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"Rose! Rose!"
Through my hate-filled haze, I just barely detected Mia's voice.
"Rose, he's dead!"
Slowly, shakily, I held back the next blow and looked down at his body—and the head no
longer attached to it. She was right. He was dead. Very, very dead.
I looked at the rest of the room. There was blood everywhere, but the horror of it didn't really
register with me. My world had slowed down, slowed down to two very simple tasks. Kill the
Strigoi. Protect Mason. I couldn't process anything else.
"Rose," whispered Mia. She was trembling, her words filled with fear. She was afraid of me,
not the Strigoi. "Rose, we have to go. Come on."
I dragged my eyes away from her and looked down at Isaiah's remains. After several moments,
I crawled over to Mason's body, still clutching the sword.
"No," I croaked out. "I can't leave him. Other Strigoi might come…."
My eyes burned like I desperately wanted to cry. I couldn't say for sure. The bloodlust still
pounded in me, violence and rage the only emotions I was capable of anymore.
"Rose, we'll come back for him. If other Strigoi are coming, we have to get out."
"No," I repeated, not even looking at her. "I'm not leaving him. I won't leave him alone." With
my free hand, I stroked Mason's hair.
"Rose—"
I jerked my head up. "Get out!" I screamed at her. "Get out, and leave us alone."
She took a few steps forward, and I lifted the sword. She froze.
"Get out," I repeated. "Go find the others."
Slowly, Mia backed up toward the door. She gave me one last, desperate look before running
outside.