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With blood rage they could turn deadly in an instant

Jack dragged his attention frolass, and his shoulders lowered a fraction

"Then what happened?" Matthew proain The more I killed, the more I wanted to kill The blood did e, too"

"It was clever of you to understand that so quickly," Matthew said approvingly

"Soh to realize that what I was doing rong I tried to save the war," Jack confessed "I ed to turn two of my prey into vampires Benjamin was pleased with me then"

"Only two?" A shadow flitted across Matthew’s features

"Benjamin wanted me to save more, but it took too much control No matter what I did, most of them died" Jack’s inky eyes filled with blood tears, the pupils taking on a red sheen

"Where did these deaths occur?" Matthew sounded only mildly curious, but my sixth sense toldwhat had happened to Jack

"Everywhere I had to keep et away from the police, and the newspapers" Jack shuddered

VAMPIRE ON THE LOOSE IN LONDONI res of the

"vampire murders" that Matthew had collected fro Jack to realize I knew that he was the

"But it’s the ones that lived who suffered thefurther with every word "My grandsire took my children from me and said he would make sure they were raised properly"

"Benja to make a connection Jack shook his head

"When I made those children, I broke my vow to Father Hubbard He said the world didn’t need more vampires--there were plenty already--and if I was lonely, I could take care of creatures whose families didn’t want them anymore All Father Hubbard asked was that I not ain After that, I couldn’t go back to London--not with so randsire When I told Benjae and killed one of my children in retaliation His sons held me down and forced hter My daughter They--"

He retched He clamped a hand over hisas he vo into his dark shirt Lobero leaped up, barking sharply and pawing at his back

Unable to stay away a lass cried "You must not--"

"Don’t tell me what to do Get me a towel!" I snapped

Jack fell to his hands and knees, his landing softened by Matthew’s strong are his stolass handed me a towel I used it to mop Jack’s face and hands, which were covered with blood The toas soon sodden and icy cold from my frantic efforts to stanch the flow, the contact with somust have broken some blood vessels in his stoet a pitcher of water? Put plenty of ice in it"

Hubbard went to the kitchen and was back inthe pitcher at Matthew

"Raise his head, Diana," Matthew instructed "Keep hold of hiainst taking water"

"What can I do?" Gallowglass said, his voice gruff

"Wipe off Lobero’s paws before he tracks blood all over the house Jack won’t need any reripped Jack’s chin "Jack!"

Jack’s glassy black eyes swiveled toward Matthew

"Drink this," Matthew co Jack’s chin a few inches Jack spluttered and snapped in an atte enough to empty the pitcher

Jack hiccupped, and Hubbard loosened his hold

"Well done, Jackie," Gallowglass said

I smoothed Jack’s hair away fro at his visibly heaving stoot blood on you," he whispered My shirt was streaked with it

"So you did," I said "It’s not the first time a vampire’s bled on me, Jack"

"Try to rest now," Matthew told him "You’re exhausted"

"I don’t want to sleep" Jack sed hard as the gorge rose again in his throat

"Shh" I rubbed his neck "I can prohtic" I traced the pattern of the fifth knot on his forehead and lowered my voice to a whisper

"Mirror shihtmares until he wakes"

Jack’s eyes slowly closed After a fewpeacefully

I wove another spell--one that was meant just for him It required no words, for no one would ever use it butJack were a furious snarl of red, black, and yellow I pulled on the healing green threads that surrounded me, as well as the white threads that helped break curses and establish new beginnings I twisted the the braid with a secure, six-crossed knot

"There’s a guest room upstairs," I said "We’ll put Jack to bed there Corra and Lobero will let us know if he stirs"

"Would that be all right?" Matthew asked Hubbard

"When it comes to Jack, you don’t need my permission," Hubbard replied