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“And if any of you ever step onto my property again with an unlicensed human source, I’ll rip your fucking throats out!” I slammed the door on the last attendee, and the mansion plunged into silence.

“I think that’s a new record for clearing out the place,” came Irving’s voice from across the living room.

I dashed at full speed to where he laid the human flat against the chaise.

“She’s still breathing, but very depleted,” he said. “That glutton was going to suck her dry.” His throat bobbed, a haunted look in his eyes from memories of his own demise, no doubt.

“Shit. Alright. Wait right here and keep her awake.”

He nodded, and I ran to the bedroom, grabbing a leather kit from the bottom drawer next to my bed. I plucked out an amber bottle labeled transfuse and a clear bottle with a yellow liquid labeled rejuvenate. Rushing back to the main room, I asked Irving to hold the woman up while I opened her mouth.

She groaned, head lolling back, brown skin so ashen I was afraid it was too late. I uncorked the bottle of transfuse and poured it into her mouth, and Irving slipped his hand beneath her jaw to seal her lips. She coughed but swallowed the liquid, and I followed it with rejuvenate.

The color crawled back into her face, and her dark eyes fluttered open. But rather than stare at me in fear, she looked perplexed. “Am I a vampire yet?” she asked.

My brows snapped together. “Did those two promise to turn you?”

She nodded.

“Are you aware that’s forbidden?”

The woman’s eyes remained wide, but her lips formed a tight line.

I clenched my fists. “Ah, so it wasn’t just the gluttons who were senseless.” I sighed and yanked her to her feet. Irving pulled her other arm around his shoulder, and we rushed her outside. When she seemed steady enough on her feet, I released her but remained close enough to watch her pupils dilate.

“Do you know how a human is Turned?” I asked.

Her nod was jerky and rapid, her throat bobbing.

“Tell me, then.”

“The human blood is drained and replaced with vampire blood.”

“Oh, but you’re skirting the important detail of this blood draining business. You are dead before you’re reborn as a vampire. Dead.” I searched her face for signs of comprehension. Her stare was blank, but her pulse quickened. “There’s a reason we’re rumored to sleep in coffins. Do you want to live as the undead for the rest of your life? Unable to control your blood lust? Unable to control your impulses?”

Hurt flickered across Irving’s face, and he drew in a silent breath.

“I’ve been a vampire my whole life, and it’s taking every ounce of my control not to gouge your eyes from your head and shove them down your own throat for your idiocy,” I told the woman.

I should’ve seen it coming. I should’ve, but I didn’t move in time as she pitched forward and vomited all over my dress. It dripped down the bodice and over my skirt, and I stepped back, revolted.

“Oh, that’s ...” Irving’s voice trailed off, his head turned away.

Great. Getting that out of the lace would be a disaster. I snapped my fingers to get Irving’s attention and pointed to the woman. “Compel her.”

Uncertainty crept into his eyes. It was a skill he wasn’t confident in, but if he could learn how to quell his bloodlust, he could learn to manipulate a human’s mind. “Aura, you know⁠—”

“This is the perfect opportunity to practice. You stopped me from ripping that man’s throat out; don’t make me take it out on you.”

Irving scoffed and flipped his long hair over his shoulder. “You are very theatrical tonight, you know that?”

“Just tonight?” I smirked at him, and he rolled his eyes fondly.

He pulled the human toward him with a tight smile. “Hello, hi.”

“You’re not meeting her for afternoon tea, Irving.”

He sighed even more theatrically than he’d accused me of being, but his hello had gotten the woman’s attention. He stared deep into her eyes, and she gawked back. His voice dropped to a lower pitch than his usual tenor as he spoke. “You will leave this place and forget everything you’ve seen.”