She looked back at me, her smile so beatific I wanted to cry. “I heard you talking to me, and then you took the pain away. When you bit me,” she added, as if I hadn’t already committed every second of that night to memory.

“And then I was gone for a while, and then you began to feed me, and I came back. It was sudden, like I’d been thrown right into my body again. And the blood was . . . weird but amazing. You saved my life, but if you need my consent now, then you have it, lady. You freaking have it.”

She grinned. “Besides, do you have any idea how dull it is to be a human in Grand Bay, Minnesota? To smell like doughnuts all the time? Even the Sups are dull. I mean, I like Georgia, but the resort is a dive, and all the pretending to be human? Why would you do that?” She pointed at herself. “This looks a lot more fun.”

I smiled. “I think we’ll be seeing some leadership changes there. And the monsters have been caught. So they won’t bother you anymore.”

“Good,” she said with a nod.

“So, do you think you’ll want to stay in Minnesota?”

She bit her lip, looked apologetic. “I don’t want you to be mad or anything, but yeah.” She looked around the room. “I kind of like it here. The vampires seem nice, and the house is really cool, and Ronan said I could stay and still work at the shop at night. But if that’s not cool with you—”

“That’s fine with me,” I said. “Absolutely fine. I mean, we can stay in contact as much as you want, and you can maybe come visit me in Chicago sometime. But things have changed for you so quickly, and you don’t have to be in a hurry to make a decision. Your life is here, at least for now. I think you should see what that looks like for you as a vampire, and then decide.”

“That sounds good. Would it be okay if I gave you a hug?”

“Of course,” I said, and she embraced me and nearly broke every rib.

“Gently,” I said. “You’ve got to learn your strength.”

“Crap, sorry,” she said, and pulled back. “That’s what Ronan said. Did I break anything?”

“Nothing that won’t heal.” I rose, knowing I needed to let her go, to find her way.

“I know you didn’t come up here to make a vampire,” she said. “And I had to explain that to Ronan, because, damn, it would have been easier to find a person in Chicago. But I’m really glad you did.”

“I’m glad, too,” I said, and meant it. “I should go. We’re getting ready to head back to Chicago.”

She nodded. “Thank you again.”

“You’re very welcome,” I said, and left the room feeling much lighter.

* * *

* * *

Ronan and Connor waited for me downstairs, twenty feet between them. Fast friends they were not.

Connor looked at me, and I nodded. “We’re good here,” I said.

His smile looked as relieved as mine had been.

“Before you go,” Ronan said, “there are some things I should say. Privately.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of him.”

Connor brushed the tips of his fingers against mine—the lightest touch, but full of emotion. Of promise.

“I suppose I had that coming,” Ronan said.

“At the least,” Connor said.

Ronan didn’t spare him a look. “I underestimated you. Or perhaps I should say I prejudged you. I believed I understood who and what you were, what you would be. And I believed I understood what had happened with Carlie. I was wrong on all accounts.”

“Were you?” My question didn’t sound very sincere.

“I believed you had made her without thinking. Perhaps because you’d been raised to take what you wanted. Or perhaps because you simply wanted a vampire of your own. And then I spoke with her.”

“And she told you the same thing I did.” My tone was desert dry.

“She did,” he said, guilt darkening his eyes. He walked to the windows, pushed back the curtains with a finger, looked out. “Regardless, she survived, and that’s what matters.”

“Carlie said you’d invited her to stay here. You’ll take care of her?”

“She is one of us now,” he said simply, with a certainty that made me feel better about returning to Chicago.

“If she needs anything—if she needs me—you can reach out.”

“I will,” he said.

And that was the best détente we’d reach for now.

* * *

* * *

Back at the resort, we gathered outside the RV. It still smelled like feet and Cheetos.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue,” I said, giving Lulu a hug, then Theo.

“Technically, our rescue,” Connor said, shaking Theo’s hand. “And thanks all around.”

“We’re family,” Lulu said. “You’d probably have done the same for me.”

“Absolutely would have done the same,” I said. “Down to the cheap vodka and spelunking.”

“You do know how to woo a girl,” she said, then slid her gaze to Alexei, just looked at him with raised brows.

He stared back at her wordlessly.

“No emotional goodbye?” she asked.

“We live in the same city.”

Lulu just rolled her eyes, climbed into the RV. Theo followed, giving us a wave before closing the door behind them.

Alexei pulled a candy bar from his pocket, began to unwrap it as he walked to the bike he’d already prepped and loaded. It sat beside Thelma, which held our bags and helmets.

“You sure you don’t want to ride with them in the RV?” Connor asked.

“I’m sure.” I looked back at Thelma. “I want Thelma.”

His smile was broad and very, very pleased. “Grab the helmet and come sit right here.” He patted the leather seat, the look in his eyes suggesting he wasn’t entirely focused on the bike.

I smiled at him. “You misunderstand. I don’t want to ride,” I said with a grin. “I want you to teach me how to drive it.”

He just looked at me for a long moment. “Are you seeing anyone else?”

The sudden change of topic made me take a moment. “I— What? No. Why?”

He cupped my face in his hands, kissed me until the tips of my fingers tingled. “Because I want you all to myself.”

I grinned up at him, watched the answering glow in his eyes. “Okay.”

“Okay,” he said, then kissed me again, sealing the deal.

He threw a leg over the bike, patted the seat in front of him.

“Come on, Elisa Sullivan. We’ve got a long way to go.”