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"I’ to do it," Ash says quietly to"No, Ash You don’t have to; it rong of us to ask"

"There’s no one else," he says "We don’t have any other option"

"I don’t want you to," I say

Ash tucks a finger underup at hie, you know that?"

"I know," I say "But this is your heartbeat we’re talking about; I couldn’t live with ain And it’s not just that The more I think about it, the more messed up it is You’ll be his Blood Mate" I shudder

The front-door bell chi everyone

I shoot a panicked look at Ash Is it possible one of the security guards decided to do his job and actually ca about?

Ash turns to Amy "Get rid of them"

She nods and hurries over to the front door, while we all hide behind the furniture Those who have weapons draw them Amy opens the door

"Can I help you?" she says

"I’ur stands up and suest Let her in, A places "I hope you do not ood friend ofin the guest A girl sweeps into the roo waist-length black hair that ripples like the surface of the oceans, and sparkling eyes the color of the night She fixes her gaze on Ash, and my heart cramps

"Hello, Ash," she says

He lets out a breath of surprise "Evangeline"

29

NATALIE

JEALOUSY SNAKES THROUGH ME as Evangeline and Ash eether--both tall, dark and devastatingly beautiful--but that’s hardly a surprise They were supposed to be Blood Mates, but when I was a child, I needed a heart transplant, so Dr Craven ripped out her heart and gave it to me, and as a result Ash and I forh Ash loveshe was destined to be with another girl, especially when that girl is five feet eleven inches tall, with pouting rose-blushed lips, flowing ebony hair, alabaster skin and sensuous curves I wrap my arht--or lack thereof--I don’t carry theeline I suddenly wish I’d brushed led hair Day looks at eline is As if sensing us staring at her, Evangeline’s black eyes shift in our direction There’s a chilling, dangerous edge to them

"Hello, Natalie," she says coldly

"Hi," I reply, equally stiff

When ere living in Black City, Evangeline stalkedout their hearts, and she threatened to rip out mine too I have to admit, I wasn’t sad to hear she’d left Black City I secretly hoped she’d never cohted look on Ash’s face, he obviously doesn’t feel the sa on her narrow hip, and jealousy flares insidehis arur spins her around The Darkling Aeline after her parents were killed during the war

"I was so relieved when you called eline says when he puts her down "I’d been following your trial on the news I didn’t knohat to do; I had no idea how to save you Then I’d heard rumors you’d escaped, but I wasn’t sure" She throws her arain "I’m so happy to see you"

He kisses her forehead "Me too Thank you for coet past security?" Ash says

Evangeline laughs "Those goons? Pur-lease, Ash," she says arrogantly "I was able to sneak around Black City all the ti I’ve been in Centruur briefly introduces her to everyone as we take our seats Elijah leans against the fireplace and idly scratches his fingers through his wavy hair, his topaz eyes following Evangeline She catches hieline smiles a little Dr Craven and eline as she sits down on the rug--they were the ones who took her heart, after all

I slump down on one of the chairs and Ash sits on the floor in front of eline shoots an icy look at me, and I stop It’s not fair to flaunt our relationship in front of her, despite everything she’s done At that ain Lucinda stops in her tracks when she sees Evangeline and looks quizzically at Ash He explains who she is, and the wo for eline

"I was," she says, playing with a strand of her black hair "I’ve been traveling all over the country in search of them"

"And did you find any eline frowns "Not yet, but there are still plenty of places to look"

Ash turns toward Sigur "How did you know Evangeline was in Centrueline and I had been keeping in touch," Sigur replies

"Why didn’t you tell