She whispered in Lillian’s ear, “You don’t want to listen to my promises. I do what I wish, what I want, anything and everything to suit my needs. You are under my control, and you will do what I say.” Victorija let go of her and she dropped to the ground gasping. “I’m sick of waiting.”

“Principe?” Drasas came striding into the room.

“What?” Victorija snapped.

“The Debreks have left their house. Our people watching the house say they are on their way to The Sanctuary.”

Victorija smiled. “Really? Well, my cousin is really under the human’s thumb. There’s no way this was her idea.”

“What are you thinking, Principe?” Drasas asked.

“I think it’s time to put these new recruits of ours to the test, Drasas, and call in our bargaining chip.”

Victorija walked over and picked up Lillian, and said softly, “I think you may be useful after all, mademoiselle. I’m going to need a protection spell of my very own.”

* * *

Their entrance to The Sanctuary was very different from when Amelia came with Victorija. Under a spell of compulsion, she’d seen everything and everyone through a blur or a cloud of smoke. Now everything was clear and real.

As they walked further into the club, on their way to a table, all the patrons stood and bowed their heads.

Amelia, who had her hand looped through the crook of Byron’s arm, whispered, “What are they doing?”

“Welcoming the new Debrek Principessa. You’re part of vampire royalty now.” Byron smiled and winked. Byron led her to a booth at the back of the club, next to the bar. Sera and Katie sat with them, and their entourage of security people took their places at strategic tables around them.

Amelia looked around at all the bar patrons staring at her and whispering. “I suppose it’s big news in the vampire world that Byron Debrek got married.”

“You’re not kidding. Only took three hundred years,” Sera joked.

“Thank you, Sera,” Byron said, and lifted Amelia’s hand to kiss it. “Love gave me no choice.”

Sera and Katie laughed, and Sera said. “Very smooth, Byron.”

But Amelia didn’t laugh. She felt the warm glow of love in her heart, and experienced the pull of Byron’s blood inside her.

Sera nudged Katie. “I think we should go and get the drinks before they get too lost in each other.”

“How long have you been coming here?” Amelia asked.

Byron slipped her arm around Amelia’s waist, and smiled. “Since a few years before my ascension ceremony. I was too eager to sample life at The Sanctuary, believe me. I had my eyes opened. The Sanctuary was here long before I was born. It was built to be somewhere for all paranormals to come together in peace.”

Amelia looked out over the club and wondered who was who. “Are they all vampires?”