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He was stretching lazily, his body refreshed fro He was enjoying sparring with her

Away froary I've alanted to go to Budapest Little liar You think to run back to your United States Do you play chess?

She blinked at the strange question

Chess? she echoed

Male a

Chess

Yes Do you?

Of course

Play with me

Now?

She began to braid her heavyin his voice, s, put terror in her mind

I ry I can feel your headache Go down to dinner and ill ht

No way I won't meet with you

You are afraid

It was a clear taunt

She laughed at hi his body in flames

I s occasionally, but I am never a fool

Tell me your name

It was a command, and Raven felt compelled to obey it

She forced her o blank, to be a slate wiped clean It hurt, sent darts of pain through her head,to take what she would have given freely

Why do you fight er? You hurt yourself, wear yourself out, and in the end 1 in anyway I feel the toll that this way of co your obedience on a much different level

Why do you force what I would have given, had you simply asked?

She could feel his puzzlement

I a my ith the least amount of effort

Even at the expense of simple courtesy?

Sometimes it is more expedient

She punched the pillow

You need to work on your arrogance Simply because you possess power does not mean you have to flaunt it

You forget, most humans cannot detect a mental push

That isn't an excuse to take away free will And you don't use a push anyway; you issue a command and demand compliance That's worse, because it makes people sheep Isn't that closer to the truth?

You reprimand me

There was an edge to his thoughts this ti thin

Don't try to force me

This ti in his voice

I would not try, little one Be assured I can force your compliance

His tone was silky and ruthless

You're like a spoiled child wanting your oay

She stood up, hugging the pillow to her protesting stomach

I', to pound You can go soak your head in a bucket and cool off

She wasn't lying; the effort to fight hied cautiously toward the door, afraid he would stop her She would feel safer if she was a people

Your name, please, little one

It was asked with grave courtesy

Raven found herself s

Raven Raven Whitney So, Raven Whitney, eat, rest I will return at eleven for our chess match

The contact was broken abruptly Raven let out her breath slowly, all too aware that she should be feeling relief, not feeling bereft There was seduction in his hypnotic voice, his hter, in their very conversation She ached with the same loneliness as he did She didn't allow herself to think of the way her body had coers Burned Wanted Needed And he had only touched her with his mind The seduction was farshe could not precisely put her finger on He touched her inside her soul His need His darkness His terrible, haunting loneliness She needed, too So so alone, so afraid to touch another being, afraid to be too close She liked his voice, the Old World elegance, the silly e, his abilities

Her hand trembled as she opened the door, breathed the air in the hallway Her body was her own again,her instructions She ran down the stairs, entered the dining room

Several tables were occupied, certainly ht before Ordinarily, Raven avoided public places asnot to have to worry about shielding herself from unwanted emotions She took a deep breath and walked in

Jacob looked up with a welcoroup at his table Raven made herself smile back at him, unaware of the way she looked, innocent, sexy, coreeted Shelly, and was introduced to Margaret and Harry Summers Fellow Americans She tried not to let her alarm show on her face She knew her picture had been plastered all over the newspapers and even on television during the investigation of the last killer She didn't want to be recognized, didn't want to relive the horrible nightmare of the man's twisted and depravedat dinner

"Sit here, Raven" Jacob graciously pulled out a high-backed chair for her

Carefully avoiding skin contact, Raven allowed herself to be seated It was hell to be so close to so many people As a child she had been overwhelmed by the boone insane until she learned to protect herself, to build a shield It worked unless the pain or distress was too concentrated, or if she physically touched another hu Or if she was in the presence of a very sick and evil mind

Right noith conversation flowing all around her and everyone seens of overload Shards of glass pierced her skull, her sto

Mikhail inhaled the night air,what he needed Not a woman He couldn't bear to touch another wohly sexual state, and far too close to turning Hethe people easily, returned greetings from those who knew him He ell respected, looked up to

