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"Go!" Dante yelled

I jumped in place

"Too"

Once ere outside, I hurried Tommy into the car He jumped in back I climbed in after the retriever and wrappedmy face into his fur

I heard the Jeep door open and close not long after Dante didn&039;t say a word as he shifted gears and drove away froentle He drove slow I lost track of the time, but he eventually pulled to the side of the road When he didn&039;t get out or continue driving, I pulled e of town Dante looked froer&039;s seat I took the hint, scooted over to the door, cli only when I&039;d fastened my seatbelt

"You killed hihway

"Renard&039;s not the only vampire Thomas could sic on us He was a threat, and he had to be eliminated"

I looked out the front"Will I ever have to kill a human?"

"No We&039;re vaot cleaners for verh they&039;ll be disposing of a cold one this time He killed Janine It was for me to finish"

I nodded slowly "I can&039;t believe they got her"

"There&039;s one thing left to do - find Renard and take hiht, take him out before he took us out

"Do you think he&039;s looking for us?"

"Probably The agents had someone check out his last known address It&039;s been cleared out"

"Will he be able to find us?"

"Doubtful All Renard has is a couple of fake names and a cityshould have said we&039;d coht up to the Big Freeze Well, live and learn" Dante turned toto us I&039;ve had it with Fairbanks for the ti"

"I&039;ve had it with Fairbanks forever," I countered

"Let&039;s talk about soruhs, you know"

"You know it&039;s on your mind"

"Doesn&039;t mean I want to talk about it"

"Sure you do You&039;re a girl"

I turned in my seat "Hey! Watch it, buddy"

Dante chuckled "So, what o so easily?"

I&039;d had the same concern - and, to be honest, hope But I reminded ents I&039;d seen what happened to Thomaspart of what happened, anyway, and I knehat hunters did to vaardless of Valerie, it was only ato the same conclusion One way or another, this had to end

"I sort of told hi someone else"

"Good call, Sky - surest way to inflict the deepest wound"

"I didn&039;t want to inflict pain I just needed hi you"

"Me?" Dante&039;s voice lifted "Sky, I&039;m honored"

"I didn&039;t think you&039;dmy pretend boyfriend"

"Au contraire We don&039;t even have to pretend"

I laughed and glanced at Dante, but hway and his pal wheel

"You&039;re joking, right?" I asked

"Why? I find you attractive You think I&039; the world froirls They&039;re not really up on the up, you knohat I mean?"

I sat back in my chair "Thanks, but I don&039;t think so"

"Don&039;t want to et it"

"I don&039;t want to "

"Maybe not now, Sky, but we&039;ll see I&039;hed "You&039;re irritating is what you are"

"And yet you can&039;t keep away"

"I don&039;t have a choice" I was forced to stay away from one boy and stick beside another At least Dante wasn&039;t bad to look at, and he did have a knack for pulling e at ht Dante rolled into the driveway in front of the door and pulled up the e back there, Sky"

I looked over at hi but watch

He grinned "I&039;m really ied to take out two nasties - on your own - and keep a cool head You&039;re doing great"

I sood at so vampires"

Dante smiled back atlike aiding in a kidnapping and ht&039;s sleep" I looked back at To "Not a probleht, Sky"

"&039;Night"

As soon as I stepped out of the Jeep, Dante pulled away and barreled down the road This was one girl he didn&039;t have to worry about seeing to the doorthough he could have waited to make sure I reached it The air felt balmy compared to Fairbanks, but an instant shiver ran down lanced at the forest at the top of the hill

I didn&039;t see anyone, but I felt like I was being watched Not that I&039;d see Fane if he were lurking a the trees It was pitch-black, and he could blend into the night in his dark attire

I stared straight into the black void for several beats to shoasn&039;t scared despiteheart I turned and forced myself to walk - not run - to the front door Once inside, I turned the bolt behind ht It was dark inside the house

Iall the doors and s to hts as I made the rounds My eyes adjusted to the dark, and I could see the stairs outlined in the gloo lightly

I continued to my own room In the dark, I closedon my bed, knife beside ain, it could be nothing

I slept through ht Monday ht a cold in Fairbanks and needed to stay home She left me alone for the most part to rest in et sick The vampire blood in o to school I couldn&039;t face Fane