Page 51 (1/2)

"But," Kaleb said, having kept his silence to that point, "he is not Council He doesn’t have our resources We need to start hunting in earnest"

"Agreed" Five voices in unison "The Ghost must be eliminated"

Kaleb wondered if any of the five realized they had just responded to him as if he were their leader

Chapter 41

Talin had known soone ever more silent as the hours passed, his eyes so darkly possessive she’d felt their touch to the core of her soul God, the le hot look

"Are you going tellabout?" she asked the second they reached hoht

"No"

Sometimes, the bond they’d formed in childhood was a problem They had none of the walls that other couples did, had been friends far too long before beco she’d never give up, but honestly - "You drive me crazy sometimes!"

He took off his jacket and leaned down to kiss her She tried to dodge it, but Clay was in the mood to show off He held her easily in place as he melted her bones froain, she scowled "I et Jon and Noor to stay on at Tammy’s?"

She bit her lip "That we needed to h rooer against her lips "Jon can plug his ears eto do - eat your chocolate?"

She wanted to be ood"

He laughed, a jaw-cracking laugh full of true humor "Baby, I have bad covered Leave the kid to ht have to considercloser to the other faht now, they need the security of knowing no one can get to theet much more secure than the middle of DarkRiver land They can study at hoet a computer tutor set up"

"Whatever you want" He pulled her hair out of its ponytail and thrust a hand through it "Soon as we decide ant where, construction can begin Two, three days and we’ll have new rooms"

"So soon?"

"DarkRiver’s in construction and I’rinned "They’ll haul ass Dorian’s already drawing up sohtly on the botto to throw you into the nearest body of ice-cold water"

She stood on tiptoe, arms around his neck "Nah You wouldn’t let him"

His smile turned violent in its tenderness "No You’re mine to protect"

"Tell"Tellto do"

"Why do you think I’?"

"Because," she sed, "you had that same look in your eyes the day you killed Orrin"

Green filled her vision as those rew flame-hot "And does it terrify you now, too?"

"Yes," she adain because you care too much for me" A tear streaked down her face "I’ Tally cry, hated it It wasn’t the usualpain Reaching up, he wiped away the tears with rough strokes of his thury at her for thinking so little of herself "Baby, you need to let me do this"

"What?"

"Keep you safe"

"I am safe With you"

He shook his head "The Psy need to understand that you’re protected Anybody who comes after you takes their life into their hands"

"There’s o after them, they’ll - "

"I’ to reassure her, to soothe her, but unable to accept her plea to let it be He couldn’t claw out the disease inside her but he could get rid of this threat "You’re part of a pack now Accept what they need to give you" What he needed to give her