I wished they would figure this out so someone would give me some water. Jax hovered above me, a red straw taller than he was in his grip. Feeling distant and unreal, I made my eyes wide so I could focus on him. “Dad?” the small pixy called, worried, but they weren’t listening.

“You little twit,” Ivy snapped. “It was an accident! Didn’t you hear her?”

“I heard her.” He left me, his feet silent on the carpet. “She’ll say anything you want now, won’t she? You bound her to you! Damn it, Ivy! You weak-willed, jealous sack of vampire spit. You said you could handle this! You promised me you wouldn’t bite her!”

His shouting was furious, and I went even colder. What if she had bound me to her? Would I be able to tell?

I desperately wanted to turn my head, but Jax was standing on my nose, his bare feet warm, the scent of sugar and wax coming from the drop hanging on the end of the straw. I wanted it, then felt guilty for wanting water when my friends were going to kill each other.

“I’m not going to tell you again, Jenks. Get out of my way.”

There was an intake of breath, and Jax let out a yelp and darted to the ceiling. I heard a grunt followed by a rolling thump. Adrenaline surged, and I pushed myself up, then slumped against the headboard, neck protesting.

They were grappling on the floor, moving too fast for my blood-starved brain to follow. The small end table had been knocked over, and they were a confusing tangle of legs and arms.

“You’re a lying, manipulative, vamp-bitch whore!” Jenks shouted, twisting violently out of her grip. She leapt at him from a crouch, and the two crashed to the wall. Jenks moved blindingly fast, flowing out from under her, grabbing her arm and landing atop her back, pinning her to the carpet. My God, he was quick.

“Ow,” Ivy said to the wall, abruptly still with Jenks atop her, her arm held at an awkward angle. His other hand held a dagger to her kidneys. When had he gotten a dagger? “Damn it, Jenks,” she said, making a little wiggle. “Get off.”

“Tell me you’re going to leave and not come back,” he said, breath fast and blond hair in disarray, “or I’ll break your arm. And you’re going to stay away from Rachel. Got it? And if I see her trying to get to you because you bound her to you, I’ll find you and kill you twice. I’ll do it, Ivy. Don’t think I can’t!”

My mouth went dry and I started to shake. I was going into shock. My hand pressed to my neck was sticky. I wanted to tell them to stop, but it was all I could do to stay upright.

Ivy wiggled, stiffening when Jenks poked her. “Listen to me, pixy man,” she said, her face turned to the wall. “You’re quick, you’re fast, and if you stick that into me, I’m going to smack you into the ever-after. I didn’t bind her to me. I tried to leave, and she asked me to stay. She wanted to know. Damn it, Jenks, she wanted to know!”