Page 23 (1/2)

"One, don’t read the note until after you give it to a man named Joseph Rayd"

Her eyes widened "But he’s the leader of the Sentinels I’d never be able to meet him"

Her statement just proved to Thomas how little value she placed on herself "He’ll see you Just tell him about the note"

"Okay I can do that I’ve alondered what he looked like, anyway What else?"

The first one was easy but the last one wasn’t going to be He took a deep breath, expecting her to throw a fit "Proain until you fall in love"

She let out a harsh bark of laughter"You had onna happen"

Thoo He was coive her a chance to heal "It’s your choice Make it happen Swear you will"

"That’s a stupid thing to ask of me I won’t do it"

"Then you’re already lost and nothing anyone can do will help You value yourself so little that you’re willing to throay one of the ood, but not that good"

He captured her chin and held it in his hand so she had to look at him--had to see that he spoke the truth "Yes You Are You’re too young to know your oorth and too hurt to even see that you can’t Pro Tholitter in her eyes and he knew that he’d gotten through, h He wasn’t sure whether what he was doing would help, but he had to try

"I promise," she said

Tho blanket and she gasped, having felt it, too

She looked around as if she expected to see so jump out at her "What was that?"

"You’re bound to your word It’s one of the poe Sentinels possess When you make us a promise, it sticks"

"I did that when I became a Gerai, but it wasn’t sointense"

"It’s a big promise"

"So no sex until I fall in love, huh?" She sounded alht"

She sed nervously, looking uncertain and achingly young "Do you think that you and I could ever, you know, fall in love?" Such a s question Itin her words

Thoh in his voice or expression He didn’t give away even the barest hint that he was slowly beco his death to keep that eventuality fro Instead, he smoothed his knuckles over her cheek and told her the rest of the truth "Falling in love with you--having you love me back--would ive your heart to will feel the sahway at Wichita after two in the as and caffeine and a tattoo parlor In that order

It took her fiveto beacross the state, hoping to throw off anyone whoway frorown up out of necessity

Oklaho, and because of that, for years, drunk teens had to drive just over the border into Kansas, Texas, or Arkansas to get inked The laws of supply and de to take their money, and she knew many of those someones by their kick-ass reputations alone She knew only three artists on the border ere good enough to cover up the mark Zach had left on her arm The one he could use to track her

But Lexi wasn’t going to make it that far She didn’t want to wait another hour to cover the da up, and even if she did, she wasn’t sure the parlors would be open once she got there She was going to have to find a local artist and hope that he was good enough to erprint with a Sharpie wasn’t going to do more than slow him down, if that

Lexi turned on her cell phone and checked for calls fro town and had even called the police to report her possible abduction Lexi wished she could do ure out where the Sentinels had taken Helen and Miss Mabel, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it She was no match for that kind of power Her s the Sentinels could do to her

She was dialing the artist who had masked the birthmark on her back to see whether he knew any talented locals when her cell phone rang Unknown caller For half a second, Lexi debated letting it roll over to voicefor help?

Lexi took a deep breath and pressed the TALK button "Hello?"

A deep, rich voice filled the line "Hello, honey"