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“It has to be me,” I whisper. I reach up, kissing Thorne on the cheek before turning back to the group. “Tell me what to do.”
SEVEN
my love is like a red, red rose
No one has said muchsince we’ve returned to the beach house. The thought of infiltrating a horde of immortal children terrifies me. I won’t be held captive, but Thorne’s right when he says I’ll be right back where I started. It’s funny how life turns and sends you back to the place you’ve spent your life trying to escape.
“Are you okay?” Thorne asks as he wraps his arms around my waist. I’ve been standing on the edge of the deck, staring into the Gulf for the past hour. Why? I have no idea.
“Do you want the truth?”
He turns me around, facing him. “You don’t have to do this. We could leave and be back in Charleston by the afternoon.”
Tears fill the corners of my eyes. “I can’t leave them there.”
“Who?”
“The children.” My mind flashes back to Gretchen in the basement. “They don’t deserve this.”
“Aye, they don’t. But neither do you.”
“I’ll be okay,” I reassure him.
“You don’t know that.”
“I’m stronger than I was when I was with Kragen.”
Thorne crosses his arms over his chest. “You heard Amelia. Immortal children are unpredictable…out of control. What if one of them overpowers you?”
“It’s a chance I have to take,” I answer.
“Elsie?” Amelia’s voice calls through the door. “Micah has some information for all of us.”
I sigh, grabbing Thorne’s hands. “You have to let me do this.”
“I won’t stop you,” he whispers. “But I don’t have to support the idea.”
I open the door, finding Amelia standing against the wall on the opposite side. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but he says it’s important.”
We follow her downstairs, finding the rest of our crew lounging across the furniture in the living area. Micah stands as we enter.
“Elijah arranged for a meeting,” he announces.
“Did he magically find a way to contact her?” Luna’s voice is laced with sarcasm.
Micah laughs. “My father can be veryconvincing.”
“What’s the plan?” I ask, not sure I want to know.
He turns toward me. “Elijah’s going to contactPatrice and tell her he’s met someone with the same…the sametasteas her.”
“Same taste? What the hell does that mean?” Luna asks.
“The same taste in children.” He won’t look me in the eye as he speaks.
I close my eyes, understanding his words. “You mean, someone who wants to turn innocent children into vampires?”
“What is the expected outcome?” Thorne asks.
