Then he carefully extricated himself from her, rolled off the bed, tugged on his jeans, and moved silently to and through the door.

He walked five doors up the hall, stopped at one, and knocked.

It was opened in thirty seconds by Poncho, who was like Abel, wearing nothing but faded jeans, his hair a mess, his eyes alert.

“Everything okay?”

“Not really, but there’s nothing new that isn’t okay. Just need a chat,” Abel replied.

Poncho kept his eyes sharp on Abel and guessed, “My auntie.”

“Yes, and no,” Abel told him. “See, found out today that the vampires killed off a bunch of witches a long time ago.”

“Fuck,” Poncho mumbled.

“Right. So it’s likely they’re not hip on helpin’. The thing is, it wouldn’t hurt to have one on our side. So yeah, I need you to get in touch with your aunt. But I need you to be cool about that. I need you to see where she’s at with this supernatural shit before you tell her you’re neck-deep in it. Only when you know she isn’t gonna fuck us will I talk to the others and see if we can make an approach.”

“Consider it done,” Poncho stated instantly.

“Poncho—” Abel started.

“No.” He shook his head. “Don’t need to say more. I dig this has to be handled. You got my word I’ll handle it.”

Abel looked into his eyes and nodded.

Poncho jutted his chin down the hall. “Get back to our girl.”

“Right, later.”

Poncho gave a short salute and a “Later, amigo.”

He was closing the door before Abel turned down the hall.

As silently as he’d left their room, he returned, carefully gathering Delilah in his arms after he pulled the covers back over his body.

Unconsciously, she snuggled deep and relaxed in his hold.

That was when Abel took a breath and let it go. He did this hoping Poncho could handle it and hoping Delilah would get some ability, and not only so she’d quit bitching. He also did it letting the sheer brilliance of all he’d learned that day wash through him (and there was a fuckload he’d learned that day about who he was and the fact it was far from monstrous).

Then he closed his eyes and went to sleep, doing it further hoping a dream would come.

Not like the dream come true he held in his arms.

Any dream they could use to help them stop evil so he and Delilah could live wild, free, happy…

And forever.

* * * * *

Gregor

Gregor sat at the desk in the compound’s study, tapping his fingers, his eyes to edge of the desk, his mind filled.

“It’s impossible,” Yuri said from his seat in a chair across from him.

“I know,” Gregor murmured.