The creak of the wood steps leading up from her dock roused her attention. The spell’s smoke clung to her, but she shook it off without breaking the link and got up. If one of her coven members was dropping by to see how she was holding up in her time of loss, she would thank them by drinking their blood. The hunger in her hadn’t gone away yet, but maybe that was part of being a vampire. Who knew? Wasn’t like there was a manual.

She stepped out of her altar room, locked the door, and went to see what was going on. Cautiously, she hung by the door of her room and used her new hearing to investigate. Over the sounds of the house and the outdoors, two heartbeats filled her ears, their rhythms overlapping like music. She’d never realized what a nice sound a beating heart made. A quick inhale brought her sour and sweet scents. The sour almost burned her nose, but the sweet was like warm honeyed sunshine, so good she inhaled again, putting up with the sour just to smell it a second time. Without knowing how, she got that both smells came from blood. One very drinkable. One very deadly.

Her screen door opened slowly, the sound almost disappearing into the breezes sighing around the house. The sweet, perfumey scent got stronger. Subtle footsteps followed, crossing the linoleum of her kitchen. A coven member wouldn’t enter unannounced. Whoever was out there was no friend. She glanced around for something to use as a weapon, then almost laughed. What was she thinking? Her magic was unequaled now. She raised her hands, calling fire to the ready, and slipped out to surprise whoever had just broken into her house.

“Hello?” a male voice rang out from the kitchen. “Is Evie here?”

The question stopped Aliza in her tracks and she dropped her hands, fire forgotten. She peeked into the kitchen. A beautiful human male stood there, glowing as if sunshine leaked out his pores. Gold markings covered him, like the girl who had come with the vampire Malkolm. The vampire whose blood had held so much power. She raised one hand, prepared to strike. “What are you doing here?”

“Hi.” Blue eyes deep and inviting, he smiled as he spoke. Her knees almost buckled. “Are you Evie?”

“No, Evie’s my daughter. Was. She died.”

His face fell and she wanted to say something to make that smile come back. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” He backed toward the door.

She came toward him a few more steps. “What do you want Evie for?”

His hand hit the latch on the screen door. “It’s not important.”

She was fully into the kitchen now, the smell of him making it impossible to hide her fangs. “Tell me.”

“A woman in the crystal shop on Bayonet said Evie might be able to help me with a spell. I shouldn’t have just walked in, but the screen door was unlocked. I’m sorry for bothering you. I’ll just let myself out.”

“No, wait.” Aliza took a few steps forward, breathing in his deliciousness. The sour scent was still there. “You’re one of those comarré, aren’t you?”

He smiled again. “Yes, ma’am. I’m a comar. That’s what they call the males.” His gaze traveled to her mouth. “I didn’t know Evie’s mother was a vampire.”

She rolled her lips together and pushed her dreads out of her face. “Kinda just happened. Been a witch all my life, though. What kind of spell do you need help with? Maybe I can do something for you.” In exchange for some of his blood, of course. Or all of it. Maybe she’d put a holding spell on him and keep him as a pet.

“Do you think so? That would be wonderful.” He hooked his thumbs into the neck of the long white shirt he wore and tugged it over his head.

Aliza’s jaw unhinged a few inches. She might be a vampire, but she was still a woman, and the half-naked man standing in her kitchen not only smelled delicious, but he also had a body to go with it. His sculpted chest and arms were covered with more of the same gold marks. Her fingers itched to touch him. To grab hold and keep him still while she sank her fangs into him.

“I have these signum all over me.” His smile was gone again. “I’d like some kind of spell that would let me hide them when I want to.”

“I should look at them closer.” She shot to his side. He didn’t flinch at the sudden movement, surprising her.

“Now,” he said, the angelic look on his face going hard. He sank to the floor, and another figure rolled into view outside the screen door. The Mohawked human who had been with Malkolm. The half-breed Evie had sent the demon after.

He held a crossbow pointed at her. “Shouldn’t have spelled the varcolai, witch.”

“Kill me and he’ll never be free,” she bluffed. She wasn’t sure what would happen if she died with the spell’s connection still open. Maybe nothing. Not that she was going to die. She was a vampire and they lived forever. She whipped her hands up and threw two bolts of blue flame at him and the pretty decoy comar.

She turned to run as they leaped out of the way. If she could make it to her boat—A sharp whistling sound drowned out the sizzle of flames. Pain punched into her back and shoved her forward onto her hands and knees. She looked down to see the end of a bolt poking out of her chest.

She opened her mouth to scream.

And drifted to the floor in pieces of ash.

“Tatiana? Tatiana.”

“Hmm? What?” She looked up, slightly dazed. The library doors were cracked open and Octavian leaned through.

“Are you crying? I thought I heard…” His gaze locked onto the wrapped bundle snuggled against her body. “What is that in your arms?”