Page 11 (2/2)

The accusation in his voice threw lowered at hied the back of his neck, somewhat contrite "Yeah I know Sorry It’s been stressful, watching you suffer and not being able to help"

Slowly I relaxed "Has a slayer ever bitten another slayer like that?"

"Not to e Not while both are still human"

Why Justin? Why me? What had been different? "Did I try to bite anyone while I wasout of it?" Theback to me Cole I’d tried to bite Cole

"Just me," he said without any hint of ee "I’ht?"

He gave one, sharp nod "You did"

I relaxed again, but only slightly "I’m so sorry, Cole I don’t knohat caain I proed--and I wasn’t sure whether he was trying to tell me he believed meor that he didn’t

"I mean it," I insisted

"You tried to bite me more than once," he said flatly

Oh I didn’t remember the other times "I’m so sorry," I repeated "I didn’t realize"

"I know"

I gulped Was he disgusted withwe’d destroy each other?"

"Maybe, but like you, I don’t think Justin knehat he was doing"

Agreed The red I’d seen in his eyes "Where is he now?"

"Ankh kept hieon, as you like to call it, for a few days toand he wouldn’t try to attack anyone else Tests were run, and a strange toxin was found in his blood Not zombie, but actually antizombie Different than what’s in the antidote We think it’s what"A few days? How long have I been out? Did you check my blood, too?"

Used to my rapid-fire questions, he easily followed "About a week And yes You had--have--the same antizombie toxin, only you have a lot more of it, which makes us think you shared it with him when he bit you"

Crap I’d lost another week of rades "How and where would I have gotten an antizombie toxin? And why is it in ed "Could be an ability, like the visions And if it’s in your spirit, it’s in your blood We have to test e can"

Yes Okay All of that made sense

When I’d first e nuh it, I’d learned soe abilities no one could explain A poisonous spirit, and thereby blood, had been on the list--which was actually a good thing Like Justin, the zo me

"Just so you knoe told everyone you’d overdone it and reopened your wound," Cole said "Both of which are true"

"Thank you"

He nodded,me? Just like that?

"Cole," I called "We need to talk"

"You need to rest"

"Cole" My voice lashed like a whip I wasn’t letting hiet away Not this time

He paused, faced ave a single nod, and the formality of the action worried ivefor battle "Sos aren’t meant to be discussed, Ali"

Today, I just couldn’t accept that I’d come this far "At Hearts, you couldn’t spend tiue over his teeth "I’ve already told you all I’ to say on that subject"

"You askedyou to trust h! I tried a different approach, saying, "You told me you wanted me to stay away from Gavin, and yet you have been the one to stay away fro, but he wasn’t giving anything back "What we just saw in the vision--"

"Will happen" Fury blazed in his eyes,me miss the expressionless mask "You knoill It always does"

I’d denied it to myself, but I couldn’t deny it to him He’d call my bluff "Maybe it doesn’t mean e think it means"

His head tilted to the side, and he studied me intently Hopefully? "What do you think it means?"

"Idon’t know" I wasn’t at my best just then But I knew that just because I’d stood with Gavin, and Cole had stood with Veronica, and just because I’d hadso peacefully at Veronica, didn’t ed with Gavin and Veronica "What do you think it means?"

Please tell me what I want to hear

He would He had to Not many people were as layered as Cole A hard outer shell covered razor blades, and razor blades covered steel But for those willing to dig--and endure the injuries and bleeding--a soft, gooey center could be found I’d dug I’d found it He wouldn’t let o, wouldn’t turn to Veronica

"I think it meanswe’re over," he said, and closed his eyes

He would He really would

Hele" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>