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wait.
    “What’s up?” I asked him.
    “Someone’s downstairs,” he said quietly. “He scratched at the window and Dad let him in after Mom threatened to eat his face.”
    “Ew,” Lucy said.
    “Vampire.”
    “Lurking at the windows?” I slid out from under my blanket. “That’s not good.”
    “They’re in the library.”
    We looked at each other, then nodded and hurried out to the hall without another word. The library was one of the only rooms
     in the house where we could properly eavesdrop. We’d discovered, thanks to a tip from Quinn, that if you lie on the floor
     in the spare guest room next to mine and pressed your ear to the vent, you could pretty much hear everything that was going
     on.
    We stretched out on the hardwood and wriggled into position. Nicholas was between us, hogging the best listening spot. His
     face was turned toward Lucy.
    “I can’t hear—” He pressed his finger to her lips to stop her from saying anything else. My parents would hear us if we whispered
     right over the vent. There were definite disadvantages to having vampire parents: sneaking around was nearly impossible. At
     least come my birthday, I wouldn’t be the only one clomping around the house deaf to all the intrigue. I’d hear as well as
     them.
    “Is there a single reason why we shouldn’t stake you where you stand?” my mom asked pleasantly.
    “I’m not here for the bounty,” a male voice assured her. It was low and rumbly, as if it came from a really big chest. I couldn’t
     help but imagine a wrestler down in the library. “I would hardly announce my presence, would I?”
    “You didn’t exactly knock at the front door,” Dad said drily.
    “There are humans in this house,” he said as if that was explanation enough. “I smell at least two, but not here in this room.”
     If we were really lucky, he wouldn’t smell Lucy and me over his head before we heard what else he had to say.
    “I’ve come to offer my allegiance to your daughter.”
    On second thought, I could have done without hearing that.
    “Have you?” Mom didn’t sound convinced. Dad was probably overjoyed at the thought of negotiating another alliance. I kind
     of just wanted to go back to bed.
    “You’re sworn to Lady Natasha,” Dad said softly. “You wear the mark of her house.”
    “I’m sworn to the royal court, yes.” It was an important distinction. “But there are those of us who would rather oath to
     the House of Drake, and I am here representing them.”
    Crap. That prophecy thing again. Why didn’t anyone believe me when I said I didn’t want to be a princess or a queen or whatever?
     I didn’t want to be the excuse for a civil war within the tribes. I shuddered.
    “We’ll keep that in mind. We’d need proof of your loyalty, of course.”
    “Of course. When the time comes, you’ll get your proof.” He sounded like he was bowing. “Until then.”
    I heard the window shut and Mom and Dad moved out of the library. I sighed and closed my eyes. I’d felt fine all day but now
     I was exhausted, almost like I had the flu.
    “I’m sorry I almost left you behind,” Nicholas whispered tightly to Lucy. “I really thought they’d follow us and you’d be
     safer at the party.
    What?” he asked when she didn’t immediately respond.
    “You’ve never apologized to me before.”
    “I said I was sorry the time I used your doll for target practice with the pellet gun.”
    “Because your mom had you by the ear.”
    “Well, what ever. Sorry.”
    “Thanks,” she whispered.
    “You’re welcome,” he whispered back.
    I suddenly felt like a third wheel. Weird.
    Nicholas scrambled to his feet. “We should go.”
    “She’s asleep,” Lucy said. I wasn’t, but I didn’t have the energy to tell her that.
    “I’ve got her,” Nicholas said grimly, picking me up and carry ing me to my room.

CHAPTER 4
    Lucy
    Saturday morning
    Mornings were always quiet in the Drake household, even with nearly twenty people