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I turn my head toward him. ‘I can protect myself, vampire.’
He smiles softly. ‘I know that, Cupcake.’
I shift closer without meaning to, resting my forehead against his shoulder. His arm moves instinctively around me.
‘Are you all right?’ he whispers. ‘I’m worried about you.’
Those abyssal eyes find mine, deep and endless. ‘I feel like everything is moving faster than I can keep up with.’
‘It is,’ he exhales. ‘I don’t know how to protect you. It feels like there is someone out to get us at every corner.’
I reach up and touch his face. ‘I can take care of myself.’
He closes his eyes, leaning into my touch. ‘I know we haven’t known each other for long, but I can’t lose you. I need you close and safe.’
‘It’ll be okay, Theo. We will figure all of this out. We have help now. Once we get your memories back, I’m sure it will be even easier to get things sorted. Things will go back to normal.’ I release a breathy laugh. ‘Whatever normal is. A new normal, I guess.’
He pulls me closer. When I close my eyes, Theo rests his hand on mine, and his presence alone lulls me into a deep sleep.
16
THE STALKER
They don’t see me.
They never do.
From the edge of the trees, I watch them disappear into the house. Four of them.
Cora. She’s grown. She’s taller now. Her shoulders are squared. There’s a brazen assurance in her that she has had since childhood.
It isn’t fair that I hardly recognise her. What’s worse is that she wouldn’t recognise me.
She leans into the vampire beside her. His aura drips with dark blood and fractured power. I can feel it from here, humming through the bond he shares with her.
I should leave, but tonight, I stay longer than I should. Just long enough to feel close to them again.
They’re together. I never thought I’d see it happen. Now to connect the third. The world has forgotten what it means when my blood walks the earth together.
Together, we will be unstoppable.
17
THEO
The Captive
The light coming through the curtains is soft, but it’s enough to wake me.
Tara’s still asleep beside me, her hair tangled against the pillow, one hand curled near her face. I let myself look at her longer than I should, enjoying how gazing at her relaxes me in a way I’ve never felt before.
The quiet doesn’t last. A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts, and the door swings open as Kian enters.
‘Get up, we have work to do.’
I sit up, careful not to disturb Tara. ‘Good morning to you too.’
‘I don’t want to waste time.’
