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I stopped struggling, thinking I could listen to him speak forever.

When my head began to clear, I pushed myself to standing with Julian’s support. If Mordock’s magick had faded, what did that mean for those he’d turned? Did I inadvertently kill them? Were they…human too?

“Lydia!” I yelled, realizing I may have let her down yet again.

“Right here,” said a familiar voice from behind.

Julian was between me and Lydia in a flash, but I slipped my hand in his and peered around his side. Neither human nor dead, she stood staring, not at us, but at her master, who was now, I believed, fully human again and huddled on the floor in a fetal position.

“You don’t have to answer to him anymore,” I said, getting her attention. “I brought it for you, but I had to use it on him. I have more at the lab, though. I can cure you too.”

Lydia laughed. She sounded just like she always had, and something like hope flickered in my chest.

“I don’t want to be cured,” she said, taking a step forward only to stop when Julian growled again. “I like being special.”

“You already were special, Lyd,” I argued.

She tilted her head, her hair spilling over her shoulder. “No. You were. I was the assistant, the desperate girl trying to be like you—and before you, like everyone else I thought was cool. But now I’m happy with who I am. You might find the cure is something you always wanted, but you were never the one that needed it.”

Lydia turned to Julian as I remained speechless.

“May I go?”

Julian nodded. “Do no harm to humans. Feed with consent only and erase memories when finished. If you need anything…” He leaned forward, producing a business card from his pocket.

“Thank you.” Lydia nodded and turned back to me. “Thank you, Char. For everything.”

“You’re thanking me?” I asked, incredulous. “You almost died because of me. You’re a vampire, and yes, you may be happy about that for some reason, but you had to follow that douchebag.” I pointed to Mordock.

Lydia smiled, showing some fang, and sashayed out of the room.

“Are you alright?” Julian and I both asked each other.

“I’m fine. You showed up in the nick of time,” I said.

“I should have been here sooner. I tripped a ward and had to fend off about a dozen vampires and a few witches.” Julian grimaced then pulled me to his blood-smeared chest where I relaxed into his warmth. “Thank you for saving my life.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist and smiling up at him. Then I couldn’t hold back another second. I’d tested both my cure and my antidote, and both had worked better than I’d hoped. “I have the cure at the lab, Julian.”

Julian’s tongue darted out, wetting his lips. “I do not think I will take it, either, Doctor Devaux.”

I couldn’t cover the disappointment on my face.

“Even if I were physically human, I don’t believe I could ever be the same man I once was. That man is dead, Charlotte. I am all that is left, and I would only be pretending for your sake.”

I nodded, my throat too thick to speak.

He pulled me closer, folding me into his comforting scent and feel. It was undeniably like home.

Chapter Seventeen

A New Goal

We made it back to the island where Julian dropped me at home before delivering Mordock and Vlad back to the base for questioning and justice. Both Zoe and Mama fawned over me until I excused myself to chase down the clawfoot tub and take a hot bath so I could replay the day in my mind.

I couldn’t deny the satisfaction of stabbing that stake into Mordock’s heart. Well, I guess I was slightly off since he was taking his time dying. It was better to turn him human anyway. I didn’t need another death on my shoulders.

Sinking beneath the surface, I shoved away the memories of Mordock on top of me and focused on the memory of Julian’s gentle touch instead. If he’d taken my offer and become human again…