All her life, Gillian existed at the edge of her family's lives—part of them and apart from them.

From the back of the plane, sitting in the comfort and opulence of the family jet, she watched Elissa work out the details of her life to fit in with her unexpected assignment. Her sister did it with the ease of someone used to such inconveniences.

Earlier, when Gillian sat up front, the simple act of sharing information and case files with Elissa, and talking shop as if they did it all of their lives, came with such ease, yet seemed so odd.

Her sibling had been the proper vampire princess attending functions, establishing family connections, and performing her various duties with studious, quiet dignity in Gillian's eyes.

She never learned that Elissa had won her way into their father's personal guard, and she was so much more than a pampered princess, born to be an ornament in the collection of some worthy man. Even the possibility of Elissa wanting to be a soldier never entered her mind.

Perhaps if Gideon had not kept so much of their world hidden from Gillian, she would have found life easier. He chose her to be their mascot—the pretty, perfect angelic little princess, and the weight of his choice crushed her.

She was raised to show the other families how civilized and controlled his family was, but like Dorian and Elissa, she was willful, and Gideon chose the wrong way to handle her defiance. Something she now understood as well as he did.

She had not expected to be returned to her former life, but for the first time in almost ten years, she was at ease with herself.

She loved her family and had missed them. Family bonds were an intrinsic part of the vampire way and integral to their existence, and she struggled without her link to her past or the safety net of belonging.

Gabriel actually said goodbye with a hug and held her to him, and his words near her ear were unexpected.

"Don't run away again or get yourself killed." His voice was just a little gruff when he held her away from him to see her face, and she spied a glint of respect in his eyes.

She had become an adult, and he liked what he saw. It surprised her, sparking a warmth that melted the cold place in her heart, making her a part of them again.

Her two stepmothers even hugged her. She had always been intimidated by the beautiful, perfect women as a child, but she saw them differently as a grown woman. Yes, they were all breeding and class, but there was so much more to them.

They were strong women of purpose, which was why they were chosen, and they cared about their family, all of it, even her. Something the child in her never considered.

***

Since her mother chose to leave her alone, they felt an obligation toward her, which never occurred to her. When she ran away, they felt, as did everyone else, that they had failed her.

She went home with a single bag and returned with a closet full of clothes that almost needed their own apartment. It was the only way her stepmothers seemed to know how to express their love and concern. She grimaced at the thought, and Elissa glanced at her.

"Something funny?" her sister asked.

A distance still persisted between them. It wasn't yet her closeness with her humans, but their blood connection had strengthened.

"Just wondering how I'm going to fit you, me, and our clothes in my apartment," she chose to stick to some part of the truth.

It was the change in lifestyle that she needed to wrap her head around and intimidated her after she had grown so used to her solitary existence.

"We bought the building, and I took the empty apartment across the hall from you, but it's not ready yet. I will have to stay at your place for a couple of days," Elissa announced, returning her attention to her laptop, and Gillian rolled her eyes. She had forgotten a lot about her family's impetuous ways.

"I'm guessing you won't be the only new occupant in... our building?" she asked with resignation. She suspected her thoughts were no mystery to her sister, and her reluctance amused Elissa.

"No," she offered no explanation, and none was necessary.

***

Two vampire princesses in the human world, away from their family, needed protection. Despite having to be some mean-ass warrior to get into their father's guard, big sister had grown used to her lifestyle.

Explaining all of this to her humans would require lies, lies, and more lies, but it was the price for their lives.

"How will I explain your presence at the precinct?" Gillian asked, and Elissa didn't miss a beat as she typed.

"That isn't your concern; take a nap—everything is under control," Elissa answered coolly, and Gillian gritted her teeth.

"Don't look at me like that," Elissa scolded, and Gillian scoffed.

"I'm not one of your soldiers, sister," she reminded, and Elissa actually looked at her.

"I understand that, Gillian, but this is part of your training. You agreed to it by swearing fealty to our father, and you don't need to know everything right now, and you need to trust me to know what is best for your humans and us."

Gillian stood her ground, but Elissa's forceful personality made her concede. She could not argue with the facts, and she was no longer a child. Rules existed for a reason.

All societies had rules and hierarchies, and Vampire rules had to be much more strict. If they weren't and hadn't always been, humanity may have fallen long since.

They could not afford anarchy, and punishment kept the dangerous elements in their world contained.

A rogue human may cause much damage, but a rogue vampire could reap a swath of destruction, creating a chapter in the history books and a horror to rival the past wars. It could also ignite the war with humans that vampires always feared.

This vampire had to be stopped. Before other, less scrupulous creatures found the guts to rebel against the rules.

They were standing on a knife's edge, and only ruthless, cold, decisive action would prevent others from trying their luck. Vampires were just like humans—some were good or bad or indifferent, but a few individuals carried the essence of evil, and those always caused trouble

Was this vampire a vigilante avenging human life or an opportunist lulling them into thinking they knew what he was up to, while he worked at a master plan that might include more than bringing the wrath of humans upon their heads.

Dread stirred more powerfully in her gut, and she had a terrible suspicion their killer was much more cunning than they realized.