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Kane flashed his perfect white teeth in a scowl "I’ to kill you, Tinker Bell"

Wait What? "But you just said you’d helpTinker Bell? I’ it!

"I will I’ll take care of your problems That way, you’ll want to live"

Every ounce of the hope withered He had no idea what he was saying, or how impossible such a task would be

"Where have you been?" she asked, ignoring his offer Had he gone hoirlfriend? The last story she’d read about hile, but a year had passed since then Or, in her case, a thousand and one years Had he pampered this nameless, faceless female?

I’m the one who saved hirowled

She sighed "Why do you want to help me, Kane?" Beautiful Kane, with his rainbow of colors

"I can’t not help you"

"Butwhy?"

"You’re min--" A et himself killed, and she didn’t want that "Well, I release you from your debt How’s that?"

He shook his head "I’m your new constant coet used to the idea"

Kanewith her every second

A blessing and a curse, just like her strength-stealing ability "Either kill et lost Those are your three choices"

"I’ll get you out of the forest," he said, standing, circling her with all the predatory intent of a ravenous beast, "and while I’ it, you’ll tell me how many people I need to kill to "

She wrapped her arain "Too many"

"So the problem is people" He stopped in front of her

"Yes, but did you hear me? There are too many of them"

"Too many is my specialty" Hesitant, he held out his hand to help her up

More contact? Freely offered this time?

She licked her lips and stretched out her hand

He recoiled, as though startled, even though he’d been the instigator, and his ar need springing to life in his eyes Buta need for what?

Tre, she labored to her feet under her own steam Which, to be honest, wasn’t ether, struggling to hold her up

"I’m sorry," Kane said, his voice low and quiet, yet somehow far more undisciplined than she knew hiotten over his aversion to touch Especially hers "Yes, well, I’ with you, and I don’t want my problems murdered An attempt would only createyour own decisions are over I’ve got problems of my own, and I can’t see to them until I’ve seen to yours"

She backed away from him

He shook his head "Don’t you dare run, Tinker Bell I’h to chase, and I don’t think you’ll like the results"

Her stupid body tingled, a clear disagreee ability she’d never before encountered?

Stop thinking and ht He followed, and she darted to the left Then, she ran at full stea her down He wasn’t even winded when he said, "Consider this your final warning," his warht was as heavy as before, pressing her into the ground, but this time, because she knew the culprit, she didn’t feel threatened She feltachy, her nerve endings sizzling with undeniable awareness

"Lether with hi her, his arms steel bands she couldn’t break--didn’t want to break But he was still shaking, as if touching her was somehow more painful to him than he’d claimed her nearness was It shouldn’t be Not yet

"Kane," she said "I’m serious I don’t want to hurt you"

"Sweetheart," he replied, practically breaking her heart with the sudden thread of gentle kindness in his tone, "this is for your own good I proed off one of her gloves Her hands were her only weapons; he would hate her for what she was about to do to hiain come near her, but he’d left her with no other option "Last chance"

"I told you I’o" He hefted her over his shoulder and trudged forward, shouldering his way through tree li you"