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Kynan’s hand hovered over his stang, fingers itching to dran The house was filled to the gills with mortal enemies, and the Guardians were loaded for werebear

Powder Keg One spark and the place would blow

Val reached for Serena, his Sigil ring glinting in the light fro you hood-awful roar vibrated the house Wraith moved so fast Ky didn’t track hirowl to the bed, where Wraith was on all fours, crouched protectively over Serena

Christ, his eyes burned the orange-gold of a jet’s afterburners and his fangs had elongated into daggers With his blond uarding his pride

The fas cut through the tension The Guardians and Elders closed ranks at the same moment that E, Shade, and Gem stepped in front of the bed to stand with Wraith

In a coordinated ether in the past, they placed the Serena hos," Val repeated, his Romanian accent so thick Kynan barely understood hiravel "If you touch her, I’ll drop all your buddies, and then I’ll take you apart, piece by piece"

"You," Val bellowed, "have no say in this She’s dying because of you!"

The Guardians shifted, bracing for battle, and Wraith’s eyes went cri to end very, very badly

"Shade," Ky said quietly, "bring Wraith down" He turned to Val, whose dark gaze promised as et the a would be suicide" Suicide, even if Wraith wasn’t in possession of the charh he still looked like he was

"Val, please," she said caled de here is to stop Byzareed to ith the charmed one," David said, "but we didn’t knoas a de with them No way"

"Then lube up and prepare to call Byza the situation at all

One of the Elders, Juan, cleared his throat "Kynan Tayla As Regent and fornize the proble with demons?"

"I know firsthand" Tayla s scraping the wall Gasps filled the air "Because I’m half demon" She shifted back, rolled her shoulders "Don’t s and loisting his handso hideous "You traitorous--"

"Be very careful what you say, huone as red as Wraith’s, and he now looked every inch the de Finally, Val turned to hilances at Tayla "Did you know about her? Did you know she was a deent position?"

"Yes"

"Jesus, Kynan What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking," Kynan said, "that she’s a warrior with daood instincts She can think on her feet She knows the difference between good deood deht now none of that ue "WhatByzaruis ranks Val held up his hand; everyone went silent "He’s right We need to concentrate on the situation at hand"

Kynan swore the house breathed a sigh of relief Still, the room ay too croith mortal enemies And Serena didn’t look comfortable in bed, where the state of the sheets and the discarded clothes on the floor told an X-rated story

"Let’s clear out," Kynan said "We only need a few players in here"

There was some discussion between the Elders and Guardians, and thenonly Val and his son, David Ges outside Reaver had co Serena with sad eyes

Cal Serena’s hand Still, he locked gazes with Val, who cleared his throat i evacuated Hundreds of Aegis and military teams will be in place at the Temple Mount in a matter of hours," Val said to Wraith "I assuate to hed, and Eidolon rubbed his teis can retrieve the aain possession of it, you will immediately hand it over to a Guardian"

Kynan winced as Wraith came to his feet "Blow me This isn’t your show, and I don’t take orders from slayers"

"Josh Val" Serena’s thin voice drew everyone’s attention The dark circles beneath her eyes seerown ten tiet the necklace Don’t fight"

Wraith nodded and took her hand, and was it Ky’s iile? "Sorry" He slid Val a covert glare, as if upsetting Serena had been entirely the human’s fault

The room fell silent except for the sound of her raspy breaths, until Reaver spoke up "I’ht you couldn’t help"

"Fuck that"