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"It’s not that It’s just--" Forget it, she decided "Go ahead I’ll catch up with you in a fewanother ride ho back toward the library Obviously he was completely unconcerned whether she stayed with him or not Why shouldn’t he be? She didn’t care any more than he did For him, she was just his excuse to come to the dance; for her, he was just proof that soht eventually want her, even if Balthazar didn’t

Balthazar did want her, though She knew that The h her Skye had thought if she pulled back, she’d stop longing for hi had only become sharper She wanted him to ride beside her, to make dry co fast and her heart pu they’d had and everything they should have had

Give ht, but the joke fell flat even in her own head

She wanted to walk back onto the dance floor Being watched by Balthazar was hotter than being held by Keith And she’d chosen this dress, these nude shoes, her hair, heronly of how Balthazar would feel when he saw her

But her walking back out there alone would look like she was begging hiain, or to take that next step, and she wouldn’t beg Also, she’d be all by herself in front of Craig and Britnee; she was doing better with that, but not better enough to let the

Maybe she could just walk through quickly, go to the door, and snag a ride with so to do…

Sorave standing next to her "Shall we dance?"

She gasped and started backing away, but Redgrave made no iold hair immaculately slicked back, his suit a deep tan that matched his skin His attire was appropriate for the occasion, coantly knotted cream silk tie at his throat His hazel eyes looked less like those of a hued to say "Someone will come"

"Someone will One of your dear school chums, I suppose It h that door first will be the next person I kill Do you really want blood on your hands?"

"You won’t kill theh she knew better how to defend herself now, she also knew exactly how rave on her own

"I realize that But we don’t want to drag him into this, do we? Or take the chance that he won’t be first through the door?" He save her a quick, courtly half bow "I only asked for a dance, my dear And, of course, for that conversation you owe me You don’t seem at all the type to break her word"

Skye had made that prorave finding her in Café Keats again or sohted hallhen she was all alone

Balthazar’s on the other side of the door, she re happens, you can screaet this over with "All right If you want to talk, talk"

"I also want to dance"

"I didn’t prohed softly "But you want to dance, too, don’t you?"

The strangest sensation settled over her--not real emotions, but a weird sort of echo of love and desire Skye could alht but inescapable, like a shroud She found herself lifting her arrave s eed to say

"A very few of us can do this It takes a thousand years or so to age into the gift, but when it co beco--so don’t worry, you’ll be repelled by an to sway back and forth with her "Evolution works for all creatures, you know Not just the living And nothing says ‘survival of the fittest’ like the ability to hypnotize your prey into re to bite me! Skye wanted to pull away, but her body didn’t obey She just kept dancing, a et one conversation Use it"

He ran his cool fingers down her spine, pausing just long enough to dip his fingers in slightly beneath the back of her dress "You should join ret it I mean that sincerely You’ve proved to be a resourceful and courageous girl--and quite a lovely one, if I rave dropped a kiss on her shoulder, which th His hold on her remained fast

At least she could still speak the words she wanted "One, I’et your hands off rave promised, as his hands shifted lower on her back and pulled her close so that their bodies were pressed against each other "I told you before,a va whether your e, whichto take the risk"