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He stared athis head

"Mike?" I grabbed his forear, except the safety and freedoh some twisted, artificial love the blood lust causes you to feel, you could be putting this whole operation in jeopardy"

Sing hard, I nodded "Okay, Mike I already told you--I don’t want his blood It tasted old and dry" I pretended to wipe it away froh that was true, when all I really wanted was to feel it against ain

"You’re so stubborn, Ara" Mike pushed past me "You could just say you won’t drink it because you think I’h" A wide smile forced itself onto ain

"Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway I stand by what I said If I catch you alone with hi trouble Clear?"

"As a bell" I nodded But I think we both kneouldn’t listen I’d stay away fro the only friend I could truly confide in There was no way I’d give that up to ease Mike’s baseless fears

The ring tone had a kind of homely sound to it, and I hoped with all my heart that David would pick up, but when Emily’s sweet voice came down the line, I wasn’t really that surprised

"Hi, Es at the manor?"

"Great Hey, um, is David around?"

"Uu her throat "No"

"Liar Put hihed

"I--I can’t, Ara"

"Why?"

She went quiet, aside from voices muffled by what I assumed was a palm over the mouthpiece of the phone "Fine," she said, not to me "Um, Ara?"

"Still here"

"He’s…he went to the store about twenty ot But I’ll have hiet’s in"

"Emily" My voice broke

"Seriously He’s not here, okay"

"Co is…he kind of doesn’t want to talk right now"

"Why?"

"He’s…well, I actually don’t really know"

"Is he mad at me?"

There was a pause "No"

"Does he hate hed "Of course not"

"Then…I don’t really understand Why won’t he talk to me?"

"It’s complicated"

"Em? I really miss him I just want to say hello"

"Okay, well, I’ll talk to hiht"

"Okay" I frowned to myself "Um, can you at least tell hiument we had the other day"

"Sure I’ll tell hi up the phone and ditched it ontomyself down on top of it

Chapter Four

The soulful tunes I set out to play had been left behind soh the giantby the piano and played as in my heart--which, when translated into notes, sounded like a doleful h-pitched voice said from the side of the room, "--don’t you know any pleasant htly as I looked up at the wo sunny"

"Hh to dust the top of the mirror beside the piano "Troubles of the heart?"

Hesitantly, I nodded, taking in her aged face and short, white-grey curls; she had a kind of ‘nanny’ look about her "I don’t like arguing with people It makes me feel uneasy, and then when I can’t resolve it, I feel like I’ve been tied up" I dropped ht when I’ up most of the piano stool "Knohat I do when I can’t clear hthouse, cli to the shore" She s distant "Ever since they first erected that lighthouse in fourteen-oh-two, it’s been ?"

She nodded "I was human back then, but, yes, I’ve been here some years now"

"Years? That’s htful "Ti Lilith was running these halls"

I sighed, ionly hthouse? No one will show me the way" I closed the cover on the piano

"Go out here and through the garden to the left" She pointed to the big doors "There’s a dirt road leading through the forest Follow that to a clearing and go down the hill You’ll see the lighthouse from quite far off You can’t miss it"

"Thank you," I said and stood up "And, uet your name"

"Kitty, lovely Kitty Jomane-lonique"

I extended my hand and she shook it softly "Nice to meet you, Kitty"