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All the sao back, I’d do it all differently If Redgrave told ain to choose one of you to turn, I’d walk to you and snap your neckwith Mom and Dad I’d let it be over I would set you free What I did to you I live with every single day, and even though you don’t see it, I swear to God, it’s as bad as the fate I o back! There’s no wishing for it, because I wish and I wish--" Charity wiped angrily at her face with the back of her hand; it was the first ti "We’re vampires now Both of us We alill be So there’s no such thing as ‘Redgrave’s side’ or ‘our side’ We’re on the same side, forever Thanks to you"

Balthazar didn’t rise The snoas already thick on his shoulders and the front of his coat His car’s headlights showed him that Charity’s feet were bare and raw "It’s not as sirave is--that doesn’t have to be e are"

"What we are is vampires You just play-pretend you’re a huot yourself another girlfriend? A siirl filled up with the best blood of all--"

"You don’t get to judge her Judge ht But not Skye"

She bent over, bringing her face not far above his Despite her disheveled appearance and singsong voice, her eyes were shrewd "Or are you saving her for yourself? Make her your girlfriend, and then you can have all the blood you like and never, ever share"

If only he could answer that he’d never drunk Skye’s blood

Instead, he rose fro Charity to stand, too, until they faced each other again Balthazar repeated, "Not Skye Don’t let Redgrave set you on her, Charity Don’t do to her what he did to me or … or what I did to you"

Charity said nothing She never ot back in his car and drove away In the rearviewthere, utterly still, until she was erased by the snow that surrounded her

The next few days were … aard

Skye was as good as her word She didn’t text hi history class, and spoke only to answer "present" during the homeroom attendance roll It wasn’t that she froze him out; in every way, she was caled to remain polite, but he wasn’t at all cal down the hallith That Lu notes with Madison in study hall, Madison all giggles; probably they were talking about Keith, or the dance, which he already profoundly regretted agreeing to chaperone The next weekend, she wanted to go riding again, but suggested evenly that itof a distance, the better to scout around for intruders "That way I won’t be a distraction," she said, as if everything about her wasn’t ht, which he felt was in no way like stalking Except, that was, for thatwhen she walked to the , just before turning out her light It was her silent way of affirment of the bond between theainst the bedroo hours before dawn

Teaching at Darby Glen High began to feel like a job Watching her began to feel like a mission Countless little details distracted hi in the staff roo ter ever took histo think that nothing ever would--that even if he walked away from her in Darby Glen after the immediate crises were resolved, Skye would always clai around in bed and trying desperately not to think of Skye, he finally fell asleep--and dreah no longer strangers to each other as they had been then Together they rode on the grounds, which were green and war over her shoulder Her deep brown hair, free from the heled Eb onward, she said, "Catch up!"

"I’ idly that it had been too long since he rode him Why didn’t he take this horse out every day? Bony and aard he still looked, but he was fast Fast enough to catch Skye

She and Eb vanished into a glade of trees, and Balthazar followed, eager to find her again When he found her, he’d take her into his ar would stop theet in the way

Once they entered the clearing, he saw Eb standing still, bridle aside, so he couldto see Skye so this all into a ga to s out joyfully frolade, and he dashed toward the sound The branches seeht was dimmer here, less steady than it had been but moments before--yet it didn’t matter, not if he were about to find Skye