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"Vanity?"

"Maybe a little She loved hiht the elixir would let her stay with hi," he ed, but now she can’t see to death, but her body rejects all nutrition"

He paused, and Brigid glanced over her shoulder "It’s exactly the same as what happens to vampires Those who are affected can’t feed their amnis with blood And the human body can’t retain the nutrients that it needs, either The elixir starves both the human body and the vampire mind"

"And you haven’t found a way to detect it"

She could tell he was frustrated "Not yet We haven’t had many humans that we know are infected We can’t run tests on it It’s too dangerous And those huet Lucien to share more information about Rada, but it was hard to talk to hi on about her scent and how good she sood she smelled?"

"Yes, he said she smelled… sweet Sweeter than she had in the past"

"Like fruit…" Brigid whispered, and her heart began to race "She smelled like ripe fruit, didn’t she?"

Carwyn’s eyes narrowed "Yes Like… as it?" He blinked and he sat up next to her "Poranates Did E when Ithat she smelled delicious, but I’d never seen her as a vaht it was just her natural scent But she s distinctive, but I couldn’t quite place it It was poranates, Carwyn Why…" Her forehead furrowed in confusion "Why would she sranates?"

Carwyn rose and pulled her up by the ar her into the house They pulled on clothes as he ran his fingers through his hair, thinking "The elixir wasthe ninth century I’ll bet you that one of the ranate"

"What’s so special about po rooardening? Botanical… ardener?"

"Aargh! Why don’t I have Gio or Beatrice here? They’re both walking encyclopedias about things like this"

"Can you call them?"

He cocked his head "I can try What ti"

"They’ll be awake Phone?"

She pointed toward the kitchen where her phone lived She followed Carwyn and sat at the table as he paced and tried to connect She could hear the ringing on the other line before a woman picked up

"Hello?"

He punched the button for the speakerphone "B! How are you, darling girl? I need your help with so"

"Carhere are you?" The voice was Aid felt strangely nervous She’d met much of Carwyn’s family, but these were his friends