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  “Good girl, Lu. Let’s see who stopped over.” I met her at the door and looked out the peephole.

  Darius, flanked by Kendall and Brandon, clutched their shoulders. Kendall appeared ready to begin crying at any moment, whereas Brandon put up a false front of complete confidence, but I the tension tugging at his eyes and lips made it clear he was just as frightened as Kendall was.

  Darius, however, wore a lackadaisical smile as he looked into the peephole.

  Fright swept into me as my breath left my lungs. I’d never faced Darius in battle before, and knowing that he could beat them to death without much effort, made it difficult for me to think straight. Momentarily weak, I waited a few moments until I collected enough oxygen to make my dizziness drift away.

  Rather than whine for me to open the door, Lulu looked up at me with a quizzical look. Still, she appeared to dance from one front paw to the other, unable to fully control her enthusiasm at potentially hosting visitors. The movement forced Lulu’s name tag to jingle against her chain collar.

  “I can hear you breathing, Serena,” Darius said from behind the door. “I suspect your heart isn’t beating so erratically solely because you have a late night visitor?”

  His arrogance sent a jolt of anger into my bones.

  “It seems you’re even more frightened than your little puppy.”

  Referring to Lulu in such a cuddly way spiked my animosity. No longer feeling intimidated or startled by his unexpected visitation, I flipped on the porch light, unlocked the door, and whipped it open.

  Darius met my gaze with the kind of gentle grin a young man would deliver to an elderly lady while he offered his spot in line at the grocery store. Only Darius probably didn’t shop at the grocery store…unless he scanned the aisles for human victims. He clenched Kendall’s right shoulder in his palm, holding her upright beside him. She looked pale and woozy. In all likelihood, Darius had sampled some of the blood through the two puncture marks on her neck. Brandon, however, stared straight ahead, looking dazed, as though he’d been hypnotized…or in this case, compelled to follow Darius’s every command.

  My first inclination was to rush forward and attack the bloodsucker so he would release my friends, but instead, I allowed common sense to take hold. “You better not have hurt them.”

  “Or what? You’ll burn my face off?” His grin turned condescending. “Please, Serena. I’ve been a vampire for over three centuries and you’ve been a witch for three days. I know more about magic than you do. You are no match for me on any level: intellectually, physically, or emotionally.”

  I couldn’t argue that point. If he’d spoken in hopes of making my legs shake and forcing my mind to race in circles without a way to end this predicament…he’d succeeded. And I couldn’t even find my voice to pretend otherwise.

  “How truly pathetic,” he said with a snide smile. “And don’t even try to persuade me that your chest isn’t trembling. Or that your voice wasn’t quivering.” He turned his attention to Kendall. “But I applaud your endeavor to prove that you’re not frightened…that you’ll be unable to save your friends.” He set his gaze on Brandon before meeting mine. “And you should be. Very frightened.”

  My attempt to sidetrack him while searching for a way out of this mess failed. However, some of my fear subsided, regardless of what Darius thought. “What do you want?”

  “A trade. The Soul Sword for your friends.”

  Although Lulu hadn’t yet met my friends, she barked, probably sensing my fear as only a dog could…well, only a canine and a vampire. That knowledge made warmth spread across my cheeks. Lulu stopped at my right heel. She growled at Darius, pawing the ground, as though tempted to leap onto him. Then she barked repeatedly at him, even if her high-pitched bark sounded cute rather than threatening. At that moment, no matter how much trouble I had in requesting her to stop, heal, or sit, I had never felt so much momentary love for a dog.

  “Cute little toy,” Darius said, eyeing her with a snarl.

  The way he stared at her told me that Darius wouldn’t hesitate to strangle Lulu…the moment after he drained Kendall of her bodily fluids. Not only that, but he looked as if he’d enjoy crushing Lulu’s larynx even more than bleeding Kendall dry. I tramped down on the heat that rushed through my chest, through my shoulders, and down my arms. But if I attempted to raise my hand with the intention of throwing a ball of flames at Darius, he would snap my friends’ necks before I even managed to aim at his chest.

