“This is a mess, Byron. Not long ago I was opening my first business, enjoying the start of married life, and now—everything’s unravelling.”

Byron pulled Amelia to her. “All of those good things will be waiting for us when we have sorted out this situation. We have an immortal life to look forward to, and I promise you will be safe to enjoy it. We will grieve your parents and deal with whatever comes to us.”

Amelia grasped Byron’s lapels and hugged her tightly. “There’s no way I could cope with this without you.”

Byron kissed her head. “You’ll never have to.”

* * *

Alexis edged closer to the perimeter around Sybil’s house, with Katie close behind her. They heard bangs and shouts as they got closer, and when they could finally see what was going on, they saw Sybil at the door of the cottage trying to hold back a group of attackers.

“Who are they?” Katie whispered.

“Vampires and witches together, I sense,” Alexis said.

“Why are witches helping vampires?”

“I’ve no idea. Look.”

Alexis pointed to Sybil when they were close enough to the cottage. Sybil was pouring her power into a dome of protection around her cottage, which wasn’t allowing the vampires through. Some of the witches helping the vampires were casting spells to try to break through Sybil’s spell.

“You can’t hold us out forever, witch!” one of the vampires shouted.

Alexis turned to Katie and put her hands on either side of her face, then stared directly into her eyes. She used her telepathy skills to speak directly to Katie’s mind.

Can you hear me? Nod if you can.

Katie nodded.

Good. I don’t want the vampires to hear my voice. I’m going to help Sybil, but I want you to promise that you’ll stay hidden here, no matter what you see out there.

Katie started to protest but Alexis stopped her, out of the blue, with a kiss.

I can’t help Sybil if I’m worrying about the woman I deeply care about being in danger.

Katie was taken aback at both the kiss and the admission that Alexis cared about her. Instead of protesting and because she couldn’t speak, she placed her hand on her heart to show her feelings. Alexis smiled and returned the gesture exactly as Katie had done and smiled.

Katie could hardly watch as Alexis headed out into the fray in a flash. Alexis dispatched the witches quickly, with them not even knowing she was there. Alexis then began hand-to-hand combat with the other vampires. Katie was mesmerized by Alexis. Watching her fight was something to behold. She was so quick, a master of unarmed combat. She could picture her on the battlefield in the days before she was a vampire, serving in the army.