Declan: For a second there, he hesitated again – was afraid to give in and give over. He was afraid that he’d surrender to her, give himself to her fully, just to watch her die. But then he couldn’t deny himself anymore. Couldn’t deny her. Just for a little while, he didn’t want to think about the future. Didn’t want to worry about Cyrus or his father, or what lay ahead for Aster. He just wanted to get lost in her and forget about everything. When she wrapped her arms and legs around him, gripping him tightly against him, he knew it was all over. Some kind of invisible barrier between them broke. She stared at him in wonder, her breath coming fast and urgent, running her hands over his body, and setting him alight with a profound yearning he didn’t quite understand. It was more than a physical demand to satisfy his lust – he could fulfil that anywhere he liked. It was deeper than anything he had ever felt before. An aching, all-consuming need

Declan: He didn’t feel like rushing. He needed to get his emotions under control first, but the closer he came to the donor wing, the more his nerves started acting up. Declan had no evidence to support his suspicions, but he knew there’d be some kind of retribution for Aster’s outburst – they needed her, and wouldn’t do anything to her, but they would do something to him, just so they could get her in line and on board with their plans. Halfway to the donor room he found Katelynn sitting on the floor, her back against a marble statue of a naked young woman, looking miserable and wiping away tears. Ignoring her, he walked past her, stopped, looked over his shoulder at the despondent young woman, and turned back. He had no idea why he did it – some kind of nostalgia for the love he once bore her maybe. “Better not let Rowan catch you, Michelangelo himself created that sculpture. If my father catches you using it as a backrest, he’ll have kittens.”

Aster: Aster sat between Elizabeth and Ann, Samuel’s two wives. The two chubby women looked so similar with their strawberry blonde hair, grey eyes and relatively plain features, that Aster thought they were related – they quickly informed her that there was a hundred years age difference between them, and until he took Ann, they had never met. “Samuel definitely has a type,” Aster said, and smiled. With nothing else to do, she looked around the room, comparing the vampires’ appearance with each other. It was a shallow way to pass the time, but at least it was entertaining. Across the room, she caught Samuel’s eye – he smiled and raised a glass filled with amber liquid in the air. Like all the other vampires she had met, he was handsome; dusty hair, full lips, straight nose, but unlike Declan and Rowan, he was tall and wiry, rather than muscular. In contrast, Joel with his blue eyes and blonde hair was short and brawny, and had almost babyish feature

Aster: Even though she didn’t have to, Lydia stayed with Aster…even after she stopped feeling Declan, and started to regain her equilibrium a little. “Thank you,” she said after a while. “For your kindness.” “You are family, dear, your blood is my blood.” “Everyone keeps saying that. What does it mean?” “It means we are sisters – there’s no human family that can match the love and loyalty of a vampire family. No bond is stronger.” “I thought I only shared a bond with Declan.” “His would be the strongest, yes, but ours come in at a close second--” Lydia cupped her face “—you are so young and new. I forget what it’s like…and with Declan constantly occupied…you must be so confused.” “A little,” Aster said. Rowan came into the room before Lydia could say anything else. “Good evening my love,” he said. Lydia beamed and got up to accept Rowan’s embrace, then she stepped back and whacked him hard acros

Aster: “Give me your hands,” Rowan said. “Why?” Aster asked suspiciously. “Don’t fret. I’m going to use my gift – it’s faster that way.” Aster didn’t move, she still didn’t trust Rowan. “What gift?” “I can show you the past. Come on, I won’t hurt you,” he said and held his hands out towards her. Still hesitant, Aster placed her hands in Rowan’s. She gasped and her back arched so violently her feet lifted into the air. It felt like she was being pulled through a very narrow, dark tube, and for a moment she couldn’t breathe. Just when she thought she’d pass out, the tube released her and she landed next to Rowan in a different world. She looked up at the most breath-taking heavenly display she had ever seen. The milky way on show in all its glory. “Wow,” she said, “I’ve never seen so many stars.” Rowan looked up. “Yes. I forgot how beautiful it was before we had so much artificial light. Look,” he said,