I follow the narrow road, but I don’t walk directly on it. I pick my way through the ferns twenty feet into the forest where I can duck down if anyone starts driving up. I haven’t been moving long when I hear the faint crunch of gravel. I crouch down and press myself into the trunk of a thick redwood. All I see is a blur, and then I hear the grinding of feet skidding on gravel.

I peek around the tree. Two people stand in the middle of the road.

“Holy shit,” says a petite woman with fire-red hair braided down her back. “There it is.”

“I can feel it,” the man next to her says. He runs a hand across his buzzed black hair and licks his lips. “We’ve checked this road before. They’re getting sloppy.”

“Unless it’s a trap?” The woman cocks her head.

“Best not to find out with just the two of us,” the man answers.

I shift slightly so I can glance back the way I came. The mansion is still there, fog hanging around its peaks.

Shit. Whatever protection spell was on the mansion seems to be gone. I pull a stake from my boot and grip it in my hand, debating what I should do. I want to kill vampires less than ever, but if they’re looking for the mansion, maybe I should. Nadine is in there.

And Reina and Diantha. The twins.

The vampires turn and start jogging back down the road. I have to act now, or I’ll have no chance of catching them. I move to spin around from my hiding place, but a hand grabs my arm and shoves me back against the bark. I point my stake in that direction on instinct, stopping it just above Roman’s heart.

He holds a finger to his lips. He doesn’t seem the least bit worried about my stake. He doesn’t need to be. I let it fall to my side. We stand in silence until the vampires’ chatter fades.

Roman steps away from me and glances back at the mansion. “I believe you shattered the protection spell.”

“Not my problem,” I tell him. “I’m leaving.”

“You can’t go,” he says.

“I am.” I wave a hand around me. “I’m already out.”

“Please, Ava. Trust me. You need to see one thing, and then I won’t stop you. I swear.”

The only reason I nod is because I do trust him.

His cold fingers reach out and wrap around my elbow. My skin feels fevered under his touch. I barely pay attention to my surroundings as he leads me back through the arched entryway to the compound, through the twirling paths of fog and roses, to a wooden door tucked in the side of a towering hedge.