Page 65 of After Darkness Falls

"That literally makes no sense. I'm just…me."

Chloe Miller. Twenty-Five. Good with numbers and with ravens. Unless he was hiding money and she ended up figuring it out while working for the taxman, she didn't see how she could ever threaten an ancient vampire.

"I'm just human."

"So were the creatures that cornered you yesterday. Once, long ago, they were just human."

Chloe winced. "You're saying I could become gross and crazy."

"I'm saying some people evolve."

She wasn't quite done with him yet.

"So why are you helping me if I could be dangerous?" She couldn't say that with a straight face.

Levi laughed. "You asked. I answered. I never promised explanations."

She glared. "You're incredibly irritating, you know that?"

Levi held his hands to his heart, pretending to be hurt. "It wounds me. Truly."

She had to roll her eyes.

"Are you coming back today?" he asked her.

She nodded. "That's the plan."

"Good. Training tonight. On the hill."

Chloe opened her mouth, then closed it again. "No, I meant I'd train with…Jack. Or Mikar. Or maybe I could ask Professor Anika."

Literally anyone but him.

He grinned. "Oh no, fledgling. You'll train with the only one who can prepare you to face an ancient vampire. Me."

Damn him.

If he was right about the elder royals being after her, then it made sense that she should learn from the best. But…

"No way. Besides, you tend to piss me off."

"Which is exactly why you'll work twice as hard at punching me as you would with anyone else. If you're to have a chance—"

"I have no chance against an ancient vamp. None."

His hand moved toward the screen. "We'll see," he said, before ending the call.

Damn him! Even on video, he had to make a dramatic exit.

30

Scent

She'd taken the time to bathe after returning from London, and then changed into her running clothes, as she didn't own any gear, unlike basically anyone else in Oldcrest. Now there was no sense in delaying the inevitable. She left the dorms and headed north.

How many times had she watched this place from afar? Too many to count. But Chloe had never stepped anywhere near Night Hill until today.

The entire base of the hill was surrounded by electric fences, and it only had one opening: a gate barring the sinuous road leading up to the summit.

---