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Aiden takes et to make our own choices about ant to be No one can control us And I proht way" His eyes burn with the truth

The door bursts open and Ryder storht of me There’s a cut across her nose and one of her knuckles is bleeding

"You look like shit," she tells me

"Gee thanks," I say sarcastically

She shrugs "Sorry, but you do"

I wipe the blood from my face the best that I can, but it’s so thick on ood

"We need to get as far away from here as we can, before they wake up," Ryder says, scared out of her mind that on’tso behind An unfinished memory perhaps? Or rowing light with each step At the bottom, I spot Greyson first, red hair like fire, the purple bruisethe doorway, his one hand clutching around a set the other three?" Aiden asks breathless and red faced

Cedrix shakes his head "There are still tandering around The one asshole saw renade exploded" He steps out the door, the silver ball gripped tightly in his hand, which trehtly with the fear that on’tstays silent, our five heartbeats the only noise

"Maybe we should just go," Ryder whispers,for the door

Aiden nods and they swar into each other as they try to squeeze through I trail behind, still feeling like I’o back to hilance up and see two sets of boots, htly down the stairs Instinctively, like renade from Cedrix’s hand, throw it, and wait for the silver smoke to fill and pollute the air But the s closer and closer

"You idiot," Ryder hisses at me "You didn’t pull the tab"

Aiden and Ryder exchange a glance and then they all start to run for their lives, but I’ve seen how fast the Day Takers are, at least Sylas, and I know that we’re in trouble I slink under the stairway as they reach the botto

"Nice try with the silver grenade and everything," one says with a sharp snap of his fang "But next tiht want to make sure it works"

I search for a weapon and spot a pipe byas I once was, but I have to try I jump out from behind the stairwell and smack the pipe hard into the back of one’s head He screams, but doesn’t fall He turns around and my heart stutters

"Bernard?"

His s in his eyes and he wears the sa s you again" Then he lunges for me

I smack him in the face with the pipe and his jaw cracks, but he pops it back in place I try again, but he knocks the pipe away

"Sucks doesn’t it?" he says "Bet you ishing you’d taken the ain, but he hits it away and lunges for round My head cracks and smoke sputters the roo runt and helps et used to being human, okay?"

I nod and they all pile out the door But I pause, looking at Bernard, wondering if this is the right choice Aiden slips his hand into o"

I nod and we sprint after the I’m relieved to see that darkness hasn’t settled over the city yet At least they have that going for them

The five of us take off down the ash-covered street, fires roaring beside us, and we never look back But part of me wants to look and find out what’s behind me

Chapter 35

"We should just sleep through the night and then walk the rest of the way in the " Ryder paces in front of us, her e They have these large holes in them, which she’s filled with black buttons that have red dots in the center

After we left the bubble-top building, and the Day Takers, we ran until we reached the land where the red rocks start There, we found a place to rest, because everyone, includingup my wrist with a piece of his shirt that he ripped off But I can still feel everything; every burn, every sting, every pain It hurts and I hate it I feel like everything’s spinning out of control and I can’t stop it

"Hey," Aiden says, drawing oing to heal"