Arman was glad for her witch’s skills, which had improved with every passing day. Tobias struck again, and Arman countered the attack, but then Tobias vanished. Instantly, Arman was afraid Tobias had gone after Fiona! “Where are you, Fiona?” Arman called to her telepathically.

  “In the greenhouse. I’m starting to heal. I can help fight again. I retrieved my sword.”

  “Tobias is coming for you.” Arman joined her in the greenhouse, but she was alone, for now. “Drink my blood. It’ll help heal you faster.”

  Before he could bite into his wrist to offer his blood, Fiona screamed, “Behind you, Arman!”

  Arman whipped around and cut Tobias across the cheek. He roared with pain and frustration, falling back, his eyes filled with hatred.

  Fiona slipped around Tobias, slashed at him, and managed to slice his arm like he had done to her.

  Tobias again cried out. “If you don’t come willingly with me, I will have everyone here killed, including your brother and your parents,” Tobias said to Fiona, his brown eyes darkened to black. He was still advancing on Arman, who was trying to get a good fatal strike in at the vampire.

  Fiona was holding her sword up, stalking around Tobias, but he was listening to her movements and Arman knew if she tried to strike him, he would whip around and cut her again. He knew if Tobias couldn’t use her powers, she would be useless to him, and he would prefer killing her so no one else could use them.

  Outside the greenhouse, Jasmine and Caitlin were still fighting Regina and Clarissa when Arman heard Levka join the women. “You want to side with Tobias? You have made a fatal mistake.”

  “As if you can win,” Clarissa said.

  But in the next instant, Clarissa cried out, and Levka shouted, “Regina, you’re next.”

  Arman knew he was calling out for Tobias to hear because Regina and Clarissa had been friends of his. Arman knew Levka did it to help rattle Tobias. But the vampire didn’t seem to care. He wanted Fiona’s ability and that’s all that mattered to him.

  Fiona was standing off to the side, plotting maybe when to make another strike at Tobias, while Arman was continually deflecting Tobias’s slashes and thrusts, unable to switch to the offensive and knock him off kilter again. It reminded him of the trouble Fiona had been having with Clarissa, always defending, never being able to advance.

  Suddenly, Fiona’s brother appeared and sliced at Tobias’s back, cutting him. Tobias growled with pain.

  Arman had mixed feelings about it, not wanting her brother to be injured since he was so newly turned and so newly trained to sword fight.

  Arman was trying to keep Tobias’s attention on him, and not turn to strike at Justin.

  Then Fiona’s father rushed into the greenhouse. Now Arman was sure between them, they would be able to take Tobias down.

  “You!” Tobias screamed out.

  Through the greenhouse windows, Arman could see Jasmine and Levka fighting Regina. Caitlin was casting spells and he saw Regina fall once for no apparent reason.

  Arman assumed Regina was as good a fighter as Tobias. He hoped Levka or his other friends would hurry up and help him with Tobias. Arman was wearing down. And Fiona’s father wasn’t using his sword on Tobias. Justin was waiting for a chance to strike at the vampire again. Arman hoped her father didn’t feel that Arman needed to win the battle on his own for some honorable reason. He understood why Justin was holding back.

  But suddenly, Tobias held up his sword like he was pointing to the ceiling of the glass greenhouse, and he angrily turned his head to glower at Fiona.

  Had she infiltrated his mind? Commanded him to do that? Arman raised his brows. Had her father helped her? Arman immediately thrust his sword into Tobias’s chest and hit his heart dead on. Justin struck Tobias in the side at the same time. The look of shock on Tobias’s face would stick with Arman forever before the vampire disintegrated into ashes. All that remained was his black leather clothes in a crumpled pile on the greenhouse floor.

  Arman glanced at the greenhouse window just as he saw Levka and Jasmine strike Regina from the front when Caitlin struck her from behind, and the vampire disintegrated like Tobias had done, leaving skinny jeans, boots, a black leather jacket, and a black tunic shirt on the ground.

  Levka rushed into the greenhouse to come to Fiona’s aid.

