Page 79 of Winterfall Destiny

"Alaric told us Gabriella took Andrei, Ash, and Jamie," says Matt. "But since then... we've heard nothing from or about you. Only that you were back together, safe, and looking for Gabriella, recently in London."

"But they're not okay," says Amelia. "Andrei's shut down his thoughts, and you have, too." She points at Tobias, then at me before narrowing her eyes at where Tobias touches my waist. "You look closer. Did you break the curse?"

Crap. I didn't realise exactly how little the pair knew about our recent lives.

"Yes, we did."

"How?"

"Long story."

"Which you'll tell me," she retorts. "And the story about Andrei."

I sit on the arm of Andrei's chair and Amelia again watches as Andrei touches my leg. "He isn't dangerous, Amelia. Andrei's different. Gabriella gave him blood she took from that creature under the academy." Not a complete lie.

"What the fuck?" asks Matt. "Who else did she give this blood to?"

"Um. More important, what has this done to you, Andrei?" asks Amelia.

Andrei bites his lip and glances at Tobias. "I've heightened powers. That's all."

"Bullshit," says Matt. "Why would Gabriella give you blood that'd make you as powerful as her?" His mouth parts. "Will this make you like her? Draw you into the Dominion?"

"No," he says with disgust. "The opposite. This time we really are going to take Gabriella down."

Matt and Amelia continue to stare at Andrei who crosses his arms, annoyance increasing.

"The being from under the academy—the First. Does Gabriella still have it? Do you know what it is? Alaric doesn't," asks Matt.

"We don't know," says Tobias before anybody else can speak.

Jamie frowns at him but says nothing, Ash doesn't react, and Andrei watches expressionlessly.

"Does Alaric know that you're here?" asks Tobias quietly.

"No." Matt's lips thin. "We had a disagreement." Amelia grips Matt's hand and squeezes. "I was out with another guy from our group following some Dominion vamps we'd identified. Something different about these vamps worried us, and we wanted to keep a low profile and watch them. Amelia stayed behind with Alaric and a couple of the others from our group. While we were away, other vamps invaded our base. One hurt Amelia. Alaric was fucking there. He didn't protect her."

"Hurt?" I straighten in alarm. "How?"

Amelia rolls up her sleeve. More than teeth marks mar her skin, there're livid red scratches from a vampire's sharp nails.

"Did you lose much blood?" asks Jamie flatly. "Was it just an attack or... feeding?"

"Attack." Matt's face is now blotched red. "I set fire to the bastard."

"Alaric?" I ask in shock.

Amelia gives a wry laugh. "No. The vamp. But Matt's familiar doesn't behave when he's pissed off. That's one of the reasons we left—Alaric doesn't trust that Matt can control the fire serpent and wanted him to stop using the magic."

"And nobody tells Matt what to do," says Jamie wryly.

"And can you control the familiar?" asks Tobias.

Matt slices him a look. "Yes."

"If I'm around, you can," says Amelia. "Don't look at me like that, Matt. Your familiar's less controllable when you're out of control yourself."

He huffs and I'm grateful for a slight shift in conversation. "I am not letting go of any of my magic abilities. Alaric can fuck off."

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