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"Tell her how you’ve been letting Felix in," I said, and Nina dropped her head, her beautyas he stays quiet, you’ve been letting him see the sun and remember what it’s like to love someone"

Her head snapped up "Stop it!" she protested, but she wasn’t nearly angry enough

"You don’t have enough control," I said, carefully gauging herit for you! Ivy’s been risking her life, everything, to help you get out fro you’re clean, but you’re nothing but a filthy va lines in your own arm to suck on!"

Nina stiffened "How dare you!" she exclaimed, eyes black

I rocked back to put distance between us "How dare I?" I echoed "If he wasn’t in you now, you’d be at h control on your own--not with all the power he’s du about how hard it is You need to decide if you love her or him, and make your choice Frankly, I don’t care about you, but I will not let you drag Ivy back down into that slime He’s in you now, isn’t he? Isn’t he!"

Nina’s eyes widened, but it wasn’t me she was afraid of Trent wisely eased back as Nina shuddered, a violent spas ceased I could hear people whispering nervously in the hall, and I prayed they didn’t come in

For three seconds, Nina didn’tinto her skin, she drew herself up into a confident stance and cold mien When her eyesto wonder if it ever had been

Behinda pain in h the voice was the same, the cadence was not It was Felix: devious, soulless, politically powerful, and yet still Cormel’s ward Cincinnati’s master vae and madness picked away the last of him and he walked into the sun It looked close now Nina would go with him I could see no other path, and my heart ached for Ivy She had wanted to help her so badly, saw her own rede Nina That’s what hurt the most

I backed doith a show of deference if only to save my skin This was all I had wanted: Ivy to see so she wouldn’t blind herself any longer "Get Ivy out of here I want to talk to Felix alone," I said, and Ivy protested as Trent helped her out Nina shifted her gaze to Ivy as they passed, and I stiffened

"Leave the door open," I said softly, and Nina snorted, the sound both scornful and masculine I didn’t care if Felix kneas scared I was, and I didn’t want that door shut I could hear doctors, and my worry for Ivy eased She’d be okay Me, however

Finding a fired the sleeves of her trendy, soiled jacket as if it was a business suit Glancing down, she frowned at the state of her untidiness, a soft tsk-tsk escaping her as Felix noticed the hole in her nylons and that she was prettyon how to fix souls to the undead and to back off," I said, wishing I had that bed bar in easy reach

"I’ain shaking her head "We are so fragile" Her head ca her eyes dilate "And yet we cling to life long past what should be possible"

I took a breath and held it "If Ivy dies, I’ll never give you what you want You can tell Cormel that, too"

Nina twitched, and I wondered if Nina was trying to regain control "If we don’t get ant, Ivy dies If we still don’t get ant, you die Give us ant, and everyone lives Why do you hesitate?"

Again, she twitched, her knees al Hope, unexpected and aliven up on Nina Maybe I shouldn’t either

"It’s i "It can’t be done"

Nina put a hand on the dresser, her head bowing in pain, and ood at," Felix said through her "Doing the iht this? That you love her burns like the sun itself You could have everything, and yet you still fear it?"

My breath ca about Ivy Yes, I loved Ivy, but I couldn’t give her what she craved, deserved The one time I’d tried, it almost killed me But that’s not why I’d said no "I’ when even the last rims of broere lost behind the utter blackness of her eyes The air seeled fro fro-va back fro her hair fro control, and a thread of doubt pulled through me "Ivy still waits for you Nina knows it She knows Ivy loves you best That’s why I in"

"I’m not afraid to love soht be right I’d said no to Ivy, not because she’d al yes, I’d lose my own dreams, my own self Would I lose them now if I stayed with Trent?

"Shut up," I whispered as Nina began to laugh "I said shut up!" I shouted, and her chortling glee took on a hysterical sound before it eased into a happy mm offit I wasn’t afraid to love someone I wasn’t! I’d loved Kisten And he had died

"Nina is too weak," she said, running an ever-after-stained finger across Nina’s neck in a h to best h "But Ivy’s is strong enough for both of them"

Nina eyes flicked toit, I felt then Ivy It had always been about Ivy "Nina," I said suddenly "You love her Don’t let her think she doesn’t deserve you! She needs you, Nina, more than you need her! More than she needs me You know that!"

"You stupid littlebitch," Nina choked out, suddenly wavering She stiffened, stu back "No You’reas her eyes ide A silent screaasped, and then her eyes rolled to the back of her head I sprang forward to catch her as she went li us both down

"Trent!" I shouted, ht Love had given Nina the strength when nothing else had