She had an inkling who that love would be. Wilder spent a great deal of time watching over Amelia, and had obviously fallen for her. It was inevitable that someone as beautiful, as gentle, as innocent would ensnare the heart of a warrior.

In the short time she had spent with Amelia, even she, a bloodthirsty vampire with no human feeling left inside of her, had started to open up to her. She closed her eyes and remembered.

Someone hurt you, Victorija? Amelia asked.

Victorija shook off the memory. Amelia had an aura of empathy and it was easy to fall to her charms. “So Byron has finally grown some teeth and taken her woman?” Victorija said.

Drasas shook her head. “No, the way I was told it, Miss Honey went to her willingly. Byron the pious was willing to die before taking the blood she needed.”

“Byron’s desperate desire to keep her last shred of humanity never fails to amaze me. She is pathetic, and not worthy to carry on the royal born vampire legacy. So the Debreks have a new Principessa? No matter, I’ll still get what I want. My plan was not dependent on them.”

Drasas bowed her head, and left.

Victorija clapped her hands together. “If I can just get Lillian to get her bloody arse in gear and find this item, everything would be perfect.” She turned and looked into the mirror. She smiled and said, “Byron, I’m coming for you, and everything that it means to be a Debrek. You better be ready.”

* * *

Byron walked out of the shower room with only a towel around her, and the sight that greeted her took her breath away. Amelia was half dressed in her underwear and silk blouse, one leg up on the bed while she pulled her stocking up.

She leaned against the wardrobe and simply watched, just to convince herself this was real. In the time they spent apart, she’d imagined many times what it would have been like to have followed her sister’s advice, and her heart, and not cut things off with Amelia. She dreamed about her that whole time, but then opened her eyes, and there was nothing there but an empty room.

“What are you gazing at so intently?” Amelia said with a smile.

Byron walked over to her and pulled her into her arms. “You, you’re so beautiful, and I can’t believe you’re here. I was thinking about how I dreamed of you like this all the time we were apart. It nearly killed me to stay away from you.”

“I know, but that’s all in the past now. We’re together, and we still have so much to catch up on, and talk about. Maybe once this Victorija thing is sorted out we could go on holiday, just you and me.”