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She nodded "I’ll be ready"

"The neighboring valley has a cabin where Frederic Chesteron lived I’ll try to get the women’s permission for us to use it as our headquarters" Zoltan rose to his feet "I’ll be back in a few minutes"

While the others talked, he teleported up to his bedrooes off, and took a quick shower Then he dressed, threw so, and teleported back to the kitchen Everyone was still talking

He stepped behind the counter and loaded a small ice chest with bottles of blood and ice

Howard joined hi to Beyul-La"

"I have to gain their trust"

Howard scowled at him "Talk to them all you want, but when the sun rises, come back here Do not do your death-sleep there"

Zoltan closed the ice chest "Neona tried hard to keep me alive I think I can trust her"

"You think you can? You’re going to risk your life on a hunch?" Howard removed a set of silver handcuffs from his jacket "Don’t make me use these"

Zoltan stepped back If Howard et a cuff on him, he’d be unable to teleport

"Do I have to remind you how coo, take ht!"

The room hushed Everyone stared at hietstory" Zoltan res he’d adlanced at his watch "Howard, tell Doo to the jewelry store toroan, Howard raked a hand through his hair "I don’t knohether to congratulate you or use these darabbed his duffel bag and the ice chest

"If you get the slightest inkling of danger, teleport back here," Hoarned hiain Neona’s trust, then I’ll have to trust her" As Zoltan teleported, Tashi’s words echoed in his head It was either a wedding or his funeral

Chapter Fifteen

Human or monster? Neona asked herself for the hundredth time He looked human He kissed like a human Bled like a human Felt pain like a huo A boy who had al to protect his rown into the ht her leopard was going to attack Theharmed He was the man her heart still yearned for Human

But as soon as she convinced herself of that, the s, sharp and lethal, erupting from his mouth Monster

She shuddered in spite of the hot water she was sitting in Freddie and Freya had dragged her to their house to prepare her for what they called her wedding night While filling the tub with hot water and flower petals, they’d teased her with bawdy jests Freya had insisted on washing Neona’s hair with some soap she’d

"You’re so lucky," Freya said as she rinsed Neona’s hair "You’ve caught such a gorgeoussense of panic How could she spend the night with hih the chest at the foot of her bed

"And so devoted to you" Freya sighed "When I think about how he risked his life to come here to see you--"

"I know!" Freddie removed a pair of red silk slippers "And then he refused to let her feel his pain"

Freya sighed again "What a gorgeous ed her knees in the small wooden tub

A knock sounded on the door, and Tashi slipped inside "He says he needs thirty minutes to rest"

Freya snorted "I wonder what for"

"He said he gave Neona a watch" Tashi looked around the room

Neona motioned to her clothes piled on Freya’s bed "In the pouch"

Tashi and Freddie juh them

"I found it!" Freddie pulled the watch out "Good heavens! It’s beautiful!"

Tashi touched it reverently "The cat sparkles"

"There’s a cat?" Freya ran to look "I love cats!" She took the watch froive me presents like this"

"There are presents for us, ree of her bed "At our father’s cabin"

"This is so exciting!" Freya adrinned at Neona "You’re so lucky!"

Neona sighed How could it be lucky to fall in love with a vampire? She hated to ads and his ability toeyes er? When she spent the night with hi feast?

Tashi sat on the bed next to Freddie "Maybe we should accept Neona’s man After all, he’s Dohna’s son And he wants to help us defeat Lord Liao"

Freya set the watch down on the bedside table "I wonder if he has any friends It’s so hard to find suitable rinned "We thought you had"

Tashi nodded "I only get to see hi it secret And I’e to see him I wish I could live there Or he could live here"

Freddie winced "The queen would never allow it"

Tashi sighed "I know"

As Neona dragged a co, wet hair, she wondered if it was ties in their world Why did Tashi have to endure such a sad situation? Minerva had been miserable, too So miserable she’d lost the will to live