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.Your grandfather’s not an amateur.”I looked back at my car.It was draped in black; its white finish would never be revealed again.“I asked Kai to train me with and without weapons.”Kellan tensed.“If he lays another finger on you, I won’t hesitate to decapitate him.”I swallowed my serum.I heard the sincerity of his threat; he was playing for keeps with me.While part of me was flattered, the other part was scared to death for Kai.I was learning new things about Kellan every day.He wasn’t the casual submissive vamp I thought he was; he truly was a force to be reckoned with.I swung my gaze to his lips.“I don’t think Kai will try anything, but you can tag along if you’re worried.”“Look at me, Lexi.” I lifted my eyes.“I’m not your babysitter; I’m your protector.Kai is the least of my worries, but he’s still on my radar, for obvious reasons.Just don’t fall for his tricks.While I think he cares about you, I also think he has hidden agendas no one knows about.” The ferocity of his tone twisted my stomach.He was serious; he sounded close to lethal.“I’ll be careful.”“Good.” He captured my lips in hungry rage.He was rough, his mouth connecting to mine with a purpose, yet he cared enough to soothe my lips with his tongue after he had his way with them.“Sometimes I feel like I have an ice block around my heart, and you’re the only one who can melt it.”I pressed my lips to his once again, savoring the taste of him.“You’re not a cold person, Kellan; you’re a soldier.Sometimes you have to be cold in order to survive.It’s about perseverance, nothing more.”“Uh, Lex?” Her voice carried over me.I immediately dropped my legs to the ground and spun around to face Mel.She was wringing her hands, shifting from foot to foot.I immediately knew we were cutting it close.“What time is it?”“10:56 p.m.”“Crap.” I walked past her, seeking the man I knew was in charge.“Drexel!”I gasped, stopping short when he appeared in front of me.“I need the helicopter to drop us as close to Mel’s house as possible.She’s dropping at midnight.”“Let’s go.” He brushed past me, already issuing orders into a Bluetooth headset.I followed his bodybuilder frame through the mess and crowd of army members falling over to do his bidding.Chapter 14It was 11:34 p.m.when they dropped us over Mel’s house.We climbed down the rope ladder that descended into her backyard.Neighbors came out, curious as to what the commotion was.I was sure we’d have to do a bit of cleaning up, but we didn’t have time to focus on that right now.The ones we’d left behind were waiting for us.Craig nearly took me out, his eyes shooting darts in my direction.He was more than pissed off.Mel pressed a shaking hand against his chest.“Leave her alone.She saved me.”“Yeah, well, your hide wouldn’t have needed a hero if it weren’t for the — ”“Don’t make this personal.” Kellan was in his face in a split second.How had things gone south so quick? A simple last-minute human fun date was now dividing best friends.“Both of you cut it out.We need to focus on my daughter right now, not some petty blame game.” Mr.Hartford cut between the two vamps and grabbed his daughter’s arm.“Let’s go, honey.”Aunt Claire shook her head.“Let’s get inside, guys.We don’t need any more attention being drawn to this house that what already is.”The guys scowled at each other before breaking apart.Craig stomped inside after Mel.Kellan took my hand, murmuring as we followed the rest of them.“What happened out there, Lex?” Gabi asked the second I closed the back sliding glass door.“I’m sorry, Gab, but now isn’t the time.I promise to tell you, but I need to help Mel get through the next twenty minutes first.I owe her that much at least.”“Sure thing.Anything I can do to help, chica?” She leaned into Jack, his chocolate-colored arms wrapped protectively around her lightly tanned ones.There was such a stark contrast between the two of them, yet somehow they seemed right.His muscles flexed, even as his lips gently connected with Gabi’s dark brown locks.He didn’t interfere, but I knew had anyone crossed Gabi, he would have done what Kellan and Craig did.It hit me in that moment, the truth behind his feelings for her.They weren’t fabricated; they weren’t an illusion.He was as in love with Gabi as Kellan was with me and Craig was with Mel.I smiled at Jack, my heart warming as a bit of the anger I held towards him dissipated under the new realization.“I’ll let you know.”His dark eyes softened.He knew where my mind was.“Let us both know.”I nodded.Mel was supposed to be my focus today, not assassins, not love, not a love triangle.Only Mel.Yet I couldn’t even do that for my best friend.In my effort to find balance, in my drive for normality, somehow I was dropping the ball on everything.I glanced at the clock.It was already fifteen minutes till midnight.I needed to clear the air with Mel before the clock struck twelve.Aunt Claire, Steven, and Craig created a protective circle around her.I approached with caution.Craig immediately lashed out.“Keep that snot raisin buffoon away from her!”“Craig!” Mel snapped at him.“Stop yelling at her.This wasn’t her fault.”“Yeah? Who delivered your arse to the rompen stumpers?” he snarled.I swallowed hard, fighting to keep my emotions in check.This was the worst time for me to get worked up and create a light show.My heart thundered in my constricting chest.Rage began to course through my veins.I was angry at him for being so arrogant and ignorant.I was angry at myself for allowing any of this to take place.“Mel, can I talk to you alone?” I clenched my jaw, struggling to focus on her and to do right by her.“Come down to the basement.That’s where I’m changing, anyway.”I followed her to the door beside the staircase.Opening the door, she immediately switched on the light and led me down.I broke into a smile as we reached the bottom of the stairs.“Is that what you’re going to change in?”Her face lit up.“Yup.My dad built it and me and Craig painted and upholstered it.I ordered the material from China.The padding is just regular stuffing from pillows.”“Wow.You don’t do things halfway, do you?”She chuckled.“Do you like it?”I studied the coffin.It was painted hot pink and sealed with a thick, clear gloss.The inside was covered in a custom Hello Kitty vampire print
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