Doc finished washing his hands and dried them. "She's okay, just a little shaken." Dominic nodded, still pacing. Doc lifted an eyebrow. "Don't you want to go see her?"

Dominic set his head in his hands. "Of course I do. But I shouldn't. This is so messy. Why is this so messy?"

Iggy glanced at Crockett in confusion, but Crockett ignored him and maintained his post at the door.

"What's so messy about this?"

"Did you not get his head cleanly off the first time?" Iggy prodded. He shook his head and wrung his hands. "If you only get part of it, then the head is still dangling off to the side. Now that makes a mess." He chuckled nervously. "That was it, right?"

Dominic ignored him. "I'm bonded with a half-source, half-hunter. She could kill me at any moment, but I need her blood to survive. She hates me for ruining her life and doesn't want to be anywhere near me. I want nothing more than to be by her side. Yet. Despite all of this," he tossed his hands out, "she almost got assaulted by a random vampire who has nothing to do with any of this."

Doc frowned. Iggy tried to be upbeat. "Well, maybe now she'll talk to you, considering you saved her and all that."

Dominic stared down the hallway and Iggy plopped down on the couch, whirling keys around his fingers and mumbling about being ignored.

The doorbell buzzed and an automated voice cut through the tension. "Mr. Rossi, someone is trying to enter the front gate—"

"Lock it. No one comes in."

"Yes, sir."

Dominic shook his head. "I have a meeting with my father. Stay here with Raelyn." Crockett nodded. "Don't let anyone enter."

Crockett nodded and took up post down the hall where Raelyn was resting.

Iggy watched him go. He glanced at Doc who began to gather his items. "So did he take off this guy's head...or not?"

&&&

Rae kept waiting for Dominic to enter. But no matter how long she stared at the door, nothing happened. She was tired. Too tired. And she had to admit—to herself at least—that when she woke up, she wanted to be around Dominic. She petted Dane, who had taken up post next to her on the couch.

She was half-source and half-hunter. She had only read part of the manual Dominic gave her the first night, but now it came back. Someone in her family passed along their blood. Sources were humans whose blood allowed vampires to go out into the sun and not burn. Sources were like walking pharmacies, producing medicine for whatever vampire found them first.

Hunters on the other hand were vampire-hunters. They could erupt into sunlight, burning any vampires who got in their way. That was what happened in the alleyway. Her powers had been unleashed. And now she was bonded with a vampire. And while she hadn't memorized the packet of information, she thought she remembered a modifier somewhere... "permanent."

As Rae determined to get up and walk around, part of the ceiling fell. As the dust cleared, a small boy—maybe eight or nine years old—brushed dust off himself and turned to her. He jutted out his hand as though he was meeting her for the first time at a semi-formal brunch.

Rae froze. Dane began licking his paws.

"Are you Raelyn?"

"Do I know you?"

"Gabe." He smiled broadly. "I'm Dominic's better half."

Rae tilted her head. "His...brother?"

"The handsome one, obviously."

Rae stared for a few seconds at the rambunctious, bright boy. Everywhere that Dominic was stern and serious, Gabe seemed and friendly and light. She took a deep breath, trusting that if Dane knew him, maybe she was safe. "Nice to meet you." She shook his hand, and he brought it up to his lips. Instead of kissing it like she expected, he took a deep whiff.

He nodded and dropped her hand. "Nic's been trying to hide you from me." Rae flexed her fingers, shocked at the little's boy's strength.

"Nic?"

Gabe nodded. "Dominic. Nic." He frowned. "Maybe you shouldn't call him that. Me and Mom were the only ones who called him that." He stared at her. "Are you okay? You look sickly."

"I'll be fine." She stared at Gabe, noting that he was dressed in a suit—smeared with dust now. "Why has Dominic never mentioned you?"

"Well, like I said, he's been trying to hide you from me. Once he denied me entrance to his house, I knew I had to get inside. I have so many questions for you." He plopped down on the ground before thinking better and sitting on a side chair, crossing his legs. "Which is better? Dogs or cats?" He leaned in and narrowed his eyes.

"What?"

"Dogs. Or cats." He dragged out his question as though she were hard of hearing.

"Dogs."

"Correct. Chicken or pasta?"

"Chicken?"

He sighed. "Wrong. You can still make it. Roller coasters or spinning rides?"

"Are you interviewing me?"

Gabe nodded. "Of course. I can't let you marry my brother if I don't approve."

"We're not—we're just..."

"Bonded?" He pulled a phone out of his pocket and started taking notes. "Honey, that's not how that works." He paused and his eyes got big. "Wasn't supposed to say that." He read the next question from his phone. "Mountains or beach. Wait, you never answered. Roller coasters or spinning rides?"

"Okay, wait. If you ask me a question, I get to ask you one in return. Fair?"

Gabe narrowed his eyes. "I ask two, and you ask one."

"Fine."

Gabe huffed and began typing in his phone. "Bad negotiator."