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I bite my lip to hold back my excitement and say calmly, “Of course, I’d love to dance with you… brother. But I need to freshen up first. Is there a bathroom nearby?”

Ambrose laughs musically with joy, and it’s everything I can do to not feel guilty for deceiving him.

I’ll dance with him later, I silently vow. Dance as much as he wants.

“Yes, sister, there’s one connected to your room,” he sing-songs.

I look over the room again and spot the door I thought led to a closet. “Wonderful. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be out soon.”

Taking one step toward the door, I find myself suddenly in front of it, my nose nearly pressing against it.

Ambrose laughs again, just full of delight. “You’ll get used to your new speed and strength soon. If brother Raphael permits, I’ll even help you.”

Tasting my own blood on my bottom lip, from where myfangspierced it, I grab the handle of the door and pull it open. “I see. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, sister,” Ambrose responds cheerfully as my eyes scan over the bathroom.

It’s your typical modern bathroom. There’s a white porcelain toilet, a white sink attached to a cabinet, and a yellow curtain shielding what I assume is a tub and shower.

The curtain is made of fabric, though, and I can see light trying to pierce through it. Meaning there’s also a window.

“Be careful, sister,” Ambrose warns, suddenly sounding very serious. “The sunlight will not kill you, but it will hurt and weaken you.”

How on earth can he tell what I’m doing? Can he see me through the walls?

That thought creeping me out, I say, “Thank you for the warning, but I’d like some privacy now.”

“Of course…” Ambrose answers slowly. “But please be careful.”

I approach the sink first and twist both handles to turn on the faucet.

When Ambrose doesn’t say anything and I sense him moving a little away from the outside the door, I grab the shower curtain and rip it to the side.

“Sister, no!”Ambrose cries out.

He sounds so distraught, I wonder if I should be distraught, too.

But when the beams of sunlight streaming through the window touch me, I don’t feel any pain.

I only feel the greatest sense of joy.

Thrusting my arm out, I stare down at the streams of gold touching my pale skin in wonder.

“Sister, stop! Please!”Ambrose begs. “Stop before you hurt yourself!”

Shaking my head, his voice once again breaking my trance, I step into the tub and shove the window open. The window is rather small, seated in the wall high enough to give some privacy, but I’m pretty sure I can fit through it.

The moment my hands touch the ledge, though, I sense several other presences around me awakening in alarm.

Knowing I could be stopped at any second, I shove myself through the window and find myself landing on my feet, as if I intended to do it, instead of falling on my face.

I suppose being a vampire now does have some advantages…

“Alena!” I hear Asher roaring somewhere inside the house. “Get back inside now!”

The force of his fury slams into me and almost knocks me off my feet.

But I’ve waited for this moment for so long, I’ll be damned if I let anyone stop me.