“She wants to bring darkness to the world. An ancient dark power gives Anka her magic, and to bring that darkness, she needs the strength of many powerful paranormals. She’s travelled all over the world, gaining power from werewolves, witches, fae, shapeshifters, and the last thing she needed was a born vampire. You were it, but she didn’t count on you finding your light.”

“Daisy is my light,” Torija said, “so I have to find a way to break our blood bond. I can’t have her saddled with me.”

“Why?” Sybil asked. “Her defence of you shows she has feelings for you.”

“Feelings for the most evil vampire ever,” Torija replied.

Sybil laughed. “Not by a long chalk. You might have thought that in your arrogance, but there have been a lot out there, including your father.”

That was true. Gilbert was worse, and sadistic with it. He could strike fear in Torija daily, even after she became a born vampire.

“Why do you really want it broken?” Sybil asked.

Torija rubbed her face with her hands and pulled the answer from the depths of her soul. “I don’t know if I can continue to be this vampire, or if I’ll become the Victorija from before when I get used to Daisy’s blood. I could make her life a living hell like Gilbert did to my mother. I went to ask the Reaper’s advice, and he said only death could break a bond.”

Sybil took a sip of tea. “He’s right. Like your grandmother, you would need to walk willingly to your death. Angele was your beginning, and Daisy will be your end.”

Just as Angele had said. Torija’s destiny was clear.

* * *

“I knew this would happen if you knew the truth about our family,” Granny said as she paced around the living room.

“I’m a Brassard, a vampire hunter—you have to let me be who I was meant to be,” Daisy said.

Granny covered her mouth with her hand. “I can’t believe you just let the Dred vampires take you. You could be dead or living in misery as a Victorija Dred blood donor the rest of your life.”

Daisy walked over to her granny and said, “But I’m not. I’m not because I believed in Angele Brassard, our ancestor. She showed me Victorija’s life, what shaped her into what she was today, but also that there was still light in her soul. Sybil must have told you that Lucia Debrek agreed.”

“She did, but remember—Victorija ripped her grandmother’s heart from her body, so forgive me if I’m worried about you having faith in a Dred vampire.” Granny stayed quiet for a minute, then said, “Why did it have to be you?”

“It couldn’t be anyone else, Granny. I’m a Brassard, and Angele chose to tell her story to me.”