He walks and gently lifts my chin until our eyes meet.
“Be careful,” he says.
“I’m going to a pool party, not a war zone.”
“With you, I’m learning those aren’t mutually exclusive.”
I laugh. Rise up on my toes and kiss him—soft and brief and somehow more intimate than anything we’ve done before.
“I’ll text you,” I promise. “Constant updates. You’ll be so sick of hearing from me.”
“Impossible.”
“We’ll see about that.”
I grab my bag. Head for the door. Pause with my hand on the handle.
“Julian?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you. For telling me the truth. For trusting me with all of this.” I meet his eyes. “I know it’s not easy for you. Letting people in. But I’m glad you let me in.”
Something shifts in his expression. Something old and vulnerable—and very human.
“So am I,” he says quietly. “So am I.”
I leave before I do something embarrassing, like cry.
In the hallway, Elena and Sofia are waiting. They’ve changed—Elena in a flowing caftan and sun hat, Sofia in a yoga outfit that leaves nothing to the imagination. They look like any other wealthy resort guests, not ancient vampires preparing for possible combat.
“Ready?” Elena asks.
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Then let’s go pretend to be normal.” She links her arm through mine like we’re old friends. “I do so enjoy pretending.”
We head toward the pool. The tropical sun beats down. Somewhere behind us, Julian is watching—I can feel it, that prickling awareness at the back of my neck that tells me I’m never really alone anymore.
There are so many reasons to be terrified.
But I’m oddly calm.
I have a vampire boyfriend. I have vampire bodyguards. I have a vampire enemy who wants to destroy everything I love.
But I also have Sage blowing up my phone, and Violet waiting with champagne, and a family that, despite the short notice, showed up for this wedding.
I have people. Living and otherwise.
That has to count for something.
And I walk toward the sunshine, ancient killers at my back, wondering when exactly my life became this absurd—and realizing I wouldn’t change it for anything.
CHAPTER 22
JULIAN
As Poppy walks toward the pool with Elena and Sofia flanking her at a distance, every instinct I possess screams to follow. Many lifetimes of survival instincts, honed through a plague and too many wars, and nothing has felt as dangerous as watching her walk away in a sundress with a beach bag over her shoulder.
