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Where was the cold? He wanted the cold to return

"Aden, please" The voice blended with the roar "Open your eyes"

His ue swollen, his lips bruised His otten up close and personal with a baseball bat

"Aden!"

His lids popped open of their own volition He was panting, still sweating A wan Victoria loo like a curtain around his face There were circles under her eyes, eyes that were glazed with pain, and she was clutching at her ears, cringing

Was this a dreaone to heaven He still heard that godawful roar, still felt as if he were on fire, battered and bruised

"Aden," she ht Dizziness hit, then subsided Pain hit, and reh teeth he didn’t recognize Through…fangs? He flicked his incisors with his tongue--no, no fangs He wasn’t sure what thatwith hiiven him some of her blood Knew she’d tried to turn him frootten the conversation he’d heard But he didn’t know any e hadn’t succeeded?

He wanted to ask

"The souls," she said before he could "I have the souls InsideWhy won’t they stop? And you…you, I think you have th only long enough to issue her confession, she collapsed, falling into his arathered her close, held her tight His brain hadn’t sparked back to life yet, his thoughts fragh hi Victoria with hiht was clear Whatever had happened to theured out later And whatever changes they’d experienced, whatever they would next need to do, they would triumph; he had no doubt They’d defeated the witches and the death curse They could get through this, too They had each other, and that was all that ainst his chest

He was surprised she had roused, surprised but glad "I won’t I’ll never you let go"

Yes, they had each other, would always have each other They could handle what came next

He hoped