They walked on in silence. Alexis was desperate to talk and open up about her feelings. The love she had inside her had grown so large that it was so hard to keep contained.

But what to come clean about first? That she loved her or that she almost tried to forcibly turn her into a vampire? Both could destroy any kind of new friendship or feelings they shared.

They crossed over a little bridge with a stream flowing underneath. “It’s so pretty here. Yes, pretty and…”

“What?” Alexis asked.

Katie guided them over to a bench made out of tree stumps. “Let me catch my breath. I can’t wait till I’m fully fit again. I’ve usually got so much energy.”

“You’ll be back full of vim and vigour in no time. What were you saying before? It’s pretty here and—?”

Katie didn’t know to explain it exactly. “Um…it has a feeling of something more ancient, something otherworldly, close to the spirits, I suppose.”

“It is. A witch once told me that the veil between our world and the next is very thin here. Like a portal where the two worlds intersect. That’s why the cunning folk based themselves here.”

“The cunning folk?” Katie asked.

“The witch coven who lived here. They were called the cunning folk. An ancient coven of witches, very powerful ones at that.”

“And that old woman Amelia met. She’s one of them?”

Alexis nodded. “Sybil, yes she’s one of the few left.”

Katie rubbed her neck.

“Are you okay?” Alexis said. Alexis felt bad. Maybe she could offer some of her blood to help Katie heal more quickly. Vampire blood was rich and could ease all manner of physical harms, but she couldn’t offer her blood without telling Katie the truth. Maybe it was now or never.

“Shall we keep walking, or do you want to go back?” Alexis asked.

“No, I’d like to go a little further.” Katie took her arm again and they walked onward.

Alexis closed her eyes and took a breath. She was going to do it. “Katie, I’d like to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the night Josie attacked you.”

Katie sighed. “Do we have to relive it again? I’m trying to forget it.”

“Yes, I have to tell you what happened,” Alexis said.

“Okay then, tell me.”

This was it. She would relive her shame and lose any chance she had with Katie.

“When I found you that night, you were—” Alexis stopped dead. She could hear something. She had tuned out all of the usual forest noises, but this was different. There were lots of voices coming from all around.

“What is it?” Katie asked.

Alexis held her finger to her lips, then guided Katie into the bushes to keep out of sight.

* * *