"Will you be there tomorrow night?" Kariann asked.

Yvonne nodded. "I will be."

One of the alpha werewolves spoke up next-a sixty year old who hadn't aged past thirty. His power didn't equal Derrick's, but if he grew as old as him, he would come close.

"What about our weapons? They could be turned against us and the amulets won't do them any good."

Nik and I exchanged looks. We had already discussed this while working out the battle plans last night and had figured out a solution.

"Melena is going to donate some of her blood. It will be applied to each of the weapons. That will prevent any magic from affecting them."

Derrick stepped forward. "Wait a damn minute. Mel almost died from blood loss a couple days ago when you sucked too much out of her. A few days aren't enough for her to recuperate from that."

I had to admit, seeing that Derrick still cared touched me. Under the circumstances I was surprised he considered my health at all and wasn't just focusing his anger on our plot to take out his beloved leader.

Nikolas gave him a patronizing look. "We have been giving Mel iron pills every day to help her regenerate her red blood cells. I'll be monitoring her blood pressure while we draw out what we need. We'll stop if there is any danger."

Derrick shook his head. "That doesn't cut it. You'll be weakenin' her right before a battle. If she gets hurt, she'll go down that much faster."

I put my hand on Derrick's arm. "It's okay. I agreed to this. There is a greater risk with me not giving blood. If it comes down to it, Lucas will pull me out of the battle."

He shook his head. "Not good enough."

Emily stepped out of the bedroom. "I can give blood so Mel doesn't have to."

I covered my face with my hands, knowing everyone in the room had heard her. "Emily, go back to the bedroom please. We don't need your blood."

"Yeah, you do."

Nikolas lifted his brow in question. "Why does she think her blood would be useful?"

I shot Emily a quelling look. "She wants to help, but doesn't understand what this is about."

The teenager sighed in exasperation and thrust her hands on her thin hips.

"Mel, stop protecting me. I can't lose you now." There was a catch in her voice. "You have to let me help you."

Dang teenagers could be so convincing. I wanted to run up and hug her. Tell her everything would be okay, but I had to stand firm. She was too young to get involved in this.

"No, I don't, Em." I pointed to the doorway she'd come through. "Now go back to the bedroom."

She ignored me, looking instead at all the people gathered around the room. The attention didn't seem to bother her at all. It hadn't taken her long to come out of her shell.

"Everyone here," she announced, raising her arms up in a dramatic fashion. "I'm just like Mel. She is trying to protect me, but I'm a sensor too. I can help."

All eyes moved back to me. Now everyone in the room knew about her. How was I supposed to keep her safe if she wouldn't listen? Years of Wanda lecturing me against interacting with the supernatural population weighed on my mind. I couldn't shake that in the short time I'd spent with them.

Derrick spoke up first. "Is it true, Melena?"

A thousand lies flew through my mind, each more creative than the next, but everyone here would see through them. Instinct told me that much. Plus Charlie was giving me another one of his knowing looks. Me and that shaman were going to have a serious talk one of these days.

"Can you grab me a beer?" I asked one of the werewolves. He was already digging around in the fridge.

He took out a bottle and handed it to me. I tried to get the cap off, but it was a pop top and my calloused hands were too sore to remove it without an opener. Lucas grabbed it from me and pulled the cap off in one swift move, even managing to catch it before the thing went flying into someone's eye.

I thanked him and lifted the bottle to take a drink. Nikolas stole it from me before it even reached my mouth. My scrambling attempts to get it back failed. He held it too far out of reach. Damn him. I didn't even like beer, but I wanted that one.

"Answer the question, Mel."

I gazed up at the ceiling as if divine intervention would surely come. Not surprisingly, it didn't. I leveled my eyes at a blank spot on the wall.

"Yes, she is a sensor too."

Nik grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "Why didn't you tell any of us this? She needs to be protected as well."

I pushed his hand away. "What do you think I was trying to do? If she would listen and keep her mouth shut," I glared at her. "Then no one would know and she would be safe."

Emily clammed her lips.

"Not telling anyone is not protecting her," Nik said. "She is too young, surrounded by supernaturals, and would have slipped up sooner or later. Why didn't you say anything?"