  Looking closer at Kendall, I spotted what appeared to be a faded smear of crimson on her upper lip. Blood? She didn’t have any bumps or bruises, so Darius hadn’t worked her over. I did my best to pretend that Kendall only suffered from the diverse effects of having donated blood. Which was true…just not of her own volition.

  “Quiet, Lulu!” I said. She obeyed immediately but a groan lingered in her throat like a car engine sounded with the gear stuck in park. She showed her incisors as well and appeared willing to use them at my command. I found it fascinating (and somewhat humorous, despite the circumstances) that she believed she could tear Darius into pieces.

  “Why do you want the sword so badly?” I asked.

  “Because…” He grinned even wider. “Zephora wants it.”

  Knowing that I had something they both needed sent a sliver of confidence through me. It didn’t completely settle my nerves, but I breathed easier. “She’s not the only one. Mephisto wants it as well.”

  His eyebrows drew inward, pensive. After a few moments of uncertainty, revealing that he didn’t know the shapeshifter, he looked at Kendall. “The sword is more valuable than her. I imagine the opposite is true for you.”

  My friend’s mouth dropped open, but she didn’t utter a word.

  I had no doubt that Darius could kill Kendall with ease, but he needed her alive, so he could torment me with the possibility that he might kill her. However, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t kill Brandon to convince me of his serious intentions. Fearing that Darius might resort to that plan of action made it difficult for me to respond…until another idea popped into my mind. “I could say the same thing about you with regard to The Book of Souls.”

  He chortled. “That’s a myth. It never existed.”

  “Just because you’ve never seen it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

  “In all that time, I have never seen any of your ancestors consult a book containing magical spells.” Darius looked deep into my eyes.

  I felt the familiar pluck in my mind that occurred when Alexis had tried pushing thoughts into my head. But unlike my sister, who used that skill like a blunt instrument, Darius caressed my mind with reasons to comply: isn’t Kendall’s life more important than a sword? Friends are more significant than material possessions, are they not? Wouldn’t Kendall save you if our positions were reversed?

  Kendall licked her lips and cringed, as though doing her best to fight the impulse to comply with Darius’s commands: most likely silence and conformity. Then her resistance folded. Her face implored me to give in to Darius’s demands.

  “Serena?” Darius asked. “Eyes on me, please.”

  “Of course.” I complied as requested. A light buzz hummed in my mind, making everything serene. “Yes, our friendship is more important than material objects.” I enjoyed the calming influence that settled in my head. There was no stress or indecision. Everything was peaceful.

  “I seek only the sword. Hand me the item I request, and I shall not harm your friend.”

  “Yes,” I said and turned around. “I’ll get it for you.”

  Lulu didn’t turn with me. She dug her paws into the carpet as though about to launch herself at Darius. Then she started barking.

  As I turned back toward my puppy, another thought entered my mind: invite me inside. I can help you search for The Book of Souls. I bent down with a smile and petted Lulu’s head and neck. “We should invite him in. It’s rude to keep visitors waiting outside.”

  Lulu barked at me.

>   Yes, please invite me inside. We can chat over a cup of coffee.

  I nodded. “That sounds nice…”

  Lulu lunged toward me and threw her paws onto my forearms, barking louder than ever before. “What’s wrong, Lulu? It’s impolite to be rude to guests.”

  Lulu barred her teeth and dug her nails across my skin.

  The intensity of her bark and the scraping of nails across my skin cleared the haze from my mind. It felt like I’d waken from a dream state.

  Invite me inside.

  Ignoring the foreign voice in my head, I blinked and shook my head to offset my momentary confusion. He’d compelled me to follow his orders! I was ashamed to have fallen under his control so easily. From here on out, I had to be mentally alert at all times to avoid a repeat offense.

  “No,” I said, meeting Darius’s gaze, feeling pride sift through my pores at the idea of winning this small victory. “You cannot enter my house.” I looked down at Lulu, who backed away and stopped barking. Her tail wagged as she licked her lips. My dread disappeared as my heart exploded with affection for the only other member of my family. “You just saved our lives, Little Lu!”

  She jumped up and tapped her right paw against my hand.

