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The two varabbed hiainst the alley ith incredible force The air left Daround and stepped back, breathing hard, waiting

"Get up Get up, you son of a bitch"

Damien wiped a thin line of blood that had trickled frory little kitten tonight, are we?"

The e, this ti Damien started to spin away, but Ty, his reflexes honed fro with vampires ould as soon kill hiht Dahtly on his feet Ty jerked Daht him to his knees with a well-placed kick The Shade went doith a grunt Ty had his dagger out in a flash

"Kill round out His eyes blazed up at hie of his blade to Damien’s neck Damien’s teeth were still bared, in both defiance and pain

"Nothing can ht to us, you son of a bitch They must have followed you"

"I as the tip of the blade dug in just enough to produce a shining crimson drop of blood "He wouldn’t have--"

He stopped hih Dark suspicion bloo the blade in deeper, viciously pleased at Damien’s softfor one of the Ptoleh for Ty The truth felt as though it had blown a hole right through him The terror had coh even the hbloods of Ty’s acquaintance would have found it unthinkable to slaughter their own, there was one he would not put it past One ould never be satisfied with a subordinate role, no matter how close to the top of the heap he had clawed

All the pieces clicked into place

His voice was barely a whisper when he spoke again, and the hand holding the blade shook with the force it was taking hi it into Damien’s throat

"You stupid bastard Nero has no loyalty to anyone but hi nor a patientyou followed?"

The truth ritten all over Dah, Ty leaned closer to the Shade dangling fro You’ve ruined et paid I’ll bet that last bit is the only thing you’re truly upset about, you miserable sack of shit"

Daet it over with"

"You’d prefer that, I’m sure It’s so much easier than what your bosses will do to you once they discover you’ve screwed up such a big job" Still, Ty was close, so close, to giving Damien what he wanted A bit of pressure, and Damien’s head would separate froe… but Ty kneould be only

He felt the life he held in his hands He had takenafterward Then he looked at the building beside hian’s lifeless body now lay

Soas she lived, he had a chance to right things, to start again When he looked back at Daun to kick in as well Perhaps he would give his blood brother a second chance tonight as well

Whether he wanted it or not

"No You’re going to help h "The hell I aainst the Shade’s neck and brought it down in a swift arc, slicing a deep wound in Daround, and Da to jerk away from Ty It only made Ty pull his hair harder

"The hell you won’t It’s this or I return you to your masters, Das that will earn you a long, painful death And I’ll get Lily anyway Nothing is going to stop me But your help would make it easier And if you help me, I’ll make sure you live"

"How?" sneered Da the inevitable, not preventing it The Master Shades don’t permit failure" His wound bled for only a moment, but the point had beenhiain