Page 138 of The Donor’s Dilemma

“Funny,” she said. “Theo says that about you.”

He laughed.

“And what kind of things shouldn’t you be getting stuck into?” Cora asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him with a slow, sultry smile.

“Oh, there’s always something,” Jesse said. “Got any ideas for me?”

Verity’s head snapped up at his tone, the smile that matched Cora’s. “No,” she said.

Cora blinked at her. “Excuse me?”

“No,” Verity said again, waving a hand between the two of them, trying to break whatever was building. Jesse laughed. Cora frowned.

“He’s trouble,” Verity said.

Cora’s grin only widened. “Funny. Getting into trouble sounds a lot like you.”

“Yeah,” Jesse said, delighted. “I’d say that fits.”

“Oh, you know about that?” Cora asked.

“Know about what?” Verity demanded.

“Is she poking around where she shouldn’t again?” Jesse asked, grinning.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Cora said, and the two of them laughed like old friends.

Verity scanned the crowd, praying for rescue, and spotted Adam.

“Adam!” she called, waving him over. He came jogging up with more colour in his cheeks than she’d seen in weeks.

“Hey...” he started, but Verity already had him by the arm, steering him toward Cora.

“Cora, this is Adam. Adam, Cora.”

Adam laughed. “Wow. Subtle.”

Cora looked him over, unhurried. “You came into the café.”

“Yeah.” Adam rubbed the back of his neck. “Bad week.”

“You’re looking all right now,” Cora said, and the smile she gave him was genuine.

Verity expected Jesse to keep teasing, but he’d gone quiet, staring past them toward City Hall. Through the crowd, to the steps and the lone vampire who stood atop them.

The festival might as well have not existed for the perfectly blank expression on Petra’s face. She watched her citizens. Emotionless. Still. Hollow. If not for the breeze catching her hair, she might have been mistaken for a statue.

“The witch has landed,” Jesse murmured.

“Don’t say that,” Verity said, giving his arm a slap.

“You’ve met her. Tell me I’m wrong.”

“Not the time. Have you got everything?”

He patted his jacket. “All set.”

“Good luck.”