...in some ways I relied on that- someone to keep me thinking, keep me striving to do better, keep me from burying my head and praying it all worked out.

I slid closer, feeling his arms close around me, tightening. Our lips touched-- "Derek?" his dad called. "Chloe?" Derek let out a growl. I laughed and backed up. "We seem to get a lot of that, don't we?" I said. "Too much. After we eat, we're going for a walk. A long walk. Far from every possible interruption." I grinned up at him. "Sounds like a plan

Then he reached up and tore my shirtfront open. "Not much to see, is there?" I said, struggling to talk with a crushed windpipe. "I know, I know, they can fix things like that these days. Call me a feminist, but I think a woman's worth should be defined not by the size of her bust, but - " I rammed my fist up into his Adam's apple. He grunted and stumbled back. "- by the strength of her right hook.

He obviously needed more practice, but no matter how often I abandoned him out there, his sense of direction never seemed to improve.

What's next? If there are vampires in there, they probably drink artificial blood plasma substitute.

Where's Simon?"..."Is he okay? Why isn't he here?" She glared at Derek. "Where'd you leave him?" Passed out in an alley." Derek frowned in thought. "Not sure where, though.

I'd been staring at the search term for at least five minutes. One word. Necromancer.