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Chapter 1

Etienne stared down at the house across the street and watched shadorithe and dance on the closed curtains The hter that swelled every time the front door opened didn’t surprise hiine a bunch of frat boys out shopping for the fabric of a pleasing look and texture Daht bent, dusty blinds would be more their style

A faint breeze ruffled his hair

If he concentrated, he could read the thoughts of everyone partying within Not et blitzed And one poor guy who thought he had flunked his biology final A quick scan of his s had been slow of late Dare he say boring?

For a while there, vae packs that he and his sister, Lisette, had had to hunt together just to ensure they would survive the battles But now

The frat house door burst open as a woh the night as a tall, broad-shouldered figure stepped into the doorway behind her and held the door open "Co?" the e--asked

The woe of the porch and tripped down the steps Low, sultry, fehter wafted up to Etienne

Nice If the wo

"You know o"

Her friend laughed

Odd It was late May Nighttime temperatures in North Carolina had been , black coat not unlike the one he sported himself

His own concealed a s stars, and autoinjectors Dr Lipton had prepared that bore the only sedative that worked on va And fit a lovely for, black hair that concealed her face as she fought to keep her balance

The college boy grinned "Hey, hed "Who says I’ ho and her hair was naturally black Or perhaps a dark brown While he could see as clearly as a cat in di color in those conditions

The wo both boots firh her hair, she drew the tangled locks back and gazed up at the ht She was beautiful, with porcelain skin, her features pert perfection

And she seeht at him

She even froze for a hts up here and he stood in the shadow of a chimney where the moon’s beams wouldn’t touch him

"Hey, Krysta!" soe boys, who clearly had already been celebrating the end of the spring serass streith the occasional e, are you?" a jovial blond asked

She sed, swayed a bit, then pointed at thehed

"Couldn’t you just stay for one ga?" the blond asked hopefully "Or maybe to shoot some pool? I need to win my twenty bucks back"

"Already spent it," she called ain Stuh she were on the deck of a rocking ship, listing one way then the other When she didn’t fall, she grinned big and threw her hands up in the air like an Oly a routine

The ht, she staggered down the sidewalk, turned, and headed up the street

"You think we should walk her home?" the blond asked softly

The brunet beside him leered after Krysta "I’ll walk her home I’ll walk her alllllll the way home"

The blond shoved him "Cut the shit She isn’t like that"

Etienne decided he liked the blond

The brunet scowled "Whatever" Loping up the steps, he entered the house

The blond frowned after Krysta, then--urged on by his other buddy--joined the party

Etienne watched Krysta pause under a streetlight, part her coat, and reach into an inner pocket

Beneath, she wore tight, black pants that showed every shapely curve of her long legs and a black T-shirt that hugged small, firm breasts