“Numerius.” Adam’s lips curl when we all fall silent. “He’s closer than you think.”

“You’re lying,” Aristelle says. “If you’re working with someone with those kinds of resources, why would you try and take a bite out of me? Fun?”

“He cut us off once Ava left. We didn’t have to pretend anymore, and he thought it’d make us hungrier to find her again.” He licks his lips. “It’s hard to lose the sun after having it for so long. I suggested a little snatch and snack.” He shakes his head. “Stacie said it was a bad plan.”

“She was right,” Aristelle says before turning to me. “I believe the honors of killing this beast should go to you.” She plucks the stake from Reina’s hand and holds it out.

I take it. I look up at Adam. He looks like a guy I don’t like from high school. A regular old bully. This is different from my kills with Roman. They had him pinned down. They were in the process of killing him. My actions were all adrenaline and instinct. This is… calculated.

This is for Mom, I try to tell myself. But it doesn’t raise the same pure fury in me as before. Damn, Roman. Part of me wants it back.

I look into Adam’s face. “Did you kill my mom?” He probably knows the story. I think of him and Stacie, sharing a drink while laughing about my mom. It helps harden me.

He shakes his head so hard I think it might pop off. “No. I’ve only been a vampire for three years. I didn’t want to be one at all. Someone attacked me behind a diner after I got off work. I still can’t believe I died behind a diner. I don’t know anything about your mom. They just told us to keep you close. I don’t belong here.”

“Shut up,” Xander says, shaking him. “We don’t care. You were about to kill Aristelle.”

“We weren’t going to drain her. We just needed some magician blood. We were going to lose the sun again.”

“You belong in the dark,” Xander snarls. “How many people have you killed?”

He doesn’t answer.

Maybe that’s answer enough. But the stake’s limp in my hand, and I can’t get my grip on it to tighten.

“Do it,” Aristelle says. “Consider this your last test before you can really be part of our troupe. Show me what you’re willing to do to protect a fellow magician. They would have drained me dry so they could keep masquerading in the sun with you. How far will you go for us, Ava?”

I search Xander’s face for a way out. He gives me nothing.