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“But…” She didn’t seem to be able to find the words. We all fixed our sights on Isabel in anticipation, united in our belief that we were right. She needed to accept this conclusion on her own. If we were being manipulated like I thought, I needed their help more than ever, loath as I was to admit it.

Isabel stared at her clasped hands in her lap, perfectly still. With a sigh, Adam got up from his seat.

“Would you like a drink, Erin?” he asked politely. Isuspected he was looking for an excuse to leave the room.

I wrenched my eyes away from the two vampires. “Please.”

“Coffee?” he paused in the doorway, one hand on the frame.

“Always,” I smiled, turning back to watch Nicholas. He was observing Isabel intently, though he threw a glance at me, his mouth twitching up into a reassuring half-smile.

“I’m sorry about the Forties,” Isabel spoke suddenly. I assumed she was talking to Nicholas, whose face went instantly blank.

“I’m sorry too,” he replied. “You could’ve prevented many losses.” His voice was barely controlled, and I wished I could ease the pain there.

“I’msorry,” she repeated. “I know. And… I believe you.” She shifted her attention to me, and I realised I’d been waiting for her approval to fully accept the truth myself.

It was as if some silent signal had been given, and we’d all been holding our breath. Isabel regarded Nicholas as he sat casually by me on the arm of the sofa, his earlier dangerous edge melting into something warmer as he shifted closer. So close that I found myself resisting the urge to rest against him, drawn in despite knowing better. Though I knew his skin would be cool to the touch, my face felt warm just being near him, every almost-point of contact sending sparks of awareness through my body.

“We must try to—” Isabel began, but my phone cut through the moment. I dug it out of my coat pocket. Tom’s name flashed on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Erin? Where are you?” His voice was still painfully hoarse.

“Sorry, Tom. I’m just… running some errands.” There was no way I could explain where I was over the phone. He’d blow a gasket.

“Oh. Right. Well, your dad called the landline.”

Bloody brilliant.

My parents and I didn’t get on these days, and I rarely spoke to them unless it was a special occasion. Or a funeral.

“What did he want?” I frowned, leaning further into Nicholas’s presence.

“He…” Tom’s voice rasped. “Someone’s been threatening them.”

I froze, aware of Nicholas and Isabel watching me. I hit speakerphone. “What do you mean, threatening them?”

“I don’t know, to be honest. Your dad wanted to speak to you – but he mentioned letters signed with an ‘N’. Creepy calls from some guy with an accent. Your dad tried to brush it off, said it’s been happening for weeks, but…” Tom’s voice trailed off.

“What sort of letters?” I asked.

“They were graphic, from the sound of it,” he said, his voice gravelly. “Your dad wouldn’t repeat them back to me.”

Adam came back into the room with a wooden tray. The candlelight flickered as he passed, shadows dancing across the walls.

I sighed. I might not like my parents very much, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t protect them if I could. The thing was, there wasn’t anything I could do about weird letters and phonecalls while I still had no idea who was behind it. I could only hope that, for now, whoever it was wouldn’t take it any further. My only other option was to go over to theirs myself and stand guard, and I just… couldn’t.

“Right,” I sighed. “Thanks for letting me know, Tom. I don’t know what else we can do about it, but I’ll call him back and catch you up on everything later.” I knew I was being dismissive.

“Wait, Erin – aren’t you going to—” he protested, but I cut him off.

“I’ll call them.” I hung up before Tom could say anything more, my hand shaking as I lowered the phone.

“If I needed proof we’re being played…” My laugh came out hollow.

“We would never let anyone hurt your parents,” Adam said firmly. “It won’t come to that.”