{"id":3573,"date":"2009-11-29T18:00:46","date_gmt":"2009-11-29T22:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shilohwalker.wordpress.com\/?p=3573"},"modified":"2009-11-29T18:00:46","modified_gmt":"2009-11-29T22:00:46","slug":"30-days-of-giveaways-final-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shilohwalker.com\/website\/2009\/11\/30-days-of-giveaways-final-day\/","title":{"rendered":"30 days of giveaways… final day!!!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Hunters<\/a>
Hunter's Need...releases 12\/1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

___________________<\/p>\n

She broke off, unsure of what she was trying to say.<\/p>\n

Brad looked away, his body stiff and angry.\u00a0 \u201cYou can find something here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u00a0 I can\u2019t.\u00a0 Brad, I have to find something on my own.\u00a0 Some place of my own\u2026something that\u2019s mine<\/span><\/em>.\u00a0 Something I worked for, something I earned.\u00a0 I\u2019m losing myself here, baby.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got a life laid out before you.\u00a0 You<\/span><\/em> belong here\u2014as much as Neal doesn\u2019t belong, as much as I don\u2019t, you<\/span><\/em> do.\u00a0 This is your life.\u00a0 But it\u2019s not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe that\u2019s because you won\u2019t let it be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ana shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s not it.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have that kind of strength in me.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have that drive, that need.\u00a0 We have it, or we don\u2019t\u2026and I don\u2019t have what it takes to be one of a Hunter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brad shrugged, a rough, jerky motion but he finally looked at her. The hurt and loneliness in his eyes made her throat constrict and she could feel herself giving in.\u00a0 What could it hurt to stay a few more months\u2026a few more years?<\/p>\n

But then the memory of Neal\u2019s anger flashed through her mind, sizzling against her shields.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t hurt Brad, and she suspected he wouldn\u2019t.\u00a0 However, she couldn\u2019t say the same for herself.\u00a0 Neal looked at her and saw prey.\u00a0 She doubted he was the only one.\u00a0 If Neal had<\/span><\/em> hurt her, what would it have done to Brad?<\/p>\n

What would Brad<\/span><\/em> have done?\u00a0 She had to leave, for Brad as much as for herself.\u00a0 Before his worry for her ended up making him do something he\u2019d regret\u2014or worse, something he wouldn\u2019t regret.\u00a0 She\u2019d be damned if she caused him problems.\u00a0 He needed to focus on himself now, needed to stop worrying about her so much.\u00a0 Hell, maybe if she was gone, he could enjoy what little was left of his childhood instead of trying to take care of her so much.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is for the best,\u201d she said softly.<\/p>\n

He swallowed convulsively, then nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWill you come back?\u00a0 Ya know, to visit me?\u00a0 Can I come see you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u00a0 As often as I can, and as often as you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe\u2026maybe you don\u2019t have to go far.\u00a0 I mean, maybe you could find a job in Huntington or something\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe.\u201d\u00a0 But they both knew otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want you to go,\u201d Brad mumbled, ducking his head.\u00a0 There was a suspicious sniffle and when he looked back at her, his eyes were damp.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wrapped thin, bony arms around her and for a minute, she let herself pretend they were younger.\u00a0 For a minute, she let herself pretend she hadn\u2019t totally failed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll miss you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hugged her tight and then stepped away.\u00a0 Smiling sadly, he said, \u201cBut you really want to get away from here, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u00a0 Yeah, I do.\u00a0 And I think I need<\/em> to.\u00a0 For both of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Away from Excelsior.\u00a0 Away from Virginia.\u00a0 Away from people who didn\u2019t know her every shortcoming.\u00a0 Away from people who kept looking at her and just waiting for her to screw up again.\u00a0 Away from people who looked at the siblings and judged them both based on what Ana had done.<\/p>\n

Away from Duke\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

She shied away from that silent voice, but not quick enough.\u00a0 A memory flashed through her mind\u2014those dark gray eyes, staring down at her as though nothing, no one else in the world existed.\u00a0 The warmth of his body.\u00a0 The strength.<\/p>\n

Yes.\u00a0 Away from Duke\u2014away from just another reminder of how inadequate she was.<\/p>\n

___________________<\/p>\n

Just a quick reminder on the contest:<\/p>\n