Page 161 of A Grave Mistake

“Go us!” Isis yells from the crowd.

“—for getting us to this point, I also know that I owe a debt to the magic that brought you back to me, and an even larger debt to thewoman with the body that should come with an FBI warning and the heart big enough to forgive me. I can’t promise you everything you deserve, but I promise you this: if you’ll have me, I will love you fiercely and imperfectly until the end of our days.”

From the recesses of his shaggy dog costume, he pulls a small black box.

Only good things come in small black boxes.

Gideon flips it open, revealing a golden ring. In the centre, surrounded by glittering emeralds, is a beautiful, gleaming lapis lazuli shaped like a scarab. My heart squeezes like it’s trying to fit through my ribs to get to him.

His smile is pure wicked surrender.

“I thought maybe this could be your new good luck charm. What do you say?” That smile of his twists into a full-blown boyish grin. “Will you marry me?”

I take the box from his hand. “I suppose.”

“Yousuppose?” he laughs, wrapping me in his shaggy embrace. “I’ll take it. I’ll take it and I’ll take you, my soon-to-be wife, straight back to my apartment to shag you into submission. Or should I sayourapartment now?”

“Don’t be absurd. My house is superior to your apartment. I’m not sleeping in a revolving coffin bed. It makes me feel like I’m a cinnamon bun on display in Celeste’s bakery. We will be getting aproperbed.”

“Fine. But no cherubs—”

“There will be no discourse. I am correct in all matters—”

“Stop arguing and kiss already!” Celeste yells.

So I do. I stop arguing, second-guessing, and living in the past. And I give myself up to the mysteries of the universe and the concept that maybe, sometimes, it’s not terrible to trust other people. And I kiss Gideon Blake, myfiancé,beneath the stage lights until my lips are raw and Isis is demanding another round of cocktails for emotional trauma.

56

The (Real) Killer

IFOLD MY COPY OF THEArgleton Gazetteand place it on the table beside me as I watch Gideon and Arabella on stage, being swarmed by their friends and admirers. I raise my glass to my lips and take a long drink, relishing the taste.

I took too big a risk with Alyra, but Maisie Collins has come through for me once again. Alyra Maythorn’s death is officially reported as accidental. A fall. The Nevermore Coven will investigate, but they’ll never find out the truth. I’m just too good. That’s how I can stand in this room with them, right under their noses, and they have no clue.

And the only person who knew I was the one pretending to sell the necklace was Sinead, and she won’t be blabbing my secrets anytime soon. I’m only sorry our plan didn’t work. I’d been looking forward to the surprise on Gideon Blake’s face when I slid my fangs into his skin.

I’ve killed two bad men. They deserved to die, and their blood has given me so much. They’re more valuable dead than they ever were in their wretched lives.

But Alyra has changed everything.

Now I have a new purpose. I think about the wine bottles stored in my home, each one carefully labelled after I drew them from the vampire’s dying body. A vampire’s blood. Each bottle holds magic thatI can’t yet comprehend. I can’t believe no one else has ever discovered these properties before.

I take another sip.

Yes. It’sperfect.

But I’ll need more. Fresh, from the source.

The darker and more depraved the monster, the more they deserve the fate I have decreed for them.

Gideon Blake may be safe from me now, under Arabella’s watchful eye. Luckily for me, in Argleton, there are almost too many vampires behaving badly to choose from.

Soon, the night will belong to me.