“We have to. Because this time she’ll attack during daylight hours. That way she knows you can’t follow her if you’re not prepared. That’s why you have to prepare. Once she has us, she’ll take us to Kimberly, and you’ll have to follow us. You need to stay far enough away for her not to sense you, but close enough to interfere when we need you.”

Yvette knew that what he was suggesting was too risky. What if they lost track of them when the witch took them away? “We need a way to trace you.”

Thomas nodded. “I can put a GPS tracking device in each one’s shoe. It’s tiny; she won’t be able to find it.”

“Good,” Gabriel approved. “See to it.”

Thomas rose and waved to Eddie. “Eddie, we’ll go get a couple of the chips. I’ll show you how to program them.” Then he looked at Haven and Wes. “We’ll be back in an hour.”

As the door closed behind them, Yvette felt the finality of Haven’s decision close in on her. He wanted to offer himself up to save Kimberly, but what if something went wrong? “We weren’t able to defeat her last time. What makes you think we can do it this time?”

Haven took her hand and squeezed it. “I think we all know now what powers she has. We’re prepared. If we go at her with more manpower, we can weaken her.”

With her eyes, she tried to convey to him that he was making a mistake. “Knowing what she can do, and being able to defeat her are two different things.”

“We’ll enlist Francine’s help. She seemed keen enough to help last time. She can hold Bess off with witchcraft while a dozen vampires try to weaken her with traditional weapons. In the meantime, a few of you can free Kimberly, Wes and me,” Haven suggested.

Gabriel gave Yvette a confident half-smile. “And this time we’ll double the number of vampires fighting her.” He looked at Zane. “Draw up a list of our best men and get them ready.”

The cry of a baby interrupted Gabriel’s orders. He lifted his head. A moment later, he smiled. “Maya wants me to tell you that Delilah’s just delivered a healthy baby girl.”

***

After congratulating Delilah and Samson on their beautiful baby, Yvette closed the door to the master bedroom and headed for the stairs, leaving the rest of her colleagues to coo over the newborn.

“Yvette.”

Haven’s voice behind her made her turn. Without another word, he pulled her into the guest room and closed the door behind them.

“I know you’re not happy about my plan, but I need you to trust me. Everything will be alright.”

Yvette twisted out of his arms. “It’s suicide.” Did he have no sense of self-preservation?

Haven cupped her shoulders and drew her closer. “It’s not. Didn’t you say yourself that your friends are the best bodyguards, the best fighters out there?”

“So now you’re using my words against me. Figures.”

He put his finger under her chin and tilted up her face so she had to look at him, facing his piercing eyes. “Baby, I have no interest in putting my life in danger, but I can’t lose Katie again. She’s my family. You understand that, don’t you?”

Of course, his family would come first. Yvette wasn’t family, maybe wasn’t even somebody he really cared about. Or was she? “So everything you said earlier, you didn’t mean it.”

“I meant every word I said.” He pulled her against his chest.

She couldn’t resist inhaling his scent and losing herself in it.

“When this is over, you and I, we have a date,” he whispered into her ear.

“You said that once before.”

“And I kept my promise. We had a date. Only next time, it’ll be longer.”

She raised her head to look at him, hope rising with it.

“Much, much longer. And that’s a promise I intend to keep,” he added before he took her lips and kissed her as if he were starving. She returned his kiss, clinging to him in the hope that it would never end.
Thirty-Two

Haven shut the door of his apartment and followed his brother into the living room, where he let himself fall onto the well-worn couch. Wes ran his hands through his hair and paced.

“You sure that’s a good idea?”

Haven nodded. “Nobody had anything better to offer.” Despite his calm voice, he felt anything but. Yvette’s last kiss when they’d had to say goodbye had shaken him. It had been full of fear and desperation. He hoped that he’d interpreted her feelings correctly and that she would do the right thing when she had to. As much as he’d wanted to confide his plan in her, he’d stopped himself. In any case, it was only a when-everything-else-fails measure. Even though, deep in his heart he knew it was the only way to make sure the Power of Three would never be unleashed. And ultimately he’d have to take that step.