Twin Sacrifice

the dark room. It burne

s

e, Seraphina and I

d and I couldn'

il the light went off and

ide button again. The text was stil

ten n

en minutes and co

t it? C

inside the garden and

me a fraud,

e a dying woman. I wore a dead girl's si

lk duvet. My skin was hot

e the room felt smaller every second and

air or

ut my bare feet on the col

make

lights glowed near the floor by t

lack domes of securit

t. I spent two days mappin

e and looked down into the d

int low sound from th

gged heavy notes that hit har

one fighting the key

against the cold stone wall. Music grew

d open. Small yellow light

through

at the g

white shirt was open at the colla

he looked paler than at dinner. Dark h

then slammed hands onto keys in

head against the wood frame of

d at hiding

d, but it sliced through

and still resting

rs," he said slowly, not moving his head. "

heart hammering

could pretend I was sleepwalk

and stepped inside the

ifted h

odshot, rimmed with da

on the bench but just lo

," he said softly.

s wrong and your

like expensive p

like dust

n down m

me

d it was not creepy. It was wea

text?" I asked, ho

een in my hand, then loo

nger over middle C wi

mber! Cassius does,Da

ius k

everything,"

kness. He thinks if he analyzes a thin

tep closer while ke

you still here? Why haven't you called off

aughs. It sounded like dry le

ackwood bride

hich twin fills the dress.

ly on the bench, cro

is a snake and you

use," I said,

d, studying me with intensity t

monsters to save an old woma

your name. You let them put a collar aro

do," I snapped. "I

a choice," Sil

me, looking at the dar

ong one. And then we have to

op ten degrees. There was raw jagged gri

at the outline

en his fa

et that was eating him

father, Silas?"

n was i

he piano bench so

n blink, he was ri

hovered inches away, toweri

forehead. Gray eyes blown wide

," he

ever speak

every instinct in my bod

know what I am

ing into a gr

ith a terrifying mix

he can use you t

he can use

this contract..., i

k, and the man who killed

d, my voice b

bling and for a second, I thought

gainst the curve of my cheek, sur

spered, "they'll kill y

the hallway outside.

antly and stepped back into

er, and Dante leane

pair of trousers, half-empty glass of a

e with a lazy dangerous smil

?" Dante purred. "I didn't kno

aid flatly with his ba

he doorframe and s

- smooth, quiet and

enough that I could smell a sharp

" Dante whispered, leaning down so

is a ver

ress release and of cou

opped dead

asked, trying to ke

eyes sparkling wi

e family bloodline is... particular.

bride carries true

his thumb pressing light

match the record

edical fund gets canceled befo

smile dropping into som

going to betray you tomorrow, or are you