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Turning away fro up there? She knew he needed blood to heal, but it was hours until sunset Was he in pain? Did he need to sleep and if so, where would he rest now that she was in the lair? The curtains were open upstairs What if the sun found hih her What if the Werewolf that attacked her hadn’t been alone? What if there wereoutside? Rane was alone upstairs, wounded and helpless

Spurred by her concern for his safety, she unlocked the door and bolted up the stairs “Rane!”

She ran into the kitchen and skidded to a stop The back door stood open There was no sign of hi a deep breath, she went to the door and took a quick look at the patio and the yard There was no sign of hi the door, Savanah turned the lock, then glanced at the floor For the first time, she noticed the spatters of blood on the tile, as if he had dragged himself out of the room

She followed the cri it was a good thing Mara had chosen tile for the hallway instead of the beige carpet that covered the floor in the living room

The blood spots ended at a door under the staircase Savanah stood there ain her chest and then, with a hand that tre a co on a wooden pole She couldn’t see anything beyond that

“Rane? Are you in there?”

A lol rose up from the darkness And then she saw his eyes, eyes that burned red with need “I told you…to stay…away”

“I can’t”

He growled at her again, a sound filled with soul-deep pain and need A sound that tore at her heart even as fear of the unknown rose up within her once again

She took a step into the darkness, and then another, her love and concern stronger than the fear that screa her to turn around and run back down to Mara’s lair as fast as her feet could carry her

She could hear hied and uneven, loud in the stillness She shrieked as his hand shot out and closed over her wrist, his grip like iron

“What do you think you’re doing?” he deone dry “You need blood”

“Are you offering?”

She nodded, wishing she could see his face, and then glad that she couldn’t The tone of his voice frightened her anew He didn’t sound like her Rane, but a stranger A stranger whose eyes burned into hers, threatening to steal her very soul

“Savanah” Her naed her across the floor and into his eht down her terror “Please don’t…hurt rowl, he jerked her off balance She tu out as his arms imprisoned her His breath skis, cold and sharp against her skin, and knew she was going to die

Trapped in the darkness, unable to move, she closed her eyes and waited for death, only to be jarred to full awareness when, with a vile oath, he pushed her away Confused, she scuttled out of his reach, her hand lifting to her neck And then she felt it, the cool touch of the silver chain that had belonged to her mother

His curses continued to fill the air

And suddenly, in spite of his earlier warning, she knehat she had to do Gaining her feet, she backed up until she stood in the hallway “Coed with pain and despair rang out