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telling me anything yet.”
    “ Sit down,” he says, looking at the chairs on the back porch.
    I sit and he sits on the chair next to me.
    He sighs. “Cassie runs a… well, some people call it a dating service… others call it an escort service. I will go with the second term based on the circumstances that she works with. She recruits freshman students without them knowing, finds something to use against them, and then she sets you up on dates with certain people and gets paid for it.”
    My mouth drops open.
    “ Why don’t they just say no?”
    “ Like I said, she uses something against them. Some are happy to accept new clothes,” he looks me up and down, “and do what they are told.”
    “ I had no idea. You have to believe me.”
    “ I believe you.”
    “ Why hasn’t anyone told on her?”
    “ It’s not worth the trouble. Too many people are involved in her mess one way or another. If she goes down, she will bring everyone down with her.”
    I nod once and get up, turning toward the door, but Ian puts his hand on my arm to stop me. Without thinking, I close my eyes for a split second and enjoy how his skin feels against mine. He makes me feel… safe.
    “ People tried to stop them before. It didn’t end well. If you can help it, don’t do anything. Just try to distance yourself before it is too late, okay?” he says in a concerned tone.
    “ Why are you helping me?” I ask.
    “ Before you, my sister was the naïve person who fell into her trap.”
    Ian gets up and stands in front of me. He then opens the door and motions for me to go in. “I’m sure she will be more than willing to share her story with you once she finds out what happened tonight.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    NICHOLAS
    “ Where are you going?” asks Harvey.
    “ Out.”
    “ Out where?”
    I shake my head. I’ll never understand his need to act like a father figure.
    “ To feed.”
    “ Would you like company?”
    What the hell is wrong with him? I ask myself. “To eat? No. I think I’m good.”
    “ Well, I’m going anyway. I have nothing else to do.”
    “ Seriously?”
    He nods and I give up. “For the record, I’m not sharing.”
    He laughs and follows me out.
    “ You’re driving,” I say.
    We get in his car and drive for a while.
    “ Where do you go to feed these days anyway?” he asks.
    I shrug. “Random places. I pretty much look for the first crowded place I find; usually bars or clubs. Just head downtown… we’ll find something.
    After a short few minutes driving, I catch the scent of blood. As in a high concentration of blood, and then, I hear the music.
    “ Turn here,” I say.
    “ That is not downtown.”
    “ Does it matter? I said I stop at the first crowded place.”
    “ How can you tell we are approaching one?”
    “ Unlike you, I haven’t been sipping off blood bags. I drink straight from whatever source I deem awesome enough to serve my needs. Or at least I used to. Something is off lately.”
    He glances at me, “What do you mean?”
    “ I don’t know. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m starving.”
    “ There,” I point. “That is the house.”
    “ Are you just going to get the owner to invite you in?”
    I smirk. “Why wouldn’t they want to?”
    Harvey parks the car across the street and we walk up to the side of the house where someone is passed out on the lawn. That is when I notice something…
    “ Do you smell that?”
    “ What? The god-awful smell of alcohol?”
    “ No… Sarah’s blood. It’s very faint, but it’s here.”
    I rush to the back yard ready to ask for the owner so he or she can invite me in, but I don’t have to. I see Sarah’s friend there, pressed against the wall by some guy.
    I walk over and turn him around by his shoulder.
    I glamour him before he can say a word. “Leave,” I order.
    I notice Harvey behind me.
    Sarah’s friend smiles. “She isn’t here,” she says, “but I’m glad you are.” She has been drinking but the smell of alcohol on her is