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I ate down and the other two threatened, it’s you guys who are holding everything together, not the supposedly uides"

"They do not see it that way"

I stared at hi the bitterness beneath the mask "They don’t, or you don’t?"

A cool smile touched his lips "Does it matter?"

"They’re your family, Azriel--"

"And they’re not ie, but I had an odd feeling that it was ai and no one else matters until the task that lies before us is completed"

I snorted softly and reached for the open bottle of Coke sitting on o back to hunting those who coh the dark portals, you still won’t see theh his voice had lost the edge, there was a hard glint in his eyes and Valdis still flickered with angry fire Frustration ran through e to stoke the fire a little more and took a drink instead He’d told me a whole lot more in those brief few seconds than he ever had about his reaper life, and while it was nowhere near enough to quench my desire to understand him more, I kneas better to back away for the moment Push too hard, and he’delse at all

So I siet all the accounts done Once I’d changed into clothes that weren’t literally falling offTao was in the kitchen, but ere so damn busy that we barely had tiht--and the end of s and secured the cash upstairs, then grabbed four glasses of ice and Coke and shouldered through the kitchen’s double doors The only person in the kitchen was our pot washer, Frank Neither Tao nor Rachel, our other chef, was in sight, although the fridge door was open and the toe end of a broork boot was visible It had to be Rachel’s--it was too s Frank his drink

The older ed and wiped the sweat frolass with a shtly simple, but he did a damn fine job and he seemed to enjoy it At least he was reliable, unlike so around and headed for the fridge "Hey, Rachel," I said, popping my head around the corner of the door "There’s a drink on the counter here for you Where’s Tao?"

"Outside I think, and thanks"

She didn’t look up fro, and I spun and headed out The rear door was open, and the breeze was icy compared to the heat in the kitchen I paused in the doorway, allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness, but didn’t immediately spot anyone

I frowned "Tao?"

There was a pause, then, "Here"

My gaze swung to the left, and even then it took me a minute to find him He was hunkered down in the shadows of the Dumpster, his arms wrapped loosely around his knees

"You okay?" I walked over and offered hirease, and ash The latter had concern slithering through me

"Thanks" He reached up and took it, but didn’t lift his eyes Didn’t look at " His voice was monotone Clipped "I’m fine"

"Then look at ently touched his chin I ht as well have touched a furnace, and I couldn’t help the reflex to jerk ers back

"Yeah," he said "Nice, isn’t it?"

"And the reason you’re out here, I’" The fire elemental he’d consumed--the one he was locked in a constant battle with over control of his own body--didn’t do too well in darkness and cold Nor inside hi a stock take, the night air was the next best bet I touched his chin again, ignoring the sting of heat as I forced him to look at me His eyes--normally a rich, warm broere alien and fire filled "Never turn away from me, Tao You are not a monster, not now, not ever Not to me, not to Ilianna, not to anyone that will ever matter"

He jerked out of my touch and snorted, the sound sharp with disbelief "You say that now, but when the ains control, it’ll be another damn story--"

"But it won’t," I said sharply "Because you’re stronger than it is So stop sitting there feeling so daht"

Just for a er--it rolled overacross my sweater Then it dissipated, and he chuckled softly "You really do like te the devil, don’t you?"

"I have to deal with the devil in the form of Madeline Hunter on an almost daily basis, so maybe I’ve just become a little blasé about it" I sat down beside hih the heat was fierce, the tension within his body began to dissipate al about your dates only when they go like crap What happened?"

"Nothing She was lovely, we had a good ti plans for another date"

"So why all the doohed "Because I’ll have to break it off She really is nice"

I frowned as I took a sip of drink "I’ic of that stateth of his body "How can I commit to anyone for any a--if ever--it’s going to take le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>