His gaze meets mine, but his eyes are apathetic, giving nothing away.

“Hi, Rafe.” The tall boy speaks casually, though his shoulders are tense, and his gaze has locked with Bram’s in silent communication.

“Why do you have my lab partner restrained to a chair?” Rafe asks coolly.

The tall boy twirls a lock of my hair around his pointer finger. “Just having some fun with a weed,” he responds. “I didn’t know you knew her, cousin.” My heart sinks upon hearing they’re related. The boy unwinds the hair from his finger, then places his hand on my shoulder and squeezes in a way that makes acid rise in my mouth. He leers and asks, “Do you mind sharing?”

“Get off me!” I struggle against his touch. How did I ever let this slimeball touch me?

The adrenaline boost from moments before is starting to wear off, and I feel woozy.

“You’re a fool, Leo,” Rafe says in a bland, bored voice. “Do you know what she is? You shouldn’t be standing so close.”

“This philistine excuse for a Sire?” Leo scoffs. “She’s harmless.”

“She could kill you with one touch.” Rafe raises his hand, palm out. “The right amount of Ha’i zapped to your heart”—he snaps his fingers—“pop.” His lips lift into a cruel grin. “And perhaps you would deserve it for acting so rashly. Now, let her go.”

Okay good, this is going in the right direction.

“We need her,” Leo responds, resisting Rafe’s command.

“And what could you possibly need her for?” Rafe asks, menacingly stalking toward Leo.

“There’s a bounty… on Sires,” Leo explains, meeting Rafe’s gaze without backing down.

“What?” Rafe growls, and the fierceness of his tone freezes my blood.

“The reward is astronomical,” Leo says, seemingly unshaken by Rafe’s obvious anger, though Bram and the girl cower as if they might disappear if they’re quiet enough.

Rafe speaks sharply, each word slicing through the tense air. “You know who must be collecting. How could you even consider helping them?” His blue eyes have darkened to a terrifying shade of midnight. “What are they offering you? You have no need for their filthy provincial money.”

Rafe reaches over and splays his hand in shiin over the left side of Leo’s chest. The threat is clear. Pop.

Leo’s eyes show the first flicker of fear, but he stands his ground, and realization dawns on Rafe’s face. “Antimatter,” he breathes, and Leo nods affirmatively. Rafe lowers his lethal hand. “So they’re offering antimatter as a reward for the abduction of Sires?”

“Rafe, you know I would normally never consider it, but this one’s just a weed. It’s worth what they can give us.”

“This one is my lab partner.”

“She can’t possibly matter to you.” Leo scoffs. “Imagine what we could do if we acquire antimatter—”