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Joss turned and disappeared He ree the contents He handed it to me from two feet away and retracted his hand once I took it He and Noel watched

I took the first sip My brain told , but I didn&039;t I took a second sip and then a third The taste was exquisite, like a thick uzzled down the rest The blood coated us

I could feel it flowing throughme with life and vitality My heart beat out a blissful rhythm I licked the last of it off my lips

I stood "Noel, take me back to Marcus&039;s house"

"Aurora," Noel said slowly "You just drank blood"

"Self-administered transfusion," I said

I didn&039;t want to think about what it meant Not now Not with Fane&039;s life at stake

I zipped lanced at Joss

"He&039;s not co," I said

Noel&039;s Volvo was parked on the street I clihborhood "How did you find me?"

Noel started the car "I followed you"

"You didn&039;t want to ht to sound annoyed, but that&039;s howto stay with you When he came back to the October room I worried It was your first vampire party I cauy I&039;d never seen before So I followed you"

Tears gathered in my eyes

"Thank you," I whispered

Noel nodded

"Aurora, I&039;m sorry I told Fane I didn&039;t knohat else to do"

"You did the right thing Does anyone else know? Henry? Marcus?"

"No, of course not Marcus thinks Renard was stalking you"

I shuddered "He was"

"Right, but not for the reasons Marcus think Unfortunately, it happens even under normal circumstances A vampire obsesses over a huents need us"

I touched the bandage on my neck

Noel cleared her throat "How are you feeling?"

"Better now"

Noel didn&039;tafter Fane?" she asked "Can&039;t he handle himself? I mean, he&039;s a vampire"

"But he&039;s not a killer I am"

Noel pulled up to Marcus&039;s townhouse slowly She dropped her head

"I can&039;t go in with you, Aurora"

"I know" I started to get out and stopped "Thanks again For following me If you hadn&039;t I&039;d be dead"

Noel sht?"

I shook my head "No See you at school?"

"Yeah"

I waved as Noel drove off I took a deep breath and headed for the door to the palace I didn&039;t knohat I&039;d expected inside Blood andwas the way I&039;d left it before the abduction Guestsroom in cozy clusters, drinks poised in one hand

Once I walked through the front door, Marcus cah it was natural that I should return bandaged at the throat

I followed him into the empty kitchen He took a bottle of whiskey frolass

"So to dull the pain?"

"No, thank you"

Marcus poured a slass and tossed it back

I ran a hand along the sranite countertop "Where&039;s Fane?"

Marcus licked his lips in one slow, languid"You should have told me that you ith Francesco I&039;ll admit, I didn&039;t want to bite you before, but now that it is forbidden" Marcus&039;s grin widened

"Where is he?"

Marcus poured another splash of whiskey into the crystal glass and pushed it toward ht "Renard and Greg?"

Marcus screwed the top on the whiskey bottle and returned it to the cupboard "No one abducts a guest from my home Not without consequences"

I pushed away from the oven "I need to help him"

"He has help"

"No, I need to take care of it"

Marcus looked me over and chuckled "You are unusual, Aurora, but I like unusual It&039;s already taken care of"

"What do you mean?"

Marcus reached toward lass He swirled it in his hand

"I have a special room I call it my music room Only certain types are shown the ot the personal tour earlier"

Myopen "You lass to his nose and inhaled His lashes fluttered and lips puckered "I do still enjoy a killing on occasion When they deserve it, of course"

I willed ht be asked to the music rooh-pitched shriek

"And the bodies?"

Marcus&039;s lip curled "A dirty taskdisposal Francesco, Henry, and Gavin are taking care of it" Marcus finished off the whiskey

"I should go"

"Stay They will be back shortly"

I looked at the floor then at Marcus "I&039;m sorry for the trouble"

Marcus&039;s eyes sparkled "So polite I like this"

He reached for my hair and let it slide across his open pal of beauty; heart of darkness I see you" He stepped closer "I see you, Aurora" His voice evened out as he moved away from me "You should come by more often The door is always open to you"

I waited inside the kitchen I wasn&039;t in theroo It was a relief They were dead I didn&039;t have to do it Fane was safe

I tapped my foot on the oak floor The sound was drowned out by real footsteps Relief flooded me when Henry walked in

"Aurora? What are you doing here?"

I lit up as though witnessing the return of an old friend

He looked at h cookie I figured you&039;d be at the hospital or at home"

"Is Fane with you?"

"Ah" Henry smiled "I can&039;t believe you and Noel failed toinside?"

"He and Gavin are parking the car"