I was left to catch my breath, feeling uncharacteristically empty and cold as reality came rushing back, vampire allure gone, dissipated as if it had never been. The cocoon Kelley had created around us splintered uncomfortably as Noah showed up.

In as much pain as I was in, and shaken by the memory of the vampire, I didn’t greet him as warmly as I should have. “Where the h*ll have you been?” He got out of his truck. “Didn’t you think this was sort of an emergency? And while ...