Chapter 40: Lessons in Control

Olivia sighed as the fog around her dissipated. She stepped forward, nudging Hadrian with her boot. Her eyes met Ezra's, and she shook her head slightly. "You failed the test, Ezra."

Ezra's surprise was evident. "What? Why? I handled them without revealing anything. What's wrong?"

Olivia's expression softened slightly, but her voice remained firm. "There's one unofficial rule you must always keep in mind when dealing with humans. Your first weapon as a vampire is your Aura. If the Aura can't do the job, then something has already gone wrong."

His Aura!

Ezra looked down at the fallen thugs at his feet and rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. "I guess I didn't think of that."

"Wait a minute." Ezra perked up. "Won't they feel the Aura?"