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I clenchedinto ed "He only gave the name Vad"

"This Vad came to your house and killed your father in front of you?" Myopen and I felt sick to my stomach

"No, my father went to it and corief My Aunt Nancy, his sister, begged the spawn to take her instead, although she screaain he’d made"

"He didn’t tell her?"

"No But that’s not the worst part" The tears stopped and her fists clenched tight around her teacup until it sprang frorasp and clattered on the wooden floor "I hired a seeker to find the identity of the spaho struck this bargain The seeker found more, so much more than I wanted to know This spawn had allies, dark creatures I’d never heard of before One of those had given ular con job this spawn ran"

"You’ve got to be kiddingsick and dizzy and furious all at once "This thing gave people cancer?"

"Yes" Her voice grew very quiet "But I found its weaknesses I caught it And I tortured it to death"

My skin went cold

Stacey’s eyes widened and she pressed herself against me "I do not mean to insult you," she said, "but you don’t seehan’s dull eyes met ours "Sometimes you have to be a monster to deal with one"

"And, I think that’s about enough," Ryland said, cohan by the shoulders "You’re starting to scare your guests, sugah"

She shook her head as though clearing a fog, and a contrite look passed over her face "I’m sorry I really am" She stood shakily "I’ve become as bad as them, haven’t I?"

"No you haven’t," Ryland said "Not by a long shot, hon"

Stacey gave Ryland a wondering look "Did they neuter you when you were a pup?" she asked hihed "You’re a lively one, sweet thang" He looked her up and down "I think I liked you better when you were naked, though"

Her eyes grew huge as her face glowed scarlet "You met me at a rather low point in roaned

"I’et on ive ood idea"

"I don’t care A painkiller, please I’m sure I’ll heal up just fine"

"You don’t understand I used a great deal of your blood and with it, the special blood plasent Your supernatural healing relies on that essence, so even if you feed--" She shuddered and took a breath before continuing "Feeding won’t help enerates That will take a day or two"

I thought of Dad Of Elyssa I didn’t knohat in the world Moe dreaet off my ass and meet Sging in bed

"Stacey, please ood it felt to have her warainst me I tried to tell myself it wasn’t because she had such nice curves in all the right places and, when she was fully human, kissed really well Elyssa would break me over her knee if she found out about that kiss

"But Justin"

"No buts, girl Move it"

She stood, worry creasing her brow "Shall I help you?"

I shook ruff so I took another sater and wrestled it down ain

Every rippedit off the cot I repeated the process withback the cries of pain best I could

"Stop it, Justin, stop!" Meghan said, pleading, but not going quite so far as to touchony exploded in every joint andI didn’t realize at first I was standing up

Stacey took ripped my other, an amused expression on his face

"You’re one stubborn son of a gun," he said, his s