Thisbookwaspreviouslypublishedunderthesametitlebyoneofmypennames:

JulieAnnMichaels.

TheDeadIOwe

by

JulieAnnLevin

TheDeadIOwe

Copyright2012byG.D.Levin

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Thisisaworkoffictionandanyresemblancebetweenthecharactersandpersonslivingordeadis

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receivepermissiontousesuchproductsinthisworkoffictionandisinnowayaffiliatedwiththe

trademarkowners.

One

Whethermydatefoundmeamusingornot,Ididn’tcare.Fiveminutesintothedate,andIknewI

couldn’t continue dating a surgeon. In his eyes, I would always be less than he and my work would
always be considered of lesser value. All because I wasn’t piecing internal organs back together on a
dailybasis.

Sure,he was handsomeenough, had arespectable job, and evenheld the dooropen for me, but

therewasnosparkbetweenus,noinstant,inseparableattraction.Andattwenty-seven,Iwasstillyoung
enoughtoexpecttobeknockedoffmyfeetthemomentImetMr.Right.

Luckyforme,Mr.Wrongwaspagedhalfwaythroughthemaincourse.Heapologizedrepeatedly,

andofferedtodropmeoffonthewaytothehospital.Itoldhimnottoworryaboutmeandjustgosave
somelives.I’dhavetherestaurantcallmeacab.

Therewouldbeathirty-fiveminutewait,andIusedthetimetositatthebarandcallLaura,my

bestfriend.LauraandIhadbeenfriendssincewewereeightyearsoldandfoundourselvesthelasttwo
contestantsinthecounty-wideschoolspellingbee.Laurawonthespellingbee,andalthoughpartofme
wanted to stick gum in her hair, we’d managed to become friends ever since. After my parents died a
couple of years ago, Laura moved down to sunny Miami to be keep me company; and I have been
eternallygratefultomybestfriend.

“Hello?”Laurasaidafterthesecondring.
“Hey,”Isaid,contemplatingifIhadenoughtimeforaquickdrink.
“Ithoughtyouweresupposedtobeonadate.”Hervoicesoundedskepticalanddisapproving.
“Yeah,well,WonderSurgeonwascalledawayforanemergency.”
“Thatsucks.”
“Yep.”
“You’regoingtoseehimagain,right,Olivia?”
“Ummmm.”
“Liv,he’sadoctor,forcryingoutloud!”
“Well,youdatehimthen!”
“MaybeIwill.”
“Good.”Isaid,eyeingmywatch.HowmuchtimehadpassedsinceIcalledforthecab?
“I’llmeetyouforadrink.Whereareyouagain?”Lauraasked,alwayscomingtomyrescue.
“I’mattheBiltmore,butdon’tbother.Ialreadycalledacab.Andyes,I’msure.Let’sgettogether

thisweekend.”

“Alright,Liv.Haveagoodnight.”
“Youtoo,”Isaid,endingthecallandslippingmyphonebackintomylittleblackpurse.
My gaze descended to the dress I was wearing. So much for wearing my new dress out on the

town.Itbarelysawanyplaytime.Theshort,blackdresshadanelegantboatnecklinewithcapsleeves.It
wasform-fittedandlookedgreatonme.Icertainlyplannedtowearitagain.Probablyonsomeotherfirst
date.Isighedandtookanotherlookatmywatch.Definitelyenoughtimeforaquickdrink.

“Excuseme,sir,”Isaidtothebartender.Hisroundfacelitupinawinningsmile.
“WhatcanIgetforyou?”heasked.
Ipausedforonlyamomenttodecidebetweenwhiskeys,whenIfeltthefabricofanexpensivesuit

brushingagainstmyarm.

“Yes,indeed.Whatarewehavingtonight?”saidthemanstandingnexttome.
Iturnedtomyleft,readywithoneofmyprepared,“Buzzoff.I’mnotintothewholepickupartist

act,”lines.Atleast,that’swhatImeanttosay,untilIgotalookattheman’sface.

Themaninquestionwasatleastacoupleofinchesoversixfeet.Eveninmyblackstilettothree–

inchheels,Istillhadtolookupathim.Hissuitwastailoredtohisbroadshouldersandnarrowwaist,
lookingabsolutelyexquisite.Hisclean-shavenlookrevealedafacethatremindedmeofthosepainfully
handsome actors from the fifties. Skin as smooth and sleek as hard marble, hair the color of rich
chocolate,combedneatlyback,andtotheside.Hisnosewasstraightandhiscleftchinmadehimterribly
handsome.Moststrikinghowever,werehiseyes.Theyweremesmerizingandtheglacial-blueyoumight
findintheArctic.

Andthenhesmiled.
Ididn’tsay,“Leavemealone,notachancebuddy,”orevenrollmyeyesandwalkaway.
Nope.
Instead,Isaid,“I’llhaveaJackandCoke,thankyou.”
Thebartendernodded,andwhileIwaitedformydrink,IstaredatthestrangerbesidemelikeI

was an incredible fool. My eyes, no doubt sparkling under deep mascara, memorized the man’s face in
frontofme.Icouldn’ttakemyeyesoffhim,couldn'tgetenoughairintooroutofmylungs,andcouldn’t
shakethenaggingvoicethatIshouldn’thaveacceptedthedrink.WhenIfinallyhadmywhiskeyinhand,I
managedtospitoutthewords,“Thankyou,”then,“I’mwaitingforacab.”

NextthingIknew,IwassittingwithBenjaminatasmalltableofftothesideofthebar,alreadyon

myseconddrink.

“Whatisyourbiggestfearinlife,Olivia?”heasked.
Icouldn’thelpthinkingitwasaboldquestioncomingfromastranger,butI’dquicklyfoundthat

with Benjamin, the words just spilled right out of my mouth. It was as if my mental filter had been
strippedawayandmythoughtswerecompletelynakedtotheman.

“Beinglostinspace,”Isaid,withoutasecondthought.“Floatingawayinaspacesuit,completely

unattached,andjustdriftingoffintospace.Knowingthatatanymoment,theoxygenwillrunout.”

Benjamincockedhisheadtoonesideandthesexiestsmirkplayedonhislips.“Didyoufailto

mentiontomeinthelasthourandahalfthatyouareanastronaut?”

Ilaughed.IlaughedinawayIdidn’tlaughwithanyoneelse,andIwasembarrassedbythesound

ofit.BenjaminsmiledwhenIbroughtmyhandstomymouth,tryingtocapturethesoundandputitback
whereitbelonged.

“No,I’manadvertisingexecutive.Butseriously,doesn’tthatsoundlikethescariestwaytogo?”
“Icanthinkofscarierways,Olivia,”hesaid,sittingbackinhisseat.Heeyedmequestioningly.

“Andyoufindthelikelihoodofthatparticularscenarioveryhigh?”

Isetmydrinkdownandfoldedmyhandsinfrontofme.“Don’tmakefunofme,”Iwarnedhim.

“Honestly,Benjamin,Ihavenoideawherelifeisgoingtotakeme.”

“Truer words were never spoken,” he said, leaning forward with a smile. Again, I felt the

tightnessinmychest.Ididn’tknowifIwantedtosmilebackathimorcry.

WhenIcouldn’tstandtolookintohiseyesanymore,Icheckedmywatch.Haditbeenalmosttwo

hourssincemydatewiththesurgeonended?

“Olivia,”Benjaminsaidinacommandingvoice.
“Yes?”Ianswered,suddenlyrealizingweweren’tinthebaranymore.Ibroughtmyhandstomy

foreheadandtriedtorememberthestepsthattookmefromthebartowhatlookedlikeoneoftheBiltmore
Hotelsuites.

Mildpanicsweptthroughme.BenjaminenteredfromtheminikitchenandonceIcaughthissteely,

blue eyes, I relaxed. He removed his jacket and I could tell that under the crisp, white dress shirt, his
bodywasleanandchiseled.Whenhesatdownnexttome,Ileanedtowardhiminvoluntarily.Notmuch,
butjustenough.

What was I doing? I was not acting like myself. This is how the beginning of the crime scene

investigation shows start. A young, attractive woman meets a man in a hotel bar, and then bam! She’s
dead.Ishouldprobablygetoutofhere,Ithought.

ThenIlookedathimandmyresolveflewoutthewindow.
“Youknowwhoyoukindoflooklike?”Iasked.
“Who’sthat?”Thatdevilishsmirkwasplayingonhislipsagain.
“AyoungPaulNewman.”Thoughmorehandsome,somehow.
“Youknowwhoyoulooklike?”heasked,leaningagainstthebackofthesofa.
Ishookmyhead.
“LikeGraceKelly.”
“Idonot,”Isaid,laughing.ThatsamelaughIonlyletoutwhenI’maloneandwatchingafunny

movie.

Benjaminnodded.“Sure,yourhairisdarker,butyouhaveherfeatures.”
“We’lljusthavetoagreetodisagree,”Isuggested.
“Youdon’tknowhowtotakeacompliment,”hesaid,disappointmentplainonhisface.
Ishookmyhead.
“You’rebeautiful,Olivia,”Benjaminsaid.
“AmI?”Isaid,ashecaughtanerrantstrandofmylonghairandtuckeditbehindmyear.Hishand

lingered until his fingers made their descent, trailing my neck. The thrill of the beautiful man’s cool
fingers against my warm skin sent a tingling sensation all through my body. I caught his scent for a
moment--anincrediblemixofmuskycitrusandspice.

“Andinteresting,too.You’reaclevergirl,aren’tyou?”
“Notcleverenoughtoleavethisroom,apparently,”Imused,inalightdaze.
Benjamin chuckled, and leaned into me. I caught a pained look on his face just before my eyes

closedinanticipation.Ithoughthewasgoingtokissmylips,butinstead,hismouthlandedonmyneck.

Whenhisteethpiercedmyskin,Iknewexactlywhatwashappening.Benjaminwasdrinkingmy

blood.“Thereareactuallypeoplethatdrinkbloodinthisworld,”Ideclaredinabriefmomentofclarity.
Ifeltthehotrushflowingfrommeintohismouth.Hedrankgreedily,andthesensationwassoblissfulthat
Iwasentirelyunconcerned.Ipressedmybodyagainsthischestandgrippedhisshoulders.Benjaminlet
outalowgutturalgrowlandImoanedinresponse.EverycellinmybodywastinglingasIgaspedina
desperateattempttocopewiththepurepleasureIwasexperiencing.

Benjamingrippedmyshoulderswithhisstronghandsandmanagedtopushmeaway.Holdingme

acoupleofinchesawayfromhisbody,Icaughtaglimpseofhisface.Mybloodstainedhislipsandhis
eyeswerealmostglowinginthedimhotelsuitelights.

“Go!”hebarkedoutinaraggedbreath.
Thesmallvoiceinsideofmetoldmetorun.
“No,”Isaid,shakingmyhead.Theslightestmovementmakingmedizzy.
Benjamingrippedmyarmstighter.
“Olivia,”hesaid,inthatcommandingvoiceofhis.“Listentome.Youhavetoleave.Now!Ican’t

controlmyself.Can’tyousee?I’mgoingtokillyou!”

TherearemanythingsIshouldhavedone.Runformylife.Scream.Callthepolice.Something.
Anything,tosurvive.
Instead,whatIdidwasalmostunthinkable.Iturnedmyheadtooneside,exposingtheother,still

pristinesideofmyneck.

“Idon’tcare,”Isaid,offeringmyselftohim.
Ididn’tcatchhisreaction.Ionlyfelthisfangssinkintomyneck.
Ifeltpleasure.
Andeventually,Ifeltnothing.

“WhatdidIsaybeforethecombinestarted?”amanasked.
“Wouldyoustoplecturingme?”Benjaminsaid,soundingflustered.
“Itoldyoutokeepalowprofile.Doyourememberthat?Alowprofile,”saidtheman.
“Justdosomething,wouldyou?”Benjamininsisted.
“Dosomething?Whatexactlydoyouexpectmetodo?Thegirlisdead.”
“She’snotdead,Thomas.Notyet.”
Themysterymanhadaname.Thomas.And,Iwasn’tdead.Yet.
“Benjamin,”Thomassaid.“You’regoingtohavetochangeher.”
“Nobodyisgoingtolikethat.”
“They’lllikeanewvampirealotmorethanhavingtocoverupamurderduringthecombine.”
Silence.
Coolfingersgrippedmywristforafewfleetingmoments.
Iwasdying...fast.
“Sonofabitch!”Benjamingrowled,droppingmywristfrombetweenhisfingers.
Ifelttheweightshiftingonthebed,andthenhiswristwasatmymouth.Thewarmbloodpooled

ontomylips,butIdidnotcooperate.

“Olivia,openyourmouth,”Benjamincommanded.“Drink.”
I wanted to obey him, but I was too weak to comply. Benjamin, realizing my distress, used his

fingers to pry my mouth open. His blood dripped onto my tongue, at first slowly, and then flowing in a
steadystream.Ittastedawfullyofmetal,butIdrankbecausehetoldmeto.

Islept.

Two

Opening my eyes, I was refreshed and alert. I felt as if I’d slept for a century, only to wake up

instantlyatfullattention.Iwasproppedupondownpillowsacrossluxurioussheetsthatbelongedtoa
king-sizedbed.Thecoverswerecrispandwhite,contrastingagainstthedarkgraysoftheroom.Onmy
leftIfoundBenjamin,sittingonablackleatherreclinerinthecorneroftheroom.HishairwasneatasI
rememberedit—combedbackandtotheside.Heworeawhitedressshirtandblackslacks.

Hewasstaringatmewithhisfrozenblueeyes.
“Would you look at that?” I said, propping myself up on one arm. Upon realizing that I was no

longerwearingtheblackdressthatIhadonwhenImethim,Ipulledthecoversmoretightlyaroundmy
body.

“Hmmm?What’sthat?”
“Well apparently,” I said, picking at a loose thread on the duvet, “when you go to hell, you are

confinedfortherestofeternitytostayinaroomwiththemanthatmurderedyou.”

“You’renotdead,”hesaid,foldinghishandsinhislap.
“Thenwhydon’tIneedtobreathe?”
“Okay,maybealittledead,”hesaid,standingupfromthechair.
With that small movement, the room seemed to get smaller. Benjamin was an imposing figure.

Whenhemovedaroundtheroom,hecommandedmyattention.Ifollowedhisbodywithmyeyesuntilhe
stoppedtoleanagainstthelargedresserinfrontofthebed.Hefoldedhisarmsacrosshischestandthe
cornerofhislipsdrewupononeside.

“You’retakingthiswell,”hesaid,almostpleased.
“Well,howelseamIsupposedtotakeit?”Isnapped.“Youturnedmeintoa…intoa…vampire,”

Ifinallyspatout.“Completelyagainstmywill!”

“WouldyouratherIjustletyoudie?”
“Iwouldratheryoujustleftmealoneinthebartogoalongmymerryway.Didyoutrickmeor

something? Because I can clearly remember several moments during the evening when I intended to
leave.”

“Atfirst,no,youacceptedadrinkandmycompanyofyourownfreewill.”
“Well,suemeforacceptingadrinkfromahotguy!”
Benjamin’seyebrowsroseatthecompliment.
“Oh, don’t even,” I said, standing away from the bed. I was wearing only a man’s t-shirt and

nothingelse.Atleasttheshirtwentdowntomyknees,Ithought.

“Afterthat,”hecontinued,“yes,Iusedmildhypnosis.”
“And?”
“AndImeanttoonlydrinkyourblood,however,”hesaid,pausingbeforeadmittinghisweakness,

“Ilostcontrol.Tooktoomuch.Myoptionsweretoeitherchangeyouintoavampireorletyoudie.”

Mypatiencesnapped.NewinstinctskickedinandIlaunchedmyselfacrosstheroomathim.Itook

Benjamindownwithincrediblestrength.Astrangesenseofpowerrushedthroughmyveins.Thefeeling
onlylastedabriefmomentasBenjaminregainedcontrolandheldmeunderhisirongripwithmyback
pressedagainsthisbody.Unabletomovemyarmsorlegs,Istoppedstruggling.

“Neverforget,”hesaidwithavoicefullofmaliceandimpatience,“asstrongasyouareandas

strongasyoumaybecome,Iwillalwaysbemorepowerfulthanyou.”

“Youruinedmylife,youbastard,”Isaid,shakingwithtoomuchemotion.
Benjaminbenthisheaddownsothathischinrestedonmyshoulder.“Iameternallysorryforwhat

Ihavedonetoyou.Ineverwantedthisoutcomeforeitherofus.”

Hereleasedme.

Not knowing where I was, where my clothes were located, or how to even begin dealing with

becomingavampire,asobescapedmylips.

“Don’tloseyourcoolnow,Olivia,”Benjaminsaid.“Youweredoingsowell.”
Ilethimwraphisarmsaroundmeinacomfortingembracebecause,frankly,Ineededahugandhe

wastheonlypersonaround.Iwasn’treadytoforgivehim...notevenclose.Infact,ifIcouldhavefigured
outhowtokillthecreature,Iwouldmostcertainlyhaveconsideredit.Butatthatmoment,hisarmswere
strong,hisscentintoxicating,andIhatedhimforit.

“Idon’tevenknowwhatdayitis,”Isaid.
“It’sFriday.”
Okay,onlytwodayshadpassed.
“Idon’tknowyourlastname.”
“Ward.MynameisBenjaminWard.”
“Wherearewe?”
“MyhomeinCoralGables.”
“Andwherearemyclothes?”
BenjaminremovedhisarmfrommywaistandliftedmychinwithhisfingerssothatIwaslooking

upathim.Iwantedtokisshimandsnaphisneck,allatthesametime.

“Ugh!Ihateyourstupid,sexyface.”
Benjamin laughed. The melodic sound made me even angrier. His eyes, best described as

“bedroomeyes”sparkled,andhisfacewrinkledinalltherightplaceswhenhesmiled.

“Myclothes?”Iremindedhim.
“Yes,sorryaboutthat.Yourclothesweredestroyedduringthe...incident.”
“Mylittleblackdress?Really?”
“I’llbuyyouanewlittle,blackdress,”hesaid.
I pushed Benjamin away, throwing my hands up in outrage. “No, you won’t! I can buy my own

things.”

“See,” he said, rocking back on his heels, “the thing is… you are my responsibility now. I am

obligedtosharemywealthwithyoufromnowon.”

“Well,nothankyou,”Isaid,feelinginsulted.Washetryingtobuymeoff?“I’mnotsomefloozy

barflyyoupickedup.Ihaveacareerandmyownresources.”

BenjaminlookedatmeapologeticallyandIfeltmystomachsink.
“What?”Iasked.
“Asavampire,youmustsleepduringthedayandwakeonlyatsundown.”
“Ican’tkeepmyjob,”Isaid,plainly.Isn’tthatmyluck?Turnsoutthatsomelegendsweretrue.
Benjaminrubbedthebackofhisneck.
“Well?”Iasked,tryingtolookasmenacingasIpossiblycouldinanAC/DCt-shirt.
“Yes?”heasked,hiseyebrowsrising.
“Idon’tknow.Don’tjuststandthere.Saysomething!”
“Inaboutaweek,you’regoingtostartcravingblood.You’llneedtostartfeedingonhumans.”
Iwasalreadypacingaroundtheroom,butIpausedmid-stepandturnedtofacehim.
“Eww!Areyoukiddingme?Wait,youknowwhat?Idon’twanttoknow.I’mleaving.”
“Youwillneedtodrinkblo—”
“Stoprightthere.Idon’twanttohearit!”Istartedforthedoor.Iwasgoingtowalkhomebare-

assed,ifnecessary.

“Olivia,wait,”Benjaminsaid,grabbingmebytheshoulders.
“Pants!”Idemanded,staringdownatmybarelegs.
Hegrippedmyupperarm,hisfangsdescending.AwarningthatI’dbetterstartpayingattention.

“DoyouthinkthisiswhatIwanted?WhetheryouorIlikeitornot,I’mresponsibleforyounow.

Therearerules.Ican’tjustletyougooutonyourown.Therearethingsyouneedtolearnaboutbeinga
vampire.”

“Stopcallingmeavampire,”Isaid,snappingmyfistbackanddeliveringahardblowtohisjaw.
Benjaminwentflyingintothebedroomdoor.Thewoodsplinteredandcracked.Beforehecould

getup,Ilungedathimagain.Hewastoofast.Hegrabbedmebythewaistandswungmearound,bringing
mecrashingtothefloor.ItwasamazinghowIfeltnopain.Sure,Ifelttheforceofitall,aswellasthe
pressure,butnotnecessarilypain.

Benjaminpressedhiskneesdownagainstmythighstokeepmefromgettingup.Heheldmyarms

above my head. Eventually, I stopped struggling. He was right, I was stronger than I’d ever been, or
thoughtIcouldbe,buthewasmuchstronger.

“Pants.Iwantsomepants,now.”
“Areyougoingtorelaxandstopresisting?”Benjaminasked,hisfacehoveringjustafewinches

abovemyown.

“Yes,”Isaid,noddingslightly.
“Clothes are in the top dresser drawer. I had to guess your size.” Benjamin pushed himself up

fromthefloor.Offeringmehisarm,hepulledmeup.

“I’llbeinthelivingroomwhenyouareready,”hesaidbeforeclosingthedoorbehindhim.
I stared into the mirror, checking my teeth for pointy fangs. Remembering what it felt like when

Benjaminsunkhisteethintomyneck,Ishuddered.Mytongueslidagainstmyperfectlystraightteeth;and
afterdecidingtheylookedexactlyastheyalwayshad,Iwentaboutfindingclothes.

Ofcourse,theclotheswerebeautiful.Isiftedthroughthedrawer,hopingforjustat-shirtandsome

sweats,butthereweregorgeouspantsandtops.Isettledforapairofpainfullyexpensivebluejeansanda
cornflower blue, sleeveless blouse. Somehow, he’d gotten my size four perfectly right. This man
obviouslyhadagoodeyeforfashion.ThebedroomhaditsownprivatebathroomandItookthefastest
showerknowntoman.Aftertowel-dryingmyhairanddressinginmynewclothes,Icombedmyhairinto
alowbunatthebaseofmyneck,usingacombIfoundinthedrawer.

Anewpairofstrappy,casualsandalswerewaitingbythedoor,soIputthoseonaswell.Iwas

readytoleavetheroomandfacetheworldasavampire.Then,mycouragefading,Icrumbledtothebed.
While my mother was alive, she tried to teach me many important virtues. Like, the importance of
empathy;andhowtimealwayspasses,sowhat’simportantishowyouspendthattime.Oneofthemost
critical lessons she taught me, however, was that when life gets you down, when something terrible
happens,it’sokaytocry.Onlyonce,andfornolongerthanaminute.Afterthat,youhavetogetoveritand
moveon.

So,Icried.WhenIwasfinished,Istoodup,walkedovertothebathroom,washedmyface,and

patteditdrywithoneofBenjamin’sthick,cottontowels.Itookadeepbreath(outofhabit)andstared
intothemirror.

“Soyou’reavampire...thingscouldbeworse,right?”
Benjaminwaswaitingformeinthelivingroom.FromwhatIcouldsee,hishomewasbeautiful.I

wouldhaveimaginedavampire’sresidencetobedarkandcold.Onthecontrary,Benjamin’shomewas
warmandcomfortable.Hisfurniturewasexquisite,bututilitarian.Ataquickglance,itappearedtobea
one-storyhousewithprobablythreebedrooms.Thekitchenwasofftotheright,nearFrenchdoorsthat
ledtoapatio.Therewasalivingroomanddiningroom,andthatwasit—absolutelygracious,butnotat
alloverthetop.IalreadyknewfromtheclothesIfoundintheroomthathehadgoodtaste.

Benjamin sat on the large, oversized, tan leather couch. Sitting so regally in his home, I was

remindedofwhyIfoundhimsoattractiveinthefirstplace.Itwasn’tjusthisfaceorhisbody,thoughthat
would certainly have been enough. It was the way Benjamin carried himself. It’s one thing to carry

yourselfasifyou’rethelivingend,andit’sentirelyanothertocarryyourselfthewayyoudobecauseyou
justcan’thelpit.

Benjamincouldn’thelpit.
“Feelingbetter?”Benjaminasked.
“Yes.Thankyoufortheclothes.Doyouhavemyhandbag?”
Henodded,standingupfromthesofa,carryingspaceandtimealongwithhimashestrodeacross

theroom.Heopenedahallclosetandretrievedmypurse.Handingittome,Ilookedformycellphone.
Butrealizingthebatteryhadprobablydrainedtwodaysago,Iaskedtousehisphone.

“Olivia, you shouldn’t leave. There is plenty of room for you here. I’m the only one who lives

here.”

Ilaughed.ThesamelaughthatapparentlyonlycameoutwhenIwasspeakingtoBenjamin.“That’s

exactlywhyI’mleaving.Ican’tdealwithyourightnow.Youkilledme.Doyougetit?DoIneedtobe
anyclearer?Iwanttogetawayfromyoubecauseyouluredmetoyourhotelroom,drankmyblood,and
turnedmeintoavampire.CallmeacabsothatIcanleave.Now.”

“I’lldriveyou,”heargued.
Ishookmyhead,andfelttheangerragewithinme.WhileBenjamincalledataxi,Iwonderedif

becomingavampirehadheightenedmytempersomehow.Or,Iwasjustthatmadathim.

Benjaminreturnedfromthekitchenwithhisarmscrossedoverhischest.
“Ichargedyourphone,Thecarwillbehereintenminutes.”
“Tenminutes?”ThatwasunheardofforacabinMiami.
“It’smyowncarservice.Itneverarriveslaterthantenminutes.”
“Yourcarservice...”
“Stopbeingdifficultandusethecarservice.”
“Difficult?HowamIbeingdifficult?”
“Bynotallowingmetoexplainthegeneralrulesofbeingavampire.I’mnotsupposedtojustlet

yououtontheworldwithoutusheringyouintothisnewlifestyle.Contrarytomovies,vampiresarenot
usuallymade.You’reprobablythenewestvampireinthepasthundredyears.”

Okay...sothatwassurprising.
“Youhavetenminutes,”Isaid,sittingonthelongsofa.
“Youwillburstintoflamesifyou’reoutinthesunlight.”
Thatsucks.“AndyouliveinMiami,because?”Iasked.
“We’llgettothatlater.”
“Okay,whatelse?”
“Youwillliveforeversolongasyoudonotcatchastakethroughtheheartorgetyourheadtorn

off.”

“Whywouldanyonestabmethroughtheheartorchopmyheadoff?”
“Theywould,andtheywilltry.”
“Whoarethey?”
“Anyoneandeveryoneinthehistoryoftheworldwhohaseverfeltthreatenedbytheexistenceof

vampires.”

Iplannedtorevisitthatbulletpointforfurtherreview.Icouldn’timagineanyoneeverwantingto

decapitateme.Iwasvoted“MostLiked”inmysenioryearbook.

“Olivia,Iknowyoudon’twanttohearthis,butyouwillhavetodrinkhumanbloodtosurvive.”
Andtherewasthedreadfultruth.
Icringedatthethought.“Honestly,Benjamin,Ithinkmaybeyoudidsomethingwrongduringthe

whole vampire conversion mumbo jumbo because I feel fine. I definitely do not feel like drinking
anyone’sblood.”

“Youwill.Andwhenthecravingkicksin,itwillbeunbearable.It’sbesttogetthefirstfeeding

outofthewaybeforeitturnsintodesperation.”

“Ewww,feeding?Pleasedon’tcallitthat.”
“Whatwouldyouhavemecallit,Olivia?”
Iscowledjustastherewasaknockatthedoor.Ileaptfromthesofa.
“Can’tsayitwasniceknowingyou,Benjamin,”Isaid,headingforthefrontdoor.
Benjaminwatchedmefromthelivingroom.Iopenedthedoorandgreetedthedriver.
“James,”Benjaminsaid,fromthelivingroom.“PleasetakeMs.Dahlanywhereshewantstogo.”
Ofcourse,heknewmylastname.He’dprobablybeenthroughmypurse.
“Olivia,” Benjamin said as I walked out the door, “I’ve programmed my information in your

phone.Ifyouneedme,pleasedonothesitatetoreachouttome.”

Ileftwithoutapropergoodbye,andIwasn’texactlyabouttothankhimforhishospitality.There

wasasmall,rationalpartofmethatwaswellawareIwasn’tthinkingclearly.Ididn’tknowthefirstthing
aboutbeingavampire.Ijustcouldn’tdealwithhimatthemoment.

Frankly,Iwashurt.
BenjaminWardwasthemostgorgeousmanthathadevertalkedtome.Iamthereigningqueenof

thefix-update.Anyonethatevenmildlyknowsmehastriedtofixmeupatsomepointwithhisorher
eligiblemalefriend.Obviously,noneofthempannedout.

AndthencameBenjamin,buyingmeadrink,speakingintelligentlytomeaboutbusiness,music,

andtravel.IthoughtIhitthejackpot.Itwasalllikesomeunbelievablefairytale.Luckyme,itwasalljust
arusetogetmealoneanddrinkmyblood.HedrewabeadonmeinthatbarandIfellforit.

James,thedriver,heldthedooropenformeandIgavehimmyaddress.Thesleek,blacktowncar

wascomfortableandIwaspleasedtobedrivenallthewaydowntown.Ididn’tthinkIcouldmusterup
enoughconcentrationtodrivemyselfanywhere.

AsweleftCoralGables,Isnuggledintothecushyleatherseats.OnceIopenedmypurse,Iwas

surprised to find that indeed, my phone had been charged to full capacity. I had seven messages from
work.IlistenedtothelastoneinformingmethatIhadbeenfired.Allittookwasinexplicablymissing
two days of work without calling. There were two voice messages from Laura and about twenty text
messages.Yes,callingLaurawasnumberoneonmylistofthingstodo.

Glassseparatedthebackseatfromthefrontseat.Iwasn’tplanningontellingLaurathatI’dbeen

turnedintoavampirerightaway,butIwasn’tsurewheretheconversationwasgoingtotakeme.Hell,for
allIknew,Jameswasavampiretoo.WouldIbeabletospotfellowvampires?

“Wherethehellhaveyoubeen?”Lauraasked,hervoiceboomingoutofthephone.
“Hi,nicetohearfromyoutoo.”
“Seriously,Liv.I’vecalledyouamilliontimes.IcalledyouatworkandIwenttoyourapartment.

Iwastwohoursawayfromfilingamissingpersonreport.Okay?Thisshitisserious!”

I leaned my head back against the seat. “Geez, Laura, I’m really sorry. I got food poisoning,” I

lied.“Icouldn’tevenanswerthephoneormakeittothefrontdoor.”

“Foodpoisoning?”sherepeated.“You’resuchanasshole,Liv.Youcouldhavecalled.”
“IknowandI’msorry.Idon’tthinkI’mevergoingtogetsickagain,soyoudon’thavetoworry

aboutme.Ever.HowaboutIbuyyouadrink?Meetmeatmyplaceinthirty-fiveminutesandwe’llwalk
tothatbarthat’sonlyablockover.”

“Fine,butI’mgettingsomethingexpensive.”
“Yes,please!Somethingwiththeword'tini'init!”Isaid,desperatetoreconnectwithsomething

normalinmylife.Preferably,somethingwithaheartbeat.

“Bye,Laura.”
“I’llseeyouinthirty,”sheresponded,endingtheconversation.

Wewerealreadyprettyclosetodowntown.Thegiant,brilliantlylitbuildingswerecominginto

focus.IscrolledthecontactlistinmyphoneuntilIfoundthename,BENJAMINWARD(VAMPIRE).

I had to laugh a little. “Not very subtle, are you?” I said to myself. He provided me with every

possiblewaytogetincontactwithhim.Cellphonenumber,housenumber,address,ande-mail.Mythumb
hoveredovertheDELETEbuttonforfifteenseconds,justenoughtimeformetoacknowledgethatImight
needhimoneday.IhopedthatIwouldn’t.Itwaswrongtobesoattractedtothemanthat,well,let’sface
it...murderedme.

Unfortunately,wehittrafficbeforemakingitintodowntown.Laurawasalreadywaitingformein

thelobbyofmybuilding.

Whenshesawme,shefrowned.
“Youdolookalittlepale,”shesaid.“Pretty,butpale.Nicejeans.”
“Thanks,they’renew.”
“Comeonup,”Isaid.“Ineedtocheckonthecat.”
As we rode up the elevator, I crossed my fingers, hoping that my cat was not dead. It had been

forty-eighthourssinceI’dfedhimandIdidn’twanttofindhislifelesscorpseinthebedroom.

“How’swork?”Lauraasked,afterweenteredtheapartment.
“Oh,right,”Isaid,droppingmykeysonthecounter.“Meowser?Here,kitty,kitty!”Iwalkedinto

theliving,bracingmyselfforamorbidscene.“Iquitmyjob,today.”

Laura’sfacescrunchedupintooneofmassconfusion.“Ididn’tknowyougotanotherjob.”
“I didn’t. I just, uh, didn’t like how they handled my being so sick. They weren’t, um,

understandingofmyneedingacoupleofdaysoff.So,Iquit.”

“Yougotfired?”
“Fired?Yes,IguessIdidgetfired.ButonlybecauseIdidn’tshowup.”
“Thatwasstupidofyou,”Laurasaid,astuteasever.
“NotmuchIcoulddoaboutit,I’mafraid.”
Outofsheerhabit,Ibreathedasighofreliefwhenmycatcametrottinginfromtheguestbedroom.

ThelargeRussianBluelookedashappyasever;andnotatallbehavinglikehehadn’teateninforty-eight
hours. Meowser’s food dish and water bowl were still almost full. In the guest bathroom, it looked as
thoughthelitterhadbeenscoopedclean.

“Laura,” I said, walking back into the living room. “You don’t have a key to my apartment. Do

you?”

“No, you never gave me one. Which had me thinking yesterday. We should have keys to each

other’sapartmentsjustincaseoneofusgoesmissing.”

SoifLaurawasn’tinmyapartment...
“Whyareyoulookingforanantiquesdealer?”sheasked,pokingaroundinmykitchen.
Iwasputtingonafreshlayeroflipstickbeforeleaving.“Awhat?”Iasked,gatheringupmypurse

andkeysfromthelivingroom.

“Thisbusinesscardonyourfridge,”shesaid,pointing.
Iwalkedtothefridgeandgotalookatthemysterybusinesscardformyself.Ihadafeelingabout

whosecarditwas.

BENJAMINWARD,ANTIQUESDEALER
So,he’dbeeninmyapartment,fedmycat,andscoopedthelitter.Thatlastpart,Ihadahardtime

picturing.Heprobablyhiredsomeonetocheckinonmyplace.

Well,Iwasn’tabouttothankhim,that’sforsure.

Three

NeitherLauranorIhadeverbeentothisparticularbar,butitwaswithinwalkingdistanceandI’d

noticedtheclientelegrowinginrecentweeks.

“Whonamesabar,‘ThePub’?”Lauraasked,sittingonahighstool.
“I’msuretheownersweretryingtobeclever.”Seeingtheextensivebeerandwineoptionsbehind

thebar,Istartedtopanic.

CanIdrinkanyofthisstuff?
Ididn’tdareadmittomyselfjustyetthatIshouldn’thaveditchedBenjamin.
“I’llhaveaglassofmerlot,Iguess,”Isaid,unsure.“Houseisfine.”Therewasn’tanyneedtobuy

expensivewineuntilIwassureIcoulddrinkit.

ItookthefirstsipwhenLauraexcusedherselftotheladies’room.Ialmostspatthestuffrightout

themomentitpassedmylips.Yuck!Justtobesure,Iorderedanewglassofawine,onewhichIwassure
I'denjoyedinthepast.Unfortunately,myexperimentyieldedthesameresult.Thewinetastedrepulsiveto
me. It was like drinking horrible cough medicine as a child. I didn’t want Laura to ask questions, so I
forcedmyselftodrinktiny-sip-by-tiny-sip.

Lauradidmostofthetalking,whichwasokaywithme.Shebabbledonandonaboutherjobatthe

museumandhowherco-workerwasconspiringagainsther.Iwelcomedanythingthatkeptmymindoff
the events of the previous forty-eight hours. Although I tried my best to pay attention to her, I mostly
watchedtheotherpeopleinthebar.

“Whatareyougoingtodoaboutyourjob?”Lauraasked,returningmetoreality.
“Ihavenoidea,”Isaid,honestly.
“Wasn’tverysmartofyoutoloseyourjob,”shesaid.
“Couldn’tbehelped,”Ireplied,stiflingasob.“Youshouldgo,Laura,”Isaid,allatonceunable

tomakeconversationwithheranymore.

HerarmfeltwarmundermyfingersasIreachedacrossthetable.“I’msorrythatIgaveyousucha

scare.Itwon’thappenagain.Although,I’llbebusytryingtofindanewjobduringthedaytime.I’llcall
youtomorrownightandletyouknowhowit’sgoing.”

Eventually,Iwouldhavetotellher.Ijustdidn’tknowwhen.Howexactlydoyoutellyourbest

friendthatyou’vejoinedtheundead?

Sheglancedatherwatchandhereyebrowsshotup,seeingthatitwasalreadyintotheweehours

ofthemorning.“I’llwalkyouhome,”shesaid.“It’stoolateforyoutowalkbyyourself.”

“I’llbefine,really.Go,grabacab.I’mjustgoingtousetheladies’roomandthenI’llbeonmy

way.”

Ididn’tknowhowtotellherthatIcouldprobablysnapanyone’sneckthatdaredattackme.After

punchingBenjamininthefaceandsendinghimacrosstheroomearlierthisevening,IrealizedInolonger
neededtoworryaboutanyonesneakinguponmeinthestreetanymore.

Reluctantly,Lauranoddedandleftthebar.Ipaidthetabandlocatedtherestroomatthebackof

thebar.Thedoorwasstuck,soIputalittleweightintoitandbrokethelockoff.WhatIthoughtwasa
jammed door was really a locked door. I was so strong now that I splintered the door open without
meaningto.

Awoman...oratleast,shelookedlikeawoman,wasattackinganotherwomaninthemiddleof

the surprisingly nice bathroom. The attacker’s eyes were flat black and inhumanly devoid of any
reflection. She held the other woman up, a foot off the floor with only one hand grasping the victim’s
throat.

The crazy-eyed woman was literally sucking the life out of the other woman’s body. In stunned

silence,Iwatchedasmokystreampassfromonewomanintothemouthoftheotherwoman.

Ohshit!
New instincts clicked into place. I launched myself into the air, delivering a hard kick into the

attacker’sside.Sheletoutahigh-pitchedsquealandcrashedintothetiledrestroomwall.Ifellaswell,
having executed my kick improperly. The former victim dropped to the floor in a heap. Instinctively, I
knewshewasalreadydead.

Luckily,Icaughttheattackerbysurprise,whowasnowstrugglingtogetupfromthefloor.Before

she could fully stand, I slammed into her again. This time, the porcelain tile exploded into hundreds of
pieces.MovingfasterthanIeverthoughtIcould,Iranbackintothemainpartofthebar.

“Run!”Iscreamed.IpulledthepeoplewhoweresittingatthefirsttableIsawtotheirfeet.“Fire!

Fire!”Ishouted.“Getout!Now!”Ifiguredpeoplewouldreacttothethreatoffirefasterthanthatofa
monster.

Agoodfifteenpatronsfledthebar.Istoppedthebartenderfromcallingthepoliceandhurriedto

getheroutoftherewiththeothers.Ifeltsomethingslamintomelikebeinghitbyacar,thoughIdidn’t
feelthatmuchpain.Itdrovemeintothebarwithsuchforce,Ialmostsplitthelargewoodenbaseintwo.
Thecrazy-eyedwomanemergedfromtherestroom.Iscrambledtomyfeetjustasshelungedformeagain.
Thistime,Ihitherwithmyforearm,rightacrossthechest.Shedropped,butIwasn’tgoingtofallforthat
again.Irantowardtherearofthebar,lookingforanotherexit.

WhenIturnedback,Isawthecrazywomanrisingfromtherubble.Shestarteddownthehallway,

andanotherman,withthesameflat,blackeyes,washotonherheels.Ibracedmyselfjustasthewoman
slappedmehardacrossthefaceandlungedformythroat.Imanagedtopushheroff.Theman,however,
whohadalargescarrunningdownthewholeleftsideofhisface,sentmethroughaplateglasswindow.I
wasbleedingfromtheglasscuttingme,butatleast,Iwasoutsidethebarnow.

Running down the back alley, I didn’t know which way to go. I just kept sprinting for the main

street, not daring to look behind me. I left my purse; but luckily, I felt my phone vibrating in my back
pocket.

I made it to the main street, hoping the people in passing cars wouldn’t notice my bleeding. I

answeredthephoneafterreadingthankfully,BenjaminWard(Vampire)wasthecaller.

“Benjamin?”
“I’moutsideofThePub.Whereareyou?”
Ohthankgoodness,hewashere!“Iranouttheback,downthealley.I’mon—”Isaid,frantically

lookingforthestreetsign.“Tenth!Gotwoblocksup,”Iansweredinahurriedvoice.

Benjaminpickedmeupandspedusoutofdowntown.Iwatchedasthefeatheredcutsonmyarms

closedupandsealedontheirown.Itwasn’tuntilwewereclosetohishousethatIrealizedwewerein
thenicestcarI’deverriddenin.ItwasasportyJaguarandIwasbleedingallovertheleatherseats.

“Oh,geez,”Isaid,mortifiedwithmyself.“Yourcar!”
“Iranintosomefriendsaswell,”hesaid,pointingatthebloodstainsonhisownjacket.“I’llhave

itcleanedtomorrow.”

“Whatthehelljusthappened?”
“Exactly,”hesaid.“Helljusthappened.”
“Don’tgetallcrypticonme,Benjamin.”
“Demons,Olivia.Younarrowlyescapedademonattack.”
“Oh,”Isaid,goingintoalittlebitofshock.Iwentthroughtheusualmotionswhenwearrived.I

gotoutofthecarandwalkedintothehouse.IletBenjaminleadmetotheguestroomwhereI’dwokenup
earlier.

Standinginthemiddleoftheroomwithonebrokenhighheel,IkeptshakingalittleandBenjamin

musthavenoticed.

“I lost my purse,” I said. “I guess everything is replaceable. But I had a lot of contacts in my

agenda that I won’t be able to get back. Can you believe I still use a paper agenda? I regret it now. A
little,anyway.I’msorry,Iramblesometimes.”

"I’llsitwithyouawhile."
Inodded,notwantinghimtoleave.Ineverenjoyedwatchinghorrormovies.Iwouldneveradmit

tohimthatthemovie“Dracula”gavemenightmares...evenasanadult.WhatIwitnessedatthebarwas
almostbeyondmybrain'scomprehension.Somuchbloodandgore.Isawbrainmattersplatteredacross
therestroomfloor!

"Pajamas?"Iasked,kickingmysandalsoffintothecorneroftheroom.
"Bottomdrawer,"hereplied,hesitating.Helookedatthechairinthecorneroftheroomandthen

downathisownbloodyclothes.

"Ithinkwebothneedashower,"Isaid,statingtheobvious.
"I'llshowerintheotherroomandmeetyoubackhere."
"Ihavealotofquestions,"Isaid.
"Now,shehasquestions,"hesmiled,mockingme.
"Yeah,yeah,Iknow.Ilearnedmylesson."
In the shower, as I washed the remains of the day from my body, I couldn't help but replay the

scenefromthebarinmyhead.

Demonsexisted.
Vampiresexisted.
Whatelsewaslurkingintheworld?Partofmedidn'twanttoknow,whiletheotherpartofme

didn'twanttogetblindsidedagain.

Stillinthebathroom,IdressedinthepajamasIfoundinthedrawer.Theywerejustmysizeand

surprisinglyconservative.Thewhite,silky,long-sleevedshirtwassomethingI'dactuallypurchase.

When I stepped into the bedroom, Benjamin was already sitting on the chair to the left of the

expansive bed. He wore black sweat pants and a tight-fitting, gray t-shirt. Something about a man in
pajamaswasjustsosexy.Hishairwasvisiblydampandcombedbackasusual.Thescentcomingoffhis
bodywasdecidedlymanly,likespicedoranges.

“Benjamin,”Istarted.
“Yes,Olivia?”
“Iftheofferstillstands,I’dliketomovein.Here.Withyou.”
“Ofcourse,we’llcollectallyourthingstomorrow.It’sforthebest.Youhavealottolearnandit

willbeeasierformetokeepyououtoftrouble.”

“I’mnotintrouble.”
“No?DidInotjustfindyouinthethroesofademonshitstorm?”
IrolledmyeyeseventhoughIhateditwhenpeoplerolledtheireyes.That’showmuchhepissed

meoff."Sohowdoesthiswork?"Iasked,climbingontothemassivebedandslidingunderthecovers.
"WillIpassoutwhendawncomes?WillIactuallyfallasleep?"

"Yes, you will sleep," he said, folding his hands in his lap. "Right as dawn breaks, you will

involuntarilyslipintounconsciousness;onlytoawakenoncethesunsets,feelingrefreshed."

"Slippingintounconsciousness,asyoucallit,isnotthesameassleeping,"Ipointedout.
"Ifyouwanttogettechnical,"hesaid,"youwillbedeadduringtheday."
"Awesome."
"Thatiswhyit'simportantforyoutobeinasafeplacebeforedawnapproaches."
"Gotit,"Isaid,noddingmyhead."Idefinitelydon'twanttoburstintoflames."
"Orberenderedvulnerabletoademonattack,orevenrarer,ahumanattack."
Isighed,outofhabit."Please,fillmeinonthedemons."

I turned over to face Benjamin, with my head resting comfortably on a plump, down pillow.

Benjaminstretchedhislonglegsoutandproppedhisfeetuponthebed.

"Doyoumind?"heasked.
"Ofcoursenot.Goahead,"Isaid,urgentlywantinghimtostartthelesson.
"Thereisanunderworld.Vampiresarenotfromtheunderworld.Infact,wedonotknowexactly

wherevampirescamefrom,buttherearerumors…Legends."

"Anunderworld,"Irepeated,tryingtowrapmymindaroundtheconcept.
"Yes.Iknowthisishardtounderstand,buttheunderworldisanotherdimension,somethinglikea

paralleluniverse,"hesaid,pausing."Areyoustillwithme?"

"Yes,continue."
"Now,thedemons,yousee,arecapableofcrossingoverintoourrealm."
"Whatdotheyhaveherethattheydon'thaveintheunderworld?"
Benjaminsmiled."Goodquestion.Theyhavehumansandtheyhavevampires."Heshiftedinthe

chair,obviouslyill-at-ease.

"Youcanlieonthebedifyoulike.I'msureyou'llbemorecomfortableandIwanttohearasmuch

aspossiblebeforeIsuccumb."

Benjaminnoddedandstretchedacrossthebed,politelyremainingabovethecovers.Lyingonhis

back,hefoldedhishandsacrosshisabdomenandperiodicallyturnedhisheadtolookatmeashespoke.

"Demons drink vampire blood because it allows them to exist in this realm longer. The demons

consumehumansoulslikedrugs.Itgivesthemahighthattheygetinstantlyaddictedto."

"Andinordertokeepstealingthehumansouls,theyhavetokeepdrinkingvampireblood."
"Correct."
"So,isthereanywaytostopthem?"Iasked,feelingsuddenlyhorrified.IthoughtaboutLaura,and

ofherbeingattackedinascenelikewhatIwalkedinonatthebar.Itmademefeelsick.

Overcomewithdreadandanxiety,mychestaching,Iscootedmywayacrosstheexpansivebed

untilIwasrightupagainstBenjamin'shardbody.Idrewonearmfromunderthecoversandrestediton
hischest.Withoutprotest,Benjaminbroughthisarmaroundmyback,cradlingmeinthecrookofhisarm.

Ifeltbetter,safer,instantly.
Benjaminresumedhistutorialondemonsasifnothinghadchanged.
"Ibelongtoaminorityofvampires.Wefeelitisourdutytostopthedemonsbeforetheyattack.

Forthemostpart,oursidegenerallyfareswell.However,lately,therehasbeenanunusualdifferencein
demonscrossingover."

"Whyunusual?"
"Historically, only high-level demons were granted passage to this world. What we are

experiencingnowisanincessantinfluxoflower-leveldemons."

"So,youtrackthem?Huntthemdown?Andthenwhat?"
"Killthem.Rememberearliertonight,youaskedwhyIlivedinMiami,whichisfamousforhaving

longdays?"

Inodded,mychinrubbingagainsthisribcageinresponse.
"Thiscityalsohasthegreatestnumberofdemonvisits.Theyhatethecold."
Thatmadesense."Canyouteachmehowtostopthem?Iwanttoprotectpeople,likemyfriend,

Laura,fromtheseawfuldemons,"Isaid,pressingclosertoBenjaminforsolace.

"Yes,Icandothat,"hesaid.
Despite the fact that I no longer needed to breathe, I sighed. "Benjamin, why am I so drawn to

you?Ihateyou...Atleast,Iwanttohateyouforwhatyoudidtome,butIcan'thelpfeelingsomeinner
peacewhenI'mnearyou."Ididn’tlikethefeeling.Asniceasitwastobenearhim,Icouldn'tforgetthat
mynewdemonproblemwasentirelyhisfault.Everythingwashisfault.

