Fiona seemed to be a new woman this morning. She was ready to go in under five minutes, seemingly eager to come with me to the North building to pick up where she’d left off in training. While she did that, it would give me time to find Janice and let her know what had happened, if Douglas hadn’t done so already.

I called Vladimir, who had some time and was willing to work with Fiona one-on-one. She needed the dedicated time to acquire some base skills and increase her confidence. She didn’t need Mallory constantly knocking her down and making her feel inadequate just because she was inexperienced.

I stopped Fiona before she entered the locker room. “Vladimir will be waiting for you in the gym. I’ll come check on you in about an hour. Hopefully, I’ll have had the chance to talk with President Bolt before then. If you need anything in the meantime, Vladimir can get in touch with me.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said, put her hands on my cheeks, and kissed me.

“I know you will,” I said. A smile always seemed to be forming on my face when Fiona was around. So much for keeping my distance; I was rendered powerless in her presence.

She scampered off into the locker room, and I stood there watching her go and fighting to keep my fangs at bay. Every part of me wanted her, even the darkest parts of my soul, which was why I needed to get back to a meeting—to make sure I confronted the hunger before it became too overpowering.

Keep it together, Mercer, I told myself as I made my way to the closest bank of elevators. I called Janice on the way and requested a meeting. I reached her office before she did, so leaned against the wall and waited.

“Matthew Mercer,” a sweet voice crooned, causing me to look up.

The bombshell blonde I could never truly get rid of was suddenly standing before me. “Taylor Phagan,” I replied, certainly not matching her zeal.

“It’s just not the same without you, though I’m still upset you got me kicked out of the penitentiary. But… I’d be willing to forgive you…” she said and wet her lips, a sultry smile forming as she did so.

“I don’t feel bad about what I did,” I said.

“Neither do I.” She took a step closer. “I have a knife on me right now, if you’d like me to use it and show you a little blood. I might even let you taste me.”

“Don’t,” I said firmly, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her back a step. As I did so, I noticed Janice coming down the hallway—always with impeccable timing. “I’m sorry; President Bolt needs to speak with me,” I said.

“We’ll continue our game later,” Taylor said, placing a finger on my lips, then continuing down the hallway and nodding at Janice as they passed each other.

“Is there something I should be concerned about?” Janice said as she drew near.

I shook my head. “Nothing I can’t handle,” I assured her.

“Just as long as that doesn’t mean she’s going to disappear one day.”

“If she does, it won’t be because of me.”

She frowned, scrutinizing the sincerity of my words. “I don’t want to regret trusting you.”

“I don’t want that either,” I said.

Janice used her keycard to unlock her office and led me inside. She didn’t sit behind her desk but carried a chair closer to the couch, where she instructed me to sit. She had numerous pictures of her family—husband, two kids, and one grandson—and she’d outlived them all and was the last of her lineage. Only a son-in-law remained. It was easy to forget the tragedies she carried around; the primary reminders were all housed there. She was just trying to get us to the end and up into space, saving a few thousand people from the terrible fate awaiting the remaining 99.9% on Earth—where I knew I’d be.

“Should I be concerned about more retaliation from the Vampire Order?” she asked. “I mean, yes, we all know you’re the owner of Sisters of Mercy—but do they know about your connection to the True North Society? I would doubt it. It seems they’d frown upon some of the stuff we’ve done here in the name of human preservation.”

“I understand,” I said. “Which is why I plan to go to them. I don’t want anyone else paying the price for what I have done. But Fiona would have been killed. I had no choice.”

“There’s always a choice.”

“Then I live by the choice I made and would do it again.” I could clearly picture what I’d seen through the viewport of their room, the assassin sucking from Fiona’s throat. I didn’t hesitate, knowing full well I might die in the ensuing altercation—and if it hadn’t been for Jack, I probably would have. “Mallory would have been killed as well. They are both candidates of ours and were under the supervision of my facility. I am taking full responsibility, which I will tell the Order consul.”

“I trust you know what you need to do,” Janice said, no hint of warmth in her voice.

I nodded.

“So now we have the matter of our adversarial candidates. Douglas has already spoken to me briefly about it.”

“Good,” I said. “I couldn’t allow them to stay any longer with the current breach of security, though it is being remedied as we speak. But I also believe the girls have been working hard to overcome their differences in the short time they were in the hospital. I’m hoping approval can be granted to allow them to move forward instead of moving them to the penitentiary, which Ashley may have suggested.”

“She did,” Janice said. “I’d like to speak with them and observe them interacting before making a particular suggestion to the Assembly. Remember, it was their own doing that got them into this mess in the first place.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” I said, sourly. “Fiona is in the gym now, working with Vladimir. Do you have time now?”

“I do,” she said, so we promptly made our way to the gymnasium.

Instead of finding Fiona training with Vladimir, we found her sparring with Mallory while Vladimir coached. My heart sank when Mallory tripped Fiona, sending her tumbling to the mat and her sabre skidding out of reach. Janice folded her arms across her chest, glancing at me before returning her attention to the girls. But then to my amazement, Mallory offered Fiona a hand and helped her to her feet.

“You have to watch your footing,” Mallory said and demonstrated the technique she’d mastered. “Like so.”

Fiona nodded, mimicked what Mallory had shown her, then went to retrieve her sabre. Vladimir stepped in to say a few words but emphatically agreed with Mallory’s direction. Then the girls parried again.

“This seems promising,” Janice said.

“Like I said, the girls have been working hard to put their differences behind them. Their candidacy is more important,” I said, with more confidence in my voice this time.

“I’d still like to speak with them, but this is definitely a good start.” Janice turned to leave.

“I thought you wanted to talk with them?” I asked.

“I don’t want to interrupt their lesson,” she said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Bring Fiona by later. I’ll tell the same to Aaron. Tell the girls to keep up the good work.”

“I will,” I said, so thankful the girls had performed so admirably.