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"Eli Only ius," he said, and I heard it insidehi but wary I felt the room close in and fill with one hundred percent intense h, I turnedAfter a few minutes, I sank completely into my workout; the et for a second that Eli was behindhard, as though it was the very thing responsible for it all, and I felt the shock of it vibrate through the muscles inI worked out, but by the ti fire, tears fell furiously froered--at myself, Eli, the Arcoses, and everyone else I could think of to blaloves off with my teeth and threw thelance, I swore, slung open the double doors to the sht not to literally break down and sob With ht iron until the skin over htly shut "Fuck," I said between clenched teeth, astounded by the rage building inside ofloose, and throw it into the river I leaned my head down to my shoulder and rubbed the tears off ether, Riley You can’t be losing it in this game and expect to win," Eli said quietly, so close I could feel him crowd me in the confined area of ainst my back; he placed an arm on either side ofhirabbed his arth to stop e of the balcony I let go of hiainsted me and turned me on at the same time

"The monster in me is still there, just below the surface," he continued, as if razed the skin on the side of et that Even with your Gullah ic inside you, I can smell your unique blood," he said, his , deep breath "You have no idea how much of a teht French accenthis voice erotic "Noidea how much control I truly have not to sih your veins, with barely more than a paper-thin layer of skin to stop me" I shivered as his breath rushed overcontract," I ainst him to escape; he easily turned me around, and noere face-to-face, body to body, and panic etched into htest pressure, he bent ainst e andinto me And I mean every one His eyes searched ered "Vas aren’t the only ones I possess, but they’re the only ones I can halfway control," he said "I’ve still got the sex drive of a healthy, hot-blooded twenty-five-year-old guy, heightened times a hundred by what I am" He dropped his head close, his lips a breath away "Don’t tease ain, Riley, unless you mean it I can’t promise that kind of control" He lifted his head and stared, his eyes dark as he searched mine "I don’t think you could handle ed within ht I’d coainst er I wanted hi he was just effing with me "Get off of me," I said quietly "Now" Prick

The corner of his htly, and he s and waited for him to clear the balcony; then I shut and locked the doors I started for the bathroom, but his next words stopped ot three weeks, and despite what your brother’s beco His transforet it? Once the cycle is complete, and he makes his first kill--"

I nearly choked at his blatant honesty, and I looked at hi words "Okay--I get it And I proht and save ht not be a va as hell, and I don’t scare easy I want him home, here, with me I want Seth back, no matter what it takes" My voice cracked, and I stuck out et hi to deter or for real He decided "I believe you," he said, and I could have sworn I heard admiration in his voice

"Good Now, can I pee and shoithout you watching?" I said

With his fingers he shoved his long bangs out of his eyes "Yeah, I guess" He gave a slight grin

I nodded "Good Stay out of s When I’ot to know, and ground rules that need to be set Agreed?"

He gave a nod but didn’t budge fro oing to stand in my bedroom until I finished, I headed to the bathroo, but I needed it--dauy like the one I’d had with Eli To think with a clear head, and to be able to look hi discussion without screwing his brains out in my mind--that hat had to happen That ould happen How could I have such a reaction to a guy who didn’t even have a freaking pulse? I wasn’t even sure I’d , I hurried through rateful I’d spent the cash for laser hair res, bikini and pubic area, and underarms; I couldn’t afford razor nicks at this point

Finished, I twisted my wet hair in a towel and wrapped another around me When I walked out of the bathroom, I saw that Eli had left the roo in my dresser, I pulled on a pair of cotton sleep pants and a black tank, and went to findchannels, oncein the overstuffed chair kitty-corner from him The TV screen had Channel 11 News on, and I stopped in my tracks as another murder report was broadcast A wo the SCAD caht before Her body had just been found cra meters on East Bay I watched as another black plastic body bag was loaded into the coroner’s van The screen went black, and Eli tossed the rearded arded him Finally, he rubbed his jaw "Ground rules?" he said

I inclined an "They’re notnoret the visions of dead bodies out of my head, pulled up e the subject, because if I dwelled on it, my mind would never settle down "Okay Ground rules," I said, and locked gazes with Eli "I pee alone and I shower alone Sos need to remain a mystery, and those are two I firreed Next?"

"Don’t interfere with my business at Inksoht seem Trust me--I can handle myself, and I’ve done it for some time without your help It’s e"

This ti the hard stare correctly "I’ll do ave a nod "Good" I shifted in my seat, and I admit--I was tired Drained But I turned s I need to know," I said

His eyes never left s I want to know"

"Me first," I claiht about it I knew I couldn’t find out everything in one night--I had to eventually get to sleep Eli nodded in agreeht for several seconds "About the contract," I started"Your father said the Gullah provided necessities in exchange for guardianship Whatnecessities?"

Eli rose and walked to thefacing the water-front He stood, staring out into the night "When my family and I first arrived fros, co vampires, and ere ravenous We killedmany" He kept his eyes trained on me "A lot of the yellow fever victims weren’t really yellow fever victims, if you knohat I mean Until the contract with the Gullah Not all Gullah, mind you--just Preacher’s kins donors, and we took only e needed to reht of Eli and his fa donorsI stared back "So, what--they just lined up, like at a soup kitchen?"

"Sort of"

"And none of the Gullah transforlanced out the"No They have to drink our blood to transform"

I froze "You mean Seth drank the blood of one of those freaks?"