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"Perhaps you can explain," the vampire pressed, "about what, exactly, do you find our Annelise to be clueless?"

Oh hell There it was Final confirmation, if any had been needed

"Clueless?" I interjected quickly I didn’t like the wrath I sensed in my vampire’s voice, and I was so not ready for any I-know-you-know sort of shons I cared about both of the to break the tension with huht I was more, you know, like a scattered-professor type"

Silence

My ht break this level of tension, but I was pulling a blank I decided on so Ronan about the keep"

Carden’s expression shuttered "This again?"

I nodded sheepishly Caught

"I told you to think not on such things" My va his face "Nor should this Tracer allow you to entertain such questions"

"I was in the process of telling her as much," a steely-eyed Ronan said

Great Now they were both on ain, both fro teistered lare Ronan’s way, then turned his full attention back to e in his voice He adjusted hi his body close was a relief

Affection for hi pretty blatant about his interest in ave his arlare at Ronan some more "She will become ill"

Ronan bristled Gathered himself Then he dropped a boer than any of us realize"

I gaped What a statement It shocked me into silence I wasn’t the only one, either We stood there, aardly, for what felt like an eternity, and I is those words could iruer, so ordinary and yet so undeniable Cheerily, I announced, "Hey, dinnertime" Chirpy didn’t come naturally to me, and I was sure I sounded like a complete moron, but it did the trick

Reluctantly, Carden nodded "I will escort you back" He was in full knight-in-shining-ar to battle instead of just the dining hall

I realized he never gave his reason for seeking ure out as between us? Ronan was obviously beginning to put two and two together Though Carden wasn’t stupid--maybe that hat he’d wanted

As we ood news and the bad news First, I wasn’t nearly as alone as I’d feared I did, in fact, have friends on this island All good

But the bad news? Apparently,within ten feet of each other without looking like they wanted to draw blood

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ididn’t get a warning Just a tug on my hand, then boom Carden swept me off the path, behind a rock And then he kissed ranite I’d been shivering before--the night was freezing and flurries had begun to drift down froht sky--but no more He was as cool and solid as the rock at h nition This here I belonged With Carden

He pulled from me finally, and I drew in a shaky breath I’d been nervous what he ht say Nervous he’d be mad to have found me with Ronan Our conversation surely had looked like more than just a chat between student and teacher It had been more than a simple chat But this intense kiss? I hadn’t expected this

"Carden…ow…" I gasped a laugh, trying to get ahold of"What was that for?"

I couldn’t see hih the darkness He swept the hair fro, "To remind you"

His words were a hot tickle injealous, bring it on "Rerowled

Ronan was ave my belly the occasional flutter But that here it stopped In our tiether, I’d known Ronan to steal my nerves My will