I huddled with Mom and Dad while the rest of the vampires and witches took care of Nicholas's followers. It was horrible and disgusting and I just wanted to hide from it. Dad hugged me close, feeling so normal it made me cry harder.

It was like seeing Sebastian's grief finally opened my own floodgates. I sobbed so hard my head hurt.

And yet, we were safe. Mom was fine, Dad was... well. Dad was mortal. But at least he was okay. And I was alive. Barely.

I was at ...