I shot a glance at Lucas. "He knows why. He has spent the last eight years terrorizing me for what I am and killed the sensor who was taking care of me. Wouldn't that be reason enough?"

Nik glared at the nephilim. "Perhaps you'd care to explain your behavior? I know you can be an absolute ass, but this is extreme, even for you."

Lucas took the beer from him and gave it back to me. "I like her better when she drinks."

I took a swig. At least I had his support this time.

Nik rubbed his face. "Never mind. It's too late to change anything, but Mel, we will be discussing this further later."

I wanted to argue with him and say that knowing most of these people for a few days did not garner instant trust. Yet with so many sups staring at me and needing to believe they could rely on me for the upcoming battle, it seemed like a bad time to have it out with Nik. We had to present a united front or I would never get Aniya back. They all had their motivations to fight this battle, but my friend was mine. I'd work with these people, but only because of her.

"Fine," I said. "But no one else can know about Emily."

"Agreed, but if Emily does want to help, we'll split the amount drawn between the two of you. It won't be that much, but this way neither of you should feel any ill effects."

"Works for me." Emily's face lit up with a triumphant smile.

I frowned and took another drink of my beer. If we survived this, I was going to the bookstore to pick up one of those guides for idiots who need to learn about parenting. A few days into it and I was already screwing it up.

Chapter Twenty-four.

"Derrick, whose side are you on?" I asked. We were driving to Variola's house.

He glanced over at me with a startled expression before returning his attention to the road. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "You want the truth?"

"That would be nice."

His right hand beat a staccato against the steering wheel for a few minutes before he answered. "I can't answer that, Mel. Variola has given me more than anyone else ever would have. That's not something I can just ignore."

My hand played with one of the pocket knives that would soon be handed over. I hoped to see it again after this. A good friend from back in the army had given it to me.

"Just because she's helped you doesn't mean you owe her forever, Derrick. There is a point where you get to walk away. I have a hard time believing you want to be on the wrong side of this. Think of those bodies we found. How many other evil things do you think she's done behind your back?"

His hand stopped moving to grip the wheel. "I've followed her for a long time, Mel. A man can't switch his loyalties overnight. You can't expect that."

A disgruntled sigh escaped my lips. "What does she have on you, Derrick? What makes you stay with her?"

He gave me a sharp look.

"She gives me time each year to search for my family's killers and helps me search for them. She also gives her blood to me on a regular basis so I don't age, which is something I need until I get my revenge."

"So that's why you stay with her? All this time and you still haven't found them. Are you sure she's really even helping you?"

"Melena, you don't know what you're talkin' about."

"Dammit, Derrick. Why didn't you step in the other day when they killed Matt?"

I expected him to strike out in anger at the question, but his expression turned remorseful instead.

"To be honest, I wanted to. I'd seen that kid grow up from back when Variola and the rest of us lived in New Orleans. Your nephilim compelled me to not do anything that might arouse Variola's suspicion. Stepping in would have caused her to lose trust in me and she was already headed in that direction."

"He's not my nephilim," I muttered. "So you're saying the compulsion held you back?"

"I don't think anything I could've done would have saved that boy. They wanted to kill him to hurt you, and anything I tried probably would've made things worse."

"Doesn't it bother you, though?"

"Of course it bothers me," he snapped, "but sometimes you have to accept the things you can't change."

"Wasn't Matt's death enough for you to see how evil she is? How could you not turn against her?"

"Let it be, Mel."

A lump formed in my throat. Despite our differences, I liked Derrick and didn't want us to be on opposing sides. Nik had only compelled him to ensure Variola came to the meeting point, but beyond that, he was a free man.

That part of the plan had upset me, but the vampire had pointed out that he would never know where Derrick's true loyalties were unless he allowed the man to act on his own. He said it wouldn't be right to force anyone to fight on a side they didn't believe in. The concept came off as hypocritical to me since Lucas and Nik had been compelling the werewolf the entire time to do things he didn't like, but to them that didn't count as much.

"Am I going to have to fight you tonight, Derrick?" My voice came out low.

He let out an exasperated breath and pulled the vehicle over, heedless of the guy driving behind us honking his horn. Once we came to a complete stop, he set the gear shift in place and turned toward me.

