Alexis was startled by a strange feeling passing over her body. The kind of feeling when it seemed like someone had walked over your grave. Then goosebumps erupted on her arms and legs.

She listened quietly for any sounds and then heard a woman scream from the other side of the house. Then a realization hit her in the chest. It was Katie. Alexis ran for her at full speed.

The staff rooms were on other side of the house from the staircase, and so she couldn’t be there instantly with her vampire super speed, but she was soon approaching the main staircase.

What she saw there made her feel like she was having her guts wrenched out. Katie was lying on the floor with Josie feeding on her neck. “No!”

Alexis pulled Josie off her, and without any thought, snapped her neck and threw her off the staircase. Josie landed on the marble floor below.

She fell to her knees and cradled Katie, looking for signs that she was okay, but her lips were turning blue. “No, no! Don’t leave me, Katie,” Alexis roared.

Suddenly Byron was by her side. “What happened?”

“Josie was feeding on her.” Alexis couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her face.

Byron felt for a pulse on her neck and Amelia arrived by her side.

“Katie? Is she okay?” Amelia asked.

“There’s barely a pulse,” Byron said.

Alexis pulled up her sleeve and bit into her own wrist. The only way Alexis could see to save her was to turn Katie into a vampire. She was just about to drip her blood into Katie’s mouth when Byron caught her wrist to stop her.

“No, Alexis, she hasn’t consented,” Byron said.

Alexis wasn’t thinking about anything apart from Katie’s well-being and the rage and panic inside her.

Amelia gasped and said, “I…I think I can see her spirit leaving her body.”

Alexis growled, “I don’t care. I’m not losing someone else I love to a vampire. Let me go.”

Byron let her go, and Alexis brought her wrist close to Katie’s lips. “I’m only doing this because I love you. if you hate me for it, I’ll just have to live with that.”

“Don’t be like Victorija, Alexis. Remember what she took from you, and don’t take Katie’s humanity.”

Alexis looked up at Byron through tear-filled eyes. “I have to.”

“Stop.” Bhal came barrelling towards them. “Let me, Duca.” She kneeled down next to Katie and poured some liquid from her whisky flask. It looked like plain water when it pooled in her hand.

Bhal looked up at Alexis and said, “Trust me, Alexis.”

Alexis nodded and Bhal dribbled the water from her hands onto Katie’s lips and into her mouth. Alexis couldn’t breathe as she stared at Katie’s lifeless body.

After an anxious few seconds, Amelia said, “Her spirt is going back—it’s going back into her body.”

Alexis pleaded, “Breathe, Katie, breathe.”

Then Alexis heard the best sound she’d ever heard, Katie gasping for breath.