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Aiden slammed the door shut and stepped back. I started the SUV and then wound down the window.

“Call me,” he reiterated. “Or at the very least, send a text.”

I raised an eyebrow. “This overprotective thing might get annoying going forward.”

“Probably, but if the situation were switched, you’d be asking the same damn thing.”

I laughed. “Thatis a certainty.”

I reversed the SUV and headed down the narrow, uneven track that was the compound’s main entry point. There were others, but they generally weren’t vehicle accessible.

So, what disaster has gotten you out of bed on this too-warm night?came Belle’s comment,

I could ask you the same thing.

In my case, it was the urgent need to pee. I’m figuring that’s not your excuse.

I turned onto the main road and headed for Castle Rock.I dreamed. Well, kind of.

You need to be more specific. The heat has sapped my brainpower of late.

I couldn’t help grinning.You sure it’s not all the good loving you’re getting?

Positive.Her mental tone was dry.Even Monty has decided it’s too freaking hot. He’s currently researching weather spells.

Seriously?

Yes. Now stop hedging and give with the information.

Marie reached out to me in a prophetic dream.

Well, fuck.

Yeah. She has Roger staked in a pentagram and has given Maelle twenty-four hours to hand herself over to them or he dies.

She’s going to kill him whether Maelle goes or not.

Yes,but I think she’ll wait until she has Maelle in custody. Even Marie doesn’t want a crazy-as-fuck, all-bets-are-off vampire coming after her.

The headlights picked out a shape on the side of the road—a kangaroo, and a big one at that—so I hit the brake and cruised past slowly. Thankfully, he remained where he was rather than play dare with my SUV.

So why call you into the situation? Wasn’t it only days ago she warned us to stay out of it?

I didn’t take notice of her warning, so now she’s bringing me into play.

How did she call you though? You’ve run protections around the longhouse?—

They obviously weren’t enough. We’re going to return to the café until this mess is sorted.

So where are you now?

Heading for Maelle’s.

Why not just ring her?

I tried. When she finally answered, she sounded … brusque. She didn’t give me the chance to tell her what I saw, just told me to be at the nightclub in half an hour.I paused and glanced at the time. Still fifteen to go, and I was on the outskirts of Castle Rock now.I think something has happened.

Of course it has, because problems rarely hit one at a time. I’ll get dressed and meet you there. And don’t say “don’t”, because you are not going in there without backup.