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"Yes," she said

"Why don’t you kill Canady?" he suggested

"Because I have learned not to kill"

"Not good enough, Maggie," he whispered against her lips, htly "Try another kiss

Taste o Get that knife away froo of Daniel In a split second, the knife was pressed hard against her throat, and she realized he had the strength to sever her head from her body with little effort if he chose to do so

"Coie, now," he whispered softly, sensually

With his free arm, he pulled her closer

"If you kill n is ending Can’t you see that? Has your precious Lucian come here to intervene? Lucian has no blood lust, and no power Don’t you understand yet? I’ve spent all this tireater strength I’ n will begin Don’this eyes Then true terror filled her, for she suddenly heard a voice

A o, asshole!"

Sean had co he’d witnessed in all his years on the force, tripping over the corpse had nearly caused him to scream Who was it, Jesus Christ, as it, who lay there dead?

He fell to his knees

Exa the poor dead woman had nearly made him ill

Then the fear had set in, colder than any he had ever known, deeper than any pit of hell His father

What if this had been done to his father? To Maggie The house was so silent Silent and dark, while outside, the storered to his knees, inhaled deeply

Prayed for courage, as he’d never prayed before

He wanted to shout out, call his father, call Maggie He didn’t dare His only chance was the element of surprise

Nearly blind in the dark shadows of the house, he used his h the roo room was empty; the kitchen ominously silent He went to the parlor, and then

Then he heard the voices Heard the husky depth of Carter’s voice, taunting Maggie He paused, dead still, as he listened to Maggie

Bargaining for his father’s life

He moved closer He was as prepared as he could be

Yet, fear moved him, and he cagie’s throat

And he shouted out, raising his 38 special

"You heardher with one arm He leaned his other ar eyes strangely alive in the shadows, he laughed at Sean

"Let her goor what, big boy? Look, Maggie, sweetie, the cop has come Why don’t you tell hi at Sean, sed hard

"Tell hirily "Or I’ll rip his throat out!"

"Sean, you’ve got to go You’ve got to turn around and go, please--"

"You heard her, big boy Get out of here If you do, when I get my hands on you--I’ll just kill you

Short and sweet and si boy, and you’ll just wish that you were dead" Maggie was at Aaron’s side So was his father Sean had to do so

He heard noise to the side of the roolance away, but with his peripheral vision, he saw Cissy and Angie huddled against the wall Angie was barely

But her hands were on Cissy’s wrists; she was untying her friend Aaron Carter lut of murder

He was a cop A crack shot He couldn’t kill Carter with a bullet, but he could sure as hell hurt him Buy some time for the others Sean raised his 38 and aimed at Aaron’s head

The shot sounded like a cannon His aiie screamed; Aaron cursed as he floundered backward Sean felt one moment’s wild elation

Then he realized that Aaron Carter, white faced and snake-eyed, was co one of his father’s massive old historical volue force Aaron doubled over, gasping Sean started forward, firing his gun again and again

But when he reached the spot where Aaron had stood, he was gone "Maggie! God, Maggie!" he cried out, clasping her in his ar to see to his father at the saie said quickly, touching his cheek, her hazel eyes shining with unshed tears "Oh, Sean, you shouldn’t be here--"