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"Don’t you dare!" She pushed to her feet, shoving away his hand when he reached to steady her "If you ever steal a ive you"

"You can’t resent the loss of so when it felt like a glowing-hot poker was piercing her chest was a miracle "If you care about me at all, you won’t take away the events that shapedhead in her hands, her thoughts tue Her chest was heaving in its struggle for air, her sobs half crazed to her own ears "I have to go I can’t stay here"

"Stay tonight," he said quietly "Can you do that for me? You’re in no condition to be alone now"

"Adrian--" She couldn’t even see hih the rush of tears that burned her eyes and throat They’d made love in this roo that she would face the punish each other Every ether comes back to us in torment inflicted on people we love We have to stay away froo But not tonight Not like this One night in my home, where I know you’ll be safe I won’t disturb you Can you give o?"

"Yes, neshaer wanted to knohat that meant It was all too painful, the sweet and hot intimacy they shared She nodded in acquiescence to his request, her mouth too dry to allow her to speak

He bowed his head slightly "Thank you"

There was so in the severe austerity of his features that unsettled her A hint of griht now She was falling apart, shattered by a blow she’d never recover from

Daddy

Without another word, Lindsay left the office and shut the door behind her She was aup the lives of everyone around her

She retreated to her roo herself into dark, restless sleep

Adrian packed an overnight bag with quiet deliberation He set aside a week’s worth of clothes, but didn’t anticipate needing all of theht hours

There was so little tinized Lindsay as Shadoe; there was no other reason for why she would’ve allowed Lindsay to live At this very hter had returned The Fallen leader would be weighing his options He’d be consulting those he trusted, gathering data, and deciding what to do with it Adrian had to get to hiet to Vashti The attack on Lindsay’s mother had been so unlike Syre’s second that it could only have been done as a e to Adrian Vash had to have known Lindsay was Shadoe and anticipated his learning of the murder when they inevitablyto an immortal, the wait inconsequential

The question hy? If she’d knoho Lindsay was that long ago, why not tell Syre? Adrian intended to get the answer directly fro like this--too poorly thought out, too hasty That hy, in all of Shadoe’s past incarnations, he’d waited for Syre to come to him Better to face his opponent on his hoertips But sometimes a swift, foolhardy strike was just as needed to slip beneath an enemy’s defenses He prayed that was the case this ti for it Because this time was different Lindsay was different He was different with her That orth whatever price he would pay

His gaze darted to the clock on the nightstand It was shortly beforearound ten, then fallen asleep Every sob from her room had cut him deeper and deeper until now his heart bled steadily It had never been like this between them In the past, she’d always swiftly wiled her way into his bed and stayed there In any other incarnation, he’d be in her ar not to rush the inevitable confrontation with Syre, so that he could steal one ht booked that would take hi alone, flying co just after sunrise The time of day wouldn’t affect Syre, but it would limit the nu another henley into his bag when he heard her whi in on the wohed as she moved; then a soft, sultry moan drifted over his senses

Gooseflesh spread across Adrian’s skin He h proximity wasn’t required He could be up at the lycan barracks and still hear her breathing as if his ear were pressed to her chest

She began panting, then writhing Another whi her when their tiether was nearly at an end, Adrian left his room and moved the short distance down the hall to her door He released the lock with an iht and entered

Her bedroom was shrouded in darkness The drapes were drawn to block the views of the city in the distance He closed the door behind hi her as clearly as if every light were on

Lindsay had kicked off the covers She twisted on the bed with sensual abandon, the lush scent of her desire going to his head and intoxicating hih the satin of the tank top thatup her beautiful breasts like a gift

"Adrian"

He sucked in a sharp breath at the erotic invitation in her voice Reaching down, he rubbed the aching length of his erection through his slacks, his blood flowing hot and thick through his veins He was so turned on by the willingness she displayed while sleeping, a willingness she denied him while awake because she cared for him He understood the affection that motivated her If she didn’t love him, she wouldn’t deny the needs that haunted her even in drea he shouldn’t, he willed his clothes into a haphazard pile on the floor The cool night air felt good against his heated skin, alave another soft moan His knee settled on the bed

As the ht, her eyes flew open

"Adrian," she whispered, rolling swiftly into his arroaned as herwith a hunger thather She pushed hi between therip his cock in her slender hand His neck arched with the pleasure of her touch, of her desire, of her lust given without reserve for the very first ti through the satin of her thong and searing the sensitive skin of his erection Needing to feel her skin bare against his, he fisted her underwear, ripping it off her body A hard shiver h him at hoet she was The petal-soft feel of her denuded lips stroking along his length nearly brought hi her slick sex back and forth over hi in his chest He knew that seductive tone all too well "Shadoe?"

She reared up, her hands sliding into Lindsay’s sexy blond curls, undulating Lindsay’s body as she weaved her sensual spell over hier lust he felt as Shadoe’s soul stared back at hi exhalation left him

She’d lured him like this the very first time It started with a stolen kiss Then the taste of her breasts, offered up to hiht in the open air He’d begged her to leave him in peace, to respect the very law he had enforced on her father He’d begged her to be strong for hirown bolder with every month that passed She had played with her body in front of hi hi in and out of her pouting sex until she climaxed with his name on her lips He’d resisted her until she threatened to take a lover to her bed, thenanother ry, possessive, teiven her what she’d been asking hiround like an ani back