He slipped up behind a youngHis scent spoke of health, veins bursting with life After a brief, easy conversation, Mikhail spoke his command softly, laid a friendly arm across the other's shoulder Deep within the shadows he bent his dark head and fed well He was careful to keep his e man, knew his family There could be no mistakes

As he lifted his head, the first wave of her distress hit him

Raven

He had unconsciously been seeking contact with her, touching her ently to assure himself that she was still with hi the youngconversation, laughing a the man when he was a bit dizzy

Mikhail opened his mind, focused on the thread and followed it It had been years - his skills were rusty - but he could still "see" when he wanted Raven was seated at a table with two couples Outwardly she looked beautiful, serene But he knew better He could feel her confusion, the unrelenting pain in her head, her desire to leap up and run from everyone Her eyes, brilliant sapphires, were haunted, shadows in the paleness of her face Strain It ae, no way for anyone with telepathic ability other than he to tell she was in distress

And then the ing on his face, desire in his eyes "Coested, and his hand moved from the table to rest just above her knee

At once the pain in Raven's head increased, crushing at her skull, stabbing at her behind her eyes She jerked her leg out froed, burst free Never had Mikhail felt such terrible fury It rushed over him, claimed him, became him That someone could hurt her like that, so casually, without even knowing or caring That soht touch her while she was so vulnerable and unprotected That a h the sky, the cool air fanning his rage

Raven felt the force of his anger The air in the room thickened; outside, the wind rose, whirled fiendishly Branches pelted the outside walls; the wind rattled ominously at the s Several waiters crossed theht out into the black, suddenly starless night The rooely silent, as if everyone was collectively holding his and her breath

Jacob gasped, both hands going to his throat, tearing at it as if at strong, strangling fingers His face was first red, thenwaiter ran to assist the chokingtheir necks to see

Raven forced calh for her to remain unscathed

Release him

Silence answered her Even with the waiter behind hi at the Heimlich maneuver, Jacob fell to his knees, his lips blue, his eyes rolling back in his head

Please, I' you, please Release him For me

Jacob suddenly inhaled, a terrible gagging sound, labored and harsh His sister and Margaret Summers were crouched at his side, tears in their eyes Instinctively, Raven moved toward him

Do not touch him!

The cohtening than if he had forced her compliance

Raven was besieged with emotion, from everyone in the room Jacob's pain and terror Shelly's fear, the innkeeper's horror, the other A at her already fragile state But it was his all-consuh her head Her stomach heaved, cramped, and Raven nearly doubled over and looked desperately for the ladies rooht go mad

"Raven" The voice ar Cal

A curious hush fell in the dining rooance, an air of complete command He was tall, dark, well y, with darkness, with a thousand secrets, that drew immediate attention Those eyes could mesmerize, hypnotize, just like the power in his voice Heout of the way

"Mikhail, it is such a pleasure to have you join us," the innkeeper gasped in surprise

He spared the woure "I have co" He said it softly, ied ame of chess"

The innkeeper nodded her head as she broke into a smile "Enjoy yourselves"

Raven swayed, pressing her hands into her sto up her face at his approach He was on her before she couldout for her

Don't

She closed her eyes, terrified of his touch She was already on overload; she would not be able to take the overpowering e from him

Mikhail didn't hesitate, gathering her into his arranite mask as he whirled around and took her fro started, the whispers

Raven tensed, waiting for the battery on her senses, but he had closed his th of his ar fluidly, easily, as if her weight was of no consequence

"Breathe, little one; it will help" There was a trace of amusement in the warmth of his voice

Raven did as he suggested, too worn out to struggle She had come here to this wild, lonely place to heal, but instead, she was all theup at hi lashes

His hair was the color of dark coffee beans, a dark espresso, drawn back and tied at the nape of his neck His face was that of an angel or a devil, strength and poith a sensual mouth that hinted at cruelty; his hooded eyes were black obsidian, black ice, pure black ic

She couldn't read hihts That had never happened to her before "Putthem into deep forest Branches swayed, bushes rustled Her heart was beating out of control She tensed, pushed against his shoulders, struggled uselessly

His eyes moved possessively over her face, but his pace didn't slow, and he didn't answer her It was hules

Raven allowed her head to fall back against his shoulder with a slight sigh "Did you kidnap me or rescue me?"

