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I go to bed haunted by the images of Michel's death and rebirth, tossing and turning for hours before finally falling asleep when the sun starts torise.
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Chapter 7
"Those who restrain desire,do so because theirs is weak enough to berestrained."
WilliamBlake
Just after dusk, I take the bus back to the SCU for another interview. I'm hoping I don't have to fight again and that all I have to do is answer questions. I'm also dreading seeing Michel. How can I look him in the face after reading his story, knowing how much it would horrify him for me toknow?
I get off at the stop and walk the block from the stop to the old building. When I get to the abandoned brewery beside it, a figure steps out from the alley onto thepavement.
It'sJulien.
I put a hand over my heart because he startledme.
"Are you stalking me or something?" I ask when he starts walking besideme.
"No," he says, a touch of affront in his voice. "Just thought I'd come down and see how things go. I work for the SCU. I'm interested in what happens with you, considering myhistory."
I frown and keep walking, not sure what I think about hisinterest.
We stop outside the steps leading up to the front door of the SCU and he just stands there with his hands in his pockets, looking at me. I try to avoid his eyes, which are like Michel's – so clear blue, fringed with thick dark lashes and framed by archedbrows.
"Are you comingin?"
"Nah," he says, shrugging. "Just part of the security team. Keeping an eye on any movement in thevicinity."
"I don't see anyoneelse."
"That's good. If you could see them, I'd fire their asses. They're supposed to beundetectable."
"Michel said he had a detail on me. Are you part ofit?"
"Are you kidding? No way he'd agree to let me nearyou."
I frown at that. "Whynot?"
"He'd be afraid I'd get a little too close to you. I have my own detail onyou."
"You two brothers," I say and shake my head. "Why do you each think I'm your possession? This is the 21stCentury. I'm a modern woman in a democracy. Slavery ended a long timeago."
"Not between vampires andhumans."
"You should be ashamed, then. What's wrong with vampires that they still wantslaves?"
"It's our power. We're stronger. We're faster. We're more strategic. We can't help but dominate humans. It takes a lot of self-control not to. Most of us just barely keep our basic natures in check to abide by the terms of thetreaty."
I turn and start up the steps. "You're just humans with mutations. Not some kind of separate species. We should share the same rights." I turn around to face him and he just cracks that half-grin like he thinks I'm cute. "Don't smile at me like I'm achild."
"Eve," he says softly and climbs the steps so that his face is on level with mine. "To me, you are an embryo. I'm eight hundred yearsold."
"Then you should leave mealone."
He smiles briefly. "I know. You have to understand something about us. We can't resist you, Michel and I. Twins have a special relationship. We have a shared past. We have many things in common. You're one ofthem."
"I don't even know either ofyou."
