with the grisly remnants of our fight. He clenched his jaw, and pressed his lips together in a tight line. He didn’t look happy. “Xan?” I wasn’t particularly happy about losing Deanna either. He’d promised me we’d take her out before dawn. Of course, neither of us knew we’d be attacked by zombies, so as upset as I was about our wayward vamp, I was all for cutting ourselves a break. The muscles in his jaw pulsated as he clenched his teeth together. He opened his mouth as if to speak and then shut it with a groan. Visibly torn over something, he shook and wore a pained look on his face. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d killed over half of the zombies, and we got out of there with everything intact. All in all, I’d say that was something to be happy about. Maybe he was worried they’d follow? “Xan, I know you’re upset that we got cornered like that, but they won’t be able to find us. They don’t know where we are and — ” I wasn’t able to finish before he cut me off. “Fuck!” He gripped the sides of his head and groaned, a long, deep, agonizing sound. Then his hands came down, and he stared straight through 69

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me — desperation, anger and desire intermingled and radiating from his gold flecked eyes. “Forgive me, Ainsley.” He came at me hard, his fangs sinking deep into the delicate flesh along the side of my neck. There was a moment of searing pain, followed by intense pleasure…and then…there was nothing.

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I moaned in delight, shifting my legs and relishing in the Mmm…” heavenly sensation pouring over me. Swept away by a current of

“

sheer ecstasy, my body felt as though it were floating along on gentle waves of pure bliss. There was no ebb, only a constant flow of warmth and serenity.

Every inch of my skin was on fire, hyper-sensitive and alive. My hand traveled up my neck toward the epicenter of pleasure. Like a powerful tidal wave, awareness crashed over me as my fingers grazed the fresh bite wound, ripping me from the surge of excitement I drifted on. “Oh, my…” I sat bolt upright, frantically sucking air as if I’d been trapped underwater. Fragmented and chaotic, images rushed into my conscious mind. Xan’s lips on my neck. Xan’s fangs piercing my skin. As my fingers brushed the bruised flesh, I felt two distinct puncture holes. “Oh…my…God. He bit me.” A loud snort yanked me back into the here and now. I turned my head toward the source of the noise. Taylor lay sprawled across the large air mattress she and Jessica shared, mumbling in her sleep. A narrow beam of light peaking through the curtain illuminated a swatch of blanket and a bare foot. What time was it? The last thing I remembered was… I swallowed hard. I had no memory of leaving Xan’s apartment, yet here I was snuggled in my bed in my own home. Every hair on my body simultaneously stood on end. How on earth did Xan get in my room? Vampires couldn’t enter your home unless invited, and I had never invited him. I hadn’t even told him where I lived, which made waking up in my bedroom ultra creepy. Xan wasn’t your average cookie cutter vamp. No. He was definitely something else, and as much as I was attracted to him, he scared me to death.

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My eyes traveled from Taylor to Jessica who was similarly draped across the mattress. I nearly pissed myself when I found she was not asleep, but staring at me, eyes wide. She sat up slowly, mouth open, a look of shock etched across her sleepy face. “What did you just say?” Crap… I opened my mouth to answer her and nothing came out. I stared back at her in silence, tears welling in my eyes, my unspoken words threatening to spill out one way or another. She pushed up off the mattress onto her elbow. “What is going on?” she whispered, forcefully with narrowed eyes. “And don’t lie to me. You were making some pretty interesting noises over there and then all of a sudden you shot up, gasping and saying he bit you. So…I repeat myself. What is going on?” I swiped at the tear sliding down my cheek and took a deep breath. How was I going to explain my way out of this one? Neither Jess nor Taylor knew I’d gone back out last night. I hated lying to them, but there really wasn’t any way around it. Danger was to Taylor as Wonder was to bread. It seemed to follow her everywhere, and where Taylor went, Jess was sure to follow. There was no way I was going to let them get involved in the undead mess I was currently dealing with. They might hate me later for lying to them, but at least they’d be alive. I pulled my knees into my chest and wrapped my hands around my neck. While resting my chin on my knees, I did what any person would do when they were trying to protect a friend. I lied. “Nothing’s going on. I guess I just had a bad dream.” Jessica clamped her mouth shut and glared at me for a good long while before speaking again. “You’re lying. But that’s…fine. Whatever,” she said with a huff and made a show of fluffing her pillow before lying down with her back facing me. I closed my eyes while a wave of nausea took over, my stomach reeling as though someone had kicked me as hard as they could. Dammit. I was blowing it with my friends. Jess knew something was wrong and gave me the perfect opportunity to open up about it, and I’d shot her down. Somehow I didn’t think telling her “I’m lying to you for your own good” would fly to well, so I kept my mouth shut as I climbed out of bed. Gathering up my things, I paused at the door to look at the only two people who’d ever accepted me for who I was, before heading to the bathroom 72

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to shower. Fate had shoved me between a rock and a hard place, and I felt like I was going to pop. Keeping them in the dark, lying to them, felt wrong. But, given the circumstances, I didn’t see any other options. Their safety ultimately came first. If I had to lose their friendship to keep them alive, I would. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, and closed the door quietly behind me.

y Other than washing away the grisly reminders of last night’s battle with rotting flesh bags, my shower did little to alleviate the stress I felt. My neck and shoulders ached with even the slightest movement, and I winced as I shoved my arms through the short sleeved, purple and black plaid button down that would hopefully hide the bite mark on my neck. I finished dressing and moved to stand in front of the mirror. Wiping away the steam, I took a good look at my reflection and frowned. “Damn,” I muttered under my breath. The bite mark was clearly visible, my collared shirt doing little to hide the large bruise marring the delicate white flesh on my neck. I looked like I’d been mauled by an over-sexed, frat boy who thought it was cool to mark his territory with a love-bite. “Pssh. Love-bite, my ass.” With a groan, I ran my finger over the two perfectly formed puncture marks just above my carotid. Part of me wanted to laugh at the absurdity of my comparison. It wasn’t like I was jonesing for some horny loser to mack on my neck, metaphorically claiming me as his own. It was just that, well…I never thought I’d receive a hickey, much less one that was complete with bite marks and a butt-load of unanswered questions. The bitter pangs of betrayal slapped me upside the head and crushed me like a pile driver. An enormous lump formed in my throat, and hot tears stung my eyes. Any trust I had for Xan withered away the moment his fangs pierced my skin. He had plenty opportunity to go vascular with me before, and hadn’t. Why last night? I bit down on my lip and shook my head, fighting off the overwhelming urge to slap myself. “Hello…fidiot!” Vampires drink blood! Of course he wanted to bite me. To him I was just a walking Happy Meal, for crap’s sake. Still, in the handful of times I’d been around Xan, not once did I ever get the impression he wanted to hurt me. Trying to figure out his reasoning for biting me gave me a massive headache. The entire situation sucked ass, and I wanted it to be over. In desperate need of coffee, I finished getting ready and left the apartment for the coffee shop just up the street. 73

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A handful of blonde, uber-tanned Betties entered the shop just as I sat down to enjoy the first sip of my peppermint hot chocolate. Peter had successfully roped me into trying the seasonal drink, despite my bah-humbug attitude. Christmas was fast approaching, and I’d yet to purchase a gift for anyone. Fuzzy red stockings and shiny wrapped gifts seemed petty and superficial given everything else that was going on at the moment. Still, I needed to find time to round up some gifts for Jess and Taylor, or my name was mud. I sipped my chocolaty beverage, doing my best to avoid eye contact with the Betties. They talked a mile a minute and giggled about God knows what until they saw me sitting in one of the easy chairs near the front door, and abruptly fell silent. Several pairs of eyes raked me over, taking in my appearance from head to foot and back up again, before turning to look at each other in silent mirth. Oh, how I hated the silence…the awkward, disapproving gazes. Disgusted and hurt by their judgmental stares, I grabbed my bag and coffee and left the shop. I couldn’t deal with haters on top of everything else. Not today. Taylor and Jess were still lounging on the blow-up mattress in my room when I returned. They’d been whispering back and forth as I entered the room. Just like the Betties from the coffee shop, they fell silent as soon as they saw me. The giant lump that formed in my throat earlier grew larger, and a sharp pain knifed its way through my chest. Their silence tore me to bits more than the sanctimonious judgments the Fake-n-Bake Betties ever could. To hell with it. I wasn’t about to stick around and willingly subject myself to misery. I willed my cell phone into my hand and quickly left the room, unable to deal with the painful wall of silence growing larger by the second. Desperate to talk to someone, I’d planned on opening up to Jess and Taylor when I got back from the coffee shop. Their mute stares only served to confirm my worst fear. I’d freaking blown it with my friends, and was on my own as per usual. Why? Why was I always on my own? With my lips pressed together, I closed my eyes and took a nice deep breath while trying to convince myself my reasoning was sound. My motivation for keeping quiet about last night was simple. I didn’t want my friends running off half-cocked, angry, and seeking revenge. They’d throw themselves in danger’s path to defend me, and I simply couldn’t have that. So I lied, and subsequently, my two best friends were pissed. My life had become a classic case of “damned if you do, damned if you don’t.” 74

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That left one person for me to talk to, and holy hell, I craved her voice like a fat kid craved chocolate cake. I hadn’t spoken to her since before school started, as she insisted, as always, that the less contact we had, the safer I was. I didn’t care about my safety right now. I needed to hear my great-grandma’s voice and the comfort that came along with it. If there was anyone who’d know about Xan and his true identity, it would be my great-grandma. I ended up outside, sitting on the edge of a planter in the center of our apartment’s courtyard. The harsh December cold bit into my skin, compounding my despair. With hands shaking, I punched her number into the keypad and waited as the phone rang. And rang. And rang. Shit. No answer. The voicemail didn’t pick up either. Not sure what I was expecting. You can’t exactly have voicemail when you are hiding from an undead killer who wants to annihilate your family. I flipped my phone shut, fighting back tears. I couldn’t ignore the hollow feeling eating away at my gut. Why didn’t she answer her phone? Didn’t she know I needed her? I let out a rather unladylike snort and rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. Get a clue, Martha. Of course she doesn’t know what’s going on with you right now. She lives thousands of miles away. Get real, girl. The harsh reality of my situation took over, kicking me while I was down. My friends were ticked off and didn’t want to talk to me. I couldn’t reach my great-grandmother, the one person who could make everything seem all right, even if it wasn’t. I was on my own, a sad fact I’d become altogether too used to over the years. I couldn’t count on anyone. Nope. But dammit, I could always count on myself. I was strong, independent, and I’d persevere. The frigid weather made my bones ache and my movements slow, but I managed to shuffle back into the warmth of my apartment despite it. I knew what I had to do, and frankly, felt ridiculous for not thinking of it from the start. The answer to all my questions was very possibly sitting right under my nose, or rather, at the foot of my bed. I’d just closed the front door behind me when a loud shriek bounced off the paper thin walls of the apartment. Absolute pain and despair resonated from Taylor’s voice as she screamed out a loud, “No!” What the hell? I flew down the narrow hallway, all but tearing the door to my room off its hinges as I threw it open to get to my friends. I didn’t care how mad they were. I was going to be there if they needed me — no matter what. A pair of surprised faces gaped at me. 75

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“Geez, Martha. What the hell?” Jessica said, looking slightly taken off guard. Both girls sat on the floor. Jess had her arm around Taylor who was sobbing quietly. Her efforts to console her weren’t resulting in the desired outcome, and it showed in the creases marring the space between her eyes. I scanned the room, my muscles relaxing a bit when I saw they were alone with no immediate threat. “I heard Taylor scream, and I got scared, so I came running. What’s wrong?” Taylor looked up at me with red, puffy eyes and fell apart all over again. “They killed George! Oh, my God, Martha. They tore off his face. How could they do that?” Alarmed at hearing someone’s face was torn from them, I looked at Jessica for an explanation, while running through a mental catalog of all the demons I could think of that were prone to tearing flesh. “What? Is this someone you know? What happened? Where? Talk!” The last thing we needed in our midst was a flesh-eating demon. My hands were full with rogue vampires and zombies. Jessica rolled her eyes and glared at me like I’d lost my ever lovin’ mind. “Relax, Wonder Woman. She just watched the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy online and lost it. George is a character from the show. Nobody’s hurt.” Visibly peeved, Taylor ducked from beneath Jess’s comforting grasp and slid across the floor with a huff. “He wasn’t just a character,” Taylor said, sucking air rapidly, still sobbing. “He was the character, and they turned him into road-kill!” I stood still for a moment, taking in the sight of my friend sniveling on the floor over a fictional character and lost it. In fact, I laughed so hard I thought I might piddle in my pants. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one to find Taylor’s crying jag comical. Jessica broke out into hysterics as well. “Whatever, skanks.” Taylor scooted to the far end of the bed and turned her back to us. “You guys suck.” Jessica, still giggling, picked up a pillow and chucked it at the back of her head. “Oh, stop it, Taylor. You know we love you.” “Yeah,” I said and cleared my throat. “We’re, uh, sorry George lost his face, and you know…died.” Sniffing, Taylor turned to face us, eyes red and puffy. She took a few deep breaths and shook her head. “Yeah. Okay.” She stood up, wiped away the last remnants of her tears and fanned herself. “I hate crying. It always makes me sweaty.” 76

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Jessica shifted on the mattress, scooting toward the edge. She pegged Taylor with a raised eyebrow and fanned her hand in front of her face. “Well, okay then, stinky. Guess you better go take a shower before you bowl us over with your stench.” A deep ache gnawed at my gut. God, I was gonna miss their playful bantering. Even when things got tense, those two knew how to make things better, how to shake things off with a laugh. With a dull pain worming its way up and chipping away at my chest, I turned and snatched my book bag off the back of my desk chair and walked over to the foot of my bed. I released the protective ward I’d placed on my trunk and retrieved the one thing that might possibly have some answers. Once I placed the book into my bag, I turned and quietly started for the door. “And just where do you think you’re going?” I looked back over my shoulder to see Jess standing with her hands on her hips, staring at me with her eyebrow raised and a whole lot of Oh, hell, no slapped across her face. I shrugged, that pesky knot once again forming in my throat. I hated having my friends upset with me. “Out? I know you’re mad, so I just figured…” I trailed off. Her shoulders fell as she exhaled forcefully. “I’m not mad at you, Martha.” She glanced over at our Australian roommate and back to me. “And neither is Taylor, for that matter. We’re just worried about you. That’s all. We’re here to listen, any time you’re ready. Okay?” “She’s right, Martha,” Taylor said while deflating the air mattress they’d slept on. “We’re here for you, whenever you need us.” I shifted in place and looked down at my shoe. “But…you guys were so quiet when I came in earlier. I thought you didn’t want to talk to me.” Jess cupped her face in her hands and then ran them through her hair. “We were just giving you a chance to talk, hoping you’d open up and say something. But you raced out of here like a bat out of hell, looking all butt-hurt and pissed off.” Oh, thank God! The relief flowing through me felt good, and the tension in my neck and shoulders eased up a bit. Jess and Taylor weren’t angry with me for keeping quiet. They hadn’t written me off. Nope. As usual, I’d overreacted, assuming the worst of my friends, and failed to give them the benefit of the doubt. I hadn’t trusted in our friendship, and as a result I felt like a complete ass.

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Somehow I didn’t think “sorry” would cut it, but I had to give it a try. “God…I’m sorry.” I felt a little bit sheepish and a whole lot stupid. “I… uh…don’t know what to say. I’ve got a lot of baggage. You know, crappy childhood?” It was a lame ass excuse, but it was the truth. Growing up an outcast makes you question everyone and everything. All the time. I didn’t like it. I wasn’t proud of it, but it was what it was. I planned to be better. Both for myself and for my friends. Taylor waved her arm, brushing the entire thing under the rug. “No worries, Martha.” “Yeah, we’re cool,” Jess said, flashing me a reassuring smile. Thank God! “Good,” I said, reaching into my bag, pulling out a leatherbound, time worn manual. “Because I need your help. You better sit down. I have a lot to tell you.”

y “So you’ve been pulling the Alias switcheroo for how long?” Jessica asked, looking completely blown away. “Ever since Lucian killed my mother. I was eight, so…thirteen years now.” A giant weight had been lifted off my chest and finally — finally I could breathe. It felt good to come clean with my friends about who I really was and what happened to me as a child. I hadn’t realized I’d been floundering under the weight of my circumstances until I opened up to them. And wouldn’t you know it, there was a wonderful freedom that came with having everything out in the open. Singing like a canary had its perks. Taylor leaned forward, her eyes bright with curiosity. “And do we get to see what you really look like then, if you’ve been wearing a glamour as a disguise?” I took a deep breath. I was about to break the cardinal rule and reveal my true self. I was a little scared, but more than anything, I was excited. Here goes nothing. My hands wobbled and shook as I lifted them up and over my head, releasing the glamour spell I’d worn for so long. I closed my eyes and held my breath, as they let out a collective gasp, and waited. “DAYUM!” I cracked one eye open to see Taylor eyeballing me with deep appreciation. Once I realized they weren’t running for the hills, I exhaled and relaxed a bit. 78

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“You’re a hottie,” she said, eyes wide, taking in my flaming red curls and blue eyes. “Yeah, no kidding,” Jessica said, shaking her head in apparent disbelief. “Not that you don’t normally look great, but…wow! I don’t even have words, girl.” My cheeks flamed up, and I wiggled in place under their scrutiny. I wasn’t used to people gushing over my appearance. People usually took one look at me and went the other way. Flattery, even in small doses, always made me uncomfortable. “Thanks. This,” I said, pointing to myself, “is beyond strange to me. I’m so used to my Martha look, that seeing myself this way seems so foreign and, I don’t know…weird.” “Geez.” Taylor shook her head, eyes still wide. “So, do I still call you Martha, or is it Ainsley now?” I fiddled with the hem of my shirt and blew out another breath. “I’ve been Martha for the past thirteen years. That’s who I am now. Ainsley is… well, she’s just gone.” I lifted my hands over my head once more, retreating back into the safety of my alter ego. A tinge of panic sent my heart beating faster. I leaned forward and gave both girls a level stare. “Listen up. You guys can’t tell anyone what I’ve told you. Seriously. This isn’t just about my safety anymore. It’s about yours too. Lucian wouldn’t hesitate to come after you if he thought it would lead him to me.” They looked at each other, faces pale, before nodding. An appropriate amount of “scared shitless” was smeared across their faces, so I felt reasonably comfortable they wouldn’t blab, even under duress. Jess hugged her knees, pulling them into her chest. “So…why is Lucian after you anyway? Why’d he kill your mom and grandma?” The room fell oddly silent, her question hanging in the air like an oppressive storm cloud. I took a deep breath and blew it out. That was the million-dollar question. Why was he after me? The hell if I knew. Lucian was a sick, evil fucker, and I didn’t have a clue as to his motivations. World domination? Sadism? Maybe he got off on other people’s pain? I rubbed my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair. Trying to navigate the inner workings on Lucian’s mind was impossible and altogether unpleasant. “I’m sorry,” Jess said, remorse painting her face. She shook her head. “You totally don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want. I didn’t mean — ” “No. No, it’s okay,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s just hard…you know? Even after all this time, it’s hard to think about. But it’s okay, really. I want to tell you — there just isn’t much to say.” I grabbed a nearby throw pillow 79

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and held on for dear life, then crossed my legs in front of me and got good and comfortable. Spilling the deets could take a while. “Lucian was angry with my great-grandmother. Why? I don’t know. She won’t tell me. I have a few theories, but whenever I bring the subject up, she refuses to talk about it. Says it’s too painful, and that our thoughts with regard to Lucian should be about how to avoid him, not his motivations for killing.” I’d always hated her evasiveness when it came to Lucian, but didn’t want to press given how upset she’d always become. Talk about an elephant in the room situation. My great-grandma had a damn herd stomping around her house, and she stubbornly refused to set them free. Why, I had no clue. Jessica eyed me dubiously. “So, what are your theories? Why do you think he’s after you?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. Greed? Vengeance? Power maybe? My great-grandmother’s magic is strong. Hell, maybe he had a thing for her, and she shot him down. I don’t know.” Taylor piped in. “You haven’t mentioned anything about your father. Where is he?” I shook my head and sighed. “Don’t know. Never met him.” I ignored their collective moans of sympathy and kept talking. “My mom went into hiding after she found out she was pregnant with me. I remember her crying herself to sleep every night. When I was about six or so, I eavesdropped on a conversation she had with my great-grandma. She cried, said she missed him and wasn’t sure she’d made the right decision.” I shrugged. “My guess is she wanted to keep him safe from Lucian and that’s why she never contacted him, despite how much she missed him.” Taylor’s face fell, and she shook her head. “God, that’s sad. I’m so sorry, Martha.” I cast her a half-hearted smile. “It is what it is…but thanks.” It was hard to miss someone you never knew. I chucked the pillow to the floor and drew my knees into my chest. “So what are you going to do about Xan?” Jessica asked, staring at the bite mark on my neck warily. I made a pssh sound. “I’m going to avoid him like the plague until I know who I’m dealing with. I don’t know crap about him, and that scares me to death.” The fact that he knew my true name sent my head spinning. No one on the planet, save my great-grandma, and now Jess and Taylor, knew my true identity. 80

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“Hold up,” Taylor interrupted. “I’m confused. Didn’t you tell us vampires can’t come into your home unless invited?” I hugged my knees tighter and rested my chin on them. “They can’t.” She cast a nervous glance toward Jess, then back to me. “But Xan brought you back here after he bit you. How the hell did he get in? How does he know where you live?” An icy chill swept through me. It was a sick feeling. Kinda like ice water rushing through my veins, and it creeped me the hell out. “That’s exactly what I intend to find out.” I let go of my knees, leaned forward, and grabbed my book from the floor, placing it in my lap. The time for reflection was over. I needed to get to work. “This book — the Book of Light, has been in my family for over two hundred years.” A low whistle erupted from Taylor as she eyed the leather bound volume with extreme curiosity. I traced the edge of the binding with my finger. “Within these pages are detailed descriptions and information about every vampire, demon, and underworld creature the women in my family have ever come across.” Taylor leaned forward, peering at the book, looking a bit skeptical. “Do you think there will be something about Xan in there?” “That’s my hope,” I said, as I opened the aged book and held my hand over its pages. Because if there wasn’t, I didn’t know what I would do. Concentrating, I cast a silent spell. The time worn pages of the book shuffled rapidly, searching for any entry that made any mention of vampires. The corresponding pages then illuminated, virtually lighting up half the book. My search was turning out to be more time consuming than I’d anticipated.

y “What’s an Ansom-blah-blah?” Taylor asked while licking red and green frosting off her fingers. We’d skipped breakfast to search through the book, and subsequently, were starving. It didn’t take long to tear like a pack of starving hyenas through the Christmas cookies Jess had baked a few days before. Temporarily satisfied and floating on a sugar high, we lay sprawled out in the center of my bedroom, surrounded by blankets, pillows and a now-empty cookie tin. I made a face at her and downed the last of my soda. “Asanbosam,” I said. “It’s an iron-toothed vampire, and it’s not what we’re looking for.” Taylor blanched and scrunched up her nose. “Eww!” 81

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“Iron toothed? As if the existence of vampires weren’t bizarre enough,” Jessica said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “Let me get this straight. Not only do I have to fear regular blood-sucking demons, but I need to be wary of iron-toothed suckers as well?” I mashed my lips together in a frown before nodding and adding, “Yep. There’s also vampiric spirits that manifest themselves as floating heads complete with trailing intestines, zombies, and — ” “Stop!” Jess waved her hand through the air and scrunched up her face. “I don’t want to hear any more, thank you. There are just too many. We’ll never find him in here.” My heart ached listening to her words. I wanted to keep a positive attitude, but I was beginning to get a bit discouraged myself. We’d gone through over three quarters of the illuminated pages and hadn’t found diddly as far as Xan was concerned. Shmexy Bartender Vamp remained a damn friggin’ mystery. I refocused on the task at hand, turned the page and froze. My lungs seized up, and my throat closed, making it impossible to do necessary things, like breathe. Staring back at me from the worn page of the book was a terrifying likeness of Lucian Gagné — my arch-nemesis. Long, white-blond hair framed a face that could only be described as severe. With a high forehead, prominent cheekbones and a regal chin, he looked like a character straight out of the Renaissance. Oh, wait…what was I thinking? Undead bloodsucker was old. The Black Plague was probably his doing. Evil bastard. Even on paper, his narrow, blue eyes seemed to pierce through me, rendering me immobile. My stomach churned again and the palms of my hands grew sweaty. I knew I’d come across his entry sooner or later, and even though I’d seen him once before as a child, his image sent a wave of terror through me, chilling me to the bone. Jessica scooted forward with a frown. “Martha. What is it? Why are you…oh,” she broke off, eyes wide. “So this is him?” She pointed toward the hideous likeness of my enemy. “This is Lucian?” Nodding, I pushed the book away from me. I glanced down at my aching chest, expecting to see a giant gaping hole where my heart once was. God. After all this time, the pain of my mother’s loss still tore through me like a freight train. It never lessened. Never eased up. My stomach churned, threatening to toss the handful of cookies I’d downed earlier. Jessica pulled the book from where it lay in front of me and began reading. 82

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I rolled over, needing a minute to pull myself together, and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes. Lucian’s face, the vivid memory of him tearing into my mother’s throat, was burned into my psyche like a brand I couldn’t rid myself of. Desperate, I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the god-awful memories threatening to pull me under. Jessica groaned in disgust. “This guy is ultra creepy, for sure. Listen to this…The most evil of all the blood drinkers, Lucian Gagné is the unmitigated spawn of Satan. A powerful warlock before he was turned, Lucian preys upon those with magical abilities, draining not only their precious life force, but their powers as well.” “Shit,” Taylor said. “Shit is right,” I heard Jessica say before continuing on. “Lucian is said to have a fondness for dark, voodoo magicks and necromancy.” “What’s necromancy?” Taylor asked. I didn’t bother to move, and just answered her from where I lay. “Reanimation of the dead. He makes zombies and uses them to do his dirty work.” Damn, dirty bastard! “Ewww!” “Huh,” Jessica said. “There’s a small notation on the bottom of the page. It’s written in a different hand, and it’s in bold lettering. It says: The father fears none but the son. Do you know what that means?” “Not a damn clue,” I said, rubbing my temples in a vain attempt to rid myself of the killer headache throbbing through my skull. My life felt like it was spiraling out of control. Xan, Lucian, the recent attacks. I couldn’t shake the feeling things were going to get monumentally worse before they got better. As I lay on the floor, a nagging sensation flickered in the back of my mind, just out of reach. Something important. God. What is it? I know something. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and that’s when it hit me. Whammo! Necromancy. Lucian uses necromancy… “Wait!” I sat bolt upright, my brain trying desperately to put two and two together. “Zombies.” Jessica leaned forward, urging me on with her eyes. “Uh-huh. What about zombies?” The answer hit me like a line drive straight between the eyes. Lucian used necromancy to create zombies. Xan and I were attacked by zombies last night. Holy hell. Lucian was the big bad. How had I not put two and 83

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two together before? Oh yeah…tired and wigged out over the Xan situation, I had the mental agility of a soap dish this morning. The room took on a vicious spin. “Martha, you’re turning blue! Breathe!” Taylor shouted. I gasped, forcing myself to breathe. I had no control over myself. Fear and anger rushed through my body, the sudden surge of adrenaline causing my limbs to shake and my teeth to clatter. Lucian was near. The creature I feared the most. The monster I’d vowed to destroy. He was finally within my reach. “It was him,” I said, my voice shaky. “Lucian was the one who sent the zombies after Xan and me. He’s here.”

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“

ood! So…hungry…must…eat…now.” Taylor threw her arm across Fher forehead and collapsed backward onto the floor where she sat.

Drama queen!

“Ha ha, very funny,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I get it. You’re hungry. That’s fine. We’ve been looking through the book for a while now. Let’s take a break.” It wasn’t like we were making any progress in our search for information about Xan. We’d gone through every entry that had anything to do with vampires and hadn’t come up with squat. Xan, beautiful creature that he was, remained an enigma. A collective sigh of relief filled the room, and Taylor shot up off the floor with a triumphant smile. “I need to take a quick shower, and then we can jet. I’m thinking Uncle Yu’s. That sound okay to you guys?” My stomach barked and grumbled in response to her suggestion. Kung Pao chicken sounded mighty fine, and my mouth watered in anticipation. “I’m always up for Chinese. And yes, please, shower,” Jessica said as she hauled herself up. “You’ve got a serious case of anime-hair going on.” With a mock gasp of shock, Taylor flipped her the bird and fled the scene. “Anime-hair?” I asked, confused. While I considered myself proficient in the fine art of slang usage, I’d yet to hear that little gem. Jess snorted as she stepped through the doorway on her way to her own room. “Did you, or did you not, get a good look at her hair? It stuck out in all directions, defying not only gravity but every shape known to man.” “Bitch!” I heard Taylor yell from down the hallway.

