“Ivy?” My voice edged into panic as she reached for the cloth pressed against my neck.

Her hand dropped, her perfect face going angry and insulted. “Don’t be stupid, Rachel. Let me look at your neck.”

She reached out again, and I shirked back. “No!” I cried as I jerked away. The demon’s face flashed before me, mirroring hers. I hadn’t been able to fight it. It almost killed me. Remembered terror soared high, and I found the strength to sit up. The pain in my neck seemed to cry out for release, for a return to that exquisite mix of pain and craving the vamp saliva had offered. It shocked and frightened me. Ivy’s pupils swelled until her eyes went black.

Nick stepped between us, covered in drying blood and smelling of spent fear. “Back off, Tamwood,” he threatened. “You’re not touching her if you’re pulling an aura.”

“Relax, rat boy,” Ivy exclaimed. “I’m not pulling an aura, I’m as mad as all hell. And I wouldn’t bite Rachel right now even if she begged me. She stinks of infection.”

That was more than I wanted to know. But her eyes were back to her normal brown as she wavered between anger and the need to be understood. I felt a flush of guilt. Ivy hadn’t pinned me to the wall and bit me. Ivy hadn’t taunted me, driving her teeth into me. Ivy hadn’t sucked at my neck, moaning in pleasure as she held me down while I struggled. Damn it. It. Hadn’t. Been. Her.

Still, Nick stood between us. “It’s all right, Nick,” I said, my voice trembling. He knew why I was afraid. “It’s all right.” I looked past him to Ivy. “I’m sorry. Please—look at it?”

Immediately Ivy seemed to lose her tension. She scooted closer with a quick, vindicated motion as Nick stepped out of the way. I let out my held breath as she gently worked at the soggy fabric. “Okay,” Ivy warned. “This may tug a little.”

“Ouch!” I cried as it pulled when she lifted, then I bit my lip to keep from doing it again. Ivy set the ugly wad on the table beside her. My stomach twisted. It was black with moist blood, and I swear there were bits of flesh sticking to the inside of it. I shivered at the cold feel of air on my neck. There was the shivery sensation of a slow flow of blood.

Ivy saw my face. “Get that out of here, will you?” she murmured, and Nick left with the soggy wad.

Face blank, Ivy put a hand towel across my shoulder to catch the renewed oozing. I stared at the black TV as she soaked a washcloth and rung it out over the pan of water. Her touch was gentle as she began to dab at the outskirts of the damage and worked her way in. Still, I couldn’t help my occasional jerk. The threatened rim of black around my vision began to grow.