“ʺWhere is it?ʺ I asked.ʺLexington, Kentucky.ʺʺOh for Godʹs sake,ʺ I moaned. ʺWhy not the Bahamas? Or the Corn Palace?ʺDimitri tried to hide a smile. It might have been at my expense, but if Iʹd lightened his mood, I was grateful. ʺIf we leave right now, we can reach him before morning.ʺI glanced around. ʺTough choice. Leave all this for electricity and plumbing?ʺNow Sydney grinned. ʺAnd no more marriage proposals.ʺʺAnd weʹll probably have to fight Strigoi,ʺ added Dimitri.I jumped to my feet. ʺHow soon can we go?ʺ”

“ʺWhy,ʺ he began slowly, ʺis Victor Dashkov joining us?ʺʺWell, itʹs kind of a funny story . . .ʺ”

“Sorry,ʺ she said, her face shining with joy when she saw me. ʺShould have put a sock on the door. Didnʹt realize things were getting hot and heavy.ʺʺNo avoiding it,ʺ I said lightly, clasping Dimitriʹs hand. ʺThings are always hot with him around.ʺDimitri looked scandalized. Heʹd never held back when we were in bed together, but his private nature wouldnʹt let him even hint about such matters to others. It was mean, but I laughed and kissed his cheek.ʺOh, this is going to be fun,ʺ I said. ʺNow that everythingʹs out in the open.ʺʺYeah,ʺ he said. ʺI got a pretty ‘funʹ look from your father the other day.”

“Blake smiled radiantly. ʺMay I call you Vasilisa?ʺʺYou can call me Lissa.ʺʺYou can also,ʺ added Christian, ʺlet go of her hand now.”

“I reached into my pocket and triumphantly flashed the CR-V keys Iʹd swiped when weʹd come back inside. ʺThe driver,ʺ I said.I DIDNʹT GET TO DRIVE.”

“I need you,ʺ said Lissa.ʺI hear that from women a lot,ʺ said Adrian.”

“ʺWho′s a spirit user?ʺ said Robert.ʺFormer spirit user,ʺ said Victor, ʺShe became a Strigoi to get away from it.ʺʺYes . . . always a lure to that . . . kill to live, live to kill.Immortality and freedom from these chains, but oh, what a loss . . .ʺ said Robert.”