"Mel, you and I are not going to face off. Despite your little stunt with waking the vampire, I ain't really mad at you. Might've done the same thing in your shoes. So get those silly thoughts out of your head. No matter how this turns out, things between me and you," his eyes bored into mine, "they don't change."

He closed the distance and pulled my body into a tight hug. His unique scent engulfed me, one that was all man. I embraced him back, hoping he understood how important he'd become. It didn't seem fair that we had to be on opposing sides, but I'd lived long enough to know life didn't always go the way you wanted it to.

Derrick didn't let go for a few minutes. Neither of us said anything, as if this was some kind of final goodbye. When we pulled apart, he kissed my forehead and ran a thumb across my cheek.

"If I can help it, you'll come out of this alive, you got that?"

I smiled and fought back tears. It was insane to think that a few weeks ago I'd rather have killed this man than touched him. My perceptions had come to a complete turn-around and nothing made sense anymore. We didn't even know if we would make it through the night, despite Lucas and Nik's assurances. I hadn't learned to trust them any more than Derrick had.

"Thanks," I gave him a watery-eyed smile.

"Anytime, Sensor Girl."

I laughed. Ever since the first time he'd called me "Sensor Girl" during the search, he'd kept doing it. At least, until things became complicated with Nik. The name came out whenever he wanted to lighten the mood and he always said it in a mocking voice.

By the time we reached Variola's house, I had my game face on. It was a few minutes after ten o'clock, which worked out well since Nik wanted at least an hour after sunset to get ready before we brought the witch-vamp over. Several of the same werewolves I'd seen outside last time waited for us now. We had called ahead and they were expecting us.

With a sense of deja vu, I handed my gun and knives over. Giving them up brought a scowl to my face. At least this time I wasn't molested in the process with Derrick hovering close. I hadn't wanted to bring them at all, but it would have been suspicious if I didn't bring them with me. There really hadn't been a choice. We couldn't risk anything tipping Variola off ahead of time.

The house had a creepy feeling as we walked through the entrance. I'd never been upstairs at night, but the mood of the place didn't feel the same. Heavy curtains covered the windows at all times, yet it felt darker than previous visits. As we were led to the living room, I noted the large gathering of sups standing around. Way too many. The stirrings of another headache crept up my neck. It wouldn't get too bad, though, since I loaded up on ibuprofen before leaving the cabin.

Variola's lips lifted in a triumphant smile as we walked in. She had to have known the moment we arrived, but pretending surprise was all part of the game to her. She wore her full, leather regalia along with her multitude of braids looking fresh and tight. Noreen sat beside her and shocked me with her own attire. The prissy little witch had changed and now dressed in clothing similar to Variola's, except she'd added a leather jacket. A couple of warlocks were in the room as well, wearing their own version of leather attire.

"Do I need to go home and change? I feel under-dressed." The words popped out without thinking.

Variola laughed, waving her hand with black painted fingernails in my direction.

"Don't be silly, dear. Dress the way you like. It makes no difference."

In fact, I figured my clothes were a lot more practical for the evening. Jeans, an under-shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a warm jacket chosen for flexibility, and my trusty hiking boots completed my attire. It was cold outside, and while the vampires and werewolves could handle the lower temps, the mortal witches and warlocks could not. They'd be regretting their skimpy leather outfits later.

Variola's mood turned serious. "You've located the vampire?"

"I have."

She turned to Derrick. "Is this true? Are you certain it is him?"

"Yes. We verified it." He answered without blinking.

"Good," she stood up. "Then it looks like we have a spell to perform."

"Spell?" I asked. "Weren't you going to kill him?"

Variola clasped her hands together. "Of course, but only after we drain him of his powers. The accursed man ran off before we could perform the next step last time."

So that had been her plan. She wanted all of his powers for herself, which would be considerable since Nik was no lightweight. Even for being twelve hundred years old, he shouldn't have been able to reach the level he had.

Three more witches walked in, one of them being my former torturer, but the others I didn't recognize. They all wore leather too. Maybe they had a few dozen Harley Davidson motorcycles hiding around here we could ride on to keep with the theme.