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Closing her eyes, she forced everything frohts to run in circles would drive her crazy She could only help Ethan if she stayed sane And so, she slept

Cassie sat on Zareb’s couch with the cat curled up beside her and watched theht, she was terrified to see theht before he walked out He had his glasses on and was holding his hoodie closed over the lower half of his face

For a ood-bye

He shook his head "Can’t Not when I’ in her mind "You did the first time"

"That was different" He didn’t explain hoas different "Stay safe"

"Right back at youWhat the heck is your last na her best to sound perky, but Cassie had the feeling that even though her "per"badly

"Russo For now"

His voice had that deeper, erous tone she associated with the Second One

"Well, right back at you, Russo"

She kept her shed and looked down at the cat "Anything you want to see on TV?"

The cat yawned to express her colanced over at the twobored

Colin and Dylan They were al, ey hair and aht

"The TV is all yours, guys" She’d go into her roorabbed her book frohtstand, and flopped onto the bed

A half hour later she was still on the sa here for Ethan to co the last week Not the least of which was that she had no place in thevampires She’d been lucky to survive that first day Even loaded doeapons, she was a liability Ethanhis own back

Just when she was about to give up on the book and try the TV again, someone tapped on the bedroom door She climbed off the bed to answer it Colin, or

"Zareb just sent us a text e They’re in a battle and pretty much outnumbered They need us now" He looked torn "I sent for someone to take over for us He’ll be here in about twentyyou alone, but Zareb wouldn’t ask for us if he wasn’t in a bad situation"

Cassie didn’t hesitate "Go I’ll be fine"

Colin nodded and ran back down the hall A few minutes later, she heard the front door close She was alone with her panic

What had happened? Were they all still okay? Why couldn’t Zareb call in sohout the city? Was Ethan safe?

She was pacing the living room with her phone in her hand when the knock cauard ht

Cassie hurried into the bedrooun from her purse If she had to open the door, she’d do it with a weapon in her hand She shoved her phone into her pocket

Before opening the door, she tried looking through the peephole Dauard" Thea deep breath, she opened the door

Cassie glanced past hi in the shadows "Did you see anyone--?"