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“I took him to the spare bedroom upstairs right after you disappeared with the . . . others.” She peeked at her daughter and smiled.

“I was waiting for you to come back up.” Peter appeared from around the hallway.

Sidney inhaled slightly and when I looked at her, she tracked my brother with her mouth pursed.

“Who’s the kid?” he asked.

“Kid?” Sidney huffed with a little frown. She said it so low, I was sure Peter hadn’t heard her disgruntlement.

“Maddy’s daughter.”

“Where did those v?—”

I sliced my hand across my neck to cut him off. He got the clue and shut up. Sidney whirled to look at me as I brushed my hand through my hair as nonchalantly as possible. Based on her narrowing eyes, I wasn’t as successful as I thought.

“. . . very large guys go?”

“Nowhere you need to worry about.” My tone didn’t need to be as sharp as it was, but I didn’t want him to get any ideas. Peter sank into the seat beside Sidney, who hadn’t taken her gaze off him. If she were a cartoon, there’d be hearts for eyes.

Peter didn’t like the answer, but he looked at the company in the kitchen and obviously bit back his irritation.

“You had your daughter young?” I said the first thing that popped into my head.

“Not at all, I had her at thirty-two,” Maddy winked at me. That would mean she’s forty-five-ish. Her smooth skin didn’t show any age, but I was sure she was human. Sidney tapped her fingers on the granite, shooting furtive glances at Peter.

“And the kid is what? Fourteen, fifteen?” Peter scoffed, head turning from the mom to the girl. He went into a slew of questions and shock. I could understand it, she had some great genes. I wouldn’t have guessed her age.

“I’m not a kid,” Sidney repeated, too low to be heard over Peter’s shocked rambling.

“Peter, are you ready for me to take you to the airport?” I asked as soon as there was a lull in conversation.

“What? I’m not leaving,” he scowled.

I clenched my teeth, straightening to swivel my torso toward him.

“Yes, you are.” I feared my attempt to keep my tone level didn’t work.

“Sidney, let’s go see some, uh, thing over here.” Sidney rolled her eyes and trailed after her mom.

I waited a beat and scooted close to Peter.

“Take the money I left in my will,” I ordered. “Don’t tell anyone I’m alive.”

“I don’t want your money!” he exclaimed. A vine wrapped around my neck and tightened with his every word.

“Let’s put a pin in the conversation,” I said, trying to stifle the bite to my tone. He set his expression mulishly. He wouldn’t let this go and we’d argue in circles.

“We can’t talk about this later.”

“Sure we can, after you go back to school to finish off your year, we can discuss it.”

Peter scoffed, glaring.

“I’m eighteen, Catty, you can’t force me to leave.” I opened and closed my mouth, unable to spit any words out. “I have an assignment to finish.” He stormed off, leaving me staring after him.

I dropped my face in my hands; I wanted him away from all the uncertainty. It was best for him to get out of here before anything went wrong, and something was bound to go terribly wrong.

I had no chance of protecting him unless I was as strong as my opponents . . . If I were a vampire . . .