“Can you ditch?” Quinn asked temptingly. “I’ve been up to my eyeballs in prep for the Blood Moon. All very political and hush-hush. You’d love it.”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“Can you be late?” he pressed.

“Well, I am interested in compromise between our people.”

“My people are grateful.” He captured my mouth with his. The kiss started slowly, turning deep and hot within moments. I was in a cocoon of feeling, of warm tingles, pale skin, and tree bark. Electricity ran between us. I half believed that if I opened my eyes I’d see sparks and forks of lightning licking at us. Further in the woods, ferns shifted. There were stars, crickets singing, an early autumn breeze, and a handsome young vampire kissing me.

It would have been perfect if my grandfather hadn’t interrupted us.

“Hunter Agnes Wild!”

Quinn, oblivious to the danger, pulled back, laughing. “Your middle name’s Agnes?”

“After her great-grandmother,” Grandpa roared. I winced, stepping around Quinn to shield him.

“Hi, Grandpa. What are you doing here?”

“I’m a guest lecturer,” he barked. “And what exactly are you doing, missy?” He glared at Quinn. I counted under my breath, one, two— Grandpa choked on another roar. “Vampire!”

Three. He must be really flustered at finding me making out to have needed three full seconds to register the unnatural stillness and paleness of Quinn. Not to mention his fangs, delicately dimpling his lips, brought out by our kissing. I shifted another step in front of him.

“Grandpa—”

“Hunter, stake him and let’s get to class,” he said impatiently.

I swallowed. “I’m not staking him.”

He raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. “Not prepared? Here, take one of mine.” He tossed me one of his stakes. I caught it out of instinct.

“Grandpa.”

“What are you waiting for?” He glared at Quinn. “And what’s wrong with this one that he’s just standing there?”

“Grandpa.” I sighed. “This is Quinn Drake. Quinn, my grandfather, Caleb Wild.”

“Vampire,” Grandpa spat again.

Quinn smirked. “Old man.”

I closed my eyes. This was going well. My boyfriend was an idiot and my grandfather was going to rip him into bloody pieces. Grandpa was built like a bull. And the only reason he hadn’t staked Quinn yet was because I was standing directly in the way. I was also pressing my shoulder back into Quinn, forcing him to stay where he was. Who knew dating was so dangerous?

“Hunter Wild, you get away from him right now.”

“No.” He goggled, turning so red so fast I thought he might be having a heart attack. “No, sir,” I added to appease him.

“I would never hurt her,” Quinn said, his smirk fading. “You have my word on that.”

“The word of a vampire? Pah.”

“The word of a Drake.”

Grandpa spit. Quinn growled. I slapped a hand on his chest.

“You can’t bite my grandpa.” I tossed a look over my shoulder. “And you can’t stake my boyfriend.”

Grandpa went gray. “Boyfriend?”

I cringed. “Quinn, you should go.”

“I’m not leaving you alone,” he protested.

“Please.” I pushed at his chest. “Please just go. I’ll call you when I can.”

He searched my face for a long moment before touching my hair briefly. “Fine. I won’t be far.”

“I know,” I said, relieved he wasn’t going to fight me on this. I had my hands full as it was. When I turned back to Grandpa, Quinn was already gone, leaving behind shifting leaves and the fleeting touch of his lips on mine.

“Please just listen,” I started as my grandfather struggled not to explode.

“I don’t want to hear it,” he ground out. “You’ll stop all contact with that boy, with all of the enemy, and we’ll pretend this never happened. Let’s go.”

“Grandpa, no.”

“You’re trying my patience, girl.”

“I’m sorry,” I said miserably. “But I have to do what I think is right. Quinn’s not the bad guy here. He might be cocky, but he’s also honorable and brave and loyal. He saved my life.”

“He’s one of them.” He looked older suddenly, as if all his years pressed down on him at once. “You’re my little hunter. Even when you were small you could hit a target with your stakes at thirty paces. You’re gifted.”

“I’m still a hunter,” I insisted. “Nothing’s changed, not really.”

“Everything’s changed!” he shouted. “You’re part of the Helios-Ra! The Wilds have been members for as long as I can remember. We kill vampires. It’s what we do.”

“I’m still Helios-Ra.”

“But you’re not a Wild,” he snapped. “Not if you behave like this.”

It felt as if he’d slapped me. “What? Grandpa, don’t. I know you’re upset but don’t.”

He pointed a finger at me. “You owe the League your loyalty.”

“It has my loyalty, but not my blind obedience. And anyway, the League has a treaty with the Drakes, remember? Plus, someone’s drugging students, Grandpa, someone in our precious League.”