Don’t hate me just yet. While I did take off running away from my future, I feel guilty about my decision. And eventually, I’ll return to my fate, or whatever you want to call this curse looming over me. First, I need a timeout to think, to breathe, to process everything that’s happening. That my future, which felt like it had finally just started, is no longer mine.

I’ll admit that I’m the afraid, frightened little vampire I spent years being. I don’t want to be her again, but she’s a ghost, hanging out inside my body, reminding me that I still get scared. That I’m terrified right now.

As if I can outrun the fear, I continue sprinting down the sidewalk until I end up near some boarded-up stores and shops lining the eviler side of Mystic Willow Bay. The air is quiet except for faint screams echoing from nearby. From demons doing something sinister probably.

I slow to a stop, trying not to panic. Out of all the places to run, I came here. What was I thinking?

A rational voice whispers in my ear, You weren’t thinking; that’s the problem.

That voice. That stupid, obnoxious voice.

I grit my teeth. How did you get into my head?

It’s a secret, Rhyland whispers, his playful tone like fangs on metal.

Well, leave me alone.

Not until you tell me where you are.

Never.

Raven, just tell me. His gentle tone only irks me more.

How the heck did he get inside my head? The only vampire that should be able to do that is my soulmate, and Rhyland sure as hell isn’t that. If anything, he’s my anti-soulmate.

Maybe it’s a weird king-queen gift or something.

Raven? Rhyland’s voice fills my head again. I need to know where you are. It’s too dangerous for you to be alone right now.

Not any more dangerous than being around you, I’m sure.

What’s that supposed to mean?

Like you don’t know.

He doesn’t respond, and I latch on to the silence, walking down the sidewalk. I keep my pace quick, trying to ignore the feeling that I’m being watched. Every store in the area is boarded up, giving anyone the opportunity to watch me without me being able to see them.

Rhyland is right. I shouldn’t be alone right now.

I fish my phone out of my pocket to call someone to come pick me up. I’ve missed ten calls from Effie, three from Anders, and a countless number of texts. The last one I received was from Effie, with a simple: Where the heck are you!!! I’m getting worried!!!

I tap my fingers against buttons as I reply.

Me: Something crazy happened and I had to bail from the club. Can you come pick me up?

Her response is almost immediate.

Effie: Of course. Where are you? And seriously, what happened?

Me: I’m downtown near all those fields and warehouses. As for what happened … it’s a long story.

Effie: Why the hell are you out there? Do you know how dangerous it is at night over there?

Me: Yeah, I know. I didn’t mean to come here. It just sort of happened.

The screen abruptly lights up with an incoming call from Effie.

“Hey,” I answer as I powerwalk toward the direction of the main part of town. “Are you heading to come get me?”

“Yep, Anders and I are heading your way right now,” she says. “Anders is driving, though, so I can talk to you and give you my complete attention, because I figure you’re going to need it.”

She’s right, but …

“How do you figure that?”

“Because the last time I saw you, Kingsley was storming up the stairs of the club with you over his shoulder.”

I frown. “You saw that?”

“Hell yeah, I did. Everyone did. And I tried to run after you to see why that asshat was practically vampire-napping you, but these huge-ass dudes came up and blocked the stairway and wouldn’t let me up there. I started freaking out, making a huge scene, and then that Hawk guy came and threw me out of the club. What a freakin’ jerk. He flirts with you, but then has the audacity to throw out your BFF?”

I snort a laugh. “Hawk wasn’t flirting with me.”

Now she’s the one to snort a laugh. “Oh, my ditzy vampires, Rave. I love you to death, but sometimes you can be so clueless.”

I replay the conversation Hawk and I had.

“We were just talking.”

“Yeah, while he looked at you like you were some sort of velvet blood cake dessert he wanted to devour.”

“That’s not how he was looking at me!” My cheeks stupidly warm.

“He so was.”

I grimace, unsure how I feel about the idea of one of my mother’s workers looking at me like I’m some yummy cake. I mean, I haven’t ever thought of him in that kind of way. Although, now that I think about it, I guess he is pretty good-looking. And funny. And he makes me smile every time I see him …

A thought sucker punches me from out of nowhere.

If I’m only ever supposed to drink the king’s—Rhyland’s—blood, then how am I ever supposed to be in a relationship with anyone? How is any guy going to be okay with that? They won’t be, unless I can find a very understanding vampire. Even if I did, drinking from each other’s veins is an important step when a vampire makes a commitment to a relationship, and I’ll never be able to do that.

“Well, even if he was flirting with me, it doesn’t matter.” Tears burn in my eyes as the brutal truth opens in front of me. “I’ll never get to be with a guy ever.”

“What are you talking about?” Effie asks. “Of course you will. You have so many options, Rave. You just can’t see it.”

She doesn’t get what I’m saying. I open my mouth to explain it to her, to explain that I’m the queen, when fingers wrap around my wrist and jerk me back. The phone slips from my hands and crashes against the ground.

“Well, well, well,” a male voice purrs in my ear. “What do we have here? Fresh meat for me to taste.” A nose presses against my neck. “Tell me, sweetheart, what’re you doing all alone in a place like this?”

The way sweetheart purrs from his tongue sounds so familiar. When he steps around in front of me, into the moonlight, I realize why.

The vampire with the red eyes.

The vampire who was part of the fight that happened in front of my mom’s club.

The vampire who was at the school the day the demon attacked.

And he’s not alone. At least ten other vampires slink from the shadows of the surrounding buildings and surround me.

Trap me.

And all of them look hungry.

Ready to devour.