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Holding his body in my arms, I felt so close to him in every way: spirit and body When I ith him I always felt so free, so loved, so incredibly alive I did want to stay with him I wanted to sleep in his arms

"I will have to send notice to ic of Haven,the sweet snatius in my arms, but I wanted to take the risk and stay with hihtbeside the bed with a silver tray Upon it was a piece of paper, ink well and quill

Ignatius grinned at my expression and moved to hide my naked torso from the footers to take the ite the footman with suspicion He seemed quite unremarkable and looked at me with a rather bored expression

"This place always anticipates your needs," Ignatius said to da, then placed it on the silver tray The foot draperies hanging fro and disappeared I pushed back the purple silk and saw that the roonatius and I

"This place cannot possibly be real," I gasped

"Perhaps its not, but we are here together and that is real enough for natius answered

I cradled his face in my hands and kissed him I felt his arms slid around me as he pulled me to him As we kissed, I sank back into the silken pillows on the bed as his body settled over mine

"I am yours," I whispered

"And I ahtly played with his beard and his silken hair caressed my cheek "There is no place I would rather be than with you, Ignatius"

His response was a kiss That kiss deepened until our passion flared, and I was lost to all but our loveht-Continued

Buda , Hungary

I findto write about all that happened after I awakened with Ignatius in the lair of Astir the Fallen To awaken in the arnificent, but what followed soon after still hasas I sat beside hi raven hair as it flowed over his pale skin He seeave ht before, I seen his face shadoith pain when his past was reiven me pause a few times It does bother me to think that he was a man of God and that he is now as trapped in darkness as I ah, but how terrible is it for hi love with Ignatius in Astir’s haven, but the teh I wish not to admit it, I fear that Vlad will sonatius and that I will find myself cut off frohts until they were interrupted unexpectedly by a voice

"He looks quite tranquil when he sleeps"

I turned to see Astir standing near the bed Once more the creature was dressed in a white robe that draped over its tall sliht, Astir appeared h on its head and falling in long thick golden curls to its waist

"And he should not?"

"It is rare a your kind," Astir answered "Often your faces seenatius’ flat belly "I suppose But it is not very easy to be e are"

Astir shrugged "It is complicated only if you make it so"

"Do you drink the blood of riered hand, it moved further into view

Once more I took note of the terrible scars on its back

Astir’s eyes, burning flanatius "I came to you while he slept to warn you"

"To warn natius’ brow "Vlad will return by sunrise He has turned back out of fear"

I looked sharply at the Fallen "What do you mean?"

"He senses all is not well His dreams disturb him and he fears"

"For me?"

"Perhaps But he returns"

"Then I should return ho down at him with those fiery eyes "He loves you He will do all he can to be with you and keep you at his side But you weaken hiainst him"

"No," I whispered "No I love him! I will not hurt hihter "Only one man truly knows you Only one has seen all that you are capable of and truly knows your heart He alone fully sees that you are formidable and clever But he does not realize that you will destroy him"

Astir’s words struck me forcibly and I shrank back fro taller, longer, and fiercer Its eyes burned even s made of fire erupted from its back

"Your time for choice draws near You must choose wisely or all will be lost And even if you are victorious, you will taste bitterness and loss And you will know in that moment that what you love you have destroyed"

"No," I whispered in a strangled voice