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and
released my hand. “I love you, Kori. Now leave, and never come
back. I won’t be able to free you a second time. I’m safe and happy
here. Those are two feelings I’ve never had before.”
    I understood that completely. I’d
never been safe or happy at home. Mother was an ice block, who
tended to bring the vampire hunting business to our doorstep. Even
at home, we’d always been armed to the teeth. Even if I couldn’t
understand how she could feel safe with these creatures, I had to
leave her with them.
    I sighed. “Mother will never stop
gunning for you.”
    “ The boys will keep me safe. And
Misha and I might move away until Mother dies. The time will be
nothing for us, but…”
    “But what?”
    “I wanted to stay close to you. In
case you ever needed back up. I know I’d feel if you were in
trouble, especially now.”
    I shook my head. “No, you can’t
offer me back up. If you start hunting vampires again eventually
they’ll kill you. Leave with Misha.”
    She covered my lips with two of
her fingers. “Did you hear that?”
    I arched an eyebrow and she
smiled. “Of course you didn’t. Hurry. I think Alaric is
home.”
    I took one last look at her. I’d
probably never see her again, and that broke my heart.
    I turned and slid slowly down the
roof, cursing as the rough shingles scraped the backs of my thighs
and made my underwear slip into the crack of my ass. I tried to
keep the injured thigh from rubbing the roof. When I reached the
lip of the rooftop and carefully dangled myself over it, I glanced
down. It was still one heck of a drop.
    I inhaled. There was only one way
to get through it. I let go and tumbled to the ground. I landed on
my feet, but my injured leg gave out from under me and I sprawled
on my butt. The impact was jarring, but luckily it wasn’t enough to
do any damage.
    I rolled over and got to my feet.
I walked along the tree line toward the street. Right before I made
it to the sidewalk, there was a crunch of leaves to my right and I
froze. Someone was hiding in the trees.
    Throwing out my magic, I tried to
sense what it was. Vampire. Fuck, was there a convention in town?
His power choked me. This vampire killed—often. I stumbled away
from him and landed on my knees on the sidewalk under a
streetlamp.
    A match flared and winked out. I
could barely make out the smoldering end of a cigarette amongst the
trees and then he stepped into the light.
    This vampire didn’t even attempt
to play human. His hair was pitch black. Thick, black eyeliner
surrounded his eyes and he had several piercings. He wore a fishnet
shirt and baggy, black jeans. His jacket was draped over his
shoulder.
    He snarled, baring his fangs at
me. “I can’t believe Alaric didn’t kill your ass. He’s so
weak.”
    I stared up at him. I had a
feeling he wouldn’t have a problem killing me here and now. And
here I was, without a knife to defend myself. I should have asked
Casey for one. She was always armed. I wouldn’t get a chance to
make that mistake again.
    “Who are you?”
    He took a long drag of his
cigarette and slowly exhaled. “I’m Fallon.”
    He flicked the cigarette from his fingers, and it
went spinning into the street. He dropped his coat on the ground
and grabbed the straps of my tank top, hauling me up. He slammed me
back into the lamp post and I gasped as pain lit up my spine.
    “I heard my brothers were having a
little witch trouble. Imagine my satisfaction—” He slammed me
against the post again and, before I could stop myself, he was
rewarded with a short scream. “When I show up just in time to find
you sneaking out of the house.”
    “I didn’t know they had another
brother.”
    “Oh, yes. I’ve been ostracized.
I’m a tad more violent than they like. But, I don’t give a fuck if
they want me around or not. They’re in danger, and so I’m
here.”
    He slammed me against the metal
pole again and I cried out. “Now, if you ever come near my brothers
again, I will kill you