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My gaze drifts over the glass counter crowded with jewelry, watches, and old keepsakes.

“I need money, asap.”

“What do you have for me?”

I look at the gold shining on my wrist. It shouldn’t mean that much, just a thing, just a watch. But it was hers, and again, I feel like failing dead people. Like life is going faster than I am, and I can never catch up. Before I can change my mind, I pull off the gold Cartier as if I’m ripping away a band-aid and hand it over. Mike looks at me with hesitation.

“Are you sure?” he asks.

“Yeah. Just give me the cash. And please…” I add. “Keep it for a little while. Will you?”

Mike’s expression softens. “Sure, girl.”

Sava drives fast to the Institute. The cash sits in my bag, and my wrist feels naked. I wore that watch every day. Well. Not anymore.

Sava stops at the curb. I get out before the car fully settles. The day is dark and cloudy, the only reason these bloodsuckers allowed themselves out. I can see they wanted to make a point. That they can find me wherever they want and daylight will not save me.

When I walk the corridor, I see two vampires standing outside Valerie’s office. Not human servants. What the hell are they planning to do here? It’s just a school, for fuck’s sake. I hate them for being here.

I push the office door open.

The old vampire I know from Nyx Bank sits in front of Valerie with his back to me. He doesn’t move, doesn’t breathe, doesn’t even pretend to be alive. Valerie is terrified with her hands frozen on the desk and her face white.

“Miss Voss,” the vampire says. “I hoped you would come. Payment day was yesterday. Nothing arrived.”

As he speaks, he turns a thin dagger between his fingers. I didn’t see it at first.

“I have the money.”

Valerie’s eyes flick fiercely toward me, but she doesn’t move an inch. He glamoured her.

“Why such a rush now?” the vampire drawls. “Let’s talk. I was thinking.” He smiles and keeps playing with the dagger. “You have many children here. We could take some. Settle your obligations permanently. You would be free, Miss Voss. Once and for all.”

He enunciates every word slowly, as if that’s going to convince me. Fucking monsters. I slam the money onto the desk.

“That covers the overdue payments and next month,” I say. “Now get the fuck out of my place before I start downsizing your personnel.”

The vampire looks at the money, then at me. He isn’t impressed by the threat, but he likes the cash. His long, dry fingers gather it up as he rises. He releases Valerie from the glamour, and she gasps for air like she’s been underwater. The vampire glides toward the door, ghost-pale and ancient, flashing his fangs as he passes me.

Leech.

I wait until he and his people leave before I let myself exhale.

“I’m so sorry,” I say to Valerie.

She still looks terrified. I don’t blame her.

“I have to go,” I add, already stepping back. “I’m working on something. You’ll get the money for the renovation. I promise.”

Or I’ll get killed trying.

Henry’s blood from yesterday didn’t tell me much, but enough to check something. Dead sea, old fish, salt. It has to be an old fish warehouse by the docks. The docks still count as necromancer territory, barely. They sit far enough on the edge that even the Southside pretends not to care about it. Perfect place to do something out of eyesight.

I text Lex and tell him to meet me there after sunset. I’m desperate, not suicidal. I’m not walking into necromancer-adjacent dock warehouses on my own with the possibility of meeting some powerful supernatural keeping the vampire prince hostage.

Sava drives me there without a word. I wait for him to make a comment when we arrive but nothing. By the time we pull up, two black Range Rovers are already waiting outside the warehouse. Lex gets out as I step from the BMW. His guards follow behind him, quiet and armed, dressed in expensive coats, the shape of weapons moving underneath. Lex looks immaculate as always, but I can see the tension sitting in his shoulders. He unbuttons his suit jacket as we walk toward the entrance, like he’s preparing for anything. My heels hit the concrete floor with sharp little echoes.

“What makes you think Julian could be here?” he asks.