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"All your life?"

A chuckle could be heard in her reply "Yes"

"Do you have family left?"

"No My parents were killed a couple of years back"

"I’m sorry to hear that"

She paused, and I wondered if I said so what she was thankingsorry… Most of us have lost someone you know… Most of us Naturals," she said softly I could hear the sadness in her voice "Most of the vampires think that it’s normal It’s the first time I heard a vampire sympathize"

I had no idea what to say to that, so I just re myself moved by the sweetness of her voice

"It’s okay to turn around now…"

I turned to face her and found her tying the knot of her haltered dress behind her neck When she finished, she dropped her arms to her side and smiled at me

I narrowed my eyes at her "Why are you not afraid of me?" I couldn’t help but ask

She seemed taken aback by the question for a couple of seconds I felt as if she were scrutinizingif she could really trustto respond, but to

"My parents were always afraid They would’ve gotten a heart attack if they found out that I’d been bathing at the lake and that a va it When they died, I decided that I wasn’t going to be afraid anymore" She looked around, a bitter s her eyes "This is my life My parents hoped that ould someday escape The Shade, but I don’t want to wait until I’that if you wanted to take advantage of me or drink my blood then you would’ve already done so And if you did, I would be powerless to stop you, but you are doing nothing of that sort, so…" She tilted her head to the side, her eyes set on me "Should I be afraid of you?"

I shookto fear when it coan to cherish those uard the part of the wall near the lake, because I knew that I would see Anna I looked forward to the conversations I had with her She was ser to learn She often asked me about what the world was like outside The Shade and she hung on to my every word I wanted to tell her how I felt about her, how ht, I decided that I would, but then she didn’t show up

My heart broke the next tilie s with adoration as she stared up at the Elite vaht the world of her as he brushed his finger over her dark hair and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek

They seemed to be a couple in love When news broke out that Felix was going to turn Anna into a va with her, then all of a sudden, he got tired of her He left her at The Catacombs and she lost her one was the fearless young woman who felt safe around me at the lake She took one look atup into a corner, whiuts to approach her again after that… until time ca to Anna for hours When the door to the room they were locked in finally opened, a radiant Anna stepped out Ian and I stood up at the sight of her She raised her eyes and gave Ian a quick glance – alnize hiaze toward e smile and to my surprise, she ran to me and wrapped her arms around my neck

I was frozen for a while, not sure as happening I looked at Ian then at Corrine, who smiled and nodded my way

"Should I be afraid of you?" Anna whispered inme of the first time I saw her at the lake "No, Anna," I responded,to fear when it comes to me You’re safe with me"

She nodded into my shoulder "I always did feel safe with you, Kyle"

Later that day, I asked Corrine what happened and the witch told me that some of Anna’s memories came back – one of which was the time she spent with me at the lake

"She says that she only feels safe with you out of all the vahter echoed inin theon one of the swings rocking gently as she began blowing bubbles I hungrily took the sight of her in, finding myself enamored by her like I usually was She lookedsle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>