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“Mara said you would need to feed,” Savanah said, her words tripping over theo out for a while” What was she saying? Sending Rane out noas like signing someone else’s death warrant

Rane’s lips peeled back, revealing his fangs “No need to go out”

Savanah’s heart skipped a beat “Rane…”

Lifting one hand, he stroked her cheek “You saved me,” he said “It wasn’t Rafe’s blood, or Mara’s, but yours” His eyes, red as flames, burned into hers

“Rane, please…don’t”

He ran his knuckles along her neck, up and down, slowly, up and down

“Rane…”

He recoiled from the stark fear in her eyes, fear that he had put there Filled with self-loathing, he lurched to his feet

“Tell ruff “Now, before it’s too late, rescind your invitation”

“I do,” she said “I rescind it now”

And just like that, he was gone, and she was alone

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Rane stalked the dark streets, his anger and self-loathing groith his hunger He had been a fool, a fool to think he could stay with her, near her, and never hurt her A fool to think he could continue to deny what he was He was a hunter, a predator, ed to keep the monster inside him under control for the last few months, but now…He sla a hole six inches deep in the stucco Pain splintered through his hand It hurt, but not enough

He left Kelton behind and headed for the city, his destination the sluathered He took the first mortal who crossed his path, bent over her neck, and drank He drank enough to satisfy his hunger, then released the woman froer down the street He was no better than the drug dealers and pilumly Driven by an insatiable need, he, too, preyed on the weak and the helpless

The thought brought hiht have been true once, but no more He had not taken a human life since he met Savanah, nor had he been tempted to drain his last victim dry In Savanah’s house, it hadn’t been the uncontrollable ain, but sihtened Savanah away for nothing

Savanah slept in her father’s roo somehow The only two men she had ever loved had stayed in this room, slept in this bed She had lost theave her a small measure of coain In his oay, Rane was also lost to her

“Rane,” she murmured, “where are you now?”

She had been afraid of hih, in her heart of hearts, she had been certain he would never hurt her; yet, at his bidding, she had sent him away She wished now that she had refused She should have ether because she knew, as surely as the sun would rise in the , that it had been Rane’s fear for her life that had driven hi onto her side, she closed her eyes, wondering how long it would take him to realize the truth, and what she would do if he didn’t

Rane stood in the late-afternoon shadows across the street frohts in turmoil It had been three weeks since he had walked out on her Three weeks that seemed like three years He hadn’t killed any of the women he had preyed upon in all that time, nor had he taken the life of the o The knowledge replayed itself in his ain He hadn’t killed any of them, nor did he have any inclination to do so Why? That was the question that plagued hiiven hiiven it to him of her own free will because she loved him He had tasted her blood before, but he had never taken as much as he had when he lay trapped in the darkness with holy water sizzling through his veins like liquid fire He didn’t know if it was her blood that had healed him, or the fact that she loved him, but it didn’t , she had so for the last ninety years His only fear noas that he had frightened her so badly, she would never trust hie to knock on the front door when Rafe appeared beside hi here?” Rane asked