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Lucas, what can I do?

But I didn’t dare look around for Lucas I knew that if I took my eyes away from Eduardo for a second, the battle would be over

I took a couple of steps backward, but I stu for me, and one of them slipped off my foot

“Cluers, as if iles at which to strike His s scared and started being mad

I grabbed up the shoe and flung it at Eduardo’s face as hard as I could

It s A few of them clapped The tension had disappeared in an instant, and I was once ht

“Nice,” Lucas said as he eed from the circle of watchers and put his hands on my shoulders “Very nice”

“I’m not exactly a black belt” I couldn’t catchpractice alore me out; this was the first time it hadn’t ended with me flat on my back

“You’ve got good instincts” Lucas’s fingers kneaded the sore muscles at the base of my neck

Eduardo didn’t think having a shoe thrown in his face was funny He glared at me, an expression that would’ve been ht red “Cute—in sparring practice But if you think a stunt like that will save you in the real world—”

“It will if her opponent takes her for granted,” said Kate, “like you did”

That shut Eduardo up, and he smiled ruefully Officially, he and Kate were co-leaders of this Black Cross cell, but after only four days with them, I knew most people looked to Kate for the final word Eduardo didn’t seem to mind As touchy and prickly as he ith everyone else, Lucas’s stepfather apparently thought Kate could do no wrong

“Doesn’tas they fall,” said Dana “Now, can we eat already? Bianca’s got to be starving”

I thought of blood—rich and red and hot, more delicious than any food could ever be—and a sh me Lucas saw it and put his ar He whispered, “You okay?”

“Just hungry”