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I fought back a giggle. Jess was always good for a bit of comedy relief, and I needed it right about then. “See you in a few,” I said. “You know…” Taylor popped back in the doorway seconds later. “Maybe we’re looking in the wrong place. What if Xan isn’t a vampire?” She hesitated for a minute before she turned and closed the door behind her, leaving me alone to my thoughts. Heaving myself off the floor, I crawled onto my bed and sat crosslegged in the center of a heaping mound of sheet and blankets. Without Jess and Taylor to distract me, thoughts of all the crap that had happened came rushing back in. My head swam with too much information, and I wasn’t sure how to slow it down so I could concentrate. So much had happened in the span of a few short hours, and I struggled to maintain control. I needed to get some answers. How the hell did Xan know my true identity? And why, after the many chances he’d had prior, did he decide to take a bite out of me last night? Even more pressing was the revelation that Lucian was most likely behind the attacks that had been taking place recently. I’d been waiting for the opportunity to face off with him for years, and now that the chance to throw down with him was here, I felt an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Sure, I had a lot of power, but nothing along the lines of what he possessed, and nothing dark or sinister, either. It wasn’t like I could raise an army of undead monsters to take him out. I’d never so much as dabbled in the dark arts, and didn’t want to start. Defeating Lucian was going to take a lot of planning, and I wasn’t sure where to begin. Slow and steady wins the race… First on my agenda was staking out the warehouse I’d seen Deanna duck into before the zombies attacked us. If I knew what I was dealing with, it would be easier for me to hatch a plan. Of course, there was still the issue of Xan. Who was he really? Where did he come from? Why couldn’t I find anything on him in the book? Maybe Taylor had been right. Maybe he was something else altogether. But what? “So, Xan…” I whispered to myself, hugging my knees into my chest. “If you’re not a vampire, then what exactly are you?” “I suppose it’s time I answered some questions for you.” Holy…I launched myself backward with a breathy, garbled scream. With my arms outstretched and my back flush against the wall, I looked up to see Xan, standing in the center of the room. Oh, my Lord. Even dressed in a pair of worn jeans and a T-shirt he looked good enough to eat. The early 86

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morning sun shone through the window illuminating his deeply tanned skin. The warm glow gave him an almost angelic quality. I seethed. More than likely he was the angel of death, sent to torture me with his seraphic good looks before smiting me down. How long had he been standing there? How did he get in? It was daytime! How was he not bursting into flames? His expression was serious. “Cariño, I — ” He took a step forward, but I cut him off. “Stop right there, buddy,” I shouted, and threw my hands up, placing a magical barrier between us. I knew he’d be able to cross it, just as he did in the alley behind Fire and Ice, but it would stall him, and all I needed were a few seconds. Wasting no time, I put my magic to work. The lid shot off the trunk that sat at the foot of my bed, sending a set of ancient Scottish dirks circa 1700 shooting up into the air. The medieval daggers flew through the room at light-speed and surrounded him. One false move on his part and I’d make sure he ended up a pile of sushi. Xan didn’t seem impressed or phased in the least. “You might want to put away the Ginsu knives before someone gets hurt.” He stood with his arms crossed in front of him, his lips pressed into a grim line. His normally warm caramel eyes darkened to a rich chocolate color, and held an overall mask of seriousness. Brother was a few screams short of an orgasm if he thought I’d put my weapons away just because he’d asked nicely. I scowled at him. “How the hell did you get in here? What are you?” My body shook with a mixture of fear, rage and, much to my utter disgust, desire. Geez, I was one fucked up bitch. Even after he’d betrayed my trust, my body felt the same undeniable pull toward him. I reached up, tracing my fingers lightly over the puncture marks in my neck. Fire coursed through my veins as I remembered the lingering high I floated on after he’d fed from me. Stupid, hormonal body. “There’s much we need to talk about, Ainsley. Put your weapons away.” He gave me a pointed look, and I got his message loud and clear: Grow up, put your toys away, and listen. “No.” I knew I was outmatched when it came to him and was loath to give up anything that might help me protect myself. The knives stayed where they were — floating midair, pointed straight at him. He cast me another wordless message: Two can play this game, chica. He inhaled through his nose and blew it out forcefully. “Very well, then. 87

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Don’t say I didn’t warn you. ” He waved his hand in a circular motion, the ancient daggers disappearing with a flash of light. Damn him and the magical wave he rode in on. Panic welled in my gut as he stepped through the invisible barrier I had put up. I fought against my body’s natural response to him. Part of me secretly wanted him to ravish me, while the rest of me was scared to death of what he might do. I wasn’t going to let him know how frightened I was, despite my traitorous heartbeat thundering away in my chest. With my chin held up in defiance, in a shaky voice, I spoke. “Those daggers have been in my family for hundreds of years. Bring them back.” His eyes narrowed. “Forget the knives, Ainsley. Lucian is near. We need to get you out of here.” I wasn’t sure what I expected from him, but it surely wasn’t that. “What?” Not only did he know who I was, he knew about Lucian as well. Who the hell was this guy? The sexy vamp must have been smoking crack if he thought he could pop into my room after sinking his fangs into me, and then expect me to take off with him. “Why would I go anywhere with you?” I glared at him, unable to tear my eyes off his god-like face, and mentally cursed myself for being attracted to him. For all I knew he was about to go vascular with me again, and my body didn’t care. Heat, coupled with a desperate ache, deep in my center, muddled all rational thought. I wanted his hands on me — his fangs deep in my vein, his hard —  Damn frigging idiot. One minute Xan was standing in the center of my room, the next he was on my bed. Literally on top of me, his body pressed against mine, while his hands braced against the wall on either side of me. He lowered his head, gently grazing his lips along the column of my neck as he inhaled my scent. My head swam, and my breath caught. The feel of his mouth on my skin was almost too much. When his tongue grazed the bite marks he left the night before, it felt like a bomb went off. Fireworks exploded outward from my center, sending hot, pulsing streams of electricity throughout my body. I was completely lost to him, and a low moan escaped my lips. His mouth, oh, God, his mouth. It traveled nice and slow up the length of my neck to my ear, and his warm breath tickled my skin as he whispered. “I’m here, Ainsley, because I was asked to watch over you.” I gasped. The sensual high he had me on came to a screeching halt, as my brain processed what he told me. “Someone asked you to watch me? Who?” 88

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He traced a finger across my collarbone sending goose bumps popping out all over my skin. The corner of his mouth turned up. “Your greatgrandmother, of course.” “My great-grandmother!” I shouted, while simultaneously pushing him away. “What?” It was like trying to shove a twenty-ton boulder, and it wasn’t until he saw I needed some space that he took pity on me and moved back, granting me some breathing room. He knew my great-grandmother? I couldn’t have been more surprised if someone had told me the world was being taken over by little blue aliens. Seeing that I was still in need of space, Xan moved off the bed with a sensual ease that had my knees wobbling and my heart pounding. How was it possible for any one person to be that sexy? He grabbed hold of my desk chair, pulling it alongside the edge of the bed. After whipping it around, he straddled the thing, crossing his muscular arms over the back. “Are you ready for some answers, cariño?” Stunned, I was barely able to nod my head. With a sigh, he ran his hand through his unruly hair. I could tell he was determined to answer my questions, but he looked visibly torn, pain twisting his beautiful features, and darkening his eyes. He opened his mouth several times to speak, only to snap it closed. Finally, with a shake of his head he began. “You can’t imagine how long I’ve wanted to make my presence in your life known.” He shook his head and grimaced. “Waiting in the wings. Watching you from afar…it…it killed me.” He stared at me, his warm brown eyes piercing through me, penetrating the wall I’d built, breaking down my defenses. The depth of feeling he gave off with just his stare was staggering, and entirely captivating. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was looking at me like he was in love, but that would be impossible. And as ridiculous as the thought was, deep down, I wished it were true. Pathetic. My incredulous stare must have clued him in to the fact I had no idea what he was talking about. I felt like an idiot, sitting open-mouthed, waiting for him to go on, but I didn’t know what to say. He inclined his head toward me. “Shortly after you were born, your great-grandmother, Aileana, sought me out. Well aware of the extent of Lucian’s powers and knowing he would never cease his relentless vendetta against her and her offspring, she came to me in search of protection…for you.” “Protection,” I said, repeating his words quietly. Wait…“Oh, God.” My hands shot up to my mouth as I stared at the beautiful vampire in front of me. 89

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“It was you. You’re the man from my dream. The man from the strange room my great-grandmother sent me to the night Lucian murdered my mother.” Pieces of the puzzle began to fall in place. The familiarity and comfort I felt around him, the sensation of being watched for the past several weeks. Xan had watching over me for half my life — and I’d never had a clue. My great-grandmother and I were going to have a serious talk…and soon. I heaved a sigh and shook my head. “Why would she seek you out specifically?” It was the million-dollar question. Who the hell was he, and where did he come from? My words seemed to hang in the air for an eternity before he finally answered. He clasped his hands together, his forearms resting on the back of the chair. “My mother,” he said, pausing briefly, “was a very powerful witch.” His voice took on a harsh tone, and his jaw became rigid as he spoke. I knew instinctively that whatever he was about to share with me had been monumentally devastating for him. “Much like her, the rest of her coven was a force to be reckoned with. Tales of their magical prowess and abilities spread far and wide throughout Europe. That was how he found her. Attracted like a moth to a flame, Lucian”  — he spat his name through gritted teeth —  “Lucian traveled to Spain intent upon draining the coven of their power, and in turn feeding his own.” I waved my hand through the air in front of me. “Okay…I get it. Your mother was a witch. That’s why you can wield magic.” I nodded, urging him with my eyes to go on. I hung on his every word as though it were my lifeline. He closed his eyes for a moment, doing his best to control his temper as it flared. His hands moved from where they’d been crossed easily over the back of the chair and were now gripping it so hard the flimsy metal buckled under his grip, the back of the chair completely mangled. “Um…I use that chair,” I said, pointing to his hands. “If you don’t mind?” The idea of braving the Christmas rush at the local Target to purchase a new chair sent my intestines churning. I’d take on vampires and zombies over crazed Christmas shoppers any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. He looked down for a moment at his hands and then back at me with apologetic eyes. He stood and shoved the chair aside. “Sorry,” he said gruffly and began pacing as he spoke. The muscles in his face tensed and he ran a hand through his hair. “The coven scattered, taking refuge where they could, but not before Lucian took out a handful of its members, and not before he became obsessed with my mother.” 90

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“Obsessed?” I said in shock. I knew Lucian was consumed with desire for power, and the idea that he might have carried a torch for my grandmother had crossed my mind more than once. Could that have been what drove him to destroy the women in my family? Was he obsessed with my greatgrandmother like he’d been obsessed with Xan’s mother? He was a deranged lunatic. It made sense that he’d be some sort of freakish stalker as well. Xan met my gaze with a set of stormy eyes, and it was then that I knew his mother’s fate, even before he spoke the words. “He was so taken with her beauty, that he convinced himself she was his match in every way. He pursued her with a zeal that was nothing short of insanity. Of course, she wanted nothing to do with him, which eventually led to her death. His sick obsession was her end. My mother went into hiding, giving her enough time to alert her sister coven — your great-grandmother’s coven — to Lucian’s threat.” I interrupted him then. “And where were you during all of this?” His brows furrowed momentarily, a fleeting look of despair crossing his face. It was gone as quickly as it came, replaced once again with a harsh, clenched jaw and haunted eyes. “I was hidden away, kept secret so that he wouldn’t know of my existence.” “I see,” I said, lowering my eyebrows and frowning. “And just how old are you?” He stared at the wall behind me with tired, hollow eyes, refusing to look at me. “I was born in sixteen seventy-two.” The loud thud that came from my jaw hitting the floor was the only sound in the room. Three hundred thirty-seven! He’s three hundred thirty-seven! “You’re…but…” I stammered like a jackass. Pretty Boy was old. Damn old. “I’m confused. You said your mother’s coven contacted my great-grandmother.” He shook his head. “No, cariño. I said my mother’s coven contacted your great-grandmother’s coven. I did not, however, say when. This all happened centuries before your family came into the picture.” I continued staring at him like a mute idiot. What the hell do you say to someone who has just told you they’re so old they could be classified as a fossil? You don’t say anything — which is why I kept my trap shut. Frowning, Xan picked up where he’d left off. “It was shortly after my mother went into hiding that Lucian found her, and dispensed a deadly ultimatum. She could stand beside him as his queen for eternity, or suffer untold cruelties and die.” He paused for a moment, his jaw rigid and the 91

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muscles in his neck straining from the anger coursing through him. The temperature in the room had taken a serious nose dive, and my teeth chattered as I continued listening. “My mother, of course, chose death.” Xan’s voice was low and full of a hatred the likes of which I’d never seen. “Lucian tortured her for days… breaking every bone in her body before…cutting her to pieces.” The temperature in the room dropped further still, my warm breath visible in the icy air as he paced back and forth with clenched fists. He stopped and looked at me head on. “When he was finally done with her, he cut out her eyes, her tongue, and lastly her heart, which I’ve heard rumored he still keeps, locked away in a special box.” Tears streamed down my face as I listened to the horrific tale of his mother’s death. If there was anyone on this god-forsaken planet who knew what I was going through, it was Xan. He, too, knew the horrific pain that came with the loss of a loved one by a murderer’s hand. Despite my anger and frustration with him, and with my great-grandmother for keeping me in the dark all these years, my heart went out to him after hearing his gutwrenching story. I wanted to comfort him, hold him, tell him I understood. Unable to sit still for another moment, I crawled off my bed, crossed the small gap between us, and wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in the wide expanse of his chest. “I’m so sorry, Xan.” I ran one hand up and down his back in long, soothing strokes, just breathing him in. I held on tight with my other arm, waiting for him to respond, to hold me back, or at least say something. It wasn’t until I was about to pull away that his powerful arms snaked around me, pulling me closer. He rested his cheek against the top of my head. A large, warm hand trailed up my back, coming to rest at the base of my neck. He buried his fingers beneath the longer layers of my hair. “Ainsley,” he whispered. I pulled back ever so slightly, taking in the magnificence of his caramel and gold eyes. We stood in silence, lost in each other’s gaze for an immeasurable amount of time. The whirling sensation in my gut swirled out of control and my breath caught as he leaned forward. Oh, God. Is he going to —  The door to my room burst open, Taylor and Jessica barreling in, giggling away until they saw Xan and me in each other’s arms. Startled, I shot out of Xan’s arms as if I’d been caught doing something I shouldn’t have. I cast him a quick glance, my lips trembling and my heart aching in disappointment before turning to face my roommates. Would he have kissed me had we not been interrupted? 92

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“Holey Dooley!” Taylor mumbled and covered her eyes as she inchwormed her way out the door. “Sorry, you two. We’ll, uh, just be on our way then.” “Uh…yeah,” Jessica said, eyeballing us speculatively as she too backed out of the room. She shot me a worried look from inside the doorframe. “You okay?” she mouthed. I nodded my head, giving her a reassuring smile. I still had a ton of unanswered questions, but I knew I was safe with Xan. Especially now that I knew my great-grandmother had sought his help. Keeping me safe was her main priority, and if she trusted Xan, then I knew I could too. She cast me a half-hearted smile, her brows knit together in concern as she stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. “Sorry about that,” I said, turning to face Xan who stood with his back against the nearby wall. He looked different somehow, like he was tired or drained, and I wondered if he was missing out on the vampire equivalent of sleep as it was daytime. Did he have a coffin tucked away somewhere in his apartment? Or did he sleep in a refrigerator like the vamp from that blasted television show? He dismissed the interruption with a slight wave of his hand, which I noticed was trembling, along with the rest of him. “This probably isn’t the best place for us to be having this conversation. Would you feel comfortable picking up where we left off at my place?” My heart jumped at the thought of being alone with Xan in his apartment, and I almost shouted my answer. “Yes!” This was what we needed. Time alone together to talk and get to know each other without being interrupted by zombies or well-meaning roommates. He gave a weak chuckle at my enthusiasm and held out a shaky hand, motioning for me to come to him. Something was wrong. He looked off. I closed the gap between us. “What’s the matter with you? You look… well, you look kinda bad.” His beautiful brown eyes had turned a pale yellow, and a thin sheen of sweat covered his skin. He leaned heavily against the wall with his jaw clenched. “It’s the sun,” he said, grimacing. He squinted his eyes and glanced at the window before focusing on me. “Take my hand, cariño. There’s little time left. Hurry. I’ll explain when we get to my place.” Scared by his rapid decline, I hurriedly placed my hand in his, not wanting him to suffer a second more than he had to. The moment our 93

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hands met, Xan teleported us to his apartment, placing us in the center of his…bedroom? I whirled around. “Um…Xan?” I felt more than a little awkward standing in the center of what was obviously his bedroom. There were no windows in the dark space, the only light coming from a few candles that spontaneously illuminated upon our entry. The room was also coffin free. Thank you, God! Xan stumbled across the room, collapsing onto his bed with a groan. His body seized up, stiffened and his back arched off the mattress. Panic took over. I didn’t think, I just reacted and raced to his side, kneeling alongside the bed. “Xan! What’s wrong?” All it took was a split second. Xan grasped hold of my arms, rolling me onto the bed, positioning himself so that he hovered over me like a hungry predator ready to kill. His hands pinned my arms above my head, while his powerful legs straddled either side of me, making it impossible to escape. Xan’s head reared back with a loud hiss, his razor sharp fangs elongating before my eyes. A wave of terror washed over me. I fought in vain against his iron grip, my legs thrashing, doing all I could to get away. It was no use. Bloodlust had taken over. A wild pair of eyes bore into my own, hungry and desperate for the one thing that would ease its craving. My blood. The next thing I knew, I was thrown from the bed, landing far across the room with a heavy thud. I groaned. I was so going to feel that one in the morning. Wasting no time, I scrambled to my feet, but stood frozen in place, unable and unwilling to move. As afraid as I was for my life, I was also afraid for his. Xan had every opportunity to tear me apart — but he didn’t. He was still in control, though for how long was another question. He pegged me with a savage glare as he crouched on top of his bed like a half-starved lion ready to attack. Every inch of his hard body flexed. His thick muscles pulsated and twitched as he clung to his last vestige of control. “Cristo!” His normally smooth voice sounded raw and gritty. “Get back! Now!” The rational part of me wanted to listen to him and bolt — get the hell out of the room and stay safe. Having never been one to listen to reason, I stubbornly ignored his warnings, as well as my own. I stepped forward, arm outstretched. “Xan? What can I do?” A loud, feral snarl filled the air and he shot off the opposite side of the bed, cramming himself up against the wall in a crouch with his knees to his chest. “Stay back, cariño. It’s not safe. I — I need — to feed.” 94

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His chest rumbled. A low, frightening sound emanated while he fought against his body’s primal need, and hung on by a very thin thread. His normally warm, brown eyes had not returned, but remained a pale yellow that made my blood run cold. Razor sharp fangs glistened in the candlelight as he panted like a wild animal, glaring at me from across the room as if he were ready to pounce at any moment. It would only take a second. In the blink of an eye, my life could be over. Terror rushed through me. “Quickly,” he panted. “The kitchen…in the refrigerator…the bags… please.” Ancient, feral eyes stared at me, and I knew I didn’t have much time before he lost control. I didn’t hesitate. I rushed for the bedroom door, throwing it open as I raced into the small kitchen area of his apartment. As I opened the refrigerator door, my eyes immediately found what I was looking for, along with a quite a bit of stuff I wasn’t. Stacks of blood-filled bags riddled the top shelf and inside door of his fridge. The second shelf was loaded with food. Regular food. Lunchmeat, soda, fruit, and eggs — you name it, it was in there. I snatched a couple of bags of A-positive and high-tailed it back to his bedroom, filing thoughts about the contents of his fridge away for a time when I wasn’t worried about whether or not he was going to eat me. “Here,” I hollered as I stood just inside the door, and chucked one of the blood-filled plastic bags at him as hard as I could. He caught the bag one handed and immediately sank his fangs through the plastic. An animal-like snarling came from him as he drained the thing in several long, hard pulls. Blood streamed down his chin onto his shirt. My stomach turned as I stood in horror, watching him. I could barely make it through an hour of Grey’s Anatomy without turning my head from the blood and guts, and here sat the object of my desire, sucking it down like it was nectar from the gods. Not wanting to find out what would happen if his hunger wasn’t completely satiated, I threw another bag his way, and watched as he caught it seamlessly while finishing up the first. Tossing the first bag aside, he sank his fangs into the second, and repeated. His body visibly eased with each swallow, his shaking slowly coming to a halt. He looked up from the bag as he finished, and I felt an immediate sense of relief when a pair of warm brown eyes met mine. His bloodlust had abated. Dropping the empty blood bag on the floor, he closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall. One arm rested on his knee. His 95

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other limb hung limp and heavy at his side. Blissed out. That was the only phrase that could remotely come close to describing the way he looked at that moment. Xan was completely satiated. “Are you…?” I paused, unsure of what to say or what to do, and looked down at my feet, foolishly afraid to make eye contact. His voice was smooth, controlled. “Better now. Yes. It was…the sun. I know better than to try and see you during daylight hours. It drains me.” He ran his hand through his hair. Reaching out, he snatched up the empty blood bags, tossing them into the nearby garbage before standing and removing his bloodied shirt. Silence hung in the air like a bad stench, neither one of us knowing just what to say. Frankly, I was just happy to have come out of his crisis with a pulse. Though I was fairly certain he’d never hurt me intentionally, I had to remember he answered to a very primal set of needs that frequently rose to the surface. I stood like an idiot in the doorway, my eyes focused on his cream colored carpet. The weight of his stare bore into me with an unyielding intensity. What I saw when I looked up tore at my heart, stealing my breath away. Xan stood still, silent and brooding, anguish etched across the chiseled lines of his masculine face. His eyes captured mine, refusing to let me look away, forcing me to wade across the abyss of guilt he was so plainly trapped in. I wanted nothing more than to take away his pain, to ease him with my touch, comfort him with my body — if he’d let me. As hard as it was to tear my eyes from his beautiful face, I found myself staring in awe at his beautifully sculpted and very naked chest. A heaping mass of steely perfection, every inch of Xan’s torso was covered in well-defined muscle. I’d seen my share of naked abdominals thanks to the plethora of Abercrombie bags Jessica was always bringing into the apartment, but the models that graced those bags had nothing on the magnificent creature standing before me now. Xan sported a set of eight-pack abs (yes eight, not six) that would put a body builder to shame. His faded jeans hung low on his hips, revealing a delicious and well-defined “V” that pointed the way to what was sure to be enormous treasures below. Desire flooded every molecule of my body. Never had I been aware of someone so completely before. The call of his body to mine was primal, innate, and I was helpless against it. 96

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Unsure of how long I stood gaping at him with my mouth open, I somehow managed to pull myself together. I started to speak when, with a blur of movement, he appeared before me, pressing the soft pad of his fingertip to my lips. An electric pulse traveled from my mouth straight down to my hoo-hah. It took every ounce of willpower in me to keep from moaning. “Wait,” he said, dropping to his knees. He took hold of my waist with his large, tender hands and rested his forehead against my stomach. “Never. Never again will I lose control in your presence. This is my vow to you.” He lifted his head, his eyes locked with mine, and I knew in that moment he would give his life to protect me.

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came to a screeching halt as I gazed into Xan’s eyes. We were no Time longer standing in his room, but in a new reality where only the two

of us existed. I fought to breathe as delectable warmth filled me from head to toe. Never in my short life had I desired someone more. When I was near Xan, all rational thought escaped me, and I wanted nothing more than to feel his body against mine, his lips crashing against my own, his tongue —  A shudder ripped through me, and my breath caught as vivid images of a deliciously naked Xan devouring my flesh with his mouth came racing into my head. He’d definitely unlocked my inner vixen, and I was powerless, unable to stop the delicious fantasy flooding my brain as we stared into each other’s eyes. Not that I wanted to. I may have had zero experience in the sex department, but I was eager as hell to make up for lost time. Acting as though they had a mind of their own, my knees gave way, and I dropped down onto the floor so my face was level with Xan’s. Closer. I needed to be closer to him. His eyes held the intensity of a man on fire, consumed with passion, and it was staggering. Could he possibly feel the same attraction for me as I did for him? I couldn’t conceive how a creature as perfect and strong and powerful as Xan could harbor any feelings toward me beyond that of friendship. Men in today’s society liked their women tall, paper thin, with gigantic boobs and a face like Angelina Jolie. I had the boob part down, but that was about it. Still, as inexperienced as I was with men, there was just no mistaking the vibe I was getting from Xan. Desire. And longing. The aura he gave off was profound — like a gentle caress I could feel all the way to my toes. If

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he made my body feel this good without even touching me, I shuddered to think of the response he could rouse from me with his hands, with his mouth. I licked my lips in anticipation, waiting for him to make the next move, imagining what his lips would feel like moving with my own — soft, powerful, sensual. God — we were so close. This was it. The thought of Xan giving me my first real kiss only served to fuel the ever-raging fire growing within me. It would be perfect. He was perfect. I moved forward ever so slightly, raising my hand to touch his face. That’s when everything changed. In an instant, the look of longing on his face vanished and was replaced by one I couldn’t make out. Anguish maybe? Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Stricken, my face fell, my hand dropping to my side as if it weighed a hundred pounds. Rejection was a bitter pill to swallow, and I tried my best not to choke on it as I looked down, treasonous tears threatening to give me away. I was an idiot to think there could be something between Xan and me. I was a virgin freak, a loner. And apparently, I was going to stay that way for the rest of my life. If I’d had a shovel, I would have dug a hole and buried myself in it. A pair of strong hands latched onto my shoulders when I tried to move away. “Cariño. Look at me.” Capturing my chin between his thumb and finger, he forced me to meet his gaze. He gently wiped away a renegade tear that had escaped, and cupped my cheeks with both hands. “Lo siento. I’m sorry, baby.” The gentle lilt of his accent and his rich baritone voice tore through my senses like a freight train, tugging at the very heart of me. It hurt to hear his voice. It also hurt to look at him, so I closed my eyes, giving him a slight nod. As much as I wanted to be angry with him, I couldn’t. He didn’t want me the way I wanted him, and that’s all there was to it. It was nobody’s fault. It just was what it was. I sucked in a quick breath and willed myself to hold it together. I wanted to scream “Why? Why don’t you want me? Why doesn’t anyone want me?” at the top of my lungs. Cowardice had me in a chokehold, so instead I whimpered, “Yeah. It’s okay. I get it.” A delicious chill rippled across my skin when he buried his fingers in the longer layers of hair at the base of my neck. “Open your eyes, mi amor. Don’t hide them from me.” 99

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Curse my wretched soul — I did what he asked, silently castigating myself for being such a fool where he was concerned. And I was right in wanting to avoid his eyes, because looking into those caramel-colored orbs of his, all I saw staring back at me was a whole lot of pity. Medically speaking, I wasn’t sure if it was possible for your stomach to cannibalize itself, but at that moment, as I stood lost in his sympathetic gaze, it sure as hell felt like a reality. A deep ache gnawed away at the last bit of self-confidence I clung to. I wanted to bolt, to get the hell away from him and never look back. I wanted to forget about his warm brown eyes that immediately drew me in every time I looked into them. I wanted to forget about his sexy bed hair, his deliciously ripped chest, and his warm brown skin that just begged to be licked. But I couldn’t. I had no control where he was concerned. If he asked me to jump off a bridge I’d probably do it. I wanted to throw up. “You don’t understand.” He brushed a stray piece of hair out of my eyes. “Yo soy el hijo del Diablo.” He was right. I didn’t understand a word of what he’d just said, so I stared at him, my expression blank. “Fuck!” He clenched his jaw and groaned, a deep, masculine sound that turned my knees to liquid rubber. With his fingers still nestled in my hair, he leaned forward until his forehead rested against mine. So close. God, he was so close. Didn’t he know the effect he had on me? Was it not painfully obvious that I was lost to him, completely under his thrall? Did he care? Every inch of my skin that touched his was on fire, burning for him. Those full, oh-so-kissable lips of his were just inches from mine. Why? Why did he torment me so? It was beautiful torture having him so near yet knowing I was so far away from being anything he’d ever want. I didn’t know what it was about our situation he thought I didn’t understand. I understood all too well. He was my guardian, my protector. He watched over me at the request of my great-grandmother. I was a job to him — nothing more. The moment the smooth pad of his fingertip grazed my cheekbone, the floodgates opened. Hot tears spilled forth, trickling down my cheeks in steady streams. I was pretty damn sure I was the biggest loser on the planet. Sensing my need, Xan drew me close, wrapping his steely arms around me. Soft, whispered words I couldn’t understand escaped his mouth, filling my ears. God, he smelled good — clean, masculine. I was positive there wasn’t another soul on the planet who smelled as good as he did. Never one to 100

