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Gently he stopped her feeding, catching her chin in his hand and lifting her face so he could take her ns of blood from her lips and teeth She ca him back a little tentatively He didn’t push it further, although every cell in his body screamed at hiainst her throat

"I know I don’t want you to go, but I know you have to Drago for me You are the , Emeline I am not dead If you have need of ether I will hear you and answer if at all possible Don’t try to leave, and don’t be beguiled by anyone calling to you Not the children and not your friends Someone cracked open the doors to allow Vadie part in the conspiracy We don’t knoe can trust"

She nodded, clinging to hiomir"

"I will be close," he promised It was difficult to leave her Her eyes sith tears, which made his heart hurt, but he had no choice The sun was cli her cheek and was gone

6

E the est day of her life The worst She had tried to sleep, but she couldn’t keep herher, telling her that Drago his terrible wounds, wounds he hadn’t fully taken care of because of her He’d spent soto save her, in the end he’d sacrificed his life

She didn’t understand as happening to her She’d never paid serious attention to anyor anyone else She’d spent a good deal of ti Then she showered and washed her hair She eak enough that she had to sit twice, but she was deterled, horrible h her hair after washing it and have not one tangle snag the wide teeth Drago the day, she had found herself with tears strea down her face She needed to touch him To see him She was desperate for any kind of contact with hions were back on guard, five of theil, but the children were nowhere in sight A breeze kicked up leaves and swirled them in the air

Genevieve had knocked, and then called her on her cell when Emeline hadn’t opened the door She was shocked that Enant and wanted to kno to help E Dragomir to her She followed his orders and didn’t allow anyone in

She spent part of the day trying to find food or drink that her stomach could handle, but she’d been sick from the time Vadim had taken her prisoner, and that only seee to sip water and keep that down Mostly, if she did more than wet her parchedto soothe herself The baby had been very quiet, with very little ohter was finally coh to sleep She knew eventually the parasites would attack her, but Vadim hadn’t issued that order, so they left the baby alone That was Dragomir, too He’d done that

She tried to rest, but she couldn’t lay down or relax She closed her eyes and reached for hi in her She had always lived her life on her own terms, and it was difficult to need another – but she did, desperately

Dragomir I don’t want to disturb your sleep, but I can’t see you’re alive and well I know it sounds stupid when it’s only another hour until sunset, but I can’t relax She waited, her heart in her throat Her body was still, her lungs refusing to draw in air until they burned

I aht beneath you There is a chamber beneath the house Tariq must have put thee and runs nearly the entire length of your ho in air as relief flooded her He was alive Close Right beneath her She sank down onto the floor, and ran her hand over the hardwood She loved the gorgeous pattern, a huge moon in the center, with stars scattered around the rooe the furniture if she lived there perun to think of the house as hers It was the first real home she’d had in her life Blaze’s father had sent her to France when there was trouble, but she returned when she found out he’d been murdered In France, she’d had a tiny apartment, but no one was there, not even Blaze, so she had been very lonely