"Areyouhypnotizingmeagain?"Iasked,stillupset,butalsounwillingtomoveawayfromhim.
"No, I can't influence you like that anymore, now that you're a vampire. You've had a lot of my

blood.You'resimplyfeelingaresidualconnectiontome."

Well,thatwascertainlygoodnews.Withanyluck,itwouldwearoffsooner,ratherthanlater."Is

thathowyouknewwheretofindmeatthebar?Didyousensesomethingwaswrong?"

Asheshifted,Icouldn'thelpfeelinghismusclesrippleunderthethinfabricofhisshirt.Withmy

newsenses,myfingertipswerehypersensitivetohisfleshmovingbeneaththecotton.

"No, I received a phone call. One of the demons is a friend. He does his best to help us. He

disapprovesofhowthedemonstreatvampiresandhumans."

Instantly,Irememberedthedemonatthebar,theonethatcametomyaid.
"Theonewiththescaracrosshisleftcheek?"Iasked.
"Yes."
"Hesavedme.Hedidaverygoodjobofmakingitlookaccidental."
"WecallhimJeremiah.He'sbeenworkingwithusforcenturies."
"Centuries?"Irepeated."Howlonghaveyoubeenavampire?Isitrudetoask?"
A low rumble of laugher vibrated down his chest to his abdomen. I would have been lying if I

deniedhowmuchIenjoyedthesound.

"Ican’ttellyouforsure.I’mclosetoathousandyearsold."
"Wow."
AllIcouldcomeupwithwas...Wow.
"Doyoufeelthatshiftinenergy?"heasked,justasIheardalowcracklinginmyear.
"Yes.Whatisit?"Mybodytensedmomentarily.
"Dawnisapproaching."
"Already?ButIhavesomanymoreques--"

Four

NotthatI’deveradmitittoBenjamin,butbeingavampirecertainlyhaditsperks.Forinstance,I

packedupmytwo-bedroomapartmentinfourmeaslyhours!ThelasttimeImoved,ittookmethreeweeks
togeteverythingorganized.StrongasIhadbecome,IstillinsistedBenjaminhelpmemovetheboxesinto
hishouse.

“Becarefulwiththatbox,Benjamin.It’sfullofdishes,”Isaid,holdingtheserviceelevatoropen

forhim.Benjaminhadconvincedbuildingmanagementtoallowusaccesstotheloadingdock.

“MightIpointout,onemoretime,youdon’tneedthedishes,orthelargeboxofpotsandpans.

Youdon’tevenneedthecookbooks.Vampiresdrinkblood.Theydon’tmakecasseroles.”

“Whileyourargumentisvalid,”Isaid,loadingthelastboxintothetruck,“thesearemythingsand

Ireallyliketocook.”

“It’sirrelevant,”hesaid.
“You’venevertastedmyrisotto.”
“AndIneverwill.BecauseIamavampire.”
“Don’tyouhavehobbies?”Iasked,closingthedoortothemovingvan.
“Yes.Now,getinthetruck,”Benjaminsaid,danglingthekeysinfrontofme.
“I’mnotdrivingthisthing,”Isaid,headingforthepassengersidedoor.
“It’syourtruck,”hesaid.
“Iknow,butpleasebelievemewhenIsaythatIwillhitsomethingwiththistruck.It’snighttime.

Therearepeopleout.It’sabadideaallaround.And,yes,IamthatbadofadriverandIwon’tgetmy
depositbackifIdingthevan.”

“Fine,” he said, climbing into the driver’s seat. He started the truck and we pulled out into

downtown,notsurprisinglythickwithSaturdaynighttraffic.

‘Yourvisionandreflexesshouldbesharpernowbecauseofthechange.”
“I know. I just don’t feel like driving the truck, okay? I want to be available to pet Meowser

throughthecarrierifhestartsfreakingout,”Isaid,stickingmyfingersthroughthemetalcagedoor.The
cat’scarrierwasplacedstrategicallybetweenthetwoseats.

“I’msorry—thecat’snameis?”
“Meowser..likeMEOW,andthenZER.You’regoingtolikehim.Hemindshisownbusiness.”
“Youmaybethefirstvampireinhistorytoownapetcat.”
“Ihighlydoubtthat.Theymakegreatcompanions.”
“You’llfindthatvampiresprefertobesolitarycreatures.”
“Well, I, on the other hand, enjoy being around people. It was one of the best parts about my

marketingjob.”Istaredoutthewindow,silentlymourningthelossofmyjob,aswellasmyapartment;
butIwouldn’tletitgetmedown.

“Then,”Benjaminsaid,finallymakingittotheUS-1,“Ihavegoodnewsforyou.”
“Oh?”
“Ibelongtoasmallgroupofvampires,consideredtobetheleadersofthevampirerace.Wehold

ameetingeverydecade,whichoccurredearlierthisweek.”

“Okay,areyoutryingtotellmeyouhaveahobby?”
“No.DoyourememberwhenIsaidyouwerethenewestvampireinacentury?”
I nodded in response. It threw me at the time. Meowser chose that moment to wail. I saw

Benjamin’shandsgripthesteeringwheeltighter.

“Sorry, he doesn’t like the carrier very much,” I said, insincerely. Meowser could claw

Benjamin’seyesoutforallIcared.

“ThevampireleaderswouldliketomeetyouwhiletheyareherevisitingtheUnitedStates.They

willarrivelatetonight,”hefinished.

“Yikes,”Isaid,explodingintonervouslaughter.
“Just be yourself,” Benjamin said. “They’ll be glad to see you’re no threat. Anonymity is every

vampire’sprimarygoal.”

“That’swhatyouthink.Justwaituntilmybloggoesviral.”
Benjaminturnedhisheadtowardme,andforthefirsttime,Irealizedthathedidn’thavetopay

muchattentiontotheroad.Wereourreflexesactuallythatgood?

“I’mjustkidding,”Isaid.“YouthinkIwantanyonetoknowI’mavampire?Nothankyou!I’ve

seenthemovies.Next,comethevillagerswiththeirpitchforksandtorches.”

“Thisisserious,Olivia.”
“I’m aware, Benjamin,” I said, mocking him. “Of course," I hesitated, "I am going to tell my

friend,Laura.”

“Thatmaynotbeasgoodanideaasyoumightimagine,”Benjaminstarted.
“She’stheonlypersonIhaveclosetome.It’seitherthat,orwestagemyelaboratedeathscene.”
“Nowthatcouldbeconsideredahobbyofmine.”
“We’renotfakingmydeath,Benjamin.Shewon’ttellanyone.Thereisnothingtoworryabout,”I

assuredhim.

“I’mjustnotsureifyou’lllikeherresponse,”hesaid.
IchosenottospeakuntilwereachedBenjamin’shouse.Ofcourse,I’dalreadyconsideredallthe

possibleoutcomesoftellingmysecrettoLaura.Wouldshebelieveme?Orworst,believeandthenrun
awayfromme?LauraalwayssaidthatIcouldtellheranything.Well,weweregoingtofindouttheworth
ofherword.

Wepulledupthedriveandparkednexttoanothercar.“Whosecaristhat?”Iasked.
“Thomasishereforthemeeting,”Benjaminreplied.
The name registered recognition as I stepped down from the truck with Meowser’s carrier. “I

rememberthatname.Hewastherethenightyouchangedme.”

“Yes,”Benjaminsaid,noddingonce.
“Right,well,lookslikeIfoundourconversationstarter,eh?”
BenjaminsmiledandIwasreminded,onceagain,whyIfoundhimsodamnattractiveinthefirst

place. “Do you just have like a closet full of gray suits?” I asked, looking him up and down. He was
probablythebest-dressedmovingmanintown.

“Ihaveafew,Isuppose,”hesaid,carryingtheremainderofmyluggageintothehouse.
WeplannedtoputmostofmystuffinthelargestorageshedbehindBenjamin’shouse.Honestly,it

wasmorelikeanairplanehangar.HavingnoneedforfurnitureinBenjamin’sfully-furnishedhouse,I’dbe
withoutmyfavoriteottomanforawhile.

BenjaminunlockedthefrontdoorandIhurriedin,eagertoletthecatout.Turningtomyright,I

greetedthefirstguestoftheevening.

“Hi.Thomas,right?”Iasked,settingthecarrierdownonthefloor.
“Olivia,”Thomassaid,meetingmeattheedgeofthelivingroom.“You’relookingwell.”
“Right,lasttimeyousawmeIwasalldyingandeverything,”Isaid,makingmybestdeadface,

which probably looked more like a sad clown. “I’ll be right back,” I said, taking one of my bags from
Benjamin.“Ineedtosetthecat’sstuffdownbeforeIlethimout.”

“Ofcourse,”Thomassaid.“Benjamin,whydon’tIhelpyouunloadthetruck?”
Benjaminnoddedandstartedforthefrontdoor.
“Thank you!” I said, hoping that meant they’d do it all. Even though I possessed super-human

strength,itdidn’tmeanIwasn’tstilllazy.

Iwenttomynewroomandsetthekittylitterdowninthebathroom.Itookthecat’sfoodandwater

dishesfromthebaganddecidedtoputtheminthekitchen.Atleastsomeoneshouldbemakinguseofthe
kitchen.Outsidemyroom,Ifoundallofmyboxesstackedneatlyinrows.

“Holycow!”Isaid,callingfromthehallway.“Thatwascrazyfast.CanImovethatfast?Andif

so,how?”

“Justmovefast,”Thomassaid,appearinginthehallwaywiththelastoftheboxes.“Ibelieveyour

cat is itching to get out.” Thomas had jet-black hair that was cut fairly close to his head. His caramel
browneyesstoodoutincontrast.

Benjaminwasstandinginthelivingroom.“They’llcomeforthetrucktomorrow.”
After setting down his bowls in the kitchen, I crouched on the floor and opened Meowser’s

carrier.Hedidn’tcomeoutrightaway.Ittookalotofcoaxingonmypart.Thomasbroughtthecatfood
bowloverandthatdidthetrick.Meowserfinallyemergedfromthecarrierandimmediatelywalkedover
to Benjamin. After rubbing himself all over Benjamin’s ankles, Meowser hid under the sofa, where I
expectedhimtospendmostofthenextfewdays.Ireturnedthecatbowltothekitchenandstoredthecat
carrierinthehallwaycloset.

“Ifyou’llbothexcuseme,”Isaid.“I’mgoingtostartgettingready,sincetherearepeoplecoming

overtonight.Iwanttomakeagoodimpression.”

“Apleasuremeetingyouofficially,Ms.Dahl,”Thomassaid,withanodofhishead.
“Thepleasureismine,”Iinsisted.“Thankyouforyourhelpwithmythings.”
My mood improved now that I had my cat moved in. If I was about to meet the leaders of the

vampire race, I wanted to look good. I entered the walk-in closet, thumbing through my options. The
majorityofmyclotheswerehungearlierintheevening.Askirtandblousecombowouldhavetodo,asit
was one of the few items that didn’t need ironing. The black pencil skirt was a gift from Laura for my
birthday.Thehemlinewasacoupleofinchesabovemyknees.TheblouseIselectedwasshort-sleeved,
candy-apple red, and dubbed my “lucky blouse” for over two years. Good things always seemed to
happenwhenIworethatblouse;andifIweregoingtobeinahousefullofvampiresjudgingme,Ineeded
alltheluckIcouldconjureup.Pairingtheoutfitwithkiller,black,Bo-Peeppumps,Ilaidoutalltheitems
onthebedwhileIshowered.

Iusedahairdryertotamemyhair,whichwassurprisinglycooperative.Thelong,darklocksfell

straightwithjusttheslightestcurlattheends.Ineverworealotofmakeup,butIdidapplylightpowder,
eyeliner,mascara,andbrightredlipstick.Freshoutoftheshoweranddressedinmyfavoriteoutfit,Ifelt
readytoconfrontthevampires.

Meowserwascurleduponthesmallercouchinthelivingroom.Thecouchprobablycostmore

thaneverythingIhadinmyoldapartment,soMeowserwasinkittyheaven.

“So,whatareyouguyslookingat?”
IfoundBenjaminandThomashunchedoverthediningroomtable.Benjaminwasjustahalf-inch

tallerandhisshoulderswerebroaderthanThomas’.IfounditamusingthatThomaswasalsowearinga
light, gray suit. Was it like some kind of rule that vampires had to wear suits? Because, honestly, they
couldkickmeoutoftheclubbeforeIwasrelegatedtowearingapantssuit.

Nosy me, I squeezed in between the two men so I could get a look at the table. Several maps

stretchedacrossthemahoganywood.TheoneontopdetailedtheMiamiBeacharea.

“Whatarealltheseredstarsonthemap?”
“Those,”Thomasanswered,“aredemonattacksinthepastweek.”
“Holyshit!Thatdoesnotlookgood.”
Having a nearly indestructible body didn’t seem like such a bad thing anymore. I was going to

havetowarnLauratobecarefuloutthere.MaybeIcouldconvincehertoleaveMiami.Jobofherdreams
ornot,therewerelotsofmuseumsinplentyofothercities.Coldcities.Withoutdemons.

“So,whatareyouguysgoingtodoaboutallthis?”ItookthemapofdowntownMiamioutfrom

underthestackandexaminedit.TwoattackshadoccurredjustablockawayfromLaura’sapartment.

Benjaminleanedbackagainstthediningroomtable,staringdownatme.“Mostofthevampires

haveslowlyabandonedthearea.Aboutthirtyremain.”

Thomas nodded, replacing the Miami Beach map on top. “But that doesn’t solve the problem.

Initially,wethoughtbycuttingofftheirsupply,they’dslowlydisappear.”

“Can’t they just get vampire blood from somewhere else, but stay in South Florida where it’s

morewarmandfuzzyforthem?”Demonscandrivecarstoo,right?

“Exactly.”
Therewerealotofredmarksonthemaps.“Andyouguysjustdon’tcareaboutthehumansbeing

killed?”

Thomasfoldedhisarmsacrosshischest.“It’snotourconcern.”
“But,”Isaid,gettingfiredup,“anonymityisapriority.Right,Benjamin?”Ilookedathisfaceto

makesurehe’dbackmeuponthis.“Andiftheseattackscontinuetogetoutofcontrol,thenit’llonlybea
matteroftimebeforepeoplediscoverthedemons;andthevampirescouldbenext.”

Thomas nodded. “You bring up some valid points. Would you care to discuss it further? I was

abouttoleaveformyeveningmeal,afterwhich,Iplantoreturntothemeeting.I’denjoyyourcompany,
Olivia.”

“Gooutforameal?”IlookedatBenjaminsideways.Pleasegetmeoutofthisgracefully,Itold

himwithmyeyes.Ihadafeelingitwasn’tagoodideatosharemyaversiontodrinkinghumanbloodwith
anyothervampires.Talkaboutsinglingmyselfoutwiththenewcrowd.

“Unfortunately,wejustfedbeforewearrived,”Benjaminsaid,coolly.
“Yeah,so,maybesomeothertime?”IfBenjaminthoughtIowedhimanythingforcoveringforme,

hehadanotherthingcoming.

“Untillater,then,”Thomassaid,leavingthroughthefrontdoor.
Ibreathedanunnecessarysighofrelief.Benjaminsetthemapsdowncarefullyacrossthetableso

that we could see the entire layout of the greater Miami area. He did look amazing in a suit, I mused,
eyeinghimupanddown.

“OhBenjamin,IhatetoadmitthatIwaslookingatyourass,butyouhavecathairalloveryou.”
“You’rejoking,”hesaid,hisfaceserious.
“No,really.YoumusthavebeensittingononeofMeowser’ssleepingspots.”
“Youmeanthecouch?Imusthavesatonthecouch?Howsillyofme.”
“Holdon,“Isaid,headingtomyroom.“Ihavealintbrush.”
“Neverneededalintbrushuntilyougothere.”
“Ineverneededtobehereuntilyoudrankallofmyblood,”Iretortedfromthebedroom.
Thedoorbellrang.Shit!“Holdon,don’tanswerit!Letmespeedbrushyourpants.”
Ofcourse,Icouldonlyfindmytravellintbrush,andMeowser’shairwascrazylong.He’slikea

divacat.IrantheminilintbrushupanddownthebackofBenjamin’sbazilliondollarsuit,enjoyingthe
absurdityofthesituation.

“Oh,thejoysoflivingwithsomeone,”Benjaminsaidasheturnedtoopenthedoor.
Ithrewthelintbrushclearacrosstheroomsothatitlandedbehindthesofa.“Andyou’resucha

walkinthepark.Openthedooralready.Wait,nodon’t!”Boy,wasInervousallofasudden.IfIdidn’t
meet their expectations, would they kill me? Would I be banished and forced to join a pack of
werewolves?

“Dowerewolvesexist?Wait,nevermind,”Isaid,shakingmyhead.“DoIlookokay?”
“Youdon’tlook,‘okay’,”Benjaminsaid,“youlookmouthwatering.Honestly,alittletoogoodfor

thelikesofthesemen.Justrelax,andwhentheceremonystarts,don’taskanyquestions.”

“What?Thewhat?”Myeyeswentwideinpanic.

Benjaminlaughed,Imeanareallaugh.HisbodyshookinawayI’dneverseenbefore.“Imade

thatlastpartup.Noceremony.”

“Didyoujustmakeajoke?”
BenjaminopenedthedoorbeforeIhadachancetosmackhimintheheadforscaringmelikethat.

Istoodbythechair,leaningagainstthebackinacoupleofdifferentways.Iwastryingmybesttolook
comfortable,natural,andpowerful--allatthesametime.MaybeifIturnedmyelbowjustso,I’dconvey
confidence in my ability to drink blood. Oh, hello there, Mr. Vampire Leader, I was just leaning here,
admiringthispainting.

Yeah,Ilookedreeeaallycomfortable.
“Iseeyouallcametogether,”Benjaminsaid.
“Not all of us, Natasha and Duncan will be along shortly,” one of the men answered. He was a

petitemanwithapointynose,likeabird’sbeak.Heworehishairinashort,ponytailatthenapeofhis
neck, and had a good inch to an inch-and-a-half of white hair showing at the roots. Clad in a black
sweater(inthiswarmweather?)andblackslacks,Inoticedabitofgrayingchesthairpeekingoverthe
borderofthesweater’sv-neck.

Another man and a woman followed the small man. The man wore a white, button-down dress

shirtandkhakipants.Hewasratherlargewithjet-blackhair,cutshort.Hisdressshirtstrainedagainstthe
pressuretocontainhisexpansivestomach.

ThewomanwastallerthanI,whichwasnogreatfeat.She’dbestbedescribedasaverageheight,

five-foot, six, maybe. It looked like she’d been turned in her early thirties. Her short, black hair didn’t
have time to gray when she became a vampire. She wore short bangs, and the hair was cut in a bob,
reminiscentoftheflappersfromtheroaringtwenties.Sheworeaskirt-suit,thecolorofeggplant.

Weallstoodattheentryofthelivingroom.Nexttome,Benjamintouchedthesmallofmyback,

mycue.

“Hello,everyone.MynameisOliviaDahl.It’sapleasuretomeetyou.”Myvoicewasshaky.I

feltlikeitwasmyfirstdayonthejob,freshoutofcollege.IfIwerestillhuman,mychestandneckwould
havebecomeblotchyandredbynow.ItalwayshappenedtomewheneverImetimportantpeopleandgot
nervous.

I stepped forward and took the first man’s hand into mine. My father always taught me the

importanceofagood,stronghandshakeduringafirstimpression.“Olivia,”Isaid,tothepetiteman.

Hewastakenabackatfirstbymyphysicalgesture,butquicklycomposedhimself.“Charles,”he

replied,withtheoddestaccent.Icouldn’tplaceit.ItwasasifheoncehadaBritishaccentlongagoand
nearlylostit.

Imovedontotheportlymannext.Hislargehandenvelopedmine.“Anthony,”hesaid.
“It’snicetomeetyou,”Itrilled,ascongenialasever.Remember!Theygivepointsforsmiling!
“Victoria,”thewomansaid.Shewasremarkablyserious.Itriedtocatchherblinking,butcould

not.

“So,uh,I’mavampire.Ium,promisenottobreaktherules.Theselipsaresealed,”Isaid,using

myfingerstozipmymouthshut.

Benjaminclearedhisthroat.“Whydon’tweallsitdown?”
“Can I get anyone anything to dr…” I started. Benjamin shot me a menacing look and I stopped

talkingquickly.Ohmy,howwouldIevermakeitthroughthismeeting?

We took our seats in the living room. Somehow, I drew the short straw and ended up next to

Anthony,thecorpulentman.Iwasasmallwoman,butstill,Ihadsomecurves.Ididmybesttoposition
myself at the far corner of the sofa. If I dared shift an inch to the right, my thigh would end up snugly
againsthisleg.

“So, where are you guys from?” I asked, putting on my marketing hat. Benjamin told me the

purposeofthismeet-n-greetwastoseewhothenewgirlwas.Me.So,IfiguredI’ddowhatIdidbest.
Schmoozeandmakesmalltalk.

Ourguestsremainedsilentforalittlewhile.I’msureitseemedlongertomethanitwas.Ismiled

allaroundandletmyeyeslockonVictoria,imploringhertopleasethrowmearopehere.Neitherofus
wantstobehere,lady.

“Peru,”theVictoriasaid.Surprisingly,shehadathickaccent.Theemphasis,whenshesaidPeru,

wasonthe“u”.

“Ohmy,”Isaid.“Youknow,IjustsawthemostamazingdocumentaryontheIncanruins,Machu

Picchu.Isthathowyoupronouncethem?”

“Yes,”shesaid,smiling.“MachuPicchu.Theyarequitesomething.”
“Andyou,Anthony?”Iasked,turningmyattentiontothemannexttome.
“Actually,”Charles,said,interruptingmyinquiry,“we’dliketoknowaboutyou,Ms.Dahl.”
“Right.Ofcourse.Whatwouldyouliketoknow?”
“Well,it’snoteverydaythatavampireismade,”Charlescontinued.
Anthony cleared his throat and I felt the entire sofa vibrate. “It’s been one hundred and eleven

yearssincethelastvampirewascreated.”

“Thomas,”Benjaminadded.“Heisthemostrecentvampire.”
“That’saverylongtime,”Iagreed.“IwantyoutoknowthatIunderstandthegravityofmybeing

changed.Notthatitwasmychoice,butgiventhealternative,IsupposeI'mglad.”

TherewasaknockonthedoorandBenjaminstood.“Please,excuseme,”hesaid,walkingtothe

doorandopeningit.Twomorevampireswalkedin.NatashaandDuncan,presumably.

Natashawasblondeandyoung,probablyaboutmyageatherturning.Sheworeatight,reddress

withcapsleevesandahighneckline.Shewas,byfar,themostbeautifulwomanI’deverseen.Theman
thatfollowedherwasalmostasgood-lookingasBenjamin,excepthehadlong,flowinghair.Frankly,I
didn’tgoforthelonghair.Imean,itwaslongerthanmine,andthatjustwasn’tmything.

“Duncan. Natasha,” Benjamin said, his voice lacking the friendliness he’d shown toward the

others.“Wewerejustfinishingup.”

“Oh, but I have questions for the woman you decided to turn. Really, Benjamin,” Natasha said.

“Afteralltheseyears,thisisthewomantowhomyouchosetodonateyourblood?”

Bitch.
“Umm, Hi. I’m right here?” I said. “And trust me, I’m not happy about this one bit. This isn’t

exactlythewayIpicturedmylifeturningout…orending,rather.”

Natashalaughed.IcouldseeBenjamin’shandsopeningandclosingintenseagitation.
“Youexpectmetobelievethatyoudidn’ttargethim?Youjustcouldn’twaittogethimtosinkhis

teethintoyou,I’msure.”

“Okay! You know what? I don’t have to listen to this,” I said, shifting in my seat and leaning

forward. “Could you please scoot over an inch?” I asked Anthony, the large man next to me. He didn’t
belonganywherenearaloveseat.

“Youcameheretoaskmequestions,solet’sgetthroughthisquickly.ThenIcangooncountingmy

luckystarsthatI’vecompletelylostmylifeasIknowit,allbecauseoneofyoubastardscouldn’tcontrol
hisbloodlust.”

Victoria cleared her throat. “What do you plan to do with your time? Now that you’ve had to

make…someadjustments.”

“Honestly,I’dliketobeacontributingpartofyoursociety.I’dliketohelptrackthesedemons.

Especiallyforthesafetyofhumans.”

“Youunderstandtheneedfordiscretion?”Charlesadded.
“Yes,”Isaid,noddingonce.“Benjamin,Ibelieve,agreedtotrainme.I’dliketohelpinanyway

thatIcan.”

“This is true,” Benjamin said. “Olivia, will stay with me until I feel she has made the full

transitionintosocietyasavampire.”

“Well,”Anthonysaid,standingupfromthesofa.“Ibelievewe’vetakenenoughofyourtime,Ms.

Dahl.”

The trio of vampires that arrived together, walked to the front door. Everything was going fine

until that Natasha arrived. And what was with that Duncan guy? I wondered. He didn’t say a word the
entiretime.Hejuststaredateveryonewithalookofpuredisdain.Andnotjustatme,either.Itlooked
likehehatedeveryoneintheroom,withequalabhorrence.

BeforefollowingAnthonyandVictoriaoutthedoor,Charlesturnedtome.“We’llbewatching,”

hesaid.“You’llbegood.Won’tyoudear?”

“Crossmyheartandhopetodie!”Isaid.
Not even a smile. Geez, these guys were stiffs. I was glad when they left, but not completely,

becauseNatashaandthesilentDuncanwerestillstandingattheentryway.

“Benjamin,”Natashasaid,sidlingupclosetoBenjamin.Shelayherpalmflatagainsthischest.

“We’llbeintownforanothermonthorso.Ifyouwanttohavesomefun,calltheSeasons.”

“Natasha,”Benjaminsaid,openingthefrontdoorwider.“Alwaysapleasure.”
Natashaeventuallyleft.
“Bye!Itwassonicemeetingyou,”Isaid,layingonthesarcasm.
Duncan nodded to Benjamin before leaving, and Benjamin simply closed the door behind the

creepyman.

I threw myself onto the couch and kicked my heels off. “That guy can talk, right? He’s not

incapable?”

“Yes,hejustdoesn’ttalkveryoften.”
“You don’t like him,” I said, un-tucking my blouse from my skirt. So much for making a good

impression.

“Idon’tlikehim,”Benjaminsaid,sittingonthechairoppositeme.
“Because?”Iprompted.
“Becausehe’sreveredasaleaderofthevampires,yethedoesn’tcarethatthevampiresarebeing

attackedbydemons.Hedoesnothingtostoportrytopreventit.”

“Justlikeyoudon’tcarethatthehumansarebeingattacked,”Icountered.
“Iamnothuman,Olivia.Ihavenoobligationtoprotectthem.”
“But,youwerehuman,”Isaid,sadnesscreepingintomyvoice.
“Yes,”hesaid.“But,thatwasalongtimeago.”
WouldIalsolosemyconnectiontohumanityovertheyears?
“AndNatasha?Whatcrawledupherassanddied?IfIdidn’tknowanybetter,I’dsaythatshewas

inlovewithyou.”

“Notinlove.Shejustwantswhatshecan’thave.”
Thomaswalkedintothehouse.
“You’relate,”Isaidfromthecouch.“Icouldhaveusedyourvoteofconfidence.”
“Thatbad,huh?”Thomassaid.
“Theyhatedme!”
“Theydidn’thateyou.Theydon’tcareenoughtohateyou,”Benjaminclarified.
“Thomas,”Benjaminsaid,standing.“Ineedtofeed.Joinme?”
“Iwasjustout,Benjamin.”Thomassaid,eyeingmefrombehindthecouch.IthinkI’llstayhere

andtalkmorewithOlivia.Didn’tyousayyoufedearlier?”

“Did I?” Benjamin asked. “I meant to say that Olivia fed. I was too busy moving boxes. Olivia

needstimetoputherthingsaway.”

ThomasrolledhiseyesandreluctantlyfollowedBenjamintothedoor.
“Thanksagainforyourhelptonight,gentlemen,”Isaid,standingupfromthecouch.
“I’llseeyousoon,Olivia,”Thomassaid.
Benjaminusheredhimoutthefrontdooranditwaseasytoseewhothealphamalewasbetween

thetwo.Itwasn’tsurprising,consideringhowyoungThomaswas,relativetoBenjamin.Iwonderedwho
changedThomasandunderwhatcircumstances.

“Meowser,”Icalled,crouchingdownonthefloor.“Here,kitty,kitty.”Isnappedmyfingersand

madekissingnoisesuntilmyfurrycatsaunteredoutfromunderthecouch.

“Thosemeanoldpeoplearegone,”Isaid,pickinghimupwithonearm.Thisusedtobeagreat

feat,consideringthatMeowserwasonthechubbyside.Ipickedmyheelsupfromthefloorwithmyother
handandheadedformyroom.Isetthecatdownonmycrispbedspreadandeyedtheboxeswaitingfor
meinthehallway.

Hmmm,Ithought.Let’sseehowfastthisvampirecango.
Ihadeverythingunpackedandputawayintwentyminutesflat.Notbad.Notbadatall.

Five

Threenightslater,Igotthehangofthedemon-fightingthing.Asahuman,Iwasathletic.Irantrack

allthroughhighschoolandfrequentedthegymseveraltimesaweekduringmyadultyears.Myfavorite
classwasalwayskickboxing,howeverthoseexperiencespaledincomparisontosparringasavampire,
withavampire.

Itseemedthatmyonlyphysicallimitationwasmybrain.WhilemymindtoldmethatIcouldn'tdo

certainthings,inreality,Icould.Inowpossessedsuper-humanstrength;andIfeltreadytounleashthat
powerontheunsuspectingdemonsinfiltratingmyworld.

Benjamin,ontheotherhand,insistedthatIstillhadmuchtolearn.
“Ihaveaquestionregardingeverydaylife,”Isaid,interruptingBenjaminfromreadinghispapers.

Benjaminsettheportfoliodownonthecoffeetable,grantingmehisfullattention.Tonight,asalways,he
lookedstunninginadark,graysuit.Iwaslookingprettystylishmyselfinapearlwhiteblouseandblack
pencilskirtcombo.Themanhaddefinitelystockedmywardrobewell.

Isatdownonthecouchtotheleftofhisreadingchair.
"How do I take care of stuff?" I asked, realizing I should be more specific. "You know, since I

can'tdothingsduringthedayanymore."

Benjaminnoddedthoughtfully."Youlearntoadjustanddealwiththingsastheycomeup."
"Okay,hypotheticallyspeaking.Well,it'snothypothetical,it'sforreal."Ismiledandlookeddown

apologetically. Sometimes, I could ramble. I looked up at Benjamin. He had great patience and
unhurriedlywaitedformetocontinue.

"Well,beforeyoukilledme,"Istarted.
"Almostkilledyou,"hecorrectedme.
"Ihavenopulse."
"Details,"herepliedcurtly.Hehadtheabilitytoimpressivelypunctuateone-wordresponses.
"Right,well,beforeIbecame...er,wasturnedintoavampire,Ihadaverycushyjob,withakiller

office.Andinthisswankyoffice,IkeptafewthingsthatI'dliketogetback.Thebuilding,however,is
closedwhenI'mawakeandtheyprobablywouldn'tletmeinanywaybecauseIditchedthecompanyfrom
onedaytothenext.Mystuffmightnotevenstillbethere."

Benjaminleanedforward,hisbrighteyesstudyingmecarefully.
"Cameras?"
"Broken. They’re set up, but just for show. Unfortunately, there is a security guard," I said,

soundingdefeated.

"Whatistheguard'sname?"Benjaminasked.
"Mmmm...Harrison.Ithink."
“Areyoureadytogo?”Benjaminstoodup,smoothingoutimaginarywrinklesinhissuitjacket.
“Tomyoffice?”Iasked,followingbehindhim.Ihadjustenoughtimetograbmypursefromthe

coffeetable.

“Youwanttolearnthings,don’tyou?Howaboutalessonin...”Hehesitated.
“Let’scallit,hypnosis.”
“Like when you hypnotized me into having the hots for you?” I hurried out the front door.

Normally,myfive-foot,threeheightwouldbenomatchforhislonglegs,butIwasquickenough,now.
Theheelsofmybeige,patentleatherpumpskeptstickingbetweenthedrivewaystones,butImadeitto
thecarjustamomentafterhedid.Itwasnicetobefastandnimble.MuchasIhatedtoadmitit,beinga
vampirehadsomeprettydecentperks.

“Pleasedon’tpretendlikeyouweren’tinterestedinmefromthestart,”Benjaminsaid,holdingthe

cardooropenforme.

Hisstronghandlingeredonthesmallofmybackashehelpedmeintothecar.Ifeltashiverup

anddownmyspinefromwherehetouchedme.Hewasright;Ididn’tneedanypersuasionwhenImethim
atthebar.BenjaminwasthemosthandsomemanI’deverseeninreallife.Sure,themeninthemovies
weretodiefor.But,therealityisthatit’sthemakeupandcameralightingthatenablethemovieexpertsto
makethoseactorslookimpossiblysexy.WhenIsawBenjaminatthebar,Imarveledathisrawbeauty.I
stillcaughtmyselfstaringathimfromtimetotime.

“MyofficeisinBrickell,offTenthStreet,”Isaid,aswepulledontotheroad.Leavinghishome,I

remembered what it was like to drive through Coral Gables in the sunlight. The massive trees created
canopiedroadsthatsparkledonthedayswhenthedappledsunshinefilteredthroughthebranches.Much
likeakaleidoscope.

WasIsadnevertoseedaylightagain?
Yes.ButIwasn’tgoingtocryaboutit.
“Whyme?”Iasked,alreadysensingitwasabadideatofollowthatlineofquestioning.
Benjamindidn’tsayanything.HekepthiseyesontheroadandpulledontoUS-1.
“Haveyouevermadeanothervampire?”Ipersistedwithmyquestions,everstubborn.
“No,”hesaid.
“Sothisisthefirsttimeyou’veeverlostcontrol?”Iasked.
“Ididn’tsaythat.”
Inourshortacquaintanceship,Ilearnedthathedidn’telaborateasmuchasIwouldhaveliked.I

feltlikeIwasalwaysdiggingformoreinformationandbeggingforexplanations.

“Soyouusuallyleavepeoplefordead,then?”Iasked.
“It’sbeenalongtime.Therearenewlawsthatwereenactedinthepastcentury.Withincreased

globaltechnology,wehavetotakemoreprecautionstocamouflageourexistence.”

“If you didn’t make a mistake in such a long time, I can’t help but wonder… What happened to

makeyoualmostkillme?”

Benjaminchangedlanesashewoveinandaroundtraffic.Hesmelledincrediblydeliciousinthe

enclosedspace.Underanyothercircumstancesoflife,orinanalternatereality,wherevampiresdidn’t
exist, and Benjamin was just some guy I’d met, I’d have fallen for him instantly. I would have waited
eagerlybythephoneforhiscallandcriedintoapintoficecreamifitnevercame.

Butwelivedinaworldofvampires,andBenjaminwasthemanthatmademeoneoftheundead.

SoIwaitedexpectantlyforhimtoanswermyquestion.

“WhenIfeed,Iliketobepractical.Youwereimpractical,”hesaid,afteralongstretchofdriving.
“Okay?”Isaid,notatallgraspinghismeaning.
“Doyourememberthatblackdressyouwerewearing?”heasked.
“Yes,itcostmelikehalfaweek’spay!AndthatwastheonlychanceIgottowearit.Iwasgoing

outonablinddatewithadoctorsoIthoughtI’dwearsomethingnice.”

Benjaminhitthesteeringwheeloncewithhisopenhand.“That’swhatyouweredoingtherethat

night.I’veoftenwondered.Youdon’tseemlikethetypetogoontheprowlformeninbars.”

“Goodassessment,”Isaid,laughing.“I’mdefinitelynotthattypeofgirl.Iwaswaitingforacab

whenyouseducedme.”

“Seducedyou?”Benjaminsaid,exitingUS-1andtakingtheBrickellofframp.Westillhadashort

distancetogo.

“Well,IknowIdidn’tendupinyourhotelroomonmyown.Yousaidsoyourself,I’mnotthat

typeofgirl.”

Benjaminlookedatmeforamoment,awickedlyhandsomegrinsplayedacrosshisface.
“InevershouldhavetargetedawomanIfoundsoattractive.”

Ifhemeantthatasacompliment,Iignoredit.Ishifteduneasilyinmyseat,wishingwewereatmy

officebuilding...now.

“So,howdoyoudate?IfattractionissuchIproblem,Imean.”
“Wedon’t.”
“Vampiresdon’t?Oryoudon’t?”
Benjaminlookedthoughtfulforafewbeats.We’ddrivenacoupleofblocksbeforeheanswered.
“Idon’t,”hesaid.
I wondered why I was even interested in Benjamin’s dating habits. Geez, I knew how to make

myselfthefool.

“Oh!Turn,here”Isaid,realizingwe’dreachedthebuilding.TheKentbuildingwasimposingand

beautiful.WhenIfirstgotthejob,Ifeltlikesuchabigshot.It’samazinghowquicklyyourperspectiveon
lifecanchange.

“It’s here,” I said, pointing to the gray, stone building. “But, I don’t have access to the parking

garageanymore.”

Henodded,turningleftandgoingupablockintoacovered,publicparkingfacility.Wedroveup

twolevelsbeforefindinganopenspot.IwassurprisedBenjaminwaswillingtoleavetheJaguarinthe
garage,butit’snotlikewehadanychoice.

“I’llgetthedoorforyou,”hesaid.
I smiled to myself as I watched him walk in front of the car. I never imagined he was such a

gentleman.HeheldthedooropenformeandIsteppedoutwithmoreeasethanIfelt.Ihadmorecontrol
over my body as a vampire. Normally, I would have had to contort my body to get out of a tiny, sleek
sportscarliketheJag,butwithmynewabilities,Iwasasagileasacat.

“Plan?” I asked, as we walked onto the main sidewalk, heading south toward the building. The

streetswerecrowdedwithcarsoutforthenight.Thesoundoftiresdrivingoverwetpavementfilledmy
ears.Mysensesweresoastute.

“We’re going to go and talk to the security guard. Pay attention to the tone of my voice and the

wordsthatIchoose.”

“Gotit.”Istruggledtoseeagainsttheharshheadlightsofthecarspassingby.
“Everythingissointense,”Isaid,holdingmyhanduptoblockouttheglare.
Benjamin took my hand in his and squeezed it lightly. The simple contact quelled my growing

panic.

“You’llgetusedtoit.Yoursensesaresharprightnow.Giveitafewdays,andIassureyou,itwill

bebetter.”

I nodded, nervously enjoying the feel of my hand in his. Should I let go of his hand? Was the

momentover?Ineverseemedtoknowwhattodo.

When we reached the building, we walked up to the intercom system at the right of four large,

ornatelydetailed,glassdoors.

“You’regoingtodothetalking.Right?”Iasked.
Benjamin nodded. “Once we are inside, however, you take over. Remember, I’m here to fix

whatevermessyoumake.”

HepushedthebuttonandIheardHarrisonontheothersideoftheintercom.Hisvoicewasdeep

andthroaty,likehe’dbeensmokingfortoomanyyears,orhungoutintoomanydingybars.

“Thisbuildingisclosedfortheevening,”Harrisonsaid.
“Harrison, listen to me, open the door. Open the door and let us in. You’ve been expecting us.

You’vebeenexpectingusandyou’llletusinnow.Alright,Harrison?”

There was a long moment of silence. Enough time for me to pick a few pieces of cat hair off

Benjamin’ssuitjacket.

“Whatisit?”heasked.“Lint?”
“No,it’sMeowser’shair,”Isaid,frowning.
Benjamingavemethedeathstare.Poorkitty.Hewasn’tgoingtolastunlesshefiguredoutaway

togetBenjamintowarmuptohim.

“I don’t think this Harrison guy is going to open the door, Benjamin,” I said, skeptical of his

hypnosistechnique.Wait…Didn’thepersuademeintoeverythingthenightwemet?Ontheotherhand,
hishandsomenessmayhavehadsomethingtodowithmyreceptiveness.

As that dreadful thought faded, the buzzer sounded, followed by the click of the door opening.

Smilingfromeartoear,Ihurriedintothebuildingbeforethedoorhadachancetoshutinmyface.Sure,
wewereinthebuildingnow,butthatdidn’tguaranteeusentryintomyoldoffice.

“I still need the key to my door,” I told Benjamin. “It’s the same key for the whole fourteenth

floor.”

Benjaminnodded,followingmetothesecurityguard’sstation.Harrison’sofficewastotheright,

just past the restrooms. I took a deep breath, out of habit, to steady my nerves and poked my head into
Harrison’soffice.

“Harrison,”Isaid,inacommandingvoice,reminiscentofavampirespoofmovie.Rightaway,I

was feeling pretty silly. “You’re going to give me the key to the offices on the fourteenth floor,” I said,
looking into his eyes. The skin around his brown eyes was wrinkled and riddled with crows’ feet. His
officesmelledlikeanashtray,andItrieddesperatelytoconcentrateallmyenergyonhypnotizingtheman.

“I’mheresoyoucangivemethekeystofourteenthfloor,”Isaid,myvoicealluring.“Youasked

meheretonight,togivemethekeys.Youwon’ttellanyonethatIwashere.You’llgivemethekeysandI
willgivethembacktoyoubeforeIleave.”

Harrisonstaredatmewithavacuousexpression.
IturnedtoBenjamin,andhesimplymouthedthewords,“Holdon.”
I did hold on, for what seemed like an eternity, but probably only forty-five seconds actually

passed.Finally,Harrisonopenedthebottomdrawertohisdeskandjusthandedmethekeys.Assimpleas
that!

"Yournameisonthedoor,”Benjaminsaid,reachingthedoortomyofficeonthefourteenthfloor.

Myoldoffice,Iguess.

"Yes,I'mkindofabigdeal.Or,Iusedtobeabigdeal."
Heunlockedthedoortotheofficeandhelditopenforme.
"I'msureanyonewouldagreethatbeingavampireisabigdeal."
Ismileddespitemyself.Hehadapoint.Didn'tIjusthypnotizeamanintovoluntarilygivingme

thekeystothebuilding?

"Yeah,yeah,IguessI'mstillhotshit."
Ididn'twanttoturnthelighton,soitwasagreatadvantagethatIcouldseesowellinthedark.

"Honestly,Ijustneedacoupleofthings,"Isaid,openingthebottomdrawerofthedesk.

IremovedapairofChristianLouboutinpumpsfromthedesk.Next,Itooktheonlyframedpicture

intheoffice.Ithungonthewallbehindthedesk.Itwastheonlycopyofaphotowithmyparentsandme
onmygraduationdayfromcollege.

IlookedupatBenjaminandnodded.
"Isthereanythingelse?"heasked.
Ishookmyheadandweleftthewaywecamein,afterreturningthekeystoHarrison,ofcourse.
"You'resureyoudon'twanttoturnbackandhaveatasteofourfriend,Harry?"
"Ewww,no,Idon't."
“Thecravinghasn’tstartedyet,then.”
“Keepingtrack?”Iasked.

Benjamin nodded in response. We walked on the sidewalk, heading back toward the garage.

Young women and men, dressed in beautiful clothing filled the streets, on their ways to the next bar or
restaurant.Iwonderedwhatvampiresdidforfun.MaybeIdidn'twanttoknow.

"ThephotographIunderstand,"Benjaminsaid,aswereturnedtotheparkinggarage.
Ihopednoonewaswatchingusbecausewetookthestairstothethirdlevelwithunnaturalspeed.
"Butwhatabouttheshoes?Webrokeintothebuildingforshoes?"
Hewasn'tnecessarilymockingme,morelikequestioningmysanity."TheshoesareLaura'sand

they'recrazyexpensive.I'dbeabadfriendifIdidn'treturnthemtoher."

Heopenedthecardoorformewithathoughtfullookonhisface.Afterwepaidtheparkingfee

andbeganourdrivethroughdowntownBrickell,hecontinuedtheconversation.

"YouunderstandthatI'mwealthy?"heasked.
"Betweenthehouse,theJaguar,andtheclothes,youmightsaythatI'veguessedasmuch."
"Here,"hesaid,pullingacardoutoftheinsidepocketofhissuitjacket.
Itookthecardfromhimandexaminedwhatlookedlikeacreditcard.Iwasright,itwasacredit

cardandithadmynameonit.

"What'sthisfor?"Iasked.
"I told you that I'm responsible for you. I took your life and I've obviously robbed you of a

successfulcareer."

"Ican'ttakeyourmoney,"Isaid.
"Give yourself six, seven decades to amass your own fortune. Until then, you can spend my

money."

Geez, that was a loaded statement. "So, what you're saying is we're going to be hanging around

eachotherforthenextseventyyears?"

Benjaminlaughed,notsomethinghedidoftensinceI'dknownhim.
"Yourperceptionoftimewillchangeastheyearsprogress."
"What'sitlike?Beingaliveforcenturies?"Iasked.
Hewassilentforsolong,Ithoughthepreferrednottoanswermyquestion.
"Iimagineit'sdifferentforeveryone,"hesaid,trailingoff.
I should have stopped then, but I just couldn't help myself. If I had to hang around this guy for

seventyyears,IguessIshouldfindoutmoreabouthim.

"Whowereyouwhenyoubecameavampire?"
"Therewasnotsomuchimportanceplacedontheindividualinthosedays.Iwasaman.Ibarely

knewmywifeandchildren."

"And?"Iasked,promptinghim.Comeon,man!YouknowwhatIwanttoknow.
"Andawomancamefromtheoutside.Shewaswildandmad.Iwaswalkingaloneatthewrong

time.Sheattackedme,andIbeganmylifeasacitizenoftheundead."

I thought about that for a moment, wondering what it would have been like for me if I’d had a

family when I was turned into a vampire. What would my parents have thought if they had been alive?
WouldIhavetoldthem?Orjustdisappeared?Ididn’tknowmanypeopleinMiami,otherthanLaura,of
course. I guess I didn’t have to worry much about the whole I’m-not-going-to-get-any-older thing for a
fewyears.Man,allthisserioustalkwasbringingmedown.

"Idon'twanttogobacktothehouse."I’dbeencoopedupinthehousefordaysnowandthenight

airfeltcrisp.

“Alright,”hesaid,“let’sseeifIcanteachyoutospotdemons.”
Ismiled,feelingquiteproudofmyself.Obviously,Benjaminwassomewhatimpressedwithour

sparring,andthoughtIwasreadytotakethisshowontheroad.I’dseenfirsthandwhatthedemonswere
capableof.IwonderedhowmanybarsinMiamitheyprowledeverynight.Howmanyvictimswouldthey

claimtonight?Notjustthehumans,butthevampirestoo.Wewereallindangerwiththedemonsrunning
loose.

“Howmanyvampiresliveinthearea?”Iasked.
Benjaminheadedtowardthebeaches.IworriedforahotminutethatIwasn’tdressedproperlyfor

theSouthBeachnightclubs,untilIrememberedwhatBenjaminsaidabouthowit’sdifferentforeveryone
whorealizesheorsheisgoingtoliveforever.DidIcareaboutwhatIwaswearinginthegrandscheme
ofthings?No.Anice,tightskirt,blouse,andheelswoulddojustfine.Besides,ifIwalkedintoanyplace
withBenjamin,itdidn’tmatteratall.

“Whydothedemonstargetthebarsanyway?”
“Barsanddanceclubsmainly.Peoplearedrunk,there’susuallyalotofdrugs.It’seasyforpeople

nottonoticethedemonsaroundthemwhentheycan’tevenrememberwheretheyparkedtheircars.”

Benjamin drove us over the bridge into Miami Beach. I’d already been living in Miami for a

couple of years, but I still couldn’t get over the sight of driving over the bridge. It was a complete
knockout.Thewaterseemedmysteriousinthedarkandthebrightlightsofthecitysignaledlikebeacons
foraparty.

IlookedoveratBenjamininhisimpeccablystylishthree-piecesuit.Okay,maybeIcaredalittle

aboutwhatIwaswearing.“Don’ttakeusanywheretoonice.Youmaybedressedthepart,butIshould
havewornsomethingalittlemore,youknow...wowza!”

Benjamin laughed. “You obviously haven’t seen yourself from behind in that skirt. You’ll get in

anywhere.”

IlookedawayandremainedsilentfortherestofthedriveintoMiamiBeach.WepulleduptoThe

Citizen when it was about eleven o’clock. I’d never even attempted to go to The Citizen—too
intimidating.Wewerewaitingtoleavethecarinvaletwhenmyanxietysparked.

