“What about the hunting, Mitch?” Tyler asked, bringing them all back to the reality of the little meeting. “Did you forget how much work went into setting up the donation bank and having people actually agree to give you guys blood? A girl died tonight. How am I supposed to explain this?”

Amelia sighed in frustration. She could see Mitchell shutting down, clamming up. She knew how hard it was for him to let them talk to him like this, but he was trying. He knew they were stronger as a family, and in all honesty, even though he wouldn’t always admit it, she knew he loved them as his family. She tried to send him feelings of relaxation, thinking about the birds chirping, a warm spring breeze. He gave her a weak smile and said, “You don’t need to explain it. I’ve handled it.”

“Mitchell,” Luke said, clearly annoyed. “Start explaining.”

Mitchell started pacing the room, keeping his eyes on Amelia, and she could feel him pulling on her strength. “It’s not like before. Some of the older vampires in the community threatened to start hunting in town. I couldn’t let that happen. No one would be safe if that happened.” His shoulders slumped and he took a deep breath before continuing. “I made arrangements with the prison. The people they send, like the girl tonight, are all convicted criminals with death sentences. That’s why I didn’t want her changed. She was a serial killer. I couldn’t let someone like her become a vampire and give her more strength. She’d be unstoppable. I just couldn’t let it happen.”

Amelia was stunned, and as she glanced around, she could tell everyone else was feeling the same. No one knew what to say. No one was used to seeing Mitchell like this. Usually (at least when Amelia wasn’t involved) he was strong, rational. But right now, he looked ashamed.

After a long moment, Mabel broke the silence. “I’m disappointed in you, Mitchell.” She sighed and dabbed at her eyes with her flowery apron. “When will you learn? It’s not just you anymore, and Amelia can handle more than you think. You are a better man with her and together you are stronger.” She shook her head. “I think Mitchell has some explaining to do. Come on, everyone. Let’s leave them alone.” Mabel’s tone made it clear that she wasn’t asking; she was telling everyone to leave. The room fell silent once again. Mitchell ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand up every which way. Then, one by one, Angelle, Tyler, Eric, and Fiona filed out of the room.

Erin stood by, looking awkwardly between them. She always seemed to have a really hard time when they argued, and Mitchell noticed her discomfort. “It’s okay, Erin,” he said. “We’ll be fine. You can go.”

“Millie?” she questioned, glancing between them.

Amelia mustered up a smile. “We’re good, Erin.” Erin was still so young, and she really had loyalty issues. The human part of her remembered that they were friends. They had met first, and she had held onto that, becoming protective of her friend. But the vampire part was attached to Mitchell. He had saved her, changed her. And he had believed in her when she was weak.

Erin wasn’t convinced, but she nodded. “Okay, but if you need me…”

Amelia’s smile widened. “I know. All I need to do is yell.”

After Erin left in a flash of movement, Amelia smiled to herself. Only last week she had asked Erin why she never just walked. Erin had been so stoked up that she had finally figured out how to use the vampire speed without breaking her neck—literally—she swore she would never walk at a normal pace again. And so far, she hadn’t.

Once everyone had left, Mitchell sat down and cleared his throat, bringing her attention back to him. “Amelia.” He reached across the small coffee table that sat between them and took her hand.

“I want her gone by morning,” she said, standing up and letting his hand drop.

“There’s something else I need to tell you.” Amelia felt a rush of guilt coming from him, and she sucked in a breath. Surely, he was going to admit that he had been fooling around with Fiona.

She wasn’t ready to hear it out loud; thinking it was bad enough. She met his gaze. “I can’t right now. I’m really trying to stay calm and think about everything maturely, but sometimes I think you forget that I’m only eighteen. I haven’t been around for eight hundred years, well at least not in any one lifetime. I know you’ve seen so many things, and you think about this stuff differently, as if it’s just no big deal. But to me, it is a big deal. I need some space to think and try to digest everything. Just go.” She turned from him, not able to look at him any longer, and held her breath. How could he do this? How could he hide Fiona? The small rational part of her knew that wasn’t what she was supposed to be upset about. Fiona was just a hiccup compared to the other lies, but still, they had been together for over a century, and Amelia couldn’t seem to bury the blinding jealousy.

She should be more worried about the hunting and the girl who died tonight. She knew that, but as irrational as it was, Fiona was the only thing on her mind. I guess that explains the cot, Amelia thought sourly.