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waste an opportunity, I nuzzled my cheek against the wide expanse of his very naked chest, relishing the warmth of his embrace. For all I knew, I’d never get another chance to be this close to him. I was gonna enjoy everything I could, for as long as I could. It took a few minutes, but eventually I managed to stop blubbering like a damn baby. My breathing evened out, matching the slow steady rhythm of Xan’s heartbeat. Wait — heartbeat? I pulled away abruptly, staring at him with narrowed eyes. What the…? “You’re a vampire…and you have a heartbeat? What the hell are you?” He took a deep breath and sighed, no doubt resigned to the fact I wasn’t going to let it go. “A hybrid. I was born, not turned.” With a blur of movement, he rose to his feet and crossed the room, tossing his bloody shirt into the trash before turning to face me again. I stood from where I’d been kneeling, several feet of carpet and air separating us. “A hybrid?” I’d never heard of such a thing. A vampire that was born, not made — one that walked in the sunlight. He was an anomaly. Enmity, cold and harsh, clouded his eyes as he spoke. “Yes. I was the unfortunate outcome of an attack on my mother by a vampire.” His voice was distant, cold, and full of self-loathing. I gasped, feeling as though someone slapped me. Still raw and torn apart from learning of his mother’s torture and death, this new bit of information threatened to do me in. Raped and defiled by a vampire, his mother, instead of ridding herself of the child that came of their unholy union, chose to birth and protect it instead. My heart ached for what she went through, and it ached for Xan, who’d very obviously gone through life thinking he was nothing more than an “unfortunate outcome.” How wrong he was. “Oh, God, Xan, your poor mother. I’m so sorry she suffered the way she did. But you have to know — ” My feet carried me across the room until I stood just in front of him. Every cell in my body ached to reach out to him, ease him from the pain he was so visibly buried in. “None of it was your fault.” I raised a hand toward him and stopped as he narrowed his eyes. He didn’t want my sympathy, or my comfort. I couldn’t condemn him for his action. It was only minutes before that I’d shied away from his compassionate stare. Right or wrong, misguided or no, he was entitled to his feelings. His hardened face gave nothing away as he spoke. “It is what it is. Because of their union, I am unique to this world.” I swallowed thickly. “Unique. Like how?” Could he sprout wings and fly? 101

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He looked away for a minute, like he didn’t want to answer me, and turned back with a sigh. “Because I was birthed to a human mother, I can walk in the sun for short periods of time. Daylight weakens me and drains my powers. And if I’m exposed for any length of time, I — ” “You what?” My stomach lurched. I didn’t like hearing he had any kind of vulnerabilities. After witnessing his bloodlust earlier, I could only imagine that whatever happened to him if he spent too much time in the sun was monumentally bad. “My strength fades, my magic along with it. The bloodlust becomes uncontrollable, and with all rational thought and control gone, I become exactly like hideous the monster that created me.” His face contorted with anger and disgust as he spoke. “Should that ever happen, those around me should pray for my swift death. Better I die than take an innocent life in such a savage way.” I winced. The thought of Xan dying sent my mind reeling. “Is that why you drank from me last night? Bloodlust?” My question lingered for several moments before he finally answered. He moved with the speed of light, so fast all I saw was a faint blur of movement. Next thing I knew, he stood next to me, his eyes burning into my flesh with a paralyzing intensity. He placed his palms on either side of my face, cradling my head. Then, he leaned down and — oh, my God — every molecule in my body wanted to cry out in pleasure. Pretty Boy gently traced the line of my neck with his lips while breathing in my scent. My body trembled at his touch. Why? Why did he have to have such an effect on me? He was so close, his presence so powerful — my head spun. “Jasmine,” he said with a groan. “So delicious. Your scent calls to me, yes, but that’s not why I drank from you. It’s rare for me to drink directly from humans now that there are other sources.” My eyes darted over to the trash where the now empty blood bags lay discarded. So he relied on blood banks to feed his liquid diet. I’ll admit I felt a bit relieved to hear he wasn’t using live donors to get his liquid fix, but what then was his reason for feeding from me? I stepped back and pegged him with a hard stare. “So what was this all about?” I said, pointing to the two puncture marks on my neck. He swept my hair behind my shoulder and leaned forward once again. Those beautiful brown eyes of his eyes were full of hunger and need. Drawing out the moment as long as he could, he slowly placed a gentle kiss atop the very place he’d marked me. Warm, delicious heat engulfed me the moment 102

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his lips grazed my flesh, and was replaced with a terrible sense of loss when he moved back to meet my eyes. “With your blood in me, I can find you anywhere. If you’re taken, I’ll be able to locate you, no matter how far the distance. I’ll also be tied to you psychically. Should something happen, all you need to do is focus on me. I’ll hear you and come running.” He paused for a moment, then pulled me to him possessively, crushing me against his rock hard chest. “I will not lose you.” A low growl rumbled through his chest, and he held me against him with an intensity that threatened to shatter me. Still raw from his earlier rejection, his close proximity threatened to pull me under. I wanted nothing more than to be close to him, to bask in the comfort and safety his arms provided. But, at the same time, I knew he was only doing what was required of him. He was simply fulfilling a promise made to my great-grandmother, and I’d be foolish to get my hopes up, foolish to think his embrace meant anything more. “Stop. Please. Just…stop.” I pushed against his chest in quiet desperation, trying to step back. I couldn’t deal with him being so close, knowing he didn’t share my feelings. Hell, I didn’t even know what my feelings for him were. I just knew that whatever was between us was intense, passionate, and unlike anything I’d ever felt before. Xan refused to relinquish his hold on me, the heat of his stare almost too much to bear. “No.” His refusal was my undoing. I thrashed beneath his grip and shook my head violently. “Let go. I can’t…I can’t deal. It’s cruel what you’re doing to me.” He lowered his arms, releasing me from the sweet torture of his embrace and stepped back. “Cruel? My protecting you is cruel?” My hands shot up, grabbing large chunks of my hair as I shook my head in frustration. “No, no, no…not protecting me.” I threw my arms down to my sides. “Just…never mind.” I didn’t have the heart to explain that one look from him could melt me, that just standing in his presence sent my heart flying. And his touch! How do you tell someone that doesn’t see you as anything more than a job that their touch sends your blood boiling and fills you with a longing so intense you think you might burst? You don’t. I kept my mouth shut and turned to walk away. I didn’t get far. Xan magically appeared in front of me, grabbing onto my shoulders, blocking my escape. His face was twisted with frustration, the smooth skin on his forehead creased. “Talk to me, cariño. Don’t run from me.” I stared at him open-mouthed for a moment, choking on my response. I held my hand out toward him, palm up and shaking. “This situation is 103

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humiliating. I shouldn’t feel the way I do. I don’t know you, and you don’t know me.” My hand dropped to my side, and I shook my head. “I think I’ve lost my mind. Being around you just…hurts.” Heat flashed beneath his beautiful bronze irises. He lowered his gaze, capturing mine, refusing to let me look away. “You’re wrong, cariño. I do know you. And I understand better than you think.” I slammed my eyelids shut and shook my head in disbelief. “No,” I whimpered with a gasp. Nothing he said would make me change my mind. His lips pulled into a frown, and he ran his thumb across my cheekbone. “Niña terca. Always so stubborn. I’ve been watching over you since you were a small child, and I do know you. “I saw what the children used to do to you. The mocking, the laughing. Their cruelty and unwillingness to include you in anything because you were different was heartless and unfeeling. I watched as you’d sit alone day after day, crying silent tears, and I wanted nothing more than to rip the hearts out of those that hurt you. I witnessed you slowly retreat inward over the years, protecting yourself from the ridicule and ignorance of others, honor bound to protect you from evil, but helpless to shield you from the everyday monsters who made your life a living hell.” I winced, remembering the cackling that followed me whenever I left a room. I frowned at the memory of always being the last one standing when teams were being picked. The acrid taste that was so reminiscent of exclusion filled my senses, bringing tears to my eyes. Xan reached up, wiping away a stray tear. “You’ve endured so much, in such a short amount of time. Witnessing your mother’s murder, living on the run.” He paused, playing with a strand of my hair. “Having to hide who you really are. Any one of those things could easily break a person, but you managed to endure them all. There is a strength in you I’ve never seen before.” “You’re wrong,” I said, stepping back and wriggling free of his grip on my shoulders. “If I was strong, I wouldn’t feel the way I do.” I turned my back to him. “I wouldn’t be pining after someone who doesn’t want me.” Xan came at me hard, wrapping his arm around my waist and teleporting us to the top of his bed. I lay trapped beneath the glorious expanse of his body, his large hands pinning my arms down as he ground his hips against my center. His rock hard arousal was extremely evident, even through the layers of clothing between us. He growled, a low, predatory sound that sent wet heat pooling between my thighs. “Still think I don’t want you?” 104

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I gasped, breathless as I watched his eyes grow dark with need, his fangs elongating once more. But he wasn’t hungry for my blood. No. This was a different hunger altogether, and I wanted nothing more than to be devoured by him. His breaths came out quick and labored. “You’re all I can think of, every moment of every cursed day. The sweet smell of your blood, the softness of your skin, your beautiful smile that so rarely makes an appearance. Fuck! I want nothing but you, cariño. You consume me.” Fire blazed over me, a sinfully sweet burn raging through me from head to toe. My mind thrilled at his words. Despite his declaration, there was a nagging thought in the back of my mind. Part of me wondered if I was experiencing some sort of hallucination or dream, and that I’d wake up realizing none of this had ever happened. It was too good to be true. Xan was too perfect to want anything to do with me. I reached my hand up to touch him, and he was gone, having teleported across the room. With all trace of emotion gone, his face once again grew hard, serious and unrelenting. His rapid change in emotions was maddening, and impossible to keep up with. I sat up, frustration rolling off me in waves. He looked away for a moment, the muscles in his jaw straining and flexing. “I think it’s time you got back to your friends. We’ll finish this another time. Right now, I just need you to leave.” I sat up, shocked. “You’re kicking me out? But — ” I was standing in my living room back in my apartment before I could finish my sentence. “Damn him!” I picked up the closest thing I could find — a glass jar filled with red and green m&m’s — and chucked it across the room with a scream. “Jerk!” “What…the…hell?” Oh, God, no… I whirled around to see none other than Nasty Betty, standing across the room, staring at me open-mouthed and in shock right along with Taylor and Jessica. “Um, I think I’ll…yeah…I’ll just be leaving now,” she said and turned on her heels, the front door to the apartment slamming moments later. I stood in shock, staring aghast at my two roommates. I knew one thing for sure. The implications for Edie Van Walldenberg seeing me poof into the room out of thin air were not going to be good. 105

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please tell me why Nasty Betty was in our apartment?” CanOfsomeone all the people to see me materialize out of thin air — crap. Edie

“

was a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off. And fueled with the proper ammunition, she was a force to be reckoned with. Popularity had its perks, and people listened to what she had to say, regardless of what it was. “I don’t know,” Jessica said. “Taylor and I had just finished getting ready and came back to your room to find you gone. We assumed you left to be with Xan. Both of us were starving and getting ready to pick up the Chinese food when she knocked on the front door.” Jess glanced over to Taylor before continuing on with a frown. “She acted weird…you know…trying to be nice. It was bizarre. Mostly she just wanted to know where you were. And oh, my God. Did you notice how bad she looked? I’ve never seen her looking so beat before.” “Yeah,” Taylor said. “She actually looked sweaty. What was up with that? She never looks anything less than perfect.” I raised my eyebrows and made a face. What the hell did Edie want with me? She hated me with a fiery passion, and frankly, the feeling was mutual. I shook my head in confusion. “Why would she want to see me?” I crossed the room, passing our still undecorated Christmas tree, and began picking up the scattered pieces of broken glass and holiday candy. Jess hurried into the kitchen for a garbage bag and Taylor joined me in cleaning up. “Don’t know,” she said with a shrug. “I told her you were out with Xan, and that we didn’t know when you’d be back.” My head shot up. “You told her I was with Xan?” I groaned. “That’s great. Just great. I don’t want her knowing my business. She’s up to no good, I’m sure of it.”

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Taylor’s face screwed up as though I’d slapped her. “God, Martha, I’m sorry. She kept pushing, and I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Her wide eyes appeared glassy with unshed tears, and her lower lip trembled. Shit. I am such an ass. I stopped what I was doing and faced her. “Crap. I’m sorry, Taylor. I had no right to snap at you like that. Xan’s got me so freaking frustrated I just…GAH!” I chucked the candy in my hands onto the ground and bolted down the narrow hall to my bedroom. Dammit! I’d turned into a pathetic girly girl. I dove onto my bed, rolled onto my back, and swiped my palms over my face. I needed to get a hold of myself. Taylor and Jessica rushed in moments later and crawled onto the foot of my bed. “What happened?” Taylor asked. She made herself good and comfortable, snuggling up with a throw blanket, while waiting for my answer. “Yeah,” Jessica said and slapped my leg. “Spill. We thought you were going to stay away from Xan until you knew more about him. But then we walked in on you two in the middle of a grope session.” She pursed her lips and raised a brow. “Start talking.” I waved a hand in front of me. “Hold up a sec. Grope session? We were hugging. That’s all.” I frowned, remembering our almost kiss. God! If only they’d stayed away a little longer. Had I wanted to grope Xan? Hell, yes. But she didn’t need to know that. Jessica gave me a pointed look, laced with a smirk, but thankfully remained silent. I sat up and scooted backward so that my back was flush against the wall. “He flashed in after the two of you left to shower and said he was ready to answer some of my questions.” “Wait.” Taylor held up a finger. “What do you mean, he flashed in?” “I mean just what I said. He poofed in from his apartment. He can teleport from one place to another.” Her jaw dropped. “DAYUM! That’s hot.” She gave a deep nod of approval and fanned herself. “You think everything is hot. You’re not real discriminating,” Jessica said playfully before turning back to me. “Okay, all right. Teleportation is pretty cool. I’ll give him that. But…I don’t know. I still don’t trust him. What the hell is he, and what was his excuse for sinking his teeth into you?” Jessica was fiercely protective of her friends, so I wasn’t surprised to hear her blunt question. I decided there was really no point in keeping 107

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things from my friends any longer. I’d already revealed my secret identity and the fact that I was in hiding from Lucian, so I told them everything. Jessica’s eyes threatened to pop out of their sockets and bounce across the room. “Whoa. That’s…wow! So he’s been watching over you all this time at your great-grandmother’s request, and you never knew he was there? That’s kinda romantic and creepy at the same time.” Taylor wore a fat grin and lay wiggling in place with excitement. “Too right. The whole biting you thing so he can find you is way sexy. You go, girl. You totally bagged yourself a major hottie. And hello! He’s a badass to boot.” I let out a huff and scowled. I dropped my head so I didn’t have to meet their eyes, and fiddled with the edge of my comforter. “I haven’t bagged anyone. In case you hadn’t noticed, I don’t have a lot of experience when it comes to guys.” Mortified, I covered my face with my hands and groaned. “I’ve never even been kissed.” Ugh. Did I really just admit that out loud? I’m a twenty-one-year-old virgin loser! “Wait, wait, wait…hold up.” I moved my hands to see Taylor leaning forward, just inches from me, wearing a you’ve-got-to-be-fucking-kiddingme look on her face. “Did you just say you’ve never been kissed? How… how is that possible?” I whimpered and buried my face in my hands again. I didn’t want to talk about my extreme lack of experience. Nope. I wanted to throw up. Was I really going to talk about this? Yep. I knew my roomies well enough to know they’d never let it go. I breathed in deep and sang like a canary. “Hell, I don’t know. I moved around a lot.” I dropped my hands. “I just…never formed any kind of attachments or relationships with anyone. I don’t know…I just — ugh!” My hands shot back up again, covering my shame. The 40-Year-Old Virgin, here I come. “So what,” Jessica said, while trying to pry my hands from my face. “Why kiss a bunch of frogs when you could be kissing a prince?” She picked up a throw pillow and chucked it at Taylor’s face. “Way to make her feel crappy, Tay. Geez!” She turned toward me again and gave my hand a squeeze. “So, when are you planning on locking lips with Mr. Sexy Vamp?” I groaned loud and long, and buried my face against my bended knees. “Ugh. Probably never. He’s just so — ” My head shot up, and I slammed my fists onto the comforter and growled. “He’s just so freaking frustrating. He runs hot and cold, and I swear when I’m around him I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. One minute it feels like he wants me, the electricity 108

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between us is so strong, so powerful. The next he’s distant, and cold, and altogether too serious. I just — I don’t know what I’m feeling, and I sure as hell don’t know what I’m doing.” Jessica sat back with a broad smile slapped across her face. “You’re falling for him.” “What? No! I can’t be. It’s too soon.” I searched her eyes, hoping she had an answer for me. “Isn’t it?” She shook her head, eyes bright with excitement. “Not necessarily. You’re exhibiting all the tell tale signs of someone who is seriously smitten.” I made a face. “Smitten?” She brushed off my sarcasm with a wave of her hand. “Oh, whatever, Little Miss Buffy the Vampire Dater. You’re hot for Fang Boy and want his undead body like a fat kid wants cake.” She inclined her head toward me. “Is that a better description?” I rolled my eyes as Taylor broke into a fit of hysterics. Jessica was truly one of a kind. “Do not refer to Xan as ‘Fang Boy.’ There is nothing boyish about him. Trust me — he’s all man.” Visions of me lying beneath his steely body, with his hips and a very large bulge pressing against me came rushing to mind. My cheeks flushed a bright crimson and my hoo-hah flamed up just thinking about him. “Oh, fine,” Jessica said, frowning. “What about…” She tapped her finger on her lips. “Suck-Master 2000?” “Ooh, ooh,” Taylor said, flapping her arms. “I know, I know — Vascular Man.” “That’s too clinical,” Jessica said. “We need to come up with something cute and sassy that defines not only what he is, but how shmexy he is as well.” “No, we don’t,” I said in protest. “Xan works just fine for me.” Neither paid any attention to me and continued staring off into space, faces scrunched up, deep in concentration. “I’ve got it.” Taylor clapped wildly and bounced in place like a mad woman. “McVampy. He’s smoking hot, and he’s got a delicious bite to him. He’s better than McDreamy and McSteamy rolled together!” “Oh…good…God.” I rolled my eyes, certain that as much as I disliked her new moniker for Xan, it would inevitably stick. 109

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I focused on Jessica. “Okay, Dr. Ruth. Getting back to the topic at hand. Since you think you are the expert, what exactly are the tell tale signs of someone who is — ” I paused, refusing to utter the word smitten, “ — attracted to someone?” Jess rubbed her palms together, shifted in place, and settled in good. “Okay, then. Well…He makes your knees wobbly with one glance. You get a tingly sensation that shoots up your spine whenever he walks into the room.” She bit her lip and looked down for a moment. Then it was like a light bulb went off, and her head shot back up, her blue eyes shining with enthusiasm. “You have the constant, uncontrollable urge to tackle him, rip his clothes off, and do very naughty, un-lady like things to him. Those would be just a few examples. I’d bet my right arm you’ve experienced every one of those. I can see it on your face. You’ve got it bad for McVampy.” Jessica sat back, crossed her arms and eagle-eyed me with a smug look of satisfaction etched across her face. I narrowed my eyebrows and scowled, but kept my trap shut. There was no way in hell I was going to admit she was right. Every time I was near Xan, I wanted to rip his clothes off. With my teeth. I wrapped my arms around my knees and chewed on my lip. “It doesn’t really matter how I feel. He’s not on the same page, so it’s really just…pointless. And really, I’d rather there not be any kind of awkwardness between us. It looks like I’m going to be spending a good amount of time with him while we’re trying to bring down Lucian.” Taylor threw back the blanket covering her and shook her head. “From everything you told us, I’m sure he has feelings for you. For whatever reason, he’s holding back. Idiot!” I shrugged and sighed. The room fell silent for a few moments as we all sat still, lost in thought. The embarrassing sound of my stomach growling filled the quiet void, and sent the three of us into a fit of giggles. Jess let out a snort. “Dang, girl. Hungry? I take it you didn’t eat while you were with Xan?” I shook my head. “Uh, no. Food was the last thing on my mind while I was over there.” I’d been hungry all right, but definitely not for food. “You wanna hear something strange?” They both nodded in agreement. “Xan keeps food in his refrigerator. I mean food food, not blood food. Weird.”

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“He eats?” Jessica asked. “I thought vamps only needed blood to sustain them.” Taylor rested her head in her hands. “But Martha said he’s not a vamp. He’s a hybrid, right?” “Yeah. He’s got a heartbeat, which is just…weird. Everything about him is so…different. I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head with uncertainty. “But I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.” Jess shifted and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “Let’s head over to the coffee shop. We don’t have shit for food here, and they have deli sandwiches and stuff. Taylor and I haven’t eaten either,” she said as she hopped off the bed. “I’m so damn hungry I’m ready to eat my shoes.” I smiled at the mental picture Jessica painted and followed her and Taylor out of the room.

y A short while later I found myself seated on one of the couches lining the back wall of Cup of Joe’s. The smooth sound of Elvis Presley belting out “Blue Christmas” floated through the air. A turkey sandwich and a large peppermint iced mocha sat on the coffee table in front of me. Jessica sat to my right, Taylor across from me in a giant, brown leather chair. The savory smell of high-calorie coffee drinks and pastries wafting through the air made my already hungry mouth drool even more. My poor sandwich didn’t stand a chance. It would be gone in four bites. Maybe three. “I’m proud of you, sweetie,” Jessica said, patting my knee in between bites of her chicken salad sandwich. “You didn’t terrorize poor Ronald today. Is it possible? Is our little Martha growing up?” She let out a giggle while glancing over to Taylor who proceeded to give me a thumbs-up sign along with a nod. “Hmph!” I turned my head in the direction of the lanky source of my irritation. As per usual, the moment I’d walked into the shop his eyes bugged out of his head, and I could have sworn he even broke out into a light sweat. Poser. I took a sip of my drink before getting down to business. “Okay, so tell me everything Nasty Betty said before Xan poofed me into the apartment. I want to know what she’s up to.” Taylor took a large bite of her roast beef sandwich and started yapping away, mouth full and muffled. 111

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Jessica scowled. “Slow down, Miss Piggy. We can’t understand a thing you’re saying with all that food in your mouth. Try chewing first; it usually helps.” She ducked out of the way as Taylor tossed a wadded up napkin in her direction. Taylor held up a finger. “Hag,” she managed to say while finishing up and swallowing. “Sorry. I’m hungry, and it’s just you two, so I wasn’t real worried about making a good impression. Anyway, what I was saying was that she just showed up and started talking to Jessica and me like we were her best friends. It was bizarre.” Jessica took a sip of her iced tea and set it down on the table. “Yeah, it was weird. I didn’t even know she knew which apartment building was ours, and all of a sudden there she was asking questions about what we had planned for the day and where you were. I don’t get it. She hates us. What possible reason could she have for wanting to talk to you?” “I don’t know,” I said and leaned into the soft back of the sofa. “The last time I saw her, was outside of Fire and Ice the other night. She’d crawled into a limo with some stranger, insulted me, and drove off. I remember sensing a weird vibe coming from the limo, but I just figured it was Edie’s nasty aura.” “Hmm,” Jessica said. “Well, whatever is going on with her is bringing her down, big time. She looked like hell.” She dropped the last bit of her sandwich onto her plate and pushed it away with a moan. “I’m stuffed.” Taylor chimed in, her mouth for once, empty. “Yeah, no kidding. I’ve never seen her not look one hundred percent. She’s anal about her appearance, and today she looked — well, she looked like shit.” My eyes narrowed. “It’s got to be what’s going on with Deanna. I know if one of you went missing I’d freak out and act out of character too. As much as I can’t stand her, I do feel sorry for her.” I was shocked to hear the words come out of my mouth. There was no love lost between Edie and me, for sure, but as much as I disliked her, I didn’t wish the loss of a friend on anyone, much less her. “So what’s your next move? Are you and Xan going to go looking for Deanna tonight?” Taylor asked, eyeballing the remnants of Jessica’s meal. With a roll of her eyes, Jessica shoved the plate across the table so Taylor could dig in. “Geez! Where do you put it all?” She made a face before turning back to me. I shrugged. “I have no idea what my next move will be.” I had no clue when I’d see him next, or whether or not he’d just show up if I went out looking for Deanna and Lucian myself. I was fairly certain that if I found 112

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the first, she’d lead me straight to the other. What I’d do once that happened was still up in the air. I needed to come up with a solid game plan. Lucian was by far the most powerful creature I’d ever come across, and I couldn’t just run in guns blazing and expect to defeat him. I needed to think before I acted, which was something I wasn’t real accustomed to. Patience was definitely not one of my virtues. “I need to track Deanna, but I can’t exactly do it unprepared. I need to make sure I’m armed and ready in case she leads me to Lucian. So I guess that means I’ll be hitting the book again to try and find some way to defeat him.” “Research mode. Okay, then. Let’s hit it.” Jessica stood up, collecting the plates from the table, including the one in Taylor’s hands, much to her chagrin. “Hey,” she protested. “I wasn’t done.” “You’ll live, Little Miss Garbage Disposal. Let’s go.” Jess carried the plates over to the counter, handing them to a very grateful Peter who tossed each of us a candy cane as we exited the shop. The walk back to the apartment was a short one, which given the icy December wind, was a good thing. Storm clouds, dark and oppressive, loomed overhead, threatening to unleash their fury. Only a few intermittent patches of sun shone through the inky sky. Chilled, I wrapped my arms around myself and rubbed at my arms. Hanaford Park, California, might not see snow in the winter, but it sure as hell saw a ton of rain. Jessica peered up at the ominous clouds with a frown. “Storm’s coming.” I didn’t realize, at that moment, just how prophetic her words were. Shivering, I followed Jessica and Taylor through the courtyard and over to our apartment, and was startled when I heard Taylor’s high-pitched squeal fill the air. “What? What is it?” I said, rushing up from behind. “Oh, my God, Martha. Look.” I watched as she jumped up and down in place, pointing toward our front door. I stepped forward to see a gigantic flower arrangement sitting on the ground in front of the door. The vase was filled with red roses, purple irises, and lilies. A large, white envelope with my name written in bold, elegant cursive sat propped against the glass vessel. I stood stock still, flabbergasted by what I saw. No one had ever given me flowers before. Ever. Did I dare hope? Were they from Xan? They had to be. There was no other man in my life. 113

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“God, Martha. Don’t just stand there. Read the card. Hurry,” Taylor said, shoving me forward toward the door. I bent down, hands trembling, to pick up the thin white envelope. Butterflies darted around my insides the entire time, as I knew there was only one person it could be from. Xan. My fingertips gently traced over the black lettering of my name, a hope-filled smile threatening to emerge. “Oh, for crap’s sake. Give me the darn thing!” Jessica wrenched the envelope out of my hand. The sound of paper tearing bounced off the cream colored stucco as she ripped open the envelope to reveal a single sheet of paper. “Oh,” Jessica said, her voice filled with a mixture of panic and pain. The events that followed seemed to happen in slow motion. Her eyes left the sheet of paper and met mine, piercing me with a wave of sheer terror and anguish. Her body fell sideways onto the cold cement floor, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. A violent seizure ripped through her body until she gave a sudden gasp and became still. Jessica’s back arched off the floor, her arms and legs taut and rigid. She expelled one final breath before her body went slack. “Jessica!” Taylor leapt forward to grab her fallen friend. “No!” I stepped sideways, blocking her with my arm. “Don’t touch her…or the paper. She’s been poisoned.” I’d read about these types of curses in the Book of Light on more than one occasion. If Jessica didn’t get help right away, she’d be a dead person. The fact that the poisoned note had been meant for me did not go unnoticed, but I didn’t have time to think about it. Jessica’s life hung in the balance. Horror stricken, Taylor stepped back, tears falling rapidly as she cried for her friend. Focusing on the scrap of paper Jessica still clutched, I willed the paper free from her hand, letting it float up and forward so I could read its message. Nausea hit me like a one two punch. I stumbled back with a gasp as I read the single line of blood red lettering: Let the games begin. It was Lucian. It had to be. Terrified for my friend, I did the only thing I could think of. I closed my eyes and focused all my energy on the one person who could help me save Jessica: Xan. Hopefully the psychic link he’d told me about was strong. We were running out of time.

