Page 27

Perfect? If by perfect he means psychotic killing machine, then sure. Father of the Year award for that.

Vito’s attention settles back on me.

“I don’t care where you sell. But if wolves start running around town like monkeys, high on nightrush, I will not be happy about it.”

“I understand,” I reply with a steady voice.

After wiping the remaining stardust from the table, I get ready to leave.

“What happens when someone overdoses?” Vito asks as I reach the door.

“Depends,” I start, one hand on the door handle. “Some change their lives. Some never come back. And some lose their souls.”

He nods like he understands.

“This conversation stays between us.”

“Of course,” I say with a polite smile.

When I step out, Nero stands in the hall. For a second, I think he’ll follow me, but Vito calls him back before he moves. I return to our table, where Ezra is already emptying another glass of champagne and Mia is complaining loudly into the void.

“What the fuck is wrong with her?” Mia says. “She hasn’t texted me back for almost a week. Is she angry or what? I thought she’d be here tonight.”

Vanessa wrinkles her nose. “I don’t know why you hang out with her. She’s weird.”

“She’s cool and fun,” Mia says. “Even for a redhead.”

Redhead. The word catches in my mind like a hook.

“Can you show me a photo of her?” I ask.

Mia blinks. “Yeah, why? You know her?”

She opens her social profile and turns the screen toward me.

Fuck. The dead girl from Julian’s apartment.

“Who is she?” I ask.

“A friend. Why do you want to know?”

“I saw her in Julian’s apartment the night he went missing.”

Mia’s face changes instantly. “What? She was there?”

“Mia. Who is she?”

“She’s a blood witch. Just a normal party girl, but deep with the coven.” Her voice rises. “Is she okay?”

A fucking blood witch.

“No,” I say. “I saw her there, dead.”

Mia goes pale. “What? Julian killed her?”

“I think so. They were probably hooking up, and he couldn’t stop himself. You know how vampires get with witch blood.”

Lost vampire. Dead witch. It feels just like the beginning of a problem.