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I move to stand behind Tara, leaning forward and running my hands down her shoulders. She sighs at my touch, leaning back as I massage her skin, feeling a warmth ooze into my chest at being reunited with her. Even being apart just briefly seems to take a toll on me.

‘We’ve got a problem,’ Kian says, voice sharp enough to command the attention of everyone around him.

‘Of course we do,’ I mutter. ‘It’s been a whole five minutes since the last mess we had to clean up.’

He ignores me, as usual. I shouldn’t joke around. I know he is mourning the death of Cas and that it’s cut him far deeper than he will ever admit. Vampires turning on each other isn’t a new thing, but those two were close, right from the beginning. They endured a lot together, and it’s still shocking it all went that way. I liked the guy; I’m sad that he won’t be around anymore.

‘Three dead vampires in two nights. All poisoned,’ Kian states, bringing me back to reality.

‘Poisoned?’ Raya repeats, voice barely above a whisper.

‘Staked as well?’ Hunter asks.

‘Poisoned, no staking,’ Kian says. ‘It’s potent. Coats the bloodstream, burns them alive from the inside. Apparently it isn’t tied to the witches. It’s a new way hunters are getting us.’

‘Sounds like fun,’ I mutter.

Silence falls again. Cora leans back into her chair, tossing her dark hair over her shoulders.

‘Hunters are easy to take out. It will just be a group who have gotten too big for their boots. I don’t think this is going to be a big operation, nothing like what we have all just survived,’ Hunter says.

Cora scoffs. ‘Humans have gotten brave and now they’re mass-producing vampire poison? That sounds like the start of another war.’

I shrug. ‘I think that they just need to be taught a lesson. To be reminded who runs this town.’

There’s a quiet hum of agreement from the group.

‘Well,’ I say, rocking on the balls of my feet, glancing around the room. ‘I’m always down for a little hunt. Who’s with me?’

27

TARA

The Host

The bar is warm, loud, and buzzing with activity.

Half the room doesn’t know they’re sharing drinks with creatures that could drain them dry before the next chorus. The other half knows exactly what lurks in this town, and they’re not looking to make friends. Then there are the occasional ones who are only here to become like us.

I smile to myself. Us. It’s still weird to consider myself one of the vampires.

I stir my drink slowly, watching the way the ice spins. Theo’s beside me, seeming bored. He’s dressed in a black top that showcases his hard muscles, revealing his beautifully tattooed arms. We’re both listening to the groups around us.

We’ve been here for an hour, just sitting, drinking, acting like any other couple killing time on a Thursday night. Tonight, we’re not here to drink and party. We’re here to find the hunters who have been tormenting the town. As someone who was brought up to defend myself from monsters, I don’t feel hunting any creature down is a good way to approach things, so I’m ready to take these people out, especially if other humans are at risk because of the decisions they’re making.

Theo leans closer, murmuring into my ear. ‘Booth behind us. Left side. Don’t turn around.’ I lift my drink to my lips, listening. ‘Two guys. One’s talking about “dosing” someone last night.’

I nod slightly, keeping my voice casual. ‘You think they’re who we are looking for?’

‘Maybe.’ His eyes flick across the room. ‘They look suspicious as hell.’

We sit in silence a beat longer. The bartender slides another round our way. I smile at him, politely. He has no idea what we are. Or maybe he does. In Red Thorne, it’s better not to ask.

Theo shifts slightly, turning just enough to angle his body toward the booth behind us without looking like he’s listening. More words filter through the noise around us.

‘Did you see the look on his face—’

‘—said the blood started to foam—’