“So,what’stheplanhere?”Iasked,usingthevisormirrortoapplylipstick.Cherryredwouldbe

boldenoughtogetoutoftheJaguarandintothenightclubwithBenjamin.Fromtheoutside,TheCitizen
was more of a lounge. I could already tell from the people waiting in line that there would not be any
bumpingandgrindingonthedancefloor.Icouldaddup,inshoesalone,aboutfiftythousanddollarsin
designernames.Itwasliketheredcarpetoutsideofthebar.

Whenwefinallyreachedvalet,theattendantopenedthedoorforme.IsteppedoutandBenjamin

metmeatthefrontofthecar.Hesurprisedmebyrunninghishanddownmybackandfinishingwithagrip
onmyass.HepulledmeinclosetohissideandIstrugglednottotripovermyself.Wewalkedlikethat,
withhishandonmyass,rightuptotheentranceofTheCitizen.Asweapproachedthebouncer’spostby
thefrontdoor,Iopenedmymouthtoprotest.Iwasn’tabouttowaitinthatlinejusttogetintoabar.Iwas
surewe’dendupwaitingforatleastanhour.ButwhenIgotasidewayslookatBenjamin,Iknewwe’d
bewalkingrightin.Benjamincarriedhimselflikehewasthebiggest,baddest,fuckofthemall.Andfor
allIknew,hewas.

Thesepeoplecouldsenseit.Thewomenmistooktheirfearforattraction.Theyallwantedhimand

theywantedtokillmeforbeingwithhim.WewalkedrightthroughthedoorofTheCitizenwithoutany
questions.

IperchedonthebarstoolnexttoBenjamin.Heremainedstanding.Igesturedtotheopenbarstool

nexttome,buthedismissedthenotionwithaquickshakeofhishead,asiftosay,“Idon’tsitonstools.”

“Do you know what my favorite drink is?” I asked, eyeing the people around us. There were

mostlymenatthebar,stalkingwomenwiththeireyes.

“Blood?”Benjaminresponded.
“No.”
“Well,itshouldbe.”
“It’sa—”

“Whiskey,”hesaid,smilingatmesideways.
“Howsweet.Yourememberfromthenightwemet.”
“Youworeblack.”
“Andyouworemyblood.”
“Ouch,”Benjaminsaid,grinningallthewhile.
“Yes,that’swhatIsaid.Sowhatarewedoinghereexactly?”
Benjamin turned around, leaning his back against the bar, giving him full view of the room. His

shoulderrubbedagainstmybarearm,andalthoughthematerialwasexquisite,Ihatedthewayhissuitfelt
againstmyskin.TherearefewthingsIfindsexierthanthefeelofaman’ssuitagainstmyskin.Except
Benjaminwasn’ttheonethatIwantedtohavethosefeelingsabout.

“We’rewatching,”hesaid.
Iswiveledthestoolaroundanddidmybesttoleanbackonmyelbows.“Whatarewewatching

foranyway?”Iventuredtoask.

“Suspiciousactivity.”
Whatthehelldoweclassifyassuspiciousactivity?Searchingtheroom,Ianalyzedanybehavior

that didn’t look human or normal. I wondered if I still looked human. Was I technically not human
anymore?IthoughtaboutaskingBenjamin,butthen,Iwasn’tsureifIwantedtoknowtheanswer.

Theloungewassmallerthanitappearedfromtheoutside.NowthatIwasinside,Ithoughtthere

mustbeofficesinthebackoratleastprivateroomsforVIPguests.Despitethedimlighting,givingthe
upscaleloungeacertainseedinesstoit,Icouldseeclearlyasavampire.Itfeltstrangetohavepredatory
sensesatmydisposal.Sweepingoverthegroupsofpeopleatseveraltables,Ifastenedmyeyesonone
man.Hewascertainlydoinghissleazeballbesttogetawomantogowithhimtothebackofthebar—
awayfromeveryoneelse.IkeptmyeyeslockedonhimforseveralminutesuntilIrealizedthathewas
justthat,asleazeball.Onlynow,hesawmewatchinghimandbegantowalktowardme.

Hisgreasyhairwasslickedback,andnotintheincrediblyhandsomewaythatBenjaminworehis.

Hewasjustplaingross.Heworeablackdressshirtthatwastootightandhispantsweretoosmall,but
notinawaythatmadehimevenslightlyattractive.Igroanedinternallywhenheapproachedme.Atfirst,I
madeanattempttolookinterestedinmyphone;however,decent,socialcourtesiesdonotalwaysregister
withthesleazeballpopulation.

“Buyyouadrink?”askedTightPants.
“No,butthankyouforasking,”Isaid,muchtoopolitely.
“Oh, you don’t have to thank me. Just have a drink with me. Or maybe we can make this party

private?C’mon,”Sleazeballsaid,reachingformyarm.

“Don’t,”Benjaminsaid,hisvoicecalm.HeinterceptedSleazeball’shandbeforehehadachance

totouchme.HoldingSleazeball’sforearm,hepushedhimaway.ThenBenjaminturnedtome.

“Let’sdance.”
Hepulledmealongwithhimtothedancefloor.“YouReallyGotaHoldonMe,”playedthrough

thebar.HebroughtmeclosetohisbodyandIsuccumbedtohishandonmywaist.Naturally,hewasa
gooddancer.

“Youknow,Icouldhavesnappedhisneck.Youdidn’thavetointervene.”
“Hewasspoilingourdate.”
“This isn’t a date, Benjamin,” I said, as he expertly spun me around, pulling me back into his

chest.

“Ofcourseitis.We’reout,aren’twe?Thisiswhatpeopledo,right?”
“We’renotpeople.”
“We have to fill up our time just like anyone else. Wouldn’t you agree?” he said, his voice

humorless.

"Ithoughtweweredemonspotting?”Iasked,lookingupintohiseyes.Thearcticcolorseemedto

glowinthemutedilluminationofthelounge.

“Weare,andwearealsoblendingin,”hesaid,dippinghisheadaninchclosertomyear.“There

arethreedemons.Theytakehumanstothebackroom;however,Ihaveyettoseeahumanreturn.They
havealreadyidentifiedusforwhatweare.”

“Howdoyouknowallofthat?”Iasked,myeyesdartingaroundtheroom.
“Itoldyou,justobservetheroom.Ifyouhadn’tbeenflirtingwithstrangemen,”hechided.
“Iwasn’tflirtingwithanyone.”
Benjaminturnedme,withexperttiming.“Nottomentionthatit’srudetoflirtwithothermenwhen

you’reonadate.”

“Not-a-date.Sonowwhatdowedo?Wehavetostopthem,right?They’rekillingpeople?”
“Justfollowmylead,Olivia,”hesaid.“YouandIarethebait.Thereisnothingtheydesiremore

thanourblood.”

Inodded,andforthemoment,allowedmyselftoenjoythemusic.Ihadneverdancedwithaman

who actually knew how to dance with a woman. My first memory of dancing with a boy was at the
elementaryschoolgraduationdance.Iforgottheboy’sname,butnothisgreenshirtthatwasmuchtoobig
on him. We danced at arms’ length and went around in a small circle. The next dances came in middle
schoolandwereequallyawkward.

Then,therewasnodancinginhighschooluntiltheseniorpromanditwasmostlygroupdancing

becausemypromdatewasajerkandrefusedtodancetoanything.Flashforwardtothenextyearasa
freshman in college, where the dancing was several nights a week at dance clubs. In retrospect, the
bumping and grinding to the latest pop singles was shameful. This dance, with Benjamin on the other
hand,wassomethingentirelydifferentandhighlyenjoyable.

Foronething,IlovedSmokeyRobinsonsinging“YouReallyGotaHoldonMe”.Icouldn’thelp

singingalongtothewordseversoquietly.

Ididn’tevencarethatBenjamincouldhearmewithhissupersonicvampirehearing.Ourbodies

were pressed up against each other and I felt incredibly light on my feet. His arm wrapped around my
side, with his hand cupping the curve of my bottom. Then, he hitched me up a little bit so that I was
supporting most of my weight on his body. The movement was so quick, that it caught me off guard.
BeforeIcouldreact,Benjamin’smouthwasonmine.Iwonderedwhatitwouldfeelliketokisshim,or
forhimtokissme.Mychestfelttight,andinstinctively,Iwrappedmyarmsaroundhisneck.

Aftereverythingthathappenedthisweek,Ineededagood,strongkiss.Whenheslowlypartedmy

lipswithhistongue,Ijustaboutmeltedonthedancefloor.

Ishouldhavebeenembarrassedbythepublicdisplay,butIwasn’t.Whenhismouthleftmine,I

almostgroaned.Benjaminnibbledonmyearlobeforamomentbeforesaying,“Justfollowmylead.”

Oh…right…thiswasallpartofaplan,ofcourse.
Iknewthat.
Hestartedfortherearofthelounge,headingtowardthebackrooms,thoughsomeonemighthave

assumedwewereheadedfortheladies’room.Hepulledmealongbehindhim,withhishandstillfirmly
secured on my ass. I giggled and threw my head back, playing the part, no longer disillusioned by the
incrediblysexykiss.Wewalkeddownalongcorridorlinedinmidnight-bluewallpaper.Attheendofthe
hall,wereachedadoor.Benjaminopenedit,withmestumblinginbehindhim.Heturnedtome,pushing
meupagainsttheheavy,woodendoor.Ididn’thaveachancetotakeinmysurroundings,becausehewas
onmeinaninstant.Idon’tknowhowhemanagedtohitchmyleguparoundhisbody,whatwithmeinthe
tightpencilskirt,buthedid.Hemadeatrailwithhismouth,startingatthebaseofmyneck.Heworked
hiswayupquicklybeforestoppingattheplacejustbelowmyear.

“Onetoyourleft,”hewhispered,quickly.“I’llgettheothers.”

Themomenthepushedoffmybody,Ifocusedonmytargettotheleft.Hewasstandingoverathin

brunette,sprawledacrossanunusedbartop.Ijumpedupintheairandcamedownonhim,crushinghis
neck with my elbow. He slammed into the bar, creating a shallow dent. For the moment, he was
unconscious. He’d been feeding on the woman’s soul and I caught him off guard. Benjamin had enough
timetofinishwiththeothertwodemons.Ididn’tevenchecktoseeifhewasallright,becausethevictim
nexttomewasn’tdead.Shewasn’texactlyalive,either.Shehungonbyathinthreadasthedemonhad
almostdrainedhercompletelyofhersoul.Icouldseethesilvermiststillhoveringaroundthedemon’s
mouth.

Itwasthewoman’ssoul.
Instantly, I knew I had to return the soul to the woman’s body. I think I heard Benjamin say,

“There’s nothing you can do.” I was too focused to really absorb what he was telling me. Instead, I
cupped my hands around the demon’s mouth and coaxed the soul into my hands. The mist behaved
organicallyonitsown.Withgreatcare,thesoulgatheredintomyhands,butIdidn’tdaremoveuntilIfelt
Ihaditsecurelybetweenmyslenderfingertips.Asifhandlingplutonium,Iwalkedovertothevictim,still
lying across the bar. Her arm was hanging in such a way that it made me sick. I held the soul over her
chest,theplacewhereherheartshouldbe.Icouldstillhearafaintbeatingasthewomanwasnotquite
dead,yet.

ItseemedlikeaneternityasIheldthesouloverherheart,thoughitwasprobablyunderaminute.I

didn’tdaremoveamuscle.Ifeltthesoultipovergently,throughmyfingers,andbecomereabsorbedinto
the woman’s body. Another minute passed as I waited to be sure that the woman was all right. Her
breathinggrewstrongerandIheardherheartbeatpickup.IwouldbelyingifIsaidIwasn’tattractedto
thesoundofbloodpumpingthroughherveins.ForthefirsttimesinceI’dbeenturnedintoavampire,I
felt...hunger.

“Benjamin,”Isaid,gettingalookathimforthefirsttime.Hewaswatchingmewithstrangeeyes.

It was like he was seeing me for the first time. “Can you hypnotize her into going to a hospital and
forgettingwhathappenedheretonight?Isthatpossible?”

Henodded.AsIlistenedtohimmurmurintothewoman’sear,Iwalkedovertothedemontomake

surehewasdead.AllIfoundwerehisclothesinaheapontheground.Benjaminstoodnexttomeafterhe
wasfinishedwiththewoman.

“So,theydisappearwhentheydieinthisworld?”
“Yes.”
“Wheredotheygetclothes,anyway?”
“They steal them when they come over. I’ve never seen them cross. Actually, they keep the

locationoftheirportalshiddenwell.But,Iimaginetheycomeovernaked,andthenstealtheclothesfrom
thefirsthumanstheyencounter.”

Inodded,lookingoveratthewoman.Shewasstirring.“Weshouldleave,”Isaid,stillfeelingthe

faintpangsofhunger.“Willshebeokay?”

Benjamin placed his hand on the small of my back as we left through a door leading to the

alleyway.

“Yes, she will wake up thinking she drank too much. She’s going to start thinking that meeting

strangemenatbarsisn’tsomethingsheshouldbedoinganymore.”

BenjaminandIwalkedoutsidethebuildingandaskedvalettobringthecararound.
“I’mreadytogobacktoyourhousenow,”Isaid.Iwasmentallytiredfromtheencounterwiththe

demon,butmoreimportantly,Ididn’twanttobearoundhumansandtheirbloodanymore.Benjamindidn’t
speakaswedrovefromthebeachtoCoralGables.Iwasexpectinga,“Goodjob,”orsomethingpositive,
butIguesshewasn’tthatimpressedwithme.IpersonallythoughtI’ddoneanamazingjobofsavingthe
woman. I felt a little bit like a superhero; except that given another opportunity, I might also have gone

crazyandrippedthesamewoman’sneckopentodrinkherblood.Ishudderedatthethought.

When we arrived at Benjamin’s house, I went to my room to change. For the first time since I

began spending a lot of my paychecks on expensive high-heels, my feet were not hurting. I think I may
have found the number one perk to being a vampire. I could wear the most uncomfortable, to-die-for
shoes,andIwasfinallytoughenoughnottofeelthepain.

Iglancedattheclockandsawthattherewerestillafewhoursuntildawn.Iputonblackleggings

and a light-blue t-shirt that I’d had since high school. It was definitely too tight to wear out, but I still
woreitwhenIwasloungingaroundthehouse.Thematerialhadsoftenedovertheyearsanditwasthe
most comfortable shirt I owned. After a night of demon killing and soul reattaching, I needed all the
comfortIcouldget.Iplannedtoclimbintobedwithagoodbookandwastetherestofthenightaway.I
neededtochargemyphone,though,soIwentintothelivingroomtogetthechargerIleftpluggedintothe
walloutlet.

Benjamin was sitting on the large sofa in the living room, with his elbow propped up on the

armrest. Great, I thought. I assumed he’d gone out to drink some poor, unsuspecting girl’s blood.
Interruptinghis deep thoughts,he turned hishead toward me, lookingme up anddown with his serious
eyes.Ofcourse,Ilookedridiculousinthetightsandoldt-shirt.

“Olivia?”hesaid.
“Mmmm?”
“Comehereandsitdownwithmeforamoment.”
IsatonthecouchoppositeBenjamin,bringingmyfeetupandtuckingthemunderme.
Benjamin’sjacketwasalreadyremoved.Hewasleaningbackintothecouchwithhisheadresting

inhishand.I’dneverseenhimlookingsorelaxed.

“Tellmeaboutyourself,”hesaid.
“Ienjoyrunning?”Isaid,notsureifthat’swhathemeant.
“Itwillseempainfullyeasytoyounow.Ihopeyoucanstillenjoyit.Iimagineyou’llhavetorein

yourspeedinabitifyougooutinpublic.”

“Oh,right,”Isaid,soundingasdisappointedasIfelt.Whatwouldbethefunofrunning,now?Part

ofthethrillwaspushingpastthelimits.

Benjaminfrowned.“Whereareyourparents?”
“Dead,”Isaid.Ididn’twanttogointothedetails.Ifhewantedtoknowallaboutthecaraccident,

he could look it up in the news archives. Nothing spectacular about the incident. They were just at the
wrongplaceatthewrongtime.

“Ineedtoaskyouaboutwhatyoudidtonight,”hesaid,shiftinghisweightsothathewasleaning

forward.

“Whichpart?”
“Whatisityoudidwiththehuman’ssoul?”heasked,hisvoicesharpandserious.
That’snotwhatIthoughthewasgoingtoask.HadheexpectedmetojustabandonthegirlwhenI

knewIcouldmakeherbetter?

I stood, with my fists balled up at my sides. “What? Would you rather I had let her die? She

couldn’tlivewithouthersoul,Benjamin.Idon’tknowwhatyouandalltheothervampiresdowhenyou
comeacrossahumaninthehandsofademon,butyoucanbeassuredthatifI’maround,Iamgoingtoat
leasttrytohelpthem.”

He looked directly into my eyes for a long moment, regarding me carefully, until he broke the

seriousnesswithaquicksmile.“Youmisunderstandme,Olivia.Comehere,”hesaid,gesturingtothespot
nexttohimonthesofa.

“Why?”
“Justcomehere,”heinsisted,beckoningmewithhishand.

Iwalkedovertothesofa,desperatelywishingIhadnotchosenthetightsasmysleepwear.Itwas

likewearingadarkershadeofpantyhose.Atleast,that’showexposedIfelt.Icouldfeelhiseyesroaming
overmybodyasIsatdownonthesofa,takingthecushionnexttohim.Ibroughtmylegsuptofoldunder
melikeapretzel,butthesmallmovementmademewinceinpain.

“Whathurtsyou?”Benjaminasked,stillcalmandlaidback.
“It’snothing,”Isaid,stretchingmylegoutinfrontofme,testinghowitfelttopointmytoeand

flexthemuscle.Ithurtlikeabitch.“Thedemonbastardgotmeinthebackoftheleg.Dovampiresbruise?
BecauseI’llprobablyhaveawelttheretomorrow.”

“Itwillhealassoonasyoudrinkblood.It’sbeentoolongsinceIchangedyou,”hesaid.
“No,thanks.I’msureitwillgetbetteronitsown.”
“Here,”hesaid,pattinghisthigh.“Bringyourlegsuphere.”
“No.”Iwasn’tsurewhatIwassayingnoto,butIdidn’tthinkIwantedmylegs,practicallybare

intheseskin-liketights,anywherenearhishands.

“Wouldyoustopbeingstubborn?Justbringyourlegsup,”hesaid,hisvoicestern.Sometimes,it

feltlikeBenjaminhadallthepatienceintheworldformeandothertimes...well,othertimes,hedidnot.

“Geez,fine!”Ipulledmylegsupandstretchedthemacrosshislegs.
Benjaminranhisstrongfingersupanddownmycalves.Hewasincrediblyquickanddeft,asifhe

wereplayingthepiano.Whenhemassagedthemusclewithhiswholehand,Ifelttensioneasingoutofme
that I didn’t even know I’d been holding in. He was observant though, and knew the sore spot was
untouched.

“Whereareyouhurt?”heasked,kneadinghishandsintomycalfmusclewiththeperfectamountof

pressure.

Ididn’twanttotellhim.
“Either you let me help you, or I force you to drink the blood of the first human I pull off the

street.”

Isighed.“It’sthebackofmythigh,”Iconfessed.“WhenIslammedintothedemon,hepushedme

rightintothemetalpolesurroundingthebartable.”

Withthemannerofadoctor,Benjaminnodded.Ididn’tliketheideaofwhatwascomingnext.I

was pretty sure that Benjamin was capable of keeping things professional. I mean, here was this
centuries-old vampire that had probably been in a million sexually-charged situations. Rubbing some
girl’sbruisedlegwasn’tgoingtothrowhimovertheedge.

I, on the other hand, was just over a quarter of a century old and I could count the number of

remotelysexualencountersononehand.Nottomentionthatthehandabouttotouchme,belongedtothe
sexiestmanI’deverencountered.CouldIhandlehishandsrubbingmythigh?Isurehopedso,becauseI
certainlydidn’twanttomakeafooloutofmyselfinfrontofhim.

“Here,turnover,andI’llmassagethebruisewhilewespeakmoreonthissoulbusiness.”
Withoutmucheffortonmypart,Benjamingentlyrolledmeoverontomystomach.Hepulledme

downalittlesothatmythighsweredirectlyoverhislap.Hetouchedmyleg,justabovethebendofmy
kneeandslowlyworkedhiswayup,feelingforthetenderspot.

“So,whatdoyouthinkIdidwrong?Withthehuman,Imean.”
“Youdidn’tdoanythingwrong,Olivia,”hesaid,justashishandreachedthespotatthetopofmy

thigh,rightbelowtheslopewheremybottombegins.

Iwincedinpainandjerkedmylegawayfromhim.
“Alright,alright,”hesaid,asifsoothingahurtanimal.“I’vefounditnow,relax.”
Hisfingerswenttoworkwithincredibletenderness.Atfirst,histouchhurtterribly,butslowly,I

feltthetensionreleasingandIstartedtobelievethatremarkably,mylegmightfeelbettertomorrow.

“I’veneverseenanyonereattachasoul,”hesaid,continuinghismaddeninglyslowworkonmy

leg.

I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but I was feeling a whole other kind of tension building just

northofwhereBenjaminwasmassaging.ItwasallIcoulddonottosquirmunderthetouchofhislarge
hands.Forafewlongmoments,Iwantedhishandtostray.Iwantedhishandtoveeralittleoffcourseto
whereIfelttheheatbuilding.

“I’msorry,whatdidyousay?”Iasked,strugglingtoconcentrate.
“IsaidthatI’veneverseenanyonereattachasoul.”
Ithoughtaboutthatforamoment.“You’veneverseenanyonedoit?Oryou’veneverheardabout

anyonedoingit?”

Benjaminmovedontorubmyotherleg.ThelegthatIneversaidwashurting.Iwasacutelyaware

thatweweremovingintoawholeothertypeofmassaging.Thiswasnolongertherapeuticornecessary.
Withoutevenanounceofgrace,Ifoldedmylegsupundermeandrolledoverintoaseatedposition.

“Mylegfeelsmuchbetter,”Isaid.“Thankyou.”
Benjaminnoddedonce.“WhatI’msaying,Olivia,isthatIdidn’tevenknowitwaspossible.And

Iknowalmosteverything.WhatIdon’tunderstand,”hesaid…

“IshowIknewtodoit,”Icontinued,finishinghisthought.“Idon’tknow.IjustthoughtI’dtryto

saveher.”

“Itwasinstinctual,then?”
Inoddedinresponse.“What?”Iasked,notingthestrangelookonhisface.
“It’sinteresting.”
“Youguysreallydon’tcareaboutthehumans.Doyou?”
Benjaminshookhisheadonce.“Theyarenotthepriority,”hesaid.
“Well,they’regoingtobemypriority,”Isaid,feelinganewsenseofpurpose.“Imean,ofcourse

I’mgoingtohelpthevampirestoo,butifIcanhelpahuman,Iwill.”

Benjaminnodded.“I’mgoingtoresearchthistopic.UntilIknowmore,donottellanyoneofthe

vampiresaboutwhatyoudid.NotevenThomas.Youunderstand?”

“Yes,”Isaid,feelingscared.Ididn’tlikethefactthattherewassomethingBenjamindidn’tknow

about.WhatifIhaddonesomethinghorriblywrongwiththegirl’ssoul?WhatahorrificsceneI’dbeena
partoftoday,Ithought.

“Demonscan’ttrackushere.Canthey?”
“Theycan,”Benjaminsaid.“ButIdon’tthinktheywill.”
Ibitmylowerlip,notlikingBenjamin’sanswermuch.Werewesafeduringthedaytime?
“Doyoumind?”Istartedtoask,butstoppedmyself.
“Whatisit?”
“It’snothing,”Isaid.“Imean,doyoumind,maybesleepingintheroomwithmeagaintonight?”
“Youdoknowthatthereisn’tanythingIcandotoprotectusduringtheday?”
“Iknow.Butitmakesmefeelbetter.I’mjustgoingtobereadinginthereuntildawn.Aren’tyou

readingthatportfolio?”Iasked,pointingtothemanilafolderheleftonthecoffeetable.“Can’tyoujust
readitinmyroom?”

Benjaminpickedthefolderoffthetableandnodded.“Leadtheway,”hesaid.
Ididn’tcarethatitwassillyofmetoaskhimtowatchoverme.Justashesaid,itdidn’tmakea

differenceduringthedaywhetherhewasthereornot.Ididn’tcare.

Six

"Admitit,I'mgettinggood.”
"You'regettingbetter,"hesaid,leavingthefightroom,asIlikedtocallit.
"I'mgood,though.Right?"
"Yes,yes,you'regood.Bravo,"hesaid,clappingwithexaggeratedenthusiasm.
"Oh,shutup,"Isaid,punchinghimhardinthearmwithuncalculatedforce.
Benjamin,caughtoffguard,fellagainstthehallwaywall,dentingtheplasterthatwasnomatchfor

thevampire'shardbody.

Benjaminstoodquicklyandstudiedthefreshdamagetothewall.Istoodnexttohim,tooshocked

tospeak.

"Mydear,Olivia,"hesaid,stillstaringatthewall,"now,lookwhatyou'vedone."
"Ididn'tmeantohityousohard,"Isaid,bitingmylip.
Benjaminturnedtolookatme.Thehardlineofhismouthcurledupintoamenacinggrin."Now,"

hesaid,"I'mgoingtogetyouforthat."

BenjaminflashedhisteethatmeandItookoffrunningdownthehallwayandintothelivingroom.
"It'sjustalittledrywall,"Iwailed,stoppingtoholdmygroundinthelivingroom.Ifhewanteda

realfight,I'dgiveittohim.

Hesteppedintothelivingroomslowly,stalkingmeashisprey.Evenwhenwesparred,he'dwear

casualslacksandat-shirt.Inaflash,hewasrightnexttome,andIjerkedmyfistback,meaningtolandit
on his jaw. He was too quick and anticipated the blow, ducking out of the way. My follow-through
propelledmeforward.Heswiveledaround,grabbedmebymywaist,andflippedmeoverontothefloor.
Mybackhitthegroundwithincredibleforce.

Hewasontopofmeinasecond,holdingmyarmsabovemyheadinhisiron-likegrip.Oneofhis

knees pressed down onto my thigh while his other hand held my other leg in place. I was completely
immobilized.

Istruggledamoment,squirmingunderhisbodyuntilIbrokeintolaughter.
"Somebodyhasbeenseriouslyholdingbackinsparringpractice,"Isaid.
"Younoticed?"hesaid,staringatmeintently.
Icaughthisgazestrayingbelowmyfaceandtomychest.Suddenly,mysportsbraseemedlikea

terribleidea.Ididn’tevensweatwhenwesparred.WhatwasIthinking?Iwassousedtowearingmy
workoutclothestokickboxingclassthatIdidn’teventhinktwice.

“Alright,”Isaid,“Yougotme.I’llcallsomeonetofixthewall.NowgetoffmesoIcangomeet

Laura.”

“You’renotgoinganywhere,untilyoustartfeedingonhumans.YouthinkI’mgoingtoletyouout

ontheloosesoyoucangoonahumanfeedingfrenzy?You’dbenobetterthanthedemons.”Hepushed
himselfoffthefloor,headingforhisroom.

Ifollowedcloselybehind;finallyreadytoaskthequestionthatwasrattlingaroundinmybrainfor

theprevioustwodays.“Andwhatmakesyoudifferentthanthedemons?”

“Wedon’tkillhumans,”hesaid,inanapprehensivevoice.
“Andyet,youkilledme.”
“Ididn’tkillyou,”hesaid.
“Hadyounotchangedme,Iwouldhavedied,Benjamin.Webothknowthat.”
“Ididn’tmeanforittohappen,Olivia.I’mnotperfect.Wetakewhatwemustfromthehumansin

ordertosurvive.Justlikehumanseatcows.”

“Ugh!Didyoujustcallmeacow?”FeelingsofresentmentforBenjaminresurfacedwithrenewed

vigor.I’dgottencaughtupwiththeexhilarationbroughtonbymynewabilities.Slowly,Iwasstartingto
forget.

I left the house and surprisingly, he didn’t stop me. I arrived at Laura’s apartment close to nine

o’clock. She had just moved into this place about a week earlier and it was my first time seeing it. I
brought a houseplant for the occasion. Thank goodness for the hardware store staying open until ten. I
knockedonthedoorandheardthesoundofherhigh-heelshurryingacrossthefloortogreetme.

“Hey,stranger!”shesaid,showingmeinsidetheapartment.
Igaveherahugandinhaledherscentinvoluntarily.ThefragrancewasintoxicatingandIcouldn’t

helpbutwonderwhatperfumeshewaswearing.

“Here,Ibroughtyouacactus,”Isaid,handingherthepottedplant.“I’mprettysureyoudon’thave

todoanythingtokeepitalive.”

“That’sgreat!”shesaid,closingthefrontdoorbehindus.“Areyouhungry?Ihaveleftovers.
“I ate, thanks,” I lied. I was starting to feel hungry though. That’s weird, I didn’t think I’d want

foodanymore,nowthatIwasavampire.Unless…Iwashungryforblood.

“Comehere,sitdown,”Laurasaid,leadingmeintothelivingroom.
Isatdownonherwhite,plushcouchandtriedtorelax.Howexactlydoyoutellyourbestfriend

thatyouhavebeenturnedintoavampire?

“Areyoustillfeelingsick?”sheasked.“Youstilllookalittlepale.”
“Theplacelooksgreat,”Isaid,dodgingthequestion.“IhavetoadmitthatI’malittlejealous.”
Laurathrewherheadback.“Ha-ha.Webothknowyourapartmentisinamuchnicerbuilding.”
Okay,Ithought.Thisisyourchancetomovetheconversationintotheunpleasanttime.“Actually,I

movedoutofmyapartmentandintoahouseinCoralGables.Ihavearoommatenow.”

“Oh,”Laurasaid,obviouslytakenaback.“Iwouldhavehelpedyoumove.Youcouldhavestayed

herewithmeforawhileuntilyougotanewjob.”

“Iknow,andthankyoufortheoffer.You’lllikeBenjaminthough.Ihaveafeelingyouguyswill

getalong…bybeingexasperatedwithme,mostly.”

“You moved in with some guy?” Laura shrieked, ready to hit me over the head with the couch

cushion.

“Yes,Ikindofhadto.Laura,thereissomethingIhavetotellyou.”
“OhmyGod,you’repregnant!”
“What?No!I’mnotpregnant,dummy!But,somethinghashappenedtome.I’vechanged.”
“Didyoujoinacult?”
“Whyareyouaskingmeallthesecrazyquestions?”
“Because you won’t just come out and say whatever it is that you need to tell me. Out with it

already!”

“Okay,”Isaid,takinganunnecessarybreath.“Butyoucan’tfreakout,okay?”
Lauranodded.
“You’veknownmeformostofmylifeandIneedyoutolistentomeandgivemethebenefitofthe

doubt.”

Lauranoddedagain.
“Itturnsoutthattherearethingsinthisworldthatwedidn’tknowexisted,”Isaid,lookingtoher

forsomeassurancethatshewasfollowingme.

“Alright,keepgoing.”
“It turns out that there are vampires living amongst us. I am now a vampire and before you say

anything…”Ipaused,feelinggladshedidn’tfreakoutonmeyet.Shepromisedtogivemethebenefitof
thedoubt;andblessherheart,shewas.

“Beforeyousayanything,Iamgoingtoshowyouthreethings.Alright?”

Shenoddedonce.Atthatmoment,IwishedthatIcouldreadhermind.Icouldseethatshewas

nervousbecausetheskinonherchestandneckwasstartingtoshowredsplotches.Thatonlyhappened
when she was nervous, or drank too much. If I were in her position, I’d be ready to call the police to
BakerActmyfriend.I’dprobablyhavehercommitted.

“Look,”Isaidasmyfangsdescended.“Lookatthesefangs.”Iretractedthefangsjustasquickly,

andsheletoutasmallgasp.Iletthemdescendonemoretimeforgoodmeasure.

“Youstillwithme?”Iasked.
Thistime,shedidn’treactatall.
“Look at how strong I am,” I said moving into the kitchen. She followed me, but stayed on the

othersideofthekitchenbar.Ibentdownnexttoherlarge,stainlesssteelfridgeandlifteditofftheground
aninchbyusingonlytwoofmyfingers.Ilookedtomakesureshewaswatching.Hereyeswentwideand
Icouldseetearspooling.

“Crazy,right?There’ssomethingelse,”Isaid.Usingmyinsanespeed,Iflashedtotheotherside

oftheapartment.“Hi,”Isaid,poppingupbehindher.

Shescreamedandcoveredhermouthwithherhand.Iflashedagaintotheotherside,thenbackto

thekitchen,andshejuststaredatmewide-eyed.

“Areyougoingtohurtme?”sheasked,obviouslydrawingonherknowledgeofvampiresgleaned

fromthemoviesandbooksshe’dread.IwishedthatIcouldtellhernoneofitwastrue.Unfortunately,a
lotofitwastrue.Especially,thewholeblood-drinkingpart.

“No,Laura,Iwouldneverhurtyou.”
“Whathappenedtoyou?”
“Youbelieveme?”Iasked.
“Well,howelsecouldyoupossiblydothosethings,Liv?It’sinsane,yes.Butthatmustmeanthat

I’minsane,notyou.IknowwhatIjustsawyoudo.Whathappened?”shedemanded.“Wait,Ineedadrink
first.”

LaurasatdownonthecouchwhileIpouredheraglassofwine.Ibroughtthebottleovertothe

coffee table in case she needed more. I reminded her about the blind date with the surgeon, and about
meetingBenjamin,andthewholedebaclethatfollowed.ItoldherwhatIknewofthedemonsandmade
herpromisethatshe’dbemorecarefulfromnowonwhenevershewentout.

“So you’re living with the man that attacked you? The man that drank your blood? That’s pretty

twisted,Liv.”Laurawasonherthirdglassofwinebythispoint.

Surprisingly, I could smell the fruity wine in the scent of her blood. It scared me that I could

actuallysmellherblood,butthatwasonedetailIwouldnotbesharingwithher.

“I know it’s weird, but I kind of need him to show me the ropes. There’s nothing I can do to

changewhat’salreadybeendone.”

Shenodded,takinganothersipofherwine.“Youhavetoadapt,Liv.You’regoodatthat.You’llbe

fine.What’sthisBenjaminlikeanyway?”

I sighed. “He’s not so bad. He didn’t want this to happen anymore than I did. I guess he has to

adaptasmuchasIdo.Foronething,I’msurehehasn’thadaroommateinoverfivehundredyears.”

“What!”Laurayelled.“Areyougoingtolivethatlong?”
“Iguess,assumingIdon’tgetmyselfkilled.Idon’tthinkBenwillletthathappenthough.”
“Oh,soit’sBennow,hmm?”
“Ohshutup,”Isaid.
“SowhatdoesBenlooklike?”sheasked,wigglinghereyebrows.
“Oh Laura, he’s so…. Perfect,” I said, not knowing how else to describe him. “He’s got this

chocolatehairthat’ssorichincolor.Hecombsitbackallsexyliketheguyonthatshowfromthe60s.
His eyes are like the Caribbean Ocean, surrounded by dark, thick eyelashes. His nose is straight, and

manly. He’s pretty tall and has broad shoulders like that guy you dated in college, but his torso tapers
down to this narrow waist. He’s quite possibly the most knowledgeable person I ever met. And he
dressesinsuits.Like,allthetime.Imean,really.WholooksthatgoodALLthetime?”

Laurasetherwineglassonthecoffeetable,carefultouseoneofherleathercoasters.“Ohmy,

youhavethehotsforthevampire!”

“No,Idon’t.Seriously,”Isaid,shakingmyheadfrantically,asifitwouldsomehowemphasizemy

point.“Iwasjustgivingyouthefactsabouthim.”

“Ican’thelpfeelinglikeyoushouldn’thavethehotsforthemanthatkilledyou.”
“Hedidn’tkillme,”Isaid,suddenlyawarethatIwasusingBenjamin’sargument.
“Butyoudohavethehotsforhim?”
“Shit, yes, I guess so. He’s so freaking perfect looking! It kills me!” It felt nice to talk to Laura

aboutthis.IgotsowrappedupinsaturatingmyselfwithBenjaminthesepastfewdaysthatImissedgirl
time.

“But,” I said, “number one, he attacked me, almost murdered me, and turned me into one of the

undead.”

“So,we’renotafan,”Laurasaid.Itwassomethingwesaidwheneverweweighedtheprosand

consoftheparticularmeninourlife.

“Right,”Isaid,happythatshewastakingthingssowell.“Also,Idon’tevenknowifhe’sattracted

tome.”

“Ofcourse,he’sattractedtoyou.I’venevermetaguythatwasn’tattractedtoyou.”
“That’swildlyuntrue,Laura.”
“Theseimaginarymenmustbegay.”
“You’re ridiculous. Still, I don’t think Benjamin thinks of me that way. I’m like this annoying

obligationthathegotstuckwith.”IsoundeddisappointedandIknewit.DidIhaveitbadforBenjamin?
Geez,Ihopednot.

“Look,crazy,”Laurasaid,“whydoyouthinkhedrankallofyourblood?Becausehehadthehots

foryou.”

“He drained me because he’s a vampire and got greedy. End of story. Although,” I said,

remembering the other night, “he did say something about how he’s usually practical when he drinks
blood,andthatIwasn’tpractical.”

“Yousee?”Laurareplied.
Ishookmyheadatthesethoughts.“Well,itdoesn’tmatteranyway.Ineedhimforalongtimeand

I’mnotabouttomakeafoolofmyselfbythrowingmyselfathimwhenIneedhimtohelpmefor,Idon’t
know,likeahundredyears.”

“You’regoingtooutliveme,”Laurasaid.
“Please,”Iwhined,“don’tremindme.”
Laurareachedacrossthesofaandpulledmeinforahug.Icaughtthescentofherblood,thickin

mynostrils.Ifroze,usingeveryounceofconcentratedrestrainttonotripherneckoutatthatmoment.My
bloodthirsthadreareditsuglyhead—choosingthemomentIwasalonewithmybestfriendtomakeits
intrusivedebut.

“Everythingisgoingtobeallright,Laura,”Isaid,throughclenchedteeth.“Ijustneedtouseyour

restroom.”

Laura pulled back and laughed. “Nobody calls it a restroom unless you’re in public. There’s a

bathtubinthere.Callitabathroom.”

“Ican’thelpit,”Isaid,tryingtolaughalongwithher.“YouknowIalwayscallitthat.”Aterrible

pain was building in the pit of my stomach and my throat felt tight and hot. I struggled to reach her
restroom…bathroom...whatever.

I closed the door behind me and then turned the faucet on. I cupped cold water in my hands,

splashingitonmyface.EachtimeIclosedmyeyes,IcaughtvisionsofmyselfbitingintoLaura’scarotid.
Ilockedthedoorandbackedaway.

Isatonthebathroomrug,unabletoleave,knowingthatifIsteppedbackintoLaura'slivingroom,

I was going to attack her. Really? Is this what my life had become? Hiding out in a bathroom to avoid
drinking my best friend's blood? I'd completely lost my cool. Not knowing what else to do, I called
Benjamin.

"Olivia,"Benjaminsaid,bywayofagreeting.
"Benjamin."
Hewaitedpatientlyformeto…gettothepoint.
"Benjamin,"Irepeated,"Ineedyou."
IheardtheJaguar’senginepurrontheothersideofthephonecall.
"Whereareyou?"heasked,givingmehisfullattention.
"TomlinBuilding,downtown,fifthfloor,suiteB,"Isighed,loathtoadmithowbadofasituationI

foundmyselfin."Areyouclose?"

"Tenminutes.Tellmewhathappened.Areyouhurt?"
"IlockedmyselfinLaura'sbathroom.I'mvery...thirsty.IfIleavethisroom,I'llkillher.Benjamin,

please."

"I'monmyway."
"Benjamin,"Isaid,strugglingwithmywords."I'msorryIletthishappen."
"Nineminutes,"hesaid,beforeendingthecall.
"Liv?"Lauracalledfromtheothersideofthedoor.
Igroaned,andwonderedifthiswashowadrugaddictfeltwithoutafix.
"Didyoupaintthisroomgreenorwasitalreadylikethiswhenyoumovedin?"Iasked.
Smalltalk?Seriously?
"Itwasalreadythatcolor.Idon'tknowifIlikeit,honestly."
"No,it'sgood.Youshouldkeepit."Ipushedmyselfupagainstthewall.Asifthatcouldstopme

fromtearingthedoordownandsinkingmyteethintoLaura'stenderneck.

"Laura,youshouldleave.I'msick.I'mnotwell.Benjaminiscomingtogetme."
"IstheresomethingIcando?"
Sure!Youcanwillinglyoffermejust,oh,Idon'tknow...afewpintsofyourblood!
"Youshouldprobablyleavethecondo,Laura.I'mhaving...Cravings."
Shedidn'tspeakrightaway."Like,bloodcravings?"
"Unfortunately,yes,"Iconfessed.
Iheardthesoundofcarkeys.Reasonnumbersixthousand,twohundredandfourofwhyIloved

Laura?She'swasnofool.

"I'mleavingthefrontdoorlocked.You'llgetthroughthis,Liv.You’restrong.Callmelater,okay?

I’mjustgoingtowalkovertothecoffeehouseandsoberup."

"Okay,"Isaid,laughingattheabsurdityofthesituation."Idon'twanttohurtyou,Laura."
"Iknow,sweetie.That'swhyI'mleaving."
“Don’tforgetwhatItoldyou.Therearescarythingsoutthere.Youhavetobecareful.Don’ttrust

anystrangemenlikeIdid!”

IheardLauraleavethecondo.Afewminuteslater,myphonerang.Myhandsweretrembling,but

Imanagedtoanswerthephone.ItwasBenjamin.

"I'llbeupstairsinthirtyseconds,"hesaid.
"Lauraleft.Door'slocked.I'mlosingit,Ben."
Andthenhewasoutsidethedoor.

"Unlockthedoor,Olivia,orI'llhavetobreakitdown."
"Don'tbreakanything!Shejustmovedin,forcryingoutloud,"Isaid,unlockingthedoor.
Benjaminkneltdownonthefloorandbrushedmyhairawayfrommyeyes.Hesearchedmyface

forwhatseemedlikeminutesthoughitmusthavebeenmereseconds.

"Ifeelterrible.Youweren'tkiddingaboutthisbloodthirstything."
"We'llgetyousomeonetodrinkfrom."
"No,no,no,"Isaid,shakingmyhead."Justtakemehome.Willyou?"
Benjamin'seyebrowsrose.ItwasprobablythefirsttimeI'dreferredtohishouseasmyhome.
"Olivia,don'tfightmeonthis,"Benjaminsaid,lookingashandsomeasever.
“Why are you wearing a three-piece suit?” I asked, feeling the fabric of his jacket between my

forefingerandthumb.

“Olivia,”hesaid,ignoringmypitifulattempttochangethesubject.“Youneedtofeed.”
Benjamin's brilliant blue eyes did their best to convince me. Lucky for me, he could no longer

influencemyactions,nowthatIwasavampire.

"I'mnotdoingit,Benjamin.Justtakemehomeandletmedieofstarvation."
Hescoopedmeupinhisarmsandcarriedmeeffortlesslyoutofthecondo.Ilockedthedoorfrom

theinsidebeforehookingmyarmsaroundBenjamin’sneck.

"Youcan'tstarveyourself.Thepainwillkeepgettingworseuntilitreachesthepointwhereyou’ll

wishfordeath."

"Sobeit,"Isaidwithresignation."I'mnotfeedingonahumanbeing."
Wewereridingtheelevatordown.
“You’re so stubborn sometimes that I could kill you.” Benjamin strained his neck to the left to

avoidmyhairgettinginhisface.

“What,killmeagain?”
“Veryfunny.”
“I’mgladyouthinkofmydeathasajoke,Benjamin.”
“Andyethereyouare,talking,andwalkingandvisitingyourfrienddowntown.”
“Yes, that’s right, and craving human blood,” I said, just as the elevator doors opened up to the

lobby,revealinganelderlycouple.

“Goodevening,ma’am,”Benjaminsaid,aswepassedtheoldladywithaflower-trimmedhat.
“Sohowarewegoingtodothis?TherearealotofpeopleinthelobbyandI’mabouttogoall-

you-can-eatoneverylastsnowbird.”Myvoiceshookwithanxiety.

“Justkeepyourheaddown,Olivia.Thecarisrightoutside.Youtrustme,right?”
Igulped.“Yeah...right.”
IfeltthesoftrumbleofBenjamin’slaughterthroughhissuit.Oddly,thesoundcomfortedme.As

wewalkedthroughthelobby,Icaughtthescentofbloodimmediately.IfBenjaminhadn’theldmeagainst
hisbodywithiron-likepressure,Icouldprobablyhavetornpeople’sheadsoff.

HegotmetotheJaguarandspedusoutofdowntownandbacktoCoralGables.Wedidn'ttalkthe

entiredrive,andIkeptmyeyesclosedtoavoidbeingenticedbythepeoplepassingby.

By the time I made it into the house, I could barely handle the hunger pains. My throat was

achinglyparchedanddry.Istretchedoutonthelivingroomcouch.

“SothisishowIgo,”Isaid,pouringonthetheatrics.
Benjaminsteppedintomylineofsight.Iwatchedasheremovedhisjacket.Next,heunbuttoned

hisvestandlaiditneatlyonthesofachair.Whenhestartedtoremovehisdressshirt,Isatup.

“Benjamin,whatareyoudoing?”
“Ifyoudon’twanttofeedonahuman,thenyou’lljusthavetodrinkfromme.”
“Icandothat?Imean...Icanliveoffyourblood?”

“Can you?” Benjamin repeated, while removing his shirt and standing before me with his hard

chest exposed. “Yes, you can. But you won’t because it’s not how things are done. In fact, you won’t
breatheawordofthistoanyonebecauseit’sfrownedupon.”

“Youdon’tplaybytherules.Doyou?”
Benjaminsmirkedinresponse.Thatsexygrin,mingledwithhisshirtlessdisplaygavemequitethe

brainfuzz,andIprobablyshouldhavepaidmoreattentiontowhathewassaying.Breakingregulation...
blah,blah,blah.

“But,”hecontinued.“ItwillgetyouthroughthenextweekuntilIconvinceyouthatyouneedto

feedonhumans.”

“Andyourshirtisoffbecause...”
“BecauseIdon’twantyoutomakeamess,ofcourse.”
“Ofcourse,”Isaid.
“Wristorneck?”heasked,asifhewereasking,“Breastorthigh?”
“Thisispainfullyawkward,”Ireplied.
“Isuggesttheneck.It’smuchfaster.”
I nodded, wanting the whole ordeal to be over with as quickly as possible. I couldn’t stand the

cravingsanymore,andifdrinkingthevampire’sbloodcouldgetmeoutofmycurrentpredicament,thenI
wouldjusthavetobitethebullet…er,bitethevampire,thatis.

Benjamin sat next to me on the couch, and I looked at him for further instruction. With a

businesslikedemeanor,heturnedtomeandplacedhishandsoneithersideofmywaist.Liftingmeup,he
placedmebackdownsothatIwasstraddlinghisbodyandfacinghim.Carefully,hegatheredmymassof
hairinhishandsandmanagedtotiethewavesintoaknotatthenapeofmyneck.Tiltinghisheadtoone
side,hegentlycuppedthebackofmyheadandguidedmymouthtohisneck.

I didn’t hesitate. This was happening no matter what I did. Short of me actually feeding on a

humanbeing,ofcourse.Benjamindidn’tevenflinchwhenmyteethpuncturedhisskin.Imustofhithis
jugularveinbecausethebloodfloodedmymouth.ImoanedatthesatisfactionIinstantlyfelt.Atinypart
ofmewasdisgustedwithmyself,butmostly,Ifeltrelief.Theachesubsidedandeventually,Ipulledaway
fromhisneck.

Hetasted...good.
I didn’t dare look in his eyes right away. I couldn’t see those bedroom blues just yet. Instead, I

eyedthetinywoundonhisneck.Thebloodpooledtothesmallestamountuntiladropoverflowedand
rolled lazily down his chest. Without thinking, I leaned forward and licked it off the hard plane of his
chest,mytonguelingeringeversolightlyoverBenjamin’snipple.Oops!

Hishandsresumedtheirgriponeithersideofmywaist.HepressedmedownontohislapandI

gaspedwhenIfelthisarousalagainstmyinnerthigh.Hereleasedhisgriponmywaistforamomentand
pressedmedownagain.Iobligedhissilentrequestandletmybodygrindagainsthimineasymovements
asmyhipsswayedfromfronttoback.Hislegmassagethenightbeforehadjustaboutdrivenmeinsane.
My eyes locked on his for a moment before his mouth descended on my lips. His kiss was just as I
rememberedit—strongandtender.HistongueenteredmymouthandIkeptrhythm,enjoyingthetasteof
him.Ifelthishardchestinfranticmovements.IwasfinallyabletofeelthemusclesI’donlybeenableto
guess were hidden under his shirt. I moved on to his shoulders and then his arms, savoring the steely
strengthundermysoftfingertips.Somehow,hedrewmeclosertohim,reachinghishandsundermeand
cuppingmybottom.

