Byron’s eyes flashed red with anger. “She set that up to gain favour with you. I didn’t leave you unprotected. Bhal and her people were watching over you from the moment you left Monte Carlo, keeping you safe.”

The anger and emotion of Byron’s reaction made her bite wound start to ache. She rubbed it and saw Byron’s eyes gaze at it hungrily.

“You and your family…I can’t believe I’m going to say this. No, I need you to say it.”

Byron let out a breath. Amelia had worked out there was something paranormal about them, but not the full truth. She might as well get it all out at once.

“We—I am an immortal born vampire.”

Amelia’s face was full of confusion. “Immortal born vampire? I don’t—”

“Vampires come in two kinds, humans turned into vampires and born vampires. Alexis is a turned vampire.”

“Alexis? She was a human?”

Byron nodded. “Captain Alexander Villiers of the Household Calvary, Royal Dragoons, when I first met her a hundred and fifty years ago, but that’s another story.”

“A hundred and fifty years?” Amelia’s voice registered her shock. “So what are you?”

Byron went to take a sip of tea, but her hand was shaking so much she put it down, and clasped her hands so the tremor wouldn’t show so much. This blood sickness was gaining ground and would soon take hold of her. She had to get Amelia to understand.

“My family are born vampires. It’s a long story, but the Debreks found a way to procreate, and produce more powerful vampires with each generation.”

“Why was having children a problem?” Amelia asked.

“Because vampires are not alive, Amelia, and generally speaking only the living can produce life.”

Amelia looked shocked. “You’re dead.”

Byron shook her head. “I am neither dead nor alive. I am vampire. I was born and would have seemed very much alive until I was eighteen, when I went through our ritual to become a true born vampire.”

Tears started to fill Amelia’s eyes. “You died when you were eighteen?”

“Yes, but I’m so much more alive in so many ways. I’m faster, stronger, than any turned vampire.”

“So this banking stuff? It was all a lie?”

“No, that’s our business, and has been since we first established ourselves in Venice, over six hundred years ago. I am everything you thought I was, a successful European banker, but the only thing you didn’t know was that my family were vampires.”

“Is Victorija—”

“She’s a born, and my cousin twice removed, but her side of the family were expelled from the Debrek family a long time ago.”

Amelia stood up and started to pace, holding her head. “I can’t believe this. It’s too much.”

Byron went to her and tried to hold her but Amelia pushed her away. “Don’t touch me, Byron.”