Free Haven by Celia Breslin

jumble of emotions. “You bit me. You both bit me!”
    I expected Thomas to laugh, but instead he answered quietly. “Yes. It was necessary.”
    “So I heard,” I huffed. Not that I’d heard why.
    “Indeed.”
    Awkward silence crackled across the line. Kai cleared his throat. Faith shook her head at him. Mark and Ren regarded me with concern.
    “What happens now?” I addressed everyone and no one.
    But I already knew the answer.
    ~ * ~
    We showered and changed into ready-for-action gear—T-shirts, stretch denim pants, jackets, lightweight tactical boots—all black, like my mood. I didn’t want to face uncle Thomas. It was one thing to know a vampire cared about me, but quite another to feel it emotionally.
    I wasn’t feeling the love.
    We drove to Adrian’s house on Hartford Street to access the back entrance to Haven, conveniently located in his yard. A large deck dominated the space and opened out onto a small plot of grass bursting with wild lavender, rosemary, and assorted other flowering bushes. Through this fragrant and colorful mélange, a stone slab path led to Haven’s back door. Only Adrian and I could enter on this side of club world.
    Motion sensitive floodlights flared when we stepped out of the car. The light cut through the thin evening fog, briefly blinding us. We hastened along the path. Near Haven’s back wall, Stella and her biker boys emerged from the gloom. The two male vampires dropped to their knees, heads bowed. Stella stood, spine straight, pale chin tilted up. Defensive . Skintight black leather pants clung to her legs and a black tee stretched taut over her small, perky breasts. Shit-kicking combat boots, red lipstick on her perfect bow mouth, extreme black liner around menacing eyes . Cute and scary.
    My men drew their guns and fronted us. I glanced at Faith. She shrugged.
    “Stand down.” They made a hole and I strode closer to the vampires. Faith followed.
    Stella’s dark brown eyes nailed me with her displeasure.
    “What do you want?” Still angry over her earlier attack, I didn’t hide my dislike. My cold, clipped tone reflected my mood.
    “My mistress sends us to greet you.” She surveyed my body. Looking for weapons? No. She lingered on my hair—layered and wavy, not as fancy and well-behaved as her perfect bob. My brow quirked. Sizing me up?
    My hands fisted on my hips. “Your mistress?”
    She nodded, body tight with tension.
    “Fine. Is that all?” I didn’t care who her mistress might be. Just go away, creepy, undead chick.
    Stella shook her head. “We apologize for the misunderstanding in the park tonight.” Her gaze dropped to the ground. “And beg your forgiveness.” She waved a hand at one of the kneeling vampires. “If it pleases you, we are ready for our punishment.”
    The man offered up a knife. Smooth wood grip, blade curved like a roller coaster forged by a drunken blacksmith. A flame dagger, pretty and deadly. A bad feeling flickered in my gut.
    “Where’s the guy I bashed in the head?” My attempt to buy time.
    “Dead.”
    My hand tightened on the grip. “You’re already dead.”
    Her expression darkened. “He was destroyed.”
    I handed the knife to Mark. “Explain.”
    “What more do you want, human ?” she snarled, her power roiling the air.
    My heartbeat sped up, but I held my ground. “Why was he killed?”
    “For the accidental attack upon the Tranquilli bloodline. For laying hands upon your person.”
    I wanted to point out I’d done the touching, or rather the kicking and the smashing of his head, but I let it slide. “Well, I’m sorry about your boyfriend.”
    “That was not my boyfriend.” She cocked her head, almost amused. “He was my pet.”
    My eyebrows shot up.
    She shrugged. “I made him. I have two more.” She swept a deceptively dainty hand over the kneeling men.
    I mirrored her shrug. “How nice for you.”
    “It is. Indeed, it is.” She smiled at me as if we were old friends. “Yours must be equally