David’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as the evening’s events churned in his mind. Noctrachs had infiltrated the estate, coming perilously close to Elena. Worse, the artifact’s power was beginning to stir, responding to her in ways he couldn’t fully predict. It had shown her a vision of the missing fragment—a revelation that might help repair the stone tome, yes, but also confirmation that the bond it shared with her was growing stronger. That bond would demand a price sooner or later, the Noctrachs’ existence was proof enough of that.

Elena needed proper monitoring. She needed to come with him to the Watchers’ headquarters and be under their protection. But convincing her of that felt like trying to scale a mountain blindfolded.

David let out a long breath as he stopped at a red light, his fingers drumming impatiently on the steering wheel. There was no denying it—Elena had inherited every ounce of their mother’s stubbornness. She even carried the same determined set to her jaw, the same fiery spark in her eyes. God, she was starting to look so much like her it was almost painful.

His chest tightened with the familiar pang of guilt. He couldn’t help but feel it whenever he looked at her, remembering how she had desperately tried to reach out to him when the unthinkable had happened. He supposed she had good reason not to trust him - good reason to keep her distance but it bothered him nonetheless. They had been so close once.

A twinge of irritation flickered across David’s face as Theo’s words echoed in his mind. “You abandoned her. Left her to bury your parents alone.” The truth of those words had stung more than he cared to admit.

David clenched his jaw. What the hell did that bastard know about sacrifice and duty anyway? Most vampires David had come across were nothing more than self-indulgent assholes whose moral compass had been ground to dust by the passage of centuries. Even the half-decent ones could turn on you in an instant if their hunger demanded it. No, vampires were not the sort of creatures you should place unwavering trust in, especially not ones who had ties to this Lucian character. If Theo and Arthur were protecting her for now, it was almost certainly for personal gain. His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. God, he wished he could get his sister to see that.

The town passed in a blur, its warm lights and darkened streets offering no solace. He turned down the backroads toward the small three-bedroom house he now called home. It had been Rowen’s idea to relocate—an offer he’d reluctantly accepted when his friend had taken command of the western region. But Rowen brought his own complications. David hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with him about Elena’s growing connection to the artifact or her visions and deteriorating mental state. If Rowen found out how…complicated things had become, he’d surely pull David from the mission entirely and take control. And Rowen’s decisions wouldn’t necessarily align with Elena’s best interests.

David pulled into the driveway of his modest home, the soft glow of the porch lights spilling across the neatly trimmed lawn. The sight brought a fleeting sense of calm, a fragile reprieve from the chaos swirling in his mind. He killed the engine and sat there for a moment, staring at the house, letting the weight of the evening sink into his bones. The thought of stepping into warmth and normalcy, even for just a little while, felt like a lifeline.

He walked through the front door, his footsteps muted against the wood floors. Toys lay scattered across the living room like a battlefield of tiny plastic landmines. Couch cushions were overturned, and a small plastic plate sat on the dining table, its contents spilled across the surface and onto the floor. If David didn’t know better, he’d think someone had ransacked the place.

A small smile tugged at his lips. He did know better, though, and he knew this particular little thief was a chubby-cheeked princess who had him wrapped around her finger, even if she was too young to know it yet.

David crept down the hallway, careful not to disturb the fragile peace of the house. He found Emily standing outside the nursery, slowly closing the door with the precision of someone defusing a bomb. She glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of him, and silently motioned for him to stop moving. He froze, watching as she finally eased the door shut and let out a soft sigh of relief.

He grinned, stepping forward, but Emily turned toward him and gestured sharply for him to retreat out of the hallway. David obeyed, following her into the living room, where she collapsed onto the couch with a dramatic sigh and threw her head back.

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“Ugh, your daughter was bouncing off the walls all day,” she groaned.

David glanced around the room, his eyebrows raised. “I can see that.”

A couch pillow came flying toward him, and he caught it easily, his smile widening. Emily narrowed her eyes at him, though the corner of her lips twitched with the hint of a smile.

He settled down beside her, and she shifted, turning toward him and tucking her legs beneath her. Her elbow rested on the back of the couch as she studied him with the intensity that always made him feel both seen and cornered.

“You were gone longer than usual today,” she said, her tone growing serious. “What happened?”

David let out a long breath, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on his knees. “It was bad, Em. Noctrachs got into the estate—got way too close to Elena. And the artifact…” He shook his head, struggling to find the words. “It’s reacting to her more and more.”

Emily’s lips pressed into a thin line, her brow furrowing. “That’s not good.”

“No,” David said, his voice low. “It’s really not.”

“So,” she prompted, leaning slightly toward him, “what are you thinking, exactly? What’s the plan?”

David let out a long sigh. “I don’t know. I think we need to get her out of there. She’s not safe in that estate. Not with Noctrachs showing up on their doorstep.”

Emily nodded slowly, her lips pressed together. “Have you told Rowen how bad it’s gotten?”

David hesitated, the silence stretching just long enough for Emily’s eyes to narrow. Finally, he exhaled, his voice dropping low. “Not yet.”

“David,” she said, her tone sharp with disbelief. “If you’re even considering forcibly removing your sister—which, for the record, I don’t approve of—you have to tell Rowen. He’s your commander. If anyone should know, it’s him.”

“I know,” David said quietly, his voice heavy with frustration that wasn’t meant for her. He ran a hand through his hair and leaned back against the couch, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him. “But if I tell Rowen everything—about how strong the bond’s getting—I’m afraid he’ll do more than just remove her. He might try to contain her, Em. And you know what that means.”

Emily’s expression darkened, her brow furrowing. “You think he’d treat her like a threat?”

David looked away, his jaw tightening. “I don’t know. Maybe. But I’m not taking that risk. Not with Elena.”

They sat in silence for a moment, Unspoken thoughts hanging between them. David hesitated, running a hand through his hair as he braced himself for what he had to say next.

“Listen, Em, I spoke with Theo tonight, and… I think it might be best if you and Haley stayed at your parents’ place for a little while. Just until I can get Elena under our protection and handle any immediate threats if they come.”

Emily tilted her head, her gaze sharpening as she studied him. “I can agree to letting Haley stay with my parents—they’ve been begging to take her for a few days anyway. But I know you can’t be serious about sending me away.”

“Look,” David said, leaning forward, his hands clasped tightly. “I know this isn’t ideal. But if something happens… she needs her mother, Em.”

“And she doesn’t need her father?” Emily shot back, crossing her arms defensively. “ David, I’m not blind to the risks, but don’t for a second think I’m just a bystander in all this. I’m a Watcher too. You promised me when we got married that you wouldn’t forget that. You swore you wouldn’t sideline me.”

David dragged a hand through his hair, frustration flickering across his face. “It’s not about sidelining you—”

“It feels like it,” she cut in, her tone sharp but not unkind. “You’re stretched too thin, David. You’ve got Elena, the artifact, the Noctarchs. Who’s got your back?” Her voice softened, but her gaze remained steady. “I’m your partner. You need me, and I’m not about to walk away just because it’s dangerous.”

David leaned back against the couch, shaking his head. “Emily, I don’t want you in harm’s way.”

“And I don’t want you in harm’s way,” she said, her voice tinged with quiet intensity. “But that’s the job, isn’t it? We both took the same oath. You don’t get to decide that mine suddenly means less because I’m a mom.”

“I just…” David hesitated, searching for the right words. “I just want you to be safe. Haley needs at least one of us.”

“She’ll have that,” Emily said, her voice softening. “My parents will spoil her and keep her safe until we both get things under control.”

David sighed, his frustration ebbing under her steady gaze. He knew she was right.

“Fine,” he said, his voice heavy with resignation.