A/N: I have not one, but TWO treats for you today and I'm not even counting posting this chapter as one of them ;)

Remember when I told you I'll be featured in the Wattpad Block Party and that I've written an exclusive new sneak peek from Keri's book for it? Well it is up! And I mean all of it, not just the first couple of paragraphs that I shared in my facebook group.

Also, it's not only the sneak peek; at the end I mention what will be in Alec and Kennedy's books when I post them.

Treat #2 is a new GIVEAWAY. Kelly Anne Blount (who organizes the party) has grouped us together so this is actually a joint giveaway from me and five other writers featured in the WBP. I'm giving a chapter dedication and also naming a character after a winner.

The links to the sneak peek and giveaway will be in the first comment; the one to the sneak peek is also given as an external link.

*****

My blood froze in my veins.

A Nighter?

Here?

"What Nighter?" Everett stepped towards his son. "Alec, are you injured?"
"I just said I was fine." The boy swatted his father's hand away when the man reached for him.

"But you were in the fight as well?"

"Yeah." The blond put some more ice cream in his mouth. "Vika and I hunted him down."

"You what?" I shouted. "Do you know how irresponsible that is? You could've been killed! It's a whole miracle you weren't killed."

"Worried about me, Uncle Rhys?" My nephew's grin only fueled my anger.

"What I am is furious," I snarled through clenched teeth.

"And what I am is impressed," Kennedy murmured and I looked down at him, my mouth hanging in surprise for a moment before I shouted his name.

"What?" He went to close the door, something we should've done already, especially with what we were talking about." Nighters are tough; what they did is impressive. Foolish, but impressive."

"And we managed to kill it." Vika smiled.

"And to get injured in the process," I added, nodding to her stomach; she just shrugged. "Why didn't you notify the Sentinels when you found out there was a Nighter around?"

It would've been the right thing to do. After all, it was the Sentinels' job to protect us from those ghoulish creatures. The Nighter vampires were faster, stronger and much more fierce than shifters and Dayer vampires; one needed special training to deal with them and their almost insatiable bloodthirst. And to think that these two - both only half-Dayers... for crying out loud, Vika was half-human! - would even think to fight off a Nighter on their own... Kennedy was right: Alec was mad.

My nephew chucked and dipped his spoon in the ice cream container once more, scraping at its bottom.

"Where would be the fun in that?"

"Fun..." I quietly uttered. "Fun?" I then shouted and stepped towards the boy, but Everett blocked my way.

"What do you mean 'fun'?" I snarled. "If you don't value your own lives, then think of other people. Think of those who the Nighter might've drained of blood, think of..."

Riley.

If a Nighter were to harm Riley, I'd die. But not before I hunt down that creature and take it with me.

"Relax, you and your family and your mate would've been perfectly safe." Alec said as if reading my mind. "The Nighter was nowhere near Woodville."

"We went on a little road trip." Vika explained.

"Which reminds me that we should get to the penthouse soon; he's probably gotten lonely by now." Alec put the empty ice cream container on the nightstand and got up. His cousin followed suit.

"Who is lonely? And what penthouse?" His father asked.

"Mine," the boy replied, putting on his black leather jacket.

"You have a penthouse? Did your grandfather buy it for you?"

Everett had a reason to be surprised. Bolek was a wealthy man - as a purebred Dayer he had more than one human lifetime to build his fortune - but Alec wasn't his favorite grandchild and he wasn't known to shower his offsprings with gifts. You had to earn the old man's favor and Aleksei wasn't exactly the most obliging grandson.

My nephew laughed, the sound not even closely resembling the jolly guffaw that we'd walked into earlier.

"No."

"Then how can you afford a penthouse?" Everett kept questioning his son. The boy looked him straight in the eyes.

"I asked nicely." He smirked before he got out with his cousin in tow.

Kennedy grabbed Vika by the wrist as she was about to exit.

"What happened to the Nighter?" He asked.

"We killed him." She replied with no concerns that once upon a time that creature had been human. But it was better that way; if we hesitated in the presence of a Nighter because of who they might have been when they were alive, we were making our already slim chances of survival even slimmer. Running or fighting them off - each had its pros and cons, but whichever you chose, you should make up your mind quickly and not hesitate.

"Wow," Kennedy muttered, disturbingly owe-struck. "How did you manage that?"

Vika gave another charming smile, leaned down and kissed him on the top of his head.

"Maybe I'll tell you some other time." She winked and took off his hat to ruffle his hair before leaving the room.

