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“So how is the guard schedule going to work?” Michail asked.

“We have Scottish friends who will be responsible for guard duty. The rest of us will just get our sleep unless something happens that requires our action,” Levka said.

Jasmine finally said to Arman, “Did you turn Fiona?”

“Yes, but we were going to keep it just among ourselves, and no one else. Not Fiona’s family even.”

“And you aren’t going to tell Shelly and Michail either, right?” Jasmine asked.

“Right.” Arman saw Jasmine lean over and kiss Stasio and she squeezed his hand. She knew she was telling him what was going on, but making sure he didn’t give away the secret.

Levka probably had already told Caitlin. Arman had to tell Ruric then, not wanting him to be left out in the cold.

Ruric toasted to Fiona, “May your birthday tomorrow be the best ever.”

Arman had been afraid he’d mention her being turned, so he was glad he hadn’t said anything about that.

“Have you discussed being turned again?” Michail said. “I really believe it would be in your best interest, Fiona. Especially since your brother and parents are already turned.”

“No. I don’t believe it would help me. Maybe later, but it would probably take me too long to use any vampiric abilities to my advantage,” Fiona said.

“Fiona’s right,” Caitlin said. “Some of these abilities took me months to really get used to and some I still haven’t been able to master.”

“I don’t know,” Justin said. “I still think you would have an advantage against rogue vampires if you’re one of them. Or maybe not an advantage, but at least more on an equal footing.”

“If I had mastered the abilities. If I hadn’t, it could prove disastrous.”

Arman hoped Fiona really didn’t feel that way because of the mistake she’d made in transporting them to the pool.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek as if reassuring him she was fine with it all.

“So what time were you really born?” Shelly asked.

“One in the afternoon,” Fiona’s father said.

“Yes, I kept thinking I would have Fiona. I had gone in at eight in the evening and then it was hours and hours and hours before she was born. I actually went home and walked for a while, returned to the hospital and walked some more. And then finally at one in the afternoon, she was there. Well, ten after one to be precise,” Fiona’s mother said.

Had Fiona mixed up the hour of her birth or were her parents trying to pretend she was born later so that she would have the full advantage of her dream abilities before anyone knew she had them?

If so, that was a great ploy.

Arman was trying not to glance at Fiona too much, hoping she was able to keep her fangs sheathed or not while she was eating. He hoped she would have an easier time of it than Caitlin had.

“So should we have the birthday party at ten after one then?” Fiona asked, sounding happy to do it.

“Absolutely,” her mother said. “We got you a couple of gifts too.”

Fiona smiled. “Thanks, Mom.”

They visited after dinner, but then everyone was eager to go to bed to be ready for the day ahead of them. Especially since Arman and his friends knew that Fiona’s abilities would most likely appear at one in the morning.

Everyone retired to their rooms and Fiona and Arman settled in bed together. They snuggled together. He was worried about her, but with their extra guards and everyone else here who would protect her, he felt pretty certain Fiona would be okay.

She smiled and kissed him. “We’ll be fine.”

He sure hoped so, though he couldn’t help but think about the dream he’d had and that he couldn’t find Fiona, then the fighting had started. When did that actually happen? All he knew was that it was dark out when he found Fiona was missing from the bed.

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