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dusted pale petals from Eliza s unbound hair. Her
long tresses, glistening blue-black in the moonlight,
bounced back in curly disarray. Slinging an
affectionate arm around her slender shoulders,
Thomas pecked a fond kiss to the crown of his sister s
head. The birthday girl must always have the most
beautiful dress.
Soon she will no longer tag after us, Thomas,
Styx predicted with an unexpected pang of sadness.
Soon she will be too busy with her suitors to pay us
any mind at all.
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Eliza s adoring gaze turned his way, glittering
brightly with the reflection of moonlight and years of
childhood worship. I will always have time for you,
Nico. Then her gaze turned a bit too wistful for
Styx s comfort. And I will be saving a dance for
you& don t let me down.
I ll be there, he reassured her. But that wistful
smile upon her lips a smile that hinted her
childhood hero worship might turn to something
more mature urged him to tease, After all, Thomas
and I must approve your dance partners first, eh? We
can t have our little pest associating with bad
influences, can we?
Rolling her eyes, Eliza planted an elbow in her
brother s unprotected stomach and pushed away
from his loose embrace. With a feminine grace that
surprised Styx, she twirled in and out of the pools of
moonlight.
Thomas will be too busy trying to catch
Catalina alone in some corner without her duenna,
Eliza predicted, balancing her arms in the air, as
though she waltzed in a lover s embrace. And you,
Nico& She twirled and swayed in time to a delicate
melody only her ears could hear. You will be too
busy hiding from Ines and Filipa and Vanesa and all
the others& leaving me free to find my prince without
you two meddling busybodies interfering.
Styx slapped a hand to his chest as though
mortally wounded. She cuts to the quick, Thomas.
She is truly becoming a woman before our very eyes.
Eliza giggled, pirouetting into the shadows.
Dark mist suddenly insidiously swirled up from
the ground, wrapping itself around Eliza s feet,
crawling up her legs. It snaked out, engulfing
Thomas, obscuring the trees and the moonlight.
Darkness crept in around the edges of Styx s vision.
All of a sudden, Thomas was gone.
The orchard evaporated.
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Brenda Huber
And yet somewhere on the periphery of his
conscious, a calm, soothing presence lurked. Just out
of reach. Just beyond his sight.
But there nonetheless.
No. No, this was what he d sought to avoid. He
didn t want to see this. Couldn t witness this
disturbing vision& this nightmarish re-enactment.
Not again.
But the clawing, choking fear, the furious rage,
the paralyzing panic& they had all diminished.
Somehow, Styx sensed, the unseen, soothing presence
had dispelled the devastating emotion that always
gripped him whenever this dream came upon him.
He didn t understand it& or where the presence came
from& but the faint hint of strawberries tickled his
nostrils, calming him.
A shadowy form materialized near Eliza,
stepping into her embrace, sweeping her up in
unforgiving, treacherous arms. Long hair, dark as
the night, straight and smooth as silk fluttered,
slithering around the girl as the shadow curved over
Eliza s suddenly limp form.
No, Styx shouted, struggling through the fog,
desperately trying to rush to Eliza s rescue. But the
fog pushed against him, resisting him. It was like
wading through hip deep water, water with a strong
current fighting in the opposite direction. No, Ava,
don t& She s too young. Stop!
Eliza s lifeless body slid lethargically to the
ground at the shadow s feet. There it remained.
Motionless. Slowly, the shadow turned to face him.
Ava s lush lips, coated bright crimson with fresh
blood, curved up in a benevolent smile. The tip of her
tongue skated along her lips& bottom first, then the
top, licking the crimson away. Then she lifted her
hand and lapped red droplets from the back of her
wrist, like a greedy cat grooming cream from its coat.
Finally, the fog abated and Styx staggered
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Cravings
forward, dropping to his knees at Eliza s side. Gently,
overwrought with anguish, he scooped the lifeless girl
up in his arms. He cradled her to his chest, his head
bowed until his forehead touched hers. Her skin was
cold and pale. Her melted-chocolate eyes open and
lifeless& already beginning to cloud in death. Hot
tears spilled down his cheeks, splashing on her frozen
face like raindrops from grief-filled clouds.
Eliza& so innocent and sweet.
Eliza& dead.
Why? He turned an agonized gaze up to Ava.
Distraught, he cupped Eliza s head in one hand,
pressing it gently to his shoulder. How could you do
this? She was innocent.
She was Human, Ava sneered. I did you a
favor, Nico.
Stunned, Styx stared up at her. His confused
gaze slid to the girl in his arms.
No, no, there had to be a way to save her.
Perhaps it wasn t too late. If he gave her his vein&
She would become a monster, like him& like Ava.
But how could he not do all he could to keep her
alive. How could he let her go& the way he d let
Thomas go? Could he change her? He didn t know
how, not really. He could only do his best, and pray&
The change ripped through his system. His fangs
stretched so quickly, his gums bled. His eyes teared
anew at the searing burn. He set fangs to his wrist,
brutally rending his own flesh. His blood Vampyre
blood flowed from his veins, gushing forth,
splattering on Eliza s marble-white skin. He pressed
his fingertips to her jaw, forcing her mouth open, and
held his wrist to her parted lips.
Please, sweeting, he pleaded. Please, drink,
Eliza. Drink from my vein, help me save you&
Cold laughter pierced his ears.
Ignoring Ava, Styx gently shook Eliza, pressing
his wet, burning wrist insistently against her lips.
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Brenda Huber
Already he could feel his flesh mending, and yet she
did not respond. Her head rolled back on her
shoulders. Her eyes stared up at the night sky,
unblinking. Crimson stained her lips, smeared across
her cheek, splotched her neck. And there, just below
her ear& two tell-tale, damning puncture wounds.
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