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Nika was sure there was no way they could kill all of these things "Maybe I can teleport us again, next to Tori You can hold theain"

"I felt how much power it took you to do that the first tiet us over there, but I don’t think you’ll be able to get us back out And there’s no way I can fight them off if I’m surrounded"

"Just take me," said Tynan "If there are fewer of us, it’ll be easier"

"You’ll have to be quick," said Madoc "They’ll tear into you in seconds You puke, you die"

"Right Noand I’ll draw theathered Madoc’s power into her and said, "On three Onetwo "

Chapter 25

Gilda, Angus, Drake, and Helen had been driven back to where the single Theronai guarded their exit

Exhaustion bore down at Gilda She kept trying to pullto breathe through a narrow straw She couldn’t get enough flow to catch her breath, us’s frustration pounding at her, but there was nothing she could do about it He was right She’d been foolish in pushing him away and now they were left weaker because of her lies and pride Because he could not come to terms with her betrayal Not that she could blaushed out of Helen, but she was sagging with effort She turned to Gilda, panting Twin tears of flame slid froet out of here"

Normally, Gilda would have stepped up and taken over, but there was no point in that Even as tired as Helen was, she was still stronger than Gilda right now

From behind her, she heard a co half a dozen dirty humans into the safety of the corridor

"There are o help"

"Retreat," bellowed Angus "Get the humans out We’ll protect your backs"

Liam led the way, but he came to a quick, sudden halt and drew his sword "Too late They e or outside The way out’s blocked"

Gilda sagged against the wall in regret They were dead Unless Andra suddenly showed up, they were out of firepower and out of options She was going to have to watch er and deterh their connection "Drake, Helen, you two blast us a way out Gilda, you and I are going to hold this tunnel and give theth"

He looked into her eyes, and for the first ti in his expression He backed her against the stone wall, towering over her "Then I suggest you find so these innocents die because of the mistakes we’ve made"

"It’s not as if I can siive that a try and see if it works, because you and I are doing this Now" He grabbed her ar the pathway, but right on the other side of those flaus bellowed "Get them out"

"What about you?" asked Helen

"Gilda will teleport us out Don’t wait for us"

Gilda wasn’t sure if Angus was being optiet the others , but whatever his reason, it worked Drake and Helen left, disappearing down the tunnel with the rest of the group

The fla with unnatural heat One of the deh and it screamed in pain

"You know I’m too weak to teleport," she told her husband

"I know"

"So you’re content to die down here?"

"No I sihest I thought the situation ht motivate you to pull your head out of your ass"

Shock rattled her, but she didn’t let it show Angus never spoke to her like that

"Maybe I should have," he said "Maybe if I hadn’t coddled you all these years, ouldn’t be where we are now"

"I didn’t plan any of this"

"I sure as hell hope not"

"Hoe undo years of daus shook his head, staring down at her The sadness in his blue eyes was enough tolike this, too kind

She didn’t deserve hi for hi to make up for the haro of what she wanted and give hie She owed hirabbed his face and pulled him down for a kiss He was stiff at first, but it didn’t take long for that to change Heat flared between the to do it for way too long

A rough groan of need rose out of his chest and she felt a faint tickling at her throat She was too busy enjoying his mouth to worry about it They had only a few seconds before they had to get back to work It us pulled away, breathing hard He pressed his forehead to hers, and the firelight shadowed the deep lines in his face

"I love you, woman"

"I love you, too Always I won’t deny you any"

"Daoing to be too close to you for you to have the chance"