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Slipping out into the club, she gave the girl one last peck on the lips before weaving her way through the tight cluster of people near the bar. The harsh music thrummed through her body and she wanted to lose herself in it. It made her a bit grumpy to know that any fun nights out would have to wait until after she ripped The Summoner’s head off his shoulders and finished him for good.

There weren’t a lot of people on the sidewalk, so Amaliya spotted Cian right away. He was leaning against a lamppost waiting for her. Strolling up to him, she put her hands on her hips.

“Did you get her number?” Cian asked.

“Nah.”

“She was very pretty,” Cian said, his tone teasing.

“Well, yeah. I know how to pick ‘em.” Amaliya slanted her body toward him, giving him a sly smile. “So did you give her a really awesome memory of me?”

“You were amazing. The best ever. You’ve ruined her for all other women. And probably men.”

“Yes!” Amaliya high-fived him.

“You could probably still go get her number. For after the apocalypse.” Cian caught her about the waist with one arm and guided her down the sidewalk.

“Oh, you liked her!” Amaliya had to admit the girl had been delicious. “I can go back.”

“Nah.” Cian kissed her temple. “I

just thought she might be a nice meal and a bit more sometime in the future.”

Snuggling into his side, Amaliya felt content despite the cloud of impending doom hovering over their heads. This is the life she wanted. Freedom to be with Cian. Freedom to hunt. Freedom to feed from and flirt with pretty young things, or dangerously hot metalheads. Blood, sex, magic, metal, and Cian were all the things that made her happy. She still felt guilt that Pete had died trying to save her from the life she loved. Pete had dreamed of a life with her filled with sunlight, a perfect home, marriage and children. She was grateful that he didn’t know that those were the things she had never really imagined for herself. The thought of marriage made her skin crawl and she could never imagine herself being pregnant.

“You, pregnant.” Cian chuckled.

“Fuck you.”

“I can’t imagine that either. Or the marriage thing. Though you would be a lovely bride. All dressed in white.” He was mocking her.

“Fuck you again.” Amaliya shook her head.

A slight smile graced Cian’s lips. He was being the mysterious, moody vampire tonight. She wondered if it was because of what had occurred between her and Samantha.

“No, no. It needed to happen. You both needed to rise to full power. It’s something else.”

“You’re not freaked out because I now have this deep connection to your ex-fiancée?” Amaliya had actually wondered if it would bother him. Though both of them had a big disconnect between sex and love, the emotional bond between them was very real and even sacred.

“Do I suddenly fear you’re madly in love with Samantha and want to leave me for her?” Cian smirked. “Why, yes I am.”

“You’re such a dick,” Amaliya exclaimed.

“I’m not worried about that. I’m concerned about something else altogether.” Cian drew her around a corner and they walked up a darkened side street toward the parking lot.

“What is it?”

Cian stopped in mid-stride, turned toward her, and took her hands gently in his own. “Bianca.”

“What about Bianca?” Amaliya knew before he even answered. The vision she’d had and the dreams had already told her the truth, but now she was going to hear it from Cian’s lips and her emotions began to harshly bubble in her chest.

“Benchley discovered that there’s a good chance she’s still alive,” Cian answered, then poured out the rest of what he had been told by Jeff.

Standing in the shadows of an old vacant bar, Amaliya fought against the urge to be furious at all three men. She balled her hands into fists and struggled with the impulse to storm off.

“Benchley had no fuckin’ right to tell Jeff. And Jeff had no fuckin’ right to tell you! Behind my back,” Amaliya wanted to scream with her frustration.

Cian folded his arms across his chest and gave her his most intense look. “Do you want to know what scares me, Liya? Bianca. Because I know you will do everything in your fuckin’ power to save her.”