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"Jesus, Jane," the gravelly voice swore, as he rubbed at the bite ray eyes met mine "And human bites are the worst," he said as my brain went into overdrive

"You bastard," I choked, finally Talking hurt but I was so angry I didn’t care "You’re supposed to be a dog"

Anyan looked at me, apparently as confused as I was "You knehat I was," he said, defensively "I told you I was a barghest"

My eyes nearly rolled out of hed, the effort of speaking finally getting the better of ht," I started, but it was too much My throat up and quit on me as I was racked with pain

Anyan knelt besidemy neck "Shush, you," he murmured "Keep still Let ave hiain eentle warmth that I knewhis thuto keel over and die, he deigned to aze But when I saw the concern in his eyes,me and I couldn’t yet talk, so I had a chance to study hi way Jimmu had In his human form, Anyan was like soe sensation, but it wasn’t uncomfortable I examined his face, so close to mine His hair was the sa It poofed out in loose, wiry curls that fell just past his high cheekbones His features were very strong--a long, prominent nose that was quite crooked, a wide e and expressive, but that description fit every bit of hie man He must be well over six feet tall, and his hands met easily around rape

I know you, I thought at hiht I knehere fro intently into his gray eyes

"I’m sorry," he said, finally "I didn’t mean to deceive you You seehest"

I sed to wheeze

He stared at me for a second, before comprehension dawned on his face "The Witches?" he asked, with a laugh "My god, woman No wonder you looked worried" He chuckled--a rich, dark sound--and his laugh reverberated through his hands and into my body "Don’t worry, that’s not an accurate description"

I raised-for teeth and paws," he said, sated canines He didn’t showthose were, considering they rapped around my throat

We sat in silence for a few more seconds until he slowly releasedvery careful to keepout a guy whose adorable fuzzy ears I had been scratching just a few days before

"How does it feel?" he asked I cleared htest tickle I extended h, happy when there was no pain

"Much better," I said, finally My voice was raw, but that was about the only evidence left over of my run-in with Jarl That and utter exhaustion I felt like I’d run five marathons in a row and I kneas minutes away from total systems failure I think I was also in shock

"Good," he said, his hand going to ht back,ht you here," he said, his rough voice e, and now Anyan had re those wordsto flip out or start crying hysterically I chose the for ht’s frustration aimed squarely at Anyan’s hairy chest "Just because I’ doesn’t mean I’ your fucked-up Court has thrown at me, and I’ve survived" I reconsidered that statement "Barely," I adbreath" I added, after athe tone of my spur-of-the-moment speech

My words obviously stole his thunder, and he sat down next to me heavily He didn’t speak, at a loss for words