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And he knows it The corner of his mouth crinkles as he studiesgaze on me, and his eyes lock with mine Eyes so dark, I don’t knohere his irises end and his pupils begin

Energy shifts withinout from under my feet, and when I step to balance myself, ht

In slow aze, he snaps his fingers

And htvanishes

I gasp, swaying I’ like I’ve run a mile I tense, ready to run

He smiles wider

“Oh yes, run, my little Tinkerbell,” hesweet nothings to a lover “I do so love a good chase I’ve been looking for one of your kind for a long time”

I stumble backward I want to run byabout” What did he say earlier? “I’m not a priestess or a witch I’m nobody--just a counselor at the School for the Disabled”

The man stalks forward slowly, a predator content to know his prey is stuck fast Every cell in me screams to back away, but I can barely take one backward step It’s like I’m mired in quicksand

“Where’d you learn to do that?”

“What? The bubble?” The words pop out of myme, a panicked part of my brain screauess”

“Powerful,” he ht eyes fix on ic?”

I shakearound for anyone who ht help me “No, sir”

I don’t knohere the sir coer His lips curl into another toothy grin, his fangs lengthening before my eyes

And I re about vampires It had been his eye contact that burst the bubble All I have to do is avoid looking directly at him