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into his strong neck while stillholding on tightly to him.

***

Navi

I thought I would never hear that sound thissoon. Telman is growling. He’s consumed enough of me and he’sreleased himself. Sex is always a pleasurable experience, but I canlive without it. It sucks up too much time and Telman usuallyagrees.

“You found me,” is the first thing hewhispers.

“We,” I clarify. “Ad’ru and that vampChex.”

Now that gets him up and going. He’sstanding on his feet. “Where are my clothes?” He’s using his speedto whip his face around. “Why the hell am I naked anyway?”

“Calm down, vamp,” I say, “We’re in Dag andto them naked is natural,” I look over my shoulder in the generaldirection that anybody, somebody might be. “Hell, they probablyburned our clothes for all I know.”

Telman sniffs, smirking as he latches on tomy arm and pulls me to him. I slam into his chest and his tongue isdeep in my mouth, almost down my throat—where I like it.

“That took my breath away,” he wheezes. “Youknow what I want to do, Navi,” he chuckles a little, “But, youmentioned Chex, and that’s a dangerous vampire there. What the hellis he doing here?”

I can hardly contain myself. Finally I getto tell someone who will know that we hit jackpot.

“Get this,” I begin and nuzzle up closer tohim. I’m smiling, hard. I can feel my mouth pulling into twodirections. “He’s Adore’s bond.”

I must see his face and, just as Ipredicted, he’s speechless.

“Oh, and I’m not done.” I brace myself totell him this. “So is Exgesis. He’s her fucking bond too!”

His amused smirk diminishes into a hardline. I also predicted this reaction.

“Too bad because he’s dead.”

“Ha,” I grunt. “I don’t know if we’re firstor last in line for that.”

“What will Adore think about it?”

I sigh because I care. I’ve disappointed herenough in my lifetime and after the last screw up, as the vampsused me like a ragdoll, I promised that if I got out alive I wouldnever do it again. I meant it.

“She’s going to have to agree.”

“Not going to happen.” Telman sounds like hehas no doubt about that. “Wait. Has she ever even met Exgesis?Hell! Or Chex?”

“Yeah,” I breathe, grinning and nodding myhead, pleased by the irony of the situation. “She’s not in Enuanymore. She’s here.”

His thumb flicks my lower lip. “The sneer.It’s sexy.”

“Stop, Telman.” I’m blushing. “Come on,we’re talking shop.”

He cocks his head to one side. “Navi, youcome on… Is it going to be this bed or does your father have astash here in Dag.”

“You know him so well,” I say, beaming athim because, holy shit!, does that turn me on!

We don’t have time for sex, but in thiscase…screw it. “Let’s go.”

He follows me down the hallway, out thewindow, across the skyline of the floating city, and into myfather’s dorm. I’m hot for him but I go cold as soon as I see theblue pants crumpled on the floor at the foot of the couch.

“Shit!” I grumble.

“What?” Telman breathes heavily behind me,feeling me up. His hand is running up and down my crotch.

“Ad’ru!” I shout as loud as I can. “Ad’ru!”this time I call louder. I’m shaking.

“What’s going on?” Telman is still confusedas hell.

I throw my hands up and say frankly,“They’re fucking again. I mean, how many times is he going to doher?” I break away from his grasp. “I like that we have VestopMallotnis on our side but hell!, why can’t he keep his hands off mysister?”

“What did you call me?” It’s Chex with onlyhis pants on, standing behind Adore, holding the bed sheet aroundher. He looks genuinely conflicted. “I assume, you mean that Ican’t keep my hands off Ad’ru, but Vestop Mallotnis….”

“You don’t remember your name?” I askhim.

“I remember my name, it’s Chex. But how doyou know me as Vestop Mallotnis?” He’s glaring at us like he wantsto slice our heads off with his daggers.

“I know things; that’s all,” I say.

He sighs hard and frustration colors hisexpression. But Adore gazes up at him and slides a hand through hishair. He rests his forehead on hers. She’s tender with him andfinally I see—it’s too late. She loves that dangerous vamp. What acontrast they are.

***

Adore

We’ve dressed ourselves and now Chex andTelman join Na’ta and me at the table in a room exposed to Dag’snew dawn. It’s as if we’re mingling with a purple and orange sky.The air is fresh and cool. We are all eating from the Forest ofNaught; yes, even the Selells.

“Lario Exgesis took memories from Falu also.I wanted to tell her everything about herself, but Father said no,that she’d find out in due time,” I say, lending to theconversation.

“And what about Ben Artiste?” Na’ta glancesat Telman for acquiescence. “For all we know he fell off the faceof the Earth.”

I’m perplexed and it shows on my face. “Howcan you fall off the Earth? It’s not possible.”

The way she sighs signals that I’m onceagain behaving as if I am new. “It’s a figure of speechAdore. It means that he can’t be found.”

Chex smirks at me and I bashfully look downat my plate of sliced ci’ke and ton’rek fruit. He lifts my chin ashe always does and gazes in my eyes. It feels like time is standingstill. There’s a thought behind the way he’s beholding me but it’snot lust. “He’s on the Earth,” he announces and then tears his eyesaway from my face to look at Telman. “He was with Ze Feldis and Elowhen I outfitted them with mercury. It was the fastest way ofkilling a second generation vampire, short of slicing their headsoff.”

“Second generation vampires? What arethose?” Telman asks.

Chex snorts, shocked. “You haven’t heard ofthem? They were feeding off of us regular vampires. Wiped out theOlympus coven, Kilimanjaro…”

“That’s huge!” Telman exclaims cutting himoff. “That’s what? Ten thousand vamps?”

“Thirty-seven thousand, five hundred and twoto be exact,” Chex says. He scowls curiously. “Where the hell haveyou been that you didn’t know this?”

“Everywhere but the Earth. Mainly the karkforest. We’ve lived there for a while.”

No wonder the trees recognized the hymn ofgratitude and protected me from the Mtknv. I glance over at Na’tabut