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Because regardless of what Kari said or didn"t say, she was his mate

New fallen sno in as the door opened Ronan cursed when Shock Denzell walked in, his gaze hidden behind dark sunglasses as he canvassed the room Damn, Ronan had really hoped the prick would stay away Since Shock hadn"t, he rose to his feet, refusing to risk anyone attacking Kari again

Before the other wizard took more than three steps inside the pub, Ronan stepped in front of hirowled, "Get out"

Shock scowled at hinat "Who the fuck are you? Not the pub"s owner"

"Hernature with disdain "Not her mate"

That truth rankled, but he pushed on Kari would not be in danger

Ronan glared "I" semantics Moments after you last left here, the pub was attacked and Kari nearly killed That won"t happen again"

"Attacked by whoation"

"If you want to save her life, start talking" Shock crossed his arms over his massive chest

"How do I know you won"t sied "You don"t But how can you protect her when you don"t understand the threat?"

Ronan wondered how Shock would take the news, then shrugged Not his problem…

"Apparently, the witch who attacked her is called Rhea She was quite interested in knowing if you"d been conversing with Tynan O"Shea and as said"

The expression Shock hid behind those sunglasses was flat and nearly i about the way his body froze, however, told Ronan that Shock was furious

"Rhea is h the other wizard was a bit taller and possessed of the ical battle he"d quickly thrash Shock He had anger on his side

At the ry, and Ronan could channel his twin"s energy when necessary The secondary energy had saved him more than once

"Mine as well if she comes back to kill ht the curse to Kari, and it nearly killed her

"What bloody curse?" Shock"s pried into his thoughts with all the subtlety of a crowbar

"What are you on about?"

He can read ure it out?" Shock scowled "What curse?"

None of your fucking business "That coed "Your hairshirt to wear I figured that since I know a thing or two about dark ic that you don"t, I could help, but if you"d rather handle it yourself… Fuck off and let , Shock glared at hi I say, this will be a bloody long conversation Yes, utter crap"

"How so?"

"Most of ickind doesn"t have the faintest clue how to create a strong curse,one There are other factors, as well Were you the one cursed?"

"No, an ancestor," Ronan supplied He didn"t trust Shock, but didn"t see how sharing this information could hurt hi was done properly, the curse"s effectiveness to extended family is weakened Was the curse placed recently?"

Ronan shook his head "It"s been nearly a thousand years"

"Unless this was some extraordinary wizard--"

"Witch," Ronan corrected

"Whatever An old curse placed on a whole family by some witch as likely both incensed and inept…it can"t last"

"Dark curses fade?" he asked suspiciously

"Most, yes"

He shot a skeptical scowl at Shock "Why have I never heard this?"

"How ic?"

"Very little"

Shock sent hied in the dark knoield it"

"So old curses don"t have to be countered or solved? They can simply…fade away"

"Often, yes," Shock confessed "After a time, the only power they possess comes froainst you"

A, then Ronan ain, what reason could the other wizard have to put Kari in danger? Did she pose sohed "Seriously?"

Ronan scrubbed a hand across his face Honestly, he wasn"t certain what to think

Except…one way or the other, he had to tell Kari why he hadn"t allowed her to Bind to him He owed her that It was possible she"d still think he was lying or mad But the truth would be out