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my best to block out all other thoughts (which was near imposDoing sible with my friend lying comatose on the floor), I closed my eyes and focused on the one person who might be able to help me save my friend. Xan! Oh, God. Please let this work. Xan, I need you. Now! Taylor gasped. “Holy shizznit!” My eyes shot open to see her jump back, bracing herself against the side of the building. She stretched her arm out and pointed to something. My head snapped around to the source of her fear and saw what looked like a ghostly figure of Xan standing before us. “Holy…” Damn! He can astral project. Is there anything he can’t do? Obviously not wanting a repeat performance from the day’s earlier episode of bloodlust, Xan had opted to project his subconscious self to me instead of risking his body to the harsh effects of daylight again. “What’s wrong, cariño? I sense your fear. What is it?” My body eased at the sound of his voice, despite his translucent appearance. My voice cracked and broke as I spoke. “It’s Jessica. She’s been… poisoned with…dark magic.” I pointed to the note that still floated in midair, and then to my friend who lay supine on the floor. “I need help. Please!” Desperation clouded my voice, fear and anxiety choking the life from me. It took a great deal of dark magic to create the curse Jessica suffered from, a type of magic I knew nothing about. If there were any hope of saving her, I’d need the help of someone more powerful than me. I needed Xan. A ray of light broke through the clouds and shone down on him, making his already eerie appearance even more ghostly. “Move your friend

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into your apartment without touching her. Use your magic. Do the same with the note. Sit tight, mi amor. I’m sending someone over.” “You’re sending — ” He was gone before I could get the words out. Who the hell was he sending over? There was no time to think on it. There was only time to act. “Come on,” I said, motioning to Taylor. I scanned the area, both thankful and relieved to find the street empty. “We need to get out of the courtyard before anyone sees us.” The last thing we needed was some unwitting passerby to stumble across Jessica’s lifeless body lying in front of our home. Somehow I didn’t think the po-po would believe my friend fell prey to a deadly curse. Still crying, Taylor gave me a nod. She fumbled with the door for a moment and finally entered the apartment. Gasping and sniffing, she held the door open while I maneuvered Jessica’s limp body through the doorway with my magic, along with the note and flowers. As soon as I shut the door behind me, I heard a loud cracking noise. Taylor gave another gasp and crumpled to the floor in a heap. Pain sliced through my chest as I watched her rocking back and forth on the floor, her arms and legs curled in on themselves. I turned and gasped. “You!” To say I was surprised would have been an understatement. Gabriel, the gruff bartender from Fire and Ice, stood towering over the two of us, his lips drawn into a thin line. I wasn’t sure what I expected when Xan said he’d send someone to help, but it sure wasn’t this. Large and imposing, Gabriel was an enormous presence in the small room. Tall, dark, and exotically handsome, with emerald eyes, chocolate skin, and a body that was built for fighting, he was impossibly easy on the eyes. He blasted me with a harsh stare. “Yes. Me.” There was a hint of sarcasm tainting his deep voice, and I blanched. Sounded like someone wasn’t very happy to be helping us out. His gaze left me and traveled over to Taylor. A tic formed in his jaw, the muscles in his face and neck straining as he stared at her. She, in turn, paid no attention to our new guest, and continued crying for her fallen friend. For the briefest of moments his face softened, and he looked as though he wanted to comfort her. He opened his mouth, and I thought for a moment he might say something, but I was wrong. He snapped it shut and looked away. I narrowed my eyes. What was that all about? 116

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“We need to move quickly.” He strode into the center of the room and whipped around. “Where is the source of the curse?” I pointed toward the far corner of the room where I’d left the note and flowers floating, encased in a protective barrier. “Good.” Lifting his hand, with a swift flick of his wrist, the note and flowers disappeared with a flash of light. Huh. Looks like Xan’s not the only one from the club with magical abilities. With my arms crossed in front of me, I leveled a harsh stare toward Gabriel, waiting for him to explain himself. Irritated with my curiosity, he let out an exasperated sigh. “Yes, I can wield magic. Now is really not the time for a long-winded explanation about my abilities. I’m a friend of Xan’s, and I’m here to help. Are we cool?” He was right. There simply was no time for questions. Jessica’s life hung in the balance; we needed to get her to Xan’s apartment, and we needed to get her there now. I gave him a nod and retracted my claws, dropping the issue altogether. Crossing the room in a few small strides, Gabriel stood in front of the couch where Jessica lay and motioned for Taylor and me to come closer. Not wanting to waste time, I closed the gap between us and turned. Taylor remained on the floor, balled up in the fetal position, rocking back and forth on the floor. “Taylor, get up. We need to go. Now!” My desperate pleas were met with silence. Obviously in shock, Taylor tuned out everyone and everything around her. She held herself in a tight ball in a desperate attempt to protect herself from the harsh reality of what was happening. My friends were suffering because of me. I felt sick. “Oh, God…Taylor.” I started toward her when I felt a large hand grip my shoulder, holding me in place. “Let me,” Gabriel said and brushed past me. He closed the small gap between them and knelt down. With a tenderness that surprised me, he gently brushed her long brown locks out of her tear stained face. His affection toward her seemed almost out of place given his massive size and icy disposition. Something was up with those two; I just wasn’t sure what it was. He cupped her cheek with his large hand, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Everything will be all right, mi dulce. I promise you. Your friend will be fine.”

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Wrapping one arm under her knees and the other around her waist, Gabriel lifted Taylor off the floor as if she weighed no more than a feather. He cradled her head against his broad chest, and carried her to where I stood next to Jessica. “All right, then.” The next thing I knew we stood in Xan’s apartment with Jessica lying motionless on his couch. Gabriel carefully set Taylor down on a nearby chair. He knelt before her, whispering something softly that I couldn’t make out. I found myself wondering how it was that he’d formed an attachment to her so quickly. As far as I knew, he’d only just met her. Any lingering thoughts I had about Taylor and her attentive new man candy were squashed the moment I felt a tingling sensation shoot up the length of my spine and a delicious warmth pooling between my legs. Xan. My body sensed his presence before my eyes had a chance to see him. With my heart hammering against my ribcage, I turned. He stood in the doorway of his bedroom, his jaw clenched and neck straining. Those beautiful eyes of his that I loved so much blazed with a mixture of concern and relief. My eyes traveled briefly over to where Jessica lay slack and motionless, suffering, and on the brink of death from a curse intended for me. Guiltridden, I whirled around to face Xan once more, my stomach full of knots and a giant lump in my throat. I agonized over my failure to keep my friends safe. I opened my mouth to speak, only to find I was unable. The dark past I’d been running from for so long had finally caught up to me, and Jessica had been caught in the crossfire. Struck mute and overwhelmed, I stood in place, silent and beyond pitiful. He teleported across the room and stood mere centimeters from me instantly. Xan’s eyes were ablaze with an intense mixture of worry and ferocity. He looked like a man on fire, ready to take out anyone or anything that crossed his path. He drew me to him roughly, holding me close and resting his forehead against mine. Inhaling deeply, he breathed me in as if he were trying to make sure it was really me that stood before him. Lacing his fingers through my hair at the base of my neck, he pulled my head against his chest and snaked his arms around me, holding me tight. An undeniable wave of comfort flowed through me as Xan’s steely arms wrapped around me protectively. The feel of his muscular chest against my cheek, along with the sound of his steady heartbeat and the fresh woodsy scent of him, eased the mounting anxiety rushing through me. 118

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“Cariño.” His normally smooth voice was raspy and deep, and held an undeniable edge of relief to it. “Sol chingado! Fucking sun! If anything were to happen to you while I couldn’t reach you — Madre de Dios! I would never be able to live with myself.” I pulled away just enough to look up and see that his eyes were squeezed shut and his lips smashed together. Agony and pain twisted his god-like features. Sensing my gaze, he opened his eyes and looked down at me, resolute and determined. “Jessica,” I said. “Please. Help her.” He inclined his head. “Of course, mi amor.” He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead before turning toward the couch where my friend lay immobile. I watched in awe as Xan’s hands hovered inches above Jessica’s body, glowing white with power as he worked to determine what type of curse she suffered from. After what seemed like an eternity, he let his hands drop to his sides and got up from where he’d been kneeling. His expression was oddly blank. “It’s not as bad as I’d originally thought.” “Not as bad? It looks plenty bad to me.” I grew more agitated by the second. My friend lay comatose on the couch, the unwitting recipient of a curse meant for me. The entire situation sucked ass on a multitude of levels. How could he be so nonchalant about the whole thing? He raised his hands, palms up. “Calm down, cariño. Losing control will not help your friend. I only meant that Jessica’s life does not hang in the balance. Your friend will not die, but she will remain like this if we don’t administer the antidote to counter the poison that’s invaded her system.” “El sueño interminable,” Gabriel said soberly and threw a glance in Taylor’s direction before turning his attention back toward Xan. “Sí. Endless sleep.” Xan whirled me around so that I faced him once again. “Tell me everything that happened from the moment you left this apartment earlier. No detail is too small. Leave out nothing.” As much as I wanted to stay irritated with him for manhandling me and acting like an insensitive jerk, I had to remember I was dealing with a vampire, a creature who by nature was anything but sensitive. He was doing his best to help me, and I couldn’t hold petty irritations against him during a time of crisis. With a sober nod, I proceeded to tell him everything that went down, including Edie’s bizarre visit to our apartment and the fact that she witnessed me pop into the room out of thin air, only to make a hasty retreat thereafter. 119

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He paced back and forth, running his hand over his mouth before stopping and focusing on me. “I take it this Edie person doesn’t visit you often?” I let out a rather un-lady-like snort. “That would be a no. We don’t exactly get along. I have no idea why she’d come looking for me, unless it had something to do with her missing friend, Deanna.” “I see.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Before this afternoon, when was the last time you saw Edie?” “Last night at the club. When I came back at closing to see you, she insulted me while getting into a limo.” I shifted in place and looked up at the ceiling as I thought. “Now that I think about it, there was a really weird vibe radiating out from the car. Naturally, I just assumed the vibe came from Edie because she’s so damn nasty all the time. But maybe I was wrong. She wasn’t hanging with her regular band of skanks. She was with someone else. A man, I think.” Xan’s eyebrow shot up and he leaned forward, clearly interested in this new bit of information. “Did you happen to get a look at the guy?” I shook my head. “No. All I saw was an arm pulling her back from the window she was hanging out of.” He let out a long sigh. “I see. And you said she didn’t look herself today? Tired? Unkempt?” “That would be putting it mildly.” Where was he going with this? What did this have to do with helping Jessica? “Her ass looked beat,” Taylor piped in. Her voice was shaky and weak, and she still sat trembling in a loveseat across from the couch. “This is a girl who never has a hair out of place, and she looked like she hadn’t showered in days. It was weird.” A fresh wave of relief coursed through me at hearing Taylor’s voice. Though she was still recovering from the shock of what happened, somehow I knew she’d be okay. Despite her outward appearance, Taylor was a fighter. “Did she have any marks on her?” Gabriel asked, his attention still focused solely on Taylor. “Marks?” Confusion marred her face, and she turned her attention from Gabriel to Xan and me. “Bite marks,” Xan said and spun me sideways. He tugged my head back to expose the set of puncture holes he’d left just over my carotid the night before. “Like these. Did you see any marks on her like these?”

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“Hey,” I said in protest, wriggling out of his iron grasp. “Do you mind?” I wasn’t an action figure he could toss around on a whim. I didn’t care how sexy he was; I had personal space, and he’d just invaded it. “I’m sorry, cariño. Forgive me for being aggressive, but I must know. Did either of you see anything that looked like these markings?” He pointed once again to my ravaged neck. Taylor shook her head. “No. Sorry. I didn’t see anything like…that.” Xan let out another long sigh. He scrubbed his hands over his face before looking over toward Gabriel. “You know that doesn’t mean anything, the fact that they didn’t see any visible marks. You know what’s going on, Xan. You know what’s happened just as well as I do.” Gabriel stood up from where he’d been kneeling beside Taylor. “The neck is not the only area with a juicy vein to sink into, my brother. You’ve said so yourself.” Oh, hell, no. “Excuse me?” I didn’t like where the conversation was headed. The idea that Xan had sunk his fangs into anyone made me heartsick. But the thought of him going vascular in someone’s nether regions made me positively insane. “Just what are you trying to say, Gabriel?” “What I’m trying to say —” he looked from me to Xan “— and what Xan knows to be true, is that this Edie girl has been enslaved.” “Enslaved?” Taylor and I both spoke in unison. “Sí, cariño,” Xan said. “A blood slave. A mindless minion, whose only purpose is to do the bidding of her master. More than likely, she was entranced at the club the other night, drawn from the building, and drained within an inch of her life.” “By Lucian,” I said. An icy shiver shot up my spine. He’d been at the club the other night. Watching me. Lying in wait for the perfect moment to make his move. The fact that he would use an innocent soul as a pawn in his master plan to bring me down should have been no surprise to me. Turning Edie into a modern day Renfield, straight out of the pages of a Dracula novel, seemed exactly like something the sick, twisted bastard would do. “Can she be saved? I mean, as nasty as she is, we can’t just leave her to Lucian, can we?” Taylor asked, standing up from where she’d been sitting. “No!” I said. “We can’t.” I brought my hands up to my head, massaging my temples with my fingers, trying to keep the pounding headache that was forming at bay. Lucian’s list of casualties grew larger by the minute, and I’d be damned if I was going to let it continue. 121

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“We’ll just have to put a stop to all the evil Lucian has done. Starting with Jessica.” I moved toward the couch and knelt beside where she lay in silent slumber. “What is it that we need to make the antidote?” My question was met with silence. “Xan?” I turned to face him, confused as to why he wasn’t answering me. “What do we need?” He stared at me for what seemed like an eternity, a pained expression on his face. He balled his hands into fists as he warred with himself on how to answer me. “We need the blood of the one who poisoned her. Without it, the curse cannot be unmade.” All the air rushed out of me at once, and my lungs cried out in pain as though someone had kicked me square in the chest. I felt sick. I felt like crying. But more than that, I felt angry, furious and hungry for revenge. If Lucian’s blood would revive Jessica, then I was damn well going to find him and bleed him dry. “Fine then,” I said, squaring my shoulders as I stood up. “So we find Lucian tonight, and drain the bastard dry. Let’s go.” Resolute, I strode swiftly toward the door. Xan’s next words stopped me dead in my tracks. “It’s not that easy, cariño. Lucian’s blood will only work if he’s alive. If we kill him, Jessica will remain as she is indefinitely.” Well, didn’t that just put a damper on things? I spun around. “Alive? What?” I didn’t know why I’d assumed anything involving Lucian would be easy. I should have known better. “So what the hell are we supposed to do? We can’t kill Lucian as long as Jessica is down, and it’s not likely that he’d willingly give up a sample of his blood. There’s got to be something we can do.” Xan paced back and forth in front of me, head hung low, mumbling heated words in Spanish I couldn’t understand. He finally stopped a few feet from me and looked up, his eyes dark, stormy and full of an emotion that looked a lot like worry, or maybe even regret. He let out a loud groan and cursed. “Cristo!” “Xan?” Based on his body language, it was obvious he knew something and didn’t want to tell me. Now was not the time for secrets. If he knew something that would help Jessica, he needed to share, and he needed to share now. “Xan!” 122

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“Madre de Dios.” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “This is not how I wanted things to go down.” Stepping forward, he pulled me in close, so that my chest was flush with his. One of his arms wrapped around my waist, holding me tight. His other hand slowly traced up the length of my arm, and across my collarbone until it rested at the base of my neck, a trail of goose bumps left in its wake. “Um, Xan?” Overwhelmed by his nearness, I was barely able to speak, let alone form a coherent thought. While I was all for getting hot and heavy with him, now was not the time, and especially not in front of our friends. Tilting my head to the side, he leaned down and gently brushed his lips across the bite marks he’d left the night before. He trailed his nose up the length of my neck, breathing in my scent. “Delicious,” he whispered in my ear before pulling away. His chocolate brown eyes were gone, replaced with a set of feral, pale, yellow eyes that knew only hunger and darkness. Razor sharp fangs descended, making him look deadly, lethal. Like the vampire he was. Lifting his wrist to his mouth, he tore into his flesh, opening up a vein. Blood flowed down the length of his arm and pooled on the floor. My heart kicked up a notch, pistoning adrenaline through my body at a breakneck pace. “Oh, my God! What the hell are you doing?” Wild, unearthly eyes met my own. “I’m giving your friend what she needs.” “What she needs is Lucian’s blood. How is yours going to help?” “Soy el hijo del diablo. I am the devil’s son. Lucian’s blood runs through my veins. He’s my father.”

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fell silent. Xan’s words lingered in the air, echoing through Themyroom brain over and over again.

I am the devil’s son. Lucian’s blood runs through my veins. He’s my father.

Floundering under the weight of his admission, Taylor’s quick intake of breath, and shocked “Oh…my…God” sounded distant, muffled, and deep, as though I were trapped under water, unable to hear her clearly. And then, just as quickly as I’d let myself begin to fall into the dark abyss, an all consuming anger rushed through my veins like a meteor shooting across the night sky. The heat of my anger burned everything in its wake. I’m sure if spontaneous combustion were at all possible, I would have burst into flames on the spot. The man, the creature that I was just now, hesitantly beginning to put my trust in, had lied to me. Xan was the son of the undead bastard that haunted my dreams nightly and tormented my every waking thought. I felt like someone had slapped me across the face with a sledgehammer, the reality of the truth dealing me a staggering, painful blow. I could literally feel my blood beginning to boil as my thoughts festered on Xan’s horrible revelation. Filled with an all-consuming rage and a fierce protectiveness for my friend, my body trembled as I watched Xan hold his bloody wrist to Jessica’s mouth, feeding her the one thing that would bring her back from her silent slumber. His blood. All reasonable thought escaped me as the overpowering urge to shield my friend from further harm barreled over me like a steam roller. It didn’t matter that Xan had never done anything to hurt me or my friends. It didn’t matter that he’d saved my life just the night before. The moment he revealed Lucian was his father, all I saw was the enemy. I had to protect my friend. I had to stop him. I had to move.

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“No!” A strange feeling of weightlessness rushed over me, accompanied by an odd electrical buzz. The next thing I knew, I stood between Xan and Jessica, my arms outstretched and pressing against his chest. My feet hadn’t moved. I’d teleported. “Stop! I won’t let you hurt her!” A fleeting look of surprise crossed his face and was replaced by one of determination. “Cariño, I’m not hurting her. I — ” I blasted him with a magical pulse that sent him flying backward across the room, before he was able to finish his sentence. “Liar! Stay back!” Jumping to his feet, Xan turned to face Gabriel, stone-faced and determined. “Get her out of here,” he said, pointing to Taylor. “No! Taylor,” I screamed and shot forward, but it was too late. Gabriel pulled Taylor to him, wrapping his arms around her protectively. His face clearly portrayed his concern for the possibility of her getting caught in the messy crossfire between Xan and me. Before I could blink, they were gone. I wheeled back around with a growl to face Xan. I raised my arms to blast him again when I was struck immobile, my arms pinned to my sides, my feet magically glued to the floor. Pissed off, I wiggled and thrashed in vain. “What the hell is this? Stop it. Let me go!” Xan shook his head. “Lo siento, cariño. I’m sorry. I don’t like having to control you, but you’ve left me no choice.” I balked at his words. Where the hell did he get off schooling me about choices? He had the choice to man up and tell me who his father was, and he didn’t. I wasn’t about to listen to this crap. “You have got to be fucking kidding me. You don’t get to talk to me about choices.” My throat burned from the force of my screaming. The overwhelming urge to punch him in the face barreled through me, and I struggled against the magical bonds that held me in place, cursing. “Goddammit! You chose not to fill me in on a particularly important piece of information. Why? Why would you not tell me Lucian was your father?” Xan lost his composure and blew up. “Because I knew you would react like this!” He pointed to me with an exasperated expression, then threw his arms up in the air. “Shit, cariño. I can’t help the fact that Lucian is my father. It’s not like I had any choice in the matter. Cristo! He raped and murdered my mother! Chinga! Fuck!” he shouted with a harsh growl. The temperature of the room dropped several degrees. A steady blast of cool, icy air rushed off Xan as he stood with his hands balled into fists at his side, his chest moving up and down with each angry breath.

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Pissed off, frustrated and ready to pop, he paced back and forth in front of me, cursing in Spanish and angrily running his hands through his hair. He looked torn, a mixture of anger and pain marring the beautiful lines of his face. And curse my freaking, wretched, female hormones — I never wanted him more than I did at that moment. I was a sick, sick, twisted soul. I felt like a royal bitch for being so angry with him, knowing how both he and his mother suffered. But I couldn’t make the feelings go away. It was all too new, too raw. “I’m sorry.” My head hung low as I spoke. I wasn’t ready to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry about your mother.” I looked at him then. “But — God, Xan. You should have told me.” His eyes softened, along with his expression, and I knew his anger had abated. “I know, okay? Shit. I — I was…ashamed. You barely tolerate me as it is, and I knew if you ever found out the vampire who fathered me was the same evil creature that slaughtered your family members, I knew you would never see me as anything other than the spawn of Satan. I know — ” He took a deep breath and sighed, as he ran his fingers through his hair. “I know I’m the devil’s son, but — Cristo! I’m not him. I’m not Lucian. You’ve got to know that.” I did know it. With every fiber of my being, I knew he was nothing like his father. Suddenly Xan wasn’t the only one in the room living with shame. I felt like a complete and total ass. It took me all of two seconds to throw away the trust I’d begun to build in him. I lashed out, purposely trying to hurt him, all because I was angry and out of control. A low, breathy moan came from the couch, and my head whipped around to see Jessica still lying on her back, but with her eyes now open and her arms struggling to move. “Jess!” I wanted to run to her, but my legs and arms remained still, bound and rendered useless by Xan’s powerful spell. I turned to him, pleading with my eyes, with every fiber of my being for him to release me. “Xan, please.” With a nod of his head, the magical bonds that held me gave way, and I raced to Jessica’s side. “Jess. Can you hear me? Jess.” “Stop…shouting,” she managed to say, her voice barely audible. “Head… hurts. I feel…funny.” Xan moved to stand at the end of the sofa. “It’ll pass.” “Please, help me up,” Jess said weakly. 126

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We carefully lifted her into a sitting position, and I took a seat next to her to ensure she wouldn’t fall face first into Xan’s coffee table. “What happened?” Jessica asked. She dug the heels of her hands into her eyes and took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. “The last thing I remember is walking to the apartment and seeing a note and some flowers. Then everything went black. There’s just…nothing.” I swallowed hard. Here came the defining make or break moment in our friendship. Jessica suffered a curse that was meant for me. I’d failed to protect her from the heinous monster that obviously now knew not only who I was, but also where I lived. She had two choices. She could forgive me, which honestly, at that moment, I didn’t feel I deserved, or she could walk away, saving herself from a serious crap-load of grief and possible torment. My head screamed at her to save herself and just walk away, write me off, have nothing to do with me. She’d be safer for sure. My heart? Well, it had grown used to having friends and couldn’t bear the thought of not having Jessica around. My great-grandmother always told me I’d be able to count my true friends on one hand, and there was a part of me, a part that grew larger every day, that wanted Jess and Taylor to be those friends. I wanted to trust them, to believe in them and know they’d always be there for me, no matter what. There was no point in dragging the moment out any longer. The whole thing was like removing a Band-Aid. It was better to just rip the damn thing off quickly and get it over with. “The flowers, the note, were from Lucian. He cursed them with dark magic hoping to take me down — ” I paused for a minute, not wanting to meet her eyes, but knowing I had to “ — and, well, you got hit with it instead.” I sat patiently, waiting for her to go off. Half of me expected her to wail on me and the other half hoped she knew I’d have gladly put myself in her place had I known what would happen. “I’m so sorry, Jess. When I found out Lucian was in town, I should have separated myself from you and Taylor. I never should have — ” “Stop. Just…stop. Please,” she said, holding a trembling arm up in front of her. “What happened wasn’t your fault. You didn’t ask to be stalked by a psychopathic freak who killed your family members. You couldn’t have known he was going to do what he did.” Her voice became stronger, and her trembling eased up as she eyed me fiercely, her body rigid and tense. “And dammit, would you please stop trying to find an excuse to walk away from me. Friends stick together no matter what. They don’t leave when things get tough. I mean…” Her face turned bright red as she fought to find the right 127

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words. “Gah! Shit! You want to make this right? I’ll tell you what you can do. Go find the motherfucker that’s hunting us and put a stop to his shit. Just make sure I get a front row seat when you put a stake in his undead ass!” Acting purely on instinct, I launched myself forward, wrapping my arms around Jessica — my true friend. I didn’t know what to say, and I was quite sure that even if I had been able to find the right words to tell my friend how grateful I was that she didn’t want to bolt, I wouldn’t have been able to get them out anyway. A huge lump the size of Texas took up residence in my throat. I’d been near tears more times than I cared to count the past few days, and I wasn’t having it anymore. I wasn’t going to be a victim anymore, and I damn sure as hell wasn’t going to let my friends suffer either. Lucian was going down. The sound of plates clanking together along with a low “ahem” turned my attention from Jessica to Xan. I’d never heard him leave the room. Standing on the opposite side of his coffee table with a mug in each hand, Xan had practically emptied the entire contents of his refrigerator and placed it before us, blood bags not included. I wondered when the subject of food would come up. It looked like I was about to get my question answered. I eyed the impromptu smorgasbord, eyebrows raised in question, and looked up into Xan’s eyes. He shrugged. “What? Hybrid, remember?” he said with a frown. “I eat, just like you.” “Not quite,” I said, inwardly cringing at the thought of downing a bag full of A-positive. He most certainly did not eat like me. He rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Jessica who still looked slightly ashen. “Here.” He handed Jessica one of the mugs. “Drink this. The sugar will make you feel better.” “Thank you.” She took the mug from his hand and emitted a loud groan after her first sip. “Mmmm…hot chocolate…so good. God…I had this awful, metallic taste in my mouth. Could that be after effects from the curse?” She took another swig of her sugary drink. “No,” he said, handing me the other mug, motioning for me to drink as well. “That would be my blood you’re tasting.” If it were possible for liquid to travel from your mouth and out through your ears, hot chocolate would have burst forth from Jessica’s like water bursting from a dam. As it was, the hot liquid shot out of her mouth and nose, covering everything in a two-foot radius in brown, liquid goo. 128

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“What? Blood? Yours? Oh, God! I think I’m going to be sick.” She covered her mouth with one hand as she leaned forward, her other hand holding onto her stomach. “Jess.” I reached out and rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. “It was the only way to save you. You needed blood to reverse the curse. We had no choice.” “Am I — oh, God! Am I going to turn into…one of them?” Her terror filled eyes darted from mine to Xan’s and back to mine again. “No,” we said in unison. “In order to be turned,” I continued quickly, “a vampire has to drain you first and then feed you their blood. Xan never fed from you.” “You have no reason to worry,” Xan said soberly. “I couldn’t change you if I wanted to. The ability to sire a vampire is not one that I possess.” Talk about dropping a bomb. Shocked, I shot up off the couch so fast you would have thought it was on fire. “And just how do you know that? I thought you said you’d never taken the life of a human.” “I haven’t,” he said through clenched teeth. “Nor do I intend to. After my mother was murdered, I was taken in and cared for by the sisters of her coven, one in particular. Katya, my mother’s closest friend and confidant, cared for me as if I were her own. We grew very close, and it was when I reached my teens that she first became sick.” My stomach lurched. I knew where this was headed, and my heart broke for him all over again. So much loss. He’d suffered so much loss. The always-present fire in his eyes waned, his expression becoming haunted. “We didn’t know back then what it was that caused her body to wither away, what caused her so much pain. Today, humans refer to it as cancer.” My stomach bottomed out the moment the “c” word left his perfect lips. Losing his mother to a monster was bad enough, but to lose his surrogate mom to a deadly, unforgiving disease was beyond heartbreaking. Unable to stand still, Xan paced back and forth as he spoke, his eyes focused on the floor in front of him. The room fell silent, the weight of his admission a heavy, crushing burden I wanted to bear for him. I heard Jessica’s quick intake of breath, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw her hand fly up to her mouth, tears welling in her tired eyes. “Unwilling to watch the only mother I’d ever known die, I did the only thing I could think of.” He paused for a moment, and raised his head, meeting my stare head on. “I tried to turn her.” 129

