Nathan stroked the back of my hand. "He's on the couch. He woke up a few hours ago, but he's still healing from what she did to him."

"He lived." I took a deep breath, wincing at the soreness in my chest. "Well, that's something."

"Are you okay?" Nathan's voice held an edge of neediness that set my teeth grinding.

Pathetic as ever.

"That wasn't me." It was Cyrus's voice in my head, criticizing Nathan.

"What wasn't?" Nathan sat beside me on the bed. The mattress dipped and the axis of my world twisted.

"Nothing, nothing."

Tell him you can hear me. It will kill him.

I covered my ears. "You shut up!"

Gently, Nathan put his hands on my shoulders, but I barely felt it "Calm down. It's just the blood tie. Take a deep breath."

This was the blood tie? Oh, I had plenty, and I mean plenty of experience with the fledgling end of things, hearing projected thoughts and viewing selected images, maybe even sharing a memory or two. And I'd instinctively shielded my thoughts from both my sires. I didn't realize how crystal clear they would have come through to them.

"Is this what you felt when you accidentally sired me?" I forced my eyes open so I could see Nathan as he answered. At the sight of him, a curl of disgust and shame wound through me. I couldn't tell if it was mine or Cyrus's.

Nathan nodded. "That's how I knew we'd formed a blood tie between us. Your babbling."

"I do not babble," I snapped, raking my hair back.

"You did to." He pointed to the bedside table, where his pet fish had lived before its peaceful demise from old age. "A lot of it was about Shish's tiny goldish memory span."

"Mmm. That was my pet metaphor for a while. I drew my knees up to my chest and rested my arms on them. "How long have I been out this time ?

"Probably not as long as you think. About twelve hours. And you weren't completely out When I found you, I was able to rouse you enough to walk to the van. He wasn't as lucky." Nathan looked away. "Why did you do it?"

"I had to." At the memory of Cyrus's wounds, I felt my hands clench to fists. Nathan had saved me in the alley when I'd been damaged beyond repair, but he wouldn't understand this. If it were anyone else but Cyrus, he would know exactly why. "He has information about the Soul Eater."

Nathan shrugged. "We could have found him on our own. So, why?"

Tell him why.

"No." I clutched my pounding head, fingers digging into my skull like daggers.

But Cyrus was relentless. Tell him I begged you not to. Tell him you took me when I was so close to death it almost killed you. Tell him you'd rather have me than him.