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sounded like lies。 Or else my whole line of logic had been wrong。 Riley said it was only these enemies that kept us from hunting without caution or restraint。 But that didn’t go along with the fact that all other vampires must have been discreet； or humans would have known about them long ago。 I couldn’t concentrate to work it out； because the door at the top of the stairs had not moved。 Diego… “We have to do this together； though。 Today I’m going to lead you through some techniques。 Fighting techniques。 There’s more to this than just scuffling around on the floor like toddlers。 When it gets dark； we’ll go outside and practice。 I want you to practice hard； but keep your focus。 I am not losing another member of this coven！ We all need each other every one of us。 I will not tolerate any more stupidity。 If you think you don’t have to listen to me； you are wrong。” He paused for a short second； the muscles in his face shifting into a new arrangement。 “And you will learn how wrong you are when I take you to her” I shuddered and felt the tremor through the room as everyone else did； too “and hold you while she tears off your legs and then slowly； slowly burns off your fingers； ears；
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lips； tongue； and every other superfluous appendage one by one。” We’d all lost a limb； at least； and we’d all burned when we became vampires； so we could easily imagine how that would feel； but it wasn’t the threat itself that was so terrifying。 The truly scary thing was Riley’s face as he said it。 His face was not twisted in rage； the way it usually was when he was angry； it was calm and cold； smooth and beautiful； his mouth curled at the edges into a small smile。 I suddenly had the impression that this was a new Riley。 Something had changed him； hardened him； but I couldn’t imagine what could have happened in one night to create that cruel； perfect smile。 I looked away； shivering a little； and saw as Raoul’s smile shifted to echo Riley’s。 I could almost see the gears turning in Raoul’s head。 He wouldn’t kill his victims so quickly in the future。 “Now； let’s get some teams figured out so that we can work in groups；” Riley said； his face normal again。 “Kristie； Raoul； get your kids together and then divvy up the rest evenly。 No fighting！ Show me you can do this rationally。 Prove yourselves。” He walked away from those two； ignoring the fact that they fell almost immediately into bickering； and made an arc around the outside edge of the room。 He touched a few vampires on the shoulder as he passed； nudging them toward one of the new leaders or the other。 I didn’t realize at first that he was heading in my direction； because he took such a wide way around。 “Bree；” he said； squinting toward where I stood。 It looked like this took some effort。
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I felt like a block of ice。 He must have smelled my trail。 I was dead。 “Bree？” he said； softer now。 His voice reminded me of the first time he’d talked to me。 When he was nice to me。 And then even lower； “I promised Diego I’d give you a message。 He said to tell you it was a ninja thing。 Does that make any sense to you？” He still couldn’t look at me； but he was edging closer。 “Diego？” I murmured。 I couldn’t help myself。 Riley smiled a tiny bit。 “Can we talk？” He jerked his head toward the door。 “I doublechecked all the windows。 The first floor is totally dark and safe。” I knew I wouldn’t be as safe once I walked away from Fred； but I had to hear what Diego had wanted to tell me。 What had happened？ I should have stayed with him to meet Riley。 I followed Riley through the room； keeping my head down。 He gave Raoul a few instructions； nodded to Kristie； and then went up the stairs。 From the corners of my eyes I saw a few people curiously watch the direction he was going。 Riley passed through the door first； and the kitchen of the home was； as he’d promised； totally black。 He motioned for me to keep following and led me through a dark hall past a few open bedroom doors； then through another door with a dead bolt。 We ended up in the garage。 “You’re brave；” he mented in a very low voice。 “Or really trusting。 I thought it would be more work to get you upstairs with the sun up。” Whoops。 I should have been more skittish。 Too late now。 I
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shrugged。 “So you and Diego are pretty tight； right？” he asked； just breathing the words。 Probably； if everyone were silent in the basement； they would still be able to hear him； but it was pretty noisy down there right now。 I shrugged again。 “He saved my life；” I whispered。 Riley lifted his chin； almost but not quite a nod； and appraised。 Did he believe me？ Did he think I still feared the day？ “He’s the best；” Riley said。 “The smartest kid I’ve got。” I nodded once。 “We had a little meeting about the situation。 We agreed that we need some surveillance。 Going in blind is too dangerous。 He’s the only one I trust to scout ahead。” He exhaled； almost angrily。 “Wish I had two of him！ Raoul’s got too short a fuse and Kristie is too selfabsorbed to get the big picture； but they’re the best I’ve got； and I’ll have to make do。 Diego said you were smart； too。” I waited； not sure how much of our story Riley knew。 “I need your help with Fred。 Wow； that kid is strong！ I couldn’t even look at him tonight。” I nodded cautiously again。 “Imagine if our enemies can’t even look at us。 It will be so easy！” I didn’t think Fred would like that idea； but maybe I was wrong。 He didn’t seem like he cared anything for this coven of ours。 Would he want to save us？ I didn’t respond to Riley。 “You spend a lot of time with him。”
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I shrugged。 “Nobody bothers me there。 It’s not easy。” Riley pursed his lips and nodded。 “Smart； like Diego said。” “Where is Diego？” I shouldn’t have asked。 The words just ripped out of their own accord。 I waited anxiously； trying to look indifferent and most likely failing。 “We don’t have time to waste。 I sent him south the second I found out what was ing。 If our enemies decide to attack early； we need the advance warning。 Diego will meet up with us when we move against them。” I tried to imagine where Diego was now。 I wished I were there with him。 Maybe I could talk him out of doing Riley’s bidding and putting himself in the line of fire in the process。 But maybe not。 It seemed like Diego was thick with Riley； just like I’d worried。 “Diego wanted me to tell you something。” My eyes snapped to his face。 Too fast； too eager。 Blew it again。 “Sounded like nonsense to me。 He said； ‘Tell Bree I’ve got the handshake figured out。 I’ll show her in four days； when we meet up。’ I have no idea what that means。 Do you？” I tried to force a poker face。 “Maybe。 He did say something about needing a secret handshake。 For his underwater cave。 Some kind of password。 He was just kidding around； though。 I’m not sure what he means now。” Riley chuckled。 “Poor Diego。” “What？” “I think that kid likes you a lot more than you like him。”
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“Oh。” I looked away； confused。 Was Diego giving me this message as a way to let me know I could trust Riley？ But he hadn’t told Riley I knew about the sun。 Still； he must have trusted Riley to tell him so much； to show Riley that he cared about me。 I thought it would be wiser to keep my mouth shut； though。 Too much had changed。 “Don’t write him off yet； Bree。 He’s the best； like I said。 Give him a chance。” Riley was giving me romantic advice？ This could not get weirder。 I bobbed my head once and muttered； “Sure。” “See if you can talk to Fred。 Make sure he’s on board。” I shrugged。 “I’ll do what I can。” Riley smiled。 “Great。 I’ll pull you aside before we leave； and you can tell me how it went。 I’ll keep it casual； not like tonight。 I don’t want him to feel like I’m spying on him。” “Okay。” Riley motioned for me to follow and then headed back to the basement。 The training lasted all day； but I wasn’t part of it。 After Riley went back to his team leaders； I took my spot beside Fred。 The others had been divided up into four groups of four； with Raoul and Kristie directing them。 No one had picked Fred for a side； or maybe he’d ignored them； or maybe they couldn’t e