Bringinghishandsup,hepulledatmyblouse,whichIhadneatlytuckedintomyslacks.Deftly,he

unbuttonedtheshirtandtossedittotheside.Hestareddownatmychestappreciativelybeforerollingus
over,andlayingmeonmybackacrossthesofawhilehehoveredjustaboveme.

“God,you’rebeautiful,”hesaid,runninghishandalongmyside.

Ismiled.“Iwasabouttosaythesamething.”
Benjamincrushedhislipsagainstmineasthefrontdoorsuddenlyopened.Hejumpedup,landing

inadefensivestance.Istooduptoo,mynewvampirereflexescomingtoattention.Sure,Iwasinmypink,
lacybra,butthatdidn’tmeanIcouldn’ttearsomeone’sheadoffifnecessary.

“Jeremiah,it’scustomarytoknockbeforeenteringsomeone’shome.No?”Benjaminsaid,ahintof

angerbetrayinghisotherwisecooldemeanor.

“Ithoughtyouwereexpectingme,”hesaid,closingthedoorbehindhim.
Ipickedmyshirtupfromthesofa.“Excuseme,I’llberightback.”
Imovedasfastaseverdownthehallwaytomyroom.Idressedinapeachsilkblousehangingin

my closet and got a look at myself in the mirror. I definitely sported close to having sex hair. I took a
brushandcalmedmymaneintoamorerespectablelookwithmyloosewaveshangingdowntothemiddle
ofmyback.Inthebathroom,Irinsedmymouthoutwithmintymouthwashandsplashedwateronmyface.
I felt rejuvenated and fresh. Benjamin’s blood was the ultimate pick-me-up. I opened and closed my
hands, from fists to open palms. My fingertips were tingling, as if I were stretching out new skin.
Everythingfeltsoamazing,especiallywhenthingsgotoutofhandwithBenjamin.Itwassomegoodluck
thatJeremiaharrivedwhenhedid.

WhenIenteredthelivingroom,InoticedthatBenjaminhadchangedintoafresh,blackt-shirtand

khakislacks.Hecaughtmyeye,studyingmyface,tryingtofigureouthowIwasgoingtodealwithwhat
happenedbefore.Ionlyhadacoupleofoptions.Ontheonehand,Icouldpretendlikenothinghappened.
Instead,Ismiledathim,embarrassed.Icaughtalookofsurpriseonhisfaceandhelookedpleasedwith
my reaction. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but I did know one thing. He wasn’t embarrassed.
VampiresasoldasBenjamindidn’tgetembarrassed.

IrecognizedthescarontheleftsideofJeremiah’sfaceimmediately.Whenhemovedacrossthe

room,Icaughtaglanceoftheclearsideofhisface.Somehow,thescarredsidewasmoreattractive,ina
ruggedsortofway.

“Hi.Irememberyou,”Isaid,joiningJeremiahinthediningroom.
“AsIdoyou,”hesaid,noddinghishead.
“Yousavedmylife.Thankyou.”
“You’rewelcome,”hesaid.“Benjamin,mayIhaveaglassofwater?”
“Ofcourse,”Benjaminsaid,runningthetapinthekitchen.
“Youeat?Likehumanfood?”Iasked,excitedly.
“Yes.I’vebeenherelongenoughthatIneedtofeedmybodytosurvive.”
“So, that means you’re hungry? Let me make you something. I’ll make you a turkey panini in a

jiffy!”Ihurriedintothekitchen.

“Oh,I’msureJeremiahisn’thungryenoughforawholesandwich,”Benjaminsaid.
“Actually,Iamhungry,”Jeremiahinterjected.
“Nobodycareswhatyouthink,Benjamin,”Isaid,inspectingthelittlefoodIhadinthefridge.I

decidedIshouldalwayskeepsomefoodinthehouseintheeventthatLauracameforavisit.

I opened the cupboard and pulled my sandwich press from under the sink. A few pots and pans

spilledout,causingaterribleclamorinthekitchen.IcouldhearBenjaminswearingfromthediningroom.
Imeanreally,what’sthepointofhavingadiningroomifnobodyeverdines?

Then, I got a visual of myself spread across the dining room table, completely naked, like a

glorious feast, presented just for Benjamin. I swiftly eradicated that dangerous thought from my mind. I
tookoutacoupleofslicesofbreadandsmotheredtheminayogurt,Parmesancheese,andmayonnaise
blend. Then, I layered two slices of tomato against sliced turkey breast. I positioned the sandwich in
betweenthesandwichpress,pushingdowntolockthepresslatch.Iwaitedforthetelltalesizzleofthe
yogurtmixturehittingthehotsurfaces.

Iremovedthesandwichfromthepress,unpluggedtheappliance,andhalvedthesandwichwitha

largekitchenknife.Wedidn’thavenapkinssoJeremiahwouldhavetomakedo.

“Bonappetit!”Isaid,happytofinallybecookingagain,althoughI’dneveradmittoBenjaminthat

thesmellofthetoastedsandwichwasalmostnauseating.

Jeremiahthanked me andate his sandwichquickly. I could tellby the satisfiedlook on his face

thatheenjoyedit.

“Thatwasunexpectedlydelicious,Ms.Dahl.Usually,Isimplyeatforenergy.Idon’tusuallyenjoy

mymeals.”

“Oh,youdon’thavetocallmeMs.Dahl.It’sOlivia,please.”
I could tell that Benjamin was suppressing a smile. He was somewhat amused by my culinary

skills. I left the dirty dish in the sink and returned to the dining room to hear whatever important news
Jeremiah had to impart. I found it difficult to concentrate, however. I kept thinking about how amazing
Benjamin’slipshadfeltagainstmyown.Andthewayhishandtracedupanddownthesideofmybody.
Hisbloodwasthick,bitter,andsweet.Likeanagedwhiskey.Butmostly,Ithoughtabouthishands.

Therewasaquickrapatthedoor,thenThomaswalkedin.Apparently,notmanypeopleactually

waitedforBenjaminormetoanswerthedoor.Iwouldhavetorememberthatlittledetail.Thomaswore
a dark blue t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He looked nothing like a vampire. I could imagine all the
unsuspectinggirlsthatnodoubtflirtedwithhimasheprowledthestreetsatnight.Icouldhavebeenone
ofthosegirls.

Iwasoneofthosegirls.
“AmIlateforthemeeting?”Thomasaskedashesatdownatthemahoganytable.
“Wehavealotofmeetings,”Imused.
“Whatisthatgodawfulsmell?”Thomasasked.
“Hey!”
“ThatwouldbethedelightfulstenchofOlivia’scooking.”
“Stop,”Isaid,smellingtheair.“Itdoessmellprettybad.Doesn’tit?”Iconceded.
“Butittastedgood,”Jeremiahsaid.
“Youarethenicestdemon.Aren’tyou?”
“Yes,speakingofcooperativedemons.Whatdoyouhaveforus?”Benjaminsaid.
Jeremiah rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. “The demon invasion is out of

control.”

“Invasionisright.”
“Tellussomethingwedon’tknow,”Thomassaid.
“Ihaven’ttoldyouwhatthey’relookingfor.”
Benjamin stood abruptly, sending his chair back. “You never said they were looking for

something.”

“Wejustthoughttheyweresickoftheunderworld.Outhere,tohaveagoodtime,”Thomasadded.
“They’researchingforademon.Awoman,tobeexact.”
Thomaswasleaningbackinhischair.“Please.Elaborate.”
Jeremiah cleared his throat again and looked me in the eyes. Apparently, he’d been hiding this

nuggetofinformationforsometime.Hewasfinallycomingcleanwiththevampires.It’snotlikeJeremiah
owed them his help, but he’d been supportive in their plight, thus far. It was strange that he’d kept
somethinghiddenfromthem.

“She doesn’t know she’s a demon. She was banished from the underworld years ago. She was

given a soul and has been living out a sentence. Each time her body dies, her soul is reincarnated into
anotherbodyandthecyclegoeson."

Benjamin, Thomas, and I just stared at Jeremiah, letting the story soak into our brains. So, the

demonswerelookingforoneoftheirown,whodidn’tevenknowshewasademon.AndIthoughtIhadit
bad!

“So,whereisshe?”IaskedJeremiah.
“That’sjustit.Nooneknowswheresheis.Moreandmoredemonsarebeingdispatchedtofind

her.”

Andthisroguedemonisthatimportant?”
“They won’t stop until they find her,” Jeremiah said, solemnly. “They will drink the blood of

every vampire to stay alive and strong. They will murder as many humans as it takes to find her. They
don’tcareiftheyobliteratethewholestate.”

“Well,thatsucks,”Isaid,leaningbackinmychair.
“Indeed,”Jeremiahsaid.“Itsucks.”
“Whydotheysearchforhersofervently?Whatmakeshersoimportant?”Benjaminasked.
“Idon’tknowhowfamiliaryouarewithdemonpolitics.Inthepastcentury,ourking,whoruled

forthousandsofyears,wasmurdered.Themanwhomurderedhimtookthethrone.”

“Letmeguess,”Thomassaid.“That’swhenwefirstsawanincreaseindemonscrossingover?”
“Precisely,” Jeremiah said. “The demon woman who was banished is the rightful heir to the

throne.Hersentenceisalmostup.Ifsheweretoreturntotheunderworld,thepeoplewouldsupporther,
andoverthrowthecurrentking.”

“He plans to get to her first and have her killed before she finishes her sentence?” Benjamin

surmised.

Jeremiah nodded. “Although, it’s more complicated than that. If he has her killed before the

sentenceterminates,hersoulwillsimplyreincarnateintoanotherhuman.Shemustbekilledjustasshe
returnstoherdemonform.Notmanyknowthatdetail,however.”

“Wait,”Isaid,afterpiecingacouplepiecesofinformationtogetherinmyhead.“Herfatherwas

theonethatbanishedher?Theoldking?”

“Yes.”
“That’s a bit harsh. No?” Geez, I couldn’t imagine any scenario where my dad would have

punishedmelikethat.

“Whatshedidwas…bad,”Jeremiahsaid,withoutfurtherexplanation.
“Butshe’sintheMiamiarea?”Iventured.
“Yes,itappearsso.”
Okay,wellthatwasalottothinkabout.Legionsofdemonswerecrossingintoourworld,hell-

bentonhuntingdownarenegadedemon.Butnotjustanydemon.Ohno,thiswasthealleged“Queenof
theUnderworld.”Great.IshouldliketotakethismomenttomarvelatthesuperblifechoicesI’dmadeup
to this point. I stared at Benjamin as he discussed the most recent demon attacks with Thomas and
Jeremiah. As much as I wanted to hate him for getting me wrapped up in the demon disaster, I almost
couldn’t.Almost.

ThesolemnityofthesituationtoldmethatIwasnowapartofsomethingbiggerthanIevercould

havebeeninmyhumanlife.Iwasstrong,fast,andamemberofanelitegroupthatcouldaffectchangefor
humansandthepeoplethatIcaredabout.Well,mostly,thatwasLaura.Forthefirsttime,Iwasalmost
gladthatmyparentsweren’tlivinginsuchdangeroustimes.

I imagined families gathered around their televisions, shocked by the latest mugging or horrific

murderthathappenedduringarobbery.Allthewhile,completelyoblivioustotheunderworldwarthat
was happening right under their noses. I’d seen the demons at work, with my own eyes, and knew they
couldwipeouttheentirehumanpopulationinjustdaysiftheychoseto.

“Iwanttohelp,”Isaid.“Iwanttostopthem.”
“Olivia,” Thomas said, “we need to think about this logically. We can’t intervene and risk

plungingthevampireraceintotherealmofpublicknowledge.”

“Iunderstandthat,”Isaid,hopingBenjaminwouldjumpinandbackmeup.“Butwecan’tjustlet

them tear through all the humans. They don’t even need the human souls to survive, but look how
rampantlytheykillthem.”

“Olivia,”Benjaminsaid.
“No,Ben.Idon’twanttohearit.Youmayhavecompletelylostyourconnectionwithhumanity,

butIhaven’t.Notyet.”

“IhavetoagreewithOlivia,”Jeremiahsaid.
Hooray!Finally!Someoneagreedwithme.Toobaditwasoneofthedemonsandnotavampire.
“Most of these demons are hooked on human souls. It’s like a drug. If we kill them and make it

difficultforthemtoattackthehumans,theywillbecomedisorientedandunorganized.”

“Itwouldbeeasiertokeepthemawayfromvampires,”Benjaminargued.“Ifwekeepthemaway

fromvampires,theywon’tbeabletosurviveinthisworld,andthenwe’llberidofthem.”

Iguessthatwouldsolvethehumanproblemaswell.Though,Iwasstilldisappointedattheirlack

ofcompassionforthehumanrace.Humansweretheirprimaryfoodsource,afterall!

“I should be going,” Jeremiah said. “I can already tell that the leaders are becoming suspicious

andbeginningtodistrustme.”

“Stayinthegame,buddy,”Thomassaid.
Jeremiahnoddedandleftthehouse.
“Well, guess I’ll do my part and go kill some of those bastards,” Thomas said. “Good night,

Olivia.”

“Goodnight,Thomas.”
IwentintothekitchentocleanthedishJeremiahhadused.Iwassurprisedtofindabottleofdish

soapbythesink.Iguessthosebloodstainscanbehardtogetoffyourhandssometimes.Yuck!

“So,”Isaid,cleaningthedish.“WhydoesJeremiahhelpyouguys?What’sinitforhim?”
“AquestionIaskmyselfallthetime,”Benjamincalledfromthediningroom.
“Andthatdoesn’tworryyou?”
“Thedemonscanonlyoverpoweravampireinlargenumbers.HeknowsIcouldkillhimatany

moment.He’sbeenhelpfulforalongtimenow.Ihavenoreasontodistrusthim.Somemenliketokeep
theirownsecrets,”hesaid.

WhatsortofsecretsdidBenjaminhave?Ididn’tknowthatmuchabouthim.Onlythathewasa

veryoldvampirethatwasturnedagainsthiswill.Andafteralltheseyears,Iwastheonlypersonhe’d
everchanged.Thomasmentionedoncethatthevampirethatmadehimhadmademorethantenvampires.

ItoreacouplesheetsofpapertowelsfromtherollI’dbroughtoverfrommyapartment.Idriedthe

dinner plate until it was squeaky clean and returned it to the cupboard—presumably to see another day
in… who knew how long? Though the smell was repulsive, I enjoyed cooking again. It was nice to do
somethingnormalforachange,likemakingasandwichanddoingthedishes.

“Whydoyouhaveadishwasherifyouneveruseit?”
“Itcamewiththehouse,”hesaid.
I hadn’t realized it, but he was standing directly behind me. I turned around and leaned back

againstthecounter.Westaredateachotherforalongmoment.Iwantedtosnakemyhandsunderhisshirt
andfeelhiscoolskinundermyfingertipsagain.

“Howareyoufeeling?”heasked.
“Honestly,Ifeelbetterthanperfect.Mybloodthirstiscompletelysatisfied.I’monlyembarrassed

thatIletthingsgetoutofhand.”

Benjaminnodded,thoughtfully.“Embarrassed,butnotsorry.”
Well,shit,hehadmethere.

“Please,don’t,”Isaid,lookingdownatmyfeet.
“What?”
“Idon’tknow.Dowehavetogodownthisroadtonight?Rightnow?”
“No,wedonot.”
Inodded,notknowingwhatelsetosay.
“Dawnwillbehereinanhour.”
“I’mgoingtodosomereadinginmyroom.It’sbeenalongnight,”Isaid,tossingthedishraginthe

sink.

Benjamin nodded and retreated to his side of the house. I let out an unnecessary breath and

withdrewtomyroom.Iwastired.Notphysically,ofcourse,butmentally.I’dcomeclosetokillingLaura,
learnedofapossibledemon-vampirewar,andhadalmostletmyselfgetcarriedawaybymyattractionto
Benjamin.Ididn’thatehimanymore.I’dgrowntiredofhatinghim.Lifehadtakenmeinanotherdirection
andBenjaminwassimplythecatalysttothatchange.Now,morethananything,Ididn’twanttogiveinto
my attraction to Benjamin because I needed him too much. I couldn’t jeopardize the only trustworthy
resourceIhadinmynewlife.Thevampireworldwasdangerousandfullofitsownrules;andIneeded
someonelikeBenjamintoguidemethroughthewarzone.

Idressedinmypajamasandsettledintobed.Pickingupanoldmysteryfrommyfavoriteauthor,I

letmybraingoonautopilot.Asthenightinchedcloserandclosertomorning,Ibecamepainfullyaware
thatBenjaminhadnotcometomyroomfortheday’ssleep.

Ileftmyroomtofindhim.Istartedfromthelivingroomandthentothefightroom,finallypeeking

throughtheFrenchdoorsoutside,beforearrivingathisbedroom.Iknockedonthedoor,thenjustbarged
in.Hewasn’tthere.Hewasawayfromthehousesoclosetodawn.

Washeupset?
No,Idecided,hewashungry.
Thethoughtofhimdrinkinganotherwoman’sbloodmademefeel...ill.Somanythoughtsraced

throughmyheadasIwalkedthroughthehouse.Itwasn’tgoodtofeelsoattachedtoBenjamin.Maybeit
hadbeenamistakemovinginwithhim.JustasIwalkedthroughthelivingroom,Iheardthelocktothe
frontdoorclick,andthedooropenedasBenjaminsteppedinsidethehouse.Ifeltanewwaveofemotions
flowingthroughme.Everythingwasheightenedbymynewstatusasavampire.Aboveall,Ifeltalonging.

“Everythingallright?”heasked,closingthedoorbehindhim.
“Yes,Iwasjustworriedthatyouweren’tgoingtomakeitbackbeforedawn.”
“Iamold,Olivia,”hesaiddismissively.“Youdon’tneedtoworryaboutme.”
Inodded.“Wereyououtfeeding?”
“Yes.”
Inoddedagain,upsetthatIhadtofightwithmyemotionstokeepthemfromsurfacing.
“Thisupsetsyou,”hesaid,soundingcurious.
“Yes,”Ireplied,likeaninsolentchild.Ididn’twanttoseehisface,soIkeptmyheaddownand

continuedwalkingtomyroom.

Hewasfaster,ofcourse,andstoppedmejustbeforeIreachedmyroom.Inthesmallhallway,his

scentpermeatedthespace.

“Whatisitthatyouwant,Olivia?”Benjaminasked.Toweringoverme,hisfacesearchedmyown

face for answers. If he could have magically plucked the answers from my head, I would have
appreciatedit.Honestly,IhadnoideawhatIwantedfromhim.

“To not feel so much,” I said. It was the truth anyway. “To feel safe. To know that I’m not in

danger.”Myresponsedidn’taddressalloftheissuesbroughtupthisevening,butitwassatisfactory.

Imovedpasthislargebodyandintomyroom.Iturnedthelightoffandgotintobed.Dawnwould

break within minutes. Surprisingly, Benjamin followed behind me. He stretched out on the bed with

pillowsproppinghimup.Hewasstillwearinghisclothesfromearlier.Agoodtwofeetseparateduson
the expansive bed. When I felt the crackle, the shift in the air that meant dawn was about to break, I
scootedmybodyacrossthebeduntilIwascradledinthecrookofBenjamin’sarm.

“Rest,Olivia,”IheardBenjaminsaybeforefallingintotheday’ssleep.

Seven

IfeltstrangethemomentIawoke.Ihadn’tevenopenedmyeyesbeforeIknewthatsomethingwas

off.Therewasalowcracklingsoundchargingtheair.Itwaslikestaticpoppinginmyears.Isatupatfull
attention.ThecoversfellfrommybodyandIlookeddowntofindBenjaminfastasleep.Panicwelledup
insidemeinwaves.Benjamin’sshoulderswerehardbeneathmyhandsandhisbodyfeltincrediblyheavy
asItriedtoshakehimfromhissleep.Hewaslikeacorpse.Nopulse,ofcourse.

“Shit!”Isaid,fumblingforhisphone.Isearchedhispocketsandcameupwithnothing.Myeyes

dartedupanddownhisbody,wonderingwhereinthehellhisphonecouldbe.Then,Ispotteditonthe
nightstand.Ofcourse!Ilungedoverhisbody,notbeingcarefulatall.Luckyme,hedidn’thavepassword
protectiononhisphone.IwentimmediatelytothemostrecentcalllistandfoundThomas’phonenumber.
I dialed the number and almost threw the phone across the room when it went straight to voicemail. I
wasn’tentirelysureifhecouldhelp,butIcalledJeremiah’snumber,justincase.

“Whoisthis?”Jeremiah’sdeepvoiceasked.
“Jeremiah, it’s Olivia. I don’t know if you can help me, but there is something wrong with

Benjamin.”

“Whoisthis?”
“Geez, really? It’s Olivia; you saved my butt at the bar and we officially met last night.

Remember?Benjaminwon’twakeupandThomaswon’tanswerhisphone.Idon’tknowwhattodo.Do
you?”

Thelinewentdead.
“Bastard!”Iscreamedintothephone.Somuchofahelphewas.
I slapped at Benjamin’s face, first lightly, but then with increased force. His head just swayed

fromonesidetotheother.Notknowingwhatelsetodo,Ibitintomywrist,whichtomysurprise,didn’t
hurtatall.ThebloodpouredfromtheopenwoundandIpositionedmywristaboveBenjamin’smouth.I
tried to get him to drink, but he was absolutely uncooperative. At best, my blood was pooling into his
mouthandmaybetricklingdownhisthroat.

Thephonerang.Ianswereditquickly,mybloodsmearingacrossthetouchscreen.
“Hello?”Iasked,hopingwhoeverwasonthelinecouldhelp.
“Olivia?”Jeremiahasked.
“Yes!”
“IhadtogosomewherewhereIcouldspeakinprivate.Youunderstand?”hesaid.
“Oh,right,”Isaid.“Hestillwon’twakeup!”IstareddownatBenjamin,willinghimwithallmy

might to wake up. I didn’t know how to survive without him. My chest felt tight. If I still needed to
breathe,thiswouldbethetimewhenIwouldhavestartedforcingmyselftotakedeep,cleansingbreaths.

“Andhe’snotgoingtowakeupforanotherfewminutes,”Jeremiahsaid,hisvoicerationalamidst

myconfusion.

“What?Why?”Iasked.
“Becausethesunwon’tbedownforanotherfewminutes,”Jeremiahsaid.Hiswordshungheavy

inmyears.

“ThenhowamIawake?”
“Idon’tknow,”hesaid.
Iwassilentforalongbeat.SomeprimalinstincttoldmethelesspeoplewhoknewIwasawake

duringtheday,thebetter.

“Olivia,areyouallright?”Jeremiahasked.
“AsfarasIknow,”Isaid.“IthinkIshouldgonow.”

“Iwouldn’tcallanyoneelse.”Jeremiah’svoicewaslowandserious.
“Yes,you’reright.I’lltalktoyousoon.”Iendedthecallandcollapsedontothebed.
WhatthehellwasIdoingawake?Iwastooscaredtoleavetheroom.ThelastthingIwantedwas

toburstintoflamesinthemiddleofBenjamin’slivingroom.

IfeltBenjaminstirringinthebednexttome.
Oh,shit.Theblood.
BeforeIcouldgetawordin,Benjaminpinnedmedownonthebed.Iwatchedhistonguerollover

hisfangsandthenacrosshislipsashetastedmyblood.Thelasttimehe’dhadmyblood,hedrainedme
dry.Iwasn’tstrongenoughtocompletelyfighthimoff;however,Iwasstrongenoughtokeephimatarm’s
lengthlongenoughtotalksomesenseintohim.

“Benjamin,it’sme!Olivia!Hi!ItriedtogiveyousomeofmybloodbecauseIthoughtyouwere

dead.Like,forrealdead.”

Fortunately,hereactedwell.Hewasstillontopofme,straddlingmybody,butatleast,hewasn’t

aninchawayfromtearingmythroatoutanymore.

“Why?”heasked,hisvoicethickwithsleep…andhunger.
“BecauseIwokeupandyouwerestillasleep.Then,Irealizedthesunwasstillout.But,beforeI

realizedthesunwasstilloutandthat’swhyyouwerestillasleep,Imadeaweakattempttoreviveyou
withmyblood.”

“Damn,youtastegood,”hesaid,oncemorerunninghistongueacrosshisfangs.
Iwasabouttosay,thanks,beforeIrememberedtheimportantissueathand.
“Really,Benjamin?Thisisserious.WhydidIwakeup?”
Though I was wearing a long pajama shirt, Benjamin was looking at me as if I were wearing

nothingatall.Thelookoflustandhungerinhiseyeswereenoughtomakemesquirmbeneathhishard
body.

“Honestly,Olivia,I’mnotgoingtobeabletofocusatalluntilIgooutandfeed.”
And there it was, the dagger in my heart. The same feelings resurfacing from last night. Was it

jealousy?Iwasn’tsure,IonlyknewthatIhatedtheideaofhimfeedingfromanotherwoman.Butwho
wasItodemandanythingfromhim?

“Iknowyou’renotsupposedto,butcan’tyoujustfeedfromme?”
Benjamin’sfacewasseriousashestudiedme.Mychestfelttight.WhatwasIdoing?DidIwant

togodownthisroadwithhim?Iwasjustbeingpractical,afterall.Right?Ineededtofigureoutwhatthe
hellwasgoingonwithmeandifhewentouttofeed,itwouldjustwastevaluabletime.That’sit.Just
beingpractical.

“Isthatwhatyouwant?”heasked,noddinghisheadonce.“Formetofeedfromyou?”
“Yes,” I answered, aware that he’d purposefully placed the whole thing on my shoulders. It

soundedalmostasifIwasn’thelpinghimoutanymore—instead,Iwasbegginghimtofeedfromme.

Benjamin,asquickasever,flippedusaroundsothatIwastheoneontop,straddlinghisbody.He

heldontomywaist,hishandsslippingagainstthesilkfabric.Hesathimselfupsothatourlipswerejusta
coupleofinchesapart.Withmercilessrestraint,Ididn’tkisshim.

Benjamininhaledmyscentbeforehisfangspenetratedthedelicateskinofmyneck.Hewasslow

anddeliberate,asifsavoringthemoment.Ifeltashiverallthroughmybody.Theactfeltbetterthanitdid
when I was human. My senses were heightened now that I was a vampire and I felt pure, unbridled
pleasureashedrank.Hishands,havingslippedundermygown,heldontothefleshofmyhips,kneading
themtothepointwhereitwasalmostpainful.

Benjamincontinuedhisslowfeeding,andImoanedwithdelight.Ifelthishardarousalagainstmy

innerthighandwasunabletocontrolmyselfanymore.MyfingersknottedinhishairandIrockedmyself
againsthiminrhythmicmotions.IonlyvaguelyrealizedthathestoppedfeedingwhileIcontinuedtorock

backandforth.Mypleasurewasrising,almostpeaking,whenheslippedhisfingersbetweenmythighs.
HecouldfeelhowwetIwasthroughthethin,cottonpanties.Withamazingstrengthandcontrolofbody,
heleanedmebacksothathecouldreachmybreastwithhismouth.Descendingonmynipple,Icouldfeel
hismouththroughthefabricofmynightgown.

Despite the silky material, the sensation of his lips, teeth, and tongue nipping and teasing at my

nipplewasenoughtomakemeache.Igaspedashisstrongfingerspulledthefabricofmypantiestoone
side.Usingjustonefinger,hestrokedmyclituntilIwascallingout.Atthepointofmyclimax,whenhe
feltmybodytense,heflippedusoveragainsothathewasontopofme.

Thistime,hegreedilybitintotheothersideofmyneck,sendingmeonanotherwaveofpleasure.

With just enough of his weight on me, he picked up a steady rhythm, rubbing his hard cock against my
innerthighuntilhisbodywentrigid,andthenherelaxedontopofme,kissingthespotwherehe’dbitten
intomyneck.

“Ishouldhaveknownthatwouldhappen,”Isaid,strokingthebackofhisneck.
Benjamin turned the other way, pulling me close to his body, wrapping his arm around me.

Everythingfeltsosafeinhisarms.Iletmyhandrestonthehardplanesofhischestasheranhisfingers
upanddownthelengthofmyarm.

“Youwerehungry,”Isaid,enjoyingthefeelofhistouch.
“Ihaven’tfedintwonights.”
“But,lastnightyousaidthatyou...”
“Ilied,”hesaid,cuttingmeoff.
Okay, I’d have to revisit that information for later review. Right now, I wanted to completely

forgetwhathadjusttranspired.Instead,IneededtounderstandwhyIhadwokenupbeforethesunset.As
farasIknew,thatwasnotsomethingthateverhappened.

"DidyouhearwhatIsaid...before?Iwokeupbeforethesunwentdown.Itwasonlytenminutes

orso,butstill."

Heclearedhisthroat."Idon'tmeantoalarmyou,but,I'veneverheardofthathappeningbefore."

Benjaminbenthisheaddown,inhalingthescentofmyhair.

"I’mnotgoingtolie,Ben,I'mfeelingprettyalarmed.ShouldIbeworried?"
"That'sagoodquestion.Didyougooutintothehouse?"
"No,"Isaid."Iwastooscared."
"Let'skeepthistoourselvesuntilweknowmore."
"Sounds good, only," I said, hesitating, "Jeremiah knows. I called him when I didn't know what

was going on and Thomas didn't answer for obvious reasons. I was worried about you." I shifted my
body,proppingmyselfuponBenjamin'schestsoIcouldlookhimintheeyes.ShouldItellhimthatthose
few minutes were the most pleasurable, passionate minutes of my life? I decided that I’d better not.
BenjaminhadprobablybeenwithhundredsofsensuouswomenandI’djustbeembarrassingmyself.

Hesmiled,thecornerofhismouthcurvinguptooneside.
"Ialreadytoldyou,Olivia.Youneednotworryaboutme."
Isatup,nodding,andrunningmyfingersthroughmysnarledhair.Iscootedoffthebedandwalked

around as Benjamin swung his legs around his side of the bed. When I was close enough to him, he
grabbedmywrist,surprisingme,bydrawingmeclosertohim.

Hecircledmywristwithhisthumbandforefinger.
"Yourwristsaresotiny,"hesaid,handlingmewithunduecare.
"Areyoucheckingforapulse?"Iasked,myskintinglingunderhistouch.Itwouldbeevenmore

difficultnowtoresistmyattractiontoBenjamin.Now,thatI'dhadataste.

"Notevenabeat,"hesaid."Simplycheckingtomakesureyou’restillavampire.Strangerthings

havehappened."

Benjaminbroughthishandupmyarmandcuppedmyfacewithhispalm.Histhumbstrokedmy

bottomlipforalongmoment.Heregardedmecarefully,hispale,glacialeyesmeltingmeinside.

"Ineedtogetintheshower,"Isaid,backingawayfromhim."And,Imayormaynothavebroken

yourphonewithmyblood."

Ihurriedintothebathroomandlockedthedoorbehindme

Eight

Obviously,I’ddoneeverythinginmypowertoavoidBenjaminforthenexttwenty-fourhours.But

I wasn’t about to let the incident, as I liked to call it, interfere with my demon-killing-human-saving
training.Whichwasexactlywhy,theincident,oranythingclosetotheincident,couldnever,ever,ever,
everhappenagain.

It took every ounce of adulthood and maturity I could muster up to leave my room and greet

Benjamin in the living room. I heard him moving around in the house for a good hour now, but I was
takingmytimetogetready.Idressedinaredt-shirt,bluejeansandsneakers.IfIweregoingtogoouton
ademonprowlwithhim,Ineededtohavecomfyclotheson.Theredshirtwouldcamouflageanyblood.I
don’tknowhowBenjaminhunteddemonsinasuit.Imean,really,healwayslookedsopristineattheend
ofthenight.

“You’reup,”Benjaminsaid,readingthepaperwhilesittingonthesofa.
“Yes,goodevening,”Isaid,barelyabletolookhimintheeyes.Ifeltsovulnerablearoundhim.

We’d been so intimate, but I knew it hadn’t meant more to him than sex and blood. If I could make it
throughtheevening,thenthenextdaywouldbebetterandIwouldnever...neverletithappenagain.Even
ifIhadtostartfeedingonhumans.IfIcontinuedtogetsoworkedupeverytimeBenjaminandIfedfrom
eachother,thenIwouldhavetosuckitupandstartdrinkingblooddonations.

“Olivia,”Benjaminsaid,foldingthenewspaperandtossingitonthecoffeetable.“Weneedtotalk

aboutlastnight.”

Ohno!Myeyeswentwideinsurprise.Ifeltlikeadeercaughtintheheadlights.Ithoughtwewere

justgoingtopretendthathehadn’tmademecallouthisnamewithhisexpertfingers.

“Huh?”wasallImanagedtosputterout.
“Tell me again about you being awake when the sun was still up.” His lips curled up into a

wickedsmile.HeknewverywellthatI’dassumedhewantedtotalkaboutoursexualinterlude.

“Oh,”Isaid,sittingonthechairfurthestfromhim.“There’snotmuchelsetotell.Iwokeupand

youhadn’tyet.IcalledJeremiahinapanicandhewassurprisedtohearfromme.Hetoldmethatthesun
wasstillup.Ilookedatthetime,andIcheckedthetimeforsunsetlastnight.Thesunwasdefinitelystill
outwhenIwokeup.”

“It’sstrange,”Benjaminsaid.
“Oh,IalsocalledThomas.Idon’tknowifhe’llhaveamissedcallfromyou.Notsureifyou’ll

havetoexplainthattohimornot.”

Benjamin thought about that for a minute. “I’d rather not tell him about you. Let’s just hope he

doesn’task.Fornow,Ihavecopiesofjournalsfromsomeoftheoldervampires.I’llseeifIcanfindany
usefulinformation.”

Inodded,satisfiedthatBenjaminwasonthecase.“Sowhereareweofftotonight?”Iasked.
“You’renotcomingwithmetonight.Thingsaregettingcrazyoutthere.I’dratheryoustayhere,

whereit’ssafe.”Benjaminstoodupandheadedforthedoor.

“Hey,wait,”Isaid,followinghim.“Youcan’tjustmakemestayhere.Iwanttohelp.”
“You won’t be helping. I’ll have to keep an eye on you the whole night and I won’t be able to

concentrateonanythingelse.”

Well,wasn’tthataslapintheface!AsifIneededsomeonetowatcheverymoveImade.Icould

holdmyownagainstthedemonsandwebothknewit.“Whereareyougoing?”

Heshookhisheadandwalkedoutthedoor.Beforeclosingit,heturned.“Promisemeyou’lllock

thedoorandstayinside.Readabookandjustbesafe.”

Iclosedthedoorinhisfaceandlockedit.
Readabook?Washeforreal?BenjaminWardcouldnotcontrolme.Iwasthewomanresponsible

for starting up a small business and turning it into a billion dollar company. I was scheduled to make
partnerofoneofthelargestmarketingfirmsbytheageoftwenty-eight.

LikehellwouldIstayinsidewhilethecityI’dgrowntolovewasoverrunbysoul-sucking(and

vampire-blood-sucking)demons.IwaitedfifteenminutesuntilIwassureheleftanddrovetothebeach,
wheremostoftheattackswereoccurring.

I left my car with valet at a hotel on the beach. The great thing about Miami is it’s so full of

tourists when you’re at the beach, you can pretty much never be underdressed. I remembered seeing on
oneofBenjamin’smaps,alotofattackshappenednearaloungecalledSoundlom.Iwalkedacoupleof
blocksupthemall,onhighalert.

Soundlomwaspacked,whichsurprisedme,consideringhowearlyinthenightitwas—tenp.m.

was not even close to the prime Miami Beach party hour. I had to wait in a short line to show my ID.
Eventually,IsupposeitwillbecomeannoyingtoshowmyID--forexampleafterI’vebeenavampirefor
overonehundredyears.I’msureitwillbefunny.Ordepressing.Maybeboth.

ThebouncercheckingIDswasincrediblytall.Hisbackeasilytripledthewidthofmyback.He

woreblackshoes,blackpants,andablackt-shirt.Hebarelylookedatmyidentificationbeforereturning
it to me. But I got a good look at his eyes. How could people not realize when they were talking to
demons?Thebouncer,withhisflat,blackeyeswasdefinitelyademon.Andhewastheheadofsecurity.
Thiswasnotagoodthing.Theeyeswereadeadgive-away.Everyonehasthatlittlesparkleortwinkleto
his or her eyes. It’s just normal. What the demons had, however, were flat, black eyes—completely
devoidof…life.

Thebouncerwassopreoccupiedwiththepeoplebehindmeinlinethathedidn’trealizeIwasa

vampire. Lucky me. Entering the lounge, I felt my stomach drop. An immense triangle-shaped bar
occupiedthemajorityoffloorspace.Drinkingatthebarwasamixtureofdemonsandhumans.Theonly
problemwastherewereaboutthreedemonstoeveryhuman.WhatthehellwasIgoingtodo?

Onedemon,completelybaldanddressedallinblack,wasleadingayoungwomantothebackof

thelounge.Ifollowedclosebehindandwaitedoutsidethebathroomdoorforamoment,beforefollowing
themin.Thedemon’seyeswereglowingashealreadyhadthewomaninhisarms,andwassuckingthe
soul out of her. I didn’t wait to watch the gray mist flow from the human’s body and into the demon. I
jumped in the air, delivering a hard blow to the demon. I heard the sickening “snap!” of a presumably
vitalbone,whichwouldhavebeenenoughtostopahuman,butnotademon.Hereleasedhisgriponthe
womanandshefelltothefloor,herbodycompletelylimp.Havingliterallyhadthelifesuckedoutofher,
nowhersoulfloatedjustoutsideofherbody,barelyattachedanymore.

Thedemonstretchedhisnecktoonesideandgotagoodlookatme.Ibaredmyfangs.Imeantitas

awarning,butthedemonscreechedwithrenewedenergy.Withoutsomuchasarunningstart,heslammed
intomewithmoreforcethanBenjaminhadeverusedduringpracticewithme.Fortuitously,Iwasextra
strongfromhavingjustdrunkBenjamin’sblood.

Istoppedthedemoninhistracksandliftedhimwellabovemyheadbeforethrowinghimdown

again.IgotbehindhimtogetabettergriponhisbodyjustasThomasandNatasha,ofallpeople,burst
intothebathroom.

I looked at them for only a second, and returned my attention to the demon. I wrapped my arms

aroundhisthroatandsnappedhisneck.Hedisintegratedinstantly.

“Hi,guys,”Isaid,alittlefrantically.Vampireornot,combatwithdemonswasnoteasy.
“Weheardademoncallandwehadtokillthefewdemonsthatactuallyheardit,”Thomassaid,

pushingagainstthedoorthatledbackintothelounge.“They’retryingtogetin.We’dbettergo.Thereare
toomanyofthem.We’reatriskofoneofusbeingcaptured.”

Natasha,ofcourse,juststoodthere,offeringnohelpatall.
“Can you hold them off for just another minute?” I asked, bending down to attend to the human

woman.

“Notreally,”Thomassaid,pushingbackagainstthedoor.“Natasha,alittlehelp?”
Reluctantly,Natashausedherbacktopushagainstthedooraswell.Ireturnedmyattentiontothe

womanandcuppedmyhandsaroundthesoul.Iclosedmyeyesandclearedmymind.WhenIopenedmy
eyesagain,themisthadretreatedbackintothewoman’sbody.Ifeltherbreathgrowingstrongerandher
heartbeatbecameregular.Shestillhadn’tregainedconsciousness,butitwasgoodenoughforme.

“Okay,Ihavetogetheroutofhere,”Isaid,realizingtherewouldbemanymorelivesheretonight

indanger.AndIwouldonlybeabletosaveonesoul.It’sbetterthannothing,Ithoughttomyself.

ThomasandNatasha,stillstrugglingtoholdthedoor,werestaringatmewithwideeyes.Oops.

Didn’tBenjaminwarnmenottotellanyoneaboutmyanomalies?Orshowthem,forthatmatter.

Irippedhalfthedooroffoneofthebathroomstallsandbrokethroughtheglassofthebathroom

window.Iclearedalltheglassoutandcarriedthehumanwoman’sbodyinmyarms.Atthecountofthree,
Natasha and Thomas let go of the door and followed me out the broken window. There was one fairly
largeadvantagewevampireshadonthedemons,andthatwasspeed.Notthatmuchfaster,butenough.I
followed Thomas through the alleys of Miami Beach until we reached his car, parked at another of the
beachhotels.Ileftthewomaninthevaletarea,knowingthey’dfindherrightaway.

WespedawayinThomas’carwithNatashaatthewheel.Ifeltarushthroughmyveins.DidIeven

produceadrenalineanymore?Whateveritwas,Ifeltamazingandpowerful.Ihadsavedanotherlifeand
takenanotherdemonoffthestreets.

“I’mcallingBenjamin.”
“What?Thomas,no,”Isaid,feelingmyincrediblehighdriftingaway.
But I couldn’t stop him. I could hear Benjamin through the telephone, saying just a few words.

“Takehertomyhouse.”

There he went again. Ordering me around. Nothing was going to tarnish my proud feeling of

accomplishment.NoteventhatsmugsmirkonNatasha’sfaceintherearviewmirror.

Happily,wedroppedNatashaoffatherhotelonthewaytoCoralGables.Itwasoutoftheway,

butthelongerwespentawayfromBenjamin’shome,thebetter.Itwasn’tuntilwewereclosetothehouse
thatThomasfinallyspoketomeaboutwhathe’dseen.

“Howdidyoudothatwiththewoman’ssoul?”
“I’mnotsupposedtotalkaboutit,”Isaid.
Thomaslaughed.“Thenyouprobablyshouldn’thavereattachedahuman’ssoulinfrontofme.”
“Don’t start with me, Thomas. I don’t need you riding my ass too! Ugh, I didn’t mean for it to

comeoutlikethat.IgetenoughgrieffromBenjamin.I’magrownwoman.”

“I know you are. And whatever you did tonight. It was pretty amazing, Olivia. I just don’t

understandexactlyhowyoudidit.”

Ismiledathim.Thomascouldbesokind.“Idon’tknoweither.”
WepulleduptothehouseandBenjamin’scarwasalreadyinthedriveway.
“Ithinkit’sbetterifyoudon’tcomein,”IsaidtoThomas.
“Areyousure?Icouldruninterferenceforyou.”
“That’ssweetofyoutooffer.But,I’mnotworriedabouthim.AsIsaid,Imademyowndecision.

Benjaminhastrainedmeforthis.I’mnotdoinganythingthatanyofyoudon’tdoalmosteverynight.”

“Well,I’veneverseenanyonedowhatyoudid.”
“Right,”Iconceded.“Exceptforthat.But,it’snotlikeI’mdoinganythingbad.”
“No,you’renot.I’dliketotalktoyoumoreaboutit.CanItakeyououttomorrownight?Let’sjust

takethenightoffandhaveagoodtime.”

“Okay,”Isaid.“Pickmeupatten.”
“Tenitis,”Thomassaid.

IexitedthecarandwatchedThomasdriveaway.HewasaniceguyandIcoulduseanightout

withoutworryingaboutthefateofhumanity.

Benjaminwaswaitingformeinthelivingroom.Iwasexpectinghimtostartinonmerightaway,

buthewassurprisingcalm.

“Well,”hesaid,“what’sthedamage?”
I kicked my sneakers off, leaving them by the front door. “One demon dead and one soul re-

attached.”

“Andyou’reallright.”
“Yes.”
“Good.I’mgladThomaswastheretobailyououtandkeepyoufromgettingyourselfdrained.”
“Youmeanagain?Likewhenyoudrainedme?”
“Stopthat.”
“What?”
Benjamin walked over to me, angry all of a sudden. “You can’t keep throwing that in my face.

Eitherwe’reokayorwe’renot.”

Iwasjoking,buthebroughtupagoodpoint.WheredidBenjaminlieonmyforgivenessmeter?
“Youknow,Iwouldn’thaveneededsomeonetobailmeoutifyou’dletmegowithyoutonight.”
Benjaminthoughtaboutthatforamoment.Icouldseehimweighingouttheoptionsinhishead.

“You’reright.Itwon’thappenagain.Weworkasateamfromnowon.”

Ismiled.“Ikickedasstonight.”
Iwalkedtomyroom,fullyintendingtotakeashowertoremovethedemon“ick”frommybody.I

curledupintobedwithMeowserandreadforhours—gettinglostinagoodmystery.Alittlebitbefore
dawn,Benjamincameintomyroomtotellmeaboutthelatestdemonpatterns.Foronce,hehighlighted
thehumanattacks,andofcourse,MeowsercurleduponBenjamin’schestthemomenthelaydownonthe
bed.Ifellasleeplisteningtohislatestideasonhowtosolvethegrowingdemonproblem.Iwashappyto
hear,however,thathisplansnowincludedme.

Nine

Iwonderedwhatvampiresdidondates.Wecouldn'tgooutandeat.Well,Iguesswecouldgoout

andfeedonhumanstogether,butthatwouldbegross.Vampiresdon'tdrinkalcohol,sothatwasoffthelist
too. When Thomas picked me up from the house and told me we'd be going to an art show, I was
surprised.Ofcourse,thereareplentyofthingstodothatdon'tinvolveeatingordrinking.Howsillyof
me.

Tired of everyone barging into the house, I made a point to lock the front door before taking a

shower. I dried my hair and let it hang long and straight. I went through a lot of trouble to get my dark
locksassmoothandstraightaspossible.Iwasgettingusedtomyfairerskin,butIwasforcedtobuynew
makeup.Iappliedlight,peachblushandusedacharcoaleyepencil,creatingthatsexy,smokyeyelook.It
tookmeclosetoayeartomasterthetechnique.Atfirst,Ialwaysendeduplookinglikearaccoon.Not
thisnight,however;thisnightIlookedprettygoodinapearl,sleevelessblouseandskinnyjeans.

Butnottoogood.
Ididn’twanttolookoverthetop,asmybigplanwastodownplaythiswholedatething.Forsome

inexplicablereason,IfeltlikeIwassneakingbehindBenjamin’sback.

Not that I had any reason to feel that way. He and I were not involved in any romantic

entanglement of any kind. What happened the other night was a natural reaction between two vampires
takingbloodfromeachother,right?Icouldhavebeenanyoneandthesamethingwouldhavehappened.
ExceptthatI’mtheonlypersoninthehistoryoftimethatBenjaminhaseversharedhisbloodwith.

ThebottomlinewasthatBenjaminfeltresponsibleformeandwashelpingmeoutwiththeblood

lustandmyaversiontotakinghumanblood.That’sallitwasandnothingmore.Ishouldn’tfeelbadatall
aboutgoingoutonadatewithThomas.

WhenIwasjustaboutready,Iheardaknockonthedoor.Irushedtothelivingroom,hopingto

beat Benjamin there, but no such luck. Benjamin met me in the hallway, and looked me up and down
beforestoppinginfrontofthedoor.

“Goingout?AmIfinallytomeetthefamousLaura?”
“Nottonight,I’mafraid.Ihaveadate,”Isaid,reachingaroundhisbodytoopenthefrontdoor.
For the first time, I saw Benjamin look surprised. I honestly didn’t think that anything could jar

him. His body went still, his eyebrows arched, and I saw some emotion in his glacial eyes. If Thomas
hadn’tbeenatthedoor,I’dhavedemandedanexplanationforBenjamin’sreaction.

I opened the door and Thomas stepped into the house. I’m sure he’d barged into the house a

million times before, but this time everything felt awkward. There was a strange vibe in the air. These
weretheembarrassingmomentsIhatedwatchinginthemovies.Ijustfeltsobadforallthoseinvolved.
Sowhywasithappeningnow?

“Thomas,”Benjaminsaid.
“Benjamin,”Thomasreturned.
“HiThomas.I’mjustaboutreadytoleave,butIcan’tfindmywatch.IguessIcangooutwithout

it.Ihavemyphone,soIdon’treallyneedit.”Ituckedmyhairbehindmyrightear,fidgetingunderthe
vampires’stares.

“Itwasonyournightstand.Itprobablyfellunderthebed.”Benjaminsaid.
Forsomereason,Benjamin’shelpfulobservationseemedpainfullyintimate.
“Huh,”Isaid.“I’llgocheck,”andIlefttocheckmyroomonemoretimeforthewatch.Ishould

havesaiditwasn’tabigdealandleftwithThomas,butatthatmoment,Ineededanextrathirtysecondsto
myself.

Sureenough,thewatchwasunderthebed,butforthesakeofappearances,Ileftitthereforlater

retrieval.

“Nope,wasn’tthere,”Ilied.“Shallwe?”
ThomasandIleftonwhatwasprobablymysixth“firstdate”oftheyear,anditwasonlyJune.I

alreadyknewthisonewasn’tgoingtogooverwellsoIdidmybesttomakeitintoafriend-date.Ididn’t
have many friends, and I had even fewer vampire friends. I didn’t want to lose any relationship with
Thomasallbecauseofafailedfirstdate.

