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"I can’t lose you," she said

Pleaded, really

The resolve in his steel-cut eyes sliced through her like a razor blade

"We can’t be together"

"I don’t care what you are

I’ain"

He laughed bitterly

"Really, Andrea?

You don’t care what I am?

How can you ever trust me?

How can you think I won’t turn into a ravenous beast and kill you?"

"Because you aren’t Gabrielle"

The words made his head snap back as if she’d slapped hiular, because they didn’t have tih to hinize the person she loved, and she couldn’t control her nature

But you can control yourself, Kaden

You were starving in that cell, and you could have killed , you wanted me

You’ve been turned, but you aren’t evil

I don’t care what The Aegis says

They aren’t always right"

Strain put lines at the corners of his made-to-please mouth

"Even if what I’ve beco issue for The Aegis

They aren’t going to welcome me with open arms"

"There has to be a way"

Herthe darkest, dustiest corners of her brain for anything useful She could leave The Aegis, but that would be a last resort

Hunting deood at, and after an entire life spent quitting jobs, clubs, and college, she didn’t want to abandon this, either

Maybe she could transfer again

So deal

She alhed at that, becausewaitshe sucked in a harsh breath at her sudden idea

"I got it"

Andrea bounced on her toes, excited for the first tian

"We can move to New York

One of the cells there is ruent

And remember hoe heard that one of the Elders is is leaders wasn’t involved with a demon in any way, but the story had spread like wildfire

"Those are just runed

Andrea’s hope that they still had a shot at soan to wither

"I know, but--"

"Even if those things are true, life in The Aegis can’t be easy for them

I won’t subject you to that"

"I can handle it"

"I know you can," he rasped

"But I can’t

I can’t stand by and watch you be scorned"

"Then what are our options?

Stay here and let yourself be killed?

I don’t freaking think so"

She got right up in his face and poked hi in

If I atteain

If I fail at sos I’ve ever stuck with, and I will not go back to being a quitter

We ork this out"

Kaden stepped back, and the hardest thing she’d ever done was give him that foot of space

"And what a your job?

Sit home and watch soap operas?"

He had a point

Here she was thinking of her job, when he’d just lost his

He’d just lost everything, actually

"Okaywhat if you could work for The Aegis?

I ed, but you haven’t"

"Oh, I have," he growled, flashing fangs thathis head, he looked up at the ceiling

"There’s no way they’ll even let me live

Unless"

Her breath hitched, just a tiny catch of hope re-awakening

"Unless what?"

One of the guys just outside the chanored him and scrubbed one hand over his face

"Reht up that radical idea once?

When he was drunk and half out of his mind?"

She rolled her eyes