"Okay, but those times were life-and-death. And once, it was your life on the line, so you can't really complain." On impulse, I stood and went to his chair, knelt beside him and laid my head on his knee.

I think he was too startled to say anything at first, but after a moment he put his hand on my head. "I love you, Carrie."

If he had hit me in the chest with a sledgehammer, it would have had about the same effect. I couldn't breathe. It was like he'd knocked the wind out of me.

I wanted to ask what he meant by that. Did he love me the way a sire is supposed to love his fledgling? Or did he love me like a man is supposed to love a woman when there isn't a bunch of screwed up emotional baggage and vampire history thrown in the mix? And why now? Why wait until we were about to do something dangerous to confess his love? Did he think one of us wouldn't survive to feel awkward about this later?

But I didn't ask any of the questions I was dying to have answered. I'd finally heard what I'd wanted to for so long. I just took it for what it was, for now.

"I listened to my blood tie with the Soul Eater last night," Nathan said, changing the subject as naturally as if he'd just said, "The weather's been fine, hasn't it?"

I did not recover so easily. My "Oh?" was forced and transparent.

He nodded. "He has the Oracle's heart."

This time my "Oh?" was surprised and strangled.

"Yes. He is planning on devouring it, and with it, the Oracle's soul. Do you want to hear what I think?"

I knew it was a rhetorical question, so I didn't answer. He'd tell me anyway.

And I was right. A spark that had been missing for so long lit Nathan's eyes. "I think we should change our objective a little. Are you up to finding the Oracle's heart and destroying it?"

I laughed a little to cover my shock. I'm sure it worked about as well as all my attempts to cover my emotions. "Well, um. I suppose so."

"The way I see it, we'd kill two birds with one stone." He smiled. "Or you would. If the Oracle has Max and Bella—hell, even if it's the Soul Eater's people who have them—the death of the Oracle is going to throw things into a tailspin. It'll be easier for them to get away, and it cleans up our problem with her forever."

"It will also ruin the Soul Eater's current plans and buy us more time to regroup." I nodded. "Okay. I'll do it. If father is anything like son, I have a feeling it won't be too difficult."