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“Fucking hell, Lucille!” I bark. “Too far.”

“No, she’s right. But what about when I die?” The wind is knocked out of my body. Throughout this entire mess, I have only thought of what happens to me. Selfish doesn’t even cover how I feel right now. “If I understand correctly, the moment we bond, Amelia will become immortal. I won’t, so at some point I’m going to grow old and die. What happens to her then?”

“We don’t know,” I mutter. I’m so ashamed of myself.

“Well, we need to find out,” Erin states. “There is no half-assing this, right?”

“We are doing our best to find out. The fact is, Erin, all of this is guesswork.”

“We don’t even know if you can bond properly,” Lucille says. I glare at her because I’m pissed, and it’s easy to be mad with Lucille.

“So let’s get bonding,” Erin grins.

“Erin, you need to take some time and think about this. I don’t know how this will change your life, but it will. You need to be one hundred percent sure of this—of us.”

“Of course I’m going to think all this through, but, Amelia, now I understand what I’m feeling, I can’t even imagine walking away from you.” Her declaration should be music to my ears, but once again, I am left deflated. I don’t want immortality if Erin can’t be with me the entire time. I can’t watch her grow old and leave me.

“I think you two need to spend some time together. Talk it out.” My father has risen from his seat. “We’re here for you both. And, Erin, as far as we are concerned you are a Loch now.”

“Just a really short one,” she quips, causing everyone to laugh.

Thirty minutes later, we walk into Insomnia. Obviously neither of us are working, but after this afternoon’s revelations, we’re both in the mood for a stiff drink.

Making our way to the bar, Erin suddenly stops and whirls around, her eyes wide. “Amelia, does that mean everyone here is a vampire?” she whispers.

“The clientele are a mix, but yes, apart from you, everyone who works here is a vampire.”

Erin whistles low, “Wow. Even Claire?”

“Yes,” I laugh, “Even Claire.”

“Uh huh, alright, alright.”

“Are you okay?” Erin is taking this remarkably well, so well, I’m a little worried she’s going to have a meltdown at some point.

“Yes, just letting it all sink in. Stop worrying.” I scoff because that isn’t going to happen.

We get to the bar, and I signal Kit. She pours us our usual drinks without asking. Claire enters the bar, smiling as she comes over. “Hello, you two.” Erin is staring at her with narrow eyes, which makes me laugh. “I take it she knows,” Claire grins.

“You look no different to me, like at all. Nothing would give you away as being a vampire.”

“Next time I’ll wear my cape and turn into a bat,” Claire deadpans.

“Can you do that?” Erin squeals. “I hate bats.”

Claire raises a single eyebrow. “Are you being serious right now?”

“No, of course not. I’m just messing. Trying to get Amelia to lighten up. Phew, it’s a full-time job.”

“Hey,” I laugh.

“Let’s drink these and go upstairs.” Erin necks her drink and is already leaving the bar.

“I’ll talk to you later,” I call to Claire as I follow Erin to the secret stairs.

Now I haven’t got my family with me. I’m feeling a little more nervous. Erin is not having the same problem. We enter the penthouse, and she flops to the sofa, smiling. “It’s good to be home,” she sighs and my heart thuds. Does that mean she wants to be here with me? She called it home, so that must mean something.

“It’s certainly been a day.”