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And I saw myself a year later in Paris, dead, immortal; a monster, and on account of those wolves "Wolfkiller," the vampire had called me He had picked me from the common herd because I had slain those cursed wolves! And worn their fur so proudly through the winter streets of Paris

How could I feel such bitterness even now? Did I want to be dead and buried down below in the village graveyard? I looked out of theagain at the snow-covered hillside Wasn't the sa now? Loved for what I'd been in those early thoughtless ain I asked, "But whom or ill I kill?" No answer

I thought of Baby Jenks again, that pitiful little thing, and all the blood drinkers ere now dead And I had wanted a ith them, a little war And they were all dead All who had responded to the battle call-dead I saw the coven house in Istanbul burning; I saw an old one she had caught and burned so slowly; one who had fought her and cursed her I was crying again

"Yes, I took your audience froht to shine I stole the battle! But don't you see? I offer you finer things than you have ever reached for I offer you the world, my prince "

"How so?"

"Stop the tears you shed for Baby Jenks, and for yourself Think on the mortals you should weep for Envision those who have suffered through the long dreary centuries-the victims of famine and deprivation and ceaseless violence Victi How then can you weep for a race of ambit on every mortal they chanced to meet!"

"I know I understand-"

"Do you? Or do you a,at all "

"Why didn't you kill erently, ht hand I fancied I could see the dried blood of the wolf still on it I pulled the blade free of the leather scabbard Yes, the blood of the wolf "I'm no better than they are, am I?" I said "Why spare any of us?"

Fear stopped me suddenly Terrible fear for Gabrielle and Louis and Armand For Marius Even for Pandora and Mael Fear for ht for life, even when there is no real justification I wanted to live; I always had

"I would have you love me," she whispered tenderly Such a voice In a way, it was like Armand's voice; a voice that could caress you when it spoke to you Draw you into itself "And so I take time with you," she continued She put her hands on my arms, and looked up into my eyes "I want you to understand You are my instrument! And so the others shall be if they are wise Don't you see? There has been a design to all of it-your co For now the hopes of the millennia can be realized at last Look on the little town below, and on this ruined castle This could be Bethleheether we shall realize all the world'sdreams "

"But how could that possib

ly be?" I asked Did she kno afraid I was? That her words moved me from simple fear into terror? Surely she did

"Ah, you are so strong, princeling," she said "But you were destined fordefeats you You fear and you don't fear For a century I watched you suffer, watched you groeak and finally go down in the earth to sleep, and I then saw you rise, the very ie of my own resurrection "

She bowed her head now as if she were listening to sounds fro I heard the din And then, annoyed, I pushed them away