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"That’s not what I was trying to say," Alex said very unconvincingly "I’one, and you wouldn’t be able to protect her"

Laylen rolled his eyes "That’s a bunch of crap I’ her as you are, and you know it You just don’t trust s about to break out in a fight Then, to ht be even ht theythat there wassaid Likehad happened in the past I ument than aseach other, considering Laylen was a vampire, I’d say the odds were in his favor And as much as Alex had pissed et hurt Plus, it would have been a great tragedy for that gorgeous face of his to getshe’d do so on a strand of her hair, staring down at the table So I guess I was on et a say in any of this?" I said in a voice loud enough to break the tension

Laylen and Alex tore their eyes away froer in their faces that was all of a sudden being directed atsome of my confidence, my voice quieted a little "It’s ht?"

"No," Alex said "You don’t get a say in any of this"

My anger boiled So this was hoas going to be fro? After what ht I should be allowed to have some say I deserved at least thatthat I’d interrupted the fight between Laylen and hi off et us to Afton and back quickly?"

She raised her chin with confidence "Of course I can"

"Then fine We’ll leave her here with Laylen" He ai happens to her, it’s on you"

Laylen rolled his eyes "Nothing’s going to happen to her"

"I’ll believe that when I see it," Alex said

Another eye roll from Laylen "Thanks for the confidence"

"I have to go back into the library and grab o"

I cocked my head to the side "Crystal? What crystal?"

"The one I used on the bus to transport us here," she explained "It's how I’et us back to Afton"

"Oh" Okay, now I remembered All too painfully re yellow eyes I shivered

She started to get to her feet, but then dropped back down in the chair, s her hand on her forehead "Crap Crap Crap I coot that the Death Walkers’ ice ruined it We were lucky just to make it here"

"There’s no way you can do it without a crystal?" Alex asked

"No" She wrapped a strand of her hair around her finger, thinking "Well, there are other ways, but I haven’t learned how to do therew silent, except for the cracking sound Alex’ knuckles made as he popped the from side to side "What kind of crystal is it?"

"The one the looks like an amethyst" She propped up her elbow on the table and let her chin fall into her hand "Nohat are we going to do?"

"Is it a Vectum Crystal?" Laylen asked

Aislin raised her chin out of her hand, a hopeful expression on her face "Do you have one?"

"No, but I knohere we can get one" He gestured over his shoulder at the"There’s this place in Vegas that sells things like that I bet they’d have one"

Alex shook his head "No No way There is no e’re taking Geerous"

"So I can’t go to Vegas And I can’t go hoers "Is there anywhere I can go?"

"Not really"

I glared at him, but he didn’t even so much as blink He placed his hands on the table, leaned toward me, and spoke in a low voice that ?"

I ignored the flutterheart "Maybe"

"Alex, can we please just go get the crystal and get this taken care of," Aislin begged "Sitting here and arguing about it isn’t going to get us anywhere"

He shook his head, his green eyes fixed solely on o"