with no menace other than an absolute certainty。 “And if I have made my attack？” our creator asked； shaken。 “We’ll see；” the cloaked girl answered in a brighter tone than she’d used yet。 “I suppose that all depends on how successful you are。 Work hard to please us。” The last mand was given in a flat； hard pitch that made me feel a strange chill in the center of my body。 “Yes；” our creator snarled。 “Yes；” Riley echoed in a whisper。 A second later the cloaked vampires were noiselessly exiting the house。 Neither Diego nor I so much as took a breath for five minutes after they’d disappeared。 Inside the house； our creator and Riley were just as quiet。 Another ten minutes passed in total stillness。 I touched Diego’s arm。 This was our chance to get out of here。 At the moment； I wasn’t so afraid of Riley anymore。 I wanted to get as far away as I could from those darkcloaks。 I
Page 74
wanted the safety of numbers waiting back in the log cabin； and I figured that was exactly how our creator felt； too。 Why she’d made so many of us in the first place。 There were some things out there scarier than I’d imagined。 Diego hesitated； still listening； and a second later his patience was rewarded。 “Well；” she whispered inside the house； “now they know。” Was she talking about the cloaks or the mysterious clan？ Which one was the enemy she’d mentioned before the drama？ “That doesn’t matter。 We outnumber” “Any warning matters！” she growled； cutting him off。 “There is so much to do。 Only five days！” She groaned。 “No more messing around。 You start tonight。” “I won’t fail you！” Riley promised。 Crap。 Diego and I moved at the same time； leaping from our perch into the next tree over； flying back the way we’d e。 Riley was in a hurry now； and if he found Diego’s trail after all that had just passed with the cloaks； and no Diego there at the end of it… “I’ve got to get back and be waiting；” Diego whispered to me as we raced。 “Lucky it’s not in view of the house！ Don’t want him to know I heard。” “We should talk to him together。” “Too late for that。 He’d notice that your scent wasn’t on the trail。 Looks suspicious。” “Diego…” He’d trapped me into sitting this one out。 We were back to the spot where he’d joined me。 He spoke in a rushed whisper。
Page 75
“Stick to the plan； Bree。 I’ll tell him what I planned to tell him。 It’s not close to dawn； but that’s just how it has to be。 If he doesn’t believe me…” Diego shrugged。 “He’s got bigger things to worry about than me having an overactive imagination。 Maybe he’ll be more likely to listen now looks like we need all the help we can get； and being able to move around in the day can’t hurt。” “Diego…；” I repeated； not knowing what else to say。 He looked into my eyes； and I waited for his lips to twitch into that easy smile； for him to make some joke about ninjas or BFFs。 He didn’t。 Instead； he leaned in slowly； never moving his eyes from mine； and kissed me。 His smooth lips pressed against mine for one long second while we stared at each other。 Then he leaned away and sighed。 “Get home； hide behind Fred； and act clueless。 I’ll be right behind you。” “Be careful。” I grabbed his hand and squeezed it hard； then let go。 Riley had spoken of Diego affectionately。 I would have to hope that affection was real。 There wasn’t another choice。 Diego disappeared into the trees； quiet as a rustling breeze。 I didn’t waste time looking after him。 I sprinted through the branches in a direct line back to the house。 I hoped my eyes were still bright enough from last night’s meal to explain my absence。 Just a quick hunt。 Got lucky found a lone hiker。 Nothing out of the ordinary。 The sound of the thudding music that greeted my approach was acpanied by the unmistakable sweet； smoky scent of a
Page 76
burning vampire。 My panic went into overdrive。 I could just as easily die inside the house as outside。 But there was no other way。 I didn’t slow； just rushed down the stairs straight to the corner where I could barely make out Freaky Fred standing。 Looking for something to do？ Tired of sitting？ I had no idea what he was up to； and I didn’t care。 I would stick tight to him until Riley and Diego got back。 In the middle of the floor was a smoldering heap that was too big to be just a leg or an arm。 So much for Riley’s twenty two。 No one seemed terribly concerned about the smoking remains。 The sight was too mon。 As I hurried closer to Fred； for once the sense of disgust didn’t get stronger。 Instead； it faded。 He didn’t seem to notice me； just went on reading the book he held。 One of those I’d left him a few days ago。 I had no problem seeing what he was doing now that I was close to where he was leaning against the back of the couch。 I hesitated； wondering why that was。 Could he turn his nausea thing off when he wanted？ Did that mean we both were unprotected right now？ At least Raoul wasn’t home yet； thankfully； though Kevin was。 For the first time ever； I really saw what Fred looked like。 He was tall； maybe six two； with the thick； curly blond hair I’d noticed once before。 He was broadshouldered and muscular。 He looked older than most of the otherslike a college student； not a high school kid。 Andthis was the part that surprised me most for some reason he was goodlooking。 As handsome as anyone else； maybe even handsomer than most。 I didn’t know
Page 77
why that was so trippy for me。 I guessed just because I always associated him with revulsion。 I felt weird for staring。 I glanced quickly around the room to see if anyone had noticed that Fred was normal and prettyfor the moment。 No one was looking our way。 I stole a fast peek at Kevin； ready to shift my focus at once if he noticed； but his eyes were concentrated on some point to the left of where we stood。 He was frowning slightly。 Before I could look away； his gaze skipped right over to me and settled on my right side。 His frown deepened。 Like… he was trying to see me and couldn’t。 I felt the corners of my mouth twitch into not quite a grin。 There was too much to worry about to really enjoy Kevin’s blindness。 I looked back at Fred； wondering if the grossout factor would return； only to see that he was smiling with me。 Smiling； he was really spectacular。 Then the moment was over； and Fred went back to his book。 I didn’t move for a while； waiting for something to happen。 For Diego to e through the door。 Or Riley with Diego。 Or Raoul。 Or for the nausea to hit again； or for Kevin to glare in my direction； or for the next fight to break out。 Something。 When nothing did； I eventually pulled myself together and did what I should have been doingpretending nothing unusual was going on。 I grabbed a book from the pile near Fred’s feet and then sat down right there and acted like I was reading。 It was probably one of the same books I’d pretended to read yesterday； but it didn’t look familiar。 I flipped through the pages； again taking nothing in。 My mind was racing around in tight little circles。 Where was
Page 78
Diego？ How had Riley reacted to his story？ What had it all meant the talk before the cloaks； the talk after the cloaks？ I worked through it； g