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"Luce," Dahispered In the tu waves, Luce couldn't hear her, but she could read her lips "What's happening?"

"I don't know" Luce shook her head, straining to keep them both a oat

"Swi anywhere was impossible They could barely keep their heads above water

The creas lowering an in atable life raft Steven was inside it As soon as the boatbriskly toward them Luce closed her eyes and let the palpable relief wash over her with the next wave If she could just hold on a little longer, they were going to be okay

"Grab s felt like she'd been swi for an hour She pushed Daard him so that Dawn could be the rst one out

Steven had stripped down to his slacks and white oxford shirt, which et now and clinging to his chest His e as he Steven had stripped down to his slacks and white oxford shirt, which et now and clinging to his chest His e as he reached for Dawn His face red with exertion, he grunted and heaved her up When Daas draped over the gunwale, far enough that she wouldn't fall back in, Steven turned and quickly took hold of Luce's ar out of the water with his help It was only when she felt her body slipping the rest of the way into the boat that she realized how sopping wet and freezing she was

Except for where Steven's ngers had been

There the drops of water on her skin were stea to help Steven pull the shivering Dawn the rest of the way into the raft Exhausted, Dawn could barely drag herself upright Luce and Steven each had to take her by an arm and heave She was al jerk pull Dawn back into the water

Dawn's dark eyes bulged and she cried out as she slipped backward Luce was not prepared: Dawn slipped out of her wet grip, and Luce fell back against the side of the raft

"Hold on!" Steven caught hold of Daaist just in ti the raft As he strained to lift Dawn out of the water, Luce saw the briefest ash of gold extend fros

The way they jutted out instantly, at the th--it see, the color of the kind of expensive jewelry Luce had only seen behind glass cases at departs Daniel's arni cent and sexy; Steven's were raw and intirunted, the iving hih upward s stirred up enough wind to atten Luce against the other side of the raft As soon as Daas safe, Steven's feet touched down again on the oor of the raft His wings immediately slid back into his skin They left two small tears in the back of his dress shirt, the only proof that what Luce had seen had been real His face ashed out and his hands were shaking

The three of the, and Luce wondered whether anyone watching from the boat had either Steven looked at Luce as if she'd just seen hi to see his wings; she hadn't known until then that even the dark side of the fallen angels could be so breathtaking

She reached for Dawn, partly expecting to see blood so had taken her in its jaws But there was no sign of any wound

"Are you okay?" Luce nally whispered

Dawn shook her head, sending droplets of water ying o her hair "I can swi--"

"Is still down there," Steven nished, picking up the paddle and hauling them back toward the yacht

"What did it feel like?" Luce asked "A shark or--"

Dawn shuddered "Hands"

"Hands?"

"Luce!" Steven barked

She turned to hi than the one she'd been talking to minutes earlier on the deck There was a hardness in his eyes she'd never seen before

"What you did today was--" He broke oHis dripping face looked savage Luce held her breath, waiting for it Reckless Stupid Dangerous "Very brave," he nally said, his cheeks and forehead relaxing into their usual expression

Luce exhaled, having a hard ti the voice to say thank you She couldn't take her eyes o Dawn's tre thin red marks that looped around her ankles Marks that looked like they'd been left by ngers

"I'irls are scared," Steven said quietly "But there's no reason to bring a general hysteria upon the whole school Let me have a talk with Francesca Until you hear from me: Not a word about this to anyone else Dawn?"

The girl nodded, looking terri ed

"Luce?"

Her face twitched She wasn't sure about keeping this secret Dawn had alripped her shoulder, relasses, and stared into Luce's hazel eyes with his own dark brown ones As the life raft inched up to the main deck, where the rest of the school waited, his breath was hot in her ear "Not a word To anyone It's for your own protection" SEVEN