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Mila nodded her head in understanding. “They can’t use the sun, right? That would risk destroying the very body they want to sell.”

Gio admired her quick mind. “Exactly.”

“You’re safe now,” Carter reminded him. “I’m here, and no tooth-puller is getting past me.”

Mila glanced at her knives hanging on a magnetic strip on the wall. “Same here. I might look like I couldn’t hold my own, but I know how to butcher a hog.”

Her statement made Gio bark out a laugh. “I’ll work very hard never to piss you off again.”

“Don’t keep any secrets from me and it won’t be an issue,” she said. “What happened with Coraline and the tooth-puller?”

“Despite the way she acted, I never suspected a thing.” God, that was hard to admit. “She led me into a trap like a lamb to slaughter. She told me we were going to a new speakeasy.”

“A speakeasy was a secret bar,” Carter explained. “You know, because alcohol was illegal during the 1920s.”

Mila shot Carter a slightly annoyed look. “I know what prohibition was. I might not have gone to college, but I paid attention in high school and watched documentaries.”

Carter ducked his head. “I wasn’t implying you were dumb. I didn’t know what it was when Gio first told me. I didn’t want you to feel confused, like I did.”

“Sorry,” Mila said. “I might be a little sensitive. I shouldn’t have jumped down your throat.”

Carter gave her a smile, like all was forgiven. “It’s okay, I get it.”

Mila looked back to Gio. “I’m guessing it wasn’t a speakeasy.”

“No, it was a condemned building with three tooth-pullers,” Gio said. It was hard, but he forced the words out past his tight throat. “I don’t remember the fight. I don’t remember anything after that. When I came back to myself the next night, I was covered in blood and there were four bodies around me.”

“Four?” Mila asked. “You killed Coraline too?”

“Yes,” Gio said. “I didn’t only kill her; I ripped her limb from limb. The others died of broken necks, or I drained them, but not her. I–I…” his voice trailed off.

“You’re not a monster,” Carter said, holding Gio tight. Carter’s words and embrace helped, even if it wasn’t true.

Gio wanted to believe him, but the images of Coraline’s desecrated body were too vivid.

“Gio?”

He looked up to find that Mila had stepped around the island. She wasn’t touching him, but she was close.

“I’ll understand if you don’t want to be near me any longer," Gio whispered. “It wasn’t only that I was betrayed. I don’t even remember destroying the woman I loved. I’m capable of horrific violence.”

“No,” Mila said firmly. She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “No, you can’t think that. I mean, yes, you were violent. But you were reacting, not initiating. It's like when people beat dogs and then are shocked when the dog defends itself.”

Gio felt his mouth drop open. “Did you just compare an apex predator to a pet dog?”

Carter snorted, and Mila bit her lip as if to keep from smiling.

“I didn’t call you a dog,” Mila said. “Only that everyone has the right to defend themselves, even animals.”

Geo sighed. “That’s the problem, I didn’t simply defend myself. I went further, I desecrated her body.”

Mila tilted her head. “But you don’t remember doing it, right?”

Gio nodded.

“Have you ever done anything like that again?” she asked.

Carter spoke up. “Death and killing are common in our world, Mila. We’ll shield you from it. But it’s important to know that not all vampires are good, like Gio. Some of them are pure evil.”