ngers drumming a warning. I stood beside Isabella's bed, t

athing, finally at rest, her

here. Not in this ho

een duty and desire had blurred into something unrecognizable. The doctors had s

nto it-just like the ones I found in th

to kill me anymore. The

ioned at every entrance. And now,

ed, her eyes f

d," she sa

t going

nced, and fell back

hot before,"

eyebrow. "Ho

wi

e air between us throbbed with somethin

oose strand of hair from he

I said quietly. "But they're cl

d. "Inclu

s

rd I didn't expect

ked suddenly. "This deal. This mar

opped from

I knew,"

Rain slid down th

said. "You were just a placeh

owed. "

saving me,"

n't s

n us-recognition. Regret. A memory unformed, maybe

d of you,

ind of

rning. And I couldn't reach you

d not

d and held it. Her gri

ore," she said. "And I don'

t me," I said. "

certain. Her hands clutched at my shirt, pulling me cl

a c

w shatter

de the room-dressed

Rolled. Grabbed the pistol fr

shot

ll, mask slippi

ked li

ai

horror. "What the

m the man's hand and

is shoulder:

her

of them,

ow. "They're replac

e hallway-boots, shout

ands. "He att

ged the b

t was just

kiss now a distant echo. But

be alone anymor

're

ht not b

be not. But wh

eside her and buried

real," she said. "

her t

s spoke for

rom the garden. A red lens bli

imly lit control roo

wo. Make them