Reina pressed the button for the doorbell, listening to its dulled chimes from the stoop where she’d stood when she tricked Imogen. As she waited, she put a worried and concerned expression on her face. Then she pounded hard with her fists.

“Gunner! I came as soon as I heard you’d been released!”

The door eased open, and the shifter she’d seen when she followed Gunner came into view. He was tall, and his svelte muscles showed through his tight shirt. As her gaze lifted to his face, he had the same impact on her as he had before. Though he was extremely good looking, with his piercing amber eyes and tresses that fell in waves to his shoulders, he didn’t have the hardness about him that she was drawn to. If he’d ordered her to her knees, she would’ve laughed in his face rather than drop like a stone as she did for Terrance.

“Can I help you?” he asked, leaning with his hand on the jamb.

Ignoring his question, she ducked under his arm and dashed past him, into the house, calling, “Gunner! Gunner, it’s me! I’m here!”

“Hey! Hold on! Who are you?”

He caught up with her and took hold of her by her arm.

“I’m Gunner’s girlfriend Reina! Let me go! Who are you?”

He released her immediately, and she smirked, as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“He’s in the shower. Be down in a few. And I’m Lee.”

“I’ll wait in the kitchen, then. In my rush to get here, I completely forgot to eat.”

“Blaine!” Lee called. “Sorry, Reina, but I need to confirm what you’re saying, before you take one more step inside this house.”

“Gunner hasn’t mentioned me?”

“He’s been a little preoccupied.”

“You must be one of his new friends. Were you in jail with him?”

“No. We’re working together.”

“Oh?” She twirled a loose piece of her hair between her fingers. “On what?”

“Yes?” Blaine strode into the foyer, holding some papers. He stopped in his tracks and pinned her with an angry glare. “What do you want, Reina?”

“I’m here to see Gunner, of course! I came as quickly as I could after I heard he’d gotten out!”

“From whom?” he asked, taking a step forward.

“What?”

“Who told you?”

“I don’t know. I overheard a conversation at the District office.”

His eyes went to slits, as he looked her over.

“Hmm. What business did you have there as a human?”

“What concern is it of yours? I don’t answer to you, Blaine. Gunner’s free, and we can be together again, whether you like it or not!”

“After you abandoned him? Why would he ever accept you after you showed such disloyalty?”

“Because he loves me! He knows I was scared. I told him that’s why I had to leave him when it happened! It was too much for me to handle!” She waved her hand in the air at them in dismissal. “I’m hungry and tired of this conversation. When Gunner comes downstairs, tell him I’ve arrived and to wait for me in the study. I’ll join him after I’ve eaten.”

Flipping around on her heels, she headed towards the kitchen, certain that they wouldn’t follow her, since Blaine had hated her with a passion from the moment they met, and she’d handled the shifter well enough.

As she approached, sashaying through the swinging doors, she heard voices mumbling. Not breaking her stride, she went directly to the refrigerator and opened it wide. She didn’t have any interest in food—at least, not the human kind. She needed access to the special containment area Gunner had for his blood stores. Since the room wasn’t empty, she had to change her strategy and figure out how she could get rid of whoever was in there.

“Excuse me,” a woman said. “Who are you?”

“Starving,” Reina answered, as she searched the shelves.

“Well, I made some sandwiches—turkey, cheese, and avocado on wheat—if you’d like one.”

“No, that won’t do, I’m afraid.”

A chair squeaked against the floor, and Reina heard footsteps as they came up behind her.

“My name’s Piper, and that guy over there is Henry. And you are...?”

Reina straightened, taking her time, as she turned to face the female. When she was done, she leisurely assessed the woman, starting at her feet in glittery flip-flops, making her way up the gray couture sweatpants, the white billowy open-sleeved top, and lastly, to Piper’s expectant face.

“Better dressed,” she said, staring Piper in the eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“You look like a discount store exploded all over you.”

Rather than bursting into tears and running away, like Reina was hoping, Piper straightened her back, reached out, and poked her in the chest.

“Who do you think you are, talkin’ to me like that?”

Reina gave her a haughty huff and said, “Gunner’s girlfriend.”

