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Faith sank back against the wall, pressing her fist to her sto Now probably wasn’t the tione feral

Hawke and Lyon joined her Hawke slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as they continued down the passage "It’s been a hell of a night," he lad when it’s over" But it would never be over, would it? Being marked as a Feral Warrior was a life sentence She could never leave Feral House and the Radiant, not for any a to Warsaw, to Paulina and Maria and her rolling-stone life, was out of the question

Tears burned her eyes, a hopelessness sweeping over her

The Ferals, the real Ferals, were going to be furious when they found out she’d been marked, that one of the animals had been wasted on her She’d be useless to the to come out of any of this was that she now had no choice but to stay close to Hawke For as long as he wanted her Would he want her, once he learned the truth? Sooner or later, she’d have to tell hi her secret to herself

An hour later, Hawke followed Lyon through the front door of the Georgetown enclave - a long line of town houses that opened into a single ht in his, unwilling to let go of her She’d been silent on the ride over They all had, lost to their own thoughts and worries But there was a turmoil in Faith’s silence that ate at hih hell today between the revelation that theher and the draden attack He wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d needed soiven the But she’d leaped into his arms as if the only place she’d wanted to be ith him

Goddess, he adored her Whatever happened, he would make sure she was safe, and that Maxiain

Kara met them, her face pale, dark shadows under her eyes "They’re stable," she said, cal their fears as she slid into Lyon’s e better now that Skye’s here Jag’s torso is al out, but his legs haven’t started to re-form, yet He’s in terrible pain But they’re alive They’re going to aze over the top of Kara’s head, his eyes revealing the sah was lion-sized Lyon pulled back to look into his mate’s face "And you?"

"Tired But fine"

"Good Take me to them, little one"

As Kara led Lyon toward the stairs, one of the Therian women strode over to Hawke, a woman he knew only casually

"Hello, Hawke If we’d known the Feral Warriors were co, we’d have prepared a proper feast As it is, we can lanced at Faith She shook her head tiredly, the shadows in her eyes tugging at him "We’re fine, thanks, Irina"

Faith pulled her hand from his "I’d love to use the bathroom"

Irina smiled "Of course This way"

The pain hit hi along the inside of his skull Right on cue, the hawk screeched in his head, digging his talons into Hawke’s brain until he alhtfourteen, fifteen Finally, the ain

Faith, led by Irina, had already turned the corner, out of his sight, and it was all he could do not to go after her She was his He felt it in every bone in his body But the last thing she needed was to get involved with him in his current state For all that she seee, her presence had done nothing to help when he had lost control Thirty-seven hours he’d been gone

He didn’t even kno she felt about him He wondered if she knew She was drawn to him, certainly, had kissed him with passionate abandon in the foyer of Feral house But whether or not her feelings for him were anywhere near as deep as his oere for her was anyone’s guess

He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans It would be best if she never developed strong feelings for him, not if the break with his animal continued on its current doard spiral

If he really cared about her, he’d push her away

But it would be easier to stop breathing

Chapter Eleven

Faith slipped into the bathroo If she had feral marks, she wanted to see the else was at play With determined hands she yanked her shirt over her head, unfastened her bra and tossed it aside, then stood in front of theher ar off her shoes, she unsnapped her jeans and pulled then of the scars that all Ferals sported sorew inside her Maybe it really was sos

She closed the toilet lid and used it as a step to the counter until she was standing stark naked in front of the oversized mirror, hunched over so she didn’t hit her head on the ceiling Turning her back to the mirror, she looked over her shoulder, and that hen she saw theh - four ss, she felt for the over the shallow indentations she could barely feel and wouldn’t have noticed unless she’d been looking for thelilance at those treacherous ain At least no one would accidentally see theain, no one would know She’d have to tell soht

She sed Not now

Haaiting for her when she left the bathroohts "Are you okay?"

"You keep askingher neck, his eyes war as he frowned "You’re shaking"

Who wouldn’t be at the prospect of having nine Feral Warriors furious at her? Maybe even ready to toss her in their prison She shrugged and tried to sood an effort she’d h day"

Hawke’s eyes softened, his hands lifting to fra her cheeks "I’m sorry" The truth of those words throbbed in his voice, bringing tears to her eyes He leaned close and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, then pulled back, watching her for several long aze dipped to her rew more firm, moreneedy