I could hear the sounds of battle coming from down the hall.

I headed into the TV room to find Sebastian stretched out, his boots propped up on the coffee table, gaming console in one hand and a cell phone in the other. Two knights were jousting on the screen.

Alexander saw me in the doorway. He immediately rose and greeted me with concern. Sebastian didn’t budge but took Alexander’s absence as an opportunity and whacked his blue knight’s sword against Alexander’s unprotected red knight.

“Are you okay?” Alexander asked.

“Are you okay?” I asked. “I think he just flattened you.”

“Oh, that—it’s only a game.”

“Do I look that awful?” I asked, suddenly self-conscious.

“You have leaves in your hair.”

“I thought I got them out.” I did my best to smooth out my hair.

“What happened?” Alexander asked, picking out the remaining leaves.

“I bumped into Trevor.”

Alexander’s sweet expression furrowed. “In the woods? Did he hurt you? I’ll—”

“No—I just hit a bush. I should have hit him instead,” I teased.

Alexander shook his head. I knew he was tormented, just like Trevor, but for different reasons. Alexander felt the need to protect me from all evil—vampire and mortal. He was tortured, knowing that during the daylight hours it wasn’t possible for him to safeguard me against my nemesis.

“I’ll pick you up from now on,” he firmly instructed.

When my parents put me under curfew, I rebelled. However, when Alexander was overprotective, it made my heart race.

“Trevor—who’s Trevor?” Sebastian finally said, pausing the game and typing on his cell phone.

Though the Mansion was as decayed as an ancient ruin, I was disappointed with Sebastian’s lack of refinement. Instead of behaving like a guest, he was sitting like he was in a fraternity house, scuffing the already antique coffee table with his shoes. I wasn’t Miss Manners myself, and heaven knows I wouldn’t have cared if