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Meantime, I’d just need to watch, and wait, and learn If I kept a close enough eye, I’d spota close eye on me, which I realized the htened ainst my side My eyes adjusted to the darkness

And then he pounced

CHAPTER TWENTY

Yasuo I recognized him instantly, even in the darkness I’d know that telltale silhouette anywhere--tall and lean, iry ed to have a hip LA vibe despite the fact that ere on an island in the middle of the North Sea

He tackled me, and I shoved hi off my arms The attack had felt halfhearted, so maybe he didn’t really want to hurtwith ed back a step "If you want to talk, just say so"

His only ansas the rasp of his heavy breaths

"Earth to Yasuo," I said uneasily "Please, can we just stop for a second?"

But he still didn’t answer He just stood there, tre

It was full dark now--ht hit his face So with hioing on, either He appeared stricken, with glazed eyes that stared out to some distant place

I stepped closer "Are you okay?"

His attention snapped to ain His fangs were bared this ti mouth

I shrieked and stu, slashing his hands, pawing atquick left and right hooks to deflect his advances I shouted, "What is your proble with hi before he sank his teeth into me I couldn’t turn and run--no s, he’d beat ht hiet so away froed and ducked under an ar him in front of me He doubled over easily, and I hopped onto his back, snatching hi both ar at et purchase Hishappened to hihed, a disturbing cackle, and dropped to his knees The hideous noise he wasfaded, but not co to hi out

"You’re freaking round, quickly readjustinghis arht over hiled to keep hold, riding hi on?"

He was shaking like mad now I could feel the tremors reverberate up my body "Do you think I’ll see her?" he said, and his cracking voice made him sound like a boy

What the--?

I froze "Emma? But she’s not alive" I told

"Stop," he shrieked, turning his head, resting it on the ground "Stop saying her na…stop"

He snapped then, just lost it coave up, and he beca sound cut between us--and oh God, Yas wassobs where he lay in the icy dirt

It was like his ain, but loudly this tiibberish About Emma About the castle and vampires

About her heart

For the first time, I wondered if there’d been a bond between him and Emma Could Trainees even bond? Surely they’d had some sort of connection Would her sudden death cause a pain even deeper than grief? Would it be a pain great enough to drive a person tolike this?"

I knew if a va to his bonded partner, but how did it feel for the vampire?