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Elise picked at her plate, eating a few bites just to look nor car

Blake had been intrigued that she could eat at all

She was silent throughoutto say and failing Blake didn&039;t seem to expect her to chat, either Elise felt frustrated Couldn&039;t she even ? Was she so out of practice with how to act in a social setting that she&039;d been stricken mute? She was a vampire; she could lift the train car and carry it if she had a mind to! Yet she couldn&039;t cole, pleasant conversation How hus have been quiet for al her, forcing out a blur of words "I&039;ood at conversations For years, I hardly talked to anyone aside from Mencheres, and he knows me so well, feords are needed I would like to speak with you, Blake, but I find it extre up with the proper words to say"

He stared at her, his"I meant the demon had been quiet for almost twenty-four hours, butyou want to talk to me?"

If Elise had still had blood pressure, she&039;d have blushed Of course Blake had been referring to the demon She was the only one focused on herself, narcissistic fool that she was

"Never mind," sheher arm "I&039;d like to talk to you, too," he said That little quirk to hishis face very serious "If that&039;s all right" His fingers arm Blake wore a white button-down shirt, the neck open, showing off his beautifully sculpted throat and collarbones Black pants fit hith in his legs

Elise downed her water in a gulp This was bad She hadn&039;t felt this way about a man since - well And that had ended horribly, too

"Elise?" Blake was still staring at her "Is that all right?" No Because if I don&039;t pull back now, if I don&039;t distanceto hurt like I haven&039;t hurt in decades My coldness and apathy are all that can save ht him ever closer to the salt flats and the end of his life, neither could Elise bring herself to turn her back on his had to be done, no matter their cost

"I&039;d love to talk to you," she said "Let&039;s go back to the cabin" Mencheres wasn&039;t in the cabin when Blake entered it Elise didn&039;t seem concerned about his absence, however, so Blake didn&039;t question it Maybe the va his own dinner

"Here" Blake gestured to the bench across froination"

She s he knew lurked in her h her hair was still damp, and she didn&039;t wear a speck of makeup, Elise&039;s beauty was obvious She seeh Hell, Blake had thought the train porter was about to ask her out when he dropped off the check

Was it real? he wondered Thevampires thus far, but what if Elise&039;s looks were soe in order to lure her prey closer?

"Is that your real face? Or do you look" Blake paused, trying to choose an inoffensive word,

"different?"

She frowned "I look different when I shed uise, if that&039;s what you lamour What was under it? "Can I see you? The real you?" Elise&039;s blue eyes began to sith green, growing brighter, until they were pure elow in the sh so that Blake could see the tip of her tongue touch thite fangs that hadn&039;t been there a o

"This is me," she said, voice soft and al happened, he was confused "I&039;ve already seen you like this, right after we first met, remember?"