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Slowly, my vision blurred until a gulf of darkness swallowed me, forcing them shut as hervoice continued.

Call for my name.

My throat tightened as my chest caved in, a burning tension rumbling in my stomach.

No.

Admit I’ve never been nothing.

Herforce pressed harsher against my body, bursting through my veins and ripping across my skin.

That’s always been you.

It all stopped.Herpresence dissipated as a ripe, coppery smell trailed along the passageway. The scent pulled me into the living room, where it engulfed every single corner.

Ms. Hoko motioned away from her suitcase and planted the platform on the floor. She jumped as she turned to me, a hand resting on her chest. “Miss! Oh goodness, I hadn’t noticed your presence. I’d come on such short notice that Mr. Amelle just went to fetch you. I hadn’t expected to see you so rapidly.”

I settled my sight on her belly, a slight movement poking through her skin. “Are you pregnant, Ms. Hoko?”

Even if she gave me no answer, there was no doubt. I hadn’t noticed this last time, but her scent was stronger than an average vampire, more potent than Alek’s and all of his brothers combined. I could sense the strong stream of blood coursing through her veins. Practically hear the resounding beat of her heart next to me.

It twisted my stomach with nausea but made my mouth water.

“Why yes, I am,” she said with a smile, an arm resting along the curves of her stomach. “But I have yet to announce it. While the weight gain has helped disguise my partner’s and my little secret, she’s counting down the day until we reveal it to everyone.”

The new world didn’t know the specifics of how vampire babies came to be —besides, of course, basic biology— but one obvious thing was how hard it was to conceive. No doubt vampires kept it a secret for a reason.

But it was surprising how Sophia, a human-turned-vampire, was able to pop out seven back-to-back. No wonder she made headlines even to this day.

“I didn’t mean to spoil it.”

“You haven’t! No worries, Miss,” her eyes widened with such warmth I felt it wrap around me like a hug. “The Ball is only two weeks away. Let’s get to it.”

Ms. Hoko opened the suitcase and took out a plain, vibrant yellow dress, stretching it flat across the table. “Well, the original piece can only be tailored once due to its frail details. I can’t risk a mistake occurring as then it means that you may have no formal fitted dress for the night.”

“Then what’s this?”

“The first prototype, which I kept for memory’s sake,” she said with a longing in her voice. “Practice must do as the measurements must be exact for the final piece.”

She gripped my hand and forced me onto the platform, assembling a curtain around it. “First, you must undress. I’ll assist with the dress. Fair warning, the fit might be tight as Sophia was much thinner, almost skin and bones.” Her voice lowered, a sense of sadness creeping in before she cleared her throat.

She was right. It was tight, but I could still breathe. Better than what both of us expected.

She worked in silence, pinning and trimming with heavy breaths. Even ifshedidn’t linger in my mind, I could still feel her. It was like when I’d swim for hours and then finally leave the water. My body would still sway on land as if I had never left.Shewas here. I knew it. It angered me more than when shemadeherselfknown.

It was as ifshewas taunting me.

“Were you close to their mom?” I asked to think about something, anything else.

Ms. Hoko’s fingers slightly stopped along my torso, but she continued as she said, “You could say we grew up together. Even Sonia too.”

“Sonia?” It’s hard to imagine her talking to anyone by choice.

She covered her lips with a hand. “That’s very private information which I wasn’t supposed to say.” She chuckled. “But yes, all three of us were friends before the CEG came to be. Promise to not say anything, Miss! Sonia never liked to admit it— not even the boys know.”

I smiled, my mind trailing to Alek. “Are you close to them?”

“Why, of course! Although, just like Sonia, most of them don’t like to admit it.” She sighed as she wiped her hands. “I’ve seen those boys evolve from bratty little children to clowning adults.”