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Ian re, until he was alone and the stairas dark and eain He wondered for a second if he'd dreamed it, if he'd risen fro at all except the frost on the lawn and the pale scythe of the moon She couldn't be here, couldn't have looked him in the eye and not cried and said quietly, "My husband is wounded" As if nothing else mattered, just her husband

"Ian," Maeve yelled from the top of the stairs "Get up here"

Woodenly he began to , then slowly climbed the stairs

The bedroom reathed in darkness and filled with people "Everyone out," he said in a dull voice "Only Andrew and Johann andSelena can stay"

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No one argued Maeve shepherded the others outside of the roohting the lamps Within moments, the rooolden light swept the darkness into cobwebby corners

Ian walked over to the bed, where already Elliot lay atop the sheets and blankets His half-scarred face was the sarayed linen pillowcase beneath his head He was bare-chested, and Ian noticed that the same burn that marred his face and hand had eaten down his side as well Bandages wrapped his shoulder and part of his chest; the fabric was stained broith blood

"What happened?" he asked "He was shot" "Bullet still in there?" "No The doctor said he dug it out" Ian nodded, but didn't look at her He didn't dare Not yet, not while the pain was so fresh and raw "Idiot doctor probably used his fingers to dig out the bullet- after gardening, no doubt Take off the bandages"

Andrew scurried to the bedside and gently peeled the stiff bandages away froed wound was ringed by flesh that was already an angry red, and a greenish pus pooled in the opening "It's infected," he said quietly

Selena came up beside hith not to turn to her and take her in his ar down at thefrom Ian, taken his very soul

"Ian" She said his name in that quiet, throaty voice of hers-God, how he'd missed that voice

He waited for the softness of her touch, the gentle pressure of her fingers on his arood man, Ian He does not deserve to die"

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"Doesn't he?" Ian heard the ugly bitterness in his voice and he cursed himself for it But he couldn't stop it

"Can you save him?"