“Actually,” Tanith said, “I do. The survivors get their rewards, Dusk. Wilhelm gets his, and you get yours. Besides, I make it a rule never to give a vampire a reason to hold a grudge.”

“And this name?”

Tanith smiled at him. “Moloch.”

Dusk’s eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

“I’ve known Moloch for centuries. We have never liked each other, but he has never given any indication that he was the one who ended my mortal life.”

“I doubt he even knows,” Tanith said. “Do you remember every single detail of what you do when you change? I’d say it gets quite confusing in that little head of yours. From what I read, he had only been a vampire for a few years himself before he came to that town. I’m telling you the truth, Dusk. What you do with it now is up to you.”

“If I find out you’re lying...”

She laughed. “Lying to you would be bad for my health.”

Dusk kept his eyes on her for a bit, and then left.

“Phew,” said Sanguine, visibly relaxing. “Thought that was gonna get nasty for a moment. That true, by the way? About Moloch?”

“That was the name in the report,” she said as she turned back to him. “You know something, Billy-Ray? You’re a very useful person to have by my side. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

His hands found her hips and he pulled her closer. “Does that mean you’ll marry me?”

“You know I can’t love you back, right?”

“Not yet you can’t. And I’m OK with that.”

“Then, yes. I’ll marry you.”

Sanguine gave her the widest smile she’d ever seen him give, and he kissed her and she kissed him.

29

t wasn’t easy, lying to Tanith.

He didn’t like doing it, that’s for sure. He loved her. He’d finally found someone to love, someone as mixed up and messed up as he was, and he wasn’t about to let her go. No, sir. He knew a good thing when he found it and he was no fool.