The teeth leave my neck, and I feel like I can breathe again even though her hands on my arms are steel traps.

“I wouldn’t,” she says. Her voice jars me even more. It’s still Stacie’s voice—every bit as bright and bubbly as usual.

Everyone’s head snaps in our direction.

“Aristelle,” Xander says softly.

Aristelle passes her stake to Reina before lighting both her hands again and taking a few slow steps in my direction. The fire in her expression makes me want to take my chances with Stacie. I’m not confident that Aristelle cares if she burns me to the ground too.

Stacie drops my arms, but before I can even think about running, her hand squeezes the back of my neck so hard I cringe.

“You know I can snap her neck before you even let go of one of your little fireballs.”

Aristelle shrugs.

I’m going to die. Stacie’s going to kill me.

“Aristelle,” Xander snaps.

She sighs, but she’s still stepping slowly in our direction. “Fine. Give me her, and we’ll let him go.”

“We do it at the same time, or not at all. And something tells me Ava doesn’t heal as well as Adam,” Stacie says.

My name in her mouth pisses me off, and I finally snap out of it and swing an elbow back into her ribs.

She laughs. Her grip on my neck doesn’t falter at all. “It’s about time,” she says, close enough to my ear to make my skin crawl. “I always thought you’d put up a fight.” The smallest trace of sadness enters her voice. “Sometimes I even hoped you’d win.” Her hands shift to grip my arms again. “On three,” she shouts.

Xander nods as Stacie counts, and then I’m being shoved forward, and it looks like Aristelle will catch me, but she only gives me another shove behind her before launching herself at a running Adam. She hits his middle, and they roll together across the pavement and splash into the water. Xander and Reina are there in an instant, pulling him back against the cement block.

Stacie stops running and spins, hissing as she steps toward us. “We had a deal.”

“I don’t make deals with vampires.” Aristelle stands up as Xander and Reina drag Adam to his feet again. “Besides, we did let him go. Not my fault if he’s slow.”

Stacie takes a step back, even though it looks like she wants to rip everyone’s throat out. I’m surprised her face can even hold that vicious of an expression. I couldn’t have even imagined it on her before now.

“Don’t leave me,” Adam growls.

“Sorry,” she says. She shoots me one quick look I can’t read before sprinting into the night.