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My mouth went dry, like someone tried to shove a handful of cotton balls down my throat and then asked me to speak. Somehow I managed. “And — wait. I thought you said you couldn’t change anyone. What happened?” I wasn’t sure what I wanted to hear. I’d been raised to believe that vampires were undead killers who fed (literally) off of the pain and suffering of humans. A vampire killed my mother, my grandmother. Yet, despite everything I’d been taught, despite everything that happened to me, I found a part of myself wishing, wanting him to have saved the woman who stepped in and assumed the role of mother to him. He looked away, then down at the floor. “No. I didn’t turn her. It didn’t work. She is neither alive, nor dead. And my blood…it brings about other changes.” “Changes?” Jessica gasped and began inspecting herself thoroughly for any sign of transformation. “What kind of changes?” She looked to Xan, then to me, her fair skin growing ashen. “I swear to God, if my ass gets any bigger I’ll stake you myself!” Treating Jess to a harsh stare, Xan rolled his eyes and shook his head before turning to face me. “What do you mean she’s neither alive nor dead? What happened?” I was desperate to know what happened and to know what kind of changes his blood brought about. Was Jessica going to sprout wings? Would she turn into some kind of monster? “To create a vampire, you must first drain your victim and then feed them from your own vein. I did both, but the transformation never came. Katya now lies in a coma-like state, not dead, yet not really living either… and completely free of cancer. My blood — ” A shudder ripped through me. “Heals,” I said, cutting him off. Tiny goose bumps pebbled across my skin. “Your blood heals.” Truly, he was an angel sent from above. A vampire champion that walked in daylight, wielded magic, and possessed healing blood. He was a mythical knight in shining armor, and I was bewitched, body and soul by him. “Yes,” he said bitterly and closed his eyes. He stood rigid before me, his lips drawn tight, his jaw taut, and fists clenched at his sides. Waves of anger and despair poured forth from him, causing the walls to shake and anything that wasn’t nailed down to rattle. Visibly upset, he scrubbed at his face before letting his hands drop to his side. “But it was too late for Katya. I’d taken too much blood trying to change her and — ” 130

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The anguish I saw in his eyes, the pain that wracked his god-like face was almost too much for me to bear. Just when I was sure the floor would buckle underneath us from the sheer force of his agony, the rumbling stopped, and there was nothing but silence. “Xan.” I reached for him as I stepped around the coffee table, wanting nothing more than to go to him and comfort him with my arms, with my body. He’d suffered every bit as much as I had, maybe more, and every inch of my body ached for him, for his loss of the mother he never knew by Lucian’s hand, and for the loss of the only mother he ever knew by his own, unwitting hand. “No,” he said hoarsely, backing away from me. “Please, don’t. I just — ” He cast a fleeting glance toward his bedroom, then met my eyes again with a distant stare. “Stay as long as you like, and please, see to it that she rests and eats.” He motioned toward Jessica who sat stiff as a board on the couch, avoiding our eyes, no doubt uncomfortable. He was gone in an instant, nothing but a faint blur left in his wake as he moved with the speed of light. The quiet click of his bedroom door as it closed gave the only clue to his whereabouts. I stood motionless, staring at his door for what seemed like an eternity, disgusted with myself and my pathetic woe-is-me behavior. I’d done nothing but walk around with a giant chip on my shoulder for as long as I could remember. Pissed off and angry over the loss of my mother, I’d shut down, tuned out, hid away from everyone and everything. But not Xan. He’d soldiered on like the true warrior that he was. Instead of collapsing, retreating inward into himself, he placed himself in the middle of an ongoing battle that was sure to remind him daily of all that he’d lost. Watching over me had to be agony, yet he did it without hesitation, without question. His selflessness was what set him apart, made him better than anyone I’d ever known. Filled with self-loathing, I turned to see Jessica on her feet and heading for the front door. “What the hell are you doing?” She cast me a sideways glance and frowned. “What’s it look like I’m doing? I’m leaving.” I crossed the room and got in her face. “I can see that, smartass. Why? I mean, hello…up until a few minutes ago you were lying comatose on the couch. You need to rest, to get your strength back.” Girlfriend’s trip into the netherworld had scrambled her brains. 131

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She scoffed. “What I need is a shower, a toothbrush, and about a gallon of mouthwash to get the god-awful taste of blood out of my mouth.” She leaned forward and speared a finger through the air. “I’m going downstairs, and I’m calling a cab to take me to my mom’s house. And let me just tell you, there’s not a damn thing you can do to stop me.” I opened my mouth to argue with her when she jabbed a finger through the air and glared at me with an oh-hell-no look. Girlfriend went diva on me. “Puhleeze! Don’t even try. Now go.” She pointed toward Xan’s bedroom as she stepped through the front door of the apartment. “McVampy may be sexy, magical, and able to heal people with his wonder blood, but something tells me you are the only thing that can plug up the gaping hole he’s walking around with in his heart. He needs you as much as you need him. Better get to it, girl.” And just like that, she closed the door, leaving me alone in the middle of Xan’s apartment, stunned into silence. I wasn’t sure if she’d been channeling Oprah or Dr. Phil, but Jessica’s little jaunt down intuitive lane was pretty much spot on. I’d been so caught up in my own life, in my own problems, that I failed to see the one person, the person that spent a huge chunk of his life watching over me, suffered just as much as I did. My heart ached for Xan and all the horrific things he’d endured. The thought of him having to go on thinking he was alone in this world, believing that I merely tolerated his presence, when in fact I was falling hard, was more than I could take. I didn’t allow myself time to think, time to talk myself out of what I knew I wanted to do. My heart jumped around in my chest as I made a beeline straight for Xan’s bedroom door. I didn’t care if he didn’t want me the way I wanted him. I didn’t care if the timing was all wrong. Hell, I knew I’d probably regret my actions in the morning, but it didn’t matter in the least. All that mattered was Xan. Being there for him. Holding him. Easing him with my touch. Showing him he wasn’t alone, that there was someone in the world who watched out for him, who cared for him. Just as I reached for the knob, the bedroom door swung open.

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breath caught as the door to the bedroom swung open. Xan’s My powerfully built body filled up every square inch of the entrance.

Clad only in a pair of distressed jeans hanging impossibly low on his hips, he displayed nothing but tan skin, rippling muscles, and a very pronounced “V” that had my tongue lolling out of my mouth. Oh, my God, if those jeans were any lower… The string of dirty thoughts flooding my mind would have made a porn star proud, not that I cared. Xan was perfectly made, beautifully designed, and absolutely everything I could ever want in a man — except he wasn’t a man. He was a vampire — lethal, deadly, and incredibly hot. Honestly, I didn’t care what he was, as much as I cared about who he was, and what he meant to me. The intensity of his stare sent a hot flush rippling over my skin. It took every ounce of strength I had to tear my eyes from the magnificence of his body to meet his gaze. What I saw stole my last breath away. Xan’s eyes were afire — full of hunger, full of need. But the hunger consuming him was different. There was no bloodlust — no pale, yellow eyes looking down at me, anxious to drain me of my life-giving blood. Instead, a pair of warm, gold flecked, chocolate brown eyes pierced through me, penetrating my soul, mirroring the same passion, the same longing I felt for him. Though I’m sure it only lasted a second or two at most, the moment was incredibly intense and full of a naked vulnerability that was so pure, so honest, it nearly shattered me. My gaze traveled down to his lips. They were parted, and it was then that I noticed the rapid rise and fall of his sculpted chest. My presence affected him as well.

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I heard my own heart thundering away in my ears, felt the warmth of my blood reddening my cheeks and flooding my center, sending tingling sensations riveting up and down my spine. One look from him was all it took. My body jumped heart first into overdrive, flooding, overflowing, bursting with desire and longing. I raised my hand slowly, tentatively, and placed it on his chest. Did I affect him the same way he affected me? Holy — A small gasp escaped my lips. Exhilaration flooded my heart along with pure, unbridled joy when I felt his ancient heart thumping rapidly against the palm of my hand. A picture, a thousand words, neither of those things would ever come close to describing the wanton look in Xan’s eyes as he stared down at me. This man, this vampire, wanted me with the same unyielding, burning, all-encompassing passion that I wanted him. Raw, carnal need smoldered behind his eyes and radiated into the space around us with the promise of pleasures untold. Placing one hand over mine, Xan reached out, his eyes never leaving mine, and pulled me forward until finally, our lips met. The feeling of his soft lips caressing my own was better than anything I could have imagined. His strong hand gently caressed a trail up the length of my spine, sending a ripple effect of delicious, fluttery goose bumps over my skin. My knees nearly gave way when his fingers fisted the hair at the base of my neck, gently tugging. The tenderness of the moment vanished and was replaced with a fierce, demanding need. He turned us around, slamming my back against the nearby wall. He pressed his body against mine, impossibly close, but not close enough. So this was what I’d been missing out on. The desperate, heady feeling, the mounting hunger, and absolute need to possess someone body and soul. Every inch of my body burned with desire and smoldering heat, and God, it was so good. Jess had told me when I found the right guy there’d be an explosion of feeling, fireworks. Girlfriend spoke the truth. Except, I was no Roman candle, I was a loaded gun ready to fire, and Xan — yeah, well, his capable finger was caressing my itchy trigger. Reality crashed down on me in a swift, eye-opening wave. I’d lived a half-life, a sham. I’d been alive, but hadn’t really been living until the moment he kissed me. When Xan’s lips caressed mine, my dormant desire came alive with the power and heat of a thousand suns. The force ripped and burned through me until I was sure we’d both end up nothing but ash. Completely undone, I moaned from deep within my throat. His fresh, woodsy scent along with the sweet taste of his lips flooded my senses, making me dizzy. My breath caught as he gently sucked my 134

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lower lip into his mouth, running his tongue ever so gently across its fleshy contour, seeking entrance. And oh yeah, I totally let him in. Our tongues danced together, plunging and seeking, mimicking the act of love as our hands tugged and pulled, roaming the contours of each others’ bodies, feeling, memorizing, wanting. “Cristo, mi amor.” He gave a low groan that sent my thighs up in flames. “I’ve wanted this for — fuck! For so long.” Blood rushed to my most intimate places at hearing his guttural cursing. F-bombs never sounded so hot. Xan’s lips left mine, blazing a trail of feather-light kisses along my jaw line and down my neck. His tongue darted in and out sensually, sending shockwaves of pleasure bursting throughout my body. His mouth, his hands, they were everywhere all at once, and yet it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. Closer. I needed to be closer. The fact I’d never kissed anyone before didn’t seem to hamper the moment. Instinct took over, and I kissed him slow and easy. I slid my palms up the length of his arms, relishing the feel of his smooth, warm skin. Yeah, I totally understood people wanting to mack on their honeys in public. Having had a taste of Xan, I was damn sure I wanted to do nothing but kiss him from now on. Needing to touch him, I let my fingers trail up the back of his neck, burying them in his gloriously messy fall of hair. So soft. His skin was so incredibly warm it made every inch of my flesh that wasn’t touching his cry out in despair. Closer. I wanted him all over me, in me. Wrapping my legs around the back of his thighs, I ground my aching core against him, savoring the glorious friction of his large and very hard erection that strained against the seam of his pants. As if he were reading my mind, he pulled me closer still, pulling, pushing, grinding, Oh, God, the grinding. The man was a grinding god. Rocking, rubbing, and circling his hips against mine, his diamond-hard arousal pressed against my hot button, a few strips of pain-in-the-ass cotton the only thing keeping him from driving his way home. The sensation was so divine, so mind numbingly good, I was sure there was nothing left for me to do but explode. And explode I did, the moment his lips grazed the bite mark he’d left the night before. “Ah…God…Xan!” His name blew past my lips in a breathy whoosh as I rode out the most intense feeling I’d ever known. Holy hell! It was like warm, liquid bliss flowing through my body, exploding forth from my center, and radiating outward in strong steady pulses. My body shook, my toes curled, and I’m pretty sure I lost control of most of my faculties. 135

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Did I care? Hell, no. I’d just had the most intense, most pleasurable, most intimate experience of my life. As far as first kisses went, I’d say mine was fan-fucking-tastic. Cradling my head in his hands, Xan kissed me tenderly before closing his eyes and resting his forehead against my own. “You stayed.” His voice was low and breathy, and held a hint of surprise — or maybe it was disbelief. “I did.” Still floating on a high from our heated kiss, I unwrapped my legs from around his waist and stood on my own. The sense of loss I felt the moment we separated was instantaneous and altogether wretched. He closed his eyes and looked away for a moment before meeting my eyes once again with his own. “Why? Why would you want anything to do with me after what I just told you?” I was right. Disbelief. It was clear to me Xan was not only under the impression that I merely tolerated his presence, but was sure I’d bolt after his earlier revelation and want nothing to do with him. “Are you really that thick-headed? How could I possibly stay away knowing what I know? Fate dealt you a shitty hand, yet you’ve endured. You’ve suffered untold cruelties — things I — God, Xan, things I can’t even imagine. And you didn’t let any of it change you. It would have been so easy for you to give into anger, hate, and become a monster just like your father, but you didn’t.” His face twisted. “Didn’t I?” He pulled his hands from my face as though they’d been burned and stepped back. “I’m every bit as much the monster my father is. His evil runs through my blood. It’s my legacy.” I pushed off the wall and narrowed my eyes. “No. You’re not like him.” There was no comparison between the two. Lucian was the epitome of evil — dark, black, void of all goodness. Though he was forced to walk in darkness, Xan was light. He was my light — full of hope, comfort, and the promise that tomorrow would be a better day. He balked at my quick defense of him and shook his head. “You don’t have to take a life to be a monster, cariño. I’ve done things that would make your skin crawl. I haven’t always been the creature you see before you now.” He turned his back to me then and stared down at the floor, the muscles in his arms and back rippling with tension. The hell if I was going to let him push me away. “Stop.” I stepped forward and reached out to touch him but was too slow. 136

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Sensing my nearness, he sidestepped my touch and teleported to the opposite side of the couch, several feet away. He refused to meet my eyes, focusing instead on the wall behind my head. “Blood banks are a relatively new institution.” “Goddammit, stop,” I said, growing angrier by the moment. “I know what you are trying to do, and it won’t work.” He thought to push me away by dredging up his past, throwing his skeletons in my face. That shit wouldn’t fly with me. I’d been around the block a time or two and was an expert in my own right at pushing people away. I knew his game like the back of my hand. Finally, his eyes met mine, and I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. “Oh, I think it will, cariño.” His voice grew cold, his stare icy and aloof — all traces of warmth and tenderness, any shred of humanity in him gone. Before me stood the type of vampire I was used to dealing with­ — cold, calculated, cunning. “I’ve never drained a human to the point of death, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t fed off of them in more ways than one. Bloodlust and sex go hand in hand, mi amor…and I am a creature with many needs.” A dull, achy pain took up residence in my chest, and I shook my head, desperately trying to drown out his disturbing words. Persistent and stubborn, Xan kept going. “I am very aware of the power I have over the opposite sex, and I’ve used it to my advantage well.” In a flash he stood before me. “You are no different, mi dulce.” He closed his eyes and took a deep, lingering breath. A shameless smile broke out across his face as he opened them again, searching my own, anticipating my reaction. “I can smell your desire for me, cariño. You crave me, the way a junkie craves his next fix. I have but to snap my fingers and you would be naked beneath me, begging me to bite you, begging me to take you.’” I let out a gasp, desperate to catch my breath, yet unable to fill my lungs. It felt like someone had sucked all the air from the room. I couldn’t breathe. My head spun, dizzy and in shock as I stepped to the side, away from him. He was toying with me, with my feelings, and it was too much. I was a strong girl. I could take a lot of crap, but he’d gone too far. “Why are you doing this?” I asked. His words tore through my body like a jagged blade, doling out slow, methodical, shallow cuts — torturing me, wounding me just enough to make it hurt like holy hell, but not enough to kill me outright. “Because, cariño. I’m no good for you, and it’s time you realized that.” 137

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“You’re wrong,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Stop…please. Stop pushing me away.” All traces of the Xan I’d come to know were gone. The aura of comfort and sense of ease that normally surrounded me in his presence was long gone, replaced by a smug sense of sexual superiority and a wicked god complex. He knew he was powerful. He knew the effect he had on me. He was being an ass, and though I knew the why of it, it didn’t make it any easier to listen to. “Gabriel was right, you know,” he said, continuing on with his agonizing stream of horseshit. “Earlier, when he said there was another choice place on a woman’s body to sink your teeth into.” He closed his eyes and smiled, obviously remembering some instance of debauched crap he wanted to throw at me, to shock me with. “My favorite place to feed is from a juicy vein that runs right down the inner thigh that’s…” “Enough!” I held my arms up, cutting him off. I couldn’t hear any more. The thought of Xan feeding from strange, nameless women was bad enough, but to know he’d had them sexually was more than I could take, and he knew it. He was aware of my inexperience as well as the deep feelings I had for him, and he was all but throwing it back in my face. Just minutes ago he’d given me my first kiss, my first — God! I couldn’t even think the word in my head let alone say it out loud. The moment had been intense, heated, and fueled with a burning passion that was most definitely not one-sided. He’d been loving and tender and full of desire — for me. I was sure of it. I’d kissed the man, the vampire that I was falling head over heels for, and he’d reciprocated. For him to use my feelings against me now, just moments after such profound intimacy, to use my attraction for him as ammunition against me was a low fucking blow. I exploded — a dormant volcano no longer. Anger, frustration, and a fiery sense of betrayal blasted up and out of me in fiery shades of red, like molten lava bursting forth uncontrollably, ready to burn and destroy everything in its path. “You bastard! I stayed here tonight because I wanted to show you that you weren’t alone in this world, that there is someone out there that cares for you, someone who cares what happens to you. And what do you do? You use me and then you push me away. You threw my feelings for you in my face and made a mockery of them, of me.” I threw my arms up. “Well, no more!” He stood stone-faced, and silent — unflinching, unyielding. His rock hard body was motionless like a statue — a beautiful, maddening, infuriating statue. 138

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I’d been a victim all my life and was now at a crossroads. I could continue down the path I was on, hiding from a killer and pining after someone who saw me as nothing more than a means to pass the time, or I could jump off the crazy rollercoaster that was my life and, for once, take control of my own destiny. I turned my back to him and made my way to the front door, pausing for a moment in the doorway before leaving. “Look,” I said, caving under the weight of the horrible tugging sensation eating away at my stomach. “I get that you hate yourself, that you’re ashamed of where you come from. I know I’m just a job to you, a promise made to my great-grandmother. Somewhere along the way though — ” I paused, looking down at the ground before meeting his eyes once more. “I thought we’d made a connection, become…friends. Maybe I was wrong, but — Jesus! You can’t always be the hero, you know? Even Superman needs someone to tell him that everything is going to be all right.” I sounded like a crazy person — I knew it. I compared a mythical being to a cartoon character and expected him to think I exacted out some deep, meaningful thought — but there was truth in what I said, even if it did sound hokey and full of bullshit. My anger receded, nothing but resolution left in its wake. I didn’t want to leave him, but I knew there was nothing else for me to do. Holding onto to the last shred of strength I had, I met his stormy eyes and said my piece. “If you want to go through this life miserable and alone, then so be it. I care about you, okay? But I’m done. I won’t throw myself at you anymore. It’s too painful, and — well, I deserve better than that.” Holy…had I really just said that? Was I really just going to turn around and walk away from him? Yes…yes, I was. Painful as it might have been to turn away from Xan, I knew I deserved better and was proud of myself for finally realizing I was worthy of something good, someone who could give me everything I needed. The silence was deafening, the weight of words both spoken and unspoken hung in the air like a storm cloud, cold, bleak, and oppressive. I stepped through the doorway, closing it behind me, and heard his deep voice mumble from behind the door, “Sí, cariño — that you do.” Unable to breathe, unable to move, my legs gave out. My back slid down the length of the door, and I fell to a heap on the floor. My head swam, full of emotion: anxiety, loss, fear of the unknown. I needed to get out of there. I needed to move on with my life, to take control, to put a stop to the madness that not only threatened me, but the ones I cared about. 139

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My earlier resolve grew once again as I focused on what I knew needed to happen. Lucian was going down, and dammit, I was the bitch that was going to take him out. A tingling sensation somewhat reminiscent of a mild electrical shock flowed through my fingers, traveling up the length of my arms and down through my legs. My ears rang, a persistent low-level buzz that grew louder and louder the more I focused on what lay ahead of me. I needed to form a plan. I needed the Book of Light. A burst of energy flowed through me, and the next thing I knew, I was standing at the foot of my bed in my bedroom. I glanced down at the trunk where the book that hopefully held the answers I needed lay waiting for me. Holy crap. I did it again. I’d teleported all on my own.

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to waste another minute standing idly by while my friends, and Unwilling I were being stalked and attacked, I hopped onto my bed and opened

up the Book of Light. Lives hung in the balance, and I hoped to God I could find something within its pages that would help me take down Lucian.

Unsure of where to start, I held my hands over the book and cast a silent spell ordering the book to highlight any pages where voodoo magic was involved. Dark magic wasn’t my forte, but I had a feeling that it might be the only thing that would help me defeat Lucian. To my utter disappointment, only a small handful of pages illuminated. I needed as much information as I could get my hands on, and what lay before me didn’t seem nearly enough. Most of the entries I came across dealt with reversing voodoo love spells and ridding yourself of various types of bad ju-ju. There were, however, no entries on how to take down your maniacal undead stalker in ten easy steps. “Crap,” I growled, shoving the book away from me angrily. “Why? Why can’t I find what I need?” Bitterness and frustration filled me, growing stronger by the moment. I wanted to know why — why I was blessed with magical power, yet was unable to take down the monster who plagued my every waking thought. “Dammit!” I threw a nearby pillow off my bed and watched it crash into the chair Xan had mangled earlier. It wasn’t until my jaw started aching that I realized I’d been grinding my teeth together. With narrowed eyes, I focused on the mangled piece of metal that once served as my desk chair, raising it off the floor so it floated midair. I squared my shoulders and held my head high. “It’s not like I’m some weakling with zero power. I’ve got skills,” I spat angrily as I crumpled the

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already ruined chair into a giant ball of metal and sent it barreling into the nearby wall with my magic. I closed my eyes, put my hands to my ears and screamed as loud as my lungs would allow, not giving a damn about the consequences of someone hearing me. The force of my anger shattered the bulb in the nearby lamp as well as the glass mirror that hung behind the closet door. I didn’t care. “Why?” I cried out in desperation. “Why can’t I find a way to take down Lucian? I can cast spells, levitate, and transform my appearance. Hell, I can even teleport now. There has to be a way.” I cast a sideways glance at the Book of Light that lay open at the foot of my bed, and for an instant I wondered, What if? What if I explored other avenues? Why not take out the source of my suffering with the very thing he himself wields — dark magic. The idea was tempting. Very tempting…until the echo of my great-grandmother’s voice raced through my mind. Beware the lure of dark magic, Ainsley. Once you fall prey to its hold, you’ll be forever lost. Yeah, yeah, the old “Luke, beware of the dark side” bit. I’d been warned time and time again over the course of my childhood about the destructive, addictive lure of dark magic. It serves no purpose, Ainsley, besides that of meeting your own needs. We use our gift to help innocents, never for harm. Lucian was far from innocent. No. He was the epitome of evil, of all things shiteous and wrong. I saw no reason why I shouldn’t give him a taste of his own fucking medicine. There were plenty of resources. All I had to do was look. There was nothing stopping me. Nothing except myself. My head fell forward, tears of shame spilling down my cheeks. “God, Grandma,” I whimpered. “I need you. I just — God, I don’t know what to do.” After wiping away my tears, I held out my hand, summoning my phone from inside my bag. The small silver contraption flew across the room toward me at light speed until it landed in my upturned palm. My fingers furiously pounded away at the small keypad, punching in the set of numbers that would put me in contact with the one person I knew could make everything all right: my great-grandmother. “Please be there. Please, please, please pick up.” I hugged my knees to my chest with one arm and rocked back and forth, my body trying desperately to ease itself of the mounting tension. My call went unanswered. Just as before, the line rang and rang and rang. Fuck! I snapped the cell shut, tossed it toward the foot of my bed. 142

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Flopping onto my back with a huff, I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes. “God, Gran. Where are you?” A nagging sensation took up space in my gut, making my palms sweat, filling me with panic. Something was wrong. My great-grandmother rarely missed my calls. Just like me, she always carried her cell on her in case of emergency. For her to miss two phone calls was virtually unheard of, and a wretched sense of unease filled me. What if something happened to her as well? I couldn’t even entertain the thought. I’d never be able to live with the pain. No…focus, Martha. Get your shit together. I yawned, doing my best to fight back the sleepiness threatening to pull me under. Sleep was the last thing on my mind, but my eyelids grew heavier by the second. I rolled onto my side, closing my eyes as thoughts continued flooding my brain. I didn’t have time to entertain what ifs. I would keep trying to contact my great-grandmother, but in the meantime, I needed to come up with some kind of plan to take out Lucian. What that would entail, I had no idea. Before I knew it, I was asleep. I must have been out for quite some time, as the early light of morning blared in through a crack in the curtains and pulled me from my sleep. Still groggy, I sat up, raising my arms above my head. I listened to the snap, crackle and pop of my back as I stretched. My body creaked like an old person’s. Great. My foot kicked something as I moved, and I looked down to see the Book of Light laying near my feet. Deciding I’d take one more look through the book before I put it away, I reached for it once again and gasped when the pages lit up and shuffled before me on their own. “What the — ” The pages finally came to rest, an entry about Louisiana voodoo open before me. Also known as New Orleans Voodoo, the origins of this dark magic lay in the West African religion of Dahomean Vodou. My fingers trailed down the page as I continued reading. Southeastern Hoodoo, an offshoot of the Voodoo religion, was widely practiced by many who sought access to dark, supernatural forces for the purpose of gaining power, luck, and even revenge.

