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"A breeder," I repeated "Like a horse?"

Mason laughed harder Well, at least I kneolves weren't out to kill me

Ethan swore and sat down on the other side of me

"We call numbers every fifty years to breed Immortals cannot procreate with other immortals," he explained "Huhed and looked away "Physical appeal"

"But I'ly, we're nothing, we're—"

Ethan shook his head slowly "And that's the greatest deception of all" His hands ly You are absolute perfection"

"To a Dark One," Mason continued, "you're life itself"

Genesis

My breath hitched in ers aroundWhy would I be taught humility and self-hate my whole life only to be told by the very ones I was supposed to fear that I was life itself?

"Jealousy," Ethan said softly, "quickly turns to envy Envy is a dangerous thing because you end up wanting so desperately what you'd never been given in the first place The greatest sin an ih in the face of e are… and want" His eyes were sad "He wants you"

"To kill me?" I whispered hoarsely

"No" Ethan cupped ers "He wants to possess you, and believe me when I say you'll like every part of that possession — until he leaves you Dark Ones always leave, and you'll die"

"Maybe she's different," Stephanie said in a quiet voice

"You'd be willing to sacrifice another?" Mason roared, slaht in front of me

Gasping, I slid my chair back and nearly fell out of it

"Howthe prophecy?"

Stephanie looked down at her hands "It's the only hope we have"

"Hope," Alex muttered "What a sad, pathetic little word"

"We aren't letting Cassius have her" Ethan's green eyes flashed as he released my chin "We won't repeat what happened last time"

"What happened last tiret the answer

Mason's entire face crumpled with pain as he let out a howl and ran out of the room

"Shit" Alex stared after hiet him to come out of his state now"

"I'm so sorry" I held up my hands "I had no idea—"

"Of course you don't," Ethan snapped "You know nothing"

I a

I hung my head