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.She was a cursed dog person.What kind of life could they have, besides one ofcomplications?It was all a pretty fantasy.How could he be offended, when she d used him to buildsomething so beautiful in her mind?He touched his lips to her forehead, intending only comfort.His body, dead though itmight be, wasn t satisfied with a tender moment, and soon he was kissing her without anyidea how he d gotten to that point. The ritual, she mumbled against his lips, turning her face slightly away from his. We ve got time, he promised.The clock on the wall chimed 6:00 a.m. It s probably toolate for me to make it back upstairs, anyway. So I should take pity and have sex with you? Her smile curved against his. No. He lifted his head and gazed down at her.Had there ever been any clue to herinnocence in her face? Something hidden there he might have noticed if he hadn t let herlooks and hard demeanor fool him?  Let s pretend we ve never done this before.She seemed hesitant. What do you mean?He brushed a wisp of sleek, black hair from her face. Let me do this right.If I d had anyidea I wouldn t have been so&  Advanced?He didn t want her to think he was laughing at her, but he couldn t hold his amusementback, either. That s one way of putting it. He felt the smile die on his lips as he strokedthe side of her face with his thumb. I could have made it better for you. It was good.Not great. The Bella he remembered was back, her mysterious expressionteasing him. We will try it your way.I will do anything once.Or twice.Max wanted to believe he d found some peace of mind by confronting her, but as he sankinto her on their makeshift bed of discarded clothes, he knew he d only lost himself more.23Fear and LoathingI was waiting in the living room with Cyrus when the sun went down and Max and Bellareturned from the bookshop.I hadn t gotten much sleep.I m sure I didn t look any betterthan they did, though I hoped my expression wasn t quite so grim as theirs were whenthey came through the door.I noted the way they gripped each other s hands, and for aterrifying moment, I thought the worst had come to pass. Oh my God, Cyrus whispered beside me. There s no hope then, is there?Max frowned. Why the hell would you say something like that?Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)I found my voice, buried under layers of potential grief. Because you look like somethinghorrible has happened. Nothing horrible has happened.In fact, I came up with a way to cure Nathan. Bellagently pulled her hands from Max s grasp. But it is not ideal. By not ideal, she means it will definitely work, but it s crazy.And you ll probably goalong with it.At least, if you re any kind of fledgling you will. Max stood and pacedbehind the couch, but offered no further comment. Does someone want to tell me what I m supposed to be going along with? I stood andmoved away from Cyrus, too aware of his nearness.I knew Max and Bella had noticed it,as well.So did Cyrus, apparently.He went to the other side of the room entirely, leaning on abookcase to put as much space between us as he could. The Dark Night of the Soul only works if someone has a shameful memory or a regret,Bella began, looking to Max as though inviting him to jump in anytime. Max told me youknew better than any of us what that memory would be.Cyrus scrubbed a hand over his face, appearing wearier than I d ever seen him.But Iwouldn t excuse him from hearing what I had to say. I got a fly-on-the-wall view of the night Nathan was turned. I focused on Bella s clear,unprejudiced eyes.If I looked at Cyrus and saw his remorse, or at Max and saw his anger,I wouldn t be able to continue. Cyrus showed me, by combining his blood and Nathan s.Nathan had taken his wife, Marianne, to see the Soul Eater, thinking he was some kind offaith healer.I recounted the whole tale in the graphic details I d seen, and the back story I d heardfrom Nathan himself.Marianne had been young and beautiful once, until cancer hadravaged her body and left Nathan with precious few options to save her.He d taken hisweak and emaciated wife to Brazil on the word of a doctor who d recommended JacobSeymour as a faith healer.Nathan couldn t have known, but the Soul Eater had set a trapfor them on the night of the Vampire New Year, a trap Cyrus had helped plan.Whenthey d arrived, Marianne and Nathan had learned too late the kind of monsters they dfallen in with.Cyrus had brutally used Nathan in front of his dying wife.I shut my eyes asI recounted his horrified screams and the way he d pleaded with Cyrus, not to stop for hissake, but to do whatever he wished and only leave Marianne alive.As I spoke, Cyrus slid to the floor, sobbing openly, and Max glared down at him withhate-filled eyes. His father made him do it, I said quietly when it seemed Max would stalk across theroom and tear Cyrus limb from limb. Leave him be.Still, I held nothing back for Cyrus s sake as I explained to Bella how he had drainedNathan s blood and left him weak for the Soul Eater. After Jacob turned him, hetormented Nathan.The Soul Eater s blood was already diluted from a year of not feeding,and it wasn t enough for Nathan.But he didn t offer him any hope of relief, and Nathanwas helpless.He killed Marianne and fed from her because of the hunger.Cyrus sat with his arms wrapped around his bent knees, his face down.When he lookedup, his eyes were rimmed with red.He opened his mouth as if to speak, but Max cut him off. If you talk now, I swear to GodI ll rip your fucking head off [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]