“Are you okay? I… I killed Cassia.”
“Of course, I am. You saved my life.”
“It’s just thatyoudidn’t kill her the other day. I know there were other vampires there, and then I showed up, but you didn’t. You used your ability on her instead. Three hundred years, and you never tried to stop her. I guess I’m wondering if you’re–”
“I’m relieved,” Iro said on a sigh. “I’m relieved. She’s gone. She can’t hurt you, me, or anyone else anymore.”
“You’re really okay?” Arwen looked up at her.
“Yes, I am. I just feel like I have to figure out what to do now. DeMarco can delete any trace of the woman being in this area, and that will help, but Gigi is buried in my backyard, and she’s a vampire, so if someone finds her, they will have a lot of questions.”
“I’ll ask Zara to handle that, too,” Arwen replied.
“Zara?”
“She’s taking care of some things for us.”
“Bodies? Zara?”
“Her and a few of the vampires that were in the house. Turns out, they didn’t like Cassia much, either, and they’re on our side now.”
“Her pull must… dissipate after she’s gone. I don’t feel it the same way, either. Wow! I don’t feel it.” Iro took a deep breath. “I’ve felt that pull to her for so long, I had forgotten what it was like not to.”
“And?”
“And it’s good.” Iro smiled softly. “I feel freer now. Doyoustill feel it?”
“I never really felt it. I was still human when she took me, and I was pretty angry and confused. She killed me, and you took me back before I woke up.”
“Right,” Iro said. “Well, that’s good news. Less to worry about right now, I suppose.”
“And you can just focus on healing.”
“And you,” Iro added. “Making sure you’re safe.”
She kissed Arwen’s forehead.
“I am. I’m okay. We’re both okay.”
“Arwen, Cassia’s phone… Do we have it?”
“I brought it in here with me. Why?”
“Can I see it?”
Arwen stood up, found it on the floor, and handed it to her.
“Why?” she repeated.
“She kept talking about all these vampires she has ready to take over the world or something.”
“You know her password?”
Iro cleared her throat as she sat up and replied, “It’s my birthday.”
“Oh,” Arwen said and sat back on the bed. “Of course, it is.”
“She never really loved me, you know? She just loved collecting people. She loved owning them.”