TheWynnwoodartgallerywaspleasantandwewereluckyitdidn’trainbecauseoneofthelarge

exhibitsconsistedoftallmuralspaintedonthesideofhuge,cementwalls.Thomassaidhe’dchosenthe
spotbecausethereweren’tmanydemonattacksinthearea.Towardstheendoftheevening,wesatinside
thegallery,admiringsomeofthepaintings.

Onepainting,inparticular,wasofalargerwomaneatingasandwich.“See,Ijustdon’tgetthese

kindsofpaintings,”Icommented.

Thomasdidn’tspeakrightaway.Iwashopingthatwithhisextrayearsofexperience,he’dbeable

toexplainarttomeinsomedeeplymeaningfulwaythatI’dneverbeenabletograspbefore.

“AreyouandBenjaminsleepingwitheachother?”Thomasasked.
Thequestioncaughtmetotallyoffguard.Unfortunately,Ididn’trespondwell.“Whatdoyoumean

bysleepingwitheachother?”Iasked.

Thomas’lipscurledupintothemostcurioussmile.
“No,whatImeantosayisthatheliterally,tendstosleepinmyroomeverynight.Ididn’tmeanto

implythatwewerehavingsexwitheachother.”

Becausewe’renot.
“Atfirst,”Icontinued,“itwasbecauseIwasterrified.I’djustbeenturnedandalsowitnesseda

demonattack.Now,heusuallyjusttalksmyearoffaboutstrategyorsomethinguntildawncomesandI
passout.”

Thiswasprettymuchthetruth.Inodded,mostlytoreassuremyself.Noonewassupposedtoknow

aboutmydrinkingBenjamin’sblood,andIintendedtokeepthatinformationconfidential.Thomasnodded
once,obviouslydigestingtheinformation.Really,Ithought,hewasreadingtoomuchintothewholething.

“Andyouknow,thewholebloodconnectionthing.ImustadmitIfeelclosertohimsinceheturned

me.”

Thomas’ face went blank for moment, and then he looked as though he pitied me. “There is no

specialbloodbond,Olivia.That’snotsomethingthathappenswhenavampireconvertsahuman.”

“Oh.”
Aftertheuncomfortableconversation,therestofthedatefellflat,justasIpredicted.Thomastook

me home, and as he drove away, I couldn’t help thinking, “What an attractive, intelligent, nice man. Of
course,Ifoundawaytomakeitnotwork.”

Inside,IfoundanotefromBenjaminonthediningroomtable.Mywatch,ofcourse,wasontopof

thenote.“Yourwatchwasunderthebed.Outoftownforafewdays.”Itwasmerelysigned,“Ben.”

Ten

I walked into the living room to check myself in the full-length mirror. After getting a look at

myselfinthedress,Ihadtomentallythankmyoldcollegeroommate,Catherine,fornotchoosinghideous
bridesmaids’dresses.Thedresswasstrapless,short,champagnecolor,madeoutofchiffon,andgaveoff
justtheslightestshimmer.Myhairwaspartedtothesideandsweptupintoalow,loosebun.

MeowsercurledaroundmylegsandIhurriedintothekitchentorefillhisdish.Iwonderedwhen

the cat would get used to my new schedule. Though, what did he care? He slept eighteen hours a day
regardless.

“Whereareyougoing?”Benjaminasked.
Iturnedaround,surprisedtoseeBenjaminsittingontheloveseat.Asusual,hewaswearingadark

graythree-piecesuit.Hiseyessweptovermybody,frommyface,allthewaydowntomypeachhigh-
heels.Thelookoflustandappreciationonhisfacemademelookawayinembarrassment.

“Ithoughtyouweregoneuntiltomorrow,”Isaid,wrappingashawlaroundmyshoulders.
“Planschanged.Whereareyougoing?”
“Toawedding.Myfriend,Catherine,isgettingmarriedattheBiltmore.Youremembertheplace,

right?It’swhereyoukilledme.”

Benjaminleanedforward,restinghisforearmsonhislegs.Helookedupatmewiththosecrystal

eyes.“Olivia,”hebegan.

“Don’tstartwithme,Ben.”
“You’renotgoingtoawedding,Olivia.Youcouldhurtsomeone.”
“Not going to happen. I’m a bridesmaid and I have to attend. I’m going. You can just save your

speechabouthowI’mgoingtodrainsomeone’sblood.BecauseI’mnot.Ijusthadyourbloodtheother
day.Remember?”

Benjamin’slipscurledintothesexiestsmile.“Ohyes,”hesaid.“Iremember.”
I held my hand up as if to stop his next sentence from exiting his mouth. “Please, not another

word,”Isaid,stillembarrassedaboutthenightwhenwe’ddrunkeachother’sblood.

“Then,I’mgoingwithyou.”Benjaminstoodup,foldingthemagazinethathewasreadinginhalf,

andtossingitontothesofa.

“HowdoyouknowIdon’talreadyhaveadateforthewedding?”
“Doyou?”heasked,callingmybluff.
“No.”
“So,it’sadatethen?”
“You’reimpossible,”Isaid,groaning.“Well,atleastyou’realreadydressed,”Iadded,gesturing

tohisexquisitesuit.“Here,Icouldn’tgetthelastbitofmydresszippedup.”

“Allow me,” he said, moving to stand behind me in the mirror. He zipped my dress, letting his

fingers linger on my bare shoulders. Never taking his eyes off me, he ran his strong hands along my
collarbone,sendingshiversdownmyspine.

“Don’t be an ass tonight. I went to college with some of these people and they can be ruthless.

TheyaregoingtohavemeunderamicroscopeandIdon’tevenhaveafancyjobtobragaboutanymore.”

“They’regoingtohateyounomatterwhat.”
“Whyisthat?”Iasked,frowning.
“Becauseyoulookincredible.”
“Oh,” I said. But instead of saying “thank you,” or anything normal, I stormed toward the front

doorwithmyheaddownandwaitedoutsideforhimtolockup.

The wedding was incredibly boring, but pretty. Anything looked nice at the Biltmore. Just as I

predicted, every woman in attendance was drooling over Benjamin. I wondered if he’d ever crashed a

weddingbeforeandseducedaladybeforedrinkingherblood.

Theceremonywasshortandsweet.Towardstheendofit,however,thenumberofhumansaround

mereallystartedtorankleme.Itwasjusttootempting,allthefreshbloodpumpingaroundme,justripe
forthepicking.Exposednecksjustwaitingtobebitten.AsmuchasIwouldhavelikedtostayandenjoy
thereception,IaskedBenjamintohavethecarpulledaround.IwantedtohightailitoutoftherebeforeI
didsomethingI’dlaterregret.

I’dbelyingifIsaiditwasn’tsweettoseemyex-boyfriend,Ian.Hewasanattractiveman,areal

catchinmostwomen’seyes;buthepaledincomparisontoBenjamin.

I sat at my table, remembering what it felt like to have a few too many drinks at a wedding. I'd

neverbeabletogettipsyagain.Honestly,Ithought,it'sprobablyforthebest.Nomoredrunkenelectric
slide for me! I could hear a low buzz in the air, the collective sound of the wedding guests' heartbeats
drumminginmyears.

My chest constricted. Closing my eyes, I gripped the tablecloth, turning and twisting the fabric

betweenmyfingers.

"Liv,"Iansaid,approachingthetablefrommyleft.
"Enjoyingtheparty?"Iasked,staringathisneck.
Iwonderedwhatitwouldtastelike.Ian'sbloodwouldprobablybesweet,Imused.Hischestnut,

mid-lengthhairwascombedandtuckedneatlybehindhisears,exceptforonesmallhank.Ireachedover
andbrusheditoutofhisface.MyfingertipsgrazedthebackofhisneckandIfelthisskinheatupunder
mytouch.

"Youlookamazingtonight,"Iansaid.
"Ido?Thankyou.You'resosweet."Butwouldyourbloodbeassweet?
That was it; I couldn't handle the cravings anymore. It had been too many days since I'd drunk

Benjamin's blood, and I was going to have to drink human blood eventually. It felt so natural now. I
wantedIan'sbloodsobadlythatmythroatstartedtoache.Howdoesthiswork?Iwondered.Ihadtoget
him into a secluded location. We were in a hotel after all. It should be easy to corner him in the dark,
somewhereIcouldsinkmyteethintohisyummyveins.

"Liv, do you remember that weekend trip we took to the Bahamas?" Ian asked, leaning over to

touchmyknee.

Ismiledathimsideways."Isuredo.Wehadanamazingtime,didn'twe?"
"Areyouseeinganyonenow?Isthatguyyoucamewithyourboyfriend?"
"Benjamin? No, he's just... a friend, I guess you could say. Currently, I find myself unattached."

Becauseyoudumpedmesixmonthsago...Remember?

"Well, you know," he said, tracing circles on my knee with his thumb. "I have a hotel room

upstairsforthenight."

"Isthatso?"Iasked.Thiswasturningouttobesoeasy,itwassad.
"Whydon'tyoucomeupwithme?Wecancatchup."
Benjaminwouldbesoproud.
"Leadtheway,"Isaid,standingup.
PoorIanthoughtthatIwouldactuallysleepwithhim.Ionlywantedonething,andmaybeifItried

my hand at vampire hypnosis, Ian would never be the wiser. He'd feel weak from the blood loss, but
probablyassumehe'djusthadonetoomanydrinks.

IfollowedIanintotheelevator.Beinginanenclosedspace,Ireactedinstantly.BeforeIancould

evenpressthebuttonforthefloor,Ihadhimupagainsttheelevatorwall.Lookingintohisbrowneyes,I
heldmyhandoverhismouthbeforehecouldspeak.

"Ian,shhh.Justrelax.Youdon'tfeelanything,andonceIleave,you'llgotoyourroomandsleep.

You'vehadtoomuchtodrink.Youunderstand?"

Iannoddedandshuthiseyes.Ileanedhisheadtotheleftandbroughtmylipsclosetohisneck.
Theelevatordoorsopened.Toanyoneelse,itwouldhavelookedlikeIwaskissingsomeguyin

theelevator;butbecauseitwasBenjaminwaitingontheothersideoftheelevatordoors,heknewexactly
whatIwasdoing.

Moving as fast as a blur, he yanked me from the elevator. With me in his arms, he rushed us

throughthebanquethall,pastthelobby,andintothecar,alreadywaitingforusinvalet.

AswedrovethroughCoralGablestoBenjamin'shome,Iwasscaredandwantedtoknowwhat

happened.

"Weredemonsthere?Whatthehelljusthappened?"
"Nodemons,"hereplied.
My window was down and the air was helping to clear my head. I didn't have the scents of a

hundredhumansinmynostrils,andIfeltallthebetterforit.

IknewIsaidIwasreadytoleave,butthatwasridiculous.Thewayhejustranmeoutoftheparty.

Idoubtedanyoneevennoticed,sinceweweremovingsofast,butwhatiftheyhad?Howembarrassing!I
didn't even wish the bride a happy honeymoon. Not to mention that I never got to have my fill of Ian's
blood.Wewerepullinguptothehouse.IunbuckledmyseatbeltasBenjaminparkedthecar.

"YoucouldhavewaiteduntilIwasfinishedfeeding.Iwasfinallyabouttodoit,andyouruinedit.

Isn'tthatwhatyouwanted?Formetofinallydrinkbloodfromahuman?‘EmbracethevampirethatIam,’
youtoldme!"

Silence.
He exited the car, and instead of opening my door for me like he usually did, he walked up the

stonesteps,headingstraightforthefrontdoor.

Isteppedoutofthecar,slammingthedoorbehindme.
"Isthatwasthisisallabout?MedrinkingIan'sblood?Iguessitwasalittlepublic,butatleastwe

weresomewhatawayfromtheparty."

He unlocked the door while ignoring me. We crossed the threshold and I was tired of the silent

treatment.Ishutthefrontdoorbehindme.

"Hey,"Isaid,grabbinghisshoulderfrombehind."Answerme!Whatisyourproblem?"
Hewhirledonme,pressingmybackagainstthedoor.IfIweren'tavampire,heprobablywould

havebrokenmyspinewiththeimpact.

"My problem," he said, his eyes icy and brilliant, "is that you were about to drink that human's

blood."

I'dneverseenhimlikethis.Ifelthisangerrollingoffhiminwaves.
"I thought that was what you wanted," I said, swallowing hard. My feet dangled a foot off the

ground.Benjaminwasholdingmeupagainstthedoor,hishandsonmywaist.

Benjamin’s eyes searched mine and then his lips were on me in an instant. He had kissed me

before,butneverwithsuchurgency.Hiskissdidthingstome.Ifeltatinglingallovermybody.Ifelta
burning inside me that grew with every second his lips touched mine. I tried to build a figurative wall
betweenus,butIcouldn'tdenythatIwantedhim...neededhim.

Iwrappedmylegsaroundhiswaistandlaunchedmyselfawayfromthedoor,effectivelythrusting

mypelvisintohim.Myarmshookedaroundhisneckandmyfingersknottedinhishair.

Benjamin'slipsleftmineandIgroanedinprotestuntilhekissedmyneck,makingtrailswithhis

tongue, tasting my skin. I moaned in response as my hands slid under his suit jacket, roaming over the
musclesofhischestandbroadshoulders.Iwantedtofeelallofhim.Iwantedtogivemyselftohim.

"Bed,"Imanagedtosay.
Wecouldhavemadeittohisroomfairlyquickly,butwemovedslowly.Benjamin'sinstinctswere

soastute,wedidn'thavetolookwhereweweregoing.Beingsuper-humanhaditsperks.Ikeptmyself

uprightwithmylegswrappedaroundhiswaistwhilehishandsfreelyexploredmybody.Hepulledmy
strapless dress down to my waist, exposing my breasts. He cupped their generous size with his hands
whilereturninghislipstomine.Histongueenteredmymouth,massagingmyown.

Grabbingthefleshofmybottomwithonehand,hestrokedmyhardnipplewiththeother,sending

shock waves through my body. He teased my nipples carefully, flicking the bud softly, then stroking
rhythmicallywithhisthumb.

When we entered his room, he set me down on my feet. Reaching around me, he unzipped my

dressandIkickedittotheothersideoftheroom.Benjamin'seyesroamedovermybodyappreciatively
andfulloflust.Ipressedmyhandsagainsthischestandslidthemup,removinghisjacket.Iunbuttoned
hisvestanddressshirt,throwingthemtothefloor.

“Geez,youwearalotofclothes,”Isaid,frustratedthatitwastakingsolongtogethimnaked.
His chest felt flawless under the soft pads of my fingers. Never breaking eye contact, I slid my

handdownuntilIcouldgrasphiserection.Irubbedmyhandoverthefabricuntilamoanescapedhislips.

Isatdownontheedgeofthebed,leaningback.Hetuggedlightlyatthelacystrapofmypanties

and brought my legs up to remove the small triangle of fabric. I’d never been so turned on in my life.
Everythingthismandidwasdeliberateandslow,asifsavoringeverymoment.

"So, you don't want me drinking from anyone else?" I asked, undoing his brass belt buckle. His

pantswerestrainedbyhisgrowingbehemoth.Ipulledthezipperdown,myeyebrowsrisinginpleasant
surprisewhenIreleasedthesourceoftensioninhispants.

Towering over me, Benjamin shook his head, looking sexy as hell. He kicked his shoes off and

droppedhispants,steppingoutofthemwithpolishedease.

"HowmanywaysdoIhavetoshowyouthatIwantyoutobemine?”heasked.
Hestoodbeforemenakedandgodlike.Igulpedatthethoughtofwhatwouldcomenext.
“You’regoingtohavetobeabitmoreobvious,”Isaid.
"Isthiswhatyouwant?"hesaid,pushingmylegsapartwithhisknee.
Inoddedquickly,takinghishardlengthinmyhandinrhythmicstrokes.Benjaminarchedhisback.
“Tellmewhatyouwant,”heinsisted.
“Oh,Benjamin,Iwantyouinsideme.Now.”
He hovered over me, effortlessly. His hand cupped my breast and then felt my side all the way

down, around my hips, along my thigh until finally cupping the back of my knee. He hiked my leg up
aroundhishipsandlowerback.

Ireacheddown,positioninghimatmyentrance.Iwasslickandreadyforhim.Icalledoutwith

the first thrust. He held his position there for a long moment, staring at me with clear, bedroom eyes. I
pulledhimdown,closertomesothatIcouldrunmyhandsoverhisshoulders.Hishardhipboneshurtas
theypressedintomythighs,soIspreadmylegswider.Hewithdrewmomentarily,atamaddeninglyslow
pace,andthendroveinagain,onlydeeper.Imoanedsoftlyasherocked,fillingmeupentirely,quenching
needsIdidn’tevenknowIhad.

ImeteachofhisthrustswithoneofmyownuntilIwasabouttocome.Hedroveintomehard,his

hipsmovinginforcefulcirclesuntilmybodyshudderedandIcalledoutjustashisbackarchedbeforehe
relaxedontopofme.

Hegatheredmeupeffortlesslyandrepositionedmeinthecenterofthebed.Thebedhadmovedto

theothersideoftheroomasaresultofouractions.Benjaminlayacrossthebed,withhisheadpropped
uponpillows.Hepulledmeontopofhim,myheadrestingonhischestasheranhisfingersthroughmy
hair.

Isigheddeeply,outofhabit,bringingmyarmsinclosetomysides,enjoyinghowwonderfulitfelt

tobetuckedintoBenjamin’sbody.

“Ben,”Isaid.

“Yes?”
“Idon’twantyoudrinkinganyoneelse’sblood.IknowhowIfeelwhenIdrinkyourbloodand,”I

sighed,ashamedtoadmitit,“Ihatetheideaofyoufeelingthatwaywithsomeoneelse.”

“Iwouldn’tdreamofit,”hesaid.“IthinkyouknowwhereIstandonthesubject.”
Ismiled,aspureblissradiatedthroughoutme.
“Sonowwhat?”Iasked.
“Now,”Benjaminsaid,“Iplanonmakinglovetoyouuntildawn.”
“Makinglove,”Irepeated.“Isthatwhatwejustdid?”Iasked,smilingtomyself.
“Yes.”
“Butwhataboutthedemons?Whathaveyoubeendoingthesepasttwodays?”
Benjaminturnedmeontomysideandfacedme.“TheworldcangotohellforallIcare.Wecan

holdupinhereasthelasttwovampiresonearth.”

“Wecan’tabandoneveryone,Ben,”Iargued.
“Oh,no?”heasked,slippingonefingerinsideme.
A moan escaped me and I thrust my pelvis forward, wanting more. This time I was on top.

Benjamin sat up so that he could nip at my breasts as I moved above him. This time, we took things
calmly. Just before I climaxed, my fangs descended and I bit hard into his neck. Benjamin bit into my
shoulder, sending me on the most intense orgasm I’d ever experienced. As we lay back on the bed, I
lickedidlyathistinywounduntilithealedentirely.

LyingagainstBenjamin’sbody,Icouldfeelmymusclesgettingtighter.Myvisionalsoturnedjust

theslightestbitsharper.Iflexedmyhands,feelingrenewed.Iwasbecomingastrongervampirebecause
ofhisbloodandwebothknewit.Wehadn’ttalkedaboutit,butitwasobvious.WhydidIinexplicably
wakeupwhilethesunwasstillout?TheonlyexplanationhadtobeBenjamin’sblood.Thegravityofthat
knowledgeweighedheavilyonmyshoulders.IfanyvampireknewthatBenjamin’sbloodcoulddothat...

“Noonewillcomebetweenus,”hesaid,answeringmysilentthoughts.“IflewtoCanada.There

isavampirethere,anoldfriend,Christopher.Hecallshimselfsomekindofhistorian.Iwentthroughhis
personallibrary;andIfoundonementionofavampirewhowasabletostayawakeduringthedaylight
hours.”

“And?”Iasked.
“Idon’tknowanythingmore.Hewaseventuallykilled.”
“Byothervampires?”
“Itdoesn’tsaywhatkilledhim.Butyoudon’tneedtoworry.Youunderstandthat?I’veremained

alivethislongforareason.”

Inodded,somehowmanagingtopressmyselfclosertohisbody.“Ben,Iloveyou.”
“Iknowyoudo,”hesaid,seeingjusthowdifficultithadbeenformetocometotermswiththat

truth.

“Sonowwhat?”Iasked,echoingmypreviousquestion.
“Now,wetakeontheunderworld.”
“Together?”
“Yes,”hesaid.“Together.”

Eleven

"Thisisthemanthathypnotizedyou,lostcontrol,anddrankallofyourbloodtothepointwhere

hewasforcedtomakeyouintoavampire?Theundead?Forcedtoliveoffthelifebloodofothers?Thisis
themanthatyou'resleepingwith?"

"Yes."
"HaveyoueverheardofStockholmsyndrome?"
"Iwasneverhisprisoner,Laura."
"Hedidgetyouintohishouseprettyfast."
"Ofmyownfreewill."
"Istillthinkit'salittleweird."
Ishookmyhead.We'dbeenoutshoppingforthepasthourandLauracompletelydisappointedme.

When she called saying that she needed a new pair of shoes, I jumped at the opportunity to tell her all
about my amazing night with Benjamin. So far, all I’d gained from the whole trip was a new set of
bedsheets.

“Howdreamyishe?”sheasked,sensingmyannoyancewithherinabilitytojustbehappyforme.
ImagesofBenjaminflashedbeforemyeyes.Thewayhealwaysworehishaircombedneatly.But

nowI’ddiscoveredthatwhenhemakeslove,hishairdishevels,makinghimevensexiersomehow.His
frost-blueeyesweresomethingoutofthisworld,andhisbody?Ohmy,hisbody!

“Movie-stardreamy,butthat’snotall.He’squickandintelligent,andhalfthetime,IthinkIannoy

him,butheputsupwithit.Probablybecauseheknowsheannoysmetoosometimes.”

“Soheannoysyou?”
“Ugh!” I said, throwing my hands up in the air. “I’m not explaining it right. I’m happy, okay?

Scaredtodeath,maybe.Buthappy.ItoldhimIlovedhim.”

Laurastoppedinhertracks.“YounevereventoldIanyoulovedhim;andyouguysweretogether

fortwoyears.”

“ThisiswhatI’msaying,Laura.”
“Anddoesheloveyouback?”
“Idon’tknow,”Isaid,shrugging.Whetherhedidordidnot,itdidn’tchangehowIfeltabouthim.

“He’savampire.Beenoneforaverylongtime.Idon’teventhinkherememberswhatitwasliketobe
human.”

“Wait.You’renothumananymore?”Lauraasked.
“Umm,technically.Iguessthat’sano.”
Laura stared at me with a blank face, and then smiled brightly. “You pretty much just blew my

mind,Liv.”

“You’rewelcome?”
“Ithoughtyousaidyouwerenevergoingtoforgivehim,”Lauraremindedme.
Shewasright.
“Istilldon’tknowifIforgivehim,butIdecidedthatitdoesn’tmatter.Itdoesn’tchangehowIfeel

abouthim.Ican’thelpit.Sincethebeginning,I’vewantedtobenearhimwithoutevenrealizingit.DidI
evertellyouthathegavemeachance?”

“No.Whatdoyoumean?”
“That night, after the bar, in his room. When he bit into my neck, he realized that he was losing

control.Hetriedtogetmetoleave.Hetoldmetoleave.Ishouldhavegone,butIdidn’t.”

“Thatdoesn’tmeanhehadtherighttotakeawayyourhumanity,Liv.”
“Isthatwhathappened?Ismyhumanitygone?”
“Youtellme,”shesaid,lookingatmewithpityinhereyes.

WewalkedtotheparkinggarageandputLaura’spurchasesinhertrunk.Ikeptmybagwithmein

thefrontseat.Asshedrovemebacktomyhouse,Igrewuneasyinthesilence.CouldLaurahandlebeing
friendswithme?NowthatIwasavampire?WasBenjaminright?

Laurastoppedataredlight.“SowhendoImeethim?”
Ismiled,happythatshewasstillinterestedinmylife.“Well,Isupposeyoucanmeethimnow--

whenyoudropmeoff?”

“Let’sdothis,”shesaid,pullingintomyneighborhood.
Wewereabouttwoblocksawayfromthehousewhenamanappearedinthemiddleoftheroad.

Broad-shouldered with a muscular chest and torso, he wore a white dress shirt and beige linen pants
withoutshoes.Hisskinwassun-kissedgoldenandhishair,amixofblonde,bronze,andbrown,fellto
his shoulders. His face was angular and his nose straight. The man’s emerald green eyes were looking
directlyatme.

Thisallhappenedinasplitsecond,ofcourse.AsIwasabouttotakeoverthewheel,surethatmy

newreflexesweresuperiortoLaura’s,thecarstopped.Actually,thecarfroze.Laurafroze.Themanon
thesidewalk,walkinghisChihuahuafroze.ExceptforthemaninthemiddleofthestreetandI,everything
elsefrozeintime.

“Whatthewhat?”Isaid,scramblingoutofthecar.IwasreadytodefendLaura’sfrozenbodyfrom

whateverthehellGoldilockshaddone.

“Olivia,”themansaid.
Oh great. It’s never good when they know your name. In the movies, the bad guy always knows

yourname.

“Andwhatifyouaretheonecastasthevillain?”
Myjawliterallydroppedopen.Didhejustreadmymind?“I’mdefinitelynotthevillain,guy.Iam

tryingtosavethecityfromdemonslikeyou.”

“I’mnotademon.AndI’msorrytotellyouthis,thoughyourintentionsaregood,thefactthatyou

areavampiremakesyouthevillain.Youcansaveasmanyhumansoulsasyouwish,butyoucannever
changewhatyouare.”

“Ifyou’renotademonandyou’renotavampire,thenwhatthehellareyou?”IknewIshouldhave

askedBenjaminaboutwerewolves.

“WhatyouwanttoknowishowImadetimestop.Ididnot.Imerelystoppedthepeople.Time

alwaysmarcheson.”

Iwasabouttosaysomethingelse,butheinterruptedme.
“YouwanttoknowifI’llletyourfriend,Laura,go.”
My fangs descended involuntarily. They did that whenever I got worked up sexually or really

pissedoff.

“Youwanttoknowifyouhavetokillme,”hesaid,walkingsoclosetomethatIcouldsmellthe

beachonhim.“Manyhavetried.”

And then he vanished. The man on the sidewalk resumed walking as if nothing happened, and

LaurahitmewithherJeep!Boy,didithurt.Well,alittle.Iwentflyingaboutonehundredfeetdownthe
street.WhenLauraslammedonthebrakesofherJeepCherokee,thevehiclecametoascreechinghalt.
Theoverweightmanonthesidewalkpickedhisdogupandhalfrandownthestreet,reachingmeonlya
fewmomentsbeforeLauradid.

“Areyouokay,ma’am?”heasked,fumblingforhisphone.“I’mcallinganambulance.”
“No,sir.Really,I’mokay!”Isaid,buthewasalreadypunchinginthenumbers.
“Howthefuckdidyougetoutofthecar?”Laurascreamed.
“Hold on,” I said, standing up and yanking the man’s collar so he’d look at me. “What’s your

name?”Isaid,startlingthepoorman.

“Harold.”
“Harold, are you listening? You didn’t see me, Harold. You are done walking your dog for the

night.Youaregoingtowalkhomenow.Okay,Harold?Tellmethatyouunderstand.”

“Iunderstand,”hesaid,turningaround.“I’mgoinghome.”
Iwaitedandwatchedhimwalkhalfablockintheoppositedirection.
“Okay, seriously, promise me you’ll never hypnotize me like that,” Laura said, rubbing her

temples.

“I’mnotgoingtopromisethat.IfIcaneversaveyourlifefromimmediatedangerbyhypnotizing

you,Iwill.”Ibrushedmyselfoff.Ihadtinybitsofgraveldustallovermylightgraypants.

Laurarolledhereyes.“Areyougoingtoexplaintomehowonesecondyouwereinthecarwith

me,andthenallofasudden,IhityouwithmyJeep?”

“Weshouldgetofftheroad,”Isaid,walkingbacktothecar."Oh,lookatyourcar!"
"Goodthingyou'realreadydead,"Laurasaid,assessingthedamage."That'swhatinsuranceisfor,

sweetie."

"I'monlyhalf-dead."
"Tomato...tomahtoe."
LauradrovetothehouseandIwasstilltryingtounderstandthewholepointofthatmantalkingto

me.Whatwasthepurposeoftheexchange?Tointroducehimself?Totellmethatthereareotherthingsin
the world besides humans, demons, and vampires? I guess I should have expected that. Before meeting
Benjamin,Ineverevenconsideredthepossibilityofvampiresactuallybeingreal.WhenBenjaminandI
wereoutofLaura’searshot,Iplannedtotellhimallaboutthis.Hehadtobeademon,right?Theeyes
weren'tblack,though.Ifeltlikemyworldwasspinningaround.

As we pulled up to the house, I looked at Laura. “I don’t know what happened before. I don’t

knowhowtoexplainit.Youhavetounderstandthattherearestrangethingsgoingoninthiscity,andyou
havetobevigilant.”

“Iknow,”Laurasaid.“Youonlytoldmeaboutamilliontimes.”
“I’mserious,Laura.Haveyouconsideredmovingoutoftownforawhile?GotoD.C.,nearyour

parents.Thereareplentyofmuseumsthatwouldfallalloverthemselvestohireyou.”

“I’mnotleaving,Liv.Ilikeithere.”
“Youwon’tlikeitmuchlongerwhentheunderworldtakesover.”
“Butyou’regoingtostopit,right?”
“I don’t know, Laura. Something crazy just happened and I have no idea how I could stop

somethinglikethat,”Isaid,exitingtheJeepwithmyshoppingbaginhand.

“Alright,stopit!You’regivingmetheheebie-jeebies.”
“How do you think I feel?” I asked, unlocking the door to the house. “Benjamin? You’ll never

believewhatjusthappened!”

Inside, we found Benjamin, Thomas, and a vampire I did not know in the living room. The

unknown vampire was covered in blood, and judging by the cuts and slashes all over his bare chest; it
appearedtobehisown.HisfangsdescendedthemomenthesawLaura.Fortunatelyforher,hewastoo
weaktogoafterher.

“Benjamin,”Isaid,droppingmypurseandshoppingbagonthefloor.
“Laura,it’snicetofinallymeetyou,”hesaid,greetingusbythefrontdoor.
Meanwhile,Thomasliftedthewoundedvampirefromthetiledfloorandcarriedhimtothespare

bedroom.

“Olivia,”hesaid,reproachfully,“youshouldhavecalledfirst.”
“Irealizethatnow,Benjamin,however,itdidn’toccurtome.”
“Ishouldgo,”Laurasaid,visiblyuncomfortable.

Therewasn’tanydelicatewaytosavethesituation,soIinhaledunnecessarilydeepandgestured

tothewoman,whowaslikeasistertome,andtheman,whowasmy…oh,Idon’tknow…Mylover.
“Benjamin,thisisLaura.LaurathisisBenjamin.”

“Itisnicetomeetyou,Laura.You’vecaughtmeatabadtime,I’mafraid.Canwetrythisagain

soon?Perhapsyoucouldarrangeforanighttourofthemuseum.”

“Yes,ofcourse,”Laurasaid,alreadyheadedforthefrontdoor.HereyeswerewideandIcould

tellshewasnervousbythewayshekeptfidgetingwithherchunkybracelet.“Ifeelterriblebarginginon
you.”

“Iamtheonewhoshouldapologize,”Benjaminsaid.
“I’llwalkyouout,”Isaid,completelymortified.
Outside,theairwasstillthickandhot,eventhoughitwasalreadyeleveno’clockatnight.“Sorry

aboutthat,”Itoldher.

“No, don’t be. Are you going to be all right?” she asked with genuine concern on her face.

Somethinginsidethehousehadobviouslyshakenher.

“Yes,I’llbefine.”
“Thatmanisgorgeous,bytheway!Ithoughtmypantsweregoingtoflyoffontheirown.”
I laughed and closed the door to the Jeep once she was strapped in. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” I

said.

“Youbetter.”
IwatchedLauradriveaway,hopingthatthemysteriouspeople-freezing-manwouldn’tdecideto

pay her a visit on her way home. I convinced myself that she would be safe and walked back into the
house.Benjaminwaswaitingforme,leaningagainstthebackofthelargesofa.

“So.”
“So.”
“Yougofirst,”webothsaidinunison.
The vampire’s name was Sean, and Benjamin had just saved him from a demon-holding spot.

Bloodwascakedinhisshort,blondehair;andalthoughhe’dallbutcompletelyhealed,hewasstillpretty
weak.

Thedemoncellswerepoppingupalloverthecity.Itonlyseemedfittingthattheseedydemons

were squatters too. I had never been to one of these spots, however, Benjamin and Thomas described
them to me in depth. Abandoned warehouses and empty homes in foreclosure were converted into the
ultimatehumanholdingcells.Theysuckedoutthehumansoulsandthenlefttheirbodiestorot.Theydon’t
findthesmelloffensive,andwhentheneighborsfinallycallthecopstocomplain,thedemonseithermove
onorkilltheinvestigatingofficers.

The demons, unfortunately, were able to commit their transgressions during the day, while

vampiresslept.Theysnatchedhumansoffthestreetbydayandhuntedvampiresbynight.Icouldn’thelp
wonderinghowhumansdidn’trealizeorsensetherewassomethingwrongaboutthedemons.Theywere
abletoblendinamongstsocietywellenough.Inmylimiteddealingswiththemonsters,Idiscoveredthey
boresimilarcharacteristics.

Whiletheylookedlikehumansforthemostpart,theireyeswereanunnaturalflatshadeofblack.

Their hair was the color of grease, and their bodies always slender. When they moved, they did so in
quick,shortbursts,sotheylookedtwitchy.Thedemonswerestrongandafairmatchforthevampires;but
one-on-one,avampirewouldwin,handsdown,everytime.However,ifavampirewereambushed,by
say,eightofthem,heorshedidn’tstandachance.

Avampirecan’tdieunlessyoudecapitateorcrematehimorher.Sothedemonstiedthemupand

drank their blood incessantly, weakening the vampires and thereby disabling them. This fate, most felt,
wasworsethandeath.

OnceSeanwascleanedup,Thomastookthedrainedvampiretofeed.Thisraisedaflurryofred

flagsinmymind.Thevampirehadlostalotofblood;andIdidn’tknowSeanwellenoughtoknowifhe
wascarefulduringfeedings.

“Holdup,Thomas,”Isaid,blockingthefrontdoor.“Thisguy’sgoingtoneedatonofblood,so

you better work your charm and get more than one donor. Otherwise, he’s going to end up killing
someone.”

Thomasdidn’tlikebeingorderedaround,butluckyforme,Ididn’tcarewhatThomaslikedordid

not.

“IthinkIcanhandleit,Olivia,”hesaidwithanannoyedsmirkonhisface.
“Feel better, Sean,” I said, as I closed the front door behind them. I turned and ran smack into

Benjamin’shardchest.

Iwasn’tsurewhattoexpectfromBenjamin.Howdoesanoldvampireacttowardthewomanhe’s

sleepingwithwhentheyarenotinbed?Iwantedtojumpintohisarmsandhavehimwhiskmeawayto
thebedroom,butIhesitated.

Heleaneddownanddrewhisarmsaroundmywaist.Hislipsmetmineasifhe’dbeenwaitingto

kissmeallnight.First,hekissedmyupperlip,coaxingmylipsapartslowly,thenhistonguetouchedmine
forabriefmomentbeforehereleasedme.

“Youmustbeupset,”hesaid,drawingmewithhimtothecouch.Hesatdownandpulledmeonto

hislapsothatwecouldseeeachother’sfaces.Heplayedwithmyfingersandcircledmywristswithhis
thumbandforefinger.“Iswear,youmusthavethesmallestwrists.Thatfirstnightthatyoupunchedme,I
sworeyourwristmightbreak.”

“GoodthingI’mavampire,”Isaid.
“Goodthing,”heagreed,smiling.
Iplayedwiththefabricofhissuitjacketandmarveledthathishairandclothesalwaysmanagedto

lookperfect.“Didyoujustsaveamanfromabunchofdemons?”

“Yes.Why?”
“Oh,noreason.WhywouldIbeupset?”
“BecauseofthesceneLaurawalkedinon.”
“Myfault,”Iconceded.“Ishouldhavecalledfirst.Therecouldhavebeenameetinggoingonor

somethinglikethat.”

“Or,Icouldhavecalledyouandwarnedyouthattherewasabloodyvampireinthelivingroom.”
Irestedmyhandonhisface,enjoyingthefeelofhissmoothskin.“Ifyouhadtocallmeeverytime

therewassomethingweirdgoingoninthehouse,I’dprobablythrowmyphoneintheocean.”

Benjamin’s chest shook lightly with laughter. “So, what is it that happened anyway? You said

somethingwhenyoufirstwalkedinthehouse.”

“Thatcanwait.First,Iwanttohearmoreaboutwhathappenedtothatman,Sean.”
Benjaminbrushedmylongbangsawayfrommyface.Jeremiah,hesaid,toldthemofademonden

andBenjamin,Thomas,andAnthony,thelargevampirewhomI’dmetbefore,wenttoinvestigate.They
killedabouttenortwelvedemonsbutseveralescaped.TheyfoundSeanchainedtoawall.

“So,thatbig,chubbyvampireguycanfightandstuff?”
“Justbecausehe’soverweight,doesn’tmeanhedoesn’thavethestrengthofavampire.Ifyouhad

acouplehundredmorepoundsattachedtoyourarmsandlegs,you’dbeabletomovearoundjustasfast.
Right?”

“That’strue.Ihadn’tthoughtaboutitthatway.”
“Areyougoingtotellmewhathappened?”heasked.
“Oh,right!”Isaid,sittingup.“Thecraziestthinghappened!”
“Socrazythatyouhaven’ttoldmeyet?”

“Geez!Coolit,okay?LauraandIweredrivingdowntheroadacoupleblocksfromherewhen

thisgorgeousguyappearedinthemiddleoftheroad.”

“Gorgeous,washe?”Benjaminasked,narrowinghiseyes.
“I’mnotgoingtolie,Ben.Hewasgood-looking.Anyway,”Icontinued,“Iamnotmakingthisup,

but he made everything stop. The car stopped in mid-drive, the man on the sidewalk froze in mid-step.
Theonlythingsthatcouldmoveweremeandtheguyinthestreet.”

Benjamin’seyebrowsdrewtogetherasIspokeandhisbodytensed.
“Hehadtheseridiculousgreeneyesand,you’renevergoingtobelievethis,buthereadmymind.

HeknewwhatIwasthinkingandheknewmyname.Howdidheknowallthat?Howcouldhereadmy
mind?”IwatchedasBenjamin’sgripgrewtighteraroundmywrist.Iwiggledoutofhisgrasp.

“I’dliketomaintainfulluseofthehand,thankyou.”
“Sorry,”hesaid.“Whatelsedidthismansay?
“Hetoldmethathe’snotademonandIknowhe’snotavampire.Idon’tknowofanyhumansthat

canfreeze-framemotionlikethat;soIdon’tknowwhatheis.”

BenjaminnoddedandIsensedthathewaswithholdingsomething.
“Doyouknowthisguy?”
“Idon’tknow,”hesaid.
IknewnottopushBenjaminfortheinformation.He’dtellmewhenhewasready,andifhedidn’t,

well, then I would have to dig for it. “Do you think he knows that your blood is making me more
powerful?Idon’tknowhowlonghepickedaroundinmybrain.”

“Wereyouthinkingaboutitspecifically?”
Afteramomentofconsideration,“No,”Ifinallyanswered.
“Mostlikelynot,then.”
“Buthecouldbeoutside,forallweknow.Right?Listeningnow?”
Benjaminpattedmythighplayfully.“You’reparanoid.”
“Howcanyounotbeparanoidaboutthis?”Icountered.“Unlessyoualreadyknowthisman.”Did

thatcountasdiggingforinformation?SometimesIcouldn’tevensticktomyownrules.

Benjamindrewmyfaceuptohis.Hekissedmefullonthelips.“Olivia,thereissomethingIhave

nottoldyouaboutme.”

“OhGod,”Isaid,leaningawaytogetafullviewofhisface.“Thatisneveragoodwaytostarta

newtopic,Benjamin.”

Hetippedmychinupwithhisfinger.“Iamtheoldestvampireinexistence.”
“Really?”
“Yes,”hesaid.
“That’simpressive.”
“WasInotalreadyimpressive?
“Oh,ofcourse,itnaturallyshinesthrough.Soareyoulikethekingofthevampiresorsomething?”
“No.But,I’mdefinitelythestrongest.”
“Iguessedasmuch,”Isaid.
“Ihaveexistedforaboutathousandyears,anddonotremembereverything.”
“So,youmayhavemetthisguybefore,you’rejustnotsure,”Iasked,seekingclarification.
“I’msureI’vemethim,”Benjaminconcluded.“Ijustdon’trememberthecircumstances.”
“Well,hefreakedmeout.That’sforsure!”
BenjaminstaredatmeandIsearchedhiseyesandfaceforalongtime.Whathadthismanseen

overthecourseofathousandyears?Ididn’tmeantobepetty,buthowmanywomenhadhemadeloveto
duringallthoseyears?

“Amillennium?”Iasked,stillunabletobelievehewassoold.“You’vebeenwithmanywomen,”

Isaid.

“Idon’twanttoknowhowmanymenyou’vebeenwith,”hesaid,hisvoiceserious.
“It’snotalot.Believeme.Iamhopelesslyoutofmyleaguewithyou,”Isaid.
Thenumberwasthree.I’dsleptwiththreemeninmylifeandBenjaminwasnowoneofthem.
“Youhaveitwrong,Olivia,”hesaid,alwayspronouncingmynamewiththeslightestaccentonthe

“vi” part. He said it in a way that made me think I’d been pronouncing it wrong all along, and only he
enunciateditproperly.

“What are you talking about? I’m just one of a million in your long list of conquests,” I said,

buryingmyfaceinhischest.Iwasembarrassingmyself.

“Yes,I’vehadsexwithmanywomen.”
“Amillion?”Iasked,myvoicemuffledagainstthefabricofhisjacket.
“No,”Benjaminsaid.”Notamillion.”HepulledmeawayfromhisbodysoIcouldlookathimas

he spoke. “It’s not just your divine body, Olivia, and I promise you, it is exquisite. But you had me
captivatedfromthebeginning.DoyouthinkIspendhourshavingdrinkswiththepeopleIfeedfrom?”

Ishookmyhead.
“No,Idonot.Iwantedtokeeptalkingtoyou.Iwouldhavehiddenmybeingavampirefromyou

foraslongasIcouldmanage,justtotakeyououteachnightandsharesometimewithyou.”

Ismiled,thinkingabouthowthatwholescenariowouldhaveplayedout.
“Unfortunately,myattractiontoyoubecametoomuch.Iamavampire,afterall.”
“Iknow,”Isaid.
“I’m not going to apologize anymore. That may upset you, but I’m glad you are a vampire now.

You are an amazing, unique creature. You are a vampire that maintains her humanity, while growing so
strong.”

“Andsmart,”Iadded.
“Andsmart.”
I grabbed two fistfuls of his jacket and pulled him to me, kissing him hard. I brought my leg

around,readytoforgetaboutdemons,aswellasgoldenmen.

Benjaminchuckledandpushedmebackeversocarefully.
“AsmuchasI’dlovetocontinuethistrainofthought,”hesaid,rubbingmythighswithhishands,

“Jeremiahwillarriveanyminute.”

“Whydoeshehelpyouanyway?”Iasked,standinguptosmooththewrinklesinmyblackblouse.
“I’veneveraskedhim,”Benjaminsaid.“ForallIknow,it’sanelaborateplan,spanningcenturies,

toeradicatethevampirerace.”

“Buttheyneedvampires.”
“Yes,that’strue.”
I bit my lower lip, debating whether or not to ask the next question. “Why do you go after the

demons?”

“BecauseIneedto.Maybebecausetheyareagoodmatch.”
“Andbecauseyoucan.”
“Yes,perhapsit’sbecauseIcan,andthat’sreasonenough.”
“I’mwithyou,”Isaid.Threewordsthatmeantavarietyofthings.
Henodded.“Iknowyouare.”
Rightoncue,therewasaknockatthedoor.
“Geez,thisplaceislikeGrandCentralStation!”Imovedwithvampirequicknesstothefrontdoor

andletJeremiahin.

“Olivia,”hesaid,walkingpastmeandsettlinginatthediningroomtable.
“Hi,”Isaid,pickingthecatupoffthefloorandbringinghimtothetablewithme.

“Benjamin,”Jeremiahcalled.“Wouldyoumindbringingmeaglassofwater?”
InthemomentittookforMeowsertoyawn,Benjaminreturnedwiththewaterandsatdownnext

tome.“Youwererightabouttheden,”hetoldJeremiah.

“Wereanyhumansleftalive?”heasked.
“No,” Benjamin replied, shaking his head. “We did get a vampire out. Thank you for the

information.”

“I’lltrytogetyoumoreintelligence,butI’msomewhatrogue.Theydon’ttrustmeanymore.They

rememberthatIservedtheoldking.”

Thisseemedlikeafantasticsegueintomyburningquestions.“Jeremiah,what’sinitforyou?Why

doyouhelpthevampires?”

Hetookasipofhiswaterandrubbedhisfacealongtheridgeofthescarthatrandowntheleft

side.“Inmymind,”hesaid,“itisnotIwhohelpthevampires.Itisthevampireswhohelpme.”

BenjaminlookedprettytickedoffashewatchedJeremiah.IcouldnevertellifBenjaminactually

liked him or not. They had been working together for lifetimes, so I had to imagine they tolerated each
other.Thenagain,Ididn’tthinkhegotjustanyoneaglassofwater,Ithought,smiling,tomyself.

Jeremiahranhishandthroughhishair."Thesearchforthedemonwomanisgettingoutofcontrol.

Thekingdoesn'tcareifyourworldistorntoshreds.Heonlywantsthewomanfound.Iwashopingthat
yoursweepsofthecitywouldeventuallydrawherout.Damnit,"heyelled,slamminghisfistonthetable.
"AndthatI'dfindherfirst."

Jeremiahhunghishead.Ireachedmyhandacrossthetableandsnappedmyfingers."Hey,guess

what? Now is the perfect time for you to come clean. Why is it so important that you find this demon?
Whatisshetoyou?"

"She'smybetrothed,"hesaid,liftinghisheadup.Heleanedbackagainstthechairandfoldedhis

armsacrosshischest."Iftheking'slegionfindsherfirst,theywillkillher."

"Canyoutellmewhathappened?"Iasked."Maybewecanhelplocatehersomehow."
Benjaminstoodup,knockingthediningroomchairoutofhisway.Itwenttumblingintothewall

andburstintonumerouspieces.

"Sure,Ididn'tlikethatchairanyway,"Isaid.
"I've been helping you all this time over a woman?" Benjamin asked incredulously. His hands

wereinfistsathissides,openingandclosinginrhythm.

"Benjamin,can'twejusthearhimout?"Isuggested.
"Idon'thavetostayhereandlistentoalovestory."
"Wait,oldfriend,"Jeremiahsaid."You'regoingtowanttohearthis."
The demon's name is Thana. Well, it was, before she was given a soul and banished from the

underworld. Thana was the heir to the underworld throne and was supposed to marry Jeremiah, a
powerfulmanintheking'sinnercircle.

Likealotofwomen,Thanadidn'twantthefuturethatawaitedher.Sherejectedaliveoflimited

freedoms.So,naturally,growingrestless,shecametothisworld,insearchofadiversion.

Whatshefoundwasaman.Butnotjustanyman.Shefoundanimmortal.
"Aren'tweallimmortals?"Iasked,interruptingJeremiah'sstory.
"Yes,"Benjaminsaid,"butwecanallbekilled."
"Thismancannotbekilled,"Jeremiahsaid."Hepossessesabilitiesthatareunlikeanythinganyof

ushaveeverseen."

IlockedeyeswithBenjamin.CouldithavebeenoneoftheseimmortalsthatIencounteredonthe

street?

"Thana,"Jeremiahsaid,"instantlyfellinlovewiththisbeing."Hisfacewashardwithpent-up

anger.Jeremiahhadharboredthesefeelingsofresentmentforathousandyears.

Buttheycouldnotbetogether.Thana,abeingoftheunderworld,couldnotstayinthisrealmfor

longerthandaysatatime;andsheknewthatifshereturnedtotheunderworld,she'dbeforbiddentocome
backtotheliving.

The nameless, immortal being could not die; and was unable to join her in the underworld.

Desperate to remain with her immortal lover, Thana sought advice from a powerful witch. The witch
convincedThanathatifshedrankthebloodoftheimmortalbeing,she'dbeabletoremaininthelandof
theliving.

Thanawenttoherloverandtoldhimoftheplan.Theimmortalbeing,willingtodoanythingfor

theprincess,cuthiswristopenandallowedThanatodrinkhisblood.

"Youcanassumethatthestorydoesnotendwell,"Jeremiahsaid.
Benjamin was pacing the distance between the dining room and the kitchen. He turned now and

frozeinplace."Finishthestory,"hesaidthroughclenchedteeth.

