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The va amid an array of black silk sheets and feather pillows, she contemplated the events of particular interest to her that had transpired halfway across the world

Alexi had been destroyed

Grigori had bequeathed the Dark Gift to another

Her blood flowed in the veins of a newly ori She had not seen him in centuries She let her mind expand then fold in on itself, and she kneithin that part of her being that had created hi, she went to theand drew back the heavy velvet draperies that shut out the sun during midday, when she was the most vulnerable She ran her hand over the soft velvet She was a sensual creature, and she s the feel of the velvet beneath her palh, the material still war was second nature now, precise The sun had descended just beyond the distant hills moments before she parted the curtains The sky was ablaze with streaks of bloodred crimson and scarlet and lavender as the sun descended behind the distant hills

Sweetest night, mistress mine, a toast to thee with ori had written for her centuries ago, when he had been enaht up in his new life, he had been hungry for every new experience Hungry for blood Hungry for her How romantic he had been then, she ht, fangs, glitter, shine, harvesting the huame, Hunter, Prey, ,the same, badly Chase the ear Too soon &039;tis done; they are gone, horizon lightens, hated Dawn As morn approaches, I a, satin lined, soon I shall be deaf and blind Deepest sleep through bitter light, coht

Grigori She had never ed her as he had, excited her as he had - as he still did, though she had not seen hientle, yet masterful, sure of hier, but he had ori" She whispered his na in her veins

In centuries past, she had visited all the countries in Europe, but she had never been to the United States Perhaps it was time It had been years since she left Italy No matter where she went, she always returned here, to the place where she had ori

A faint sain He had always held a special place in her affections She recalled the first night she had seen hirief had burned like a bonfire in the night, drawing her with its warmth Even in the mire of his desolation, his life force had been powerful, throbbing He had looked right through her, blind to her beauty then, his whole being infused with pain and hate

" What are you doing here?" she had asked, and he had told her what had happened - how Alexi had taken his wife and killed his children

"And do you wish to join your children in death?" she had asked

"No!" he had declared vehee them! But how can I? How can I?"

"How indeed," she had replied softly "Shall I show you how?"

"Only show me," he had replied with a bravado she had knoas false "And I will do whatever you ask"