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“Meeting new friends, Jill?” he asked.

“Everywhere I go,” I agreed dryly. “You know me. I’m a people person.”

“Who are you?” the vampire snarled at Declan, her black-eyed gaze moving over all heavily-muscled, six-foot-four of him—from his scarred face, black eye patch, and leather duster, to his steel-tipped black boots. And, of course, the deadly weapon in his grip.

Definitely not the boy next door.

“Death,” he told her.

“I just said that,” I muttered.

“I heard,” Declan replied.

The vampire ignored him and instead lunged at me, hands extended like claws, her lips peeled back from her razor-sharp teeth.

There was a flash of silver as Declan landed his killing blow. The vampire let out a hollow screech as the wound in the center of her chest ignited and the fire swiftly expanded over her entire body. A moment later, she turned to a pile of ash that scattered away to nothing at all with the cool evening breeze.

“Thank you,” I said, as my heart slowly returned to its normal pace.

“You’re welcome.” Declan sheathed his weapon. “You’re supposed to be keeping a low profile. How’d that happen?”

I shrugged a shoulder. “It’s after sunset, and...well, she liked how I smelled.”

His jaw tightened, and he raised his dark gaze to mine. “Yes. Your scent is...distracting.”

My breath caught. Declan hadn’t looked at me like this since he’d been forcibly given a final dose of behavior-modifying serum—a serum meant to permanently repress his dark side.

AKA his vampire side.

The result was a dhampyr—half-human, half-vampire—who was now perfectly in control of his emotions, with no uncontrollable urges. None at all. And this included thegoodurges that, for most people, were essential to life itself, like desire, passion, and lust.

But that look, that edge of predatory hunger in his gaze for a split second before it vanished, made me wonder if there might be some wiggle room in the permanent-serum rules and regulations. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, in my personal opinion.

When I took a step closer to him, he tensed.

“Car. Now.” Declan’s tone was sharp. “We need to talk.”

Considering that I wasn’t sure if Soccer-Mom had been at the grocery store alone, or if any of her vampire clan—and a vampirealwayshad a clan—might be lurking nearby, I immediately did as he suggested, even though I wasn’t thrilled with his commanding tone.

Once in the car, I turned to check the backseat, expecting to find Sara there. I’d purchased a baby seat for her three days ago, after escaping from the military compound where they’d attempted to use me as a poisoned lab rat.

But there was no baby seat. And there was no baby.

“Where’s Sara?” I asked, my chest tightening.

Declan frowned. “You decided on a name?”

“Answer the question, Declan. If she’s not with you, then is she?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” He started the car, then gripped the steering wheel as he began to drive out of the grocery store parking lot. “We spoke about this already, so this shouldn’t come as a complete surprise to you, Jill.”

My heart clenched. “She’s gone.”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Where is she?” I demanded.

“She’s safe. Completely safe, I promise you that. I’ve arranged for her to stay with a guardian, where she’ll be out of harm’s way.”