Byron knew she had to take command and get everyone under control. She would have to summon her forces from Monaco to replenish her London guard, but in the meantime she had to get everyone safe, and protected.

Amelia squeezed her tightly and said, “What are we going to do, Byron?”

“We are going to a stronghold that the Debreks haven’t used for a long, long time, but there we will be protected.”

She looked over to Sera. “Sera, go to the safe house, and prepare to move our secret. We’re going to the Debrek castle in Scotland.”

* * *

The smaller Debrek private plane landed at Inverness Airport, and waiting blacked-out cars drove them and their staff on further.

Amelia held Byron’s hand with an iron grip. “How long till we get there?”

“Two and a half hours approximately. The castle is on the very tip of the north of Scotland.”

Byron put an arm around her. Amelia laid her head on Byron’s chest and was reassured by a single thud of her heart. Although Byron’s heart seldom beat, it always seemed to when she lay close.

“Are you sure Uncle Jaunty and Uncle Simon will be safe in London? If Victorija is willing to hurt anyone connected to you…” Amelia didn’t finish the sentence.

“They’ll be perfectly safe. I’ve left some of my people to protect them, and besides, Victorija’s attentions will be on finding us, not harming your uncles.”

“She killed all your staff just to get a spell. It’s senseless.”

Byron kissed her head. “Not for Victorija. She wants to sire an army of born vampires, a threat not only to us, but to the human population. They already have a blatant disregard for human life, and if they became more powerful with each generation, we would be overrun.”

Something that had been bubbling under the surface between them came to Amelia’s mind. “Did you always plan to have a child?” Amelia said.

“I honestly never thought about it. I never even thought I’d have a Principessa. When you’re immortal, time is not really of the essence. I thought Sera would have children, and I suppose I thought I might eventually have to pass on my genes but—”

Amelia sat up quickly at that comment. “Pass on your genes? Is that what you think having a baby is?”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s simply that I never thought I would be married and in love. I might have been obligated to create the next strong generation of vampires eventually, but it wouldn’t have been out of love.”

“And now?” Amelia asked.

Byron smiled and caressed her cheek. “Now things are quite different. Now I have you.”