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But if we played our cards right, and rallied an army of epic proportions, we could do this I knoe can do this A world where the IBSI was no longer needed, where they had noabout their activities, would be a much happier one But more importantly, the hunters had proven the Earth’s probleinning to disturb innocent supernaturalstheir own business in their own territories If we forged enough alliances, we could potentially solve the crisis

I couldn’t remember the last tiht and starry, infused with optimism The journey passed in no tiined an Earth in which peace reigned Harer be a society ruled by fear or boundaries

Before we knew it, the ogres’ kingdo its shores As the dragons circled, searching for the stretch of beach where the portal was located, Micah called out, "Look down there"

Our eyes shot tohere he was pointing With my vampire vision, even from this distance, I was able tofrom the waves to a patch of bushes and trees

My first assuht sodom to eat

But Micah said, "While we’re here, do you think we should see what it is? It wasn’t there e passed by this way on our journey to The Woodlands"

I exchanged glances with Derek, then shrugged I did not see any particular reason to go and check it out--this was the ogres’ storound after all, where bloodshed was a part of their everyday life But since ere planning on taking a break anyway before storain, ere in no particular hurry And Micah obviously had soons descended

We all remained seated on the fire-breathers, while Micah leapt down and approached the trail of blood He sniffed it and his brows furrowed "Fa the trail toward the shrubbery that lined the beach

He sped up to a run and disappeared from view behind a bush

"Micah?" Rose called, after a ?"

When he easped in unison--Vivienne loudest For flung over his shoulders was a wounded, unconscious man Bastien

Grace

The time I had spent with Lawrence had been full of surprises

But I never would have predicted what happened later that night