Page 10 (1/2)

"I thought I had been doing a good job of hiding ave Ree a small smile

"Uh, yeah" Ree pointed at her head "Eot my head out of my own butt, it kind of beca I mean, he’s a Dark One A Dark One killedI must have some kind of sadistic need to torture myself" Melanie met Ree’s eyes openly "But, I can’t help it When we’re alone, there is so there"

"Have you told hi her head on her hand

"What would I tell him? Um, hey, Roland I know you’re in love with o out for athe previews?"

"Well, I can see where you ods really did a nuhed and looked back at her plate "It just feels so hopeless"

"Don’t give up, okay?" Ree reached out and grabbed Melanie’s hand "Just keep working at it"

"I hear you, I just don’t kno He’s been in love with you for so long" Melanie looked at Ree and winced

"No, he hasn’t" Ree shook her head adamantly "He’s been in love with the idea ofYou just need to make him realize hoesome you are"

"Okay" Melanie smiled "See with everything else going on"

"Not really This is exactly the type of thing we’re fighting for" Ree stood up and took her plate to the sink "And speaking of fighting I think it’s ti the shots"

"Oh, I like that" Melanie due"

"Then let’s round up everyone else and co for everyone to meet up in Sophie’s office She decided to turn the fireplace on so it wouldn’t feel so empty and lifeless She looked around the room, not sure where to sit and decided to take a place on the hearth It felt wrong to sit at Sophie’s desk and she wanted everyone to feel equal She had been giventheir brains today

Melanie took a seat on the couch and Paden sat next to Ree on the edge of the large fireplace He touched her knee, ers with his and tried to soak up his presence through the contact Weylin and Roland were the next in the room Weylin threw himself onto the couch and put his head in Melanie’s lap Roland looked at the it toward their sroup He turned it backward and straddled the seat, his ar on the back

Juliet and Bryce were the last to show up, holding hands and giggling Ree blushed and tried to look anywhere but at the off of them in waves and she didn’t want to think about what ht that about Juliet sat on the floor in front of the couch and Bryce knocked Weylin’s feet off of the couch’s armrest and sat there Everyone looked at Ree, and she had to s to clear her throat before talking

"We have to stop running No uys decide the circue, and I think things need to be evened up a bit" Ree leaned forward "I’ ass, and I don’t want to wait"

"What do you have inon a glint of eagerness

"I was thinking about the attack on my parents’ house They had Dark Ones stationed nearby to take advantage of the false dark Theythe day"

"Yes There are often nests in abandoned buildings, or in houses where the owners had been turned" Roland frowned "They are guarded by darklings, of course That’s one of the s"

"In other words, ould likely have to kill the darklings" Bryce looked at Ree speculatively "And I have a feeling you will not be okay with that"

"Actually, I have an alternative" Ree looked at Paden before continuing She kneould worry about her using too much power, but she was sure she could handle it "If we capture the darklings, I can remove the taint from them"

"No" Paden stood up and paced the rooerous"

"Paden, I can do it You sawhe was just worried for her

"You would be too worried about saving the" Paden looked at her and frowned She hated seeing him frown so often; she ht It’s much more expedient to kill them" Roland nodded toward Paden "You have to res"

"Isn’t it possible soed? Or didn’t understand as really happening?" Ree knew souy fro darklings for convenient ed at Ree’s sharp intake of breath "Remember how they can " Juliette said

"It’s just like crack addicts who prostitute theet a dose of blood that er" Bryce squeezed Juliette’s shoulder

"That’s disgusting, too" Juliette shook her head "I don’t knohy anyone would ever want to be dependent on so like that"

"Did you have a harem?" Melanie looked at Roland suspiciously Everyone in the room turned to look at Roland in curiosity Ree remembered bits and pieces from when she was Tria, but for the s I a a harem was not one of them" Roland looked at Melanie, his eyes clear and fierce "Don’t forget I was changed against ave me a distaste for it even when my morals were not to be seen"

Melanie nodded her understanding Ree looked at Roland and tried to distinguish his eh the roouilt, and surprise were the strongest feelings, though she also felt so to s to do with Mel

"Okay We go to these places, wherever they are, and what? Run in and take out as many Dark Ones as possible?" Paden sat back down next to Ree and took her hand once more

"No We take them all out Then there will be no one left to tell Tristan anything" Ree looked back at her friends "And if I can’t take the taint out of the darklings, then we do e have to" Standing up, Ree walked toward the map of Savannah that Sophie had on her desk She didn’t want to think about killing darklings; she would deal with that when the time cas hout the city, not just the Historic District Our best bet is to scout the abandoned buildings" He stood up and walked over to look at the er on a street "I’m pretty sure there is a nest here in the abandoned house on the corner"

"It ht clubs for activity We could try to follow them back to their hidey holes" Bryce walked over to look at the

"We should split up and try to cover a bunch of places" Ree looked at each of her friends "We don’t engage unless we have to We need to take out as many Dark Ones as possible The less they have at the final battle, the better our chances"

"Don’t engage?" Melanie stood up, dropping Weylin’s head onto the sofa