a P

t on the sofa until Vivian

gged me tightly, saying nothing, j

se that was nominally mine and Dorian's-a l

a ghost. Every piece of furniture, every

ds and Cora's pitiful face rep

d to see Cora. I had to ask her, f

espite the late hour, drove

e glass window on the door. She was propped up in bed,

wasn't "suffering"

ash of surprise in her eyes, which she quick

you doing here?"

" I said, cutting straight to the

she laughed, a laugh full of undisg

ting to the expensive bouquet of flowers from Dorian on her bedside t

ness made

ldly. "I am his Mate. The one

I had told the funniest joke in the wo

omous whisper. "Do you really think Dori

blank. My b

with malice. "Someone you can never replace. You are just a co

e in his heart. But I never k

ion was a sharp knife, twisting in my heart. "He marked you out of an Alp

my body trembling wit

Give Dorian back to me. It's for the best, for you and for him. D

The words echoed in

world was spinning, and I felt like ever

d the medicine cabinet. I found the strong herbal

eart-wrenching pain. I needed silenc

far greater than the recommended amount an

rew heavy, my limbs weak. I collapsed

ompletely, I thought I heard the d

e who it was. I just wanted