Page 24 (1/2)

While he went to collect her things, Danii slipped on her dress, then explored her new hideout

Murdoch had hting, plu and towels

In every spacious room, the timeless sculptures, decorations, and brickwork had proved impervious to cold Which meant this place was perfect for her She was a nester Her star sign decreed nesting, and she was helpless to resist

The first thing it needed was ice

When he returned with her bags, Murdoch gruffly showed her to a guest roo her stay But he also appeared a bit wild-eyed as he glanced from her to the suitcases and back She supposed BP would be worse in hi

"Do you have sos to write my number on?" he asked her

"Yes, but you can just tell me I&039;ll remeits, he hastily said, "But keep inour leads and hunting Ivo"

She gave him her best ice queen impression "Of course, I understand" But did she? If she were honest, she would acknowledge that deep down, she&039;d hoped to convince hirettably hadn&039;t panned out But no matter what, she still had this prime place of safety to hide out for a time - and that&039;s what really counted If he didn&039;t want to experience more of the exquisite pleasure they&039;d just shared, then it was his loss

Which means it&039;s mine as well -

"Good bye, then," he said, tracing away before she could say anything else

Once she was alone, she gave a casual shrug as if she wasn&039;t hurt But fooling hi in her heart, she proceeded to decorate, figuring it would be ain

Hours later, she lay on the stripped bed in thethe shtfully chill wind blew, rushing in through the outer doors and hich she&039;d opened to the freezing night

She was fatigued froress Icicles embellished all the ork and doorways, and ice sheets covered each of the walls

Yet then she frowned The glazed walls looked faceless, the flawless ice see barren to her

Those unbroken sheets bothered her, like an off smell or a discordant sound would And the irritation was sharp, as strong as the pull she&039;d been feeling to this place

She rose and crossed to the bedrooe, then back inside at the walls Out, then in Wrong

Unable to stand it any longer, she fashioned a spear of ice, galvanizing it with layer after layer, honing it

Once finished, she took her ain And again, until peculiar an to take shape

Murdoch would not return to Siberia I&039;ve made it seven days, I canhis leads for the night, and daas approaching - Lukyan and Rurik had already returned to Mount Oblak

But it would be dark in Siberia

Lulls in action were dangerous for Murdoch They made the temptation to return to Daniela harder to resist

No, he refused Because of the blooding, he was just supposed to succumb? To tolerate this total loss of power? Welcome a complete personality rewrite?

He was detero to her like some lovesick lad, especially since she obviously couldn&039;t have cared less when he&039;d been about to leave that last night And she hadn&039;t called him once

Part of him resented how easily she&039;d manipulated him Another part resented her encroachment But that didn&039;t mean he had bachelor&039;s panic, as she&039;d accused - which, he&039;d noted, handily placed all the bla the difficulties she presented as a Bride

In any case, if a woe&039;s symbol of female encroachment, try two stuffed suitcases