For some reason her words made him stiffen up like a soldier at attention. His words were just as stiff when he said, “I am an immortal. Not a vampire. And those men we stopped were nothing like me and Tybo. They are obviously rogues.”

Allie frowned at this explanation and was going to ask what he meant when Tybo returned with Liam.

“Time to go,” Tybo announced. “We’re catching a ride with one of the delivery boys. He’s pulling up out front. This way.”

“Just a minute,” Allie said with dismay, hurrying forward to grab the man’s arm and drag Liam from him. Holding the boy tightly, she peered from one man to the other and then shook her head. “Thank you for your help, but we aren’t going with you. Liam and I—”

“Will not survive more than ten minutes on your own,” Magnus interrupted firmly. “We are your best bet, Allie. Tybo and I can get you to a safe house where you will be protected until we can find out what is happening and take care of this situation.”

Allie scowled. “And I’m supposed to just take that on faith? I don’t know you any better than the first two men who broke into my apartment.”

“Magnus,” Tybo said quietly. “We don’t have time for this. I’m hoping those men will search the apartment building first. But there are enough of them that they can do that and still send a couple over to check the plaza. We need to move.”

Allie eyed Tybo suspiciously. It sounded to her like he was asking for permission to do something. She was sure she was right about that when Magnus gave a short, reluctant nod. When Tybo immediately turned a concentrated gaze on to her, Allie found herself turning and carrying Liam toward the front of the restaurant. It wasn’t a choice. At least, not her choice, and she should have been panicked and horrified that she was doing something she didn’t intend or want to do, but she was oddly calm and unaffected by it.

As if she’d been drugged was the unconcerned thought that floated through her head, but that didn’t seem quite right. It was more as if her anxiety and worries were being veiled somehow so that she couldn’t connect to them, and a sense of calm and serenity was being pumped through her in their place. Whatever the case, Allie carried Liam straight through the kitchen, and then the bright dining area with its white floors and plastic orange seats to the door and out to the car waiting there.

She got into the back seat, sliding along its length until she was crowded up against a stack of pizza warmers. Allie then settled Liam more comfortably in her lap while Magnus squeezed in next to her and Tybo got into the front passenger seat.