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Luna is hovering behind me. I can feel her watching me, and her gaze is like the long-forgotten sun. Warming my skin from afar.

She clears her throat and steps out from the counter. Lingering between Steven and I, she allows him to wrap his arm around her and squeeze hard.

“Steven’s right, I’m afraid,” she says quietly. “We’re about to close. But if there’s something specific you wanted…?”

I want to flirt with her. I want to make her feel exactly what is running through my head right now. But I can’t. I know humans like Steven. I know she will bear the brunt of my lack of control.

“No, no. My apologies. I didn’t realize you were closed.” I move toward the door, then stop in the threshold and over my shoulder say, “I shall return, Luna. Thank you for your help.”

4

KIM

I can’t breathe. My lungs are being crushed and filling up at the same time. Except not with air – with dust. It rakes down my throat and settles in a thick knot that makes me choke and gag.

It is oppressively hot.

For a moment, I consider whether maybe I’m in hell.

Then there’s a flash of daylight, and the pressure on my chest and my limbs is lifted. I scream, without meaning to, as pain floods my body.

I blink but can’t see straight. My glasses are long gone.

My hand hurts. I look down and realize I’m clutching something. Whatever it is, it’s sharp, biting into my palm and causing a trickle of blood to run down the inside of my wrist.

As I raise my hand, the blood pools in the creases of my inner-elbow.

“Pull him out!” Zephyra’s voice shatters the silence. I’d recognize it anywhere.

Hands grab hold of me. Ice-cold. Stronger than human hands.

As I’m yanked free, from what I now know is rubble, I look back and see a flash of deep red flesh. A long, bulky arm. Claws.

Fuck.

The Venatrix.

He had me, but he did not kill me.

Memories flood back. I see Kole throwing Nova over his shoulder and running for freedom. I see Zephyra’s face dripping away from her skull, sliding down the bones of her face as if it was made of putty. I feel the earth move, and see the ceiling of the tunnel start to break and crack.

Then darkness.

It fell before the Venatrix could kill me.

When I’m free, barely standing, wavering on unsteady feet, I open my palm and look down.

I’m holding a long black claw. Pulled free in the fight.

It is gone.

The monster that killed my wife is gone, and I have taken a part of him with me.

I pocket the talon before anyone can take it from me, then search for Zephyra. She is huddled in the darkness. The tunnel gapes open, light streaming down. There is no way out for her or her vamps. Only a few shadows to cling to, and no route to safety.

I could run… if they’d let go of me long enough to let me.

But the vampires holding me still are already asking Zephyra what they should do with me.