“I know.”
She wraps an arm around my shoulders, even though I’m taller than she is, but I lean against her all the same. I don’t know how long we stand there, the tides slowly receding. It doesn’t matter. I thought I’d never have this again.
“Tell me about Margot.”
“Margot?” Rachel squeezes my shoulders. “You’d have hated her at first. So bossy, the pair of you.”
“Excuse you. I’m not bossy.”
“You’re telling me you don’t boss that vampire of yours around?”
“No. Don’t have to.”
She laughs. “Yeah, Margot’s like that, too. She’s… determined. Protective.”
“You found a good one.”
“I know.” Rachel pauses for long enough that I lift my head. The expression on her face is complicated, but then she nods. “So did you.”
“He found me. He saved me.”
“I didn’t see the car. Did you really—”
“Yeah.”
“Ben said you walked in on them. He was always honest about that.”
“Sounds like it. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.” My voice quavers. “Mum? Dad?”
“They’re fine. They left the city. My mum did, too. Don’t know if they’ll come back.”
“Left?”
Rachel shrugs. “We’re not the only ones who know about vampires. Your mum got scared. Can’t blame her.”
“She won’t want to see me, will she?”
“I—”
I take a step away and suck in a breath, trying to stop the tears stinging my eyes. When I take the sunglasses off and swipe at them, Rachel catches my hands.
“Whatever you want to do, I’ll help you,” she says, and that earnest expression calms something in me. She means it. She’ll help, no matter what. “I will.”
“I-I don’t know,” I say. “Do I have to decide right now?”
“No. They’re healthy, still. Young-ish.” She gives me a tremulous smile. “You have time.”
God, it might kill them to see me again. Vlad might only be a few minutes away, but I miss him with a sudden intensity that hurts. I reach for our bond, feeling an echo from him travel along it.
He’s with me. He’s always with me. I’m okay.
“Come on,” Rachel says. “When do you have to be back?”
“Uh… Whenever. We’re leaving tonight, but I told Vlad to come get me when it gets dark.”
“Tonight?” She shakes her head. “No, I know. You said earlier, but…”
“I’m only in London, you know.”
