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Allowing my body to be used was out of the question, and so was bludding her I couldn’t stand the thought of this horrid creature touchingthe earth with ht on it And still I had reached the same conclusion

A clock chiht, and I can’t wait to hear your choice, little pretty"

"Fine Let’s get this over with"

Her hands stroked the silk on my shoulders, and her breath tickled my ear, and she said, "What’ll it be, doll?"

I took a deep breath and bared s as my hands locked around her throat

"Neither," I hissed

"You" she whispered, choking as she dangled in oblet dropped fro

"I’m not a pet" I squeezed, both thu"

Cora tried to s, her throat working under ers

"I’ll tell--"

"You’ll tell no one Because if you do, I’ll find you and drain you dry and toss you over the rail"

I loosened asp "You wouldn’t dare"

"Try me I would relish it"

I dropped her, and she collapsed on the bed, one hand to her bruised neck I stood with asskirt hid led her earlier in the afternoon I had stalled and acquiesced, hoping for a better choice But, as ever, a predator was a predator, and ht for After straightening my dress, I turned to her She looked pathetic and broken, lying there, lipstick smeared and creamy skin mottled with maroon splotches

"You would make a terrible Bludwoman, Cora"

"This isn’t over"

"I’ll decide when it’s over" I shed "But understand me when I say that this is e my mind"

By the ti herself another glass of wine froreen crystal decanter

15

I ran down the halls, runting against the walls, and the ? There’s a silver in it for you"

I had to fight the urge to gut hiry and scared and ashary Cora’s wine had left e I didn’t even pause as I turned the corner

The door was open just the tiniest bit, and inside, Keen was crying I peeked in through the doorway, unsure of how to approach Casper glared atshoulders, her head buried in his shirt and her back to ly rip at the neck thatcare of e accent

"I didn’t know, honey," hemine "I had to help Ahna"

"She doesn’t need you She’s a freakin’ Dracula But I’rabme to back off That I’m not your dad"

Keen pushed away fro, her shoulder blades heaving She held the torn neck of the thin white cheether as she said, "You’re as stupid as he was You think I don’t see what’s been happening? I’m not that naive You’re not the same as you hen you found me You savedto lose me God, this is so fucked up Like a DisneyStupid princesses"

She still hadn’t seen me Casper drew her back into his are, but she had never seeainst hi his chest weakly hite fists

She looked up at his face and followed his line of sight straight to lish accent "Can’t even let us have a id "I didn’t ask to be here"

She snorted, and one, the stone-eyed urchin left to scowl atyou back to our world, are we?"

"My entire country is at stake" My fingers curled into claws at ether with each word "This is not a lark or a pleasure trip The lives of thousands of people hang in the balance Perhaps you’re unfamiliar with responsibility With politics With faetto talk to lish accent entirely, advancing onstanding in her way "You have no idea who I ah You’re the most selfish, superior, nasty bitch I’ve everin a place where toddlers will cut your throat for bread You will not take the only thing I have left"

The beast inher Casper’s eyes didn’t leave me