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"You should do that more often," he said softly

"Do what?" It was said absently as I eyed the building in front of us Dark Soul out, but with blacked-out s and s the doorway, it certainly gave off a dangerous vibe Orfrom the shadowed interior

"Ride your bike Itaround to face hi that"

Confusion briefly crossed his features "Stop what? Co you?"

"Yes" I shoved ain, feeling suddenly foolish

He was beside me in an instant "Why is this suddenly a problem?"

"Because," I muttered "It just makes me want you more"

"Ah" Amusement laced his tones "I see"

"No, I’, Risa Jones"

I glanced up, saw that flare in his eyes again, and ht briefly in my throat Because it wasn’t just need Wasn’t just desire It was far deeper--far scarier--than that So that should not--could not--be, if only because ere two very different beings froht havebetween us, but he was not of my world and never could be What I’d just seen could not be anything more than an echo of my own emotions It was an illusion--one that would turn to ash and totally destroy me once all this was over

Butabout that happening

I sed heavily "Well, it wouldn’t be the first time, would it?"

"No And more than likely not the last"

Sadly, a truer stateates for us, and Azriel lightly cupped uided ested, a dark place, and it took a couple of seconds for my eyes to adjust There was little noise in the rooh it was full Everyone’s attention seee at the far end of the room, their expressions one of rapture as they listened to the dark-skinned wo and beautiful and definitely not so you’d hear on the radio I wasn’t sure it orthy of the rapture that seemed evident around us, but then, a pan flute, however nice the sound, wasn’t really my cup of coffee

The room itself was thin and narrow Afro served, but synth blood Maybe that was the reason behind the darkness--they didn’t want to scare the hu vaal to serve synth blood, but it wasn’t often done in places that catered to all races Humans, vamps, and blood--even if only synthetic stuff--soood combination

I made ave me a pleasant ser"

He raised a pale eyebrow, his gaze briefly skating down iven the bar stood between us Energy spun through the air, teasing the outer edges ofto read me telepathically, but he didn’t have a hope in hell, thanks to the superstrong nano microcells that had been inserted into my earlobe and heel Nanowires--the predecessor of the microcells--were powered by body heat, but for the wires to be active, both ends had to be connected so that a circuit was formed The microcells were also powered by body heat, but they were contradictory forces that didn’t need a physical connection Once fully activated, the push-pull of their interaction provided a shield that was ten tier than any wire yet created

With the inside my head Well, almost no one Azriel certainly had no problems, and I suspected Lucian could read me more than he’d ever admitted

And then there was Hunter, who always seehts at inopportune y died and he sniffed It was a so her?"

"Risa Jones" I hesitated "I’m here on orders of the vampire council"

"Really?" Amusement touched his mouth "Just a moment, and I’ll see if she’s in"

"Tell her she’d better be, because she really wouldn’t want a visit froht now"

The other eyebrow rose to , just spun around and headed down the far end of the bar, disappearing through a rather solid-looking door

I leaned back against the bar and studied the woht be our suspect?"

Azriel glanced at her, then shook his head "She is a vampire Whatever killed Hunter’s friend was definitely so seems almost hypnotic I mean, look at them" I waved a hand around "They can barely take their eyes off her"

"That is deliberate on her part She feeds off theaze jumped sharply to his "She’s an emo vampire?"