"Thana,dranktheimmortalbeing'sbloodanditdrovehermad.Shetorethroughthecountryside

onamurderous,bloodthirstyrage.”

"Tearing into the necks of any human she passed," Benjamin said, finishing Jeremiah's story.

"Doomingthemtoalifecaughtbetweenthelivingandthedead."

"Shecreatedvampires?"Iasked,finallycatchingon.
"Yes,"Jeremiahsaid.
IsawBenjamininanentirelynewlight.Hewasoneofthefirst,ormaybe,thefirstvampire.Talk

aboutbeingtheultimatebad-ass.

"So,there'sawomanouttherethatdoesn'tknowshe'stheheirtotheunderworldthrone,muchless

thatshecreatedthevampirerace?"

"Correct."
"Andyoujustwanttomakesuretheydon'tkillher?"
"Correct."
"Andwhoprovidesyouwithblood?Howdoyousurviveinthisrealmforsolong?"
"Thomasprovideshimwithenoughblood,buttheothersdon'tknowthat,"Benjaminexplained.
“Gotit--don’ttellanyofthecreepyvampires.”Meowserhoppedoffmylapandwrappedhimself

around Benjamin’s legs. Surprisingly, Benjamin picked the cat up and scratched the top of his head,
holdingthefur-ballinhisarms.

"Also,Igobackandforthtotheunderworld,alwaysmakingsurethatThana’sfollowersknowthat

I’mstilllookingforher.IfThanaweretoreturntotheunderworld,unharmed,shewouldhaveeveryright
totakethethrone.Mostofthebeingswouldsupporther,”Jeremiahsaid.

I nodded, pleased that for once, there was some transparency. “What does the underworld look

like?”

Jeremiah stretched and his muscles moved under the black t-shirt he always seemed to be

wearing.“It’sdifferentfromhere.It’sdarkandgray,surroundedbyinkyblackwaters.”

“Soundscharming,”Isaid.“So,howareyougoingtofindthisladybeforeanyoneelsedoes?”
Jeremiahlaughed--adesperatesound.“That’sthecruxofit,isn’tit?”
“Wouldyouknowherifyousawher?”Iasked.
“I’veseenheracoupleoftimesbefore—inherpastlives.”
“Wait,Ben,you’renotgoingtotryandkillher,right?Ifwefindher?Nopayback’sabitch?Or

anythinglikethat?”Becauseifthat’syourplan,weshouldstoplookingforherimmediately.Wait.Wasit
betterforBenjamintokillherthantheunderworldking?I’dhavetorevisitthatquestionatalatertime.

“It was not my intention,” Benjamin said, his voice cold. He looked like the Godfather, all

straight-faced,pettingthecat.

“Good,thencontinue,myfriend.Youweresayingthatyou’dknowherjustbyseeingher?”

“Shelooksthesameasshealwayshas.Shedoesn’tlookliketherestofusdemons,though.When

shedranktheimmortal’sblood,herhairturnedsoblack,it’salmostblueandhereyesarepurple.Some
wouldcallthemblue,butifyoulookclosely,ifoneisabletogetthatclose,theyarepurple.”

“Dowehaveanyideaonherage?”
“No,butfromwhatinformationIwasabletogatherfromtheotherdemons,theyseemtothinkthat

she’sanadult.”

“Shecouldbeeighty,forallweknow?”Benjaminasked,placingthecatonthefloor.
“Yes.”
ThefrontdooropenedandThomaswalkedin.Itwasonlyanhoursinceheleft.Helookedfresh,

sohe’dobviouslyhadenoughtimetofeed.Whichremindedme…“Jeremiah,areyouhungry?”

“No,thankyou.”
“Suityourself,”Isaid.
“Thatwasfast,”Benjaminsaid.
Thomasdroppedthekeystohiscaronthediningroomtable.“Honestly,Igrabbedthefirstpeople

Isawonthestreet.”

“Thomas,”Iwhined.
“And they are perfectly fine and healthy, Olivia, dear. I wouldn’t do anything to your precious

humansthatacoupleofpainrelieverscouldn’tfix.IleftSeanatmyhometorecuperate.”

“Seanisthevampiretheyfoundatthedemonhellhole,”ItoldJeremiah.
“Whathappenedthere?”Thomasasked,tippinghisheadinthedirectionofthebrokenchair.He

satattheheadoftable,whichwasonmyleft.Heturnedtomeandsmiled.“So,wherearewe?”

“Well, shit’s getting crazy out there. We have a new mission though. We need to find the demon

princesswhocreatedvampires.Thethingis:shedoesn’tevenknowwhoorwhatsheis.She’slivingout
a thousand-year sentence which has nearly expired and we want to get to her first, before the other
demons have a chance to kill her. And, if we do find her, then hopefully, the demon legion won’t have
furtherreasonstotearthroughourcityanymore.Everybodyfollowing?”

“Yes,Ithinkwefollow,”Benjaminsaid,standingbehindme.
Asherubbedmyshoulders,IgotthedistinctfeelingthathewasstaringdaggersatThomas.Yikes!

Talk about being claimed in front of the other men. I saw Jeremiah’s eyes shift back and forth from
Benjamin to Thomas; and then back to Benjamin again. What? I’d been on like one date with Thomas.
Therewasnoneedforthingstobeawkward.

“You gotta help me out, Jeremiah. Anything that can help me track this woman down would be

great.Otherthanthepurpleeyes,whichisagoodclue,isthereanythingelsethatweshouldknow?”

Jeremiahsighedandrubbedthebackofhisneck.Maybeheneededashoulderrubtoo,becauseI

wasfeelinggreataftermyownlittlemini-massage.Shoulderrubsforeveryone!

“Underthetermsofhersentencesheisboundtoservethedead.”
“Likevampires?”Iasked.
“No.”
“Zombies?Oh,God,pleasedon’ttellmetherearezombies.Oh,andbytheway,canIgetlikea

listorsomething?Forexample,werewolves?IfeellikeIhaven’tgottenaclearansweronthat.”

“Ghosts,Olivia.Sheisboundtoserveghosts.”
“Elaborateandelucidate,please,”Benjaminsaid.
“Seriously,man,it’slikepullingteethoverhere.Spillit!”
“I’m not sure. She can communicate with ghosts and they probably visit her. They can sense it

whensomeoneisattunedtospirits.”

“Soshe’slikethelittleboyfromthatmovie?Theghostsprobablyfollowhereverywhere.That’s

terrible.”

Jeremiahclaspedhishandstogether.“That’sthepoint.”
“Man, you demons don’t play around. A girl accidentally creates a race of vampires, and she’s

doomedtoroamtheearthastheghostwhispererforathousandyears.Alittleharshifyouaskme.”

“AsfarasIcantell,thereareseveralmoreofthesedemondensaroundthecity.We’regoingto

needreinforcementsifweplantoshutthemalldown,”Thomassaid,snappinghisfingerstogethertoget
thecattocometohim.

“Excepttheothervampireleadersaren’tthatinterestedinhelping.”
“I miss drinking whiskey,” I said, feeling a little hopeless. “It’s alright, everyone. You have me

now.ItisofficiallymymissiontofindtheMotherVampire.Ijustneedtoclearmyheadandfigureout
howthehellI’mgoingtoaccomplishthat.”

I looked between Thomas and Jeremiah and back up at Benjamin. “I’m going for a run,” I said,

pushingmychairawayfromthetableandstandingup.

Twelve

Yes,agoodold-fashionedmidnightrunwasjustwhatIneeded.Inthepast,Iwouldneverhave

gone out on the streets, on foot, so late at night, but life was different now as a vampire. I could kill
practicallyanyonethatwoulddareattackme.Well,almostanyone.Suddenly,IwasworriedthatImight
run into the immortal being again. Apparently, I couldn’t kill him. I felt like he wouldn’t be as
intimidating,ifIjustknewhisname.

Desmond, maybe. Wait. What are the oldest names in recorded history? Maybe he doesn’t even

haveaname.He’sjust,Man.Theairwasthickwithhumidity.I’llliveforeternity,butI’llprobablynever
overcome frizzy hair in Miami. There were still a lot of cars on the streets, so I had to run at a human
pace.Which,wasfine,Ineededsometimetoclearmyhead.

I headed west, finding sidewalks as I went along. It was nice not to feel so thirsty all the time.

Benjamin’s blood seemed to have done the trick; and the best part was that I didn’t have to feed every
night. His blood was unlike anything else. Pretty soon, I’d be stronger than he at the rate things were
going.Wasthatevenpossible?

ItriedtowrapmyheadaroundthefactthatBenjaminwasquitepossiblythefirstvampireever.In

the end, it all came down to lust, and sometimes love, I guess. Benjamin was turned into a vampire
becauseofalovebetweentwobeingswhojustcouldn’tsayno;andIwasturnedintoavampirebecause
Benjaminwasalittletooattractedtome.Intheend,Iguesslife’sabitch.

Iturnedupanotherblockandheadedsouth.I’dbeeninthisareabefore,Ithought.Itwasn’tuntilI

wasfiveblocksupthatIrecognizedMadameLucia’splace.ThesameyearLauramovedtoMiami,Itook
hertoafortunetellerasabirthdaygift.Itwasterrible;thefortunetellerdidn’ttellusanythingatall.All
ofherdivinationswerebasedongeneralitiesthatanyaveragepersoncouldhaveguessed.Butithadme
thinking.IfIrememberedcorrectly,MadameLuciaalsoclaimedtoholdséances.Andevenifshecouldn’t
actuallyspeaktoghosts,ourmysterydemonladymightbeableto.

Idecideditwasworthdoingsomeinvestigating.MadameLucia’soffice,ifyouwantedtocallit

that, was a single-family home converted into a business. This was actually fairly common in the area.
Thewholestretchforabouttenblocksconsistedofhomesconvertedintobusinessoffices.Thestreethad
gotten so busy that it just made sense. People didn’t want to live smack-dab in the middle of all that
traffic,andtherewassomuchtrafficthatifyouputabigenoughsignoutonthelawn,customerswould
alwaysexist.Thedemonladyhadtomakemoneyright?Shewasplaguedbyghosts.Whatwouldbethe
bestkindofjobforsomeonelikethat?

IstartedrunningbacktowardtheMiracleMile,pastthelitrestaurantsandbars.Therewasapart

ofmethatmissedallthefun.Everythingseemedsoseriousnow.Couldn’twealljusthavefunandgoout
dancing?SomethingtoldmethatifIhadendedupwithsomeonelikeThomas,I’dbehavingalotmore
fun.ButIwaswithBenjamin;andmaybebecausehewasolder,hecarriedtheweightoftheworldonhis
shoulders.

ItwouldalwaysbeBenjaminandmeagainsttheworld,andIcouldlivewiththat.ButIdidmiss

justgoingoutandhavingagoodtimeeveryonceinawhile.AsIpassedoneofthebarsfacingthestreet,I
heardoneofmyfavoritesongs.IstoppedinthemiddleofthesidewalkandlookeddownatwhatIwas
wearing. For running clothes, it didn’t look that bad. The black leggings and hot pink tank top looked
almoststylish,inaway.AndwhocaredifIwaswearingsneakers?

Iwalkedintothebar,havingtosnakeinbetweenthecrowdofpeople.Theywerespillingoutof

thedoorandontothestreet.Whatdaywasitanyway?I’dcompletelylosttrackoftime,nowthatIwasa
nightwalker.Therewasn’tanemptybarstoolinsight,butoneguy,wearingawhitebaseballcap,gaveme
theuseofhisbarstooloncehesawmelooking.

I thanked him and told him that I wasn’t interested. I was as commanding as possible. I didn’t

meantostaymorethantenminutes,butIstilldidn’twanthimhittingonme.Notthathewouldthough;I
waslookingprettymessyaftermyrun.Myhairwasprobablystickingupallovertheplace.

Isatatthebar,enjoyingthepoppingbeatanddancingalittleinmyseat.Itwasn’tuntilthesong

endedthatIstartedlookingaroundatthepeoplesurroundingthebar.Therewerealotofpatronswiththat
petroleum-grayish-blackhairsocommonwiththedemons;except,theyweredressedinpopularclothing.
Skinnyjeansandsequinedtopsgalore.Whatwashappeningtothedemons?Itwasliketheylovedithere
withthehumansandweretryingtoblendin.Frommyobservation,theyweredoingagoodjobofit.Who
neededdemondenswhenthedemonswerehavingagreattimeouthereonthedancefloor?

Icaughtoneofthedemonmen,whowastryingtolookrespectablewithhishaircombedbackinto

a low ponytail, coaxing a woman into following him to the parking lot out back. These demons didn’t
even need to hypnotize people. No, they just needed to find the most insecure, drunken girl or guy and
verballyconvincethemtoleavethebar.

I started to follow them outside, but something gave me pause. I had to remind myself why

vampireswereanybetterthandemons.Bothbeingspreyedontheinnocenthumans.Thedifferencewas,
asfarasIknew,thevampiresdidn’tkillthehumans—mostofthetime.Also,vampirestookwhatthey
needed to survive. Didn’t Benjamin mention something about humans eating cows before? That made
sense.Thedemonspreyedonhumans,however,purelyforpleasure.Theygothighonhumansoulsforthe
hellofit.

With my mind set back on track, I trailed the demon out of the bar. He worked faster than I

anticipated.Theywerehidinginthesidealley,andponytailguyhadthepetitewomanupagainstagreen
dumpster. I looked around quickly to make sure no one could see and poked the demon in between his
shoulderblades,usingmyindexfinger.

“Hi there! Can you stop that for a second?” I asked as I watched the woman’s soul drifting

precariouslybetweenherbodyandthedemon’smouth.

Thedemon’sheadtwitched,buthewastooengrossedinhisacttorespondproperlytome.Well,

I’d just have to get his attention, then. I jumped up on his back and twisted his neck in one swift
movement.IfMomcouldonlyseemenow!Yikes,IfeltliketheTerminator.

Icaughtthewoman’sbodybeforeshehittheground.Hersoulwasstillattachedtoherbodyby

justathread.Ipositionedmyhandsaboveherexposedsoulandfocusedmymindonreturningittothe
woman’sbody.Slowly,thesoulretreatedbackintoherchest.

Shit,whatwasIgoingtodowithallthesesoul-salvagedbodiesIkeptsaving?Atleast,shedidn’t

lookdamaged.But,seriously.WasIexpectedtogoaroundcallinganambulanceallthetime?Ipickedthe
girlupandtookherbackintothebarwithme.Attheveryleast,maybesomeonewouldrecognizeherand
takeoverbabysitting.Thisisanopportunitytolearnmore.Isatherupinthebathroomandwaitedtosee
howlongittookforhertoregainconsciousness.Ieventimeditwithmywatch,likealabexperiment.

Ittooknineminutesforthewomantowakeup.SheseemedperfectlyfineandIwaspleasedwith

myself. When her eyes opened, I pretended to be washing my hands in the sink. I don’t even think she
rememberedgoingoutsidewiththedemon,judgingbyhowshereekedofcheapvodka.

I ran fast all the way home, not caring who might see me. What were they going to do about it

anyway? How many people reported UFOs without anyone ever believing them? When I arrived at the
house, I was happy to find that Benjamin was the only one there. After regaling him with the night’s
events,Istressedtohimthatitdidn’tseemlikethedemonswerefollowingtheirking’sordersanymore.I
perceivedthey’dbehappytostayinthelandoftheliving…indefinitely.

“You should have seen them. They were dressed to kill,” I said, laughing to myself at my

unintended pun. “Literally! They want to be here Benjamin. I don’t like it. I mean, they are e-ve-ry-
where.”Ienunciatedeachsyllableseparatelyinordertostressmypoint.“Nobodyissafeinthecity.I
mean,lookwhathappenedtoSean.”

“Yes,aboutthat.Ididn’tthinkofituntillater,butyouprobablyshouldn’tgooutalonelikethat.I

know you are capable of defending yourself, but if just ten of those demons had realized you were a
vampireinthatbar,theywouldhavegoneafteryou.”

“I thought about that,” I said, remembering what it was like to be in the middle of the demon

crowd.

“Ifyouthinkthey’recrazyforhumansouls,justwaituntilyouseethemafteratasteofvampire

blood.”

“IsincerelyhopeIneverdo,”Isaid.
Itwasonlythreeinthemorning,sowestillhadafewhoursuntilthesunrose.Iwonderedwhat

timeIwouldwakeuptomorrownight.Forthepasttwonights,IwokeuptenminutesbeforeBenjamin.I
wasstilltooscaredtoleavetheroom.

“Haveyoueverbeencaughtinthesun?”Iasked.
“Yes,thefirstdayafterturningintoavampire.Iwokeupinapileofdeadbodies.Ithrewthemoff

meandwalkedallnight,tryingtofindmywaybacktomyvillage.Justbeforethesuncameup,Imadeit
toafarm.Whendawnbroke,Icollapsedandstartedbakinginthesun.Ittakessometime,andI’donly
been out for maybe five minutes before a man found me and brought me into his home. He thought the
blisterswerefromextremeexposure.Ittookmeseveraldaystorecover."

“Theremusthavebeenothersaswellthatwereturnedintovampires?”
“Yes,theonesthatwereoutsidebeforethesleepcamediedfromtheburns.Eventuallyweputtwo

andtwotogether.”

“And what about…” I started to say, but my mouth was suddenly preoccupied with Benjamin’s

tongue.

“Enoughtalk,”hesaid,runninghishandsunderthefabricofmyshirt.“Thatwasalongtimeago.”
“You’renotmadatJeremiahfornottellingyouthetruth.Areyou?”
“AndIdefinitelydon’twanttotalkaboutJeremiah,”hesaid,pickingmeupinhisarmsandtaking

metohis…ourroom.“You’vebeenoutrunningandkillingvampires.Ithinkyouneedashower.”

“Idon’tsmell.DoIsmell?”
“Yes,terribly.Wehavetotakeallofyourclothesoffandmakesurewewasheverybitofyour

bodyjusttobesure.”

“Soundsgoodtome!”Isaid,wrappingmylegsaroundhiswaist.

Thirteen

“MaybeIwillkilltheunderworldqueen.”
“She’snotthequeenyet,”Ipointedout.
“Theprincess,then.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. What if you kill her, and then, as a result, all of the vampires

die?”

“Idon’tthinkitworkslikethat,mydarling.”
Benjaminstartedcallingme,darling,andIlikedit.Alot.“Themovieshaveledmetobelievethat

ifyoukilltheheadvampire,therestwilldie.”

“Andsincewhendoyoufollowwhatthemoviestellyou?”
“Mostpeopleinmygenerationwereraisedontelevision.”
“Thatisterrible.”
Ishruggedmyshoulders.“Iturnedoutokay.You’renotgoingtokillthequeen.”
“Princess.”
“Whatever.You’renotgoingtokillher.”
“Ifyouinsist,Iwillnotkillher.”
Wehadyettoleavethebedroom.IwokeupbeforeBenjaminagain,onlythistimeitwasanhour

earlierthanhe.“MaybeIshouldleavetheroomtomorrow,justtoseewhathappens.”

“Idon’tthinkthat’sagoodidea.”
I didn’t say anything else about it, but I planned to do it, despite whatever Benjamin thought. I

plannedtowaituntiljustbeforethesunwasabouttoset.Thatway,Benjamincouldcomefindmeinthe
livingroomifIlostconsciousness.Hewouldn’thavetoknowmyplansaheadoftime.

Icouldn’tdecidewhattowearforthenight.AfterfinallyconvincingBenjaminthatwecouldgo

out dancing, and kill demons if necessary, I was eager to get him out of house. Benjamin, of course,
dressed in a nice suit. There was every reason to enjoy the night, even for just a little while. It was
alwayskillthis,andblahblahblah,thefateoftheworld,asweknowit…

“Igotyousomething,”hesaid,takinganexpertlywrappedgarmentboxfromthecloset.
“Oh,youdidn’thaveto,”Isaid,takingtheboxfromhishands.“But,thankyou.”
“Youhaven’tevenopenedit.”
“Ben,I’veseenmycloset.I’msureit’snice,”Isaidsmiling.
Iopenedtheboxpainfullyslow,enjoyingthemoment.Itwasn’teverydayagirlgotagift.Inside,

wasabeautiful,little,blackdress.

“Iowedyouone.”
“Yes,youdid.Thisismuchnicerthanmyoldone,though.Youdidn’thaveto.”
Istartedtoputitbackinthebox.
“You’renotgoingtowearitnow?”heasked.
“Umm,itmightgetdemongutsalloverit.”
“That’swhatdrycleaningisfor.”
“Yes,thatwillgooverwell.Ohthat?That’sjustdemonmush,Mrs.DryCleanLady.”
“Well,you’renotgoingtogooutonthetowninyourunderwear.”
“No?Ithoughtitmightdistractthedemonslongenoughforyoutokillthemall.”
“Dress.On.”
“Alright,alright,bossyman.I’llputthedresson.”
Thedressfitmelikeaglove.Beautifulblacksilk,sleeveless,withadrapingneckline.Itcameup

aboutmid-thighanditwasgorgeous.Ifeltlikeamillionbucksinthedress,andforallIknew,itcostthat
much.

Benjaminwaswaitingformeinthelivingroomandwewerejustaboutreadytogowhenthere

wasaknockonthedoor.“Really?Everyfreakingnight!”

ThelastpersonIexpectedtoseeontheothersideofthedoorwasNatasha,theblondebombshell

vampire,andhercreepy,silentfriend,Duncan.Hishairlookedbetterthanmineandthatwasonewayto
nevergetonmygoodside.Evenbetter?Theywerefollowedbyagroupofhumanmenandwomen.Four
ofthemtobeexact.

Thehumanswereinfullpartymode,carryingbottlesintheirhandsandsingingthelatesttopone

hundredsong.Itwasacatchysong,buthonestlyIwashopingtohearitonthedancefloortonightwhileI
bump-and-grindedwithmythousand-year-oldvampire—notinmyhouse,beingsungbytheseobnoxious
strangers.

“Natasha,whatunfortunatetiming.Wewerejustleaving.”
“Well,it’sgoodthatwemanagedtocatchyouthen,”shesaid,stretchingacrossthesofawithtwo

ofthemenshe’dbroughtwithherhangingoffherarms.

“You’restillhere?”thecreepyvampire,Duncan,asked.
“Aha! He speaks,” I said, narrowing my eyes at Benjamin. I hoped that my angry eyes spoke

volumes.Getthesejerksoutofhere!

“Natasha,whyareyouhere?”Benjaminasked,returningmylook,asiftosay,thefasterwedeal

withher,thefastershe’llgetoutofourhair.

“Why Ben, I just came to see how little Olivia was doing. The last time I saw her, she was

reattachingahuman’ssoul.”

Benjaminshotmethelookofdeath.Oops!HadIforgottentotellBenjaminthatNatashasawme

dothat?IcouldhaveswornIsharedthatitty-bittydetailwithhim.Damn!ThiswasexactlywhyIdidn’t
liketokeepsecrets.Icouldneverkeepthemstraight.

“Seemedlikestrenuousworkforanewly-madevampire.Iwantedtocheckinandseehowshe’s

doing.And,Ibroughtdinner,asyoucansee.”

Duncan,thenownotsilentvampire,wascurrentlybitingintooneofthe“dinner”guests.Thiswas

so gross on so many levels. I had to use every ounce of restraint in my body not to say, “Eeww.” But,
somethingtoldmethatweweretreadingonverythinicewithNatasha.Sheobviouslyhaditoutforme
andherinstinctstoldherthatshehadsomethingonme.

Well,shedid.
“Can’t everyone do that soul reattaching thing?” I asked, sitting on the loveseat. Benjamin came

overandsatonthearmrest.Hetookmyhandinhisandplayedwithmyhand,claspingandunclaspingour
fingersashedidsometimes.Hewasdoingitonpurpose,anditwasnotmissedbyNatasha.

“No, young one,” Natasha said, pure venom in her voice. “As far as I know, you’re quite the

specialone,aren’tyou?”

“Thatisstrange,isn’tit,Benjamin?”Iasked,myvoicefullofsugar,butthreatening.
“Please,enjoyourguestsbeforeyoudepartfortheevening,”Natashasaid,leaningforwardand

watchingformyreaction.

NowaywouldIfeedfromahuman.Especiallynotinthisbitch’scompany.
“That’sthoughtfulofyou,Natasha,”Benjaminsaid.“Olivia,andIthankyou.”
Whatthe what? Itjust sounded likeBenjamin was expecting meto feed fromone of these guys.

“I’msorry,Ikindofspacedoutthereforasecond.What’sgoingon?”

“Natasha’sright,”Benjaminsaid,hiseyesserious.“Howcanwedeclinehergenerosity?”
Okay, once, when Benjamin and I were talking about nonsense, I confessed to him that if

someone’slifewereindanger,andIneededtofeedfromahuman,Iwoulddoit.Andonlyasalastresort.
Thefactthathewasopenlysuggestingitnow,andfromoneoftheseguys,meantwewereinoneofthose
situations.Benjaminwasmostdefinitelythejealoustype;andIknewhedidn’twanttohavetowatchme

anymorethanIwantedtodoit.

“Ofcourse,”Isaid,standingup.“HereIgo.”
“AndyouBenjamin?”Natashaasked.
“Oh,nothankyou.Ialreadyate.”
Sonofabitch!Whydidn’tIgettousethatexcuse?Werewetryingtoproveapoint?
Imovedovertothelargersofa,theonewhereDuncanhadjustfinishedfeeding.Now,however,

thewomanbecamesex-crazedandwasrubbingherselfupanddownalloverhisbody.Iwasseriously
goingtopukeonsomeone.Andifvampirescouldpuke,IplannedtobarfonNatasha.Alloverherpretty
dressandherstupid,uglyshoes.

I sat down and one of the men came over to me. It’s like they were trained or more likely,

hypnotized.Suddenly,IwonderedifIcouldcatchanydiseasesfromdrinkingtheirblood.Vampireswere
prettyindestructiblethough.Ishouldbeokay.Theguywascuteenough,butthatwasn’tthepoint.Hishair
wascutshorttohisheadandheworethewhitestshirtimaginable,andlight,khakipants,justwaitingfor
bloodtospillalloverhim.

Eventhelogisticsofitescapedme.Usually,IclimbedontopofBenjaminwhenIdrankhisblood,

butIwasn’texactlysurethat’swhatIwantedtodointhissituation.Iguidedthemantositdownnextto
me,andthenturnedmybodyinhisdirection,sothatitlookedlikeIwasabouttokisshim.Ibroughthis
headtooneside,exposinghisneck.IdescendedmyfangsandshotBenjaminonelastlook.Henoddedhis
headoncebeforeIpiercedmyfangsintotheman’sneck.

He moaned immediately. It was an embarrassingly loud moan, and I wanted to die right there.

Really,really,die.IwonderedhowlongIwassupposedtodrink.Duncanbledhisvictim,orwhatever
they call it, for much too long in my opinion. I sucked, letting the man’s iron-rich blood flow into my
mouth. Honestly, it tasted good, but it was nothing compared to the jubilation I felt when drinking from
Benjamin. My vampire’s blood was like drinking the most expensive, aged whiskey. This, on the other
hand,wasmaltliquoratbest.

Unfortunately,strangemanornot,Ifeltanachegrowinginmybelly.Myvampireinstinctswere

kickinginandthemanandhisbloodwereturningmeon.Gross!BeforeIdidsomethingIknewI’dregret,
likeclimbingatopthisstrangemanandrockingmyhips,Iretractedmyfangs.

To my great dismay, the guy was obviously happy. Luckily, I was ultra neat and the sofa was

sparedanyerrantdropsofblood.Ilickedmylipsandrosefromthecouch,fixingthehemofmyskirtasI
walkedbackovertoBenjamin.WhenNatashacouldn’tseemyface,Imouthedthewords,“I’msorry,”to
Benjamin.He,inturn,gavemehispokerface—acompletelyblankstare.

“Well,Natasha,asyouknow,OliviaandIhaveplans.”
“Yes,that’sright.Howrudeofme.”
“Thanks for stopping by,” I said, heading quickly for the door and opening it wide. “Oh, and

thankssomuchforsharing.Whatatreat.Ididn’tknowyoudelivered.”

NatashagavemethepettysmileplasteredonherfaceandleftwithDuncanandthebloodslaves

followingclosebehind.Shuttingthedoorbehindthem,Ifeltunclean.Now,I’dneverbeabletowearmy
newblackdresswithoutthinkingoftheNatashaincident.

“Well, number one, she definitely has it in for me. And two, she definitely suspects that I’m

drinkingyourblood.Wasthatnecessary?Thatbetterhavebeenworthitbecauseitwas,byfar,themost
disgustingthingI’veeverhadtodo.That’ssayingsomethingtoo,becauseintheseventhgrade,Ihadto
dissect a baby pig fetus or something. Thinking back on it now, I guess it wasn’t that bad; but at age
thirteen,youcanimaginethatitwasjustabouttheendoftheworld.Okay,whatareyoulookingat?Eww,
doIhavethatdude’sbloodonme?”

Benjamincrossedthedistancebetweenusinincrediblespeed.Heliftedmeupandthrewmeover

hisshoulder,practicallyflyingusthroughthehouseandtohisbedroom.Inoneswiftmovement,hetore

mydressoffmeandtossedmeonthebed.

“Mydress!”Isaid,watchingthepiecesofblackfabricfalltothefloor.
“Fuckthedress,”hesaid.
“Don’tyoumean,‘fuckme’?”
“Exactly,”hesaid,removinghissuitwithpreternaturalspeed.“I’mgoingtomakesureyouforget

thatman.”

“Ohsweetie,”Isaid,admiringBenjamin’sperfectbarebody.“Whatman?”
Thiswasnotmakinglove.Benjaminfuckedme,claimedme,makingsureheerasedeverybitof

thehumanthatdaredinvademybodywithhisblood.So,wedidn’tendupgoingout.Oh,well.

AfteracoupleofhourswithBenjamin,Iforgotwhattheblooddonorevenlookedlike.Hewas

angrythatIwasforcedtodrinktheman’sbloodandIdidn’tblamehim.Benjamincouldbethetiniestbit
possessive,anditcouldn’thavebeeneasyforhimtowatch.Wheneveryinchofmybodywasfullyaware
oftherealmaninmylife,Iconvincedmyselftojointheworld.Therewerethingstobedone.Rollingout
ofbed,Idressedinasoftgray,tight-fittingt-shirtandjeans.

“Itakeitwe’renotgoingoutanymore?”Benjaminasked,stillcompletelynakedinthebed.
“Youhaveguessedcorrectly.I’vehadwaytoomuchexcitementforonenight.Youcangowithout

meifyouwant.Ihaveanidea,andIneedtodoalittleresearch.Haveyouseenmylaptop?”

“It’sintheotherroom.Whatresearch?”
“Ihaveafar-fetchedideathatmayhelptofindthedemonlady.I’mgoingtocomeupwithafew

placestoinvestigate,andIthinkI’llhaveLauracomewithmetomorrowwhileIcheckthemout.”

“Darling?”
“Yes, love?” I asked, letting him pull me back into the bed. I stretched out on top of his body,

proppingmyselfuponmyelbows.

“Don’tgetupset.”
“Iwouldn’tdreamofit.”
“Idon’tthinkyoushouldbeinvolvingyourfriend,Laura,inthesematters.”
Irolledoffhim,buthebroughtmebackquickly.
“I’vetoldyouaboutamilliontimes,Ben.Shewon’tbetrayanyconfidences.She’slikeasisterto

me.”

Benjaminbrushedthehairoutofmyface,tuckingmydarkhairbehindmyear.“AndI’mnotsaying

shewill.Ijustdon’tthinkit’ssafeforher.”

“I’llkeephersafe,”Isaid.
“Okay,”heconceded.“JustpromisetoconsiderwhatI’vesaid.”
“Iwill,butIassureyou,thereisnothingtoworryabout,”Isaid,kissinghislips.
“Explaintheplan.”
“It’sjustahunch,butthisprophesieddemonwoman—“
“Notprophesied.”
“Whatever,thisdemonheir,needstomakealiving,andIimagineitmightbedifficultforherto

holddownaregularjob.”

“Whatwiththeghostspesteringher,”hesaid,runninghisfingersthroughmyhair.
“So, she could probably make a lot of money being the only person who can actually speak to

ghosts.Youknow?Likeholdséancesandcontactyourlovedoneswhohavepassedonforanominalfee.
She’dbecrazynottousethattalenttoherownadvantage.”

“Quitealongshot.”
“I realize that, but I have to do something and it’s worth looking into. Also, I’m pretty good at

research,soyoushouldjustletmedomything.”

Benjaminnodded.“I’msorryyouhadtodosomethingunsavory.ThatNatashacanmakeourlives

difficultifshewantsto,andwehavealonglifeaheadofus.”

Ididn’twantBenjamintoknowit,butNatashascaredme.Ifshelearnedthatshecouldstayawake

duringthedaylighthoursjustbydrinkinggallonsofBenjamin’sblood,Ihadnodoubthewouldbecome
likeherownpersonalbloodbank.TherewasnowayIwasgoingtoletthathappentohim.

“It’s over now. But I’m not ever doing that again in her presence. I won’t give her the

satisfaction.”

“Fairenough,”hesaid.
“Getdressed,youbum!”
“Iwill;andthenI’llgooutandmeetThomasforthenight.I’llseeyouwhenIgetback.”
“I’llbeintheotherroom,conductingmyresearch.”Ikissedhimonthelipsandleftthebedroom.
Searchingthroughanever-endingseaofwebsites,Istartedpayingattentiontoreviews.Theplace

withthebestreviewshadabetterchanceofhavingapersonwhocouldactuallycommunicatewiththe
dead.Iquicklynarrowedmylisttofivepeople.

Fourteen

“Youhaven’tcalledmeinliketwodays,”Laurasaid,walkingintomyhouse.
“Idon’tthinkit’sbeenthatlong.”
“It’sbeenforty-eighthours,forsure.”
“Well,”Isaid,“youhaven’tcalledmeeither.”
“Ifeelyoushouldhavebeentheonetocallme.”
“Why?Becausetherewasabloodyvampireinmylivingroom?Youcan’tholdthatagainstme.

Rememberthesummerbeforesenioryearofcollege?”

“Yousworeyou’dneverbringthatup.”
“Well,ifyoustillwanttorollwithme…”
“Rollwithyou?Really?”
“Ifyoustillwanttobemyfriend,”Irephrased.“You’regoingtohavetogetusedtoweirdshit

happeningallthetime.”Igrabbedmypursefromthetableandopenedthefrontdoortofindthreedemons
standingontheporch.Theireyeswereglowingbrightlysotheymusthavejustsuckedupsomepoorsoul.
Theoneinfront,abeastofawoman,didn’tevenhaveachancetolungeatme.Isnappedherarminhalf
andbrokeherneckwiththeotherarm.Theman,ontheotherhand,gotintothehouse.

Laurascreamed,butIremainedfocusedandeerilycalm.Ikickedthelegsoutfromundertheman,

andwhenhehitthefloor,Ipunchedhischestsohard,myhandgotstuckintheflesh.Insteadofgettingmy
handfree,Iliftedhisbodyupanduseditasamakeshiftbatteringram.Iaimeddirectlyatthethirddemon,
awomanstandingwatchontheporch.Onceshewasdownontheground,withtheotherbodyontopof
her,Isnappedhernecktoo.

WhenIturnedaround,LaurawaspeekingoutfrombehindthesofaandMeowser,wasstandingon

the armrest, his back fully arched and his tail super puffy. “Geez, Meowser, could have used your help
there.Youbroughtnothingbutapuffytailtoademonfight?That’snotgonnacutit,buddy.”

“Weirdshitlikethat?”Lauraasked.
“Yeah,youcouldsayso.Youokay?”
“Ishouldbeaskingyouthat.Yes,I’mallright.”
“Good,phew!I’mgoingtoneedaquickshowerbeforewegoout,”Isaid,crossingtothekitchen

togetpapertowel.Idabbedatthebloodonmyarm,uselessly.

“Areyousuretheywerebad?WhatiftheyweresellingBiblesortupperware?”
“No…I’mprettysuretheyweredemons.”Ilookedoverbythefrontdoortomakesure.“Yeah,

see?They’realreadydisintegrating.”

“Shouldwecallthepolice?”Lauraasked.
I laughed as I walked over to close the door. Good thing the house was beyond anyone’s view

fromtheroad.

“No,I’mserious,Olivia.Shouldwecallthepolice?”
“Notunlessyouwanttoexplaintheblood,missingbodies,andinhumanDNAresults.I’mgoingto

callBenjaminandaskhimtosendsomeonetocleanthisup.”

Lauraremainedmymainfocusforthenextfewmoments.Iwaswaitingforhertogointoshock,

butsheremainedcool.Shedid,however,pickMeowserupinherarmsandcarryhimwithherthroughout
thehouse.

IinsistedthatLauralockherselfinmyroomandwaitformewhileIcleanedup.Benjaminpicked

uponthesecondringandItoldhimwhathappenedasIundressedfortheshower.

“Darling,”Benjaminsaid,andItookanunnecessarybreathtoquellthelongingIfeltforhimatthe

soundofhisvoice.

“Threedemonsjustattackedmeatthehouse,Ben.”

“Didyougetthemall?”heasked.
“Ofcourse,butthereisahugemessandIhaveplanswithLaura.Also,haveImentionedthatI’m

notverygoodatcleaning?”

“I’venoticedthat.”
“Canyoucleanit?”Iasked,playingupthesweetnessofmyvoice.
“Threeofthemwerethere?”
“It’sprettygross.”
“I’llbebysoontogetit.You’restillplanningtotakeLauraandgooutonyourghosthunt?”
“Actually,I’mwithhernowsowe’llbeheadingoutsoon.”
“Shewasthereduringtheattack?”Benjaminasked,hisvoicefullofreproach.
“Yes,andshe’sperfectlyfine.”
“Olivia,Iwarnedyouaboutthis.”
“AndI’vegottogetcleanedup.Byeandthanks!We’lltalkaboutthedemonthinglater.”
“Olivia,wait,”hesaid.“Areyousureyou’reunharmed?I’malreadyonmyway.”
“Itookcareofitlikeapro,Ben.Promise.”Iendedthecallbeforehecouldsayanythingelse.
Aftertheshower,LaurastillappearedcalmandMeowserwasn’tpuffyanymore.
“Let’strythisagain!”Isaid,steppingoverdemongoopandopeningthefrontdoor.“Boy,amI

gladyoudon’tgetqueasyaroundblood.”

The first two businesses on my list were closed. Would it kill them to say their business was

closedontheirwebsite?Inretrospect,itwouldhavebeensmartertocallahead,andIdidsowiththenext
place on the list before we drove there. We arrived at the local shop off US-1. The modest parking lot
barelyaccommodatedavehiclethesizeofLaura’sJeep.

“Idrivebyhereallthetime,butIcan’tremembereverseeingthisplace.”Lauraparkedthecarin

aslightdiagonal.Iworriedthatthecarmightgetdinged,butsheseemedunconcerned.

Thebright,neon,“Open”signturnedoffjustaswereachedthedoor.“You’rekiddingme,"Isaid.

“It’sonlyeighto’clock.Theycan’tbeclosed.”

“Whydon’tweknock?Theymightreopenifwetellherwejustcalled.”
“Thatwaslikehalfanhourago,”Isaid.
“Well,sheshouldknowthatittakeshalfanhourtogetanywhereinthiscity.”
A woman did open the door. Her ash hair was cut short to her scalp and she wore red reading

glasses.ThefirstthingInoticed,however,wasthatshedidn’thavepurpleeyes.

“I’msorryladies,butI’mclosedforthenight.”Thewoman’slong,cottondress,allblue,flowed

aroundher.“Whydon’tyoucalltomorrowforanappointment?”

I eyed Laura for a moment. “You know what? This is taking too long.” Then, I turned to the

woman.“I’msorry,what’syourname?”

“MissBeverly,”shereplied.
“Beverly,letusinside.”
“Whydon’tyouladiescomein?”
“That’scrazy,”Laurasaid,followingmein.
Itwasalongshot.Butwhatthehell,right?“Beverly,”Isaid,snatchingherattentionbacktomy

voiceandme.“DoyouknowanyoneinMiamiwithpurpleeyes?”

“Whereareyougoingwiththis?”Lauraasked,inalowwhisper.
“Whyareyouwhispering?It’snotlikeyoucaninfluenceher.”
“Idon’tknowanyoneinMiamiwithpurpleeyes,”Beverlywhispered.
“Beverly,don’twhisper,”Isaid,rollingmyeyes.
“ButIdoknowsomeoneinKeyLargothathaspurpleeyes,”Beverlysaid,atnormalvolume.
Bingo!

“Beverly,whoisitthatyouknowwithpurpleeyesinKeyLargo?”
“Competition.Sheisgood.Pretty,youngthingspeakstothedead.”
“That’sgreat,Beverly.What’shername?”
“DominoReed.”
“Thankyou.Beverly,”Isaid,leavingforthedoor.IleftafewdollarsIhadinthepocketofmy

purse.Ifeltlikeshedeservedatip.Beverlymaynothavebeentherealthing,butshehelpedmeout.

IwaseagertotellBenjaminwhatI’dlearned.“LookslikeI’mgoingtotheKeys,”Isaid,aswe

droveaway.

“Iwanttogo,too.”
Ifrowned,notsurewhattosay.“Idon’tknow,Laura.Itcouldbedangerous.”
“Oh,comeon.Icanhelpyouduringtheday.Right?Wouldn’tthatbehelpful?Thisdemonladyis

awakeduringtheday.MaybeIcanhelpsomehow.”

Damn,shehadagoodpoint.“Benjamin’snotgoingtolikethis.”
“I’msureyoucanpersuadehim.Olivia,nothingexcitingeverhappenstome.”
“Whataboutthefallof2003?”
“Youswore,”shesaid,pointingherneatlymanicuredfingeratme.
Ilaughed.“Iknow,Iknow.”
LauraleftmeatmyhouseandseeingtheJaguaroutsidetoldmethatBenjaminwashome.“You’ll

neverguesswhatIfound,”Isaid,closingthefrontdoorbehindme.“YoushouldcallJeremiah.”

“I’vebeentryingtoreachhimwithnoluck.”
“Isanyonehere?”Iasked.
“No.”
“Well,IthinkIfoundJeremiah’sdemonladyfriend,andshe’snotinMiami.She’sinKeyLargo.”
“KeyLargo?”Benjaminsaid,sittingdownontheleatherchairinthelivingroom.
“Purple-eyedladythatspeakstoghosts.Idon’tknowaboutyou,butitsoundsprettylogicaltome.

It’sprobablytoolatetogotonight.Wecanleavetomorrowevening.Oh,andLaurawantstogotoo.She
saysshecanhelpusduringtheday.”

“No.Absolutelynot.”
“Skipit,she’sgoingwithus.”
“Olivia,whywon’tyoulistentome?”
“Look, I know you’re super old and wise and what not, but she’ll be fine and she has a point.

She’snormalandmaybeshecanfindthedemonladyduringthedayforus.”

“Jeremiahcandothat,”Benjamininsisted.
“Idon’tknowifyou’venoticed,butJerry,doesn’texactlyblendinwiththelocalswell.”
“Oh,it’sJerry,now?”
“I’mtiredofsayingJeremiah;it’slikeamillionsyllables.”
Benjamin’seyebrowsdrewtogetherforasecond.“It’sasmanysyllablesasOlivia.”
“Huh,well,speakingofoldJer,tellhimtocomeoversoIcantellhim.Andifthisturnsouttobe

her,Igetallthecredit.”

“Okay,I’llmakesuretotelltheunderworldkingthatyoufoundtheonlyonewhocanthreatenhis

reign.”

“Youthinkyou’resofunny,don’tyou?”
Hesmiledandhisfacedimpledinalltherightplaces.Sittinginthechair,leaningback,Benjamin

radiatedsexualattraction.Icrossedtheroomquicklyandcrawledintohislap.

“I was wondering when you were going to stop talking,” he said, wrapping his arm around me,

tuckingmeintohisbody.

“Nice.”

“Ijoke,mydarling.”Hecoaxedmychinupandmetmylipswithhisownfulllips.
“Doyou?”
“DoI,what?”
“Loveme?”
“Whatdoeslovemeantoyou?”heasked,adjustinghisnecksothathecouldlookatmewhileI

spoke.

Iimmediatelyregrettedbringingitupinthefirstplace.Couldn’thejusthavesaidyes?Talkabout

awkwardsituations.“Iguessit’sdifferentforeveryone,”Isaid.

“Youhaven’tansweredmyquestion.”
“Youdidn’tanswermineeither.”
Benjamin’s phone rang, thank goodness! I hopped off his lap so I could refill Meowser’s food

bowls.Thebowlhadtobewashed,leavingnotraceofoldfoodbecauseMeowserwasapickykitty.He
neveratewhathedeemedwereleftovers.Withthebowlfilledhalfwaywithgourmetcatfood,Meowser
trottedovertothekitchenandate.Forthemostpart,heseemedtohaveadjustedtothemovewell.The
backofthecouchwasgettingameanscratchingeveryonceinawhile,butIdidn’tthinkBenjaminhad
noticedyet,sothatwasaplus.

MeowserfinishedeatingjustasBenjaminwalkedintothekitchen.Hewasstillonthephone.“Did

youhearthat?”

“Itrynottolistentoyourconversations.Doyoulisteninonmyphonecalls?”
“They’regoingtokillJeremiah,”hesaidtome,returningtohisphone.“Thomas,we’llmeetyou

there.”

Ihurriedoutthedoor,followingBenjamin,andlockedthedoorwhilehestartedthecar.Wedrove

away,speedingdowntheresidentialstreets.MyonlycomfortwasthatBenjamin’sinstinctsanddriving
skillsweresogood,therewasnowayhe’daccidentallyhitapedestrian.

“Whathappened?”Iasked,hopingnottogetcarsick.Iwasn’tevensureIcouldgetsick,nowthat

Iwasavampire.

“ThomasgotabriefcallfromJeremiah.They’regoingtokillhim,butfirst,theywillinterrogate

himusingtorture.Theythinkheknowswherethedemonheirishiding.”

“Oh crap!” I said. Note to self: don’t tell anyone else that I know where she is. “How do you

tortureademon?”Iasked.

Benjaminturnedtofaceme,hiseyebrowsandlipssetintostraightlines.
“Thatbad,huh?”
Wewereheadingsouth,whichsurprisedme.Demonswereinvadingmoreofthepopulatedparts

inthenorth,atleast,accordingtoallthosemapsThomasandBenjaminleftinthediningroom.

“ArewegoingtotheKeysinstead?”Iasked,thinkingthatmaybeweweregoingtofindthedemon

princessinsteadofsavingJeremiah,whichseemedlikeanawfulthingtodo.

“JeremiahisbeingheldinanabandonedhomeintheRedlands,”hesaid,increasingtheJaguar’s

speedtoonehundredmilesperhour.

Ididn’tlikethesoundofthat.Anythingsouth,meantresidentialareas,andIdidn’tliketheideaof

creepy demons around all the families living in the suburbs. The Redlands, an agricultural community,
gavethedemonstheadvantageoflarge,vacantlandnotusuallyfoundinSouthFlorida.Eachresidence
stoodonaplotofatleastfiveacres.Theresidentsenjoyedacertainlevelofprivacy,tosaytheleast.

“Can’t we call for some vampire reinforcements?” I asked. “I know you are unbelievable in a

fightandeverything,butwhatiftherearealotofthem?”

“Thevampireshavelefttheareaandthefewthatremaindonotcaretohelp.”
“Especially,nottohelpademon.”
Benjamin nodded. We were far away from lights. It was pitch black in the rear and side view

mirrors.

“If all the vampires have pretty much flown the coop,” I said, coming to a seemingly important

conclusion,“then,really,Ihaveonlyonequestion.Wherethehellaretheygettingenoughvampireblood
tosurviveinthisrealm?”Itwasagoodquestion.Tosustainthedemonpopulationasthedemonswere
managing,theywouldneedaconstantsourceofvampireblood.Didweneedtostartaroll-callsystem?
Wassomebodymissingandchainedtothewalllikeananimal?

“That,darling,isagoodquestion,”hesaid,notsoundingatallimpressedwithmylogic.
“You’vealreadybeenwonderingthesamething,haven’tyou?”
“Yes.”
WestoppedataroadsidefruitstandjustcomingintoRedlands.Benjaminparkedthecarnextto

Thomas’SUV.

“You’renotgoingtojustleavetheJaguaroutherelikethis?”Thomasasked.Hewasdressedin

forestgreencargopantsandablackt-shirt.Sensible.Benjaminwas,ofcourse,wearingadamnsuit,and
I?Intherush,I’dforgottentochangemyshoes.Iwaswearingblackpumps.Iwasabouttogofightformy
friend’slifeinblackheels.Typical.TheheelofmyshoeskeptsinkingintothedirtlikeIwasthequeenof
aeration.Iwasgoinghavetowalkwithallmyweightfocusedontheballsofmyfeet.

“We’resneakinguptothehouseonfoot,then?”Iasked.
“Yes,it’sabouttwomileseast,”Thomassaid.“Jeremiahwasabletogivemetheaddressbefore

theytookhisphone.”

