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Slowly I let go of his clustered in s where Coro in the sudden realization that it, too, was a conduit for theknees "But I’ve been to the other side and survived the trip back and can move like a queen" Pixy dust sifted over us, and my skin burned "Don’t pissof fear and nylon I could feel the give of rubber tread fro lifted off fro in the cold None of theer to becoambled and lost The demons would never listen tohard, I sank back intohands Da and all to keep hi but vulnerable to manipulation at the same time Love sucked

"You okay?" Trent’s voice was low, and my chest hurt at the new fear in him, one born fro fast, I reached to touch Trent’s hand onon to the line, and he started when the pure energy froh hiet back to the line and ride it like an ocean current The power in me lessened, and I breathed easier

"Ask htened in understanding I didn’t feel good People in suits and s of vampire surrounded Cormel Our eye contact had been broken, and I wanted to leave

"Tink’s a Disney whore, Rache!" Jenks exclaian to slowly distance himself "He’s as scared as a tick under the bed"

Yeah Me too I’d been ready to kill Corh Cormel had been shocked to findfeeling that he’d al it Even as he bent his will to survival, a part of him wanted to die Looked for it Ached for it Maybe that’s why he was so ada his soul?

"Rache?" Jenks called, his excite as he dropped down to search nized Ivy’s voice Jenks spun where he hovered, darting to the door as she elbowed her way in "Get out of rowing crowd, and Trent’s hand tightened on my shoulder when I smiled at her Thank God she was okay

Nina was hot on Ivy’s heels, the jealous little va I watched her visibly catch herself as the scent of frightened vampire hit her Eyes lowered, she concentrated on the floor Ivy, though, pushed through it as if it wasn’t there

"Rachel," she all but breathed as she reached"I-I," she stammered, and then, "Are you okay?"

I aluilt that crossed her It wasn’t reflected in Nina, asexpression "I’ had happened

Feeling it, Ivy let go "Trent texted ht need some help"

"Trent?" I hadn’t seen hi a shudder at the sensation of uilt she was giving off "When did you have the ti as he watched Corin to leave "I type fast"

"Like a fourteen-year-old girl!" Jenks exclaimed, a happy ball of dust at his shoulder

Cor his coat on with a for watched by the admittedly proud but helpless FIB We weren’t done yet, but I’d given hiround

"Tooreally well despite the fading stink of frightened vaood Ivy looked, a flush to her cheeks andbeen in intensive care less than two days ago My eyes jerked to hers, and a flash of self-loathing and guilt crossed her before she turned away Even having access to Trent’s full-strength Bri like this

"Ivy?" I questioned, and Jenks rose up, clearly pleased when Edden walked in, glancing at us as he shook Cormel’s hand and held the door for him

"Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out," the pixy smart-mouthed "Trent, you call hi reluctantly fro his sloay to us The gray looked a little heavier, the worry wrinkles a little deeper, but his eyes were just as sharp and his s when he saw me

But even as I uilt I wasn’t seeing the effect of Brier for blood, and not just the little sips she’d been allowing herself whileaoaded her into it, and she had succumbed It would account for Nina’s increased stability as well, which nore it but for the little fact that itone ain, and she turned away

"Rachel!" Edden boo with thickheaded FIB officers "How did I do?"

He was grinning, and I couldn’t help but s, rocking back and seeing his pleasure in the embarrassed flush on his round face "I owe you, Edden," I said, and he sain, okay?"

"It was a calculated risk" Edden looked out the plate-glass s, a flicker of spent worry saying he was lying "Corht now We just need to travel in packs more often"

"Or pair your men up with a demon," I said flippantly

Edden’s feet scuffed on the painted floor "Ah, yes About that"

Jenks’s wings clattered in the new chill flowing in with the outgoing officers "Can we go now?"

I nodded, spent adrenaline laying like a heavy coil in my middle as I wavedout drink coupons as he refused toopen twenty-four hours a day Mr Fish was probably dead from the cold incharm lest I cook him

"Your folks okay, Ivy?" I asked as Nina all but bolted to the door I really wanted to talk to her, tell her that one night of hunger was not a failure, but she wouldn’t look at ured it out as well What a pair ere; Ivy had fallen off the wagon and I was harboring ain