Page 69 (1/2)

One

Ava

I ithsmooth and soft It's not war my eyes seems like a lot of work, so I don't bother Instead, I focus on breathing There is a wonderful scent around reen?

“Ava?” a voice speaks in my ear The voice is also fa in front of it Two eyes — one green, one blue — and a set of blacker-than-night wings

Peter

I open my eyes and a to find a way out

“Peter?”

“Ava”

A little light enters the feather cave, and I realize I's I a to realize this It also takes ht now My hand goes to auze

“What happened?” I ask the stupidest question ever

“Many things”

Of course, he's going to be Mr I-don't-want-to-burden-your-weak-hus-you-can't-understand Yeah, that's not gonna fly I may be weak, but I'm not stupid

“Could you give me a play-by-play and not treat me like I can't handle it? I think I've proved that I can by now”

I move my face away from his chest, as difficult as that is, to look at s Huh I'ht Peter innew, but he usually doesn't have his wings out

“I did not change you Or kill you,” he says, adjusting so I can move easier

Man, those wings are huge, and very pretty

I fight the urge to smack him It would hurt me more than it would hurt him “Yeah, I noticed So how did you weasel your way out of that one?” My neck is sore as I try to turn it from side to side There's also a lovely bite ave us a chance to escape”

“How?” I glance up at his eyes, and he blinks I'

“He gave himself up He made another bind”

I sit up, hitting one of his wings withOf all the stupid things

“That he would avenge Ivan's death, by taking the life of the person who took his” His calht noant him to be as freaked out as I am

“That would be me So noants to kill me, too” Why don't I just paint a bull’s-eye on et me, bloodsuckers

“He does not want to,” he says, as if that makes it better

“And she took that?”

“For now” Great Just fan-freaking-tastic My head can't think about that little developone

“What about Cal?” Saying his name makes me want to puke He almost scares me more than Di

“He left with her He will be back”

“Yeah, I bet”

I look out myThe sun is still fairly low in the sky, but etposition

“What do we do now?” I've asked hi me into a noctalis “Oh htstand for my phone