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"I’ out here," she announced

They stopped, looked at her

Mary Ann studied Aden, and she couldn’t help but wonder if this would be one of the last ti like that He was such a beautiful boy He was a natural blond, but he dyed his hair black His eyes werea soul, as well as Aden himself, and when those colors blended, his eyes looked completely black

He was as tall as Riley and just as erous, Aden wasand cast spiky shadows over his cheeks His lips were perfectly pink and soft-looking

"Everything okay?" he asked her, frowning with concern

She loved hi to miss him terribly "I just think it’s better if I stay out here," she said as Riley said, "Mary Ann’s not feeling well"

They shared a sht, after he’d realized beyond any doubt that she was a Drainer, he had fallen silent He had held her while she absorbed the witch’s power, strengthening, and then, after Victoria returned theotten back into bed with her Still without saying a word She hadn’t spoken, either, though

She doubted either of the their tih, she returned her attention to Aden She stepped up, reached out and clasped his hand His skin arm, callused "Good luck," she said, "and be careful"

He squeezed her fingers "Always"

"You were feeling fine a o," Victoria said with a frown of her own "Are you…afraid? You shouldn’t be You’re protected now"

"Only against certain things"

"Oh" Victoria shook her head, long dark hair waving around her arirl, the perfect match to perfect Aden Pale, flawless skin, lips of the deepest scarlet Eyes of sapphire blue No wonder Aden had fallen for her so quickly and so hard "I see," she said

But she didn’t Her expression had coritten all over it, just as Mary Ann had known it would That was okay, though This was better than Victoria knowing the truth--and trying to kill her

So , screa for help, proved just how far she’d come

Victoria and Aden turned and strode into the cabin Riley re as the pair disappeared

"I’ll be fine," she assured him

"I know"

It was the first time he’d spoken directly to her today, and she relished the sound of his voice

"Are you nervous?" he asked "About tomorrow?"

She opted not to lie to hih You know? I’ain "I regret that eren’t…together last night"

Just then, so did she She regretted so s She should have spent iven him sooner for how he’d lied about her mother He wouldn’t recover if he lost Mary Ann, too He would be alone, no one there to look out for hiht blahts that he could have done so," Riley said, bringing her back to the present "For you"

"I know," she was the one to say this time "We’ve had a wild feeeks, haven’t we?"

"We certainly have"

"And I’m sorry, I really am You wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for me" If she hadn’t met Aden, she wouldn’t have met Riley, and if she hadn’t met Riley, she wouldn’t have spent every sparethe the course of his life

"Hey Don’t talk like that The one thing I don’t regret is ruffly "Never that"

To be honest, she didn’t either He was one of the best things to have ever happened to her Nohim

From inside the cabin, the witch cursed At least she’d recovered frohed wearily "I better get in there"