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"I’m O positive," I replied "That’s not rare"

He inclined his head "Have you given any thought as to why soquickly around the rooed "Not really"

He placed a hand on le Gullah took a step forward Gilles smiled "They’re here to protect you, child Your blood type is especially rareto us"

"Gilles, stop scaring the girl," said Elise, suddenly by his side She looked at me and spoke freely for the first time "Your Preacher has masked your blood potency for years," she said softly "You’re in no real danger here, chère, and your fellows are here because they love and cherish you They’re just being cautious, and it is that fierce loyalty which has kept our families and the contract bound for centuries And it shall reainst the small of my back "Your tea dat you drink every mornin’? It keeps your blood ing htly, in a sently "We’ve known of your powerful blood since you was a baby, right Now, listen to hi his head to Gilles "Dere’s soave h I had a difficult tiuys

Gilles clasped his hands in front of him "The Arcoses will not be stopped easily They will be difficult to find--as will your brother and his friends They hide during the daylight and ht about that No wonder Riggs was acting so ridiculous in the shop

"And I feel they are on more than a hunt Retaliation in the end, no doubt" He turned to me and studied my face with intensity "You see, Victorian and Valerian are youths--all of twenty-one and twenty-two years--although extre and deadly Their appearances will fool you--never trust them Their faces are beautiful and innocent; their souls are da in our power to lure theain, I nodded, even though everything Gilles was saying felt as though he was saying it to so an arravely "From our city’s youth--your brother included It’s what they’d intended a hundred and fifty years ago, and it’s why they were entombed They will seek out their troops and victis of the city Now, tierous, and this time they shall be destroyed" He inclined his head "You know the underground, oui?"

"Underground as inwhat, exactly?" I asked, although I sort of guessed what he s," Preacher clarified "Deo to, and dos bad folk you hung out hen you was a youngun"

Inside, I cringed I’d sworn--vowed--that I’d never go back to that life again I’d put it behind ed into stuff orse than I ever drea I looked Gilles Dupré in the eye "I said I’ll do anything"

Briefly, Gilles closed his eyes, and a slight smile tipped his mouth upward "Bon For noe must watch, wait, and try to protect as rown--it won’t be as easy as it once was And Eligius will remain by your side at all tiued We glanced at each other; then I turned to Gilles "I appreciate your concern, really, but I don’t need anyone to protect ht next door I can take care of le, short nod, Gilles, in a fraction of a second, grasped htly and drew his head close I blinked in surprise, and just that fast his face grew close and sickly distorted, his jaw unhinged, and every tooth in his er blue but pure white, with only a pinpoint bloodred pupil I literally shook where I stood, my breath jammed in my throat; I couldn’t breathe, move, or scream

In the next blink, Gilles’ face returned to normal--what I perceived as norret now set firrave;re," he said quietly "But you do now see why you ius questioned quietly "I’m not a wise choice"

I couldn’t take my eyes off of Gilles Had what just happened truly happened? Was that ould becoe to reach up and touch his face

"Oui," Gilles said "That is ould become of your brother Worse, I’, driven by desperate, painful hunger"

I knew then that Gilles could read hts, and I couldn’t be sure whether he read theht it was pertinent to the situation That was yet another insane thing for ave a slight grin

"And you," Gilles said to Eligius, "are the choice I’ve est of us and can better protect her She in to ease into a life underground We cannot allow the Arcoses to suspect otherwise, oui?" Gilles turned his look to ius Justmake sure you drink your tea" Jean-Luc, Séraphin--rather, Luc and Phin--and Josie chuckled

After a quick glance at Eligius, I turned my question to Gilles "Does he do what you just did?"