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"No use," Damon replied "Watch"

He leaned in close to the bars and looked into the boy’s eyes, his gaze intent Elena felt the stirring of his Power as he pulled upon it "Bite your orist," he said to the boy soothingly "Tear it open It won’t hurt"

For avaainst the handcuffs Then the boy’s lips curled into a sneer, and he spat directly in Da at his face "Nasty little thug We’ll go on seeing how long it takes hilare at the boy

"What will that prove? It’s not like we can starve Jack," Elena said uneasily Again, she felt that flash of affection froreed with hilanced up to see hi her anxiety and trying toin her relaxed He couldn’t be going off the deep end, not if he still wanted to make her happy

Elena didn’t quite knohat to do with the warht, and bent her head, hiding her face behind her long fall of hair

Da to sounds too faint for Elena to hear "Finally They’re here"

It smelled stale and musty in the basement, and Matt’s sneakers and Jasray dust as they walked Jas froht

"You don’t have to do this," Matt said suddenly He couldn’t lie and say that having a doctor on their side wasn’t a big help, but they could figure so else out if they had to He didn’t want to involve Jasmine in this--at least, anyat him "I told you, I’m all in" Her lips twitched in a set the opportunity to study this kind of physical transformation?"

They rounded the corner into another row of barred storage roo in the air, and there were scorch marks on the concrete floor Damon and Elena were outside the only occupied one, Elena leaning back as far froet Above their heads, a fluorescent light flickered dizzyingly

"Thank God you’re here," Elena said "We really need a new tactic Just attacking hie, Matt took another look at the vah school punk, the kind hen Matt had been in school, would have had a skateboard and worn a lot of black clothing "He doesn’t look like he’d be hard to handle"

Daer than he looks," he said defensively, and Matthis eyes Da noise drew his attention back to the young va his handcuffs steadily against the bars of his cage As Matt watched, he inhaled deeply and hishis canines, extended and slick with spit His tongue licked over theainst the white of his teeth, and his lips tilted into an unfriendly smile Instinctively, Matt pulled Jasmine closer

That reaction came from the part of hi by the fire, he thought, the quick instinctive knowledge that there was so terrible out there in the dark

"Hold on," Damon told them Almost faster than Matt’s eyes could follow, he whipped open the door of the cage and dashed inside The young vampire snarled at him, and there was a brief vicious scuffle It ended when Darabbed his opponent’s head with both hands and twisted sharply There was a loud cracking sound and the kid slu froasped

"That should keep him down for a little while," Damon told her "Better hurry"

"He’s not dead?" Jasmine asked, stunned

"That wouldn’t even kill me, doctor," Damon said, amused "And he’s a lot harder to kill"

Hesitantly, Jas vampire’s side She felt for a pulse and frowned "His heart’s beating," she said, and Daive her roo confidence, Jas and briskly felt for a vein in the vampire’s arm She drew one vial of blood and started a second Matt loved watching Jas nervous or shy about her slipped away immediately Her hands were deft and quick, her irl this capable, this self-assured, wanted hiently moved the kid’s arm a bit to help the blood flow Matt frowned, and took a step forward Soht--

With a sudden burst ofhis arm around Jasmine’s neck and yanked her down onto the floor with him Jasmine screamed shrilly The vampire wrapped his hand in her curly hair and yanked back her head Throwing his body half over her, he sank his fangs into her throat, giving a soft sound of pleasure

"No!" Matt shouted, and charged toward the so fast he see the kid away fro vaain A trickle of blood ran froainst the dull gray of the concrete floor

Lifting Jase and slaainst Daray and drained

"She’s all right," Da Jas Jas, he realized, her cheeks ith tears

"I’m sorry," he whispered He knelt down and lowered her head into his lap, her long hair spilling across his thighs Then he turned to Daht?" he said furiously "How could you leave her in there with hi faster," Damon said, almost to himself "I didn’t know"