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In the end, it had been Liz who kept her alive The prospect of leaving her baby sister alone with the et her out of her sick bed and on her feet, determined to stay alive until she saw Liz far away froht, when Jabril told her Liz was , her first desperate hope was that her sister had finally run Liz’s own eighteenth birthday was only a feeeks away, and it was no secret Jabril was eager for the day he could turn his old friends’ youngest daughter and gain full control of their estate He wasn’t satisfied with Mirabelle’s share; he wanted it all And since he’d gotten aith raping Mirabelle, why not Liz too? But Liz was stronger than Mirabelle and apparently she’d ed to escape Mirabelle felt a rush of fierce pride for her little sister

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, and she lifted her head, listening So up the ht the distinct scent of old blood and frowned With the careful, concisepractice, she turned off the coerator door and slid the drawer facade across the front Only seconds later, she was on her feet and pulling the heavy robe over her jeans and sweatshirt By the ti of her door, she was sitting by the , reading a book

Asi to rest on her "Do you knohere she is?" he asked gently Asienerational faht over as Va needs Asiht too tedious to concern himself with and was the only one of Jabril’s minions who still treated Mirabelle with any kindness He’d intervened on her behalf onher from punishment at Jabril’s hands There were times when she suspected Asim actually saw hiure, or perhaps an uncle

She met his inquiry with a confused frown "My lord?" He wasn’t really a lord, only Jabril Karim himself deserved that title, but she knew it pleased him

"I know this is difficult for you, Mirabelle I know you don’t understand his ways, but what he does is necessary For you and for all of us The woency will be here next week for her monthly visit Elizabeth wasn’t here for the last visit; she must be here for this one Jabril will be most furious if she is not, and I needn’t tell you ill suffer the brunt of his anger"

Mirabelle studied his face, looking for any indication he was playing her She wanted, she needed, to believe he cared about her, that he could be trusted, that she wasn’t utterly alone She dropped her eyes with a sigh "I haven’t seen her, Asi anywhere"

"I see" He seemed almost disappointed, and Mirabelle felt a flush of sha as if she’d somehow let hily e "Best you stay in your roo over to the door "His teht, and I don’t want hiave her a final, sorrowful look and left, closing the door quietly behind hireat hiccupping gulps of tears, crying for all she’d lost Not only her grandfather and her parents, but the dreairl--her first boyfriend, her first kiss, a husband, children All the life she’d never have

Chapter Seven

Jabril fisted the blond slave’s hair, yanking her head back and stretching her throat taut, until the thick outline of her jugular could be seen beneath the delicate skin He lowered his head and sniffed, enjoying the sweet scent of her blood and the even sweeter stench of her terror He waited, savoring the moht hie of climax, then sank his teeth into the blond’s neck Her screaain, and he drank deeply until she was limp beneath him He let her fall to the pillows to shudder convulsively in the throes of an orgasered by the euphorics in his saliva So pleasurable for the slaves, but sometimes he did The possibility made them so muchin the rush of fresh blood through his systeer oral ministrations The door opened and he looked up to see Asier at the scent of so much blood He walked to the foot of the bed and stopped, his narrow eyes taking in the sight of his hton has returned to her hotel," he said

"Excellent What did you think of her, Asi the blond’s naked hip, watching his aide’s eyes tighten in hunger as the woainst Jabril with a needy aze back to the vauilty jerk "Prideful, mannish Typical Aed with studied nonchalance "Her blood will taste like any other’s"

"Perhaps not," Jabril disagreed "Raphael has marked her, you know"

"I did not--"

"No, of course you didn’t It was too subtle and old; they’ve been parted for soant of Raphael, to clai about He ain"

Asiuely alarmed "Did you--"

"A small touch Because she’s Raphael’s and even that will infuriate hi look "Have you eaten yet?"

"No, Master"

Jabril feigned surprise "Well, then This one’s untapped tonight" He pushed the dark-haired slave away fro her shtened in poorly concealed resentrabbing the girl’s arhtly and looked down at the blond, running an absent hand over her shton He suspected Asihton’s blood would be sweet indeed

Chapter Eight