Page 4 (1/2)

Casting a possessive glance at Lindsay, Adrian was acutely aware of theinto her life But he couldn’t walk away Between hiot a death wish," Adrian said, as thunder rumbled across the sky, "pay me a visit I’, and he followed her gaze The wo with the elder The boy’s voice rose to a volume that drew attention frohed "Not until I’hter is free of you"

"Your death will take care of that"

Adrian would forever curse the weakness that had driven him to Syre when Shadoe was fatally wounded He’d mistakenly believed the Fallen leader’s love for his child would ensure he would act in her best interests, but Syre’s thirst for vengeance was as all-consu to prevent his daughter fro happiness to the Sentinel who’d punished him He’d attempted to turn her into a va creature ould have to live in darkness for eternity--rather than allow her to love Adrian with her mortal soul

Once Adrian had realized Syre’s intent, he’d stopped the Change, with unforeseen consequences--her body had died, but her naphil soul had been iain and again in an endless cycle of reincarnation, because, unlike a s Mortal souls died with the Change and angel souls died with the loss of their wings, but the nephalim had neither vulnerability When Shadoe’s body had been prevented fro the transformation, her naphil soul survived to remain tied to the individual who’d sired her into va Syre’s hold on her soul; only the vae could complete it

But time was Adrian’s enemy He had only Lindsay’s uncertain life span in which to work It was a terribly smallfor an immortal

"Selfish bastard," the vampire hissed "You would rather Shadoe die than live forever"

"And you would rather she suffer your punishh she doesn’t deserve it You broke the law, not her"

"Didn’t she, though, Adrian? She lured you to fall as well"

"The decision was mine Therefore the fault is mine"

"Yet you don’t suffer as we do"

"I don’t?" Adrian challenged softly "Hoould you knohat I suffer, Syre?"

He looked at Lindsay again She watched him from her seat with those dark eyes that see They were far too worldly for a person of her age

Her brows arched in silent inquiry

He affected a reassuring smile She was as attuned to him as he was to her, but she couldn’t recall the history between them that had created the affinity He would have to take care not to cause her concern or distress His n of how far he’d fallen They were a testament to how human his love for her had h the weather--raining when hewith the heat or chill of his moods

"You covet her soul," Syre purred, "because it’s the one thing that binds her to you"

"And to you"

"Yet you won’t lether into full awareness Why is that, Adrian? What are you afraid of? That she’ll weaken you all over again?"

Nearby, the defiant young boy kicked his mother in the shin She cried out The startled baby in her arms flailed backward Off balance and clearly beyond frustrated, the frazzled young worip on the child

Adrian rushed forward, forcing hiht the infant first Too swiftly So daer of hitting the floor at all Theher confusion at finding Lindsay directly in front of her instead of seated a few feet away

"Don’t forget," Syre continued, "that soul you prize is clawing to the surface with every incarnation whether I help it along or not Can you get to ains sentience? What will Shadoe think of you when it all comes back to her and she remembers the pain of the many lives you’ve cost her? Will she still love you then?"

"I don’t forget anything I certainly won’t forget what you owe me for the losses I’ve been dealt today" Adrian killed the call, his focus narrowing on the woman who’d just revealed a colossal coifts were strong in Lindsay, suggesting a deeper entwining of the tomen than had beenout of tie and experience It was an inescapable fact that Shadoe would one day have the strength to overpower the soul of the vessel she occupied

None of the the phone in his pocket, Adrian closed the distance between them

Adrian Mitchell had immaculate feet

From her ridiculously comfortable seat in first class, Lindsay stared at the end of Adrian’s long, stretched out legs and realized she’d never paid ht they were ugly: callused skin, crooked toes, absently trimmed and yellowed nails Not Adrian’s His feet were flawless in every way In fact, everything about him was precisely sy how perfect he was

Looking up, she aze and smiled She didn’t explain her preoccupation with his sandaled feet It didn’t see at her The sexual attraction was a given It was hot and edgy andsofter in his regard, too So tender, almost intimate She responded to it with fierce propriety A pri, He’syour pretzel," he noted, with that low sonorous articulation that made her want to settle in and stay a while

He was so stringently contained, rigidly controlled Even when she sensed turave no outward indication of it His voice was always smooth and even, his posture relaxed and confident Even when he’d been pacing, he had done so leisurely The coht leash and his unrestrained sexuality was a potent turn-on

It was her nature toto do that with hi beneath that calm surface, because she was pretty damn certain still waters ran deep in him

"Do you want it?" she offered "I don’t want to ruin my appetite"

His eyes sparkled with amusement and she realized he had yet to sh as it was; she usually went for guys ere lighthearted and fun-loving It was a testament to his appeal that his subdued intensity didn’t dampen her interest

"What would you like for dinner?" he asked

"Anything I’retted the"

"Don’t ever worry about what you say aroundas you’re honest"

"Honesty is etsinto"

She twisted within her slackened seat belt, canting her torso toward hiet into?"