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Wordlessly, he extends an ar down

Hesitantly, I hold out my hand

When his fist opens, a medallion falls into my palm

Eli’s medallion His family crest I know it before I even look at it I can feel the particular ridges in the pattern My heart sinks to the bottom of my soles I knohat it means I knohat it’s supposed to e it I fucking refuse

I lift elwhatever and whoever he is After a one

Iup the track a bit, I search the area A mist rolls in from the Firth of Forth and creeps across the tracks The air is boggy with the scent of sea life, so thick it’s like soup Gulls screaulls

There isn’t the first sign of that guy Of Eli Or of the other two

Did Eli justI squeeze s "No," I say, slipping to the ground Rough gravel and stone bite throughinto my knees "No" I can barely even say the word It’s like there’s so stuck in my throat and I’m unable to breathe Unable to speak Sodown, his eyes locked onto mine Never have I seen his face so stern "Ri," he says calet out of here" With his hand he pushes my loose hair back, offaround I scan the tracks No hat just happened, happened

No way It just didn’t

Noah’s hand grips rily, and take a few steps up the tracks I see nothing but grayness and ainst steel A sound that now jabs ainst," Noah says behind "We can’t do this alone Not just the two of us Maybe not all of us"

I turn and stare at hilance in the direction of the train "It’s not real It didn’t happen" Again, air sticks in s "Those kids" I turn and look at hihappen!" As I’ rubbery again Swear to God, I don’t think I can walk

"I’ll carry you outta here if I have to," Noah says "But you’re the strongest soul I know, Riley Poe" He tilts e and pity stare at et the hell outta here Now"

I stare across the tracks at the tall gray buildings The mist is even thicker now than before The heavy scent of brine fills the air If there’s a horizon, I can’t see it

I’m completely numb inside I don’t even knohat to do I just want to sink to the ground

"I’ll help you," Noah says, both hands on et back to the Crescent"

Eli’s lance down at it I’d been gripping it so hard, its imprint rests in my palm With a deep breath I nod and slip the in to run It’s still dark out, but thein makes even the shadows hazy It feels like a spray of fine water against s The air is chilled, salty, and for a second it reminds me of Savannah Of the salt marshes Of home

Only this place isn’t home Home is where Eli was, safe Fearless Top of the food chain No predator could confront and win against a vampire Impossible

Yet I can’t even say the words I know in my heart are true I’d watched it Witnessed every h houses a brand of evil I can’t seerasp

I just encountered it I knoith all of h the arches, run up the narrow path, and leap over the Crescent’s iron gates Noah is right behindDarius Gabriel One of theht of Eli’s medallion burns into the skin ofto race

Or I’ll die trying

Part Seven

UNINVITED

Evil is like water, it abounds, is cheap, soon fouls, but runs itself clear of taint

--Sae in Riley now is like ed into the heart She won’t accept her mate’s fate Will not I can see it in her eyes There’s a fury there that is chilling For the first tih, I feel like the Fallen have no chance in Hell of surviving Not Riley Poe anyway

--Lucian MacLeod

"Riley"

The h the door, Victorian is there Noah i the Ro He silare for a second before turning his brown gaze to mine What is it? Talk to me