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Tessa. Your father takes his responsibilities very seriously."
     
    She gasped. "So you were in the kitchen? I wondered. Not that it matters. He did mean it – and more. He's just kept it hidden all these years. Now, he doesn't have to. There's nothing like having the truth out in the open." For all her attempts she couldn't quite keep the hurt and bitterness out of her voice.
     
    At his concerned look, she raised her chin. She meant it. "Besides I'm not doing anything wrong," she said defiantly.
     
    He glanced around. "What are you doing?"
     
    "They drove in there." She motioned toward the mansion with her arm. "Both of the vampires that attacked me went into that house."
     
    Stunned, he could only look from the mansion, to her and back again. "You found them? And tracked them here? Wait, I thought you couldn't recognize them?"
     
    "I didn't think I could, but I 'smelled' them or something. I don't know what it was, but they were familiar. I searched the parking lot and felt that same thing, so I sat down and waited until someone arrived."
     
    "Jesus, Tessa. Alone? Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?"
     
    "Of course I do. I might be different, but I'm not stupid, Cody. They kidnapped my friend. Was I just supposed to sit by while everyone else makes a decision on his fate and most likely end up with no decision at that? Like hell."
     
    "Don't let your mom catch you saying that word," he warned jokingly.
     
    His attempt to lighten the mood didn't work. She shot him a withering look.
     
    "After tonight, do you really think swearing is something I need to be worried about?" She couldn't hold back a bitter laugh. "I've broken so many rules, one more won't make a difference."
     
    She felt, more than saw, the waves of concern flowing off her brother's best friend. That was nice for a change, but it wouldn't help Jared.
     
    "Look. You need to go home. Or something." She waved him off. "I don't know. Go do whatever vampires do at night."
     
    At his incredulous look, she frowned. "What?"
     
    "You can't just send me packing. I'm not going anywhere?" His wings tucked in and back, falling into place so smoothly they hardly showed. She'd always wanted wings. They either showed up at puberty or they didn't. In her case they didn't. Her mother didn't have them either, but her grandfather did. Such were the genetics of a vampire – at least vampires as they were today. Only a few carried the pure genes, like Cody's family. Everyone else was a blend of dominant vampire strains. Then there was Tessa, the oddity.
     
    "You need to go back, Tessa."
     
    "Too bad. I'm not leaving until I know if Jared is here."
     
    He waved his arm in the direction of the house. "What? Do you think you can just waltz through the place and call out his name? If these are vampires, they've risked a lot to take your friend. They aren't going to care about a stupid girl who gets in their way." He ran his fingers through his tight jet black curls. "Look, I know you want to find him. Let's go tell your dad. He'll know what to do."
     
    "No. He won't, because he won't believe me." She held out her hands. "I smelled them…or something. I don't quite understand that myself, but I did it. My father's not going to understand that I know what I'm talking about. Now if it had been you, then he'd marshal an army to support your cause. Not me. Not the damaged one." She smiled, bitterly. "He's more liable to pat me on my head and tell Mom to give me something so I sleep well tonight."
     
    "Which doesn't change the fact that you can't walk into this scenario alone. That's nuts." He fisted his hands on his hips and glared at her.
     
    She gave him a fat smile. "Except…I'm no longer alone."
     
    The alarmed look he gave her make her chuckle. "What's the matter, Cody? Not ready to test your mettle against a full-on adult vampire yet?"
     
    "Oh no you don't. I'm not falling for that ego trick. I don't know who you think you've tracked down in this house,