“Don’t,” I said loudly, but I wasn’t surprised when Ian appeared in our suite moments later.

“Hallo,” he said in a purr, looking Gretchen up and down in a way that raised my hackles. “What’s your name, sweeting?”

“Her name is No,” I said at once.

Gretchen stared at Ian, her mouth opening and closing while her blue eyes widened into almost comical proportions. Oh right. Ian’s looks were dazzling. Funny how easy it was for me to forget that with his annoying personality.

“Hiiiiii,” Gretchen finally breathed. “Don’t listen to my sister. For you, my name is Hell Yes.”

“Gretchen!” I snapped. “This guy is probably a petri dish for as-yet-to-be-discovered STDs.”

“Am not,” Ian replied, taking Gretchen’s hand and kissing it, which made her giggle uncontrollably. “I’m a vampire, so diseases can’t survive in me.”

“Ian.” Vlad sent out his aura in a concentrated burst that made Ian recoil as if he’d been struck. “No,” Vlad finished.

Gretchen turned around and glared at Vlad. He glared back, and he had over six centuries of battle-tested, don’t-even-think-about-it in his gaze. Very quickly, she dropped hers.

With a moue of disappointment, Ian released Gretchen’s hand. “Just as well, poppet. I eat sweet little mortals like you for breakfast, and I do mean that literally.”

Gretchen’s eyes widened again. Ian flashed a wicked smile at her, then the bedroom door opened once more and Marty bustled in, carrying so many suitcases piled on top of each other that they almost concealed his four-foot frame.

“Could you have packed any more clothes, Gretchen?” Marty grumbled, giving me an apologetic look as he dropped them onto the floor. “These bags are why she beat me to your hotel room.”

I bent at once to give Marty a hug, grinning as he squeezed me back hard enough to force an ooof from me. “Missed you, kid,” he murmured when he let me go.

I’d barely finished telling Marty I had missed him, too, when Ian said, “And who is this handsome lad?” in the same purring tone he’d used with Gretchen.

“Also someone you’re not getting lucky with,” I replied tartly. “Marty is my best friend, and he’s straight.”

Ian gave me an aggravated look. “Can’t shag your sister, can’t shag your friend, can’t shag you, can’t shag Vlad. If I wanted to be this sexless and miserable, I’d get married.”

“You’re not here for your own entertainment,” Vlad said in a curt tone.

Ian’s mouth curled down. “And well I know it. Damn Mencheres, forcing a promise from me that I can’t renege on.”

“Yeah, it’s truly tragic to have to honor your word,” I said, fighting another eye roll. “Cheer up, Ian,” I continued. “All we have on the agenda this afternoon is a trip to the Qualla Boundary. We shouldn’t need your magical expertise there, so you can stay here and find some poor soul to get nasty with.”

“If only,” Ian said with feeling. “But I have to—”

“That’s enough.”

The warning in Vlad’s voice startled me. “What’s going on?” I asked in a sharp tone.

“You dragged me out here for a field trip into our Cherokee past,” Gretchen said, sounding impatient. “I know it’s almost dawn and you’re still dealing with new vampire sunrise disease, but you can’t have forgotten that.”

I ignored her because I hadn’t been talking to Gretchen. Everyone else here knew that, especially the man I’d married.

“Vlad,” I said, drawing his name out for emphasis.

All at once, the air vibrated with barely contained energy. Those invisible pulses whipped against my skin like the sting of sand during a storm at the beach.

“I’m going away for a short time.” Vlad’s cool tone was so at odds with what I was feeling from his aura. Where was he going, and why wasn’t I going with him?

Then the answer hit me with the impact of a gunshot wound.

“No,” I whispered. Then louder, “No. You can’t. Samir is your friend. You can’t kill him, we’ll find another way!”

“Leila.” Vlad’s voice was utterly dispassionate. “Don’t bother arguing. It’s as good as done.”

Chapter 19

Before Vlad had finished speaking, Marty and Ian rushed me. I was locked inside the grips of the two strong vampires before I could even get my gloves off.

“What did you say?” Gretchen demanded shrilly. “You’re going to kill Samir? Why?”

Vlad’s eyes lit up with green as he turned to Gretchen. “Be quiet. Sit down.”

Gretchen sat right on the floor without another word. I continued to struggle, but Marty had my legs trapped in a bear hug and Ian had my upper body mostly immobilized. Other emotions began to pour into my fury at being blindsided this way. The PTSD I’d been battling for months returned, and each new, futile struggle only fueled my irrational panic. Still, I struggled harder when Vlad walked to the door.

“Don’t do this, Vlad, please!”

He paused and looked at me. His eyes had bled back to their normal burnished color, and for a moment, I glimpsed profound sadness in them. Then they hardened like ice-encrusted copper. “I must.”

He left without another word. Ian slapped a hand over my mouth when I yelled after him, and I bit down until blood ran.