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“It is now, little mouse.” With that statement, she deflated in front of his eyes. The elevator dinged, the doors opened, and he stepped out but kept his arm there for her so she could exit. He should’ve known it wouldn’t be thateasy.

Staying right where she was, she swallowed hard. With a steady gaze, she stated, “I’d rather you just kill me then keep me here like an animal for the next forty years.”

Her words struck him deep. In a gruff voice, he ordered her out of the elevator. “Out. Now.”

She backed up until she hit the wall and shook her head. “No.”

“Laney,” he warned.

“I can’t go back in there,” she cried in desperation. “I can’t!”

“You have to,” he insisted.

“Why? Why can’t I stay upstairs?”

“Because I want you with me! And it’s not safe up there!” Going back in after her, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out into the passageway. “No matter what the others think, it’s not safe for one likeme.”

He could feel the weight of her stare as she stumbled along beside him, but he refused to acknowledge it. He didn’t want to see the look of pity on herface.

He didn’t fully breathe until they were back in his den. Once there, he released her arm and set about re-lighting the candles so she couldsee.

“Are you?” she asked softly. “Going to stay withme?”

“I don’t have much of a choice about it,” he replied.

“I mean now. Are you going to stay with me now? I don’t like being down here by myself. It scaresme.”

He stilled as her words broke through the red haze of his anger. “Yes. I will stay with you.” Striking another match, he lit the remaining candles.

Dropping her pack on the floor, she sank down onto the mattress.

He ran his eyes over her. “What?”

When she finally lifted her head, her expression was bleak, her eyes filled with tears. “So, this is my life now? Being held prisoner in this cave, with nothing to do except wait for you to feed from me? For you to decide when to give me food or let me shower?”

Dante felt something break inside of him as he stared down at her, so small and helpless…and beautiful. “What do you want from me?” he ground out. “I need you to survive. I can’t release you. I can’t take any chances that something will happen to you.” He threw his arms out to the side, taking in the space around them. “This. This is all I can offeryou.”

“So this is fate, then.”

“What do youmean?”

She was silent then, but not for long. When she did speak, she changed the subject. “Will you tell me more about yourlife?”

He scowled down at her. “Mylife?”

“Yes.”

Again, he was thrown off balance by this tiny slip of a female. One moment, she was scared to death of him, then railing at him, then wanting him to tell her a bedtime story.

When was the last time anyone had asked him about his long history? The other Hunters knew he was old, and that he’d come from Europe. Luukas had been the only one that had wanted to know anything about him. It had been one of the conditions of his being allowed to join the group.

She scooted back on the bed and patted the mattress in an invitation for him to sit beside her. He gave her a sideways look, but he did so, crossing his legs loosely in front of him. “What would you like toknow?”

“I want to know what you were like before you became a vampire.”

Memories pounded on the locked door at her innocent words, and he pushed them back. “That was a long time ago, I don’t remember much.” That was a lie. He remembered everything.

He could tell she didn’t believe him, but she thankfully didn’t press the issue. “Why do you hate humans so much when you used to beone?”