  “Too late,” Arman said. “Fiona and her brother and father helped me to destroy Tobias.”

  But the fighting was going on still, and they had to help their friends. Arman said, “I’m giving Fiona some blood and I’ll join you.”

  They all glanced at her. She looked pale and disheveled. Arman quickly bit into his arm and gave her his blood. She drank of it and looked like she felt better right away. He wanted her to return to their room, but she couldn’t be alone. And no matter how many guards he sent to watch over her, he didn’t feel she would be safe unless he was there with her.

  “We’re off to help the others,” Levka said, and he, Fiona’s father, and Justin left.

  “Are you going to be alright, Fiona?” Arman asked the love of his life.

  “Yes, let’s go,” Fiona said.

  Caitlin and Jasmine were waiting for them outside of the greenhouse.

  Fiona said to them, “Shelly and Michail were in league with Tobias. I heard them talking about it.”

  “Did you do something to them?” Arman asked, puzzled as to what the matter was with them.

  “Michail is fighting a king cobra. Shelly can’t get out of a sinkhole.”

  “Good. They deserved it I’m sure,” Caitlin said.

  They all hurried off in the direction of the sound of more fighting.

  “Tobias came for me, and I couldn’t concentrate on calling you, just on keeping him from cutting me in two. He was really angry that you had turned me,” Fiona said to Arman.

  “I was really angry he had cut you.” Arman wondered where Fiona’s mother was. Now with Tobias gone, he couldn’t control her, but before that? He could have.

  When they reached where Shelly and Michail were, they were gone, only their clothes and piles of ash were left behind.

  “I didn’t do it,” Fiona said. “I…I don’t think I did.”

  Jasmine shook her head. “I would have terminated both of them for setting us all up.”

  Then Fiona saw her mother fighting a vampire and Fiona flew to where she was and struck the vampire in the shoulder. Her mother hit the vampire in the heart, and he disintegrated in the air, his clothes dropping to the ground.

  Arman soon was engaged with another vampire and then he helped Fiona’s father fight another one before Fiona had to fight anyone else. Arman and Nathaniel quickly dispensed with the vampire her father had been fighting.

  “You killed Tobias, didn’t you, Arman?” Fiona’s mother said.

  “Yes. Tobias is dead. So are Regina and Clarissa.” As soon as Arman spoke the words, the sword fighting that had been going on stopped.

  The Scottish vampires who were there to help Levka and his friends all shouted out with cheers.

  Ruric and Stasio joined Levka and the others. Ruric said, “As soon as you said Tobias, Regina, and Clarissa were dead, the vampires we were fighting vanished.”

  “They might have been turned by one of the three of the vampires and now they’ve been set free,” Arman said. “They no longer have a leader among them.”

  Bea said, “That’s how I feel. I’ve been set free of Tobias’s control. While he was concentrating on fighting, he had no control over me. That’s the only reason I was able to battle it out with his minions. Even so, I didn’t want to go anywhere near where Fiona was, in case he could control me if I had gotten too close to him.” Then she frowned at Fiona and took her into her arms. “You’re injured.”

  “It’ll heal up quickly,” Fiona said.

  They noticed some of the vampires who were their friends and there to safeguard them were wandering through the gardens and Arman knew they were making sure none of Tobias’s people were still hanging around. Without a leader, they would have to either find another clan or pack to belong to or start their own with new leadership. But they most likely would return to the States.

  They glanced up at the sky and marveled at the beauty of the blood red moon.

  “I know I’m now eighteen, and we could celebrate my birthday, but would anyone mind if we wait until later in the morning?” Fiona asked.

  “No, get your rest,” her mother said, giving her a gentle hug.

  Her father hugged her too. “You did well for your first time as a vampire fighting for your life. And I saw what you did to Shelly and Michail.”

  “I didn’t kill Shelly and Michail, did I?”

  “No. But you put them in a state of terror so they couldn’t fight any of us. I put them out of their misery,” her father said. “They hadn’t planned to let Tobias take you for your powers. They planned to do it instead. They had no idea that you had already turned eighteen, had your full powers, and had been turned by Arman. It was a good thing that you kept the secret from them.”

