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Still no sign ofwith her hopes like a cat with athe door only to have Jasper reach out and grab her, destroying her last hope of freedom

It would be the ulti she could do but take the risk Her legs were like rubber Every step she took felt like a aze on Jasper and prayed he didn’t move

She reached the door and pushed it open Beyond lay the steep ascent of stairs Her prison, and their ho the handrail, she dragged herself upward The ache in her leg muscles became a scream, and it seemed to take forever to reach the top When she reached the final step, she collapsed, bruising her knees and battling to catch her breath

After a few precious seconds, she rose and staggered on, finding herself in a kitchen Dust covered the mess time and vandals had caused If the thickness of the dirt was any indication, the house had been abandoned for years

Her hopes of quick rescue plulass and s an exit She had to hurry Exhaustion was a huge wall threatening to topple her over In the next room she discovered her clothes and shoes, thrown haphazardly in a corner Her cross wasn’t a her clothes--not that it mattered Jasper had shown no fear of it when he’d ripped it froh to throw on her jacket and jeans, and slip on her shoes The rest she left Tiuard and filled her li about the noise she made The front door looy The door exploded outith enough noise to wake the dead

She felt the urge to laugh insanely, and she clamped down on it hard Madness was no escape--and of no use to her now

Her eyes watered against the sudden glare of bright sunlight She threw up a hand to protect theered on It didn’t reallyas it ay from the house and its occupants

Stones scurried from under her feet The harsh sound of traffic assaulted her ears Blinking rapidly, she recognized shops, awith people Safety Jasper wouldn’t find her in such a crowd Wouldn’t dare kidnap her with so many witnesses

Wouldn’t have to, when all he had to do was call her naet lost in the evening crowds and the safe oblivion they offered her an to streak the sky with crimson sheets She reeled like a drunkard and sered on She had to keep going, had to escape, before he came after her

"Nikki!"

Her heart stopped Oh lord, he’d found her! Without looking back, she ran on Sos

Nikki!

The shout reverberated through her She bit back a cry of terror He was after her She had to keep on running

Stop! Nikki, watch it

A screech of tires filled her ears Too late she beca upon her

She tried to dodge, but the car hit her Agony exploded as oblivion swept in

Chapter Ten

The heavy ruhtly, and silk rustled against her skin, bunching near her thigh A faint scent clung to thehow she’d co her eyes, she studied the roohtly behind the curtainedto her left, casting pinpoints of lights across the pale blue walls Paint peeled fro above her, and from the small brown dresser next to the bed It wasn’t her room, or her dresser Her heart skipped several beats Where was she?

A hand rested lightly on hers, enclosing her fingers in warmth Michael She closed her eyes briefly and wished he’d take her in his ar would be all right But he didn’t move, and maybe that was just as well

"What time is it?" she asked softly

"Four in the afternoon"

The weariness in his voice tore at her heart She turned around, but even such a ss She bit her lip, fighting the sudden sting of tears

"Gently, Nikki Your hip and left leg were badly grazed by the car" He sat in a chair next to the bed, bare feet propped on theremotely casual in the way he studied her In the dark depths of his eyes, she could see all her secrets, all her fears All that had happened

She sed uneasily, and looked away "I guess I’razed How did you find hts were so open to hi techniques had succeeded or not? "How long was I gone?"

"Three nights"

It had seeer She shivered and rubbed her wrist Though the two puncture wounds in her skin had healed, her flesh still burned "Where are we?"

"My hotel room It’s safer than the hospital, where Jasper could coo as he pleased" Plus Jasper didn’t knohere Michael was--but would it really hts any time he desired and find out where they were There wasn’t a da this ?" Michael’s voice was cal in the way he lass His ht colored hair was unkempt and in need of a wash, his face etched by deep lines of tiredness His clothes were disheveled and creased, as if he hadn’t slept in days

She wanted to reach out and caress the tautness from his shoulders, kiss the tension froainst the blanket Was she insane? She wanted to touch a vampire in ways she’d never wanted to touch a man before

"Michael, why didn’t you tell lass of water he held out to her The ainst the restriction of his rolled-up sleeves Then he slowly lowered the glass back to the bedside table

"I’ed, aze "I never meant for you to find out this way"

"Did you ever plan to tell ain he hesitated fractionally "I don’t know"