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“Safe harbor. To get my questions answered.”

His eyebrows raised.

“Perfect. I have a few questions myself.” He went quiet, studying me. “Why don’t we start here, how did you turn without becoming blood mad?” He cocked his head.

I pursed my lips.

“I don’t know.”

“Does it have something to do with you being immune to compulsion?”

“I don’t know,” I repeated with more frustration. He hummed. “Can a vampire be without a Coven?”

“Sure. But I do not recommend it.” He grinned. “Strength in numbers. If you’re a lone vampire, anyone can take you outwithout repercussions, but if you have a Coven, you have the Sire’s protection.”

“Oh.” So many decisions to make.

“Many things to think about,” he said and checked his phone. “I can house you until you decide.”

Relief dropped my shoulders. I wouldn’t have to sleep in a bus station tonight. I nodded and was already standing.

Alistair raised an eyebrow up at me.

“You’ll have to learn the art of blending in.”

I laughed nervously, shuffling from foot to foot as I looked at the mess I’d made on the table.

“Can you let me borrow money?” I asked sheepishly. I could feel the blood I’d fed on rush to my face.

His eyebrow lifted and he pulled out a worn leather wallet. After rifling through it, he tossed a hundred on the tabletop. “Thanks.”

Alistair wasn’t so bad. I trailed a few feet behind him. With each step to the exit, thoughts pounded against my skull. Was this the right choice? Maybe I should go back to Crimson Manor? This would be my fresh start, but did I want that?

The glass door clanked shut, and I followed Alistair. He headed directly for the SUV parked along the curb.

I rubbed my eyes. I didn’t know what I wanted, but I was already down this path. At the very least, I could take a moment away fromthem. Their demanding presence—their overbearing tendency to steam-roll me.

I grimaced. That was what this boiled down to. I was hurt. And I wanted to do the same to them by taking myself out of their equation. And I knew that would hurt them because they cared for me.

Alistair opened the back door and waved me forward. I came to a screeching stop. Familiar leather seats. A knee moved and then Tobias came into view.

“Get in here, now, Catalina,” he hissed. Oh, he sounded pissed. My fangs extended and I clicked my teeth at him.

I whirled and now faced Asher with his eyebrows drawn down, eyes slitted and lips twisted. Turning to make another run for it in the opposite direction, didn’t work either. Ren sneered at me.

I was trapped.

That was why Alistair was so accommodating. And while he was at it, he was getting information out of me.

“You liar!” I whirled on him. “I take back all the positive things I thought about you.”

“They would have savaged my Coven with theirs. I couldn’t risk my people.” He winked. This duplicitous—I threw myself at him, hissing and yanking at his shirt, trying to reach his throat.

Arms banded against my stomach, and I was pulled away. I smacked at the arm and tossed an elbow back.

“Fuck,” Asher grunted in my ear.

“She’s spitting mad.” Ren sounded too happy. I stiffened and turned my glare toward him.