“We’ll take care of her, Dr. Tyler,” Amelia said.

Byron nodded. “Like the finest of china. You have my word.”

Amelia said to Byron, “I’d better go and tell Alexis. She’s waiting at the door.”

“Of course.”

Amelia walked to the door and slipped out quietly. She found Alexis pacing up and down.

“How is she, Principessa?”

Amelia had never seen such panic, such strength of emotion, from Alexis since she had met her. In fact until now, Amelia thought Alexis would never let anyone see the strength of the feelings she had for Katie. She was in love and had announced it to everyone as Katie lay dying. “She’s doing okay. Dr. McKenzie says she will recover, but it will take some time and a lot of care. What happened to Josie?”

“By the time our guards were alerted, she had fled,” Alexis said with anger.

“But you snapped her neck and threw her off the stairs. She must have broken every bone in her body.”

“She’s a vampire.”

Even though Amelia knew that logically, this was all still new enough that the vampires’ healing ability still caught her by surprise.

“She will be fully recovered?” Alexis said anxiously.

“What?” Amelia had been lost in her thoughts.

“Katie, will she be fully recovered?”

“Yes, Katie’s getting a blood transfusion now to help her recover. Come in and see her.”

Alexis had a look of fear on her face. “No, I’ll leave her to rest. Thank you, Principessa.”

She gave Amelia a bow of the head and walked away quickly. Amelia sighed. Alexis was one loved-up vampire, but she was terrified of it.

* * *

Alexis awoke with a start, her heart pounding incredibly fast. She was sitting at her desk and must have fallen asleep. Alexis rubbed her face and then looked at the time.

“Five in the morning.”

She couldn’t remember what her nightmare was about exactly, but she woke up screaming Katie’s name. Katie. Now, what happened last night and what she had nearly lost and done hit her like a ton of bricks.

Guilt enveloped her, and she hurried over to the whisky decanter and poured out a large glass, to take the edge off her emotions and hunger to feed. As she lifted the glass, her hand shook.

“Shit.” Alexis put her hand to her forehead in frustration. “I’m just like Victorija.”

She could have changed Katie’s life forever. She fully expected Byron to take her position as Duca from her and banish her from the clan. Alexis had broken their most sacred rule and she deserved everything she got.

But her banishment from the clan would be nothing compared to not seeing Katie again, even if it was only from a distance. How could she live with this love and not act upon it, bare her soul to Katie, and beg her forgiveness for nearly turning her into a vampire?

* * *

Katie slowly became aware of voices around her. She opened her eyes and saw Amelia beside her bed, talking to some woman she didn’t know. Then she felt the pain in her neck and deep cold right down into her bones.