  “I didn’t trust them,” Fiona said. “Sorry that we didn’t share Arman’s turning me with you and Mom.”

  “No problem. All that matters was that you are safe at the end of all this.”

  “Did you use your abilities on anyone?” Fiona asked her father.

  “I saw you struggling to do something to Tobias. I was able to ‘see’ what you were doing and then I was able to boost your ability. It’s something I’ve never been able to do with anyone before. It was amazing. He was a powerful vampire. I’m not sure I could have done it on my own either.” Her father smiled down at her.

  She threw her arms around her dad and hugged him. “I felt it. A sudden surge of energy and then Tobias reacted like I’d hoped for. Thanks for helping me. We made a great team.”

  Her mom just smiled at them, looking happy that Fiona and her father could connect with each other using their dream skills to help Arman take down the powerful vampire.

  “Wow, the two of you can go with me anytime when I have to take down a rogue vampire,” Jasmine said.

  No way did Arman want Fiona to go anywhere to fight vampires again. Not until she was truly proficient with her sword fighting skills, vampire abilities, and her dream power.

  Jasmine’s hunter brother, Brett, Stasio’s hunter cousins Llewellyn, Cadfael, and his vampire cousin, Gareth, all joined them from battle and sheathed their swords, greeting the others.

  “That was a battle worth fighting,” Llewellyn said.

  “Aye,” Cadfael said. “We are glad you called on us to help out. The vampires were no match for us, but we did get in a wee bit of practice.”

  Gareth laughed. “I had to help you fight three of the bastards they were so tough.”

  Cadfael and Llewellyn smiled.

  “I do admit it helps sometimes to have a vampire aid us when he has your skills, brother,” Llewellyn said to Gareth.

  Gareth looked at Cadfael, waiting for his brother to agree.

  “Aye, aye, I agree with Llewellyn, but dinna let it go to your head, wee brother,” Cadfael said.

  Gareth smiled, looking like he was on top of the world that his brothers would admit his being a vampire, through no fault of his own, had helped them in their battle against the rogues.

  Brett gave his sister a hug. “I’m glad to see you doing well.”

  “And you, dear brother.” Jasmine hugged him back.

  Arman, Fiona, and the rest of the group all walked back to the mansion while the others who had been there to help fight the threat made sure they’d gone after everyone. Arman and their friends could have just reappeared inside the building, but sometimes after a fight with the adrenaline flooding their blood, they needed to walk it off a bit.

  “Happy birthday, darling daughter,” Fiona’s mom said as they entered the mansion.

  “Happy birthday, little one,” her dad said, heading up the stairs with Fiona’s mom.

  Justin gave her a hug too.

  “You did great,” Fiona said. “I was struggling to use my abilities and here you were, a newly turned vampire, attacking an ancient vampire, Justin.”

  Justin sighed. “That was the best birthday present I could give you.”

  “For sure.”

  Arman agreed. Her brother had helped to give her the gift of life.

  Everyone echoed the happy birthday sentiments and retired to their rooms. Once Arman and Fiona returned to theirs, he checked Fiona’s wound, but it was healing already and didn’t even need a bandage. Then they joined each other in bed.

  “Why did you leave me?” he asked, cuddling her in his arms. He was thinking he would have to tie her wrist to his so she wouldn’t just vanish like that if it had to do with her not being able to control her vampire abilities to vanish and reappear in other places.

  “I was visiting everyone’s dreams and the next thing I knew, I was floating among the clouds, but that part had been real.”

  “As a vampire. Outside.”

  “Yes. Thankfully, I had taken a real sword with me in what I thought was just a dream. I was drawn to the blood moon. I think I was out there all along, intercepting dreams. But then I overheard Shelly and Michail’s conversation about Tobias and the others being there in the gardens, and it pulled me out of my dream state. They wanted to turn me and use me for their own evil designs, but I was able to work my own magic on them. Before I could send word to you about their plan and that the others were in the gardens, I was fighting Tobias, and I didn’t have time to call for help.”

