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And suddenly, Tayla realized why Gem’s eyes had seemed so familiar They were her mother’s eyes

Eidolon was just as stunned by Gem’s news as Tayla was, and as they all headed back to his apartment, he wondered why he was so surprised With the exception of the dyed hair and Goth-style e of Tayla

And now, the reason he’d been so aggressive in the car with Gem became clear He’d seen Tayla in her

"I don’t understand this," Tayla said, as they exited the Harrowgate in an alley near his building Like all of the gates, it was invisible to hue, but Tayla lowered her voice anyway "How long have you known?"

Geroup "My parents told o so I would have the choice about whether I wanted to know you"

"How special And what, you just spied on hed, slowing "I went to your apart I followed you, saw you ured you’d be drunk in an hour Turned out you did your partying in the sewers"

"You followed us down there?"

"Yep I saw you hunting Telling you who--and what--I was, didn’t seereat plan at that point"

They arrived at Eidolon’s building, and inside the elevator, Tayla turned on Geh she kept her hand in his "Your parents left me and my mom to die on the warehouse floor"

"Myseen withwhat you are Who you are"

"Easy for you to say" Tayla’s voice was sharp, cutting, and he knew she wasn’t going to accept anything without drawing blood first "You’ve known since you were born You didn’t have a choice about what you are I do"

They exited the elevator on Eidolon’s floor, and as he unlocked his door, he said quietly, so as not to freak out any neighbors, "You are half-demon, Tayla There’s no choice about that"

"True" She didn’t look at hirate that half"

"You’d rather die? Because that’s your choice, slayer," Shade said as they entered

Wraith rubbed his hands together in cheesy horror-rinned "I’ve alanted to say that"

"Wraith’s deht Tayla, let us--"

Tayla whirled, stopping thereed earlier," Eidolon re his voice didn’t betray his fear that she’d truly changed her mind

"That was before I found out what my father was Before I learned I’m a monster" Tears welled in her eyes as she looked down at her hands, her ar, is inside an to scratch, and then claw, as though trying to rip off her skin

"Stop" Eidolon grabbed her by the shoulders "Calrip until he pulled her against hiered his libido, of course, but as she settled down and just held hiered, soe to save her life so he could keep her as his own

"Listen to me, Tayla Look at Geently stroked her wet hair "See the tattoo bands around her wrists and neck?"

Ge collar to reveal the Celtic knots that circled her throat "They’re on my ankles, as well They contain the demon side of ry Tayla, you can contain yours, too Being a demon doesn’t automatically make you evil"

She pulled out of his aruys are broken records De our body parts--"

"Ahwell"

She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand "Well, what?"

Shade popped a stick of gu for you, ent to the hospital to have a chat with one of our nurses as injured in the explosion It wasenlightening Seeis isn’t involved"

"Then who is?" Tayla asked

Fury washed through hie’s bedside, her hatred of dee wasn’t sure She was huis"

"Was?"

"She was disposed of" And unfortunately, she’d known nothing about the status of Gem’s parents

Tayla crossed her araze distant Scents swirled around her, confusion, suspicion, and anger "Why did she do it?"

"She was addicted to black ave theods Paige had considered de more than insects, ly into the organ ring not for money, but to harvest parts for her personal use "Apparently, she’d receive a e from the Ghouls to meet somewhere A different location every time She’d be met by various deery"

"She was a doctor?"

"Nurse But she learned enough working at UG to perfor organs for transplants"

"Now they want me," Gem said "They took my parents and threatened to kill them if I don’t cooperate"

Realization sparked in Tayla’s eyes, flickering like green fire "That’s why you’re here It has nothing to do anting to knowpushed up my timetable, but I alanted to know you, Tayla"

"Yeah Whatever" Tayla’s self-defense et close, reminded Eidolon so lanced at Gem "Are you supposed to contact the Ghouls?"

Gem nodded "I’ht"