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Nowadays, no one but Cole smiled when they looked at me

"You’re the best, Nana"

"Of course I aertip againstto tell me about your tattoos?"

Uh-oh "Are you mad?" I asked softly

"No, but you’re a minor and I would have liked to be a part of the decision"

"Well" If I survived the coht as arn her about tattoos three and four "I would like to get two more"

"What? And why?"

I explained about the slayers, and the memorials they had etched on their bodies, and her expression softened I told her how badly I wanted to honor Pops, but left the details of the fourth tattoo vague It had to do with Cole

"All right," she said with a sigh "I givewith you Now, should I inject you with the medicine? I’ve never used a needle before, but I’ve watched a lot of TV, so I’ht"

"Sure, just--" My gaze had locked on her neckon her pulse, glowing so prettily, beating so softly, wafting the sweetest scent to , I closed my eyes When it caer than I’d ever realized But right noasn’t going to take any chances

"Are you all right, dear?" she asked, flattening her hand over my brow "You do feel warm"

I hissed at the moment of contact

Bite her, ZA whispered

"I’ll be fine, don’t worry Just Nana, I love you soto inject myself, okay?"

"I love you, too," she said, but I heard the hurt in her tone "And I’ll give you your privacy, but please don’t shutfro, withdrawing one, three, six specially y antidote I stuck ain, and felt the fae to bite and feed left er able to feed offfaded fros over the side of the bed and stood I remained steady, my knees rock-solid I stretched ht No pain No weakness

It had worked

For the past few days, I’d had to suffer through the hue baths Once, when I had been whining about my desire for a shower, Cole had picked otten in with arments on

All I could say about that: if I’d been well, I wouldn’t be a virgin

Today, though, I showered onclothes Long-sleeve black top, camo pants and combat boots My weapons had been moved into Reeve’s roo, and I loaded up with daggers and throwing stars

There was a mirror in the hall, and Iand peering into the glass I saw, and there were bruises under ood, rosy, all health and no sickness

I found Nana in the kitchen, cleaning up thethe cookies

"Ali!" she exclai her arms around me "You look Wow! The medicine worked"

"Thank you" I took ain the sense of home "Now, I need to borrow your car"

She pulled back, frowned "My car?"

"I’ll be careful with it, I promise"

"I know you will, but you’ve never shown an interest in driving before And I know you’ve had a few lessons, but you still only have your permit, and--"

I cupped her cheeks "Trust irl on her way to war had no roo to tolerate this one anymore

"I can drive you anywhere--"

"Please, Nana Please I’ you out I just want to prove to myself that I can do this" I needed to start this new journey with a victory

"All right" She nodded "I’ll get the keys"

Perspiration dottedin my throat On the wheel, my knuckles were bleached of color Cars zooer

What was the proble ten miles an hour under the speed limit If ten was the neord for twenty And twenty was the neord for thirty Whatever I was ed to double the usual fifteen- Cole’s barn--and miracle of miracles, I didn’t crash Several other vehicles were parked in the gravel driveway, so I knew a handful of slayers were already here, preparing for the night’s activities

As I stalked to the door, I glanced at the sky and found a rabbit-shaped cloud directly overhead

E out forCole, Frosty, Gavin and Veronica were bent over a table, talking, probably planning as they looked over a stack of papers

I took a e beauty of Cole The bond between the four The determination they radiated