“Where did you find marshmallows?” I asked in surprise when I saw the open bag on the coffee table. I’d been joking about roasting them, but now it looked like the best idea ever.

Nikolas looked up from his seat on the floor as he threaded one on a long metal skewer and held it over the fire. “Top shelf in the pantry. Want one?”

“Yes!” I sat in the chair closest to the fireplace and sighed as the heat surrounded me. Daisy came into the room and stretched out in front of my chair.

“Here.” He handed me the skewer. I blew on the blackened marshmallow as he started another one for himself. For a few minutes there was no sound but the hissing of the fire and the storm battering the building. I found myself strangely at ease. After my close call at the marina, I was surprised I wasn’t jumping at the slightest noise. But this was actually nice.

“Have you always done this – hunting vampires? Do all Mohiri become warriors?”

He sat with his back to the couch and his long legs stretched out across the rug. “Most do though we have some scholars and artisans. Being a warrior is in our blood, what we are born to do. I have never wanted to do anything else.”

I absorbed that for a minute. “What is it like growing up there? Do you live in houses or in some kind of military base? Do you go to school or start training when you’re little?” Since I’d first learned about the Mohiri, I imagined them living like soldiers, sleeping in barracks and training to fight every day. It all seemed so cold and militant and it did not reconcile with the way he spoke about family.

He smiled and skewered another marshmallow. “We live in fortified compounds all over the world. The larger compounds look like private campuses and the smaller ones are basically well fortified estates. It is not safe for a Mohiri family to live outside a compound because they would be vulnerable to vampire attack. Families live together and the living quarters are large and comfortable. Children attend school until they are sixteen and physical training begins when they reach puberty.” He leaned forward and the fire played across his handsome face. “It is a good life. There is a deep sense of belonging among the Mohiri and everyone who comes to live among us is happier than they were living among humans.”

I stared at the flames. His meaning was clear and I did not want to break our moment of peace by replaying the old argument. Maybe the Mohiri were not as cold and impersonal as I’d thought but I could not imagine being any happier there. My dad would still be gone and I wouldn’t even have Nate or Roland and Peter.

The ringing of the kitchen phone cut through the silence and I jumped up to answer it. It was Nate, calling from his hotel in Boston, his voice full of worry.

“Hey, I hear you guys are getting hit by a hard nor’easter. Everything okay there?”

“I’m perfectly fine, Nate. You know how I love a good storm.”

His relief was audible. “Well if the power goes, there are extra flashlights and a battery operated lantern in the hall closet.”

“Don’t worry, I have it all under control. How is the conference?”

He told me about his day and that he’d be at his hotel for the rest of the night if I needed to call him. I laughed and told him he sounded like Judith when she got all over Roland about something. That was enough to get him to say good night with a promise to call and check on me tomorrow.

As soon as I hung up from Nate, the phone rang again. “Geeze, what now?” This time it was Roland.

“Well you answered the phone so I assume you’re not bound and gagged,” he quipped after I answered.

“No thanks to you.”

“Ah, don’t be mad. I was kind of freaked out after what happened and I thought maybe someone else should talk to you.”

“I don’t want to talk about that now.” I was still a little hurt by his defection and I was in no mood to assuage his guilt tonight.

“Mom said the power’s out all over town. Are you alright there? Because I can come and get you if you want.”

I let out a sigh. It was impossible to stay mad at Roland when he was sweet like this. “I’m fine. We have the fireplace going and lots of candles.”

“We? Is he there with you? Now?”

“Yes.”

Roland’s voice raised a notch. “I thought he kept guard outside or whatever. I’m not sure he should be in there with you with Nate gone.”

“You should have thought of that before you left.” I couldn’t resist the dig. “Did you think we would talk outside in the middle of a storm?”

“I… um…” he stammered.

“I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I did not want to continue this conversation with Nikolas within earshot.

“Oh, okay,” Roland said reluctantly. “See you tomorrow.”

I hung up and went back to the living room to reclaim my seat by the fire. “Everyone’s checking up on me.”

“The werewolf cares for you.”

I glared at him. “He’s my best friend and he has a name you know.”

His shoulders lifted indifferently. “We don’t make a habit of being on a first name basis with weres and I’m sure you know they feel the same about us. It’s just how it is.”

“Well, I am Mohiri and I have loads of werewolf friends so you’ll just have to get over it.” His mouth curved as if I’d said something funny and I snapped, “What?”