Page 27 (2/2)

"Slon, cowboy She’ll be fine"

Fine That wasn’t good enough "You’re still takingyou"

"’Cause you only want Vic Yeah, yeah, I know" Stephanie rolled her eyes, flattened her hands on the pane and leaned toward hi quietly, "I also know she likes you and didn’t want strangers laying the moves on you, especially when she can’t trust them not to bite and enslave you So here I a it" Now she splayed her arht red tank and lory Do you kno lucky you are? Lauren and I were promised to others, but with Vlad’s death all bets are off and you get a chance with hty king, because if I take you to her now, I’ll be taken off the list, and it’s better for everyone if I’m on it"

His stoirls have been chosen, then?"

"Yep And letanother of Vlad’s daughters, but ree to see you--sorry, but it’s true, you being huh their fathers want to … By the way, I’ve e my vote You aren’t a lucky boy"

"I hadn’t realized," he replied dryly

She laughed, and it was a h he wanted to elicit froht wistfully--and then felt all kinds of guilty Victoria was perfect, just the way she was She was smart and dedicated and understood hi With acceptance And he didn’tto do so, even Was proud and excited when he won one Except, she deserved to be happy all the ti her uilt bombarded him He shouldn’t want her to be jealous, but he far preferred jealousy to the indifference she’d shown hi to invite lanced over his shoulder Shannon still stood against the doorway, expression curious Tho at that invisible wall "Actually," he said, turning back to her, "I’ll join you out there" He was due to meet Riley, Victoria and Mary Ann in the forest, anyway In…two hours, he realized with a glance at the clock Not soon enough Not that he didn’t like Stephanie, but he was uncoan, only to be cut off

"Yeah, I k-know the drill Go I’ll cover for you"

"Thank you"

As Aden sheathed his blades in their ankle holsters, Stephanie said, "Don’t forget your ring"

Vlad’s ring Oh, yeah He removed the opal fro from the vampire mansion, slid the metal in place and climbed outside God, it was cold So cold mist formed in front of his face every time he exhaled

They walked side by side toward the forest, but just before they reached the line of trees, Stephanie grabbed his arm and stopped him

"Goblins and wolves are out there" Even as she spoke, a howl rent the air The hoas quickly followed by a high-pitched screech--a sound no huo?" he asked

"We’re going to be all romantic and crap and sit out here, under the stars I have to report back, you know, so we have toto his feet "Behold"

Looking down, he found a black blanket, spread out and velvet soft So They really were going to be "roh, Aden plopped down and stretched out, staring up at the sky, stars twinkling from their perches like diamonds

Stephanie lay down beside him "So what do you want to talk about?"

I bet she’s soft, Caleb said

You’re gonna get us in trouble, Elijah snapped

"I want to talk about Victoria"

She snorted "I’m shocked Really Well, what do you want to know?"

"Are you okay withher?"

"Why not? You’re cute"

A co "Yeah, but your other sister hates me"

"She does indeed Like a rash"

He s s"

"Welcome"

"You’re…different," he said He hooked his hands under his head, hoping that would warm them "Not like the others"

"I know Isn’t it wonderful?" she asked, nudging hi him

His smile widened "Victoria says you used to sneak out"

"Yep Every chance I got"

"You weren’t afraid of your father?"

"Of course I was We all were He believed punishment was the only way to train so us to be the undefeatable army he’d always craved as a human But Lauren was his favorite, his h, after all, so most of his attention was directed at her Me, I was too…uninterested, I guess is the word, but he wanted my mother happy Females were his weakness, not that he would ever admit that aloud He admitted to no weaknesses Anyway, he washed his hands of uard, and leftcare"