“Way to ruin the magic, Emily.”

She cackled, looking so young, so human, so like high-school Emily that I smiled too and laid down to face her.

“So, really? He had to plan that speech?”

“Not so much plan as agonise over—for weeks.”

“Christmas night!” I sat up on my elbow. “That’s what he was agonising over on Christmas night?”

She bit her lips together, nodding.

“Why? He could’ve taken me to Burger King and asked me in the playground, I’d still have said yes.”

“I know. We all know that, Ara, I mean, come on. But...” She hesitated. “Not David. He’s a little more fragile than that.”

“Fragile?”

“Yeah. He’s afraid of getting broken again, you know, after the whole I love my best friend but not as much as I love you and no I won’t give up my life to be with you thing.”

“Oh.” I nodded, rolling onto my back.

“Yeah. He actually thought you’d say no, because it’d hurt Mike too much if you get married—being that it was supposed to be him.”

That must hurt her, to think Mike could feel that way. “I’m sorry, Em.”

“It’s okay,” she chimed, “Mike talked to him—convinced him you don’t want anyone else in this world.”

Doesn’t change what Mike wants, though.

“Of course—” she looked up at the roof, “—that doesn’t change what Mike wants, though.”

My mouth gaped.

“What?” she said.

“Uh, um, nothing.” I took her hand, listening to the roar of laughter coming from the kitchen, and the sound of plates being clashed while the boys cleaned up dinner dishes. “They get along well now, don’t they?”

“Yeah.”

“I always wanted that. I’m gonna miss you guys when we go to Paris.”

“It’s only for a few months. You’ll be back soon enough—then we have forever. You, David, Mike...”

“Emily?” I unravelled her fingers from mine and propped my head up with the ball of my palm. “You know I love Mike, right? But it—”

“I know. Okay? I know you always will. I know he loves you—and if you asked him to, he’d give me up.” She shrugged.

“Em? That’s not true.”

“It’s okay, Ara. It’s just how it is. I knew that when I fell in love with him. It’s one of the things that made me see him that way—the way he loves you. I would love to be loved like that.”

“But you are, Em.” I tugged softly on a strand of her hair. “He does love you.”

“No. Ara, he doesn’t—not like that, anyway. He likes me, enjoys my company, but I really don’t believe it’s the kind of love I want.”

“He’s becoming immortal for you,” I noted.

“No, he’s becoming immortal for you.”

“What makes you think that?”

“I can read his heart—the way it beats when he looks at you. He probably loves me, but not like he loves you.”

“I hope that’s not true, Em.” I sighed, biting my bottom lip.

Emily smiled, her glassy eyes looking away. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to become a Lilithian.”

“Me too. I would’ve sooner—if I’d known about them.”

“There’s no way David would’ve allowed it. I know he had approval, I know he came back for you on your wedding day, but Ara, this is David we’re talking about. If he wanted you immortal, what you wanted wouldn’t have mattered—not after what you went through last year.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that—he doesn’t want you to be Lilithian. He wants you immortal, but the only reason you stayed human all this time is because the only other option repulses him.”

“So, he’s going to hate me when I change?”

“He loves you—he’ll always love you, but...it’ll be like the way you felt about him when you first found out he’s a vamp. You were grossed out, right?”

“Yeah.”

She shrugged. “Lilithians aren’t only a weaker species, they’re the minions of vamp society; they’re vile and evil—they torture vampires without any mercy, do horrible, irrecoverable things. Vulgar things.” She shuddered.

“Like what?”

After her mouth opened, it closed, snapping the words inside. “Can’t tell.”

“Why?”

“You know what David’s like.”

“So, he told you not to tell me?”

“Told—threaten me with torture.” She rolled her wrist around, addressing it so casually.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Sorry. All I can tell you is that they enjoy what they do.”

“Like you enjoy killing humans?”

Emily toyed with a strand of her hair. “Yes.”

“So, I’m gonna turn all vile and mean, and want to hurt you and David?”

“Well, we’re hoping that it’ll work like it does with humans, how, if you love one, you—”

“Have compassion for their race?” I nodded. “I hope so.”

“If not, it won’t matter. You can’t hurt us. We’re stronger and faster, and you can still die. He’ll just kill you if you get out of hand.”

“He would not.”

“Wouldn’t he?” She was joking, I could tell, but there was a hint of fact under her tone, like she believed it. “If you escape and start creating a race of Lilithians, it could mean real trouble in the supernatural world—maybe even war.”

“Then why are the Lilithians risking that by allowing him to illegally change me?”

“They aren’t. One is.”

“Who?”

“Don’t know. All he said is an old friend owes him a solid.”

“Must be rock frickin solid.”

Emily nodded, keeping her eyes on the roof.

“If they catch us, that’s where they’ll send him, isn’t it?”

“Who send who?”

“The Council will send David to the Lilithians—to be tortured?”