Carpathian 03 - Dark Gold

miss those three women. They'll find their bodies. They'll find Henry."
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    "Who is Henry?" he asked suspiciously, jealousy contorting his features.
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    "You should know. You killed him."
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    "The silly old man? He got in my way. Besides, I sensed you in the restaurant, defying me, and needed to get your attention. The old man and the boy belonged to you. They served my purpose."
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    "Is that why you killed him? Because you knew I cared for him?" Alexandria's horror was deepening, even as her insides were burning from the tainted blood. She felt as if someone was taking a blowtorch to her internal organs, and her heart ached for dear, sweet Henry.
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    "I cannot allow remnants of your old life to divide your loyalties. You belong to me. Only me. I will not share you."
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    Her heart pounded, and involuntarily she clutched Joshua closer. The vampire was going to kill her brother eventually. He had no intention of keeping the child in their lives. She had to find a way for Joshua to escape. She swayed again and would have fallen, but Yohenstria reached out and caught her arm.

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    "The light will not reach so far back into the cave that your skin will burn. Come, let us go within before the dawn arrives."
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    "I can't be in the sun?"
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    "You will burn easily. But you are not wholly changed as of yet." Ruthlessly, uncaring that she was so weak, he dragged her, still clinging to Josh, inside the bleakness of the cave.
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    Alexandria fell several times, incoming waves splashing over her clothing. He continued walking, forcing her along, sometimes dragging her behind him. She held Joshua close, trying to impart some of her body heat into his shivering form. He was terribly still, a dead weight in her arms.
    She tried to think, but her brain was too slow, and she needed desperately to lie down.
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    A few yards into the cave, the vampire stopped and shoved her against the rock wall, where a thick chain and manacle was bolted. She noticed, as he tightened the cuff around her wrist, that the steel was stained with blood. Evidently he had brought more than one victim to this place to await his pleasure. The metal cut into her soft skin, and she slumped to the ground, uncaring that the water was pouring over her lap and then receding in its endless cycle. She rested her back against the cliff wall and reached to cradle her brother in her arms, all the while shivering, her teeth chattering.
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    The vampire laughed softly. "I will rest now. I am afraid it will soon become difficult for you to do the same." He turned his back on her and strode away, his taunting laughter echoing behind him.
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    In her lap, Joshua suddenly stirred, sat up, and rubbed his eyes. The vampire having released him from his trance, he cried out and clutched Alexandria, clinging to her. "He killed Henry. I saw him, Alex. It was a monster!"
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    "I know, Josh, I know. I'm so sorry you saw such a terrible thing." She rubbed her cheek over his curls. "I'm not going to lie to you. We're in trouble here. I'm not certain I can get us out." Her words were slurring together, her eyelids closing of their own volition. "The water is rising, Josh. I want you, while you can, to very carefully look around and see if there is a ledge you can climb on to be safe."
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    "I don't want to leave you. I'm afraid."
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    "I know, little buddy. I am, too. But I need you to be very brave and do this for me. See what you can find."
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    A wave rushed in, a gush of water that sprayed salt and sea up to her chin, then receded in a carpet of foam. Joshua screamed in fear and threw his arms around her neck. "I can't do it, Alex.
    I really can't."
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    "Try going outside the cave and finding a place to wait where the water can't get to you."
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    He shook his head so adamantly, his blond curls bounced. "No, Alex, I won't leave you. I have to stay with you."
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    Alexandria didn't have the energy to argue. She had to concentrate just to think. "Okay, Josh, Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    don't worry." She braced herself against the wall and managed to get to her feet. Then the water was only up to her calves. "We can do this together. Let's look around."
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    It was nearly impossible to see anything in the gloomy interior of the cave, and the sound of the water crashing on the rocks was thunder in her ears. She was shivering