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.That was almost worse.She would think they had betrayed her,that Cassie and Adam had truly betrayed her.And how she would look then& howAdam would look&Cassie could stand anything but that."You can't," she whispered."You can't.""Well, Cassie, I told you before.If we werefriends , really good friends, Imight be able to keep your secret.Diana and I may be cousins, but I'd doanything for my friends.And," Faye said deliberately, her honey-colored eyesnever leaving Cassie's face, "I expect them to do anything for me."It was then, at last, that Cassie realized what this was all about.Everything went still around her, too still.Her heart gave one great thumpand seemed to sink like lead.Down and down and down.From the bottom of a pit, she asked Faye emptily, "What kind of thing?"Faye smiled.She leaned back against the bed, relaxed, the robe parting toreveal one bare shapely leg."Well, let me see," she said slowly, drawing the moment out, relishing it."Iknow there was something& oh, yes.I'd really like to have that crystal skullAdam found.I'm sure you know where Diana's keeping it.And if not, I'm sureyou could find out.""No," Cassie said, horrified."Yes," Faye said, and smiled again."That's what I want, Cassie.To show whata good friend you are.Nothing else will do.""Faye, yousaw what happened last night.That skull is evil.There's alreadyPage 122ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlsomething aw-fulon the loose because of it if you use it again, who knows whatmight happen?" And, Cassie's numbed mind suddenly suggested, who knew whatFaye might be planning to use itfor ? "Why do you want it?" she blurted out.Faye shook her head tolerantly."That'smy little secret.Maybe, if we becomegood enough friends, I'll show you later.""I won't do it.Ican't.I can't, Faye.""Well, that's too bad." Faye's eyebrows lifted, and she pursed her full lips."Because that means I'm going to have to call Diana.I think my cousin has aright to know what her boyfriend is doing."She reached for the phone and pushed buttons with an elegant, scarlet-tippedfinger."Hello, Diana? Is that you?""No!" Cassie cried, and grabbed Faye's arm.Faye pushed the mute button."Does this mean,"she said to Cassie, "that we have a deal?"Cassie couldn't form a yes or no.Faye reached out and caught Cassie's chin in her hand, as she had that firstday on the school steps.Cassie could feel the hardness of long nails, thecoolness and strength of Faye's fingers.Faye was staring at her with thoseeyes, those strange honey-colored eyes.Falcons have yellow eyes, Cassiethought suddenly, wildly.And Faye's fingers gripped her like talons.Therewas no escape.She was trapped& caught& like a white mouse caught by a bird ofprey.The golden eyes were still staring at her& into her.She was so lightheaded,so afraid.And this time there was no rock beneath her feet to steady her.Shewas in Faye's second-floor bedroom, trapped away from any help."Do we have a deal?" Faye said again.No escape.No hope.Cassie's vision was blurring, going dim; she could barelyhear Faye over the rushing in her ears.She felt the last drops of resistance, of will, drain out of her."Well?" said Faye in her throaty, mocking voice.Blindly, scarcely knowing what she was doing, Cassie nodded.Faye released her.Then she pushed the mute button again."Sorry, Diana, I got the wrong number.I meant to call the Maytag repairman.'Bye now!" And with that she hung up.She stretched like a giant cat, replacing the phone on the nightstand as shelay back.Then she put her arms behind her head and looked at Cassie, smiling."All right," she said."The first thing is,you get me that skull.And afterthat& well, after that I'll think of what else I want.You realize that fromnow on I own you, Cassie.""I thought," Cassie whispered, still unable to see for the gray mist, "thatPage 123ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlwe were friends.""That was just a euphemism.The truth is that you're my captive from now on.I own you now, Cassie Blake.I own you body and soul."Don't miss the exciting continuation ofTheSecret CircleVolume II: THE CAPTIVEOneFire, Cassie thought.All around her she saw blazing autumn colors.Theyellow-orange of sugar maples, the brilliant red of sassafras, the crimson ofsumac bushes.It was as if the entire world wereflaming with Faye's element.And I'm trapped in the middle of it.The sick feeling in the pit of Cassie's stomach got worse with every step shetook downCrowhavenRoad.The yellow Victorian house at the bottom of the road looked as pretty asever.Sunlight was striking rainbow sparks off a prism which hung in thehighest tower window.A girl with long light-brown hair called out from theporch."Hurry up, Cassie! You're late!""Sorry," Cassie called back, trying to hurry when what she really wanted todo was turn around and run the other way.She had the sudden, inexplicableconviction that her private thoughts must show in her face.Laurel would takeone look at her and know all about what had happened with Adam lastnight, andall about the bargain with Faye.ButLaurel just grabbed her by the waist and hustled her inside and upstairsto Diana's bedroom.Diana was standing in front of the large walnut cabinet;Melanie was sitting on the bed.Sean was perched uneasily in the window seat,rubbing his knees with his palms.Adam was standing beside him.He looked up as Cassie came in.Cassie met those blue-gray eyes for only an instant, but it was long enough.They were the color of the ocean at its most mysterious, sunlit on the surfacebut with incomprehensible depths underneath.The rest of his face was the sameas ever: arresting and intriguing, pride showing in the high cheekbones anddetermined mouth, but sensitivity and humor showing there too
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