assure her that Campbell had somehow escaped.
“Are you okay?” Herbie asked her. “You look as if all the blood has drained from your face.”
“She hasn’t been feeling well,” Chloe said as she put her arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “I think I’ll get her home.”
Olivia didn’t fight her. She had no energy left to do so. As Chloe turned her back toward where she’d parked her SUV, neither of them said anything. What could they possibly say to alleviate the yawning ache growing in Olivia’s heart? Tears trickled out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks.
This was her fault, for caring again. Though she’d not known Campbell that long, the pain his loss left behind felt too much like what had swamped her after Jeremy had died.
How could Campbell be gone? He was immortal. Why would fate allow such a good man to die not once but twice?
Chloe got her into the car without her realizing it. She leaned her forehead against the window and watched the streets of New York streak by as Chloe drove. Some part of her knew that they were going back to the diner, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to keep driving, far away from New York and all the bad memories of loss.
But that wasn’t realistic, was it? Nowhere was safe from death. Not even immortality.
Campbell and the rest of the team followed Pierce as they left the subway tunnels and passed through a thick metal door into what looked like a private corridor. When they reached a set of stairs and Pierce started climbing, Campbell stopped and stared after him.
Pierce looked back. “Don’t worry that we’re going above ground. I’m a vampire, too, remember?”
After a bit more hesitation, Campbell and the rest of the team followed. They exited the stairway into an expansive library. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases lined a long wall, and several polished wood tables with comfortable- looking chairs filled the middle of the room. Opposite the bookcases was a line of tall windows now covered with thick metal shutters.
“This is amazing,” Sophia said as she walked forward and trailed her fingers over the top of one of the tables, its surface smooth.
“It is the least we can do for those among us who try to keep peace. Who fight against the tide of the Soulless.”
A tide, that was exactly what it felt like sometimes.
Len, carrying Billy’s body in his arms, was the last one up the stairs.
Pierce pointed at a door on the opposite side of the room. “The bedrooms are down the hallway to the right. If you want, you can place your friend in the first one until you can make arrangements.”
Len’s eyes looked bright with unshed tears as he carried Billy from the room. Quiet settled in the wake of his leaving. Finally, Pierce shifted to face them.
“The baroness asked that I convey that whatever you all need, the Imperium will provide. And if they don’t, she and I will,” he said.
Campbell extended his hand. “We can’t thank you enough, Mr. Pierce.”
Pierce took Campbell’s hand between both of his. “Call me Ray. And truly, no thanks are necessary. I’m honored to have you here.” He gestured at their surroundings. “One of the benefits of being wealthy is that I can help. Feel free to look around and use the house as you see fit. I don’t live here, so consider this entire place yours.”
Campbell suspected that calling this a house was like calling the
After Pierce left them alone, Campbell met the eyes of his team. Before they did anything, they had to say goodbye to Billy.
* * *
Olivia sat in the middle of her empty diner and watched the sun move closer to the horizon. She was dimly aware that Chloe was on the phone with her brother. Chloe had wanted to call Mindy, but Olivia wouldn’t let her. She didn’t think she could handle facing Mindy when she knew her friend wouldn’t mourn the loss of any vampire, not even Campbell.
Surrounded as she was by empty tables and chairs, Olivia couldn’t believe how fast her life had changed from being on the upswing to hitting rock bottom.
She became aware of the fact that Chloe was no longer on the phone.
“Would you like something to eat?” Chloe asked.
“I’m not hungry.”
“I know, sweetie, but you have to eat.”
“Why?”
Chloe slid into the chair next to Olivia. “Because Campbell cared about you, and he’d want you to take care of yourself.”
Realizing Chloe wouldn’t give up until Olivia ate something, she said, “Maybe a grilled cheese.”
The sandwich ended up tasting like old cardboard, not through any fault of Chloe’s cooking but rather through Olivia’s utter disinterest in eating it. Her friend must have realized it, because she quietly slipped the half- eaten sandwich off the table and took it to the trash in the kitchen.
“I think we could both use some rest,” Chloe said from the doorway into the kitchen.
Olivia realized that night had fallen without her noticing, and that meant Chloe wasn’t going anywhere until morning. Reluctantly, she nodded and somehow found the strength to stand. She was halfway to the staircase when someone pecked on the front door. Fear shot through her until she turned and saw a familiar face. She grabbed the back of a chair and still felt as if she might collapse. Whether it was her imagination, a ghost or reality, Campbell stood on the other side of the locked door.
And she couldn’t make her feet close the distance between them.
Chloe crossed to the door and unlocked it. She looked as stunned as Olivia felt.
“Hi, Chloe,” he said. Then he looked at Olivia. “We found your car.” He motioned toward the street, and she saw Colin leaning against the door of her car. He raised a hand and waved.
That movement broke through the veil of unreality that had kept her immobile, and she raced to Campbell. She leaped at him so fast that he stumbled backward but caught her in his arms.
“Hey, hey. It’s okay,” he said.
She framed his face and met his gaze. “You’re alive.”
The confusion in his eyes gave way to understanding as he glanced at Chloe.
“How did you survive that?” Olivia asked. “I saw the hole. I just knew you were gone.” Tears streaked down her cheeks again, a mixture of remembered sorrow and tremendous happiness that she’d mourned for no reason.
His eyes dimmed in pain, and she realized Colin was quiet, too. Even though she barely knew him, she knew that wasn’t normal.
“Campbell?” Chloe said as she stepped forward.
He met Chloe’s gaze, then lowered his own. “We lost Billy.”
“Oh, no.”
Olivia saw the pain, knew he was taking responsibility. She squeezed his hand. “It’s not your fault. The police said it was a bomb.”
“He’s just as gone,” he said, his voice thick. This, more than anything else, showed her he had feelings the same as any human.
“I’m sorry.”
“How did you get out of there?” Chloe asked.
“We fled into the subway tunnels. The Imperium sent someone to help us set up a new headquarters elsewhere.”
