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s enemy coven；” Kristie interjected。 “They’re talented。
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Right？” Riley gave her an approving nod。 “Exactly。 I’m glad someone here can connect the dots。” Raoul’s upper lip twitched back over his teeth。 “This coven is dangerously talented；” Riley went on； his voice dropping to a hushed whisper。 “They have a mind reader。” He examined our faces； looking to see if we got the importance of this revelation。 He didn’t seem satisfied with his assessment。 “Think； guys！ He’ll know everything in your head。 If you attack； he’ll know what move you’re going to make before you know it。 You go left； he’ll be waiting。” There was a nervous stillness as everyone imagined this。 “This is why we’ve been so careful me； and the one who created you。” Kristie flinched away from Riley when he mentioned her。 Raoul looked angrier。 Nerves strained universally。 “You don’t know her name； and you don’t know what she looks like。 This protects us all。 If they’d stumbled across one of you alone； they wouldn’t realize that you were connected to her； and they might have let you be。 If they knew you were part of her coven； there would be no delay in your execution。” That didn’t make sense to me。 Didn’t the secrecy protect her more than it protected any of us？ Riley hurried on before we had too long to examine his statement。 “Of course； it doesn’t matter now that they’ve decided to move on Seattle。 We will surprise them on their way in； and we will annihilate them。” He whistled a single low note through his teeth。 “Done。 And then not only is the city all ours； other covens
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will know not to mess with us。 We won’t have to be so careful to cover our tracks anymore。 As much blood as you want； for everyone。 Hunting every night。 We’ll move right into the city； and we will rule it。” The growls and snarls were like applause。 Everyone was with him。 Except for me。 I didn’t move； didn’t make a sound。 Neither did Fred； but who knows why that was？ I was not with Riley because his promises sounded like lies。 Or else my whole line of logic had been wrong。 Riley said it was only these enemies that kept us from hunting without caution or restraint。 But that didn’t go along with the fact that all other vampires must have been discreet； or humans would have known about them long ago。 I couldn’t concentrate to work it out； because the door at the top of the stairs had not moved。 Diego… “We have to do this together； though。 Today I’m going to lead you through some techniques。 Fighting techniques。 There’s more to this than just scuffling around on the floor like toddlers。 When it gets dark； we’ll go outside and practice。 I want you to practice hard； but keep your focus。 I am not losing another member of this coven！ We all need each other every one of us。 I will not tolerate any more stupidity。 If you think you don’t have to listen to me； you are wrong。” He paused for a short second； the muscles in his face shifting into a new arrangement。 “And you will learn how wrong you are when I take you to her” I shuddered and felt the tremor through the room as everyone else did； too “and hold you while she tears off your legs and then slowly； slowly burns off your fingers； ears；
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lips； tongue； and every other superfluous appendage one by one。” We’d all lost a limb； at least； and we’d all burned when we became vampires； so we could easily imagine how that would feel； but it wasn’t the threat itself that was so terrifying。 The truly scary thing was Riley’s face as he said it。 His face was not twisted in rage； the way it usually was when he was angry； it was calm and cold； smooth and beautiful； his mouth curled at the edges into a small smile。 I suddenly had the impression that this was a new Riley。 Something had changed him； hardened him； but I couldn’t imagine what could have happened in one night to create that cruel； perfect smile。 I looked away； shivering a little； and saw as Raoul’s smile shifted to echo Riley’s。 I could almost see the gears turning in Raoul’s head。 He wouldn’t kill his victims so quickly in the future。 “Now； let’s get some teams figured out so that we can work in groups；” Riley said； his face normal again。 “Kristie； Raoul； get your kids together and then divvy up the rest evenly。 No fighting！ Show me you can do this rationally。 Prove yourselves。” He walked away from those two； ignoring the fact that they fell almost immediately into bickering； and made an arc around the outside edge of the room。 He touched a few vampires on the shoulder as he passed； nudging them toward one of the new leaders or the other。 I didn’t realize at first that he was heading in my direction； because he took such a wide way around。 “Bree；” he said； squinting toward where I stood。 It looked like this took some effort。
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I felt like a block of ice。 He must have smelled my trail。 I was dead。 “Bree？” he said； softer now。 His voice reminded me of the first time he’d talked to me。 When he was nice to me。 And then even lower； “I promised Diego I’d give you a message。 He said to tell you it was a ninja thing。 Does that make any sense to you？” He still couldn’t look at me； but he was edging closer。 “Diego？” I murmured。 I couldn’t help myself。 Riley smiled a tiny bit。 “Can we talk？” He jerked his head toward the door。 “I doublechecked all the windows。 The first floor is totally dark and safe。” I knew I wouldn’t be as safe once I walked away from Fred； but I had to hear what Diego had wanted to tell me。 What had happened？ I should have stayed with him to meet Riley。 I followed Riley through the room； keeping my head down。 He gave Raoul a few instructions； nodded to Kristie； and then went up the stairs。 From the corners of my eyes I saw a few people curiously watch the direction he was going。 Riley passed through the door first； and the kitchen of the home was； as he’d promised； totally black。 He motioned for me to keep following and led me through a dark hall past a few open bedroom doors； then through another door with a dead bolt。 We ended up in the garage。 “You’re brave；” he mented in a very low voice。 “Or really trusting。 I thought it would b