Katie stepped right beside Alexis and slipped her hand around her waist.

Alexis allowed her fingertips to caress Katie’s cheek. “There’s something no one has told you about your attack.”

Katie stepped back. “What? Why?”

“The Principe and Principessa wanted to give me a chance to confess.”

Katie was starting to panic now. Why had she been kept in the dark? What could Alexis possibly have done?

“What?”

“When I found you, you were nearly dead. I felt panic and pain like I had never felt before. Then Byron and Amelia came, and Amelia saw your spirit rising out of your body. I didn’t think twice. I ripped open my wrist to feed you blood. Byron told me not to do it, told me not to break our rule of consent, but I didn’t care about your consent. I carried on and was about to drip blood into your mouth when Bhal arrived and stopped me. She then saved you.”

Katie was silent. She didn’t know what to say or think or do. Her mind was struggling to take it all in.

“The next morning you could have woken up to the decision of living your life as an undead vampire or facing an agonizing death. I’ve always hated Victorija for doing that to me, and all I can say is that I would have done it, and I would do it again. I would do it again because…” Alexis took Katie’s hand. “I’m a soldier, and I was brought up not to show my feelings. I don’t know how to. All I can say is this.”

Katie watched as Alexis placed the palm of her hand on her heart, as she had earlier today when they were in hiding outside Sybil’s cottage. The simple gesture conveyed more than words to Katie, and she teared up.

Alexis shot out of the cabin in an instant.

* * *

Katie rubbed her forehead, trying to make sense of what Alexis had told her. Despite what Alexis thought, what was more shocking than the fact that she could have woken up to the biggest decision of her life after the attack, was the fact that Alexis was willing to break the Debreks’ most sacred tenet.

She knew what rules meant to Alexis and her wish to put duty above all. For her to be not just willing, but eager to break it must mean that Alexis truly loved her. Now Alexis’s determination to look after her made sense.

Katie had to do something. Alexis was torturing herself. Katie never thought she’d need to be the strong one between them, but here it was. Hoping Alexis hadn’t ran off into the forest, she walked to the front door and opened it.

Luckily she found Alexis leaning against the wooden porch post, just looking out into the night.

“Alexis, I need to talk to you.”