oldste

th. It only served to illuminat

e over the years. He always sent roses when he was "busy." Yesterday, they were symbols of

voice devoid of any emotion. "All of them.

ied but nodded, hurriedly gatherin

used to be my sanctuary now felt like a prison. I knelt by

base of the stem. The thorns dug

sical pain to drown out th

s and all. The sound of snapping roots w

ay

. I didn't turn. I wiped my bloo

ox. He looked tired, but there was that s

garden?" he asked, stepping cl

ejection. I stepped back sharply, my body rigid. The smell of him-still

flickering in his eye

" I said,

ook, I know I've been busy lately. I wanted to make it up to yo

necklace. Cold, hard, and expensive

a bribe to buy my silence?" I as

amatic. Oh, before I forget, Ava Sinclair is taking on more responsi

, but I saw his pupil dilate

in

head. I saw his eyes glaze ove

Rogue wolves were spotted near the

ia

Maya. Du

elled it again. Fresh. Pungent. Ava's scent. He hadn't been tr

wave of nausea hit me so hard I dry-heav

t just t

ler's office. The old woman, Elder Mar

una," she said softl

placed a hand on my flat

or years. But now? Now, this child was a complication. A

pha know?" M

"And you will not

otected my stomach instinctively. *I have to protect

ket. It wasn't a Mind-Lin

m an unkno

it. A pho

the subjects were unmistakable. Liam, his head thrown back,

photo wa

truly sings when he is with me. He says I make him feel

n until the pixels bu

a

ge of a human. It was the cold,

The diamond necklace was sitting o

e me last Christmas. The bracelet from our

nd hurled thousands of dollars of je

the patio stones below w

hand on my

spark of life inside me. "But first? First