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"But… why?"

"My reasons are my own"

"There are only tays to escape the life," Sunil pointed out

"I’"

Sunil started to reach inside the tattered wool trench coat he’d worn since World War II, but dropped his hands at his side "I can’t use a weapon against you"

"I know" Idess had been the exception to the slave-can’t-harm-master-in-the-den rule She’d been human when Deth bonded her, and humans weren’t meant to carry the assassin-bond "But you can shift, and as long as I allow it, it should be fine" He hesitated, which was one of the very reasons she’d chosen hi the job meant he’d be stuck, the same way she had been He’d have to move his family to the den in order to be with theuards any ti to soainst you, like Deth had

"If you don’t want it, I’ll send for Tavin He’s the only other person I’d approve of" The blond See--he was an all-purpose, anything-goes slave until he went through s’genesis and was freed froood seventy years to go until he went through the final rinned "But I think I’d be a better one" "Then let’s do it"

Sunil bowed his head "It has been an honor to serve you"

"The et it over with"

Closing his eyes, Sunil stepped back A sudden stillness came over the dank air in the cha one, and there was a six-hundred-pound tiger in front of her He bu her palm until she scratched behind his ears

"You shithead," she murmured She could have sworn he sainst her and then took her hand in hisHe used his sharp teeth to tug the ring as far up her finger as it would go, to the very tip

Then he bit down The crunch of bone echoed through the chamber, or maybe it just echoed in Sin’s skull She clenched her teeth to keep froo, she fell back, clutching her bloody hand… which was now er

"Put pressure on it," Sunil said, his voice raspy froasped Fuck, it hurt

He held up her severed digit "Do you want it back?"

Sin sagged against the stone wall to keep froritted out Sunil grinned "Couldn’t your brother reattach it?"

"Probably, but I don’t have tiie"

"Thank you," he purred "And, Sin, if you or Lore ever need any of hed "You are a true mercenary Take care, Sunil" She paused at the door "Also, fair warning: If I find out that someone from this den was in on the attack on Lore’s mate, I’ll kill them, so be prepared to look for a replace She had to get to Con, but first, she had a warg to grill The walls were a blur, the people she passed not worth saying good-bye to She’d liked soues while she’d worked with theed when she’d taken over, and for the most part, they’d treated her as the ene quarters, she slowed, sensing that the one person she wanted to see was inside She shoved her aching hand in her pocket and stepped into the room "Lycus"

He spun away from his open chest of weapons, his movement so smooth she wouldn’t have known she’d startled him if she didn’t know him so well "You’re back I didn’t know" "Clearly"

His toothy slad you’re safe"

She cocked her head and studied him, his handsome, hard face, his dark, soulless eyes "Why don’t I believe you?"

"I don’t know" He rolled one powerful shoulder in a nonchalant shrug "I’ve made it clear that I want you If you’re dead, I can’t have you"

"You can’t have control of the den, you ain, but she didn’t expect him to deny it They both knew the deal "I’ flashed in Lycus’s eyes, but it was gone before she could read it, and in an instant, his expression was neutral again "Don’t you know?"