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He finallypeeled away to reveal a hiding spot

I gasped "Oh,Cool"

"There is no ht"

"Thank you Just…thank you I love it" To the naked eye, it would just seem like a musty old used book The false cover was shallow, but just the right size to hide a key Or a photograph "It’s perfect" I flung my arms around him "Perfect"

In that moment, to me, he was perfect

He chucked my chin "For a wohteen today I was a wo their way toward us I picked out Kenzie in the din, giving the first warning--lights-out soon I checked the clock on my bedside table "Crap Three minutes to curfew Frost will be back any minute"

"In one minute, to be precise That ain, sweet And soon" He stole a kiss, pulling away just as I began toin his eyes glinted in response "I’reatly you please me"

And with that, Carden disappeared

I clutched my present to my chest I’d ribbed him about it, but my vampire truly was all-powerful I’d been on the brink of despair, but for the reater, noon the beach, stretching out s when I heard it What the--? I tilted ain…a whimper

I hopped to my feet and dusted the sand from my hands Today’s martial arts class had been held at the shore Priti had blindfolded us so we could take turns attacking one another The sand broke our falls…or that was the theory, at least In my experience, it remained precisely that--a theory

It was pure coincidence that I was even still on the beach--everyone else had left long ago--but I kept having the sah dehydration was probably to blaa series to stretch ain and froze It was somewhere between a cry and aoff the rocks, a it, I would’ve missed it But now that I knew to listen for it, it was all I heard It wash her pain

I jogged up to the path to check it out Once I was off the beach, the weird cries came to me loud and clear Only now I heard another sound, too

Snarling

I broke into a run

Potentially, it was a stupid thing to do--curiosity killed the cat and all But I had to pass by here to get home anyway, I told , I’d ht unawares And so I punored my internal alarh tall stones--pri-place territory--so I opened er boulders, I had to skid to a stop The whi hall

She was bloodied Terrified And he

Their stench hitflesh so fetid, so overpowering, it seared into , I slapped a hand totheir foulness I sed convulsively, fighting an instant gag reflex