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I continued reading down the page, taking in a laundry list of odd, Hoodoo superstitions and bizarre spells until my eyes stumbled across the answer to my desperate pleas. The entry was so simple, it almost seemed too easy, and I had to read it twice. To harm the one who has wronged you, simply obtain a lock of his/her hair, burning a portion of it and discarding the rest. Thereafter, you may destroy your victim in any manner you choose. I shook my head in disbelief. “Seriously?” Was the answer to my problem really that simple? I ran my hand over my forehead and back through my hair as I sat and stared at the page in front of me. What was an entry like this doing in the book? I’d been warned time and time again about the lure of dark magic. Was this some kind of a test? My head swam with confusion, and I could barely concentrate. There was a gentle knocking on my bedroom door. “Come in.” “It’s just me,” Taylor said as she walked into the room and sat down on the edge of my bed. “I’m going crazy. Is Jessica okay? Gabriel spoke with Xan last night before he brought me here, and he said she was better now, you know, awake. I tried calling her cell but she won’t pick up.” “Yes, she’s okay. Thank God.” I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that, at the very least, my friend was no longer lying comatose on Xan’s couch. “She stubbornly insisted on going over to her mother’s house. Did you try her there?” She picked at an imaginary ball of fuzz on my comforter. “Yeah. I did, and there was no answer at her house either.” She looked up. “I’m worried.” The Texas-sized lump in my throat took on beach-front property, as panic set in again. Jessica had been put through the ringer yesterday, and the thought of anything else happening to her made me sick. I hopped off my bed and grabbed my bag from the floor. “What are we gonna do?” Taylor asked. I slung my bag over my neck and shoulder. “We’re gonna go check out her house and make sure everything is okay, that’s what we’re gonna do.” Taylor gave a sober nod. “Okay. I just need to go change out of my jammies.” She eagle-eyed my clothes I’d never bothered to change out of from the day before with obvious disapproval. I heaved a sigh and rolled my eyes. “We don’t have time to mess around. Here,” I said and stepped forward, glamouring a new outfit for her. 144

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She glanced down at her clothing and scowled. “Ugh, a boxy T-shirt? You’ve got to be kidding me. And what about your clothes? I mean…” Oh, for the love of…“Taylor! We don’t know where Jessica is. It doesn’t matter what we’re wearing.” Seriously? Had she lost her mind? “Well, all right! Sheesh!” She looked down to her feet, nervously playing with the hem of her T-shirt. “I’m just…scared. And when I’m nervous or scared I say stupid things. I’m just so worried about Jessica.” Her voice wobbled as she spoke, giant tears welling in her eyes. I patted her arm then gave it a squeeze. “It’s okay, Taylor,” I said, trying to sound reassuring even though I was slightly irritated with her. I felt like an ass for snapping at her, but we really didn’t have time to waste. “We really need to get going.” I took a step toward the door and then stopped. The fastest way to get to Jessica’s mother’s house would be to teleport. I’d done it twice before. What was stopping me from trying again? I bit my lip, unsure of whether or not to attempt it. I wasn’t really sure how I’d done it in the first place. Well, why not give it a try? I closed my eyes and focused all my energy and attention on my bed, willing myself to magically disappear into thin air. Nothing. Not a damn thing happened. “Martha? What are you — ” “Sshhh. Give me a second here.” Oh, for crap’s sake. How the hell had I done it before? I thought back to the two instances where I’d spontaneously teleported earlier in the day. Both times I’d been really upset. “Huh…” I mused. Maybe that particular power was fueled by strong emotion? Lord knows I had plenty of those to go around, what with the craptastic few days I’d been having. “Let’s just try this again,” I said under my breath. This time when I closed my eyes, I let the panic I felt for Jessica, along with the worry that plagued me earlier about my great-grandmother, to grow and multiply until I literally shook with anxiety. Just as before, an electrical current sparked, deep within me, traveling up and down the length of my spine, and toward my outer limbs. The familiar, low-level buzz filled my ears, and it wasn’t until I heard a loud gasp that I opened my eyes to find myself sitting atop my bed, several feet away from where I’d just been standing. “You can close your mouth, Taylor. It’s okay.” 145

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“Holy dooley! Did you just — ” “Yes,” I said, cutting her off, feeling quite pleased with myself. “I figured out how to poof back and forth all on my own without help from anyone else.” Taylor just stared at me, eyes wide, before shaking her head incredulously. “I can’t keep up. There is so much going on right now, my poor brain just can’t keep up.” I felt a momentary twinge of sadness for Taylor, knowing how sensitive she was, and how everything affected her more than the rest of us. Frankly, I was surprised she held up as well as she did under the circumstances. “Come on,” I said, crossing the room in a few short steps and grabbing hold of her wrist. “We need to get over to Jessica’s house, like now!” I tugged her arm hard, pulling her until we stood in the center of the room. “Be very still and quiet so I can concentrate.” I laced my fingers through hers, then gave her a good hard stare. “And for goodness sakes, don’t let go of my hand, okay?” “Wait,” she said, her voice filled with panic. “You’re not going to try and poof us both over there are you? Crap, Martha. You’re not exactly an expert at it yet, are you? What if you do it wrong? What if we lose some parts along the way?” I groaned inwardly and rolled my eyes. “God, Taylor. I love you, but right now I need you to shut up!” Her forehead creased with frustration, and she scowled at me. “Well, all right! Sheesh!” I continued giving her the evil eye until she was silent. Closing my eyes, I gripped her hand tightly and allowed my irritation at her lack of confidence in me, along with my worry over Jessica, fuel my emotions until I was once again buzzing like a live wire, full of electricity. Taylor’s own worry and fear traveled through her like a conduit, and with a loud bang, we were no longer standing in my room, but in front of Jessica’s house. “Ugh, twice is enough for me, thank you!” “Taylor, be quiet,” I said, trying to hush her. The entire neighborhood didn’t need to know we were there. “I hate that,” she continued on, completely oblivious to my urgings. “Taylor, please.” 146

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“If you, Xan, and Gabriel want to poof yourselves back and forth, that’s fine with me. Just don’t expect me to come along for the ride. Ugh, it makes my mouth feel all dry and funny.” “Taylor!” “What?” she asked, sounding slightly irritated with me for raising my voice. “You need to keep it down, please. We have no clue who or what may be waiting for us in that house, and I’d rather keep our presence here unknown. Is that okay with you?” “Yes, fine. Sorry,” she said with a huff. She crossed her arms in front of her and mumbled something I thankfully couldn’t make out. Jessica’s mother, Karen, lived in the center of a long row of early nineties tract homes. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a lovely glow over the two-story house. The property was warm and welcoming, sporting a well-groomed yard complete with an assortment of happy looking flowers, and a portly garden gnome, nestled alongside an impressive oak tree. I eyed the porcelain gnome speculatively. “Hmph, stupid lawn décor manufacturers,” I mumbled to myself. “Gnomes are shifty little buggers, not pint-sized versions of Santa Claus. Idiots.” “What are you saying?” Taylor asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Nothing.” I shook my head and motioned for her to follow me around the side of the house. “Let’s go.” If there was a commotion, I didn’t want an easy audience, and decided entering from the side of the house was the best option. Besides, I knew Jessica hid the spare key under a rock in one of the large planters that lined her back patio. “Stay behind me,” I said as I unlocked and opened the side door that led to Jessica’s garage. Taylor nodded and grabbed hold of the back of my shirt with a loud gulp. The garage was pitch black, the musty smell of gasoline, old boxes, and dog food filling the air. I quickly willed the light on, refusing to allow anyone or anything to jump out at me in the dark. If I was going to be attacked, I wanted to know what I was facing. My heart raced as I processed what I was looking at. Karen’s car sat in the center of the garage as it always did when she was home, but the driver’s side door was wide open, and the parking lights were on. I slowly 147

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made my way around the vehicle to see that the keys were in the ignition, which had been turned slightly, causing the lights to come on. “Martha…” Taylor’s voice wobbled and cracked, full of fear. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing to a large, brown smear that trailed down the driver’s side window. The smudge stopped at the handle. I glanced back at Taylor to see her eyes tearing up. She knew as well as I did, exactly what the smear was. Blood. Bile rose up from my stomach, burning my throat and mouth. “No,” I said, trying desperately to turn my feelings of defeat into anger. Anger would serve me much better. “No! No! No!” “Yeeeesssssssss,” I heard a low, spine chilling voice hiss. I whipped my head around just as Taylor started screaming bloody murder. “Oh, crap.” I didn’t think, I just took action, swinging my arm out in front of me and pinning the hideous creature that stood before us against a large wall of shelving lining the side of the garage with my magic. “What the hell is that thing?” Taylor managed to ask between shrieks of terror. “It’s a Chromandi,” I shouted, my eyes never leaving the enormous, snarling, hideous beast struggling against the stronghold of my magic. “Get inside the house! Now!” I screamed. Relief coursed through me when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Taylor shoot over the hood of the car and barrel through the open door that led into the house. I’d read about Chromandi in the Book of Light. They were mindless, savage creatures, with razor-sharp claws full of deadly poison, and rows of jagged, sharp teeth that looked like something out of the movie Jaws. These particular demons most often served as cheap muscle for hire for evil-doers who were too busy to do their own dirty work. The only way to kill a Chromandi was to pierce it through the heart, much like killing a vampire. There was no way I was leaving the garage without putting the hell beast down, and I quickly scanned the room for anything that would serve as a makeshift weapon. My eyes settled on a large pair of rusty, pruning shears propped up on a nearby workbench. Extending my arm out toward the shears, with a large, sweeping motion, I sent them flying across the garage, the tip spearing the hairy demon through the heart. A horrific gurgling sound bounced off the walls of the

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dank room as the beast let out its last breath. Its head lolled to the side as it bled out onto the garage floor. The sound of Taylor’s screaming set my feet in motion, and I ran through the open door into Jessica’s house. Taylor stood at the opposite end of a long hallway, fending off another Chromandi with one of Karen’s wingback dining room chairs. Girlfriend was giving it everything she had, swinging the fancy chair back and forth as though it weighed nothing. “Get away from me, you demon freak.” She screamed again, swung back, and smacked the hairy demon square in the stomach with the chair. The Chromandi pressed forward, unfazed by Taylor’s blow. “Taylor! Toss the chair and get out of the way!” Several things happened at the same time. Taylor tossed the chair high into the air and dove under the nearby dining room table. Past the realm of irritation, I felt my feet leave the ground as I levitated off the floor. I flew toward the snaggle-toothed demon threatening to eat my friend, hellbent on putting it down. Reaching out toward the wingback chair that was still flying through the air, I shattered it into a thousand pieces. I sent the flying kindling toward the Chromandi, who’d managed to grab a hold of one of Taylor’s feet and was doing its best to pull her out from underneath the table. Several large splinters of wood sliced through the creature’s hairy back, piercing it through the heart. With a loud grunt, the demon crashed down on top of the dining room table. And much to my surprise, the table remained upright, holding the massive weight of the heavy — and very dead — demon that lay on top of it. “Goddammit,” Taylor shouted as she scurried out from underneath the large wooden table. “I’m tired of being attacked by ugly-ass demons. What in the fuster cluck is going on?” “I have no idea,” I said as I lowered myself to the floor. “We need to find Jessica and — ” “Martha! Look out,” Taylor screamed. Everything went black.

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yanked back into consciousness by an agonizing, throbbing sensation Iwas at the back of my head, and a hot, searing pain down the center of my

back. It felt like someone took a meat tenderizer to my skull and a branding iron to the flesh on my back. A low groan escaped my lips as my hand instinctively reached toward the source of my pain.

A warm hand grasped onto my wrist. “Don’t. Leave it.” That voice. So familiar. “Xan?” I struggled to open my eyes, my eyelids fluttering and unable to stay open under their heavy weight. Where the hell was I? And what the hell was Xan doing here? Finally deciding they would cooperate, my eyes opened. Xan hovered over me as I lay on my side. He was dressed as he had been the night before, in a pair of jeans and nothing else. His brows were knit together, his eyes filled with terror, worry, and something that looked a lot like panic. I braced my hands on the cold surface of the floor, and moved to sit up, when a sudden surge of dizziness overtook me. “Oh…I think I might be sick.” I quickly rolled away from Xan, losing the contents of my stomach. Each retch intensified my pain. The flesh on my back felt as if it were being torn apart. “It hurts,” I said, weakly as I lay motionless on my side. “I know, mi dulce. I know it does. Try to be still. The more you move around, the faster the poison spreads.”

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So that was what the searing pain in my back was. I’d been scratched by the Chromandi. “How bad is it?” I asked, knowing that if it looked half as bad as it felt, I was in some serious shit. “Es malo,” he said grimly while brushing a piece of hair out of my eyes. “It’s very bad.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, knowing that at that point it was useless to freak out or get angry. Chromandi venom was powerful and worked fast. With each beat of my heart, the treacherous venom flooded, invaded and poisoned my system. I felt Xan’s strong arms slip underneath my legs and shoulders, lifting me off the cold surface of the floor and onto his lap. My vision was blurry, and I couldn’t make out where we were, just that we sat in a small patch of dark, a blinding white light in the near distance. “Where are we?” I asked, my mouth beginning to feel dry and pasty. “We’re in the solarium of the King estate, out on Mines Road.” He cradled my head in the crook of his elbow and brushed a piece of hair out of my face. “Promise me…” I said, struggling to form my words. My jaw felt stiff ,and there was a tingling sensation traveling up and down my arms and legs. “Promise me you will find Jessica and Taylor. Promise me you will help them.” “Sshhh…” He placed a fingertip to my almost completely numb lips and caressed my cheek gently. I felt a set of warm, soft lips graze my forehead, and an immediate sense of loss as his hand suddenly disappeared from my face. Never again would I bask in the warmth and comfort of his touch. I’d never again taste the magnificence of his lips against my own. My first kiss with Xan had been my last. My weak heart threatened to stop beating at the thought of never seeing Xan again, and I fought to fill my lungs with air. I had to tell him how I felt. Even if he didn’t share my feelings, he had to know. “Xan,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m so sorry…for everything.” My hearing wavered in and out. I was barely able to make out what sounded like a low growl. My hearing faded away completely for a moment, but not before I heard a hiss and the juicy sound of flesh being torn into. Everything was dark, and I grew colder by the moment. My time was up. “I…want you to know…that I — ” “Sshhh, cariño,” he said, cutting me off. He placed his wrist to my lips. The last thing I remembered was a warm, delicious liquid, filling my 151

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impossibly dry mouth, and sliding down my throat as I heard Xan speak. “Te amo con todo mi corazón. Now drink.”

y “Mmmm,” I murmured as I lifted my arms above my head in a slow, deliberate stretch. Warm. There was no other word to describe the bliss coursing through me. My entire body felt as though it were being bathed in warm, comforting goodness. Like a cat sunning itself in front of a window on a bright, sunny day, I felt good. A nagging sensation festered in the back of my mind, eating away at the peace and serenity I felt. Something. There was something I was forgetting. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs to capacity and exhaled, enjoying the silence. I opened my eyes. The corners of my lips turned up into a smile as I looked up at the bright midday sun shining down on me through the glass ceiling above. I lay perfectly still for a moment, my mind oddly blank, until suddenly, the events from the past day came barreling through my mind. Jessica’s house…the Chromandi…the poison…Xan…the sun. “Oh, God!” I shouted and sat up. “The sun!” I was on my feet before I knew it. My back, which oddly enough was no longer in pain, came into contact with a smooth, hard surface. I spun around, finally able to take in my surroundings. I stood in an empty solarium, my back flush against one of the cool panes of glass that made up the small, light-filled room. As I continued to look around, I saw the sunroom appeared to be situated in the center of the property, and was most likely meant to serve as a greenhouse of sorts or a place where the owner could enjoy the delights of the outdoors without actually leaving his/her home. “What the — ” Strategically placed at various points around the outer perimeter of the room were what looked to be some sort of video surveillance devices. I didn’t have time to investigate further as the sound of labored breathing filled the small space. I spun around on my heels to see Xan crouched on the opposite side of the room, his beautiful bronze skin, practically glowing in the sunlight. He kept his head down, between his knees, his hands clasped behind his neck. He breathed heavily, a low growling sound emanating from deep within his chest with each labored exhale. Covered in a thin sheen of sweat, his entire body shook. A sick feeling grew in the pit of my stomach. I’d 152

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seen him display the same symptoms just a day before. Things were about to go downhill fast. I raised my arms, intent on blasting my way out of the glass room with my magic, but nothing happened. I stared down at my hands, momentarily shocked before narrowing my eyes, locking my jaw and giving it another go round. “Don’t…bother,” Xan said through gritted teeth. His voice sounded strained, like he was on the edge of losing control, or in a great amount of pain. “The room’s been charmed. Once in, there’s no way out.” I glanced over my shoulder at the nearest video camera, and then back at Xan who refused to lift his head to meet my eyes. “Shit,” I muttered under my breath. We’d been set up. Lucian had kidnapped Jessica and her mother, knowing full well I’d move Heaven and Earth to find them, and used his Chromandi goons to take me down while I searched, snatching Taylor in the process. It was obvious he was on to Xan as well, which was why we now found ourselves trapped in an indoor greenhouse. He’d dumped me in the solarium, knowing Xan would come for me, knowing he’d risk sun exposure to save me. Sick and twisted, Lucian was going to use Xan to take me out. The vampire who had watched over me for half my life, who had served as my protector would in the end be my destroyer. “No,” I said, shaking my head as I paced back and forth, desperately trying to think of something, anything to do to get us out of the sun. “I don’t accept this! There has to be a way!” I took several steps toward Xan only to stop dead in my tracks as a horrific growl emanated from deep within his chest. His head snapped up with a hiss, and his razor sharp fangs extended. The sound of his labored breathing filled the glass room as he glared at me through a pair of savage, yellow eyes. “Stay the fuck back!” His voice was raw, gravelly, animalistic, and it made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. My heart pounded as I took a step back, my body instinctively fleeing from the danger Xan posed to me. But my head and my heart refused to be afraid of him. He might have been a vampire on the verge of losing control, but he was mine, and I stood my ground refusing to flee. “I’m not afraid of you,” I said as I moved toward him. “Let me — ” I was hit with a blast of energy that sent me flying back against the far wall. I moved to get up only to find he was pinning me in place with the last bit of strength he had left. 153

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“I said stay back!” He was panting rapidly, his chest heaving with each breath. “Please…cariño. Listen. If there is any chance of us…getting out of here, I need you to…find Gabriel. He can…help.” “Find Gabriel? How the hell am I supposed to do that? You’ve got me pinned to a wall which, as you pointed out a few minutes ago, is impervious to magic!” Xan’s head shot back, his teeth gnashing together. With his eyes squeezed shut, he let out a loud, agonizing groan. No! My chest ached as though someone had tried to rip my still beating heart from it. Xan was in pain, and I was helpless to do anything about it. “Fuck! We’re running out of time,” he groaned. Tears welled in my eyes as I watched him fight against his powerful bloodlust, the muscles in his neck and jaw straining as he fought to speak. “Just listen…you need to project your subconscious self to him. Just… picture him in your head and focus. Imagine yourself floating up and out of your body. You can do it…you have to.” You can do it…you have to. His words echoed in my ears over and over again. I held our fate in the palm of my hands. Somehow I needed to learn how to astral project, or we were done for. Any minute, Xan could lose his tenuous hold on his bloodlust and come at me, draining me dry. Or, he’d simply perish, leaving Lucian to finish me off. I closed my eyes and pictured Gabriel in my head. There was a tightening in my chest, and I felt dizzy. “Control…your breathing, cariño. You’re…hyperventilating. Take slow, easy breaths. That’s…ahh fuck!” Slamming his fists onto the floor, a loud hiss escaped his lips as they peeled back, further exposing his long, snake-like fangs. He stared at me with those eerie, yellow eyes. “Hurry! My strength…it’s fading. I can’t hold on much longer.” I swallowed hard and closed my eyes once again, doing everything I could to block out the sounds of his animal-like panting, and focused on the image of the only person left who could help us: Gabriel. Taking slow, easy breaths in through my nose and out my mouth, I pictured myself hovering, floating high above my body. The familiar electrical buzz I felt when teleporting sparked, radiating from the center of my body outward. I felt light, airy, almost like I was in a dream. Looking down into the glass room as I floated further up, I saw myself pinned to the glass wall, my eyes closed in deep concentration. Continuing my journey upward, I saw Xan out of the corner of my eye and was pulled 154

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back into my body with a loud gasp. My eyes shot open to see Xan, lying supine on the cold floor, motionless. “Xan!” I prepared to struggle against the magical hold he’d placed on me only to find it was no longer there. Xan’s strength had finally given out. He was dying. I didn’t think. I just moved. I flew across the glass room like a rocket until I was kneeling over him, searching for any sign of life. “Xan!” My hands flew up to my mouth as I rocked back and forth on my knees — hot tears falling like rain down my cheeks. “Please…please hold on!” I grabbed hold of his hand, lifting it up to my cheek as I continued to rock back and forth weeping. My voice was barely audible through the deluge of my tears. “Please, please, Xan. I need you. I…I love you.” A low moan rose up from where he lay, and I looked down through blurry eyes to see his chest moving, a shallow rise and fall. He struggled to speak as a pair of warm, caramel eyes looked up at me. “Mi amor. My love.” His voice was faint, weak, and I had to lean forward to hear him. “Don’t give up. Find Gabriel.” “Sshhh,” I said, reaching out to caress his cheek. “Save your energy.” He was so still, so pale. The life almost completely drained from him. “I’m sorry I…failed you, Ainsley.” I shook my head, gasping for air. “You didn’t fail me, Xan. Sshhh… please…” “You must know. I’ve always…loved you. Watching over you has been…my honor.” I watched in horror as he struggled to pull air into his lungs, his breaths coming in intermittent, slow, shallow pants. “No!” I couldn’t watch him die. I wouldn’t. Xan was my heart, the very air I breathed. There was no way I was going to sit back and let him go without a fight. Xan needed blood, and I was going to feed him. I swept my hair off my neck and leaned over him. “Xan! Feed from me!” “No.” I grasped his face between my hands. “Stop trying to be the hero. You need to feed. You’re dying!” “No. I won’t…feed from you. Won’t…hurt you.” He’d given me his vow just days before to never lose control with me again, and he was sticking to it. Even though it meant his certain death. “Please.” I sobbed uncontrollably. “You can control yourself. I know you can. You won’t hurt me!” 155

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Something inside me snapped when he turned his head away from me, stubbornly refusing what I offered freely, willingly. He’d given up. Not trusting himself to remain in control and not fighting for the feelings we shared for one another. “Stop it!” Angry and desperate, I slapped him hard across the face, the echo of it reverberating off the glass walls of the greenhouse. A pair of hungry yellow eyes met mine. I gasped. Oh, my. If pleading with him to feed wouldn’t work, then maybe triggering the animal in him would. I lowered my eyelids, took a deep breath and slapped him again. Hard. Xan let out a loud hiss as his fangs glistened in the light. “Stop! You… don’t know what…you’re doing,” he said, panting heavier now. Adrenaline coursed through him, giving him the last bit of strength he needed to attack his prey. “Yes…I….do.” I balled up my fist and hit him with everything I had, square in the jaw. The force of the blow sent a sharp, jarring pain, shooting up my arm. “Now bite,” I said, yanking back my hair to expose the bare column of my neck. My carotid pounded away, clearly visible to him with the rapid beating of my heart. I didn’t see him move. One minute he was lying on the floor, the next he was on me. His razor sharp fangs sank deep into my throat, taking long, slow pulls of the one thing that would sustain his life: my blood. Just as before, there was an explosion of heat and pleasure, and — oh, God. It was good. With each glorious pull, I came closer to the edge, ready to fall into a blissful oblivion. I moaned loudly, holding him to me as he continued to feed. “Oh, God…Xan.” His mouth, his scent, the noises he made as he pulled my life-giving blood down his throat were all-consuming, and I wanted nothing more than for him to devour me body and soul. He pulled back abruptly, his feral eyes meeting my own, a trail of deep red running down his chin. A wicked grin crossed his glorious face. “Time to get out of here.” At the same moment, the glass wall opposite us shattered with a deafening clatter. Large shards of glass flew across the room at light speed. Shielding me with his body, Xan scooped me up into his strong, capable arms, and stood. He wheeled around to face Gabriel, who stood just outside the glass room with a large pick-axe in his hand and a murderous look on his face.

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My eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets. “Oh, my God! How?” I turned, completely astonished, searching Xan’s face for an answer. “I wasn’t able to project myself. I couldn’t do it. How did he find us?” “I summoned him while I fed from you.” “You what? How is that — ” “I’ll explain later, cariño. We have to get out of the sun. Now.” He whisked me across the small room, stepping through the broken glass wall. “Wait,” I cried out, flailing my arms like a mad woman. “Stop!” Cupping Xan’s cheek with my palm, I turned his face toward the nearby surveillance camera before holding out my free arm, extending my middle finger and flipping the camera the universal sign for “get fucked.” “Game on,” I said into the camera before Xan and Gabriel poofed us to safety.

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who still held me in his arms, collapsed onto his knees with a loud Xan,groan before setting me down gently on the living-room floor of his apartment.

“Xan?” I shot up onto my knees to face him. His head hung low, almost resting on his chest as his entire body shook. Placing a hand on each cheek, I lifted his face to meet my gaze and drew in a sharp breath. “Your eyes…” “He needs more blood.” I turned my head and looked up to see Gabriel standing before us, austere and grim, holding several bags of A-positive. His eyebrows lowered in concern as he looked down at his weakened friend, his lips drawn into a thin line. Crouching down, he handed the liquid life to Xan, who immediately sank his fangs into the bag and drank. Gabriel squeezed his shoulder. “There you go, my friend. Drink.” Gabriel stood from where he’d been kneeling. “Drink and regain your strength.” Mad-dogging me with a grim look, he gave a slight nod of the head before turning to leave. Leaving Xan to his needs, I stood up and followed Gabriel over to where he stood near the front door. His dark eyes were hollow, almost lifeless as though he were a shell of his former self, less than what he once was. I couldn’t help but wonder what it was that haunted him. He was extraordinarily handsome, just like Xan, with his tan skin, dark hair, and emerald eyes, but I’d never seen him display any type of emotion save for when he was near Taylor. He seemed uncharacteristically protective of her, and I’d noticed a spark in his eyes as he’d watched over her. “Thank you,” I said and stepped forward. I wrapped my arms around his waist as he stood unmoving, still. “Thank you for helping us. For helping him.” Dropping my arms, I stepped back, wiping a stray tear from my

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eye and looked up to meet his empty gaze. I reached out and rubbed his shoulder. “We’re going to get her back. We’re going to get all of them back. I won’t rest until we do.” I watched the muscles in his jaw clench as he breathed deeply through his nose. There was a flash of something in his eyes, but it was gone before I could decipher it. “Go take care of your vampire. He needs you as much as you need him. Call me when you’re ready to kill Lucian.” He looked over toward Xan and back to me before flashing out of the room. It only took a moment before I felt the familiar burn of Xan’s stare boring into the flesh of my back. The intensity of the sensation nearly stole my breath away as it tugged and pulled at me. I turned around and was spellbound, held captive by his gaze. He stood, half-naked and bloodstained, like a deadly animal that’d just tasted the spoils of his kill. The yellow eyes were gone, replaced with warm, penetrating brown orbs that crept over me, easing me and filling me with a sense of safety and love. We both stood unmoving, lost in one another’s gaze for the briefest of moments before coming at each other hard. “You came for me,” I said, breathless and enraptured by his thick, woodsy scent. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. I closed my eyes and gave myself over to the sensation of his smooth skin and taut muscles against my cheek and listened to the rapid beat of his heart as I held onto him for dear life. “I’ll always come for you, mi amor. Tú eres mi vida. I live only for you, cariño.” He tightened his arms around me and pressed his lips to the top of my head. His warm breath fanned over me like a blanket of comfort, and I never wanted him to let go. I pulled back, watching my hands as they ghosted over the tan skin of his shoulders and down the rock hard expanse of his chiseled pecs. I fought to draw breath into my lungs, the air thick and heavy with desire. I’d come so close to losing him. I’d almost died myself. The thought of being separated from Xan for any length of time made my heart ache and my stomach turn. Entranced by the magnificence of his body, I ran my hands back up over his shoulders until they finally came to rest against his thick biceps. Looking up into his eyes, I was lost — completely under his thrall, and unable to deny the feelings that had grown so quickly any longer. I was in love with a vampire. I was in love with Xan. And no — it didn’t matter to me that we’d only just met. I didn’t care that we were under attack by a psychopath and the timing was all wrong. He was beautiful. He was strong. He was sexy as hell, and he’d been watching over me for half 159

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my life. Xan was my destiny. I’d learned early on that life was short, and I wasn’t about to risk losing him again. Not without showing him how I felt. Ready to cast away my innocence, I slid my hands down the length of his arms, grabbed hold of his hands, and lifted them up so that they rested on either side of my neck. “Touch me.” My chest heaved, and my lungs fought to pull in air as his fingertips slowly traced down my neck and along the length of my collarbone. I trembled, an icy cool shiver shooting up the length of my spine from the almost maddening, delicious torture of his caress. Xan’s lips turned up into a sinfully wicked smile, exposing his deadly fangs once again. “With pleasure.” Pulling me to him roughly, he flashed us to his bedroom, atop the black, silk sheeting of his bed. “The things I want to do to you, cariño.” His voice was like hot, liquid sex pouring over every inch of my flesh, and I welcomed the burn. I craved it. “You just have no idea,” he whispered into my ear as he hovered over me. Lifting my hand up to his face, I traced the contour of his bottom lip, my finger grazing over the tip of his fang as I looked up into his dark desire-filled eyes. “Show me.” The look on his face as he bent down to brush his lips against my own was indescribable. His expression was raw, powerful and full of need. He looked as though he wanted to devour me — and I liked it. No, I loved it. I was completely desperate for him. I whimpered as the soft whisper of Xan’s lips left mine and traveled down my jaw, ghosting over the column of my neck. The sensation of his mouth on my flesh was better than anything I could have imagined and — God — I wanted more. I wanted his mouth all over me. He moved back up, and I sighed into his kiss as his tongue sought entrance. A low moan rumbled from deep within me as he explored my mouth, plunging and seeking. The sharp points of his fangs pulled across the soft flesh of my lips sending a warm rush of heat cascading through my veins. Blazing a trail of featherlight kisses across my cheek, his warm breath tickled my ear as he whispered. “You have too many clothes on, cariño. Let me help you with that.” There was a bright flash of light, and the next thing I knew I lay naked beneath him. The silence in the room was deafening as he sat back, devouring my naked body with his dark, smoldering eyes. No man had ever seen me naked 160

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before, and yet, there was no reflex to cover myself. His gaze felt like a lick of smooth satin over my skin as it trailed down the length of my body. I watched the quick rise and fall of his chest and knew he was right there with me — wanting — desiring — needing. “So much better than I — ” He hissed. “Fuck me.” His tongue licked out, running the span of his bottom lip as he took in the sight of my recent wax job. Apparently, the pain I’d endured was worth it, judging by the fevered look in his eyes. “You’re fucking bare, cariño. Fuck.” He groaned and leaned forward, sucking the lobe of my ear into his mouth, gently nibbling on it before whispering, “So fucking hot.” His mouth left my ear, blazing a trail of whisper-light kisses down my neck and chest, his tongue darting out and… “Oh, God!” My back arched off the mattress as his tongue flicked across my left nipple. And when his lips drew the sensitive nub into his mouth, I thought I might explode. His right hand traveled up my side, his fingertips grazing the swell of my right breast before he moved over to take it into his mouth, doling out the same, delicious torture he gave the left one. My skin burned as though I were bathed in fire, swathed in the deep blue flame that was Xan. “Madre de Dios,” he groaned, as the tips of his fangs slid down the flesh of my stomach. “You taste so sweet. I have to know. I have to…” A loud gasp escaped my lips as his tongue licked a hot trail up my center. Nothing in this life could have prepared me for the sensation of his lips and tongue on the sensitive flesh of my core. Blissfully sweet agony was the only way to describe it. I whimpered and moaned as he spread my legs further apart, lapping — sucking — licking. The slow, sweet burn that was building in me grew into a five-alarm fire. The need, the desperately sweet ache that grew stronger with each pass of his tongue, was almost more than I could handle. As if he knew I was teetering on the edge of release, Xan focused all his attention on the small bundle of nerves at my center, sending wave upon wave of mind-altering pleasure crashing over me. I cried out his name. My toes curled, and my body shook, trembling from the force of my orgasm. “You like my mouth on you, mi dulce?” he whispered soft and low as he crawled back up the length of my body. Barely able to speak as my breaths still came in slow, shallow pants, I nodded. “Yes…I…yes.”

