CHAPTER 31

KRISTINA'S POV

He needed me, and I needed him. And I loved him, too; it was impossible not to. I knew that if he wanted, he could run far away from here, leave me in this dark alley surrounded by shadows, and disappear forever.

It would be better for both of us. Better for me, because I could continue on living the life I enjoyed and I'd forget all about my past. For him, however, it would be hard enough to escape the past, but to abandon me? Never. I was the only one he needed. And I refused to let him go.

I took a deep breath, steeled my nerves, and pushed open the door to the house. There was only silence. A sudden burst of light startled me awake. I opened my eyes abruptly, instantly waking up as soon as consciousness came back to me. The lights in the room were bright and glaring. I instinctively covered my eyes to shield them from the harsh glare.

I blinked several times and rubbed my tired eyes, trying desperately to wake up. My head spun dizzily as it struggled to focus. I