Chapter 14

Lucy's POV I stood at the window of Rico's study, watching rain streak down the bulletproof glass. Four months. Four months since I'd held my daughter, heard her laugh, and kissed her goodnight. The pain hadn't dulled – if anything, it had grown sharper with each passing day. "You're brooding again." Rico's voice came from behind me. He looked worse than usual, the black veins on his neck more pronounced. "It doesn't suit you." "I'm failing her." I pressed my forehead against the cool glass. "Every lead we follow, every trap we spring – we're no closer to finding her than we were that first night." "Are you sure about that?" Rico poured two glasses of blood – the good stuff, aged like fine wine. "Four months ago, you were a newborn vampire who could barely control her thirst. Now look at you." I turned to face him. "Look at what? A monster who can't even protect her own child?" "A warrior." He handed me a glass. "A strategist. Someone who held her own against Narla, who survived