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He didn’t even tug on his coat until he had dashed halfway down the walk leading to the gorge The cold didn’t matter; he didn’t care if he froze But he needed his hands free to fight for her

As he stood at the edge of the gorge, though, he realized that no other vampires were near; he hadn’t felt them Then his sharp eyes picked out a patch of color amid the nearby snowdrifts--the sapphire blue of Skye’s winter coat

Balthazar ran toward her, the scene unveiling slowly before him because of the snow: Skye lay unconscious (not dead, please not dead) just off the path in the hollow of the gorge He saw no blood, nor any sign of a struggle It was as if she’d simply fallen over--fainted dead away

Soh for it to have overwhelmed her Balthazar reached her, went on his knees, felt for her pulse at her throat Skye was alive

Relief washed over hiain on action Balthazar swept her up in his arms and ran with all his speed toward his car He needed to keep her with him To keep her safe

Skye remained unconscious the whole way back, even after Balthazar had placed her on his bed and started the fire, but her breathing was deeper and ht now she was more asleep than knocked out, and that her body probably needed the rest

After shaking off his snoet coat, Balthazar reclaimed his phone and called the person who had warned hier

"Balthazar?" Lucas sounded tense "Did you find Skye?"

"Found her She hadn’t been attacked; it was another of her visions, I think Skye’s still unconscious, but I think she’ll be all right after she warms up and rests a little" Balthazar breathed out heavily The need to sigh didn’t go aith the need to breathe

"You sound shaken up Sure everything’s okay?"

"I’ But--she took a risk today Because of otten hurt today, or if she’d--if anything worse had happened, it would be my fault"

"Mea maxima culpa, huh?"

Balthazar frowned "Since when do you speak Latin?"

"I did go to Evernight for a while, re else "It’s just interesting howyourself up about this"

"I told you It’s my fault" He looked at Skye as he spoke, thin and pale on his bed, the firelight burnishing her dark brown hair

"You sees getting interesting for you two?" Lucas was downright set jealous"