en the human quarters and vampire territory. It was small, perpetually cold, and the p

eant either she'd had another nightmare or she'd been waiting up. Given the mug of tea cooling

the threadbare couch. "Four hours late.

d together-she'd lost six to her moment of stupidity. Six vials meant sixty credits lost. T

a's shoulders like she wanted to check for injuries but knew better than to touch without permission. Th

oundation of careful untruths-but the words stuck in her throat. The blood debt humm

into the armchair that Ivy had rescued from a dumpst

ding in the vampire district' stupid, or stupid lik

e lord's life and now I'm boun

absolute. Even the dying pip

ed. "Please tell me this is your wei

leamed in the dim light: **Daemon Ashford, Lord of the Northern Court**. And

ard on the cou

ea

Lord. The-" Ivy's voice dropped to barely a

card, the edges cutting into h

o, stupid question. You wouldn't have done

s watching her with that unsettling intensity. She left out one detail: the way her blood had sung when he'd pressed her in

, Ivy was quiet f

ight thing," s

lf to my moth

, do you know what would happen? The Northern Court would tear itself apart fighting for succession. The other cour

the moment. But hearing Ivy say it

iscuss the terms of my service.'" She couldn't keep the bitter

o'd spent her entire life hiding from vampires, w

ng?" Iv

e debt is repaid, and apparently saving a

y offered weakly. "C

tedly. It created a psychic link, an obsession, a connection that lasted until one of them died

elping

old, and set it down with a grimace. "Okay. Pra

od, executed for the crime of loving a vampire and bearing his child. Sera had been thirteen, hidden away when

her features sharper, her dark hair kept short instead of long. She'd also been careful never

"He seemed curious, but not suspicio

ed vaguely at Sera. "You

e fact that she was half vampire, an ab

es." Her eyes were brown in normal light, but in darkness or under stress, they reflected lig

, you can't go to the Obsidian Tower. You can't spend t

like a thread wrapped around her wrist. The physical manifestation of the blood debt. "The magic will compel me

'd both studied the laws, the magic, the rules that governed vampire-h

ey worked so well together. Sera was the risk-taker, the one who acted on instinct. Ivy was the pl

. "Human courier, panicked, th

stint at university before the tuition became unaffordable. "Second, you need to be for

e hard if I'm arou

a boring way. Bookkeeping. Scheduling. S

adn't looked at her like she was forgettable. He'd loo

t the door made

dy knocked on their door at three in

someone?" I

ward the door. She pressed her eye to

he black and silver uniforms of the Northern Cou

she br

hissed. "W

n Court

u just-the sun i

voice called through the door. "We know you're

a lovely euphem

ck pants, grey shirt, both practical and nondescript. Her hair was a mess

hen turned to Ivy. "If

on't do the dramatic goodbye

she had Ivy'

ho'd spoken was tall, dark-skinned, with the kind of handsome features that probably made humans stupid. His pa

or casual and landing somewhere near

uard said. His eyes were the deep red of a

middle of

smiled, showing just a hint of fang. "

ed at the name. Elen

her reaction and her sm

quickly. "Just t

ck." Marcus gestured towa

ir apartment looking small and frightened. Sera tried to

t except for the sound of their footsteps. A black car waited at the c

d the back d

got

slid in beside her while Elena took the driver's seat. The car

ionally, "you're the courie

ing," Sera

Marcus studied her with unsettling

agine why.

mium blood without hesitation." Marcus tilted his

it be

ne. "I think I like you, Sera. It's rare to find

eing my indentu

rom the front seat. "You'll be compensated.

es weren't generous. They were territorial, possessive, a

built on top of each other like they were trying to save space. Vampire buildings were sprawling, elegant, designed to showcase pow

glowing with cold white light. It was the tallest structure in Nocturna, vi

of avoiding it, avoiding anything connected to Daemon Ashford.

y were being cautious, Sera realized. After an assassination attempt, s

ding

e elevator. The doors were polished silver, refl

ified. She need

ng calm. She'd survived worse than this. She'd survived losing her mother, survived thirteen years of hid

urvive Daem

iling windows overlooking the city, and furniture that probably cost more than Sera's entire building. Every

ws, looking out over his

white shirt, the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His dark hair was pushed b

urn when th

," he sai

to the elevator. Sera heard it desc

n said, still look

ing. The blood debt pulled at her, a gentle insisten

to obey but far enough to feel safe. Or as saf

ee when I look at thi

he expected an ans

ade her want to step back. "The Blood Accord is a fragile thing, Sera. It requ

ou telling

d herself to hold her ground. "There are factions within the vampire courts that want war. They see humans as ca

asked. "What d

your ingenuity, your short lifespans that make you desperate to create and build and leav

had ever heard. And somehow, it was more honest than the pretty

tonight," Sera said slowly. "They're

n his eyes. Approval, maybe. "Yes. And their attempt failed, thanks to you. Which

t aroun

era's marked his pale skin. "The blood debt binds us. Where I go, you go. Wha

I sati

ecially a vampire's life, creates a debt measured in years, not months.

"Live here? I have a l

typed something, and showed her the screen. It was a bank transfer. Ten thousand credits. To Ivy Chen. "Cons

money than she'd seen in her entire life. More than enough to k

collar snapping sh

e," Sera said quietly

serve me willingly and make this easier on both of us, or yo

was right. But that didn'

doing?" she asked. "As y

, court gatherings. You'll be my eyes and ears in places where I cannot go." Daemon's gaze swep

form and felt a spike of defensiven

earances matter in vampire society." He gestured to a door Sera hadn't noticed. "Marcus

tomorrow," Ser

It might have been a smile. "Fair point

e elevator, but Daemo

re thin

ooked

I don't tolerate deception from those in my service. Whatever secrets you're hiding-

r ribs. He knew. Or suspected. B

d Ashford," she said caref

the window. "Now go. Before I chang

need to be

wn a corridor lined with doors. He stopped at one

bring clothes in your size before sunset. If you need anything, there's a phone on

nt to leave?

d Ashford's permission. The blood debt won't let you get more than a mile

l," Sera

ut fair. Serve him well and you'll be treated well. Try to run or

e pep talk," S

ou, Sera. Try not to get

ore she cou

oom was bigger than her entire apartment. King-sized bed, elegant furniture,

here, Ivy was probably pacing their apartment, worried. Somewhere out there, humans we

re who'd killed her mother, hiding a secret that could get h

g her of the connection. She could feel Daemon somewhere i

e," she whispered to

how to do that without lo

contin