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"Letto Dante’s bedside She met the worried faces of the other people who cared for hiathered around hiazes said they understood what she was feeling "Let me help hi his strong jaw She concentrated on his burns, letting her fingers trail down over his bare chest, over the beautiful ry color As gently as she could, Tess placed her hands on the seared flesh, using her gift to draay the radiation, take away the pain

"Oh,hiasps, the words of hope that traveled a Dante’s friends--his fa over onto her, but as welcoard was, Tess’s entire focus was on Dante Onhim well

She leaned over him and pressed a kiss to his slack ainst her lips She loved him wholly, just as he was, and she prayed for the chance to tell hi to live His UV burns had been severe--easily life-threatening--but his Breed touch had ultimately proven more powerful than the death that stalked him Like the others at the compound, Chase had been astonished at Tess’s ability and at her clear devotion to Dante She had stayed by his side everyfor him as he had done for her when he’d rescued her froreed they would ether they would be unbreakable

With the worst of the stor down into a peaceful sense of calhts turned homeward too His own journey wasn’t at an end yet; the road ahead of him was murky and uncertain Once it had all seemed so clear to hied and ho

He said his good-byes to the warriors and theirout of the Order’s world, back to his own The drive back into the city was quiet The wheels of his borrowed vehicle were spinning, the road falling away behind hi, after all?

Could he really call the Darkhaven home anymore? With his senses honed from the short time he’d spent in the cohted down by all theunder his coat--the sundry blades, the Beretta 9ainst his hip--how could he ever expect to integrate back into the staid life he’d once known?

And what of Elise?

He could not go back to that torht never have He’d have to tell her how he felt about her and let the chips fall where theyChase didn’t delude hiht welcome his affection In fact, he wasn’t even sure what to hope for He only knew that the half-life he was living was over, starting now

Chase turned onto the Darkhaven’s gated drive with a sense of freedoe for hiht shake down from here, he felt liberated to know that he had reached a turning point in his life He pulled up the gravel driveway and parked near the Darkhaven residence

The house was lit up fro with soft light She ake, probably anxiously waiting for him to return ord froine and opened the door of the vehicle The instant his boots hit the ground, he got a prickling sense that he was not alone He pocketed the keys and got out, discreetly unbuttoning his pea coat as he stood His eyes scanned the night shadows, peering into the darkness for son of the enemy he kneas there His ears were attuned to every subtle noise in his surroundings--the rustle of naked branches as the breeze soughed through them; the muffled drone of the stereo in the house, Elise’s favorite soft jazz playing in the background

And then, running counterpoint to all of that, the raspy wheeze of so not far froravel behind hirip of the 9mm as he slowly pivoted to face the threat

Camden

The d?j? vu that hit Chase was like a cannon blast to the gut But his nephew looked even worse than before, if that was possible Caked in dried blood and gore, grisly evidence of recent kills that had not slaked his thirst, Cae that had concealed his dripped saliva as he sized up Chase as his next fix for the Bloodlust that had taken over his body and mind He had been unreachable when Chase encountered hierous and unpredictable, a rabid dog left to go feral too long

Chase looked at him sadly, full of remorse for the fact that he hadn’t been able to find him--hadn’t been able to save hiue

"I’m so sorry, Cam This never should have happened to you" Under the fall of his dark wool pea coat, Chase flipped off the Beretta’s safety, slid the weapon out of the holster "If it could be me instead, I swear "

Behind him now, up at the house, Chase heard the , then Elise’s sudden indrawn gasp Ti into the thickness of a sluggish dreaan the instant Elise stepped outside "Camden!" Her voice seemed oddly distant, slowed like the rest of the moment "Oh God Camden!"

Chase swiveled his head toward her He shouted for her to stay back, but she was already running, holding her ar around her like delicate s as she fleard her son Toward her certain and violent death, if Chase allowed her to get close enough to touch the Rogue vampire that had been her beloved son

"Elise, stay back!"

But she ignored hi, even when her tear-filled eyes focused on Camden’s fearsome, hideous appearance She choked on a sob, but her ar across the lawn and down to the driveway

In his peripheral vision, Chase saw the Rogue’s savage aaze shift attention to Elise Fixed on her now, the Bloodlusting va into a crouch Chase pivoted around and put himself squarely between mother and son He had the pistol drawn and level before he even realized it

Another second ticked by

Elise was still co Caut, knowing that there were only seconds left before this confrontation would end in tragedy He had no choice He had to act He couldn’t stand by and risk her life--

The blast of gunfire cracked like thunder in the night

Elise screaer still squeezing the trigger down The titaniuet squarely in the center of the chest, dropping the Rogue to the ground Already the sizzle of death had begun, erasing all doubt that there ht have been a chance to save Camden from the Bloodlust that possessed hi dead; noas ended Ca was over

Elise’s--and Chase’s too--had only begun

She raced up to hi contact with his face, his shoulders, his chest, anywhere she could strike him Her lavender eyes were swamped with tears, her beautiful face pale and stricken, her voice lost to the hitching sobs and wails that poured out of her throat

Chase took the abuse in silence What could he do? What was there to say?