What if they stopped being my family? Just thinking about that terrible possibility made me all fluttery and panicky inside. Before I could chicken out, confess everything, and fling myself at their feet while I begged them to understand and not be mad at me, I blurted, "I have to go see Heath."

"Heath?" Shaunee looked utterly confused.

"Her human ex-boyfriend, Twin. Remember?" Erin supplied.

"Oh yeah, the blond hottie who almost got eaten by the vamp ghosts two months ago, and then almost got killed by that nasty street-person-turned-serial-killer last month," Shaunee said.

"You know, Z, you're hard on your ex-boyfriends," Erin said.

"Yeah, sucks to be him," I inserted, moving casually toward the door. "I gotta go, guys."

"They're not letting anyone leave campus," Erin said.

"I know, but I, um, well..." I hesitated, and then I felt ridiculous for the hesitation. I couldn't tell the Twins about Stevie Rae or Loren, but I sure as hell could tell them something as typically teenage as sneaking out of school. "I know a secret way off campus."

"Well done, Z!" Shaunee said happily. "We'll totally use your superior sneaking-out-of-school skills during finals this spring when we're supposed to be studying."

"Please." Erin rolled her eyes. "As if we have to study. Especially when there are end-or-season shoe sales to pillage. Then she raised her very blond brows and added, "Uh, Z. What do we tell boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?"

"Your boyfriend, Erik I'm-So-Damn-Fiiiine Night." Erin gave me a look that said she thought I'd lost my mind.

"Hello. Earth to Zoey. Are you sure you're okay?" Shaunee said.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm okay. Sorry. Why do you have to tell Erik anything?"

"Because he said for us to tell you to call him the instant you woke the hell up. He's majorly worried about you, too," Shaunee said.

"No doubt if he doesn't hear from you pretty soon he'll be camped out here," Erin said. "Ooooh, Twin!" Her eyes widened and her lips curled into a sexy smile. "Do you think boyfriend will bring along the two hotties?" Shaunee tossed back her thick dark hair. "It's a definite possibility, Twin. T. J. and Cole are friends of his and this is a very stressful time."

"Right you are, Twin. And we all know that during stressful times friends should stick together." In perfect agreement the Twins turned to me. "Go ahead and go do whatever with ex-boyfriend," Erin said.

"Yeah, we have your back here. We'll wait around for Erik to show up and then tell him it's just too scary for little ol' us to be all alone," Shaunee said.

"We definitely need protected," Erin said. "Which means he'll have to go get his friends and all of us will curl up and wait for you to get back from your meeting."

Sounds like a plan. Oh, but don t tell him I went off campus. He might freak. Just be vague, like I might be talking to Neferet or whatnot."

"Whatever. We'll cover for you. But, speaking of going off campus, are you sure it's safe?" Shaunee said.

"We're not completely making up the fact that it's scary around here right now."

"Yeah, can't you break up with human boyfriend later, like after they catch the psycho who beheaded and crucified Professor Nolan?" Erin asked.

"It's something I have to do now. You know, what with the Imprint it's not exactly a normal breakup."

"Drama," Erin said.

"Serious drama." Shaunee nodded in solemn agreement.

"Yeah, and the longer I put it off, the worse it's gonna be. I mean, Heath just got back in town and he's already text messaging me to death." The Twins gave me sympathetic looks. "So, later. I'll be back in time to change before Neferet's ritual." I retreated fast while the Twins called "see ya" after me. I'd rushed out the door and had run right into what felt like a large male mountain. Impossibly strong hands steadied me before I could fall off the steps. I looked up (and up and up) into a stonelike, starkly handsome face. And then blinked in surprise. He was definitely a full-grown vampyre (complete with cool tattoo), even though he didn't look much older than me. But, dang, he was big!

"Careful, fledgling," the mountain who was dressed all in black said. Then his nonexpression shifted. "You're Zoey Redbird."

"Yeah, I'm Zoey."

Releasing me, he took a step back and pressed his fist over his heart in a snappy salute. "Merry met. It is a pleasure to know the fledgling Nyx has so greatly gifted."