  “That’s my girl!” I exhaled, feeling like myself again as I looked at Darius. “Nice try. But you’re not getting the sword.”

  Kendall smiled. Her eyes no longer looked clouded from outside influence. It seemed Lulu’s barking had also freed her from Darius’s mind-control tactics. “Good. No one person is worth giving up the sword.” Although the firmness in her voice made it clear she meant those words, she couldn’t stop her hands from trembling.

  I appreciated how my friend would sacrifice herself for the better good of humanity, but I could never do that to her. Just as important, I couldn’t do that…because I didn’t know how I’d go on if I’d lost her after losing Grams. Although I also counted Brandon as my best friend, Kendall and I shared intimate details about everything, and we had ever since meeting in middle school. I couldn’t lose her! Not now. Not ever.

  But I couldn’t let him know how deeply I cared about her. “I’ll give you anything you want, but not the sword.”

  Darius smirked. “You have nothing else I want.” Then he blinked a few times, and his head lolled to the side, directing his attention to Kendall. “This can’t be right.” He opened his eyes wide, but a second later his eyelids partially closed…and he yawned. “What did you do? I haven’t yawned since…” Intensity returned to his eyes. “You drank alcohol before I picked you up!”

  I recalled Darius stating that vampires who drank from the living were influenced by whatever lingered in that human’s blood. Not only that, but the affects were amplified ten-fold.

  “It’s not like we’re an item or anything,” Kendall said with the stirrings of a smile on her lips. “Technically, you kidnapped me.”

  I couldn’t have hoped for better luck. I also remembered Darius saying that, as the first vampire, he didn’t need to consume blood unless he bled out, and only vampires he sired needed regular infusions of blood. I presumed that, because his blood was so pure and hadn’t mixed with human blood in who-knows-how-long, it took awhile for the chemical properties in the alcohol to penetrate his bloodstream.

  “Right before he snatched me outside the venue,” Kendall said, “I had a couple shots backstage with the headlining band.”

  “So,” I said, turning my attention to Darius to sum things up. “You’ve basically just had twenty shots of liquor.”

  He spun his head towards me as though it was a bobblehead, and he wavered in place on unsteady legs. He removed both hands from my friends’ shoulders to regain his balance.

  “Whoa,” Brandon said, grabbing Darius’s arm. His body immediately straightened, and he appeared more alert. “Hey,” he said, a grin perking his upper lip. “I feel…strong!” He turned to Darius, and with a flick of the wrist, pushed the vampire backwards with ease.

  Darius staggered backwards about six or seven feet before righting himself.

  “We just defeated a master vampire!” Brandon said and turned to Darius with a grin. “You just got beat by a girl, a little doggie, and a guy who pounds sticks on a drum kit.” He laughed. “You should be Dr. Evil’s sidekick.” He lifted his left eyebrow and put a pinky finger to his lips.

  “No, Brandon,” Kendall said. “Let’s leave the drunk vampire alone, okay?”

  Darius’s potent blood apparently allowed him to recover from the alcohol’s affects incredibly quickly. He stood straight and glared at us. Then, he charged toward the front door.

  Kendall and Brandon rushed into my house a second before Darius ran forward, barely stopping in time to avoid banging into the invisible barrier that prevented unwelcome vampires from entering my home.

  Kendall no longer appeared relieved but ashamed, disgusted. “The only problem is…Darius compelled me to…to…”

  “What?” I asked, fearful of what she might say. “What did he make you do?”

  Darius had difficulty standing upright, but only for a few moments. Soon enough, he began to regain his poise. With a mere shake of his head, he seemed to have returned to normal.

  His nearly undiluted blood had overpowered the aftereffects of the alcohol. So while the effects were magnified, so was the time Darius needed to combat those same effects.

  A smirk returned to his face. He lifted his left wrist, which had a tiny tear, revealing a smidge of blood. “I convinced your friend to sample some of my blood.”

  I flinched as though Darius had attempted to hit me. My stomach dropped, and it felt like my life force had left my body.

