“All right. Now that we have that settled, I need to explain a few things so you know what’s coming. In the basement are a series of lights I had installed, and the switch operating them is on the lower right of the console.”

“I see three switches. Two white. One red.”

“The white ones control locks on the doors leading in and out of the basement.”

“But the power’s out.”

“No worries. They’re on the same circuit as that room.”

“Oh. Okay,” Fallon said, looking at the monitors. “And all the vamps are down here now. They’re standing outside the safe room door looking like a heavy metal band with no instruments.”

“Perfect timing,” Bennett said, smiling. “Fallon, I want you to flip the two white switches but leave the red one alone.”

“Done.”

“And now for the next step,” Bennett said, briefly looking at Gus and Cathleen. “Are your brothers still occupied?”

“Um,” Fallon said, looking over her shoulder. “Yep.”

“Right, well, the next part won’t be pretty, so when I tell you to flip the red switch, I’d prefer if both you and your sister look away from the monitors.”

“Why?”

Bennett paused. “Fallon, you’ve read enough about my kind to know what sunlight does to some of us—yes?”

“Sure.”

“Well, that lighting I had installed is going to do the same thing.”

“You mean they’re going to catch fire?”

“Wait,” Gus said, placing his hand on Bennett’s shoulder. “If there’s a fire—”

“There’s no need to worry,” Bennett said softly. “The fire ensnares only the vampire. Think of it like a vacuum or a vortex. The vampires basically become the flames, and once the last ounce of them has turned to ash, the fire has no more fuel, and it goes out. It won’t set anything else ablaze. I promise.”

“Oh, okay,” Gus said, glancing at Cathleen. “That’s fine then.”

“Did you hear all that, Fallon?”

“Yep.”

“Right,” Bennett said, looking out the window. “Well, we’re still about ten minutes away. So whenever you’re ready—wait. Fallon, to your left is the volume control. Is it on or off?”

“It’s off.”

“All right. Leave it that way, and whenever you’re ready, flip the red switch.”

Fallon looked at Kenna, who again nodded in agreement.

“Okay,” Fallon said, reaching for the switch. “Here goes nothing.”

Chapter Forty-One

Ruby hadn’t spoken since picking up Gus and Cathleen, and her silence revolved around one thing—shame. The need for revenge had blinded her, tunneling her vision to a point where only Napoleon existed, but that wasn’t the case, and Ruby was mortified. The Rooney's children had been a hairsbreadth away from being slaughtered, and Gunnar Jensen’s entire family could have been killed as well…and it was all Ruby’s fault.