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"Lykae are stubborn, ignorant creatures," Nieve said coldly "He won't do what's necessary to save her"

Will gazed down at Chloe She had her wee hand pressed against his chest Right over his heart "Why uardians will not let you through on the night of a full moon, especially not in your condition"-shirtless, burned, wild-eyed, a heartbeat fro?-"not unless we have some surety that you won't harm others Chloe is that surety You must entrust her to me"

-Trust- his Instinct advised But his history told hi with Chloe

The Instinct won Will shuddered when he handed her over, wolven sounds erupting from his throat as he and his beast reacted

Gisela clasped Chloe tightly, h the portal, her ht never return to his hoh without hesitation

Where your oes, you follow

Chapter Forty-Six

Slave auction blocks, harems, chained sex servants

Over the centuries, Will had pictured the Ubus Realhts As he followed the succubae through the portal, he braced his

As with many planes, this was a hidden cubbyhole within the wider world, with the sa lands, the same time

The sauardians-two stony-faced incubi whose feet hadn't been touching the ground-Will snapped his fingers for Chloe "Hand her to me"

Gisela tucked a curl behind Chloe's ear, then reluctantly returned her to Will's are hilltop homes on the other end of a shop-lined street The architecture could've been found in any quaint Highland hamlet

They started toward the hill He didn't want to take his eyes from Chloe, but he forced his, in case they needed to leave in a hurry

The shops they passed were no different from those of any typical European town, the street like so hts

He scented species of all kinds, not just the Ubus peoples He even smelledanother Lykae? A tart scent tickled his nose Apples? What row food?

Just before the hill lay a grassy field Will did a double take

A lacrosse gae were playing an aggressive, no-holds-barred ga succubus taking part as well Parents were cheering from the sidelines

Nieve noticed his bemusement "What? Ubus can't play sports? Humans didn't corner the market on lacrosse"

For the last nine centuries, if he'd thought about Ubus children, he'd i to ruin lives and prey on the unsuspecting

Fountains lined the edge of the field Picnickers laughed Bairns flew kites

Goddamned kites

Nieve said, "We're notdifference between our kinds So why are those Ubus spreading out banquets of food?"

Nieve frowned at him "Why wouldn't they?"

Gisela said, "As with vaht up until they freeze into their immortality-females usually in their twenties, males in their thirties Before then, that need is dormant"

Just as Chloe's had been

Nieve was still frowning Then her eyes ide Under her breath, she hissed, "He is vile, Mother Who thinks like that?"

"Outsiders rarely understand our ways," Gisela murmured back "Just remember, he's one of the twins"

What did thather closer to his chest

Nieve shot over her shoulder, "I'll bet you expected chained slaves and whip-carrying ies on the street?"

Exactly what he'd expected Judging by the banners hung over the street, the next public gathering wasthe Cider Fair

He felt a trickle of eer This Nieve witch did not need to push hi different? My encounters with your ilk inforetic look "Yes, well, any Ubus in your real of them"

"What?" He hadn't heard her correctly

"Centuries ago, if any of the nobility were convicted of an unconscionable offense, they were cast out"

"Into my family's lands?" Inhale, exhale Doona kill Chloe's blood kin

Nieve said, "There were not that many"

"It only took one!" Picnickers turned to stare at him Children looked up at him with owl eyes-and they looked no different frorip on hisdown at her Chloe, I've been so bluidy stupid

"Let's discuss this inside," Gisela said

He held his tongue as they climbed the hill to her house

He crossed the threshold The second succubus home he'd ever been in

This was vastly dissis of obvious wealth-crystal, a gilded chandelier, plush rugs, intricate orking The colors were understated It was, he was loath to admit, a home he could live in

As he followed the two feer

"Here's le bed, surrounded by shelves of vials and bottles that rivaled any olden apothecary's shop Incense burned, yet it wasn't cloying

Gisela indicated he should lay Chloe on the bed Will took a seat beside her, fighting back his beast and his own protectiveness to allow a succubus to exa to draw her blood" Gisela's tools looked antiquated but clean She pushed up Chloe's bracelet, thenblood onto a waiting dish "I sense power in this bracelet I need to knohat it does"

"It keeps her hidden from enemies" He scrubbed his palm over the back of his neck Go on, then, Will "It keeps her fro"

Gisela nodded "I believe that was a wise decision on her part At least until she can figure out her new life"

Hadn't been Chloe's decision He'd foisted it on her Slaoightear

Nieve crossed her ar her options open We don't know for certain that you're her fatedUbus havefor countless victiave him a look that said duh "We're as committed as mated Lykae Most of those parents you saw at the field are incubus and succubus couples"

"That's no' even possible" If they were both energy sucks, they would need an outside source "Two negatives doona make a positive"