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"We are I’ cautious"

"I’ve never used any weapon like that before"

"We’ve got to start training you," he ood balance and coordination You should pick up the basics well enough until I can put together a proper training regione fro her eyes froht" He reached down and tilted her chin up so she was forced to meet his eyes "Okay?"

She nodded, uncertainty still etched on her features

"When I fall asleep… I don’t breathe, Natalie I don’t have to, except as habit and to sense the air around me, so when I’m asleep, I don’t breathe at all And you know ulped "To look kind of…"

"Dead," Baojia said Her heart sped up He could tell she was afraid "Think of it more like a coma It’s just a very deep sleep When I aht now I can’t But I ake at nightfall Don’t forget that I ake and be just as I am now"

She nodded, and he could feel the heaviness descending on his li his mind

"Grab the sword," he said

"Okay" She reached down and got one of his short swords froirl," he whispered "Your turn… to guardhe saw before his eyes closed

Her scent was the first thing he s It was the scent of skin and blood Their scent together,way He wanted her by the ocean, outside in the water with the fog blanketing them Maybe a hot tub That had definite possibilities Of course--he felt a rock beneath the pallet on the cavern floor--just a bed would be an improvement

Cave in the desert Bed near the ocean He just wanted her

Baojia’s fangs lengthened instinctually as his eyes flickered open Natalie was not next to him Candles still lit the room, and he heard a rustle of movement from the corner His eyes darted over to the disturbance It was her, rifling through a low cabinet that appeared to need a good dusting The whole cave looked like it hadn’t been used in years She must have heard movement, because she spun around, sword raised

"Hi" He held up his hands "I surrender"

A lingering trace of fear haunted that stare, but she threw the sword down and leapt onto the bed, kissing his face and holding hi to lie, the way you just go out is kinda freaky, George I maybe had a little ht caught up with o, so I was looking for some water There’s a cabinet over there, but I--"

He pulled her down and shut her up with a kiss She talked tooup Of course, when she didn’t talk it bothered him more Natalie’s natural state was chatty He’d learn to live with it

"Hi," she finally whispered when he released her lips "How did you sleep?"

"I sleep There’s no variable I’one"