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"Good, because I feel safe around Axe He’s been nothing but a gentle hi that is none of your business"

"You are my business"

"No, I’m not I’m your third cousin That’s it" As silence stretched out, she was beyond frustrated "Maybe I shouldn’t have called"

"Maybe" He cursed "I gotta go I have to get ready for class--you wantlike this? And he’s notto need it--"

"No, you don’t get to do this You either tellan ass because you’re being overprotective Those are your two options, Peyton What you do not get to do is play this s offended by hter was rueful "And this is why I could never date you Cousin thing aside"

"Well, I’ overprotective and I have no right to be There"

Elise exhaled and smiled a little "You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?"

"So I am told" Peyton exhaled "Look, I know people like us don’t talk about these things, but that shit with Allishon is still with et it out of, I’h"

Elise dropped her voice to a whisper "I’m so sorry"

"It’s not your fault God, not at all"

"What happened to her? No one will tellother than she died out in the human world They haven’t even done a Fade cereone, as if she never existed And meanwhile, my aunt never leaves her room, and my uncle wanders around aimlessly… I would love to help or understand or … just finally knohat happened"

There was a long pause "Peyton? You still there? Hello?"

"I saas done to her I saw … the violence that killed her"

"Oh, my God, Peyton …"

"I wasn’t the one who found her But I was the one who found out … as done to her"

"No wonder you’re struggling" Elise covered her mouth with her palm "I had no idea"

"She wasn’t killed by a human It was one of us"

"Who?" she breathed

Peyton cleared his throat "Okay, I’ht now, and I don’t want to end this all abruptly, but I really do have to get ready Can we meet up and talk in person sometime?"