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BALTHAZAR HAD RUN AS HARD AS HE COULD TO the church Constantia had described … only to find it e ago (earette butts, a tattered bit of lace he knew could only have coone now

Constantia had lied Even when she was trying to take him in as a partner, she’d lied In retrospect, he didn’t knohy he hadn’t understood that to begin with

He needed to go back to the last place he thought Skye had reached safely: her home From there he could track her At least the Tierneys’ house wasn’t far from the church Within minutes he’d run to her door, only to see that he was too late

The front door had been forced "Skye!" Balthazar shouted as he ran inside, though he knew she wouldn’t answer Despite the darkness, he could see the few telltale signs that she had made it ho on the bench in the front hallet footprints along the carpeted stair showed that at least four vampires had come after her

He ran up to her bedroom; he kneouldn’t find her there, but he couldn’t help hi to tell her about texts she’d never read--and her coat Balthazar’s fist closed around the collar of her coat, clutching it close to him as if it could soone? He had to think There was only the one rave and his tribe had to travel that path if they were leaving Darby Glen, and Balthazar felt sure that they were If he hurried, he et there in time with his car a torn wreck on the side of the road?

He could saddle up Eb--or ride bareback to save time, if Eb would submit to it--but even the fastest horse in the world couldn’t make that trip with the speed Balthazar needed to save Skye

Just then he heard a vehicle pulling in to the driveway Skye’s parents, finally coe? Balthazar went to the , preparing to jump to the earth below and circle around, hopefully in time to steal whatever car had just pulled up while the driver was inside the house

Then he heard the voices fro Weathers

"Hello? We thought ould check on you?" And that was Britnee Fong

Balthazar weighed the possibilities, made his decision, turned around, and started downstairs, just as the lights caht switch Britnee was a few steps ahead Both of the the stairs