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He shouldn’t have put that much space between they ball at hio noncorporeal She was so fast with those things Two could play this game He tossed a fireball, and she ducked behind the rock they’d been sitting on

Then she started chanting

"Taainst me, and all bets are off You have no idea the hell I canher incantation The air charged around them, and she stepped out fro her and threw a ball of energy at hiain I’oons If you even look like you’re conte me in one of those pods for any reason, you will be sorry I prolass jars are less rooy ball This one he saw coed He tossed another ball of fire, but it sizzled and bounced off an invisible bubble she’d put around herself He was so caught off guard by the new protection that he didn’t get away in ti him in the stomach

"O Godda fire What I’ won’t kill you You want to burn me alive and send me back to a lesser forrowled "That’s not my intention"

"Or am I too much of a temptation for you? Do I have too much power in this form?"

She dropped the straps of the dress and the round God yes, she had too much power in this form, but he’d never say it He stalked her and reached out to stroke her skin, glowing in the torchlight His hand bounced off the barrier

Cain’s voice dropped an octave "How can I help you if you won’t help ht you wanted ed "It seeoing to kill otta play to win, sweetheart"

As soon as she dropped the shields, he backed her against the wall and ripped his pants off "Be a good girl and wrap your legs around irl? You must have me confused with somebody else"

But she did as he requested, and he lifted her like she was nothing As he ih from him

"You really want to die and leave all this? That’s a solid death wish you’ve got there," he said

"Don’t flatter yourself," she tossed back

But she’d dropped her shields, all of the on her She wanted him almost as er, she’d beg him to keep her, he was sure of it

Chapter Seven

Tam tried to catch her breath He’d weakened her when he’d fed, but he hadn’t killed her That would be too much to hope for He seemed comht she’d ever willingly ask another monster to keep her, he didn’t know her And that was the point He didn’t know her Though he knew Jack had been her lover, the realization that she wouldn’t fall for that charain hadn’t penetrated hiscuddler After he’d finished with her, he’d left her in the cave Another woht have been emotionally devastated or felt horribly used, but Ta out She could atteet what she wanted, but there was a part of her that did genuinely fear hiainst the demon was the kind that sealed him somewhere far away from her And with her life span, even that wasn’t a safe bet Curses could be broken

She pulled the dress on and aze then looked away quickly to whisper ast themselves She didn’t have to hear the It was such cruel irony Every single one of the Cain and their kind If only that were the case

Many of theh to kill her, but even if she could get an accurate list of all their ages and strength levels, not one of theet sent to the caves He’d been pretty intense about his threat

His disdain for vampires ran deep He wanted to use her in a future ith Anthony if it cah contacts that with her, her current coven, and the otherIn fact, between all of them, Cain’s dehter, no ht his battles

She was kidding herself if she thought Cain would put a petty vendetta against her above his personal ambitions He had more self-control than she’d anticipated He was a co him to kill her involved more issues than she’d wanted to admit Plus he couldn’t stand to lose ever, for any reason But really, were they any different? They were both ruthless in their oays She should have known she wouldn’t get him to snap and kill her Damnit

She was lost in her oorld and didn’t notice when Anna crossed her path

"Ta Anna because she was afraid if they spent too ether, her friend would learn about her suicide s felt distant now Anna was so wrapped up in her new s weren’t the same anymore, no matter how much they’d tried to force it or fake the easy way that had once been between theuilty

"Where have you been? I hardly ever see you"

The witch shrugged "I wander a lot I’h she suspected a big part of the boredom was depression Why else would she have such a death wish? Even if Jack could be caught and destroyed, and the threat fro point this ti around sounded awful She couldn’t stand adhtest spots of the past week had been in Cain’s arms What did that say about her?

She couldn’t allow herself to fall down that well again He was just like Jack He’d turn on her and everyone she loved There were no true consequences for him outside the inconvenience of a curse here and there No one to answer to No laws that bound him or his power In a way, he orse than Jack

Anna stared at the dress "Why are you wearing that?" She asked the question as if she already knew but wanted to torture out a confession

"Not out here in the middle of the street," Tam hissed

They were still surrounded by too many demons, and she didn’t exactly want to have this conversation with an audience She tried to grab Anna by the elbow to steer her toward her tent but her hand went through

"Dalad you’re not really a ghost, though"

"Me, too I guess I thought since I gave LucNohat about the dress?"