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Noah flips the eggs. “I’ll be here through the nights, and I’ll accompany Piper when she leaves the house in the evenings. Cassian will be here while I’m at work. If both of us are unavailable, I’ll assign a NIHA hunter to cover her.”

“What about Max?” I ask. “Can he still fill in?”

“Not now that there’s been an attack. He hasn’t had the proper training.”

I nod, disappointed. If I can’t hang out with Noah or Cassian, Max would have been a good substitute.

My parents don’t say anything.

“Our top priority will be tracking down and arresting the attackers,” Noah continues.

“Are you two still dating?” Dad asks bluntly.

The kitchen goes silent.

After several long, awkward seconds, Noah says, “We’ve agreed to put our relationship on hold.”

“No,youagreed,” I add, none too happy about it.

Dad nods solemnly. “Thank you for respecting our wishes. I’m sure you understand why we don’t want Piper any more involved in this than she already is.”

The attack didn’t do us any favors. It’s going to be next to impossible to convince my family that vampires can live normal, uneventful lives now.

Because of that, I think it’s time for some tough love.

“As you can see, Noah has this under control,” I say. “When are you two going home?”

They share a look, and I’m worried they’re about to say theyaren’tgoing home. And that’s not an option.

“I know this is still technically Grandma and Grandpa’s place. But I’m an adult—I pay them rent every month. This ismyhouse. And though you are very welcome to visit, I don’t need you hovering. Noah is extremely good at his job. I promise I’m safer here than anywhere else.” I pause, trying to look stern but loving. “Go home.”

They stare at me, conflicted. Finally, Dad nods. “Okay—but you need to keep us in the loop. I don’t want to learn there are police outside your house from a friend who just happened to drive by.”

“Deal.”

Dad looks at the eggs Noah is sliding onto a plate for me. “I think I will take a couple of those if the offer stands.”

“Of course,” Noah says, looking secretly delighted. “Just tell me how you like them.”

24

My parents go home,and life returns to normal. Or as normal as it can be when you’re surrounded by vampires.

And considering I’m holding a wooden stake in one of Cassian’s outbuildings, learning about anatomy and the best way to kill a creature of the night, my normal isn’tthatnormal.

A dead pig hangs from the rafters.A dead pig.

And do you know what Noah wants me to do?

Stab it with a stake.

We’re alone, and this is how he decided to spend our evening.

“It won’t go in,” I whine, the tip of the stake barely penetrating the pig’s side.

The whole ordeal is making me very glad I’m a vegetarian vampire.

“That’s the point of this exercise—to show you how hard it is to stab a stake through flesh. You need to put your arm into it.”