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A shudder rolled through my body and my chest labored for breath I didn’t want to die alone on the cold, hard floor I didn’t want to die at all I blinked and when I reopenedreally hurt, though Books got that right There was a point where there was so much pain I couldn’t process it or I was beyond it Probably beyond it…

The front door opened and a fa’s wrong with Daemon…"

My lips worked, but there was no sound I tried again "Dee?"

Footsteps crept closer and then, "Oh my God…oh ht, her face fuzzy around the edges "Katy--holy crap, Katy…hold on" She moved my bloodstained hands away and placed hers over the wound as she looked up, seeing Will cruet out one word "Dae out for a second and then her face was in front oflike diamonds, and I couldn’t look away Her eyes, her words, consu to be okay, because you’re going to be okay Got that?"

I coughed out a response and so wet and warm covered my lips It had to be bad--blood--because Dee’s face paled even more as she placed both of her hands over the wound and closed her eyes

My lids see froh ht and lustrous like an angel--and I thought if I were to die, then at least I saw so as beautiful as this before the end

But I had to hang on, because it wasn’t justin the balance It was Daemon’s So I forced ht flickered over the walls, bathing the room If she healed me, would we be linked? The three of us? I couldn’t wrap my head around that And it wouldn’t be fair to Dee

And then there were voices I recognized Andrew’s and Dawson’s There was a thud beside my head and then he was there, his beautiful face pale and strained I’d never seen him so pale, and if I concentrated, I could feel his heart laboring likeas they touched my cheeks, smooth under my parted lips

"Dae "Don’t talk It’s okay Everything is okay"

He turned to his sister, gently pulling her stained hands back "You can stop now"

She must’ve responded directly to hi this You have to stop"

Someone, it sounded like Andrew, said, "Man, you’re too weak to do this" And then I realized it was him, and he was on my other side I think he held h, because I sao Daemons

Wait The second one was Dawson He was holding Daeht position Daeest Panic blossoed

Daemon shook his head and after what seemed like forever, Dee pulled back and took on her hu

"He’s crazy," she said "He’s absolutely crazy"

When Daemon slipped into his true form and placed his hands on me, there was only him then The rest of the room slipped away I didn’t want hiot why he didn’t want Dee to do it Too risky, not knowing how or if it would link the three of us together

Heat flowed throughDae reassurances over and over again I felt light, airy, and coain I don’t knohy, but it was grounding to just hear his name

And when I closedwar into my muscles and bones Heat and safety pulledI heard was Daeo now

I did

…

When I opened ain, a candle somewhere in the room flickered and danced in the shadows I couldn’t move my ared in a deep breath, an earthy scent surrounded me

"Daemon?" My voice was hoarse, dry from panic

The bed--I was in a bed--dipped and out of the darkness calowed like diaht beside you"

I sed, keeping aze fixed on him "I can’t move my arht it was terrible that he would laugh when my arms couldn’t move "Here, let me fix that for you"

Daees of the blankets He loosened theers and then slipped my arms out A second later, I realized I was nude--completely nude under the blankets Fire swept over my face and down ?

I clasped the edge of the blanket, wincing as skin pulled over my chest "Why am I naked?"

Daemon stared back at me One second passed and then two, three "You don’t remember?"

It took aand when it did, I sat up and started to jerk the blanket away Daemon stopped me with his hand "You’re fine There’s just a tiny e hand surrounding mine "Honestly, I doubt anyone would notice it unless they were looking really close, and I’d be perturbed if anyone was looking that close"

My mouth worked without sound Around us, the candle threw shadows along the wall It was Daemon’s bedroo as his