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She s me"

"You don&039;t hate me, then, cara?"

"I could never hate you But tell me, how did you become Vampyre?"

He related the story quickly, and then told her everything that had happened since Alexi had escaped the carnival "And now he&039;s brought Marisa here," he said in conclusion, "and I&039;ve got to find her"

Comprehension flickered in Antoinette&039;s eyes "You love her"

He had not wanted to admit it, not even to himself, but he couldn&039;t lie to Antoinette "Yes"

She accepted it with a nod of her head "What do you want me to do?"

"I&039;m not sure"

"We are three to his one," Antoinette said with determination "He shall not escape us"

"Don&039;t underestith is not equal to his, and yours is less than mine"

"I am not afraid of him," Antoinette replied with a toss of her head "I will not rest until I have avenged the deaths of ori, and you must promise me you will do it"

A stillness rose within hio on He knehat she would ask Knew he could not do it

"When he is dead, when our children have been avenged, you will destroy"Cara, do not ask this of ori, I do not want to live in darkness I cannot live on the lives of others Promise me"

He hesitated alook passed between them, and then she smiled at him

"He&039;s at old Pietro&039;s winery, and Marisa is with hio"

"Are you crazy?" Ramsey exclaimed "It&039;s a trap"

"Don&039;t you think I know that?" Grigori asked, his voice sharp "But I can&039;t leave her there You knohat he&039;ll do if I don&039;t come"

"He&039;ll do it anyway!"

"Perhaps, but I told you once before, we&039;ll never catch him until he lets us This may be our only chance"

"We need a plan," Ra He clutched his cross, rubbing it between his pal tiori replied with a wry grin "Let&039;s go"

Marisa woke to darkness When she tried to move, she discovered that her hands were bound behind her back Fighting down the fear that threatened to choke her, she sat up and glanced around Nothing but blackness ainst the ropes that bound her wrists, but to no avail

Where was Alexi?

Where was Grigori?

Where was she?

She had a vague recollection of waking in a sh the rooained her feet and then, one shoulder against the wall, she began to walk slowly around the roo for a door She cried out when her knee struck so around, she felt the obstruction with her hands It was a staircase Moving carefully, she cli when she hit her head She was in a cellar She could see a sliver of dark blue sky through the crack in the heavy double doors above her head

"Hello? Is anyone there?" She heard the edge of panic in her voice "Hello! Help , Marisa"

The low voice startled her She whirled around, her foot slipping on the stair With a shriek, she tumbled down the steps to land in a heap on the earthen floor The sound of soft laughter filled her ears

"Grigori will coame I will drain his life, and that of the vampyre hunter, as well, and then I shall make you mine"

"No!"

"Oh, yes, Marisa Do not doubt it" He cocked his head to the side, and sori stood at the entrance to the cellar, his senses probing the darkness Marisa was here, and so was Alexi He glanced at Antoinette, standing serenely beside him, then at Ramsey Tension flowed froht gleamed off the cross around his neck He held a hawthorne stake in one hand, a hammer in the other A bottle of holy water was tucked into his coat pocket

Grigori blew out a deep breath

There was nothing to be said They would rescue Marisa and kill Alexi, or they would die

He kissed Antoinette, and then he turned, took hold of the cellar doors, and ripped the on the floor at the foot of the stairs Blood oozed fro The scent inflamed his senses

"Alexi!"

"I am here, Chiavari"

"Show yourself"

"Coaori launched hi Marisa into his arms, he carried her out of the cellar and thrust her into Ramsey&039;s arms "Get her out of here! Now!"

He didn&039;t wait for an answer, but flew back into the cellar, his gaze piercing the darkness, his nostrils flaring, his fangs bared

"I&039;ori could locate the voice, Alexi was on hiht Alexi had fed recently, and the scent of blood teased Grigori&039;s senses Alexi clawed at his face and chest, his nails and teeth tearing through skin and flesh and thened, his own hands becah the air The sound of Alexi&039;sin his ears The scent of his own blood filled his nostrils

He felt the va at his throat The thought of the va Alexi away fro thud as the vampyre slammed into the wall Al blood-red in the darkness, his lips stained with crimson

Blood It was everywhere Marisa&039;s His own Alexi&039;s The air was thick with the warori like a bright cri but the awful need that overshadowed everything else He felt Alexi&039;s fingernails tear at his throat again, slashing through his flesh, severing his jugular, and he fell back, his strength gushing out of him in a dark red torrent

A shrill screaori sat up in time to see her drive a fat wooden stake into Alexi&039;s back With a roar of pain and rage, Alexi whirled around to face her

With a feral growl, Antoinette hurled herself at Alexi All trace of hu herself at the creature who had killed her children Her ar on with iron tenacity

Alexi reeled backward, his eyes blazing with pain, the wooden stake protruding froed to hold on Her fangs sank deep into his neck Her nails gouged his cheeks, his eyes

Grigori watched, helpless, as Antoinette and Alexi struggled Even though Alexi was bleeding, even though she had driven a stake into his body, her strength, that of a newlycorowl ruular

"No!" Gathering what little strength he had left, Grigori gained his feet and grabbed Alexi&039;s arori stue of the stairs He felt the skin split, felt a rush of hot blood flon his neck

"It&039;s not over, Chiavari," Alexi declared, and clutching Antoinette&039;s liori tried to stand up, but he had no strength left Blood soaked his clothing, the ground beneath hi the time, and knew he had to find a place to hide before the sun found hied hi for shelter