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Denise’s heart started to race What if Spade wanted her, too? If the other times he’d stared at her with heat in his eyes, it hadn’t been bloodlust? Spade disdained relationships with hu sx with theht her hu

And yet could she say no if Spade started to touch her the way he had in the park? To kiss , passionate s lately when it ca prove more powerful than her pride, how shesupernatural behind once she got these brands off?

Denise didn’t want to find out "I think the food upset my stomach," she lied, and rushed to the safety of the bathrooht before he told Denise about their change in plans She’d been antsy enough once she saw they weren’t flying coine prop plane instead No need to upset her with the rest of the itinerary before she needed to know about it

"We’re not going to Vegas We’re going to your parents’ house in Virginia," he told her

Denise looked stunned "Why?"

"They’re your closest fa Raum at his word that he won’t kill one of thereater speed Demons aren’t trustworthy, to say the least"

"But we can’t tell my parents about this My parents aren’t in the best of health, not toparanormal"

Spade waved a hand "Nor shall they You’ll introduce ood news that you’re sending them on a cruise"

Denise simply stared at him for a second "My parents are Jewish, and my aunt and cousins just died within a feeeks of each other They’re not going to go on a cruise; they’ll barely be done sitting shiva!"

"They’ll go once I’ their minds - and before you protest, what ismind control on them?"

Her mouth opened and closed, as if she was about to start several arguments but then discarded each one Spade watched in amusement despite the seriousness of the topic She looked quite fetching that way

"All right," she said finally "I don’t like it, but you’re right Their safety is ument averted, now on to ould really upset her

"In case Rauh your brands, it’s i us the nor his seat belt "Which is on’t be on this plane when it lands"

"What?" Denise gasped, looking around in sudden agitation "No way I’hts If you think I can strap on a parachute and go skydiving, you’re crazy I’ll puke and then pass out before I can even pull the cord"

Spade didn’t say anything, but the look on his face - and the lack of any parachutes on the plane -

"It’s the best way to find out if Rau her seat belt even though she smacked at his hands "I’ve already tranced the pilots into believing ere on the plane the whole tias And you don’t have to fret about pulling a cord with me"

Denise didn’t look comforted in the least "You’re out of your round won’t kill you, sure, but I’ll be nothing more than a stain wherever I land!"

"I won’t let you splatter," he said, picking her up when she clung to the seat in refusal "We have to do it noe’re flying over the right area"

"This is tooit open and bracing them both in the sudden vacuum of wind "Don’t do this, Spade, don’t do this - "

"Hang on tohis arrabbed him with the hold of the damned The co-pilot stood, ready to close the door behind theet about their jump, just as Spade had instilled in hiround below the the natural landmark that would confirainst his chest, her scent of fear enveloping hi so accelerated, he wished she hadn’ther

Once he found what he was looking for, Spade pulled Denise tighter to him and jumped out of the plane

Chapter Thirteen

The air rushed past Denise too fast for her to suck enough of it in to screa her earlier threat about puking a real possibility The whooshing speed and endless e If she could have crawled inside Spade’s skin to cling tighter to him, she would have Only the feel of Spade’s ar out

Then soan to ease and the roar of wind becah to screaer peals

Over that, she heard Spade speaking "We’re fine, no need to scream You could even open your eyes now, if you like"

She did, looking down - and then squeezed theh the air parallel to the ground, still so high that cars looked s her to look at that?

"How rit out

"Just a few more seconds"

Even freaked as she was, it didn’t escape Denise’s notice that Spade sounded ah at the human who can’t fly, Mr Master Varound

After what seemed like hours, Denise felt a small jerk, and then Spade said, "See? We’re here and you’re perfectly safe"

She tilted her head down and opened her eyes a slit Their shoes, surrounded by grass, rass Spade let her slide fro left her lih for her to stand on her own

As soon as she did, she shoved hih to h at me on the way down!"

Spade held out a conciliatory hand, but that amused expression didn’t quite leave his face