“I did this,” I said, turning to the two men. “I remember doing this.”

Edden’s face was tight, and he held a drawn pistol pointed at the ceiling. Ford was behind him looking like the professional psychiatrist he was, out of place and gathering information I wouldn’t want his opinion on.

The soft sound of dragonfly wings brought my tear-streaked face around to see Jenks, his wings sparkling in the light coming in the low windows.

“Rache, you better come in here.”

Oh, God.

“Ivy?” I called out, and Edden shoved his way into the cramped space.

“Get behind me,” he said, face grim, and I pushed through the broken frame before him, desperate to find her. Either Kisten was dead and no threat, or he was undead and destroyed from the sun, or his killer was still here, or Ivy had found Kisten and she needed me.

The living room was clean and empty, smelling of water and sunshine through the open windows. Pulse fast, I followed Jenks into the hall, past the bathroom, and to the back bedroom. The rasp of Ivy’s ragged breath sent a chill through me, and I jerked from Edden’s grasp only to stop dead just inside the door.

Ivy stood alone with her back to the dresser, arms over her middle, and her head bowed. Before her, on the floor slumped upright against the bed, was Kisten.

My eyes closed, and a lump filled my throat. Grief slammed into me, and I staggered to stand against the doorframe. He was dead. And it hadn’t been easy.

Edden’s soft curse behind me cut through my awareness, and I took a gasping breath. “You son of a bitch,” I whispered to no one. “You son of a bitch bastard.” I was far too late.

Kisten’s barefoot body was dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a shirt I’d never seen. His neck and body had been savaged, and his arms and torso were torn as if he had tried to defend himself. Silvered blue eyes told me he had died undead, but the blood pooled in his legs and heels said that he hadn’t been drained, simply killed twice. Dark blood matted his once-bright hair, and his smile was gone.

I took another breath, trying to keep upright, though the room was starting to waver.

“I’m sorry, Rachel,” Edden said softly, his hand landing on my shoulder in a show of comfort. “I know he meant a lot to you. This wasn’t your fault.”

At that the tears started to dribble out, one by one. “Kisten?” I warbled, not wanting to believe he was gone. I had been here. I had tried to keep him alive. I must have. But I hadn’t been able to, and the guilt must have been why I’d tried to forget.

I took a helpless step closer, wanting to fall on my knees and pull him to me. “I’m sorry, Kisten.” I started to cry in earnest. “I must have tried. I must have.”