Page 6 (2/2)

No huht It was an old rule of his

"Thank you for rescuing ht to have told you before"

"That’s what I’m here for" Balthazar ood way to think of himself Better than most of the other reasons he had to exist, anyway

He relow of thethat n of the parents--but, n of Lorenzo, either

They’ve hunted this area before, Balthazar told himself, arms wrapped around hiainst the deep chill of upstate New York in January Yeah, it was at least a century ago, but still--this is ground Lorenzo knows So he could just as easily have co place at the wrong time

That was the explanation Balthazar liked best: It was the one that meant Skye was already safe Lorenzo had been thwarted, and he knew Balthazar was around to interfere with his hunting plans He’d ain

But it ht not be that easy

He looked up toward Skye’s , and for one raceful and quick Even the fall of her thick hair over her shoulder was clear, and surprisingly tantalizing Just as Balthazar began to feel guilty--as if this were spying rather than watching--she snapped off the lights

Iher alert; if Lorenzo returned, this hen he would strike--when he thought he had her off guard Balthazar circled the house, a large, modern structure apparently on the outskirts of town, and listened carefully, not only with his ears but with all his senses, including the ones that told a va

Finally, he decided he could risk getting hih he would never have said this aloud to Skye--nor to al near her while she was bleeding had sharpened his appetite

How he hated that Looking at a beautiful young girl, liking her, wanting to help her, and yet being unable to forget that one part of him saw her as prey

Balthazarthe wintry air Pine, dirt, any number of birds (mostly owls and sparrows, too hard to catch and not much to enjoy), the horse’s sweat fro er whetted, he walked into the forest--then began to run,as silently as possible so as not to startle his prey Already he could iiving hiain the shadow of life he wanted so badly--