*****

I could see from the corner of my eye that Kennedy leaned on our porch railing. He silently studied me with his arms crossed over his chest and eventually, when I gave him no acknowledgement, he sighed.

"You are not still worried about Alec, are you, bro?"

"It's not Alec who worries me." I shook my head and took a sip of my sour cherry juice. "It's how his actions affect Everett."

"Well," he pushed himself off the railing and placed a hand on the knitted deck chair I was sitting in, "Alec will be Alec; there's nothing we can do about that. And worrying about Everett worrying won't help our brother. Besides, there are more pleasant things to think about, right?"

I did not respond.

"Like a certain human whose name starts with r," he teased and I finally turned to face him.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that. You called it 'a date'. Twice." I reprimanded.

"So?"

"It was not a date, Kennedy."

"You wanted it to be."

"That does not make it a date."

"Hey, if we are talking about inappropriate behavior," he reached for my juice and gulped down some of it. "Not really my flavor," he murmured. "Anyway, if we are talking about inappropriate behavior, what was with your goodbye? You should've hugged him."

"It was too soon." I took back my glass and drank its content, avoiding my baby brother's gaze.

"For a friendly hug?" He snorted.

"I'm not..." I looked at the bottom of the glass. There was a faint red coloring, the residue from the sour cherry juice. I sighed and put the glass on the table. "I'm not sure I would've been able to keep it as a friendly hug, Kennedy. I wanted to touch Riley. I wanted to hold him all night long. Don't you think he would've been creeped out when I didn't let him go?"

"Okay... Fair point, I guess," he mumbled. "Maybe you should ask him out on a proper date though."

"Too soon," I reiterated.

"If he was my mate, I wouldn't be taking this long."

"You don't know how things will be until you actually meet your mate, Kennedy." I frowned, remembering last night. "Speaking of which, don't get so friendly with Vika."

"Okay, eww! She's hot, but we are related."

"By marriage. And you are showing interest in her."

"Well, she is interesting." His eyes rounded and lit up. "Can you imagine how Alec would react if he thought I liked his cousin. Maybe I should ask her out just to..."

"Don't mess with Aleksei, Kennedy," I slowly stressed.

"I'm just going to..."

A car honk cut him off and a vehicle I was very familiar with parked in front of our house. Keri got out and jogged our way with a smile on her face. She stopped by the stairs of our porch and tugged a strand of her brown, chin-length hair behind her ear.

"Lookin' good, Ker," my brother winked.

"I'd return the compliment, but I might get arrested if I do."

A smile ghosted on my lips as they both laughed before my friend turned to me.

"I heard you left your car in front of the cinema. Want me to drive you over there so you can pick it up?"

"Actually," I got up from the deck chair, "I was thinking about passing by the mall first."

"So that's why you are wearing your new t-shirt today!" My brother exclaimed.

"Want to see Riley?" Keri asked and I nodded. I wanted to make sure things weren't awkward after last night, but more than that, I just needed to see him. The thought of a Nighter - even one that wasn't in our town - made me want to check up on my mate, to see for myself that he was alright.

"I don't mind stopping there first; we can get your car afterwards," she proposed and for the first time today I smiled for real.

"Thanks, Keri. Kennedy?"
"Want me to come along?" He was already straightening his hat, preparing for the ride.

"No. I want you to take my glass inside and wash it and to also put the empty juice bottle in the recycle bin."

"Oh, come on, bro!" He whined.

"Go." I gently pushed him towards the door. He sighed, picked the glass in one hand and the bottle in the other and dragged his feet inside our house.

"He really likes Riley, doesn't he?" Keri asked as we walked towards her car.

"Yes, but he talks to much around him. It worries me," I admitted.

"He's excited that you met your mate at last." She shrugged and climbed behind the wheel; I sat in the passenger seat. "And so am I. Can't wait to meet the boy."

The engine roared and we drove off.

*****

A/N: I'm curious to see how do you think Alec might've gotten his penthouse. Any ideas who might be feeling lonely in there while Alec was away?

Those of you who are in my facebook group might have some idea ;)

So, Keri thinks she'll finally meet Riley, but will she? Or Will Rhys ask her to wait in the car so he can be alone with his mate?

What do you think of the chapter as a whole?

Please support it with a VOTE and don't forget to check out the sneak peek and giveaway!
SPOILER ALERT: The sneak peek tells you who Keri's mate is. Let's see how many of you guessed it right >;)