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"There will be no lasting harnored her rebuke "What did thethat she had no choice but to answer "To talk"

"About what?"

"I don’t know What do you want?"

He gave a low hiss at her elusive answers As a rule his reputation preceded hient creatures did whatever necessary to please him They had no desire to discover for themselves if the rumor of his cold ruthlessness was fact or Fiction

They ise

"Did you recognize them? Have they approached you before?"

"I’ve never seen them before in my life"

"And you have no idea why they would be interested in you?"

"No"

He studied her pale features for a longAfter all, Salvatore had spent weeks tracking her to Chicago, an unnecessary effort if they were acquainted

Still, there was soet his hands on her There was a connection between them, if only he could discover it

"They lare "You possess soly she didn’t cower or whiaze In fact, she tilted her tiny chin as she returned his glare with one of her own

"Look, I’ve tried not to become one of those hysterical women who flap their hands and faint on cue, but if you don’t start tellingto screaet some answers," she warned

Styx blinked Maybe he should reconsider his approach to the woh And no doubt she was terrified But there was a hint of steel resolve that he hadn’t been expecting

"Do you desire the truth?" he deiveable to handle the truth, I really will screa about, but if she truly wanted the truth he illing to give it

"Very well The ht was Salvatore Giuliani"

She gave a lift of her brows "Anize the name?"

"He is packleader?"

"I oons, as you called them, are ers clutched the blanket so tight her knuckles turned white

"Okay I’lad we cleared that up," she at last said, her voice careful "Now, if you would return my clothes"

"You said you wanted the truth"

"So I did"

Styx sighed with impatience "Hu, even when the proof is all around them"

She scooted toward the headboard, a stiff smile forced onto her lips "Well, we aren’t very smart Now, about my clothes "

He smoothly moved onto the mattress Not so close that she would feel threatened, but close enough to warn her that she couldn’t hope to flee

"Those men olves, and I am a vampire," he said in a stern tone

"And I assuave a low hiss Ridiculous Hollywoodtheir minds rotted with such filth

"I see you will not be satisfied without proof" Feeling the need for a sideshow exhibit, Styx pulled back his lips and allowed his fangs to lengthen "There"

There was no screa woard his before I do work in a Goth bar Half our custos of some sort or another"

"I could drain you to prove el" He reached across her stiff body to grab the knife that had fallen off the tray It was long and wicked enough to do its task "Perhaps this will do"

She cringed back, fear flaring in her eyes "What the heck are you doing?" she demanded as he ranked open his silk shirt to reveal his chest and the distinct tattoo of a dragon that glittered in the candlelight

He didn’t hesitate as he used the knife to slice through the set a small scream from the woman as she held her hand to her mouth in horror

"Gripes You’re totally whacky," she breathed

"Just watch," he coaze to watch as the bronzed skin swiftly knit back together to leave noof blood

His head was still lowered when he felt her shift, and before he could guess her intention, she had placed her fingers lightly against his chest