The soft click of the door and a tug at her back told her that he left, and Amelia let out a long breath. She climbed the steps, her feet sinking into the plush carpet of the landing, and she padded over to her bed, flopped down, and squeezed her eyes shut. Her mind was foggy. Maybe if she just kept her eyes shut, she would fall asleep, and when she woke up, she would realize that it was all just a horrible dream.

CHAPTER 4

Mitchell watched as Amelia turned her back on him. It was times like this, when she was being stubborn and unreasonable, that he really wanted to stop her. He could make her listen. Whether she knew it or not, she had been the one who gave him that power back—given him the control over her actions, even her magic—and right now that was exactly what he wanted to do. Make her listen so he could explain everything, but if he did that…No. That wasn’t an option anymore. He was in too deep now, drowning in a sea of lies.

It had all started so innocently—just a little white lie. He remembered the glow of happiness in Amelia’s cheeks when she thought that they had found a way around the bond. She had been so excited after letting him back in and fixing the bond. He didn’t understand what made her think that he no longer had control over her actions. It wasn’t as if he had even had a chance to test it before she made that declaration, telling him that they could finally be a normal couple. She didn’t have the slightest idea that the reality was he had just figured out how to use a little self-restraint. He guessed believing that he had lost the only thing that kept him going could do that to a man, and he had really thought that he had lost her.

But in spite of the fact that he had no clue why, Amelia was still here. After all the horrible things he had done, he had been sure that Amelia would leave without a second thought. Except she didn’t. She really wasn’t the kind to give up, and he was sure she didn’t even know the meaning of throwing in the towel. Instead, she gave him that second chance to be the man she needed. And what did he do? He had bitten his tongue, keeping back the thing that he knew would make her change her mind. He couldn’t bear to see her face twist in disappointment, that look she gave him that ripped out his heart when she blamed him for something that was out of his control.

But that one little white lie had quickly turned into another and then another, and now it was hard to tell where the lies ended and the truth began.

Mitchell glanced at the cot in the center of the room, and a wave of disgust hit him. How had he let it get to this? He couldn’t even share a bed with her, scared that if he let his guard down while asleep she would see everything. She would see that he could stop her magic. She would know that he could make the pain come back. She would realize that he was in control. And if she figured it out, then she would break the bond just like before, and he didn’t think he could live through that again. Not knowing if she was okay. Always worrying that something had happened to her.

Give her space, he told himself with a sigh. After another long glance, soaking up every beautiful curve and glowing feature, he turned away, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him.

He had just pulled the door closed when Luke grabbed his arm. Mitchell swiveled around, surprised. He had been so lost in his own guilt that he hadn’t noticed anyone waiting for him. Had Luke been listening? he wondered, and then a rush of suffocating anger consumed him. Did they still think he would hurt her? After everything that had happened, did they still believe he needed a chaperone? He had proven time and time again, dealing with the painful attacks and her hurtful words, that he had his temper under control. Mitchell gritted his teeth and was about to blurt out a slew of nasty words but bit his tongue when he saw Luke holding a finger to his lips, signaling for him to keep quiet. He gave Mitchell’s arm a forceful tug and pulled him through the house, up the stairs and into his bedroom.

“What the hell is going on?” Mitchell demanded, as soon as the door was shut. He noticed Lola and Angelle sitting cross-legged on the large bed with matching grim expressions.

Luke spun on him, rage passing across his usually calm face. “How could you let Amelia and Eric hang out outside at night without telling them about the hunting? Where were you?”

“I didn’t let them do anything,” Mitchell retorted, furious. “And I don’t believe it’s any of your business where I was.”

“Mitch,” Angelle chirped. “Seriously, you need to tell us what’s going on. Why is Fiona here?”

“And why didn’t you tell any of us she was back?” Lola added.

Mitchell rolled his eyes. “What is this? An interrogation?” he questioned, completely floored. Were they really ganging up on him? The idea was laughable, and he chuckled in disbelief.

His humor was replaced by dread when Lola drew her full lips into a hateful smirk. “Start talking, Mitchell, or I swear I will get Amelia involved.”

“You wouldn’t,” Mitchell breathed. That was the last thing he needed. If she knew everything he had just uncovered…his gut twisted into knots merely thinking about it.