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Jez burst through the door and turned immediately into the small library off the front hall Her uncle was

sitting there at his desk, surrounded by built-in bookcases He looked up in surprise

"Uncle Bracken, as le rush of

breath And then Jez wanted to say, "Tellwildly, "Tell

me it’s not true It’s not possible, is it? Uncle Bracken, I’m so scared"

Her uncle stared at her for a moment There was shock and despair in his face Then he bent his head

and shut his eyes

"But how is it possible?" Jez whispered "How a

theShe was sitting on the floor, back

against a bookcase, where she’d collapsed, staring

emptily into the distance "You mean, how can a vampire-human halfbreed

exist? I don’t know Your parents never knew They never expected to have children" Uncle Bracken

ran both hands through his hair, head down "They didn’t even realize you could live as a vaht you toand I was the only person he could trust He knew I

wouldn’t turn you over to the Night World elders"