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I put my hand on Edward’s arm and he flinched The reaction never lost its power to hurt me Why I continued to touch thethat familiarity would end the contempt

"You can’t shoot him, Edward" I kept my voice low, just above a whisper "Pro There is no telling what "

He had a point I leaned forward, ignoring how he tensed as I came closer "Don’t shoot him unless he’s furry Okay?"

"For now"

Nic caave you?"

My hand went toit The talisers, and I yanked them away "Must have fallen out while ere on the ATV"

Nic shrugged "I know it by heart," he said, and followed in Edward’s wake

My boss called back, "Perhaps the five of you should bring one another up to speed on things"

The twoSince I was the seniorh jumped in

"Have you found the cure?"

I glanced at Dah "Not yet"

Her exhale of annoyance was accompanied by a few choice curse words

"I’ve been experian

Not only had Leigh’s family been wiped out by olves, but the alpha who had ordered the attack had coh his mate Damien had other ideas

He’d killed Hector Menendez and ended the man’s bid for power, but he hadn’t been able to save Leigh

Only I could

"What works on a regular olf - "

I took a deep breath The words regular olf always stuck to ue

Damien wasn’t like the rest, demonic inside, possessed by blood lust and the need to kill beneath theas his belly was full No, Daht not work on him," I continued "I need to do more tests Fiddle with the for sky-high is going to slow me down"

"Any clue as behind that?"

Jessie had inched closer as we spoke Will, too The four of them stood in a little cluster, with ht for the sa, worked for and admired the same man

"None," I answered

"Had to be olves," Leigh murmured "Unless they’re like Damien - and no one else that we know of is - they won’t want to be cured They like to kill"

"But how did they find out what Elise is working on?" Jessie asked "It’s supposed to be top secret"

Leigh rolled her eyes "Sheesh, McQuade, soum at the same time"

Jessie’s eyes narrowed She took one step toward Leigh and Will grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back

"Behave," he ordered

Leigh s against Will’s hold He lifted her clear off her feet, which was quite an acco she was only a few inches shorter than he was

"Leigh," Daether"

He glanced at ed as if to say "Kids will be kids" Sohting over a single piece of candy

I found it hard to fathom how the two of theuing and taking swings at each other Of course, I’d never had a friend, so as I to judge?

"Let o, Slick," Jessie ordered "I won’t kick her ass until later"

Leigh snorted "As if"

Will set Jessie back on her feet and nuzzled her neck A soft, goofy sh , childish, and sarcastic, but they were also totally, adorably in love with Will and Damien I couldn’t help but envy them

"Promise?" Will pressed

"What do you want me to do? Write it in blood?"

"Not today" He let her go She pushed away from him with a well-placed elbow to his storin grew

"Quit playing around," Leigh said "Does anyone re killed? Monsters getting away?"

I hadn’t forgotten; I’d just pushed that issue to the back ofconcerns

"Since our identities are already on the ht have blabbed what Elise is up to"

"If they aren’t aware of it already, they could find out soon enough" All eyes turned to me "The test subjects in the basement I don’t know if they’re alive, dead, or booking theer"

"Edward said you killed Billy Bailey" Jessie’s skepticisaze flicked over e that?"

If I told her I’d ripped out Billy’s throat, she’d rip out mine

"It wasn’t easy," I said, and left it at that "But I never saw the others They could be dead"

"Could be" Jessie contemplated my face "But I have to say, if you’d kept me in the baseot"

I"What’s your point?"

I had nothing to be asha out loud I wasn’t going to feel sorry for Satan in a fur coat

"My point? If they didn’t head straight for you, I think they’re ashes"

"Billy wasn’t"

"But he is now Right?"

I blinked Hell

"You didn’t burn him?" Jessie practically shouted

"I was fresh out of matches"

"Yet you had a silver bullet?"

Not exactly

"It doesn’t h interjected "The et rid of the evidence and avoid questions Where you left hiers will have a field day Even if they don’t, there’s a dead wolf in Montana Happens"

Leigh was right Still, I felt like astandard J-S procedure That I wasn’t a standard J-S agent was no excuse As second in command I should have known better

And as second in co on in Fairhaven My gaze wandered over the trees What had they been shooting at e’d arrived?

I took a step toward the forest, and Daood idea, Elise, we - "

Damien’s power slammed into me; I could taste his heartbeat, feel the virus in his blood I knehat he was, but then, I’d always known, and because of that I’d never lethis hand away, Damien stumbled back The others stared at us as if we’d both lost our h reached for hirasp

"Wait Giveanother olf in hu your wet finger into a buzzing electrical outlet

Da hand over his face, then shook his head

"You’re like me"