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Grigori stood in front of the house he shared with Marisa, i it on his mind so he could picture her here while he ay A year wasn&039;t such a long tiain, but a year without Marisa it would see an oath, he climbed the porch stairs and opened the front door Her scent enveloped him the moment he entered the house, and he took a deep breath, as if to inhale her very essence

"Grigori?"

Hein the dark?" He crossed the room and sat down beside her on the sofa

"I don&039;t know It just seeed "I don&039;t know"

He slid his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer

"I love you," she whispered, snuggling against hiuess what bad news you&039;d bring hoertips drifted over his cheek "It is bad, isn&039;t it?"

"That depends," he replied, "on how you feel about separate vacations"

"What?"

There was no easy way to say it, no way toto move in with Khira"

Marisa stared at hi save for the expression on his face She felt suddenly sick to her stomach "Move in? With her?"

He nodded "For a year"

Marisa shook her head "Why?" She wanted to say, "What about me?" but she was afraid of the answer

He told her the rest of it as gently as he could - how Khira had threatened to kill her if he refused

"So you&039;re going to live with her, because of me?"

"Cara, what else can I do?"

"I don&039;t know" She wanted to cry, to screaainst his chest and deht"

"So soon?" Rising, she went to stand in front of the , her back to him so he couldn&039;t see her tears

He sat there ato the tears roll down her cheeks, and then he went to stand behind her, close but not touching Waiting

She turned and buried her face against his shoulder "Why is she doing this?"

Grigori shrugged "Who can say why she does what she does? She is easily bored Perhaps she will grow tired of me before the year is out"

Marisa shook her head No worow tired of such a ori" She wrapped her arms around his waist "I&039;ain"

"Hush, cara It will be all right A year is not so long"

"Maybe not to you Please don&039;t go Let&039;s leave town Now, tonight"

"Marisa, there is no way you can hide from her"

"But you can, can&039;t you?"

He nodded "I could go to ground, but you and I would still be apart And I cannot - I will not - take a chance on her taking her anger ata valiant effort not to cry "What will I do without you for a whole year?"

"Spend it doing whatever you wish Finish decorating the house Go see your family Take a vacation"

She nodded, unable to speak past the luood time for you to rethink our relationship"

"What do youher hand, he led her to the sofa and drew her down beside hiood look at me You knohat I aone We have talked about bringing you over This will give you a chance to decide if it is what you really want"

"You&039;re tired of me, aren&039;t you? That&039;s what this is all about"

A vile oath escaped his lips "You don&039;t mean that"

"Then why aren&039;t you more upset by it all? You tell me to do whatever I want, take a vacation I want to be with you"

His knuckles brushed her cheek "Marisa"

"Go on," she said, bolting to her feet "Go play with Khira for a year Two years! I don&039;t care"

"You don&039;t mean that"

"Don&039;t I?" She had truly hurt hi co She held herself stiff and cold, a cold that radiated froht you loved me"

"Cara, cara "He reached for her, and for the first time in their relationship, she pulled away He dropped his hands by his side and stood, stricken

"I asked Ramsey to look after you while I&039;m away," he said woodenly "To protect you"

"Isn&039;t Ramsey afraid of Khira, too?" she asked bitterly "If she is such a fearsome creature, how can he be expected to protect me, if you can&039;t?"

"Marisa das you don&039;t know, things I can&039;t tell you! Not when your life hangs in the balance"

"I know enough Khira calls, and you co She is quite beautiful, after all" She forced a sori reacted as if she had slapped him "Marisa"

She had never heard his voice so full of pain and longing But she steeled herself against it