Strong white teeth gleamed at her, a predator's smile, a man's amusement "Perhaps a little of both"

"Where are you takinga battle, physical or mental

"To my home We have a date I am Mikhail Dubrinsky"

Raven rubbed at her te" She broke off, catching a I gli thehted a second, then a third Her hand clutched his shoulder "Put me down, Dubrinsky"

"Mikhail," he corrected, not even slowing down A ses of hisof his broad shoulders "Be calm, little one; they will not harm us This is their ho and are at peace with one another"

So to hurtto know

His dark eyes touched her face again, thoughtful, holding a thousand secrets, unmistakably possessive "I aining But I am certain our relationship will not always be a comfortable one You like to defy me" He answered as honestly as he was I able

His eyes ht to her "You rong to hurt Jacob, you know You could have killed him"

"Do not defend him, little one I allowed him to live to please you, but it would be no trouble to finish the task"

Pleasurable No ht to put his hand on Mikhail's woman and hurt her as that human had done The inability of theRaven pain did not absolve his sin

"You don't mean that Jacob is harently

"You will not speak his name to me He touched you, put his hand on you" He stopped abruptly, there in the heart of I the deep forest, as wild and unta theh he had coveredher in his arms His black eyes were merciless as they stared down into hers "He caused you much pain"

Her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his dark head to hers His mouth hovered inches from hers, so that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin "Do not disobey me in this, Raven This man touched you, hurt you, and I see no reason for his existence"

Her eyes searched his hard, implacable features "You're serious, aren't you?" She did not want to feel the warh her at his words Jacob had hurt her; the pain was so intense, it had stolen her breath and somehohen no one else knew, Mikhail had known

"Deadly serious" He beganstrides

Raven was silent, trying to work out the puzzle She knew evil, had chased it, soaked in it, the obscene, depraved , yet she could not feel evil in hier froant in his strength, a ht to her

"Mikhail?" Her slender frao back"

The dark eyes drifted over her face again, noting the shadows, the fear lingering in her blue gaze Her heart was pounding, her slight body tre in his ar with those people and everything withback is not your answer Sooner or later you will not be able to take their demands They continually take pieces of your soul You are much safer in my care"

She pushed at the wall of his chest, found her hands trapped against the heat of his skin Hewarht me, little one"

"I want to go back, Mikhail" She worked to keep her voice under control She wasn't sure she was telling the truth He knew her He knehat she felt, the price she paid for her gift The pull between theht

The house looers twisted in his shirt Mikhail knew she was unaware of that nervous, telltale gesture "You are safe withto harm you"

She sed nervously as he pushed open the heavy iron gates and mounted the steps "Just you"

He allowed his chin to brush the top of her silky hair, feeling the jolt in the core of his body "Welco her up in theht or sunshine Very slowly, reluctantly, he allowed her feet to touch the threshold

Mikhail reached past her to open the door, then stepped back "Do you enter my home of your own free will?" He asked it for on her soft e blue eyes

She was frightened, he could read it easily, a captive wild thing wanting to trust hiround, cornered, but still willing to fight with her last breath She needed him almost as ertip "If I say no, will you take me back to the inn?"

Why did she want to be with hi" her; she had too much talent of her own not to know He looked so alone, so proud, yet his eyes burned over her with hungry need He didn't answer her, didn't try to persuade her, si

Raven sighed softly, knowing she was defeated She had never known another hu she could just sit and talk with, even touch, without the bohts and emotions That in itself was a type of seduction

She started across the threshold Mikhail caught her arm "Your own free will; say it"

"My own free will" She stepped into his hoe joy that lit his dark, chiseled features