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“That was different. The blood-child asked for help.”

“Well, now I’m asking.”

“You all right there, Sam?” Jackson called.

She looked over her shoulder. The two men watched her and Serge with casual interest. Their jaws crunched through chips in a way that reminded Samantha of cows standing in a field. That simple. That blank.

Back to Serge. “They wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t been compelled to be here. Here.” She jabbed a finger at the floor. “With me. And you.”

“Sam, calm down, honey,” Garrett said. “If he doesn’t want to join us, leave him alone. We came to see you.”

Serge rolled his eyes between everyone while his fingers fidgeted.

“Think about it,” Sam tried again. “Who else but Dominique would compel them to come here? At this hour?”

“Compel?” Garrett inquired.

Serge’s bushy brows gathered over the bridge of his nose.

She turned and marched toward the party in her kitchen. Fine. If the vampire was too cowardly to take a stand, the damsel in distress was about to. “Compelled,” she told them straight out. “You two are not in your right minds.”

“What are you talking about, Sam?” Jackson said.

“You’ve been compelled by Kambyses, the first and oldest vampire on the planet.”

They frowned, exchanged dubious looks. “Don’t think we met anyone by that name,” Garrett said.

“And definitely no vampires,” Jackson agreed.

“But you know they’re real, right, baby bro?”

“Sure. I guess. Maybe?”

Suddenly, Serge appeared by her side, making them all jump.

Jackson raised his hands so fast, the chips he held went flying across the kitchen. “Whoa. Take it easy.”

“You are correct,” Serge told her. “They can only be a message for me.”

“Finally. Gentlemen? There you go. A vampire.”

“Not very subtle, are you?” Garrett asked.

Her heart tripped when she saw Serge’s eyes flash to pure black. This was her vampire pirate at his best, swinging out of the virtual riggings for a surprise attack.

“Not for the likes of you,” he growled and went for Jackson’s throat.

32

Remember

Jackson often dreamt he ran alone in the dark, toward a light that kept retreating beyond his reach. Over the years, he had learned to recognize the nightmare and wake himself up. This was different.

This time, he was in a place full of light and peace.

This time the dark came looking for him.

It pooled on the tiles around his feet and oozed from the outlets in the walls, dimmed the lights and clogged the air. Darkness covered his eyes and filled his lungs.