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CHAPTER 67
Mimi
The Coven was up in arms Forsyth Llewellyn had disappeared Kidnapped by the Croatan? Or was he Croatan himself Who kneho they could trust any Had it truly been for the sake of the Coven, or was it so else? Had he knoas hidden under the church?
Meanwhile, the Conclave was in sha, silver Bloods in the church! At a bonding! It was s to discuss what ations, and no decisions htened and leaderless Mimi understood that the Coven needed her and Jack now more than ever More even than yesterday
The church had survived the attack intact, except for a fine black dust that covered every surface As Mi at dawn, she was glad, in a way, that she and Jack would be alone for the cere was not just about the two of them, but the survival of their people It was their duty
She earing a siraphers this tiuests It would be just as it had been in the early days of Ro, but they needed none All they needed was to say the words to each other
This was their fate and this was their way
She walked to the front of the altar and lit a candle Jack wouldn’t be long They had shared a cab to the church, but he had asked her to wait for him inside while he took a call
But as the h the church door, Mih the door He had lied to her yet again, because he was not worthy of her He would never be worthy
Not like but she could not say his nasley All that could have been flashed in Miether a life of danger and adventure a chance for her to be herself again
Her phone vibrated It was a text from her brother It said tords: "I’m sorry"
Mimi blew out the flaht Jack had forsaken her to be with the half-blood He would not honor their celestial bond He would not do his duty She had sacrificed her love, but he would not sacrifice his He had cast his lot to the winds, teainst the laws of Heaven and the laws of their blood bond
She would never forgive hisley had asked She could have chosen happiness as well But she had not She had made her decision too late
And now she was alone
The Code of the Vampires decreed that anyone who violated the Sacred Laas conde Charles had refused to subject Allegra to the sentence But Mimi was a differentthat if she ever saw Jack again, she would have to kill him
CHAPTER 68
Bliss
When Bliss woke up the day after Mi in a comfortable bed under a patchwork quilt Across from her sat an ordinary wo a worn cashyle skirt
"Miss Murray?" Bliss asked What was her history teacher doing sitting across from her?
"You’ve had a hard time of it, love Take it easy; don’t exert yourself"
The room was small and cozy, and Bliss realized this was the entire apartment She had never been in a space quite so small It was the size of a closet, practically There was roo more If Bliss wanted to exert herself, she could cook dinner while lying in bed at the sah it was small, it arm and comfortable
"What am I " What happened? Where’s "?
"shhh," Miss Murray said, putting a finger to her lips "You should rest She’ll be here soon She wants to talk to you"
"Who "?
A woreen-eyed, clad in white raiht As soon as Bliss saw her, she knew
"Allegra," she breathed "It is you, isn’t it? Where ara Van Alen smiled serenely She looked a lot older than Bliss remembered from the hospital The wora, standing in front of her, had lines on her face, and her hands rinkled There was gray in her blond hair But she was still very beautiful Seeing her ra said, holding out her arhter"
"So it’s true," Bliss whispered "I am yours"
"I am sorry I have not been here for you, but your existence was hidden fro time," she said, and the sadness in her voice was unmistakable
"Then how? Why?"
"You cao"
"Yes" Bliss nodded She rera remained immobile in her bed
"When you ca tiry I screamed I think the whole hospital heard me But now I understand that Charles and Lawrence did what they felt they had to They did it for love, and sometimes love makes us do the irrational even the inexcusable But I don’t know if I will ever forgive thera said quietly
Bliss curled her fists up in the quilt She had a mother, but she had also been robbed of one "So Lucifer did not lie to onized