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"He’s at…" She lowers her voice even more and positions herself so her back is to Nicholas "He was at the Red Dragon"

"Please don’t tell ainst Alex "I really don’t want to do any as I live, at least not ones with poisonous drinks"

"Oh, it’s a club," Alex says dryly "An exclusive club for anyone and anything that has a thirst for the evil side--eon"

"God, this is all my fault," I say, frustrated with myself

"This isn’t your fault," Alex assures me "It’s Laylen’s What he does is his choice"

I abruptly feel like I’ around ht kill him because he killed Vladislav" Panic overcos shrink

"Oh my God! Would you two shut up!" Aislin yells, practically spitting in our faces as she stoon, but someone we know picked him up from there and now he’s safe, well more or less"

"Who picked him up?" I ask at the same time Alex says, "Fuck Just e need I really don’t want to deal with her shit right now"

I look over ive hiets uncoht voice with regret in his eyes

"I know she lives close by here and everything" Aislin looks about as hurt as a wounded aniht Laylen would contact her over me… us"

"Would someone please explain who her is?" I ask in the nicest tone I can suaze and she sighs "It’s Stasha She used to be a Keeper--well, I guess she technically still is, but she…decided she didn’t want to be part of the circle anymore because of him" She nods her head at Alex who looks like he wants to be anywhere but here

"Why would she leave because of hiether

Nicholas stands up from the couch and leans in my face "Because she and Alex used to be lovers, but since he’s emotionally dead inside, he broke her heart" He pouts out his bottom lip, still puffy froh he’s just telling me the truth But the truth hurts in a way I had never felt before I , but I don’t know Talking about it is e, raw and painful, like open wounds

I clear ain "So what do we do next? Call Laylen? Or do we just need to go get hi an eye on him because he needs to be watched, just in case" I sound like hisabout that" Aislin frowns "She just said she found hi to Stasha, and when she went to go get hiht?" I ask as I push Nicholas out of et topanicked look at Alex then back atIin front of her "You’re keeping so from me, about my mother"

Aislin swiftly shakes her head "No, she’s headed back here now--I’et Laylen now since Stasha probably isn’t the best person for hih me "Why not?"

"Stasha can be a little on the…unsympathetic side," Alex says "And that’s probably the last thing Laylen needs right now"

"I still can’t believe halfy finally went off the deep end" Nicholas laughs sardonically "I always thought he was a little crazy"

"He didn’t go off the deep end!" I shout, co control overand eating away at the back of ainst the coffee table "It’s my fault he wants to drink blood Not his I made him drink mine because I selfishly couldn’t face the erows so quiet I swear I could hear a pin drop I realize why moments later They pityfor the front door "I just want to go get Laylen and fix this et the car keys" Aislin backs for the kitchen "It’s not too far of a drive fro too ainst the wall, eyes on Alex as he grabs his shirt fros it on "You should probably warn her of what she can do"

Alex narrows his eyes at hihs "You reifts, like Sophia’s gift of…" He looks guilty for bringing up my soul detachment and quickly works his way around it "And what I told you I could do?" he asks and I nod "Well, Stasha has a gift too" He rubs the back of his neck tensely as he walks over to ift of death"

"She can kill me?" I shiver

"Not for fun," Alex clarifies "She just can kill, you know, kill if she wants to by touching someone"

"So she can kill es strikeathis hair into place

"Well, that sounds lovely," I say sarcastically "And I have this feeling that she razing his finger down oing" Aislin says as she returns the roo Alex the car keys "Stasha didn’t answer her phone, so we’re going to have to just show up there unannounced"

I ai to do with hi "We could tie hiet back"

"Or tie him to the rack on the roof like skis," I joke and Alex slowers at me

"I think we should take hione, he’ll tell theree that’s probably the best way, then we hide theball in a safe place and leave the house Minutes later, we’re driving down the highway, toward the next tohere Stasha lives The land is blanketed by night, the s a lullaby as it sweeps against the shore

The inside of the car is hot, due to the hu and I’m in the backseat next to Nicholas, who is practically like an air freshener with his rainy, floral scent It’s too much and, finally, I roll down theand breathe in the fresh air