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A deep shudder went through hiht he wanted to do was open it up in broad daylight But tipping his head back against the seat, he kneould Because Olivia had asked hi he ever got to do for her

The thought clutched at his chestNo No, it wouldn’t be the last, because he was fucking well going to save her

He forced hio What a prick he’d been! Screwing every huh he’d known Therian tradition forbade hi sex until he enty-five How e? Howstilled How e would be if they ever realized he healed too quickly?

The otten, floored hiht theot, but she’d been afraid for hiht onder Of course she had She’d known, as he hadn’t, ould happen if they realized he was iht try to burn him at the stake?

No Or if she had, he’d disance He couldn’t remember now

But she’d been afraid for him And the day she’d tried to haul hiued What had she said? "He’sto rub it in, his denial, as he’d thought at the ti his hands into his hair, fighting the waves of grief as he willingly remembered that day for the first time in three and a half centuries - all of it, not just the parts his guilt kept throwing at him

Why had he denied her? Because he washim like a little boy when he was so clearly a man Goddess, what an idiot he’d been But the truth rose from the depths of his pain - he’d yelled that she wasn’t his er He hadn’t realized the danger At sixteen, he’d had no idea what the huht they e and throw her out, and he’d been glad for it! Vindicated When they’d tied her to the stake, he’d been confused Not until he saw the torch, had he realized they meant to hurt her That hen he’d tried to reach her, but it had been too late

He’d forgotten that part, that he’d fought to free her But a dozen hands had held hiled, he’d looked up and aze His sixteen-year-old’s mind had seen accusation in her eyes, but his memory didn’t support that Not accusation, but fear And desperation Run! those eyes had said Run!

Because she’d known he could so easily be turned on, too

And they had turned on him, hadn’t they? They’d chased hiht to reach Cordelia and given himself away? He didn’t remember All he kneas they’d chased hiht that day

He hadn’t led them back to the enclave, but had hidden until he could escape theot safely home, it was almost dark Too late for anyone to ot her He’d never told anyone why he’d been so late returning He’d never gotten the chance They’d blamed him bitterly for her death, as he’d blamed himself

But as Olivia said to him, he hadn’t meant for any of it to happen He’d never et hurt His only crinorance and self-absorption

And as his excuse ever since?

Olivia was right It was tio Easier said than done, but he knehere he needed to start

He opened his eyes and glanced at Tighe "I owe you an apology"

"Why?" Tighe asked warily

"You, Delaney, all of you I’ve been a jerk"

Tighe grunted "That’s news?"

"S" With those siht he’d been carrying around for so long, he’d forgotten it was even there

"Is this Olivia’s doing?" Tighe asked

"Yeah"

"Thought so I wasn’t wrong about her, after all" Tighe thrust out his hand "Welcoer shifter looked at hiuarded expression he’d coenuine warhe below the elbow, their forearly, no snide comment even formed in his mind The bitterness and bile had slipped away

"Don’t set your hopes too high, Stripes," Jag drawled "I was born with a bad attitude"

He grew serious "I’ll apologize to Delaney"

"Do that, although she’s had you figured out for a while She told eted her because your words didn’t bother her And they did bother me She didn’t think you’d ever intentionally hurt her"

Jag’sDahe chuckled "Get used to it In ht"

They continued the drive in silence, yet for the first ti didn’t feel like the odd man out Surrounded by his brothers, he didn’t feel alone

Olivia had done this She’d opened his eyes and thawed the ice around his heart She’d saved hi in his power to save her in return

Olivia cah her brain A pain that felt as if a thousand thick, red-hot needles were poking into her skin

A pain that told her she desperately needed to feed

She was starving, and food wouldn’t do it this tiy The pure energy of another’s life force

Slowly, painfully, she lifted her eyelids, the burning little needles rippling along the tender flesh Her arms had been pulled taut above her head, and she tried to lower theht fast - chained, her wrists bound bywith confusion and disbelief, she found herself standing upright in a glasslike cylindrical enclosure about ten feet in diaiant test tube And she was utterly alone Beyond her cell rose the stone walls of what appeared to be an old cellar - mildewed and dusty, the corners covered in cobwebs, and lit only by a single gri cluttered the space - no furniture, no abandoned tools or boxes

Where was she? Her brain struggled to reotten here

She looked up to find that the ceiling of her glass cage was lower than the ceiling of the cellar, her chain attached to the glass, or Plexiglas, itself Her arle draden-bite welt marked her forearm

No wonder she was so weak She must have been bitten when she was unconscious

Where in the hell a?