“Is this a ‘Kill every demon in a ten block radius’ kind of mission? Or more of a ‘Grab the

friendly,rationaldemonandboltoutofthere’?”

BenjaminandThomaslookedateachotherforamoment.“Killem’all,”theybothsaidinunison.
I could live with that. I followed after Thomas and Benjamin and found it interesting that I was

nowfasterthanThomas.IhadtoslowmyselfdownsinceIdidn’tknowwhereweweregoing.Ididn’t
evenknowwhichdirectionwaseastandIwasn’tanygoodatspacialestimates.Ifsomeoneaskedmeto
gotwohundredfeetduewest,I’dhavenoideawheretostart.

We reached the property quickly and waited, crouched down amidst a row of avocado trees. I

hated thinking that the demons had probably killed the family living here. Maybe the house was under
foreclosure and abandoned. Although, it didn’t seem likely the demons would take the time to find an
abandonedhouse.Wemovedinfrombehindthehouse,pastthepoolandthebackpatio.Thomashopped
up,scalingthesideofthehouse,andBenjaminfollowed.Okay,sure,Icandothis,Ithought.

Thomas and Benjamin had already reached the second floor balcony while I was still trying to

figureouthowexactlyIwassupposedtogetmyfour-inchheelsuponthesiding.Andreally…inaskirt?
Itwasjeansandatanktopeverydayfromnowon.IneverknewwhatkindofsituationIwasgoingtofind
myselfin.That’swhenIsawmovementinmyperipheralvision.Icroucheddown,peekingintothehouse
throughthelivingroomwindow.Thereweretwodemonswalkingthroughthelivingroom,followedby
two vampires, Duncan and Natasha. At first I thought, “Oh good, backup has arrived.” But quickly, I
realizedthattheblood-suckingbastardsweretalkingwiththedemons.Theywereworkingtogether.

Shit.ThomasandBenjaminwereupstairs,thinkingtheywereheadedintoademonfight.Iwasn’t

entirely sure how they’d fare in a lots-of-demons-plus-two-powerful-vampires fight. I looked up at the
backofthehouse,buttheboyswerenowhereinsight.

Crap.
IstoodandwalkedtomyrightwheretheFrenchdoorswerelocated.Justmyluck,thedoorwas

unlocked.IopeneditandwalkedrightintothelivingroomwhereacoupleofthedemonsandNatashaand
Duncanwerestanding.

“Hey guys,” I said. “Funny running into you here.” My primary goal was to alert Benjamin and

Thomasthatthesetreacherousvampireswerealsointhehouse.

“Olivia?”Natashaasked.Iwouldhavepaidmoneytohaveaphotooftheincomparablelookof

surpriseonherface.

We heard a scuffle upstairs. Presumably, Benjamin and Thomas had found Jeremiah and were

settinghimfree.

“Getupthere,”Natashabarked,hershort,blondehairbobbingaroundherface.Thetwodemons

followedDuncanupstairsandIwaslefttodealwithNatasha.Iwentthroughmymentallistofhowtokill
avampire.Fire,sun,decapitation,stakethroughtheheart.Okay,didn’thavefire,orasword,butafire
pokermightdoinapinch.

Thefireplacewasacrosstheroom,andImeanwhat’supwiththatanyway?Onlyacrazyperson

wouldhaveafireplaceinMiami.Wehaveaboutonecolddayayear,ornone.Natashaleaptupintothe
air,propellingherselfatme.Ithoughtshemightatleastpretendnottobeworkingwiththedemons,but
apparently,shedecidedkillingmewasherbestoption.

Ijumpedupaswell,myreflexesfasterthanhers,despitethecenturiesshehadonme.WhenIwas

closeenough,Ikickedmylegout,landingahitrightwhereherkneebent.Ihopedtobreakherleg.IfI
didn’t have the means to kill her, then at the very least, I wanted to immobilize her. She called out and
collapsedonthefloor,onlytogetrightbackupagain.Apparently,Natashacouldjumparoundjustfineon
oneleg.

Thistime,Iranatherfullforce,preemptingherstrike.Icollidedintoherandrammedherdirectly

intothestaircase.ThewoodfromthestructurecrumbledallaroundherjustasImanagedtogetmyself
out.Ijumpedstraightupandgrabbedtheverandaonthesecondfloor.IpulledmyselfupandsawThomas
andJeremiahstrugglingwiththreedemons.Ikickedoneoftheirlegsoutfromunderitsbodyandstomped
theheelfromoneofmypumpsintotheirneck.Yuck!Itwasgrosspullingtheheelbackout.Therewere
gurglingnoisesinvolvedandItriednottogag.IknewThomascouldhandletheothertwodemons,even
withJeremiah’sweakenedcondition.IwentinsearchofBenjamin.

I found him down the hallway in what was the master bedroom. Natasha would be up here any

second so I knew we had to act fast and get us all the hell out of there. Benjamin and Duncan were
exchanging hard blows, and they were pretty well matched, though Benjamin had the upper hand. They
werelikeablurastheytumbledthroughouttheroom,breakingeverythinginsight.Iwasn’tsurehowto
getinvolvedinthebrawlandhelpwithoutdrawingBenjamin’sattentionaway.

Natashadartedintotheroomwithherleghealedalready.Shehadamurderouslookonherface

and her usually perfect hair was standing up like the bride of Frankenstein. She aimed for me and
Benjamin took his attention away from Duncan to stop Natasha from going after me. Ugh, I can handle
myself!

With Benjamin’s attention off Duncan, he saw his chance. Between Duncan and Natasha, they

could definitely get Benjamin. I quickly broke off one of the four posters from the bed and jammed it
through Duncan’s chest—straight through the heart. Duncan fell to his knees and immediately started
disintegratingintoabloodymess.

ThefightbetweenBenjaminandNatashastoppedimmediately.
“Youbitch!”shescreamed,rushingtothespotwhereDuncanusedtobe.
“Thomas!” Benjamin bellowed before swooping me up in his arms and crashing us through the

secondfloorwindow.Ifeltglasscuttingmeacrossmyforearmsandlegs.Welandedbesidethepooland
tookoffrunning,butBenjamindidn’teasehisgriponmyarm.Ilookedbackforasecondandsawthat
ThomaswasrightbehinduswithJeremiahinhisarms.

We reached the cars and Benjamin threw me in the passenger seat. “Can you drive?” he asked

Thomas.

ThomasnoddedandIcouldseethroughthesideviewmirrorthatJeremiahwasstandinguponhis

own.Hegotoutokay.“Wecan’tgotoourhouses,”Thomassaid.“Andwecan’tjustwalkintoahotel

lookinglikethis.”

“WecanprobablygotoLaura’s,”Isaidfromthecar.
Benjaminshookhishead.
“Whereelsethen?”Iasked.TherewasnootherplacetogowhereNatashacouldn’tfindus.And

dawnwouldbecomingsoon.IgaveThomastheaddressandhefollowedusinhisSUV.Benjamingotin
theJaguarandspedawayjustasIheardpolicesirensinthedistance.Iguessthefightwasloudenough
fortheneighborstocomplain.

ItookBenjamin’sphonefromtheglovecompartmentandcalledLaura.
“S’late,”shesaid,hervoiceraspy.
“IknowandI’msorry.Doyouthinkafewofuscancrashtherefortheday?We’rekindofina

bind,butyoucantotallysayno,andIwon’tbeupset.”

“No,s’okay.”
“Welookprettybangedupsowe’llcomeuptheserviceelevator.Probablybethereinanhour.”
“S’fine,I’llbemoreawakebythen.Promise.”
“Thankssweetie,Ioweyouone!”
“Yes,youdo,”shesaid,endingthecall.
Wewerealreadyontheexpressway,andatthespeedBenjaminwasdriving,Iwonderedifmaybe

we’dmakeitdowntowninlessthananhour.Whichwouldbequitethefeat,butit’snotlikewehadtime
towaste.Thesunwaitsfornoone.Benjaminwasdrivingwithonehandwhiletheotherwasentwined
withmine.

“So,”Isaid,withnervouslaughter.“Thatdidn’texactlygoasIthoughtitwould.”
Silence.
“I’m glad Jeremiah made it out okay, and now we know who was supplying the demons with

vampireblood.IknewtherewassomethinggoingonwithNatasha.Ineverwouldhaveguessedshewas
workingwithdemons,though.”

Benjamin’sgriptightenedaroundmyhand.“They’regoingtocomeafteryounow.”
“Whoisgoingtocomeafterme?”
“Everyone.Killingafellowvampireisacrime.”
“Theyweregoingtokillyou!”Isaid,myvoicegoingupanoctave.
“Yousavedmefromdeath,”hesaid.
“Super-death,‘causeyouknow,you’realreadykindofdead.”
“Issuper-deathatechnicalterm?”
“Maybeitis.”
“I’mserious,Olivia.Whatyoudidintherecouldgetyoukilled.”
“WhatwasIsupposedtodo?Justletthemdestroyyou?”
“Iwouldhaveratherthatoutcomethanputtingyouinmoredangerthanyou’realreadyin.”
“Notanoption,”Isaid,feelinglikeBenjaminwasactingterriblyungrateful.
“Andnowwe’regettingLaurainvolved.Ahuman.”
Ithrewmyhandsupintheair.“Geesh,okay,Benjamin.Please,tellmeallthewaysI’vefuckedup

thisevening!”

ThetirestothecarsquealedasBenjaminpulledofftothesideoftheroad,comingtoanabrupt

stop.TheseatbeltstrapdugintomychestasIsnappedbackintotheseat.

Hethrewthecarinparkandleanedoverthecenterconsole,unbucklingmyseatbelt.Grabbingthe

backofmyneckwithonehand,hebroughtmetowardhimandkissedmefiercely.Hepartedmylipsand
stuckhistonguedownmythroatasfarashecouldmanage.MyfangsdescendedinvoluntarilyandInicked
histongue.Asaresult,asmalldropofbloodswirledaroundmymouth,drivingmecrazy.

Moving as quickly as a snake strikes, I maneuvered myself on top of Benjamin, straddling him.

NotaneasythingtodointheJaguar.Ibitintohisneck,hearingthesickeningsoundoffangspiercinghis
perfectskin.AsIdrank,Benjaminranhisfingersthroughmyhair,pullingthemessawayfrommyface.I
unbuttonedhisjacketandunlatchedthebuckletohisbelt.ThenIundidhispantsinoneswiftmovement.I
wasneverhappiertobewearingaskirt!

Iwasneverafanofsexinpublicorsexoutintheopen,forthatmatter,butatthemoment,Ididn’t

even care that we were parked on the side of the highway. The windows were tinted and if any cop
stopped by to investigate, I’d just hypnotize him anyway. I thought that bitch vampire was going to kill
BenjaminandIwassopumpedfromthefightandhisblood,thatIneededhiminsideme.

IretractedmyfangsandstaredintohisblueeyesasIremovedhishard,enormouslengthfromhis

pants.

“I’llkillthemallifIhaveto,”hesaid.“Iwon’tletanyonetouchyou.”
Ipulledmypantiestothesideandtookhimallthewayinsideofmewithonequickthrust.
“Youaremine,”hesaid.“Sayit.”
“Iamyours!”Isaid,archingmyback,thesteeringwheeldiggingintomyflesh.Iwasprettysure

that’sasclosetoan,“Iloveyou,”asIwasgoingtogetfromthethousand-year-oldvampire.

Imoaned,fullofecstasy.“Don’tyouwanttofeed?”Iasked.
“No,”hesaid.“Iwanttowatchyou.”
Hishandswerefirmlyplacedoneithersideofmywaistasmyhipsmovedincirclesabovehim.

MyreleasecamefirstandhemetmythrustswithvigoruntilIfelthisbodyshudderinsideme.

Isatbackinmyseat,awarethatademonandvampirewereprobablyalotclosertomyhuman

bestfriend’sapartmentthanIwas.Ithadbeenselfishofmetoindulgemyself,butI’dgottenwrappedup
intheheatofthemoment.

Fifteen

ThomaswasworseoffthanJeremiah.Hisbodywasn’thealingquicklybecausehe’dlostalotof

blood and needed replenishing. Laura was awake and dressed, even though it was close to five in the
morning.

“Laura,”Isaid,aftersheclosedthefrontdoorbehindallofus.“YoukindofmetThomastheother

night,andthisisourfriend,Jeremiah.”

“I’msorrythatwekeepmeetingundertheseinopportunecircumstances,”Benjaminsaid.
Laurashrugged,turningherattentiontome.“Areyouokay?Youlookamess!”
“Actually,yes.I’mfine,”Isaid,eyeingBenjamin.“OneofuswillhavetogooutwithThomasso

hecanfeedbeforedawnbreaks.”

“I’llgo,”Benjaminsaid,thoughIcouldtellhewasreluctanttoleavemealone.
Ididn’twanttobeapartfromhimeither.NotafterI’dalmostlosthim.“I’llgowithyou.Jeremiah

canresthere.”

“Theymightcomeafteryou,”Benjaminsaid.
“Theymightcomeafteryou,too,”Icountered.
“Who might go after Olivia?” Thomas asked, straining against the pain of a few cracked ribs, I

imagined.

“ShekilledDuncan,”Benjaminsaid.
Thomasfrozeforabeat,lettingtheinformationsoakin.“They’llcomeafteryouboth.I’llgoout

onmyown,”hedecided.

“No.”
“Youcan’t.”
“CanIjustgivehimsomeofmyblood?”Lauraasked.
“Absolutelynot!”Isaid,lookingatBenjamin.IwaswaitingforhisI-told-you-sospeechonhowI

shouldn’thavegottenLaurainvolved.Well,youknowwhat?Hewasright.Thiswasaterribleidea.

ButBenjamindidn’tdoanythingexceptlookpensive.
“Right,Ben?Definitelynot?”
“Ifsheiswilling,Olivia.Itwouldbesafest.”
I didn’t like that one bit because he was obviously placing my welfare over Laura’s; and in my

book,thatwasunacceptable.IpulledBenjaminbyhissuitjackettothehallwaytoarguewithhimwhenI
heardLaurawhimperingfromthekitchen.

I sprinted inside to find Laura sitting on the kitchen countertop with her arm held out while

Thomassuckedthebloodfromherwrist.

“Seriously?”Iyelled.“Behindmyback?”
“He’salmostdone,”Jeremiahsaidfromthelivingroom.
“That’senoughoutofyou!”Isaid,stormingintothekitchen.
Thomaswasalreadystandingupstraighterandlookingpain-free.Laurawasbitingherlipanda

smallmoanescapedherlips.“Alright,alright,”Isaid.“You’reallbetternow.”

Thomasretractedhisfangsandgrabbedasheetofpapertowel,whichhewrappedaroundLaura’s

wrist.“Thankyou,”hesaid,helpingherdownfromthecountertop.

“Oh,man,”shesaid,walkingpastme.“Thatdoesfeelgood!Iamalittlewoozythough.”
Icrossedtheroomtothefridgeandremovedthecontaineroforangejuice.“Here,takethiswith

youtobedanddonotopenthebathroomdoorstomorrow.Peeyourpantsifyouhaveto.Youwillkillus
ifwe’reexposedtothesunlight.”

“Igotit.Geesh,whendidyougetsouptight?”shesaid,openingthedoortoherbedroom.
“Goodnight!”Isaid,assheslippedintoherroom.IturnedtoThomas.“Lasttimethathappens.

Youunderstand?”

“Yeah,yeah.Don’tkillme!”hesaid,pretendingtobackawayfromme.
“Funny,”Isaid,myvoicedevoidofhumor.
“Thomas,there’sabathroomthroughtherethatdoesn’thavewindows.”
Henoddedandleft.
Iturnedtothedemon.“I’mgladyou’reokay.”
“Metoo.Thankyou,andI’msorryyou’reinabitoftroubleasaresultofmyrescue.”
“Well,thevampiresshouldn’tbeaidingthedemoninvasionanyway,soIdon’tfeelbad.”
“Theywerehidingitwellfromme,”hesaid.“They’vebeenlettingmeroamfree,knowingthat

eventually, I might lead them to Thana. They know I’ve been helping you. They’ve been following you
threeaswell.”

“Jer,IthinkIfoundher.Weleavetomorrowevening.”
“Whereisshe?”
“I’mnotgoingtotellyousoyoucangorunningoffwithoutusandgetyourselfkilled.We’rein

thistogether,now,rest.”

“Alright,”hesaid,visiblyunhappywiththesituation.
“I’mexhausted.”IhookedmyarmthroughBenjamin’sandledhimtotheotherbathroomwithme.

Wecrawledintothebathtubtogetherwithallofourclothesonandwaitedfordawntocome.

“We’renottakingLaurawithustomorrow,”Isaid,enjoyingthefeelofBenjamin’sarmsaround

me.“Idon’tcarewhatshesaysorifshegetsupset.Idon’twantanythingtohappentoher.IfIhaveabig
targetonmyback,thatmeansthatshe’sindangeraswell.”

“She’sgoingtobemad.”ThomasdroveusontheFloridaTurnpikeSouth.Therewasnowaywe

wereallgoingtofitcomfortablyinBenjamin’sJaguar,orinmycoupe,sowetookhisSUV.Jeremiahsat
upfrontwithThomasandIwasinthebackwithBenjamin.

“YouthinkIdon’tknowthat?”Isnappedbackathim.
“Leavinganote.That’sharsh.”
“Wouldyoustopalready?Idon’tfeelbadaboutit.Laurawasgettingtooinvolved.”
“Yeah,butsneakingoutlikethat?”
IthrewmyphoneathisheadbecauseIknewitwouldn’tdoanyrealdamage.Itbouncedoffhis

templeandJeremiahcaughtit,handingitbacktome.

“Thanks,”Isaid,sulkinginthebackseat.Whenwewokeupfromtheday’ssleep,Laurawastoo

eagertogoonthismissionwithusandhereyeswereallgoogleyoverThomas.Ididn’tlikeitonebit.I
nevershouldhaveputherinthepositionwhereshefeltitwasokaytojustgoofferingherbloodtothe
firstvampireshesaw.Thenoteread:I’msorryLaura,butweleftwithoutyou.It’sforyoursafety.I’m
inalotoftroublenowwitheverybeingimaginableandIdon’twantyougettingintothemiddleofit.If
anything happened to you—I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. Please consider going to stay with
yourparentsforwhile.Iloveyou.Callyousoon,Liv.

Iaskedhertogooutandgetussomeflashlightsandbatteries,andwhileshewasgone,Iwrotethe

noteandweallleft.Shehadn’tevencalledtobitchatmeyet,soshemusthavebeenlivid.

Ohwell,itwasforherownwelfareandsometimeswehavetomakeharddecisionsinlife.
“KeyLargo?”Jeremiahaskedforaboutthemillionthtimethisevening.
“I tried to find a picture of her online, but she must be somewhat of a private person because I

couldn’tfindanything.”IwashopingtoshowJeremiahaphotosothatwe’dknowifitwasshebefore
embarkingonthistrip.Iwasgoingtofeelsillyifwegotthereanditendedupbeingadeadend.

“ThiswomantoldmethatthisKeyLargoladycommunicateswithghostsandhaspurpleeyes.She

saidthatshe’stheonlypersonsheknowsthatistherealdeal.Imean,howmuchofacoincidencewouldit
beifitweren’ther?No—Ihaveagoodfeelingaboutthis.We’regoingtofindthedemonyouarelooking
for,”Isaid.

It only took an hour to get to Key Largo. The plan was to lay low until the next day. While we

slept,Jeremiahwouldgofindtheghostwhisperer,asIlikedtocallher,andconfirm.Hewasn’tsupposed
tomakecontactwithher,though.Wewerespecificaboutthatdetail.Hewouldspother,confirm,andthen
we’dmeetbackintheevening,oncewe’dwokenupforthenight.

BenjaminthoughtitwouldbebetterifIapproachedhersinceIwasawomanandseeminglyless

threatening.

“I’d say she’s pretty threatening,” Thomas said, laughing. “She just killed one of the oldest

vampiresalive.”

“Ihadto—hewasgoingtokillBenjamin.”
“Iknowthat,”Thomassaid.“I’mjustsaying.Youcanbescarytoo.”
“I’mnotscary,”Iwhined.“AndnowI’mvampireenemynumberone.Howbadismysituation,

anyway?

“Prettybad,”saidThomas.“Howdidyoukillhim,again?”
“Istakedhimthroughtheheartwithabedpost.”
“Ouch!”
“It’snothing,”saidBenjamin.
“Thatbad,huh?”saidJeremiah.
Isighedoutofhabit.“Butcan’twejustexplaintotheotherswhathappened?”
“Theywon’tbelieveyou.”ThomasslowedthecardownaswearrivedinKeyLargo.Wehadto

findadecenthotel.ItoldthemwemightaswelljuststayattheMarriott.

IgrabbedBenjamin’shandandsqueezed.“Butthey’llbelieveBenjamin.”
“They’lljustpointoutthathe’sinlovewithyou—thathisjudgmenthasbeencompromised.”
Hmmm, so Thomas thought Benjamin was in love with me. If I weren’t half-dead, I might have

blushed.“But,Natashaisworkingwiththedemons.”

“She’lldenyit.”
“Thisblows!”
ThomasveeredofftheroadandpulledintotheMarriotthotelparkinglot.“Yes,itdoes.”
Wepaidforasuitewithadjoiningrooms.BenjaminandThomaslefttogofindheavytarpsanda

whole lot of duct tape to sun proof our rooms. Did I really need that much protection? After drinking
Benjamin’s blood the night before, I woke up a good half hour before the sun rose. I walked out of the
bathroomandstoodinthelivingroomwithJeremiahforabouttenminutesbeforeIgothotandpink.Iwas
startingtoburnfromthemildexposure.Iwentbacktothebathroomandhealedwithinminutes,allbefore
Benjaminawoke.Ihadn’ttoldhimyet,though,becauseThomaswasalwaysaround.

Idon’tknowwhyItrustedJeremiahmorethanThomas,butIdid.
I hadn’t been to the beach for quite a while. Even though the Florida Keys are more rocks than

beach,theMarriotthadasmallbeachoutfront.IconvincedJeremiahtoaccompanymedowntothewater
whilewewaitedforBenjaminandThomas.

It was dark, but for the bright moon. The waters were shadowy like black silk. “Is that what it

lookslikeintheunderworld?”Iasked,rememberingwhenJeremiahsaidthewaterslookedinky.

“Alittlebit,yes,”hesaid.“Icanseewhyshelikesithereontheisland.”
“She’shereonlybecauseshewasexiledhere—likeaprisoner.”
OhIknewthatvoice!
JeremiahandIbothturnedtoseetheimmortalbeingstandingbehindusonthebeach.Hewasin

perfectbeachwearwhetherheplanneditornot.Hestillworelinenpantsandathin,lightblue,button-

downshirt.Hecouldhavebeenonthecoverofamagazineinthatget-up.Theseabreezemadehisgolden
hairwhipallaroundhim.

“You,”Jeremiahsaid.
And there it was—confirmed for me. This was one of the immortal beings that was somewhat

responsiblefor the creationof vampires. Itwasn’t his fault. Though,I’m sure ifI asked Jeremiah, he’d
haveanotherperspectiveentirely.

“Whatareyoudoinghere?”Jeremiahasked.
“IamalwaysaroundasIhavebeenfor,well,alongtime.I’vebeenwaitingforher,justasyou

havebeensearchingforher.Only,Iwasmoresuccessful,itseems.”

I could feel the anger and tension rising from Jeremiah. It was strange to witness his

transformation,ashealwaysseemedsocoolandcollected.

“HersentenceisalmostupandIwillreturnhertotheunderworld.Shewillclaimthethronethat

isrightfullyhers.”

“Asifshewouldwantsuchafate.”
“Theyneedher,”Jeremiahsaid.
“Youmeanthesamedemonsthatnowhuntherdown?Admitit,youneedher.Sherejectedyouand

yetyoustillchaseherafteralltheseyears.Whatmakesyouthinktheoutcomewillbeanydifferentthis
timearound?Shewillbefilledwithresentmenttowardyoudemons.”

“Leavenow,youhavenobusinesshere,”Jeremiahsaidthroughclenchedteeth.
“Ihavenothingtolose,”themansaid.
“Exceptforher.”
Andthenhewasgone.“Whoa,”Isaid.“Thatwasintense.”
“Thiscomplicatesthings.”
“Doesthatguyhaveaname?”
“Nevergotit,”Jeremiahsaid,lookinglikehe’dripsomeone’sheadoffifhehadthechance.
Iputmyarmsaroundhisshouldersandsqueezedencouragingly.Diddemonsevenunderstandthe

sentimentofahug?“Sorry,”Isaid,immediatelyfeelingsillyandembarrassed.

“No,”hesaid.“Thankyou.You’vebeenagoodfriendtome.”
Ismiled,pleasedthatI’dmadesomesmalldifferenceinhislife—evenifitwasonlyloyalty.
“Thiswomanyouhavetrackeddown—itmustbeher,orhewouldn’tbehere.”
“Youknowhecanreadmymind?”Isaid.
“Howdoyouknowthat?”
“He, uh, dropped in on me the other day. I didn’t know who or what he was, at the time, or I

wouldhavementionedittoyou.”Thatwaskindofalie.Ihadsuspicions,onceJeremiahtoldusaboutthe
would-bequeen.

JeremiahstartedwalkingupthebeachandbacktothehotelasIfollowedclosebehind.“Itmust

beavampirething,”hemused.“Hecan’tdothatwithdemons.”

Well,thatwasgood…Ithink.
WemadeitbacktothehotelroomjustbeforeBenjaminandThomasreturnedwithmanybagsfull

of supplies. I took public-appropriate pajamas from my overnight bag and changed. The pants were
Christmas-themedandIdidn’tcarethatitwaspracticallysummer.Iworeacolleget-shirtandcrawled
into bed. Sadly, the bed was not as luxurious as the ones in Benjamin’s home. The man really liked to
splurgeonbedsheets.

The tarps were easy enough to put up. I didn’t even offer to help because I was so mentally

exhausted.Benjamindidagoodjobonhisown.Hecoveredthewindowwithsevenlayersoftarpand
thensurroundedthewholethinginfourlayersofducttape.Hewasnotkiddingaround,that’sforsure.

Whenhejoinedmeinthebed—Icuddledupclosetohim.Ididn’tcarethattherewereseveral

morehoursleftbeforethesunrose.IturnedtheTVonto“ILoveLucy”rerunsandplannedonlyingin
beduntilIpassedout.

“I’msotired—figuratively,Iguess.Idon’tfeelallthatphysicallyexhausted,butyouknowwhatI

mean?”

“Well,”Benjaminsaid,pullingmeclosertohim.Ismelledhiscitrus-spicescentandtookabig

whiff,enjoyingthesensation.“Youfoughtforourlivesyesterday.IthinkyoudeservealittleRandR.”

“That’sright—Idodeservetobelazyforatleastafewmorehours.Tomorrow,I’llbebacktomy

vivaciousself.”

Afterawhile,Itoldhimaboutthevisitfromtheimmortalbeing.“Whatifshedoesn’twanttogo

backtotheunderworld,andkilltheking,andreignforamillionyears,andallthat?”Iasked.

“Theymightkeeptryingtokillheranyway,”hesaid.
“Butmaybetheimmortalbeingcankeephersafeandofftheirradar.Whatifheisthebestthing

forher?”

“I think it best we don’t get involved in that. Right now, we focus only on stopping the demon

invasion.Andthat’sfindingher.I’vebeenworkingwithJeremiahforalongtime.Itrusthisjudgment.”

“Butwhatifhisattachmenttoher—hisfeelingsforher,havecloudedhisjudgment?”
“Timewilltell,”Benjaminsaid.
IthoughtabouttellingBenjaminaboutmywalkinginasunnyroomandnotburningup—rightaway

atleast,butIknewitwouldentailalongconversation;andIdidn’thavethestaminaforitatthetime.

Thatdiscussionwouldhavetowaitforanothernight.

Sixteen:Domino

I’mstandinginthecenterofthesecondfloorbedroom.Thelightsaredim,castinglongshadows

acrossthelightbluewalls.Fifteenexcitedtouristssurroundmeonmyghosttour.Threenightsaweek,I
leadtheeagercrowdsthoughtheoldhouseandgivethemaglimpseofthedead.Whiletheyseefurniture
shift, vases rattle, and the occasional misty floating cloud, I can see the actual ghost. The dead don’t
appearassolid-lookingasthelivingthough,moretransparent,asiftheiropacitywastuneddown.

It’snotthatthehousewe’retouringisspecial.Therewasnohorrificfire,trappingsoulswithin

thewallsuntiltheendoftime,oranythinglikethat.Thetruthis,Icangiveatouranywhere.Simplyput,I
don’t just see the dead; I can summon them as well. Of course, I lay on the dramatics for the crowd.
“Would any spirits like to make themselves known?” I resist the urge to throw in an evil cackle. My
spectators today are already on edge as we are nearing the end of the tour. The teeny, tiny hairs on the
backoftheirnecksareonend.Someareevenholdingtheirbreaths.Alittlegirlappearsbeforeme.Ino
longer feel the shock that I did when I was younger and first saw dead children. Not that I’ve become
desensitized—theimagejustdoesn’ttormentmefordaysonendanymore.She’saghostthathasvisited
meoften.

“Hi,Sarah,”Isay,telepathically.
“HiDomino.Doyouwantmetoscarethem?”Shelooksupatmewithherwispygrayskinand

muted,blonde-whitehair.

IlaughbecauseSarahlovestoscarethetourists,especiallythegrown-ups.
“Sure,Sarah.Nothingtooscarythough,alright?Rememberwhatwetalkedabout?”
“Iknow,Iknow,”shesays.“Don’ttouch‘em.”
“Right. Thank you, Sarah.” She smiles enthusiastically and makes the curtains billow wildly,

thoughthewindowsareallclosed.

Thelightsflickeronandoff.Theyellowandwhitevaseinthecornerteetersbackandforthwitha

loud,clankingsound.

Somescreamandothersflashtheircamerasmadly,intheirattemptstocapturetheotherworldon

record.Aftersometime,thefrenzyintheroomdissipatesonlytoriseintheformofimpassionedchatter.
“Didyouseethat?”oneoftheparticipantsasks.“IthinkIfeltitwalkrightthroughme!”

“ThisconcludestheMagnoliaHousetour.Wethankyouforandappreciateyourparticipation.”I

say,usheringthetouristsoutoftheroomanddownthenarrowstairs.Whenwereachthefoyer,Itryto
speakoverthenoise.“Don’tforget,Ialsoconductséancesandone-on-onemediumchannelingservices.I
canreconnectyouwithalovedonewhohaspassedon.”Ihandoutabusinesscardtoeachpersonasthey
leavethehouse.Ialmostdon’twanttogivemycardtothemanstandinginthefarcorner.Thewayhe’s
lookingatmeisunsettling.Heturnshisface,asthoughrealizinghe’sbeenstaringatme,andIseealong
scarmarringtheleftsideofit.Somehow,thescarmakeshimmorehandsome.Iturnaway,notwantingto
berude.Whenthelastpersonhasexited,Ileanagainstthedoorandletoutabigpuffofair.

Isitdownintheparlor,relaxing,enjoyingafewmomentsofquietbeforethenextghostappears.

There’samenacingknockatthedoor.Immediately,I’msureoneofthetouristshasleftsomethingbehind.
Acamera,perhaps?Idon’tevenlookthroughthepeephole,Ijustopenthedoorwithanexasperatedlook
onmyface.

“Yes?”Isay,probablysoundingalittletoorude.Whatstaresdownatmeisstartling,tosaythe

least.Themanontheothersideofthethresholdisunequivocally,themostbreathtakingmanIhaveever
seen.TosaythatheisthemanofmydreamswouldnotdohimjusticebecauseIcouldneverhaveeven
imaginedsomeonecouldlookthisgood.WhatdoIdo?Domino,thesmoothestwomanofthemall?Ishut
thedoorinhisface.

Itaketwobreaths,shakingmyinitial,stunnedstupidityfrommybrainandopenthedooragain.

“Hello,mayIhelpyou?”
Hiseyesappeartoburninintensityasifalightbulblocatedbehindhisimpossiblygreenirises

was switched on. “Well, it appears that someone’s parents didn’t teach her basic etiquette,” he says,
dryly.

“Myparentsabandonedmeatbirth,butthanksforremindingme.”
His lips twitch, like he’s mildly amused by our repartee. “Then, neither of us has manners,” he

says.“Whydon’twestartover?”

“Yes.HowmayIhelpyou?Thetourendedafewminutesago.”
“I’mnothereforthetour.”
“Okay.”
“MayIcomein?”
“Isuppose.”Ibackawayfromthedoor,allowinghimwideberth.“So,you’rehere,because?”I’m

tiredandhemakesmeextremelynervous.IfI’mlucky,toomanyghostswon’tinterruptmetonight.They
alwayscometomeforme.

“Youcommunicatewiththedead,correct?Iwantyoutoconnectwithsomeoneforme.”Thefoyer

suddenly seems too small for the assertiveness of his voice and the way he towers over me. I am an
averagefive-foot,six,andthismanhasgottobeatleasthalfafoottallerthanI,oratleast,heappears
thatway.Heslideshishandsintothepocketsofhisdrawstringpants.He’swearingacrisp,whitedress
shirtthataccentuateshisgoldenskin.Helooksbohemianandmanly.

Itearmyeyesawayfromhismuscularbuildandrespond.“Myofficehoursaretena.m.tosixp.m.

I’dbehappytomakeanappointmentfortomorrow,oranotherday?”Ioffer,helpfully.

He looks me up and down, regarding me carefully. I shift my weight from one foot to the other,

feelinguneasy.

“Iwasthinkingyoucouldsqueezemeintoyourschedulethisevening.”
“Unfortunately…Mister?”
“Youcancallme,Adam.”
“Adam,Idon’thaveascheduletosqueezeyouinto,becauseIdon’tseepeopleatthishourofthe

night.”Heiscompletelyunfazed,andfrankly,Iviewitasdisrespectformyprecioustime.

“WhatifIpayyoufivetimesyourrate?”
“Five times?” Adam studies my face while I deliberate. It’s as if his eyes are taking a mental

surveyofme,circlingmyeyes,mynose,andthenmylips.

“Please?”hesays,finally.
“Well, since you said please,” I smile wryly, “you have just hired the services of Domino,

MediumExtraordinaire…me,”Isay,pokingfunatmyself.

“That’swhyI’mhere.Ihearyouarethebest.”
“I’malsogoodatpoker,”Isay,winking.Iwalkovertothestaircaseandstepuponmytiptoes.

“Molly?” I yell, letting my voice carry up three floors. A door opens upstairs before Molly pokes her
headovertherailing.

“Yes,dear?Everythingallright?”MollyadoptedmewhenIwasaninfant.Shediscoveredmeon

herporch,whichmadeperfectsense,sinceshecomesfromoneofthewealthiestfamiliesontheisland.
She’sanoldwomanwithabigheart.Iwouldbelostwithoutherthesepasttwenty-fouryears.

“Ihavealast-minutecustomer.Justlettingyouknow.”Myeyessay,“Youknow,incasethisguy

turnsouttobeamurderer.”

“Verygood,dear,I’mgoingouttomybookclubmeetinginjustaminute.”
“Havefun,Molly.”
“Youtoo,dear,”Mollysays,hereyebrowsrisingatthesightofmyguest.I’mnottheonlyonewho

thinkshelookslikehejustwalkedoutofaGQphotoshoot.

Iturnbacktomyclient.“Alright,that’sdone.Followmetomyoffice,please.”
“Certainly,Miss.”
“Domino,isfine.”
“Domino,”hesays,tryingoutmyname.
Adamfollowsmeintomyoffice.Iloveitinhere.Itrytokeepitlookingpractical,professional,

andcomfortable.Mollyhasalotofantiquefurniturelyingaroundthehouse.Overtheyears,Ihavetaken
the liberty of furnishing and refurnishing my small office space. The wood floors in the office are dark
mahogany.Thewallsarealmostentirelyoccupiedbyoldbookshelvesthesamecolorasthefloor.Most
ofthebooksareMolly’s,althoughIhaveafewrowsofmyown.Theofficesitsatonecornerofthehouse
with two large windows, draped in heavy curtains, the color of bruised eggplant. I have a desk in one
corner,butIrarelymakeuseofit.Rightnow,it’slitteredinpapersandbooksIhaven’tbotheredtoput
away.

Thereareonlytwooptionsforsittingintheoffice.OneofthemisaBergère,anoldchaircovered

inmustard-yellowfabric.ThesecondisaChesterfieldsofa,thesamecolor.Theyalmostdon’tmatch,but
theyarecomfortableandthat’swhatmatters.ImotionforAdamtotakeaseatonthesofaandIsettleinto
mychair.

“HowmayIhelpyou?”
“Whatinformationdoyouneedinordertocommunicatewiththedeceased?”Heleansforward,

studyingmewithinterest.

“Anameshouldbesufficient,alongwiththecircumstancesoftheirdeath.Thelocationhelpstoo.”
Helooksimpressed.“Astounding.”
Hisgoldenbrownandblondehair,fallingdowntohisshoulders,ismesmerizing.He’slikesome

sortofbeautiful,goldengod.“Whomwouldyouliketocontact?”Iask.

He leans back, resting his elbow on the armrest and cradling his face into his open palm. If I

didn’tknowanybetter,Iwouldthinkhejustwantscompany.Thisisallverystrange.Whywouldhepaya
lotofmoneyjusttosithereandtalktome?

“Let’sjustsayI’mdoingresearch,andI’dliketoknowmoreaboutwhatitisyoudohere.”
“Idon’tthinkso,”Isay,standingupabruptly.“Ithinkitbestifyouleave,Adam.”
“I’veoffendedyou,”hesays,alsostanding,hisfacefullofconcern.
“The last time someone asked me about my process, or my work, it was a lawyer. Their client

suedmefornotchannelingtherightdeadperson.Thecasedidn’tgoanywhere,butitwasapaininmy
behind.”

He smiles. If I said he was beautiful before, that image now pales in comparison to when he is

smiling.Ohmy,IknowIwillbedreamingabouthimfordaystocome.

“I’mnotalawyer,Domino.I’msimplycurious.”
“Idon’tknow,”Isay,headingforthedoor.“SeemsstrangetobesointerestedinwhatI’mdoing.”
“Ihavealotoftimeonmyhands.”
“It’sgettingdark,”Isay,alittlespookedbythisconversationwiththispainfullygorgeousman.
Iwatchashewalkstothewindowandpullsthecurtainback,noddingtohimself.“Itwillbedark

withinthehour.”

HeturnsaroundtolookatmeandIlaugh,fullofnerves.Hesmilestoo,andforamoment,Icatch

afleetinglookonhisface,likehe’stryingtomakeadecision.Atfirst,Ithinkhemightgrabme,throwme
overhisshoulder,andrunaway.

Thatwouldbecrazy,though.
“I’llbeseeingyouagain.”
“Okay.”Iguess.
“Wouldyouliketoseemeagain?”heasks,thoughIfeelasthoughhe’snotgivingmeachoice.

“Sure.Whynot?”Hedoesn’tseemlikeacreeporanything.Idon’tthink.
IshowAdamout,lockingthedoorbehindhim.Notevenmymanyencounterswithghostseverfelt

asweirdasmeetingAdam.Iwalkupthewoodenstairsoneflightandopenmybedroomdoor.Sittingon
mybedisawoman,aghost,rather,crying.

Man,thecryingghostsalwaystakethemostwork.

Seventeen

The porch to the demon woman's home was skillfully decorated with potted plans on all the

cornersandhangingoneithersideofthedoor.Itwaseasytofindheraswell.

When Jeremiah woke up, he spoke to the front desk agent. "I've heard of a woman who

communicateswiththedead.HernameisDomino,Ithink."

"Oh yes, if we try, we can get you an appointment for tomorrow. She books up quickly, so it's

alwaysgoodtocallahead.”

"IthinkI'lljustdropby,"hetoldthem."Doyouhaveheraddress?”
The manager wrote the address down on a Post-it note for him and he waited until the late

afternoontogo.Apparently,Dominoalsoranghosttoursoutofherhome.Quitetheenterprisingwoman,
ifyouaskedme.

"Domino,"Jeremiahsaid,“isThana—I’msureofit.Ihaven’tseenherinhundredsofyears,butI

wouldrecognizeheranywhere.”

"Shedoesn'tknowwhoshereallyis,"Ipointedout."Onlymakessensethathernamewouldbe

different.”

Iknockedonthedoor,althoughthesignclearlysaid,CLOSED.Whenshedidn'tanswer,Ilooked

at my watch. It was only nine o' clock, so I doubted she was asleep. I looked back at the car waiting
acrossthestreet.

Finally,Iheardfootstepsontheothersideofthedoor."Molly,"shesaid,hervoicesweet."Isthat

you?Didyouforgetyourkey?"

"No,mynameisOlivia.Iwashopingyoucouldhelpmewithsomething."
"Ma'am,I’mafraidI’mclosed.Pleasecomebacktomorrowduringworkinghours.”
“Iknow,butIdon’thavealotoftime.Ineedyourhelptonight.”
“Whatiswithtoday?”Iheardhersayfromtheothersideofthedoor.
“I’llpayyoudoublewhatyouusuallycharge,”Isaid.“I’msureitwon’ttakelong.”Ijustneeded

togetinthere.Then,Ihadtofigureoutsomewaytogethertotrustme.

Dominosighed,unlockingthedoor.Sheopenedthedoorslowly,asifwantingtogetagoodlook

at me before making her final decision. Benjamin was right—sending a non-threatening woman like me
wasthebestwaytogo.

“Alright,comein,”shesaid.
“Thankyou.MynameisOliviaDahl.”WeshookhandsandIfollowedherdownahallwayand

intoastudy,decoratedinpurplesandvaryingshadesofgold.

“Whatisitthatyouneed?”
“Well,youspeaktoghosts,correct?”
“Yes.Istheresomeoneinparticularyou’dlikemetoconnectyouwith?”
Ihadn’tplannedongoingthroughwithanactualséance,butnowthatIwashere,Icouldn’tresist.

This woman was serene, comforting, and captivating all at the same time. Her purple eyes were
somethingstraightoutofsciencefictionandherhairwaslikeblack,patentleathershoes.

“Mymother,”Isaid.
“Alright,”shesaid,leaningforward.Shetookmyhandinhers.“Ineedaconnectionwithyou.”
I nodded and watched as she rolled her head forward and back, like she was practicing some

relaxationtechnique.

“Hername?”
“MarieDahl.”Icouldn’thelpmymisgivingsaboutdoingthis.IknewIshouldn’tstrayfromthe

plan.

Afterwhatseemedlikeaneternity,sheopenedhereyesandstaredatmewiththoseroyalpurple

eyes.

“Ican’tconnectyouwithherbecausesheisnotinlimbo.Icanonlycommunicatewiththeghosts

thatarestillstuckinlimbo.”

Icouldn’tstopmyfacefromfalling.Iwasexcited—apprehensive,yes,butexcitedallthesameat

thepossibilityofcommunicatingwithmymotheronelasttime.

“Thisisagoodthing,”shesaid,pettingmyhand.“Restassured,Olivia.Sheisatpeace.”
Slowly,herhandretreatedfrommyown.“Whatareyou?”sheasked.HervoicesolowImightnot

haveunderstoodherquestionifIweren’tavampire.

“Whatdoyoumean?”Iasked.
“Idon’tknowhowtobreakthistoyou—butyou’redead.You’renotaghost—butyou’redead.”
Icouldn’thelplaughing.“Youcantellthat?”
Shenoddedgravely.“Butyouknewthatalready,”shecorrectlysurmised.
Inodded.“Yes.I’vecometotalktoyouaboutsomething.”
“But,whatareyou?”sheasked.
“I’ll get to that, but first, let’s talk about you. Have you ever wondered why you can speak to

ghosts?”

“Ofcourse—everyday.Here,Iwanttoshowyousomething,”shesaid,standingandgoingtoher

desk.Sherummagedthroughseveraldrawersbeforeretrievingasmallwoodenboxwithflowerspainted
on the sides. She came back to sit with me on the sofa and opened the box—removing several
photographs.

Dominolaidthephotographsoutinarowacrosstheseatcushionthatseparatedus.“Thereisa

man that lives nearby. He’s a scuba diving instructor, but he also considers himself a kind of historian.
Alwayslookingattownarchivesandwhatnot.He’sthetypeofguywhogoestothecemeteryanddoes
thosegravestonerubbings.He’sextraordinary,however,whenitcomestoresearch.”

Istudiedthefourphotographs.TheywereallofDomino,oratleast,someonethatlookedexactly

like her. The only difference was that they were all taken in different decades, even from different
centuries.

“He stumbled across these photographs and brought them to me. Tell me, do you know anything

aboutthem?”

Inodded.“Yes,Ido.”
Shesmiled,herfacelightingupandfillingwithwarmth.“Wouldyoulikesomecoffee?”
“No,thankyou.Ican’tdrink…stuff.”
“Oh,right.Howrudeofme.You’redead.”
“I’mmorelikehalf-dead.But,enoughaboutme.Let’stalkaboutyou.”
Ihadn’tdecidedupuntilthatmomentexactlyhowmuchIwasgoingtotellher.Ididn’tfeellikeit

wasmyplacetotellheraboutthebadthingthatshedid.“Yoursoulhasbeenreincarnated,overandover
againforthepastthousandyears.Yourpurposeinlifeistohelpghosts.”

Domino folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in her chair. “Do you mind if I have

somecoffee?”

“No.Please,don’tletmestopyou.”
“Idon’tevenlikecoffeethatmuch,butIlikecreamandsugar.Peoplethinkyou’restrangethough,

ifyoujustdrinkmilkandsugarallthetime.”

Shelefttheroom—presumablytogotothekitchen.
“CanIjoinyou?”Iasked,callingafterher.
“Oh,ofcourse!”shesaid.
I followed her to the kitchen. It was small and looked like it hadn’t been remodeled since the

sixties.Shealreadyhadapotbrewed,butithadcooled.Shepouredcoffeeintoamug,filleditgenerously
withcreamandmicrowaveditforthirtyseconds.Shetookthemugout,scoopedseveraltablespoonsfull

ofsugarintoit,andstirredvigorously.

“The key,” she said, “is to add the sugar when it’s hot. It’s better that way.” She took a sip and

smiled,pleasedwithherconcoction.“So,whatamI,then?”

“You’rehuman—youjusthavespecialabilities.”
“Andwhatareyou?”sheasked.
Shewastakingthingssowell,thatIfigurednowwasasgoodatimeasevertotellher.“Alright,

listen.I’mnotgoingtohurtyou.Okay?”

“Okay?”shesaid,takingatinysipofherscaldingcoffee.
“I’mavampire.I’moneoftheundead.That’swhyIsaidIwashalf-dead.I’mkindofcaughtin

betweenthetwo.”

“Kindofliketheghosts,”shemused.
“Yes,Iguess.Justmore…”
“Fleshy,”shesuggested,finishingmythought.
“Youarespecialandunique.Therearepeoplethatwanttodoyouharm,aswellaspeoplethat

wanttohelp.MyfriendsandIwanttohelpyou.”

Shenoddedasthebackdoorburstopen—orrather,splinteredasthelocktwistedbeforegetting

smashed.DominoscreechedandtossedthehotcoffeeinBenjamin’sface.

“Wait,no!He’smy…”
Benjaminwipedthecoffeeoffhisfacewithhishand.“I’myourwhat?”
“I don’t know. Boyfriend sounds so weird for some reason. Domino, this is Benjamin—another

vampire.He’sagoodguy.”

“Notime,”hesaid,“threedemonssurroundingthehouse.”
“Demons?”Dominoasked.
“Wehavetwomenoutthere.Icameintowarnyou.”
After a few minutes, Thomas and Jeremiah walked into the house through the broken door.

Benjamin tried to fix the door, but was only able to get it back into the doorframe. It wasn’t properly
secured,butitwouldhavetodofornow.

Thomas introduced himself to Domino, but Jeremiah was acting strange. For starters, I had to

makealltheintroductions.HestaredintoDomino’seyesinawaythatIthoughtmightcreepherout,but
shewassoopenthatshedidn’tseemtomind.

“Youcametothetourtoday,”shesaid.“Irecognizeyou.”
“Iwantedtomakesureitwasyouwewerelookingfor,”hesaid.
“I’mgladyouallfoundme,”shesaid,pausingtostareoffintothespacebetweenthedoorandthe

kitchencounter.“Nowisnotagoodtime,”shesaidtonooneinparticular.

“I’msorry?”Isaid.
Sheturnedherattentiontome.“It’sjustaghost.Don’tworry.HeunderstandsthatI’mbusyright

now.Don’tyou?”sheasked,againspeakingtosomethingtherestofuscouldnotsee.

“Wehavetogo.Therecouldbemoredemonsontheway,”Thomassaid,hishandsrestingonhis

hips.

“Oh,” she said, tucking the hair behind her ears. “I’d love to go with you all, but I couldn’t do

somethinglikethat.”

