Daria and Alejandro parked their dune bikes and entered the house with absolute ease. They were considered two of Sante’s most trusted people these days, an irony not lost on either of them.

Daria entered the room to see Ari sitting with her legs folded under her in a chair near a huge window that looked out over the dome and under a huge skylight that gave an excellent view of the expanse of the universe above.

Her long hair was now clipped close to her head, since the length had been badly singed in the fire. She wore her customary long, flowing skirt and loose blouse, making her appear ethereal.

Bandages wrapped her right hand and forearm. Daria knew she had another on her calf, covering the place where flame had pressed against delicate flesh—a kiss even darker than the Chosen could give.

Ari turned, and her face lit up as Daria and Alejandro entered the room. She seemed emotionally unaffected by the ordeal and, thanks to her Chosen-ness, her physical wounds would quickly heal.

Daria smiled and started toward her, but movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.

Christopher Sante stood in the dimly lit room, near the long, elegant dining room table that separated the living room from the kitchen. Daria had assumed he’d already left.

She stilled, and suppressed a glare at him. Rage simmered under her skin. If it was possible to hate him even more now that they’d found the carmin, she did.

Daria wondered if Ari knew.

“Ah, my babysitters have arrived,” said Ari. “You can leave now, my love.”

Sante walked across the room and laid a gentle kiss to Ari’s forehead. “Not babysitters—bodyguards, my dear. I’m not taking any more chances with your precious life.”

“I’m not a bodyguard, you know,” answered Daria. “Alejandro has the training, but I don’t. I’m just an out-of-work waitress.”

Sante straightened and regarded her for a moment. “You showed an incredible natural aptitude for it during the bombing. I trust you with Ari’s life, Valerie.”

Christopher Sante trusted her to guard his precious mate’s life. Oh, joy. How had she gotten herself into this situation?

Sante’s gaze rested on her and then Alejandro briefly. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours. You can watch the asteroid shower together, perhaps.”

The Aproheid asteroid shower was peaking tonight and Sante had ordered the dome opened for the spectacle.

Daria glanced up through the skylight. Beyond the limits of Sante’s world, no moon shone in the night skies of the Logos Territory. The combination of the new moon and the complete and utter lack of light pollution created the perfect conditions for appreciating the beautiful flashes of light that zipped periodically through the atmosphere of Darpong.

Back on Earth, because of overpopulation, there were no spots to watch such displays without interference from mankind’s need to push light into every corner of the world.

People paid lots of money to travel to the outreaches of the Logos Territory to watch them. Even on Angel One, only big money provided the kind of view they’d get tonight, courtesy of Christopher Sante and his penchant for windowed ceilings.

Because of the utter darkness, tonight was also the perfect night to go hunting for blood slaves near the honey fields. Unfortunately, they’d been charged with guarding Ari.

“We’ll do that,” Alejandro put in casually, coming to stand near Ari under the skylight.

Daria watched him for a moment as he looked upward at the sky. Alejandro was a great actor. He could appear so harmless, so nonthreatening when he wanted to, as he frequently did around Sante. Yet, she knew all too well the temper he had when pushed too hard or when he was protecting someone from a threat.

She knew as well the power and speed housed in that long, strong, magnificent body. Her own body still carried the memory of the recent encounters they’d had. She responded from the mere remembrance of his breath along her skin. Daria shivered.

He was a dangerous addiction, one she couldn’t afford.

“Will you walk me out, Alejandro?” asked Sante.

“Of course,” Alejandro answered.

They fell into step and traveled down the short staircase leading to the front door.

Daria settled into a soft chair next to Ari and watched the two men leave, trying not to appear curious about what they discussed in such low, secretive tones.

“Alejandro loves you so much.”

Startled by the sentence, she blinked at Ari. “Excuse me?”

“When you sat down next to me, he turned around and looked at you with the most loving expression on his face.”

“Did he?” She paused, smoothing a crease in her pant leg carefully as she digested Ari’s observation. “Some days I’m not sure I’m worthy of his love.”

Any day, really. Why did he persist with her so when she’d made it clear she just wanted to be left alone?

“Love doesn’t recognize our self-perceptions. You may feel that way sometimes, but it’s clear that Alejandro doesn’t. He looks at you only with eyes of love.”

Alejandro was blind.

Ari went silent for a moment, then added, “Look at Christopher and me. By all rights we never should have fallen in love, but love is wild and uncontrollable. You might try and plan out your life a certain way, but once you find the man or woman who is meant for you, you can forget about planning anymore. When that happens all you can do is relinquish control, hold on tight, and hope everything turns out all right.” She smiled. “And enjoy it while it lasts.”

“I loved once and when it ended—” Daria broke off. She couldn’t tell this to Ari.

“It hurt?”

Hurt was far too mild a word.

Ari nodded and continued. “You put your love into someone else and trust them to carry it carefully, like a fine china vase. But you know that if they trip, if they shatter it, after you’ve put the pieces back together you’ll just end up giving it to someone else again.” Ari shrugged. “That’s the nature of love. It’s a beautiful insanity.”

Daria stared wide-eyed into the darkness, absorbing what Ari had said. Truth glimmmered there, a truth that was uncomfortable and made places low within her ache. Made parts of her psyche cold with fear.

When Daria didn’t reply, Ari added, “You have to love like you’ve never been hurt, because life won’t be worth much if you don’t.” She paused. “Are you all right, Valerie?”

Daria was saved from having to reply by the reemergence of Alejandro through the front door. He sank down onto the couch opposite her, giving no indication he’d discussed anything of importance with Sante.

“You look cold, Valerie,” said Alejandro with a grin. “Come over here and sit near me.”

That was sneaky. Daria hesitated, but in her role she had to go over. She moved to sit beside him and he put his arm around her. Daria breathed in the scent of him—the spiciness of his soap and the indefinable aroma that was simply Alejandro.

Together the three of them made small talk and relaxed on the comfortable furniture, while above them the universe exploded with shimmering light. After an hour, Ari laid her head down and fell asleep.

Daria fought the fatigue that threatened to pull her under as well. Sleeping was not an option. Both she and Alejandro had to stay alert, even though this visit felt far more like pleasure than business.

The alarm on the door buzzed, jarring all of them from their states of relaxation.

Daria rose and went to check the security screen by the side of the door. She pressed the Receive button and one of the guards’ faces outside popped onto the screen.

“I have a Chosen here named Brandon Nichols who says it’s urgent he talk with you and Alejandro. I won’t let him through the perimeter until you give the okay.”

Daria frowned at the screen for a moment, wondering what the hell Brandon could want in the middle of the damn night when they were at Christopher Sante’s house. It had to be important for him to be doing this.

She pressed the Send button. “He’s all right. You can let him through.”

This had better be good.

A few moments later Brandon parked his bike outside. He stepped into the foyer with a smile and a greeting on his lips. “Where’s the woman?” he asked in a low voice.

“The woman is in the living room with Alejandro. What’s the deal, Brandon. Why are you here?”

“It’s important, or I wouldn’t have come. It’s too important even for mental pathways, that’s why I came in person. Is there anyone else in the house?”

“No. Listen, just tell me what you came to say and get out.”

“Okay.” Brandon pulled a long, sharp knife from his sleeve and sliced her throat.