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A slow, satisfied smile crept across his mouth as he leaned down, licking and sucking the skin on my neck into his mouth. “Good,” he whispered. “Because I plan on doing that every chance I get.” I whimpered, the thought of Xan’s mouth on me nearly causing my eyes to roll back into my head. He snaked his arm beneath my back, lifting me up off the mattress so that I was straddling his lap. “It’s my turn now.” There was another flash of light, and I looked down to see Xan was now completely naked and — holy — ! My breath caught at the sight of the massive appendage shooting out from his taut body like a rifle, cocked and ready to blow. I ran my hand down his chest and abs, my fingertip blazing a trail from his naval down until I could —  “Oh,” I gasped and bit down on my lower lip. He was impossibly hard, and thick, like a steel rod. But the skin was soft — smooth and incredibly warm. I wrapped my fingers as far as they would go around his shaft and stroked once, delighting in the silky smooth hardness of his member. Xan’s low hiss tore my eyes from the sight of my hand slowly stroking him, and I looked up to see him panting heavily, his head hung low, watching me work him. Pulling my other hand to his chest, he looked up, capturing my gaze with his own. “Feel what your touch does to me, cariño. Look how I tremble.” Desire swept over me as I felt his ancient heart, pounding a strong, steady beat beneath his skin. Sliding my hand up his chest, I let it come to rest at the base of his neck and pulled him forward until our lips were one. “Oh God, Xan,” I moaned into his mouth, running my fingers up into his messy hair. “I can’t wait any longer, mi amor.” His voice was strained, his breathing labored as I continued to stroke him, faster now. Taking hold of my wrists, he placed them around his neck before kissing me with a tenderness that nearly shattered me. “It will only hurt for a moment, and then I promise you, cariño, you’ll feel nothing but pleasure.” Lifting me by the hips, he held me so that I hovered, just over the tip of his cock. The smooth, slick sensation of his hardness, rubbing against the sensitive bundle of nerves at my center had me panting and moaning his name. “Please,” I moaned, right before he pulled me down onto him, sheathing himself fully within me. I cried out from the force of the burn, the tearing away of my innocence, and the huge invasion that was Xan. 162

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Holding me still, rubbing soft, easy strokes up and down my back, he waited patiently for the pain to subside before moving. Slowly at first, he lifted me up and down, the muscles in his arms cording and flexing as he gradually picked up speed. It wasn’t long before my body relaxed, and the slow, delicious burn started to return. My head fell back as I gave myself over to the sensation of Xan sheathed deep inside me. “Fuck, cariño,” he growled in between thrusts. “So…much…better…” He let out a loud groan and suddenly my back was flush against the headboard of his bed. My legs wrapped around Xan’s hips as he pounded into me with reckless abandon. “Never…I’ve never felt — ” His voice was wild — deep and raspy as he fought to suck air into his lungs. “Mine. Tell me you’re mine.” The world spun, and I was on fire. He tore into me, pounding and thrusting, until I teetered on the brink of release. I closed my eyes, letting my head fall back. He grasped the back of my head, forcing me to face him. “Look at me, cariño. Tell me you’re mine. Tell me there will never be another. Say it!” “I’m…yours,” I said breathlessly as I looked into his impossibly dark eyes. “Para siempre. Always,” he growled and sank his fangs deep into my neck, sending me over the edge into oblivion right along with him. I cried out his name, holding his head to my neck as he drank, riding on the waves of the most powerful orgasm he’d given me yet. Licking the remnants of my blood off my neck, Xan held me to him, and turned, laying me down atop the bed once more. Sweeping my hair off my face and out of my eyes, he leaned in and kissed me gently before staring into my eyes with a look of total adoration. “I know I’m a monster, cariño. And I know I’ll never deserve you. But — Cristo! Everything I am… my heart…my body…my soul…is yours. Always. I love you.”

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cariño.” Concentrate, I raised an eyebrow and flashed Xan a look of warning, hoping he

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would zip it. I’d been trying to concentrate, but he kept yakking it up. Apparently, I had no luck; he kept on talking. “Your body is a conduit for your magic. Embrace your emotions. Take all your anger, all your frustration, everything you are feeling, and channel it through your body. When you can do that, you’ll — ” “Xan,” I said, doing my best not to snap at him because, really, he was just trying to help. “I can concentrate better when it’s quiet.” Fingering the silken sheets I sat on, I closed my eyes, focused on my destination, and embraced the electrical surge that came each time I teleported. Smiling, because I’d just poofed myself from his bedroom to the kitchen, I opened up his refrigerator and pulled out an apple. The cool air from the fridge felt good against my skin, and I tore into the fruit like it was the last piece of food on the planet. I groaned in delight as the juice from the tart fruit filled my mouth. There was a loud pop, and I smiled as I felt Xan’s arms wrap around me, pulling me close. His warm breath tickled my ear. “Very good, mi amor. You’re getting faster. Learning how to teleport amidst distraction is key. Lucian and his minions aren’t likely to stop fighting and be quiet so you can teleport away from them. That’s why you — ” Rolling my eyes, I teleported back into his bedroom. Pulling my knees into my chest, I sat atop his bed and waited. Xan flashed in beside me moments later. I treated him to smug grin and took another bite of my apple. “You were saying?”

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“Confidence is one thing, mi dulce. Cockiness is another. Don’t forget whom it is that we’re up against. Lucian has walked this earth for a very long time. His power is beyond anything you’ve ever seen before.” I took a deep breath, rested my chin on my knees, and frowned up at Xan. “You don’t have to remind me. I know I’m outmatched.” There wasn’t a second that passed by where I didn’t worry about how I was going to get my friends back, or wonder how I would best Lucian and his Legions of Doom. Frustrated and on the verge of a headache, I rubbed at my temple and sighed. Reaching out, he brushed my hair behind my shoulders, running his fingers through the longer strands. “I’m not trying to burst your bubble, mi amor. I just want you to be prepared. Lucian will use whatever means necessary to try to take us out, and we need to be ready.” He plucked the apple from my hand and took a bite before disappearing. “Xan?” I started to crawl off the bed and was hit with a burst of energy that sent me flying back against the wall. “Goddammit! What the — ” I was hit with another blast before I could finish my sentence. Channeling my emotions, I teleported into the living room of Xan’s apartment and put up a protective barrier. Taking a fighting stance, I scanned the room in search of him. “Your barrier won’t help you, cariño.” Xan’s deep voice filled the room, yet he was nowhere to be seen. “Lucian can break it just as easily as I can.” My breath quickened as I took in my surroundings, my gaze darting back and forth in search of him. I was hit from behind, the force of the blast sending me head first into his coffee table. I smashed the abused piece of furniture to bits yet again. Moaning, I pushed up onto my hands and knees, as broken pieces of wood pierced my skin. I cried out because, dammit, that shit hurt. Just as I got to my feet another blast took me down. “What the hell?” I hollered. “Why are you — ” “Focus, Ainsley!” There was a pop, and I looked up to see Xan standing over me, jaw clenched in anger. “This is not a game. Lucian will come at you with everything he’s got, and from the look of things…” He paused, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled deeply, then continued “…it won’t take long for him to destroy you. You’re not ready. Not even close.” The force of his words struck me like a crowbar smacking me across the face. They hurt. But more than that, they fueled my anger. I didn’t care what he said. I was ready. Determined to prove him wrong, I narrowed 165

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my eyes, focused, and disappeared, teleporting to stand just behind him. With a quick flick of my hand, I sent the crushed remnants of his table flying toward him. He disappeared, and I was forced to throw up a barrier to protect myself from the flying wreckage. Not wanting to stand in one place too long and remain an easy target, I flashed about the room, my eyes always searching for Xan. “Good, cariño, but not very creative. You’ve assaulted me with flying toothpicks once before. Try cloaking yourself.” “Try what?” I asked, narrowly dodging an energy pulse and sending back one of my own, destroying a nearby lamp. Xan’s poor apartment had seen better days. “Render yourself invisible. If you can change your appearance, you can cloak yourself with invisibility.” I paused, thinking about what it was that he wanted me to do and was hit from the side. The blast sent me spiraling back against the nearby wall, my head and shoulders taking the brunt of the impact. I cried out in pain as I scrambled to my feet. Tired of feeling like a punching bag and determined to prove my strength, I narrowed my eyes, took a deep breath, and focused on disappearing. Once out of sight, I lifted the television from where it sat and sent it flying across the room toward the sound of Xan’s voice. The large flat screen stopped mere centimeters from the wall and disappeared with a flash of light. “Let’s not destroy perfectly good electronics, mi amor.” I rolled my eyes and frowned. Men and their gadgetry! “Concentrate, cariño. Reach out with your senses to locate me.” Yeah. Easy for you to say, buddy. You’ve been doing this forever. I chewed away at my bottom lip and concentrated. Still cloaked, I popped around the room several times, dodging energy blasts while trying to get a read on his location. Taking a deep breath, I fixed all my attention on the tugging sensation I always felt when Xan’s eyes were on me, letting his fresh, woodsy scent fill my senses. With a wicked grin, I sent a set of knives flying out of the kitchen and across the room. The cutlery disappeared with a brilliant flash of light, right in front of Xan who rendered himself visible once again. “Good, mi amor.” His eyes, though serious, held a hint of approval, and I knew he was proud of me. “Now do it again.”

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It was well into the night by the time Xan deemed me proficient in the art of supernatural warfare, and his apartment looked like a tornado had gone through it. I watched in awe as he went about his home, righting the damage and cleaning the place with just the slightest of hand movements. He truly was magical in every sense of the word. “So what’s the deal with Gabriel? How did you two meet?” I followed Xan over to the kitchen and watched as he dished two platefuls of what looked like leftover orange chicken and noodles, popping them into the microwave. My stomach growled despite the fact that I wasn’t a huge fan of reheated Chinese food. With all the training we’d done, I was starving. He handed me a bottle of water and pointed to the couch, indicating he wanted me to take a seat. “I’ve known Gabriel my entire life. We were childhood friends.” With the amount of out-of-this-world crap I’d seen in the last week, one would think I’d become desensitized to shocking revelations. Amazingly enough, this was not the case, and my jaw dropped in astonishment as I stared open-mouthed at Xan. “Gabriel is as old as you? What — what is he?” I hadn’t picked up any undead vibes from him, but that didn’t mean anything. I hadn’t been able to sense Xan’s otherworldliness either. At this point, nothing would surprise me. “Here,” he said, handing me a warm plate of food and taking a seat beside me on the couch. “Eat. Your body needs the fuel for the fight to come.” One look at the plate of food in front of me, and everything else was temporarily forgotten. I tore into the Asian cuisine like an animal, barely taking time to chew. Three quarters of the way through my plate, I felt a warm set of eyes on me. With a mouth full of noodles, I looked up to see Xan staring at me with a look of smug satisfaction. Shrugging, I shoveled down another bite. I didn’t care of I looked like a pig; I was damn hungry. “A warlock.” “Huh?” I said, trying not to choke on my last bite of chicken. I set down my plate, took a swig of water and looked over to him. “You wanted to know what Gabriel is. He’s a warlock, just like me.” I choked on my water, coughing and sputtering as I tried to catch my breath. “So he’s a hybrid as well? I thought you were unique to this world?” He sighed. “Okay, well, I suppose he’s not exactly like me. His father was a warlock, not a vampire. His mother belonged to the same coven as mine.”

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Twisting the cap onto my water, I set it down and turned so my entire body faced Xan, sitting cross-legged on the sofa. “If he’s not a vampire, then how has he lived so long?” Xan’s face, already serious-as-a-heart-attack from all the training we’d done, grew more severe as he prepared to answer my question. “My blood.” My head snapped back, as I stared at Xan wide-eyed. “Your blood? I — I — don’t understand.” There I went again, stammering away like an idiot. There was obviously a reasonable explanation for why Gabriel had fed from Xan. But regardless, his confession left me a bit weirded out. “He was dying. We’d been fighting off an Aerico demon. Damn filthy bastards. Their venom is filled with poison, disease. We took the demon out, but not before Gabriel was bitten. As you know, magic can do a lot of wondrous things. Mend broken bones. Remove bullets from flesh. But it can’t rid the body of disease. My blood, however, can.” My mind was reeling. I knew Xan’s blood had healing properties. I’d listened to the tale of his foster mother, Katya, and I’d experienced its magic firsthand after being poisoned by the Chromandi. But that didn’t explain —  “Oh, my…” I shot up off the couch as if it were on fire, slowly backing away from him with my hand covering my mouth. My heart pounded like a jackhammer as I stared over toward Xan. He sat perfectly still on the couch, watching me come to terms with my discovery. I slowly dropped my hands from my mouth. “Gabriel fed from you…and now he’s…immortal.” He nodded. “In a way. He can be killed just as I can, or you for that matter. My blood has merely prolonged his life.” My breaths came in short gasps. “I…fed…from you.” And so did Jess. The tugging sensation that was always present when I was near him was yanking hard, pulling me to him, drawing me in. Could fate have been that kind? If I made it out of this mess with Lucian, was I going to be able to live out a long life with Xan? There was a blur, and the next thing I knew Xan stood nearly on top of me. His warm, sweet breath wafted across my face, providing me with a sense of ease that only he could. “Sí, cariño. That you did.” Cupping my cheeks in his hands, he stared into my eyes with such an intense look of adoration I thought my knees might give out. His voice was deep and full of emotion. “I couldn’t let you die. I can’t be without you, mi amor.” 168

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The sound of my shallow breathing was all that filled the room as tears welled in my eyes. His eyes narrowed with worry. “Are you angry with me, cariño? I know it was a selfish move on my part, but — ” “Sshhh,” I said, placing my finger to his lips before kissing him sweetly. “You saved my life. I could never be angry with you. Don’t you see? I’ve spent my entire life in hiding. Walking in the shadows, feeling alone. Little did I know you were there all along. Watching me. Protecting me. And now…now if we make it through this…nightmare with Lucian, we can be together. Forever.” Crushing me against his chest, Xan held me tight and kissed the top of my head. “We will defeat Lucian. We will get your friends back. I promise you, Ainsley. Your nightmare is about to end.” I nuzzled my face into his chest and held onto him for dear life as I sent out a silent prayer. Please, God. Please let us get through this alive.

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o…no…no!” With my face and neck flushed scarlet red and my fists Nclenched in anger, I raced through my ransacked apartment. Please… please still be there.

I tore through the doorway into my pillaged bedroom. A sea of chaos came at me from every direction as I surveyed the damage. Drawers had been emptied into the center of the room. The mattress had been overturned and shredded with…God knows what. And my books — Oh, God! My books — what was left of them — lay ripped and torn into tiny pieces throughout the wreckage. But none of that mattered. I sifted my way through the rubble toward the end of my bed where my overturned mattress lay, blocking my view. The destroyed clothing and books could be replaced, but what I searched for could not. Time ceased to move as I shifted the mattress. The place where my trunk once lay, the trunk that held the Book of Light and my scrying crystal, was empty. In its place lay a small package. A box wrapped in black paper and topped off with a blood red bow. Lucian. He’d sent his goons to steal the book from me to try and cripple my rescue attempt, knowing I relied on the information within its pages to help me. Without my crystal, there was no way for me to locate my friends. I sank to my knees as though the wind had been knocked out of me, and shook. Anger, frustration, hatred and fear bubbled up from deep within until I couldn’t contain my emotions any longer, and I exploded, screaming at the top of my lungs. “Cariño!” I was upset, I hadn’t remembered Xan and Gabriel were in the room with me. After training, I’d insisted on coming back to my apartment to

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grab the Book of Light and my crystal so we could find the girls and plan our rescue. What I hadn’t expected was to find my home in shambles and my trunk missing. “Ainsley. Please, mi amor.” He lifted me off the floor and wrapped his arms around me. “It will be all right. I promise you.” Hot tears ran down my cheeks, and I shook my head. “How? How is it going to be all right, Xan? My book is gone and so is my crystal. How am I going to find them?” I cursed at the thought of my family’s book being in the hands of such an evil monster. All that information. All that history was gone. “I think,” Gabriel said and paused as he walked over to us, the mysterious black package floating midair before him, “that whatever lies in this box may lead us to your friends.” Sweaty and hot from crying, I wiped away my tears and watched as Gabriel used his magic to unwrap the nefarious gift-box. I narrowed my eyes in question as a thin dvd case came floating out. After thorough inspection, the disk was deemed safe to touch, and we teleported back to Xan’s place as my television had been destroyed along with everything else. I sat on Xan’s couch, wringing my hands together in nervous anticipation as he placed the disk into the machine and hit play. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw next. The camera was wobbly and out of focus at first. The images were dark and unreadable until candles began illuminating all around the background, filling the screen with an eerie yellow glow. “No,” I sobbed, falling off the couch onto my knees as I reached for the television. In front of me, plastered across a seventy-two inch, high def screen were my friends, hanging by their feet, strung upside down and lifeless. The sound of labored breathing filled the room as whoever held the camera began dancing around my unconscious friends, giggling in delight. Master Lucian requests your presence before him this evening, Ainsley. It was Edie’s voice behind the camera, doing her master’s bidding. Why he’s so interested in your pitiful — Edie’s voice cut off and was replaced by a loud, agonizing shriek. The camera fell sideways for a moment, shooting nothing but floor. Forgive me, Master! I beg of you! Edie’s voice cried out onto the screen. There was a rustling, and the camera was righted, once again showing Taylor, Jessica, and Karen all hanging upside down and motionless. Edie’s voice began wafting out of the speakers again, full of pain and fear. You have until midnight…or this is what will happen to your precious friends. 171

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I sat in horror as a low, base, growling filled the room. There was a flash. A blur of movement and then Karen was gone, viciously torn apart by the newly created and very savage vampire, Deanna. “No!” I screamed. I turned my head from the gruesome sight and fell forward onto my hands and knees, retching. Karen, the sweet woman who took care of everyone, Jessica’s beloved mother, was no more. It felt like someone sliced me open from navel to neck and was playing with my innards. The pain was too much. If Jessica had never met me, her mother would still be alive. She and Taylor wouldn’t be hanging by their feet at the base of death’s door. I brought this on them. My fault! My fault! She’s dead, and it’s all my fault! The sound of Edie’s maniacal laughter blasted from the television speakers, rattling my senses. You have until midnight, Ainsley. Two twelve Florin Road. And if you’re thinking of bringing along your precious vampire lover, don’t. Master won’t hesitate to feed your friends to his newest creation. The camera panned over to where Deanna sat hunched over Karen, who had been ripped down from where she hung, feasting on what was left of her. I blacked out just as the screen went blank.

y An icy December wind blew across my face, chilling me to the bone. My teeth rattled and a deep spasm crawled down my spine as I fought to keep from shivering. Pulling my hood over my head, I tugged on the toggle strings to keep it from falling off and stared at the giant monstrosity that sat in front of me. The old Florin Mansion. It was a perfect backdrop for a supernatural smack-down. The estate sat high on a hill overlooking Hanaford Park, and had a Hitchcock aura about it. Three stories tall with peeling paint and rotting wood, the house looked like something straight out of a horror movie. And lucky me — I was being forced to walk into it alone. And with a house full of vampires and demons waiting for me to boot. I took a deep breath, puffing out my cheeks as I exhaled, and made my way up the long, windy driveway. Reaching into the kangaroo pocket of my sweatshirt, I fingered the wooden stake I’d assumed was long gone and thought of my last conversation with Xan.

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“Remember what I told you, mi amor. There can be no hesitation. Take out anything that crosses your path. Here,” he said, holding out his hand. There was a flash of light and Chuck magically appeared in his palm. I sucked in a deep breath and looked up at him in surprise. “Chuck? But I thought — I was sure I’d lost it.” I grabbed onto my favorite weapon, enjoying the feel of the wood in my hand, the end worn smooth from years of use. Gripping the wooden stake in my right hand, I snaked the other behind Xan’s neck and pulled him forward, kissing him soundly. “Where did you find it?” I asked breathily as I pulled back. “The night we were attacked by Lucian’s zombies. I went back after I’d seen you home and found it — still stuck in the rotting corpse you’d been fighting.” Xan let out a low chuckle as he brushed my hair behind my shoulder. “I’ve never seen a woman get so excited over a weapon before. From the look on your face, you’d have thought I’d given you diamonds.” I rolled my eyes and held Chuck in front of me, wiggling it in my hand. “I’ll take a good weapon over a diamond any day of the week and twice on Sunday.” “And that, mi amor,” he said as he pulled me into his arms, kissing me on the top of my head, “is why you are the only woman for me. Not only are you beautiful, but you’re wicked fierce as well.”

y I swallowed hard as I gripped Chuck in my hand and slowly climbed the rickety set of stairs that led up to the entrance to the mansion. There was a rustling in the overgrown bushes alongside the steps, and I immediately went into defense mode, rendering myself invisible. With my heart in my throat, I craned my neck in search of the source of the noise. A black cat scurried across the front of the property, its high-pitched wail echoing through the cold night air. I rapidly sucked in air, trying to calm down as I uncloaked myself. Lucian needed to see me coming. “Yeah, I don’t blame you for running, kitty,” I said as I stepped onto the landing and faced down the worn front door. “I’d run too if I could.” Every inch of me wanted to flee, to hightail it out of there back to the safety of Xan’s arms. But despite my fear, I pressed forward, determined to save those I’d grown to love. I stepped forward reaching my hand out. Before I could make contact with the wood, the front door swung open slowly with an awful creaking noise. “That shit is seriously cliché,” I mumbled to myself as I stepped into the dilapidated house. My breath caught, and I wanted to crawl out of my 173

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skin. Cliché or not, I was still scared, and the tiny hairs that stood up on the back of my neck could prove it. Lucian’s threat to kill my friends if Xan came along for the ride put a serious dent in any battle plan we might have come up with. I was left with no choice but to go in alone and try to locate my friends, killing anything that got in my way. Once found, Xan and Gabriel would teleport in and help whisk them to safety. Of course, this was all best case scenario type planning. With Lucian as our adversary, I couldn’t help thinking about all the things that could go wrong if I gave into my fear and lost focus. I shook my head, desperate to clear it of all the what-ifs. My friends were running out of time, and I needed to move. I strained my eyes to take in my surroundings. The moonlight creeping through the door was the only light available. Directly in front of me lay a battered staircase. Half of the railing was missing; the other half appeared to be suffering from dry rot right along with the decaying steps. There was a long, dark corridor off to the left and what looked like a living room off to the right. I veered off to the right, deciding I’d tackle the ominous hallway after I cleared the front of the house. I’d made it all of five steps into the room when I heard a familiar popping noise. A loud groaning filled the air, and I was hit from the side before I could teleport out of the way. I sailed through the air, crashing into the wall on the far side of the room. The stench of rotting flesh burned the inside of my nose, threatening to bring up my last meal. Goddamn zombies! I barely had time to cloak myself before another undead goon came at me, hellbent on tearing me apart. Teleporting across the room, I reached behind my shoulder and grasped the handle of the short sword Xan had strapped to my back earlier. I pulled it from its sheath and moved into a fighting stance. I felt like Xena Warrior Princess, ready to do battle with my deadly blade. The metal glowed a brilliant blue against the darkness of the room. My eyes widened in surprise. It was obvious the weapon was enchanted, and I wondered briefly what it could do. Narrowing my eyes, I quickly scanned the room. There was no way I was letting another rotting flesh-bag touch me. They were going down before I was. Embracing the electrical buzz that rippled through me, I flashed over to the walking corpse who’d knocked me across the room. I lifted my sword and brought it down as hard as I could onto the zombie’s neck. Expecting to struggle, I was surprised when the glowing blade sliced through the 174

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rotting flesh and bone as though it were butter. The zombie’s body fell to the floor as its decapitated head went crashing through the nearby window. Thank heavens for small mercies! Sending out a silent thank you, I flashed across the room, taking out the remaining two zombies with ease. I stared at the sword in awe. If Xan thought he was getting it back, he was seriously mistaken. With the sword in one hand and Chuck in the other, I rendered myself visible and crept back through the entryway toward the dark hallway. A cold sweat broke out over my skin as I stepped into the corridor. My mouth went dry as darkness enveloped me, swallowing me whole. Despite all the otherworldly crap I’d seen in my lifetime, being in the dark still creeped me out. Lifting my sword, the glow from the blue blade the only thing visible, I forced my leaden feet to move forward as I searched. I couldn’t see a damn thing, I shoved Chuck into the pocket of my sweatshirt and grimaced as I ran my fingers along the wall. I wasn’t squeamish by any means, but I cringed at the thought of what my hand might come in contact with. Finally, I came to a recess in the wall. Bingo! A door. I took a deep breath. The chance that my friends hung upside-down in a room on the first floor of the house was remote. Lucian would never make it that easy for me. Still, I had no choice but to open the door and check. Gripping the sword tightly, I grasped the handle and pushed the door forward. A blast of icy wind blew past me, knocking me off my feet, and the sword out of my hand. Crap! Scrambling up off the floor, I gasped as whatever it was I’d just set free took shape. I stood in awe for a moment at the sight in front of me. I’d never seen anything like it before. The apparition, or whatever it was, kept flashing in and out of sight — one-minute corporeal, the next a transparent entity. It was ugly as sin with gaping black holes in its head where a set of eyes should have been, and a set of teeth that reminded me of a chainsaw. The ghost let out an ear-splitting shriek before flying straight for me. Momentarily paralyzed with fear, I hesitated and was struck down as the terrifying phantom passed straight through me. I opened my mouth to scream to find no sound came out. Nothing went in either. There was no air in my lungs, and I fought desperately to fill them as I lay choking on the floor. Pure, unadulterated evil had passed straight through my body, and the lingering sensation was so horrific that, for a moment, I actually wished for death. The entity whirled around above 175

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me, readying for another dive when a set of hands grabbed onto the fabric of my sweatshirt and yanked me backward. “Get out of the way!” I was barely able to make out Gabriel’s face as he threw me bodily down the hallway, taking a protective stance in front of me. Still gasping for breath, I rolled onto my hands and knees, craning my neck around his large frame to watch the deadly scene before me. Xan faced off with the demon/ghost and was more than holding his own. Flashing in and out of sight, Xan teleported all around the hallway as the creature dove and attacked, over and over again. Blasts of white hot electricity shot out from its bony fingers and were deflected by Xan time and again. Determination was painted across Xan’s god-like face along with what looked a lot like annoyance. Teleporting behind the evil wraith, he captured it in a large circle of energy. Its high-pitched keening filled my ears as the barrier that held it captive filled with fire. I heard Xan mumbling something I couldn’t make out, and a large, swirling black hole appeared out of thin air, sucking the burning specter into its darkness before disappearing. I stood open-mouthed, gaping at the space where the ghostly demon had been. Xan was at my side in an instant, lifting me off the floor and crushing me to him. “Cariño.” His voice was strained and full of worry. “I’m okay. I’m all right,” I said, more trying to convince myself than him as he set me on my feet. That ghost demon had thrown me for a loop. “What was that thing?” I’d seen my fair share of demons and read about countless others in the Book of Light. But never, had I seen anything like the shadow spirit that had just attacked. “A Hantu Raya.” His voice was cold and full of disgust as he looked down the dark hallway and then back to me. “It’s by far the deadliest of all demonic spirits. They’re not easily controlled, either. They require a great sacrifice and therefore can align themselves only with the most powerful black-magic sorcerers in this realm.” A chill shot up my spine despite my best efforts to quell my fear. Lucian had obviously pulled out the big guns, having moved from zombies to demonic spirits to try and take me out. “A sacrifice?” Xan’s stony expression changed to one of silent mirth as his lips curled up into a knowing smile. I shook my head. “Xan?” He knew something I didn’t, and he needed to tell me. Now.

