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She set a hand on the seat between theer with his Although he gave no outward sign of it, Lindsay felt the surprise that jolted hiaze trained out hisShe draped the top of her canvasthe contact froave a quick squeeze of gratitude

Oddlya source of comfort to him, Lindsay contemplated the closeness that had developed between the up to each other in ways they didn’t with others they’d known longer Why? Why had Adrian planned on taking her to his hoht? A restaurant would have been the wisest choice to prevent her fro his secrets And as he so intimate with her? So tender

Why did she let hiuarded with him, as she ith everyone else whose path she crossed?

She stared sightlessly at the passing vista, wondering why she seee and weird Why did she move so fast when she was only human? Her dad had taken her to the doctor for every runny nose and minor rash She’d had her share of dental and bone X-rays, routine blood work, and even a CAT scan when she’d gotten a concussion froround There was no medical explanation for her abilities But she was undeniably different, and her ano an affinity between her and Adrian She couldn’t decide if that was a blessing or not

They pulled off the road and into the parking lot of a small country hardware store As the car slid s Jason and Das

"We’re here," Adrian said, before exiting the vehicle

Her door opened, and Elijah stood there, tall and ih he was a muscular man with broad shoulders, he wasn’t oversized, yet his presence made him seem so Like Adrian, he clearly was so out, Lindsay took a deep breath and scanned her surroundings Hurricane seemed to be a small, one-main-street sort of town In addition to the hardware store, there were a couple fast-food establishrocery store, and a couple h her hair, screaasped and took a step back froht her arm to steady her

Adrian was beside her before she could catch her breath "What do you feel?"

She shivered "This place crawls"

"A nest, perhaps?" Daroup of rogue vamps," Adrian explained

Great Just what she’d alanted "There are definitely more than a few"

Da She’s hypersensitive"

Adrian gave a curt nod

She pulled herself together "Do ant to dig around now? Or wait for reinforceh once-over "Can you pinpoint their location?"

She nodded, knowing the ould steer her in the right direction if she gave it a chance "The closer I get to them, the more I’ll feel it I just need to wander around a bit"

"No" Adrian turned away as if that was all there was to say on the matter "Noe know Phineas wasn’t followed; he walked into a nest We can take it fro her"

Lindsay debated her nexthim in front of histo be denied the chance to help "for her own good"

When no better idea presented itself, she ith the only solution that came to mind--she walked away

She headed toward thethe roadthe highly visible location would prevent Adrian fro her--she wouldn’t put it past hi her over his shoulder and putting her where he felt was safest As it was, she felt his gaze on her For better or worse, her senses were as focused on hi their prey

Elijah fell into step beside her His eyes were shielded behind shades, but she kneas surveying the area with a predator’s meticulousness "FYI: there are usually consequences for defiance"

"I figured I’ to be okay?"

"I’ht"

"So you’re damned if you come with me and damned if you don’t" Her lips pursed "What do you think he’ll do?"

He shrugged "Not sure Insubordination is usually fatal, but I suspect he’ll go easier on you"

Apprehension rippled through her, intensifying the disquiet caused by the frantic wind She was certain Adrian was capable of things she couldn’t even ie of the Sentinels otherwise Still, she didn’t fear him--after all, it was her safety he was concerned with in the first place Worrying about the consequences wasn’t going to get her anywhere The only thing she could do hat she’d always done: put one foot in front of the other and keepseeood now With every step she took, Lindsay grew more co her the lead She appreciated that It gave her credit for having a brain and soap between her abilities and his, his show of trust meant a lot to her

As she and Elijah walked past a Dairy Queen, she glanced through the s There were fa so happily unaware Lucky bastards

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked "Or a wife? Kids?"

"I’e to see how closely Adrian was following It would actually be better if she were alone; a group of intiiveaway that so on "Is that who you lost? Your mate? Sorry--I shouldn’t pry"

Elijah looked at her "If I’d lost uish when their mates die Death folloiftly"

"Oh Like wolves? The real ones I read that they ain "Yes"

"That happens to hu ti after their spouse passes away Does the sa apply to vampires? And Sentinels?"