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a little bit slower than others.
That s ironic, considering how fast I am. But I nod.  Why didn t you just say this in the
first place? I ve been worried about it.
He takes a deep breath, struggling for words.  There s more to it than just the heart
restarting. Once you start returning to your normal self, you lose things like your strength and
speed, your fighting skills.
Every part of my body feels like it s sinking.  So I ll become weak, and eventually I won t
be able to fight anymore.
 You ll be able to fight, he mutters quietly.  You just won t be as strong.
 So I ll lose my strength. I stare at the ground, eyes wide.  I ll lose everything.
 It s not as bad as it seems, he says, taking my hands.  Eventually, you ll get used to it. In
fact, you might even prefer it. He lets go of my hands and stands.  I m sorry I didn t tell you. But
I know you enough to know you d take it hard. I mean, you were always so into the fighting thing,
you know. More than any other Bellator.
 Is that why the vampires are afraid me? I ask.  Will that change when my heart starts
again?
 No. That I was honest about. No one, at least as far as I know, has ever walked with them
like you do. He pauses.  Kayla, I think we should keep that a secret. I mean, you saw how
Dominic reacted to it he tried to kill you over it.
No he didn t. He tried to kill me because, for some reason, he thinks I m a Higher. That s
what I should have said at the moment; I should have put it out there and gotten the worry off my
chest. But all I do is nod, locking the secret deeper away.
 We need to get out of here. Aiden changes the subject as he peers over the table through
a crack, staring out into the street.  I think whoever s tracking us is gone, for now anyway.
 You never said who s tracking us. I move to the side of him and peer out.  Or do you
even know?
He pauses, like he was hoping I d forget.  The ones who decided not to let their hearts start
beating again.
My mind frazzles.  That just goes against everything you just told me.
 No it doesn t. He backs away from the window.  Your heart will start beating again.
These guys, they just chose not to.
 How? How do they keep it from starting?
 I have no idea, he says, but I m sure he s lying because the inside of him is a nervous
wreck.  What I do know though, is you wouldn t want to be like them.
My eyes narrow.  Like who?
 Hopefully, you won t have to find out.
He doesn t say anything else and I consider throwing him down and threatening him until
he spills whatever it is he s withholding, but the winking of darkness warns us that it s time.
 Where are we going to hide for the night? I ask.  In here?
He darts off for the back of the store, which is a torn up kitchen with shelves that hang
crookedly across the faded walls and pots rust away on the chipped tile floor. He rummages
through the cupboards and drawers, tossing out whatever he comes across.
I lean against the doorway, watching him.  So we re just staying here for the night, I
assume.
He pulls out a can of food and shakes it.  It s as good a place as any.
I glance around the deserted store, which is similar to every other vacant store in the city.  I
guess so & but I think it might be better if we go up higher. Like maybe the roof.
 No. He bangs around in the bottom cupboards, knocking around pots and pans.  The
vampires might not go looking for us up there, but they will.
 They as in the ones without the heart beat, I say.  The ones like me.
 They re not like you. He snaps a cupboard shut.  Your heart will beat again. I know it
will.
I squat down beside him.  What are they like? These half-vampire, half-human s? Do they
have a name? Do they drink blood? What makes them so frightening?
 They re killers, Kayla. That s all that s important. He stares at a can, his eyes burning
intensely.  They ve killed some of The Gathering members before. His heart knocks against his
chest and his hands shake, upset.
 Did they kill someone you know? I soften my voice.
He blinks the pain away and stands, moving to a row of drawers.
I stand, setting my knife on the counter.  What are you looking for?
His eyes light up as his hand reaches inside an open drawer.  For these. He holds up a box
of matches and shakes them.
 Are you planning on starting a fire? Because the streets have plenty of them I m sure you
could borrow.
He shakes his head and puts the matches into his pocket.  No, I m going to cook us
dinner, he says, already heading into the other room.
Picking up my knife, I follow him, taking my time, deciding how long I m going to let this
secret keep going on. Aiden is setting up a few chairs, like we re formally dining. Then he heats up
two cans of food over a small flame in the middle of the floor where he builds a small fire. When
he s done, he hands me a can and starts eating out of the other, scooping the food out with his
hands.
 So how long until you forgive me? he asks and scoops out a bite of food.
I take a small bite of my food, which tastes more awful than anything I ve ever tasted.
 Forgive you for what?
He chews on his food.  For lying to you.
 I already have. I smile, a big plastic smile, just like I used to do all the time.
He sets his can on the floor.  No, you haven t. He scoots closer and looks me in the eye.
 I really am sorry, Juniper.
God, I wish he d stop calling me that. Something about the way he says it sparkles in my
mind and makes it hard to stay angry. I gently rub my finger across where his scar used to be.  I m
sorry I made it go away. I know it meant a lot to you. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]