“We’reheretokeepyousafe,”Jeremiahsaid.
“Icanseethat.It’sjust,I’vetriedtoleavetownbefore.Ican’t.Iliterallyjustcan’t.”
Thefrontdoorunlockedandwealllookedateachother.
“That’sMolly;don’tscareher."
“AndwhoisMolly?”Iasked.
“Sheraisedme.Idon’tknowwhomyparentsare—whichmakesperfectsensenow.”

“Domino?”WeheardMollycallingfromthehallway.
“Inthekitchen!”sheholleredback.
Molly stepped into the kitchen and looked from Domino, to me, to Benjamin, then Thomas, and

finallyJeremiah.

ItwashardtorecognizethefeaturesrightawaybecauseMollywasanolderwoman.Herhairwas

almostcompletelywhiteandherbackhunchedforwardslightly.Butshewasademon,alright.

“Jeremiah,”shesaid.“Ithoughtitwasabouttime.”
“Anya!Whatasurprise.”
“Molly,youknowthesepeople?”
“Justthisone,dear,”shesaid,pointingtoJeremiah.
“TherearepeopleafterDomino,”hesaid.“Weneedtotakeherwithus.”
“Shesaysshecan’tleave,though.”Ididn’tlikehowwewerealltalkingaboutDominolikeshe

wasn’tthere.ButevenIcouldn’thelpdoingit.Iwouldhavebeenbitchingupastormbynow,ifIwere
she.

“She’sright.Shecan’tleaveonherown.You’llhavetotakeher.”
Whatdidthatevenmean?Iwondered.
“Domino, why don’t you go pack a bag?” Molly said. “I know this one,” she said, pointing to

Jeremiah.“You’llhavetogowiththemnow.”

Dominonoddedandstartedforthestairs.
“I’llhelpyou,”IheardJeremiahsayashefollowedclosebehindher.
Ifhewasn’tcareful,hecouldquitepossiblyoverwhelmDomino.Anymoreattentionfromhimand

hewasgoingtoturnintoastalker.Ididn’tlikejustwaitingaroundaswewere.Threedemonsonlymeant
thatmorewerecoming.And,ifthedemonsknewwherewewere,thenNatasha,couldknowmylocation
aswell.Benjamincameupbehindme,pressinghisbodyintomyback.Ileanedintohim,relyingonhis
support.Itdidn’tfeelrighttocallhim“myboyfriend.”Somethingmoredistinguished,like“eternallover”
soundedmoreappropriate.

“Molly,quickquestion.WhatdoesDominomeanwhenshesaysthatshecan'tleave?”
“Yes,that.WhatevertheydidtoDominohasherboundtothisarea.I'vebeenwatchingoverher

forathousandyears.I'vetakenseveralformsandDominoandIhavejoinedforcesattimes.”

“Yikes!Whatdidyoudotogetthisgig?”
Mollylookedatmecuriously.“Theonlyconstantisthatshe'sboundtotheareawealwaysendup

in.”

Thomasleftthekitchen.“I’mgoingtowalkaroundoutside,”hesaid.
“Sooo,helpmeouthere,Molly.Anyideasthatmighthelpusgetheroutofhere?”
“AsIsaidbefore,mydear.You'lljusthavetotakeherwithyou.”
“Molly,”Benjaminsaid,“howwellinformedareyouwiththetimeline?Doyouknowhowmuch

timewehavebeforeDomino'ssentenceexpires?”

Mollysighed,andIcouldseeforthefirsttimethatthiswomanwasancient.Howmanyliveshad

shelived?“Bytheendofthisyear.I’mafraidIcan’ttellyoumorethanthat.It’sdifficult,aftersomany
years,tokeepaclearrecordinmymind.”

“Ofcourse,”Benjaminsaid.“Iunderstand.”
“I’dnevermetoneofthevampiresuntilnow,”shesaid.“Allthetroublecaused…”
“Iwasthere,”Benjaminsaid.“Fromthebeginning.Wedidnotcausethetrouble.Thatwomandid,

withherrecklessness.”

“Oh,myboy,”Mollysaid,hereyebrowsdrawingtogether,“thatwomanuptheredoesn’tknowthe

first thing about her past lives. She’s a good person, means well, and does the best she can with those
darnghoststhatplaguehereverylifetime.”

“There’sawaroutthere,”Isaid.“Thedemonsaretearingthroughthecity.”
“Youwanttoseatherontopofthethrone?”Mollyasked.“Betterhopesheremembersherpast

life.Betterhope—sheremembers.Thatonethere,”shesaid,pointinguptowardthesecondfloor.“She
doesn’thaveitinher.”

Ilikedthisoldlady.Shewassweetandgrandmotherlylikemylategrandparents,butshealsohad

afeistybitetoher.“Molly,”Iasked,“WhatwillhappentoyounowifDominogoeswithus?”

“I’ll remain here until my term is up; then I can return to the underworld.” She shrugged and

smiledasifsheweretalkingaboutagameofbridgeandnottheterminationofherthousand-yearcharge.

DominocamedownfromupstairsrightthenwithJeremiahbehindher.Hewascarryinghercandy-

apple-redsuitcase.“Molly,doyoumindifIuseyoursuitcase?”

“Ofcoursenot.Takewhateveryouneed,dear.”MollyapproachedDominoslowlyanddrewher

into a hug. “You have to go with these people,” she said. “Listen to what they say, but follow your
instincts.Theywillaskyoudotobravethings,butjustremember…youweredestinedforgreatness.”

AtearescapedDomino,travelingslowlydownhercheek.“WillIeverseeyouagain,Molly?”
“Yes,dear.Ifeverythingturnsoutforthebest,thenyes.”
I suspected that Molly was talking about the underworld. Would they be reunited in the

underworld? I hoped so. Then, I got the strangest feeling. We just assumed that Domino would make a
betterleaderoftheunderworld.Weallhopedthatherresentmentandangeratbeingheldcaptiveonearth,
separatedfromthemansheloved,wouldnotturnherintosomethingworsethanthecurrentking.Forall
weknow,however,shecoulddamntheunderworldaswellasours.

ThomasreturnedandnoddedsomesecretvampiresignthatIassumedmeantthecoastwasclear.

HowcomeIwasnevertaughtthesecretvampiresignals?Benjaminmovedtostandnexttome.Ithought
about how I would feel if they took me away from him for a thousand years. Yeah… I would be pretty
pissedoff.Iwasnottheonethatwantedtobreakthenewstoherthough,that’sforsure.

“Weshouldleave,”Jeremiahsaid.
“Wehavetotakeherwithus.Shecan’tleavevoluntarily,”Benjaminsaid.
“Whatdoesthatmean?”Dominoasked.
Thomas stepped forward, picked Domino up by the waist, and threw her over his shoulder. “I

thinkitmeansthatwetakeherwithus.”

“Oh,”DominoandIsaidinunison.
ThomascarriedherouttotheSUVandshesatinthebackseatwithJeremiahandme.Shebarely

spokemorethanafewwordsduringthedrive.IwasgladIvolunteeredtositinthemiddlebecausethe
scenerycaptivatedheraswedroveby.Itwasn’tspecialoranything—lotsofhighwayandafewroadside
baitshops.Nottomentionthatitwasdarkoutside,butshewashappyjustthesame.

Natasha was heavy on my mind. “What is it that she wants with the demons’ help?” I asked.

“What’sinitforher?”Wewerealltogether.Mightaswellhaveabrainstormingsession.

“WhoisNatasha?”Dominoasked.
“She’savampire,”Isaid.
“Terriblepersonality,”Thomasclarified.
“Sheisoneofthepeoplethatisafteryou.We’regoingtostopherthough.”
“Ican’timaginewhyanyonewouldbeafterme,”Dominosaidsweetly.
The car was silent. Jeremiah had unanimously been elected as the one that would tell her

everything—hejustdidn’twanttoexplainittoherwithanaudience.

Hehesitated.
“Domino,youusedtobeademonlikeme,andlikeMolly.Youweregivenasoulandmadeintoa

human. Soon, however, you will be changed back into a demon and there are some people—like the
vampire,Natasha,andotherdemonsthatdon’twanttoseethathappen.Thereasonisbecausewhenyou

wereademon,youhadextraordinarypowersandthesepeopledon’twanttoseethosepowersrestoredto
you.”

Domino focused her attention back on the fleeting scenery, and it wasn’t until two miles passed

beforeshereplied.“Thisisallveryinteresting.”

Assimpleasthat.
Everyone was moving into Benjamin’s house. Well, everyone except for Thomas. Of course,

JeremiahinsistedthathisplacewasbyDomino’sside.Hewouldbemovingintothefightroom.There
wasafutonintherethathecouldsleepon.Dominowouldsleepintheguestbedroom,whichwasmyold
room.Itfeltlikealongforty-eighthourshadpassed.Thomasstoppedatthefootofthelongdrivethatled
upthehouseandwegotoutandwatchedhimdriveaway.

ThedrivewaytoBenjamin’shomewaslongandstraight.Itloopedaroundintoacircularfinishso

thatyoucouldturnandleavethehouseeasilywithouthavingtobackyourcarupthewholeway.Inthe
middleofthisloopwasaratherlarge,butbeautiful,landscapingmasterpiecethatobscuredtheviewof
thehouse.So,itwasn’tuntilwehadnearlywalkedrightuptothehouse,thatInoticedLaura’scarwas
waitingforus.Shewassittinginthefrontseat,readingabook.

“Ohno,”Isaid.“Howlongdoyouthinkshe’sbeenhere?”
“Sinceitgotdark?”Benjaminsuggested.
Lauradidn’thearuswalkingup,soIknockedonthecarwindow.Startlingher,shelookedhappy

enoughtoseeme.Sheopenedthecardoor.“I’vebeenwaitingforyou.”

“Hi,”Isaid,surprisedshewasn’tangrywithmeforditchingheratherapartment,aftershe’dbeen

kindenoughtotakeusin.“Youshouldhavecalled.It’sdangerousforyoutobehereoutherebyyourself.”

“Where’sThomas?”sheasked,lookingfrommetoBenjamin.
Ohboy.
“Hejustdroppedusoff.Why?”IsaidfollowingBenjaminuptothedoor.“Domino,”Isaid,not

wantingtoberude,“thisismyfriend,Laura.”

“It’snicetomeetyou,”Dominosaid.
Laura barely acknowledged her. “Hi,” she said quickly. “I wanted to see Thomas.” She was

holdingherwristwithherotherhand,unconsciouslycaressingthespotwherehe’dformerlybittenher.

“Whydon’twegoinside?”Benjaminsuggested,unlockingthedoor.
“AndThomas?”Lauraasked.
“He’scomingback,”Benjaminlied.“Comeinsideandwe’llwaitforhim.”
Whywashelyingtoher?Thomaswasn’tplanningoncomingbackforthenight.Ididn’tlikehow

Laura looked at all. She had dark circles under her eyes and her hair was oily and out of place. Her
clothes,Ithought,lookedwrinkledandmayhavebeenthesameclothesshewaswearingthenightIsent
her out for flashlights and batteries. That was more than twenty-four hours ago. Was she waiting for us
outsidethiswholetime?

Inside,Meowsercamerunninginfromtheotherroom.Hewasmeowingupastormandprobably

upsetthatwe’dlefthimaloneforsolong.

“I’llfeedthecat,”Benjaminsaid.
“See?”Isaid.“Iknewyou’dwarmuptohim.”
“Ijustwanthimtostopmeowing.”
“Iwasspeakingtothecat,notyou,”Isaid,leadingDominototheguestbedroom.
DominolikedherroomwellenoughandIwatchedherunpackherthingsforaminute.
“Domino,I’mgoingtogiveyouaquickVampire101.”
“Okay,shoot,”shesaid.
“Benjamin, Thomas and I, need to sleep during the day. We kind of pass out and it’s weird, but

nobody’sperfect.Right?”

“WhataboutJeremiah?”
“No, he’s a demon and he doesn’t have such problems. So, during the day, don’t open our

bedroomdoorforanything.We’llbetotallyoutofitassoonasthesuncomesup.”

Boy,Ithought.WewereputtingalotoftrustintoJeremiah,andnowDomino.Iftheywantedto,

theycoulddragourbodiesoutintothesuninthemiddleoftheday.Ididn’twanttothinkthatwayabout
myfriends,butIguessmysurvivalinstinctwasprettystrong.

I practically had to force Jeremiah to stay out of her room for a while. “She needs a little time

alone,”Iwarnedhim.“Lethergetusedtohernewsurroundings.”

Henoddedandretreatedtothekitchentodrinkwater.Thefridgeandpantrywouldneedstocking

if Domino was going to be living here, I thought. Jeremiah, it seemed, only ate every once in a while.
Mostly, he drank water, I noticed. Domino, however, was human and would need normal things like
breakfast,lunch,anddinner.

I’dworryaboutthattomorrow,though.Fornow,Ineededtofigureoutwhatwasgoingonwithmy

bestfriend.Shesatinthelivingroom,watchingthenews.

“Haveyoubeenwatchingthis?”sheasked.
Movingtothelivingroom,Istoodnexttothesofaandwatchedthenewsreporterinherredblazer

talking about the greater Miami area. This included all the cities surrounding Miami and the beaches.
Homiciderateswereupastaggeringtwohundredpercent.

“Theseimagesmaydisturbsomeviewers,”thenewsanchorsaid.
They actually showed the dead bodies on TV. Gross! They would show anything on television

thesedays.ThenewssponsorswerewillingtoputanythingonTVaslongastheyfrightenedthepeople
andincreasedratings.Although,thistime,itwasprobablybetterifthepeoplewerescaredtoleavetheir
houses.

Thebiggestmystery?Thecoroner’sofficecouldn’tdetermineacauseofdeath.Expertsbelieved,

however, it was the work of a large group of people—a cult perhaps. But that was just speculation, of
course.Authoritieshadnofreakin’cluewhattheyweredealingwith.

“OhLaura,”Isaid.“Don’twatchthis—it’sterrible.”
SheturnedtheTVoff.“I’lljustsithereandwaitforThomas,then.”
Locking eyes with Benjamin from across the room, I beckoned him to meet me in our bedroom.

“What’shappenedtoher?”Iasked.

“I’veseenthishappenbefore.Thomasdidnothypnotizehertoforgettheblood-sucking.”
“Oh!” I said, surprised we’d all forgotten that little detail. “You’ll wake up feeling like you’re

sickoryou’vehadtoomuchtodrink,blah,blah,blah.”

“Yes,”hesaid.“She’scravingforhimtobiteheragain.Youknowhowgooditfeelstobebitten.”
Inodded,knowingexactlywhathemeant.Ihadneverbeenintoanysortofroughplayduringsex,

buttherewassomethingaboutavampire’sbitethatcoulddrivemeupthewall.PoorLaura,whathadI
donetoher?

Benjamin sat on the edge of the bed and I stood in front of him. He rested his head against my

abdomen,andIstrokedhisneckwithmyfingers.Hisarmsslidaroundmywaistandhishandsfoundtheir
wayaroundtocupmybottom.

“I’llhypnotizehernow.I’veseenthistypeofthingbefore.I’llbehonest,Olivia.Itdoesn’talways

endwell.Theaddictiontothebitecanbepowerful.”

“Don’tsaythat.”
“Iwilltry,”hesaid.
Iletoutasighofrelief.
“Youandyourhumangestures,”hesaid.
“Ithoughtitwasoneofthethingsyoulikedaboutme,”Isaid.

“Yes,Ifinditamusing.”
Ourheadssnappedinthedirectionofalargecrashcomingfromtheothersideofthehouse.
We reached the living room in a flash. Jeremiah lay in the middle of a pile of rubble that was

previouslythediningroomtable.Thecrashweheardwashisbody,beingthrownagainstthemahogany
table. The wood splintered all around him. His left arm was twisted and hanging limp. His breathing,
however,wasstrong,anditrelievedme,knowinghewasstillalive.Laura,whowasstuckintheliving
room, looked like a deer caught in the headlights. She was crouching down behind the ottoman with
Natashastandingoverher.

Thiswasnotthemostidealhidingplace.Sheshouldn’tevenbehere.MaybeIshouldhavetaken

Benjamin’s advice from the beginning and faked my own death. Laura would have been better off that
way.Nowshewastryingtohideinthemiddleofavampireshowdown.IonlyhopedthatLaurawould
stayintheroomlongenoughformetokillthisbitch,Natasha.

“DidIforgettomentionthatyou’renotwelcomehereanymore?”Iasked.
“Oh,Olivia,”shesaid,withmaniacallaughter,“thebestpartisthatIdon’tevenhavetokillyou.I

canjustwatchwhiletheothersdoitforme.”

“Theywon’ttouchherafterwetellthemyou’reresponsibleforthedemons.”
“Youthinkthey’llcare?You’veobviouslybeenspendingtoomuchtimewiththisone,”shesaid.

“See?I’vemadeadealwiththeunderworld.”Shestuckherhipouttoonesideandsmiled—obviously
pleasedwithherself.“IfIkillthewould-bequeen,thekingcontinueshisreign,andletsmebackintothe
underworld.There,Iwon’tbeaslave,forcedtosleepduringtheday,andhe’spromisedtotakemeas
hisqueen.”

Jeremiahlaughedfromthemoundofsplinters.Itwasalow,desperatesoundashewasquitehurt.

“He’slyingtoyou.Theyabhorthevampires—tothem,youareanabomination.Theyareplayingyoufora
fool!”

“Let’sfindout.Shallwe?”ShemadehermoveandheldLaurainherarms—hanginginfrontof

herlikearagdoll.Laurakickedandscreamed,butNatashakeptheriron-likegripacrossherarms.

“It’sallbutovernow,”Natashasaid.
“Leave her alone!” I yelled. “She has nothing to do with this.” Laura’s brown eyes were wide

withterror.Ididn’twanttoattackNatashahead-onforfearitmightgetLaurakilled.

“Shehaseverythingtodowiththis,”Natashasaid.“Goodbye,Queenie.”
Natasha removed a large knife from behind her back and sliced right through Laura’s neck,

removingherheadentirely.

“No!”Iscreamed,flyingacrosstheroom.
NatashadroppedLaura’sbodyanditfelltothefloorwithherhead.SeeingLaura’sbodylikethat

snappedsomethinginsideme—myspirit.Myheart.Icrumbledtothefloorafterher,notcaringifNatasha
killedmetoo.

Benjamin was right behind me though and had a chance to ready a weapon. With Natasha’s

attention completely focused on me, Benjamin drove a chunk of the wood from the broken table right
through Natasha’s heart. I watched her body disintegrate before my eyes as I cradled Laura’s headless
corpseagainstmybody.

BenjaminwenttoputhisarmaroundmeandIrecoiledfromhim.“Don’ttouchme!”Iscreamed.
“Olivia,”Benjaminsaid,comingnearmeagain.
“Youdidthis!”Isobbed.“Youfuckingbastard!Thisisallyourfault.”
JeremiahrosefromthedebrisanddraggedhimselfacrossthehousetowardDomino’sroom.What

wasIgoingtodowithLaura’sbody?Sheneededaproperburial.Shedidn’tdeservethis.MyGod,she
didn’tdeservethis.

“Olivia,letmehelpyou,”Benjaminbegged.

“Getawayfromme!”Iscreamedback.
Hestoodup,walkedtothefrontdoorandleft.IheardthedoortoDomino’sroomopen.“Olivia?”
“Don’t come out here,” I said. Domino came into the living room anyway. “It’s bad,” I sobbed.

“It’sreallybad.”

Shebentdown,restingherweightononeknee.“I’veseenterriblethingsovertheyears,”shesaid.

“Theghosts.Theydon’talwayscomeoverpretty.”

Inodded.IthoughtIhadseenhorrificthingssinceI’dbeenturned—butI’dneverseensomeoneI

actuallylovedgetkilled.

“Thevampirethoughtyourfriendwasme,”shesaid,hervoicelowandquiet.
Inodded;Iwasn’tinthemoodtospareanyone’sfeelings.“Ineedtomovethebody,”Isaid,my

chest feeling like it was caving from the inside out. I could have changed her into a vampire if her
freakingheadhadn’tbeenchoppedoff.Natashawasclever—I’dhavetogiveherthat.

“Okay,”Dominosaid.“Let’sgetthatrugoverthereandwe’llusethattocoverherbody.”
Ilookedatherwithmyeyeswide.“Ican’tjustrollherbodyupinarug!”Thepitchofmyvoice

was rising. Was everyone around me losing his or her mind? Had everyone become so desensitized to
normalhumanemotions?

Dominotookmyhandsinhersandforcedmetolookintohervioleteyes.“Listentome,”shesaid.

“Yourfriend’ssoul—herspirit,hasleftalready.She’satpeacenow.”

“No,she’sinpieces!”Iprotested,wavingmyarmsaroundLaura’sbody.
“I’m telling you the truth. The essence that was once your friend has already passed on. This is

merelyherbody—hershell.”

Itookadeep,unnecessarybreathtocalmmynervesandnodded.Ididn’tneedtobreathe,butthe

familiarityofitstillmademefeelbetter.ThiswasDomino’sareaofexpertise.IfshesaidthatLaura’s
soulwasatrest,Ihadtobelieveitwastrue.Iwasreluctanttoleavethebody,butIneededtogettherug.
“HowisJeremiah?”

“He’llheal,”shesaid.
I looked down at Laura’s body again and then over to the bloody remnants of Natasha’s body.

Natasha had acted under false pretenses. In the end, each one of us was damned and hopelessly
victimized.

“I’llstaywithher,”Dominosaid.“Youcangettherugbyyourself.Right?”
Inodded,stoodup,andwalkedtothelivingroom.Movingthetableoutoftheway,Iremovedthe

largeOrientalrugfromtheflooranddraggeditovertothebody.

ThomasopenedthedoorandIsnappedmyheadup,readytokillthefirstintruderthatwalkedin.I

pausedwhenIsawThomas’face.

“Benjamincalled,”hesaid.
“Justgoaway.Allofyoudidthis,”Icried.
“Letmehelpyou.”
“I don’t need your help,” I said. Though, someone should remain with Domino and the injured

Jeremiah.“StayherewiththemwhileItakeLaura’sbodytoherapartment.I’mgoingtoleaveherbodyin
herbedsotheycanfindher.Then,they’llcallherparents,”Isaid,anothersobescaping.

“Gotakeamomenttoyourself,”Thomassaid.“I’llgetthebodyready.”
Iwasabouttosay,“No,”butIlookeddownatLaura’sremovedheadandknewIcouldn’tactually

rollmybestfriend’sbodyupinarug.Inoddedandlefttogotothebathroom.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I wondered how things could have gone so wrong. Girls with

brownhairandplainbrowneyesweren’tsupposedtoleadlivesfullofdanger.Laurawasdeadbecause
ofme.HowcouldIhaveletmyselfgetsowrappedupinthemanthatkilledme?Lauratriedtowarnme.
Sheknewitwasn’tagoodideafromthestart,andIjustkeptdraggingherdeeperintothemess.

Andnowshewasdead.Firstmyparents,andnowmybestfriend.Ididn’thaveanyfamilyleft.I

mightaswellbeactuallydead.No,IdeservedtobedoomedtoaneternityofrememberinghowIroyally
screwedLauraoutofherperfectlife.AndIhadn’tevengottenthesatisfactionofkillingNatashamyself.

In the living room, the body was nowhere in sight, and neither was Thomas. I opened the front

door.Hiscarwasn’tthere.“Bastard,”Isaid.

“Hethoughtitwouldbebestifhedidthisforyou,”Dominosaid.“Ibelieveheiscorrect.You

shouldn’thavetogothroughthisalone.”

Iranmyfingersthroughmyhair.“DoesJeremiahneedhelp?Oradoctor?”
Dominoshrugged.“Idon’tknow.Hesayshewillhealonhisown.Itwilltakehimafewdays.

Thomas,theotherman,gavehimsomeblood.Theysaidthatwouldmakehimokay.”

Inodded.“I’mgoingtomyroom.Weshouldbesafehereforthenight.”Therewasnooneelse

thatcouldfindus.

Istretchedoutacrossthebedandclosedmyeyestotheceiling.Ifeltlikeahugepartofmewas

missing.Theonlypersonthatgotme,reallyunderstoodme,wasnowdead.

Benjaminopenedthedoortothebedroom.Icaughthisspicycitrusscent.“Please,leave,”Isaid

withoutemotion.

“Olivia,”Benjaminsaid.“I’msorryforwhathashappened.”
“I’m sorry for what has happened,” I repeated back to him. “Not, I’m sorry that I got your best

friendkilled.”

Hedidn’tsayanything.
“Youdon’tcare.That’sallthereistoit.Humansarejustamealtoyou.That’sallIwas—justa

feeding.Right?YouknowwhatI’vebeenwondering?”Isaid,sittingupinthebed.

Benjamin was wearing one of his damned suits, of course, and his hair was combed neatly. He

lookedperfect,asalways.“Ifit’syourbloodthatallowsmetoreattachsouls,andthisprobablyhappens
becauseyouareafirstgenerationvampire,then,wouldn’tthatmeanthatyoucoulddoittoo?”

“Ineverthoughttotry,”hesaid.
“Exactly! Because you don’t give a shit! Just like you don’t give a shit about my… my… sister

gettingherhead.Chopped.Off!”

“Ifeelyourpain,”hesaid,comingcloser.
“No,youdon’t.You’rejustakiller—atakerandnowyou’vemademeonetoo.”
Heletmepasshimonmywaytothedoorwithoutincident.“Olivia.Wait,”hesaid.
“I’m leaving tomorrow.” I removed my purse from the nightstand and searched through the

contents,makingsureIstillhadakeytomyoldapartment.Technically,theleasewasn’tupforanother
fewdays.

“Jeremiahishurt,butheishealing.Dominoisokay.Idon’tcareifyouhelpthemornot.Thomas

tookLaura’s…bodytoherapartment.”

Benjamingrabbedmebythearmandswungmearoundtofacehim.Hegrippedmyshoulderswith

panic.“YouaskedmeonceifIloveyou.Ido,Olivia.Iloveyou.I’lldowhateveryouask.Staywithme.
Please.”

His words were tempting. Sadly, the one person that could make me feel better was the same

personIcouldn’tstandtoseeatthemoment.Itwasjustasbefore.Icouldneverforgivehimformaking
meintoavampire,butintheend,itdidn’tmatter.Icouldn’tignoreorchangethewayIfeltabouthim.I
hadnosayinthematter.Butthistime,Iwouldbestronger.Ididn’tcareifIwasmiserablefortherestof
eternitywithouthim.

“Youdon’tknowwhatloveis,Benjamin,”Isaid,feelinggenuinepityforhim.“AndwhatIwant

isforyoutoleavemealone.”

Iremovedmyselffromhisgraspandranthroughthehouse,lockingmyselfinthefightroom.He

couldhavecomeinafterme,buthedidn’t.JeremiahcouldsleepinthelivingroomforallIcared.Iwas
toocrazedtodriveofftonight.I’dstayinthefightroomandthenleaveatdark.Ilayonthefuton,already
missingBenjamin’scitrusscent,thefeelofhissuitfabricagainstmybareskin,andthewayhischinfit
perfectlyabovemyheadwhenInuzzledinclosetohisneck.

Tomorrow,Iwouldbestronger.Fornow,IsobbedintothemattressoverLaura’sdeath.Eternity

wouldnotbelongenoughtoforget.

Eighteen

Wakingupinthefightroomwasconfusinginitself.Asifmybrainwereshieldingmefrompain,I

momentarily blocked the events from the previous twenty-four hours from my head. Only momentarily.
ThenIremembered,Laurawasdead.Ireachedformyphone,andsureenough,Ihadamissedcallfrom
Laura’sbrother.WhatwouldItellhim?Ilookedatthetime,outofcuriosity,andthenIlookedatitagain,
indisbelief.Itcouldn’tpossiblybetheafternoon.

But it was. My phone and clock on the wall confirmed the time. I could still feel the electric

chargeintheair—thecracklingsoundthatverifiedthesunwasstillupandIwasawake.Iwentintothe
roomnexttothefightroom,theroomthatBenjaminandIshared.Hewasdeadtotheworld,restingunder
thethickbedsheets.Ishowered,brushedmyteethandcombedmyhair,allthewhilepleasedthatIwasnot
unconscious.Idressedinjeans,ablacktank-topandsandals.

I did not burst into flames when I left the sanctuary of the bedroom. I crossed the house to

Domino’sroomandknockedonthedoor.“Domino?”Icalled.

Therewasnoanswer.Itriedagainandthenfinallyopenedthedoor.Ifshewerehalfnaked,that

was too bad. She wasn’t anywhere in sight. Neither was Jeremiah. There was a trail of blood, leading
from the bedroom all the way to the front door. I recognized the scent, which grossed me out. Being a
bloodconnoisseurwasneveroneofmylife’sgoals.ItwasJeremiah’sblood.Thedemonshadtakenthe
pairinJeremiah’sweakenedstate.

Ihadnofreakingideawheretheywouldhavetakenthem,andThomasandBenjaminwouldn’tbe

upforafewhours.Ididn’tknowwhatelsetodo,soIstartedyelling.“Hey!Immortalguy?Hello!Can
youhearme?”

I opened the back door and screamed into the backyard. I didn’t care if the neighbors heard.

Whateverkindofpowerstheimmortalbeingpossessed,Ihopedthathehadthepowertomagicallyhear
mefromwhereverhewas.

“Ineedyourhelp!Hello?”
“Youdon’tneedtoyell,”hesaid,standinginmylivingroom.
“Holyhell!Youscaredmehalftodeath!”
“You’realreadythere.”
“Har-har.Theytookher!”
“Domino?”
“Yes,Domino.Wait,howdoyouknowhernameisDomino?”
“Igetaround,”hesaid.
“Well,whyweren’tyouheretostopthemfromtakingher?”
“AsIsaid.Iaminalotofplaces.Icannotkeepwatcheverywhereatonce.”
“Can you find her, then?” I asked, getting exasperated with the immortal being. “Do you have a

name,bytheway?”

“YoumaycallmeAdamandyes,Icanfindher.ButIcannotgetdirectlyinvolved.”
“Fine,don’tliftafinger.Justtakeme,ortellmewheresheis.”
“Whydoyoucare?”
“Idon’tknow.IwanttohelpherandIthinkshe’stheanswertostoppingthisdemonproblem.”
“Nowthatyourfriendisdead,youdon’twanttohelpothers.Remember?”
“Hey!Jerk!Getoutofmyhead.”
“Itcannotbehelped.”
“Well,samehere.Icare,okay?Itcan’tbehelped.It’swhoIamandthelongerwetalk,themore

dangerDominoisin.”

“Theywillnotkillheruntilshereturnstodemonform.”

“Yeah,Iknowthat,butnoonehasaclearideaastowhenthatdayis.ForallIknow,shecould

haveturnedbackintodemonformanhourago.”

“Youareoneofthegoodones,”Adamsaid.Hisgoldenhairlookedevenbetterinthedaytime.
“ThisiswhatI’vebeensaying!”
“TheonlyreasonIneverkilledtheonecalledBenjaminisbecausehedidnotwanttomakeany

newvampires.”

“Whywouldyouwanttokillhim?”Iasked.
“IhuntedandkilledalloftheoriginalvampiresthatDominocreated.”
“ExceptforBenjamin.”
Adamnodded.
“Areyougoingtokillhimnowsincehemademe?”
“Whatdoyoucare?Youwantedhimoutofyourlife.”
“That’sreallyannoying!Stopinvadingmymind.Andyoucan’tkillhim.”
Adamshruggedhisshouldersandcircledaroundme.“Readytogo?”
“Yes.”
Adamclosedinonmeinanembrace,pullingmeintohisbody.“Closeyoureyes,”hewhispered.
Idid.
I felt numb everywhere, like my entire body fell asleep for just under three seconds. When I

openedmyeyes,AdamandIwerestandingoutsideofawarehouse.Iwasstandingincompletesunlight,
andstillhadyettoburstintoflames.

“Icannotinterferehere,”hesaid.
“That’sfine,butcanyoutellmeonething?”
“YouareabletogooutintothesunbecauseBenjamin’sbloodgivesyouthatability.”
“It’sassimpleasthat?”
“There have been others. Most of the vampires do not continuously drink the blood of another

vampire,hence,theydonotusuallyrealizetheirability.Ifyoustayoutheretoolonginthesun,youwill
starttoburn.”

“Whydon’tvampiresdrinkeachother’sblood?”Iasked.
“Youhaven’tmetmanyvampires.Eventually,youwillnoticethattheydonotoftenpairupeither.

Notwitheachother,demons,orhumans.”

“ButwhataboutBenjamin,then?”
Adamshruggedhisshoulders.“Thereareexceptionstoeveryrule,”hesaid,disappearing.
Ifeltmybackpocketquicklyandthankedmyselfforrememberingtokeepmyphoneonmyperson

atalltimes.Iwasalreadystartingtofeelflushasthesunbegantoset.IsentBenjaminatextmessage,
tellinghimtheaddress.Iwasatawarehouseneartheairport.Luckily,thestreetnumberswerevisibleon
thesideofthebuilding.

Thedoortothewarehouseopenedintoapreliminaryoffice.Thereceptionistareawassmallat

theleftsideoftheroom.Thedoorbehindthereceptionist’sdeskledtotheactualwarehouse.Judgingby
the garbage strewn about and the dust collecting, my guess was the warehouse had been abandoned for
fivemonthsorso.

I caught the scent of Jeremiah’s blood—again, repulsed by my ability. I followed the scent,

walkingslowlythroughthewarehouse,keepingnearthesidesofthebuildingsandcamouflagingmyself
amongstthecratesandboxes.Securityappearedtoberelaxed,consideringitwasdaylightandtheydidn’t
expectanyvampirestobeoutandabout.

JeremiahandDominoweretieduptoacoupleofsteelpipes,boltedintothecementflooring.As

farasIcouldtell,therewasonlyonedemonwatchingtheprisoners.Icameinasfastasablurthatthe
guard never saw coming, and hit him in the head, hard. I used a metal pole that I’d found lying on the

ground.Jeremiahwascoveredwithalotofhisownbloodanditlookedlikehisarmhadbeenre-injured.

Domino,Iwashappytosee,appearedunharmed.Shelookedfrightened,butatleast,shewasstill

alive. I undid her chains first and then started my work on Jeremiah’s restraints, which were more
extensive.He’dtakenagoodbeating.Imean,really,wherewashegoingtogo?

“Ithoughtvampirescouldn’tgooutintothesun?”Dominowhispered.
“Wecan’t.I’mjusthavingoneofthosedays,youknow?”
Jeremiahhadtobecarriedoutofthere,butIcouldmovealotfasterifIcouldcarrybothofthem.

However, I couldn’t figure out the logistics of carrying both of them on my small frame. Jeremiah was
aboutsixfeettallandDominowastallerthanIbyaboutthreeinches.

IthrewJeremiahacrossbothofmyshouldersandtoldDominotofollowclosebehindme.“You

haven’tbeenturnedbackintoademonyet,right?”Iasked.

Sheshookherhead.
“Just checking,” I said. We sped out through the loading dock, and I saw that the sun was going

down,exceptthatitwasbrightandorangeasitdescended,causingmegreatdiscomfort.

Shit!Myskinwasgettingsohot,Ihadtofighttheurgetothrowallofmyclothesoff.Theview

fromtheloadingdocktoldmethatwewereinthemiddleofafairlypopulatedbusinesssection.Good
job,dumb-assdemons!Theyknewnothingaboutsubtlety.

Iwaslosingmystrengthjustasafewoftheworkersfromneighboringbusinessescaughtsightof

thebloodyJeremiahandlittleol’me,underhim,lugginghimalong.

“Ma’am!Letmehelpyou!I’mcallinganambulance,”onemansaid,dialinghisphoneasheran

over to me. Five other men rushed over from another building as my knees collapsed under me. No
freakingway!Thiswassonothappening.

All the yelling drew the demons out of the warehouse. The humans were just too irresistible to

them.Theycamedownfromthesecondfloorofthewarehouse,completelyunawarethattheirprisoners
were escaping. Instead, they were entirely focused on the small number of humans gathering on the
loadingdock.

“Wecanhandlethis,”Isaid,meaningDominoandI.“Standback,”Itoldthehumans.“Don’tcome

anycloser!”

Though the sun was practically down, my skin was bubbling all over and the pain was

excruciating.Iwasbreakingoutinblistersthesizeofmyfist.Ewww!Iwasgladnottobeanywherenear
amirror.Finally,IfellforwardontothehardconcretewithJeremiahontopofme.

“Domino.Run!”Isaidwithmylastbitofenergy.Icouldstillhearandseemysurroundingsforthe

time being, but I’d lost every last ounce of strength. Within twenty minutes, I would be dead… really
dead,andburnttoacrisp.

“I’mnotgoingtoleaveyouguys,”Iheardhersay,crouchingdownandtryingtohidebehindour

bodies.Shereachedintomybackpocket,butIdidn’tknowwhomsheplannedtocall.

Theeightremainingdemonscircledthegroupofabouttwelvetofifteenhumansthatweregathered

neartheloadingdock.“Theambulanceandpoliceareontheirway,”Iheardoneofthemensay,beforehe
realizedtheywereinaworldoftrouble.

One of the demons struck first and grabbed a human. It was savage and animalistic, the way he

pickedhimupandsuckedthesoulfromtheman’sbody.Theworstpartwasthatthehumanhadtobealive
whilehissoulgotsuckedout.Thesoundwasdeafeningandhorrific.Thescenethrewtheotherhumans
into sheer panic, but they were completely trapped. I heard the ambulance coming, and I thought, for a
briefmoment,thatperhapsDominocouldgetaway.

More humans, police and paramedics arrived on the scene and shots were fired. Bullets,

unfortunately, could not stop the demons. It sent them into a soul-feeding frenzy. Though the sun was
finallydown,myskinfeltburntandflaky.Iwouldstartdisintegratinginjustamatterofminutes.

“Olivia!”IheardBenjaminyell.
But before he could get a good look at me, he encountered the human carnage and slaughter. I

watchedashejumpedinthemiddleofeverything,throwingthedemonsoffineverydirection.Benjamin
wieldedalargemetalpolewithhimandIalmostlaughedtoseethathewasinhisblackpajamapantsand
grayt-shirt.Ididn’tthinkheeverleftthehousedressedinanythingbutasuit.

Onedemongrabbedontohisback,whileanotherhithimheadon.Hislongfangswereshowing

and he pulled the demon off his back, tearing into the demon’s neck with great relish. The remaining
demonsweredistractedastherewasalargegroupofhumansaround.Theaddictiontohumansoulswas
toostrongforthedemonstoresist.

Thomasarrivedanddispensedoftheremainingtwodemonsonhisown.Throughmynotsoblurry

vision, I saw that some of the humans were still alive and I knew their souls could be reattached.
Benjaminstoodinbetweenthefallen,limpbodiesandclosedhiseyes.Heextendedhishandsoverthe
group, and after just a few beats, the souls slowly retreated back into their respective human bodies.
Someofthehumanswouldnotsurvivetheirwoundsintheend,butotherswould—withtheirsoulsintact.

“Benjamin!”Dominocalled,jumpingupanddown.
MostofmybodywasobscuredunderJeremiah.TherewasnowaythatBenjamincouldhaveseen

theextentofmyinjuries.Iwasleavingthisworldfast.WouldIbeaghost?Ifso,Iwoulddefinitelycome
backandhauntDomino,andmaybeBenjamin,too.

“Helpme,”Dominosaid,rollingJeremiah’sbodyoffme.
Benjaminbentdownandcradledmyheadinhishands.Ifeltafewflakesofmycharredskinfall

offathistouch.AnotherambulancearrivedandIheardThomasyellsomethingaboutgettingthebodieson
theambulanceandhypnotizingthedriver.

“Isshegoingtobeokay?”Dominoasked.
Benjamin let out a pained growl and that was answer enough for me. I would not survive this.

“Thomas,”heyelled.“Getthesetwotosafety!”HemeantDominoandJeremiah.

Hepickedmeupinhisarmsandthemovementwaslikebeingscrapedwithknivesallovermy

bodyatonce.Iwhimperedinhisembraceasheattemptedtomoveasfluidlyaspossible,tryinghisbest
nottojostleme.

HesetmedowninthepassengerseatofthecarandspedthroughthecongestedMiamistreetsas

swiftly as the traffic would allow. I wanted to tell him he should not even rush. There was no way my
bodycouldeverrecoverfromthis.

Benjamin brought me inside the house and lay me across the bed. My blackened skin fell all

aroundme.Itwasworsethananyhorrormovie.Whataterriblewaytogo!Iwouldhaveratherdiedin
Benjamin’sarmsthatfirstnight,whenImethim.Notflakingawaylikesomeoverdonechickenthigh,left
onthegrilltoolong.Hestraddledmybodycarefullyandpulledasmallknifeoutofwhoknowswhere?
Hemadealargecutonhiswrist,andsqueezedwithhisotherhand,forcingthebloodtocomeoutofhis
armfaster.

The blood dripped into my mouth at a fairly steady stream, but I didn’t have the energy to

swallow.ItpooledatthebackofmythroatuntilIstartedchokingandcoughing.Surprisingly,thatdidthe
trick,becausethebloodmadeitallthewaydown.Withthatlittlebitingested,Iregainedtheabilityto
swallowhisbloodagain.Ikeptdrinkinglittlebylittle,andeventually,Icouldspeakagain.Mybodywas
still a red mess of icky grossness. If I were Benjamin, I wouldn’t even be able to tend to me. After so
muchbloodloss,hewasgrowingweak.Ineededmoretofinishrecuperating,butIconvincedhimthathe
neededabreak.He’ddomenogoodifhepassedoutfromexsanguination.

Hours passed and he left the room for a little while, and I assumed he wanted to speak with

Thomas.Whenhereturned,Iwaswellenoughtositup.Thistime,Idrankdirectlyfromhisneck.Idrew
away,feelingsatedforthefirsttime.Ilookeddownatmybarebodyandwatchedasmyangry,pinkskin

knitteditselfbacktogether,eventuallybecomingflawlessagain.

There was only about fifteen minutes left before dawn broke. I lay, completely naked in

Benjamin’sbed.Hestillhadnotspoken.Hesimplytracedmyunscorchedskinwithhislongfingersina
circuitousmotion.Uponearm,acrossmychest,aroundmyabdomen,backuptheribcage,andthendown
theotherarmandbackagain.

“I’mnever going outwhen it’s lightoutside ever again,” Isaid. My throatwas still mildly sore

fromtheburning,butthepainwastolerable,andIhadsomethingIneededtotellBenjamin.

“Ben,”Ibegan,catchinghishandinmine.“Laura’sdeathwasnotyourfault,”Isaid,lookingat

himdirectlyinhisoceanblueeyes.

“Yes,itis,”hesaid,closinghiseyes.
“No,really.Lookatme,”Isaid,runningmyfingersthroughhisdisheveledhair.“Youwarnedme

several times that I shouldn’t get Laura involved, and I didn’t listen. My recklessness is what got her
killed.”

“No,”hesaid.“Apower-hungry,sadisticvampirekilledher.”
I closed my eyes, remembering the image of Natasha slicing Laura’s head clean off her neck. I

shuddered;Benjamindrewmeclosetohisbody.Hisarmsfeltsoleanandstrongundermydelicate,new
skin.

“I’llleavebeforedawn,”hesaid,pullingawayfrommybody.
“Thehellyouwill!”Isaid.
“Youdon’towemeanything,Olivia.Ibarelygottoyouintime.Youalmostdiedoutthereonthe

loadingdock.”

“But,yousavedallofthosehumans.Youputtheirlivesaheadofeverythingelse,”Isaid,smiling.

“Youdohavesomehumanityleftinyou.”Benjaminseemedsostronginthefightandpowerful.Something
told me that even before he turned into a vampire, he must have been a strong man, always capable of
greatness.

“Only because you brought it back,” he said. “I am able to love again because you reawakened

thoseemotions.It’sbeenathousandyears,darlingOlivia.Iloveyou.”

“Iloveyoutoo,”Isaid.“Nomatterwhat.”

Nineteen

IwassodrainedthenightIstayedoutinthesun,thatIkeptwakinguplateeverynightforaweek

straight. I spoke to Laura’s family. Her body was sent to Washington D.C. to be buried. I explained to
themthatsincemyparentshaddiedquiterecently,Ijustdidn’tthinkIcouldbeartoattendLaura’sfuneral.
Idon’tknowwhattheythoughtaboutthat,butLaura’sdeathwassomethingIwouldhavetodealwithfor
therestofeternity.

There was a little bit of bad in me now, but I kept telling myself that all the good I did would

balancethingsout.DominowassafeandlivingnearbyinCoralGableswithJeremiahandThomas.It’s
difficult,however,keepinghersafe.Wehavetomakesurethatthedemonsneverfollowanyofusthere,
sowecan’tmeetatourhomesanymore.Ifwecanprotectherlongenoughforhertoturnbacktodemon,I
thinkeverythingwillbeokay.

Ithink.
Jeremiah hovers around Domino affectionately, however, rarely engages her in conversation. I

don’tknowwhenheplanstoinformheraboutherpast,orwhatshedid.ThemoreIspeaktoher,themore
Ican’tbelieveshewouldeversnapandgoonamurderousrampage.

Inatinyway,whichIwouldneveradmittoanyone,I’mgladshedidthough.Love…passionate,

raw, insane love can drive us to do almost anything. It’s mad and wonderful, and her actions brought
Benjaminandmetogether.Otherwise,wewouldhavemissedeachotheracrossamillennium.

Ididn’tseeAdaminthedaysfollowingDomino’skidnapping.
“Hesaidhecouldn’tinterfere,”IwastellingBenjamin.“Whatdoesthatevenmean?Theguyis

strange. I’m mean, really strange. And why does he keep talking to me? Why doesn’t he visit you or
Thomas?OrevenDominoherself?HowcomeI’mtheonethatkeepsgettingallthecrypticmessages?”

Benjaminshrugs,steppingoutoftheshower.Ialreadyshoweredwhilehewasoutcheckingonthe

others.Now,Iamwatchinghimfromthecounter.Hedrieshisbodyanddressesinhisfavoritedarkgray
suit.Helookslikehejustwalkedoutofanotherphotoshoot,notlikehe’sabouttohuntdemons.

I hop from the counter, my heels making clicking sounds as they hit the ceramic tiles. I circle

aroundhim,stoppingdirectlyinfrontofhisbody.Istraightenhistie,thoughitdoesn’tneedstraightening.

He cradles my face in his hands. “Are you sure you’re ready to go out tonight? It’s okay if you

needafewmoredaystorecover.”

“I’mafreakingvampire,Ben!HowmuchrecoverytimedoIneed?”
“MaybeI’mtheonethatneedstime,”hesays.“Idon’tthinkIcaneverbeartoseeyouthathurt

again.”

“Won’thappenagain.Fromnowon,it’splaydeaduntilI’msurethesunisdown.”
Besides, we can’t stay out of the fight now. The demons are getting restless and overtaking the

city.IwillfightinLaura’sname.Everywhereweturn,thedemonsshowupontheirnever-endingsearch
forDomino,theheirtotheunderworldthrone.Andtheystillmanagetoprocurevampires’blood.

Theothervampireleadersareadamantlyrefusingtohelpusonourmission.BenjaminandIare

consideredoutlawsforkillingfellowvampires.Thomaswasontheblacklisttooforassociatingwithus.
TheonlyreasonwehavenotbeenkilledyetisbecauseBenjaministheoldestvampirealive,andthattitle
commandsacertainamountofreverence.

Buttheycanalwayschangetheirmindsatanymoment.Ionlyhopethatnoothervampiresbecome

alliedwiththedemons.

“Youmademestrong,”Itellhim,stretchingupevenfurtheronmytoesforakiss.
“Whatdoyoumean?”heasks.
“Youmademestrong:physicallyandmentally.IfeellikeIcanhandleanysituationthatcomesmy

way.BeforeImetyou,Iwasneversureofmyself.I’veneverfeltmoreconfidentthanIdotoday.”

Helaughs,wrappinghisarmsaroundme.“Beingabletosnappeople’sneckswithonehandwill

dothattoyou.”

“I’mserious!You’veturnedmeintosomethingincredible.”
“Andyouturnedmeintosomethinghuman,”hesaid,hishandroamingacrossmybody.
“Don’tgoandgettoosoftonme,”Ijoke.
“Iwouldn’tdreamofit,”hesays,hisfangsdescending.
Ijumpupandhecatchesme.MylegswraparoundhiswaistandIkisshimhard,fullyonthelips.

Ipurposelylethisfangpiercemylipsothatthetiniestdropofbloodswirlsintohismouth.

Hepullsaway.“Youhaveabeautifultaste,”hesays,kissingmeagain,andagain,andagain.

THEEND

ThankyoufortakingthetimetoreadTheDeadIOwe.Ifyouenjoyedit,pleaseconsidertellingyour

friendsorpostingashortreview.Wordofmouthisanauthor’sbestfriendandmuchappreciated.Thank

you.

JulieAnnLevin