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"On one condition"
"Condition? No Fuck you No conditions" I turned on my heel and walked down the block I wasn’t ten feet ahen the loud clearing of his throat h s I was so livid I wanted to bite hi tie irl’s life at stake here Even you have to appreciate that"
"Someone’s life is always at stake That’s the world we live in Sometimes you save lives, so Not everyone gets to live"
"How can you be so cold?"
"I’ continue to live doesn’t impact me I only came because you said you needed me to"
"Then help me"
There was no humor left in his expression He now looked as serious as I felt "On one condition," he repeated
Red-hot rage boiled over me, and my skin prickled with the electric sensation of it "I saved your life You oweI am your Tribunal leader" The last words came out in a snarl
Around us the wind picked up and debris skittered down the sidewalk, scraping over the concrete with an eerie chittering sound Holden’s frown deepened, but he dug his hands into his pockets and looked resolved to not move from the spot I could claim that I’d call down the retribution of the Tribunal on hi me onhad nothing to do with the council
After a silence stretched between us for ainst it With the blade sheathed I wasn’t worried about dulling the edges, but I ht scuff the ebony case So be it, the sword had been through worse I sighed "Nae there’s so on here" He motioned between us
"Holden…" Suddenlyon the cold sidewalk
"No, listen to e to his tone caused aze locked onit made an icy pit swell inside my throat I nodded and licked my lips, but they still felt dry He continued, "I will help you, because I would follow you to hell and back But when this is over I need your word that you will stop ignoring this"
"I don’t knohat you want"
"I want you"
My hand clenched on the sword and the pit dropped from my throat to my stoive it a night Not now, not even soon I want one night to see what this is, without all the rest of the bullshit No fights, no council, no olves"
Without having sensed hi a hairsbreadth fro my arms A shudder wracked ap between us but I fought against ment to let hiled with the visceral knowledge of what his real-world kisses did to my senses
I took a step backwards out of his reach and picked up my weapon
"I can’t proht?"
He nodded
I looked out into the street as cars whisked by, kicking up debris that caught in the breeze An old newspaper tuainst my anchored feet "Okay"
Holden didn’t question my acceptance, but I did Instead, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat and offered etic smile "What do you need me to do?"
"Find me old blood Lots of it"
Sure, I was part vampire And of course ood as the average supernatural I could track a rabbit from a mile away thanks to my olf DNA, and I could smell fresh blood from the smallest cut But old blood was tricky Old blood lost most of its potency after a week as the coppery promise of sweet plash
Des her unique scent, which would lead them all over Sunnyside since it was her territory They’d follow her smell to the places she most co obvious locations
Instead of looking for the girl, I was going to look for her abductor I hoped I hadn’t totally host of Ashley Parsons She’d only pointed, but I wanted to believe thatIsland If I was right, he wouldn’t have taken Penny far I would use Holden like a bloodhound and track the fae directly to his lair
I had faith in the plan working Whether I’d get there in ti youths yet, and I had to believe wein Holden’s car, along with Brigit’s sweater If ere going up against a tidal fae that lived somewhere dank and nasty, I didn’t want to explain to ée why her pretty white sweater was destroyed I had tied ht and the protection it signified