  “You put Shelly and Michail into a nightmare first.”

  “Yes. I was so angry that they were traitors, that I did it to stop them from fighting any of us and also from communicating with their people. I was trying to do the same with Tobias while you were fighting him, but I was having trouble concentrating.”

  “Because you had been cut.”

  “In part, yes, but also because I kept thinking I might not be able to cut him again, and it would be better if I could distract him so you could get a killing blow in. I realized when I cut him, I didn’t have the training or strength to really injure him badly.”

  “I was afraid he’d swing around and kill you.”

  “The thought had crossed my mind. I knew he was listening to my movements and my heart beating. I finally decided to really concentrate as hard as I could on my dream abilities like I had done with Shelly and Michail, and hoped if I could get him to raise his sword as if he were pointing to the greenhouse ceiling, you would have a chance to kill him. Except instead of you thrusting your sword at his heart right away, you were just staring at him as if you were shocked. I didn’t want to say anything because I was afraid if I did, I would break my concentration, and I would lose control over him.”

  “But you didn’t lose your concentration over Shelly or Michail.”

  “Right. But they might have been weaker vampires, which could possibly have made a difference. I tried to do the same thing with Regina when Jasmine was fighting her, and with Clarissa when Caitlin was dealing with her, but I couldn’t seem to. Maybe because I was too worried about everyone being hurt.”

  “And because you had been hurt.”

  “That could be true.”

  He kissed her and hugged her close. “Don’t go traveling as a vampire without me, next time.”

  She smiled and kissed him back. “Don’t tell me you’re going to start ordering me around because you turned me.”

  “I wouldn’t dare, not knowing everything that you’re now capable of doing. You can chase me in my dreams though, if you would like.”

  “I will do much more than that. I love you, you know,” Fiona said, sighing against his chest.

  He kissed the top of her head. “No more than I love you.”

  “Good. Then you don’t mind if we redecorate this bedroom, do you? I want a blue comforter.”

  He chuckled. “I would do anything for you to make you happy, as happy as you make me just being with you.”

  “I’m glad I spilled sticky soda on you that day at the Dallas mall so long ago.”

  “I’m glad your dad was instrumental in getting us together both times.”

  “Me too.”

  Then they finally drifted off to sleep and this time Fiona let Arman chase her—but next time? Well, it was a toss-up. Adding some variety to life was what it was all about!

  EPILOGUE

  Despite Jasmine’s sincerity in wanting Fiona to become a guild member and learn how to be an assassin with her, Fiona knew she was too newly turned. And she was still practicing her dreaming skills, and everyone loved how she could give them the most pleasant of dreams but still get enough sleep during the night. Besides, now that she had parents again, though she was eighteen, they wanted her to finish up her high school diploma online. So she was still working on it.

  Her birthday party had been the best ever, with presents galore from family and friends, but more than anything, her birthday party had been the best because she had so many friends and she was able to reconnect with her family. Even the vampires who had fought off their enemies stayed to enjoy the party. It had really been great. And this time, she had danced with Arman during most of the songs—not having to stop because of fights between mummies and toga-dressed teens. She loved dancing with her father, and then her brother too.

  She and Justin were thrilled to be getting to know her parents, both of whom were working with hunters who had been newly turned to teach them their new vampire ways, including Fiona and Justin. They treated him like he had always been their son. They also treated the vampire princes and their mates as family. Of course everyone wanted to know what was taking Ruric so long to find a girlfriend. But he said the right girl for him was somewhere in a faraway galaxy, and Fiona wondered if he would ever truly find one.

  Life with Arman had been great. Sure, he could be bossy at times, a little controlling, but mostly because he was concerned for her safety like Levka was with Caitlin. Stasio was with Jasmine also, but he was really low key about it because she had a reputation as a vampire assassin to maintain. Fiona was glad they had so many other vampires in the group who were the best of friends too. Her whole world had changed for the better once Arman had come to her rescue and she had reconnected with him and joined him in his world.