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"You left a ency?" Wlodek queried

"Our little girl atte," Merrill informed the Head of the Vampire Council

"Let me speak with her"

"She is beyond that, Wlodek We have had the body in water since I re, but it doesn't appear to be working I think the burns were too severe We're losing her"

"I will be there shortly" Wlodek hung up

"She hasn't taken a breath," Franklin said when Merrill returned Gavin sat in the floor at the opposite end of the tub, watching Merrill ement of some sort Merrill checked his watch; it was ten minutes past sunset Merrill seldom cursed but he did so now in his native Latin Gavin understood every word

"Breathe, cara," Gavin begged, turning back to Lissa's still form "Do this for me Please"

"Wlodek is on his way," Merrill said Gavin nodded He hoped Wlodek could help They both stared at the snition, the ends of fingers and toes already gone If she recovered, those would grow back If she recovered If

"I'll go downstairs to let Wlodek in," Franklin said, rising from his position beside the tub Merrill nodded, placed a hand on his huo Wlodek arrived half an hour later and Lissa still hadn't taken a breath

"Any iloves and an expensive trench over Franklin shook his head and led Wlodek up the stairs Wlodek cursed softly in his native Greek upon seeing the seared wreck that used to be Lissa A cufflink was ripped froold and dia across the tiled floor of Lissa's bathroo the exposed flesh of his wrist out to Merrill, Wlodek waited for Merrill to slice it open Terrified that her body would disintegrate under his hands, leaving the tub filled with ash instead of her body, Gavin leaned forward and pried Lissa's mouth open as carefully as he could

"Drink, little angel," Wlodek crooned, allowing the blood from his wrist to drip into Lissa's mouth Merrill timed it—four minutes exactly Wlodek pulled his wrist ahen Merrill nodded Gavin had watched carefully; there was very little blood in the water Wlodek's was the oldest andLissa back then she was truly lost The tiain; it was time to replace the water

"As long as her body re the water," Wlodek instructed Merrill offered a unit of blood froerator Wlodek drank it as he watched Gavin fill the tub again, leaving Lissa's nose and mouth free to take a breath "We hardly knohat to do with thehed "And this is the rarest of all of them"