They piled into a bright red sedan. “Where are we going?”

“First we’re going to get a bite to eat at Alison’s cafe.” At once, everyone stopped buckling their seatbelts and turned to her.

“Wait, you don’t eat food, right?” Alison asked, a blush creeping over her face. Vera elbowed her in the side and rolled her eyes.

“No she doesn’t eat food. She drinks blood.” Vera turned to look back at Cassie from the driver’s seat. “Listen, is it cool if we eat and you watch? If you want something before we go, then I’ll get Darien for you.”

Wow. Cassie felt her cheeks heating with a blush. “Uh, no, that’s okay. I’m fine really. I’d like to see your café, Alison.”

Alison smiled big and melted back against the seat. “She’s after my heart you guys. Let’s go!”

The drive to the cafe was one of the best experiences of Cassie’s life. Alison had cranked up the radio and all three of the girls started singing loudly, and mostly horribly, to some song with a catchy beat. Cassie had no idea what song it was, but the girls managed to make her feel accepted and welcome.

She put on a smile as they entered a lovely and cozy little cafe. There were tables outside with big maroon umbrellas to block the sun and inside the café, the tables were simple and neat. They were covered in a draping white cloth with a little maroon vase in the center of the table with fresh flowers in them.

It was lovely, and she could easily see Darien eating here. Her gut clenched with sadness. And of course across from him would be some lovely, non-vampire, woman who could actually eat with him. Not once in her life had she ever wished to be anything else. Sure she wished to still have her parents and to not be living under Daniel’s rule, but she’d never wished to be human or lykaen.

Cassie followed the women into the kitchen. They all got to watch Alison work, which was really a sight to see. How she managed to plan and make meals for the three of them, at the same time, was incredible. When she was done, the food was hot and perfect. Cassie had never seen a chef actually work aside from some Food Network shows she caught on TV. It took a lot of skill. However the smells were completely unappetizing to her vampire senses.

They took a seat at a table and while the girl’s ate, Cassie silently made her plans. After her nightmare last night, she was thinking Daniel was on to something. She didn’t have to go running back to him. She could just keep running. Something she should have done from the beginning. Of course passing out near Darien’s hadn’t been planned. She should have just left when he wanted. Then at least her heart wouldn’t be breaking.

“So Cassie, we’ve been dying to know...” Cassie looked up from the empty spot on the table in front of her and realized that all the girls were looking right at her with eager eyes.

“What,” she asked hesitantly.

Vera and Sarina both asked questions at the same time. “How did you meet?” “Is he amazing in bed?”

Vera turned a disgusted glare at Sarina. “Gross. He’s my brother.” Sarina smiled and shrugged.

“But he’s not mine,” Sarina snorted.

“Shut up and let her answer,” Alison said. All eyes turned on her again. She smiled, she couldn’t help it. She was falling in love with more of the Kategans. They must be contagious or something.

“I met him in the woods.”

“What do you mean? Were you like hiking? None of us even know where Darien was staying. He left to go on a journey to figure out his life and problems or whatever, but I figured he was in Siberia or something,” Vera said.

Cassie bit her lip, unsure how much she should tell them. She opened her mouth to lie, but found that she couldn’t do it. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. She really couldn’t do it. And they didn’t deserve a lie.

“My fiancé had beaten me again. I swore that it would be the last time. I ran and didn’t stop until I collapsed. I guess I was exhausted. Apparently that was somewhere near Darien. He said I was on his own land.” She shrugged. “I don’t know much more about his cabin than that.” She sighed a huge exhalation of air. The weight on her shoulders lessened so that she could actually stand up straight. It felt good to say that. Really good. Except she knew it wouldn’t be so easy to tell Darien that.

“You have a fiancé?” The girl’s expressions were a mixture of confusion, shock, and anger. She only hoped it was anger about the beating and not about the fact that she’d technically cheated on her unwanted fiancé.

“Yes, I do. I was raised by my father until he committed suicide when I was four. I have no living relatives, so what happened to me was left in his will and up to the judgment of the clan’s elder. I was to be to be mated to Daniel, a good friend of my father’s, and when I turned twenty-five, I’d have to mate with him.”

Sarina looked angry enough to chew nails. “Your own father gave you over to an abusive man? I’m sorry, but that’s horrendous.” A flicker of pain cross her eyes.

Cassie squirmed in her seat. “Well, Daniel didn’t use to be like that. At least not that I remember. I remember him and dad talking and laughing together. They were close. Daniel didn’t start to get cruel until I was older.” Now that she thought about it, she didn’t remember ever seeing Daniel laugh or smile like that after dad died.

“I went through something similar with my father too. Though he did it because he’s a controlling piece of shit. He tried to sell me into a marriage with a woman abuser. Vane stopped it all from happening, thank God, but then Alison...” Sarina looked away, tears in her eyes. She fanned herself with a hand, “I’m sorry, you guys. It’s the hormones. I swear.” She rubbed a loving hand over her rounded belly.

Alison laughed and took over the conversation. “The woman abuser was an ex of mine who later started pursuing me again because he was angry he couldn’t have Sarina. It was all one big, complicated as hell mess, but it’s over now. He’s sitting in a cell and won’t ever be coming out of it again.”

“Damn straight.” Sarina cheered and high fived Alison. Turning back to Cassie she said, “So about the sex...”

“No!” Vera said, a shiver of disgust rolling through her. Cassie laughed at them all. This camaraderie they had was always something she’d wanted.

“The Kategans will protect you.” Cassie turned a startled look to Vera. She looked so serious, they all did. “You don’t need to hide with us. You can tell us anything. It’s all up to you, but just know that we really do care.”

“I don’t know why you would,” Cassie heard herself saying.

“Because we’re nice people, but also because you brought something precious back to us,” Vera said. Her voice clouded with emotion. “Darien’s been lost to us for so long. This is the first time any of us have seen a glimpse of what he used to be.”

Cassie couldn’t hide the shock on her face. “Wait, you mean to tell me that the gruff, tight-lipped lykaen is just how he is?”

Vera broke out in laughter. “Yes! That’s exactly how he is. Well, okay, maybe not totally. Add in a couple of smiles, some insane generosity and sweetness, and you got it.”

“I don’t understand. I’ve been trying to reach through to him since I met him. I don’t really think I’ve gotten anywhere. Just once though he did finally tell me about the...problem from his past but I think I was just lucky. J sot of happened upon him at the right time. That’s all.”

Vera’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her skull. “He told you about Dana? Wow, see. He never talks about it. We know about it, but when the accident happened we mostly heard about it from her family. Her brother Tom especially, man was he a dick. He blamed Darien for the whole thing.”

“The man’s crazy for you,” Alison piped in.

“No he’s not. I’m just an inconvenience for him now.”

“Why do you say that?” Sarina asked.