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“The cops and firefighters didn’t believe me when I told them what happened” Not that she could blah “The story ran in the paper a few days later” She’d read it with tears strea down her face “They ruled it a murder-suicide After the fire stopped, the only remains they found inside ell, they said they could identify Mon of the vauttural word He knehere this was going

“They said my mom killed Dad and Sara, then she shoved a knife into her own throat”

Bullshit Not her moet away “No one would believeher crazy, but she’d deal

She always did

“What did you do? Where did you go?”

To the streets “I took off onthe va them But, at fifteen, she hadn’t kno to live on the streets She’d been close to starving a week later, dirty, cold Her jaw locked “Iaway those dark years “Then I met Jason Pak” No, he’d found her Stalked her and found her in that roach-infested apartment she’d bleed to pay for

“Pak” He echoed the nae knew of Pak, even if they hadn’t personally uy Bad reputations carried too easily

“The first thing he told ht he was

“And the second?”

Her fingers fisted “He said he’d teach me to kill the bastards”

Pak had always been a man of his word

“I haven’t found those va Sara’s screaht Maybe Or aze roved over her face Her neck “They didn’t bite you that night?”

“No” Ada, too, because erous even a little nip from a vamp could be

Once a vampire took a victim’s blood, he had a psychic link with his prey If he was strong enough, he could steal thoughts, memories, and send seductive whispers in the hours of darkness

Some of them—those ancient Born Masters—it was possible they could even control their prey Get humans to follow their every twisted co puppets

Dee never wanted to be a puppet Never

Taking a deep breath, she shoved off the couch Their thighs brushed and she fought to ignore the wave of heat from that quick touch

Her knees shook a little when she stood For just a second, black spots danced before her eyes and the nausea rolled in her sto a bracing hand on her shoulder

Careful Don’t get used to hi there

Alone That was how she lived her life How she’d keep on living it