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could barely follow it. Jessie went to grab Viktor by the collar, presumably to force him from the castle. Viktor knocked his hand away, and then the two of them were slugging and tearing at each other. I guess Viktor had underestimated Jessie’s strength because it was only a few seconds before he was racing for the dungeon stairs, Jessie hard on his heels.
    I could hear the scuffle for a few minutes, but then it faded, and I heard nothing. I sat alone in my cell and tried not to cry. Vampires were real, and one of them had developed a strong dislike for me. That couldn’t be good. I had no idea what had happened to Blossom. For all I knew, Jessie had drained her, and she was already dead. I never should have told him where she was.
    But that didn’t seem right. Something told me that wasn’t an act of violence Jessie was willing to commit. My heart kept telling me I could trust him.
    I forced myself to remember he was a vampire. By his own admission, he was a bloodsucker. The undead. A creature of the night. How trustworthy could he be?
    After what felt like a year, Jessie finally returned, carrying the still unconscious Blossom in his arms. The shoulder of his jacket was a little torn, and there was a fine spray of blood staining his face and the white collar of his shirt.
    Before I knew what I was doing, I sprang to my feet and ran to him, shoving my hands between the bars. “Are you all right?” I touched his ear, his cheek, his chest. I could find no wound that went with the blood.
    Jessie gave a small shiver under my caress.
    “Where is Viktor?” I asked, feeling embarrassed and quickly withdrawing my hands.
    “He’s gone,” Jessie said, shaking his head as if to wipe the memory away. “He won’t be bothering you again.”
    I didn’t know if that meant the other vampire was dead or just driven from the property. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. “How’s Blossom?” I asked.
    He looked down at my friend. “Still out cold. I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
    “We shouldn’t have snuck into the party.”
    Our eyes met. “Would it be too terrible if I said a small part of me was happy that you did?” he whispered.
    I held his gaze, feeling lost but also found. His face was so perfect, so beautiful. His eyes so deep and warm. He looked at me like I was the most precious thing on the planet, like I was a treasure that he had to keep gazing upon to convince himself that it was real.
    He was a vampire. I had to keep reminding myself that he was a vampire. “What should we do about Blossom?” I asked, looking away and feeling my face grow hot.
    “I want to put her in there with you. Hopefully, by morning she’ll be able to walk, and you can both leave.”
    “And if she can’t?” I wanted to know.
    “We’ll figure something out,” he assured me. “If you open the door, I’ll put her inside.”
    It was only after I looped my hands through the bars, shoved the largest skeleton key into the lock, and gave it a twist that I considered how dangerous it was opening the door to a vampire.
    Hurrying in, Jessie placed Blossom on the bunk, went back out immediately without even glancing at me, turned the key in the lock again, and then tossed the ring on the bunk next to my passed-out friend. “Listen,” he said, only then meeting my eyes. “It’s only four o’clock, so there are still a few hours before dawn. Same rules apply. I’m going to stay with you if I can, but if I have to leave for any reason, do not open this door for anyone until dawn. Are we clear on this?”
    I nodded, and he sighed, letting his shoulders sag a little with relief. I tucked the key ring under Blossom and then, after a moment’s hesitation, spread the thin blanket I’d been wearing like a shawl over her. It was a little damp, but warm from my body heat.
    “Here.” Jessie stripped out of his tux jacket, thrust it through the bars, and tossed it at me. “I’m sorry; I didn’t think to get you any dry clothes or