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Arin

Or do I need to reain

Darin off her face I didn t have ti to dropped dead the ritted through my teeth

I ll take you to her

When we settled in the living rooe, but I could sense her nearness, feel her inlooked norht, TV off, photos still on the wall They d boarded up the hich was smart I remembered when I d heard the news from Aislin that the world had shifted into a Mark of Malefiscus mess The letter had arrived via her witch powers, whichball of paper had landed onsome of my hair I still had a tiny bald spot

I d read the letter, but never wrote back, not wanting the wrong person to find out where I was and co for me I wanted to protect Ge her away from me, no h After all the hell I d put her through

But noas back in her house, about to blow everything if she found out I was here It was strangely quiet and h alert I drew out ht of the la?

A at the room

And where s the witch? The one who can remove the mark?

So felt off

Stay here a et her

A herself at ho anywhere

She kicked her feet on the table,off her boots

My lip twitched and my knife itched to shut her up, but I turned my back on her and headed for the stairs Each step creaked louder and I cringed, worried Geet in and out without her noticing But when I reached the top of the stairs and saw that her door was cracked open, I couldn t help it It was like ed to her By the time I reached her door, my heart was all over the place and I wanted to choke it dead forainst the grayness of the low light She was inside, I could feel her slight current of static But there was no noise She had to be asleep

I gently pushed the door open, knohat I was doing rong, but doing it anyway I used to be h first, but that s what she did tostupid choices

When I saw her lying in her bed, fast asleep, I stopped breathing My hand fell to my side and I walked slowly across the roo on her side, her cheek pressed against her pillow, hair all over the place, just like it alas I should have left right then and there I d have been a better person if I did But apparently, I was a selfish asshole I letit behind her ear

She breathed deeply soundly not feeling the electric current Which was strange because it wasme sweat

I wished I could lean down and kiss her, press ainst her cheeks Honestly, I wished I could do a lot of things to her, things that could only be done behind closed doors But that would never happen Not if I couldn t stop the vision fro the way it was supposed to

She let out a long sigh, like she sensed I was there I decided it was tio I started to turn as she rolled over on her back And what I sawinto her wrists Blood was all over her neck and shirt and it looked like & I swept her hair back Bite marks

What the?

I fell tofrom her touch

Gean to flutter open, but she looked like she was struggling I pressedGod, if he turned her I was going to kill him

Alex,

sheat lossed over

You re okay,

I said, but I wasn t so sure

Chapter 9

(Geht I was dead, that Laylen had drained all my blood and left host, that he d died and I d died and we d joined each other in death

But then I felt the dizziness, mixed with the sparkle of electricity, and my blood soared with fire

You re here,

I muttered like an idiot My forever shows up and the first thing I say is

you re here

Really Gemma? I sounded like a daivinga finger to my neck, and then winced

What happened?

he said, urgent and eager, just the same as when he left

I didn t want to tell hiht not think rationally and end up doing so that couldn t be erased What Laylen did it wasn t his fault He was under the control of another

I can t remember

I played dumb

He cut the ropes that boundnot to think about how the ropes got there in the first place

Ge to keep control

Just tell ain, but realized I was probably in danger and needed to get out of the house I ju with bright colors and blurry shapes

Easy

He wrapped his ar a deadly line as he steadied me

Did Laylen do this to you?

he asked, like he already knew the answer

I blinked the dizziness away

He couldn t help it & it was the mark

The Mark of Malefiscus

He ran a hand through hisbreath

How did he get it

Then his knuckles tightened as he raised his knife, ready to stab whoever walked through the door

Is he still here? And where s Aislin and Aleesa?

I frowned, not wanting to be the one to break it to him

They & um his head

How did that happen? I thought Stephan had to put the mark on them directly And if he was here, I ed

I have no clue I mean, one estured ata lump rise in my throat

Laylen freaked out and bit me

His jaent taut

Where is he are they still here?

I shrugged again