Piper’s face fell, softening in pity, and it was all Reina could do not to bust out laughing at the thought that anyone would believe she ever wanted to be with him.

“But you’re not Imo—” Henry started, and Piper cleared her throat loudly to cut him off.

Acting like she hadn’t heard him, Reina said, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a meal in my house. It’s been a while, and I’d rather be alone to reacquaint myself.”

“Fine. I’m chalkin’ your attitude up to the hunger pangs that everyone’s sufferin’ from lately, but don’t push it.” Piper shook her head at Reina with a disgusted look on her face. “Let’s go, Henry.”

“Can I—?”

“Yes, you can take your plate with you.”

As Reina watched him pick up his sandwich, he froze, bent over, with his hand outstretched, barely touching the ceramic dish. Then, in halting moves, he swiveled his head in her direction.

“What are you looking at?” she snapped.

“I’m not sure.”

“Just get out,” she said, turning her attention back to the fridge.

A cold wind went through her, and she knew it had nothing to do with the temperature of the appliance. The way that man had stared at her was foreboding, telling her that she had to work fast or be found out.

The doors swished, as they left, but then someone else entered the kitchen.

“Reina,” Gunner said.

Freezing where she stood for a few seconds, she swallowed her revulsion at hearing his voice say her name.

After forcing tears into her eyes, she flipped around and screamed, “Gunner!” as she ran full speed towards him.

Gentleman that he was, he opened his arms to catch her. When he did, she placed kisses on his cheeks and neck, avoiding his lips. She wasn’t going to touch them unless she had no other recourse.

“I don’t understand why you’ve come.”

“So we can be together again, of course! Isn’t it wonderful? I couldn’t believe the news! I’ve missed you so much!”

She noticed that he hadn’t cuddled her to him, as he had in the past, and his entire demeanor was closed off.

Fine. Just go into hysterics when he breaks up with you.

“We need to talk,” Gunner mumbled.

He took her hand and led her out of the kitchen to his study, with all those musty books that made her want to sneeze. She took a seat, and then he sat across from her.

“What is it?” she said, beaming a smile at him.

“I don’t wanna be with you anymore.”

“But why?”

“Aside from your running away from me after I was accused?”

“You know I can’t handle drama.”

“It was my life at stake, Reina.”

He withdrew a blood pack from a cooler at his feet and drank it down in a couple of seconds.

“What did they do, starve you in prison?”

“No. Look, I’d appreciate it if you left and didn’t come back.”

“What? You can’t do that! You promised yourself to me!” As she protested his words, she hoped that her act was up to snuff. She couldn’t tell, since she felt like she was simply going through the required emotional response. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me! Throwing me away like a piece of garbage! It isn’t my fault you got locked up!”

“I mean now, Reina.”

When he didn’t back down, she made herself cry again, with heaving breaths for effect. He pointed to the door, as he brought out another blood bag.

In a blubbering voice, she said, “Fine. I see. You’re a liar, and I’m better off without you. I need to get my purse. Will you at least allow me to do that, before kicking me to the curb? It’s in the kitchen. Then I’ll leave you alone like you want, Gunner.”

“Thank you,” he replied, dropping the emptied pack into the cooler.

He went to the bar and poured himself a drink, while she stalked away, raising her voice to shrieking. Stomping her feet in feigned anger, she went back to the kitchen, spied the blood storage area, and grabbed her purse off the counter. She slipped a long thin dagger out of one of its pockets and opened the door.

Thinking that if they caught her, she could blame her actions on rage, she squatted down and stabbed bag after bag. Blood spiked from them, hitting her in the face, and by the time she was done, the floor was a river of red, and Gunner’s entire supply was destroyed.

Reina preened herself about her success: Getting everyone to leave her to her own devices, Gunner speaking to her only long enough to tell her to get lost, her rude treatment of everyone else, all culminating in her being able to fulfill her mission.

Hearing the sound of footfalls approaching, she jumped up and shoved the knife back into her purse. Then she ran to the back door and slipped out quietly, closing it behind her. Smiling, she covered her mouth with her hand to mute her laughter.

As she made her escape, she heard Piper screaming, “Lee! Gunner! Blaine! Come here! She destroyed it all!”