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He wanted her gone before she witnessed his casual destruction of the abomination who dared to strike a woh

"I a to pue

"Then I can do no other than oblige you by letting you try," Gregori replied pleasantly His voice dropped an octave lower, became hypnotic "You are slow, Roberto, slow and clumsy and far too incompetent to take on so

It was iori's voice It worked its way into the brain and clouded the h and powerful from a fresh kill, filled with lust and the need to conquer, Roberto launched hiori

Gregori sier there He had thrust Savannah as far fro speed he contemptuously marked Roberto's face with four deep furrows, marked it in exactly the spot that was bruised on Savannah's face

Gregori's soft, taunting laughter sent chills down Savannah's spine She could hear the sounds of the battle, the whiori coolly, relentlessly, and mercilessly slashed Roberto to pieces Loss of blood weakened the lesser creature Coori, he was clumsy and slow

Savannah jaainst her mouth and backed up several paces, but she couldn't tear her eyes away froori's harsh face It was an i sed expression His assault was the coldest,she had ever witnessed Every deliberate slash contributed to Roberto's weakness until he was literally covered in a thousand cuts Never once was Roberto able to lay a hand or a claw on Gregori It was apparent that Roberto had no chance, that Gregori could deliver the killing blow at any time

She looked at Peter, lifeless on the asphalt He had been a great friend to her She had loved him like a brother, and now he lay senselessly dead Savannah finally fled in horror across the parking lot, taking refuge in the trees alongside it She sank down to the ground Oh, Peter This was her fault She had thought she had left the world of vampires and Carpathians behind She bent her head, her sto in protest at the cold brutality of that world She was not like these creatures Tears tangled in her lashes and ran down her face

Suddenly lightning sizzled and danced, a blue-white whip across the sky An orange glow soon accompanied a crackle of fla that Gregori was destroying Roberto's body completely His heart and tainted blood had to be reduced to ashes to ensure that the vaain And no Carpathian, not even one turned vampire, should be exposed to autopsy by a human medical examiner Physical proof of their existence in huerous to their entire race She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to shut out the s flesh Peter, too, would have to be cre wound to his throat, evidence of the vampire's presence

There was a gentle stirring of air beside her Then Gregori's fingers curled around her arm and drew her to her feet Up close he looked even more powerful, completely invincible His arainst the solid wall of his chest His thumb touched the tears on her face; his chin brushed the top of her head

"I am sorry I was too late to save your friend By the time I are of the vampire's presence, he had already struck" He didn't add that he had been too busy rediscovering e them under control to sense Roberto immediately It was his first slip in a thousand years, and he wasn't ready to examine the reason too closely Guilt, perhaps, for the manipulated chemistry he had with Savannah?

Savannah's ret for her sorrow "How did you find me?"

"I always knohere you are, every ave it to you But I've never left you I never will" There was a gentle finality to his words, an echo of the resolve in his mind

Savannah's heart lurched "Don't do this, Gregori You kno I feel I've created a new life for myself"

His hand, gentle in her hair, sent butterflies rising in her stoe what you are You are my lifemate, and it is time for you to come to me" His voice held velvet-soft co with nature The more he said it, the more Savannah would believe it True, he suddenly saw in color and felt eori also knew he had programmed their chemistry to be compatible before she was born; she had never had a chance

Her teeth bit at her full lower lip in agitation "You can't take ainst our laws"

He bent his dark head, his war in the pit of her stomach "Savannah, you will accompany me now"

She flung her head up, her blue-black hair cascading in all directions "No I' to fae her hands, betraying her nervousness of him, unaware that she did so

Gregori's larger hand covered hers and stilled the desperate twisting of her fingers "You are not thinking straight, ma petite

You cannot be found on the scene You would have no rational way to explain what happened here I have set things up so that when his body is found and identified, no suspicion can fall upon you or any of our people"

She took a deep breath, hating that he was right No attention could be drawn to her species She didn't have to like it "I won't go with you"

White teeth gleamed at her, a predator's smile "You may attempt to defy me in this, Savannah, if you feel you must"

She touched her mind to his Male aori Not death and certainly not her defiance "I'll call for security," she threatened desperately

The ilittered "Do you wish ave them before you do so?"

She closed her eyes, still tre in shock and fear "No, no, don't do that" she whispered in defeat Gregori studied the misery so transparent on her face

Sonizable to hi "The daill be upon us in a couple of hours We need to leave this place"

"I won't go with you," she insisted stubbornly

"If your pride dictates that you ht me, you may try to do so" His voice, with its Old World War cadence and formality, was almost tender

Her eyes deepened to purple "Stop giving hter, a Carpathian like yourself and not without ht to my own choices!"

