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"If if you insist" Lucien slumped his shoulders as he turned toward Jocelyn, then with swifther toward the door "Run, Jocelyn And don’t look back"

She stuain her balance and was hurriedly charging fro to follow her

Lucien was just as swift Leaping over the table, he placed hiht at his heart

"I do not think so, A to a reluctant halt, the vampire trembled with fury "You have interfered for the last time, Lucien I will kill you and then that stubborn whore"

"You may try"

A sneer twisted the thin lips "You believe you can halt me? You remain weak from your life behind the Veil You are no ue the truth of his words He was still weakened from his earlier battle, and his wounds had not completely healed To face a vampire filled with the power of blood lust was no doubt foolish beyond measure

Still, he knew that every moment he could keep Amadeus trapped in the cellar was precious

It meant that Jocelyn was one step closer to safety

"Not so weak, A to ensure he blocked the door "I ed to best the mist wraith"

"Ah, yes A pity I do not have the tied "We have all the time you desire Perhaps we could have a nice chat over a fine bottle of wine"

Aracious words "While Miss Kingly flees to the protection of Gideon and Sebastian? I think not"

"Not even one drink to toast my soon-to-be demise?" Lucien prodded with a smile "I have a very fine spirit in London if you would care to wait here while I retrieve it"

As expected, the ave a sniff of disdain at his levity He had always condely offended by anyone who did not share his sullen darkness

"Frivolous to the end, eh, Lucien?" he snarled

Lucien sri his aran slowly to change intowhen I have finished with you," he er and called upon his fading strength

"We will, indeed," heas the mist struck out to cut deeply into his arled to pull open the shutters that had been firmly nailed shut

When she had fled the cellars, she had looered to a halt She wanted to run To hasten to the trees and find the awaiting horse so that she could return to the sanity of London

Quite frankly she was terrified

She had never been so agonizingly frightened in her life

The ghastly A precisely hoould torture her He had spoken of horrors beyond her iination and pain she could never endure For a tio mad fro safety? She was no match for a vampire And as Lucien had said, the Medallionwas more important

This was not her battle She should do as Lucien demanded and seek out Gideon Ravel to protect her

But even as she had stumbled out the door, she had known she could not leave Lucien behind

How could she? Whatever he hatever falsehood he had told her, she loved him She loved him with a force that nearly consumed her

If he was to die, then her own life would be less

And beyond that there was a rebellious part of her heart that condeht

No

She would not be forced into walking away

Not on this occasion, she suddenly told herself