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I again struggled "We’ve got to do sohtened around ain, his face grew angry "Do you really want to see, Riley?" He shook me "Do you?"

"Yes!" I said furiously under my breath "I do"

In a h the hazy glass and firelight froer than the rest Two held the struggling a uy’s throat The s twitched and kicked as he tried to break free; the others--the kids--watched Then, even from the distance I stood away, I watched as the attacker’s face contorted, long fangs dropped fro man away from the other one who held hi First his throat Then his chest The ed My mouth went dry; I hadn’t even realized I’d started to shake until Eli forced et out of here," Phin said

All the strength had drained from my body; I’d never felt so weak and helpless in my entire life--except once, and that was the day I’d foundher hard, yelling at her to wake up I didn’t like the hty, there’d been blood everywhere That guy never had a chance And Seth was in the midst of it

I was silent as Eli and I walked back to the parking garage Without asking, Eli took the wheel and drove Luc and Phin stayed behind to watch the boys, and that comforted me very little My mind rushed around in myriad directions; I wanted to be furious, pissed off and ready to kill But I was scared Scared shitless What they’d done to that ainst the seat as we drove through town, and the city I once loved didn’t look the sa Rather, inviting death The Spanishlimp and lifeless; every shadowy alcove and alley, every intricately carved piece of black wrought iron beckoned evil, and behind ain Seth’s face flashed before me, and just that fast he transforer I pushed the pads ofto rid o away

"Riley," Eli said, and in the next breath his hand was on h I wanted it there; I didn’t want it there I wantedI was a loser in this, no matter how I looked at it My brother would havetendencies, and only if the Arcoses could be destroyed and the boys taken to Da Island for rehab My et what I saw Never

I barely noticed when Eli passed Bay Street, and thought nothing when he turned onto Victory I had no idea where he was headed, and frankly, I didn’t care The balmy wind swept over me as we drove, and I closedmy brain It didn’t help

Then Eli reached over, laced his fingers through esture comforted me I openedat aze back to the road, I continued to watch hiainst his jaw, his forehead, catching on sensually arched lips that worked ainst ?" I asked

He didn’t look at hed and shook hed a total guy laugh and glanced at me "Were you born a smart-ass, or did that fine quality just develop over the years?"

I s When we reached Tybee he pulled into the vacant parking lot next to the lighthouse At this tiht, the shore was eine and we sat for a h the night Stars studded the black sky, and the , a half circle, above the water Sea oats rustled in the breeze

Al the vicious bloodsuckers taking over the city

"They’re not going to take over the city," Eli said, taking liberties with hts He turned in his seat to look at hed softly, cynically "It’s not me I’m worried about, Eli, and you know it"