  His grin brightened. “My blood has already mixed with hers. Even though it is a foreign substance, it does not act like alcohol or illegal substances and let her natural body functions flush it out of her system. It remains inside her.” Darius released a patronizing grim. “If Kendall happens to die with my blood in her system, she will be reborn as a vampire. Think of it as my insurance policy on reclaiming the Soul Sword. You see, I may very well decide to send every creature her way over the next three days in hopes that they end her life. Unless, of course, you would prefer to hand over the sword now. In that instance, I would be happy to rescind my orders.”

  “Never!” Kendall said, stepping forward with a determined look on her face. “You’re not getting the sword. Besides, I can just stay here. Vampires can’t come inside, so I’ll just wait three days.”

  “Indeed, you have that option. But homes do occasionally catch on fire. In those cases, those inside most often exit to save their lives. Granted, house fires are rare. But accidents do happen.” He smile grew.

  “You are truly sick,” I said.

  “I am only sick of your stubbornness. I’ve provided you with various options. Keep in mind I will send creatures your way, which may include werewolves, demons, shapeshifters and the like. They are not bound by the rules that forbid vampires from entering a home without an invitation.”

  “All of this because you love a woman who died centuries ago?” I asked. “Loyalty like that is touching…if you didn’t love such a psychopath.”

  “What would you know of romance or lifelong commitment and dedication? You’re barely old enough to drink a pint of—”

  “Blood? Sorry. Not interested. I prefer water. It keeps my skin soft. And it’s way better for my complexion, so…”

  Before responding to my remarks, Darius stepped back. “By all means, continue with your childish outbursts. Persist with your disrespect. It only increases my desire to turn your friend into a nightwalker. You should know that, when it occurs, it will be...all your fault.” He bowed. “I suspect we’ll be seeing each other again soon. Good evening, ladies.” He spun around and walked away.

  “Well,” Kendall said. “The next few days will be exciting.” She gave it a second thought. “That is…if I’m still alive a few days from now.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  �
�Do you really think he’d burn down your house?” Kendall asked.

  “Yes,” I said. “It would be a last resort, but he’d do it.” I didn’t want to linger on such a depressing thought, but I think we both needed to talk about what happened, so I redirected my thoughts. “Did you really drink blood from his wrist? You should have stopped and asked for a mug. It’s more conventional, not to mention more sanitary.”

  The frown on her face revealed that she didn’t consider this a laughing matter. “I was completely dazed. I would have done whatever he asked. Part of me didn’t want to follow his orders, but he made it sound like the most reasonable thing to do.” She shivered.

  I knew exactly what she meant. Lulu wagged her tail at my feet, drawing my attention. “And you saved our lives, didn’t you?” She whined and wagged her tail quicker. I reached down, scooped her into my arms, and kissed her forehead. I looked at Kendall and adopted the voice-over tone that countless advertisers had used in infomercials: “Do you have a vampire problem? Are they nesting in your home? Threatening to kidnap your kids and unload them at vamp camp? Then look no further than Little Lulu.”

  While Kendall’s solemn expression softened a little, Brandon broke out laughing.

  “Lulu has claws sharper than vamp fangs. So on each mission, rest assured that she can break any mental stranglehold. If you call now and place an order for Lulu to protect you for one mission, we’ll throw in a second mission for free! That’s right the Shih-Tzu vampires call Little Lucifer will clear out every vamp from your home. Operators are standing by, so call now!”

  When Brandon’s laughter died down, Kendall’s somber expression returned.

  Who could blame her? If one of the creatures Darius would inevitably send our way managed to kill her, she would turn into a vampire. I did my best to overlook the fact that, without my family history, she wouldn’t be worried about dying. The guilt from knowing she endured that torment made it difficult me to contemplate the predicament. Unlike me, however, she preferred not to broach the subject. Instead, she would ponder the situation by herself in private. I always thought seeking the advice and perspective of friends reduced some of the inner torment of agonizing circumstances, but Kendall never wanted to bother others with personal matters. In this instance, however, I was responsible for what happened to her, and as painful as it might be to face that truth, I needed to own up to that. I just wished she would allow me to help her work through this issue.