Page 42 (1/2)

"We have each other," Elyssa said, leaning her head on my shoulder

I shifted so I could see her better and stroked her cheek with the back of my hand A lock of black hair came loose from behind her ear on cue and waited for me to put it back in its place But this tiot a little misty "I don’t knohat I’d do without you, h escaped her lips "How do you do this to hed softly "Boys never madeto me and none of the rules apply anymore"

"It means the world to me I can touch your heart in a way nobody else has"

Herexpression "Do I touch you the same way, Justin? Do I affect you ripped both her hands inI felt before you was a candle compared to the sun A whisper to a hurricane" I chuckled "See, you even haveall poetic on you and I suck at it"

She pushed ainst the armrest of the couch and lay atop me "It’s perfect It’s beautiful" Her lips met mine and fire spread down my neck, my chest, and the embers of my love roared into full heat

I wrappedI could take her all into ernails raking against my bare skin all the way down to the small of ht and stared at the thin sallow man with a copper tray balanced on one hand

"Sorry to interrupt, sir and ht you tea and biscuits," he said in a very proper British accent, similar to Phissilinth’s The butler--I assumed--placed the tray on a clear spot of the coffee table, azines to clear another spot, and set the table with napkins and utensils "Would you like one luar

"Uh…what?" I asked,

"We’ll do it ourselves," Elyssa said, pulling her shirt back down over her flat stoood, madam There is milk and cream as well Should you need me, please pull the sash over there" Hewith a brass ring tied to the bottom "I am Milton, at your service"

With that, he left the roonity of a person accusto love-struck teens tearing each other’s clothes off on the couch

I looked at Elyssa about the same time she looked at me "Were we really about to do…uh, you know in Underborn’s secret lair?"

Her lips tightened "I’ to be majorly ticked if we die before it happens"

"That’s putting it mildly"

We stared at the tea then back at each other At the tea again Back at each other Then we burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation--at least I was

"Just when I think life can’t get any stranger--"

"He will see you now," Phissilinth said from the doorway

Elyssa and I stood

"I’ht now"

"She can hear whatever he has to say to oing to die, it would be together, not apart and alone

"He was very specific--"

I sat back down "She and I are in this together You go tell hiht my hands tried to shake I clenched ? Underbornbut I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Elyssa alone out here Things had been just peachy so far--tea and crumpets, and the polite Mr Phissilinth, but it could all be a front and her life was theto me in the world

Phissilinth raised an eyebrow "Then sir, you must leave I will show you the way"

I shookuntil he sees both of us Tell hier doard the couch "We’re not leaving this spot"

"Justin, it’s fine Go see hiht"

I shook htened my jaw and forced as much seriousness and deter it didn’t make me look mentally unstable "Tell Underborn"

"I am not your servant to order around," Phissilinth said, his voice re calet past ht "Don’t do it," she hissed in o by yourself"

I shookto you after I leave you here alone"

"We’re in his headquarters, for crying out loud Do you think there’s anything they couldn’t do to us right now?"

"As long as we’re together, we’re strong"

I stood up and advanced on Phissilinth, knowing even if I had uy could probably whip my tail But I had to see Underborn and I wouldn’t leave Elyssa

"Justin, no!" she said and put herself between ainst ainst a wall "I’ht hio in alone I will be fine"