"You don't give up, do you?" said Anastasia (Or Annie) Richmond, looking up from her book as Stanton materialized in the living room.

He smiled down at her. "Nope. You should know by now that I'm as stubborn as you are."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She returned to her book, and he watched her eyes move rapidly down the page. Of all of the Followers he was placed in charge of, Annie was by far his favorite. Having her around was like having a little sister, and even though she was very small, it never ceased to amaze him how spirited she was. She, like him, had been taken by the Atrox against her will when she was a mere child. She, however, was born a Daughter of the Moon, and fallen goddesses like her were granted immortality upon conversion. She'd been a Follower for 8 years, and she still looked exactly the same as she did that night when Ambrose had forced her into the cold fire. Despite her child-like appearance, she had quickly earned the respect of the cinti, the Atrox's Inner Circle.

"So tell me," said Annie, "Are you any closer to figuring it out?"

He nodded. "I think there're two of them. One wouldn't have been enough to change Dolores and Cameo back."

"Well duh! I could have told you that! But have you figured out which two?"

"I think the girl who sings. . .Natalie. . .she's one."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I'll show you." Stanton narrowed his eyes and projected an image into Annie's mind what he'd seen and heard in the school auditorium that day at orchestra practice. By the time he was finished, he realized that Annie was giving him the "evil eye," as he had named it. It was and accusing glare that always seemed to say "I know there's more to the story than you're telling me."

"What? Why are you giving me that look?"

"Stanton, what were you doing there?"

"I was following Natalie and her friends so I could. . ."

"Right," she interrupted and let out a heavy sigh. "Why do you lie to me, Stanton? I really hate it! I may look like a ten-year-old, but I'm not as stupid as you seem to think," she said sternly, but then her eyes softened. Her expression became pleading, like that of a little sister concerned about her big brother. "Stanton, I know how you feel about Serena. I really do. But you've got to draw the line somewhere! You've got everything to lose, here. You're the Prince of Darkness. She's a goddess. And not just any goddess, but the key! Stanton, I'm telling you this as a friend: I'm worried about you. Please. . .I just don't want. . ."

"I get it, Annie," he snapped. Then he took a deep breath and spoke more gently to her. "Look, I'm sorry to scare you, kid-o, but you don't understand what it's like to be in love. Every time I see her, it's like. . ."

Annie held up her hand to silence him. "Don't tell me what love feels like. I'm better off not knowing. Just promise me you'll be careful. You're dancing with devils here, Stanton. And you don't want them stepping on your feet."

"Annie. . ."

"Promise me! I don't want you getting hurt."

Stanton sighed and ran his hand through his hair, frustrated in knowing that Annie was right. "Fine, mother. I promise I'll be careful."

"That's all I'm asking. So.You never told me what 'Blessed of the Arrow' means. What makes these kids so valuable to the Atrox? And how did they free Dolores and Cameo?"

"Blessed of the Arrow means that. . .Well, it's a little hard to explain. According to the legend, when Cupid's arrows made people fall in love, the children born of that love would be called 'Blessed of the Arrow' and each would be born with a gift of a talent. It could be dancing, painting, music, any sort of art form. We'll use painting as an example. . .Suppose someone who had art as their gift made a painting. . .It would have a sort of magical effect on anyone who looked at it. Whatever emotion or feeling the painting was intended to convey, anyone who looked at it would feel that emotion."

"But I still don't understand how they freed Dolores and Cameo."

"The song was about hope, Annie. So it brought their hope back to them and the Atrox lost its hold on them."

"But then why didn't you and Ambrose get freed too?"

"We're too powerful, Annie. Nothing can change us back. And I know what your thinking. . .Sorry, Squirt, but the same holds true for you."

"What do you mean you know what I'm thinking? I wouldn't dream of trying to break away from the Atrox!"

"Just make sure you don't. That's the best way to get yourself terminated by a regulator. What's that you're reading, anyway?"

She held up the cover so he could see it. "'Immortal Blood' by James M. Thompson. It's about a doctor who's a vampire, and his instinct is to spread his curse, but he tries to fight it and use his intellect to find a cure for himself and others like him."