Page 88 (1/1)

"I’ll be okay when I’uys"

Britnee raised her hand "Mr More? The way you were fighting those guys back there? You were, like, super fast and stuff? So I was thinking in the car--well--are you a ninja?"

It took Balthazar a uys I wish I could, but--it’s better if you don’t know Let’s just get Skye hoet her warm"

Skye leaned heavily on his shoulder as they made their way toward the car She murmured, "You didn’t tell rave found out about that? How did he--Charity Of course" Balthazar grimaced "I should have realized as soon as she rejoined them that they’d catch on"

"Don’t beat yourself up about it Once he was ready to get et rave was still too close "What are we going to do now?"

"Get you to safety and worry about the rest later" There was so much unsaid there: What was safety for her now? Did "the rest" ical belief that she could go on to a nor one without hih Skye’s mind as Balthazar continued, "But first we have to , she said, "Sounds good to ot within ten feet of the car, hts appeared, and Skye’s storave and his tribe had found the a protective arm in front of Britnee "How are they up after you beat them down like that?"

"Because I didn’t finish the job," Balthazar said grirave appeared at the head of them--six varave’s face had been battered alnition; his lips were split, his eyes swollen, his golden skin already purpling with bruises Nor did he wear his usual s smile--only a snarl He finally appeared as monstrous as he truly ithin "Fool," he said to Balthazar "You gave up your chance to kill me in order to save her--all so I can take her away frole to stand on her own "I’ve got more than one chance to kill you"

"But you’re not armed now, are you? And we are, this tilanced toward the car, where vahter as Balthazar was, he didn’t stand a chance against this many varave was battered, probably still not at his full strength, but the ones Balthazar had spent less tiain Skye was in no condition to fight, and even if she were, she couldn’t have beenand Britnee had no idea what they were dealing with

There was only way to avoid becoe me," she whispered

Her eyes and Balthazar’s met for one tortured ht of beco a vampire--but if this was her only way to escape, then she would take it

Balthazar’s expression told her that, even loathing the idea as he did, he would have changed her if he could--but he shook his head No tiht the situation could get no worse, another figure stepped closer: Charity She was almost as white as the snow that surrounded them, her dress, skin, and hair all the color of frost Only her lips were dark, still stained with Skye’s blood In her hand was the largest, most lethally curved knife Skye had ever seen

"Charity," Balthazar said, and his voice sounded broken "Don’t watch this"

"You think she wouldn’t want to watch your final destruction?" Redgrave’s exhilaration creased his battered face into a s ti tihtning-swift rave’s neck

Britnee screa jumped Skye clutched Balthazar’s arrave’s head and body both tumbled toward the snow--then dissipated into so rave settled around her feet, Charity brought up her blade and screamed at the other vampires, "Nobody kills my brother but me!"

They scattered Whether it was from the fall of their leader or the sheer homicidal insanity in Charity’s eyes, the vampires had lost their nerve Within a few moments, their small party stood alone except for Charity Her eyes were locked with her brother’s; her blade was still at the ready

She repeated, in a whisper, "I re to kill me next?"

Charity let the blade drop to her side Like a petulant, bored child, she said, "I don’t feel like it tonight"

The glance that brother and sister shared was confused and even angry, but loving, too "U on?" Britnee asked