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She stumbled back and felt her face

It would feel different, ser

Her hands shook in front of her "What did you just do?"

"We need to talk" I held out my hand "Trust me?"

She gulped, her white eyes blinking in confusion "I feel different"

"Because you are"

"I don't understand"

"But you want to?"

She nodded

"Take my hand"

The asped We'd always felt warm to one another, but the minute her skin caertips

"But—"

"Let's go visit Cassius He ht now, but I believe he'd want to be in the room"

"He hates me"

"No" I sighed "That's where you're wrong"

"Dark Ones do not love," she whispered "I know that now"

I tilted my head and smiled sadly "Don't they?"

Genesis

"It's time" Sariel released my hand

"Will I see you again?"

He laughed, his feathers ruffling next to me "Do you really want to?"

I shrugged "You're not so bad"

"So many compliments my head may explode"

He wasn't It eird He was dangerous; he had potential for both evil and good, but he was also in a position where he had no choice but to force the rules on people — and hope that in the end everything worked out I felt sorry for him

Sariel tilted my chin toward him "Don't"

Tears filledwith me"

"Always" He plucked a purple feather froht away"

I clenched the feather in my hands and nodded "Goodbye"

His lips touched h my body, followed by such intense heat that I started to convulse

I saw Ethan's warm smile… the first tiether as if we needed each other so desperately ould die without touch

And then Cassius — his heart of ice — shattering, breaking, and transforht before my very eyes as his lips met mine, and he whispered, "Breathe"

I wanted to breathe