I’ve never been anywhere near this far east, so it’s kind of disappointing that I’m doing all this travel, and it’s in the dark.

We leave Texas behind, and then cross through Louisiana. The terrain is so flat, it feels weird to me. Like I’m too exposed. I’ve gotten used to mountains surrounding me my entire life.

“So, are you originally from Mississippi?” I ask Rath.

“I am,” he says with a grim nod.

“Then why don’t you have a Southern accent?” I ask, teasing just a little.

He looks out the window. “It was part conscious effort, part that most of my communication was with someone who did not have one.”

“My grandfather,” I say, clarifying.

Rath nods.

“How old are you?” I ask. “And what exactly are you? Because I can tell you’re not a vampire, but you certainly don’t smell exactly human?”

“Look at the stones on Logan!” Eshan says from the back seat. “I’ve been wondering the whole time, but I sure wasn’t going to call his species into question.”

My face flushes, but really, I want to know.

“I’m old enough to think the world has become a better and worse place than it once was,” Rath says. “And as for what I am? I am just a man.”

“Being vague is your game, I guess,” I say with the shake of my head. “Man of mystery.”

“My past is complicated. There are some very dark times I went through,” he says as he looks out into the dark. “It’s a burden I do not feel the need to share with anyone who doesn’t absolutely need to know.”

I glance over at him.

I think I always knew it. You don’t carry around that kind of darkness in your eyes, don’t always hold that kind of grim, somber look on your face, without some kind of hardship in your past.

“I understand,” I say quietly.

The GPS says we’re only an hour away from Silent Bend when Eshan starts breathing hard. I look into the back seat, and see that his eyes have begun glowing a faint yellow.

Suddenly a little burn ignites in my own throat. I swallow once, but the fire grows hotter by the moment.

I haven’t drunk since I was in Las Vegas.

“Pull over now,” Rath says. “Better you drink farther from the House. It’s one of Alivia’s rules. If you must drink fresh, you do it far from Silent Bend.”

I look over at him, my brows furrowing.

But as I look back at the cooler in the back seat, I see that it’s empty.

I take the next exit. And dread forms a thick knot in my stomach when I think about what Eshan and I are about to do.

But my hunting instincts go into overdrive the minute we park in the lot of a gas station.

“If either of us takes things too far, shoot us with those darts,” I instruct Rath. With a look in Eshan’s direction, I grab the front of his shirt and yank him out of the car.

He was staring at Rath like a meal.

We wait in the shadows, silent. And when a trucker totters out of the side bathroom, I don’t hesitate.

I grip him by the front of his shirt, yanking him to me.

My fangs sink into his neck, instantly paralyzing him.

Gross. He tastes like stale nachos and day old donuts.

But the first pull of blood brings a moan from my lips.

Eshan takes his wrist, and sinks his fangs into his flesh.

We’re both brand new vampires, Eshan and I. No new vampires have very good control in the beginning.

I know this.

So I was kind of counting on Rath having to use those darts on us.

I’m not surprised, when after six good pulls of the man’s blood, Eshan jerks away with a groan of pain.

A moment later, a strong hand clamps down on my shoulder, pulling me firmly away.

I face him, a hiss on my lips, my fangs bared.

But Rath’s face is only calm, his eyes determined.

“That’s enough, Logan,” he calmly says. “Leave the man to recover.”

I look back at the trucker. His eyes are closed, his head lolled to one side. He’s pale, but not deathly so to the point of turning.

I take a breath, telling myself that I took enough to hold me over. Even though my throat still burns. Gently, I drag him to the side of the building. I prop him up there, balancing him so he doesn’t fall over.

Rath digs through the trash for a moment, before producing an empty beer bottle. He walks over and stages it in the poor man’s hand.

“What if he remembers?” I ask.

“It’s doubtful,” Rath says. He grabs hold of Eshan and hauls him up and over his shoulder. “And if he does, who would believe him? What proof is there?”

I look back over my shoulder at the poor man as we walk back to the car. I help Rath get Eshan positioned in the back seat and climb into the driver’s once more.

