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Benedict dropped to the ground again, the purple energy ebbing as my mother’s body weakened in er of power still remained in his chest, so I sucked harder

And I felt it, her infinite power, as it slid intosoul as I drained her

Instinct warnedatall her power…

But I didn’t care

“You’re…” She choked out, her voice weak “Killing yourself, you fool”

I yanked on her harder, biting deeper

I drank and drank Until I felt sick with it

I drank until my vision blurred and her heart stuttered to a stop

The dagger of power disappeared from Benedict’s chest

I dropped round, and her power…I’d taken it all It weigheds filled with so to crack from the pressure of it

Benedict stirred, groaning as he et to his knees

His eyes rippedon the power drowning me from the inside out

Blood splattered his leathers, and I parted , too heavy

It pulled me down, down, down

Until everything went black

21

Benedict

This was a special kind of hell

I watched every breath Jocelyn took as her chest rose and fell, subtlythe linens on our bed Once Gabriel had confirht her here—to our charoeaker, her heart speeding by srees as tibird, pu at an incredible, unsustainable pace that I kneould inevitably take her from me if we couldn’t slow its rapid beat The sun rose and the shutters closed The sun set, and they opened again to reveal the noaning moon