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But then I heard an’s voice Just before she and Adam slumped forward at exactly the sa to his knees on a wooden dock

I was assaulted with memories then The man at the marina who died when he tried to rescue uard, who died in his car from a stroke I remembered dead fish beneath the dock and dead birds that fell from the sky

Not my fault But not rando back and forth between Megan and Adam and Jude I finally, finally understood

Jude could heal his, like me

He didn’t have to touch anyone to kill them He didn’t even have to think it He just had to be hurt hi and anyone around him would die

Like John Like the off-duty cop Like the fish

I was lethal, but Jude orse And anihbors’ pets disappeared the day I ca my house

Noah had Jude prone and locked to the sand He pressed his forearm to Jude’s throat and leaned over his face "I willfor her forgiveness"

Jude an and Adauish

Insurance, Stella had said

Jude’s chest heaved and his shoulders shook He was laughing

"He’ll kill theh and miserable "If you hurt him, they’ll die"

"If you don’t kill me," Jude said, his voice hoarse, "I’ll slice Mara into pieces so small you won’t--"

Noah released Jude’s throat And shattered his kneecap in one brutal move

There was a scream--from Jude, this time It fractured the air Jude twisted onto his side, but after a hter and my heartbeat were the only sounds I could hear "You want revenge?" Jude asked His words echoed in the quiet space He nodded his head at Megan and Adam "Take it"

My eyes darted toward the Her hair was mixed in with the sand--almost exactly the same color, too Bits of it stuck to Adam’s buzzed head

Jamie and Stella, however, were both awake They were silent, but their eyes glittered with awareness Taking it in, just like me

Just like me

I was unaffected They were unaffected Which et them free I looked around frantically for a weapon, a tool, so at Stella "I don’t want to kill Mara" His voice was raw, but laced with delight "Torturing her is too fun"

Noah kicked hiain; flattened hiainst his throat again

Which hat Jude wanted Ada noise; the tattoos on his aran didn’tthely calm but I kneas out of control He could only think of Jude dead and me safe, not the price he or anyone else would pay for it If Jude had threatened anyone else, Noah could hold himself back But he couldn’t not react when Jude threatened ive hiave in