Izaak stayed with Gail the whole night, sitting in a chair next to her bed and watching her sleep. He fell into a kind of slumber that was not quite sleep. He was still aware of everything, but his normally active mind felt like it had down shifted. He realized that he hadn't had blood since the farmhouse and that had been a necessity. Now, it was the normal hunger growing inside him. His eyes opened and went to Gail and he could see the soft pulse of her heartbeat in her throat, making his mouth water. His urge for blood warring with his intellect; he had promised to protect her, not have her for a midnight snack. He stood and walked to the door, trying to take himself away from the temptation. Before he did anything he'd regret, he stepped out of the bedroom and into the cool hallway.
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