"If it pleases you to think so" His fingers curled easily around her slender wrist His grip was gentle, but she could feel his enorori appeared not to notice her struggles

"Do you wish me tovoice was incredibly tender

"No!" Her heart slammed painfully in her chest "Don't control my h to do so, and it terrified her

Two fingers caught her chin firaze was captured by his silver one "There is no danger of such an atrocity I am no vampire I am Carpathian, and you are my lifemate I will protect you with my life I will always see to your happiness"

She took a deep breath for control, then let it escape slowly "We are not lifemates I did not choose" She held on to that fact, her only hope

"We can discuss this at a more opportune time" She nodded warily "I'll meet you tomorrow then"

His silent laughter filled her ly male "You will come with me now" His voice lowered an octave, beca it was iht

Savannah dropped her forehead against thein her eyes and throat "I'ori," she admitted painfully "I can't live the life of a Carpathian I'm like my mother I'm too independent, and I need my own life"

"I know of your fears, ma petite

I know your every thought The bond between us is strong enough to cross oceans We can deal with your fears together"

"I can't do this I won't!" Savannah ducked under his ar speed

But no matter which way she twisted or turned, no ori ith her every step of the way When she finally wore herself out and stopped, she was at the far end of the stadiuori was beside her, solid, warht, her every move before she made it

His ar her co you your freedoades like Roberto" For a moment he dropped his head to bury his face in the thick , he launched hith, Savannah's shtly to him

She closed her eyes and allowed grief for Peter to consu across the sky with her, taking her to his lair Her fists curled around the thick, steel-like muscles The wind carried the sound of her sobs up to the stars Her tears glittered like jewels in the night

Gregori could feel her pain as if it was his own Her tearselse could His rief and a terrible fear of him Deliberately he surrounded her ar her nerves

Savannah opened her eyes to find herself out of the city, up in the e, ra house He reached past her to open the door, then stepped back courteously to allow her entry

Savannah felt s that if she set one foot in his lair, she would be placing her life in his hands Her eyes flashed blue-white fire, as if they had caught a star and trapped it forever in their depths Tilting her chin defiantly, she stepped backward until the porch railing brought her up short "I refuse to enter your home"

His laugh came then, low, amused, and maddenly male "Your body and mine chose for us There is no other man for you, Savannah Not now, not ever I can feel your emotions when men, human or Carpathian, touch you You are repulsed; you cannot bear their touch" His voice dropped lower still, a black-h her like molten lava "It is not so with my touch, ma petite

We both know that Do not deny it, or I will be forced to prove my words"

"I am a mere twenty-three," she pointed out desperately "You are centuries old I have not lived at all"

He shrugged with casual strength, , his silver eyes on her beautiful, anxious face "Then you will enjoy the benefits of my experience"

"Gregori, please try to understand You don't love me You don't know me I am not like other Carpathian women I don't want to be a brood mare for my race I can't be your prisoner, no ed I am"

He laughed softly and waved a hand dis, child, if you believe what you are saying" There was a gentleness in his voice that turned her heart over in spite of all her fears "Is your mother a prisoner?"

"My parents are different My father loves my mother

Even so, he would soe is still a cage, Gregori"

There was that a the cold steel of his eyes Savannah felt her tee to slap his face His grin widened, a subtle challenge He indicated the open door

She forced a laugh "We can stand out here until dawn, Gregori I'ainst the wall "You think to dare me'?"

"You can't forceour laws"

"In all the centuries I have existed, do you believe I have never broken our laws'?" His soft laughter ithout hu you as petty as the hu"

"Yet you brought Roberto to justice, even though San Francisco is Aidan Savage's territory to hunt," she pointed out, na another powerful Carpathian who tracked down and destroyed those a them turned vampire "Did you do that because of me'?"

"You arethat stands between me and the destruction of mortals and immortals alike" He stated it calmly, as an absolute truth "No one will touch you or try to come between us and live He struck you, Savannah"

"My father would - "

He was shaking his head "Do not try to bring your father into this, ch§ڲie, even if Mikhail is the Prince of our people This is between you and me You do not want a war Roberto struck you; that was reason enough for him to die"

She touched his er Just resolve He hten her He wanted truth between theainst her mouth She had always known this ori," she whispered hopelessly "I can't be what you want I will choose to face the dawn"

His fingers brushed her face with incredible gentleness "You have no idea what I want fro the satin skin over the pulse beating so frantically in her throat "You know I cannot allow you such a choice, ma petite

We can talk through your fears Co hers, a warm, sweet seduction His eyes, so pale and cold, heated to a flowingher very will

Savannah's fingers dug into the railing as she felt herself drowning in hot liquid "Stop it, Gregori!" she cried sharply, deter heat, seduction so dangerous that she flung herself toward the entrance of the house to flee his dark power over her

Gregori's arainst her ear His body, aggressively male, hard, and ferociously aroused, brushed hers

Say it, Savannah Say the words

Even the whisper in her mind was black velvet His mouth, perfect and sensuous, so hot and moist, wandered down to her throat The reality of his flesh was even razed her skin lightly His body clenched, and she could feel the entle, thinking lover but a fully aroused Carpathian male

The words he coled in her throat and came out so low, it was impossible to tell whether they were spoken aloud or were merely an echo in her mind "I come to you of my own free will"

He released her instantly, allowing her to stue fra over her, silver eyes radiating heat, power, intense satisfaction Gregori closed the door with his foot and reached for her

Savannah cried out and tried to evade his touch, but he caught her up with casual strength, cradling her struggling body against his chest His chin brushed her silky hair "Be still, enfante, or you will end up bruising yourself There is no way to fight me, and I cannot permit you to harm yourself"

"I hate you"

"You do not hate me, Savannah You fear me, but most of all, you fear what you are," he replied cal strides, carrying her to the basement, then lower still to the chamber hidden so carefully in deep earth

Her body burned for his, and, so close to his heat, there was no relief Hunger rose sharply, and so wild in her lifted its head