“Next time, you get this in your eye.” She took a drag on it and blew a mouthful of smoke directly into his face. “From now on, that’s my bench.”

Moth shoved him away from her hard enough to dump him on his ass. She dropped the cigarette on him then picked up the leather jacket. Dusting it off while she watched the blond boy, who was gazing at her with terrified saucer-eyes, she felt a surge of adrenalin. Part of her hated doing this, but there was a growing part that enjoyed the sense of power no matter how hard she tried to deny it. It helped that she pictured her father’s face sneering at her whenever she played the tough-girl role.

She shrugged into the jacket, testing the fit and enjoying the feel of the smooth satin lining. It was too big, but that didn’t matter.

“Very nice,” she said. “Thanks.”

Leaving them with their mouths hanging open, Moth walked back to the pathway. Heading back into the city, she tried to ignore the gnawing hunger that made her whole body buzz. She’d have to make an extra stop for blood now, dammit.

Theo wanted Moth to steal an urn filled with the ashes of a recently “deceased” vampire. It wasn’t anyone she knew, which was something of a relief, but it was still a crazy assignment. Mainly because this particular vampire was a “master” who had been destroyed by a rogue vampire hunter. And not just any hunter, but one that had become a nasty thorn in Theo’s side during the months that Moth had been gone. Apparently he was a middle-aged man who didn’t look like he could slay a mosquito, much less a vampire, and yet the guy was still at large after destroying six vampires. The most recent victim, Maxim, was an old business associate of Theo’s. Moth didn’t know what her sire wanted with the ashes, but knowing him it couldn’t be for anything good.