“I’m a little tired of having the brain of multiple people,” I say as I back out of the space and aim once more for the freeway. “Because this is where Sevan is grateful that there are willing feeders in Roter Himmel. No unwitting victims of our thirst, like that man there. But then Logan is kind of disgusted and baffled that actual humans willingly live in a place like that, where they know they’re going to be fed off of, over and over.”

“It’s difficult to even imagine what you’re going through,” Rath says.

“So you understand why I wasn’t quite ready to return to Roter Himmel, where everyone expects me to just go back to normal. Where everyone only acknowledges Sevan and expects me to only be her.”

I swallow once, thinking of how difficult it’s been, every single time. “You understand why I’m not yet ready to go back to the man that did this to me.”

“I understand,” Rath says quietly.

The miles go by too fast. Louisiana disappears one mile at a time, and it’s not long before I see the Mississippi River coming up on the GPS screen. And a moment later, the town name of Silent Bend joins it.

I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until my tires hit the enormous bridge that crosses the river and state lines. My knuckles are white as they grip the steering wheel, and I actually have to tell myself not to crush it.

“Alivia has many faults,” Rath says as we cross that bridge. “Has made many mistakes. But she is also a good leader. Someone who cares greatly about those that surround her. The tale that Cyrus has told you of her is just one side of the story.”

I look over at Rath as we reach the other side of the bridge. And the storm inside of me calms just a little bit.

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

I focus on the road before me once again. I try to pay attention. This town is significant to my family, my history.

With the guidance of the GPS, I turn off the highway and onto a road that leads right into the heart of the town.

I enter the main road just by the river. The head of Main Street begins at the water’s edge. And there, just before the land falls into the water, there is a gigantic tree. Stones circle it; it sits there like the centerpiece of town. But it’s entirely dead. Not a single leaf clings to its blackened branches, despite being the end of July. A shiver works its way down my spine when I look at it.

There’s a church, and then another one. A beautiful city building sits on the south side of the road. A few restaurants. A grocery store. And then the schools, elementary, middle, and high.

Then the GPS tells me to turn left, past a few neighborhoods.

My eyes glance down at the screen. One minute until we arrive at our destination.

My heart rate increases. My palms grow sweaty.

Rath glances over at me once.

“Are you nervous, too?” I ask.

“Yes,” he admits. “This was my home for a very, very long time. But I have not seen it in sixteen years.”

I reach over and take his hand. “Thank you,” I say as I glance over at him. “For protecting me all of those years. I know I was just mad at first because I didn’t understand who you really were. But thank you. I realize now just how much you sacrificed.”

He looks at me. He doesn’t say a word. But he nods.

“Arrived,” the GPS voice chirps.

And I turn to the left, where Rath points.

A gigantic stone fence wraps around the property, sprawling out in either direction. A huge gate, built with intricate iron, blocks our way. The crest of a raven is set in the center, the name CONRATH inlaid beneath it.

“Do I-” I begin to ask.

“Just wait a moment,” Rath says. And then nods his head when the gates slowly begin to open.

My entire body is trembling as I let off the brake and roll forward.

After twenty years of not even knowing the woman’s name, I’m finally going to meet her. Face to face.

The grounds are amazing. Gigantic trees line the driveway. Long tendrils of moss hang down from their branches. Flowering bushes are splashed everywhere. The grounds stretch wide and grassy.

But ahead, a house crests into view.

The middle section is white, with gigantic pillars holding the roof up. The wings spanning to the left and right are sided in stone.

It’s massive.

And beautiful.

It looks like something out of a fairy tale.

“How old is the house?” I ask, admiring the classic Southern plantation style.

“It was built in 1799,” Rath produces the fact without a moment of hesitation.

“Amazing,” Logan marvels. There’s nothing like this in Colorado. Nothing even close.

Rath directs me to park in front of the garage, which is on the south side of the house. I feel like I’m vibrating as I put the car into park. My entire body is electric. On high alert. Fight or flight.

But still, I climb out. I’m pretty sure my heart is going to pound out of my chest.

Rath takes Eshan and slings him over his shoulder.

And together, we walk up the sidewalk to the massive front porch. I take a deep breath, raising my fist to knock on the front door.

But suddenly it opens.

A woman with tears brimming in her eyes smiles at me.

“Hello, Logan.”