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“Lucian would had to have given up some of his power to contract the Hantu Raya. His powers are weakened.” A rush of hope came barreling through me at Xan’s words. Maybe we did stand a chance after all. “Come on,” Gabriel said, interrupting our little pow-wow as he urged us to move. “Standing in one place too long is dangerous.” “Yeeeeeeess. Indeed it is.” A deep, sinister voice reverberated off the walls, filling me with dread. The next thing I knew we no longer stood in the hallway, but in a large, candle-lit room, presumably somewhere else in the mansion. I gasped, my hand clutching my stomach. In the center of the room hanging by their feet were Jessica, Taylor, and — Oh, God! No! “Grandma!”

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dodged Xan’s grasp and raced forward toward my great-grandmother and Ifriends. Hellbent on pulling them down from where they hung, I was knocked ass-over-tea-kettle onto the floor when I ran into the invisible barrier that lay before them. With a groan, I peeled myself off the floor and looked into the comatose faces of my loved ones through tear-filled eyes.

Innocent, sweet, and accepting, neither Taylor nor Jessica deserved the heaping load of shit fate dealt them. Their choice to befriend me had cost them dearly, and I’d never be able to make it up to them. And my great-grandmother. The one person I’d relied on my entire life. My only remaining family — oh, God! The sight of her dangling by her feet in midair would forever be burned into my psyche. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to kill the motherfucker who did this to her. “Welcome to my home, Ainsley.” There was an explosion of light behind me, and the loud sound of struggle filled my ears. And then — there was only silence. The world stopped spinning, and everything was still as the echo of Lucian’s malevolent voice cut across my skin like a thousand tiny razor blades, slicing away at my flesh. Tense as a tightly drawn wire, my body shook and my teeth ground together. Slowly, I turned to face the monster that had chased me my entire life. The monster that had killed my mother, my grandmother and countless others on his quest for power. Seated on a large wing-back chair at the far end of the room, with his fingers pressed together under his chin and a wicked smile on his malicious face, was Lucian. Floating high above the floor to his left were Xan and Gabriel, both bound by whatever dark magic Lucian had used, unable to move.

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My breath caught, panic welling up from deep within. With Xan and Gabriel bound, I was on my own, and that thought terrified me. I looked back toward my enemy to see both Edie and Deanna seated at his feet, ready and eager to do his bidding like the evil pets they were. Lucian’s white-blond hair and pale skin were a stark contrast to the black silk shirt and slacks he wore. His soulless blue eyes cut into me like daggers, and the urge to look away was staggering. But I couldn’t. This was it. My one and only chance to confront him. The only opportunity I’d ever get to put an end to the torment he’d been dishing out for centuries. “Lucian.” My voice didn’t sound like my own. It was raspy and full of hatred. And oh, Lord, did I ever hate him. Lucian inclined his head toward me with a nefarious smile. “At long last we meet again, my sweet. Truly, it has been…too long.” He was enjoying himself. That much was evident in the tone of his voice and the way he carried himself. This was all a game to him, and we were his unwitting puppets. I wanted to hurl. I balled my hands into fists as I forced myself to speak to him. “Not long enough as far as I’m concerned.” “I believe I instructed you to come alone, yet I see you’ve brought along your vampire lover and his trusty side-kick — Gabriel, is it?” He looked up at him, a wicked grin crossing his face. “I’ve heard of you, and of the great loss you suffered.” Lucian glanced over to where Taylor hung motionless and back toward Gabriel. “She bears a remarkable likeness to Faythe, does she not?” Panic flashed across Gabriel’s face as he looked from Taylor to Lucian. I’d never seen so much raw emotion from him. I understood all too well the haunted look in his eyes and why he looked at her the way he did. He’d lost someone close to him. Someone who looked a lot like Taylor. “I wonder…” Lucian said, tapping his chin, “if she would suffer the same fate as your beloved Faythe? Shall we find out?” “No!” Gabriel thrashed violently, straining under the weight of his magical bonds. “If you touch her, I’ll — ” “You’ll what?” Lucian said, sounding bored. “I’m quite certain you won’t give me a second thought.” Turning his focus over to Taylor, he smiled. “Let’s test that theory.” With a flick of his wrist, Taylor vanished into thin air. No! “Taylor!” My screams were nothing in comparison to the loud roar that came from Gabriel. 179

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Glass from the scattered windows around the room shattered and blew inward as a strong wind came whipping through the room like a tornado. “I’m sorry, my friend,” he said, looking over to Xan before disappearing altogether. A loud sob escaped my lips as the space my friend once occupied was now empty. I could only hope that wherever Taylor was, Gabriel would find her and keep her safe. My crying was interrupted by the sound of Lucian’s applause as it rang out through the room. He stood up from where he was seated, and crossed over to stand just in front of Xan. His movements were fluid, cunning, and purposeful. “And now onto you, Alexandre — my son. I long feared we’d never meet — yet here you are.” Circling him like a vulture ready to attack his prey, Lucian took his time evaluating Xan, raking him over with evil, unforgiving eyes. “Such a disappointment,” he said with a sigh. “You have the look of your mother.” With an icy grin, he shook his head before raising his hand and showering Xan with rapid bursts of electricity. The bright blue sparks lit up the room, and the smell of burned flesh permeated my nose. I lunged forward and hit a wall as Lucian’s free hand shot up, freezing me in place. “Stop it! Xan!” I could see the agony etched across his masculine face as the jolts of electricity burned away at his flesh and tore through his body. Yet he bore his pain in silence, refusing to give Lucian the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain. “What’s wrong, ma chérie? Does it pain you to see your lover suffer? Maybe you’d like to join him. Yes?” “No!” Xan’s powerful voice filled the air as he fought against the magical bonds that held him. Thrashing wildly, he closed his eyes and let out a long, agonizing groan. I held my breath and watched in awe as a brilliant glow surrounded him from head to toe before he vanished into thin air. The aging walls and floor of the room shook and buckled all around us, and the temperature of the room dropped so low I could see my breath as it came in rapid, shallow pants. Lucian’s maniacal laughter echoed through the room as he casually strode back toward his mock throne and sat down. “You’re more powerful than I thought, Alexandre. I may have use for you yet.” The sound of Xan’s enraged voice floated across the aging space, making my breath catch and my heart jump. “I will never serve you.”

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The chair that Lucian sat upon exploded out from under him, killing Deanna when a large chunk of wood from the chair impaled her through the chest. Taken by surprise, Lucian was sent flying across the room by a now visible Xan who blasted him with a large energy pulse. Just as Lucian was about to hit the floor, Xan held up his hands, stopping his descent. Freezing him in midair, he drew his arms back and sent him crashing through the nearby wall. “Master! No!” Edie, who had been thrown sideways when the chair exploded, launched herself off the floor and ran screaming across the room. She dove head-first out the destroyed wall her master had crashed through moments before. I winced, because unless she could sprout wings and fly, Edie had just dove head-first to her death. “Quick,” Xan said to me. “Get them out of here!” He glanced over toward Jessica and my great-grandmother before running off after Lucian. Time was precious, and I wasn’t about to waste the few moments Xan provided me with. I raced over to my loved ones, lowering them to the floor with my magic. “Grandma! Jessica! Wake up!” I shook them both violently, but neither woke. Shit! There was no way they were getting out on foot. A loud explosion rocked the foundation, and the house groaned and shook violently. Time was running out. I’d have to try and teleport Jessica to safety while remaining at the mansion myself. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but there was no choice. I had to try. Grabbing onto her wrist, I channeled everything I felt. Filled with rage for the horrific murder of her mother, Karen, and crippling fear for Taylor who was lost somewhere in time, I reveled in the electric current that flowed through me. I focused on the safest place I could think of, Hanaford Park’s only Catholic church, with a loud pop, Jessica was gone. “Ainsley?” My head snapped over to where my great-grandmother lay, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest with joy as she struggled to open her eyes. “I’m here, Grandma. I’m here,” I said as I raced to her side. Sliding my arms beneath her, I leaned down and held her close, burying my face in her silvery hair. The smell of fresh baked cookies filled my nose. Home. “Must…get…away, Ainsley,” she whispered faintly as I pulled her into a sitting position. Her head lolled to the side and her breathing was shallow and sparse. Something was wrong. Very wrong. 181

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“Grandma?” I slid my hand up her back to cup her cheek, and that was when I saw the blood. God, no! “Grandma!” Leaning her forward, I gasped at the shredded fabric of her sweater and the bloody claw marks that marred her back. She’d been clawed by a Chromandi demon, and the poison had been flowing through her veins for — only God knew how long. The sound of thunder filled the air, and a shower of wooden splinters rained down onto my great-grandmother and me as Lucian came crashing through the wall behind us and out the other side of the room. I looked up to see Xan flash into the room. His clothing looked singed as if he’d walked through fire, and there was a huge gash just above his eye that was healing before my very eyes. “Get out of here! Now, cariño!” “I can’t! My grandmother…” I could barely get the words out between sobs. “She’s been poisoned. I need you!” “Cariño, I…” A blast of electricity sent Xan flying backward. He crashed into the wall at the far side of the room. “Aileana’s not going anywhere. Are you, my sweet?” I looked up to see Lucian, hovering over my great-grandmother and me with a murderous look on his face. His clothes were torn and covered in filth from fighting Xan. Huge pieces of wood jutted out from his shoulder and thigh, blood seeping from the wounds at a rapid rate. “Finally. After all these years, you come to me willingly…” “To spare the life…of my great-granddaughter.” Her voice was faint and weak, and I watched as she fought to keep her eyes open. “I’ve given my life, for hers. For once, Lucian…be merciful.” His lips peeled back into a snarl, revealing a deadly set of fangs. “Mercy is for the weak. You made your choice years ago, Aileana, when you denied me. Now you shall suffer as the rest of your family has suffered.” He reared his head back with a hiss, baring his fangs as if readying to strike. Instinctively I huddled over my great-grandmother, shielding her with my body as I waited for the killing strike to claim my life. But the pain never came. “Quick, cariño. I…can’t hold him…for very long.” I looked up to see Xan with his arms outstretched, holding Lucian in some sort of energy circle. It was the same type of circle he’d captured the Hantu Raya in earlier. Pulse after pulse of electricity came bursting from Lucian’s fingers as he tried to free himself from Xan’s makeshift prison. But his efforts were in vain. Xan’s hold over him was strong. Sweat poured off Xan’s face as he struggled to contain Lucian, the muscles in his neck and jaw straining from his effort. 182

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I carefully laid my grandmother on the floor and stood to face Xan. Not wanting Lucian to hear what I planned, I relied on the psychic connection we shared — a direct result of his feeding from me. Xan…can you hear me? His eyes widened ever so slightly, and he gave me a slight nod. If I can get a lock of his hair, we can destroy him in any manner we like…I could see the page from the Book of Light clearly in my head. The page I’d read only days ago when I’d been searching for a way to take down Lucian. Xan narrowed his eyes and shook his head before dropping to his knees with a loud groan. His strength was giving out and Lucian would be free any moment. No, cariño. I can’t let you use dark magic against him. I won’t let you travel down that path. “But there’s no other way!” I paced back and forth for a moment before making up my mind. There was no other way. If I wanted to save us, I’d have to use voodoo magic to take him down. “I don’t care what you say. I’m going in,” I said and moved to jump into the energy circle. If I had to rip every piece of that white-blond hair out to kill him with, I would. A cold hand gripped my ankle and stopped me dead in my tracks. I looked down to see my great-grandmother lying half-dead on the floor, no signs of life in her save the hand that gripped my ankle. Embrace your love, Ainsley. Don’t give into the lure of dark magic. Resist the urge… Her faint voice filled my head, sending a wave of comfort through me as only hers could. Together you can defeat him. I shook my head, confused by her words. Embrace my love? “Grandma, I — ” My words were cut off by Xan’s loud groan. “I can’t hold him any longer, mi amor. Get out! Save yourself!” Lucian’s maniacal laughter ate away at my flesh as he continued to blast away at the energy ball that contained him. Clarity as sharp and clear as glass sliced through me. Embrace your love. My love. Xan. My body was a conduit for my magic. If I held onto him, he could tap into my power and use it to destroy Lucian. I didn’t think. I just acted. Flashing over to Xan, I wrapped my arms around his large chest, buried my face in his back and held on tight. My voice was wild, frantic. “Use me, Xan. Tap into my power, and send his undead ass to Hades!” 183

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An electrical shock tore through me, and my body came alive with a rush of energy as Xan siphoned my magic into himself. Wind ripped through the room, sending the wreckage from the battle flying around us as a large black hole began to form in the center of the room. I watched in horror as the flames that were beginning to fill the circle faltered. Xan needed more than my magic. Xan’s voice cracked. “It’s not enough, cariño. I need…I need — ” “You’ll never destroy me,” Lucian roared as he blasted away at the tenuous prison that held him. “Even together you are weak. Pathetic.” And then it hit me. “My blood. You need my blood,” I shouted, and lifted my wrist up to his mouth. The extra power from my life’s essence would give him the strength he needed to kill Lucian. That was my hope, anyway. “Hurry!” There was a searing pain as his fangs sank into the delicate flesh of my wrist. The burn didn’t last long and was followed by a rush of power the likes of which I’d never known. I could feel everything Xan was feeling. His rage. His fear. His love for me. It was as if I’d tapped into his very soul. And having felt and seen the beauty of it, I never wanted to be apart from him again. Peering up from behind Xan, I watched as flames burst forth like a raging inferno, enveloping Lucian almost instantly. A high-pitched keening reverberated off the walls, as his flesh burned away into ash. The horrific sound echoed in my ears even after the black hole sucked him into nothingness and disappeared. Silence rang out. It was over. Lucian was gone. Exhausted, Xan fell forward onto his hands and knees. His chest heaved up and down, before crashing onto his side with a labored groan. I’d never bothered to let go of the death grip I had on him and went tumbling down along with him. I lay on the floor for what felt like an immeasurable amount of time, frozen, unable to move or think. And then I felt Xan’s warm fingers under my chin, lifting my head up. Looking into his battle worn face, I lost it as he drew me into his arms and held me close. His smooth voice served as a balm, calming my aching heart and frazzled nerves as only he could. “That’s right, mi amor. Let it out. Let it all out.” Drowning in the deluge of my tears, I cried for my mother and grandmother who’d suffered at Lucian’s hand, and who I so wanted to see at that 184

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moment. I cried for Xan and the tragic loss of his mother, and Katya, the woman who raised him as her own. Neither had the chance to see the magnificent creature, the angel, he’d grown to be. I mourned the loss of Karen and the devastation I knew Jessica would deal with when she learned of what happened to her mother. And Taylor. My heart ached for her, wherever she was. So sweet and accepting and loyal — she didn’t deserve the fate she’d been dealt, and I felt wholly responsible. I lay wrapped in Xan’s arms for an eternity, or maybe it was only just a short time. I didn’t know. I was too tired to move, to think. He ran his hands up and down my back in long soothing strokes as he whispered in my ear. “It’s time to go, cariño. Your grandmother needs help.”

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days were some of the best and worst of my life if that Themakesnextanyfewkind of sense. There was a huge part of me that wanted nothing more than to dance around my apartment in my underwear and revel in the demise of Lucian. The monster that had destroyed so many lives was no more; he’d been burned alive and sent packing to the deepest fires of Hades. Xan had made certain he would never return.

I no longer had to look over my shoulder when I went out. There was no longer any need to hide under a glamour spell. Having grown to love my alter ego, in the end I chose to remain as I was. Who says blondes and redheads have more fun? My brown hair had scored me one scandalously hot vampire. I adopted the age old motto of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” As happy as I was to have both my freedom and Xan, on the flipside, I was heartbroken over the loss of Taylor. Though we’d only been friends for a few months, I’d grown to love her like a sister, and her absence made my chest ache. I thought back to the day after the battle, when Xan came over to help clean up the mess that was my apartment.

y “I don’t think I can go in,” I said, fighting back tears. I stood in front of Taylor’s room, palms sweaty, heart aching. “If I don’t go in, if I don’t see her empty room, it’ll almost feel like she isn’t gone. God, Xan…I miss her. I still expect her to come waltzing around the corner with a mouth full of food and a goofy grin on her face.” I let my hand trace down the smooth wooden surface of her door before pounding on it with my fists and cursing. “God! Where is she? She’s gone, and it’s all my fault!” I turned, sliding down the length of the door, and came to a crying heap on the floor.

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Kneeling down in front of me, Xan brushed my hair out of my eyes and wiped away my tears with the soft pad of his thumb. “Cariño, sweetheart. I don’t think it’s a matter of where she is as opposed to when she is.” He looked down on me with warm, reassuring eyes. I was pretty sure Xan was right. From the brief conversation Lucian had with Gabriel, I’d come to the conclusion that he’d sent her back, somewhere in time. I just had no idea where or when. Looking up at Xan, I was pretty sure he had a good idea where she was. I swiped at my tears and took a deep breath. “Xan. If you think you know where Taylor is, you have to tell me. Maybe we can help her.” He shook his head vehemently. “Not a chance, mi amor. I’m certain Lucian sent her back to the Salem witch trials.” My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I stared up at him. “The Salem witch trials? Why? Why would he send her there?” Xan ran his hands up and down the length of my arms before continuing on. “Taylor bore an incredible likeness to Faythe Ellwood, the only woman Gabriel has ever loved. She died during the trials, accused of witchcraft.” He leveled a harsh stare at me. “She was hanged.” My mouth dropped in horror. Xan pressed his lips together. “Sí, mi amor. That’s an appropriate reaction. Do you understand why there is no way I’m letting you go back to that time? You just gained your freedom from Lucian. I refuse to let you be hunted again, and by an angry mob no less.” Anger coursed through my veins. I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. Taylor was stuck in a different century, and it was all my fault. I lifted my hands up only to drop them seconds later in frustration. “We can’t just leave her there. She’s all alone. We have to do something!” Xan shook his head. “It takes a great deal of power to go back in time, mi amor. Power you haven’t acquired yet. Your abilities are still growing, maturing, and I don’t have the power to send us both back. Besides, she’s not alone, cariño. Gabriel is with her. He’ll keep her safe and bring her back. He’s not going to lose her twice.”

y I spent the following few days helping Jessica. Devastated over the loss of her mother, Karen, she spent the majority of her time helping her father with the funeral arrangements. My heart ached for the two of them. 187

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Any loss of family was bad, but the death of a loved one over the holidays stung even more. Christmas would never be the same for them. I thought about our own undecorated Christmas tree. Taylor had insisted we purchase the largest Douglas fir we could find, declaring that fat trees were more festive than tall, skinny trees. With her lost in another time and Jessica mourning the loss of her mother, the holiday seemed pointless and empty. “Do you need any help?” I asked, watching Jessica struggle with the clasp of the necklace she was trying to put on. Karen’s funeral was in an hour, and we were running behind. Dressed in a simple black dress with her hair pulled back from her face, Jessica looked lovely, despite the dark circles that had taken up permanent residence beneath her eyes. She hadn’t been sleeping well since the battle. Plagued with nightmares, I heard her frightened screams through the thin walls of the apartment, along with strange mumbling throughout the night. The trauma over the situation was obviously coming out by way of night terrors and sleep-talking. She glanced over her shoulder at me and offered up a weak smile. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh. Hey, Martha. Sure. Thank you.” I crossed the room and came up behind her. I took the metal chain and clasp in my fingers, connecting what she could not. Seizing the small bit of courage I had left, I grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around to face me. “Jess, I — ” There was a huge lump in my throat, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to get the words out. How do you tell someone you’re sorry about the death of their mother when you knew it was your fault she’d died? I held up my finger as I looked down at my feet, signaling her that I needed a minute to pull my shit together. I could do this. I could apologize, even though the words would mean nothing. I owed her that and so much more. I owed her my life. Pull it together, Martha! After sucking in a deep breath, I tried again. “I know what it feels like to lose someone you love, and I — ” I covered my mouth to hold back the sob that threatened to emerge. My eyes clouded over with tears. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and looked into her worn, tired eyes. “I never meant for you to experience that kind of pain. To never be able to see you mother again is the worst thing I — ” “But I have seen her,” she said, cutting me off. A slow smile crossed her face, and for a brief moment there was a spark in her brilliant blue eyes. 188

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I stared at her in shock. “What did you just say?” I was pretty sure I’d heard her say she’d seen her mother…after she died. Either sleep deprivation was doing wacky things to her head and causing her to hallucinate, or she’d gone through some sort of change after being poisoned and drinking Xan’s blood. I had yet to tell her she was going to live to the ripe old age of Methuselah. “I’ve seen my mother.” She walked over to her bed and sat down, taking a deep breath and blowing it out before speaking again. “I’ve seen her every night since she died.” Holy…whoa. I stared at her intently, urging her with my eyes to go on. She fiddled with the hem of her dress before smoothing her hands over the fabric. “At first I thought I’d lost my flipping mind. I thought maybe my mind couldn’t deal with the sadness, so my brain…I don’t know… manifested this image of my mother so I could cope.” She pegged me with a serious stare. “But now I know different. I know she was really here, and I know I’m not crazy.” I shook my head. “I don’t think you’re crazy.” I really didn’t. Having spent a better portion of my life fighting off the undead and creatures of the night, I’d learned early on to keep an open mind. The impossible was almost always possible. Her body seemed to ease at my words and she blew out a breath. “Good. Your mother said you’d believe me.” A chill shot up my spine, and the air in my lungs came whooshing out in one quick rush. Did she just say… “My — my mother?” My eyes searched Jessica’s face for any sign that she might be playing with me, but I saw only sincerity in her eyes. God, could it be true? “You’ve seen my mother?” Jessica’s eyes softened briefly, the haunted, vacant look gone for the time being. “Yes, and your grandmother too. Oh, my God, Martha. Breathe!” she shouted in alarm and tugged on the long sleeve of my black dress, pulling me to sit down beside her. She took hold of my hands and held them in hers, squeezing tight. “It’s been hard for them. You know — watching over you but not being able to do anything to help. They’re proud of you, Martha. So proud. And they wanted me to tell you.” I had no words. My mother, my grandmother, had been watching over me — and they were proud of what they saw. I sat motionless like a silent idiot, unable to speak or form a coherent sentence. “They also approve of McVampy,” she said, giving my hand another squeeze. “I don’t know what happened, or what it was that changed me. 189

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Maybe it was the curse or maybe it was Xan’s blood — I don’t know. All I know is — I can see the dead, and as scary and totally creepy as that shit is, it lets me see my mother and, for that, I am eternally grateful.” I shook my head and smiled as I pulled her in for a tight hug. I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve such a wonderful friend. Not only had she accepted my immense otherworldly baggage, but she’d also taken on her strange new ability with a strength and chutzpah that amazed me. Jessica truly was one of a kind.

y “You okay, Peanut?” My great-grandmother rubbed circles into my back as I stood, staring at the newly turned earth in front of Karen’s headstone. The church ceremony had been beautiful and touching, the gravesite observance somber. The cold weather and promise of warm beverages and food at Jessica’s parents’ home made for a quick exit by most of the guests. I’d opted to hang back and wait for Xan. I could feel the setting sun on my back and knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d be at my side, filling me with strength and comfort. “Yeah,” I said, turning to her and smiling. I pulled her into a tight hug. I buried my face into her long silvery hair and breathed deeply, the smell of fresh baked cookies filling my senses, making me feel like a child again. The fact that she stood next to me, living, breathing, was a pure miracle, and I had Xan to thank for it. She’d had — literally — one foot in the grave the night we’d battled Lucian, and I was sure we were too late when Xan fed her from his vein. But she was strong and stubborn and completely unwilling to go quietly into the night. Her tenacity combined with Xan’s healing blood pulled her through, and I thanked my lucky stars for her every day. I ran my hands up and down her back before giving her one final squeeze and pulling away. “Yeah, Grandma, I’m good. I’m just — ” The strong, familiar tugging sensation I felt whenever Xan was present pulled at my insides. I smiled as a warm pair of arms wrapped around me. With my eyes closed, I breathed in the scent of pine and ocean. I smiled before turning in his arms and looking up into the warm, brown eyes of the vampire I loved. “I’ll leave you two love-birds alone,” my grandmother said and disappeared with a flash of light. I loved my great-grandma. She was smart, and she knew when to make herself scarce. 190

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“Thinking?” Xan said, finishing my sentence for me. “Imagining all the possibilities life has to offer now that you are free?” I smiled. “Something like that.” I placed my hand on the smooth skin of his warm cheek, and I reached up to kiss him. “Because when I’m with you — I feel like anything is possible. I love you, Xan.” He captured my lips in his once again, the sharp points of his fangs grazing the flesh of my lower lip. “And I you, cariño. And I you.”

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ac k n ow l e d g m e n t s First and foremost, I’d like to thank God, for without whom I’d be nothing. To my husband, Ryan, and my daughters, Kendall, Taryn, and Irelynn: I love you dearly. Thank you for putting up with a wife and mother who’s literally attached to her laptop. You are my light and my very reason for being. To my ladies of The SC, Deanna, Karen, and Edie: Without you this book would not be. Literally. Not only are you supportive friends, you’re a fountain of laughter, soft shoulders to cry on, and it was mad fun writing you into the book. Woot! To my critique partners, Kaiti and Kristin: Big, fat, juicy kisses. Mwah! Thank you for reading my pages over and over … and over again. You rock my socks! And lastly, to the girls of The SC, Kendall, Jessica, Emily, Megan, Jordan, Taryn, Haley, and Irelynn: You girls are my inspiration. You bring me joy, you spark my muse, and I’m so proud of each of you. Mwah! Thank you.

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When it comes to describing this author’s writing style, national bestselling author Catherine Spangler describes Lisa Sanchez as, “sharp-witted, humorous and snappy . . . she keeps the action moving.” Quite high praise from a fellow author, and very well deserved. Lisa’s lifelong love of writing, coupled with her ability to weave together an intricate and compelling story has led to the release of her first published novel, Eve of Samhain. In her role as a busy stay-at-home and self-proclaimed “cheer mom,” on any given day Lisa wears a number of different hats. From taxi driver to chef, nurse to seamstress, laundry-woman to enforcer, and, of course, writer, Lisa manages to keep everything together all while caring for her husband and three children. The few spare moments left in her day are usually spent reading or writing, and if she’s really lucky, possibly even catching up on some much needed sleep. Lisa and her family currently reside in Tracy, California.