Katie was gobsmacked at Alexis’s former life. She would never have believed it. It was like something from a Jane Austen or a Charles Dickens novel. No wonder Alexis was so guarded emotionally—she was hurt so very badly.

Alexis had gone to make Katie her nightly cup of tea, which, Katie knew, was also an opportunity for Alexis to retreat and recover a little after exposing so much of her past. When she returned with her tea, Katie said, “You must be so bored, stuck here with me, instead of out there doing your duty with Byron.”

Alexis sat down and said simply, “You are my duty.”

Katie was taken aback and didn’t know what to say next. Surely Alexis couldn’t feel that guilty. What was going on in this mixed-up vampire brain of hers?

The silence between them hung so heavily that it felt it was going to be ended with either a passionate kiss or a passionate argument. But Alexis stepped up before any of that happened.

“It’s your turn,” Alexis said.

Katie, who was enjoying the warmth of her tea mug, snapped her head around to Alexis.

“My turn? What do you mean?”

“You wanted a story from my life, and now it’s your turn to tell me one from yours.”

“A story?” Katie said with surprise. “I haven’t got any interesting stories. I’ve just lived my life with the Debreks.”

“You do. For instance, what was it like to grow up in a household full of vampires? I imagine it didn’t feel normal.”

“Normal? What is normal? Anyway it was normal to me. When I look back, the most overwhelming feeling I remember was of safety. I had a whole clan full of immortal vampires to make sure I was safe. They played with me, were very indulgent with their time, and entertained me as I ran around the estate. It’s strange when I think about it. The vampires that played with me back then haven’t changed, but now I’m grown up and basically the same age, and when I’m old and grey they’ll still be the same age.”

“I don’t remember that—I mean, I remember some of the children of the human staff running around, but I don’t remember my vampires playing with you,” Alexis said.

“You were too busy with your mind on clan business.” Of course, when she had the biggest crush on Alexis as a teenager, Katie often wished Alexis would notice.

“What was it like at school?” Alexis asked.