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That had been another mistake, and he had known it as soon as the scent that induced thrall and rapture began rolling off his skin No one knehat mysterious bodily process produced the Darkyn’s individual, intoxicating scents, but once his body took control, there was little that he or his victim could do to resist it She had been his before he had risen fro table to take her

Yet by the ti, it was too late She called hiun

He had never fought thrall, but he had never realized it brought hungers so exquisitely painful that they all but tore hiush of blood Even as hehi her down into the blood dreams, where the dance would slow and finally end Once there, however, guilt and outrage--he had not attacked her voluntarily; he knew that--made the dreams unbearable

Michael refused to let her die

Alexandra dwindled, leaving him alone in the dreams Michael had not lain enthralled since he had first risen as Darkyn, so it took hiht his way out There was also the fear of what he would find when he awoke

She saved me Did I kill her for it?

Michael closed his newly restored eyes as he recalled what he had done to her Despite his orders, Alexandra had been left alone with him When Phillipe had wrenched theh to drive Michaelwound in her neck, then ripping into his ar his blood down her throat

Why had he done that? Darkyn blood poisoned every hu you, Alexandra

Could you love me a little first?

It struck hiiven her death And then a new, stronger wave of bloodlust had coain, and he had struck a second time

Vivez pour moi, he had shouted at her when Phillipe had pulled him away Over and over

Live for me

In the delusions of thrall, Michael had somehow convinced himself that he could save her with his own blood That she, unlike all the others, would survive

Alexandra saved ed fro world, he opened his eyes for the second tiain He used his restored vision to tear the curtains fro out of it "Phillipe?"

"Here, Master" His seneschal held out his robe

He pulled on his trousers and stalked past him Colors and shapes whirled around hi, the soft, distressed sound of it hissing in his ears "Upstairs? How badly did I hurt her?" Perhaps it was not as terrible as he re the real into the surreal

"She is gone, Master" Phillipe followed him up the stairs "I sent your tresora away, as well"

Michael halted and turned around "Why?"

"She fears what you will do to her" He explained what had happened, how Éliane had sent hiery, and then locked Alexandra in alone with Michael "Had I knohat she planned, I would have stopped you, or killed her"

Michael dropped into the nearest chair and held his head in his hands Rage pounded behind his eyes, eyes that Alexandra Keller had reopened with her bright heart as much as her skilled hands "Is it as I remember? Did I take her?"

"Yes" Phillipe rubbed his temple "When I came back, you were deep in thrall, and the doctor was…" He shook his head

Alexandra Now that he could actually see her face, it would re at hiry claws "What did you do with the body?"

"She is not dead" Phillipe took a step back "Not yet"

Michael came out of the delicately carved chair so violently that the scrolled armrest snapped off "What did you say?"

"She lives" His seneschal produced a fax

The report, faxed froht Dr Alexandra Keller to his attention was succinct but complete The doctor had been found by the authorities--found alive--in a restroom at O’Hare Airport She had been transported to a local hospital, where she was admitted to intensive care Her condition was still listed as serious