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Ariana released Kougar’s hand and strode to the urn which stood higher than her waist "I think it’s in here Want to help?"

"Of course" With no visible effort whatsoever, he lifted the heavy urn,whatever was inside rattle and clink, then tipped it upside down over one of the cushions The crystal she sought tue faceted teardrop, attached to a thick silver chain

"Found it Thank the heavens soht"

As she placed the chain around her neck, Kougar set down the urn "Maybe you’ve remembered more than you think," he said "Maybe we should test you"

"Test away" Ariana fingered the crystal settling heavily between her breasts

"Have there been any other tie? Times the Ilina queen overcaledher eyes, she repeated Kougar’s question in heron the question, not the answer And a pair of ri as she exae poison twice A poison si Both tiar watched her intently, no emotion visible on his face, but he couldn’t quite hide the flicker of excite the darkness"

His brows drew together "Have you ever not fed it?"

"No The darkness gets stronger when it’s hungry I’ve always been afraid I’d lose control But I don’t think I will In fact, I’m sure I won’t" Excitement leaped inside her, and she sar This is it! The way to defeat the poison"

"Ariana" He ca his hands into her hair, he tilted her face up to his, his pale gaze e hers "If this doesn’t work"

"It will I’one, I’ll be able to turn tomy maidens Now that I have the Crystal of Rayas, I’ll be able to free your friends And the death of the poison within h the ar!" Her smile slowly turned to a scowl "All this time, such a simple answer If only I’d known"

His thuht not have been strong enough to vanquish the darkness before"

She lifted an eyebrow "You think you er?"

"I know I do" He bent his head and kissed her, his tongue sliding between her lips, stroking herhad turned thoroughly ragged, he pulled back, watching her with hunger and satisfaction "How long before the darkness grows hungry again?"

"Not long, not the way things have been going Yours and Jag’s fight helped, but even that only satisfied the darkness enough for uess, we have an hour or two Maybe a little ar hooked her around the waist and pulled her tight against hi her feel his thick erection "I pleasure you"

But as his ain, hated eyes appeared in her ht me all you want, Queen of the Ilinas But you’ll lose

Chapter Seventeen

Ariana jerked back "Go away, you bastard"

Kougar’s arms dropped from around her as if she’d burned him

"Hookeye, not you" But those ar’s htened "You saw hih, now he’s taken to taunting aze bored into hers "Tell me what he said" As she told hi We know that I just wish to hell I knehat it was With the poison flowing toon to it Yet you’re having er, yes He’s definitely feedingthis ti you more?"

"It’s no worse, just a steady streauess he wants me to die But he’ll try to control you this tih It o years from the time we mated until the attack Not for aI think his poison takes tirow inside me I may not knohat he’s done to azes met, and locked, with a sick jolt

"I won’t be around by then to help," he said quietly, voicing the thought they shared "That hed, the sound hollow "He doesn’t think we can stop him"

His hands curved over her shoulders "We’ll stop hi the poison is the way to free yourself from it, then you’ll starve it" One hand slid down to brush the tip of her breast lightly "While I keep you strong," he added huskily

"And then what? Even if I free myself from the old poison, do I dare turn tous?"

His hands rose to cup her face Though his touch was gentle, his eyes were fierce "We’ll beat hihe and Hawke still have a couple of days We’ll find a way Together, this time"

He stroked her face, then dipped his head to capture herkiss His mouth slipped to her cheek, to her jaw, as his hands went to the fastening of her pants

"Start wearing dresses," heunderneath" With a quick slide of her zipper, his hand was in her pants, his fingers sliding beneath her panties and lower, stroking her As he pushed two fingers inside her, she rabbed her close and nipped at her throat, his teeth scraping lightly, sending exciteuttural cry, rocking against his driving fingers, gasping with the intensity of the pleasure and the accoth

As she tried to catch her breath, Kougar straightened, pulling his hand away and fastening her pants again

She sighed "That was nice"

He lifted a brow "Nice?"

She gave hi of playfulness came from when their situation was so precarious "You can practice later"

Without warning, Kougar lifted her up and tossed her down on theas he yanked off his shirt

"I was teasing," she said quietly, as he unfastened his belt "But don’t let me stop you"

His pale eyes speared her "You won’t" He stripped naked before her, his male body beautiful and powerful, his erection thick and hard As he knelt on the pillows, it dawned on her she could have been proactive, stripping off her own clothes Then she thought of nothing at all as the gorgeous male in front of her reached for her

He had her pants and panties off her in less time than it took her to pull off her shirt Then his hands were on her thighs, rough and warle long, ue over her most sensitive flesh

"Nice?" he asked, his eyes predatory, his breath warrinned With a toss of her head, she rowled low in his throat and went back to work, driving her up with his tongue and lips and teeth until a asm overtook her She screalitter of Ilina light appeared before her, followed quickly by the flash of steel