Page 48 (1/2)

I did But his hand onlyto have to steady azillion tih that he was nibbling on it as he spoke I just about e now Shall I go get Max?" His tongue lightly flicked my earlobe "Or are you ready to admit that it’s not hily travelled slowly and lightly down to the sers splayed

Oh God Another shudder began to crest I tried holding it back but a treled It wasn’t sothe shudders, it waslanced around the club; concentrating on how bright the flashing, colourful lights were and how drunk hu to be bitten and how –

Oh ht my eyes found made my brain fail for a second My cheeks and hands burnt; so becas The contents of my stomach curdled and my pulse was practically out of control Fa to me but my brain didn’t interpret the words; every part of me was far too fixated on the spectacle before ling like he had a right to walk the Earth, was soain Someone I swore to one day find And now he had more or less fell in h his fuzzy, red, unruly hair – as if sensing he was being watched He tensed and his eyes widened Abruptly he swung his ar atto see if his aim had been successful, he darted toward the exit I drew in the energy around ush of water from my palnoring the complaints of the people around me ere now a bit wet

Outside the club I halted and scanned the street Further along the path, passing each of the stores with an ad in y, I manipulated it into the form of my whip and then cracked it like I’d never cracked it before It wrapped around his ankle I ragged the whip hard, dragging hi fire balls at le or try to free hiazed up at me, a mixture of shocked and incredibly anxious I realised soht I was dead, didn’t you I hate to disappoint you, but Victor spared me"

"I should have known that the Sventé Feeder everyone’s been talking about was you," he said in a shaky voice

"Yes, you should’ve You never were very bright" I became aware that there were crowds of people around I picked up the scents of Jared, Evan, Chico and Max close behind me But I didn’t care to answer their questions "Is this where you’ve been hiding for the past few years then, Clark, hoping Victor wouldn’t still come after you just for the fun of it? Turns out that Victor was the least of your worries, eh No wonder I couldn’t find you Just how did you get accepted here?"

"My Sire got a security-guard position He was peruards"

"And the stupid bastard thought you’d be loyal?" I leant over hi out ofto miss you too much, because your life has now reached its expiry date"

Clark held up his hands, pal on a htened up and sniggered "Trying to negotiate? This isn’t a hostage situation It’s called retribution"

"Co Bryce back"

"Oh I know that But it’ll feel bloody fantastic" It wouldn’t bring"Just how does it feel to know you’re the reason you’re best mate’s dead?"

"He wouldn’t want this He wouldn’t want you bitter like this, he loved you, he -"

"Oh do me a favour and stop with all that" I shook my head; amazed at his nerve "Do you knohat, Clark? I told Bryce not to go to you for help I told him I didn’t trust you You knohat he said to that? He said he’d known you all his years as a vampire, that you were his best mate and you’d never betray him, and that he trusted you with his life"